May 4, 2012

Ravioli and Gnocchi with Creamy Mushroom Sauce Ingredients: Favorite ravioli - 1/2 package Favorite gnocchi - 1 package Bunch of baby portabella mushrooms, sliced 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced 1 shallot, peeled and diced 1 tablespoon butter Olive oil Small bunch fresh Italian parsley, chopped Few leaves of fresh sage, chopped 1/4 cup chicken stock 1/4 cup half & half A handful of grated Parmesan cheese To Make: In a large pot, bring 4 quarts water to boil for the pasta. Add in the ravioli first, cook for 1 minute, and then add the gnocchi. You want them to finish at the same time. Drain. In a large skillet, heat up the butter with a splash of olive oil on medium heat.  Add in the shallot and garlic. Saute for a few minutes until softened.  Add in the mushrooms and allow to brown. Do not stir as much so they can brown on both sides. Should take a few minutes. Add in the sage and stir. Add in the chicken stock and half & half, and allow to simmer for a few minutes. Add in half of the Parmesan cheese. Stir occasionally until thick and creamy.  Season with salt and pepper.  In large serving bowls, divide the pasta and pour the mushroom sauce over and sprinkle with parsley and the rest of the Parmesan cheese.  Enjoy!

Ravioli and Gnocchi with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

Ingredients:

  • Favorite ravioli - 1/2 package
  • Favorite gnocchi - 1 package
  • Bunch of baby portabella mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  • 1 shallot, peeled and diced
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • Olive oil
  • Small bunch fresh Italian parsley, chopped
  • Few leaves of fresh sage, chopped
  • 1/4 cup chicken stock
  • 1/4 cup half & half
  • A handful of grated Parmesan cheese

To Make:

  1. In a large pot, bring 4 quarts water to boil for the pasta. Add in the ravioli first, cook for 1 minute, and then add the gnocchi. You want them to finish at the same time. Drain.
  2. In a large skillet, heat up the butter with a splash of olive oil on medium heat. 
  3. Add in the shallot and garlic. Saute for a few minutes until softened. 
  4. Add in the mushrooms and allow to brown. Do not stir as much so they can brown on both sides. Should take a few minutes.
  5. Add in the sage and stir. Add in the chicken stock and half & half, and allow to simmer for a few minutes. Add in half of the Parmesan cheese. Stir occasionally until thick and creamy. 
  6. Season with salt and pepper. 
  7. In large serving bowls, divide the pasta and pour the mushroom sauce over and sprinkle with parsley and the rest of the Parmesan cheese. 
  8. Enjoy!

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April 13, 2012

Quick 2 Cheese Polenta with Tomato Mushroom Sauce Ingredients: 1 tube pre-made polenta or, if making from scratch use 1 cup polenta grits, 3 cups whole milk, salt and pepper, and stir over a medium-low heat for 12 minutes until cooked through.  1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/4 cup grated or sliced Provolone cheese A small handful of slivered or sliced almonds 1 egg 2 tablespoons butter 2 sprigs fresh sage, chopped 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped Small bunch parsley, chopped 1 can diced tomatoes 2 cups sliced mushrooms 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar Olive oil Small bunch fresh basil leaves, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced To Make: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine polenta, egg, Parmesan  cheese, Provolone cheese, almonds, chopped sage, salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon butter.  Grease a baking pan with olive oil and press the polenta mix into it. Drizzle a little olive oil over the top so it can get a nice browned crust.  Stick it in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until slightly golden brown.  To make the sauce, in a large skillet/pan, heat up a bit of olive oil and add in the garlic. Saute for 30 seconds on medium heat. Add in the mushrooms and cook for a few minutes. Do not touch the mushrooms while they cook so they can brown. A couple of minutes per side.  While mushrooms are cooking, season with salt and pepper and add in the thyme, half of the basil, and half of the parsley.  Once mushrooms are browned, add in the diced tomatoes with all the juices from the can. Stir so it doesn’t catch.  Add in the tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and keep stirring until the sauce has cooked down a bit.  Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary.  Remove from heat. Take polenta out of the oven. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the polenta and let it melt over it.  Let the polenta sit for 5-7 minutes before serving so it can set.  Once ready, in large bowls spoon out polenta and pour the sauce over it. Garnish with remaining chopped parsley and basil and grate a tiny bit of Parmesan on top.  Enjoy! This is a delicious dish that is a lot faster than most polenta dishes (only 30 minutes as opposed to the 1.5 hour ones) and tastes just as good! 

Quick 2 Cheese Polenta with Tomato Mushroom Sauce

Ingredients:

  • 1 tube pre-made polenta or, if making from scratch use 1 cup polenta grits, 3 cups whole milk, salt and pepper, and stir over a medium-low heat for 12 minutes until cooked through. 
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup grated or sliced Provolone cheese
  • A small handful of slivered or sliced almonds
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 sprigs fresh sage, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
  • Small bunch parsley, chopped
  • 1 can diced tomatoes
  • 2 cups sliced mushrooms
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • Olive oil
  • Small bunch fresh basil leaves, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

To Make:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a large bowl, combine polenta, egg, Parmesan  cheese, Provolone cheese, almonds, chopped sage, salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon butter. 
  3. Grease a baking pan with olive oil and press the polenta mix into it. Drizzle a little olive oil over the top so it can get a nice browned crust. 
  4. Stick it in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until slightly golden brown. 
  5. To make the sauce, in a large skillet/pan, heat up a bit of olive oil and add in the garlic. Saute for 30 seconds on medium heat.
  6. Add in the mushrooms and cook for a few minutes. Do not touch the mushrooms while they cook so they can brown. A couple of minutes per side. 
  7. While mushrooms are cooking, season with salt and pepper and add in the thyme, half of the basil, and half of the parsley. 
  8. Once mushrooms are browned, add in the diced tomatoes with all the juices from the can. Stir so it doesn’t catch. 
  9. Add in the tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and keep stirring until the sauce has cooked down a bit. 
  10. Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary. 
  11. Remove from heat. Take polenta out of the oven. Add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the polenta and let it melt over it. 
  12. Let the polenta sit for 5-7 minutes before serving so it can set. 
  13. Once ready, in large bowls spoon out polenta and pour the sauce over it. Garnish with remaining chopped parsley and basil and grate a tiny bit of Parmesan on top. 
  14. Enjoy!

This is a delicious dish that is a lot faster than most polenta dishes (only 30 minutes as opposed to the 1.5 hour ones) and tastes just as good! 

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polenta 2 cheese polenta creamy parmesan cheese recipe mushroom sauce mushrooms tomatoes tomato sauce baked dish cheesy parsley basil thyme sage olive oil butter fast recipes

February 3, 2012

Essentials made easy.

Essentials made easy.

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herbs food hanging garden dill parsley thyme sage where's the basil?