Spinach and Artichoke Pasta - recipes

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Spinach and Artichoke Pasta

Ingredients

1 lb Italian sausage, removed form casing
6 oz small pasta shells
1/3 cup spinach and artichoke dip
1 cup frozen spinach, chopped
1/2 cup diced artichoke hearts
1/4 cup diced white mushrooms
1/4 cup peas
8-10 oil preserved sun-dried tomatoes cut into thin strips
1/4 cup mozzarella
1/4 cup cottage cheese
1 tablespoon salt
1 tsp salt

Directions

Fill a large pot with about 3 quarts water and salt, then heat to a boil. Brown sausages in a saute pan. Once pasta is al dente, drain pasta leaving about 1/4 cup water. Combine dip, cottage cheese, drained meat and vegetables into the warm pasta pot with remaining water. Stir until everything is equally distributed. Pour into a 12 inch square baking dish. Cover top with mozzarella cheese. Bake 15-20 minutes, at 425 degrees, uncovered, or until the cheese starts to brown.

Servings: 4-6

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ITALIAN STYLE CROCKPOT VEGGIES - Italian Recipes

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ITALIAN STYLE CROCKPOT VEGGIES

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon salt
1 medium eggplant, cut in 1" cubes
2 to 3 medium zucchini, halved & sliced 1/2 inch
1 large onion, sliced thinly
12 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 plum tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 cups tomato sauce
1 teaspoon oregano
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Toss eggplant and zucchini with the 1 teaspoon of salt. Place in a large colander over a bowl to drain for about 1 hour. Drain and squeeze excess moisture out. In a large skillet over medium heat, saute onion, eggplant, zucchini, and mushrooms until slightly tender. In the crockpot, layer 1/3 of the vegetables (including sliced tomatoes), 1/3 of the the tomato sauce. and 1/3 of the cheese. Sprinkle with oregano, salt and pepper. Repeat layering 2 more times. Cover and cook on low 6 to 8 hours.

Yield: 6 Servings
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RISOTTO OF SPRING VEGGIES - recipe

RISOTTO OF SPRING VEGGIES

Ingredients:

2 cups Arborio rice
2 quarts vegetable stock in which pea shells have been simmered
8 Tbs. butter
2 leeks, sliced thin
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2/3 cup fresh peas
2/3 cup peeled fava beans
2/3 cup baby artichokes, sliced
1 Tbs. parsley, chopped fine
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Melt half the butter over medium heat. Add leeks and onion.
When onion mixture is transparent, add rice and stir to coat grains well. When rice glistens and becomes opaque, start adding stock a ladleful at a time, over heat high enough to evaporate the liquid. Add a ladleful at a time, after each addition evaporates, but don’t let rice dry out. After 5 minutes, fold in the artichoke slices. When rice is half done (10 minutes), add salt and pepper. Add as much of the rest of the simmering stock to the rice as needed to make it tender but not mushy, a ladleful at a time, stirring, for about 5 minutes more. Add peas, fava beans and butter and toss with rice, gently. Serve at once. Optional: shave parmesan cheese over each serving.

Yield: 6 Servings

Category: Side Dishes, Vegetables
 

RISOTTO OF SPRING VEGGIES - Italian Recipes [26-8-15]

RISOTTO OF SPRING VEGGIES
 
Ingredients:

2 cups Arborio rice
2 quarts vegetable stock in which pea shells have been simmered
8 Tbs. butter
2 leeks, sliced thin
1/2 cup onion, chopped
2/3 cup fresh peas
2/3 cup peeled fava beans
2/3 cup baby artichokes, sliced
1 Tbs. parsley, chopped fine
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Melt half the butter over medium heat. Add leeks and onion.
When onion mixture is transparent, add rice and stir to coat grains well. When rice glistens and becomes opaque, start adding stock a ladleful at a time, over heat high enough to evaporate the liquid. Add a ladleful at a time, after each addition evaporates, but don't let rice dry out. After 5 minutes, fold in the artichoke slices. When rice is half done (10 minutes), add salt and pepper. Add as much of the rest of the simmering stock to the rice as needed to make it tender but not mushy, a ladleful at a time, stirring, for about 5 minutes more. Add peas, fava beans and butter and toss with rice, gently. Serve at once. Optional: shave parmesan cheese over each serving.

Yield: 6 Servings


Category: Side Dishes, Vegetables
 

Italian Recipes: PEPERONATA [06-08-15]

Italian Recipes: PEPERONATA

Ingredients

 1/2 cup olive oil
 2 tablespoons minced garlic
 1/2 yellow onion, minced
 2 red bell peppers
 2 green bell peppers
 1 yellow bell pepper (or another green or red one)
 2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
 2 teaspoons salt
 1/4 cup fresh oregano leaves
 1/2 red onion, sliced into paper thin slices for garnish
 2 tablespoons minced parsley for garnish

Directions

 In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the 1/2 cup olive oil until it is hot but not smoking. Add garlic and yellow onion and saute, stirring until lightly colored (apx 3 min). Halve the peppers; remove seeds and trim away white ribs. Cut lengthwise into strips 1/2 inch wide. Add all peppers to skillet at one time and stir to blend with garlic-onion mixture. Add tomatoes and salt and mix gently. Scatter oregano leaves across top. Cover and simmer slowly until peppers are soft (12 to 15 minutes). Remove from heat and transfer to serving bowl to cool. Serve peppers at room temperature, garnishing the top with sliced red onion and minced parsley.

Yield: About 3 1/2 cups

Categories: Vegetables