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Grinder Sandwich (TikTok Viral Salad Sandwich)

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Ingredients

Grinder Salad Dressing

• 1/4 red onion thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning I used Penzey's frozen pizza seasoning
• 1 to 2 Tablespoons banana peppers chopped with juice
• 4 to 5 cloves minced garlic
• dash crushed red pepper optional
• salt
• pepper
• 1/4 to 1/3 head iceberg lettuce sliced

Grinder Sandwich

• 2 to 3 sub rolls
• sliced ham
• salami
• Munster cheese
• 1 tomato sliced
• grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Grinder Salad Dressing

• Slice your red onion and place in a small bowl with cold water. Set aside.
• In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add mayo, red wine vinegar and Italian seasoning.
• Remove onions from water and allow to drain.
• Add the onions, banana peppers, garlic and crushed red pepper, if you're using. Mix together and then add salt and pepper and mix again.
• Add lettuce and mix together. (If you're making this a day ahead of time, don't mix the lettuce in until you're ready to serve.)

Grinder Sandwich Assembly

• Turn your oven on to the broiler setting.
• Cut into your sub rolls and place on a lined baking dish.
• Add ham and then salami to your sub rolls. Then, add the Munster cheese.
• Place in the oven until the cheese has melted and is bubbly, about 1 to 3 minutes. Be careful and don't burn your bread!
• Add sliced tomatoes on top and then season the tomatoes with salt and pepper.
• Scoop the mixed grinder salad dressing on top of the sandwich and then add the Parmesan cheese.
• Close the sub roll up and cut in half and serve immediately.

The post Grinder Sandwich (TikTok Viral Salad Sandwich) appeared first on The Little Kitchen.

This recipe for spicy chicken soup is one of my favorite chicken noodle soup recipes. I need to be honest and admit to you that it takes a little bit of time to prep because there are so many vegetables in it but it's well worth it.

This spicy chicken noodle soup brings back so many memories! First of all, I love ordering Mama Mandola’s Sicilian chicken soup at Carrabba's Italian Grill.

I have made this Carrabba's chicken soup recipe for years. I have a funny story about it below. But I did stop making it for a few years. Last December, something reminded me about this recipe so I made it again. I ended up eating it for days after we had to put our beloved dog, Charley, to sleep. I can't even tell you how much it brought me comfort.

I didn't have to cook dinner, I would just defrost the container from the freezer and just eat it. It had starch, protein and vegetables and while I was in the thickest part of my grieving, I was well nourished.

Years ago, when I made this chicken noodle soup for dinner, Curtis, my husband, refused to eat it. I probably shouldn't even tell you this story but we laugh about it now. After I finished making it, I put a lot of it away in the refrigerator and left just enough for the both of us to eat in the soup pot.

If you see other recipes online for this Sicilian chicken soup, they will tell you to cook the soup with the whole chicken in the pot for two hours+. The whole chicken falls apart and that's exactly what happened. Curtis went to make himself a bowl for dinner and in the ladle was a neck bone.

He freaked out and said, I'm not eating this! I was so upset, I had worked so hard on making this dinner. I packed it all up and brought all of the soup into work the next day. Everyone LOVED this chicken noodle soup.

One of my co-workers asked, “can Curtis refuse to eat more of your food so we can get more of your cooking, Julie?” LOL Take it from 18 of my former co-workers, this Sicilian chicken soup tastes good!

By the way, I'll show you how to make this spicy chicken noodle soup and you don't have to cook the entire soup for 2+ hours.

Why chicken noodle soup is the best

Chicken noodle soup is the best because it's pure comfort food. You can't go wrong with chicken noodle soup. Doesn't it bring back childhood memories for you? I love a good bowl of spicy chicken noodle soup any day of the year!

How chicken soup is made

Chicken noodle soup is usually made with a whole chicken. Most chicken soup recipes use a whole chicken and a few different vegetables. You'll want to add the chicken and vegetables to a large soup pot with water. Bring the soup to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer. I let it simmer for 1.5 hours.

Can chicken soup be frozen?

Yes, I freeze the leftovers and when I'm craving some comfort food like chicken noodle soup, I defrost it in the microwave and then heat it up, add Parmesan cheese on top and enjoy!

When I freeze soup, I put one or two portions in each container so I only defrost what I need. Be sure to put the name of the recipe and the date (with the year!) on a label on all of your containers so you can easily identify each container. It usually keeps just fine in the freezer for a few months!

Which pasta for chicken soup?

You can use any pasta you like for chicken soup! I love curly egg noodles and even bow ties. For this spicy chicken soup recipe, I love to use the small tube shaped pasta also known as ditalini pasta.

How to make spicy chicken soup at home

How to make spicy chicken noodle soup

First, you do some prep work cutting up vegetables. The vegetables are:  onion, celery, carrots, bell peppers and potatoes. Take the whole chicken and remove the giblets. Add the chicken, vegetables and water to a soup pot. Bring the pot to a boil and then skim the foam from the soup. I use a spoon to do that.

Add the parsley, garlic, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper to the soup. Then, reduce the heat and simmer for 1.5 hours. You'll want to remove the whole chicken from the spicy chicken noodle soup, I use turkey lifters to remove the chicken easily.

Allow the chicken to cool and then cut it up with a knife. While the soup is cooking, you'll want to use another pot to boil your favorite pasta noodles for the soup.

I'll share the instructions on how to make this Sicilian chicken soup again below with step by step photos:

Chop the onion.

Dice the celery.

Dice the carrots.

Dice the bell peppers. You can totally use red bell peppers if you like them better.

Chop the potatoes into cubes.

Chop the parsley and garlic.

Remove the giblets from the chicken and pat dry with a clean paper towel. Place the whole chicken into a large soup pot.

Add the chopped vegetables: onion, celery, carrots and bell peppers.

Next, the potatoes.

Add the canned tomatoes along with the juices.

Add water to the pot (about 6 to 7 cups) to cover the chicken and vegetables.

Bring the soup pot to a boil on high. Using a spoon, skim off any foam that rises to surface (you’ll need to do this every so often while the soup is cooking).

Add parsley, garlic, 1 tablespoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of pepper and 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper to the soup pot.

Reduce heat to medium low. Allow the soup to cook at a simmer for about 1.5 hours, partially covered with a lid, until the chicken is cooked through. (I usually flip the chicken over in the pot halfway through using big tongs.)

In a separate smaller pot, bring water to a boil and cook the ditalini pasta according to the package instructions.

Drain and set aside.

Remove chicken from the pot and place on a cutting board. Allow for it to cool for about 10 to 15 minutes. Keep the pot of soup simmering and add more water (about 2-3 cups), if you want.

Remove the skin from the chicken. Separate meat from the bones. Cut up the chicken using a knife. Set aside.

Using a potato masher, mash some potatoes in pot, this will thicken the broth slightly. Serve the soup with chicken, pasta and parmesan cheese.

I can't even say enough…how luxuriously comforting this soup is. I love the spiciness from the black pepper and the crushed red pepper. (If you have little ones, you can totally omit the crushed red pepper and use less black pepper.) The cut up chicken stays intact and the pasta al dente when I keep the chicken and the pasta separate from the soup if I'm storing the leftovers in the refrigerator.

You have to make this soup!

And I have to mention, today, Curtis eats this soup!

Now tell me, have you made chicken noodle soup before? Are you going to make this recipe for spicy chicken soup?

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Sicilian-Style Spicy Chicken Noodle Soup

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 hours hours

Servings 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 large yellow onion chopped
• 3 celery diced
• 3 carrots peeled and diced
• 2 green bell peppers cored and diced
• 3 medium baking potatoes such as russet, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, including the juice
• 1 whole chicken about 4 to 4.5 pounds, giblets removed
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 8 garlic cloves chopped
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper optional
• 8 ounces ditalini pasta
• Parmesan cheese for serving

Instructions

• Prep the vegetables: the onion, celery, carrots, bell peppers and potatoes.
• Remove the giblets from the chicken and pat dry with a clean paper towel. Place the whole chicken into a large soup pot.
• Add the chopped vegetables to the soup pot.
• Add water to the pot (about 6 to 7 cups) to cover the chicken and vegetables.
• Bring the soup pot to a boil on high. Using a spoon, skim off any foam that rises to surface (you’ll need to do this every so often while the soup is cooking).
• Add parsley, garlic, 1 tablespoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of pepper and 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper to the soup pot.
• Reduce heat to medium low. Allow the soup to cook at a simmer for about 1.5 hours, partially covered with a lid, until the chicken is cooked through.
• In a separate smaller pot, bring water to a boil and cook the ditalini pasta according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
• Remove chicken from the pot and place on a cutting board. Allow for it to cool for about 10 to 15 minutes. Keep the pot of soup simmering and add more water (about 2-3 cups), if you want.
• Remove the skin from the chicken. Separate meat from the bones. Cut up the chicken using a knife. Set aside.
• Using a potato masher, mash some potatoes in pot, this will thicken the broth slightly.
• Serve the soup with chicken, pasta and parmesan cheese.

Notes

If you’re storing your leftovers in the fridge, I like to save the soup separate from the chicken and the pasta and when I go to reheat it, I add the chicken and pasta to the bowl.

If you’re storing your leftovers in the freezer, add the chicken and the pasta to the soup and then portion into containers. Label the containers with the date and the recipe name. I use the defrost function on my microwave and then heat on 100% power. (Sometimes after defrosting, I will add additional water to the soup before heating on 100%.) Add parmesan cheese and enjoy when you’re craving soup!

Other Chicken Soup Recipes

Homemade Chicken and Noodles 
Chicken Tortilla Soup

Other Soup Recipes

Panera Garden Vegetable Soup
Pork and Shrimp Wonton Soup

Other Whole Chicken Recipes

Crockpot Whole Chicken
Homemade Chicken Stock
Crispy Roasted Garlic Chicken

The post Sicilian-Style Spicy Chicken Noodle Soup appeared first on The Little Kitchen.

I’m excited to once again partner with Tuttorosso Tomatoes to bring you this post and recipe.

I'm a huge fan of quick and easy meals. Weeknights are hard right? We don't have kids but sometimes I feel like we have so much going on. Too much to do and yes, even though I write and cook and run this blog, we also run out of ideas for dinner.

When one pot pastas came on to the scene, I was so intrigued and once I started trying them like this one and this one with mushrooms, I became obsessed.

The only reason I call this one a one pot lasagna pasta is because I added ricotta and mozzarella cheeses and of course beef…and it's so easy to make.

It's so simple to make and as long as you have great ingredients, it tastes amazing!

Can we talk tomatoes? Namely canned tomatoes…I am in love with Tuttorosso tomatoes. Last year, I attended an event in Atlanta with them and they showed us how to cut and taste tomatoes. It might sound strange but have you ever tasted the canned tomatoes that you buy?

They sent me their whole plum tomatoes along with another brand's whole plum tomatoes. When I opened both cans, I can tell the difference in quality. The Tuttorosso tomatoes are whole tomatoes, the other ones are in pieces. The texture and color, such a difference. When you taste the two different brands, there's a huge difference, you guys.

And my friend was really interested in this when I told her about this…she did a blind taste test and told me she liked the taste of Tuttorosso's tomatoes better.

Let's talk about this recipe. First we're going to cook the onions…

and the ground beef.

Once it's browned, remove the beef with a slotted spoon and then wipe the pan clean.

Add the pasta with the Tuttorosso tomatoes…

and also add the olive oil, water, salt, pepper, oregano, thyme and basil.

And then mix it all up.

Bring it to a boil, once it's boiling, cook it for another 9 to 10 minutes.

Add the beef and mix.

Add both cheeses.

This recipe is soooo good! We loved it, our friends loved it…and even better, it reheats well.

What to have for dinner, problem solved and you'll thank me for it!

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One Pot Lasagna Pasta Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4 to 6

Ingredients

Beef

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves peeled and thinly sliced
• 1/2 onion diced
• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 12- ounce package of bowtie pasta
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 28- ounce can Tuttorosso diced tomatoes
• 3 1/2 cups water
• 5 garlic cloves peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil plus more for serving
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese (plus more for serving)

Instructions

• Preparing the beef: Heat the olive oil in large skillet on medium for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and onions and cook for 1 minute. Add the ground beef, season with salt and pepper. Cook the beef for 3 to 4 minutes until browned. As you’re cooking the beef, break it up the beef with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon.
• Remove the cooked ground beef with a slotted spoon and place in a medium sized bowl, set aside. Wipe the pan with a paper towel.
• Add pasta, olive oil, Tuttorosso diced tomatoes, water, garlic, oregano, thyme, fresh basil, salt and pepper to skillet. Stir ingredients together and bring to a boil on high. Once it comes to a boil, boil for about 9 to 10 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Turn the heat down to low and add the cooked beef and cook for 1 minute to heat through. Season with salt and pepper, if necessary. Add the ricotta and mozzarella and serve.
• Serve with fresh chopped basil and more mozzarella cheese on top.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Tuttorosso. I only share with you brands and products that I love and always only share with you my own opinions.

The post One Pot Lasagna Pasta appeared first on The Little Kitchen.

Can we just all agree that soup heals the body and the soul? I feel like soup when I'm sick or even when I'm having a bad day. Soup heals all, right? I eat soup all year long…it doesn't matter how hot it is. I think the craving for soup when I'm sick comes from my childhood, probably yours too right? My mom would make us a good chicken and rice soup when we were sick.

I have been dealing with some crazy health issues for the last few months. I wrote a little bit about it when I shared these chicken wings. I ended up not having an upper endoscopy but a bronchoscopy because a CT scan showed a lot of pneumonia going on in my lungs. And then 6 weeks ago, I ended up in the hospital.

I have a huge appreciation for nurses, nurses who go above and beyond every day. And I have a greater appreciation for what it's like to be a patient in a hospital. This was my first time in the hospital and my first time in an ER. You don't know how it is until you experience it, it's one of those things and until you understand how to navigate pushing the button to get the nurses' attention, asking for medications including pain medications.

When I was in the hospital, they told me it would take a full two months before I would get a definitive answer on what I have…on what was causing my persistent cough and trouble breathing. And now, we're almost six weeks in and the medications they gave me are working. Thank goodness for that. Sorry for being cagey about what I have…I will probably share once I get word they are 100% sure.

When Curtis took me home from the hospital after my bronchoscopy procedure, he went to Panera to pick up soup and sourdough rolls for me. He came home with a cup of of their Low-Fat Vegetarian Garden Vegetable Soup with Pesto. Besides their broccoli cheddar soup, their garden vegetable soup is one of my favorites!

It has so much flavor and and it's so soothing! I have been wanting to make a homemade or copycat version at home for some time now!

Imagine how excited I was when I made this vegetable soup and it tasted sooo good!

There's a lot of chopping involved but it's worth it.

I cut the cauliflower up into tiny pieces.

And I was so happy to find wax beans at my grocery store. You can use green beans if you can't find them though.

And tons of swiss chard…

The zucchini and the tomatoes are my favorite parts of this soup!

Cook the barley with vegetable broth first and then set aside. This takes about 10 to 15 minutes. Be sure to watch this because the broth evaporates!

Then, cook the red pepper and onions in olive oil.

Add garlic and continue to cook.

Then, add cauliflower, wax beans and chickpeas. Chickpeas are one thing I added that are not in the Panera vegetable soup. I decided to add them when developing this soup and loved the texture it adds to the soup. You can omit them if you would like.

Next add tomatoes, remaining vegetable broth and water.

Add the herbs and spices.

And then, bring the soup to a boil. Once it boils, reduce to a simmer and cook for at least 15 minutes.

Add the cooked barley, swiss chard and the zucchini. Cook for a few more minutes.

Serve the soup with a scoop of pesto. This is totally optional. (You can use store bought or homemade pesto, here's my favorite recipe.) My friend, who used to work at Panera, told me that people often requested the soup without the pesto. Even better, the soup is vegan if you omit the pesto.

So there's my version of the Panera vegetable soup. It is so comforting but it's not heavy. It's so perfect for when you want soup even though the weather is warm. And perfect even when the weather is cold.

I love freezing soup…I froze a bunch for when the craving sets in, I just reheat and I have a meal all ready to go!

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Panera Garden Vegetable Soup with Pesto Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 8

Ingredients

• three 14-ounce cans vegetable broth or 6 cups homemade
• 1/2 cup pearled barley
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 onion peeled and diced (about 3/4 cup)
• 1/2 red pepper diced (about 1/2 cup)
• 2 large garlic cloves minced
• 1/2 head of cauliflower cut into florets (about 2 cups)
• 8 ounces wax beans or green beans ends trimmed and chopped into bite-sized pieces (about 1 3/4 cups)
• 16 ounce can chickpeas rinsed and drained
• 28 ounce can Tuttorosso diced tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 4 large swiss chard stems remove stems and chop (about 2 cups)
• 2 small zucchini diced (about 2 1/2 cups)
• store-bought or homemade pesto optional, for serving

Instructions

• In a heavy bottom Dutch oven, add 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth and 1/2 cup pearled barley. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once it reaches a boil, reduce heat and allow the pearl barley to simmer at least 10 minutes. Check it often and stir as the broth will evaporate. Once the barley has reached its desired chewiness, it’s done cooking. Fluff with a fork and scoop the barley into a clean bowl. Set aside.
• Add olive oil to the Dutch oven and heat high on medium for 2 minutes. Add onion and red pepper, cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally with a rubber spatula. Add garlic and cook for 90 seconds. Add cauliflower, beans and chickpeas. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and the remaining vegetable broth and 1 1/2 to 2 cups water. Add thyme, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper and stir. Bring soup to a boil.
• Once soup comes to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Add swiss chard, zucchini and cooked barley. Cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, stirring to combine. Season with salt and pepper, if necessary.
• Portion soup to serving bowls and serve with a scoop of pesto on top of each bowl.

The post Panera Vegetable Soup appeared first on The Little Kitchen.

I have seen so many one pot pasta dishes online and on pinterest and I have been wanting to try them forever. Especially, Martha Stewart's recipe for one pot linguine pasta with tomato & basil! I have made it with linguine and also of course made it withe penne pasta.

I'm a huge fan of quick and easy meals. I'm constantly trying to find new ideas for easy dinners instead of the same old, same old. I do struggle with what to have for dinner All. the. Time. Curtis would be happy with a rotation of the same 5 meals every week…but me, I need variety. In comes this dish…

I have made it with and without the crushed red pepper (Curtis loves every kind of pepper seasonings except crushed red pepper) and it's good with or without. So if you have kids and are afraid of the heat, you can leave it out!

Seriously, just throwing everything in one pan or pot is genius and I love the concept…will be adding more things white wine, other veggies like asparagus and even mushrooms to future one pot meals.

Last year, the editors of Martha Stewart Living published One Pot: 120+ Easy Meals from Your Skillet, Slow Cooker, Stockpot, and More and I was happy to sent a copy by the publisher.

It has 120 recipes, recipes you can make in your Dutch oven, slow cooker, pressure cooker, cast iron skillet and more.

There are so many recipes I want to try from it including: Baked Risotto (mindblowing!), Salmon with Kale, Short Ribs with Potato-Carrot Mash made in a pressure cooker (I LOVE mashed potatoes with carrots!) and Skillet Chocolate-Chip Cookie (yes they have one pot dessert recipes too)!

And this pasta recipe, choose whatever pasta, throw the ingredients into the pan and in less than 10 minutes, you have dinner all cooked…love it. Curtis loved it too!

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Penne with Tomato & Basil Recipe

You won’t believe it till you try it: Cook linguine in water with tomato, basil, and garlic thrown right in the same pot. Let the water boil away, and you have pasta in a delectable sauce.

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 12 ounces linguine or penne
• 12 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes halved or quartered if large
• 1 onion thinly sliced
• 4 garlic cloves thinly sliced
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 sprigs basil plus torn leaves for garnish
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus more for serving
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 4½ cups water
• Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for serving

Instructions

• In a large sauté pan, combine pasta, tomatoes, onion, garlic, red-pepper flakes, basil, oil, 2 teaspoons salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and the water; bring to a boil over high heat. Cook pasta, stirring frequently with tongs, until al dente and water has nearly evaporated, about 9 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper, and garnish with torn basil. Serve with oil and cheese.

Notes

Reprinted from One Pot: 120+ Easy Meals from Your Skillet, Slow Cooker, Stockpot, and More. Copyright © 2014 by Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC.

// Disclosure: This cookbook was sent to be for the purpose of review by the publisher. All opinions are my own and I only share with you what I love. There are affiliate links in this post. //

The post One Pot Penne Pasta with Tomato & Basil appeared first on The Little Kitchen.

Cooking is how I show my love for my family and friends. Is it that way for you? I know it's that way for Sara…it was a blast cooking with her in Italy along with Mike and Martha. She is a funloving Italian grandmother who is serious about fresh ingredients only going into the food she cooks for her family. Even better from our trip to Italy last year, we gained two friends, Mike and Martha!

There's Mike! Mike was the Michael Angelo's sweepstakes winner. After our trip, we have been emailing together and Martha is so sweet, she leaves comments on my recipes and on facebook. I wish they didn't live so far away in Oregon.

Do you love eggplant as much as I do? I'm sharing a variation of Sara's (above) stuffed eggplant recipe that I learned while cooking with her in Italy.

Use a knife to score the sides. And then use a spoon to scoop out the insides of the eggplant.

Sara's secret is to add salt to allow the eggplant to sweat.

Dice the eggplant you scooped out.

Cook the uncased mild Italian chicken sausage in a heavy-bottomed pot. I used a French oven. I added chicken sausage which is not in Sara's original recipe. When it's done cooking, remove the sausage.

Cook the onion and then add the garlic.

Cook the eggplant down.

Ahhh, I know this doesn't look appetizing but if you're an eggplant lover like me, you know how good this tastes.

Add the sausage back to to pot and add breadcrumbs.

And cook the filling down even more.

These eggplant pieces have been rinsed and dried.

Add the filling to the eggplant.

Ladle in the tomato sauce. Add some sauce to the eggplant. Cover with foil and bake.

Remove from the oven and add the sliced fresh mozzarella on top of the eggplant and broil for about 5 minutes.

Look at those cheetah spots. That's what Curtis calls those brown spots on cheese. We loved this meal when we had it in Italy and love being able to make it at home! Serve with spaghetti and garlic bread and it's a meal. Comfort food for sure!

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Stuffed Eggplant Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Ingredients

• 2 eggplants cleaned and dried
• salt
• 5 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 pound chicken or pork mild Italian sausage uncased
• 1/3 cup diced onion
• 1 garlic clove smashed, peeled and minced
• 1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
• 1 Tablespoon capers drained and smashed

Tomato Sauce

• 2/3 cup diced onion about 3/4 medium onion
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves smashed, peeled and minced
• 28 ounce can of whole peeled plum tomatoes with or without basil is fine
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese sliced
• uncooked pasta prepared according to directions or homemade pasta

Instructions

• Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Halve the eggplants and scoop out the middle. It may be helpful to cut out of the edges and then scoop out. Rub with salt and let stand to sweat. Dice the eggplant innards that you scooped out. (Right now is a good time to start the sauce.)
• Heat 2 Tablespoons of olive oil in a French oven and add sausage. Use wooden spatula to break up the sausage. Cook for about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove cooked sausage and place in a clean bowl. Set aside.
• Add 1 Tablespoon of olive oil to French oven. Add onions and cook for 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add eggplant and 2 more Tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add back the cooked sausage and breadcrumbs and cook for about 5 to 6 minutes. The breadcrumbs should be soaked into the eggplant mixture.
• Remove eggplant filling from heat and add capers and mix. Season with salt and pepper. Rinse out eggplant shell halves and wipe dry with a paper towel. Place upside on a covered baking sheet to remove excess water.
• Stuff eggplant with cooked eggplant mixture and place in a casserole baking dish. Ladle tomato sauce into the baking dish underneath the eggplant and a little bit on top of each eggplant.
• Cover baking dish with foil and bake for 35 to 40 minutes at 375 degrees F.
• Uncover and add sliced mozzarella cheese on top each of each eggplant to cover. Bake for another 5 minutes and then broil for another 5 minutes. Serve with cooked pasta.

Tomato Sauce

• In a heavy bottomed pot, sauté the onion with olive oil for about 3 to 5 minutes on medium high, until onions are softened. Add garlic and cook for 60 to 90 seconds.
• Add whole tomatoes with juice plus 1 cup of water to the pot. Break down tomatoes with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula. Add dried basil. Lower heat and allow sauce to simmer while prepping the rest of the eggplant dish. Season with salt and pepper.

Disclosure: Thanks to Michael Angelo's who hosted me on my trip to Italy. I only work with brands that I love and always share with you my honest opinions.

The post Stuffed Eggplant appeared first on The Little Kitchen.