RECIPES FOR TO-DAY ***** # 71012.

ROLCAM · Posted: Sat Oct 13, 2007 1:54 am Post subject: RECIPES FOR TO-DAY ***** # 71012.

Appetizer -- Garlic Toasts

1 loaf of Italian bread
2 cloves garlic, minced
One half cup olive oil
1 tsp. ground oregano
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

Slice bread into one half inch slices. Combine garlic, oil, oregano and vinegar and mix well. Brush each slice of bread with the mixture and broil several inches away from heat until golden brown.

The Skinny: Just have a small piece.

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Main Course -- Meat Filled Cannelloni

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 pound lean ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
One quarter cup dry sherry
2 eggs
1 cup Parmesan cheese
4 oz. Canadian bacon, diced
4 oz. prosciutto, diced
One quarter cup fresh parsley
Extra grated Parmesan cheese
1 16-oz. jar marinara sauce

Heat oil in a skillet and brown ground beef (We used ground buffalo. It tastes great and is very low in fat), add onion and garlic and saute until tender. Add dry sherry and cook for several minutes over low heat. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. In a food processor, process meat mixture along with eggs, cheese, Canadian bacon, prosciutto and fresh parsley. Process until smooth but still somewhat crumbly. The next step is to fill 4 x 5-inch flat cooked pasta sheets with mixture. You may buy pasta sheets or make then on your own, recipe to follow.

Pasta Recipe

2 and one half cups all-purpose flour One half cup cake flour 1 Tbsp. olive oil 5 eggs, beaten Pasta Press

Place both flours in a food processor and pulse together. Add eggs and olive oil and pulse until a smooth dough ball forms. Place dough ball on a lightly floured surface and knead for several minutes. Separate dough into 4 equal parts and wrap in plastic wrap. Allow to sit for 30 minutes. Remove one part of the dough at a time and knead slightly. Flatten out and fold into a rectangle and start through a pasta press. Start on the highest setting and run the pasta through several times, then switch to the next setting and run through only once, ending with the next to last setting. You should end up with a long sheet of pasta that is approximately 4 inches wide and several feet long. Cut the pasta into 5 inch sheets. Place pasta sheets in boiling water for only a couple of minutes (fresh past cooks very fast). Place cooked pasta sheets in cold water to stop cooking process. Remove and pat dry before filling.

If you a using dry pasta, cook according to manufacturer's instructions and then drain. To fill cannelloni, spread 2 Tbsp. of mixture on each sheet and roll up. Place the marinara sauce along the bottom of a 13 x 9 inch baking dish and place each filled cannelloni seam side down in the pan. You may need two pans because this recipe makes a lot. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and bake at 375 for about 20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and golden brown.

The Skinny: With the filling, use the leanest beef (or buffalo) you can find and your favorite egg substitute. I would not use egg substitute if you are making your own pasta.

Spinach Caesar Salad

6 cups baby spinach, washed and patted dry
1 clove garlic
Two thirds cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
One quarter cup olive oil
One half tsp. fresh ground pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
Croutons

Rub the garlic clove along the inside of a wooden bowl and discard clove. Place spinach in bowl and sprinkle with cheese. Mix together mustard, vinegar, oil and salt and pepper in a salad cruet and shake well. Pour over spinach just before serving and toss. Sprinkle with croutons and serve.

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Dessert -- Ricotta Honey Pudding
2 cups ricotta cheese
One quarter cup honey
4 eggs, separated
1 tsp. vanilla
Dash of salt
Ground cinnamon for garnish
1 pint fresh raspberries

Combine ricotta, honey, egg yolks and vanilla in saucepan and heat over low heat until warmed through. Beat egg whites in a separate bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites into ricotta mixture and heat for a few minutes. Spoon pudding into serving bowls and sprinkle with ground cinnamon. Chill for 1 - 2 hours. Garnish with raspberries or another of your favorite fruits.

The Skinny: Ricotta cheese is fairly low in fat.

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Grocery List

1 loaf of Italian bread
5 cloves garlic
Three quarters cup and 3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. ground oregano
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 pound lean ground beef
1 small onion
One quarter cup dry sherry
11 eggs (whew!!)
1 and two thirds cup Parmesan cheese plus extra grated Parmesan cheese to top the cannelloni
4 oz. Canadian bacon, diced
4 oz. prosciutto, diced
One quarter cup fresh parsley
1 16-oz. jar marinara sauce
2 and one half cups all-purpose flour
One half cup cake flour
6 cups baby spinach, washed and patted dry
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
Croutons
2 cups ricotta cheese
One quarter cup honey
1 tsp. vanilla
Ground cinnamon for garnish
1 pint fresh raspberries

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Tales from the Chef .

Let's see ... 11 eggs, almost 2 cups of Parmesan cheese and more than 1 cup of olive oil. That's quite a grocery list. Just run a few extra miles this week or make it to the gym a couple of extra days.

Last time I was recounting how I had to develop muskrat defenses for my tomato patch. After two completely successful tomato growing seasons, the muskrats from the marsh behind my house discovered my tomato patch and had taken a liking to my tomatoes.

I decided to surround my garden with chicken wire and was fairly confident that the chicken wire would keep the muskrats out of the garden. I installed the chicken wire and then planted my tomatoes.

Within weeks, my plants were bursting with firm, green tomatoes. For the first time, due largely to concerns over threats to my plants, I had carefully selected only the choicest plants. In prior years, I had figured that my green tomato thumb was powerful enough to produce the best tomatoes from any type of plant. The damage wrought by the muskrats had shaken my faith and I had invested a little more time and money in procuring my plants. Now, it looked like my taking the time and effort to purchase quality plants was really going to pay off.

A few weeks later and my tomatoes were starting to come into maturity. I had my first tomato sandwich of the year and it looked like it would be the first of many. The anti-muskrat fence was really doing the trick. I saw no evidence of muskrat anywhere near my garden and the path from the marsh to the garden from last year was no where to be seen.

It looked like my tomato talents were back in full swing ... and then ...

Enjoy!
_________________
Roland Camilleri

Moderator

Sydney , Australia.