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Archive for the ‘Easy Recipes’ Category

Tortellini Bites

Posted in Appetizers, Easy Recipes, Entertaining at Home, Recipes, tagged , , on March 18, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Tortellini Bites

The other day I needed to make some appetizers for a party and decided I would try something different. That different turned out to be really very tasty and so simple using some easy to find ingredients and a few minutes of my time.

Give these little tortellini bits a whirl. Your taste buds will thank you repeatedly. Especially if you are a pasta fan.

Just three ingredients, plus a bottle of salad dressing and you are good to go!

Cook tortellini according to package directions, drain, rinse and cool. Add dressing, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. Overnight is even better. I used mozzarella balls packed in water, drain the water, add in dressing and marinate.

Tortellini, ready for skewering!

Just thread them on the pick (which I found at the dollar store for a jar of 50).

 

 

Add mozzarella ball and a calamata olive.

 

Arrange on a platter and watch them disappear!

Tortellini Bites

1 bag cheese-filled tortellini

1 container mozzarella cheese balls or cubes

1 container calamata olives

1 cup olive oil/vinaigrette dressing (or Italian)

Cook tortellini according to package directions. Drain, rinse and cool. Drain mozzarella balls if they come pack in water. Add dressing to both the cheese and the pasta. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least an hour, overnight is even better. The more time they have to marinate in the dressing, the yummier they taste.

Assemble using toothpicks or mini skewers. Thread on one tortellini, one cheese ball and finish with an olive. Arrange on a platter and stand back to watch the crowd go wild. It is nearly impossible to eat just one, unless you are Captain Cavedweller who refuses to eat tortellini, calamata olives and anything marinated in vinaigrette dressing.

Enjoy and Happy Entertaining!

She Who Loves Pasta Way Too Much

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Meringue Shells

Posted in Desserts, Easy Recipes, Recipes, Valentine's Day, tagged , , on February 11, 2011| 3 Comments »

If you’ve followed along with my blog this week, you have a fun appetizer with the fruit slush recipe from Tuesday, Cupid’s Bread from Wednesday and an easy recipe for Manicotti yesterday.

Today’s post is the final touch to your amazingly easy Valentine’s Dinner that is sure to knock the socks off your sweetie-pie.

Chocolate Mousse (from a mix, of course) fills these beautiful and simple meringue shells. Garnish with raspberries and chocolate hearts and you can’t go wrong!

Ingredients for Meringue Shells

Beat egg whites, add in vanilla and cream of tartar. Gradually beat in sugar and continue to beat until stiff and glossy.

Oh... shiny and so lovely!

You can drop dough by spoonfuls on baking sheet or pipe with pastry bag. I like the piped version better.

Piping a shell...

Make sure you make the sides higher than the middle. You are essentially creating a meringue nest.

Bake shells until lightly browned and set, then turn off oven and let them rest for one hour before removing to cool.

While shells are cooling, make chocolate hearts. Melt about two tablespoons semi-sweet chocolate chips in the microwave (nuke in 10-15 second intervals so you don't overcook). Spoon melted chips into a Ziploc bag, cut a hold in one corner and pipe heart shapes onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.

 

Pop in the freezer until set and ready to use.

 

When you are ready to serve, fill shells with Chocolate Mousse.

Top with a dollop of whipped cream and a rapsberry.

Garnish with chocolate hearts (you can add a swirl of chocolate or raspberry syrup to the plate as well if you like.) Then watch your Valentine melt in a puddle at your feet!

 

Meringue Shells

3 egg whites

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

3/4 cup sugar

Chocolate Mousse Mix

Raspberries

Whipping Cream

Chocolate Hearts (see directions above)

Place egg whites in a small bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Add vanilla and cream of tartar; beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form and mixture is glossy.

Drop eight mounds onto parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Shape into 3-in. cups with the back of a spoon. (Or pipe through a pastry bag.) Bake at 225° for 1 to 1-1/2 hours or until set and dry. Turn oven off; leave meringues in oven for 1 hour.

Cool on wire racks.  Fill shells with chocolate mousse (follow directions on package), top with whipped cream and a raspberry and garnish with chocolate hearts.

Happy Valentine’s Entertaining!

From She Who Loves These Shells

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Manicotti

Posted in Easy Recipes, Entertaining Ideas, Main Dish, Valentine's Day on February 10, 2011| Leave a Comment »

“When the moon hits you eye like a big pizza pie
That’s amore
When the world seems to shine like you’ve had too much wine
That’s amore”

There is just something about Italian food that speaks the language of love. Dean Martin crooned about it in this well-known tune. Even Tramp knew to take Lady to an Italian restaurant when he was trying to impress her.

Although a lot of dishes seem involved and sometimes complicated, Manicotti is one that is simple and so good. If you want to your food to speak of your love, give this main dish a whirl. It will set your Valentine’s heart a-flutter. (Or at least make them drool and beg you to share your dinner!)

Cast of characters for Manicotti

Cook pasta shells for seven minutes.

Drain pasta, rinse in cold water, set aside.

While meat is browning, mix together ricotta and parmesan cheeses, parsley flakes and salt.

Add browned meat to filling mix then start filling the shells.

Pour 3/4 cup alfredo sauce in bottom of baking dish and spread evenly. Top with filled Manicotti shells then pour rest of jar of sauce over shells, top with Parmesan cheese and bake!

Manicotti - hot out of the oven and ready to eat. (Please note to not overcook yours like I did mine because my dad called about three seconds before I needed to take this out of the oven!)

Garnish with marinara sauce and more cheese then savor ever delicious bite!

Manicotti
1 box Manicotti shells
1 pound ground pork sausage
1 pound ground beef
1 tsp. all-purpose seasoning
1 tsp. onion flakes
2 eggs
1 15-ounce container ricotta cheese
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. parsley flakes
3/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 jar alfredo sauce
1/2 cup marinara sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook Manicotti shells 7 minutes in boiling water. Drain and rinse in cool water. Set aside.

In a large skillet, cook beef and sausage with seasoning and onion flakes until brown. Drain any grease and set aside.

Beat eggs lightly in a medium bowl. Stir in ricotta, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, parsley flakes and salt. Mix in meat.

Grease a 13x9x2 inch baking dish and spread 3/4 cup alfredo sauce in the bottom of the pan. Fill Manicotti shells with cheese and meat mixture. I use a teaspoon to stuff the filling in. You can also load a ziploc bag and cut a sizeable whole in one corner and squeeze it in, but I think the teaspoon method is faster. Place filled Manicotti in pan. Pour remaining sauce evenly over filled shells, sprinkle with remaining cheese and cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking 5-10 minutes until cheese is melted.

Put a large spoonful of marinara sauce on a plate, top with two Manicotti shells, drizzle with marinara sauce and top with another sprinkling of cheese, if desired. Serve alongside a fresh, green salad and Cupid’s Bread.

Prepare to be overwhelmed with the undying devotion of your sweetheart for making them such a marvelous meal!

That’s Amore!

Happy Valentine’s Entertaining!


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Cupid’s Bread

Posted in Easy Recipes, Recipes, Valentine's Day on February 9, 2011| 2 Comments »

If you want a sweet accent for your Valentine’s Dinner, try this easy bread. It comes together in just a minute or two and Cupid himself couldn’t make it any cuter!

Ingredients for Cupid's Bread

Form two breadsticks into a heart and crimp together at top and bottom points. Hubby made this twisted heart. I'm not entirely sure I want to know the significance of that...

I stuck with a non-twisted curly at the top heart.

Brush with olive oil

Sprinkle on seasoning

Hearts - fully seasoned and ready for some lovin' in the oven.

Baked hearts - all golden brown and lovely.

Right before serving, cut hearts out of firm butter with a cookie cutter and accent your Cupid's Bread. Sure to melt your Valentine's heart!

 

Cupid’s Bread

1 tube refrigerated breadsticks

1 tbsp. olive oil

Seasoning (I used a Tuscan blend since the meal we are preparing is Italian themed)

Butter (optional)

Separate breadsticks and form two sticks into a heart. Seal (crimp together) at bottom and top edges. Continue until you have used all the breadsticks. Place on a baking sheet and brush the bread with olive oil. Sprinkle on seasoning and bake at 375 degrees about 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Using a small heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut a pat of butter from a firm stick, then cut out heart shape.

Enjoy!

Happy Valentine’s Entertaining

 

 

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