Won Ton Wrapper Cups

As you all know, I love new finger food appetizers ideas. This is why I am going to share this great recipe with you!

Ingredients:

• 1 (16 ounce) package wonton wrappers
• 1 pound sausage or ground beef
• 1 cup shredded  cheese (I used simply slices)
• Onions
• Extravergin Olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a miniature muffin pan with cooking spray.
2. Insert wonton wrappers into the muffin pan so as to form small cups. Bake 5 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow the baked wrappers to cool.
3. In a medium pan, sautee the onions, oil, sausage or beef . Sprinkle with your favorite spices. Fill the baked wonton wrapper cups with the mixture. Top with cheese.
4. Bake the filled wonton wrappers 10 to 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the cups are golden brown. Watch closely so the wonton wrappers do not burn.  Enjoy!! Your guests are going to love this! Buon Appetito!

Brown Rice with Peppers and Blue Cheese

Here is a quick and healthy way to prepare your next meal!

Ingredients:

Brown Rice
Bell Peppers
Blue Cheese or Gorgonzola
Onions
Extravergin Olive oil
spices

In a pan, bring the water to a boil and cook the rice according to the instructions. In the meantime, in another pan, sauteed the oil, onions, and peppers. Let everything cook until tender. Drain the brown rice and put it in the same pan where the peppers are. Adjust, salt, pepper, and any other spice you might like. Towards the end you can sprinkle your crumbly blue cheese or Gorgonzola on top. Enjoy! Buon Appetito!

Honey Glazed Carrots

Here is one of my favorite side dishes.


You need:

1 1/2 cups baby carrots
3 Tbsp honey
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp lemon juice

Bring the carrots to a boil for 10 minutes, until tender and crisp. Drain carrots and in another pan sauteed the honey, sugar and lemon juice. Place the carrots into the saucepan with the honey mixture and coat well. Enjoy! Buon Appetito!

Chocolate Torte

Happy Valentine's day to all of you! This year I wanted to try this delicious flour less European chocolate cake (I got the inspiration from the website www.joyofbaking.com).  As you can see from the pictures, this cake will create a light crust on the outside, but it will be moist like a fudge inside.

Ingredients:

6 large eggs, separated

1 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

9 ounces (255 grams) semisweet chocolate chopped

1 cup (200 grams) granulated white sugar, divided

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place oven rack in the center of the oven. Butter a 9 x 3 inch (23 x 8 cm) pan or spray with a nonstick cooking spray.

 

Separate the eggs while still cold, placing the egg whites in one bowl and the egg yolks in another bowl. Cover both with plastic wrap and bring to room temperature (about 30 minutes).

Meanwhile, melt the butter and chocolate in a bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water.

Place egg yolks and 1/2 cup sugar in the bowl of your electric mixer (can also use a hand mixer). Beat on medium high speed until thick and lemon-colored, about 3-5 minutes. (The eggs should have tripled in volume, look thick and soft, and when you lift the beater the mixture falls back into the bowl in a slow ribbon.) Beat in the vanilla extract and melted chocolate mixture.

In a clean bowl, with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until foamy. Gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. Using a rubber spatula or whisk, fold a small amount of whites into the egg yolk mixture to lighten the batter. Add the remaining egg whites, folding just until incorporated. Do not over mix or the batter will deflate.

Pour into the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Bake the cake for about 50 - 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. (During baking the surface of the cake will form a crust which will collapse when the cake is removed from the oven.) Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. The top of the cake will have become hard with a cracked surface and lots of crumbs. Serve with softly whipped cream. Enjoy! Buon Appetito!

Happy Hour Snack Idea

In Italy is very common to go out for a happy hour drink before dinner time, we call it "Aperitivo". Depending on which bar you go to, they might serve you different kinds of snack to go with your drink, these snacks can be: mini sandwiches, hot or cold mini appetizers finger food and so on. I decided to show you one of the most common snack that you might find during your aperitivo.

In this picture I was having some green olives, salted peanuts, and some potato chips. Everything paired with a delicious glass of your favorite happy hour drink, and after this... ready for some delicious dinner! Enjoy! Buon Appetito

Carrot Cake

In honor of my Beautiful Sister Tami's Birthday I am going to post this cake recipe! Happy Birthday Tami!!!! I love you!
This dessert is becoming one of my favorites, especially after trying this wonderful version that Mrs. Darlene kindly passed me! Thank you Darlene! This recipe was wonderful!

Ingredients for cake: 

2 1/2 cup self-rising flour          1 1/2 cup oil

2 cups sugar                                 4 eggs, beaten

3 tsp cinnamon                            3 cups grated carrots

2 tsp vanilla

Mix all ingredients.  Pour into 2 or 3 greased and floured cake pans.

Bake at 350 F for 40 minutes.

Ingredients for Frosting: 

  8 oz. cream cheese, softened            2 tsp flour

  1 box powdered sugar                       1 cup pecan pieces

  1 stick butter

Mix butter and sugar.  Add powdered sugar and flour a little at a time. Add pecans last.  Frost cake. Enjoy! Buon Appetito!

Ciambelline

This is a traditional cookie recipe from my awesome island of Sardinia. We usually make this cookies during the Christmas time of the year.

Ingredients:

4 cups flour
2 tbsp baking powder
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups Lard
6 eggs
Lemon zest of 2 lemons

Start by mixing in a large bowl everything, adding the flour for last. Roll your dough and make double cookies for each shape you pick.... one has to have a hole in the middle, while the other does not (as you can see in the picture).
Bake in the oven at 350 F for about 10 minutes or until lightly golden. Let your cookies cool completely and then start assembling them. Place the cookie without the hole at the bottom, spread it with your favorite jam, nutella, or whatever you like, and then place the cookie of the same shape with the hole on top (As you can see in the picture).
Sprinkle some sugar powder on top and enjoy! Buon Appetito!

Italian Style Pizza

This picture was taken during my visit to my Lovely Island Sardinia, in Italy, last year. I want to share with you one of my favorite toppings on pizza!

This pizza was so yummy! From the restaurant pizzeria "Terra Sarda" in Olbia. On top of my pizza there are some of the best prosciutto slices, arugula leaves ( previously tossed w/ some olive oil, salt and pepper) and shaved Parmesan cheese. Soooo good! You should give it a try! Just go to your bakery or local grocery store, get a ball of pizza dough. Then roll the dough, top it with some tomato sauce, salt, pepper, shredded mozzarella cheese, and the toppings that I described to you in this picture! (These toppings will go on your pizza after the cooking time) Enjoy! Buon Appetito!