Looking at the beautiful colors in this pack this morning, I am not having any trouble getting inspired. Once again I am getting out of my usual rut of making the same ol’ same ol’ stuff.
This past weekend we spent a couple days up at a cabin by a lake, it was absolutely beautiful and the Italian pack was perfect to help plan a few meals. Okay, truth be told, I actually got two Italian packs so you might see some items used several different ways.
Breakfast is where I started, and I forgot to snap a picture before we scarfed it down. It was just a simple omelet, with some fresh parsley, oregano, salt and black pepper whisked into the eggs, and a little Brie cheese in the middle. The fresh herbs really ramp up the flavor. I decided to do a veggie saute for dinner, goes great with steaks! Of course afterwards I was kicking myself for not making veggie kabobs!
Ingredients
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 small zucchini, sliced
- 1 small yellow squash, sliced
- 1/2 a yellow onion, sliced
- 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms (optional)
- 2 med. tomatoes, chopped
- 2-3 cloves of garlic, sliced
- 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh oregano
- 1/2 Tbsp.chopped fresh rosemary
- 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
- salt and pepper
- 5-6 Basil leaves cut into ribbons
- 1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- In a large skillet, heat 2-3 Tbsp. Olive oil . Add the onion and garlic and saute over med-hi heat until tender, 2 -3 minutes, add the squash, tomatoes and mushrooms and cook until tender about 3-4 minutes.
- Season with salt and pepper, add the rosemary, oregano and parsley, stir and let it cook for 2 minutes. remove from heat, garnish with cheese and fresh basil.
Yesterday I tried another breakfast recipe, a frittata. It was really easy and if I had taken it off the burner and got it in the oven sooner, I am sure it would be a bit fluffier and not quite as brown on the bottom. Oops! Oh well, we all make mistakes, but it was yummy just the same.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- 4 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1/3 cup red onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup zucchini, sliced
- ½ cup yellow summer squash, sliced
- 3-4 mushrooms, sliced
- 2 Tbsp. parsley, chopped (1 Tbsp. reserved)
- Salt and pepper
- 3 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
- 3-4 basil leaves cut into ribbons
Instructions
- In a small skillet melt the butter, sauté onion and garlic until tender. Add the rest of the veggies and cook until tender. 2-3 minutes, remove from heat and allow mixture to cool slightly.
- In a bowl whisk the eggs, add the slightly cooled veggies, 1 Tbsp. parsley, salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the egg mixture to the skillet (there should still be some butter left in the pan) and cook on med/high heat until the eggs begin to set and the edges turn a light golden color.
- Sprinkle with the cheese and place under the broiler, about 6 inches from the heat source. Remove when the top turns a light golden color, garnish with remaining parsley and basil.
Last night I needed a quick dinner, I had one available burner since I was still pressure canning green beans. (That was an amazing case add on!) May as well finish off the the last of the pack! One pot pasta and fresh marinara coming right up!
Ingredients
- 4 ripe tomatoes, cored and diced
- ½ a large onion, diced
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tbsp. fresh oregano, chopped
- 2 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
- A handful of fresh basil, chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- ¼ - ½ crushed red pepper
- 1 quart of chicken stock
- ¾ lb. dry spaghetti
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a stock pot or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cover. Stir every few minutes to prevent sticking.
- When the Pasta is al dente and the liquid is mostly gone turn off the heat. Let it rest 1-2 minutes, then serve.
- Garnish with Parmesan cheese and a sprig of basil.
Miranda S.
Home Cook
What a great idea to cook the pasta in all of the juices and flavors of the toppings — wow! Tasted so light, fresh and flavorful! I loved using so many herbs from the pack too. Perfect! Thanks for the yummy dinner!
trying this tonight! can’t wait to see how it turns out. i might add some zucchini, too :0)
I’m making the one pot pasta tonight! I sauteed my veggies first, for more flavor, since I don’t have chicken broth. I have to use gluten free pasta for my family, so I hope it works! Wish me luck! 😉
Thanks! I love these posts about using up baskets or add-ons! I adore Italian food, so I was so excited to get the pack, but then at a loss for new ways to use these items.
Thanks for the ideas! I love this pack, but was looking for ways to use the herbs. Great ideas here!
I LOVE the idea of one pot pasta! Also, I make frittatas the night before and just warm a piece up in the morning. It is so fast and a good hearty breakfast.