ITALIAN PASTA SALAD TO SERVE FOR GRILLING SEASON

 Good Morning kindred spirits.....
the days are heating up as we feel
April days flying by us .....time is going so quickly it seems....



Spring in Texas can bring rain and thunderstorms 
so it's good to soak in some sunshine on those days
where it's ideal for living outdoors...with sunscreen and a
hat for sure......
Today, I am bringing you a delicious pasta salad
which I found on Instagram!

It is so easy to put together and does not require
a lot of ingredients!
The secret to this salad is a particular dressing.....

Italian Pasta Salad
One package fresh cheese tortellini
fresh cherry tomatoes
ripe olives
shredded parmesan cheese
fresh shrimp, optional
Girard's Olde Venice Italian Salad Dressing

This pasta salad is versatile,,,,you can add whatever you like
as I added shrimp to ours...and the quantity of ingredients to suit your taste.

Everyone said, "this is a winner!"

We followed up with a perfect summer sweet ending....

Peach Pie....good food brings happy faces......

IT'S ITALIAN DINNER TONIGHT AT ESTELLE'S

Hello Loves....
how in the world are y'all doing today?
I don't know about you, but I love
finding delicious recipes, that have few ingredients
and are worthy of serving to the Queen herself!!!
Most everyone loves Italian cuisine and I have
added two recipes to my collection that
you will definitely want to try!
With today's high grocery prices,
these are easy on the budget!

...welcome back to Estelle's!
I have got two fabulous recipes to share with you today...
if you are like me, you could eat pasta everyday.....and this
recipe is so easy to prepare with few ingredients....
I chose to use Angel Hair pasta in this recipe and it was just about perfect.....

You can use chicken breasts or thighs in this recipe...
I prefer using chicken thighs in most recipes because
they are most always tender and flavorful.....

Recipe link is provided below

Oh that glorious dollop of Ricotta and Marinara sauce....divine....

LASAGNA CHICKEN BAKE

ITALIAN RICOTTA CHOCOLATE CHIP CAKE

This cake is company worthy....
it can be served for breakfast, a snack or a light dessert.....

Recipe link is provided here

ITALIAN CHOCOLATE CHIP RICOTTA CAKE

VINTAGE LUNCHROOM SPAGHETTI

Y'all are going to absolutely love this recipe!
It is so reminiscent of the spaghetti
we used to have in our school cafeteria!
This gets a five star approval rating at Estelle's!

 

VINTAGE LUNCH ROOM SPAGHETTI
1 1/2 lbs. ground chuck
3 T. minced onion, dried
2 packages spaghetti sauce mix
1 1/2 cups water
1 t. Italian seasoning
1 t. garlic powder
1 t. onion powder
1/2 t. salt
1 t. black pepper
2 cans crushed tomatoes
1 1/2 t. chicken bullion
1 T. Worcestershire sauce

2 t. sugar
10 slices American cheese
1 lb. spaghetti

Brown ground chuck, Drain any fat, add minced onions,
spaghetti sauce mix, water and seasonings.
Bring to a soft boil and simmer for 1 hour.
In a separate stock pot, boil spaghetti slightly...do not over cook.
Drain.
Add cheese slices to sauce, then stir in the spaghetti pasta.
Transfer to a 9x13 baking dish, cover with foil.
Bake at 225 degrees for 1 hour.

This is amazingly delicious the next day....
I am delighted to have this recipe in my "best of the best collection!"

ITALIAN RECIPES YOU WILL WANT TO MAKE!

Hi everyone!
Today, I want to share two fabulous recipes
I made recently that proved to be family favorites!!
So many people share treasured family recipes
on various social media sites and it is a terrific
way to connect all of us who share a love of
cooking and baking!
I know you will love both of these Italian dishes!

When you run out of ideas as to what to serve
for supper, Allrecipes is a great resource
for trying out new recipes!

This delicious Spaghetti Sauce recipe came from
"Hank's Mom".....Hank stated this recipe
was handed down from his Mother...it was
a family favorite and will never be replaced.
A definite husband pleaser!

SPAGHETTI SAUCE WITH GROUND BEEF

This Italian Cream Cheese Ricotta Cheesecake is from
April Caudle. April states, "This is my grandmother's
cheesecake recipe passed down to their entire family.
It is THE BEST! It is creamy and thick....she
couldn't believe she was even sharing as it is
such a treasure to their family....a secret so to speak.....

I made a fresh blueberry sauce for ours.....

ITALIAN CREAM CHEESE AND RICOTTA CHEESECAKE

I hope y'all enjoyed this post....
see ya' next time!

 

BAKED ZITI.......ANOTHER DELICIOUS WINTER RECIPE

Good Morning Lovies!
Oh I am thrilled you stopped by the blog today...
Winter is the perfect time for comfort food
and this recipe puts together the very best aspects of 
an Italian classic, Baked Ziti.....pasta, sauce and cheese..all the best
of a hearty casserole!

Baked Ziti

1 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 lb ziti pasta
4 T. butter
2 large eggs
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese

1 cup Ricotta Cheese
2 T. parsley
1 t. sweet basil

1 lb. Italian Sausage
1/2 onion, diced
14 ounce can diced tomatoes
2 cups Marinara Pasta Sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cook pasta in boiling salted water, just about 7 minutes.
Toss ziti with butter, add eggs and Parmesan.
Place pasta in baking dish.
Combine ricotta cheese, and herbs. Spread mixture over pasta.
Brown sausage and onion, Add tomatoes and pasta sauce.
Simmer for about 10 minutes.
Spread over Ricotta cheese mixture.
Bake for 25-30 minutes. Top with Mozzarella and
bake an additional 5 minutes.

TUSCAN PASTA ONE POT DINNER

 

Hello all you Kindred Spirits...
thank you so much for coming back to visit me
in Estelle's kitchen today!
I have got a fabulous recipe to share with you
and I think you're going to want to make this 
as soon as possible...it's a winner!!
With both of us being retired, I look for
recipes that use fewer ingredients and are
easy to prepare...this one fits the bill!

TUSCAN PASTA
1 lb. Hot Italian sausage
3 T. butter
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup beef broth
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup sour cream
5 cheese fresh tortellini
fresh spinach
grape tomatoes, sliced

Brown the sausage. Add garlic, broth, butter and continue
to cook together over medium high heat.
Add sour cream, heavy cream and tortellini....
Cover and allow to simmer for about five minutes.
Uncover, add fresh spinach, and grape tomatoes, until
spinach wilts a tiny bit.
Serve with hot French bread!

I added a tiny bit of salt, pepper and onion powder!

I  highly recommend this one pot dinner....quickly
became a family favorite!

ITALIAN DINNER NIGHT and it's....ALL VEGETARIAN

 

Isn't it fun to make Friday night a bit special....
it's always lovely to spend the evening dining out
out at a beautiful restaurant, but it's also just as enjoyable
to spend the evening at home and cook a romantic dinner
with the one you love.......

This beautiful Tuscan Copper serving tray is from Amazon.

Italian food always seems a bit romantic and festive to me...
so tonight we are trying out three new recipes to us....
an appetizer, the main course and of course a sweet ending!

Let's begin with our Appetizer....
I chose these particular appetizer and the main course
as I could use some of the same ingredients....

Artichoke Patties

 1 jar artichoke hearts, drained and finely chopped
1 egg
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2grated cheese (I used Pecorino Romano)
Pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
¼ t. onion powder
Fresh mozzarella
 Bowl of panko or seasoned Italian breadcrumbs

 Chopped artichoke hearts and add to bowl. Whisk one egg and add to bowl with all other ingredients except mozzarella and breadcrumbs. Mix all together. Add more bread crumb if needed. Scoop mixture using an spoon. Add a piece of fresh mozzarella and form into a ball. Roll and then flatten it and add into breadcrumbs. Fry patties in olive oil and a tablespoon of butter until golden brown. Remove, pat with paper towel and dip into favorite Marinara sauce.

These were a hit!!!

I love Italian recipes....
basically your favorite marinara, Italian cheeses and herbs...
and whichever pasta you prefer!

ESTELLE'S EGGPLANT LASAGNA
1 jar of Marinara
1/2 box of lasagna pasta
1/2 eggplant, peeled and sliced in rounds
Olive Oil

Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder and
Italian seasoning
Fresh sliced MOZZARELLA
Fresh shredded ROMANO 
Béchamel Sauce

Slice the eggplant in 1/8 inch slices, season with
salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder.
Place on baking sheet, sprinkle with olive oil and
bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

While eggplant is in the oven, prepare the Béchamel.

In a saucepan, melt 2 T. BUTTER,
Add 2 T. FLOUR and blend well.
Pour in 1 1/4 CUP MILK.
Add salt and pepper to taste and allow
sauce to cook over medium heat, stirring constantly
until thickened.

Boil lasagna noodles until slightly softened.

Now it's time to  build your lasagna...

In a oiled prepared baking dish,
begin with a layer of Béchamel...
then a spoonful of Marinara sauce...
sprinkle Italian seasoning....
a few slices of eggplant...
then slices of Mozzarella....topped with 
shredded Romano cheese....
repeat layers until all is used.
Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.
Allow to rest about 15 minutes before serving.

This is so very delicious........serve with a fresh salad
and hot French bread!

I have pared down the portions in these ingredients...
if you are serving more than four people, double the recipe.

~ESTELLE'S SWEET ENDING~

Although, Angel Food Cake is not really considered Italian cuisine,
it is very light and low in fat calories after
a main course of pasta.....and it's what we hand on hand......

Confetti Angel Food Cake

How easy is this for serving a beautiful dessert...
a box mix and water....

Served with a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream.....
and frozen blueberries....scrumptious!!!

I believe that even the "meat lovers"  in your life will
enjoy these recipes....

AT HOME IN MAY

We need to think of something....something wild and fun....

to fill our months of Summer.....I often think of my

Grandmother who continued life as usual in the summers...

the cooking and cleaning went on from day to day....

there were no vacations planned or days to lounge around...

I would guess the day she looked forward to the most

would be Sunday's when she dressed up in her finest

to attend the Methodist church services....she would serve

a huge family dinner and then family and guests would be

welcomed to sit on the porch for a few hours....all of them

dressed to the nines in their church clothes....

Well, Miss M planned a weekend adventure

for her little family....husband Jay said he really

needed time away from his home office and conference calls...

so they are going on a camping adventure....

they have rented an RV.....

And will be spending a few days camping in Tallulah Gorge!!!!

She also planted all the pots that are kept on their deck....

Home Depot had these gorgeous Poppies...first time growing these!

FOOD FARE

The darling has had a craving for a good Bloody Mary...

he is going to perfect the art of making it hot and spicy!

Sunday Morning Breakfast....

Ham, Egg and Cheese Sandwiches

Cucumbers and Onion marinated in vinegar....

I grew up on this....there was always a bowl sitting on 

Grandmother's kitchen table or in Mother's fridge all summer long....

we all loved this....the darling remembers this so fondly at

his own Grandmother's house in the Delta...

yes ma'am....this is comfort food at it's best!

We have had a difficult time finding pasta and pasta sauce

at the grocery....I am thinking it was a non-perishable item

snatched up by the hoarders and I know they include these items

at Food Banks for those in need.

After much looking around, I managed to find these items at Amazon.

I always keep a stock of pastas and sauce in the pantry....

Prosciutto wrapped chicken over spaghetti and 

Tuscan Spiced  Marinara Sauce,

topped with fresh basil

My Ricotta Italian Spaghetti Pie

Spicy Maple Glazed Chicken, Baked Sweet Potatoes and

Green Beans with onions, garlic and tomatoes!

Peach Picnic Cake

One large can of peach slices, sprinkled with yellow cake mix,

coconut and pecans with two sticks of melted butter.....bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes!

The Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies

The latest Puzzle....



My thoughts are turning to Summer and our weather
seems to be warming up rapidly..into the 90's....
I always think of lemons during summer....
added to ice water, iced tea...cold lemonade....
so my candle scent choice, is this lovely Lemongrass Breeze
candle from Harry Slatkin!

The lilies are blooming...so beautiful!

Trees.......swaying in the summer breeze.....