Gnocchi in a Fennel Tomato Sauce Recipe

Talk about easy and tasty!  This recipe will have dinner on the table in 30 minutes or less.  The secret is to cut corners by using premade gnocchi and canned tomatoes for the base of the sauce.  For all of you who don't like strong taste of fennel, I think you will still like this recipe since you cook out a lot of that licorice flavor out.  Next time I think I will add some Italian sausage to the dish! 

1 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes ( I used the kind with basil, garlic and oregano already in there)

1/4 cup of tomato paste

1/3 cup of red wine

1/3 cup of fresh fennel, cut into long strips

1 pinch of crushed rosemary

1 package of gnocchi

1/2 cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese

1.  In a medium sized sauce pan add the canned tomatoes, tomato paste, red wine, fennel and rosemary.  Bring to a boil and then drop down to a slow simmer.  

2.  Fill a large pot with water and add salt.  Bring to a boil and then add the gnocchi.  Once the pasta floats to the top scoop out as it is done.  

3.  On a large serving plate add the gnocchi and then add the tomato sauce on top.  Sprinkle cheese on top and then serve.  

Bacon and Blue, Red Potatoes Recipe

I had a few of my guy friends over and they were hungry after helping to work on my car!  So, I wanted to treat them right by making them some din din.  Let's just say a steak paired with my Bacon and Blue, Red Potatoes were a huge hit!  If you don't like the taste of strong blue cheese, these may be right up your alley.  The  heavy cream makes for a creamier texture and helps to thin out the strong cheese flavor, leaving an irresistible rich flavor!

1 pound of red potatoes, scrubbed and cooked until tender
2 tablespoons of butter
1 onion sliced
1/4 cup of heavy cream
1/4 cup of blue cheese crumbles
5 Slices of bacon
Salt and Ground Pepper To Taste

1.  In a medium sized skillet cook the bacon until crispy.  I used turkey bacon, but I think it would have been better just to use the good stuff instead of trying to be healthy!  Cook until golden brown and crispy.  Place cooked bacon on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess grease.  Let cool and then crumble with your hands. 

2.  In the same skillet add the butter and allow it to melt.  Add the onion and cook for about 4 minutes.  Add in the heavy cream and blue cheese crumbles.  Cook until the sauce thickens. 

3.  Place the potatoes on a platter.  Sprinkle some Drizzle the onion and blue cheese sauce on top of the potatoes.  Add the bacon  and then serve.

Italian Style Pizza with Tomatoes, Green Peppers and Pepperoni Recipe

Next Friday night you won't be calling to order a pizza.  Instead, try this perfect go-to recipe if you want to make amazing pizza for your family, every time.  I like to saute my green peppers before actually baking them because they start to develop a sweet and smoky flavor.    Also, I use turkey pepperoni in this recipe.  I figure if I can cut the fat, without sacrificing the taste, let's do it!  

1 1/2 cups of my Homemade Italian Tomato Sauce (recipe follows)

1 lb. of fresh pizza dough (I go to the bakery section of my grocery store and ask for a thing of their fresh dough)

1 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese

1 green bell pepper, diced and then sautéed

Turkey pepperoni

1.  Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.  Spray nonstick cooking spray on a round baking sheet and then roll out pizza crust on it.  

Homemade Italian Tomato Sauce Recipe

2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

1 yellow onion, diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

10 ripe tomatoes, diced

1/3 cup of white wine

1 teaspoon of chili pepper flakes

20 leaves of basil, cut into long strips

1 can of tomato paste

In a large pot, add the olive oil, onion and garlic.  Saute for a few minutes, or until the onions begin to get soft.  Stir in the tomatoes, wine, chili flakes and fresh basil.  Bring up to a boil and then turn down under low.  Cook for about 20 minutes, then add in the can of tomato paste to thicken.  Cook for about another 20 minutes and then serve.  If desired you can add up too a 1/4 cup of water to sauce for a less thick sauce.  

2. Spread the red tomato sauce on top.  Sprinkle cheese.  Place pepperoni evenly in rows on top of the pie.  After sauteing the green peppers with a little bit of extra virgin olive oil add to the pizza.  

3.  Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until cheese is bubbling and dough is light brown.  

Italian Meatball Sub Sandwich Recipe

Sometimes nothing quite hits the spot than homemade meatballs.  These are simple to make, and every time I make these with spaghetti I always get compliments!  I like to pair these sandwiches with a simple arugula salad to balance out the huge hoagies!  But make sure you make my FRESH tomato sauce and don't cheat by using jarred. 

For The Meatballs

1 lb. of ground beef ( I like to use the kind that is 97% fat free, trust me you won't be missing a thing, other than of course the fat)

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons italian flat leaf parsley, chopped finely

1 egg

1/4 cup of parmesan romano cheese

1/4 cup of italian style breadcrumbs

Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper to taste

1 loaf of Italian Bread

4 slices of mozzarella cheese

1 1/2 cups of my Homemade Italian Tomato Sauce

1.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients and combine well with your hands.  Form meat into 1 1/2 inch meatballs and place on a baking sheet.

Homemade Italian Tomato Sauce Recipe

2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

1 yellow onion, diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

10 ripe tomatoes, diced

1/3 cup of white wine

1 teaspoon of chili pepper flakes

20 leaves of basil, cut into long strips

1 can of tomato paste

In a large pot, add the olive oil, onion and garlic.  Saute for a few minutes, or until the onions begin to get soft.  Stir in the tomatoes, wine, chili flakes and fresh basil.  Bring up to a boil and then turn down under low.  Cook for about 20 minutes, then add in the can of tomato paste to thicken.  Cook for about another 20 minutes and then serve.  If desired you can add up too a 1/4 cup of water to sauce for a less thick sauce.  

2.  Bake for about 20-25 minutes.  Half way through make sure you turn the meat balls with a spatula.  

3.  Slice the bread lengthwise.  Add about a half cup of sauce on the the bread.  Add the meatballs and then top with the remaining tomato sauce.  Add slice cheese and bake for about 5 minutes or until lightly toasted.  

Double Berry Pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwich Recipe

Get your Labor Day on!  This is a deliciously sweet, mildly fruity barbeque sauce that is balanced out with a jaleopeno kick to it!  This grilling season you are going to want to slather all your meat in it!  I like it because it helps me to empty out all the leftover sauces and jams in my fridge, that I feel guilty tossing since there isn't a whole lot left.  Top with my No Mayo 5 Ingredient Coleslaw for a crunch!  It's super easy to make and the ginger in it pairs lovely with this sauce.  

  

1/3 cup cup of blackberry jam

1/3 cup of strawberry jam

1 cup of barbecue sauce (I used 2/3 cup of Famous Dave's and then used up whatever else was in the fridge)

2 teaspoons of season all

2 tablespoons of Worcestshire sauce

2 jaleponos, minced finely

1 yellow onion, diced

3 large, skinless boneless chicken breasts

Hamburger buns

1.  Mix all the ingredients together, besides the chicken in a bowl, until well combined.  In a slow cooker add the chicken and pour sauce over it.  Cover and cook 3-4 hours on high.  Shred chicken with a fork and serve with my No Mayo 5 Ingredient Coleslaw

Homemade Italian Tomato Sauce

This recipe is adapted from the red sauce that my Nonna taught me to make while growing up.  I gotta say though, mine is a lot quicker to make than hers!  I don't care much for jarred tomato sauce and once you realize how fresh and easy this is to make, you will be converted to only making your own!  I like to be able to see real chunks of tomatoes in my sauce so I don't bother peeling them.  This is also another great recipe to double and then freeze or to use in other recipes i.e. pizza, meatball sandwiches or over chicken.  You can store the extra sauce in ziplock bags or plastic containers.  Perfect for me because everyone is giving me bags of extra tomatoes from their garden!

2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

1 yellow onion, diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

10 ripe tomatoes, diced

1/3 cup of white wine

1 teaspoon of chili pepper flakes

20 leaves of basil, cut into long strips

1 can of tomato paste

1.  In a large pot, add the olive oil, onion and garlic.  Saute for a few minutes, or until the onions begin to get soft.

2.  Stir in the tomatoes, wine, chili flakes and fresh basil.  Bring up to a boil and then turn down under low.  Cook for about 20 minutes, then add in the can of tomato paste to thicken.  Cook for about another 20 minutes and then serve.  If desired you can add up too a 1/4 cup of water to sauce for a less thick sauce.