Italian Ribeye Steak

RECIPE

Marbled ribeye steaks require little embellishment to deliver satisfying flavor. Total time: 45 minutes.

Yield
4 servings (serving size: 3 ounces steak and 1 lemon wedge)

Ingredients
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 (8-ounce) ribeye steaks, trimmed and cut in half crosswise
Cooking spray
4 lemon wedges

Preparation
Combine first 4 ingredients in a bowl, stirring well. Rub rosemary mixture evenly over both sides of steaks. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add steaks to pan; cook 2 1/2 minutes. Turn steaks over; cook 2 minutes or until desired degree of doneness. Let steaks stand 10 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.

Nutritional Information
Calories:238 (39% from fat)
Fat:10.3g (sat 3.9g,mono 4.1g,poly 0.4g)
Protein:33g
Carbohydrate:1.4g
Fiber:0.3g
Cholesterol:103mg
Iron:2.4mg
Sodium:304mg
Calcium:24mg

Italian cooking@home
by cooking mania

Italian Chicken & Vegetable Kabobs

RECIPE

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes

Yield
4 servings

Ingredients
1 3/4 cups Wish-Bone® Italian Dressing
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 cups cut-up vegetables (red bell pepper, onion, zucchini, eggplant, yellow squash and mushrooms)
6 cups mixed salad greens

Preparation
1. For marinade, combine Wish-Bone® Italian Dressing, basil, parsley and lemon juice in medium bowl; set aside.

2. Alternately thread chicken and vegetables on 4 skewers. Place kabobs in large, shallow nonaluminum baking dish or plastic bag. Pour 1 1/4 cups prepared marinade over kabobs; refrigerate remaining marinade. Cover, or close bag, and marinate in refrigerator, turning skewers occasionally, about 1 hour.

3. Remove kabobs from marinade, discarding marinade. Grill or broil kabobs, turning and basting with 1/4 cup refrigerated marinade, 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender and chicken is thoroughly cooked.

4. To serve, toss remaining refrigerated marinade with greens, then top with kabobs.

Substitution: Also great with Wish-Bone Light Italian Dressing.

Italian cooking@home
by cooking mania

Chopped Italian Salad

RECIPE

Antipasto ingredients are sliced and diced to make a fun, flexible chopped salad. We've thrown in our favorites, and so should you. Add the dressing ingredients to the bowl, too, and mix them when you toss the salad--it's the Italian way.

Yield
4

Ingredients
1 head romaine lettuce (about 1 1/4 pounds), cut into 1-inch squares (about 3 quarts)
1/4 pound sliced pepperoni, chopped
1/3 cup drained sliced pimientos (one 4-ounce jar)
1/3 cup chopped red onion
1 1/2 cups drained, rinsed, and chopped canned artichoke hearts (one 15-ounce can), or 1 1/2 cups pitted and chopped green or black olives
3 tablespoons red- or white-wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Preparation
1. In a large glass or stainless-steel bowl, combine the romaine, pepperoni, pimientos, onion, and the artichoke hearts or olives. Toss to combine.

2. Add the vinegar, oil, salt, pepper, and Parmesan to the bowl. Toss thoroughly to combine the ingredients.

Variations:: · Use chopped salami or prosciutto instead of the pepperoni.: · Add some chopped pepperoncini to spice up the salad.: · Try a cup of drained and rinsed canned chickpeas instead of the artichoke hearts.: · Diced provolone cheese would make a nice addition.: · Stir in about a third of a cup of thin-sliced basil leaves.

Wine Recommendation: The Piedmontese drink more of their native barbera than they do any other wine because its crisp acidity and bright blackberry flavors are at home with so many dishes. Try a Barbera d'Alba with this salad and you may become a convert yourself.

Italian cooking@home
by cooking mania

Italian-Style Meat Loaf

RECIPE

Line the bottom part of the broiler pan with aluminum foil for easy cleanup.

Yield
6 servings (serving size: 2 slices)

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds 92% lean ground beef
1 cup fat-free tomato-basil pasta sauce, divided
1/2 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
1/2 cup (2 ounces) preshredded fresh Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 large egg whites
Cooking spray

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine beef, 1/2 cup pasta sauce, and remaining ingredients except cooking spray in a large bowl. Shape beef mixture into an 8 x 4-inch loaf on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Brush remaining 1/2 cup pasta sauce over top of meat loaf. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a thermometer registers 160°. Let stand 10 minutes. Cut loaf into 12 slices.

Wine Note: Anything Italian-style seems like a candidate for Chianti, but with a humble meat loaf like this, I like something more full-bodied. A California syrah has enough concentration to mirror the density of the ground beef, and it makes the meat loaf seem just a bit grander. Try Arrowood's Grand Archer 2001 Syrah from Sonoma County, California (about $20). -Karen MacNeil

Nutritional Information
Calories:263 (42% from fat)
Fat:12.1g (sat 5.7g,mono 4.7g,poly 0.6g)
Protein:27.8g
Carbohydrate:11.9g
Fiber:1.4g
Cholesterol:67mg
Iron:3.3mg
Sodium:859mg
Calcium:175mg

Italian cooking@home
by cooking mania

Italian Sausage and White Beans

RECIPE

Yield
4 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

Ingredients
12 ounces sweet Italian turkey sausage
Cooking spray
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 (19-ounce) can cannellini beans or other white beans, drained
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced Italian-style tomatoes, undrained

Preparation
Remove casings from sausage.

Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add bell pepper, onion, and garlic; sauté 3 minutes. Add sausage, and cook 8 minutes, or until browned, stirring to crumble. Stir in oregano and remaining ingredients; reduce heat to medium-low. Cook 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Nutritional Information
Calories:266 (29% from fat)
Fat:8.5g (sat 2.4g,mono 3.1g,poly 2.8g)
Protein:21.4g
Carbohydrate:24.9g
Fiber:6.7g
Cholesterol:72mg
Iron:4.3mg
Sodium:851mg
Calcium:85mg

Italian cooking@home
by cooking mania

Italian Bread Salad

RECIPE

Yield
Makes 8 servings

Ingredients
10 (1-inch-thick) stale Italian bread slices, cut into 1-inch cubes
6 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 small purple onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 cup chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
Balsamic Dressing

Preparation
Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; add Balsamic Dressing, tossing gently.

Let stand 20 minutes before serving.

Nutritional Information
Calories:165
Fat:4g
Cholesterol:0.0mg
Sodium:304mg

Italian cooking@home
by cooking mania

Italian Potato Torta

RECIPE

Yield
4 servings (serving size: 1 wedge)

Ingredients
6 cups cubed peeled baking potato (about 1 3/4 pounds)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
Cooking spray
1/4 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced Italian-style tomatoes, drained
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup (3 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
Thyme sprigs (optional)

Preparation
Preheat oven to 450°.

Place potatoes in a saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil; cook 15 minutes or until tender. Drain. Return potatoes to pan; add flour, oil, salt, and egg. Mash potato mixture with a potato masher until smooth.

Spread potato mixture into a 9-inch round cake pan coated with cooking spray. Combine seasoning, garlic, and tomatoes; spread evenly over potato mixture. Combine cheeses, and sprinkle over tomato mixture. Bake at 450° for 25 minutes or until golden. Let stand 20 minutes. Cut torta into 4 wedges. Garnish with thyme, if desired.

Nutritional Information
Calories:459 (29% from fat)
Fat:14.6g (sat 7.7g,mono 5.3g,poly 0.7g)
Protein:23.1g
Carbohydrate:59.6g
Fiber:3.7g
Cholesterol:86mg
Iron:2.4mg
Sodium:927mg
Calcium:533mg

Italian cooking@home
by cooking mania

Italian Vegetable Pie

RECIPE

Yield
8 servings

Ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1 (12.3-ounce) package firm tofu, drained and crumbled
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 (25.5-ounce) jar fat-free marinara sauce
6 cooked lasagna noodles, cut in half crosswise
Cooking spray
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation
Preheat oven to 375°.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bell pepper, chopped onion, mushrooms, tofu, and garlic; sauté 3 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in tomato paste, Italian seasoning, fennel seeds, crushed red pepper, and marinara sauce; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes.

Arrange the noodles spokelike in the bottom of an 8-inch round baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spread 3 cups tomato mixture over noodles. Fold ends of noodles over tomato mixture, and top with the remaining tomato mixture and cheeses. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes.

Nutritional Information
Calories:307 (30% from fat)
Fat:10.4g (sat 4.4g,mono 3g,poly 2.1g)
Protein:19.7g
Carbohydrate:33.8g
Fiber:4.8g
Cholesterol:20mg
Iron:6.7mg
Sodium:444mg
Calcium:340mg

Italian cooking@home
by cooking mania

Calzones with Italian Tomato Sauce

RECIPE

Deliver with potato chips and fresh fruit.

Yield
Makes 6 servings

Ingredients
1 pound lean ground beef
3 1/2 cups (14 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 (6-ounce) can low-sodium tomato paste
1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
2 (10-ounce) cans refrigerated pizza crust
Olive oil
Italian Tomato Sauce

Preparation
Cook ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring until it crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain.

Combine beef, 2 1/2 cups cheese, and next 3 ingredients.

Unroll each pizza crust, and cut each crust into thirds. Roll each portion to a 5-inch circle. Spread 3/4 cup of meat mixture evenly over half of each circle. Moisten edges with water; fold dough over, pressing or crimping edges to seal. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet, and cut slits in tops to allow steam to escape. Brush with olive oil.

Bake at 375° for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden. Top with Italian Tomato Sauce; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Melt cheese under broiler, if desired.

Note: Freeze baked calzones up to 1 month, if desired. Thaw in refrigerator overnight. Wrap calzones in aluminum foil, and bake at 300° for 1 hour or until thoroughly heated.

Italian cooking@home
by cooking mania

Italian Brunch Casserole

RECIPE

Yield
Makes 8 servings

Ingredients
1 (8-ounce) package sweet Italian sausage
8 green onions, sliced (1 cup)
2 zucchini, diced (about 3 cups)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 (7-ounce) jar roasted red bell peppers, drained and chopped
1 (16-ounce) Italian bread loaf, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 8 cups)
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
6 large eggs
1 1/2 cups milk

Preparation
Remove and discard casings from sausage. Cook sausage in a large skillet, stirring until sausage crumbles and is no longer pink; drain.

Add green onions and next 3 ingredients to skillet. Sauté 4 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in roasted bell peppers. Drain and cool.

Spread 4 cups of bread cubes in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Top with half each of the sausage mixture and cheese. Repeat with remaining bread, sausage, and cheese.

Whisk together eggs and milk. Pour egg mixture over bread. Cover and chill 8 hours.

Bake, covered, at 325° for 1 hour or until bubbly and hot.

Italian cooking@home
cooking mania

Italian BLT Sandwiches

RECIPE

Yield
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients
1/2 (16-ounce) Italian bread loaf
1/4 cup Italian dressing
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup mustard
1/2 pound thinly sliced Genoa salami
1/2 pound thinly sliced mortadella or bologna
4 (1-ounce) provolone cheese slices
Romaine lettuce leaves
3 plum tomatoes, sliced
8 bacon slices, cooked and cut in half
Garnish: pimiento-stuffed green olives

Preparation
Cut bread diagonally into 8 slices; arrange on a baking sheet. Brush slices evenly with Italian dressing, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Bake at 375° for 5 to 6 minutes or until lightly toasted.

Stir together mayonnaise and mustard; spread untoasted side of bread evenly with mayonnaise mixture.

Layer 4 bread slices, mayonnaise mixture side up, with salami and next 5 ingredients. Top with remaining 4 bread slices, mayonnaise side down. Secure with wooden picks. Garnish, if desired.

Italian cooking@home
by cooking mania

Baked Italian Oysters

RECIPE

This hot appetizer is served on the half shell for an elegant presentation. The ground red pepper lends a subtle heat to the breadcrumb topping.

Yield
8 servings (serving size: 3 oysters)

Ingredients
1 1/2 (1-ounce) slices white bread
Cooking spray
1/3 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
24 oysters on the half shell
8 lemon wedges

Preparation
Preheat oven to 450°.

Place bread in a food processor, and pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs form to measure 3/4 cup.

Heat a medium nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add onions, parsley, and garlic; cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in fresh breadcrumbs, Italian breadcrumbs, and the next 4 ingredients (Italian breadcrumbs through black pepper). Place oysters on a jelly roll pan. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture evenly over oysters.

Bake the oysters at 450° for 7 minutes or until the edges of the oysters curl. Serve with lemon wedges.

Nutritional Information
Calories:76 (30% from fat)
Fat:2.5g (sat 1g,mono 0.5g,poly 0.5g)
Protein:5.4g
Carbohydrate:7.7g
Fiber:0.4g
Cholesterol:26mg
Iron:3.3mg
Sodium:234mg
Calcium:77mg

Italian cooking@home
by cooking mania

Italian Club Sandwich

RECIPE

Yield
4 servings

Ingredients
1/2 (16-ounce) Italian bread loaf
1/4 cup Italian dressing
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup mustard
1/2 pound thinly sliced Genoa salami
1/2 pound thinly sliced mortadella or bologna
4 (1-ounce) provolone cheese slices
Romaine lettuce leaves
3 plum tomatoes, sliced
8 bacon slices, cooked and cut in half
Garnish: pimiento-stuffed green olives

Preparation
Cut bread diagonally into 12 (1/4-inch-thick) slices; arrange on a baking sheet. Brush slices evenly with Italian dressing, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Bake at 375° for 5 to 6 minutes or until lightly toasted.

Spread untoasted sides of bread slices evenly with mayonnaise and mustard. Layer 4 bread slices, mayonnaise side up, with salami, mortadella, and provolone. Top with 4 bread slices, mayonnaise side up; layer with lettuce, tomato, and bacon. Top with remaining 4 bread slices, mayonnaise side down. Cut in half, and secure with wooden picks. Garnish, if desired.

Italian cooking@home
by cooking mania

Beer-Braised Beef with Italian Salsa Verde

RECIPE

Yield
8 servings (serving size: 2 topped slices)

Ingredients
Salsa Verde:
1 cup chopped fresh mint
2/3 cup chopped fresh dill
1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
1 tablespoon chopped capers
3 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Beef:
2 pounds boneless chuck roast, trimmed, cut into 3-inch cubes
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking spray
1 teaspoon olive oil
3 cups vertically sliced onion (about 1 large)
1 cup fat-free, less-sodium beef broth
1 (12-ounce) can Guinness Stout
Remaining ingredient:
(16-ounce) loaf Italian bread, cut into 16 (1-ounce) slices, toasted

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare salsa, combine first 8 ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate.

To prepare beef, sprinkle beef with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add beef; cook 5 minutes or until browned. Remove from pan.

Add 1 teaspoon oil and onion to pan. Reduce heat, and cook 12 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally.

Return beef to pan. Add broth and beer; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour and 30 minutes or until tender. Remove beef from pan; shred with 2 forks. Return beef to pan; stir. Spoon 1/4 cup beef mixture over each bread slice; top each with 1 1/2 tablespoons salsa.

Nutritional Information
Calories:387 (29% from fat)
Fat:12.4g (sat 3g,mono 6.8g,poly 1.5g)
Protein:29.9g
Carbohydrate:34.7g
Fiber:2.1g
Cholesterol:47mg
Iron:4.3mg
Sodium:788mg
Calcium:78mg

Italian cooking@home
by cooking lover

Minestrone with White Beans and Italian Sausage

The Italian minestra refers to a variety of moderately thick soups. Minestrone is a hearty vegetable-filled minestra that often contains beans and sometimes pasta. We've omitted the pasta here but added some Italian sausage. With minestrone, it seems, there is no end to the delectable variations.

Yield
4

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound mild Italian sausage, casings removed
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
4 cups drained and rinsed canned white beans, preferably cannellini (from two 19-ounce cans)
10 cup water
1 cup canned diced tomatoes with their juice
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
2/3 pound spinach, stems removed and leaves washed well (about 1 1/2 quarts)
Grated Parmesan, for serving

Preparation
1. In a large pot, heat the oil over moderately high heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring frequently, until browned, about 5 minutes. Remove the sausage with a slotted spoon.

2. Reduce the heat to moderate. Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, thyme, and bay leaf to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, about 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, combine 2 cups of the beans and 2 cups of the water in a blender and puree until smooth.

4. Add the tomatoes, the bean puree, the remaining 8 cups water, the salt, and the pepper to the pot. Bring to a boil, skimming any foam that rises to the surface. Stir in the sausage, the remaining 2 cups beans, and the spinach. Simmer until the spinach wilts, about 3 minutes. Serve the soup topped with grated Parmesan, and pass more Parmesan at the table.

Wine Recommendation: It's only natural to partner this traditional Italian soup with a classic Italian red wine. Either a Tuscan Chianti or a dolcetto from the hills of Piedmont will be splendid.

Italian cooking@home
by cooking lover

Italian Peppered Beef Stew (Peposo)

Yield
Makes 6 servings

Ingredients
4 pounds fat-trimmed boned beef chuck or other cut suitable for stewing, rinsed and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
2 cups dry red wine such as Zinfandel or Merlot
2 cans (14 1/2 oz. each) diced tomatoes
1 cup chopped fresh basil leaves or 3 tablespoons dried basil
18 peeled garlic cloves
1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh-cracked or coarse-ground black pepper
Salt
Creamy polenta
Oven-dried tomatoes or 2 Roma tomatoes, rinsed and sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
Gremolata

Preparation
1. Brown beef. Discard fat.

2. Add wine, canned tomatoes (including juices), basil, garlic, and 1 tablespoon cracked pepper to pan with beef. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until beef is very tender when pierced, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Skim off and discard fat. Add salt and up to 1/2 tablespoon more cracked pepper to taste.

3. Spoon polenta onto dinner plates or a large shallow bowl or rimmed platter. With a slotted spoon, lift out beef and mound onto center of polenta. Measure remaining pan juices; if less than 3 cups, add water to make that amount, return to pan, and bring to a boil; add salt to taste and pour juices into a serving bowl. Pass pan juices to add to taste. Garnish stew with oven-dried tomato slices and gremolata.

No-mess browning:

1. Place meat in a heavy-bottomed 5- to 6-quart pan. Add 1/2 cup water; cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer briskly over medium heat until meat is gray on the outside and has rendered juices and fat, 15 to 20 minutes.

2. Uncover pan, increase heat to high, and stir often until most of the liquid has evaporated, 15 to 20 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-high and stir often until meat juices have caramelized and darkened and meat has browned in the rendered fat, about 5 minutes longer. If drippings and the brown film on pan begin to scorch, reduce heat to medium.

Nutritional analysis per serving of stew.

Nutritional Information
Calories:504 (41% from fat)
Protein:61g
Fat:23g (sat 8.5)
Carbohydrate:11g
Fiber:2.1g
Sodium:463mg
Cholesterol:197mg

Italian cooking@home
by cooking mania

Italian Cheese Noodle Casserole

Yield
8 servings (1 square each)

Ingredients
PAM Original No-Stick Cooking Spray
12 ounces dry wide egg noodles, uncooked
1/2 pound ground sirloin beef
1 cup chopped onion
1 can (29 oz each) Hunt's Tomato Puree
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
2 cups cottage cheese
3 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese (3 cups = 12 oz)

Preparation
Hands On: 15 minutes
Total: 55 minutes

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Spray 13- x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray; set aside. Cook noodles according to package directions.

2. Cook beef and onions in large skillet over medium-high heat until crumbled and no longer pink, about 5 minutes, while the noodles are cooking. Stir in puree, basil, garlic powder and oregano. Reduce heat to low; simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain noodles. Layer 1/2 each in prepared baking dish: meat sauce, cooked noodles, cottage cheese and mozzarella cheese. Repeat layering.

3. Bake, covered, 30 minutes. Remove cover and continue baking 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Allow to rest 5 minutes before cutting into 8 squares to serve.

Italian cooking@home
by cooking mania

Italian style Shrimp with Spaghetti

Yield
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients
8 ounces dried spaghetti
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots (about 3 oz.)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 can (14 1/2 oz.) Italian-style diced tomatoes
1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 pound (40 to 50 per lb.) frozen shelled deveined shrimp, thawed
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Salt and pepper
Shredded romano or parmesan cheese

Preparation
1. In a 4- to 5-quart pan over high heat, bring 2 quarts water to a boil. Add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender to bite, about 10 minutes. Drain and return to pan.

2. Meanwhile, in a 10- to 12-inch frying pan over high heat, stir shallots and garlic in olive oil until shallots are limp, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes (with juice), tomato paste, wine, oregano, and basil. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.

3. Rinse and drain shrimp; add to sauce. Stir often just until opaque but still moist-looking in center of thickest part (cut to test), 5 to 6 minutes.

4. Stir sauce into cooked pasta. Divide mixture equally among four bowls. Sprinkle with parsley; add salt, pepper, and cheese to taste.

Nutritional Information
Calories:447 (11% from fat)
Protein:33g
Fat:5.5g (sat 0.9)
Carbohydrate:59g
Fiber:4.3g
Sodium:675mg
Cholesterol:173mg

Italian cooking@home
by cooking mania

Introduction

Italian cuisine can differ greatly from region to region. Often people not totally familiar with the range of foods in Italy assume everything is spaghetti and pizza when that is not the case. Italy is well known for its wines, risotto (rice dishes), cured hams, pasta, cheeses, breads, and numerous other culinary delights.

Here you can learn how to cook Italian food at home by yourself from many popular Italian recipes. Let's do it and enjoy the great foods now!

Italian cooking@home
by cooking mania