Italian Eggplant Pizza Rounds

One eggplant sliced rounds

2 cups of Italian breadcrumbs

1 teaspoon Mrs Dash Italian seasoning

2 eggs beaten

Double dip eggplant into egg then Mrs Dash Italian seasoning, seasoned bread crumbs.

Bake at 375 for 20 minutes on cookie sheet sprayed with Pam until lightly browned.

Slice mozzarella cheese thin, slice garden tomato thin. Layer onto baked eggplant add some Mrs Dash Italian seasoning,  and re-bake just until the cheese begins to melt.

Serve hot.

Rigatoni al Forno (oven baked Rigatoni)

1 pound of Rigatoni pasta

4 cups of tomato sauce

½ pound of hamburger

½ pound of Grated Parmigiano cheese

1 pound of mozzarella

¼ pound of ham

½ cup of white wine

Olive oil

1 medium onion

Salt optional

Pepper

In a sauce pan add some olive oil and chopped onion. Once the onion turns clear add the chopped meat and saute` in the oil and the onion.

After 4 minutes add the wine and let it evaporate (Reduce) for 3-5 minutes.

Add the tomato sauce and let everything cook at low heat for 20 minutes.

Stir occasionally.

 

In a separate pot boil water and cook the rigatoni. The rigatoni should be cooked "Al Dente". In an oven pan spread a thin layer of meat sauce and add a layer of rigatoni. Cover the rigatoni with a layer of sauce and sprinkle with Parmigiano.

Add a layer of mozzarella cut in small cubes and a layer of slices of ham.

Repeat the layering process until you have no more rigatoni. The last layer of rigatoni should be covered with a generous layer of sauce, a good sprinkle of Parmigiano and mozzarella cubes. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes at 375

Deviled Eggs with Bacon Cheddar cheese

                                            

 12 eggs

 1/2 cup mayonnaise

 4 slices bacon                         

 2 tablespoons of finely shredded cheddar cheese

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

1 tablespoon mustard

 Place eggs in a saucepan, and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil and immediately remove from heat. Cover, and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, and cool. To cool more quickly, rinse eggs under cold running water.      

Meanwhile, place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Alternatively, wrap bacon in paper towels and cook in the microwave for about 1 minute per slice. Crumble and set aside.  Peel the hard-cooked eggs, and cut in half lengthwise. Remove yolks to a small bowl. Mash egg yolks with mayonnaise, crumbled bacon and cheese. Stir in favorite mustard. Fill egg white halves with the yolk mixture and refrigerate until serving.

Great for Easter or any occasion.

Mary's Pistachio Cake Made Easy

1 Package of yellow cake mix
1 Package of Pistachio pudding
8 Oz sour cream (not low fat)
1 Package of Chocolate chips (6oz)
1 Package of chopped walnut (optional) (6oz)
4 eggs
1/2 cup oil

Beat eggs and oil about 2 minutes
add sour cream and beat well

Add cake mix and pudding mix well.  Scrape sides of bowl, stir in chocolate bits


Place in well greased  bundt cake pan.  Bake 350 degree oven about 40 minutes.

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Mary's Pistachio Cake

6 large  egg yolks, lightly beaten

2/3 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 2/3 cups sifted cake flour

1 cup granulated sugar  1 Package of Pistachio pudding
8 Oz sour cream (not low fat)
1 Package of Chocolate chips (6oz)
1 Package of chopped walnut (optional) (6oz   

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda                                                                      

1/2 teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened & cool                                                                   

1 tablespoon almond extract

Combine eggs, extract and 1/4 of the sour cream in a small bowl.
Cut butter into slices,

Put remaining sour cream in another small bowl with tablespoon of oil.

Sift all dry ingredients into the work bowl of your mixer and mix on low speed for 30 seconds to combine.  

Add softened butter and sour cream, mix on low to combine, scrape bowl, beat on medium (med-high for a hand mixer) for 90 seconds. 

Scrape the bowl down and in two additions add the egg mixture, beating for 20 seconds after each addition. 

Scrape the bowl and mix well and place into a well greased  bundt cake pan.  Bake 350 degree oven about 40 minutes

 

Remove from the oven and cool on a rack for 10 minutes, remove sides of pan and allow to cool to room temperature.

After cool dust with powdered sugar, or cream of ice cream

Easter Chocolate Chip Grasshopper Pie

 1 (3.4 oz.) JELL-O Pistachio Flavor Instant Pudding

 1-1/2 cups  cold milk

 2 cups  thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, divided                

 6 OREO Cool Mint Creme Cookies, chopped          

 1 OREO Pie Crust (6 oz.)         

 1 oz.  BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted

 

 

Beat pudding mix and milk in large bowl with whisk 2 min. Stir in 1-1/2 cups coo lwhip and chopped cookies. Spoon into crust.

           

cover with remaining cool whip you can also  drizzle with melted chocolate if you want.          

refrigerate  2 hours or until firm.

Buttermilk Pancakes

 2 Cups of flour 
 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 
1 teaspoon of baking soda
3 tablespoons of sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 cups of buttermilk
4 tablespoons  butter (melted)

1 cup of fresh blueberries, or mini chocolate chips

 

Muffaletta

 1 round loaf of Sicilian Bread  (Split open in middle)


 1/4 pound of each:
 Provolone

 Capicola
 Mortadella
 Mozzarella
 Genoa Salami

 Lettuce  (Optional)


 Lay the bottom of the bread cut side up on work surface.  Layer half of the cheese and meats on the bread then spread with 1/2 cup of olive mixture.  Add the remaining meats and cheese, then add the rest of olive spread.  Add the top of the bread and press all together.  With a serrated knife cut into 6-8 wedges.


Oil Mixture

1/3 cup olive oil

8 pitted green olives, finely chopped

1 tablespoons dried basil

1 tablespoon oregano

1 cup marinated artichoke hearts  chopped

1/4 cup tiny capers

2 anchovy fillets (optional)

Sausage and Potato

Italian sausage, regular or hot  (6  sausage links)

4 large potato's peeled and sliced

4 tablespoons of canola oil



Boil sausage until no longer pink in color.  Drain and slice sausage.  Add canola oil to skillet, toss in
potato. and sliced sausage and cook until potato and sausage are golden in color.


Serve with a salad or veggie's

Christmas Cranberry Cocktail

 8 cups of Cranberry Juice chilled
 8 cups of pineapple-orange juice chilled

 In a large pitcher mix cranberry juice and pineapple-orange juice mix really well.

Serve on ice or crushed ice.




 

Italian Croutons

5 cups (1 inch) Italian bread cubed
1/4 cup butter melted
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon of ground red pepper


Preheat oven 350

On a rimmed large baking sheet, place bread, drizzle with melted butter, sprinkle with garlic powder and red pepper. Toss well, and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown and crisp.  Mix occasionally so it is evenly golden and crisp.  Cool and serve with salad.
 

Creamed Cauliflower

2 large heads of Cauliflower
3 cups od Rachel Ray chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons of soft butter
Parsley and olive oil

Preheat oven 350 degree
Spray 2 quart baking dish with nonstick cooking spray

Cut cauliflower into 2 inch pieces.

In a large pan combine cauliflower and chicken broth. Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat.  Cook for 12 minutes or until cauliflower is tender.  Drain once tender.  In blender or food processor, pulse cauliflower in small batches until all done.  Add cream and butter until smooth. Add salt and pulse to combine.  Spoon into prepared dish.  Bake for 25 minutes or until lightly golden on top.  Drizzle with olive oil.


 

Torrone

Torrone

Ingredients
Cornstarch for dusting
3 cups whole blanched almonds
... 3 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups sugar
1 cup clover honey
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Finely grated zest of 1 large orange

Special equipment: parchment paper; a candy thermometer

Instructions
Heat oven to 350º. Lightly dust a clean work surface with cornstarch. Line a 9- x 13- inch baking dish with parchment paper, letting excess paper hang over edges.

Spread nuts on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake, stirring once halfway through, until fragrant and golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer pan to a rack; let nuts cool completely.

Put egg whites and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with whisk; set aside.

In a heavy 4-quart saucepan with candy thermometer attached, heat sugar and honey over medium heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until mixture begins to simmer and sugar is mostly dissolved, 12 to 14 minutes (mixture will be very thick, then begin to loosen and turn cloudy). Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until candy thermometer reaches 280º degrees. Continue to cook mixture, stirring once or twice, until temperature reaches 315º. It will take the mixture about 15 minutes more to reach that temperature (the mixture will begin to foam and darken in color as temperature increases).

Meanwhile, beat egg whites on medium speed until firm peaks form. Add confectioners sugar and continue to beat until fully incorporated, about 1 minute more. Turn off mixer, leaving bowl in place.

When sugar mixture reaches 315º, remove from heat; stir until temperature reduces to 300º, 1 to 2 minutes, then carefully remove candy thermometer. With mixer on medium speed, slowly pour sugar mixture down the side of the bowl (egg mixture will double in volume, then decrease); continue to beat until mixture is cooled to warm and begins to lighten in color, about 5 minutes. Add vanilla and zest; beat for 1 minute more, then, using a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, fold in nuts (mixture will be very sticky).

Turn out candy onto prepared work surface; dust hands with cornstarch. Knead for 5 to 6 turns, then transfer to prepared baking dish. Dust hands with more cornstarch, then press candy to flatten and fill pan. Put pan on wire rack and let candy cool completely, about 1 hour.

Using parchment paper overhang, lift out candy from pan; cut candy into pieces. Layer in a sealed container, between sheets of parchment paper and let stand overnight, with container sealed and at room temperature, to dry, at least 8 hours or overnight. Candy can be kept, layered between sheets of parchment paper, in a sealed container at room temperature, for up to 3 weeks.

December Pumpkin Cheesecake

Crust for pie
1 3/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 stick melted unsalted butter


Filling
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese (room temperature)
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin pureed
3 eggs and 1 egg yolk
1/3 cup of sour cream
1 1/2 cups cream
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon  ground cloves
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Crust:
In medium bowl, combine crumbs, sugar and cinnamon, add melted butter. Press down  into a 9-inch springform pan, and set aside

Filling:
Beat cream cheese until  nice and smooth, add pumpkin puree, eggs, egg yolk, sour cream, sugar and all spices, add flour and vanilla. Beat together until mixture is well combined.
Pour into crust, and spread evenly in the springform pan.

Place in oven for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes.

Cover  and refrigerate for 4-5 hours.