Thursday, December 29, 2011

Carla's Kitchen Capers: Frittata, Fast, Filling and Double Duty

Carla's Kitchen Capers: Frittata, Fast, Filling and Double Duty: Frittata, an Italian quiche if you will, is a fast easy dinner that will double as tomorrow's breakfast. The possibilities are endless, eggs...

Frittata, Fast, Filling and Double Duty

Frittata, an Italian quiche if you will, is a fast easy dinner that will double as tomorrow's breakfast. The possibilities are endless, eggs and practically anything you have in the fridge. I bake mine but the proper Italian way is to fry it in olive oil in a frying pan, flip onto a plate, slide it back into the pan and brown the other side, but I have seen many fall on the kitchen floor and I'm chicken shit (lol). I use for my egg base:
8 eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup grated cheese
2 tablespoons parsely
salt and pepper to taste
Tonight I added:
chopped pepperoni and Mozzarella




 scramble the egg base, add the pepperoni and mozzarella, grease well a baking dish and bake at 350 till set.
*soup or salad a perfect weeknight dinner
**I can't think of any addition that wouldn't be good except fruit 
***leftover pasta of any kind is perfect

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Carla's Kitchen Capers: Time To Bake The Christmas Cookies

Carla's Kitchen Capers: Time To Bake The Christmas Cookies: I don't like to bake so much but I do enjoy making Christmas cookies. I've been baking them, first with my grandma Capp and mom, since I was...

Time To Bake The Christmas Cookies

I don't like to bake so much but I do enjoy making Christmas cookies. I've been baking them, first with my grandma Capp and mom, since I was 5. Today I started with Nutballs (my favorite) and Chocolate Muzzettes.
for the nutballs:
1 cup soft butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
mix well then add
2 1/4 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
mix until dough comes together, shape dough into 1 inch balls and bake at 375 for 10-12 min and bottom is lightly browned, roll in powdered sugar while still hot.
makes about 40
for the muzzettes:
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
mix well then add
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup water
1 tsp vanilla






mix until dough forms a ball cut into 2 even pieced and shape into logs. Bake at 375 15-20 min till set but still a little soft. Frost with chocolate frosting and slice on an angle.

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Carla's Kitchen Capers: Braciole, A Special Addition to Sunday Sauce

Carla's Kitchen Capers: Braciole, A Special Addition to Sunday Sauce: I dont' make it a habit to add braciole to my Sunday sauce (never called gravy), but today I felt like this special treat. Simmered in the s...

Braciole, A Special Addition to Sunday Sauce

I dont' make it a habit to add braciole to my Sunday sauce (never called gravy), but today I felt like this special treat. Simmered in the sauce for hours its so tender and delicious. Very simple to make.
thin sliced flank steak or top round
lots of garlic and parsely chopped very finely
grated cheese (I use a 50/50 mix of parmesan and romano)
bread crumbs
olive oil
salt and pepper
lots of butchers twine


Season the meat with salt and pepper, spread on the garlic and parsley mix, sprinkle with the grated cheese and bread crumbs, drizzle with olive oil. Next roll up and tie nice and tight so it doesn't fall apart in the sauce. Simmer for at least 3 hours, remove twine and slice.
*you can also simmer in a simple marinara sauce
** it's also very tasty in a brown sauce like a marsala and served over white rice

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Carla's Kitchen Capers: Pasta Carbonara, Quick, Easy and Delizioso!!!!

Carla's Kitchen Capers: Pasta Carbonara, Quick, Easy and Delizioso!!!!: This is one of the easiest pasta dishes to make with very few ingredients. In the time it takes to boil the pasta dinner is on the table. 4...

Pasta Carbonara, Quick, Easy and Delizioso!!!!

This is one of the easiest pasta dishes to make with very few ingredients. In the time it takes to boil the pasta dinner is on the table.
4 eggs
4 oz pancetta
3/4 cup grated cheese
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tblspn butter
1 lb pasta of your choice (I used fettuccine)
lots of fresh cracked black pepper
easy on the salt




Beat the eggs, cheese, cream, salt and pepper and set aside. Dice the pancetta and fry until crispy, remove from pan and add the butter to the hot pan. Boil the pasta drain and add to the pan, over a very low flame add the egg mixture and gently heat to cook but not scramble the eggs toss in the crispy pancetta and serve.
* if you don't have or can't find pancetta you can use bacon
** not scrambling the eggs takes a little practice
*** serve topped with more cracked pepper and grated cheese