Mezzi Rigatoni with Balsamic Roasted Cherry Tomatotes and Burrata

If you are not familiar with burrata mozzarella, be prepared to enter Mozzarella Heaven. Burrata is basically a mozzarella truffle...mozzarella on the outside and little mozzarella shreds mixed with cream inside. It is so delicious and so amazing in this pasta dish.



Mezzi Rigatoni with Balsamic Roasted Cherry Tomatotes and Burrata

1/4 cup olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup white wine
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, lightly crushed
2 pints cherry tomatoes
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup balsamic glaze
1 lb. mezzi rigatoni
1 - 8 oz. ball burrata mozzarella, cut into quarters
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
Freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and stir for 2 to 3 minutes, until the garlic is very light golden in color. Add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Add the white wine and stir. Cover the pan and raise the heat to medium-high. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until the tomatoes burst, stirring occasionally. Uncover and add the balsamic glaze. Reduce the heat to low and reduce for about 2 minutes more.
Meanwhile, cook the rigatoni in a large pot of salted, boiling water to al dente. Reserve about a cup of the starchy cooking water just before draining.
Break the tomatoes up a bit with a potato masher. Add 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water and parsley to the pan, then toss with the drained rigatoni for 1 to 2 minutes, using a little more of the starchy cooking water to combine the sauce with pasta if necessary. Place the rigatoni into 4 shallow bowls. Place a piece of the burrata on top of each and add a small drizzle of the balsamic glaze and top with the Pecorino Romano cheese and serve.

Chicken Francese with Ziti

Chicken Francese with Ziti

4 to 6 thin-sliced chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
6 tablespoons salted butter, cut into 1 tablespoon slices
2 large eggs
1/4 cup grated good-quality Parmesan cheese
3 lemons, juice from 1/2 of a lemon, 2 sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup white wine
2 cups chicken broth
Parsley
1 lb. ziti pasta, cooked according to package instructions, drain and set aside

Season chicken cutlets with salt and pepper on both sides.
Place flour in a shallow bowl. Add the garlic powder and paprika to the flour. Dredge the butter slices in the flour and set aside.
In another shallow bowl, beat the eggs and add the Parmesan cheese and lemon juice.
Heat the olive oil over medium to medium-high heat. You will have to cook the chicken cutlets in batches. Dredge 2 pieces of chicken in flour then coat in egg batter and saute to deep golden, 2-3 minutes on each side. Repeat with each batch, removing browned chicken to plate.
Add sliced lemon to the pan, allowing to brown on both sides. Add the garlic to pan and cook for 1 minute. Deglaze the pan the white wine. Add the stock and bring to a slight boil. Add the reserved flour-coated butter and swirl in pan to form sauce. Add the chicken back into pan for about 5 to 7 minutes to combine the flavors. Serve over ziti.







Footnotes - You can make this using veal or pork cutlets, tilapia or shrimp...all delicious.

Recipe adapted from Rachael Ray.......and my mom.

Quick Nutella Ice Cream

Quick Nutella Ice Cream

3/4 cup Nutella
1 - 8 oz. container Cool Whip, thawed
1 cup heavy cream

Mix all the ingredients together until smooth. Pour mixture into popsicle molds or ice cream container. Freeze until set.

Oreo Truffle Brownies

Okay so...I am not a baker so I shortcut these by using boxed brownie mix. If you have a favorite brownie recipe that you love, absolutely use it.



Oreo Truffle Brownies

1 box Duncan Hines Fudge Brownie Mix, plus ingredients to make the brownies

For the truffle layer -

1 package Double Stuf Oreos, finely crushed
8 to 10 oz. softened cream cheese

Chocolate layer -

1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon shortening

Make brownies according to package instructions. Allow to cool completely.

In a large bowl, mash together the Oreo crumbs and softened cream cheese until well combined. Spread truffle layer on top of cooled brownies.
In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine both chocolate chips and shortening. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring between each, until smooth. Pour evenly on top of truffle layer.
Refrigerate for about an hour or so....then cut into these bad boys and enjoy!!

Recipe adapted from Chef in Training

Raspberry Lily Cookies

My mom got this recipe from her friend Ellen who made these all the time. The cream cheese in the dough makes these cookies so rich and decadent. Plus...who doesn't love raspberry jam?!



Raspberry Lily Cookies

4 1/2 oz. softened cream cheese
1/2 lb. butter, softened
2 cups flour
1/2 cup Confectioners sugar
1 jar raspberry jam

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix together the cream cheese, butter and flour. Place dough on a lightly floured surface and roll it our with a rolling pin to about 1/8-inch thick.
Using a 2-inch round cookie cutter, cut dough into circles. Bring the 2 sides together letting them overlap and pressing the center gently. Fill open ends with raspberry jam. Bake for about 15 minutes.
Cool and sprinkle with Confectioners sugar.

Buffalo Cauliflower

Buffalo Cauliflower

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
4 tablespoons olive oil
Salt, to taste
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup Frank's Red Hot Wing Sauce
Ranch dressing for dipping (I use Marie's...yummy!!)

Preheat Oven to 400 degrees.

Place cauliflower florets in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, tossing to combine.
spread cauliflower onto a baking sheet and roast until they begin to brown and soften, about 25 to 30 minutes.
meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together the melted butter and wing sauce.
Using about 1/4 of the wing sauce mixture, drizzle over the cauliflower, tossing again to coat and roast an additional 8 to 10 minutes.
remove from oven and toss with the remaining wing sauce mixture. Serve with the ranch dressing.

Mini Key Lime Pies

These mini pies are so light and fluffy....perfect for summertime!



Mini Key Lime Pies

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 - 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
6 oz Cool Whip, thawed
1/2 cup lime juice

In a small bowl, mix together the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter.
Prepare the cupcake tin by lining with foil cupcake liners. Add about 2 tablespoons of the crumb mixture to each liner pressing the crumbs down with your fingers. You will have extra crumbs left over.
In a large bowl, mix together the sweetened condensed milk and Cool Whip until smooth. Add the lime juice and mix until slightly thickened.
Add the filling on top of the graham cracker crust. I like to pipe my filling using a zip-top bag but you can also use a spoon.
Refrigerate for about 3 hours or overnight. Sprinkle with some extra graham cracker crumbs or whipped cream and enjoy!