At Home Italian Cooking by JoElaine

Homemade Italian Stuffed Peppers by JoElaine (Balsamo) Quinn

Ingredients:
6 bell peppers, any color
1 lb of lean ground beef
8 oz of Italian sausage, casing removed
1 1/2 sweet onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 1/2 cups of cooked rice
2 cups of fresh mozzarella + 3/4 cup, shredded
1/3 cup of parmesan cheese
2 cups of homemade marinara sauce + 1/2 cup
1 cup of beef broth
1 large egg, beaten
1 Tbsp of fresh parsley, chopped
1 Tbsp of fresh basil, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

Process,
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cut the tops off the peppers and remove the interior seeds and the ribs. With a folk poke hole on the bottom of each pepper for draining.
3. In a large baking pan place 1/2 cup of your fresh marina sauce and pour in the one cup of beef broth. Then place your peppers into the pan.
4. In a large skillet brown your beef, till no longer pink. Remove from pan and set aside.
5. To the same skillet add the sausage, onions, and garlic and cook until the sausage is cooked through and the onions are soft. Drain off excess fat.
6. Add the beef back to the skillet. Then add the cooked rice, 2 cups of mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, parsley, basil, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix till combined. Then add your egg mix in well.
7. Fill your peppers with the meat mixture. Lightly press down the mixture into the peppers.
8. Spoon Marinara sauce on top and cover with a piece of parchment paper and place aluminum foil on top and seal tightly. Place your baking pan on top of a baking pan sheet. Bake for 1 hour.
9. Take out of oven, uncover and top with mozzarella cheese. Place back into the oven and cook 30 minutes more.
10. To serve, place the peppers on a dish and spoon the sauce from the bottom of your baking dish on top.
 

                 Enjoy!

Apple Cinnamon Sugar Pork Chops with Roasted Pecans by JoEline {Balsamo} Quinn

Ingredients:
3 thick pork chops
1 Tbsp of olive oil
2 Tbsps of brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste
1/8 tsp of nutmeg
1/8 tsp of ground cinnamon
2 Tbsps of unsalted butter
3 tart apples peeled, cored, and sliced
Note: If your apples are large 2 will be fine
3 Tbsps of roasted pecans

Process,
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and turn off.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brush chops lightly with oil and season with salt and pepper. Then place in hot pan. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, turning occasionally, or until done. Transfer to a dish and keep warm in the preheated oven.
3. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add butter to skillet and stir in brown sugar mixture and apples. Cover and cook until apples are just tender.
4. Continue cooking sauce uncovered in skillet, until thickened slightly. Spoon sauce over apples and chops. Sprinkle with pecans.
 

                 Enjoy!

Nanny's Spaghetti Pie by JoElaine (Balsamo) Quinn

Ingredients:
1 lb of spaghetti
1 lb of Sirloin chop meat
1/2 pound of Italian sausage, casing removed
Salt and pepper
1 Tbsp of olive oil
1 sweet onion, chopped
4 cups homemade marinara sauce
3/4 cup of whole-milk ricotta cheese
1/4 of fresh parsley, chopped
3 large eggs
1/2 cup of grated Parmesan + 3 Tbsps
2 cup shredded mozzarella


Homemade Marinara Sauce (See recipe below)

Process,
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch spring pan with cooking spray.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook till al dente. Drain and set aside.
3. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown the beef, 5 to 8 minutes, season with salt and pepper. Drain

and set aside. In the same pan brown the Italian sausage. Drain and set aside.
4. Heat the olive oil in the skillet over medium heat and sauté the onions until translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Set aside.
5. In a large bowl, whisk together the marinara, ricotta, parsley, eggs, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add the cooked spaghetti, beef and onions and toss to evenly coat. Transfer to the prepared pan, top with 2 cups of marinara sauce the mozzarella and sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan.
6. Bake until the cheese is bubbling and golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes, then cut into wedges and serve.

Homemade Marinara Sauce
Ingredients;
1 small onion , chopped
4 cloves of garlic , sliced
1/4 cup of olive oil
1 35 ounce can of Italian plum tomatoes with their juice
1 tsp of Salt
2 pinches of dried basil
1 pinch of dried thyme
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 ounces of tomato paste (optional)
3 ounces of water (optional)

Process,
1. In a large skillet, saute the onion and garlic in the oil for about 5 minutes.
2. Chop the tomatoes coarsely and add with the juices to the skillet. Add salt, basil, thyme, and pepper. Cook, covered, for 10 minutes, stir and cook, uncovered, for another 20 to 25 minutes.
Note: if you like a thicker sauce, add tomato paste and water with the tomatoes.
 

               Enjoy!

Penne Lasagna recipe Laura Vitale made by JoElaine (Balsamo) Quinn

Ingredients:
1lb of sirloin ground beef
2 Tbsp of olive oil
2 tsps of fresh parsley, chopped
2 tsps of fresh basil, chopped
1 Tbsp of roasted chicken bouillon
4 Tbsp of grated parmesan
1 large, sweet onion, grated
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
15oz can of diced tomatoes
4 Tbsp of tomato paste
6 cups of water
1 lb of penne pasta
3/4 cup of Ricotta
1/2 cup of parmesan cheese, grated
Salt and pepper, to taste

Process,
1) In a Dutch oven, brown the ground beef in the olive oil over medium-high heat, add in the grated onion and garlic, cook for a couple minutes then add in the parsley and basil plus 4 Tbsp of parmesan cheese and chicken bouillon.

2) Stir in the tomato paste, cook for 2 minutes then add in the diced tomatoes and water bring to a boil, simmer for 10 minutes then add the penne pasta, cook about 10 minutes, adjust the seasoning to taste then turn it off, place lid on and let it rest for 10 minutes.

3) Stir in the ricotta, 1/2 cup parmesan and serve...

Note I added 1 cup of Sunday Sauce with paste,
 

         Enjoy!

Mom's Homemade Pizza by JoElaine (Balsamo) Quinn

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour, or bread flour
2 tsp of salt
1 tsp of sugar
2 Tbsps of Olive oil
1 1/3 cup of warm water
2 1/4 tsp yeast

Process,
1. Dissolve yeast in warm water
with sugar, until you create a foamy mixture in 15 minutes
2. Whisk flour & salt in standing mixer
bowl until mixed.
3. Add yeast mixture to flour on low speed until combined. Knead on medium for 10 minutes more till dough is smooth.
4. Oil bowl and put dough in bowl making sure you roll dough around in bowl to get oil on all sides of the dough. Rise for 1 hour 30 minutes or until dough is double its size.
5. Preheat oven to 475 to 500 degrees. Take dough out of bowl, divide dough into 2 equal pieces knead a little, and place on a baking sheet dusted with semolina flour, covered with a damp towel for 30 minutes.
6. Shape your dough into 2 large pizza shapes. Add your favorite sauce & toppings. Bake in your oven till the crust is crispy and cheese is bubbling.

Note: I like to bake pizza dough for 5 minutes first, then put my sauce and toppings on and back into the oven. It's a much crisper dough.
Note: If you own an OONI Oven, it goes directly on the pizza stone to cook with toppings.

            Enjoy!

Mom's Homemade Pizza by JoElaine (Balsamo) Quinn

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour, or bread flour
2 tsp of Salt
1 tsp of Sugar
2 tbsps of Olive oil
1 1/3 cup of warm water
2 1/4 tsp Yeast

Greek Pizza Toppings

Blend of mozzarella & feta

Kalamata olives

Red onions

Red Peppers

Tomatoes

Spinach

Process,
1. Dissolve yeast in warm water
with sugar, until you create a foamy mixture in 15 minutes
2. Whisk flour & salt in standing mixer
bowl until mixed.
3. Add yeast mixture to flour on low speed until combined. Knead on medium for 10 minutes more till dough is smooth.
4. Oil bowl and put dough in bowl making sure you roll dough around in bowl to get oil on all sides of the dough. Rise for 1 hour 30 minutes or until dough is double it's size.
5. Preheat oven to 475 to 500 degrees. Take dough out of bowl, Divide dough into 2 equal pieces knead a little, and place on a baking sheet dusted with semolina flour , covered with a damp towel for 30 minutes.
6. Shape your dough into 2 large pizza shapes. Add your favorite sauce & toppings . Bake in your oven till the crust is crispy and cheese is bubbling.

Note: I like to bake pizza dough for 5 minutes first, then put my sauce and toppings on and back into the oven. It's a much crisper dough.
Note: If you own an OONI Oven, it goes directly on the pizza stone to cook with toppings.

                Enjoy!