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FAST AND EASY SIDE DISHES, SALADS

Anita’s Light and Delicious Tuna-Stuffed Tomato

So flavorful, healthier and perfect as a summer side dish. Enjoy!

Ingredients

3 5-ounces cans white albacore tuna in water, drained

1/2 red onion, finely minced

3 celery stalks, finely minced

2 Tablespoon of caper brine

1 Tablespoon of capers, minced

1 Tablespoon of fresh lemon juice

1 Tablespoon of mayonnaise

2 Tablespoons of Plain Yogurt

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation

  1. Use a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, lemon juice, yogurt, caper brine, salt and pepper.
  2. Add the drained tuna, celery, capers, and red onions. Stir until well combined.
  3. Serve inside a beefy big tomato, make it in an Olive bread (see my site for recipe) sandwich, tuna melt or enjoy on its own over a healthy delicious spinach salad with balsamic glaze.

 

 

 

MEDITERANIAN DISHES

Anita’s Best Funghetto Pasta type (Mushroom style) in Creamy Vodka Sauce

Ingredients:

1 (17.6 ounces) Italian Mushroom style Pasta or any of your choice

Pecorino Romano cheese, shaved

2 Tablespoon Extra Virgen Olive Oil

Fresh oregano leaves, (optional)

1 teaspoon salt

Preparation 

  1. Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package instructions or till al dente
  2. Reserve some of the pasta water (1 cup) to incorporate into your vodka sauce if needed to thin it up.
  3. Drain pasta, drizzle it with olive oil. Mix with Vodka Sauce (see recipe on my site
  4. Sprinkle with some shaved Pecorino Romano cheese and fresh oregano leaves on top.

 

Mushroom Style (Funghetto) pasta

FAST AND EASY SIDE DISHES, RECIPE HELPERS

Anita’s Best Vodka Sauce Ever

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons Extra Virgen Olive Oil

2 Tablespoons butter

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 (16 ounces can) crushed tomato

4 Heirloom tomatoes, diced

1 Tablespoon tomato paste

12-15 fresh leaves of Oregano, chopped

2 Tablespoon Vodka

1/4 cup of heavy cream or evaporated milk

1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/3 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Preparation

  1. Use a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter with olive oil. Add minced garlic. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
  2. Add diced tomatoes.
  3.  Add fresh oregano leaves. 3. Let them simmer and cook until softened. Incorporate crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. Seasoned with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes.4. Add vodka and stir to incorporate.  5. Lower the heat, cook for 2 to 3 minutes and add slowly heavy cream. 6. Keep stirring until sauce thickened and has turned into a salmon fish color.7. Store sauce in glass containers. Let it cool first, and place into the fridge up to 4 days to use next to fried calamari or in any of your pasta dishes. Enjoy!

 

 

DESSERTS

Anita’s Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls Ever

Delicious Homemade Cinnamon Rolls that will become one of your favorite morning treat or dessert at any time! Super fluffy, gooey topped with a smooth cream cheese frosting.

Ingredients for the Dough:

1 pkg. of Active dry yeast

1 1/2 cup warm milk in microwave, 40-50 seconds

3/4 cup granulated sugar

4 cups bread flour

2 eggs beaten, room temperature

6 Tablespoons salted butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract

Preparation

  1. Place warm milk with package of active dry yeast into a standing mixer with dough hook attachment. Add in 1 Tablespoon of sugar. Stir to dissolve and wait for 5 to 7 minutes to become foamy.
  2. Add beaten eggs, butter, vanilla and rest of sugar. Stir until well combined.
  3. In low, add flour slowly. Increase speed after flour is all well incorporated and knead until forms into a ball. Transfer dough into a butter greased bowl. Cover with a damp towel and place it into a warm place in your kitchen. (Next to a warm oven will be ideal).
  4. Let dough rise for about 1-2 hours until double in size.
  5. Meanwhile, make The Filling: Use a small bowl and combine 1 cup of brown sugar with 2 1/2 Tablespoon of ground cinnamon. Melt 6 Tablespoons of butter and set aside.
  6. Place a parchment paper over your work area and transfer dough into it. Roll dough into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick.

7. Brush dough with melted butter.

 

8. Sprinkle with cinnamon-brown sugar mixture evenly.

 

9. Roll up dough, cut in center first for equal sized rolls. Cut into 9(large) – 12 pieces.

 

10. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.

11. Place cinnamon rolls in 3 or 4 rows on a 8 inches greased square cake pan depending on how big you want them to be. Cover with damp towel , and let them rise again for about 30 to 45 minutes.

12. Bake Cinnamon Rolls until golden brown for about 25 to 30 minutes.

13. Meanwhile prepare Cream Cheese Frosting: Beat together softened 8 ounces package of cream cheese, 2 Tablespoons softened butter, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla with 2 1/2 cup of powder sugar. Beat until creamy. Set aside. Do not refrigerate.

14. Remove Cinnamon Rolls from oven. Let them cool down for 5 to 8 minutes. Spread the Cream Cheese Frosting on them while they are still warm in pan.

15. Let cool or maybe not, and transfer into a platter. Serve and enjoy!

A HEALTHY MEAL PLAN, DESSERTS

Anita’s Delicious Blueberry Limoncello and Maple Muffins

Lemony, slightly sweet and healthier muffins. Super moist, with crispy delicious edges and top. Perfumed your whole kitchen!

Ingredients

1 cup unbleached All-Purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 large eggs, room temperature

1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

1/4 cup of Limoncello (see my recipe on my site) or juice of 2 lemons

1/4 cup of Organic Maple Syrup

2 cups fresh blueberries

zest of a lemon

2 tablespoons of Turbinado raw sugar (for topping, optional)

1 cup of low-fat plain yogurt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 grades Farenheit
  2. Coat with baking spray a 12 or 2 muffin cups tins of 6, set aside.
  3. Combine in a medium bowl, flours, baking soda, and baking powder.
  4. Use another bowl and hand whisk together eggs, maple syrup, vanilla, and coconut oil until well blended.
  5. Incorporate plain yogurt, limoncello, and lemon zest. Mix all. Add mixed flour in. Do not over whisk it.
  6. Fold in blueberries gently.
  7. Pour equally amount of batter into your prepared greased muffins cups tins.
  8.  Sprinkle some Turbinado sugar over each muffin cup.
  9. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until top are golden brown and toothpick inserted in the center of muffins comes out clean. Remove from oven.
  10. Let it cool in pan for about 5 minutes.

 

11. Transfer into a rack to cool. Enjoy!

 

 

 

RECIPE HELPERS

Anita’s Easy Homemade Limoncello

Limoncello is a classical Italian Liqueur that easily can be made at home following my recipe. Drink it cold as a digestive or use it to infuse the refreshing lemon flavor into your desserts. Enjoy!

 

Ingredients 

8-10 large Organic lemons, washed and dry

4 cups of 100-proof Vodka

For the Syrup:

4 cups of granulated Sugar

3 1/2 cups of Water

Preparation

  1. Peel the lemons in long strips, only the yellow part using a vegetable peeler. Set aside.
  2. Place the lemon peels in a large pitcher. Pour Vodka over the peels and cover the pitcher with a cloth. Leave it to infuse into the alcohol for at least two weeks away from direct sunlight.
  3. In a medium size saucepan over low heat, stir the water and sugar together until dissolves. When it starts to boil remove from heat and let it cool completely.
  4. Pour the syrup over the Vodka and lemon peels. Keep covered overnight at room temperature.
  5. Remove lemon peels and transfer your Limoncello into glass bottles. Close tight. It can last up to 2 months in a cool place or in the refrigerator.
  6.  For uses of your delicious Homemade Limoncello check this recipe out in my site of Limoncello Pound Cake with Limoncello Glaze. 

 

DESSERTS

Anita’s Best Homemade Limoncello Pound Cake with Glaze

This Limoncello Pound Cake is seriously delicious. Tart, sweet, soft from the inside with crispy crusty edges that in my family we all fight for.

Ingredients for the Limoncello Pound Cake

2 cups All-purpose flour, sifted

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3 large eggs, room temperature

1/2 cup butter, softened at room temperature

4 ounces vanilla yogurt, room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract

2 Tablespoon lemon juice

1/3 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

zest of one lemon

2 Tablespoon of Homemade Limoncello (see recipe on my site)

Ingredients for the Limoncello Glaze

1 1/2 cup powder sugar

2 Tablespoons of Limoncello

1/2 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

zest of a lemon

Preparation:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 grades Farenheit .
  2. Use baking spray and spray a 5×9 inch loaf pan. Set aside.
  3. Use a bowl and incorporate together sifted flour, salt and baking powder. Set aside.
  4. Cream together the sugar and butter using a whisker or an electric mixer in a large bowl until fluffy and pale. Incorporate eggs one at a time. Beat well and add in vanilla yogurt and vanilla extract.
  5. Stir all ingredients and add lemon juice, limoncello and lemon zest.
  6. Keep on whisking as you add gradually the flour mix until well incorporated.
  7. Pour batter into greased loaf pan.
  8. Bake for an hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  9. Remove from oven to cool slightly in loaf pan. Meanwhile prepare the glaze.
  10. Whisk all ingredients, powder sugar, limoncello, and lemon juice until thickened.
  11. Pour glaze over slightly warm cake in pan.
  12. Let it dry and drip around the sides. Transfer pound cake into a platter. Enjoy!

 

Homemade Limoncello!

 

 

 

 

FAST AND EASY SIDE DISHES, MEDITERANIAN DISHES

Anita’s Angel Hair Pasta with Sage Butter

A very satisfying and delicious family dinner cooked in no time!

Ingredients

1 Pound angel hair pasta, cooked to package directions till al dente

2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half

1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

8 fresh leaves of Sage, minced

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

zest of lemon

1 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon salt for pasta water

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup butter

Pecorino Romano cheese, grated

Preparation

  1. Cook pasta as directed on package with a Tablespoon of salt in the water. Drain, drizzle with olive oil and set aside.
  2. Add butter to a large skillet and sauté minced sage for about 2 minutes at low heat until butter gets foamy with golden brown color. Add garlic and cook for an extra two minutes.
  3. Incorporate cherry tomatoes. Seasoned with crash pepper, salt and black pepper.
  4. Add cooked pasta to the skillet and toss all ingredients together. Sprinkle with Pecorino Romano and zest of a lemon. Serve and enjoy!