Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Easy - Cucina Italia Chicken Cacciatore

CUCINA ITALIA

Chicken Cacciatore



Great over Pasta or by itself with a nice Caesar salad. Bellissimo!!

1 ½ lbs Boneless Thighs
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil

2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Medium Onion Sliced Thinly
4 Ribs Celery Sliced
2 Large Carrots Diced
¼ cup Sherry Wine
¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
black pepper, to taste

1 jar Cucina Italia Primavera

Heat 1 Tablespoon oil in skillet, and brown chicken on both sides. Remove and set aside.
Add 2 Tablespoons oil to skillet and cook onion, celery, and carrot over medium-high until onion is translucent. Add red pepper, and black pepper. Add Sherry and cook off alcohol (about two minutes.)
Add chicken to skillet and pour Cucina Italia Primavera over the top along with ½ cup water. Heat covered on High to a boil and then reduce to simmer for 30 minutes. Turn chicken over and simmer additional 30 minutes, removing the cover for the last 10 minutes.
SERVES 4 -6 

Monday, July 25, 2011

Easy - Cucina Italia Lasagna Verde

CUCINA ITALIA

Lasagna Verde

1 jar Cucina Italia Zucchini Verde Salsa Italiana
2 Tbs. Olive Oil
4 Celery Ribs Diced
2 Large Carrots Diced
1 Medium Onion Diced
1 lb. ground Chicken or Veal
1 (15 oz.) container Ricotta
1 egg, beaten
8 oz. shredded Mozzarella cheese
1/3 c. water
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp. parsley flakes
Dash nutmeg
Salt & pepper to taste
1 Package No Boil Lasagna
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Heat olive oil in saucepan over medium-high heat and cook carrots, onions and celery until caramelized(about 7-10 minutes.) Add ground chicken or veal and cook until browned well.
In a large bowl mix together Ricotta cheese, beaten egg, Mozzarella cheese, 1/3 cup water, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, parsley flakes and nutmeg. Add salt and pepper if desired.
Layer as follows:
1. ¼ of the sauce and ½ meat mixture, lasagna strips, 1/2 cheese mixture
2. ¼ of the sauce and ½ of the meat mixture, lasagna strips, rest of cheese mixture
3. Lasagna strips, remaining sauce
4. Top with 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese or lots of grated Mozzarella
Bake at 375 degrees, covered with aluminum foil for 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 15 more minutes. IMPORTANT: Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting.
Serves 6-8.

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Quick/Easy Dinner - Cucina Italia Gnocchi Pomodoro con Gorgonzola

CUCINA ITALIA

Gnocchi Pomodoro con Gorgonzola


Great quick meal that is hearty.

1 lbs Potato Gnocchi
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
½ cup water

½ pound Gorgonzola Cheese cubed
½ pound chopped walnuts

1 jar Cucina Italia Pomodoro

Heat 1 Tablespoon oil in skillet, and sauté gnocchi until lightly browned.

Add Cucina Italia Pomodoro and water and cook covered over medium heat for 10 minutes.

Add gorgonzola and walnuts and quickly toss with gnocchi and sauce.
Serve immediately on warmed plate. Garnish with fresh chopped basil and serve with a balsamic vinaigrette salad.
SERVES 4 -6 
Soon I will post a recipe for Gluten Free Gnocchi

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Cucina Italia - San Francisco Pork Chops

CUCINA ITALIA

San Francisco Pork Chops


This is a unique and tasty way to serve pork chops. The sauce is sooo tasty. This dish goes well with rice and a cooked veggie. Yummy!

1 ½ lbs pork chops, bone in
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil

2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1 Medium Onion Sliced Thinly
4 Ribs Celery Sliced
½ pound sliced mushrooms
¼ cup Marsala Wine
¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
black pepper, to taste

1 jar Cucina Italia Marsala Marinara

Heat 1 Tablespoon oil in skillet, and brown chops on both sides. Remove chops and set aside.
Add 2 Tablespoons oil to skillet and cook onion and celery over medium-high until onion is translucent. Add red pepper, and black pepper. Add marsala and cook off alcohol (about two minutes.)
Add pork chops to skillet and pour Cucina Italia Marsala Marinara over the top along with ½ cup water. Heat covered on High to a boil and then reduce to simmer for 30 minutes. Turn chops and simmer additional 30 minutes, removing the cover for the last 10 minutes.
Remove chops to platter.
Reduce Sauce to a thicker consistency.
Pour over chops and serve.
SERVES 4 -6 

Incomparable Pasta Sauce(and more)

Cucina Italia - Sugo Italiano

Forgive us for tooting our own horn, but we kid you not when we say that our Pasta Sauces are unlike anything else on the market. Our sauces are painstakingly handcrafted with the finest ingredients, and hand packed which allows for their stand out chunkiness. Got Gadgets? We do! Our family always loved sauces with big discernible pieces of vegetables in them, and it was a given that would be the case with our sauces we offer to you. When we list mushrooms, zucchini, olives, artichokes, peppers, etc., you'll not only see them but taste them too, and taste them you will! We pride ourselves on packing our sauces with so many gadgets, you can't help but getting them in every bite. We don't stop there, but we use the finest classic ingredients like extra virgin olive oil, fresh onions, garlic, vegetables, and a bottle of wine in every case. Finally, we add no sugar to our sugos, EVER! so only the natural sweetness of the ingredients is what you taste. So go ahead and spoil yourself, you deserve it, and remember that these sauces are not just for pasta, but are great on grilled meats, fish, veggies, eggs, bruschetta, and more.

We have posted recipes that can be made with these sauces and will have more to share soon. Feel free to share your recipes with us and we will post them if we like them.

Sugos we currently make:
Marsala Marinara - Puttanesca - Arrabbiata - Pomodoro - Carciofino(Artichoke w/Blk Olives) - Melanzana(Eggplant w/Grn Olives) - Balsamica(w/ Sun Dried Tomatoes) - Zucchini Verde - Primavera - Arrostito(Roasted Peppers) - Portabella

God bless, and Mangia!
As always, Keep it Saucy.