Italian Recipe Exchange...

I started a neighborhood recipe exchange. We get together every other month. Each time there is a theme (Quick easy dinners, soups, Italian, etc). We all submit a couple of our favorite recipes for the theme. Then we have a pot luck dinner. Every one brings one of their recipes prepared. This way we can sample and socialize. They've been a lot of fun and very delicious!!!

If you'd like to join us for our next exchange, leave your email address and we'll send the info over!

Here are a few of the recipes we sampled last night... (I"ll post some more later)

Cavatini
(Natalie Cheney)

1 pkg trio noodles cooked and drained
1 lb ground beef
1 chopped onion
1 chopped green pepper
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 pkg sliced pepperoni
1 can spaghetti sauce
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese

Combine and cook meat and veggies, then add noodles and sauce. Stir together and add to a casserole dish. Top with cheese. Bake at 350 until hot, about 30 minutes.

Italian Lemonade
(Rhonda Shurtleff)

Yield: 4 to 6 servings
2 cups lemon juice, about 12 to 15 lemons (I used frozen concentrate and diluted w/ the sparkling water)
2 cups Basil Simple Syrup*, recipe follows
2 cups ounces cold or sparkling water
Ice
Lemon twists, for garnish

Mix lemon juice, Basil Simple Syrup, and water together in a pitcher. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Pour over ice filled glasses and garnish with a lemon twist.

Basil Simple Syrup:
1 bunch fresh basil, washed and stemmed
2 cups sugar
1 cup water

In a saucepan combine basil, sugar, and water and simmer until the sugar is dissolved, 5 minutes. Cool, strain the simple syrup, and store in the refrigerator.*If you use the frozen concentrate method like I did, you'll want to add a little less of the simple syrup, unless you like your lemonade super sweet!

Hamburger Stuffed Zucchini
(Jan Petersen)

6 8-inch or 1 large zucchini
1/2 lb. ground beef
1/2 lb ground Italian Sausage
1 minced onion1 egg, beaten
1/2 c. cracker crumbs (I use Ritz crackers)
Salt, pepper, garlic salt to taste
1/2 c. grated Cheddar or Parmesan cheese (more for the top)
1 (15 oz.) can tomatoes

Cut zucchini in half lengthwise; scoop out insides, leaving shell. Brown beef, sausage and onion; add squash pulp. Cover and cook until squash is soft.

Season with salt, pepper, garlic. Remove from heat, stir in egg, cracker crumbs, Cheddar cheese, and tomatoes. Season squash shells with salt and pepper, stuff with filling.

Place in shallow pan. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes (about 45 minutes for large zucchini). Remove cover, top with more cheese and bake 10 minutes longer.

Gorgonzola Apple Salad
(Melissa Acker)

1 apple, diced
¼ c dried cranberries
¼ c diced pecans
¼ c Gorgonzola cheese
Fresh spinach
Spring lettuce mix
Newman’s Own Light Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

Rinse lettuce and spinach and toss in bowl. Top with apple, cranberries, pecans and gorgonzola.
Serve with dressing on the side.

Spinach Salad and Salad Spinners

I love salads. They are one of my favorite foods. This salad is one of my very favorites. Something I have learned about in the last couple of years is salad dressing. It can really make a salad. I rarely buy salad dressing anymore. I usually make it because it is so much better! I might post some of my favorite salad dressings some time.

Spinach Salad
Spinach
Lettuce (I use green or red leaf)
Swiss cheese (grated)
Bacon (fried and crumbled)
Mushrooms (sliced)
Feta cheese (crumbled)
Grape tomatoes

Dressing:
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. salad oil
1/2 red onion (sliced or chopped)
1 tsp. dry mustard
3/4 c. white vinegar
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. poppy seeds

Mix dressing, add onion and refrigerate. I love to use my immersion blender to mix salad dressings. Mix the salad part together and serve.

We had this last night as the whole meal.

A note on salad spinners: If you like salad and don't have one of these, they are a must. I bought mine hoping it would not be another kitchen gadget that just takes up space. I have loved it and use it all the time! Mine is an OXO one.

Broccoli Salad - yummy!

So truth be told, this has been one choatic week. If I actually took a picture of something that we ate, it would be from McDonald's, Arby's, or some other fast food. Really, it's been one of those weeks. I'm hoping that this week will quickly come to an end and I can start new next week. In the mean time, I was thinking of foods that I would love to make if I had the time. So I pulled up my current favorite salad recipe. It's Jan's recipe and Kraft Food's picture, so I can't take any credit (except I posted it, does that count?) Hope you enjoy!



Broccoli Salad
(Jan Petersen)

1 head broccoli
6 to 8 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup raisins or craisins, optional
1/2 cup sliced almonds
8 ounces sharp Cheddar, cut into very small chunks
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup halved cherry tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Trim off the large leaves from the broccoli stem. Remove the tough stalk at the end and wash broccoli head thoroughly. Cut the head into flowerets and the stem into bite-size pieces. Place in a large bowl. Add the crumbled bacon, onion, amlnods, raisins, and cheese. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients, stirring well. Add to broccoli mixture and toss gently.