Caeser Salad (Revised)

Betty's Favorite Caesar Salad

This is our favorite Caesar Salad dressing. Perhaps not entirely authentic, but it works for us!

1 egg
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon anchovy paste, or 3-4 anchovy fillets
1 clove garlic, grated
4 or 5 drops fresh lemon juice
4 or 5 drops Worcestershire Sauce
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano plus a few shards grated
Freshly ground black pepper
Garlic Croutons


Place all ingredients except olive oil and cheese in a mini-processor and blend for a few seconds. Add the olive oil and blend to combine.
Toss with chopped Romaine Lettuce. Add grated cheese and toss. Add croutons and freshly ground black pepper and toss. Top with shards of Parmigiano. Enjoy!


WATCH THE VIDEO

Betty's Chicken Parmigiana

A long-time favorite in Italian restaurants, Chicken Parmigiana is a snap to make at home - especially if you have my Home Made Marinara Sauce on hand.
You can bread and fry the cutlets and freeze them or you can complete the entire dish and freeze that ready to pull out for a delicious dinner any time.  Add my Caesar Salad and Coffee Liqueur Coupe and you are ready for a dinner party!

Ingredients:

6 (or more) thin chicken cutlets*
1½ cups Italian flavored breadcrumbs mixed with
½ cup finely grated Parmigiana cheese
1 cup flour
2 eggs well beaten
Oil for frying
1½ cups Home Made Marinara Sauce**
¼ cup finely grated Parmigiana cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Set up a breading station with the flour, beaten eggs and breadcrumb mixture.
Dip cutlets first in the flour, then the egg and finally the breadcrumbs.
Heat oil in a frying pan and cook the cutlets for two or three minutes on each side until lightly browned.
Prepare a baking dish with a light coating of Marinara Sauce then layer the cutlets into the dish. Cover with remaining sauce, sprinkle with Parmigiana and top with mozzarella.  (The dish may be frozen at this point.)
Bake at 350º for about 15 minutes or until cheese is nicely melted.

*See my video on Chicken Tenders to see how to make your own thin cutlets.
**See my video on Marinara Sauce.

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Eggplant Parmigiana

Eggplant Parmigiana, an Italian restaurant favorite that is easily made at home.  In fact, you can probably feed six people at home for what one serving would cost at a good restaurant.  It can be made ahead - even up to a day before - which makes for easy entertaining.  Add my Caesar Salad, some pasta and you have a great meal.  Buon appetito!

Ingredients: 3 medium eggplants, 1 1/2 cup flour, 1 tbs salt, 1/4 tps pepper, 3 eggs, well beaten, 1/2 cup finely grated parmigiana cheese, 1 1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs, 3 tbs olive oil, 1 lb. fresh mozzarella, marinara sauce (see sauce video).

Sliced Eggplant

Dip in well beaten egg

Coat in Italian breadcrumbs and finely grated parmisano cheese

Fry breaded eggplant

Layer eggplant slices with cheese and marinara sauce

                                 WATCH THE VIDEO DEMONSTRATION

Spaghetti Sauce and Meatballs (plus Sausage & Eggs)

Believe it or not, I had never eaten pasta when I met my husband.  So it was quite a revelation when I was introduced to the delights of spaghetti, ravioli and lasagne.  Not to mention chicken parmigiano, chicken scarpariello, eggplant parmigiano, fettucini Alfredo, etc.  I often think this was what started me on my cooking career!

Shortly after we were married, my mother-in-law, who was an excellent cook, taught me the family recipe for spaghetti sauce with meatballs - and sausage and hardboiled eggs!  The recipe came from her Sicilian mother-in-law and is a great example of Italian-American cooking.  I am happy to share it with you.

 

I am making a large quantity since this freezes well - except for the eggs.  Feel free to make a smaller amount.

For the meatballs:

1¼ lbs. “meatloaf mix” - equal portions of ground beef, veal and pork
4 eggs, lightly beaten
½ cup freshly grated parmigiano cheese
½ cup chopped parsley
1 cup Italian style breadcrumbs
2 cloves garlic, grated
Olive oil

Add the eggs to the meat and mix lightly.  Add remaining ingredients and mix lightly but thoroughly.  Form meatballs keeping hands rinsed in cold water. (Makes about 20 meatballs.)
Heat a large, heavy stockpot (I use a 10 qt.) and add enough olive oil to cover about ¼” deep.  Let the oil heat and add 6 or 8 meatballs to pan.  Allow to brown and then turn to brown on all sides.  Remove to a clean bowl and continue browning remaining meatballs, sausage and hardboiled eggs, if using.

For the sauce:

2 cups chopped onions
3 or 4 plump garlic cloves, finely chopped or grated
8 28 oz. cans crushed tomatoes
1½ tablespoons dried oregano
1½ tablespoons dried basil
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper

Add a little more olive oil to the pan if necessary and add the onions.  Cook until softened and add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more.  Add the tomatoes and remaining ingredients.  Stir to combine and bring to a boil.  Return the browned meats to the pan and cook at a simmer for 4 to 5 hours.

Note:  I like to use a Flame Tamer to prevent the sauce sticking on the bottom.  If you don’t have one, keep the heat as low as possible to allow a simmer and stir frequently.   WATCH THE VIDEO DEMONSTRATION BELOW

 Comment;

Betty;

My spaghetti sauce is very much like yours except that I add a potato along with the meats and eggs.

I don't have this recipe written down (watching my mother, Nanna , A. Mamie) I just eyeball everything.  My mother was not one for writing recipes down.  

Now when anyone ask me for my spaghetti sauce I'll give them a copy of yours.

One year we had some college soccer players over for dinner  (they would help my husband Gil coach youth soccer) they went crazy for the spaghetti meal and couldn't get over that there was sausages, eggs and potatoes in the sauce.  Whenever we hear from them, they always mention the sausage,eggs & potatoes in the sauce.

Enjoy watching your videos, I always learn something new. Loretta D.

Here is a short video on how to make our favorite meatballs (Recipe is above);