Italian Rainbow Cookies

January 2nd, 2020 | Posted by Milana in Dessert | Italian Cuisine - (0 Comments)

Italian Rainbow Cookies

INGREDIENTS:

1.5 Cups Organic Vegan Shortening (I use Spectrum Organics)

1 Cup Unbleached All Purpose Flour (I use King Arthur Flour)

1 Cup White Whole Wheat Flour (I use King Arthur Flour)

8 oz. Almond Paste (I use Solo )

1 Cup Coconut Sugar (I use Madhava)

4 Large Eggs, Room Temperature, Separated (Pete & Gerry’s Organic)

1/2 tsp Almond Extract (I use Flavorganics)

1/2 tsp salt ( I use Himalayan salt)

Red and Green Plant Based Food Coloring (I use Color Garden Dyes Holiday Pack)

1/2 Cup Organic Apricot Preserve (I use Trader Joe’s)

1/2 Cup Organic Seedless Raspberry Preserve (I used Trader Joe’s)

1/2 a package of 10oz. bag of Enjoy Life Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips

1/3 bar of 100% Cacao Baking bar (I use Dagoba Organic)

1 Tbsp Vegan Shortening

Cooking Spray

3- 9” x 13” x 0.75” non-stick pans

Off-Set Spatula

food processor

Parchment Paper

Cooling Rack

DIRECTIONS:

1.Prep. First, position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees F. Spray the pans with cooking spray and lay parchment paper in each one. 

2.Make the batter.  Put your almond paste in a food processor to get it finely crumbled.  In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the almond paste, sugar, and the shortening.  Beat on medium speed until combined.  Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, and extract and until smooth . Add flour and salt and beat until just combined. In a clean bowl, using a hand mixer, whisk the egg whites on low-medium until stiff peaks form. Fold about one-third of the egg white mixture into the batter with a rubber spatula, then gently fold in the rest.

3.Color the batter. Divide the batter evenly among 3 bowls. I used a digital kitchen scale. Stir enough red and green food coloring in 2 of the bowls to create a red and green batter.  Leave the third bowl uncolored.

4.Bake the layers. Transfer the batter to the prepared pans (one pan for each color). Dip an offset spatula in water and spread the batter to the edge of each pan, smoothing the tops (the layer of batter will be very thin).  Bake for about 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely in the pans on wire racks.

5.Assemble the layers. Remove the green layer onto a large cutting board. If your preserves are a bit hard, heat it up until it is somewhat liquefied. Spread the raspberry jam evenly on top of it (use as much as is needed to make a thin layer). Remove the plain cake layer by inverting it onto the green layer.  Peel off the parchment paper. Spread the apricot jam on top of the plain layer. Remove the red cake layer by inverting on top of the plain layer.  Peel off the parchment paper.

6.Trim the cake. Trim the sides with a serrated knife to make straight edges. Set a cooling rack over a baking sheet. Carefully slide the cake onto the rack, using a wide offset spatula to help you, if necessary.

7.Cover in chocolate. Melt the chocolate (preferably in a double boiler) and pour over the cake. Use an offset spatula to spread and smooth the chocolate on the top. Allow the chocolate to cool for 45 min. Flip the cookie to the other side and pour the rest of the melted chocolate.  Let set slightly for about 15-20 minutes. Scrape wavy lines into the chocolate with a fork.  If the lines in the chocolate don’t hold their shape, let the chocolate set a little longer and try again.

8.Cut the cake. Slide the cake back onto the cutting board. Cut the cake into 1”x 1.5” squares. Slice crosswise into strips, and then cut each strip into rectangular pieces. For clean edges, dip the knife in warm water and wipe it with a paper towel in between cuts.

10.Store in an airtight container.  Your cookies will stay fresh in a tight container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 1 week, but it’s doubtful these tasty gems will last that long.

Original recipe was adapted from Tripping Blonde.

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Rating: 4.3/5 (4 votes cast)

 


Over the years I started to realize that conveniently available manufactured bottled dressings are just full of synthetic fillers, flavors and unnecessary ingredients. Therefore, I been making my own authentic Caesar dressing for quite a few years and it so yummy! This dressing will be a staple in your fridge. Try it today!

INGREDIENTS:

1-1/2 tsp anchovy paste or 2 fillets chopped finely

2 fresh garlic cloves, minced

1 cup organic mayonnaise

1⁄4 cup low fat buttermilk

1⁄3 cup grated parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice

2 Tsp Dijon mustard

1/4 tsp Finely ground black pepper

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

DIRECTIONS:

Whisk all ingredients in a bowl or measuring cup and store in a glass jar with a tight fitting cap in the fridge for up to 3 weeks. Enjoy!

**adapated recipe from FOOD.

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Rating: 5.0/5 (2 votes cast)

  

Yields: 8 Servings

INGREDIENTS:

3 Tbsp Avocado Oil

1/2 cup White Whole Wheat Flour (for dredging)

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp dried basil

4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts (Butterflied, pounded to 1/4″ thickness and cut in half)

3 Eggs plus 3 Tbsp of water (whisked)

3 Garlic Cloves, minced

1 cup White Cooking Wine

1 Cup Low Sodium Homemade Chicken Stock or Broth

2 Lemons (zest and juice)

2/3 cups Capers (optional)

1 Cup Fresh Chopped Parsley, divided

4 Tbsp Vegan Shortening

DIRECTIONS:

Heat a large deep sauté pan with the avocado oil on medium/high heat.

Season your flour with salt, pepper, oregano and basil. Dredge chicken lightly in the flour. Set aside. Using 1/2 of the chopped parsley ( reserve the rest for sauce and garnish), whisk in to the egg wash. Dip chicken breasts into the egg wash and carefully lay it into the pan. Cook 2 min until golden brown, flip and cook an additional 2 minutes. Set aside on a plate. The chicken will finish cooking in the sauce. 

Add the minced garlic to the pan and cook for about 20 seconds. Deglaze with the wine, scraping up brown bits with a wooden spoon. Stir in the broth, lemon juice and capers and allow to reduce for 2 minutes. 

Add the lemon zest, parsley, vegan butter and swirl to emulsify. Place the chicken back into the pan with the sauce, close lid and cook for 15 min on low heat. Serve with favorite pasta, steamed broccoli, and a salad. Enjoy!

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Rating: 5.0/5 (2 votes cast)

Chicken Marsala

September 4th, 2014 | Posted by Milana in Italian Cuisine | Lunch/Dinner - (0 Comments)

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Makes 8 servings

INGREDIENTS:

4 Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts
1/2 Cup White Whole Wheat Flour
1 Tbsp Paprika
1-1/2 tsp Ground Turmeric
1/4 tsp Finely Ground Black Pepper
2 tsp Garlic Powder
1-1/2 tsp Onion Powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp Dried Oregano
2 tsp Dried Thyme

2 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp Cayenne Pepper (optional)
2 Tbsp olive oil or Avocado Oil
3 Tbsp Vegan Butter
3 Cups sliced Mushroom Caps (cremini, shitake, baby bella)
3/4 Cup Marsala Wine
1 Cup Chicken Stock
Chopped Chives for Garnish

DIRECTIONS:
Butterfly chicken breast halves and pound thin. Cutting each Butterfly down the center to give you 2 thin chicken breasts.
In a shallow bowl or plate combine the flour and all seasoning spices and stir to combine thoroughly. Quickly dredge the chicken breast halves in the seasoned flour mixture, shaking to remove any excess flour.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until very hot but not smoking. Add 1 tablespoon of the margarine and cook the chicken breasts until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Add another Tbsp of the margarine to the pan and add the mushrooms. Cook, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are golden brown around the edges and have given off their liquid. Add the Marsala wine and bring to a boil, scraping to remove any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. When the wine has reduced by half, add the chicken stock and cook for 3 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened slightly. Lower the heat to medium and return the chicken breasts to the pan and continue to cook until they are cooked through and the sauce has thickened, about 5 to 6 minutes. Swirl in the remaining Tbsp of margarine. Garnish with chopped chives and serve with your favorite side. Enjoy!

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Rating: 5.0/5 (2 votes cast)

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INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 Box Whole Wheat Lasagna Noodles
  • 2 Tablespoons Avocado Oil
  • 1 whole Medium Onion
  • 4 cloves Garlic
  • 1 whole Red Bell Pepper, Diced
  • 24 ounces, Baby Bella Mushrooms, Chopped
  • 2 small Zucchini, Diced
  • 1 large Eggplant unpeeled, diced in chunks
  • 1 can (28 Ounce) No Salt Added Diced Tomatoes
  • 1 can (8oz) No Salt Added Tomato Sauce
  • 1/2 cup White Cooking Wine
  • 1/4 cup Fresh Parsley, Chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
  • Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
  • 2 containers (15 ounces each) Ricotta Cheese
  • 2 whole Eggs
  • 1 box (10 oz. each) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and water pressed out
  • 1/2 cup Grated Parmesan
  • Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • 1 pound Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook noodles according to package directions. Drain and lay flat on a sheet of aluminum foil or parchment paper with cooking spray in between layers to prevent sticking.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet or 4 quart dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook for a minute. Add diced red peppers and saute for another minute or so. Add squash and mushrooms and cook for a few minutes. Add eggplant and cook an additional 3 min. Pour in wine, add salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes, and stir.

Pour in tomatoes and sauce. Stir to combine and let simmer for 20 minutes or so. Stir in chopped parsley.

In a separate bowl, combine ricotta, eggs, spinach, Parmesan cheese, and pepper.

To assemble, spread a little of the vegetable/tomato sauce in a lasagna pan. Layer four cooked noodles in the pan, slightly overlapping them if necessary. Spread 1/3 of the ricotta mixture on the noodles. Top the ricotta mixture with mozzarella slices. Spoon a little less than 1/3 of the veggie/sauce mixture over the mozzarella.

Repeat the layering two more times, ending with a large helping of vegetable sauce and a sprinkling of Parmesan.

Bake at 350 degrees, covered in foil, for 20 minutes, then remove foil and continue baking for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to stand for 10 minutes before cutting into squares and serving.

Serves 12.

Nutrition Facts
User Entered Recipe
  12 Servings
Amount Per Serving
  Calories 381.7
  Total Fat 15.4 g
  Saturated Fat 8.0 g
  Polyunsaturated Fat 0.8 g
  Monounsaturated Fat 5.4 g
  Cholesterol 60.4 mg
  Sodium 466.9 mg
  Potassium 395.3 mg
  Total Carbohydrate 38.6 g
  Dietary Fiber 8.5 g
  Sugars 5.5 g
  Protein 26.0 g
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Rating: 5.0/5 (3 votes cast)

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INGREDIENTS:
6 Chicken Breasts, butterflied and pounded flat
2 Boxes Cremini Mushrooms (stems removed, cleaned and sliced)
1 Large Sweet Onion Chopped
10 Garlic Cloves, minced
2 tsp fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped or 1 tsp dried
Salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp Grapeseed Or Avocado Oil
4 Tbsp Dijon Mustard
Kitchen Twine

DIRECTIONS:
Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a large skillet over med-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the mushrooms. Cook for 3-5 min and add the onions. Cook mixture until onions are soft, another 3 min or so. Add the garlic, thyme, and rosemary. Cook until the herbs and garlic are fragrant, about a min. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a little while. Heat oven to 350F.

Meanwhile prepare the chicken breasts by butterflying, and pounding.

On your cutting board, place 2 pieces of kitchen twine down vertically. Place the prepared chicken breast on top of the kitchen twine so that there is a piece of twine at either end of the chicken breast ( the longest side of the chicken should be perpendicular to the kitchen twine). Spread some mustard evenly on the chicken breast then layer with mushroom stuffing mixture. Roll from left to right and secure with the twine. Trim the ends. Place rolls on a greased baking sheet. Spray rolls with cooking spray and sprinkle with Mrs. dash Chicken Spice and paprika. Bake for 30 min or until a meat thermometer registers 180F in the center. Remove from oven and cover with foil for 10 min. Snip off the twine before slicing. Guiltless Eating! 🙂

Nutrition Facts

User Entered Recipe

  6 Servings
Amount Per Serving
  Calories 197.6
  Total Fat 7.2 g
  Saturated Fat 1.1 g
  Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5 g
  Monounsaturated Fat 3.5 g
  Cholesterol 35.0 mg
  Sodium 972.5 mg
  Potassium 62.4 mg
  Total Carbohydrate 14.9 g
  Dietary Fiber 0.7 g
  Sugars 0.0 g
  Protein 15.6 g
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Rating: 5.0/5 (3 votes cast)

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INGREDIENTS:
1-1/2lbs Chicken Breast Tenders
2 Tbsp Grapeseed Oil or Avocado Oil
1 Cup Low Sodium Chicken Broth
1/3 Cup Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
1/3 Cup White Cooking Wine, chilled ( a medium to dry wine- not sweet)
1 Tbsp Italian Parsley (for garnish)
1 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
salt & pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Dredge tenders in whole wheat flour and shaking off the excess. Heat 2 tbsp of oil and start adding your tenders into the pan. Sauté the chicken on med-high heat for about 3 min on each side until light brown. They will cook pretty fast since they are very thin. Remove and keep warm. Once done with all chicken. Add wine to deglaze the pan scraping all bits from the chicken and reduce. Add broth, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil and reduce by half. Season with salt and pepper to your taste. Add the chicken back to the sauce. Garnish with parsley. Guiltless Eating! 🙂

Nutrition Facts

 

User Entered Recipe
  6 Servings 
Amount Per Serving
  Calories 372.3
  Total Fat 13.3 g
  Saturated Fat 1.7 g
  Polyunsaturated Fat 1.0 g
  Monounsaturated Fat 7.0 g
  Cholesterol 100.0 mg
  Sodium 1,143.7 mg
  Potassium 79.1 mg
  Total Carbohydrate 17.6 g
  Dietary Fiber 0.7 g
  Sugars 0.3 g
  Protein 42.0 g
  Vitamin A 0.4 %
  Vitamin B-12 0.0 %
  Vitamin B-6 5.2 %
  Vitamin C 19.1 %
  Vitamin D 0.0 %
  Vitamin E 0.2 %
  Calcium 4.4 %
  Copper 1.1 %
  Folate 1.7 %
  Iron 9.0 %
  Magnesium 1.0 %
  Manganese 7.1 %
  Niacin 0.3 %
  Pantothenic Acid     0.4 %
  Phosphorus     1.1 %
  Riboflavin 0.5 %
  Selenium 1.9 %
  Thiamin 1.0 %
  Zinc 0.4 %
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

 

 

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Rating: 4.3/5 (3 votes cast)

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INGREDIENTS:
24 jumbo pasta shells, (8 ounces)
3 cups Miur Glen Organic Italian Herb Pasta Sauce
1 Large Sweet Onion, finely chopped
1 bag fresh baby spinach
2 cups chopped mushrooms
2 cups ricotta cheese
2 cups low moisture shredded mozzarella
1 large egg
2/3 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
1 tbsp dried oregano
5 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Cook shells until just tender, according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside.

Spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set over medium-high heat. Add onions and mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes.

Add spinach in batches and toss with tongs until wilted. Let cool. Set aside.

Combine ricotta, basil, oregano, garlic, breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup Parmesan and nutmeg in a bowl; mix well. Add the reserved spinach and mushroom mixture and season with salt and pepper. Stir in egg.

Stuff each of the reserved shells with a generously with about a tablespoon of the ricotta mixture.

Spread 1 cup marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Arrange the stuffed shells in a single layer.
Top with the remaining 2 cups of the sauce sprinkle with mozzarella and the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Bake until the top is golden and the shells are heated through, about 30 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 6 Servings
NUTRITION ANALYSIS:
Serving Size: 4 Shells per person
Calories: 269 Calories
Total Fat: 5 g
Carbohydrates: 48g
Dietary Fiber: 7g
Protein: 27g

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Rating: 5.0/5 (3 votes cast)

This is probably the best oven fried chicken recipe I have ever encountered! Juicy and tender on the inside, crispy and nutty on the outside making every bite delectably delicious! I got this recipe from key ingredient. With a few tweaks I made it my own! Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:
1/4 Cup Trader Joe’s Cultured Cashew Milk
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
4 (6 oz) Chicken Cutlets
1/3 Cup Panko
1/3 Cup finely chopped walnuts
3/4 tsp finely minced rosemary
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp finely ground black pepper
Cooking spray

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.

2. Combine cashew milk and  mustard in a shallow dish, stirring with a whisk. Add chicken to mixture, turning to coat. In the meantime.

3. Combine panko, nuts, and next 4 ingredients (through pepper) in a shallow dish. Remove chicken from milk mixture; discard milk mixture. Dredge chicken in panko mixture.

4. Arrange a wire rack on a large baking sheet; coat rack with cooking spray. Arrange chicken on rack; coat chicken with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 13 minutes or until chicken is done. Garnish with rosemary leaves, if desired.

NUTRITION ANALYSIS:
4 Servings
Serving Size: 1 Chicken Cutlet
Calories per serving: 229.8
Total Fat: 8.6g
Sat Fat: 1.1g
PUFA: 4.7g
MUFA: 0.9g
Cholesterol: 90mg
Sodium: 291.1mg
Potassium: 59.8mg
Total Carbohydrates: 5.1g
Dietary Fiber: 1g
Sugar: 0.4g
Protein: 34.3g

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Rating: 5.0/5 (3 votes cast)

Tricolor Baked Ziti

January 22nd, 2013 | Posted by Milana in Italian Cuisine | Lunch/Dinner - (0 Comments)

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INGREDIENTS:
16 oz Package Tricolor Penne or Ziti Pasta boiled according to package
15 oz Ricotta Cheese
1 lb Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1 Egg Beaten
1 Jar Miur Glen Pasta Sauce
1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese

DIRECTIONS:
In a medium bowl mix pasta with ricotta cheese, sauce, 3/4 of mozzarella and egg. Heat oven to 375F. Lightly grease a 9×13″ baking dish with cooking spray. Spoon mixture, top with parmesan and the rest of mozzarella cheese. Bake for 30 min. Let stand for 15 min before serving.

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Rating: 5.0/5 (2 votes cast)