Bacon, Crimini and Potato Frittata

A few months ago, a reader requested that I post more casserole-type dishes. I typically don't make too many casseroles, but I do make a few tasty one-dish meals. Frittatas have to be my number one favorite! This frittata is light and delicious~ fluffy eggs filled with bacon, sliced mushrooms and a hint of mozzarella sit atop browned, thinly sliced potatoes for a delicious, one pan meal that is simple enough to whip up on a Sunday morning and impressive enough to serve brunch guests anytime! My favorite part about this dish is that it's so versatile; you can add just about any veggie or meat to this dish and it will be fabulous. Try thinly sliced asparagus, bacon or spinach. YUM.
Serves: 4

Ingredients:
5 eggs
1/4 cup milk or heavy cream
2 slices of cooked, crumbled bacon
6 sliced crimini or button mushrooms
1 small potato, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. olive oil
Kosher salt
black pepper
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella
1 tbsp. grated parmesan (opt.)

Assembly:
Preheat oven to 350. Melt butter and oil together in an ovenproof saute pan. Place potatoes in an even layer and brown over medium-high heat (about 3-5 minutes). Beat eggs, salt, pepper and milk/cream. Add mushrooms, bacon and cheese to the potatoes in the pan. Pour in the egg mixture. Cook 3-4 minutes on medium heat until you see that the edges are beginning to set. Transfer to the oven and cook for about 10 minutes or until the entire top of the frittata is set. Cool for a few few minutes then cut into wedges and serve.

Creamy Rotini Primavera

This is one of my favorite simple little comfort food recipes. I typically make it whenever my husband is out of town on business, and I want something easy and yummy that I can also eat as leftovers. It's also a great recipe because it's made from ingredients that I usually have hanging around my house. This dish is creamy and rich with just the right amount of vegetables to keep it from feeling heavy. Switch up the vegetables based on what you have or what is in season. Asparagus, green beans or zucchini are all great choices. You'll love it, and I'll bet your kids will too!
Servings: 4

Ingredients:
3 cups cooked rotini
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp tomato paste
1/2 cup frozen peas
6 mushrooms, diced
1/4 cup red pepper, diced
1 garlic clove, mashed
1 strip of bacon or prosciutto (opt.)
Kosher salt, black pepper
3 tbsp. parmesan cheese

Assembly:
Render the bacon over medium heat until cooked. Remove and crumble. Saute the peppers, mushrooms and onions for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook for one minute. Pour in the heavy cream and bring to a boil. Add salt and pepper. Add the peas and parmesan and cook for another 3-4 minutes over medium heat. Stir in the bacon and rotini. Serve with a baguette.

Deep Dish Chicago-Style Sausage and Mushroom Pizza

I am a total Chicagoan when it comes to pizza~ the deeper the better! I was raised on Malnati's and Gino's, so since I moved out of state it's been hard to find anything that compares. I finally decided to give it a shot myself and below is the result. My pizza most closely resembles Lou Malnati's, with a layer of hot sausage on the bottom topped with mushrooms, three cheeses and a homemade garlic marinara. This is my husband's absolute favorite dish I make, and it's great for leftovers (if you happen to be lucky enough to have any!).

Yields: 1 pie (serves about 4-6 people)

For the dough:

2 1/3 cups bread flour

1 cup cold water

1/2 tsp. active dry yeast

1 tsp. Kosher salt

a dough hook attachment for your mixer

Pour water and yeast into mixer and allow to stand for about five minutes. Add flour and salt, then mix on medium for about 3-4 minutes until dough becomes elastic. Transfer to a bowl and coat with olive oil. Cover and allow to rise 4-5 hours. Punch dough down and roll out (use flour to keep dough from sticking).

For the sauce (this recipe makes a little more than double what you'll need; freeze the leftovers, and you'll have plenty for another pizza night):

1 28 oz. can tomato puree

1 14 oz. can petite diced tomatoes (drained)

1 cup dry white wine (pinot is my favorite)

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 onion, minced

6-8 baby portabella mushrooms, chopped

Kosher salt, black pepper

1 tbsp. red pepper flake

3 tbsp. olive oil

Saute onions and mushrooms over medium high heat in the olive oil for 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flake and saute for one additional minute. Pour in white wine and bring to a boil. Reduce wine by half, then add both cans of tomatoes, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low and simmer 1-2 hours, until sauce is thick and reduced by about 1/4-1/3. Cool completely before adding to pizza. (This sauce is also excellent with penne and fresh parmeggiano reggiano cheese).

For the pizza:

1/4 cup cornmeal

1 lb. hot Italian sausage (try Johnsonville's hot sausage out of the casing)

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella

4 slices muenster cheese (yes, muenster...it's the secret ingredient!)

1/4 cup parmeggiano reggiano cheese, grated or shredded

6-8 sliced baby portabella mushrooms

1 cup garlic marinara sauce (see above)

Preheat oven to 360 degrees. Coat the bottom of a round pan with cooking spray or olive oil. Add cornmeal and roll around until the pan is coated. Press dough into the pan then cut off the excess crust (save this for an AWESOME dessert; search "dough" in the sidebar). Press sausage into the pan, spreading with your fingers. Top with a layer of sliced mushrooms, then sauce and finally muenster, mozzarella and parmeggiano reggiano. Fold edges of crust inward and place pie on a baking sheet. Bake for 45-60 minutes. Allow to cool 10 minutes before serving (you may need to drain a bit of the fat from the sausage by gently tipping the cooked pie over a bowl).

Stuffed Mushrooms

I'm pretty sure that it's impossible to go wrong when you are combining cream cheese with bacon! These tasty little mushrooms are filled with a delicious mixture of cream cheese, bacon, green onions and some other little tidbits to give you big flavor in every bite. I love serving these for guests or as part of a "bar food night" (this is when I cave in and serve buffalo chicken dip, salsa, and skins for an actual meal! Not so healthy, but still better for you than getting it a restaurant). Most of the time, recipes suggest using larger mushrooms (usually labeled "Stuffing Mushrooms"), but I like to use baby bellas or white mushrooms so that you can just pop them in your mouth without making a huge mess. I don't think the picture below quite gives these delicious bites justice, but you get the idea! So yummy! Serving: 4-6

Ingredients:
1 package baby bellas or button mushrooms, stems reserved
6 oz. softened cream cheese (use that extra two oz. to amp up mashed potatoes!)
1 green onion, chopped finely
2 slices of bacon
salt, black pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Assembly:
Cook bacon over medium heat until done. Chop mushroom stems and brown them in the bacon fat. Allow bacon and mushroom stems to cool. Crumble bacon and mix it and all other ingredients together. Stuff into mushroom caps and line them on a baking sheet. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes or until tops are slightly browned. Serve immediately.

Marinated London Broil with Merlot Mushrooms

You are not going to believe how easy, inexpensive and delicious this recipe is! It's wonderful for entertaining, because a little goes a long way. London broil is often on sale for as low as $2.99 a pound. It needs to be marinated and sliced against the grain, but, when cooked properly, it satisfies even the most demanding palate. My husband and I are big meat eaters and love a good steak. London broil is one of my tricks; it allows us to eat steak once or twice a week without breaking the bank. It's also a very versatile meat ~ the marinating options are endless! I make sandwiches, shish-kebab and Italian beef out of it (recipes coming soon). Enjoy!
London Broil: Serves 2

Marinade:
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup merlot
1 tbsp. double concentrate tomato paste
2 tbsp. light brown sugar
2 mashed cloves of garlic
salt
pepper


1 lb. london broil (you can also use hangar or flank steak)

Merlot Mushrooms:
1 package of button or baby bella mushrooms
1/2 cup merlot
1 mashed clove of garlic
salt
pepper
1 tbsp. butter or oil

Assembly:
Combine marinade ingredients. Pour into a resealable bag and add london broil. Refrigerate 1-4 hours. Allow meat to sit for 15 minutes on the counter before grilling. Grill over medium-high heat for 4-6 minutes then flip. Reduce heat to medium-low and grill for another 3-4 minutes for medium rare steak. While meat is cooking, add butter, olive oil or a combination of the two to a saute pan on medium high heat. Add mushrooms and saute until golden (2-3 minutes). Add garlic, salt, pepper and merlot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and allow the mushrooms to soak up the wine. Once wine is nearly gone, remove from heat (approximately 8-10 minute). Allow meat to rest for 10 minutes before slicing against the grain. Top with mushroom-wine mixture and serve.

Make 'Em Feel Loved Balsamic Chicken Sandwich

A month or so ago I posted a sandwich recipe that had marinated steak and veggies on a hoagie roll with melted cheese and aioli. I mentioned in that blog post that I make a million different sandwiches that are a variation on this theme: chopped veggies, marinated meat, melted cheese and aioli on a toasted bun. The possibilities are endless! These sandwiches are a great idea if you're short on time or want to make a super cost effective meal to share with friends and family. This sandwich in particular pairs chicken breast (one breast magically serves 2 adults!) marinated in a balsamic vinaigrette, veggies sauteed in a balsamic-brown sugar reduction, melted provalone and fragrant aioli. Delicious!
Ingredients:
2 hoagie rolls, split
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
3 slices of provalone
1/2 cup balsamic vinaigrette http://happiestbelly.blogspot.com/2009/04/honey-dijon-balsamic-vinaigrette.html
3 tbsp. basic aioli http://happiestbelly.blogspot.com/2009/05/technique-tuesday-messing-with-mayo.html
6 button or baby bella mushrooms, quartered
1/2 sweet red pepper, diced
1/2 small red onion, diced
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp. light brown sugar
1 tbsp. olive oil
salt, pepper

Assembly:
Marinate chicken in vinaigrette for 15 minutes-3 hours. Grill over medium high heat until juices run clear (4-6 minutes/side depending on thickness). Let chicken rest for 10 minutes before dicing. While chicken rests, saute vegetables in olive oil over medium-high heat. Add vinegar and brown sugar then reduce heat to low. Add salt, pepper to taste. Cook until liquids are almost absobed (about 10 minutes). Add chicken and mix. Add mixture evenly to split rolls. Top with 1 1/2 slice provalone per sandwich. Bake, open-faced, for 5-7 minutes at 375 degrees. Drizzle aioli, press sandwiches closed and serve.

Roast Beef and Smoked Gouda Sandwich

This is my hands-down FAVORITE sandwich. It's super simple to prepare and is absolutely delicious. Smoked gouda is one of the best cheeses I've ever eaten. If you haven't tried it, you don't know what you've been missing! It's smoky and creamy and pairs excellently with roast beef. This sandwich is one of those things I make when I am too tired to make a more elaborate meal. It's an easy sandwich that is great for lunch or a summer supper.
Ingredients:
2 sub rolls or a baguette
6-8 thin slices of deli roast beef
four slices of smoked gouda (make sure it's smoked and not plain!)
6 button or baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp. butter or olive oil
salt and pepper
2 tbsp. mayonnaise
1 tbsp. creamy horseradish (adjust based on how much 'kick' you want)

Assembly:
Split sub rolls. In a saute pan, add oil/butter and cook mushrooms over medium-high heat until golden. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add roast beef to the sub rolls. Next, add mushrooms and cover with 2 slices of cheese per sandwich. Toast in a 350 degree oven (open-faced) 5-7 minutes or until cheese melts. While sandwiches toast, mix horseradish and mayonnaise. Remove from oven and spread horseradish/mayonnaise sauce inside the bun. Press sandwich together and serve.

Summer Orzo Salad

This salad is delicious and refreshing ~ it's particularly great on a warm summer day. Served warm or cold, you can feel great about eating this one anytime of year! Red peppers, mushrooms and spinach abound in a mouthwatering combination of chicken stock and lemon infused orzo (short pasta that looks very similar to rice) and feta cheese. This salad is wonderful on its own, but it's also a great compliment to a sandwich or a toasted, crusty baguette rubbed with garlic and drizzled with olive oil.
Ingredients:

Juice of 1 large lemon
3 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup white wine (I prefer pino grigio)
2 cups orzo
1 small package of button mushrooms, quartered
8-10 oz. fresh spinach
1/2 diced sweet red pepper
1/4 cup feta cheese
salt, pepper
2 tbsp. olive oil

Assembly:

Bring chicken stock, lemon juice (reserve 1 tbsp. for later) and white wine to a rolling boil. Add orzo and a good amount of salt then cook for 6-8 minutes or until orzo is al dente. Drain orzo but do not rinse. Using the same pot, add olive oil and turn heat to medium-high. Saute peppers and mushrooms 2-3 minutes until golden. Next, add spinach and cook 1-2 minutes or until spinach is wilted. Pour in reserved tbsp. of lemon juice and stir. Turn off the heat and stir in the orzo and feta. Allow mixture to cool slightly. This dish is best served at room temperature.

Rigatoni Arrabbiata with Fresh Mozzarella and Hot Italian Sausage

This is the dish that my husband requests every Sunday night regardless of the weather. He just calls it "Sauce" and never fails to clean the bowl. It's spicy and delicious, and it really satisfies any pasta craving. This recipe makes enough for 4-6 adults, but don't hesitate to pop any leftovers into the freezer for a quick and easy weeknight meal. Great for entertaining or for a Sunday evening dinner, this sauce is sure to please!

Ingredients:
5 links of hot Italian sausage (honestly, Johnsonville is great...don't tell my Sicilian grandpa I said that!)
1 14 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 14 oz. can chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup cabernet
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 6-8 oz. package of baby portabella mushrooms, quartered
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tbsp. red pepper flakes (tweak this depending on how spicy you like it)
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp. butter
salt, black pepper
6 oz. of fresh mozzarella, chopped into bitesize pieces (you can also use bocconcini for this)
3/4 lb. of rigatoni

Assembly:
Brown sausages over medium-high heat on each side (5-6 minutes) and remove from pan. Add oil, butter, red pepper flake, onions and mushrooms and saute until golden. Add garlic and saute 1 additional minute. Remove pan from heat and add cabernet. Return to heat, reduce to medium low and simmer for 4-5 minutes. Add tomatoes, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Slice sausages on the bias and add to sauce. Reduce to low and cook, uncovered, for 1-1 1/2 hour. Just before serving add mozarella. Cook rigatoni to al dente. Serve with grated parmeggiano reggiano cheese and a crusty baguette.

Save-a-Buck Marinated Steak Sandwich

This is a great sandwich for a casual get-together with friends! It seems more complicated than it actually is and really maximizes the amount of steak you need. The other ingredients are pretty basic and are most likely items you already have on hand in your kitchen. The only extras are a good baguette or hoagie roll and some sliced provalone cheese.

You can make this sandwich completely on the grill, using a heat-proof pan to cook the onions and mushrooms or you can use an indoor grill pan and your oven.

The finished sandwich (with aioli):

The Veggies:

The Steak:

Marinade:

1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup cabernet
1 clove minced garlic
2 tbsp. light brown sugar
1 tbsp. tomato paste

Other ingredients (makes two large sandwiches):
1 3/4 lb. steak (I recommend strip)
6 white or baby bella mushrooms, quartered
1 small yellow onion, sliced
1 head of roasted garlic (opt.)
salt, pepper
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp. light brown sugar
4 slices of mozzarella or provalone
2 pieces of baguette or 2 hoagie rolls
basic aioli (use search function to find this recipe)

Assembly:
Marinate meat up to 2 hours (15 minutes is sufficient for a strip or T-bone; longer for flank or London broil). Pat dry and allow meat to come down to near-room temperature. Grill over med-high heat for 4-5 minutes; flip and grill 3-4 additional minutes. Remove from grill and allow meat to rest for approximately 5-10 minutes. While the steak is on the grill, saute mushrooms and onions over medium-high heat until golden. Add salt and pepper, balsamic vinegar and brown sugar. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5-10 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half. Stir in roasted garlic. Cube steak into bite sized pieces and stir into mushroom/onion mixture. Slice baguette or hoagie roll and add a generous amount of the steak/vegetable mixture. Top with slices of provalone or mozzarella and bake for 5-10 minutes at 375 degrees. Remove from oven and drizzle aioli over the top of each sandwich. Serve with a knife and fork!

Chicken Marsala

This dish is simple and is best served on nights when you need some extra comfort. I first made marsala on a cold, rainy evening...my husband and I were famished, and the cupboards were close to empty. I keep a variety of wines on hand, chicken breasts in the freezer and a healthy supply of mushrooms in the refrigerator (mushrooms are probably in my top 5 favorite ingredients and can be used for just about anything!). This dish seems complicated and sophisticated, but it requires few ingredients and is quite economical to prepare, making it an excellent choice for entertaining. You can serve this dish with pasta, new potatoes or roasted garlic mashed potatoes (shown below; recipe coming soon!), and it makes excellent leftovers. This is Italian comfort food at its finest!
Ingredients:
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (optional step: brining~ soaking in salt water for up to four hours)
1 small package white or baby bella mushrooms
1/2 yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, diced
2/3 cups marsala wine
3 tbsp. heavy cream
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tbsp. butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
salt
pepper
garlic powder

Assembly:
Sprinkle salt, pepper and garlic powder on both sides of each breast. Dredge each breast in flour (coat both sides evenly). Heat olive oil and butter on medium-high until butter is melted. Sear chicken breasts 3-4 minutes or until a crust forms on the bottom. Flip and sear the other side for 2-3 minutes. Remove from pan. Saute mushrooms and onions 3-4 minutes or until golden. Add garlic and saute an additional minute. Remove pan from heat and add marsala. Put pan back on heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, add cream and stir to combine (you won't need to use any cornstarch as a thickening agent; the flour from the chicken will do the trick!). Place chicken back in the pan and cook approximately 15 or until chicken is cooked all the way through.

Bacon and Mushroom Quiche

Quiche is one of those wonderful things that seems fancy but is really super simple. Once you get the hang of making the crust, it's an easy go-to meal that is really satisfying. You can use just about any meat, cheese or vegetable in this dish and, paired with a simple green salad, have a declious meal for your family and friends. It also reheats well and makes great leftovers. It's always great when you can cook something once and eat it again the next day with no hassle...that is, if there are any leftovers to be had!

Ingredients:
1 pie dough (see previous posting for recipe; use search function in sidebar to locate)
3/4 cup heavy cream
7 eggs
small pinch of nutmeg (opt.)
salt (I would estimate about 1/2 tsp.)
pepper
1/3 cup shredded cheese (swiss or colby-jack and great)
3/4 cups chopped baby bella mushrooms
6 strips cooked bacon, chopped

Assembly:
Roll out pie dough into a greased pie pan. Sprinkle bacon, mushrooms and cheese into the bottom of the pan.
Beat eggs, and heavy cream in a large bowl. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg. Pour over cheese, bacon, mushroom mixture.

Place quiche on a cooking sheet and bake at 350 degrees approximately 1 hour (or until top puffs up and begins to brown). Remove from oven and allow quiche to cool 15-20 minutes. This dish is best served warm, not hot.

Slice and serve. Voila!

Portabello Ravioli with "Gravy"

This is a favorite dish of mine that seems kind of daunting at first but is actually really simple with elements that can be made ahead of time and assembled quickly. I also 'cheat' on some elements like using canned stock instead of neckbones and using won ton wrappers instead of homemade pasta. My husband and I aren't fans of ravioli made with ricotta, so I've switched it up a bit. Feel free to use ricotta and any filling combination that makes you happy!

I use the 'gravy' recipe for ravioli but also for lasagna and baked pasta dishes. You can add red pepper flake when sauteing the mushrooms to add an extra zip or fresh herbs like oregano if you're in the mood. My Sicilian grandpa calls this 'gravy' and speaks fondly of the Sunday dinners of his childhood during which a hearty tomato sauce was featured. It is one of the things I enjoy making most...the house just smells wonderful while it's cooking, and it is just such a hearty sauce that is guaranteed to make anyone you serve it to feel very loved.

The Ravioli

1 package won ton wrappers (yes, I am a big cheater!)

1 small package portabello mushrooms, diced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tbsp. olive oil

1/2 tbsp. butter

salt, black pepper

1/8 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/8 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/8 cup shredded provalone

small bowl of warm water

Saute mushrooms in olive oil and butter. Add garlic, salt and pepper. Cook one additional minute. Remove from heat and cool completely before stirring in cheese. Place 1 tsp. of filling on a won ton wrapper, then wet your finger in the water and run it along the perimeter of the wrapper. Put the top wrapper on and seal the edges, making sure to press out any air that may be in the filling. Boil a large pot of water and add about 1/8 cup salt (your water should taste like the sea!). Drop ravioli in and cook 3-4 minutes until ravioli are floating and edges are translucent. Remove with a slotted spoon into a strainer.

The "Gravy"

1 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes

1 14 oz. can of crushed tomatoes

1 14 oz can of petite diced tomatoes

3/4 cups red wine (cabernet or merlot)

1 tbsp. tomato paste

3 tbsp. olive oil

1 lb. hot sausage (removed from casing)

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 yellow onion, diced

1 1/2 cups diced portabello mushrooms

salt, black pepper

1 cup beef stock

3 tbsp. fresh basil

Brown sausage, adding mushrooms and onions when sausage is nearly cooked. Add olive oil and garlic, cook 1 minute over medium heat. Stir in tomato paste then add wine. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium. Add beef stock and tomatoes. Add salt, black pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered 2 hours. Remove cover and cook on low heat for another 2-4 hours. Stir in basil at the end.