Spoiled Principessa's Kitchen

A Christmas Tradition

2008-12-28T16:16:00.000-08:00

It's been a busy month so I haven't posted. I'm hoping once things slow down I'll be able to post and cook regular meals again. But for now, I'll post my antipasto platter from Christmas Day. This we have been eating EVERY Christmas day for as long as I can remember.

We always had the big Italian meal at Christmas. Starting with the antipasto platter, then pasta( usually manticotti), meatballs and sausage, salad, bread, then nuts and cordials, fruit, and then dessert. Years have gone by and the antipasto has remained. This year we enjoyed dinner with my in laws and my MIL was very gracious and let us bring the platter.

Included in the platter:
Prosciutto
Sopressata
Pepperoni
Salami
Sharp Provolone Cheese
Hard boiled eggs
Pickled Vegetables
Boccini (Mozzarella balls)
Artichoke hearts
Roasted Peppers
Pepperocini

I Feel LIke Chicken Tonight!!!

2008-11-25T18:19:00.000-08:00

Tonight I made a roasted chicken, I wanted a recipe that was easy and included ingredients I had in the pantry. I wasn't finding any of them on my standbys, Foodtv, Epicurious, All Recipes. So into my Betty Crocker Wedding Cookbook I went. SUCCESS! I made the recipe for Roasted Chicken and New Potatoes. I had EVERYTHING in my pantry. I made a sidedish of broccoli and topped that with breadcrumbs and cheese under the broiler for a nice sidedish. Total prep time was about 10 minutes. Gotta love it. DH and his friend Rick enjoyed the chicken (they are working in the basement tonight!) and we have plenty of leftovers for lunch.

Roasted Chicken with New Potatoes
(My version of Betty Crocker's)

3 to 4 lb Whole Chicken
3 tbsp EVOO
1/2 tsp thyme (dry)
1/2 tsp basil (dry)
1/2 tsp rosemary (dry)
Salt
Pepper
5 to 6 Red Potatoes

1. Preheat oven to 375.

2. Wash and dry chicken with paper towels. Salt and pepper inside of chicken. Mix EVOO and seasonings in small dish and use a basting brush to put on chicken. Salt and pepper outside of chicken. Put it roasting pan with potatoes and cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 30 more minutes or until juices run clear.

No pictures tonight!!! :( But I'll add him:

How 'bout some home cooking?

2008-11-25T04:55:00.000-08:00

My mom made my DH some beef stew last week. It really got me in the mood to make some of my own. On a search I went for a good recipe, I don't think I've made it before. I chose Paula Deen's recipe. It was not my first choice, I must admit. I really wanted to try Tyler Florence's recipe for The Ultimate Beef Stew. But the ingredient list was plentiful and I didn't have most of them, and we are about being on a budget these days and not being time consuming. It's about being easy and cheap..(well if it was Tyler Florence...) lol. Anyway....back to the recipe.

Overall, a great recipe. Like other reviewers of the recipe I found the liquid to keep evaporating and I needed to put several more cups of water in during the cooking. I added potatoes to the recipe when I added the carrots and celery. The meat was surprisingly tender for not being done in the crock pot. The recipe was easy, I started the meat while the boys napped and finished up while they were up with no problem.

Another thing, I know we are big eaters, but we only got two full soup bowls out of this recipe. And it was 2 lbs of meat!! We had enough for a little bit more of second helping. My soup bowl are not that big, so I don't understand what went wrong. I'm just glad I was making it for the two of us and not four adults. The boys would not touch it. LOL.

I'd make it again though, but I may save up for Tyler's Ultimate Beef Stew. My picture isnt well staged it was done quickly due to me forgetting to take one!

Prep Time:5 min
Cook Time:2 hr 15 min

Serves:
6 servings

2 pounds stew beef
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups water
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 or 2 bay leaves
1 medium onion, sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
Dash ground allspice or ground cloves
3 large carrots, sliced
3 ribs celery, chopped
2 tablespoons cornstarch

1. Brown meat in hot oil. Add water, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, bay leaves, onion, salt, sugar, pepper, paprika, and allspice. Cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours.

2.Remove bay leaves and garlic clove. Add carrots and celery. Cover and cook 30 to 40 minutes longer. To thicken gravy, remove 2 cups hot liquid. Using a separate bowl, combine 1/4 cup water and cornstarch until smooth. Mix with a little hot liquid and return mixture to pot. Stir and cook until bubbly.

Let's Roll.......

2008-11-20T19:02:00.000-08:00

My initial blog post has to be something Italian. I love Italian cooking, mozzarella, ricotta, tomatoes, evoo, basil, prosciutto, mmmmmm...I never had and probably won't taste Italian food the way I had it while I spent two weeks in Italy visiting my family there. I'm constantly trying out new spins on old Italian favorites.

I tried for a second time Giada DeLaurentis' recipe for Lasagna Rolls. The first time I made it I didn't enjoy it, probably because I was pregnant and wasn't eating. I go to Giada for the bulk of my Italian recipes, her style of Italian cooking is authentic and I love her spins on old favorites. This one wasn't a disappointment.

My changes? I used jarred tomato sauce!!!! SHREEK!!! I know. My grandmother is rolling in her grave right now but I didn't have time or a 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes on hand. Ragu worked, but my marinara sauce would have been better. The parmesan cheese was out of a jar that was laying in the back of my fridge (not the old aged yummy kind!) and I left out the prosciutto. Times are tough and I don't have money to be wasting on cured ham for me and my husband on a Thursday night. I thought about using regular ham, but it just wasn't flying in my head.I cut down on the calories but using part skim ricotta and less mozzarella on top.

I didn't have time to prep dinner during the boys nap, but I got it done pretty quickly while they played with pots and pans on the floor.

DH's reaction "this is REALLY good! actually VERY GOOD!"

Word.

Lasagna Rolls
Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis
Serves 6
Cook Time: 50 min
Prep time: 20

Ingredients
Sauce:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups whole milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pinch ground nutmeg
Lasagna:
1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped
1 large egg, beaten to blend
3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for salting water
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
12 uncooked lasagna noodles
2 cups marinara sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella (about 4 ounces)
Directions
To make the sauce: Melt the butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk for 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk. Increase the heat to medium-high. Whisk the sauce until it comes to a simmer and is thick and smooth, about 3 minutes. Whisk the salt, pepper, and nutmeg into the bechamel sauce.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Whisk the ricotta, spinach, 1 cup Parmesan, prosciutto, egg, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl to blend.

Add a tablespoon or 2 of oil to a large pot of boiling salted water. Boil the noodles until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Arrange the noodles in a single layer on a baking sheet to prevent them from sticking.

Butter a 13-by-9-by-2-inch glass baking dish. Pour the bechamel sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish. Lay out 4 lasagna noodles on a work surface, then spread about 3 tablespoons of ricotta mixture evenly over each noodle. Starting at 1 end, roll each noodle like a jelly roll. Lay the lasagna rolls seam side down, without touching, atop the bechamelsauce in the dish. Repeat with the remaining noodles and ricotta mixture. Spoon 1 cup of marinara sauce over the lasagna rolls. Sprinkle the mozzarella and remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan over the lasagna rolls. Cover tightly with foil. Bake until heated through and the sauce bubbles, about 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until the cheese on top becomes golden, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the remaining marinara sauce in a heavy small saucepan over medium heat until hot, and serve alongside.

Another Blog?? How Do You Have The Time?

2008-11-20T18:55:00.000-08:00

I don't really! But cooking and trying new foods and recipes in the kitchen is my first love. Not baking, not cakes, not cake decorating. I got the love of cooking from my Grandmother who used to make all the old school Italian dishes and my father who made up the best foods with a few simple ingredients and no cookbook. I remember my father flambe'ing food in our little kitchen on 28th Street and I remember my Grandmother teaching me how to make Marinara sauce. It's in my blood. I read cooking magazines and cookbooks like there's no tomorrow. I'm a foodie and my life is centered around food (when it's not focused on my 2 year old twin boys!)

I'm hoping to post my adventures in cooking while trying to juggle managing my home and children with short cuts and friendly recipes and maybe some not so friendly recipes. As always, this will be a work in progress.

What this will not be is a photography website. I'll try, but I'll take what I can get as far as my pictures are concerned. I'll keep learning.

Salute!