Fried Ravioli

My middle child Simon spent the summer in Tennessee working at an outdoor adventure camp for kids; he loved every aspect of it! One of his favorite things about the camp was the night the cook made fried raviolis. He mentioned this to me the other day so I decided to recreate them for him. We were all pleased with how they came out, they were easy to make and so tasty. A perfect appetizer for a party, or for dinner, served with a big salad and crusty bread. 

Ingredients
Vegetable oil for frying
1 c milk
2 c Italian-style bread crumbs
1 box store -bought cheese ravioli (about 24)
1/4 c freshly grated Parmesan
1 jar marinara sauce, for dipping

Directions

Pour enough olive oil into a large frying pan to reach a depth of 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 325 degrees F.

While the oil is heating, put the buttermilk and the bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls. Working in batches, dip ravioli in buttermilk to coat completely. Allow the excess buttermilk to drip back into the bowl. Dredge ravioli in the bread crumbs. Place the ravioli on a baking sheet, and continue with the remaining ravioli.

When the oil is hot, fry the ravioli in batches, turning occasionally, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried ravioli to paper towels to drain.

Ingredients

Place milk and breadcrumbs in separate bowls

Dunk raviolis in milk

Dredge in breadcrumbs

Place on cookie sheet 

Simon helping out

They fry very quickly, and puff up

Place on paper towel to drain

I crammed them into the pan

Top with parmesan cheese and serve with dipping sauce

Enjoy! 

Quick and Easy Meatball Sliders

I had an interesting experience this weekend, I attended a party where a lifelong vegetarian decided to start eating meat. The host had everyone bring some type of meat dish, there was bacon wrapped everything plus ham, ribs, chicken, fried grasshoppers, fish and much much more! I decided to play it safe (trying to protect the poor guy's stomach) and made some yummy Meatball Sliders. They were a huge hit and were gobbled up quickly. You can make your own meatballs, but for this version I'm going to advise using store bought ones, just because it truly makes it a quick and easy meal!

Ingredients
1 large bag small All Beef Meatballs (from the freezer section at store)
1 large bottle Pasta Sauce
2-3 dozen Hawaiian Rolls (small rolls)
Provolone cheese, sliced into fourths

Heat meatballs and sauce in a large pan or for a few hours in a crock pot. Slice rolls and place a fourth of a slice of provolone cheese on bottom half of roll, place a meatball with sauce on top of cheese and firmly place top of roll back on. Served immediately!

I prepared these after I got to the party, I didn't want them to sit and the prep time is so quick. (I brought pre-heated meatballs and sauce)

Enjoy! 

Grilled Margherita Pizza

I'd been trying to make grilled pizza for numerous days before it actually happened. During the summer in Florida we get daily afternoon rain showers and every time I'd plan on grilling pizza it would rain, I finally got a great weather day yesterday. This is a super easy and delicious way to make pizza, the crust is crunchy without being crispy, does this make sense? It also doesn't heat up the house which in the summertime is a huge bonus, AND the pizza tasted like it had been cooked in a wood oven. This was probably the best tasting homemade pizza I've ever made; next time Olivia wants me to top it with more traditional toppings, I'll be sure to do that and keep you posted.

Ingredients

1 Ball of Pizza Dough, I buy mine at the grocery store, or you can make your own

1 Ball of Fresh Mozzarella Cheese

2 Roma Tomatoes

2 Cloves Garlic, rough chopped

Fresh Basil

Olive Oil

Sea Salt and Fresh Cracked Pepper

Turn grill on. Roll out pizza dough on floured countertop. I didn't worry about it being perfectly round, I was going for the rustic look. Next brush on some olive oil onto one side of the crust, transfer crust to hot grill, place oiled side down. Add additional oil to the "up" side of the pizza dough. Let cook on high for roughly 5 minutes, or until the crust starts to bubble and brown on the bottom. Flip dough over and cook on second side for another 5 minutes. Carefully remove hot crust, carry it on a cutting board back into kitchen or work area. Place a large piece of aluminum foil underneath cooked dough. Place sliced pieces of mozzarella cheese and chopped garlic on top of pizza dough and head back outside. Place aluminum foiled pizza back on grill, turn the heat down to medium and close the lid. Let cook until cheese is melted and bubbling, approximately 10 minutes. In the meantime go slice your tomatoes and basil. Once cheese is melted, place the sliced tomatoes and fresh basil on top and immediately remove from grill. Sprinkle with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper and serve. Serves 4 

Ingredients

Cover your rolled out dough with olive oil

Place it on the grill

Flipping the dough over

Look at the awesome grill marks

My photographer Olivia, she took the grilling shots for me

 Place sliced mozzarella and garlic on cooked dough and place back on grill

Roma tomatoes and basil ready to top the pizza

Yummy melted cheese

Add the tomatoes

And fresh basil and dinner is ready

Enjoy!

Tiramisu

My mother in law invited us over for a traditional Italian dinner and I was in charge of dessert. I wanted to make something Italian so I decided to go with Tiramisu. I'd never made it and for some reason was always afraid of making it, I guess I'd never really sat down and read the recipe. This version is super easy and went together quickly and turned out great. My father in law loved it and was pleased how it wasn't overpowered with the alcohol taste.  This recipe makes a 9x13 pan.

Ingredients
9 egg yokes
1 1/8 c white sugar
1 c milk
2 c heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla
1.5 lb mascarpone cheese
1/2 c strong brewed coffee, room temp
1/2 c Amaretto
1 7 oz package ladyfinger cookies
2 TBSP unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 c Heath baking bits

In a medium saucepan, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until well blended. Whisk in milk and cook over medium heat , stirring constantly, until mixture boils.  Boil gently for 1 minute, remove from heat and allow to cool slightly, place plastic wrap right on top of pudding and place in fridge for one hour.

In a medium bowl, beat cream with vanilla until stiff peaks form. Whisk mascarpone into yolk mixture and smooth. (if you can’t find mascarpone cheese follow this link and make your own)

In a small bowl, combine coffee and rum. Split ladyfingers in half lengthwise.

Use a 9x13 pan and pour some coffee/amaretto mixture onto bottom of dish. Place ½ of the ladyfingers cut side down into the 9x13 baker, spoon more coffee/amaretto over cookies. Spread half of the mascarpone mixture over ladyfingers and then half of whipping cream over that. Repeat layers and sprinkle with cocoa. Making sure you spoon coffee/amaretto over the second layer of ladyfingers as well. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Right before serving sprinkle ½ c Heath Baking chips over top.

Serves 12

Ingredients for pudding mixture

Bring to a boil, stirring constantly

Remove from heat and cover with plastic wrap and chill

for one hour

Mix whipping cream and vanilla

Whip until stiff peaks form

Line cut ladyfingers cut side down in coffee/amaretto mixture

Take pudding and whisk mascarpone until smooth 

Cover the top sides of the ladyfingers with the coffee/amaretto

Mascarpone mixture ready to go onto ladyfingers

Smooth it over the top of the ladyfingers

Spread 1/2 of whipping cream over top,

sprinkle cocoa over top of this layer

Coat your ladyfingers again

Place a second layer

Here is the second layer ready for the mascarpone and whipping cream 

Done, ready to refrigerate

The next day

Seriously good!

Enjoy!

Lasagna with Meat Sauce

I love inviting friends over for dinner, I think mealtimes are where friendships are solidified. To me food is love, and I love to share my love with others. Lasagna is one of my favorite things to make, it feeds a crowd and is super easy. My son's girlfriend Julia loves lasagna so I try to make it at least once a month for her.  I love to use my meat sauce recipe for the red sauce, but with canned sauces tasting so good it's not a deal breaker to buy store bought sauce.

Ingredients for Lasagna
1 box no boil lasagna noodles
15 ounces part skim ricotta
4 c mozzarella cheese
1/2 c bread crumbs ( I like the Italian version)
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 bag fresh spinach
1tsp garlic salt
Pasta Sauce (two bottles if store bought)

Preheat oven to 350
In a small bowl mix ricotta cheese, eggs, bread crumbs, 1 cup mozzarella and garlic salt. Use a 9x13 pan and start with some red sauce and place noodles on top of sauce. Spread out some of the ricotta mixture on top of noodles. Then place a large handful of spinach on top of ricotta mixture, top that with red sauce and mozzarella cheese. Repeat this process 3 times. Top lasagna with cheese and place a tin foil tent over top. Bake for 30 minutes with foil, then remove foil and bake another 15 minutes or until cheese is bubbling and golden brown. Let sit for at least 5 minutes before cutting and serving.

Ingredients

Ricotta mixture

First layer of noodles 

Then some ricotta spread evenly over noodles

Next spinach

Some red sauce and cheese

I like to alternate directions of my noodles for each layer

I topped mine with some fresh basil

Out of the oven

Yum! Who got the first piece?

Enjoy!