Prosciutto Wrapped Lamb Burgers

    So, right about now everyone's starting to think about firing up that grill, right?  Well, this little twist on a regular burger would be great for a barbecue!  Pop it into a nice, crusty Italian roll....delicious!!  Now, it's still been a little chilly here, so I cooked my burgers in a pan on top of the stove, but you can bet these will be finding their way onto our grill as the weather warms up!  I like to serve these with a salad of fresh tomatoes, cucumber, onion, and basil with some olive oil, salt and pepper.  And, to make them extra yummy, I drizzle them with some balsamic glaze!

Paccheri al Cardinale

                                                                                  
    I've been told that, as a little girl, I had quite a flare for the "dramatic".  If I would begin to carry on about one thing or another, my mom would give me a little look and say, "Alright Sarah".  Why "Sarah", you ask?  After all, that's not my name.  Well, she was referring to Sarah Bernhardt, who was considered the greatest French actress of the later 19th century and one of the best-known figures in the history of the stage.  She had a reputation as a serious dramatic actress.  Now, even as a child, I knew I wasn't  being complimented.  The real message was "Tone it down a little" or "You're being a little over dramatic".

    Today, as an adult, I still enjoy drama, if done well and love things that have something special or unique about them.  This recipe encompasses all of that.  Although I've made and eaten a lot of pasta, in my day, I've never seen any pasta dish done this way before.  Pasta is tossed with a basic tomato sauce, several cheeses, and fresh basil.  Then it's covered with a layer of parchment paper and baked in the oven.  When it comes out, the parchment is cut open and the pasta is served with dollops of fresh ricotta....YUM!

YAY for Printable Recipes!!

    Hey there!  Well, today I finally accomplished something that I've been thinking about for quite awhile now.  Although I usually like to show step-by-step photos with my recipes, I realize, if someone wants to print the recipe, it can be a little troublesome.  Pictures use a lot of ink, after all.

    Just the other day I received a comment after my Eggplant Parmesan Stacks post.  The person loved the recipe but wanted to know if there was a way to copy it without all of the pictures.  Well, that was just the little "push" I needed to get moving and find out how to do it.  So......to Google I would go.  I google everything I don't know about, folks!  And that's a lot of googling!

    Anyway, I came across a site called Confessions of an Overworked Mom which had step-by-step instructions on how to make your blog posts printable.  JACKPOT!!  I immediately printed out the instructions and got to work.  By the way, you should check out the site.  She has lots of tips, tricks, and ideas on several topics like beauty, crafts, food, etc.  Tell her I sent you!

    So, from now on, my plan is to provide printable versions of all of the recipes.  You'll be able to enjoy the pictures (You do enjoy the pictures, right?), but you won't have to print them all out along with the text.  Hopefully this will make trying these recipes a little easier, and it will definitely eliminate the need for you to buy stock in Hewlett Packard!

    Also, my intent is to go back and create printable versions of all of the previous recipes.  That being said, it is a bit of a "process", so I imagine that will take some time.  Be patient with me and I'll get to those as time allows.  What is that old saying?  "All good things come to those who wait"?  If there's a recipe that you simply cannot wait to try and must have it printed out , you can leave me a comment after the specific recipe post and I'll do my best to make it a priority. 

    Thanks for visiting my blog!  I hope you're enjoying the recipes and, by the way, if you'd like to "Follow" The Italian Next Door  just enter your email address in the space in the upper right corner of this page, click on "submit", and follow all of the instructions.  Remember to click on the link in the initial e-mail you're sent to confirm your "subscription".  Each time I publish a new post, you'll be sent a notice so you won't miss any recipes!  OR, if you'd rather, you can follow me on Facebook.  Just go to The Italian Next Door facebook page and "like" it.  Every time I share a new recipe, the link should show up on your news feed.

    Have a great day everyone!  And Happy Spring!!

         

Easter Sweet Bread

    Well, since Easter is tomorrow, I thought I would share a traditional Italian food eaten around this holiday.  There are several foods that can be typically found on an Italian table during this time.....what to choose......what to choose.  Now, before I go further, let me confess that I don't actually have many specific memories of foods we ate during Easter that were particularly Italian.......maybe my memory is failing me??

     I decided to ask my siblings for a little help jogging the old brain cells and, wouldn't you know, two of them remembered my gramma making a bread "with hard-boiled eggs placed in the braids, shell and all?"  Isn't it funny how some memories are so vivid and some things just get a bit lost over time?  (Funny, but also a little sad)  Well..... that's the recipe I'm going to share with you.  It's not my gramma's specific recipe, but one of the many that I came across while leafing through  pages in my stockpile of cookbooks.  This recipe is from Michele Scicolone and can be found in "Entertaining With The Sopranos" .  Now, I never  followed the t.v. series, but the cookbooks are pretty straight-forward and just kind of fun.

Pork Chops with Vinegared Peppers

    Here's another really delicious main dish for you.  Now, I know Easter is just around the corner and this recipe has no connection to the holiday, but, well......it's just really good and I wanted to share.  The tangy "vinegar-i-ness" of the peppers is a really nice contrast to the richness of the pork!  YUM!!  The recipe comes from "The Italian American Cookbook" by John and Galina Mariani.  I've also made this dish with boneless chicken breasts......DELICIOUS!

Fish Piccata

    O.k.,  today I thought I'd share another lighter dish with you.....one that feels like "spring".  You remember "spring", don't you?  That time of year when the temperatures begin to rise and the trees begin to bud; when the flowers start to bloom and you're awakened by the chirping of the birds?  You do remember, right??  I admit, it's been a little difficult around here lately......remembering spring, I mean.  Although, according to the calendar, it's officially here, the weather hasn't played much of a supporting role.  With temperatures still in the 30's (in the teens at night) and even some dusting of snow, it would seem that old Mr. Groundhog was a little off his game this year.  Well, no matter.......we'll just have to be patient a little longer.  SPRING IS COMING!!  MAYBE TODAY!!  For now, I'm just going to enjoy this light, but very flavorful and delicious Fish Piccata and imagine little baby bunnies hopping around in my yard, nibbling on tender shoots of spring grass.

Refreshing Pear Salad in a Tower

        To any of you who have wondered where I've been for the past few weeks, well......life has seemed to get a bit busier.  I'm not sure why, but I just have had a hard time gettin' it together.  It might have something to do with recovering from the enormous sugar high I'd been on in the month of February.  I mean...we're talking A LOT OF CHOCOLATE, people!  Anyway, here we are in the middle of March already.  I thought it was about time to get myself on the computer and reconnect.

    

    So.....after all those desserts, wonderful as they were, I thought it would be nice to share something light and refreshing; something that didn't list sugar or chocolate as the main ingredients!  And here it is......a delicious salad made with pears, watercress, pecans, and blue cheese, dressed in a honey and Dijon vinaigrette.  And, to make it even more fun, it's served in a rather unconventional way.  It's like a little tower of goodness on a plate!