These chicken Parmesan meatballs is a wonderful dish that is full of flavor.  Serve them over pasta, with bread, or you can make chicken parm meatball sliders.

For the meatballs:

1 lb ground chicken
¼ cup dried Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
3 tbsp grated onion
1 tbsp dried parsley
1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¾ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large egg, beaten
pinch of red pepper flakes
2 tbsp olive oil

For baking:

12 oz marinara sauce
8 oz mozzarella cheese
2 tbsp Parmesan cheese

To make the meatballs:

Preheat oven to 400° F. Add all of the meatball ingredients to a large bowl and combine gently using a fork.

Use a 2-inch ice cream scoop to portion out the meatball mixture, shape each into a ball with your hands.

Heat the olive oil in a large cast iron skillet and brown the meatballs on all sides.

Add the sauce to the pan, divide the cheeses between the meatballs, topping each with a fair amount of cheese.

Bake for 15 minutes. Place under the broiler for the last minute to lightly brown the cheese.

Serve over pasta or with crusty bread.

Serves 4-6

11 oz. Arborio rice
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 oz. butter
2 oz. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 lb. ground sausage meat (or 3-4 sausage links, casing removed)
1/2 cup white wine
1 medium yellow squash, diced
salt & black pepper, to taste
1 quart chicken stock
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
chopped parsley, for garnish

Saute the sausage meat in a pan until cooked through, set aside.

In another large saute pan, saute the onion in butter and oil until transparent.

Add the rice, stir over medium heat for 2-3 minutes then add the wine and diced squash.

Let the wine evaporate and then begin to add the stock a little at a time, stirring after each addition, until the rice is tender, but not mushy.

Stir in the Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Garnish with chopped parsley.

Serves 6

1 piece of naan bread
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
salt & pepper, to taste
2-3 slices of prosciutto, torn into pieces
small handful of arugula
olive oil

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a bowl, combine the cheeses and seasoning and mix well.

Place the naan bread on a baking sheet.  Spread the cheese mixture evenly on top.  Place in the oven for 5 minutes.

Remove from oven and place pieces of prosciutto on top.  Return to the oven for another 5 minutes.

Remove from oven and top with arugula.  Drizzle with some olive oil.  Slice and serve.

Serves 2-4

1 lb rotini pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 lb ground sweet Italian sausage
1 small onion, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
8 oz chopped frozen spinach, thawed
crushed red pepper, to taste
salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
Asiago cheese, grated

Cook the pasta according to the package directions.

In a large saute pan over medium heat, add the olive oil.  Once hot, add the onion and saute for 2-3 minutes.

Next add the chopped garlic and sausage meat.  Saute for 5-7 minutes or until the sausage is browned and cooked through.

Add the chopped spinach and season with salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper and Italian seasoning.  Cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Combine the cooked pasta and sausage, spinach mixture and then transfer into serving dishes.  Top each dish with some grated Asiago cheese.

Serves 2-4

Sauce:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, chopped
28oz canned diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
1-2 teaspoons crushed red pepper

In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, add 1 tbs. olive oil. After 30 seconds add the garlic and then onions. Sauté for 2-3 minutes or until the onions are soft. Add the tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, black pepper and red pepper. Stir to combine. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer for at least 20 minutes while stirring.

Meanwhile, setup 3 shallow dishes. One with flour, one with egg and one with bread crumbs. Dredge the eggplant through the flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs and coat evenly. Heat olive oil in a large heavy skillet and then fry the eggplant for 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

To serve, place 3 slices of eggplant on a plate, slightly overlapping. Spoon some ricotta on top of each piece, then top with a nice amount of sauce.

Enjoy!

1 lb. all-purpose flour (about 4 cups sifted)
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp table salt
1 packet dry yeast
1 1/4 cups warm (110°F) water

Combine the water, sugar and yeast in a glass bowl and stir for a few seconds. Let stand for about 5 minutes or until the mixture gives off a strong yeasty smell.

Combine the flour, olive oil and salt in a food processor. Add the yeast mixture and pulse until the dough comes together.

Turn the dough onto a floured work surface and knead for about a minute or until a smooth ball forms.

Transfer the ball to an oiled glass bowl and cover with a piece of plastic wrap. Place the bowl in a warm place for about 40 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.

Turn the dough back onto a floured surface, punch it down, and knead for a few seconds, then form back into a ball. Return to an oiled bowl, covered in plastic, for another half hour or until it again doubles in size.

Turn the dough onto a floured surface once again, punch it down until flat, and cut it into three equal portions. Now form each of these three portions into a ball.

Brush the tops of the dough balls with olive oil and either wrap in plastic and refrigerate or use right away.

Makes enough dough for three 12″ pizzas.

2 boneless chicken breast, sliced thin
Angel hair pasta
small Jar artichokes, roughly chopped
2-3 cloves Garlic, minced
6 Campari tomatoes, diced
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon chopped Basil
2 tablespoons Olive oil, divided use
Parmesan cheese, to taste

Cook the angel hair pasta according to the package directions.

Season the chicken breast on both sides with salt and pepper.  Heat a saute pan over medium heat.  Add 1 tablespoon of oil.  Once the oil is hot, add the chicken and cook for about 2 minutes on each side or until the chicken is cooked through.  Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, in another saute pan over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil.  Once the oil is hot, add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds.  Next add the diced tomato and let cook for 1-2 minutes.  Season with salt, pepper and basil.  Next add the artichokes.  Stir to combine and let cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Divide the pasta between 2 serving plates.  Place the chicken breast on top of the pasta.  Spoon some of the tomato sauce over the chicken and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

Serves 2