Marcela Hazan's Pancetta Frittata

When I think of Italian food I don't always think of pasta.  I think of really simple fare. Dishes with a handful of ingredients. I think of things like a frittata. A simple egg dish with no more than five ingredients and no fussy presentation.

Marcela Hazan's Pancetta Frittata is probably one of the most simple yet delicious frittata I've ever made. It is simply 1 cup of pancetta cooked until it gets some color, 6 eggs, 6 tablespoons of Parmigiano-Reggiano, butter, and salt and pepper. It is so simple it doesn't call for herbs, so I didn't try to jazz it up and make it look fancy. It doesn't need to look fancy. It's peasant food at best, but you could entertain with it. It's easy and simple and Super Italian, our IHCC theme for this week, and it is absolutely creamy and delicious.

Do yourself a favor and make this simple dish sometime during this Easter season. It's perfect for an Easter Brunch and it is great served hot, warm, and room temperature. 

This is the epitome of the simple food we need to eating more.

Pancetta Frittata

Adapted from Marcela Cucina

by Marcela Hazan

Serves 4 as main or 8 as appetizer

1 cup finely chopped pancetta

6 eggs

6 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

salt and black pepper, to taste

1 tablespoon butter

Turn on your broiler. Put the chopped pancetta in a small skillet, turn on the heat to medium, and cook, stirring from time to time, until it becomes deeply colored and has shed much of its fat. Do not let it become crisp. Lift the pancetta from the pan using a slotted spatula in order to separate it from the liquefied fat, and put it into a medium-sized bowl. Discard the fat in the pan.

To the bowl with the pancetta, add the eggs, grated Parmesan, salt, and liberal grindings of pepper to the bowl and mix thoroughly with a fork or whisk.

Put 1 tablespoon of butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet, turn on the heat to medium. Do not let the butter become colored, but as soon as it begins to foam, pour the egg mixture into the pan. Turn the heat down to very low. When the eggs have set and thickened, and they are creamy only in the center of the pan, run the skillet briefly under the broiler. Take frittata out the moment the surface of the frittata has set, but not browned. 

Super Italian @ IHCC!

Marcela Hazan's Spaghetti with Cherry Tomato Butter Sauce {One of my Favorite Pasta Recipes}!

This pasta dish is simple and outstanding and is very much inspired Italian culinary Queen Marcela Hazan. It is hands down one of my all-time favorite pasta dishes!

Marela's recipe calls for canned crushed tomatoes, butter, and an entire onion (removed after cooking). This version has the same ingredients but a few tweaks to make the dish more to our liking.

All you need is pasta, preferable a long noodle like spaghetti, fettuccine, or linguini. Then you'll need a stick of butter, a diced onion, some cherry tomatoes, salt and pepper, and some herbs for garnish.  You'll also need some pasta water but that comes later in the recipe.

The main flavor component of the dish is going to come from the cherry tomatoes. Try to find the best you can. The recipe calls for 36 ounces of halved cherry tomatoes, but we just like a subtle tomato flavor so I use about 12 ounces of tomatoes.

You can see how the butter, onion, and tomato melt together to make one creamy savory sauce. This process takes about 20-25 minutes. After you've cooked your sauce about 10 minutes, you can add the pasta to the boiling water. Once the pasta is one or two minutes less than al dente (it will finish cooking in the sauce) YOU NEED TO BE SURE AND SAVE ABOUT TWO CUPS OF PASTA COOKING WATER to finish the dish! The pasta cooking water is what brings the sauce and the pasta together and makes the final dish creamy and delicious. DO NOT FORGET THE PASTA WATER!

This is a very simple and insanely delicious pasta dish! Do not underestimate how delicious this is! This is the 4th time I've made it and people inhale it each and every time. The pasta is so sweet and savory with a subtle flavor from the tomato and onion. It is buttery and delicious and really hits the comfort food spot. Plus, it can be made in about 30 minutes and is perfect for weeknights. This recipe is going to be a top favorite dish of the year for me and one that I cook on repeat in my kitchen. We love it!

Spaghetti with Cherry Tomato Butter Sauce

Adapted from Marcela Cucina

Serves 6-8

1 pound spaghetti, fettuccine, or linguini

1 stick of butter

1 medium onion, diced

36 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved*

salt and pepper, to taste

1/4 cup minced flat-leaf Italian parsley

1/4 packed cup basil, hand torn

2 cups reserved pasta water

Notes: I have made this dish about 4 times now and it turns out differently each time, depending on the tomatoes. Some tomatoes are sweeter than others and juicier than others. I like to use only 12 ounces of cherry tomatoes. In lieu of using fresh cherry tomatoes you can also use cans of cherry tomatoes. It is crucial to reserve the pasta water to thin the sauce and help the sauce adhere to the pasta. Pasta water is also crucial for leftovers to keep them from drying out.

In a large pan saute the onion in butter over medium-low heat until soft (about 5 minutes) then add the tomatoes. Season the tomatoes initially with a teaspoon of salt. Cook the sauce over medium heat for 20-30 minutes (stir frequently and lower heat if scorching) or until the cherry tomatoes have burst and softened and the butter has completely blended in with the tomatoes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When the sauce is almost to your liking begin boiling the pasta to 1 minute less than al dente. A few minutes before the pasta finishes cooking add 1 cup of pasta water to the sauce and stir to combine. Continue to cook the sauce over medium heat. Add the pasta to the sauce and toss to coat. Cook until the pasta is just al dente then turn off the heat and season to taste with more salt and pepper as required. Add the herbs, toss once more, then plate. If the sauce is at all dry, add more of the reserved pasta water a few ounces at a time to loosen it up. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

 Welcome Marcela Hazan @ IHCC!

 

Giada's Fried Cheese-Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms {A Fun Summer Appetizer}!

 So I was finally able to score some beautiful zucchini blossoms at the farmer's market and I was able to buy enough to make two recipes! The first recipes I was shared was Ina Garten's Zucchini Flower and Leek Frittata (click here for that) and also this recipe for Giada Delaurentiis' Fried Cheese-Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms!This is a pretty simple recipe but it does require some finesse and preferably....small hands! You've got to open up these delicate zucchini flowers, remove the stamen, rinse and fill with the cheese mixture below, then twist the flowers to seal.

The cheese mixture is a combination of goat cheese, cream cheese, heavy cream, basil, green onion, and salt and pepper. I think you could simply some of that by buying different flavors of goat cheese and/or cream cheese and make the filling your own if you like! 

Then you make a simple tempura batter consisting of flour, salt and sparkling water and VERY CAREFULLY dip the stuffed flowers in the tempera and fry them in the oil. This takes some finesse and tender loving care, but is overall easy. 

I liked this fried zucchini flower recipe so much better than Ina's Zucchini Flower and Leek Frittata. The texture of the zucchini flowers in the frittata was somewhat soft, hard to cut, and maybe a little slimy or less than pleasing. The texture in Giada's Fried Cheese-Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms was way better. I loved the light crispy batter on these zucchini flowers and they were really tasty dunked in some marinara. Now for the ultimate question: Would I try to source zucchini flowers again? Would I make this recipe again? No, I don't think so. While I enjoyed cooking with zucchini flowers and trying two different recipes, it's not something that I loved or would seek out and make again. But, I am very happy to have tried it and crossed it off my list!

Fried Cheese-Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms

Adapted from Food Network

by Giada De Laurentiis

Makes 8

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup sparkling water

3/4 teaspoon salt, plus extra for seasoning

1/3 cup (2 ounces) goat cheese, at room temperature

2 tablespoons (1 ounce) cream cheese at room temperature

2 teaspoons heavy cream

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves

1 green onion, finely chopped

black pepper

8 zucchini blossoms*

vegetable oil, for frying

Optional: marinara sauce for dipping

*Cook's Note: Zucchini blossoms can be found at farmer's markets and specialty grocery stores. As an alternative, try using baby bell peppers. Cut off the tops and remove the seeds. Fill with the cheese mixture and dip the cut end in flour before dipping in the batter. 

 In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, water, and salt until smooth. Set aside.

In a small bowl combine the goat cheese, cream cheese, heavy cream, basil, and green onion. Mix until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Spoon 1-1/2 to 2 teaspoons filling into each blossom. Close the blossoms and gently twist the petals to seal.

In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, pour enough oil to fill the pan about a third of the way. Heat over medium heat until a deep-frying thermometer inserted in the oil reaches 350F (if you don't have a thermometer a cube of bread will brown in about 1 minute.) Dip the stuffed zucchini blossoms in the batter and allow any excess batter to drip off. Fry for 1 to 2 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown. Allow the cooked blossoms to drain on paper towels.

Season with salt and serve with your favorite marinara sauce or vinaigrette.

 June IHCC Potluck @ I Heart Cooking Clubs

Five Favorite Mediterranean Dishes!

Mediterranean food is my all time favorite and most of this blog probably consists of some form of Mediterranean-based dish. 

I thought it would be fun to look back on some of my favorite Mediterranean dishes, namely my top Greek and Italian recipes. I chose a good mix of main dishes, one appetizer, and a dessert! As always, if you click on the recipe title it will direct you back to my original post with the recipe!

                                                    Ina Garten Sausage and Fennel Rigatoni

This is one of the MOST DELICIOUS FIVE STAR pasta dishes I've ever made or eaten anywhere, both in my kitchen and in a restaurant. Many others say the same, so I feel like it is a must make if you're a pasta lover. Don't let the fennel worry you if it's not your favorite. I felt that way and it turned out just fine. The fennel just gives this dish a delicate background flavor that really gives the dish the boost it needs to be something special. It is an outstanding dish!

            Giada De Laurentiis' White Lemon Pizza

White pizza is a real favorite of mine and this version with three cheeses: ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmesan is just a stunning dish! This pizza turns out perfectly for me every single time and to this day it is THE SINGLE MOST delicious pizza I've ever made at home! I always imagine myself eating a slice at an outdoor restaurant over the cliffs of the Amalfi Coast.

 

 Tessa Kiros' Garides Saganaki

I love all things shrimp and feta cheese, feta is one of my favorite cheeses, so this dish was meant for me! It's flavorful and light and feels so special. One day when I get over to Greece I plan to eat my weight in all things feta and shrimp, and probably baklava, but that's for another post.

 

Tessa Kiros' Peppers Stuffed with Feta

Again, feta cheese! I am ALWAYS looking for ways to eat feta cheese so this recipe makes me feel better about eating so much cheese because I'm also eating vitamin rich pepper as well! It's a win-win situation!

 

 Ina Garten's Fruit Salad with Limoncello

As I mentioned several times over the years, the Amalfi Coast of Italy is rife with lemons and in my spare time I watch travel vlogs on Youtube and everyone is dining al fresco on the cliffs of the Amalfi Coast doing shooters of Limoncello, eating fresh fruit, pasta, etc. This dessert reminds me of the Mediterranean because it's fruity and light, spiked with Limoncello, and just a little bit creamy with a lemon yogurt dressing. It just seems like the fruity desserts you find all over Italy and I'm going to declare it Mediterranean! 

A Taste of The Mediterranean!

 

 

 

 

Ina Garten's Outrageous Garlic Bread

 

Right now everyone is sick: stomach viruses, Covid, flu, strep, cold viruses, an outburst of chickenpox and shingles, major cases of pink eye and every other sickness known to man. On top of dealing with all that we also have to deal with hurricanes and crazy weather. In a landlocked state. Hurricanes in Kentucky. 

On Friday we didn't have school due to the weatherman predicting high end tornadoes across the state, along with severe thunderstorms. The weatherman literally encouraged people to get a whistle and take it to their "safe space" so they could blow the whistle if they were buried in rubble. That's always a refreshing thought.

Since we have no basement we sat in fear for 12 hours, whistleless, and full of anxiety. We never got the severe thunderstorms. In fact, it never really rained much at all. We also never got the high end tornadoes. Thank God. What we did get instead was pretty much a hurricane. I'm not kidding. The weatherman actually showed a radar where it appeared that Kentucky was in the eye of a hurricane with hurricane force winds. No rain. No lightening. No thunder. Just straight up wind. Every time I looked out the window something big was flying in the air: fences, siding, roofs, lawn furniture, trampolines, street signs, telephone poles...all causing widespread power outages. All I heard was wind and sirens. We are very lucky to be okay and not have any severe damage, but it was all very unsettling. 

I don't know about you, but I am tired of living in unprecedented times. I'm not interested in making any history books and I'd just like things to return to the regularly scheduled program..

The kind of program where I can return to living my best life, eating spaghetti and this OUTRAGEOUS GARLIC BREAD and just enjoy myself. 

I mean who doesn't love to sink their teeth into some hot crusty bread oozing with garlic buttery Parmesan cheese-laden herby goodness? It's like total comfort food and we all need comfort food right now.

Outrageous Garlic Bread

Adapted from Modern Comfort Food

by Ina Garten

Makes 8 servings

12 tablespoons (1-1/2 sticks) butter

1 head garlic, cloves separate and peeled*

1 cup freshly grated Italian Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest*

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

salt and black pepper

1 (20 to 24-inch long) crusty French baguette

Fleur de sel or sea salt

Preheat the oven to 450F. 

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add the garlic, stir to coat with the butter, and cook, covered, for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is very tender. (*Note: I prefer my garlic roasted in lieu of being cooked down on the stovetop so I roasted my head of garlic by removing the loose garlic skin around the head, cutting the top 1/4" off the garlic, coating in a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper and wrapping in foil. I placed it in the oven at 400F for about 40 minutes - then I followed the following steps). Transfer to a small bowl and set aside until cool enough to handle. Mash the garlic in the butter with a fork. Stir in the Parmesan, parsley, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, 1-1/2 teaspoons (I would seriously cut back on the salt here) salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.

Slice the baguette in half lengthwise and place both halves, cut sides up, on a cutting board. Score each half diagonally (don't cut all the way through) in large serving-size pieces. Spoon all of the garlic mixture generously on the cut sides of the bread. Cut each half of the baguette in half crosswise along a score and place the 4 pieces on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

Bake for 5 to 7 minutes, until the topping is bubbly and starting to brown and the bread is crisp. Transfer to a board, cut in serving pieces along the scores, sprinkle with fleur de sel, and serve warm. 

Ina Garten's Lasagna with Sausage

 

 It has literally been years since I've made lasagna, but the family was craving it so I decided to give Ina's Lasagna with Sausage a go!

Ina uses turkey sausage for her recipe, but I decided to use regular sweet Italian pork sausage for lots of reasons: 1) we love pork sausage 2) couldn't find turkey sausage and not sure I'd like it in lasagna  3) price of groceries is outrageous anymore and I just buy the best quality products I can get on sale. I think everyone should buy and use what they like and I also think we have to consider the price of groceries more than we have in years past. 

My family likes a sausage sauce way better than any beef based sauces. I will tell you right now that this sauce was incredible! I think a lot of it had to do with the good quality sausage I used, so try to buy a good sausage.

I always cook my lasagna noodles to al dente, but Ina had me trying a new method. Ina says to soak your lasagna noodles in hot tap water for 20 minutes. If you like your lasagna noodles very al dente then this would be a great method for you! My husband loved how toothsome the lasagna noodles were. They were a little too toothsome to me and I'm looking forward to the leftovers b ecause I think the noodles will soften as they sit overnight and soak up the sauce.

All in all, this is a wonderfully classic lasagna recipe! The flavors are all on point and we all really loved it. I think this would be a wonderful dish to deliver to friends and family and I can definitely see myself keeping this recipe in my backpocket. I truly think it's a recipe that everyone would like. 

 

Lasagna with Sausage

Adapted from Food Network

by Ina Garten

Serves 8-12

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 chopped yellow onion

2 chopped garlic cloves

1 chopped red bell pepper 

1-1/2 pounds sweet Italian sausage or turkey sausage*

1 (28oz) can crushed tomatoes in tomato puree

1 (6oz) can tomato paste

1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley, divided

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves

salt and pepper

1/2 pound lasagna noodles

15 ounces ricotta cheese

3 to 4 ounces creamy goat cheese, crumbled

1 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for sprinkling

1 egg

1 pound fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced

*Notes: Ina directs you to soak your noodles in hot tap water. If you enjoy a more toothsome noodle then this would work wonderfully for you. If you enjoy a softer noodle, then go ahead and boil your noodles and follow all the other instructions. I spiced our lasagna up with a heavy dose of red pepper flakes, but feel free to spice yours up how you like!

Preheat the oven to 400F. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook for 5 minutes over medium low heat, until translucent/soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the sausage and cook over medium-low heat, breaking it up with a fork, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until no longer pink. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the basil, 1-1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Simmer, uncovered, over medium-low heat, for 15 to 20 minutes, until thickened.

Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with the hottest tap water. Add the noodles and allow them to sit in the water for 20 minutes. Drain.

In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, goat cheese, 1 cup Parmesan, the egg, the remaining 2 tablespoons parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Set aside.

Ladle 1/3 of the sauce into a 9x12 inch rectangular baking dish, spreading the sauce over the bottom of the dish. Then add the layers as follows: half the pasta, half the mozzarella, half the ricotta, and one third of the sauce. Add the rest of the pasta, mozzarella, ricotta, and finally, sauce. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan (or amount to your liking). Bake for 30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling.

Everything's Coming Up Green @ IHCC

Fettuccine Alfredo from Ruth Reichl's The Gourmet Cookbook {Total Comfort Food}!

 

So last week was an EXTREMELY tough week at school and that is an understatement. On top of that, I was exposed as a girl in my group tested positive for covid. Then I woke up sick the next day. Don't you love how literally every symptom is a covid symptom? Makes things fun, doesn't it? Even better when all the testing sites are booked up and you can't get a test anywhere. Thankfully I am on the mend, but I am still short on patience and just over everything.

I wanted to make something REALLY EASY and SUPER COMFORTING and I have been craving pasta, and loving my Ruth Riechl recipes lately, so I decided to make something super naughty!

Ruth Reichl's Fettuccine Alfredo! It couldn't be easier and....IT COULDN'T BE MORE DELICIOUS! This is the third time I've tried making Fettuccine Alfredo. The first time I made Giada's recipe and it was good. Then I made Nigel Slater's Needs Must Fettuccine Alfredo and it was also good. Then I made this recipe and it was love at first bite. I knew instantly that this was THE ONE AND ONLY!

Seriously, this recipe is simply the best and tastes even better than eating Fettucine Alfredo in a restaurant. The best part is that it is so easy as it is essentially only 4 ingredients: fettuccine, butter, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and heavy cream! You can have it done in the time it takes to cook pasta!

All you have to do is boil the noodles and prep your sauce ingredients: butter, cream, Parmigiano Reggiano. This is where I have some tips for you! Make sure you salt your pasta water very well as this really adds to the overall dish. Also, buy quality pasta and REAL Parmigiano-Reggiano! Lastly, be sure to save at least a cup of pasta water because alfredo has a tendency to seize up after awhile and a great tip is to use that leftover pasta water to help loosen things up.

This is an incredible one pot meal. It is definitely indulgent, but it is a great recipe that everyone in the family will love, and we all deserve a treat right now as things are a bit crazy. 

I like to serve this with a big green salad or some green veggies, but if you wanted to add some meat then you could buy a Rotisserie chicken and add some chicken to the pasta.

Please give it a try!

Fettuccine Alfredo

Adapted from The Gourmet Cookbook

by Ruth Reichl

Serves 4

 3/4 pound good dried egg fettuccine

1 stick butter

1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus additional for sprinkling

2/3 cup heavy cream

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Cook fettuccine in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water (1 tablespon salt per every 4 quarts water) until al dente. Reserve 1/4 cup cooking water (I like to reserve at least 1 cup of pasta water - for all recipes).

Meanwhile, thinly slice 3 tablespoons butter; set aside.

When pasta is cooked, melt remaining 3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) butter in a 2- to 3-quart flameproof gratin dish over low heat (I just used the pan from the pasta). Add pasta and toss to coat, lifting strands. Add cheese, reserved cooking water (a little at a time), cream, reserved butter, salt and pepper and toss to combine well. Sprinkle with additional cheese and serve immediately. 

*You will want to serve this immediately because the sauce will thicken quickly. I like to keep quite a bit of pasta water to help loosen up the sauce if need be. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ina Garten's Rigatoni with Sausage and Fennel {One Of My Favorite Recipes Of All-Time!!}

 

I'm taking a break from the healthy recipe posts to celebrate and bring you an absolutely amazing pasta dish, Ina Garten's Rigatoni with Sausage and Fennel! 

You see, ever since January, I have completely overhauled my lifestyle. I completely changed my diet, cutting out almost all starchy foods in favor of lean meats, eggs, and vegetables. I do allow some fruits (no more than 2 per day) and some dairy (I could never give up cheese). I also try to move my body as much as possible (walks in the mornings, parking as far away as I can, always taking the stairs, making it a point to get up and move every hour, stretching, cleaning, etc). I never drank anything else besides water before, but I also seriously upped my water intake. I did this faithfully for seven months. It was hard. So very hard. There were weeks I stepped on the scale and didn't lose a pound. Sometimes I would go two weeks without losing any weight at all. Those weeks were devastating. I told myself it didn't matter how fast I lost the weight. It wasn't a race. The important thing was that I felt SO MUCH better. I stuck with it.

Folks, IT TOOK ME SEVEN MONTHS TO LOSE 25 POUNDS! It was not easy! I still have about 25 additional pounds I would like to lose, but I am allowing myself to take a break for a week or two to celebrate, maintain the weight loss, and recharge.

Ina's Rigatoni with Sausage and Fennel was a recipe I kept seeing pop up on a Barefoot Contessa Facebook group. Folks were making it almost daily and so in love with it! I watched for a month or so while people hailed this dish as one of the VERY BEST PASTA DISHES THEY'VE EVER EATEN! I simply could not wait to try it! I knew it was going to be worth the splurge, so I decided that this was going to be my celebration meal.

I was skeptical because guess what? I have NEVER liked fennel. However, I decided I was going to give it a go and I am so glad I did! I can vouch for this dish y'all! It has what every other pasta dish is missing. Maybe it's the fennel? Maybe it's the crushed fennel seeds? Maybe it's the cream? Nevertheless, this is THE PASTA DISH to make right now. I have literally told everyone I know about it, and I am telling you now, this is hands down one of the top 5 recipes I've ever made on my blog... and I've logged over 1000 recipes on this blog!

Do not skimp on the fennel. Do not leave anything out! If you have a hard time finding fresh fennel, then keep searching. If you have a hard time finding fennel seeds as I did, keep searching. You have to follow this recipe to a T. Do not leave out the wine or try to be healthy and skimp on the cream. However, if you are vegetarian, then know that you should still try this. Use any sausage or meat substitute. Trust me on this one! This pasta dish begs to be made!   

Rigatoni with Sausage and Fennel

Adapted from Food Network

by Ina Garten

Serves 4-6

3 tablespoons good olive oil

3 cups chopped fennel (1 large bulb)*

1-1/2 cups chopped yellow onion

1-1/4 pounds sweet Italian sausages, casings removed

2 teaspoons minced garlic (2 cloves)*

1/2 teaspoon whole fennel seeds, crushed with a mortar and pestle

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

salt and black pepper

1 cup dry white wine

1 cup heavy cream

2/3 cup half-and-half

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 pound rigatoni

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

1 cup freshly grated Italian Parmesan cheese, divided

*Notes: Sometimes fennel can be hard to find. Keep searching. Do not leave out any ingredient in this dish as it is perfect the way it's written. Go ahead and buy a little extra fennel to make sure you have enough. I had to buy 3 bulbs of fennel to equal 3 cups chopped! Two cloves of garlic could be a small amount. Best to make sure they're big cloves and/or add a little extra to be sure you have enough garlic.

Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset, over medium heat. Add the fennel and onion and saute for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add the sausage and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, crumbling it with a fork, until nicely browned. Add the garlic, crushed fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper and cook for one minute. Pour in the wine, bring to a boil, and add the heavy cream, half-and-half, and tomato paste. Bring back to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 20 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 2 tablespoons salt, and cook the rigatoni according to the directions on the package. Drain and add to the sauce, stirring to coat the pasta. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes to allow the pasta to absorb the sauce. Off the heat, stir in the parsley and 1/2 cup of the Parmesan. Serve hot in shallow bowls with the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan on the side.

Giada's Crispy Sausage Stuffed Dates Wrapped in Bacon with Lemon-Basil Crema

I've been living La Dolce Vita for the past four days. School was canceled due to illness, and no one in my household was sick, so we had a lovely four days off. Let me tell ya...it was bliss. I read two cookbooks, cooked several dishes every day, and got caught up on all kinds of TV. I'm hoping the much-needed rest was good for my immune system.

I also received a shipment from Misfits Market, a company that sources misfit organic produce and ships it directly to your home. Some people have strong feelings about companies like Misfits because they feel as though this produce would otherwise go to food banks. Most likely, there is some truth to that, but in my community and many others, we don't have access to a good variety of organic produce or foods. So, I consider it a total win because otherwise we would be forced to eat conventional produce and/or drive 30-40 one-way to obtain it.

So far I'm really enjoying everything I've received from Misfits Market. I have received some things with bruises or soft spots, but I enjoy having the chance to use up this produce. Food waste has become way too prevalent in America. What I love about is Misfits is that each week they give you a list of produce to choose from and you can actually choose what you get! Then there's the add ons, like these organic Medjool dates. I have a hard time finding Medjool dates in my market, let alone organic. So, if you're like me and you don't have access to good organic produce and goods, then you may want to give this company a try.

For this week's theme, La Dolce Vita, I wanted to make a dish that was both sweet and savory, that was on the healthy side, without added sugars. I researched stuffed dates and found that I had all the ingredients on hand to make Giada's Crispy Sausage Stuffed Dates Wrapped in Bacon with Lemon-Basil Crema.

Giada says she serves these stuffed dates in her restaurant and they are her number one selling appetizer. I can believe it! These are so seductive: chewy and sweet dates wrapped in crispy and salty bacon stuffed with savory and spicy sausage. Then you have the fresh silky addition of the lemon-basil crema and it's like a party in your mouth. One bite and you simply have to have another and another. I'm convinced no one could eat just one!

If you're looking to satisfy your sweet and savory tooth, these are for you. They are absolutely incredible!

Crispy Sausage Stuffed Dates Wrapped in Bacon with 

Lemon-Basil Crema

Adapted from Food Network

by Giada De Laurentiis

Makes 12

For the Lemon-Basil Crema:

2 tablespoons sour cream, room temperature

1 tablespoon mascarpone, room temperature

1 teaspoon lemon zest

2 tablespoons lemon juice

3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

salt, to taste

For the Dates:

12 Medjool dates

2 links hot sausage, casings removed

6 slices bacon (about 4 ounces), cut crosswise in half

For the crema: Whisk together the sour cream, mascarpone, lemon zest, lemon juice, basil, and salt. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to let the flavors marry.

For the dates: Preheat the oven to 400F. Make a small lengthwise slit down the center of each date. Remove the pits and open the dates slightly; make sure they stay intact. Stuff each date with 1 teaspoon of the sausage. Close the dates up and around the sausage (they won't close completely) leaving some of the sausage exposed. Wrap each date in a piece of bacon and place on a baking sheet.

Bake for 8 minutes. Flip the dates, and bake until the bacon is crisp another 8 to 10 minutes. Serve warm, with the crema on the side.

Giada's Crispy Chicken Thighs with Peppers and Capers

The beginning of the new year is a time for clearing out the old and bringing in the new. You know... your freezer, your fridge, and your pantry. Over the holidays I accumulated a lot of ingredients: antipasto, cheeses, fresh herbs, various loaves of bread, and some odds and ends in my freezer.

Giada's recipe for Crispy Chicken Thighs with Peppers and Capers is a fabulous way to use up all those bits and pieces, while also eating more healthfully.

This chicken dish is inspired by Peperonata, a classic Italian dish consisting of sauteed peppers olives, and capers that melts in your mouth. This classic combination of flavors is the perfect bed for crispy chicken thighs. Make sure to get the chicken crackly and delicious by searing them in a very hot pan for a full 8 minutes - you are looking for a dark golden brown. You want the texture of the crispy skin against the tender meat with the melt-in-your-mouth flavors of the Peperonata. This dish tastes as delicious as it smells!

Crispy Chicken Thighs with Peppers and Capers

Adapted from Giada's Italy

by Giada De Laurentiis

Serves 4

1/4 cup olive oil

4 chicken thighs (about 2 pounds)

salt and pepper, to taste

1 anchovy fillet or 1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste

1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and sliced into thin strips

1 shallot, diced small

1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1 cup dry bread crumbs

1 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped

Preheat the oven to 425F. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Dry the chicken very well with paper towels and season evenly on both sides with salt and pepper. Place the thighs in the hot pan, skin-side down, and cook without moving for about 8 minutes, or until dark golden brown. Flip the thighs and cook an additional 3 minutes. Transfer the thighs to a baking sheet and roast for 10 to 15 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer registers 160F. 

While the chicken roasts, place the same pan over medium heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the anchovy and mash it with the back of a wooden spoon until it dissolves into the oil. Add the bell pepper and salt, to taste, to the pan and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes, until cooked through and soft. Stir in the shallots and cook an additional minute. Add the olives, capers, and oregano to the pan and stir to combine.  

Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the pepper mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until the bread crumbs have soaked up all the flavored oil. Cook, stirring constantly until the bread crumbs are toasted and the flavors have married, about another 3 minutes. Stir in the parsley. Spoon the bread crumb mixture onto a platter. Top with the chicken thighs and drizzle with any accumulated juices from the baking sheet.