Grilling Corn on the Cob
Here is a wonderful video that demonstrations grilling corn on the cob.
Enjoy!
Beef Roast - It’s What’s for Dinner!
Cooking a Roast
Preparing a roast is quite painless. You can set it in a pan in your oven or for those that truly want an exceptional roast, place your roast on wire rack with the fat of the roast (if there is any) resting on the top, and a shallow pan an inch or so below to catch any juices that fall.
Cooking times will vary by size of the roast and your preference on cooking (rare, medium or well done). It is important to use a thermometer to make sure your roast is fully cooked in the center. You can save much time and make sure your roast is yummy with this easy-to-use accessory. For a rare roast, the temperature should be about 125 degrees F. For a medium roast you should aim for 140 degrees F and for a well done, anything over 155 degrees F is sufficient.
Many roasts are cooked with low to medium heat at about 300 to 325 degrees F. For a 5 pound roast cooked at 300 degrees, expect it to cook for at least 90 to 105 minutes. Following you will find a few of excellent beef roast recipes.
Rump Roast with Home Fries
-5 lb Rump Roast (remove layer of fat if desired)
-1 package of French onion soup mix (dry)
-2 pounds of whole potatoes
-Olive oil
If your rump roast has been refrigerated or frozen, let it thaw and be at room temperature for at least 2 hours. Place rump roast on wire rack with a pan lined with aluminum foil right below it about an inch or so. Cook for about 90 to 110 minutes at about 300 degrees. Use a thermometer and the temperature listing previously mentioned to determine how well you like your beef cooked. About 30 minutes before completion, pour 1 package of French onion soup mix contents on the meat. Yields about 4 servings.
For Home fries, cut the fries into thick home style segments. On a frying pan add olive oil and place potatoes slices in the hot oil. Yields about 4 servings.
Beef Roast on Toast Points
-2 to 3 lb sirloin tip
-1 clove garlic
- Pepper and salt
-4 garlic bread rolls
-1 stick butter for use on garlic bread
Let your roast thaw out and season to taste with garlic, pepper and salt or any of your favorite seasonings. Roast your sirloin tip in the oven at about 325 degrees for about 35 to 45 minutes, once complete slice in moderately thin strips placing them over sliced garlic bread toast points. This recipe yields about 4 servings.
Christine Steendahl, “The Menu Mom”, is well known online for her menu planning services. Get your hands on a copy of another yummy rump roast here: http://www.dinewithoutwhine.com/rump-roast.html
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Christine_Steendahl
http://EzineArticles.com/?Beef-Roast—Its-Whats-for-Dinner!&id=699770
Easy Ground Beef Recipes That Are Healthy and Delicious
Looking for some healthy and 
easy ground beef recipes that do not require a lot of time to make? Below are 3 delicious,quick and easy ground beef recipes that are filling and real crowd pleasers.
To make the following recipes even healthier try and use all organic and low sodium ingredients.
If you happen to live near a Trader Joe’s, by all means shop there. The prices are fantastic and they carry a variety of healthy organic meats and other fine products.
What Can I Make with Ground Beef?
THE RECIPES:
EASY SALISBURY STEAK RECIPE
Here is a little tip to keep in mind as you are making this delicious ground beef recipe. There is a chance that your ground beef steaks can fall apart while cooking. To prevent this from happening, form your steak patties and put them in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or so before you start cooking. This will help hold your steaks stay together.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1 egg
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 small onion finely chopped
1 garlic clove chopped
1 tablespoon montreal steak seasoning
Salt and Pepper to taste
3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
1 small package of freshly sliced portabella mushrooms or by them whole and slice yourself
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups beef stock
Directions:
1. In a large bowl combine the ground beef, egg, garlic, onion, steak seasoning, Worcestershire sauce and salt and pepper. Mix well with your hands. From the mixture, make steak shaped patties that are about 2 inches thick.
2 Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef patties and cook about 4 minutes per side until the outside of the steaks are nicely browned and the juices run clear. Remove the steaks and cover with foil to keep them warm.
3 Add the rest of the olive oil along with the butter to the same pan. Add your mushrooms and then cook over medium heat until they are tender. Approximately 5 minutes. Season the mushrooms with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Add the flour to the mushrooms, mix and cook for about 2 minutes. Slowly add in your beef stock. Stir and cook until your sauce has thickened.
5. Pour gravy over steaks and serve.
EASY ITALIAN STYLE MEATLOAF RECIPE
I grew up in an Italian Family and I cannot think of a better way to cook meatloaf. Enjoy this delicious ground beef recipe using fresh italian herbs and garlic.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
2 eggs
1 7 ounce jar roasted red peppers chopped
1 onion chopped
2 cloves of garlic chopped
1 cup of bread crumbs
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
2 cups of prepared tomato sauce
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Directions:
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Heat a medium sized saute pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add your onion and garlic and saute until soft. Remove and set it aside on a plate to cool.
3. Grab yourself a large mixing bowl.
4. Add the cooled onions and garlic along with the the rest of your ingredients, except the tomato sauce, and combine. Mix together well with your hands and form into a loaf and add it to an oiled oven safe tray. Top the loaf with 1 cup of the prepared tomato sauce. Make certain that you spread the tomato sauce evenly over the top of the loaf.
5. Bake for about 1 hour or when the internal temperature of the meatloaf reaches 160 degrees F. Remove from the oven and let it sit for about 5 minutes. Slice it up and serve.
Heat the remaining tomato sauce if desired and use for dipping.
GREEK STYLE HAMBURGER RECIPE
For our last recipe why not make some delicious burgers? The preferred method for cooking these burgers is on the grill, but they will still be quite tasty if fried on the stovetop.
Greek Style Hamburger Ingredients:
1 pound of lean ground beef
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup chopped greek olives
1 small red onion chopped
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 package of hamburger rolls or pita bread
Hamburger Sauce Ingredients:
1 (16 ounce) container low-fat plain yogurt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint leaves (more or less to suit your taste)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (more or less to suit your taste)
1 clove of garlic minced (add more or less to suit your taste)
1 tablespoon of olive oil
2 teaspoons of lemon juice
1/2 cup peeled, seeded and finely diced cucumber
Sauce Directions:
Prepare the sauce for your burgers first and put in the fridge until your burgers are done.
1. In a mixing bowl, combine your olive oil and lemon juice.
2. Now add in your yogurt making sure that you mix it well with the olive oil.
3. Add your garlic, cucumbers, parsley and mint leaves and stir well.
Burger Directions:
1. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the chopped red onions and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Put the onions aside into a large mixing bowl and allow them to cool.
2 To the same mixing bowl, add your ground beef, feta cheese, olives, oregano, salt and pepper and combine well.
3. Form hamburger patties to desired thickness.
4. Fry your burgers in the same skillet as the onions, or cook on the grill to desired doneness.
5. Spread the prepared sauce on the rolls or inside a pita.
6. Add burgers and enjoy!
There you have it. Three healthy and easy ground beef recipes that any home cook can prepare. I really hope you enjoy these recipes. Remember to use all organic ingredients if at all possible. Happy Cooking!
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Steak Recipe - The Backyard Grill - An American Experience
By Lee Griffith
Griff’s American Grilled Black Pepper & Garlic Steak
Ingredients:
4 lbs. (approximate) thick cut rib eye steak (four steaks)
2&2/3 cups Italian dressing (cheap is good!)
8 tbsp. butter
4 large cloves minced garlic
2 tbsp. freshly ground black pepper (or more, if you love black pepper!)
Instructions:
Marinate the steak in the Italian dressing for at least 1/2 hour. In a small pan, melt the butter and add the garlic, heating slowly until the garlic is golden brown. Place steaks on hot grill (preferably a charcoal grill), sprinkling half of the pepper on steaks. When the first side is done, turn the steaks over and sprinkle the rest of pepper on steaks. With a spoon, pour the butter and garlic mixture over the top of steaks while they are still on grill.
Griff’s American Grilled Potato & Pepper Pouches
Ingredients:
3 cups unpeeled, sliced potatoes
2/3 cup green bell pepper (with membrane & seeds removed), diced
2/3 red bell pepper (with membrane & seeds removed), diced
2/3 orange bell pepper (with membrane & seeds removed), diced
2/3 cup onion, cut in long, diced
2 tbsp. jalapeno pepper (with membrane & seeds removed), finely chopped
2 large cloves minced garlic
1 tsp. Lawry’s® seasoned pepper (or just black pepper)
1/2 tsp. salt
4 tbsp. butter
Instructions:
Combine everything except the butter in a large mixing bowl—really mix everything well. Cut 4 18” x 12” sheets of aluminum foil. Lay the foil flat (dull side up) and put 1/4 of the mixture on each sheet in a mound that is at the center of one end of the foil. Make sure there is space between the mound and all of the edges of the foil. Put 1 tablespoon of butter on the top of each mound. Fold the other end of the foil over the top of the mound and fold the side edges up over the top so that when you are done you have four neat pouches. Put the pouches (butter on top) on a very hot grill for about ten minutes, then flip over and grill another 10 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Take off grill and allow to stand a few minutes, then empty each pouch on four dinner plates.
Copyright © 2007 Lee Griffith. All rights reserved.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Lee Griffith, a.k.a. “Griff” is the author of several blogs. Griff describes himself as a “former kitchen klutz” who now has a passion for cooking and developing great recipes. Griff would like to send you a FREE E-BOOK with 32 great chili recipes, along with a free recipe every week via email.
To receive, simply click on http://optin2.griffsrecipes.com
Check out “Griff’s Recipe Report” at http://GriffsRecipeReport.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lee_Griffith
http://EzineArticles.com/?Steak-Recipe—The-Backyard-Grill—An-American-Experience&id=516852
Hamburger Casserole Recipes - Mexican Hamburger Casserole
Hamburger Casserole Recipes - Mexican Hamburger Casserole
By Brandy Summers
The South of the border flavors gives this casserole a real boost.
1 pound ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
8 ounces egg noodles
1 (15 oz.) can chili
1 (14.5 oz) can peeled and diced tomatoes
1 (15 oz.) can whole kernel corn, drained
1/4 cup salsa
1 (1 oz.) pkg. taco seasoning mix
Directions
Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
In another saucepan, cook the noodles according to package directions. Drain water out of the noodles and stir in the meat mixture, chili, tomatoes, corn, taco sauce and the taco seasoning mix; mix well.
Pour mixture into a 10×15-inch baking dish.
Bake for 20 minutes or until completely heated.
=> Hamburger Casserole Recipes: Potato Hamburger Casserole
A delicious mixture of beef, potatoes and two kinds of cheese.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, sliced thinly
1 pound ground beef
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all purpose flour
3 cups milk
1 pint heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste
5 potatoes, sliced
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup milk
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large, heavy skillet, sauté the onions in the oil over medium heat until onions are tender; set aside. In the same skillet, cook the ground beef until brown; drain on paper towels and set aside.
In the skillet, melt the butter. Add in the flour; stir and whisk for 5 minutes. Gradually whisk in 3 cups of milk, then the cream. Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat.
Spread a small amount of the sauce mixture in the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Alternate layers of potatoes, onions, ground beef, cheese and sauce, with 2 to 3 layers of each. Cheese should be last layer.
Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
=> Hamburger Casserole Recipes: Broccoli Hamburger Casserole
Broccoli and hamburger go great together, especially when you add Monterey Jack cheese.
2 (16 oz.) pkgs. frozen broccoli
2 pounds ground beef
1 (8 oz.) pkg. fresh mushrooms
1 large onion, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
2 (10.75 oz.) cans cream of celery soup
1 (16 oz.) container sour cream
1 (16 oz.) pkg. shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a skillet, cook the ground beef, mushrooms and the onion over medium heat until the beef is browned; drain. Add the salt and pepper, cream of celery soup and the sour cream. Cook until well heated. Transfer to a medium baking dish.
Layer meat mixture in bottom of baking dish. Place broccoli on top. Sprinkle evenly with cheese.
Bake for 1 hour or until casserole is bubbly and lightly brown.
When you need to make a quick meal, there’s nothing like a hot, bubbly homemade casserole to make mouths water and have ‘em lining up for seconds. Go here for instant free recipes =>
http://www.best-casserole-recipes.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brandy_Summers
http://EzineArticles.com/?Hamburger-Casserole-Recipes—Mexican-Hamburger-Casserole&id=911119
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Crock Pot Chili - Easy Recipes For The Best Chili
Crock Pot Chili - Easy Recipes For The Best Chili
By Diane Watkins
If you haven’t used your crock pot recently, its time to pull it out of the cupboard. Crock pots are perfect for those busy weeknights. Here are 3 different chili recipes for a chilly evening.
Mom’s Favorite Chili
1 pound ground beef ; browned, drained
1 can pork and beans
1 can chili beans
1 regular can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
Red pepper ; to taste
Salt ; to taste
Mix all ingredients in crock pot. Cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours.
Navajo Beef And Chile Stew
3 pound lean beef stew meat ; cut 3/4 ” cubes
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can ready-cut tomatoes with juice - (14 1/2 oz)
1 can diced green chiles - (7 oz) drained
1 can whole-kernel corn - (8 1/2 oz) undrained
1 teaspoons dried oregano leaves, crushed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 tablespoon yellow cornmeal
Combine all ingredients, except cornmeal, in a slow cooker, mixing well. Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours or until meat is tender.
20 Minutes before serving:
Turn control to HIGH. Stir in cornmeal. Cover and cook on HIGH 20 to 25 minutes.
No-Bean Chili
2 pounds ground beef
(or cubed lean stew beef)
1 can tomato sauce - (8 oz)
1 can tomato paste - (6 oz)
1 can stewed tomatoes - (16 oz) ; (optional)
2 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce ; or more
Combine all ingredients in slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 to 10 hours. (Add a can of your favorite beans if you wish, but then it wouldn’t be No-Bean Chilli.)
This recipe yields 4 to 6 servings.
Do you need more easy crock pot recipe ideas? Sign up for our newsletter at Easy Crock Pot Recipes and get quick and healthy crock pot recipes delivered to your email regularly.
Diane has just finished a free cookbook of her favorite southern recipes. Download Easy Southern Favorites today. These recipes are guaranteed to have them begging for more. Best of all, its free!
Diane Watkins is a traditional southern style cook. She enjoys cooking, teaching, and writing about good food and family. For more information on southern cooking and recipes visit her website at Easy Southern Cooking
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Diane_Watkins
http://EzineArticles.com/?Crock-Pot-Chili—Easy-Recipes-For-The-Best-Chili&id=536182
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Shepherds Pie Recipe - Ground Beef Shepherds Pie Recipe
Shepherds Pie Recipe - Ground Beef Shepherds Pie Recipe
By Brandy Summers
A hearty meal of shepherds pie will give you that warm glow during the colder months. This recipe features ground beef, potatoes, cheese and mushroom soup.
5 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 pound ground beef
6 slices American cheese
1 (10.75oz.) can condensed golden mushroom soup
3 teaspoons butter (optional)
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Place the potatoes into a large saucepan and add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until tender. Drain and mash.
While the potatoes are cooking, crumble the ground beef into a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook and stir until evenly browned. Drain off the grease. Stir in the mushroom soup.
Transfer mixture to an 8-inch square baking dish. Layer the slices of cheese over the meat. Spread mashed potatoes evenly over the top. Dot with butter.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.
=> Shepards Pie Recipe: Down Home Shepherds Pie
Another homemade version of shepards pie featuring ground beef, potatoes, corn, beans, cheese and gravy.
1 (7.6 oz.) package potato flakes
2 pounds lean ground beef
1 onion, finely diced
1 (15 oz.) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (15 oz.) can green beans, drained
4 (10.5 oz.) cans brown gravy
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 pound American cheese slices
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Prepare potatoes according to directions on box. Set aside.
In a large skillet, sauté ground beef over medium heat for 1 minute. Add onion to skillet and continue to cook until beef is no longer pink and onion is beginning to brown. Drain off some of the grease.
Add corn, green beans and gravy to the skillet. Mix thoroughly. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour mixture into a 9×13-inch baking dish. Spread potatoes over the top. Layer cheese slices over potatoes.
Bake for 40 minutes, or until cheese turns golden brown.
=> Sheppards Pie Recipe: Chicken Sheppards Pie
This sheppards pie recipe features chicken, potatoes, garlic, cheese and spices.
8 potatoes
1/4 cup butter
2/3 cup milk
1 medium head roasted garlic
1 pound chicken breast, cooked and shredded
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon thyme, chopped
1 tablespoon rosemary, chopped
1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
1 cup corn
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Cut the head of garlic in half and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap garlic in aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes.
Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.
Peel, chop and boil the potatoes until tender; drain. Mash potatoes. Add butter, milk and the roasted garlic; mix well. Set aside.
In the bottom of a casserole dish, arrange the chicken evenly on the bottom. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, thyme and rosemary. Layer on the peppers, corn and all but 1/4 cup of the cheese. Spread mashed potatoes on top.
Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.
Bake for 25 minutes, or until brown around the edges.
=> Shepherds Pie Recipe: Easy Shepherds Pie Recipe
If you like shepherds pie, but don’t have time to fuss over a longer recipe, you can whip up this version in a short time. It’s still homemade and will hit the spot perfectly.
1 pound roast beef, cooked and cubed
2 onions, sliced thinly
1/2 cup homemade beef gravy
4 cups mashed potatoes, cooked
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Layer the roast beef in the bottom of a 2-quart casserole dish. Layer the sliced onions on top and pour on the gravy. Spread the mashed potatoes on top.
Bake for 1 hour, or until potatoes are browned.
=> Shepherds Pie Recipe: Turkey Shepherds Pie
This version of shepherds pie will take a little bit more effort, but you’ll be rewarded with a savory pie featuring turkey, red potatoes, zucchini, green beans, mushrooms, cheese, spices and a whole wheat crust.
5 large red potatoes, peeled
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup milk
2 (9-inch) whole wheat pie crusts
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup diced onion
1 pound ground turkey
1 large carrot, julienned
1 zucchini, thickly sliced
1/4 cup canned green beans, halved
6 large fresh mushrooms, quartered
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons butter, diced
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Boil potatoes until tender. Mash with 3 tablespoons of butter or margarine and milk. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
Saute onion and carrots in olive oil until soft. Stir in the ground turkey, parsley, thyme and garlic. Once turkey is almost browned and broken up, add zucchini and mushrooms. Salt and pepper to taste; drain. Stir in the flour.
Divide meat mixture into two whole wheat pie crusts. Sprinkle cheese over meat, if desired. Spread green beans over the cheese. Spread mashed potatoes evenly
over mixture. Dot with butter.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until potatoes are slightly browned.
=> Sheperds Pie Recipe: Savory Sausage Sheperds Pie
A real hearty sheperds pie meal for sausage lovers.
1 pound sausage, uncooked
1 (12 oz.) jar beef gravy
1 (10 oz.) package frozen mixed vegetables
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 (24 oz.) package prepared mashed potatoes
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a skillet, crumble and cook the sausage over medium high heat until brown. Drain on paper towels.
In a bowl, combine the sausage, gravy, vegetables and Worcestershire sauce.
Pour mixture into a greased 2-quart casserole dish. Spoon the mashed potatoes evenly on top. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes.
Mmmm . . . where can you find that yummy recipe?
Milkshakes, Smoothies, Brownies, Chili, Casseroles and more!
http://www.best-free-cooking-recipes.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brandy_Summers
http://EzineArticles.com/?Shepherds-Pie-Recipe—Ground-Beef-Shepherds-Pie-Recipe&id=723710
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Looking for a Great Italian Meatball Recipe?
Looking for a Great Italian Meatball Recipe?
By Paul Altobelli
Looking for a great Italian meatball recipe? Wrap your lips around this one.
The Best Meatball Recipe
Can be prepared
in 45 minutes or less.
Ingredients
1 pound combined beef, veal, pork (must be fresh)
3 large eggs
1 cup grated Romano Locatelli Cheese
1 cup bread crumb
1 clove garlic - minced
1 tablespoon salt
Preparation
(All mixing is done be hand)
In a large bowl mix beef/veal/pork with eggs. Then add bread crumb, cheese, and salt. Finally add minced garlic in stages. Add a little then mix. Add some more, then mix. This way all the garlic does not end up in one meatball. Now, it’s time to roll up
the balls. Average size is roughly 2 inches in diameter. I usually get around 18 to 20 meatballs per pound.
IMPORTANT! Do not cook meatballs in your pasta sauce! Meatballs cooked in sauce loose their flavor. The real key to a tasty meatball is cooking the them in an oven. So, heat oven to 375. Place meatballs on a rack - then on a cookie tray.
Bake for 12 minutes on one side then 10 minutes for the other.
I freeze the meatballs in bags and take out what I need per dinner. I just drop the meatballs into the sauce as if heats up.
Buon Appetito!
Paul Altobelli is an internet marketing specialist experienced in strategic planning, lead generation, website development, search engine optimization, internet sales and marketing program development. He also loves to cook. For more of Paul’s italian recipes visit http://www.paulaltobelli.com or email Paul directly at
pda@paulaltobelli.com.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_Altobelli
http://EzineArticles.com/?Looking-for-a-Great-Italian-Meatball-Recipe?&id=58232
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Lasagna: The Quick, Easy, and Delicious Way
Lasagna: The Quick, Easy, and Delicious Way
By Fern Cohen
Do you know that the local restaurant you frequent probably doesn’t make everything from scratch? I learned this when I worked in a New York City a while back. Much to my dismay, I watched one day as the kitchen staff unpacked boxes of already-made sauces, packages of conveniently chopped vegetables, and even prepared cookie dough and pie-shells. There is a well-known chain of sandwich shops that boasts heroes with “freshly baked bread”. But you might be expecting to find frenetic yeast rising and dough rolling in the back. Chances are you would see globs of dough pre-formed into hero-bread shape, waiting to be put in the oven. And what’s the difference? The cookie or bread would taste freshly baked, and the cooks wouldn’t waste time with rolling pins or discarding dough that didn’t rise. It makes for a much more efficient kitchen, right?
Well, why not use the same principle in your own kitchen? You can make a delicious lasagna without rolling out the pasta dough, or even toiling over a stove to make your own sauce, like Grandma did. Of course, if you want to do everything from scratch, more power to you, because you probably have no kids, don’t have to work for a living, and have someone to clean the mansion and do the laundry. But for the rest of us, leave the saucing to Francesco Rinaldi, and the pasta artistry to Ronzoni. Your guests will think you knocked yourself out for them, and you can still put your own culinary signature on your lasagna. To this day, friends still call me on me to tell them how to make “my” lasagna, and my name doesn’t even end in a vowel!
First, buy a package of lasagna pasta. To make it special, you can get green spinach pasta. If you want to make it really outstanding and you live in a big city, or an area with a big Italian population, you can go to the local Italian deli and get fresh lasagna noodles, instead of picking your box off the grocery shelf. Check with the store about cooking time and make sure you tell them you are making a lasagna, so the pasta will be put in the oven after cooking. Sometimes you get already-cooked pasta that you can put right into the oven without par-boiling. If you use pasta from the box, do not boil it for the 15 minutes they tell you on the box. You want your pasta to be “al dente” which is a little hard, because when you put it in the oven to bake your lasagna, the pasta will cook more, and you don’t want it to overcook it and let it get mushy.
The next thing you are going to put together is your filling. Now, here is where you are going to put your own signature on your lasagna. Mine was little mini-meatballs, but you can also brown the chopped meat and put it in too. Start with some tomato sauce. Here too, take liberty and pick out a jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce. You can use meat sauce and you don’t have to brown any meat. You can use sauce with sausage, or to make it really special, buy already-made Italian sausage. Make sure you cook it first. Want to add your own special vegetable? You can put in cooked eggplant, zucchini. Onions, peppers or whatever you want. Add fresh herbs if you desire. If you want to make a vegetarian lasagna, leave out the meat. Want to go easy on the calories and cholesterol? Use chicken or instead of chopped beef, use chopped veal or even chopped turkey. For a very different lasagna, put in seafood — calamari, mussels, or even shrimp.
Now you are ready to assemble your lasagna and put it in the oven to bake. You will need a large container of ricotta cheese and a package of mozzarella cheese too. Take a rectangular baking dish- either glass or metal, or even disposable. Spray the bottom with non-stick cooking spray or a thin layer of olive oil. Then line the bottom of the pan with sauce. Then cover the bottom with a layer of your pre-cooked “al dente” lasagna noodles. Next, slather on your ricotta cheese in a thick layer. Then, put on your filling and sauce. Then, put another layer of lasagna noodles, again slather on ricotta, and again your filling. Top off with a layer of lasagna noodles, liberally pour sauce on top, and then slices of mozzarella to cover the top. Put the pan in a 350-degree oven for 30 minutes, or until the mozzarella on top is completely melted and the sauce is bubbling.
Make sure to serve some Italian bread and compliment with a good bottle of wine, and your guests will never know that you didn’t slave all day. You can even make the components of the filling the day before. That way, all you have to do on the night of your dinner party is parboil the lasagna noodles, assemble the lasagna, and pop it in the oven. Everything is already cooked; you only have to put it all in the oven to melt the mozzarella and heat everything up. The lasagna is your creation. You have chosen what goes into it and what flavors and spices your guests’ taste buds will enjoy. And the best part? If there are leftovers, you can reheat it and enjoy it again. I will never figure out why, but Italian food always tastes even better the second time around. Isn’t there a song like that? Or is it love that is better the second time around? Love? Lasagna? They certainly go together.
Fern Cohen is a freelance writer living in New York City. Diagnosed with ALS/Lou Gehrig’s Disease in January, 2004, she was forced to retire early from her career of teaching foreign language and ESL in the inner-city. Fern also enjoyed a 20-year career in the travel and tourism industry and holds an MS in Tourism and Travel Management from New York University. She also has a BA in French and Spanish from the State University of New York at Stony Brook and has studied collage and mixed media at the Parsons School of Design in NYC. She is active in rabbit rescue, and shares an apartment with Chelsea, a gray chinchilla bunny, who is also her muse. Her website is at http://www.ferncohen.com and she has a blog at http://www.ferncohen.blogspot.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Fern_Cohen
http://EzineArticles.com/?Lasagna:-The-Quick,-Easy,-and-Delicious-Way&id=467030
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Easy Italian Recipes - Quick and Delicious for the Entire Family
Do you need 
easy Italian recipes that you can cook up fast that are delicious and inexpensive?
Below are three very simple Italian recipes that do not require much time to prepare and only use several ingredients that you may even have on hand.
This is the beauty of Italian cooking. You do not need a ton of ingredients to cook up a delicious meal.
The key with cooking great Italian food is to use fresh quality ingredients, like fresh herbs and fine olive oil. And the number one most important ingredient in any type of cooking is of course Love!
Enjoy and Buon Appetito!
EASY ITALIAN MARINARA SAUCE RECIPE
Here is a great recipe for marinara sauce using canned tomatoes. This marinara sauce is delicious over your favorite pasta, on top of pizza and over mussels and shrimp. The beauty of this sauce is that it can be used with a number of other recipes, so it’s a great starting point in Italian Cooking and it is very easy to make.
You can use either fresh or canned plum tomatoes for this recipe, however using fresh tomatoes requires more time and preparation, so I prefer to use canned. If you do plan on using fresh tomatoes, make certain the tomatoes are ripe and in season.
For the canned tomatoes, I prefer Rienzi brand tomatoes. I have tried a number of different brands of canned tomatoes and Rienzi has the best flavor amongst the supermarket brands, in my opinion.
Marinara Sauce Ingredients:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped (More or less depending on how much you like garlic)
1 35 ounce can of whole plum tomatoes with liquid
Salt to taste
Crushed red pepper to taste (You can use black pepper if you wish)
10 - 12 fresh basil leaves , torn
1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano
Directions:
1) Open your can of tomatoes and crush them by hand into a bowl and set aside.
2) Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add your garlic to the oil and cook until soft and lightly browned. Be sure to watch the garlic to make sure it doesn’t burn.
4) Carefully add the tomatoes along with their liquid into the pan with the garlic and oil. Use caution when adding the tomatoes to the hot oil. The oil can splatter. Add the oregano.
5) Stir the mixture and bring to a boil. Season with a bit of salt and red or black pepper. Lower the heat so that the sauce is reduced to a simmer. Break up the tomatoes as it cooks with a spoon until your sauce is chunky. You want the sauce to simmer until thickened, about 20 - 25 minutes.
6) Add your fresh basil a few minutes before the sauce is done. Taste the sauce and add more salt or pepper if needed.
7) Serve over your favorite pasta.
EASY ITALIAN PESTO SAUCE RECIPE
Let’s learn 
how to make pesto sauce.
This is another very easy and delicious recipe that can be served over your favorite pasta, grilled chicken, mussels or as a topping for pizza. For those of you who want your basil pesto sauce without pine nuts, you can leave them out or substitute the pine nuts with walnuts.
For a nice variation on this recipe, try adding sundried tomatoes to the pesto mixture before blending for a delicious tomato pesto sauce.
This recipe should only be used as a guide. Not everyone has the same preferences. Some do not like a lot of garlic or olive oil flavor for example, so it is recommended that you experiment until you find the right recipe.
Pesto Sauce Ingredients:
4 cups fresh basil leaves
3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pine nuts (the nuts can be lightly toasted in a dry pan before blending for added flavor)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped (more or less depending on your taste)
1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender except olive oil. Add a little oil at a time and process until sauce reaches desired consistency. Ready to serve in your favorite dish.
EASY PASTA WITH GARLIC, OIL AND FRESH HERBS
This is another quick and easy Italian recipe with only a few ingredients. It is important that you do not burn the garlic with this recipe otherwise it will become bitter.
Ingredients:
1 pound of spaghetti
3 - 4 garlic cloves chopped (more or less, depending on how much you like garlic)
1/2 cup reserved pasta water
1/4 Cup of Chopped Italian Flat Leaf Parsley
1/4 cup of chopped fresh basil leaves
6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste
A pinch of red pepper flakes (more or less depending on how spicy you like it)
1) In a large pot, bring about 6 quarts of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook for about 6 - 8 minutes or until al dente. Drain but make sure you reserve about 1/2 cup of pasta water.
2) While the pasta is cooking, heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the garlic and saute until light brown in color. Remember to pay close attention to the garlic to make sure it doesn’t burn. Remove from heat.
3) Stir in fresh herbs, red pepper flakes, and few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water. Mix until combined.
4) Transfer the drained pasta to a large serving bowl and mix in the remaining olive oil and pasta water.
5) Add the garlic and herb mixture into the pasta and mix well.
6) Taste and add salt and red pepper if desired.
7) Serve immediately. Top with grated cheese if desired.
There you have it. Three great easy Italian recipes that you can whip up in a flash and please everyone. I hope you enjoy these 
easy Italian recipes. Happy Cooking!
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