Thick And Creamy Potato Bacon Soup

My dear friend Jerry, the driving force behind one of the (IMO) greatest foodie blogs on the 'net, Cooking, By The Seat Of My Pants aka CBSOP, made mention last week that the most popluar recipe on his site was his Thick And Creamy Potato Bacon Soup recipe. Really no wonder, with the crisp fall weather much of the country has been experiencing.

The surprising chill includes the beautiful city of Memphis, and Jerry's recipe sounded too good to pass up! In my typical 'right now' style, I dropped everything, and headed off to the grocery for the few ingredients I didn't already have. Within hours, the soup was becoming a reality!

Of course, my typical style is also never to be able to force myself to prepare a recipe without my own tweaks, so my foodie brain went to work. As a credit to Jerry's wonderful skills in the kitchen, I must admit that (for me) there were very few tweaks.

For the base recipe I used, go to Jerry's Thick And Creamy Potato Bacon Soup. I'm absolutely sure this recipe is totally delicious just as it is written, I just have this 'can't leave things alone' thing going on in the kitchen...

Here are the things I did differently:

*I halved the recipe, which for me, yielded just over 2 qts (1 for the freezer, yay!)
*I used my slow cooker, just to see if it would work, and because I love the melding of flavors that 'low and slow' produces. My times were: 2 hrs on high, 2 hrs on low, and approx 1 more hr on low, the last hour being after the pureeing and addition of the cream and cheese. Remember, slow cookers behave differently -if you choose this method, you may have to adjust your times accordingly.
*I cooked and crumbled my bacon beforehand, and added it at the beginning of cooking.
*I basically pureed the entire batch of soup, leaving a very few, very small 'lumps' of potato, only because I love my potato soup to be really creamy and smooth.
**Due to the pureeing of all of the soup, I added an additional cup of chicken broth when adding the cream, to thin it just a bit.
*I added 1 cup of extra sharp Cheddar (shredded, to ease melting) at the time I added the cream. This was right before the last hour on low, so it would melt nicely.

My result was the most decadent Potato Soup I've ever tasted - it even surpassed my recipe, that has been getting raves for years! :-)

As Jerry notes, this is pretty much a dieter-and-health-guru nightmare, but as I always say, all things in moderation... It's definitely worth the extra workouts I've done to make up for this guilty pleasure!

I hope you'll give Thick And Creamy Potato Bacon Soup a try, as Jerry does it, or with my tweaks, or with tweaks of your own!

Eggplant!!

I'm baaacckkk!

Let's get right to it - A friend is in need of eggplant recipes, and I'm always willing to help out a friend!

So...early Saturday morning, off to the Memphis Farmers Market I went, in search of some delightful Chinese eggplant. I easily achieved my goal, and also picked up some Ripley, TN cherry tomatoes (more on that later). I could easily have left with a ton of beautiful produce, but I remained focused...

Back at home, I was in a mood to grill, so I decided to make Eggplant and Goat Cheese rolls, one of my favorite ways with eggplant, with some of my little purple beauties.

*My camera (well, its batteries) was giving me fits yesterday, so I don't have step-by-step pics, but hopefully my descriptions will do...

Eggplant and Goat Cheese Rolls

2-3 small Chinese Eggplants (other varieties are fine, I just happen to love Chinese
- total weight should be 1 to 1 and 1/2 lbs)

Coarse Kosher Salt

1/4 to 1/2 cup Balsamic Vinegar, for marinating

1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

1 tsp dried red pepper flakes

1/4 cup good quality extra virgin olive oil

1 lg clove garlic, finely minced

6 oz goat cheese (I like the plain Montchevre)

5 large leaves of fresh basil, minced

2 TBL fresh oregano, minced

2 TBL fresh parsley, minced

Trim ends from eggplants, and then thinly slice, horizontally. (1/4in is a good thickness) You want long, thin strips.

Lay strips in single layer on double thickness of paper towels, sprinkle with coarse Kosher salt, and cover with another double layer of paper towels. Allow to 'sweat' for 20-30 min. This removes the excess moisture, and bitterness, if any, from the slices.

Rinse slices with cold water, and pat dry with fresh paper towels.

In med bowl, whisk together Balsamic vinegar, and both types of pepper. Pour 1/2 of mixture into a long, (non-metal) shallow baking dish, cover with eggplant strips, and then pour the rest of the mixture over top of the strips. Cover, and marinate in the fridge for 2 hours.

Put olive oil and garlic into a small saute pan, and warm slowly over low heat. The low heat allows the garlic to release its sweetness. As soon as tiny bubbles begin to appear in the oil, remove the pan from the heat, and set aside (do not allow the garlic to begin to brown!) Let cool - the slow cooling process will infuse the oil with wonderful garlic flavor.

In a med bowl, mix goat cheese well with the minced basil, oregano, and parsley. Cover, and refrigerate.

About 30 min. before the marinating is done, fire up your charcoal grill. When it comes to grilling, I'm a 100% charcoal girl, so if you're using a gas grill, you'll have to adapt this part.

At the 2 hour marinating mark, remove the eggplant from the fridge, and allow to rest for about 20 min. Also remove your goat cheese mixture from the fridge at this time - its flavors will intensify as it comes to room temp. After the rest period, hopefully your coals will be nice and white/gray, completely ashed over. Arrange your hot coals in a single layer, and situate your grill grate about 2 in above the fire. Drain eggplant of marinade, arrange on platter, and brush top sides with your garlic infused oil.

Place eggplant slices on grill, oiled side down, and lightly brush oil on exposed side. A good fire will grill your slices quickly - it only takes about 2 min per side. You want the slices browned, but still soft. Remove your eggplants slices at that stage, to a clean platter.






As soon as the eggplant slices are cool enough to handle, spread each with a layer of goat cheese mixture (how much is your business - I use a bit of a heavy hand here, love that goat cheese!). Starting at the smallest end, roll up slices, pinwheel fashion.

I tend to roll my slices almost right off the grill, so the residual heat melts the goat cheese a bit. If you don't have my heatproof fingertips, lol, you can also pop your rolls into a preheated 375F oven for a few minutes to melt the cheese a bit, or not. Good goat cheese is good goat cheese, melted or unmelted. ;-) *Do not attempt to heat in the microwave! Microwaving cause the cheese to break down, leaving you with a grainy filling - not a good thing, take my word for it...

I can't give you the number of servings for this one - everyone's appetite is different, and it also depends on whether the rolls are being served as an appetizer, side dish, or even a main meal. You're on your own with that!

Enjoy!!

Stay tuned for another eggplant recipe, one that's been a favorite of my family for generations...

Blue Cheese Cream Toasts with Walnuts

Calabres Con Nuezes

Another tasty, yet super quick and easy, Tapas recipes!


Yield: 10-12 toasts

Ingredients

French baguette, cut in half inch slices
2 Tbl Extra Virgin Olive Oil
8 oz Cabrales, or other bleu cheese (Cabrales really is the best!)
2 Tbl sour cream
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup English walnut halves, shelled

Directions

Preheat oven to 375F. Brush each slice of baguette with olive oil, and place on baking sheet. Bake for about 5 minutes, until golden brown.

In medium bowl, crumble Cabrales, add sour cream, and mix lightly with a fork. Do not overmix - mixture should not be smooth. Season with pepper to taste. Spread a tsp of cheese mixture on each slice of baguette, top with a walnut half.

That's all there is to it! Serve with cocktails, sparkling white wine, or as a finger food with other appetizers.

Sausage-Stuffed Squash

Hearty enough for a main course, this is one of our favorite recipes for squash.

Ingredients:

2 medium acorn squash, about 1 and 1/2 lbs (I occasionally substitute butternut squash)
2 Italian sausage links, casing removed
1 medium onion (or more to taste), chopped
2/3 cup chopped green pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 and 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan or cheddar cheese (your choice)

Directions:
Cut each squash in half lengthwise, scoop out and discard seeds, forming a 'cup' in each of the four halves. Place squash cut side down, in a microwave-safe baking dish. Cover and microwave on high for 10-12 minutes or until tender.
While squash is cooking, crumble sausage into a large skillet and add the onion, green peppers, and garlic. Cook over medium heat until the meat is no longer pink - drain. Stir in tomato, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
Turn squash over, cut side up. Stuff with sausage mixture and sprinkle with Parmesan or cheddar. Cover and microwave on high for 2-3 minutes or untill heated through.

Serves 4

Mexican chorizo Pizzas

These little pizzas make a great easy meal, or terrific appetizers!
This recipe serves 3 as a meal (everyone gets their own pizza), or 6 as an appetizer.

Red and Green Salsa (recipe below)
8 oz Chorizo sausage
1 cup (4 oz) shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup (4 oz) shredded Monterey Jack cheese (you may alternatively use 8 oz of 'mexican blend', which is a combination of Cheddar and Monterey Jack)
3 (10 inch) flour tortillas

Prepare Red and Green Salsa.

Remove and discard casing from chorizo. Heat a medium skillet over high heat until hot. Reduce heat to medium, and crumble chorizo into skillet. Brown 6 - 8 minutes, stirring to separate. Remove with slotted spoon, and drain on paper towels.

Preheat oven to 450F. Mix cheese in bowl.

Place tortillas on baking sheet (use more than one if necessary). Divide chorizo evenly between tortillas, leaving 1/2 inch from edge of tortilla uncovered. Sprinkle cheeses over top.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes until edges are crisp and golden brown, and cheese is melted.

Transfer to serving plates, and cut each tortilla into 6 wedges. Sprinkle with Red and Green Salsa.

Red and Green Salsa

1 small red bell pepper
1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
3 green onions, sliced thin
2 fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
2 Tbl fresh lime juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp salt

Cut bell pepper lengthwise in half, remove seeds and veins. Cut halves lengthwise into thin strips, cut strips in half. Mix all ingredients in bowl. Let stand, covered, at room temperature for 1-2 hours before serving, to blend flavors.

It's A Wrap!

With the onset of warmer weather, I'm all about 'lighter' meals, especially one I can munch on while doing almost any other task, be it reading, writing, driving,(oops, not so safe, say the 'driving police', lol) or taking a walk.
Wraps are my new favorite, and I'm finding some delicious recipes!
For those who may not know, 'wraps' are almost any combination of ingredients, hot or cold, conveniently wrapped in a (flavored or plain) flour tortilla.
Below, I'd like to share one of the tastiest wraps I've made to date:

Shrimp Caesar Salad Wrap
(makes 2 wraps)

Ingredients:
1 Tbl plus 2 tsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbl lime juice
1 Tbl lemon juice
1 Tbl concentrated orange juice
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp minced garlic
Kosher salt
3 Tbl olive oil, plus 1 tsp for brushing shrimp
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I prefer Parmigiano-Reggiano)
1/2 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Fresh ground black pepper
2 and 1/2 cups chopped Romaine lettuce, firmly packed
1/4 cup croutons
Two 10 or 11 inch flour tortillas (plain, whole wheat, or sun-dried tomato are good choices)

Preheat broiler.
Combine mustard, citrus juices, Worcestershire, garlic, and 1/2 tsp kosher salt in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in 3 Tbl olive oil. Stir in cheese, set aside.
Brush shrimp with remaining olive oil, and season with 1/4 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Place under broiler, and cook until firm and orange colored, about 2 minutes, turning once. Remove from heat and cut into quarters.
Toss together the shrimp, romaine lettuce, and croutons in large bowl. Add the mustard mixture and toss to coat evenly. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide mixture evenly between the 2 tortillas and wrap.

To wrap:
Place filling vertically along center of tortilla, to within 1 inch of bottom edge of tortilla. Fold bottom upwards to beginning on filling line, then roll tortilla from the sides, working from left to right. Leave top open, to showcase filling.

Substitutions: You may substitute chopped grilled chicken for the shrimp in this recipe.

Green Olive Cheese Bites

I've doing a lot of work with appetizers lately, and I'd like to share some of our most popular ones with you.

Green Olive Cheese Bites

2 cups sharp, or extra sharp Cheddar cheese
4 Tbl butter, softened
1 cup flour
1 tsp paprika
dash of cayenne pepper (optional, but really adds to the flavor!)
1 (8.5 oz) jar of pimento-stuffed green olives
1 egg
1 Tbl cream
1/4 cup sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine cheese and butter in food processor, blend well. Add flour, paprika, and cayenne, and process until smooth.
Drain olives well. Wrap about 1 tsp of the dough around each olive, pinching edges to seal. Form into balls, and place on foil lined baking sheet.
In a small bowl, beat egg and cream well, and brush over the top of the bites. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
**If you'd like to make these appetizers ahead of time, cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap, place in freezer until bites are frozen, then place them in a freezer bag in freezer for up to several hours. Thaw in refrigerator before baking.
To bake and serve immediately, place baking sheet in prepared oven, and bake for about 15 minutues, to until just golden brown. May be served hot, warm, or at room temp.
Makes about 48 bites

I'll be posting more appetizer recipes soon!

Prosciutto Basil Pasta Shells

These jumbo pasta shells look fancy, but are really very easy, and fairly quick to make.



* 12 jumbo pasta shells
* 1 Tbl olive oil
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 3/4 cup sliced prosciutto (cooked ham may be substituted, by lessens the flavor)
* 1 cup ricotta cheese
* 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
* 1/2 tsp dried basil
* 1 egg
* 14 oz of your favorite homemade or purchased tomato sauce


# Heat oven to 375F.
# Spray 2 qt. square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
# Cook pasta according to package directions. (I find it easier to lessen the recommended cooking time by about 2 minutes - the shells are firmer, less likely to fall apart, and they will finish cooking in the oven) Drain pasta, and rinse with cold water to cool.
# Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat until hot. Add garlic and prosciutto and cook 2-3 minutes or until garlic is light golden brown.
# In medium bowl, combine 1/2 the prosciutto mixture with ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, basil, and egg and mix well. Stir spaghetti sauce into prosciutto mixture remaining in skillet.
# Spoon ricotta mixture into pasta shells and place in baking dish. Spoon spaghetti sauce mixture over shells. Cover with foil.
# Bake for 35 -40 minutes or until thoroughly heated.
# Serve immediately.

Pizza Popover Pie

This hearty fun twist on traditional pizza is really a treat for kids and adults alike.




* 1 and 1/2 lbs ground beef
* 1 cup chopped bell pepper
* 1 cup chopped onion
* 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
* 1 envelope spaghetti sauce mix
* 1/2 cup water
* 1/2 tsp garlic powder
* 1/2 tsp dried oregano, crushed
* 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 oz)
* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 1 cup milk
* 2 LARGE eggs, slightly beaten
* 1 Tbl olive oil
* 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese





1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. In a 12 inch skillet, cook and stir ground beef, bell pepper, and onion, until beef is browned. Drain fat.
3. Add the tomato sauce, spaghetti sauce mix, water, garlic powder, and oregano to the meat mixture in skillet. Mix well. Bring mixture to a boil. Remove from heat.
4. Immediately spoon the sauce mixture into a 3 qt. round casserole dish. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
5. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together flour, milk, eggs and olive oil. Mix well. Transfer this batter to a glass measuring cup. Carefully pour the batter over the mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake for about 25 minutes or until light brown and set.
6. Variations:
7. Make it 'Mexican' by using a package of taco seasoning mix in place of the spaghetti sauce mix, and Cheddar or Monterey Jack (or both) cheeses in place of the Mozzarella and Parmesan.
8. Make it healthier by substituting ground turkey for the ground beef.

Clam Linguine

This delicious dish is easy enough to fix at the last minute, but will have everyone thinking you spent hours on it!




* 1 (8 oz) package dry linguine
* 1 (6 and 1/2 oz) can of minced clams
* 2 Tbl olive oil
* 2 Tbl margarine or butter
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1/4 to 1/2 tsp pepper
* 1/4 tsp dried basil, crushed
* 1/4 tsp dried oregano, crushed
* salt to taste
* 2 Tbl fresh parsley, snipped
* Grated Parmesan cheese





1. Cook the linguine according to package directions, then drain and set aside.
2. Drain the clams, but reserve the liquid and set aside.
3. In a 2 qt saucepan over medium high heat, heat the olive oil and butter until the oil is hot, and butter is melted. Add the garlic, cook and stir for 2-3 minutes. Do not brown the garlic.
4. Carefully add the reserved clam liquid, pepper, basil, oregano, and salt to taste. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 3 minutes. Stir in the clams and simmer until heated through. Stir the parsley into the clam sauce.
5. Pour the clam sauce over the hot linguine and toss gently to mix. sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, and serve immediately.

Avignon Tomato And Eggplant Casserole

A tasty and filling vegetarian main dish.



* 1 large eggplant
* salt to taste
* 1/2 cup flour
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 4 medium sized tomatoes, skinned, seeded, and diced
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1/2 tsp sugar
* 1/2 cup bread crumbs
* black pepper to taste
* 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
* 1 and 1/2 Tbl melted butter


Preheat oven to 375F. Remove stem and skin eggplant, and cut it crosswise into 1/2" thick slices. Lay the round slices in a single layer on a plate, sprinkle liberally with salt, and set aside for about 30 minutes to allow the salt to draw out excess moisture. Wipe salt and excess moisture from eggplant, and dredge in flour. In wide skillet,heat all but 1 Tbl oil, and fry eggplant, turning once, until browned on both sides. remove from heat. In the same skillet, heat the remaining Tbl oil and add the tomatoes, garlic, and sugar. Cook for approximately five minutes. Add 1 Tbl bread crumbs with salt and black pepper. In a casserole dish, arrange eggplant and tomatoes, beginning with eggplant on the bottom, and ending with tomatoes on the top. combine the remaining bread crumbs with the Parmesan cheese and sprinkle on top. Dribble the melted butter over the casserole. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the bread crumb and cheese topping is browned. Serves 4.

Broiled Tomatoes With Black Olives And Romano Cheese

These tasty, cheesy tomatoes make a wonderful side dish with dinner, and can even be served as a light summertime lunch!




* 4 medium tomatoes
* 2 Tbl extra virgin olive oil
* 2 cloves garlic, pressed
* salt to taste
* black pepper to taste
* 1/2 cup black olives, pitted and minced
* 1/2 cup freshly grated Romano cheese
* 1 tsp minced parsley


Preheat broiler. Slice tomatoes in half. Arrange cut side up, on a cookie sheet or broiler pan. Combine the olive oil and garlic. Dribble over tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with black olives and cheese. Place tomatoes under broiler for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and begins to brown. Remove from broiler, garnish with minced parsley, and serve. Serves 4

Sicilian Meat Loaf

In this recipe, I add a little worcestershire sauce to this Sicilian style meatloaf. If you like your meatloaf with a little 'red', add your favorite homemade or prepared marinara sauce over the top of the loaf after it has been cooking for 30 minutes.




* 1 and 1/2 lbs ground chuck or ground sirloin
* 1/4 lb provolone cheese, cut into small chunks
* 1 yellow onion, cut into small dice
* 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
* 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
* 2 eggs
* 1 Tbl worcestershire sauce
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 2 Tbl extra virgin olive oil



# Preheat oven to 350F. In a medium sized bowl, combine beef, cheese, onion, bread crumbs, tomato sauce, eggs, worcestershire sauce, salt, and 1 Tbl olive oil.
# Lightly oil a medium sized loaf pan with remaining olive oil, and gently transfer meat mixture to pan, pressing meat mixture evenly into pan.
# Bake until an instant read thermometer reads 160F when inserted into center of loaf, approximately 40 minutes. If using marinara sauce, top loaf with sauce after 30 minutes of cooking.
# When done, remove from oven, and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing into 1 inch thick slices.

Oven-Baked Macaroni with Eggplant

This meatless dish can be served as a side item, but is filling and tasty enough for a main dish!



* 2 medium eggplants, 2 lbs total weight
* salt
* Olive oil for frying eggplant
* 1/2 extra virgin olive oil
* 1 small onion, chopped
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 3 lbs fresh tomatoes. peeled, seeded, and chopped, or 3 lbs drained canned tomatoes (about 4 and 1/2 cups), chopped
* salt
* 3 Tbl chopped fresh basil
* Pinch of sugar
* 1 lb short macaroni, such as ziti or penne
* 2 oz butter (4 Tbl)
* 4 oz freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 cup)
* 8 oz fresh mozzarella, finely chopped or grated


# Wash eggplant, but do not peel. Cut into 1/8 inch slices and place in colander, salting each layer. Place a plate and a weight (such as a can or two of vegetables) on top and drain for one hour. Pat dry and squeeze gently to remove excess liquid.
# Put 1/4 inch olive oil into a frying pan and heat to very hot. Fry one layer of eggplant at a time, turning to brown both sides. Drain on paper towels, layering the eggplant and towels as necessary.
# Put 1/4 cup olive oil, onion, and garlic in a 2 qt. pot Saute until softened until softened but not browned. Add the tomatoes and salt. Cook until water has evaporated, about 30 minutes. Add the basil 5 minutes before cooking is finished. Taste for seasonings and add a pinch of sugar.
# Cook the macaroni in 5 qts boiling salted water. Drain while macaroni is still quite firm, after about 7 minutes. Mix with the butter, and half of the Parmesan cheese and salt if necessary.
# Preheat oven to 350F. Spread a little of the tomato sauce on the bottom of an ovenproof dish. Layer the pasta, eggplant, mozzarella, and the sauce until all the ingredients are used up, ending with one thin layer of eggplant. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan cheese and bake for 40 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Shepherd's Macaroni

It is said that this dish was created by the shepherds of the Calabria region of Italy. Very simple, and just as delicious!



* 1 lb short pasta, such as ziti or penne
* Salt
* 1/2 lb ricotta cheese
* 8 Tbl softened butter, cut in small pieces
* 2 tsp (or more) black pepper


# Cook pasta in 5 qts rapidly boiling salted water until al dente . (firm to the bite)
# While pasta is cooking, place ricotta in serving dish, and mix in softened butter. When pasta is almost done, remove 3 Tbl of the cooking water and stir into ricotta. Stir well to make a smooth sauce. Add salt and pepper.
# Drain the cooked pasta, leaving a bit of cooking water clinging to the pasta to help it blend with the sauce. Add to ricotta and toss well. Serve immediately.

Macaroni with Olives (Maccheroni Con Le Olive)

Fusilli (corkscrew) pasta is the best pasta to be served with this dish, although any short pasta may be used.



* 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
* 1 medium onion, minced
* 1 medium garlic clove, minced
* 1 lb fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped, or 1 lb drained canned tomatoes, chopped
* 1 cup black olives, or 1/3 cup each black and green olives, halved and pitted
* 2 Tbl capers, drained and rinsed
* 2 tsp red wine vinegar
* 2 Tbl fresh oregano, or 2 tsp dried
* Pinch of sugar
* salt and pepper to taste
* 1 lb fusilli pasta or other short macaroni
* 1 cup freshly grated Pecorino cheese


# Heat oil, onion, and garlic in a large skillet and cook over moderately low heat until softened but not browned, 6-8 minutes.
# Add the tomatoes, olives, capers, vinegar, oregano, sugar, salt and pepper, and simmer for 15 minutes over low heat. Be careful with the salt since olives and capers are salty.
# Cook the fusilli in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente (firm to the bite). Drain and mix with the sauce. Sprinkle on the cheese and serve immediately with additional cheese on the side if desired.

Appetizer Toasts Neopolitan Style

This is a wonderful cocktail party appetizer. If you (or your guests) aren't fond of anchovies, try the roasted pepper variation. Or make both - and everyone will be happy!


1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
16 slices Italian bread, sliced 1/2 inch thick
16 slice mozzarella cheese, sliced 1/4 inch thick
32 anchovy fillets, rinsed and patted dry, chopped
1 lb fresh plum tomatoes, cut into 16 thin slices
salt and pepper, to taste


Preheat oven to 400F.
Brush oil on one side of bread slices and place oiled side up on flat baking sheet. Cover each slice of bread with a slice of mozzarella, sprinkle with chopped anchovy, and top with a slice of tomato. Brush with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake 10 minutes.

Variation: In place of anchovies and plum tomatoes, use 1/4 cup black or green pureed olives, and 2 large roasted red peppers cut in 1/4 inch strips. Spread bread with olive puree, lay on Mozzarella cheese, and cover with two crossed strips of red pepper. Bake as above.

Baked Frittata with Mozzarella

This is one of the most simple, yet most well known, frittata recipes. It's perfect for brunch, or a light main course.




* 6 large eggs
* salt to taste
* pepper to taste
* ! sprig fresh italian flat-leaved parsley
* 6 fresh basil leaves
* 2 Tbl extra virgin olive oil
* 8 oz mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
* 1 plum tomato, cut into thin rounds



1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Beat the eggs until frothy, add the salt, and the pepper.
3. Chop together the parsley and basil and add to the eggs.
4. Heat the oil in a 9 inch ovenproof skillet, over medium heat. Pour the eggs in and cook briefly until the bottom has settled, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and add the mozzarella arranging it in one layer, and dot with slices of tomato.
5. Bake until the ggs are set and the cheese is melted, 20 to 25 minutes. Slice like a pie, in wedges, and serve.

Grande Antipasto All'Italiana

Antipasto is probably the most well-known of all Italian appetizers. This recipe is the 'grandaddy' of all antipastos!



* 12 thin slices of Proscuitto
* 12 thin slices of Genoa Salami
* 12 thin slices of baked or boiled ham
* 12 thin slices of Mortadella
* 24 slice Mozzarella, about 3 lbs.
* 1 (6 oz) jar of marinated artichoke hearts
* black pepper, to taste
* 1 (3 and 1/4 oz) can rolled anchovies, drained
* 4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and cut into thin rounds
* 1/2 lb mixed Italian cured green and back olives
* ripe cherry or grape tomatoes, about 15-20
* Fresh Italian flat-leaved parsley, for garnish



1. Alternate the different meats, arranging them in a decorative pattern (I usually use a wagonwheel pattern) on a large round platter, leaving space in the center for the Mozzarella and artichokes. The meats may be rolled, or folded into quarters, creating a triangle shape, whichever you prefer.
2. Alternate the Mozzarella and artichoke hearts in a circular pattern in the center of the platter.
3. Place the eggs at various spots around the edge of the platter. Place the anchovies in the very center of the platter, and scatter the olives over all. Garnish with parsley.

Cheese Stuffed Bread Round

This easy appetizer will make your guests think you're a gourmet cook!



* 1 round loaf of Italian bread, about 6 inches in diameter
* 1 cup coarsely shredded Mozzarella cheese
* 3/4 cup Ricotta cheese
* 1 small green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped fine
* 1 small red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped fine
* 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
* 1 tsp ground cumin
* 1/2 tsp garlic powder
* 1/4 tsp salt
* 1/4 tsp pepper


Directions

1. Place oven rack in middle position in oven, and place a second rack in next lowest position, preheat oven to 400F. Slice 1 inch off the top of the loaf, and set it aside. Scoop out the center of the bread, leaving a 1/2 inch shell, set aside. Cut the scooped out bread into 1 and 1/2 inch cubes.
2. Combine Mozzarella and Ricotta cheeses, green and red peppers, Parmesan, cumin, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Spoon the mixture into the bread shell and replace the top. Wrap bread snugly in foil, then place on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 1 hour on middle oven rack.
3. Spread the bread cubes on an ungreased baking sheet, place on lower rack, and bake, uncovered, until crisp and golden - about 10 minutes.
4. Carefully remove the foil, lift off the top, and stir the cheese mixture until creamy. Replace top, tilting it slightly to the side, and place loaf on serving platter. Surround with bread cubes for dipping. Serve immediately.