VEAL, PEPPERS AND ONIONS

1 lb veal cubes, cut into bite size pieces
2 medium bell peppers, seeded and cut in quarters, then sliced
2 medium onions, cut in half and then sliced
1 8 oz can of tomato sauce
3-4 oz of sherry or white wine
3 tb oil
salt, pepper and garlic powder

Put oil in large frying pan
Add peppers, cook approximately 7 minutes
Add onions
Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder
Stir often
Cook until tender

Push aside and add veal, saute on all sides
Combine peppers, onions and veal
Add tomato sauce
Add sherry/wine
Cook together approximately 20 minutes

Serve over noodles

ESCAROLE AND BEANS

2 heads of escarole
1 can of red kidney beans
2-3 tbsp oil
3 cloves of garlic

Fill sink with water, cut off bottom of escarole and put in sink with water.
Swish around to remove all the sand and put in a large pot with water and 1 tbsp of salt.

Cook until tender.

In a separate saucepan, saute the garlic in oil, carefully add the escarole, picking it up out of the water it was cooked in. Don't worry about some of the water going in the pot with the escarole.
I always save some of the water anyway in case I want to add a little more to the pot. You don't want the escarole to be dry. You want it to be a little soupy. Then add the beans including the liquid.

Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste.

Cook together about 15 minutes.

Serve with crusty italian bread to dunk into the juice. YUM!

CHEESE & PARSLEY SAUSAGE, PEPPERS & ONIONS

1 ring of skinny cheese & parsley sausage
2 bell peppers, seeds removed, washed and sliced
2 medium onions, sliced
2-3 Tbsp oil

Place oil in frying pan, when hot add peppers, add onions after about 5 minutes
when peppers and onions are almost done, move them to the side or around the outer edge of the frying pan and put the sausage in the center of pan. Cook on both sides until browned and done. Will probably take about 15 minutes on each side over medium heat. You will need to use you own judgement here.

Makes a great sandwich on crusty italian bread

EGGPLANT PARMIGIANA

1 Eggplant
Marinara Sauce
Grated parmesan or romano cheese
Grated mozzarella cheese
2 eggs
Breadcrumbs
Oil to fry eggplant

Peel and thinly slice one eggplant (I usually slice it on the long part of the eggplant)
Beat 2 eggs with 1 tbsp of water

Dip the eggplant into the egg and then in bread crumbs

Fry in oil and drain on paper towels.

To Assemble, put some marinara sauce in bottom of baking pan and start layering as follows:

Eggplant, sauce, grated romano or parmesan cheese and grated mozzarella.

End up with the top layer of sauce with the grated cheese and mozzarella.

Bake at 350 degress until the mozzarella is melted.

POTATO AND EGG FRITTATA

4-5 small to medium size potatoes
4 eggs
oil to coat the bottom and sides of fry pan
salt, pepper and garlic powder

cook potatoes in microwave*, allow to cool and then peel and cut up(about the size of home fries)

beat the eggs well, seasoning with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste

coat fry pan (10" pan) with oil and saute potaotes, season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. You just need to lightly brown the potatoes.

Pour eggs over potatoes and as the outer edge of the eggs become cooked, gently push the edge in a little at a time towards center allowing the uncooked eggs to run to the edge (you can lift the pan and swirl around a bit). After doing that a few times, make little openings in the center to allow some uncooked egg to get underneath and be cooked. Take a plate large enough to cover fry pan and place over it, holding the handle of the fry pan with one hand and the other hand firmly on the bottom of the plate thus holding the pan and the plate together, turn the potato and egg onto the plate (DO THIS OVER THE SINK) and slide it back into the fry pan to cook the other side. When done invert onto a clean plate and serve.

*I have found this to be a healthier version than frying the potatoes in alot of oil and it takes less time. I don't think it compromises the flavor very much.

MARINARA SAUCE

2 Tbsp of olive oil
2 cloves of garlic
1 large can of crushed tomatoes
1 Tbsp of oregano
1 Tbsp of basil
salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste
1/4 cup of water

Saute garlic in oil (do not burn)
Add crushed tomatoes and water
Add oregano, basil, salt, pepper and garlic powder

Cook over low heat approximately 20 to 30 minutes.

Serve over your favorite pasta

*This is a great meal to make when you really need something quick.
You can always add a jar or can of drained mushrooms to it to make it a little different.

CHICKEN THIGHS WITH POTATOES & PEAS

4-6 chicken thighs (with bones in and skin on)
4 or 5 potatoes
1 can of peas, drained
Salt, pepper, garlic powder

Spray a baking/roasting pan with cooking spray
Place chicken thighs in pan, skin side up
Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder

Roast in 350 degree oven until the skins are browned approx. 15 minutes
turn and cook on the other side 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel potatoes, cut up and put in pot with cold water, season with salt and cook until tender but not completely done. Drain and add to chicken after chicken has been browned on both sides, making sure to turn the potatoes a few times to coat them with the drippings from the chicken.

Add the drained peas and mix again.

Put everything back in the oven and continue to cook for 15 to 20 minutes more or until the chicken is done.

CHILI

1 and 1/2 pounds of chopped beef
1 8 oz can of tomato sauce
1 can of red kidney beans (15 oz)
1 package of dry chili seasoning

Brown meat in medium size pot.
Drain off excess liquid.
Add seasoning package and tomato sauce
Add 1/2 can of water (use tomato sauce can)
Add kidney beans, including the liquid.
Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder

Cook together about 20 minutes.

Serve over rice or with grated cheddar cheese, finely chopped onions, tortilla chips

Please go to cookingwithdiane.blogspot.com and leave your comments to let me know what you thought of this recipe.

ROASTED RED PEPPERS

As many red peppers as you want.

Wash the peppers and leave wet.

Line a cookie sheet or two or however many you need to accommodate the peppers, with aluminum foil.

Place peppers on lined cookie sheet and roast in a 350 degree oven turning from time to time as they begin to cook.

When they begin to deflate and soften, they are done. The time this takes varies and also depends if you prefer them soft or hard. Use your own judgement.

When they are done, place them in a large bowl (including any juice that may have escaped from the peppers, cover with plastic wrap and put them aside to cool down. If you don't have time to clean them you can refrigerate until you do.

I like to put some plastic bags down on the counter and then paper towels over them. Have a couple of bowls to work with and also keep a bowl of water near by to clean you hands now and then. Paper towels also. This is a bit messy but I assure you they are a thousand times better than store bought.

Hold the pepper over the bowl and peel and remove the seeds. Place the seeds and peels on the bags covered with paper towel for easy clean-up. The pieces of red pepper go into another bowl. After doing this with each pepper, take a clean bowl and go through them again to remove any remaining seeds. Pour all of the liquid through a strainer over the peppers.

The peppers can be separated into plastic containers and frozen.

To serve, season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. If you want to you can add a little olive oil as well. I think they taste just fine without it.

AUNT MARY'S RICE BALLS

4 cups rice (small grain or medium grain, if you can't find small)
7 & 1/2 cups of water
Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder
1 stick of butter

Put all together in pot and cook until all water is absorbed.

Taste rice and if it feels too hard add a little more water a little at a time and cook until rice is tender.

Let rice cool

After it's cool, add 2 eggs one at a time and mix in well. Add approximately 1/4 cup of grated cheese and mix in well.

MEAT FILLING
Brown about 1 pound of chopped meat (beef or pork). Drain and add one 8 oz. can of delmonte sauce or any brand of tomato sauce you like. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste.

MOZZARELLA
Cut up some mozzarella.

TO ASSEMBLE RICE BALLS:
Put a little rice in your hand and put some meat and mozzarella in center, cover with a little more rice - shape into a ball and roll in bread crumbs. I find if I moisten my hands it's easier to roll the balls.

Deep fry.

Drain on paper towels.

I hope this recipe comes out good for you. It is a bit messy to work with but oh so worth it. My mom was certainly the expert rice ball maker and I hope that I am able to follow in her footsteps.

PEAS AND MACARONI

1/2 lb of elbow macaroni
1 can of peas
1/2 onion sliced
2-3 tbsp. of olive oil
2 cloves of garlic

Saute garlic and onion in oil.
Add peas (including water)
Season with salt and pepper

Separately, cook elbow macaroni in boiling water (add 1 tsp of salt to the water)
when almost done, drain macaroni, reserving some of the water.

Combine the macaroni with the peas and add as much of the reserved water to make it to the consistency you like.

Cook together about 15 minutes. Add 1 tbsp of butter and stir.

Serve with grated parmesan or romano cheese.



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Enjoy!