Onion and Garlic Foccacia | Vegan Italian Recipes

Bread making had always intimidated me. I mean, working with yeast has always been scary. But when you zero in on the menu to make for one special evening, you got to roll up your sleeves and be ready to face your fear. Ok, I am not talking about a huge wrestling competition. My menu had Foccacia and Vegetarian chili to be made on Valentine's day. Foccacia is a pretty simple yeasted bread that can be made by anyone with no experience in leavened bread.

Ingredients:
All purpose flour / Maida - 3 cups
Salt - 1-1/2 tsp
Active dry yeast - 2 tsp
Sugar - a pinch
Warm Water - 3/4 cup to 1 cup
Extra Virgin Olive Oil - 3 tbsp + 2 tbsp + more for greasing
Sea salt - 1/2 tsp
Italian seasoning - 1 tsp
Onion - thinly sliced - 1/2 cup
Garlic - 3 cloves - julienne

Method:
Sieve the flour and salt together. Place the yeast and sugar in a small bowl. Pour 3/4 cup of lukewarm* water over it and allow the yeast to bloom, about 3-5 minutes. Mix 3 tbsp of oil to the water. Pour the warm water with yeast over the flour and knead together to form a dough, sprinkling water as needed. After the dough comes together, knead for about 5 minutes. Place in a well oiled glass bowl and cover with a plastic wrap. Place in a warm place for about 2 hours to rise, or it doubles it size. Punch down the dough and spread it in a 9x9 square pan greased with olive oil. If the dough does not spread to the whole pan, give it a few minutes and try again. When the dough is fully spread in the pan, make little dimples all over it with the index finger. Mix the italian seasoning with 2 tbsp of oil and brush all over the dough. Spread the onion and garlic and gently press over the dough. Bake the bread for 40-45 minutes, in an oven preheated to 375 F.
Cool the pan over the cooling rack. Slice the bread into little pieces and serve.
Notes: This foccacia is thick enough to slice for a sandwich. To help the dough rise, I preheated my oven to "Warm" mode for a couple of minutes and then turned it off and placed the dough inside to rise.
*Lukewarm - warm to the touch, like a baby's bottle.

Read more »

Oven Chicken Cacciatore

Chicken cacciatore with carrots, potatoes and

 sausage makes this a great one-pot complete 

dinner. It's a family favorite pot luck recipe 

from my nieces. It's so easy to put everything

 together and just pop it in the oven. 

I love dinners like this.

Everything is prepped ahead of time and it makes

 your whole house smell wonderful.

You can use any chicken pieces you want,
or use a whole cut-up chicken and increase

 the other ingredients depending on how many
 people you are feeding.

 No need to measure the seasonings,
just be generous.

 Add the cut-up vegetables.

 Combine the tomato sauce and water.

 Pour the sauce over.

Cover tightly with foil and bake for
1 hour at 350 then 1 hour at 275.

The chicken and sausage stewing in the 

tomato sauce gives it lots of flavor.

Here it is using a whole cut-up chicken.
This is how I usually make it. Plenty of
leftovers for us. A great fall
and winter dinner

Oven Chicken Cacciatore

2 large chicken breast halves 
or cut-up pieces, skinned

4 Italian sausage links, cut in half

4 carrots, peeled

4 potatoes, scrubbed not peeled

1 L yellow, red, or orange pepper

1 t Italian seasoning

1 t salt

1/2 t pepper

1  L can (16-oz) tomato sauce

1 can water

Lay the chicken in a 9x13 casserole. Sprinkle with 

about half of the seasonings. No need to measure.

 Add the sausage. Cut the vegetables into large 

chunks; add to the casserole. Sprinkle with the 

remaining seasonings. Combine the tomato sauce

 and water; pour over all and cover tightly with  

foil. Bake for 1 hour at 350 then reduce to 275

 and bake another 1 hour. To make serving easier; 

remove the bone from the chicken breast and

cut in half. Serve 1/2 chicken breast with

 sausage, vegetables, and plenty of sauce.

....4 servings....

Enjoy!

Link: No Minimalist Here,
Savvy Southern Style, Stone Gable,
Between Naps On The Porch,
Rattlebridge Farm, Common Ground,
My Romantic Home, The Charm Of Home,
French Country Cottage

Read more »

Broccoli flan Eid Recipe

Ingredients for 4 people:
- 2 heads of broccoli
- 20g of thin strips of almonds
- Flan mixture: 250ml of milk, 250ml of cream, 3 eggs, 4 egg yolks, 1 pinch of nutmeg
Preparation:
1. Separate the broccoli into small florets, cook them for 5 to 6mins in salted boiling water, drain carefully and pat dry with a tea towel to remove as much water as possible.
2. Prepare the flan mixture by combining all the ingredients together.
3. In a large bowl, incorporate the broccoli, the flan mixture, the almonds, the salt and pepper.
4. Pour into individual ramekins and place on a deep sided oven dish, add hot water to half way up the ramekins and cook in a 'bain marie' at 160°c (gas mark 5) for 30 to 35mins.
5. Turn out on to plates or serve in the ramekins.

Read more »

Crock Pot Sausage & Peppers

I usually make sausage and peppers on top of

the stove, but sometimes I like to assemble

everything late morning when I have the time

and l know I will be out or busy most of the day.

It's nice not to have to fuss with dinner when 

I arrive home late or tired. I let this 

 slow cook all day and then I just need to boil
the pasta when it's time for dinner while I unwind
 and enjoy a glass of red wine. 

To the crock pot add: the sausage and peppers cut
into bite-size pieces, the chopped onion and garlic,
the seasonings. Add the spaghetti sauce.

 Add a little wine to the jar and swish around.

 Add to the pot and stir it all to combine.

 tip: I love to reuse these Mason jars. HERE, HERE.

 Combine all the ingredients, cover and cook
on low for 6-7 hours. Cook your 1/2 box penne

and stir into the pot before serving.

Serve sprinkled with parmesan cheese.
Easy!

Crock Pot Sausage & Peppers

  with Penne

3/4- 1lb hot Italian sausage cut into pieces

1 large green pepper, diced

1/2 large onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, smashed or chopped

1 t Italian seasoning

(1/4 t red papper flakes only 

if using mild sausage)

Pasta sauce, 24-26oz jar 

(they keep changing the size!)

1/2C red wine

~~~~~~~~

Combine all ingredients, adding the wine to the

 empty pasta sauce  jar to swish out all the 

sauce before adding. Cover and cook on low for

 7 hours. Before serving add, 

 8oz cooked penne to the pot and stir

 to combine. serve with parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

Links: Between Naps On The Porch,
Coastal Charm, A Stroll Thru Life,
Confessions Of A Plate Addict,
Stone Gable, Savvy Southern Style,
Designs By Gollum, Common Ground,
My Romantic Home, The Charm Of Home

Read more »

Turkey Meatballs and Spaghetti

This is one of our comfort food 
family dinners. It's an old standard.
This dinner comes together very quickly.

Make the sauce first and while it simmers 

you can make the meatballs.

I hadn't made it in years. 

Very basic ingredients

 Dump all the sauce ingredients into a saucepan.

In a large bowl combine the meatball ingredients.
You can use either Italian or plain breadcrumbs.
I do think fresh garlic and parsley make a
difference in the taste. I always have a
pot of parsley growing on my patio or
in my garden. Buy yourself a pot and you'll
have fresh parsley for a long time.

 After it's thoroughly mixed, roll into balls.
 You should get about 22-24.

 Saute in oil quickly to brown.

I turn them using two spoons.

 Add the sauce to the meatballs, or add the
meatballs to the sauce. Just be sure to get
all the flavorful browned bits.

 I have also, on occasion, just added the meatballs
right into the sauce without the browning step.
If that's how you like it, do it that way.

 Cover and simmer 30 minutes or a
little longer if you have skipped the
browning step.

Serve over hot spaghetti and
sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
And teach your children the
'Meatball Song'

Turkey Meatballs

Sauce:

1 can diced tomatoes-15 oz

1 can tomato paste- 6 oz

1 can water- 6 oz 

1 can mushrooms- 4 oz

2 T Worcestershire sauce

1 bay leaf

1 t salt

1/4 t pepper

1/4 t oregano

Combine in a saucepan and simmer for

 one hour Add the meatballs for the 

last 30 minutes

Meatballs

1 lb. ground turkey

1/2 C breadcrumbs

1/4 C parmesan cheese

1 garlic clove, minced

2 T chopped fresh parsley

1 egg

1/2 t salt

1/8 t pepper
1/8 t red pepper flakes (opt.)

Combine all ingredients and mix well.

Shape into meatballs. Heat 3 T

olive oil in a large skillet and saute the 

meatballs until browned but not thoroughly

cooked. Add to the sauce in the pan, 

scraping in all the browned bits. Simmer

 in the sauce another 30 minutes. 

Serve over hot spaghetti.

Enjoy!

tip: I use seasoned breadcrumbs, if I only have
plain I'll add about 1 t Italian herbs.
Use 1 t garlic powder if you don't have fresh.

Links: Six Sister's Stuff,
Stone Gable, Coastal Charm,
Between Naps On The Porch,
A Stroll Thru Life

Read more »

Mocha Chocolate Ricotta Creme for a Celebration | Easy Dessert Recipes

I have a sweet tooth and I often crave for simple desserts which does not make me spend hours in the kitchen. This is one such recipe I came across. It is similar to ice cream but has just one-third of the calories in ice cream and is actually good for you. The part-skim ricotta cheese fills you up without weighing you down. And how can anything chocolate-flavored does not taste good.
Coming to the "Celebration" part, my space crossed 5 lakh hits last week. Whats more perfect for a celebration than something chocolatey?!!

Ingredients:
Preparation time: 10 mins; Serves - 2
Part skim ricotta cheese - 1 cup
Unsweetened Cocoa powder - 1 tbsp
Bittersweet / Semi sweet Chocolate chips - 1 tbsp
Instant coffee powder - 1/2 tsp
Low fat milk - 2 tbsp
Sugar or Sugar substitute - 2 - 3 tbsp

Method:
Mix all the ingredients except cheese in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds. Mix well and allow it to cool. When cooled mix with the cheese and pulse a couple of times in a blender. Serve Chilled.

Linking this yummy goodness to the following events..
Anu's Healthy Recipe Substitution; PJ's Celebrate Women's day; Sumee's Bon vivant - Kid's Delight; Let's Cook for Kids; Nithu's Healthy Foods for Healthy Kids; Jagruti's Choc Full Easter.

Read more »

A New Chicken Parmesan

This Chicken Parmesan recipe is from
The Palm  restaurant.

It has a secret ingredient.

Start the sauce first so that it simmers while
you make the chicken.

Saute the garlic and basil leaves in olive oil.
This infuses the oil with flavor.

Add the canned tomatoes, wine, and

seasonings.

 I used a potato masher to mash the tomatoes.
Let simmer. This makes enough sauce to freeze
some. You can also cut the recipe in half, but I
 like to have sauce in the freezer for fast dinners.

 Flatten the boneless chicken breasts

 between plastic wrap with a rolling pin.

 Prepare 3 plates for the coating.
1. beaten eggs, 2. flour, 3. Italian breadcrumbs.

 Coat first with flour

 then coat with eggs

and last into the breadcrumbs.
Score with a knife.

 I cut each breasts in half. Let rest 10 minutes
 or you can cover and refrigerate at this point
and  finish the dish later.

Saute the chicken in hot oil for about

2-3 minutes on each side.

Pour a little sauce onto an ovenproof platter.
Place the chicken breasts on top. Spoon a little
sauce on the each piece of chicken and
sprinkle with shredded Parmesan cheese.

 Here's the secret ingredient.

Muenster Cheese 

 Lay a slice of muenster cheese on top of
each piece of chicken.

 Place under the broiler and watch carefully.

 When the cheese is melted and bubbly
remove from the oven and

Plate with pasta. I hope you like it.
The Muenster cheese gives it a
wonderful rich flavor. Once the sauce is
done the rest comes together pretty quickly.
Enjoy with a nice Pinot Noir.
Cheers!

Chicken Parmesan

Marinara Sauce

1/4 C olive oil

6 cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 C fresh basil leaves, loosely packed

2  28-oz cans crushed tomatoes

1/2 C white wine

salt & pepper to taste

2 t sugar

1/4 t crushed red pepper flakes

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan on 

medium high heat. Add the garlic cloves and stir

and cook until golden, about 2 minutes. Add the 

fresh basil and cook 1-2 minutes. Add the canned 

tomatoes and crush a bit with a potato masher. 

Add the wine, salt, and sugar. Simmer for 20-30

  minutes then add the crushed red papper flakes 

and about 10 turns of freshly ground pepper. 

Let simmer on low until needed.

You can cut this recipe in half, or put extra 

sauce in the freezer for another meal.

Chicken

2 boneless chicken breasts

1 C flour

1 C Italian breadcrumbs

2 eggs

2-3 T canola oil

Pound the chicken  flat between plastic wrap.

Put the flour on one plate. Whisk the egg on 

another plate and the breadcrumbs on a 

third plate. Take a flattened chicken breast and

 coat it first in flour, then in the egg, then in the

breadcrumbs. Make sure it is thoroughly coated,

then score with a knife. Cut each cutlet in half.

Let rest for 10  minutes or cover and 

refrigerate until ready to cook.

Heat the canola oil in a large skillet. 

Add the chicken and cook about two minutes

 on each side until browned.

Topping

Marinara sauce-about 4 C

8 T grated Parmesan cheese

4 slices Muenster cheese

Fresh basil leaves for garnish

Spread some of the sauce on the bottom 

of an ovenproof platter. Place the chicken

on top and add a spoonful of sauce and  about 

2 T grated parmesan on each piece.

Cover with a slice of Muenster.

Place under the broiler and watch carefully.

When all the cheese is melted and bubbling

remove from the oven and serve with pasta.

Garnish with basil leaves.

Enjoy!

Links: Stone Gable,
Savvy Southern Style,
Between Naps On The Porch,
Rattlebridge Farm, My Romantic Home

Read more »