Giardiniera - Italian Pickled Vegetables

Here's a crunchy medley of fresh vegetables that can be whipped up in no time! Serve as an antipasto or chop it up to add to your salami and proscuitto sandwich!

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups bite sized cauliflower florets

1/2 yellow or orange bell pepper, cut in 1/2-3/4" cubes

1/2 red bell pepper, cut in 1/2-3/4" cubes

3 oz green beans, cut in 1-1 1/2" pieces

1 celery stalk, cut in 1/2" slices

1 medium carrot, peeled and cut in 1/4-1/2" slices

add a jalapeño if you like a bit of heat

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tsp black peppercorns

2 bay leaves

3 tsps coarse salt

1 tbsp white sugar

1 1/3 cups water

1 1/3 cups white wine vinegar

 

First, sterilize the jars and lids. Place a piece of cutlery in each jar then pour boiling water in. The cutlery stops the glass from cracking. Set the lids in a shallow bowl. When ready to seal the jars pour boiling water in the bowl to cover the lids then remove with tongs to use.

 

In a saucepan add the ingredients for the brine... the coarse salt, white sugar, water and white wine vinegar. Bring just to a boil to dissolve the sugar. Press the vegetables into the jars. Mix the seasonings and divide into the jars, placing a bay leaf in each. Pour the hot pickling brine in using a funnel. Not like I tried here when some of it missed the jar!!

 

Place the warm lids on to seal. Cool on counter for 24 hours then refrigerate at least another 24 hours or best to wait 1 week.

You can serve it with a drizzle of olive oil.

Makes about 2 - 500ml jars

Adaped from: itsnotcomplicatedrecipes.com

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Italian Roasted Shrimp

If you're tired of turkey leftovers, these quick and delish crustaceans will really hit the spot. And they're baked in the oven on a foil lined pan for easy clean up! Serve with your favourite pasta or rice.

Ingredients:

 300g (o.66 lb) 16-20 size shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 tbsps olive oil

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 tsp dry oregano

1/4 tsp dry basil

salt and pepper to taste

 

Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with foil. Spray with cooking oil. Combine olive oil, garlic, oregano and basil and toss with shrimp to coat. Place the shrimp on the prepared baking sheet and season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Bake at 400°F for approximately 8-12 minutes or until opaque and pink.

Depending on the size shrimp you use the cooking time will vary. Here is a guideline:

medium - 7-9 minutes

large/extra large - 8-10 minutes

jumbo - 10-12 minutes

Serve with lemon wedges and they're awesome over spaghetti with tomato sauce!

Serves 2-3

Recipe from: sumofyum.com

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Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore Drumsticks

This is a large recipe. You will need a 7 quart slow cooker to cook all this yumminess!

Ingredients:

Topping:

24 chicken drumsticks

4 tsps smoked paprika

2 tsps dry oregano

1 tsp dry basil

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Sauce:

1/2 cup tomato paste

2 - 28 oz cans diced tomatoes

2 tbsps smoked paprika

2 tsps dry oregano

1 tsp dry basil

1 1/2 tsps salt

2 red onions, thinly sliced

2 bell peppers, diced

1/2 - 1 cup stuffed green olives (optional)

Combine the topping ingredients and coat all the drumsticks. Then, in the slow cooker crockpot, mix all the sauce ingredients and nestle the drumsticks in. You will probably need to layer them and that's ok as long as they are mostly covered in sauce.

Place the onions, bell peppers and olives (if using) on top. Cover and set on low for 6 hours. (You can see here just how full this 7 quart crock is!)

And it's ready to serve with your favourite rice or pasta!

Serves 10

(The leftover sauce can be boiled down for a hearty pasta sauce too!)

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Spicy Italian Sausage, Tortellini and Peppers

This one pot wonder comes together in less than 30 minutes and is a spicy mix of Italian sausage, bright and colourful peppers, easy store bought tortellini and fragrant fresh basil. Also if you like, increase the broth from 2 to 5 cups and you've got yourself a hearty, healthy soup! 

Ingredients:

12 oz (350g) Italian sausages

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, diced

2 or 3 peppers, sliced

2 cups chicken broth

1 - 28 oz (796ml) can diced tomatoes

12 oz (350g) tortellini

1 1/2 cups greens, like spinach, arugula

a handful of fresh basil leaves

parmesan cheese for serving (optional)

Remove the casing from the sausages and cut up the meat. I used spicy sausage so no additional spices or salt and pepper were needed. The sausage spices did it all! Add olive oil to a large skillet, add the sausage meat and cook on medium high heat. Break up the meat as it cooks. When almost cooked add the onion and peppers and continue cooking another 3-4 minutes.

Pour in the broth and canned tomatoes and add the tortellini. Bring to a boil then simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the pasta is cooked to your liking. Toss in the greens and fresh basil right before serving. That basil smells heavenly!

Serves 4

Adapted from tippsinthekitch.com

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Italian Sausage Scalloped Potatoes

 Ok, so it's not pretty

Ingredients:

500g (1 lb) hot or mild Italian or Chorizo sausage meat

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, thinly sliced

4 medium potatoes, cut 1/8" thick

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup flour

2 cups milk

salt and pepper to taste

1 tsp oregano, divided

3/4 cup shredded cheddar

2 tbsps parmesan cheese

Use loose sausage meat or remove casings from sausages and cook in olive oil on medium high heat for 3-5 minutes. Set aside.

Place potato slices in a large pot of water and bring to a boil. Simmer 5 minutes then drain. 

Oil an 8 X 8 X 4" baking dish and start layering onions, potatoes and sausage, onions, potatoes and sausage...

In a saucepan, melt the butter and whisk in the flour. Cook 1 minute, then whisk in the milk. Heat and whisk for about 2 minutes or until thickened. Add salt, pepper and 1/2 tsp oregano. Pour into the baking dish.

Top with cheeses and the remaining 1/2 tsp oregano and bake in a 375°F oven for 35-40 minutes or until the fork test says the potatoes are tender.

Sit 10 minutes before cutting to serve.

Serves 4 as a meal or 6 as a side.

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Ravioli Sauce with Red Onion and Pesto

Fancy doesn't have to mean fussy. This pretty plate took under 30 minutes to make start to finish. Keep a bag of frozen ravioli in the freezer. Nothing wrong with dressed up store bought pasta!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion

1 tbsp finely chopped marinated hot pepper rings

1/2 cup light olive oil 

2 tbsps pesto 

Fresh parsley chopped to serve

1 1/2 lbs (700 g) fresh ravioli (I used cheese and spinach here)

Start cooking the ravioli as directed.

Heat 1 or 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a saucepan. Add red onion and sauté until softened then add the hot peppers. Stir together then add the rest of the ingredients and heat through. 

Once the ravioli is ready, drain then add to the saucepan. Stir to coat.

Plate your ravioli with lots of chopped parsley.

Serves 4

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Meat Sauce and Butterflies

Just your middle-of-the-week meat sauce served here with farfalle, Italian for butterflies. (No actual butterflies were harmed in the making of this meal 😃)

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef

2 tbsps olive oil, divided

3 tsps minced garlic

1 onion, diced

3 stalks celery and their leaves, sliced

1 tbsp tomato paste

400 ml (14 oz) canned diced tomatoes

2 tbsps balsamic vinegar

1 tsp celery seed

1 tsp sage

1 bay leaf

284 ml (10 oz) can Rotel tomatoes and green chilies

salt and pepper to taste or Mrs Dash table blend

4 cups farfalle

1/2 cup reserved pasta water

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet and brown the beef on medium heat, then remove to a plate. Remove any fat from the pan and add 1 tbsp olive oil. Add the diced onion and cook 3 minutes then add the garlic for 1 minute longer. Add the celery, canned diced tomatoes and Rotel, tomato paste, balsamic, celery seed, sage, bay leaf, salt and pepper.

Bring to a boil and return the meat to the skillet. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour. Towards the end of the hour start boiling water for the pasta. 

Once the pasta is cooked reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water then drain the rest. Mix the pasta into the sauce along with the pasta water as needed. 

Serves 4 (Don't forget to remove the bayleaf!)

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Pork Osso Buco

This pork osso buco is equally flavourful and additionally less expensive than it's traditional veal counterpart. These pork shanks (which I just learned are actually sliced pork hocks!) cook low and slow for 2 1/2 hours to fall-off-the-bone perfection!

Ingredients:

2 1/2 lbs pork shank slices (8)

2 tbsps butter

salt and pepper

1 medium onion, chopped

2 tsps minced garlic

2 medium carrots, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

1/2 cup white wine

1 - 28 oz can diced tomatoes

2 tbsps tomato paste

1 cup beef broth

1 tsp dried thyme

1 bay leaf

juice and zest of 1/2 lemon

fresh Italian parsley

In a large skillet melt the butter, then salt and pepper the shanks and brown on both sides. Remove to a plate. Add chopped onions to the pan and cook 3 minutes adding the garlic in the last minute. Then add the carrots and celery. 

De-glaze the skillet with white wine, then add the canned tomatoes, tomato paste, beef broth, thyme and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Return the meat to the pot and reduce the heat to simmer. Nestle the pork into the sauce and cover the pot. Low simmer for 2 1/2 hours. 

Just before serving stir in the lemon juice and zest, plate and top with fresh chopped italian parsley.

Serves 4 - 8 

These shanks have a large bone in the middle which gives lots of flavour to the meat but if you like more meat plan on serving 2 shanks per person. 

Chicken Cacciatore

This fall off the bone chicken is best served with pasta or rice. And a nice crusty bread for sopping up all that rustic sauce!

Ingredients:
4 chicken legs, divided
2 tbsps olive oil
1 tbsp butter
salt and pepper
1 onion, diced
1 red pepper, sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 cup thick sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped kale
5 oz tomato paste
2 tsps minced garlic
1 tsp dry oregano
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 cup white wine
1 tbsp cornstarch
28 oz canned tomatoes
parsley and parmesan to serve

Cut chicken legs in half at the joint and salt and pepper to taste. Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet and lightly brown the chicken on all side. Remove to a plate.

Pour the excess grease out of the pan leaving about 1 tbsp.
On medium heat add the onion, red pepper, celery, mushrooms and kale and cook about 5 minutes or until soft.

Add the tomato paste, minced garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, white wine and canned tomatoes. Stir to combine.

Return the chicken to the pan nestling the pieces into the sauce and spooning some on top. Simmer covered for 1 hour.

Mix a heaping tbsp of cornstarch with a couple tbsps of cold water. Add some of the warm sauce to the cornstarch/water then add it all to the pot stirring well.

With lid removed raise heat to medium high for 10-20 minutes to slightly thicken.

Serve sprinkled with parsley and parmesan cheese. And get a slice of bread for that sauce!

Serves 4-6