Spaghetti and Meatballs

Who doesn't love traditional spaghetti and meatballs?! Meatballs were one of my favorite foods growing up, and still is. My kids could eat spaghetti and meatballs everyday if they could, so when I make this recipe, I try to make enough so they can eat it for lunch the next day.

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef
1 package of your favorite pasta (I used fettuccine for this recipe)
1/2 cup of milk
1/4 cup of italian bread crumbs
1 10 oz can of crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
1/2 medium size onion
3 garlic cloves
1/2 package of onion soup mix
Chopped Italian parsley and basil
Olive Oil
Goya seasonings
Salt and pepper
Parmesan cheese

Preparation:
Start boiling your water for your pasta. Chop onions, basil, parsley and garlic.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

1.) In a big mixing bowl, stir together the ground beef, milk and breadcrumbs. You might want to use your hands to get it mixed together good. Add some goya seasoing, salt and pepper and keep mixing together. Then add the onion soup mix and about 1/4 cup of shredded parmesan cheese. Once the ingredients are all mixed together, shape the mixture into balls and place on a baking sheet with aluminum foil. You will bake the meatballs in the oven for about 30 minutes or until cooked all the way through.

2.) In a skillet, drizzle olive oil and throw in the onions and garlic with a little salt and pepper. Sauté the vegetables for about 10 minutes on medium-high heat.

3.) Turn the skillet down to low heat and add the crushed tomatoes and sauce from the can and the tablespoon of tomato paste and stir together. Drizzle about a tablespoon of olive oil over top of the sauce and toss in the chopped basil and keep on low heat for it to simmer.

4.) Once the meatballs are finished cooking, add them to the sauce and continue to simmer on low heat.

5.) Once your pasta is finished cooking, serve your pasta and the sauce in a big pasta bowl. Sprinkle some freshly grated parmesan cheese and parsley and vuala, your finished!

Wine Pairing: Cabernet Savignon, any good red wine will go great with spaghetti, however, this wine I really enjoy because of its fruit flavors and smooth taste. 

Truffle Mushroom Risotto

Mmmm...Truffle Mushroom Risotto...This recipe is good on any day of the week.

Ingredients:

1 32 oz box of chicken broth
2 cups of arborio rice
2 garlic cloves
1 package of baby bella mushrooms
1 carrot
1/2 cup of white wine
1 medium size onion
2 tablespoons of butter
1/2 cup of shredded parmesan cheese
Italian parsley, chopped
Truffle oil
Olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:
You will need 2 large saucepans and one skillet.
Chop the onions, garlic and carrot until minced or finely chopped.

1.) In a saucepan, pour all the chicken broth into the pot and keep it on low heat.

2.) In a skillet, sauté the mushrooms, onions, carrot and garlic with the butter. Sprinkle some salt and pepper to the vegetables. Once vegetables are cooked through, you can keep it on low heat until your rice is finished cooking.

3.) In another large saucepan, drizzle some olive oil in the pan and then pour the rice in. Keep this pot on medium-high heat. Give the rice a good stir with the olive oil and let that cook for about 2 minutes.

4.) Pour the white wine over the rice and stir it just once. Let this cook until the wine has absorbed.

5.) You will want to get a ladle and pour 2 scoops of the chicken broth into the rice. You will need to stir the rice and chicken broth together until some of the liquid has absorbed. Should take about 5 minutes. Then once it has absorbed, you will add another two scoops from the chicken broth with your ladle into the rice and stir until that new liquid is absorbed. Repeat those two steps until all your chicken broth is gone, or until you think the rice is creamy enough and does not need anymore broth.

6.) Once you get your rice where it is soft and creamy, and the chicken broth has absorbed, then you can add the mushroom mixture from the sauté pan. Drizzle some truffle oil to your liking over the risotto. Add the parmesan cheese on top and give it a good stir. Top off the risotto with some chopped italian parsley for color and there you go! Enjoy some fantastic truffle mushroom risotto!

Wine Pairing: Since the recipe calls for a good white wine to cook with, enjoy a glass of the same wine your cooking with your meal! Pinot Grigio goes great with mushroom risotto. These are three great pinot grigio's that will most likely be at your local wine stores.

Creamy Chicken Pasta

One of my family's favorite meals, and mine too! I love a good creamy pasta, and it has taken many trial and error recipes to find a good one. After attempting to make a variety of creamy pastas, this one is by far my favorite. I hope you try it and like it as well!

Ingredients:

3 Chicken tenderloins 

1 box of pasta (I prefer bowtie pasta, however, you can use any pasta for this dish)

Half of a medium size onion

3 garlic cloves

1 Half pint of heavy whipping cream

About a cup (or more) of good parmesan cheese (its best when you shred it yourself)

3 tbs of butter

1/2 cup of frozen peas

Pinch of salt and pepper

Pinch of nutmeg

Pinch of oregano

Pinch of Goya seasoning (if you have it)

Olive Oil

Preparation:

Start boiling your water for your pasta

Chop onion and garlic

Season the chicken tenderloins with salt, paper and goya seasonings

Shred the parmesan cheese and set it aside in the refrigerator 

1.) Turn the heat to medium-high and toss some olive oil onto your skillet. Once heated, place your chicken tenderloins that have already been seasoned onto your skillet. This should only take about 4 minutes on each side. Once the chicken is cooked all the way through, take the chicken out of the skillet and cut into cubes, then place back on skillet. 

2.) Place the chopped onions and garlic into skillet with the chicken. Let this cook for about 8 minutes, until the onions and garlic have cooked. Then pour in your frozen peas into the mixture and lower the heat to medium-low. Add the butter into this mixture and let it melt and mix with the ingredients. Let this cook for a few minutes together.

3.) Add the whipping cream into the skillet and give it a good stir to mix everything together. Turn the heat down to low and let simmer. Sprinkle your freshly shredded parmesan cheese over top so it melts together as it simmers. 

4.) Once your pasta is finished cooking, pour the pasta into your skillet with your sauce mixture and toss together. Sprinkle a pinch of nutmeg and oregano on top of the pasta and give it another toss.

                                            In italain, Finito, or in English, Finished! Enjoy :)

I love a good glass of white wine with almost any meal, however, with a good creamy pasta such as this one, pinot grigio is sure to hit the spot.

Wine pairing: Bertani Due Uve, Sauvignon Blanc/Pinot Grigio

In this wine you will find hints of peach and apricot. A lovely wine to pair with a good homemade creamy pasta. 

*If you cannot find this exact wine at your local wine store, try to find a good Sauvignon Blanc/Pinot Grigio mixture...the blends of the two grapes is absolutely amazing. 

Spaghetti Pomodoro

I absolutely love spaghetti, in all forms. However, I really love the lightness of spaghetti pomodoro. Spaghetti pomodoro isn't as heavy as a regular spaghetti sauce. It is made with only tomatoes, olive oil and a few vegetables and spices. Here is a recipe I tried, and loved.

Serves 4-5 people

1 box of bucatini pasta (or any pasta you have at home works too)
10 oz can of chopped tomatoes (or chop fresh tomatoes yourself- if you have the time)
3 tablespoons of olive oil
2 carrots
1 celery stick
salt
garlic clove
basil and parmesan for finishing :)


Preparation:
Finely chop carrots, celery and garlic on a chopping board. Chop the vegetables until they are minced. You can use a food processor to speed up the process as well.
Also, start boiling your water, the vegetables do not take too long to cook.

1.) Heat your skillet on medium-high and toss your olive oil in the pan.

2.) Throw in the carrots, celery and garlic and toss it around with the olive oil. Sprinkle salt over the vegetables as you let them cook to add taste.  Let this cook for about 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently.

3.) Once the vegetables are cooked, toss in the chopped tomatoes (and juices from the can) and stir it together, Turn the heat down to low and let simmer together. Pour in a splash more olive oil and stir in with your tomatoes.

4.) Once you cook your pasta, throw the pasta in with your sauce and stir, keeping it on low heat. Put the pasta in a nice big serving bowl and finish off with a little basil and parmesan.


5.) Enjoy, or in italian; Gustare!

*Here is a picture of my very own spaghetti pomodoro*

Wine Pairing: Sangiovese is an Italian red wine that pairs nicely with hearty red sauce pastas or any italian dishes! Sangiovese pairs really nicely with tomato-based sauces, pizza, or even steak.

First off...

On this website you will find recipes and other posts about food and restaurants. Whenever I cook something at home, I will post the recipe along with a picture. I also want to share with you, great restaurants to try and wine pairings to go with the recipes I post. I hope you will try a recipe or two and let me know how it is!

Gustare, in italian, means to enjoy, savor and taste!

Therefore, Gustare!