Super Bowl has arrived. As you rush around town picking up last minute items for your big party, don’t forget the ingredients to these delicious mini taco bowls.
These mini taco bowls are the perfect snack while watching the game. Imagine a warm tortilla shell packed with white or black beans and topped with melted cheddar cheese, ripe black olives, crisp green onion, fresh tomatoes and creamy greek yogurt. You won’t be able to eat just one.
These game day snacks are extremely easy to make. Simply use a circle cookie cutter, round lid or wide mouth glass to cut the disks out of the tortilla. Don’t throw the extra tortilla pieces away; use them the following day but cutting them into strips, baking them and adding them to your salad.
After you have the circles cut out, tuck them into the cups of your muffin tin. Add the beans, grated cheddar cheese, olives and half of the green onions then bake them for 10 minutes until the tortilla is golden brown and the cheese is melted. Top with tomatoes, greek yogurt and the remaining green onions.
These taco bowls are easily customizable to fit your taste. Here are just a few ideas on how you can add new flavor combinations:
Super Bowl Eve has arrived. As you rush around town picking up last minute items for your big party, don’t forget the ingredients to these delicious mini taco bowls.
Serves: 12 mini tacos
Ingredients
3-4 tortillas
1 cup cannellini white beans or black beans (canned, or dried and cooked)
¾ cup cheddar cheese
1 small can sliced olives
4 green onion stalks, finely sliced
½ tomato, finely chopped
Greek yogurt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Using a circle cookie cutter or drinking glass, cut 12 circles out of the tortillas.
Gently tuck each circle into one of the cups in the muffin pan. (No liner needed).
Spoon in the beans and top with cheddar cheese, olives and half of the green onions. Cook in the oven for 10 minutes or until the tortilla shell is golden brown and the cheese is melted.
Top with tomatoes, dollops of greek yogurt and remaining green onions.
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The options are really endless. Have fun with them!
This recipe is an instant crowd pleaser and you can easily double or triple the recipe without much added effort.
To make the little Seahawk flags, simply find a logo online, paste and duplicate it in Word. Cut the logos out and glue them to toothpicks. Voilà. Super simple and super cute.
Super Bowl Eve has arrived. As you rush around town picking up last minute items for your big party, don’t forget the ingredients to these delicious mini taco bowls.
Serves: 12 mini tacos
Ingredients
½ lb ground turkey
¼ packet of taco seasoning mix
¼ cup water
3-4 tortillas
¾ cup cheddar cheese
1 small can sliced olives
4 green onion stalks, finely sliced
½ tomato, finely chopped
Greek yogurt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Brown the ground turkey meat over medium high heat. Drain the juice. Add the the seasoning mix and water and cook on medium high heat for 5 minutes. Set aside.
Using a circle cookie cutter or drinking glass, cut 12 circles out of the tortillas. Warm them in the microwave for 10 seconds until they are pliable.
Gently tuck each circle into one of the cups in the muffin pan. (No liner needed).
Spoon in turkey meat and top with cheddar cheese, olives and half of the green onions. Cook in the oven for 10 minutes or until the tortilla shell is golden brown and the cheese is melted.
Top with tomatoes, dollops of greek yogurt and remaining green onions.
To celebrate the Seahawks during the Super Bowl, whip up these colorful mini cheese balls for one of your game-day snacks. You are a 12th man, aren’t you?
There are two HUGE disadvantages of living in Italy :: Italia.
1) There are no noteworthy football teams :: squadre (and by football, I mean American football. In Italy, the word football stands for soccer.)
2) The dang time difference :: fuse orario for watching football games. It will be 12:30a.m. when the Super Bowl starts here. Oh well, going to bed at 4a.m. and waking up at 7a.m. to work is SO worth it if the Seahawks are involved.
I grew up in a small Eastern Washington town where the population was 1,500 people and the town didn’t even have a stop light. Although there wasn’t a movie theater, a mall or a theme park to pass the time, many of us kids did something else: sports. We lived for sports. During the school year we were on organized teams, in the summer we went to sports camps and in the evenings all the neighborhood kids would convene to battle each other in the backyard or on an outdoor basketball court.
Thanks to growing up with two older brothers, I know how to throw a perfectly spiral football farther than many guys *cough* my husband (to be fair, he never had thrown a football before he met me.) I even packed a football in my suitcase when I came to Italy.
My mom is also a huge football fan. No Sunday game or Monday night football was missed during the season. It was a ritual in our home to pass hours together as a family eating buttered popcorn and cheering on our beloved team.
There is just something special about being in the football stadium, dressed in your team’s colors and feeling the rumble in the stands as the crowd cheers in unison. It’s a magical moment.
This magical feeling is even carried over into your home as you and your friends or family crowd around the television set.
So I end this post with a cheers to the Seattle Seahawks for making it to the Super Bowl and I wish you all back home a wonderful game-day filled with the company of your family, friends and hopefully these mini cheese ball snacks! Of course, don’t forget game-day dessert! Check out these Blueberry and Oreo Mini Cheesecakes!
To celebrate the Seahawks during the Super Bowl, whip up these colorful mini cheese balls for one of your game-day snacks. You are a 12th man, aren’t you?
Serves: 12
Ingredients
10oz goat cheese
Handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped
Handful of fresh rosemary, finely chopped
Handful of fresh basil, finely chopped
Instructions
Put the herbs into three separate bowls.
Roll the goat cheese into small balls.
Roll a ball in one of the herb mixtures. Repeat.
Store in the fridge. Serve with crackers or toasted bread.
Skip the frozen fish sticks, artificial crab meat and genetically engineered salmon, and treat yourself to a protein packed Italian Baked Sardine dinner.
The next time you are contemplating what to eat :: mangiare for lunch or dinner, try this delicious sardine recipe. Why? I’m glad you asked.
Top 5 Reasons to Eat More Sardines (fresh or canned):
1. Sardines are loaded with protein, omega-3 fatty acids, potassium, iron and calcium :: calcio.
2. Fresh sardines vary in prices, but they are usually less expensive than other fresh fish :: pesce.
3. Unlike salmon and tuna :: tonno, sardines are low on the food chain meaning they contain lower amounts of mercury and other toxins.
4. Thanks to their abundance :: abbondanza and high production rates, they are a sustainable fish.
5. They are super easy to prepare :: preparare. Just set them on a baking sheet, cover them 5 ingredients and dinner is done in less than 20 minutes.
I suppose I should have added a 6th reason: they are delicious! I grew up as a canned sardine lover. I have vivid childhood memories of my dad :: papà picking me up when I wasn’t even tall enough to see the top of the kitchen table, setting me on his lap and letting me share his canned sardines packed in olive oil. My three year old taste buds fell in love with this small, oily, silvery fish.
Living in Italy, it would be a true shame :: peccato if I didn’t take advantage of the ample sardines found in the Mediterranean Basin. And, although they shut down the last sardine cannery in the United States in 2010, almost every American grocery store sells this imported saltwater fish, either fresh or in the canned variety.
I am getting into a habit of getting my fish recipes from the fishmonger :: pescivendolo at the local market. Amidst the crowds of customers waiting in line, he is all to kind to reveal to me a quick Italian recipe to try out. Like many Italian recipes, it involves fresh food and a short list of ingredients.
You can serve these as an appetizer, side dish or main course. They also pair exceptionally well with some of my other seafood recipes like my Blood Orange Baked Sole or Fennel and Radicchio Shrimp Bruschetta if you want to offer your family or guests a variety :: varietà.
Skip the frozen fish sticks, artificial crab meat and genetically engineered salmon, and treat yourself to a protein packed Italian Baked Sardine dinner.
Serves: 20 sardines
Ingredients
20 fresh sardines, skin on, head off, scales removed, washed and patted dry
Enough bread crumbs to lightly cover all the sardines, about ½ cup
½ cup, chopped Italian parsley
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Preheat oven to 355°F (180°C)
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Position the sardines on top, with the flesh side up.
Cover with a thin layer of bread crumbs and parsley.
Add olive oil to a bowl and mix with salt and pepper, to taste. Drizzle the mixture over the sardines.
Bake for 10-15 minutes until the bread crumbs are golden brown. Serve warm
The sardine are then eaten whole, no need to remove the skin.
The Super Bowl is only a week away and while you’re getting your menu ready for the big day, don’t forget about this quick and delicious guacamole–it’s the ultimate game time snack. If you want to spice up this classic version try some of the alternate recipes listed below like pomegranate guacamole or roasted tomato and garlic guacamole, they are sure to be an instant crowd pleaser. And, for all you Washington State friends and family back home, Go Seahawks!
Guacamole originated from the Aztecs :: Azetechi in Mexico around the 16th century, and has long become a staple in the American cuisine. No super bowl party or Mexican-themed dinner would be complete without a bowl of Guacamole, tortilla chips and a Corona with a lime wedge. In Italy, that’s not the case. Even though avocados, the main component in guacamole, can be found in just about every supermarket, many of my friends have never tasted this delicious green fruit that is packed with nutrients, vitamins :: vitamine, fiber and proteins making it one of the healthiest foods in the world :: mondo. Man, talk about are missing out on some avocado love.
Guacamole dip is simple and quick to make; the hard part (at least in Italy) is finding ripe avocados. You can test if a avocado is mature by pressing on the avocado skin with your thumb :: pollice. It should still be firm but soft enough to leave a slight indent; quite similar to when you press on one of your finger tips. If the avocado is hard as a rock, there are ways to ripen the the avocado more quickly; simply put it into a brown paper bag with a banana and close it. With this method you can ripen an avocado usually within a two to three days :: giorni, but unfortunately not immediately; therefore, I highly recommend that you plan to purchase your avocados a few days in advance if you are planning a big dinner party as it’s imperative to have mature avocados to make guacamole.
Guacamole Variations:
-Use roasted :: arrostiti or sun dried tomatoes instead of fresh tomatoes.
-Mix in pomegranate seeds :: semi di melograno, sounds weird but the sweet burst of flavor is really good!
-Try roasted garlic :: aglio instead of fresh.
-Add lime zest :: scorza di lime
5 Avocado Tips:
1. Using lime in the guacamole is essential to slow down :: rallentare the oxidation and consequently the browning of the avocado.
2. To store guacamole, cover with plastic wrap so that it is touching the guacamole and there are no air :: aria pockets.
3. If you only use half of an avocado, store the other half with the pit inside, spritz lemon or lime on top, and wrap tightly with plastic wrap :: pellicola. If it does turn brown on the outer layer, simply scrape the layer off with a knife.
4. If you have a lot of ripe avocados that you aren’t able to use up, blend the flesh in a food processor and add 1 tablespoon of lime juice for every avocado. Store in the freezer in an airtight container and use later for guacamole, sandwich or hamburger spread, baked potato topping, quick pasta sauce or mix the pureè into a grain salad :: insalata.
5. I haven’t tried the trick to store guacamole with water on top as recommended in the kitchn. However, I am definitely curious to try it the next time I make this recipe!
The Super Bowl is only a week away and while you're getting your menu ready for the big day, don't forget about this quick and delicious guacamole--it's the ultimate game time snack. If you want to spice up this classic version try some of the alternate recipes listed below like pomegranate guacamole or roasted tomato and garlic guacamole, they are sure to be an instant crowd pleaser. And, for all you Washington State friends and family back home, Go Seahawks!
Serves: 4
Ingredients
2 avocados
½ red onion, finely chopped, about ¼ cup
½ chili pepper, deseeded, minced
1 small clove garlic, minced
½ lime, juiced
¼ tsp chili flakes
⅛ tsp paprika
½ teaspoon salt
Dash of fresh ground black pepper
½ cup cilantro, chopped
6 small vine ripe tomatoes (like datterini) or ½ tomato, diced
Instructions
Cut the avocados in half and remove the seeds. Scoop out the inside of the avocado, place it in a bowl and discard the skin.
Add the red onions, chili pepper, garlic, lime, chili flakes, paprika, salt, pepper and cilantro. Mash the ingredients together with a fork. I like my salsa chunky instead of a purée so I just barely mash.
If you are serving the guacamole right away, add the tomato. Otherwise, wait until you are ready to serve as tomatoes lose there flavor if stored in the fridge.
Taste and add more spices and peppers if desired until you reach the right level of spiciness for your tastebuds. Guacamole is very subjective so play with the ingredients. Serve with tortilla chips.
*If you are making the guacamole in advance, cover it tightly with plastic wrap so that the plastic wrap touches the guacamole and there are no air pockets then store it in the fridge.
Without a doubt :: dubbio, this spicy shrimp, fennel and radicchio bruschetta recipe has quickly become my favorite bruschetta recipe of all time. Mr. Italicano agrees :: è d’accordo…he devoured this appetizer in minutes. I had to hoard a few on my plate :: piatto otherwise he would have also eaten my share!
Mr. Italicano and I had quite the interesting conversation :: conversazione when we bit into these delectable bruschetta creations. It went something like this:
“Mmmmm,” I said.
“Mmmmmmmmm,” Mr. Italicano said.
“Mmmmmmmmmmmm,” I responded.
“Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm,” Mr. Italicano exclaimed waving one hand in a circle, an Italian gesture that means this is freaking good! Actually, I don’t believe Italians have the slang word “freaking” in their vocabulary but the phrase “this is delicious” just doesn’t give the punch of how astronomically good these are!
I’m sure that if someone were eavesdropping on our conversation, we could have been mistaken as primitive Neanderthals. Somehow we just weren’t able to vocalize a string of consonants and vowels to create a sentence :: una frase, as that would have required releasing our clench from our beloved bruschetta. I don’t think so!
What makes this bruschetta not just good but incredible :: incredibile? Freshness and spiciness are the keywords we’re looking for here. Fresh vegetables, herbs, artisan bread and shrimp are coupled with a subtle kick to create a perfect sensation for the palate.
I only used half of a chili pepper, which gives just a slight punch when you bite into the bruschetta but does not evoke tears streaming down your face. If you want to cry :: piangere, just up the amount; however, I haven’t tested it and it could drown out the other delicious flavors.
The quality of bread is also important for this recipe. I can’t even fathom making this recipe on pre-packaged sliced white bread. *Shiver.* There are so many good rustic breads to be found at the grocery store or local bakery :: forno locale. By rustic, I mean moist on the inside and golden and crusty on the outside. I am known to wait 20 minutes in line at a small bakery near my house just to get the best quality bread. I even have to arrive early, because if I show up near closing time all the bread will be sold out, it’s happened before.
I’ve made this recipe twice now and both times I am taken back on how good it is. They always say that a way to a man’s heart is through his stomach :: stomaco, so ladies, if you want to impress a new guy in your life I definitely recommend whipping up this appetizer followed by Baked Sole with Blood Oranges.
Do you know how to correctly say this appetizer? Most Americans pronounce the “che” in bruschetta like they would in the word :: parola moustache. The “che” in Italian is always a hard sound like the “k” in the word skate, so pronunce the word like “bru’sket’ta. Always, always, always pause after the first double letter (I am a huge violator of this) otherwise it’s not pronounced correctly and you may be ridiculed *cough, Mr. Italicano, *cough. Test your pronunciation out the next time you are in an authentic Italian restaurant and let me know how it went!
This spicy shrimp, fennel and radicchio bruschetta recipe has quickly become my favorite bruschetta recipe of all time. What makes this bruschetta not just good but outstanding? Freshness and spice are the keywords we’re looking for here. Fresh vegetables, herbs, artisan bread and shrimp are coupled with a subtle kick to create a perfect sensation for the palate.
Serves: 6 pieces
Ingredients
Yields: 6 pieces
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
2 cloves garlic, smashed
¼ fennel, chopped
½ head radicchio, coarsely chopped
½ cup chopped sun dried tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
⅛ teaspoon dried rosemary (if you have fresh, even better, I didn’t)
⅛ teaspoon dried oregano (if you have fresh, even better, I didn’t)
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon pesto (store bought or homemade)
6 slices of rustic artisan bread
10 fresh shrimp, deveined and cut in half
½ red or green chili pepper, deseeded and finely chopped
⅛ teaspoon paprika
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400°F
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes.
Add fennel and continue cooking for 15 minutes.
Add radicchio, sun dried tomatoes, salt and pepper, rosemary, oregano, basil, parsley and pesto. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring often.
Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Position the bread on the sheet, rub each piece with a clove of garlic followed by a drizzle of olive oil. Bake for 5-7 minutes until crunchy.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil on high heat in a separate skillet or sauté pan. After 1 minute add the shrimp, chili pepper, paprika, salt and pepper. Sauté for 3 minutes, stirring and flipping the shrimp often.
Spread out the bread on a cutting board or serving plate, distribute vegetable mixture on top followed by 3-4 pieces of shrimp on each bruschetta.
Drizzle with remaining olive oil and chili peppers that were left in the pan. Serve warm and dive in!
Welcome to the world of delicious savoury vegetable pies.
This savoury vegetable pie is a delicious Italian appetizer.
From my experience, the Italian restaurants in America give us a biased point of view on Italian food :: cibo. Either it’s an Ital-american version run by an American who doesn’t even know what pasta “al dente”* is or it’s runs by a genuine Italian but who may only offer the most popular range of Italian food that Americans have come so accustom to: pizza, pasta, meat platters and cheese :: formaggio. Unfortunately, often missing from these menus are all the common dishes made in Italian homes that are eaten regularly.
*Cooking pasta “al dente” means that the pasta is slightly hard when you bite into it, not mushy.
Try this Italian appetizer at your book club, wine night or dinner party.
One of my favorite hidden italian recipes is the “torta salata”, or in English, “savoury pie”. This is a very typical appetizer :: antipastothat can be eaten straight out of the oven or made the a day ahead and stored in the fridge. It can also be served as a main dish for dinner :: cena. The beauty of these savoury pies, is that there are endless limits to new flavor creations. Here is one that I just invented because I had a craving for grated zucchini (yah, kind of random, I know) and Philadelphia Cheese but you can play around with this recipe to include any of your favorite cheeses, meats and/or vegetables to create your very own savoury pie masterpiece.
This recipe is super easy and versatile. Just use whatever vegetables and cheeses you have in the fridge.
I also try to pack my meals with additional health foods, like flaxseeds :: semi di lino which taste great, look great on top and are high in fiber and Omega-3 essential fatty acids. What are your favorite savoury pie flavor combinations?
This Italian savoury vegetable pie makes the perfect appetizer for book clubs, wine nights or dinner parties. It's a great dish to make a day in advance for stress free entertaining.
Serves: 3-6
Ingredients
½ tablespoon salt
1 eggplant, diced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 scallion, finely chopped
½ cup chopped parsley
2 carrots, grated
1 medium-sized zucchini, grated
salt and ground black pepper, to taste
6 ounces light cream cheese
Whole wheat store bought pastry dough
Flax seeds (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°F
Add the diced eggplant to colander, add salt and toss well with your hands. This will take the bitterness out of the eggplant and prevent it from soaking up oil. Set in the sink as the liquid will drain, for at least 20 minutes.
Add the scallion to a large sauté pan coated with olive oil. Sauté over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally for 5-10 minutes. Stir in the grated zucchini and carrots to the pan along with a pinch of salt and black pepper to taste, cook for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Drain the eggplant, rinse with ice cold water then blot dry with a paper or tea towel. Add the eggplant to the pan and sauté for 10 minutes. Add the cream cheese, stir well and remove from heat.
Keeping the wax paper attached, place the pastry sheet in a 8 x 11 x 2 inch pan. Cut off the extra pastry dough that is hanging over the edge with cooking scissors. Cut the extra pastry dough into strips. Fill the pan with the vegetable and cheese mixture and place the pastry dough strips diagonally on the top from both angles to create a checkered image. Sprinkle flax seeds on top (optional).
Bake for 30-40 minutes in a ventilated oven, checking frequently. Once the top strips have turned golden cover with aluminium foil and continue baking until time has finished. (Check to make sure that the bottom is well cooked and continue baking a few minutes if needed.) Cool for 10 minutes, cut into squares and serve.
This recipe can also be made up to a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator; just take out the savory pie 15 minutes before serving. This savory pie can be served as an appetizer or as a main dish accompanied by a side dish or two.
