Spinach and Artichoke Ravioli

One of the best feelings in the world is when you treat yourself to a nice home-cooked dinner after a long day at work.  An even better feeling is when this meal tastes like you're eating in an Italian restaurant...and literally takes less than 20 minutes to make!  Yes, your wildest dreams are coming true.  I sauté some chicken and onion until they're almost golden brown, then throw in a little (or a lot!) of garlic for that intense Italian flavor, then add in some butter for good measure.  Next comes a huge handful of baby spinach - so you can pretend that part of the meal is healthy - and finish it off with some crunchy pine nuts and a dash of parmesan cheese for garnish.  Oh yeah, did I mention that I lay this delicious buttery, garlic rosemary sauce on top of a bed of luscious, melt-in-your-mouth Artichoke ravioli?  It's a pretty perfect combination if you ask me!  And feel free to experiment with any flavor ravioli you would like...the artichoke flavor was an impulse buy for me at the grocery store over the weekend!  A cheese ravioli would be equally delicious!

Panko-Crusted Mac and Cheese

With Mother's Day only a day away, I'm sure all sorts of people are going out today to buy a bouquet of flowers and ingredients for a cute little breakfast in bed.  Props for the effort, but the holiday routine is getting a little tired, don't you think?  I mean...why have eggs and toast in bed when you can have homemade Panko-Crusted Mac and Cheese for dinner??  Filled with garlic, bacon, green onions and a gooey, amazingly delicious cheese sauce, the flavor profile of this dish cannot be beat!  Oh, well, except when you go ahead and top it with a crispy panko breadcrumb topping for a little crunch!  Treat your mom right this Mother's Day and give her what she really wants, (hint, hint) Mac and Cheese!

Spicy Pepperonata Sauce

One of the main problems with many food blogs (including myself sometimes!) is that the recipes they post look sooooo delicious - like YUM - and they claim to be super easy...but they're seriously asking you to buy 15 ingredients??  I know, guilty as charged!  I do it too.  I promise that I really don't intend to, but my kitchen is always fully stocked so I forget that people who don't cook regularly, or only stick to a few basic recipes, probably don't have the 8 spices that I'm asking you to add in 1/2 tsp. quantities (oh hi, Garlic Rosemary Beef Stew).  I'm challenging myself to come up with more recipes that have very basic ingredients, with most of them being spices you should always have on hand if you're planning to make any entree, soup or appetizer on this blog: oregano, basil, garlic powder, red pepper flakes and, obviously, salt and pepper.  I invented this little recipe for Spicy Pepperonata Sauce on the fly last night, taking inspiration from my cooking class at The Loretta Paganini School of Cooking earlier this winter.  It definitely ups the flavor - and heat - of your standard red pasta sauce!

Italian Wedding Soup

There is nothing better than soup on a cold day.  Scratch that.  Nothing better than Italian Wedding Soup made on the Saturday morning of a cold weekend so you can reap the benefits for Saturday and Sunday's lunch and dinner!  Howie and I have been loving every minute of it!  I know it's starting to warm up...and all you can think about is how much you want to bust out your grill...but you gotta try this Italian Wedding Soup.  How could you resist homemade, oven-baked meatballs soaked in a savory broth with tiny little pearl pastas?  I can't!  And besides, the highs are still around 40.  Despite the fact that every car I've driven past today has had it's front windows cracked open, it's still pretty darn cold outside in any non-Clevelander's eyes!  Warm up with this delectable creation. Mmmm!

Mortar and "Pesto"

I don't know about you, but I have a mild obsession with pesto!  Seriously though...on bread, on pasta, as a marinade...the list could go on and on.  Because I crave it almost on a weekly basis, I usually end up buying those jars at the grocery store that "claim" to be pesto for a quick fix.  Sure the labels says it is, but after you've made this recipe, you will forever be a pesto snob!  I've made this recipe in a blender before, but if you have a mortar and pestle, please use it!  The process of making it definitely requires a little extra elbow grease with the mortar and pestle, but I promise it's worth it.  Did you know that the stainless steel blade in the blender actually neutralizes the flavor of the garlic?  Who wants that?!  Not this girl.  Do it the old fashioned way, and it will forever change your view of pesto!

If you don't have a mortar and pestle, it's a pretty cool gift to ask for on your birthday or Christmas because it's a splurge item that you might not necessarily buy for yourself.  In addition to pesto, its great for mashing guacamole or muddling mint and lime for mojitos.  Hmmm, I spy I a Mexican dinner night blog post in the works...

Greek Mac & Cheese

A couple of summers ago, Howie's mom made the most delicious cheesy pasta bake I've ever had.  It was hearty, but not overly rich, filled with cherry tomatoes, olives, baby spinach and noodles that baked together in the oven with a cheesy feta and gouda garlic sauce.  All of this creamy goodness was topped off with Italian croutons that softened in the sauce and infused some of their seasonings into the dish.  Needless to say, it's an absolutely delicious dinner that can feed about 10 people.  I never asked for the recipe, and actually almost forgot about it until New Years Day 2015, when his mom told me she was making Greek Mac & Cheese for dinner.  I definitely didn't forget to ask for the recipe this time around!  It totally hit the spot, you have to try it!  Best of all, it's very versatile.  You can easily double the recipe for a large crowd, or make it for a couple of people and have leftovers throughout the week.  YUM!

A Healthy Spin on Italian

Great Lakes Christmas Ale has 225 calories per bottle.  There, I said it.  I know how you feel, I wallowed for a minute too when I found out; however, we can't continue to dwell on our ghosts of Christmas past, we have to move on.  Lucky for us, I've had to make myself marketable as a potential Food Network star, which has led to the creation of some delicious, figure-friendly recipes that cater to those of us trying to get back on track (at least until Christmas Ale 2014 is released).  Last night I made a delicious pasta dish with tomato sauce, chicken, veggies, garlic, and parmesan cheese.  The best part, besides the taste of course, is that it's only 320 calories per serving!  The secret?  Substituting yellow squash for the spaghetti.  I swear you won't even taste the difference!