Tag: Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Popular Italian Food

When people think of popular Italian food they most likely think of spaghetti, lasagna, or tortellini. However, the popular Italian food in Italy is actually a little different and much more diverse.

A very popular Italian dish is the minestrone soup. This soup makes excellent use of one of the most popular ingredients in Italian food, beans. Beans are widely used in Italian food and are the feature ingredient in many soups, not just the minestrone. Along with beans are nuts as another popular ingredient. The main nut preferred for Italian food is the pine nut. This nut is used to not only accent pasta dishes, but also as a main ingredient in popular desserts. But, the most common and popular use of the nuts is in pesto sauce. Nothing says Italian food like a good pesto sauce.

Another popular Italian food ingredient is rice. By far the most popular use for this ingredient is in the signature Italian food dish of risotto. Here rice is mixed with broth, vegetables and spices to make a very unique and flavorful dish. Risotto is widely known as the most popular appetizer in Italian food and different regions take great pride in their individual risottos. Rice is also used in many different soups and stews throughout Italy.

The most ubiquitous of all popular Italian food ingredients is olive oil. The best olive oil is known as extra virgin olive oil and many Italian food chefs rely strictly on extra virgin olive oil. The difference between extra virgin olive oil and virgin olive oil is the acidity. In order to be classified as extra virgin the olive oil must not contain more than one percent acidity. Virgin olive oil on the other hand cannot have more than two percent acidity. Extra virgin olive oil is by far the most popular in Italian food where it is used not only to cook food in, but also as a dressing for salad and a dipping option for bread.

When discussing popular Italian food it is essential to talk about the most popular breads and pastries. Breads serve an important role in Italian food. They can be used as appetizers, sides to a meal, and desserts. The most popular breads are flavored with herbs, cheeses, and sun-dried tomatoes. An excellent dessert bread in Italian food is the biscotti which means “twice baked”. This popular dessert is more like a biscuit or cookie and is often flavored with almonds and spices. Fruit can be added to the biscotti and a popular choice is cherries. Biscotti are very versatile in Italian food, being served for breakfast with coffee or as an after dinner treat.

There is much more to Italian food than just pasta and sauce. Italian food is a cuisine of diversity. When traveling in Italy it is often amusing to see the stark difference between what Italian food is popular in America and what Italian food is popular in Italy. If you want to try some different Italian food you certainly can’t go wrong with these time tested favorites.

What’s Special about Rachel Ray Receipes

Rachel Ray receipes are special because they’re recipes that almost everyone can make. You don’t have to be an expert cook to make many of her 30 minute meals recipes. And even her more complicated recipes are much simpler than you’ll find with some other TV chefs.

With Rachel Ray’s meals, you get a very basic recipe at the core. While some recipes do have a few exotic ingredients that everyone won’t have in the pantry, most do not. This shows that Rachel understands what the average home cook is looking for.

How many times have you been watching a cooking show and been disappointed, This is a common problem with many recipes you’ll find on television. The finished product is beautiful and looks delicious, but only a chef can actually make it!

Often, the recipes are exotic things that few ordinary people would even try. When there are more than a couple of ingredients that you don’t already have, it’s easy to get discouraged. And when there are expensive ingredients that you would buy and never use except for that recipe, it’s unlikely you even want to try it.

Rachel Ray recipes, however, are full of ingredients that are common. Basic ingredients like pasta, vegetables, fruits, cheese, milk, extra virgin olive oil and things you probably have on hand are the staples in her meals.

This makes her recipes easy for almost anyone to try. And usually, when there is an ingredient that you might not have on hand, it’s one that you can use in many other things. Capers, for instance, aren’t something everyone buys. But if you buy them for one recipe, she’ll have several others that use them, too.

This gives even the most inexperienced cook a chance to try something new. Done this way, you won’t be stuck paying a lot of money for an ingredient with one use. This is all too often what happens when you follow other top chef’s recipes.

With Rachel Ray’s recipes, you also don’t have to buy any of her pre-packaged products. While she does have some food products available, like chicken and beef broth, her recipes don’t require that you use them. Rachel Ray’s meals are truly recipes that you can use without special knowledge or brand-name purchases.

It’s also fun to cook along with someone who’s really enthusiastic about the recipes. She actually makes the meals in 30 minutes on the television show. Unlike other cooking shows, nothing is pre-chopped or prepared in advance. So you could actually do the same thing she does and follow along.

If you’re looking for a simple and fast meal, Rachel Ray’s 30 Minute Meals can’t be beat. You can make a main dish, a side dish, and usually a salad and a dessert all in a half an hour. And since the ingredients are mostly common ones, you can find the exact things she uses.

With Rachel Ray receipes that are so simple and easy to follow, everyone should be able to enjoy her fun and healthy 30 minute meals.

Make Your Salads Come Alive with These Salad Dressing Recipes

Make Your Salads Come Alive with These Salad Dressing Recipes

What makes or brakes a salad is the dressing. Although it does not easily grab our attention, these so-called silent ingredients play a very crucial role in determining the outcome of a salad.

Tossed with the wrong dressing and the freshest ingredients lose their taste. Salad dressings are like icings on a cake so to speak. They give that final touch, the magic that makes salads come alive. Listed below are some salad dressing recipes that one can choose from to come up with that special salad one might have in mind.

APPLE VINAIGRETTE

1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup apple juice
3 whole fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon honey
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1.Combine parsley, vinegar, olive oil, apple juice, basil, honey, salt, dry mustard and pepper in a blender or food processor. Process until smooth.

BASIC ITALIAN SALAD DRESSING

6 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon dried basil, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
Pinch of dried oregano

1.Combine all ingredients in small bowl and whisk to blend. Salt and pepper.

CITRUS POPPY SEED SALAD DRESSING

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon sugar
3 to 4 tablespoons half & half
1 teaspoon poppy seed
1 teaspoon grated lime

1.Whisk together all dressing ingredients in small bowl. Cover; refrigerate 1 hour.

RANCH SALAD DRESSING

1/2 cup dry buttermilk powder
1 tablespoon dried parsley, crushed
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried minced onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper

1.Combine all ingredients in the blender and process on high speed until well blended and powdery smooth.

To use: Combine 1 tablespoon dry mix with 1 cup milk and 1 cup mayonnaise. Mix well.

LOW-FAT BACON MUSTARD SALAD DRESSING

1/4 slice bacon, finely chopped
6 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1/2 cup nonfat sour cream
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 green onion, chopped white, part only
1 large garlic clove, finely minced
1 teaspoon firmly packed brown sugar
Salt and pepper to taste

1.In a small skillet cook bacon over medium heat, stirring, until crisp; remove skillet from heat.

2.Add orange juice to skillet and scrape up brown bits

3.In a blender, puree bacon mixture with the remaining ingredients until smooth. Cover and refrigerate.

Go Meditarrenean With Greek Salad

Greek Salad is characterize by its fresh taste. Made only with crisp vegetables. It is a very healthy dish that requires little or less than ten minutes to prepare. Greek salads are a fusion of colors. You have the greens, the yellows, the reds and the oranges. Below is a compilation of some of the most fantastic Greek salad recipes.

GREEK SALAD RECIPE

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoons lemon juice
1 clove garlic: minced (crushed)
teaspoon dried oregano
teaspoon sea salt
teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and extra for garnish
3 tomatoes: cut into wedges
red onion: sliced into rings
cucumber: sliced into thick half-moons
green pepper (capsicum): julienned
4 oz (120g) feta cheese: cut into small cubes
16 kalamata olives

PLACE the olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper and oregano in a small jar with a screw-top lid and shake to combine. PLACE the salad ingredients in a large bowl. POUR the dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine just before serving. Garnish with a little freshly ground black pepper.

MEDITERRANEAN GREEK SALAD

INGREDIENTS

3 cucumbers, seeded and sliced
1 1/2 cups crumbled feta cheese
1 cup black olives, pitted and sliced
3 cups diced roma tomatoes
1/3 cup diced oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained, oil reserved
1/2 red onion, sliced

DIRECTIONS

1.In a large salad bowl, toss together the cucumbers, feta cheese, olives, roma tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, 2 tablespoons reserved sun-dried tomato oil, and red onion. Chill until serving.

GREEK SALAD

3 vine ripe tomatoes, cut into chunks
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 European seedless cucumber, cut into bite-size chunks
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and chunked
1 small green bell pepper, seeded and chunked
1 cubanelle pepper, seeded and chunked
1 cup Kalamata black olives
Several sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley, about 1/2 cup
2 (1/4 pound) slices imported Greek feta
1/4 cup (a couple of glugs) extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons (3 splashes) red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed in palm of your hand
Coarse salt and black pepper
Pita breads

Combine vegetables, olives, and parsley in a large bowl. Rest sliced feta on the top of salad. Combine oil, vinegar, and oregano in a small plastic container with a lid. Shake vigorously to combine oil and vinegar and pour over salad and cheese.

Season with salt and pepper and let the salad marinate until ready to serve. Serve salad with pita bread blistered and warmed on a hot griddle or grill pan.

Natashas Greek Salad

1 bunch leaf lettuce
2 cucumbers
4 large tomatoes
1 small yellow onion

Garnish:

Greek black olives
feta cheese

Dressing:

1 part red wine vinegar
1 part olive oil
crushed garlic
salt and pepper to taste
2 pinches sugar

Chop lettuce and onion finely. Chop tomatoes and cucumbers coarsely (about 1/2). Combine and garnish to taste. One of the simplest items we prepare, this salad draws many compliments. Use real Greek olives packed in brine.