And I Thought He Didn’t Like Onions

March 8, 2010 in Family | No comments

The other night, my husband and I were talking to my father about food.   My father was telling me he “just doesn’t like onions”.  In his Italian style temperament, he was quite emphatic when he expressed his true feelings towards this vegetable.   It was the first time I had ever heard him say this, but I guess it had been brewing silently for quite some time inside.  I then stopped short of telling him about a new dish I saw on Lidia’s Italy, an Italian cooking show, which involved about 4 sliced onions, and sliced celery as the 2 main ingredients – I knew he would rule it out right away.

Now, if you are Italian or if you live with Italians, you know we never ask people if they want this or that.  Wait… let me clarify.  When an Italian offers you a dish, it is not an option for you to say no.  It really is not a question, we are not asking to find out if you want some or not, because if you say no, we will ask again and again- until you say yes.    Fast forward a few days when we made my parents chicken cacciatore for dinner, and I decided to make Lidia’s onion and celery recipe for a side dish.  Instead of doing the “Would You Like to Try This” dance, I just put some of onion/celery recipe on his plate right next to the chicken and potatoes, and never said a word as to what it was.  He ate every bit of it, said the dinner was excellent and it was then I chose not to tell him about the onions.  I just said it was easy to make and I was glad he liked it.   There was nothing to prove, our now empty plates said it all.

As a cook, it is more important to me that everyone likes the meal as they see fit to define it – even if that means not disclosing all the ingredients.  Perhaps it is the same with feeding kids or other family members- not to tell them all the good stuff inside.  Act confident and serve it without debate – you will have won more than half the battle!

Liz
www.simpleitaliancooking.com
Easy Italian Chicken Recipes

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What Simple Italian Cooking Really Means…

March 7, 2010 in cooking | No comments

I decided to write this post because over time I have learned that simple doesn’t always mean quick.   It just means easy,  not complicated.   I can’t handle difficult cooking.   I burn things too easily for starters.  Plus I can get scatterbrained and before I know it, dinner is at risk because I have to keep stopping to go back and forth between a cookbook and the stove just to make sure I didn’t skip step number 15 out of 20.  I just need to make great tasting meals that don’t require a Masters degree in cooking!  With Italian cooking this is possible.

This week’s recipe is chicken caccciatori (sometimes spelled catchatori),   it is very easy to make.  However, it will take about an hour in the oven.  Add in the 30 minutes prep time and  you have a 1 1/2 hour meal.   Quick?  Not totally, but certainly wasn’t hard or difficult to make.

Two weeks ago I did a video on Italian Wedding Soup, this week I’m doing chicken cacciatore, and then I’ll do some chicken piccata and now I’m thinking… is this really me cooking?   These are recipes for experienced professionals right – you know, the ones who have tv shows and write books?   Wrong.  These are recipes that if I can make, then so can you regardless of your level of expertise!

So what are you waiting for?   Start cooking and  Buon Appetito!

Liz
www.simpleitaliancooking.com
Easy Italian Recipes

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Upcoming Chicken Recipes for the Month of March

March 6, 2010 in Recipes, chicken | No comments

I had a hard time determining what chicken recipes to do for the rest of the month of March.   As you may know, each month I focus on a specific ingredient.  Maybe it is an herb or spice, or a type of bean.  This month it is chicken.  Last week we did Italian Breaded Chicken Breasts which is a breeze to make and tastes like it took you a long time to make.   So here is the run down for the rest of the month:

Chicken Cacciatore - This is an Italian classic and I’m going to do a video for it as well.   The hardest part is cutting the chicken into chicken pieces, but you can just buy the pieces and you’ll be fine.  I prefer to buy a whole chicken and cut it up because then I know the piece is not from an unhealthy bird.

Folded Chicken with Stuffed Breadcrumbs – this title might change.  There is an Italian term for it but I have no idea how to spell it and can’t find it.   It is pronounced by my mother-in-law as “in-vol-tini”.  It means fold it.  Which is what this recipe does.  It is a good recipe which was easy to make.   It uses basic ingredients and I’ll tell you more about it later.

Chicken Piccata – This too is an Italian classic and uses capers.   I had never made it before so I’m excited to tackle this recipe and show it to you.   This is one of those recipes that you say to your friends, “I made chicken picatta last night” and they’ll be thinking that you must be completely amazing in the kitchen.   Don’t get me wrong – perhaps you are but for me… I won’t get in the way of their assumptions.  :)

Whole Roasted Chicken with Rosemary – I’m not a huge rosemary fan, however I know it tastes amazing when it comes to roasting chicken.   I love roasting chickens.  I never thought I would as I thought I’d have to be a more experienced cook than I was.  But it turns out I learned how to do it and after a few tries at it, I could finally cook  a whole chicken without getting nervous!

If you don’t get my newsletter, make sure to sign up from my homepage by clicking here and I’ll be sending out more recipes and tips!

Caio-

Liz
Easy Italian Recipes

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When to Use Minced Vs. Chopped Garlic

March 3, 2010 in cooking | No comments

Do you have a garlic press?  If so, do you use it every time a recipe calls for garlic?   If your answer is yes, read on.    Garlic can be prepared a variety of ways for different purposes.   I’m going to address three ways to use garlic and when.

Minced Garlic

Minced garlic is best used when you want an infused flavor through the whole dish.  An example would be a pasta sauce or a soup where the garlic adds to the flavor but not as an individual ingredient.  Be careful when using minced garlic in recipes that call for chopped garlic – minced will leave a more powerful presence than roughly chopped garlic.

Chopped Garlic

Chopped garlic is best used when you want the garlic to be noticed – as garlic itself.   An example is cooking my Italian Antipasto recipe.  The garlic is an ingredient which I want to keep as an individual ingredient.  I want bits of garlic mixed in adding an extra component to the dish itself.

Whole Garlic Cloves

Whole garlic is best when you want to keep the cloves whole, not overpowering the dish, but keeping it as an accent.  An example here is my Italian Green Beans recipe which calls for halved garlic cloves.  Ok, so they aren’t technically whole, but they certainly are not chopped.   Use whole garlic when recipes call for roasting.  When you take the dish out of the oven, such as roasted chicken or lamb, the garlic will also be roasted.

So, as much as we love our garlic presses, make sure to use them only as needed!

Liz

www.simpleitaliancooking.com
Simple Italian Recipes

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An Inexpensive Way to Organize Your Refrigerator Contents

February 26, 2010 in Kitchen Tips | No comments

I read in the Wall Street Journal this week, an article which stated that most people only clean their refrigerators once or twice a year.    By cleaning they meant a good wipe down, not just throwing out old Chinese take out boxes.  My post today is more about freezers, but the two are related.

The article mentioned that GE is coming out with a new line which has additional lights inside to help people see what is in the back of the fridge easier.  It can cost up to $1,799.   I’m not sure what I make of the new “concept” because when it comes right down to it… it is about tidiness and organization. You can have all the lights inside, but if you don’t know what is actually inside your containers… the lights will not do you much good.

Case in point, when first married, my husband used yogurt containers to store all his leftovers.  I used to get so annoyed because I kept thinking we had yogurt only to find some unknown food variety which had made itself warm and fuzzy inside our fridge.   Then it hit me, use labels!

Fast forward through time, and now we label nearly everything that goes in the fridge (if not in the original packaging like yogurt) as well as the freezer using office labels to do it.  Actually,  Avery size 5267, Return Address Labels.  They are small and narrow (1/2″ by 1 3/4) and come 80 per sheet, 2000 per pack.  You can buy them at any office store.

I write the contents and date on the labels and stick them on top of each container.  A perfect example is my Italian pasta sauce which I make huge batches of and freeze.   When I’m done with the container, I remove the sticker from the lid, or place a new one right on top of it.   It works like a charm.   So next time you are at in office store, pick up a pack and store them in a drawer in your kitchen!

Liz
www.simpleitaliancooking.com
Easy Pasta Recipes

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When the Worlds of Cooking and Art Collide

February 25, 2010 in cooking | No comments

My  husband said an interesting thing to me today that stuck with me.  He was talking about how he enjoys cooking because he can be creative.  He likes putting different things together and having a finished product.   He is an artist (impressionist to be exact) and definitely has a constant yearning to always be creative.   If he isn’t working on one project he’s working on another because it is part of who he is.  He loves to create.

Cooking is an art, and if cooking is an art, my canvas would look pretty simple, like a daisy.  Nothing complicated, nothing hard to understand.  Just straightforward, simple and nothing so amazingly out of this world that it would cause Emeril Lagasse to come knocking on my door asking if he learn my garlic chopping techniques.  But it is still my creation, even if all I’m making is garlic bread.

Just as art has many styles and uses, so does cooking.  And no one can say, “you cook wrong” unless judgment is based on opinion and personal preference.  Just like art.   I look at some of Picasso’s paintings and I think they are amazing, such as those from his Blue Period.  Other paintings of his I think are crazy and if it weren’t for Picasso’s name attached, they would be the laughing stock among the museum curators.  My opinion.

My point – cooking is an art – your art.   Be creative!   Not everyone will like every recipe you make, but then again you probably wouldn’t like all of theirs either!

Liz
www.simpleitaliancooking.com

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The Power of “Just Do It”

February 24, 2010 in Food, pasta | No comments

It was getting very late, I was hungry and not to mention getting very tired.   It is one of those moments where I’m standing in front of the refrigerator which is packed with food, and yet my brain can’t seem to put anything together.   When I start formulating a list of all the dishes I could make, I decide I’m too tired to do anything.  And the cycle repeats itself.

Of course, the true solution is not to wait so late to eat dinner, but that doesn’t help the here and now.

This is where the power of “Just Do It” comes into play.   Just as we don’t like to get out of bed when the alarm clock goes off in the morning – we just do it anyway.  In a few minutes or more we are feeling good and ready to face the day.  It is no different with cooking.   Just do it.  Just start.   Start cutting the onion, start chopping the garlic.  Just do it.  By the time I wait around for the “mood” to kick it, I could have cooked up a simple plate of pasta and been well on my way to a full tummy.

So I decided to just do it – and I did it.   And it was done before I knew it.

Liz

www.simpleitaliancooking.com
Italian Recipes

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No Marriage Required for Italian Wedding Soup

February 23, 2010 in Italian Soups, Recipes | No comments

It’s amazing the power of a recipe name.  Italian “wedding” soup – makes it sound like it’s only good for weddings.  I never questioned the name until recently and what a funny thing I discovered… the soup is not about weddings!  Italian wedding soup actually comes from the term, “Minestra Maritata” which yes refers to a marriage – but not between people.  It is referring to the marriage of the flavors blending so well in the soup.  I’m not surprised at the least and in fact felt rather proud because I specifically talked to my husband how I loved the flavor the meatballs gave to the soup as a result of cooking for an hour in the chicken broth.  Marvelous!

Homemade Italian Wedding Soup

Homemade Italian Wedding Soup

There is no one “right” way for making Italian wedding soup because there are many various versions out there.   The soup dates back a long time ago, some say it originated in Spain and maybe so.  But the fact is, it was the region of Naples which helped make it famous.  The soup initially was a heartier soup than what we often see today.   As is typical in times past, meals were not 3 times a day but one time a day.  So naturally the soup contained more ingredients such as a mix of meats like pork, veal, and beef.   It also included many greens which added nutritional value.

Today, we often use the soup as an appetizer, first course or a light meal.   That suits me just fine.   My recipe comes from my Sicilian mother in law, Nina.   My husband talked about how he remembered her making it quite often when he was growing up.   So what did we do?  We call her up at 9:30 PM and ask her how she made it.  She has no recipe cards, no recipe boxes… just years of cooking authentic Italian meals day in and day out.  This recipe is her recipe, except I used store bought chicken stock for the sake of time.   Next time, I’ll make my own chicken broth.

I like her recipe and in fact, have to say it is the best wedding soup I’ve had – hands down.   It took me less than 30 minutes to prepare and an hour to cook – mostly unattended.

I recommend our Italian Wedding Soup recipe for anyone wanting to make a wonderful soup for lunch or dinner.  The best part is… you don’t have to wait for a wedding!

Liz

Authentic Italian Recipes
www.simpleitaliancooking.com

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Herb Series – Part 6 – Dill

February 22, 2010 in Uncategorized | 1 comment

Ok, I’ll be honest here – dill is not one of my most commonly used herbs and I haven’t used it in many Italian dishes.  But… I have liked it with a few fish recipes when eating out that I quite enjoyed.  My goal this spring and summer is to find ways to use it with recipes that I really like and would brag about.  So it’s on my list of Italian herbs I’m  going to grow this year – (keeping my fingers crossed!).

dill-weed

dill-weed

Dill weed = the feathery leaves, while dill seed is from the flowers.  When cooking with dill weed, add it towards the end of the recipe because it loses flavor when exposed to heat.  Dill seed however increases its flavor when heated.

To Grow:

Sunlight:  Full sun – 8 hours direct sunlight.

Type of soil: Dill favors high acidity.   A PH of around 5.5 to 6.5  is good.  Choose a place where you don’t mind it growing again the following year because dill can self-sow by dropping it’s own seeds!  Also keep in mind dill likes a good healthy soil full of organic material.  Make sure your soil has the proper levels of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium.

Planting by seed: Unlike rosemary, dill is very easy and fast to grow.  Once your soil is fit, plant in early spring or a week before your last frost date.  Space them about 5 inches apart and about 1/2 inch deep in the soil.  If planting in rows, keep the rows about 2 feet apart.  Water well.   Once the dill is growing, thin to about 10 inches apart.  Remember, do not “thin” by pulling up from the roots.  Rather, use a scissors to snip them at the base of the stem.

Germination:  It will take a little more than a week.

Watering:  Water on a regular basis but these do not need a ton of water.   Make sure their is proper water drainage.

Harvest:   Dill can be sown spring, summer and fall.  So you can harvest for a few seasons which is great!  If choosing to do this, (succession planting) then do so every 2 weeks.   You can typically start harvesting the herb after 6 weeks when the plants are about a foot or two high.  Once the head of the flowers are showing, the dill will have lost most of its flavor.

Note:  Dill attracts good types of insects such as butterflies, bees and parasitic wasp.  Parasitic wasps help control caterpillars which can be extremely damaging to anyone’s garden.

There we have it!  The last part of our Italian herb series.   It has been fun to learn as much as I have and now the real test comes… putting it to practice!   For your sake and mine, I’ll be posting all the information from the series into one nice chart.   Let me know how your growing season goes and how you plan on using these herbs in your own Italian recipes!

Liz
www.simpleitaliancooking.com

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Herb Series – Part 5 – Rosemary

February 22, 2010 in Gardening, rosemary | No comments

This week I’ve decided to include both rosemary and dill instead of stretching the series out another week.  The link to the dill article is at the bottom of this post.

Let’s first talk about rosemary.  Rosemary is an herb which originally came from the Mediterranean.  So we shouldn’t be surprised it is used in many recipes from regions such as Italy, France and Spain.  Rosemary is related to the mint plant which I found very interesting.   Rosemary is often used as seasoning for cooking lamb.  If you are unfamiliar with rosemary, then take a fresh sprig, wash the leaves and taste them for yourself.  Rosemary has a distinct flavor and once you know it – you’ll remember it. I do not use it much in my recipes but I plan on experimenting with it more in the summer months when I am growing it.

rosemary

rosemary

To Grow (from seed):

First off, rosemary is hard to grow from seed.  Sure some will say they had no problems, but still others will beg to differ.  Therefore, if you want the challenge – plant from seed.  If you don’t care and just want rosemary then go with buying some seedlings from a store.

Sunlight: Full sun is most desirable.   When growing indoors start 6-8 weeks before the last frost date.

Type of soil: Rosemary prefers an alkaline soil.  This means it does best with low acidity.  It can also be called “limey soil”.  The ideal PH range should be between 6.5 and 7.5 but anything from 6 to 8.5 is fine. Remember, from a scale 1 to 10, 1 is high acidity and 10 is lowest.

Planting by seed: It is recommended to start indoors using a grow light or a very sunny window.   Soak the seed a few hours before planting.   It can take up to 20 days for the seeds to germinate (sprout).   Because rosemary is hard to grow, it is suggested to plant more seeds than you would think you need to make sure all your bases are covered.    Sprinkle the seeds on top of the soil (make sure the soil has good drainage by putting some pebbles/rocks underneath the soil).  Cover with a light dusting of soil if any really, and mist with water.  It can take up to 5 months from seed to full plant – this is why you must start early.

Watering:  During germination, water daily keeping the soil moist. Once they are sprouting, cut back to once a week.   Do not keep the soil water logged – just keep it from drying out.

Transplanting/Planting from Seedlings: The best time to transfer outside is around April.  These herbs can tolerate most climates, so if it is still cold you should be fine.  Space the plants about 4 feet apart and make sure not to damage the roots when planting.  Choose a location which gets full sun or at least partial shade.

Watering after transplanting outdoors: The ironic thing with rosemary I found was that it does not need much water at all once it is established outdoors.  The seeds required daily watering, but once grown they say to only water if it begins to wilt.

Shaping:  Yes, shaping.   You can grow these as evergreens, so once they get a few feet tall, pull out your pruning scissors and get to work!

Note:  Rosemary is an evergreen bush, therefore it is a good choice for landscaping plans.   Deer are not particularly fond of rosemary, but this doesn’t mean they won’t eat it if they are really hungry!

Read about Dill at my next herb post.

Liz
www.simpleitaliancooking.com

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