Linguine with Fresh Cherry Tomato Sauce

 This linguine with fresh cherry tomato sauce is so easy to make and is one of our grandson Tyler's favorite dishes. Tyler enjoys making this pasta dish with no help from us at all.

This dish is made with fresh cherry tomatoes off the vine. Add some garlic and fresh basil, and you're on your way to a delicious treat.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. of linguine
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1-1/2 cups water
• 24 ozs. Fresh cherry tomatoes on the vine
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• Fresh Basil
• Italian Seasoning
• Onion Powder
• Salt and Pepper

Instructions:

1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and minced garlic over medium heat.
2. Add the water and cherry tomatoes and bring to a boil.
3. When the tomatoes begin to soften, begin mashing them with a fork or a potato masher.
4. Add some fresh basil, Italian Seasoning, Onion Powder, Salt, and Pepper to your liking. 
5. Continue to stir and cook for about 10 to 15 minutes. 
6. Meantime, cook your pasta.
7. Drain the pasta and mix the cherry tomato sauce with the pasta.
8. Serve with Parmesan or Romano cheese and garnish with fresh basil.

This is one of our favorite dishes, and it is so delicious, quick, and easy to make. Packed with the flavor of these fresh ingredients.

Blue Diamond 5QT Saute Pan Jumbo Cooker Skillet with Helper Handle and Lid, Non Toxic PFAS-Free Diamond Infused Healthy Ceramic Nonstick, Dishwasher Safe, Oven Safe, Metal Utensil Safe, BlueCheck the Price

 

Crispy Eggplant Caprese Stacks

 Summer is the perfect time to enjoy fresh vegetables right from the garden. One of our favorites this time of the year is these crispy eggplant caprese stacks. Fresh eggplants, tomatoes, basil and mozzarella. These are simple and perfect for any occasion.

These are on the menu at a local restaurant we frequent. Fran ordered them last week, but they were out of the eggplant. She immediately called our daughter Jamie and said, we are making these tomorrow, and we did. Enjoy the recipe.

Eggplant Caprese Stacks Ingredients:

2 medium-sized eggplants (Peeled and sliced to 1/4-inch thick)

2 or 3 tomatoes (sliced 1/4-inch thick)

8 oz. mozzarella (sliced 1/4-inch thick)

Fresh basil leaves

Balsamic glaze

Ingredients for Frying the Eggplants:

2 cups or more of flour

4 large eggs (beaten)

2 cups or more of seasoned bread crumbs

Olive oil or vegetable oil for frying

Instructions for frying:

1. Add the flour, and bread crumbs into two shallow dishes, and the beaten eggs into a bowl.
2. Coat the eggplant slices in the flour, then dip them into the eggs, and then coat them in bread crumbs. 
3. Place the breaded eggplant slice on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
4. Prepare a frying pan with oil and heat to 350 to 375 degrees.
5. Fry the eggplant slices until they are golden brown on both sides.
6. Place them on a cookie sheet lined with paper towels.

Building the Eggplant Stacks:

Start with the first eggplant slice, then a slice of tomato, next a slice of mozzarella, and then fresh basil leaves. Repeat this 3 times for a complete stack. Top off the stacks with another slice of tomato and fresh basil leaves.

Drizzle the stacks with balsamic glaze and serve.

Slice the eggplant into 1/4-inch slices

Slice the tomatoes and mozzarella and set aside

Coat the eggplant slices in flour then egg, and then coat with bread crumbs

Fry the eggplant slice until golden brown on both sides.

We used a Hamilton Beech Electric Fryer

Fried eggplant slices on a paper towel ready to build the stacks. I like eating the eggplant just out of the fryer with a little salt and pepper.

Why You'll Love This Recipe:

Healthy and Light: Packed with fresh vegetables, this dish is both nutritious and satisfying.

Easy to Make: With a few simple steps, this is ready in no time.

Versatile: Serve it as an appetizer, side dish, or even a main course.

Flavorful: The combination of eggplant, juicy tomatoes, creamy mozzarella, and fresh basil is simply delicious.

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Peas and Meatballs Soup

 Looking for a hearty soup to warm you up on a chilly day? This tomato-based peas and meatball soup perfectly fits a cold day.

My cousin Jimmy and his wife Carmie are just as passionate about preserving old family recipes as I am.

My cousin sent me this recipe about a year ago, and honestly, I wasn't that impressed. But Jimmy was persistent and insisted that we try this soup. We finally gave in and gave this recipe a try, and we're so glad we did. 

It was so good especially served it with fresh Italian bread. This recipe makes a large enough pot of delicious soup to have leftovers for another day.

We come from an Italian family and have many favorite recipes from our parents and grandparents. I never remembered this soup from our family, but this is a recipe that Carmie grew up with. Carmie's mother Anne made this soup and Carmie carries on the family tradition of peas and meatballs soup.

Ingredients for Meatballs:

• 1 lb. of ground beef
• 1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs (moistened with water or milk to form a paste)
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon parmesan cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon of oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon of basil
• 1/2 teaspoon parsley
• 3/4 teaspoon pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
• 1/4 cup oil for frying

Ingredients for Soup:

• 2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce
• 2 (15-ounce) cand of regular sweet peas undrained
• 4 cups of water
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Moisten the bread crumbs then add to ground meat. Add the egg and mix well.
2. Add the remaining seasonings (except the oil) and mix thoroughly.
3. Form miniature meatballs (as for wedding soup) about the size of a marble.
4. Fry the meatballs in the oil until they are brown and cooked through.
5. In a large saucepan place the the meatballs with the oil they were cooked in and all other ingredients.
6. Bring to a full boil, then reduce the heat to a slow simmer and cook until the sauce thickens. (About 1 and a half to 2 hours)
7. Serve with fresh Italian bread.

The photo above shows the size of the meatballs. You could make them a little smaller than this. You can also bake the meatballs in the oven, but you won't get the added flavor from frying them in the soup.

More recipes on my blog from my cousins Jimmy and Carmie:

Canning and Preserving EggplantsHow to Make Roasted Red Peppers

 

Creamy Parmesan Lemon Risotto

 

This creamy parmesan lemon risotto is delightful. You would expect to find risotto in a fancy Italian restaurant. Or, you could make risotto yourself.

Risotto is a rice dish from Northern Italy and can be served as an appetizer, side dish, or even a main dish. It is made from short-grain starchy rice that you can buy at your local grocery store. 

We used Arborio Rice the starch in this rice gives the Risotto that creamy consistency. Risotto is cooked in broth and you can add all kinds of your favorites like mushrooms, and veggies.

Bobby prepared a saucepan and added six cups of chicken broth to simmer while I diced the onion. In a separate pan, we started to cook the onions using extra virgin olive oil and seasoned rice vinegar. you can use white wine in place of the vinegar.

After the broth has simmered and onions are tender add one cup of the rice to the onions and stir in the warm broth one cup at a time continually stirring until the broth is absorbed for each cup of broth you add. 

Creamy Parmesan Lemon Risotto Ingredients:

6 cups Chicken Broth

1/3 cup seasoned rice vinegar or white wine

2 teaspoons lemon juice plus zest of one lemon

1/2 of medium Spanish onion diced

1 cup Arborio Rice

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup of grated Parmesan cheese plus 1/4 cup for garnish

Instructions:

1. Simmer the chicken broth in a saucepan. 
2. In a separate pan add the olive oil, butter, vinegar, and onions.
3. Stir and cook the onions until tender. If you are adding mushrooms or veggies add them now.
4. Add the rice to the onions and then add one cup of broth at a time.
5. Continue to stir until each cup of broth is absorbed before you add the next one.
6. Continue to stir and cook the risotto until soft on the outside but firm on the inside.

Note: You may not use all of the broth. We ended up using 4 cups of the broth before our risotto was finished. This takes a little time and work but is so well worth it in the end. We yielded four servings from this recipe.

As always thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy it.

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