Tag: dinner

Roasted Asparagus with Tangerine Panko Crumb
Posted in My Recipes

Roasted Asparagus with Tangerine Panko Crumb

Posted on by Valeria

Being back in the kitchen is such a big joy! Never thought I’d be this happy in my life over a kitchen! But back to my home cooking is what I need after a big vacation! (which I am still drafting my vacation post!!)

Tonight I decided to take advantage of sprucing up our pallet after a big vacation with some Winter citrus by making this side dish. It was a side to a pork roast and fingerling potatoes. It lasted two seconds on the plate, which means it is husband and child approved!

Roasted Asparagus with Tangerine Panko Crumb
1 lb washed asparagus with woody bottoms taken off
3 tablespoons panko crumb
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon of tangerine zest

Set oven to 400 degrees, or 425 convection roast.

Place the asparagus on a parchment paper covered baking sheet with the drizzle of oil and topped with the panko crumb.

Roll the asparagus on the pan so it coats slightly with the crumb.

If you have a hand held grater, hand plain, take tangerine (washed) and grate quickly across the asparagus. Try not to over do it, you jut want a whisper of the oils and zest.

Roast in the oven for 15 minutes, till the panko is golden brown.

Done!

Roasted Asparagus with Tangerine Panko Crumb

Posted in My Recipes

Pasta with Zucchini and Cannelini Beans

Posted on by Valeria

Pasta with Zucchini and Cannelini Beans
1 medium-sized zucchini, washed and cubed
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 medium-sized yellow onion, chopped
1 can of cannelini beans, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup grated cheese, Romano Pecorino works best.
1lb cooked pasta

Your ingredients- zucchini, onion, garlic and cannelini beans (shown not drained/rinsed).
Your ingredients- zucchini, onion, garlic and cannelini beans (shown not drained/rinsed).

Heat olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.

Add in garlic and onions, cook till translucent.

Add in zucchini , stir, then sprinkle in the salt and pepper. Caramelize the zucchini (cook until the zucchini begins to brown slightly, but do not burn!!).

Zucchini combined with onion and garlic in skillet.
Zucchini combined with onion and garlic in skillet.

Push the zucchini to one side of skillet, and add in the beans to the empty side. Let beans heat through, then mix the zucchini with the beans till incorporated.

Turn the heat down to medium. Cook for 5-10 minutes, till the beans are soft and cooked through.

After incorporating the cannelini beans
After incorporating the cannelini beans

Take skillet off heat. Toss in pasta.

Top with your favorite grated cheese and done!

DONE!
DONE!
Posted in My Recipes

Eggplant Rollatini

Posted on by Valeria

Eggplant Rollatini
2 large-sized eggplants, washed and sliced thin lengthwise
16 ounces ricotta cheese
1 large egg
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup grated Romano/pecorino, and three tbsp for sprinkling on top
1/3 lb fresh spinach, washed, drained completely and minced
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling pans
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Need: 3 cups marinara/tomato sauce, a couple parchment paper covered baking sheets, and a 9×13 baking pan.

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Slice the eggplants lengthwise into thin slices.

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Drizzle olive oil on pans, then place eggplant slices on top. Sprinkle with salt. Roast till lightly browned on both sides, and fork tender, about 4 minutes per side. Remove slices and allow to cool.

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Fresh, washed spinach minced in a food processor. After washing spinach, it is important to make sure the water is drained completely.

In a food processor, or you can cut by hand, take fresh, washed spinach and mince.

In a large bowl, beat egg then mix the ricotta, spinach, Romano cheese, nutmeg, and salt/pepper .

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* In the 9×13 pan-add a cup of sauce. Set aside for the eggplant’s next step.

Place a heaping tablespoon of the cheese mixture on the fatter end of the eggplant and roll up tightly.

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Place the eggplant rollatini into baking pan, atop sauce, seam side down. Continue with remaining eggplant lining them up tightly in the pan.

Evenly distribute the sauce on top of the eggplant rollatini.

Season with grated cheese and mozzarella.

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Bake for 30 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned.

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DONE! Eggplant Rollatini!
Posted in My Recipes

Ricotta and Veal Meatballs

Posted on by Valeria

Ricotta and Veal Meatballs
1 pound veal
1 pound lean ground beef
1 1/4 cup of whole wheat bread crumbs
1 1/4 cup skim ricotta
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Cheese
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1 1/2 teaspoons dried parsley
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon of each Salt & fresh ground Pepper
A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

Ingredients.
Ingredients.

Need: Parchment covered baking sheet drizzled with extra virgin olive oil.

Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees F.

In a small bowl, mix the bread crumbs with the basil and parsley. Set aside.

In a large bowl, add the ground beef, veal, nutmeg, egg, that bread crumb mixture, garlic, ricotta, grated cheese and S&P.

In a large bowl, mix by hands untill all incorporated.
In a large bowl, mix by hands until all incorporated.

Using your hands, mix all ingredients until well incorporated.

The mixture.
The mixture.

Next, using your hands, shape the meatballs into balls, about the size of a walnut/1 inch, and place on baking sheet.

Valeria's Meatballs

Rolled and ready for the oven!
Rolled and ready for the oven!

Bake for 7 minutes, then flip them over, place back in the oven for 10 minutes until browned and cooked through.

Done!
Done! They come out tasting amazing, and they’re the perfect consistency!  Add them in to your favorite sauce and serve over pasta or in a sandwich!

This recipe yielded about 47 meatballs for me today.  (Yes, that’s a lot of meatballs!) But what I do is separate portions of ten meatballs, then once they are cooled, place them in freezer zip-loc bags and put them in the freezer.  This way I have a homemade meal at my fingertips anytime. I love to make my simple tomato sauce, which I was simmering before I started on these, then add that portion of meatballs in and let simmer for 30 minutes. So good! Especially if you make a sandwich out of them, which is what we are doing tonight.  YUM!

Also, here is a recipe for my regular meatballs. Click here!

xoxoxo