Giardiniera

This is my new favorite garden recipe. This year, only my peppers have really been going crazy. Part of this is because they are one thing the stupid squirrels won't eat! With over 100 peppers, I had to figure out something to make! One of my favorite sandwich shops makes really good hot peppers.  I wanted to make something similar. I also have used Giardiniera in my Italian Beef recipe, and loved it. So I went on the hunt for a recipe that sounded similar. 

Ingredients: 
1 small head cauliflower, broken into small florets (about 5 cups)
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
4 jalapeno peppers, sliced
6 serrano peppers, sliced
1/2 cup salt
1 cup white vinegar
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup canola oil
1 jar (10 ounces) small pimiento-stuffed olives, drained

Directions: 
Chop veggies (I used the food processor to speed up and get small pieces)

In a large Tupperware container, toss cauliflower, celery, carrot and peppers with salt. Add cold water to cover. Refrigerate, covered, overnight.

Drain vegetables; rinse with cold water and drain again.  Don't forget this step, or it will be salty!

In a large bowl, whisk vinegar, garlic, oregano and pepper flakes. Gradually whisk in oil until blended. 

Add olives and drained vegetables; toss to coat. Refrigerate, covered, overnight to allow flavors to blend.

Transfer mixture to covered jars. Refrigerate up to 3 weeks. Enjoy on sandwiches or by its self!

Adapted from: Taste of Home

Dip & Dot Party

My "Italy" friends wanted to have a summer party with a great theme! We all love a good dip, so we started brainstorming around the dip theme. We came up with "Dip n' Dots." I think we all had too much fun shopping for polka dot themed things! I went on a hunt for swimsuits and something for the adults to wear.

We set up the polka dot stuff at night and the "Polka dot fairy"came with fun gifts!

Water balloons, Fun Dip, Dots Candy, and a swim suit!

Oh the balloons... these big balloons had quite the adventure!

I need to invest in the water balloon filler that can fill 100 up at one time! These girls LOVED the water balloons! 

This happy sun balloon was $12 and it lived at this table for all of 15 minutes, then it flew away. It provided some really good laughs!

Fairy gifts!

I made a sandwich bar for lunch. Dinner (which I didn't get pictures of was Italian Beef in the crockpot). We also had lots of dips!

Funfetti cupcakes!

 They loved the Fun Dip!

Swimming was so fun!

Evan's sweet polka dot outfit!

The girls! My polka dot dress was from Ann Taylor Loft

It was a great weekend had by all! 

Stuffed Peppers- Italian Style

I have been trying to find a good stuffed pepper recipe for a while. I think I finally found one I like! I had a coupon for these Johnsonville Chicken Sausages and decided to try some with that, instead of ground turkey or beef.

I found a recipe to go off of, but since the sausage had so many great flavors, I decided to simplify it, and use up a few ingredients, instead of going out to buy more. (This would be why it calls just a little bit of yellow peppers, and petite diced tomatoes/marinara/tomato sauce)  I didn't want to open a 14 oz can of tomato sauce, so I used a tomato marinara I made up last week to go with my zucchini meatballs.

So feel free to mix it up a bit for your stuffed peppers too!


Ingredients: 
1/4 onion, chopped
1 cup chicken stock, divided
3 peppers cut in half with seeds removed. (I used red)
2 T. diced yellow peppers
4 chicken sausage links- Johnsonville 3 Cheese Italian Style
1 t. minced garlic
1 cup COOKED rice
1/2 cup petite diced tomatoes/marinara/or tomato sauce
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
olive oil


Directions
Preheat oven to 400* and cook rice, if it is not cooked.

Drizzle a little olive oil in a medium sized pan.  Add onion, garlic, and sausage.  Cook until onions are translucent and sausage is slightly browned.

Add 1/2 cup tomato mixture and 1/2 cup chicken broth.  Mix and simmer on low for 5 minutes.

Add rice to mixture.

Place peppers in a baking dish. Fill each pepper with as much of the stuffing mix as you can.

Pour the remainder of the chicken stock into the bottom of the baking dish.

Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes.  Remove foil and sprinkle cheese on top. Cook for an additional 5 minutes.

 Last night we made them with just Spanish rice, Rotel, and cheese, but followed the basic directions.
We also made some with parmesan couscous and cheese on top! So really you can put what ever you want in them!! It is a great way to sneak in some veggies!

Zucchini Meatballs

Need a sneaky way to get in your veggies? Or use up some fresh ones before they go bad? These meatballs are awesome! I made them using my food processor to grate the zucchini and onion and stir up the meat!

Ingredients: 

1small zucchini
1/4 small white onion
4 garlic cloves
1lb ground beef (use turkey if you want to be super healthy!)
1 egg white
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1/2 t. Italian seasoning
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1/4 cup bread crumbs (the original recipe used 1/2 cup panko, which I didn't have on hand)

Directions

Grate the zucchini and onion in the food processor, using the attachment, add in garlic.

Change the blade to the S shaped plastic blade, and add in remaining ingredients.

Shape in to meatballs and place on lightly greased rack.

Bake at 400* for 20-25 minutes, or until meatballs are cooked through.

Serve with your favorite sauce and noodles or on a hogie bun for a meatball sub!

These are a great thing to eat half of, and freeze the rest! When you are ready to eat them, pop them in the microwave for 4-5 minutes, or bake them at 350* for 20-25 minutes.

Adapted from Iowa Girl Eats

Italian Beef Sandwiches

Another crockpot success! I love cooking in the crock pot on Sundays.  This time I made Italian Beef Sandwiches.  These ones were more like the ones I have enjoyed at Portillo's in Chicago. I had made the Pioneer Woman ones before, but the extra spices and chopped Giardiniera made them much better!

Ingredients:
2lb chuck roast (serves 5-6)
1 envelope Good Seasons Zesty Italian salad dressing mix
4oz pepperoncini, diced
8oz Giardiniera (Chicago-Style Italian Sandwich Mix) drained* I bought Mild, but want to try the hot!
14.5oz can beef broth
provolone cheese slices
hoagie buns

Directions:
Place roast in crockpot, sprinkle salad dressing mix.  (Don't forget your crockpot liner!)

Add pepperoncini peppers, Giardiniera, and beef broth.

Place a lid on top then cook on low for 9 hours, or until meat shreds easily with a fork. 

Shred then place meat back into crock pot and cook on low for 1 more hour.
Split buns in half and toast in oven, add cheese and melt.

Add the shredded meat mixture on top. Top with cold Giardiniera.

*The version of Giardiniera I bought was packed in oil, drain it with a fork, before putting in!   

Adapted from: Iowa Girl Eats

Pantry, Freezer, Garden Livin'

Right before I go on a trip, I challenge myself to only eat out of the pantry/freezer/garden.  It is fun to come up with meals using only the ingredients you have on hand.  This is also a fun game to play if you don't want to go to the grocery store and spend $$! 

I made this spin on Goulash.  

Ingredients: 

ground beef

noodles

1 can diced tomatos

onion

red pepper 

fresh oregano 

Italian seasoning

salt 

pepper

Directions: 

Boil the noodles and cook as directed on package. 

In a skillet, cook ground beef and sprinkle with fresh herbs, salt pepper, and Italian seasoning. 

When the meat is almost cooked, add onion and pepper and cook for a few more minutes. 

Drain noodles.

Add a can of diced tomatoes and noodles. Let simmer for 5-10 minutes before serving. 

Garden Fresh BLT

bread

bacon

lettuce

tomato

mayo

salt 

pepper 

I was super lazy on this one and used a leftover bun, toasted it in the oven. I used pre-cooked bacon and heated it up in the microwave for 30 seconds.  Then I sliced the tomato, spread the mayo, and sprinkled it with salt and pepper. I added the bacon and the lettuce! 

Italian Beef Sandwiches

Another Sunday Crockpot meal! Throw it in, its ready in time for dinner! Can't get easier!


Ingredients

• 1 Beef Chuck Roast Whole, 2.5-4 Pounds
• 1 can Beef Broth
• 3 T Italian Seasoning, I used Penzeys
• 1 t Salt
• 1/4 c Water
• 1 t Minced Garlic
• 8 oz Pepperoncini Peppers, With Juice
• Buttered, Toasted Deli Rolls
• Provolone Cheese

Directions
Combine first 7 ingredients in crock pot.

Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours, or until tender with fork.

Butter the deli rolls and toast in the oven. Don't burn, like I did! 

Pile the meat and peppers on the rolls and put the cheese on top.  If needed, put back in the oven to melt the cheese.  Serve with liquids from the meat.

adapted from Pioneer Woman

Soup Swap

For my "Italy Friends" Christmas Party this year I decided we should do a "Soup Swap."  I did a little research, and sent out this invitation via e-mail:

 Soup Swap  

1. Make 6 quarts of your favorite soup.  Make the soup a few days ahead to allow time to freeze.  Email us with the type of soup you are making so we will have a good variety.
2. Label 6 freezer Ziplock bags with the name of soup, date, and any instructions needed to re-heat or garish the soup.
3. Put 1 quart of soup into each bag, Lay the bags flat in the freezer to make them easier to store.
4. Bring the recipe and the soups to our party.  One of the bags we will be eating/tasting at the party, so bring it ready to serve in a crockpot with any garnishes. 
5. Each of us will come home with 5 new soups! You may want to bring a cooler to transport them to and from.  

These are a few tips and tricks I figured out as I was cooking.

• Quadruple your recipe.  
• Use a 6 Quart pot
• Buy freezer quart bags
• 4 cups = 1 quart
• find a large measuring cup, or pitcher that can hold 4 cups. Ladle the soup into the measuring cup, and then pour it into the baggies. 
• Release the air and lay flat. 
• Lay it flat in a freezer basket or a box. 
• If everyone lays their soup flat, it will be really easy to store! 

On serving day, everyone brought their soup in a crockpot ready to serve. I found that the small crockpots hold 1.5 quarts which was perfect, but the big ones worked too. I also bought bowls and little ramekins so we could do a soup flight and taste all of them. 

Here are the soups that we had: 

• Goat Cheese Tomato Basil 
• Potato Bacon Soup 
• Chili for a Crowd- From Ashley
   

Indian Stew 

Cheesy Chicken Tortellini 

Italian Tortellini

**SORRY FOR THE FORMATTING! It did not like me today!**

Chili 

Ingredients:

4.5 pounds ground beef, browned and drained

2 large yellow (sweet) onions, chopped

     7 large green bell peppers, chopped

    4 celery stalks, chopped

    2 heaping tablespoons minced garlic (I use jarred)

    2 cans Ranch Style Beans, NOT drained (15 ounce cans) -I couldn't find Ranch Style so used Black

    2 cans dark red kidney beans, drained (15 ounce cans)

    2 cans Original Rotel Diced Tomatoes & Green Chili (10 ounce cans)

    2 cans stewed tomatoes (15 ounce cans)

    4 cans plain tomato sauce (15 ounce cans)

    2 packages McCormick Mild Chili Seasoning (1.25 ounce packages)

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a large stock pot.*
2. Simmer for at least three hours (I let mine cook about 5 hours).
3. Enjoy!

Naughty Cornbread

Ingredients:

• ·      1 yellow cake mix
• ·      2 Jiffy cornbread mixes
• ·      Oil, milk, and eggs according to package directions

Directions:

Preheat oven according to directions on cake mix box. Combine cake mix and cornbread mixes in a large bowl. Add eggs, oil, and milk according to package directions (replace all water with milk). Mix together according to cake mix directions.

Veggie Chili

Ingredients:

• 
  
  
  2 garlic cloves, minced
  
  
  1 large green or red pepper, chopped
  
  
  ½ lb. mushrooms, slicked
  
  
  ½ cup chopped onion
  
  
  2T oil
  
  
  1 28oz can crushed tomatoes
  
  
  11 15 oz. can tomato sauce
  
  
  22 T chili powder
  
  
  1 tsp. ground cumin
  
  
  2 15 ounce cans kidney beans, drained & rinsed
  
  
  1 ½ diced zucchini
  
  
  10 oz. pkg corn, thawed
  
  
  1 ½ C shredded sharp cheddar, divided
  
  
  1 ½ c diced zucchini
  
  
  
  Directions:  

Cook and stir garlic, peppers, mushrooms and onions in oil 5 minutes or until tender.   Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, chili powder and cumin.   Heat to boil.   Reduce heat to low; add beans, zucchini and corn.   Simmer 15 minutes or until tender.   Add 1 cup cheese and stir until melted.   Spoon into serving bowls and top with remaining cheese.   Makes 8 servings.

*we also eat with rice, sour cream and Fritos!

Cheesy Chicken Tortellini Soup

 Ingredients:

• 4 Tbs. butter
•  1 diced onion
•  2 diced carrots
•  2 ribs celery, diced
•  6 cups water (or chicken broth)- I usually use mixture of both
•  12 oz. frozen cheese tortellini
•  4 cups milk
•  2 cups whipping cream
•  1 cup Cheez Whiz (8 oz)
•  4 cups diced, cooked chicken

Melt butter in lg pot. Add veggies and saute. Add water (or broth) and bring to boil. Add tortellini and cook until tender. Reduce heat- add milk, whipping cream, Cheez whiz, and chicken. Stir constantly over low heat until cheese is melted. Simmer on low until heated through.

I doubled the recipe for our soup swap.

POTATO BROCCOLI CHEESE SOUP

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 lbs. (about 4 med.) potatoes
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 1 c. chopped onion
• 2 1/2 c. boiling chicken stock
• 1 1/2 c. broccoli florets, cooked tender-crisp or 1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen broccoli cuts
• 1 1/2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 tbsp. sour cream
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Peel potatoes and cut into 3/4 inch cubes; set aside. In a 2 to 3 quart saucepan, melt butter. Add onion and saute 5 minutes. Add potatoes and chicken stock. Cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and cook just until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.

Pour contents of saucepan into the container of a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth; return to saucepan. Add broccoli. Over medium heat, gradually add cheese, stirring until heated through and cheese is completely melted. Stir in sour cream and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serves 4.

As a last step I added two packages of bacon that I had made into "bacon bits" to make it more of a loaded baked potato soup. I also would recommend using sharp cheddar. I accidentally grabbed mild and the soup felt like it needed something more.

Tortellini Soup with Chunky Tomatoes and Spinach
Yields 3 to 4 servings

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 to 6 cups low sodium vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
1 can (14.5 ounces) low sodium diced tomatoes, including juices
9-10 ounces tortellini (fresh or frozen), any variety
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian herb seasoning
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
10 ounces fresh or frozen spinach, chopped (if frozen, thaw and squeeze out excess moisture)
Salt and Pepper, to taste
1/4 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese

1. In a dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat.  Saute onion for 5-7 minutes, or until translucent.  Add garlic, and saute for 1 minute.
2. Add broth and tomatoes.  Turn heat to high, cover and bring to a boil.
3. Add tortellini and cook according to package instructions. 
4. Within the last minute of cooking the tortellini, stir in Italian herb seasoning, crushed red pepper and spinach.  Taste, and add salt and pepper seasoning, as desired.  
5. Serve immediately, garnishing each bowl with Parmesan cheese.

From: Alida's Kitchen

Go Check out Kelly's Korner Soup Link Up!