Food Nanny Valentine's Italian Menu (Option #1)

After a wonderful holiday season with my family, and a nice, long vacation to Utah for a wedding this month, I'm back and getting ready for all of our favorite heartsy fartsy holiday. Valentine's Day is the time of glue, chocolate, red construction paper hearts, chocolate, pink love notes, chocolate, and white doilies that would be heinously tacky at any other time of year.

2 Ways to Make Stovetop Garlic Bread

One of the easiest ways to spruce up that "darn Dutch Oven Bread that's all over Pinterest" is simply to turn it into garlic bread. There are about 40 ways to do this. Really. You can use a grill, your broiler, a toaster, a frying pan, or, if you live in Colombia you can just slap on the garlic butter and hold your bread under the sun for a few minutes. (This works for all countries along the Equator.) You can use fresh minced garlic, roasted garlic, or go super easy with garlic salt.

For the sake of my readership, I'm only going to show you two of the ways I like to make garlic bread, both using fresh garlic and both on the stovetop.

Janna & Ina's Margherita Pizza

The culinary goddess Ina Garten and I recently collaborated to come up with one seriously delectable pizza. Perhaps a little more accurate, I took a pasta recipe of Ina's that I'm in love with and decided to convert several of the ingredients into a pizza.... without consulting her. So, that's a bit of a let-down. BUT, I do like this pizza enough that I would serve it to Ina should she ever choose to come over for dinner. (Anytime, Ina!)

You can bet your perky little bum that I'll be sharing that pasta recipe with you, but I want to do it proper justice with a blog entry of its own. Patience, grasshopper. 

K, let's get this show on the road, shall we?

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Janna & Ina's Margherita Pizza

Makes 1 large pizza

Ingredients:

1 ball of your favorite pizza dough, room temperature

1/4 cup olive oil

2 cloves freshly minced garlic (not the kind you buy in the jar that's already minced!) 

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning

1 16 ounce ball of fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/4" slices

2 medium vine tomatoes, sliced

3 Tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped

1/4-1/5 teaspooon crushed red pepper flakes (optional. I opted out this time because my hubs is quite sensitive to spicy foods.)

quality grated parmesan cheese

12 fresh basil leaves, sliced julienne

freshly grated black pepper, for seasoning

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. If using a pan, choose your largest one and lightly grease and flour it.

Take your room temp dough and roll it out so that it's very thin and will fit your pizza pan or stone. Place the rolled-out dough onto the pan and bake it in the oven for 5-7 minutes. In the meantime, combine the olive oil, garlic, and kosher salt. 

If the crust has bubbled up, poke a few holes in it with a fork and gently press it flat. Top the entire surface of the pre-baked crust with the olive oil mixture. (You probably won't use all of it.)

Next add the mozzarella, followed by the tomato so that they cover the inner surface of the crust. (Depending on how big your pizza is, you may not use all the mozzarella.) Top with the thyme, and bake for about 8 minutes or until the cheese is completely melted and the crust is golden brown.

Juices from the tomatoes may emerge and run while in the oven. If this is the case, simply dab the pizza gently with a paper towel to remove the excess juice. Season the pizza lightly with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using). Finally, top it off with with parmesan cheese (not too heavy), and the fresh basil.  Cut into slices and serve while hot!

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Behold my favorite pizza I've ever made.  (If you want Shawn's favorite pizza I've ever made, check out this Ham and Pepperoni Stromboli.)

Italian Wedge Salad, and How Wedge Salads Will Save Me

(Photo courtesy of Tastebook)

The last time we went out to eat with my husband's family, we dined at the Matchbox Vintage Pizza and Bistro in Rockville, MD where I ate what was quite possibly the best salad I've ever tasted. I wish I had an inside connection so that I could tell you exactly how to make that Grilled Romaine and Hanger Steak Salad. Alas, I cannot. But I can tell you about how it inspired me and hope that that's good enough, for now. It was not my first time eating a wedge salad, but it was the first time eating one that made me a true fan of them. One reason is because my brother-in-law made a comment about how wedge salads are kind of a lazy way out of making a "real" salad. My first inclination was to be very defensive of the masterpiece I was consuming (with embarrassing speed and focus,) but then a bell went off as I remembered how I hate making salads. Drying off every single leaf... Aaargh! I know that there are a lot of you out there who also hate making salads, but love eating them. Why have I never made wedge salads at home before, I thought to myself. And then I noticed how much easier it was to eat a wedge salad in a tidy fashion. (See the "About" page for a little more history on this inexplicable problem area in my life.) Are wedge salads the answer to my salad making & eating woes? I think so, my friends.

So, in honor of the Grilled Romaine and Hanger Salad, and in honor of my mother who I've embarrassed so many times over the years with my inability to judge the amount of salad my mouth can hold at one time, I give you the Italian Wedge Salad by Johnny Carino. This is a bit of a non-recipe recipe, which I kind of like because then I feel unrestrained and can add as many diced tomatoes as I want. :)

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Italian Wedge Salad by Johnny Carino

Makes 1 serving

Ingredients

1/4 of a wedge of crisp iceberg lettuce

Top with:

bacon crumbles

candied pecans

Gorgonzola cheese

diced Granny Smith apples

diced roma tomatoes

Top salad with ranch dressing

Directions

How to make Candied Pecans: In a sauce pan on high heat pour 1/4 cup of sugar and one full bag of chopped pecans together, stir constantly. You will see the sugar caramelize. Remove from heat. These burn easily so watch them carefully.

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Valentine's Day Menu- Stromboli By Candlelight

About 10 years ago my brother-in-law told me about a study that researched the effects of various genres of movies on the romantic inclinations of couples who were on dates. To do this, they simply observed the body language of the pairs as they left the theater, noting the differences between couples that just watched a romantic comedy, for example, versus a horror film. You may be surprised that those leaving romantic movies were not touching as much or walking as closely together as those leaving films of most of the other genres. Why? Well, I'm not an expert, but I did study family sciences with an emphasis in marriage, (and have been in a few long-term relationships,) so I have my ideas. I suspect that a lot of it comes down to expectations and pressure. Remember when I explained the reason I chose a more down-to-earth collection of songs for my Valentine's/Anniversary playlist? Guitars over violins, and Mat Kearney over Celine Dion? Well, there's more than just one reason, but mainly it's because most relationships aren't made of silk and champagne, and if your V-Day plans are made of silk and champagne, it could could make you or your partner feel like you have too much to live up to, especially if your relationship has yet to get serious. To me, it's a day to celebrate what you have in whatever way feels authentic. If that means dinner at a fancy restaurant, because you're fancy, because you're a foodie, or because that's fun to you, that's awesome! We really enjoy fine dining sometimes. All I'm saying is that less, in my experience, often results in more.

Chipotle by candlelight. Spring, 2008.

It is Valentine's Day, for goodness' sake, so we're not going to eat sandwiches in front of the t.v. We're going to make it special, the table will be dressed, and, though the food will be slightly understated, it will still be great, dang it!
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Salad: Italian Wedge Salad
Main Dish: Ham & Pepperoni Stromboli
Beverage: Villa Italia Grapefruit Soda
Dessert: Fruit Tart
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The main dish is a stromboli, because we had stromboli the night we got engaged, and because the first time I made this for Shawn (just a few weeks ago) he looked at me as if he was going to propose again, he loved it that much. In fact, he said it was his favorite thing I've ever made for him.

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Ham & Pepperoni Stromboli adapted from a recipe by Lindsey of "Burn Me Not"

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 ball of good pizza dough

Flour, for dusting
2 cups quality pizza sauce
1/4 pound smoked ham, sliced
1/4 pound good, deli pepperoni, from the deli
Dried basil
Dried Oregano
2 cups mozzarella, shredded
Extra-virgin olive oil
Good parmesan cheese, finely shredded

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Lightly grease a cookie sheet, or preheat a pizza stone, if you have one.

Lay your dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a 15"x12" rectangle.

Spread only some of the pizza sauce onto half of the dough, (dividing the longer portion of the dough in half,) maybe 1/8"-1/4" thick. Reserve the rest of the sauce for dipping.

The only difference between a stromboli and a calzone is where the sauce is. With a stromboli, it's inside the pouch. With a calzone, it's used as a dipping sauce.

Arrange the ham slices overtop the sauce.

Top the ham with the pepperoni.

Look at those beauties...

Sprinkle the 'roni with basil and oregano.

Top with the mozzarella, and then sprinkle more basil and oregano.

Fold the plain half of the dough over the filling and seal the ends well.

You can use two hands, because you won't be taking photos of yourself doing each step. :)

Sleep tight, yummy filling!

I roll the bottom edge over the top one and pinch to achieve a secure seal.

Brush with oil. Top with freshly shredded parmesan and a little more oregano.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until lightly browned. Allow to cool for a few minutes before serving.

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Even though it's a stromboli recipe, I like some of the sauce to be saved for dipping. So I guess this is a strombozone.. or a calzoli.

Grandma Helen's Lasagna (from Italy!)

Grandma's lasagna, steaming hot from the oven...

Bongiorno! It's only January 3rd, but I can still be proud that I'm off to a good start on my New Year's resolutions, right? Last night I made one of Shawn's favorites- his mom's lasagna that she got from her mom that she got from an Italian lady she met. Gotta be good if it's from Italy, right? It's a little different than others you might be used to. This one calls for a creamy cottage cheese (don't be afraid), and, as you can see, is topped with tomatoes and sausage instead of mozzarella. No need to be sad; there's plenty of mozzarella to be had inside. I've had this many times now, and it is deee-licious and certainly guest-worthy.

To make it extra special, serve it with Red Grape Caesar Salad, Italian Sodas, and Jane Maynard's yummy Roasted Garlic Bulbs, which conveniently bake for the same amount of time as the lasagna. Since the bulbs call for a little extra heat than the lasagna, what I would do is raise the heat to 400 after the lasagna's done and leave the garlic in the oven for another 10 minutes or so while the lasagna's setting. Serve them with olive oil, freshly grated, quality parmesan, balsamic vinegar, and, of course, a fresh loaf of good Italian bread. Offer each guest their own small appetizer/bread plate so they may concoct their own little dipping blend!

Restaurant-inspired Roasted Garlic Bulbs from This Week for Dinner.

Back to the main affair...

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Grandma Helen's Lasagna adapted slightly by Janna Patterson

Serves 12

Ingredients

1 lb Italian sausage (Find a great fennel sausage, or go with a medium or hot if you can handle the heat. I think there's more flavor this way.)

1 clove minced garlic

2 T fresh basil

1/2 tsp salt

1 lb can whole tomatoes

2 (6 oz) can tomato paste

1 (10-oz) pkg lasagna noodles 

3 c creamy cottage cheese (or small curd cottage cheese if you can't find this. I added a tiny amount of heavy cream to my small curd cottage cheese to make it creamier..)

2 beaten eggs

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (the good kind)

2 T parsley flakes

1 1/2 lbs mozzarella cheese sliced thin (you can use shredded, but sliced works best)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Brown sausage slowly. Spoon off fat. 

Add next 5 ingredients. Simmer uncovered until flavors are blended. 

Cook lasagna noodles until tender in a large amount of (salted) boiling water and some olive oil to prevent sticking. 

Mix cottage cheese, eggs, salt, pepper, parmesan cheese and parsley to make the cheese filling. 

Place half the cooked noodles at the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Spread noodles with half of the cheese filling. Cover with half of the mozzarella cheese, and then half the meat sauce. Repeat layers. (There should be two of each layer, ending with the meat/tomato mixture on top.) Bake for 30 min. 

Before cutting, let stand for 10 minutes to allow filling to set.

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Italian Sodas, Part II / New Year's Eve Party (Last Minute!)

I don't know if there's ever been a Christmas when I didn't know what my plans would be at least several months in advance. Lots of people know what they'll be doing for the next five Christmases. But I can think of many years that I found myself in the few days leading up to New Year's Eve still having no idea where I'd be celebrating. Apparently, I'm not alone. Turns out a handful of our friends have been planning to wing it this year. Well, not on my watch! My awesome husband is indulging me, once again, and has agreed to throw a last-minute New Year's gathering with a few friends. 

Here's how we're doing it:

• INVITATIONS: Pingg is where I go. If I'm hosting something formal, I might send out paper invitations, but otherwise, I'm a Pingg girl (though you can send out paper invitations through them, come to think of it!) Try it! I think you'll like it better than Evite. Anyway, they go out this weekend.
• START TIME: Typically a New Year's Eve party might begin around 8:00 or 9:00, but our guests have kids that are too young to stay up late, so we're doing our social celebration early, around 5:30-6:00.
• CHILDCARE (if needed:) Save your guests the headache of finding someone to watch their kids at home. If you know a good sitter, have her/him come over with a few of their friends and hire them to man a designated kid-friendly space. Parents can bring activities for the kids, and you can keep a couple of fun films on hand as a back-up.
• FOOD: Appetizers three ways... for dinner. You could do it earlier in the day or later in the evening, but it works out best for our guests to do it around dinner time. Which puts us in a food dilemma. I really hate to just forget about the fact that the food usually served on New Year's Eve is ours devours. So, I'm throwing out dinner time rules, and we're eating appetizers. For a fun twist, we're asking each couple to bring one appetizer prepared three ways. Want to do the same? Here are some classics that you and your guests can get creative with:

          -Chips and dip

          -Bruchetta

          -Pigs in a blanket

          -Jalapeno poppers

          -Lettuce wraps

          -Shrimp

          -Fruit salad

          -Dumplings

          -Egg Rolls

          -Cheese and crackers/bread

          -Crudites

          -Guacamole

          -Mozzarella sticks

          -Mini quiche

          -Finger sandwiches

          -Quesadillas

          -Deviled Eggs

          -Fondue 

          -Skewers

We are doing the drinks: Italian Sodas Three Ways

Vanilla and raspberry are all-time favorites, and I couldn't pass up the pomegranate. 

Seltzer water and club soda are virtually the same, so choose either. Costco sells a big case of seltzer for under $6.

Torani's tasty and affordable. Get them at World Market for $7/each. The pumps are about $2.50/each.

Cream and stirrers

We don't have actual stirrers, but we do have a slew of chopsticks!

Just needs a good stir....

...and she's ready. :)

Italian Sodas, Part I

If you read the fine print on my Amaretto Pound Cake a la Mode, you'll see that I didn't use actual amaretto, but a syrup (since we don't use alcohol unless it's cooked out.) Here's where I'll also confess that I had a hard time finding almond flavored syrup, and improvised with English Toffee and a wee bit of almond extract. But I learned that you CAN get almond syrup without having to order it! It's at World Market! Anyway, so I have all this syrup now and was trying to figure out what to do with it. Back in college I worked for a time as a server at a restaurant that offered Italian sodas, and since I had some heavy cream in the refrigerator asking to be put to good use, it was a no-brainer. Some club soda from the store, ice from the freezer, and badda bing, I had myself some fancy drinks. ..Well, fancier than the water and milk that I drink 99.9% of the time.
Here's a photo tutorial of how to make one of these puppies, and tomorrow I'll show you how I intend to use them to ring in the New Year!

Fill with ice, oh, about half way or a little more if you'd like.

If you're using a pump, your Italian soda will probably take about 4 pumps of syrup, give or take depending on the size of the glass, of course.

Pour in club soda..

...up until about there, leaving a little bit of room for...

...the heavy cream! Lots of Italian sodas don't have cream, but why not offer it and people can make them however they want?

Stir, stir, stir and serve! Note: it kind of looks cool to stir the syrup and soda before adding the cream and then just stir it a little once the cream is in. That's not how I did it this time, but there's always tomorrow. :)

Playlist- Il Viaggio

To go with Menu #1 or any other Italian food party!

I have died and gone to an Italian Heaven, and that is where I write this post.

For months I've been working on various playlists to share with you to use as a backdrop for your social gatherings, and this one has been the most fun to create. This is partly because I'm very new to any sort of contemporary Italian music, and partly because the music I discovered is either so fun or so unbelievably beautiful. Some of these artists perform with a certain raw, poetic quality that allows them to reach the emotions of their listeners in a way that I think is rare in most of today's American music. I

Red Grape Caesar Salad

This salad is very, very simple and packs a LOT of flavor, which is why I like it so much. I'm sure the concept of red grapes in a caesar salad is not new to most of you. It really isn't anything revolutionary, but it IS delicious, and I can't fully enjoy a caesar without them. Normally I toss in some homemade croutons, but since this is going with pizza AND a soup that has bread in it, I kept the croutons out so you won't get bread overload in your meal. Also, sometimes I add chicken and stuff it all between fresh ciabatta for a delicious, albeit messy sandwich. (Really, it's probably best to do it in a wrap. Way more manageable.) Anyway, like I said, for the purpose of this menu, we're keeping it very basic. Because there are so few ingredients, it's imperative that you get the very best quality ingredients you can find (and can afford, of course.)  :)

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Red Grape Caesar Salad

Serves 8

The Amore-Maker: Individual Pizzas w/ Caramelized Onions, Goat Cheese, and Prosciutto

Ready to be irresistible? Your cupid is the lovely Miss Giada De Laurentiis, and her arrow is this appetizer recipe which I have adapted to work as a main course or side dish. Make these and the Ribolitta from yesterday's post for your desired target. That's what I did, and now I'm married to a sexy man. I didn't even have candles or music. (What?!) (I know!) Let's not waste any more time.

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Individual Pizzas w/ Caramelized Onions, Goat Cheese, and Prosciutto adapted from a recipe by Giada De Laurentiis

Cook Time: 1 hr 15 min

Serves 8

Ingredients

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

7 large onions, sliced (about 5 cups)

2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

2 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

3 teaspoons herbs de Provence (if you've never used this before, you are in for a treat!)

3 teaspoons sugar

2 balls purchased dough (about 24 to 32 ounces)

8 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

4 to 6 ounces prosciutto, cut into 2x2-inch pieces (Nix this ingredient for a great Vegetarian pizza)

Special equipment: pizza cutter, or knife

Directions
In a large, heavy skillet, heat the olive oil over low heat. Add the onions, salt, pepper, herbs de Provence, and sugar. Stir to combine. Continue cooking over very low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are caramelized and dark brown, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Grease two cookie sheets.
Preheat oven to 475 degrees F.
Roll out one pizza dough ball into a long oval or rectangle, 1/4 inch thick. Using your pizza cutter or knife, cut out 4 ovals to serve as the base for individual pizzas, maybe about 6-8 inches long and 3-4 inches wide. (Unless you're amazing at this, you'll probably need to cut out a couple, collect the remaining dough scraps, roll them out, and cut a couple more.) Roll out the second dough ball and repeat to make 4 more pizza bases. Place 4 on each cookie sheet and bake for 5 minutes.
Remove from oven and spoon the caramelized onions evenly across each dough base. Top with goat cheese. Bake until golden and bubbly, about 10 minutes.
While still hot, top each pizza with prosciutto. Serve immediately.
Notes for Presentation: These can be served whole to each individual at the table OR you can slice each into thirds and arrange them on a platter, with some fresh rosemary as a garnish, to be served family style. Either way, try slicing the pizzas at a diagonal for a more manageable bite and a more pleasing look- two parallel cuts on each to make three slices.
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Serve alongside the rest of Menu #1:
Blue Cheese Baguette Spread and Sliced Pears
Ribollita
Red Grape Caesar Salad
Amaretto Pound Cake a la Mode

Slice into thirds using two diagonal, parallel cuts to make it easier for your guests to eat without making a mess. :)

Menu- Ribollita and Pizzas with Caramelized Onion, Goat Cheese & Prosciutto

Ladies and Gentlemen, I'm introducing my very first full menu! AAAAAH! I don't know why, but I'm kind of nervous. What if some of you actually make this meal for a dinner party? Really, you should 'cause it's delicious. I tried it out on friends this week and they confirmed. (Thank you, Klysta and Dave, for being my test subjects!) But still... I have first-date jitters! Here's to a good first impression so you'll go out with me again.

We're doing Italian!
Appetizers: Blue Cheese Baguette Spread and Sliced Pears
Main Dish: Ribollita
Side Dish #1: Caramelized Onion, Goat Cheese, & Prosciutto Pizzas
Side Dish #2: Red Grape Caesar Salad
Dessert: Amaretto Pound Cake a la Mode

Here's what I love about this menu:

• Making ribolitta and this pizza was the first cooking I ever did for Shawn when we were dating.
• Winter doesn't yield a lot of fresh produce, but you'd never know it by tasting all the rich flavor combinations in this menu. 
• It's warm and filling- exactly what you want on a cold Winter night. 
• Considering it's a full-course meal, it's affordable. You won't break the bank, even if you're hosting a table full of friends.
• It's very easy to adjust to make it vegetarian! 

K, let's get to it. Today I'll give you the recipe for the main course and the rest will come over the next several days.

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Ribolitta
Serves 8
Total Time: 35-45 min

Ingredients
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces pancetta
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
5 large cloves of garlic, minced
3 large carrots, peeled and chopped
4 ribs celery, chopped
1 dried bay leaf
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 15-ounce cans white beans, such as cannellini, Great Northern, or navy beans, drained and rinsed (I use a combo of G.N. and navy)
8 cups chicken stock or broth
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
3 tablespoons tomato paste
4 cups day-old sourdough bread cubes, without crusts
freshly grated Parmesan, for serving

Directions
Heat oil in a large stockpot over medium-medium low heat. Add the pancetta and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 7-10 minutes, or until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic, carrots, celery, and bayleaf, and season with salt and pepper. Cook for another 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add beans, broth, tomatoes, and tomato paste, stir, cover, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove lid and stir in bread. Let it simmer for about 10-20 minutes, allowing the bread to break down and soup to thicken. (It's meant to be a thick soup, but you can adjust the thickness to your liking, adding more bread or broth as desired.) Season to taste. (I mean it! Don't wait 'til you're all eating to realize you should have added more salt and pepper!) Dish into bowls and top with Parmesan.
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Sweet Kate "helping" mom with the props. :)