Turkey and Barley Stuffed Peppers

 

Ingredients

6-7 medium  red bell      peppers

1- pound ground turkey

1/2 of a small onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 c cooked barley

1 t salt

1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning 

1 tablespoon olive oil 

15-ounce canned tomato sauce 

3/4 c shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions 

Cut off top of the peppers and remove the seeds and membranes. Reset the tops.

Cook ground turkey, onion, and garlic in olive oil.

Stir in barley, seasoning, and tomato sauce.  Heat through. Suit on mozzarella.

Stuff each pepper with stuffing mixture and stand upright in an ungreased baking dish. Place tops on prppets.

Pour 1 cup of water into the bottom of the baking dish and bake for 60 minutes at 350 degrees.

Serve with a salad or your favorite vegetable.

Italian Chicken Roll-Ups

 Ingredients 

1/4 cup grated mozzarella cheese 

4 slices capacola-hot Italian  ham

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Freshly ground pepper to taste

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets

1/2 cup Italian seasoned dry breadcrumbs

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon butter 

Directions

Preheat oven to 375F

Pound the cutlets between pieces of plastic wrap to ¼ inch.

Place 1 tablespoon of grated mozzarella cheese on each slice of ham. Fold the ham in half and lay it on top of the cutlets. Starting at the narrow end of the cutlets roll the cutlets up and divide with toothpicks.

Brush each with mustard and coat in the breadcrumbs.

Heat the butter and oil in an oven-proof skillet. Add the chicken rolls and brown them on all sides. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 20 minutes.

Serve with your favorite vegetable or salad,

Mediterranean Baked Red Snapper Fillet

 

Ingredients

12 oz red snapper fillet

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

Extra virgin olive oil

Juice of ½ lemon

10 cherry tomatoes, halved

¼ cup sliced roasted red peppers

12 pitted olives (I used a combination of kalamata olives and green olives)

¼ sliced red onion

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Directions

Heat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Pat the fish dry and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Brush a baking dish with a little extra virgin olive oil and put the fish in it. Squeeze the lemon juice all over the top of the fish.

In a mixing bowl, combine the tomatoes, peppers, olives, onions, garlic, and spices. Add a very small pinch of salt and ground pepper. Add 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, toss to combine.

Pour the mixture over the fish.

Bake 20 minutes (this will depend on the thickness of your fish).

Remove from the heat and serve.

I served the fish with roasted asparagus.

Pork Chops With Creamy Cabbage and Sweet Potatoes

 Ingredients

2 bone-in thick pork chops, about 12 oz each

4 teaspoons honey mustard

1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning

1 cup bread crumbs

Salt and pepper to taste

Olive oil

Directions

Season the chops with salt and pepper. Add the Italian seasoningto the breadcrumbs.

Brush the chops with the mustard and press on the crumbs. Refrigerate while you prepare the cabbage.

Add just enough oil to a medium skillet and heat until hot but not smoking. Add the pork chops and cook until crispy brown, about 3 minutes on each side. Serve over the cabbage.

Add baked sweet potatoes to complete the meal.

Cabbage

Ingredients

Half a head of cabbage, shredded

1 cup chopped onion

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons butter

½ cup cream

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the onion and cabbage and cook over low heat until soft, about 10 minutes. Add salt, pepper, cream, and cheese. Heat until the cheese melts. Serve immediately.

Italian American Seafood Stew (Cioppino)

 

Serve with a green salad and some crusty bread for dipping in the delicious sauce. You can use any seafood that you like.

Ingredients

1⁄4 cup olive oil

1  large onion, chopped

2  carrots, chopped

1  celery rib, chopped 

5  cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 cups chopped Italian tomatoes in juice, crushed

1cup dry white wine

4 large leaves of basil

2 pounds firm, skinless fish fillets (such as red snapper, grouper, cod, mahi-mahi, or halibut), cut into 2-inch pieces

1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 lb. scallops

2 meat lobster tails, removed from the shell and cut into 1-inch pieces

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a Dutch Oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic. Sauté 10 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes, basil, tomatoes, and wine. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer the and cook for 30 minutes.

Next, add the fish pieces and shrimp to the sauce, pushing them down into the liquid a little. Cover the pot and simmer for 4 minutes. Add the lobster and scallops and simmer for 2 minutes. 

Immediately scoop the stew into large bowls, garnish with chopped parsley.. Serve