Creamy spicy fail-proof appetizer dip!

This is a dip that I make whenever I have to bring an appetizer to a party here in Florence, but I also make it most nights at home as well! It's so simple and yummy and can be served with veggies, bread, I also put it on my pizza!

Ingredients

1 small container ricotta cheese (lowfat works fine)

OR

1 container fat free plain greek yogurt

pepperoncino -- BEST is if you can get it in oil, if not powdered works fine

honey

salt

black pepper

Preparation

1. open your ricotta or yogurt container. 

2. add pepperoncino to your liking. I like mine spicy.

3. add honey, again to taste.

4. add a pinch of salt and black pepper

5. mix together with a small spoon and serve with any dip-vessel of your choosing!

Roasted Veggies

One of the go-to dishes I've been making once a week since last summer is roasted vegetables. I use whatever is fresh at the moment from sweet potatoes, red onions, brussel sprouts, bell peppers, asparagus...

Clean vegetables and cut into cubes or strips
Lay foil or baking paper on a baking sheet and spread vegetables on foil
(If using potatoes or carrots I sometimes boil them first for 5-10 minutes)
Sprinkle with EVOO lightly and some salt
Add herbs or spices if you'd like and roast in the oven for 20 minutes, flipping them halfway

You can do the same thing in a large pan on the stove

Unhealthy Artichoke Dip

So this is not healthy, but it's one of my favorite appetizers/dips ever. My Aunt Eva's artichoke dip. I made this for boys in Rome once and they loved it even though it's cream and butter. It's addictive so watch out. I associate it with a summer dip with Ritz crackers. You definitely don't need much!

2-8 ounce blocks  of cream cheese

3/4 stick melted butter

blend

 

1 can (13.25 oz) regular can of Artichokes that are quartered and drained. 

Add to mixture saving one out for decoration.

top with Parmesan cheese

Bake for 20 min. at 350 degrees

My Mom's Croatian Potato Salad

This is so easy and so tasty - great as a side for a BBQ or summer lunch.

I don't really have a written recipe, but here's how I make it...

Ingredients

red potatoes

yellow onion (very thinly sliced)

Italian salad dressing (Whatever kind you like best) or making our own in this case - but you want something with some herbs and tang...

apple cider vinegar

salt and pepper

Boil potatoes until tender throughout, but not too soft or mushy. Cool just enough to handle and peel.

Make it in a container with a tight lid. Cut the potatoes into medium thick slices and/or wedges. Cover the bottom of the container with about a one inch layer of potatoes. Sprinkle thinly sliced onions on top of that layer. Then, sprinkle with 2 or 3 cupfuls of cider vinegar and with salt and pepper.

Keep repeating this until you've used all the potatoes.

Pour Italian dressing over the top and let it sit for quite a while to seep down through. If the container lid is tight enough, flip it over after a few hours to let the dressing drip down through again. (Can do multiple times.) I generally make this a day ahead of time and think it's better this way. Toss it around just before serving and taste test to see if any additional vinegar, salt or pepper is needed.

Roberts Family Sausage, Egg and Cheese Souffle

The trick here is having dry mustard (I've got some!) and preparing it the day before you want to eat it.

1 lb bulk sausage, browned and drained

6 slices of bread, crust and all, torn into cubes

1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

1 t. dry mustard

1/2 - 1 t. salt

4 eggs

2 c. milk

 

Heat oven to 350.  Blend sausage, bread, cheese, mustard and salt. Beat eggs with milk, then blend with the sausage mixture. Pour into greased casserole dish and set in refrigerator overnight. Bake the next morning for 45 minutes covered with foil, followed by 15 minutes at 325 degrees, uncovered.

Chicken Arugula Salad

I love this salad

Ingredients

• 3 cups chopped grilled chicken breast strips (such as Tyson)
• 1 1/2 cups trimmed arugula
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper 
• 1/4 cup pre-chopped red onion
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon EVOO
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 6 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) crumbled goat cheese

Preparation

1. 1. Cook chicken and drain fat. Cut into pieces.
2. 2. Combine chicken, and the next 6 ingredients (through oregano) in a large bowl; toss well.
3. 3. Combine vinegar, oil, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle vinegar; toss well to coat. Sprinkle with cheese.

Greek Yogurt Pancakes

These are hands-down the best pancakes I've ever had, and are good enough for you because it's mostly greek yogurt (you can definitely find at COOP and Esselunga and sometimes at Conad by Ponte Vecchio). And I don't need syrup for them, especially if I use a flavored yogurt like blueberry. They're very fluffy and delicious. Of course if you want syrup then we've got issues.

Greek Yogurt Pancakes

Serves: 1-2

Ingredients

  *   6 oz of your favorite Greek yogurt
  *   1 egg
  *   scant ½ cup flour
  *   1 tsp baking soda

Instructions

  1.  Open the yogurt container and stir the yogurt until it’s smooth and creamy. Crack an egg over the yogurt and stir to combine leaving. The resulting mixture should be pale yellow in color and have a few lumps here and there.
  2.  In a separate bowl, mix together the flour and baking soda.
  3.  Pour yogurt/egg mixture into the bowl with the flour and baking soda. Stir to combine. The batter will be extremely thick.
  4.  Spoon the batter onto a sprayed griddle or pan heated to medium-high. I usually make four big pancakes, but you could also make 8 smaller ones.
  5.  Flip the pancakes when they start to bubble a bit on the surface. Cook until golden brown on both sides and serve with butter, syrup, fruit, Nutella….anything! Enjoy!

Benvenuto

Our little blog for recipes. The TRICK is each time you add a recipe add "labels" with the tab on the blog post page. For example if I'm adding a chicken and rice casserole... I'd add the tags "chicken" "casserole" "for the oven" "comfort food" ... stuff like that. That way, when we are on the blog, you can click on a certain key words and find all of the recipes that contain those words.

 (Labels tab is over here)