Help! Planning Italian Night for a Birthday Party!?

Question

Would aprreciate any menue ideas or good recipes you can pass on.

Thanks

Answer 1

This is a no-frills, basic Tiramisu that is simple to make. It uses poundcake instead of ladyfingers, and calls for a simple sugar syrup that's easy to make. Makes 12 servings.

This is Heaven in you mouth!!!!!!!!!!!  

Ingredients

POUNDCAKE, 6 oz. (about half of a 10.75 ounce package), cut into 1/2-inch cubes

MASCARPONE CHEESE, 8 ounces

HEAVY CREAM, 1-1/4 cups

EGGS, 2

SUGAR, 2/3 cup + 1/4 cup, divided

UNFLAVORED GELATIN, 1 envelope

KAHLUA or AMARETTO, 6 tablespoons

VANILLA, 1/4 teaspoon

UNSWEETENED COCOA POWDER (optional)

SWEETENED WHIPPED CREAM (optional)

SHAVED CHOCOLATE for decorating

Directions

Divide cake pieces evenly among 12 1/2-cup capacity custard cups; set aside.

In bowl with mixer at high speed beat cheese with heavy cream until mixture falls from spatula in thick ribbon, about 1 minute; set aside.

In another bowl with mixer at high speed beat eggs until fluffy, 6-8 minutes.

Meanwhile, in pot over high heat, combine 2/3 cup sugar with 1/4 cup water; bring to a boil.

Cook until sugar dissolves and temperature reaches 250 degrees Fahrenheit on candy thermometer.

Gradually beat the boiling sugar syrup into beaten eggs.

Continue beating until slightly cooled, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl; set aside.

In a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons of water with gelatin; let stand 5 minutes.

In a small pot over high heat, combine 1/2 cup water with remaining sugar; bring to a boil.

Cook until sugar dissolves, 3-4 minutes.

Remove from heat; stir in liqueur, vanilla and reserved gelatin until gelatin dissolves.

Fold 3/4 of the liqueur mixture into the egg mixture; fold in the cheese mixture.

Drizzle the remaining liqueur mixture over the cake in thecustard cups, dividing the cheese mixture evenly among the cups.

Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.

Garnish each with sprinkling of cocoa, whipped cream and chocolate shavings, if desired.

you can use angel food cake or ladyfingers instead of pound cake if you want to

Answer 2

Pasta e Fagioli

1 lb Ground beef

1 sm Onion, diced (1 cup)

1 lg Carrot, diced (1 cup)

3 Celery ribs, chopped (1 cup)

2 Garlic cloves, minced

2 cn Diced tomatoes (14.5 oz. ea)

15 oz Red kidney beans, with liquid

15 oz Great northern beans, with liquid

15 oz Tomato sauce

12 oz V-8 juice

1 tb White vinegar

1 ½ ts Salt

1 ts Oregano

1 ts Basil

½ ts Pepper

½ ts Thyme

½ lb Ditali pasta (1/2 package)

1. Brown the ground beef in a large saucepan or pot over medium heat. Drain off most of the fat. 2. Add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic, and saute for 10 minutes. 3. Add remaining ingredients, except pasta, and simmer for 1 hour. 4. About 50 minutes into simmer time, cook the pasta in 1 1/2 to 2 quarts of boiling water over high heat. Cook for 10 minutes or just until pasta is al dente, or slighty tough. Drain. 5. Add the pasta to the large pot of soup. Simmer for 5-10 minutes and serve. Makes 8 servings.

Serve with a salad, bread, and this dipping sauce:

1 tsp. crushed red pepper

1 tsp. ground black pepper

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. dried rosemary

1 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. parsley flakes

1 tsp. granulated garlic

1 tsp. minced garlic

1 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 - 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil



Combine all ingredients, except oil. Divide into individual shallow bowls. Pour olive oil over spice mixture.

Answer 3

Spaghetti and meatballs

Ingredients

# 2 lbs Italian sausage, casings removed(mild or hot)

# 1 small onion, chopped (optional)

# 3-4  garlic cloves, minced

# 1(28ounce)can diced tomatoes

# 2(6ounce)cans tomato paste

# 2(15ounce)cans tomato sauce

# 2 cups water(for a long period of simmering for flavors to meld. If you don't want to simmer it as long, add less)

# 3 teaspoons basil

# 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes

# 1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar

# 1 teaspoon salt

# 1/4-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

# 1/4 teaspoon fresh coarse ground black pepper

# 1/4 cup red wine(a good cabernet!)

# 1 lb thin spaghetti

# parmesan cheese

Directions

   1.

      

      In large, heavy stockpot, brown Italian sausage, breaking up as you stir.

   2.

      

      Add onions and continue to cook, stirring occasionally until onions are softened.

   3.

      3

      Add garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce and water.

   4.

      4

      Add basil, parsley, brown sugar, salt, crushed red pepper, and black pepper.

   5.

      

      Stir well and barely bring to a boil.

   6.

      

      Stir in red wine.

   7.

      

      Simmer on low, stirring frequently for about an hour.

   8.

      

      Cook spaghetti according to package directions.

   9.

      

      Spoon sauce over drained spaghetti noodles and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Answer 4

CHICKEN MARINARA

1/4 c. dry bread crumbs

1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1 1/2 lbs. skinless halved boneless chicken breast

1 egg, slightly beaten

2 tbsp. oil

16 oz. Marinara sauce

2 c. sliced zucchini

4 oz. shredded Mozzarella cheese

Mix bread crumbs and 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese. Coat chicken pieces with flour. Dip into egg. Then coat both sides with crumb cheese mixture. Heat oil in 10 inch skillet with cover. Add chicken. Brown on both sides over medium heat.

Spoon half of marinara sauce over chicken. Arrange zucchini slices over chicken. Sprinkle Mozzarella cheese and 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese. Top with remaining sauce.

Cover and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 25 minutes or until chicken is tender. Serve with pasta or rice. Serves 4.

Answer 5

Easy Bruschetta:

Slice a baguette into 1/2" slices and brush with some olive oil and sprinkle a little salt on them and bake at 400 degrees for about 5 minutes and take them out

Then add some diced tomatoes to each slice and sprinkle a little salt and pepper on the tomatoes.

Then add a slice of mozzarella cheese on top of the tomatoes and sprinkle with a little more salt

Then put back in the oven at 400 degrees for 6 minutes or until the cheese is melted - not melted all over the bread, just melted enough to be soft, warm, and gooey but still on the bread.

Take them out and plate them and sprinkle them with a little fresh basil.

They are easy and have always gone really fast at all my parties.

You could also do an antipasto platter with panchetta, genoa salami, assorted marinated olives, and a few cheeses - this is also easy and a crowd pleaser.