Italian Wedding Soup

I can't believe I've never posted this recipe! This is my sons ALL TIME FAVORITE soup.

It's also full of cheats - so it's SUPER FAST.

Italian Wedding Soup

Your favorite store bought mini meatballs (cooked per package directions)
2 T Olive Oil (evoo)
1 c minced yellow onion (frozen!)
1 c diced carrots (frozen!)
10 c chicken stock
1 box of Acini de Pepe pasta (or any small pasta will do!)
1/4 c minced fresh dill
12 oz spinach (fresh in the bag)

Heat the evoo over medium-low heat in a large heavy-bottomed soup pot. Add the onion, carrots, and celery (if using) and saute until softened, 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add the pasta to the simmering broth and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the pasta is tender. Add the fresh dill and then the meatballs to the soup and simmer for 1 minute. Taste for salt and pepper. Stir in the fresh spinach and cook for 1 minute, until the spinach is just wilted. Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle each serving with extra grated Parmesan.

So good - so filling - so satisfying!

*When I made it this time - I couldn't find mini meatballs - so I used regular sized - next time I have to use regular size - I will quarter them before adding to the soup.

Chopped Wedge Salad

I've been doing this salad for years and I'm making it again for New Years Day - but with so much going on right now - I decided to look it up on this blog to make sure I don't forget anything and what do you know? I've never posted it! What? 

This is seriously one of my best crowd pleasers. I made it a few years ago for a family get together and my brother in law who is a man of few words came over and gushed and gushed about how much he loved it.

To be honest, I came up with it because I love a good wedge salad - but it's so hard to eat! Especially when serving a crowd that includes a million kids!!

I'm not going to include measurements bc it really depends on how many you are serving.

CHOPPED WEDGE SALAD
Iceberg lettuce
Bacon, cooked and crumbled
Tomatoes, diced
Red onion, thinly sliced
Blue cheese, crumbled
Blue cheese dressing
Balsamic glaze (I love Nonna's)

*For the kids - I don't dress the salad. I put the blue cheese on the side and also offer shredded cheddar. I also offer Ranch and Poppy seed dressing (my kids fave)

I'll take a picture when I make it!! 

Chewie Caramel Popcorn

2 cups brown sugar

1 stick butter

1 c corn syrup

1 can sweetened condensed milk

4 bags of microwave popcorn

Slowly bring all ingredients (except popcorn) to a boil over medium low heat (so it doesn't burn).

Sift through the microwave popcorn for unpopped kernels shaking your bowl to let the kernels settle to the bottom and use your hands to move popcorn to another bowl - leaving the unpopped kernels behind.  Drizzle caramel over popcorn and use a plastic spatula to mix everything together bc the caramel is still a bit hot. 

It stays nice and chewy for about 7 days!!

SOUP!

 

I've professed my love of soup over the years - tonight I made Broccoli Cheese Soup and served them in these ADORABLE soup bowls. I mean - have you seen anything more perfect for fall?!! I got them at Target a couple months ago. 

I've been serving soups in them (they are 12 oz.) this fall - and I'm going to use them as table decor for my Thanksgiving dinner - CUUUUUTE!

Mexican Chicken Lime Soup

I wanted to make soup for dinner - but I also knew that tonights dinner had to include chicken - bc that is what I had and what was quick.

A little searching and I found this! It was really good! The chiles and the adobo sauce really add a smoky depth of flavor without being spicy. The zip of the lime juice and the freshness of cilantro also added unusual and delicious notes. This is a GOODIE!!! The original recipe doesn't include beans - but I added them and I'm glad I did!

Mexican Chicken Lime Soup via Rachael Ray Magazine
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
6 skinless, boneless chicken (rotisserie)
2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, finely chopped, plus 2 tablespoons adobo sauce
4 cans great northern beans, drained

8 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Juice of 2 limes
Salt and pepper
1 haas avocado, thinly sliced lengthwise into 12 pieces
Crushed tortilla chips

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, lower the heat to medium and cook until the onion begins to brown, about 7 minutes. Increase the heat to high, push the vegetables to the side of the pan, add the chicken and cook, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chipotles and adobo sauce, then stir in the chicken broth. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in the cilantro and lime juice; season with salt and pepper.

*One of my BIGGEST beliefs about soup is that after you follow your recipe and you are ready to serve - if you have the time to put it on a low simmer - it just gets better and better. I made this really quickly about an hour before running out the door for carpool. We ate it 3 hours later - seriously. so. good.

Serve with any or all of the following: cilantro, lime wedge, sour cream, avocado slices, tortilla chips.

Fall Pasta Bake

I am an avid viewer of the cooking show "The Kitchen" on the Food Network. I DVR all their episodes and watched this one today. One of the hosts, Katie Lee, made this pasta and it looked right up my familys alley. Boy howdy I was right! My husband took one of my daughters out and they walked in right as I was finishing this awesome meal. My 12 year old shouted "it smells AMAZING!" 

My picky eater (8) always needs to know what is in every meal I serve so I skipped over the kale the first time I told her the ingredients. She asked again - WHAT IS THE GREEN STUFF? I asked her to take one bite and then I'd tell her. She took a bite and as promised I told her it was kale. She shrugged and dished herself up a big ol' bowl.

This one will be going into rotation around here!

Fall Pasta Bake

Nonstick cooking spray, for the baking dish
1 pound rigatoni
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes, or more as desired
1 lb Italian sausage, casings removed
2 cups heavy cream
2 bunches Tuscan kale, stemmed and roughly chopped
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
1 pound fresh whole-milk ricotta
1/2 cup grated fontina
1/2 cup grated part-skim mozzarella
1/4 cup grated Parmesan (I omitted bc I forgot it!)

Preheat the broiler. Spray a 9-by-13-inch ceramic or metal baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted, boiling water until about 2 minutes less than package instructions. Reserve 1 1/2 cups pasta cooking water. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat a large Dutch oven or heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Heat the olive oil in the pan, then add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to brown at the edges, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until the garlic is very aromatic, another minute. Add the sausage and cook, crumbling into small chunks with the back of a wooden spoon, until browned all over, 4 to 5 minutes. Add 1 cup pasta water to the pan and scrape up any of the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Pour in the heavy cream and cook, stirring frequently, until it comes to a simmer. Stir in the kale, then cover the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the kale is wilted and tender and the heavy cream has thickened, another 4 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle the nutmeg and about 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper on the kale (taste here, as your sausage might have different seasonings). Remove from the heat and stir in the ricotta until just combined, followed by 1/4 cup each of the fontina and mozzarella. Add the pasta and stir until it is coated in sauce and the cheese starts to melt, adding pasta water if the mixture seems too thick. Taste and season with a little more salt, pepper and red pepper flakes if desired.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and top it with the remaining 1/4 cup fontina, 1/4 cup mozzarella and the Parmesan. Broil the pasta until the cheese is brown and bubbling, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

I served this with a caesar salad - a nice way to cut through the heavy dish.

*The ONLY thing I will change when I make it next time is double the sausage - my husband and kids are big meat eaters.

Mulled Spiced Cider

2 of my kids LOVE hot cider. I just got this recipe off the box - the key is to let it steep for at least a good hour.

Mulled Spiced Cider
4 packets Alpine brand Spiced Apple Cider (original)
3 c water
1/2 c pineapple juice
3 whole cloves or equal amount of ground cloves
3-4 cinnamon sticks

Add everything together in a medium saucepan and cook low and slow.

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Game nights are back - only we're on over drive!! M has practice 3 x a week after school as well as 2 games a week. I and P both practice twice a week with games usually on Saturday. J is in his Senior year with all that entails - as well as swim team and working - so we're lucky to sit down together around 8pm - or eat as we can. 

Eating around our dinner table has always been very important to me but sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do!

I've tried a few different recipes for 'sweet and sour' dinners without a winner - but this one is a keeper!

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

Frozen meatballs (as many as you need)
1 (20 ounce) can pineapple chunks with juice
¾ cup water
¼ cup rice vinegar
¼ cup ketchup
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Seperately:
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water

Serve over rice (my fave new find is the Uncle Bens or Golden Star Jasmine rice that come in 90 sec. microwave packets.)

Add all components together EXCEPT meatballs and the cornstarch/water slurry.

Heat up the sweet and sour liquid. With an immersion blender - blend until smooth(ish) THEN add the slurry. Stir until combined and then add the meatballs.

Depending on your schedule - cook on low for a couple hours - or high for a couple. With my schedule tonight, I put it on high for a bit (anticipating hungry teenage boy packing his dinner) and then flipped it to low for the rest of the family that would be eating later this evening. 

French Dip Sandwiches

Another "non" recipe - but we've been doing this a lot lately with life getting back to busy.

Go to a really good deli (mine is our neighborhood Harmons) and buy roast beef (they should ask you how you would like it done - go with the most RAW version - trust me).

While you're at the deli - grab some Boar's Head Pub Style Horseradish - SO GOOD!

AND - get the BEST of the best deli rolls. My family loves the "Tuscan Brat Buns" but any good hogie style roll will do.

French Dips:
1 lb Roast Beef (feeds 6 of us)

6 Hogie rolls

Beef stock

Provolone cheese slices

Butter

Garlic powder, salt and pepper

Horseradish

Get a large pan with at least 1" lip on it. Heat up the beef stock - adding garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Slice by slice - put the roast beef into the stock to warm it up.

In the meantime, slice the rolls in half and butter both insides of the rolls. Put into a 400 degree oven until they are a little brown and crispy.

Pull the rolls out and top one side with the provolone cheese - then back in the oven until the cheese is melted.

Pull them out again - and stack with the warmed roast beef. Serve with a side of the "au Jus" and the horseradish. 

*My husband. 15 yo and I just put the horseradish right on the bun - we love that stuff! Our 17 year old puts a bit in his jus and the little girls skip it all together.

Give it a try! Hearty, satisfying and ridiculously easy! Picture to come next time we have these!

Baked Beans

Baked Beans

5 cans BUSH'S original baked beans
1/2 cup Apple cider vinegar
Yellow and orange peppers(Any color bell peppers you have)
White or red onion

Melt some butter in a large pan and add the peppers and onions to soften. After about 5 minutes - add canned beans and the apple cider vinegar and cook low and slow at least 1 hour. Stir often enough so the beans don't "stick" to the bottom of the pot.

Got LOTS of compliments on these - and I seriously barely lifted a finger!

Piper's Favorite Cucumber Salad

Piper's Favorite Cucumber Salad

4 cucumbers (about 2 1/2 pounds), peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
Kosher salt
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill (or 1/8 dried)
2 tablespoons white vinegar
Freshly cracked black pepper
Slice your cucumbers and set them in a colander and salt - leave for about 20 minutes to bleed some of the water out.

If you don't have time to let the cucumbers sit - at least let the rest of the ingredients sit overnight

*We also use this sauce on top of fish - salmon or halibut are our faves!

Chicken Pot Pie (IZ)

Miss 12 made this delicious riff on chicken pot pie

Thaw pie dough (x2)
1 1/2 lbs chicken (rotisserie)
1/2 bag frozen corn
1/2 bag frozen peas
1/2 bag diced hash browns
1 can cream of chicken (or what ever cream you have on hand) soup
1/2 diced onion
Salt & pepper to taste
1/4 tsp ground thyme
1/4 tsp garlic powder

Par bake bottom pie crust.

Add all other components (except top pie crust) and mix thoroughly.

Add chicken mixture to par baked crust and top with second thawed pie crust - don't forget to vent the pie crust!!

This was an experiment - so we kept opening and closing the oven - which dragged our time at 350 degrees from 25 minutes to 45 minutes. At that point we were all so starving we opted to discard the top crust.

Mississippi Mud Pie

Okay. COVID UPDATE

I bought a Costco sized bag pull of pie crusts a few months ago - so I've been brainstorming on how to use everything we have.

This recipe is just on here for Miss 15 - she's the one that made it - this is so she can replicate it...

MISSissippi Mud Pie
Thaw pie crust (or get graham cracker crust)
1 box chocolate JELL-O pudding
3 cups chocolate milk
Heavy cream
Chocolate Chips

Prepare JELL-O pudding per "instant" directions with 3 cups chocolate milk.

Use beaters or electric whisk to beat heavy cream into stiff peaks.

Add JELL-O pudding to cooled crust, top with whipped cream and chocolate chips.

Life SKILLZ - The kids take over

I'm going to post this in one big blob - blog.

I am staring down the barrel of my oldest going off to college in less than a year and a half and I'll tell you what - I. Just. Don't. Wan't. That. To. Happen.

But - of course I do - for him to have a happy, normal life - but SERIOUSLY?!?

I'm big into research - like BIG. I've been listening to podcasts and reading articles on parenting teenagers and bucket lists about what to do with your teenagers before they sprout their wings and fly away and a bunch of GARBAGE! Only slightly kidding - what is this business about raising your kids just so they can leave you in order to function as normal adults anyway?

RANT OVER.

I've always encouraged my kids to help me cook - or cook themselves (even if that means dumping a bunch of canned goods into a crock pot).

After being inconsistent for the last 15+ years - I've reintroduced our kids making dinner for the family.

This is no easy feat. We have allergy restrictions and we also live with the pickiest eater on the galaxy. No lie.

Why am I doing this? Because I want my kids to be self sufficient (stab me in the heart!) and I want them to be independent (did I actually just say that?)

MAISIE'S (15) MEAL:
Teriyaki meatballs
Sweet Rice
Salad
She used the crock pot for the meatballs (Costco), added Teriyaki sauce and let them heat up in there. She used the pressure cooker for the sweet rice and whatever we had on hand for the salad. She was VERY CLEAR about how to assemble the bowl and very proud of what she had accomplished.

JACK'S (16) MEAL:
Sloppy Joes
http://breakingthereciperut.blogspot.com/2020/02/sloppy-joes.html
He raved about how delicious his dinner was and said that when he goes to college - he is going to make sloppy Joe's every night!

IZZIE'S (12) MEAL:
Enchiladas
http://breakingthereciperut.blogspot.com/2012/10/best-green-chili-enchiladas-ever.html
Her favorite thing to eat EVER. I forgot that my recipe makes 2 9x13 pans - and we didn't have freezer space - so we took a casserole over to a friend that was having a stressful week. The next day at school - one of the boys in that family came up and told Izzie that her enchiladas were the best he's ever had.

PIPER (8) MEAL:
White Bean Chicken Chili
http://breakingthereciperut.blogspot.com/2010/02/white-bean-chicken-chili.html
This meal is just opening cans, dumping them in a crock pot and letting it do all the work. Easy peasy.

Halibut Chowder

The day after Thanksgiving - we have a "soup night" Papa makes Turkey chowder, I usually make Tomato Basil Soup and everyone else pitches in with what they feel like.

This year, my brother in law Jeff brought this halibut chowder - we don't "vote" on the best soup - but someone always declares a winner - and this year - the CLEAR WINNER was Jeff!!

Uncle Jeff's Halibut Chowder
3/4 lb diced halibut 1" chunks
1 c finely chopped onion
1 c finely chopped celery (4 stalks)
3 cups diced potatoes
3/4 c butter
3/4 c flour
1 qt. half and half
1 1/2 t salt
pepper
1/2 t sugar

Put onions, celery and potatoes in a 4 qt. pan and barely cover with water. Simmer over medium heat until potatoes are tender about 20 min. In the mean time melt the butter in a sauce pan add the flour and blend and cook for a minute or two. Add the half and half to cook and stir until thick and smooth using a whisk. When the veg are about done - add the halibut - cook for another minute. If it's going in a crock pot or you are not eating it immediately, wait til the veggies are completely done to add the halibut then stop cooking. Don't over cook it. Combine all the seasonings.

Garnish with Old bay - I might actually add old bay directly to the soup when I make it - I'll let you know.

Mindi's Sweet Potato Casserole

I've eaten this casserole every year we've had Thanksgiving with my husbands family for the last 20+ years. It's so basic - but really good.

Mindi's Sweet Potato Casserole
Sweet Potatoes - one potato per person, make sure they're sweet potatoes not yams
Pats of cold butter
Brown sugar

Boil the sweet potatoes for 15 to 20 minutes - until fork tender. Let them cool. Peel and slice them.

Put one layer of sweet potatoes on the bottom of a 9 x 13 casserole dish, layer with butter cubes, sprinkle with brown sugar and repeat (3 layers in total).

Bake at 350 for 15 to 20 minutes until the brown sugar and butter are melted.

Buttermilk Blueberry Breakfast Cake

Buttermilk Blueberry Breakfast Cake

For the Blueberry Cake:

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups all purpose Gold Medal flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
2 lemons, zested
1 pound fresh blueberries

For the Buttermilk Glaze:
3 tablespoons buttermilk
1 cup powdered sugar

For the Oat Crumble Topping:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons oats
2 tablespoons sliced almonds

Instructions

For the blueberry cake: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a standard 12-cup bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray and sprinkle lightly with flour. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Then beat in the eggs and vanilla. Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Turn the mixer on low and slowly add the flour and buttermilk, alternating each, until all incorporated. Finally, beat in the lemon zest before turning the mixer off. Use a spoon to stir in half the blueberries.
Pour the batter into the prepared bundt pan and sprinkle the remaining blueberries over the top. Bake for 60-80 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center, comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool for at least 20 minutes before flipping out onto a cooling rack. DO NOT try flipping the cake any earlier than 20 minutes, or the cake will stick. Promise! Waiting 30+ minutes is safer.
Once the cake is cooling on the rack, mix the oat crumble. Add all the ingredients to a small bowl and pinch with your fingers to blend the ingredients and break into small pieces. Sprinkle the mixture over a baking sheet and bake in the heated oven for 5-10 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet before proceeding.
For the glaze, whisk the buttermilk and powdered sugar in a small bowl. Drizzle the glaze over the cake and immediately sprinkle the oat crumble over the top of the cake before the glaze dries.

Notes
7-12-2014 NOTE: A couple of people have mentioned the top sticking in the bundt cake in this recipe. I have made this cake quite a few times and have never had this happen. The main thing to focus on, for a cake that flips out perfectly, is to spray (or grease) the bundt pan thoroughly (meaning every nook and cranny) then flour it well. After it comes out of the oven DO NOT flip the cake any earlier than 20 minutes after baking. If your cake still feels hot after 20 minutes, that means your bundt pan is very well insulated. In this case, I would wait 35-45 minutes before flipping to make sure the cake has cooled to close to room temperature. You could even place the cake in the fridge to speed up the cooling time. I have 3 fruity bundt cakes I make in the same fashion and they all flip out perfectly… with a little patience. Happy Baking and use good judgment!

Family Pizza Night

Occasionally we have a family pizza night that doesn't involve Papa Murphy's (which we all love) and every time we do - we all say "we need to do this more!"

For once - I captured pictures of all of our pies - and since we just did it last night - I can still remember the ingredients!

We use our local grocery store's pre-made pizza dough - pammed the sheet pan, sprinkled it with corn meal, slapped the rolled out dough on to it. Then drizzled with EVOO, salt and pepper for all of these recipes. We cook them on 525 until they are bubbly and browned (depending on size and thickness of dough between 5-10 minutes) and then go crazy - here's what we came up with...

The picture above is my husbands concoction - his version of a pizza called the Atom Bomb that was his favorite when we lived in NM:

Atom Bomb

BBQ sauce, Chicken, Red onion, Mozzarella, shredded, diced green chilis

Next up!!!

Ms. 14 - BLT Salad:
Mozzarella, shredded, Bacon, Chicken and now cook it. After it's cooked, top with cold... Lettuce, Red Onion, Diced tomato, Drizzle with Ranch Dressing

Mr. 16's Sweet & Savory Chicken:
Chicken, mozzarella, BBQ sauce, red onions and bacon

Miss 7's Heart:
Marinara and shredded Mozzarella - the key is to shape the dough into a heart :)

Miss 11's Ode to Cheese:
Marinara with as much pepperoni and as many kinds of cheese you have in your house

Rachael's Hot Blond Deep Dish Pizza

Recently, my husbands Uncle Ross passed away. He was a serious cowboy. Hubs obviously grew up very close to him and I had known him for more than half my life - it was so bitter sweet. He had so many adventures, interests and loved everyone he came in contact with. He lived an awesome very long life. 

We saw him on all the usual times extended family gets together - but Hubs, I and our kids also ran into him at all the outdoor sports shows, boat shows, RV shows, gun shows, etc. He was a hard worker. He was a self starter. He was an inventor. He made and sold several amazing products and built a fortune from the ground up. But - you wouldn't know it by talking to him. He was so humble. And loving. And such an amazing husband, father, grandfather, brother in law and Uncle. 

After his funeral (which was 100% Uncle Ross and the MOST genuine funeral I've personally ever attended) Hubs and I reminisced about the times we remembered with him - and Hubs shared all his favorite memories of Ross that I've heard many times - and with all that reminiscing he remembered many more stories I'd never heard. Heaven gained an amazing angel.

About a month after he passed away, his family went through his things - and Hubs got a few of his well loved cast iron skillets to remember him by.

Tonight - I used Uncle Ross's skillet to make this delicious creation... 

I saw this recipe on the Rachael Ray show and it was perfect timing. She calls it a hot blond - bc it's a "blond" pizza and with the red peppers and sambal - it makes it spicy - hot... Rachael's Hot Blond Deep Dish Pizza For the Filling: 1 c ricotta cheese

1 egg

1 c Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

2 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped

A handful of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

A little freshly grated nutmeg *didn't have

1 c shredded provolone

1 c shredded mozzarella

Flour, for work surface

Pizza Dough *fresh dough from our local grocery store 1 T cornmeal

EVOO

Salt and pepper

Red pepper flakes

About 3 T honey

A round T Calabrian chili paste or Sambal Olek or Sriracha

Preheat the oven to 525˚F-550˚F, rack at center, and preheat a 12" cast iron skillet on the stove on medium.

In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, egg, Parmesan, garlic, parsley and nutmeg. Grate the provolone and mozzarella cheeses.

Roll and stretch dough on lightly floured surface into a 12-14-inch even round that will cover pan. Turn off heat under skillet and sprinkle a little cornmeal in skillet and press dough into hot skillet and up sides as much as possible. The pan is hot – remember! Drizzle the dough with EVOO and season with a little salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Top the dough with ricotta mixture in even thin layer and then with shredded cheeses, and place in oven.  

Bake the pizza 10-12 minutes to deep golden, brown and bubbly.  

** RR says: Combine honey, splash of water and hot chili sauce in small pot or skillet and heat over low heat.

I skipped the step above and just drizzled the pizza with the honey and Sambal and serve it up!!!

Antipasto Platter

I did an Antipasto platter for my sons birthday - something we rarely do - but why? It's SO delicious. Tonight reminded of that.

First up - the Cheese Board - I used what I had on hand - which was...
Pecorino, Parmesan, Havarti with caraway, English Cheddar, and gorgonzola because my father in law LOVES it. This is just what I had left after last night:

Then I added:

Green olives, stuffed with pimento

Black olives

Salami

Marinated Artichokes

Fresh Mozzarella balls

Sun dried tomatoes

Crackers

You get the idea - this is what I have left from last night too:

Typical ingredients of a traditional antipasto include: cured meats, olives, pepperoncini, mushrooms, anchovies, artichoke hearts, pickled meats and vegetables in oil or vinegar - SO you have A LOT of wiggle room!

This Mom's Lasagna

We hosted family dinner for my sons 16th birthday. I was feeding 20-30 (mainly adults and teenagers) so I had to come up with something delicious to feed a crowd AND something that's easy on my budget.

My local grocery store (Harmon's) had a 5 for $20 meat sale. I got approx. $40 worth of sausage, ground right there in the store for $20. THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!!! So I started there and I ended up here. This is based on Michael Symon's recipe for "Mom's Lasagna," I tweaked the recipe around what I had and what I could budget. This Mom's Lasagna

1/2 cup olive oil

1 onion, chopped *the pre diced frozen onions are SUCH a good hack!

4 garlic cloves, minced or grated

Kosher salt

2 lbs ground sweet sausage

2 lbs ground spicy sausage

32 - 48 oz of your favorite marinara sauce *depending on how wet you like it. I just like the flavor - not so wet for me.

1 lb dried lasagna noodles

2 lbs whole-milk ricotta cheese *32 oz for us layman folk

1/2 c Italian seasoning (Oregano, thyme, basil, parsley)

2 large eggs *I actually use an egg replacer bc my son is allergic to eggs

1 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, grated

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese *Fresh parsley adds a nice touch right before serving

In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion garlic and a three-finger pinch of salt and sweat them until they are translucent, about 2 minutes. Add the sausage and continue cooking until the meat is browned, about 10 minutes. Add the marinara sauce, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to get all of the browned bits into the sauce. Season the sauce with salt and simmer for 2 hours over medium heat.  Skim any fat that rises to the surface. *Harmon's sausage isn't only made right in the store - it is incredibly low fat - so I didn't have to do that!!!

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add enough salt so that it tastes seasoned and allow the water to return to a boil. Add the noodles and cook 2 or 3 minutes shy of package directions. Drain well and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, Italian seasoning and eggs* with a pinch of salt. I incorporated these ingredients by using a hand mixer - adds a bit of air to it - which is nice. I used Michael Symon's tip here: I put it into a gallon sized Zip Lock bag and cut the corner for easy distribution.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Ladle about 1 cup of sauce on the bottom of a 9x13-inch lasagna pan. Arrange a layer of noodles over followed by a layer of ricotta mixture and then some sauce, smoothing it with a spatula to the edges of the noodles. Repeat the process until the pan is full and finishing with a final layer of noodles, sauce, mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese.

Cover the lasagna with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 30 minutes to brown and bubbly on top. Remove from oven and let cool before serving (he says slightly - I let it sit for about 30 minutes - think of it like a steak. If you cut into a steak right when it's done cooking - all the juices run out. Same thing with lasagna - if you cut right into it without letting it rest, you'll have a "mud slide" all the layers won't bind and they'll slide all over the place.) I served it with Caesar Salad and Garlic Bread - can you say YUMMMMM!!!

Pickle Dip

Yup. Pickle Dip. We had an "appetizer party" the other night and I asked each of my kids what appetizer they would like me to make. My 15 year old son didn't skip a beat and answered Pickle Dip.

This is a recipe that Tyler brings over to our house - so I had to call him for the recipe. It's so simple - but seriously good!

Pickle Dip
8 oz. Cream cheese
1 c diced dill pickles
2 Tbsp pickle juice
1/4 c diced sweet onion (I used minced shallots as an easy swap)
1 tsp dill
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients except pickles in mixer - then fold in the diced pickles to keep those nice chunky pieces. Refrigerate 1 hour before serving.

Bleu Cheese and Tomato Balsamic Dip

I've had this recipe FOREVER - I actually posted it on this blog over 10 years ago - but I recently made it when we had an "appetizer party" the other night. I forgot just how gosh darn good it is!!

This recipe I got from my friend JenO - she made it for every baby shower or bridal shower for years - always by request - always a winner.

Bleu Cheese and Tomato Balsamic Dip
1 can petite diced tomatoes
1 small container crumbled blue cheese or gorgonzola
1/3 c Balsamic vinegar
1/3 c EVOO
Crush as much garlic as you think you can stand


Mix all ingredients and serve at room temperature. I try to refrigerate this for at least an hour before serving - just to give the flavors time to marry.

Right before serving, throw a couple of teaspoons of sugar to cut the acidity. Serve with bread chunks or crackers.