Food and Drink Advice and Tips

February 1, 2010

Cheer on the Superbowl with this Great Chili Recipe

Filed under: Food and Drink advice — Tags: , , , , , , — admin @ 4:16 pm

We’re coming up on my favorite time of year. The Super Bowl. It’s not because I love football, but because I love the competition to see who can make the party’s most talked about “dish.” I’ve got a sure-fire winner. I found this easy chili recipe on cooks.com. I have one piece of advice for this recipe. If you make the chili the night before, it actually helps you in two ways. Firstly, this will save you a lot of time the day of the party. Second, when the chili is being reheated, it allows for the flavors to meld together to their spicy best.

 

Ingredients:

1 sliced pepperoni stick (Try Volpi’s Gourmet Pepperoni)

10 oz. Italian sausage

1 lb. ground beef

1 onion

1 green bell pepper

2 cloves garlic

1 c. red wine

½ c. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. each dry mustard and celery seed

2 tsp. chili powder

6 c. fresh tomatoes

1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans

1 (15 oz.) can kidney beans

1 (15 ½ oz.) can garbanzo beans

Jalapeno chili peppers to taste

 

Brown cut up sausage in same pot with the pepperoni. Next poor off the fat from the pot and set it aside. Brown the ground, drain it and then set it aside. Cook onion, pepper, garlic and chili pepper in pot for 2-3 minutes. Mix in the wine and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer 10 minutes.

 

Stir in mustard, celery seed, chili powder, salt and pepper to taste. Simmer this for 10 minutes.

 

Mash tomatoes with hands. Next, add these to the pot along with the meats. Heat to boiling; simmer ½ hour, covered, stirring occasionally. Put beans and their liquid into chili and stir. Heat until boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 1 hour.

 

This chili has great flavor and has just the right amount of kick to it. I like this recipe because it’s easy to find Italian sausage recipes, but it’s rare to discover a chili recipe that uses Italian meat. I would advise getting your meats from Volpi Foods, America’s oldest and most prestigious producer of authentic Italian meats. Their specialty Italian meats add the perfect touch to any meal!

 

Don’t forget to offer a variety of cheeses and oyster crackers to put in the chili. For an unexpected twist, add macaroni noodles. The noodles can really make a difference and will enhance your chili.

 

There you have it! Have a little contest. Challenge your friends to guess the “secret ingredient” in the chili. Set aside a container full of the chili as the winning prize. My guess is everyone will be very surprised at the fact you used spicy Italian meats in you rchili. Despite the frigid cold, you will be able to keep warm with this zesty hot chili. Cheer on your favorite NFL team with this delectable dish!

December 8, 2009

Italian Gift Baskets are Always in Season

Filed under: Food and Drink advice — Tags: , , — admin @ 11:43 am

As the holiday season rolls around, you most likely have some people on your list who are difficult to surprise. When I am in a pinch, I use an idea that has worked everytime. Italian gift baskets are the perfect solution! They can be bought or made into a perfect gift for anyone on your list. It’s easy to be creative with your baskets, including decorating them. Here is how to create a memorable gift basket.

An easy gift basket idea is to fill it with a variety of salami! There are many different kinds including Calabrese, Milano, Sopressata, Genova and pepperoni. These Italian meats provide a perfect gift for those friends and family who love cooking! Try to include some easy pasta recipes that use any one of these salamis. Not only are you giving them new recipes to work with, you are also providing the ingredients to cook with. That’s a 2 for 1 deal!

Here’s another idea. Get together all the ingredients to make an authentic Italian meal and make it into a basket! Some examples of what to include are: Rotola, Genova salami, marinara, Rotola, breadsticks and a variety of cheese. Everything you need to make an entire Italian meal is contained in this gift basket. If the recipient likes to cook, try to include some pasta recipes!

Another easy basket to create is an appetizer gift basket! Antipasto is like an Italian appetizer; it combines small-sized bites meant to prepare you for the main course. This is a potpourri of salami, cheese and crackers! It’s easy to be creative when selecting ingredients for this basket. Pepper jack cheese and hot Sopressata is a great combination for those friends who like spicy foods. You can also make it more of a “variety pack” by putting dry salami, pepperoni, Basil Rotola, Milano salami and many others into the basket. An appetizer gift basket makes for a great addition to parties and get togethers! You will have everything you need at your fingertips!

Finally, here is a gift basket idea that will go great with any Italian gift basket: a Salami and wine gift set. Pairing salami with the right type of wine can really bring out the flavors of your favorite Italian meats. Sanigovese wines are created wtih subtle flavors that complement specialty cured meats. The addition of wine salami, which is salami infused with high quality wine, makes a great gift item!

Now you can create your very own Italian gift basket. Any one of these baskets can give your friends and family an authentic taste of Italy.

 

October 29, 2009

Omelet Recipe from an Authentic Italian Cookbook

Filed under: Food and Drink advice — Tags: , , , , , , — admin @ 12:35 pm

Great cookbooks are worn, splattered with food and passed down generations. A new cookbook that is sure to pass the test of time is Authentic Volpi by Sarah Kellogg and Chef Michael Laukert.

This special Italian cookbook is an almanac of family recipes and traditions from America’s premier maker of dry-cured Italian meats. Volpi Foods is a family-owned, global food corporation and America’s oldest and most prestigious manufacturer of hand-crafted, authentic Italian meat products. In addition to the rare Volpi family recipes, this Italian cookbook explains the fascinating history of a business that began in 1900 when Italian immigrant John Volpi ventured from Milan to settle in the American heartland. Written and edited by Sarah Kellogg with recipe creation and updating by Chef Michael Laukert, the book is a collaboration of Volpi family, friends and staff.

One of the Volpi family recipes featured in this Italian cookbook is an omelet recipe called a Volpi Rotola Frittata. Volpi Rotola is formed by rolling thin slices of hand-salted prosciutto in layers of fresh mozzarella cheese. This frittata will make a simple and delightful dinner – or breakfast – any time of the year. Here’s how to make the frittata.

Ingredients:
10 fresh brown eggs
1 package Volpi Rotola, sliced ½ inch thick
1 cup of diced boiled potatoes
1 diced tomato
½ green pepper, diced
1/4 cup of fresh chopped Italian parsley
2 large scallions, diagonally diced
½ cup mushrooms, cooked

Scramble the eggs in a large bowl. Add all of the ingredients to the eggs except for the Volpi Rotola. Save a little parsley for garnishing the plate before serving.

Grease 2 large skillets with olive oil and a little butter. Heat well. Add the egg mixture. Split between 2 skillets. Top the egg mixture in each skillet with layers of Volpi Rotola slices. Turn the egg mixture one time by placing an inverted dish over the skillet. Cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes. Lower heat. Turn the frittata onto a plate, and then cut it into wedges.

The frittata pairs nicely with mixed greens and hearty Italian bread toasted to perfection. To drink, try a glass of Sauvignon Blanc or a dry sparkling wine. If you’re serving it for breakfast, have a mimosa!

This omelet recipe is one of the many family favorites that the Volpi family shares in their Italian cookbook.Make one of their recipes for your family and experience the Volpi legacy.

September 29, 2009

Family Cooking Ideas: Easy Italian Pizza Recipe

Filed under: Food and Drink advice — Tags: , , , , , , — admin @ 2:48 am

Is there anyone who doesn’t like pizza? With all of the possible variations – thick or thin crust, plain cheese or supreme – pizza is a favorite with people of all ages. Pizza can also be simple and fun for the whole family to make at home.

Even if you consider the kitchen foreign territory, you can make an Italian traditional pizza with just a few easy steps. The first step is making the dough. If you’re short on time, you can purchase pre-made pizza dough at your local grocery store. However, handmade pizza dough is not difficult to make, not to mention it’s delicious!

For this Italian pizza recipe, try using Father Dominic Garramone’s recipe for making pizza crust. Father Dominic is a Benedictine priest who hosted a PBS television show called “Breaking Bread with Father Dominic” and has written many books on spiritual growth through baking bread. This recipe will yield one 15 inch thick-crust pizza or two smaller thin-crust pizzas.

Ingredients:
1 pkg. active dry yeast
1 tsp. brown sugar
1 cup of warm water
1/2 cup of cold milk
1¼ tsp. salt
2 Tbs. olive oil
3 – 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

In a medium size bowl, stir to dissolve yeast and brown sugar in warm water. Let the mixture stand for about five minutes. Stir in the olive oil, cold milk and salt. Add 2 1/2 cups of flour, one half cup at a time, and mix until thoroughly integrated. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead for about five minutes, adding small amounts of flour to keep the dough manageable. Using olive oil, lightly oil the dough’s surface. Place the dough in a clean, medium size bowl. Then cover it with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to rise in the refrigerator for at least two hours, or leave it overnight.

Around two hours before you plan to make your pizza, punch down the dough, then knead it lightly. Then, form it into a ball. Place the dough on the counter and cover with a clean, dry towel. Let it rest there until it comes to room temperature. To form the crust, flatten the dough with your hands, and then roll it out on a lightly floured board. Stop when the crust reaches your desired size. Father Dominic suggests using a pizza stone and having the oven at 500 degrees F.

When the dough is prepared, then it’s time to choose the toppings. What Italian traditional pizza is complete without Italian meats? The best place for Italian meat toppings is Volpi Foods, America’s oldest and most prestigious producer of authentic, hand-crafted Italian meats. Whether you use your favorite tomato sauce or plain olive oil as your base, Volpi’s wide variety of dry cured meats will add flavor and excitement to any pizza.

For a twist on the traditional pepperoni pizza, try using Volpi’s hot Sopressata for a spicy pizza pie. If you’re in the mood for a salty and sweet combination, use slices of Volpi’s famous melt-in-your-mouth prosciutto. Add fresh spinach leaves, sprinkle with goat cheese crumbles, then layer with thin slices of prosciutto. Bake in the oven until the crust is light golden brown, then slice and serve immediately.

This simple and delicious Italian pizza recipe is a guaranteed crowd pleaser for parties or a family cooking night at home. Try it tonight at your house. You’ll be transported to Tuscany at first bite. Buon appetito!

July 25, 2009

Great Barbecue Ideas for A Summer Fiesta

Filed under: Food and Drink advice — Tags: , , , , , , , — admin @ 10:31 am

Do you love summertime as much as I do? The part I look forward to the most is getting together with close friends or family and having a good ol’ summer barbecue. If you’re like me, you may sometimes find yourself running out of barbecue ideas or you may just get bored with the same old grilled chicken and steak recipes. Here are some fabulous barbecue ideas in which you may not bee all too familiar, however, I guarantee satisfaction and your mouth to begin watering! If you know how to barbecue in the least bit, you’ll be able to easily pull off these ideas for your next gathering.

For a really unique and satisfying hamburger everyone will be sure to love, try an Italian prosciutto burger. It’s perfect for anyone who likes the tender, rich flavor of Italian traditional prosciutto. Just simply mix diced prosciutto in with the beef. I suggest using one package of Volpini Diced Prosciutto for each pound of ground beef. It’s so easy to do and can really add to your typical run-of-the-mill hamburger. You can make it even more tasty by putting a tomato on top of it, mozzarella, and basil leaves. These burgers make an effortless and crowd-pleasing addition to a camping barbecue as well. All your camping friends will be wonderfully surprised when you cook this up instead of the hot dog that’s expected to be served.

How about while your guests are waiting for the main dish, surprise them by serving Italian appetizers right off the grill. One great option is prosciutto-wrapped shrimp skewers. These delicious skewers are easy to make, and the sweet and salty flavor is simply the best compliment to a summer meal. It will be perfect to purchase extra large or jumbo uncooked shrimp for this recipe. Rinse off, peel and devein shrimp. Next, skewer shrimp 1 time along its length, which makes wrapping simpler and prevents the shrimp from curling up as it cooks. Then, season the shrimp by sprinkling lemon juice and lemon zest on them. Wrap a thin slice of Volpi prosciutto around each shrimp. Try placing a basil leaf on shrimp before you wrap with proscuitto. Brush the prosciutto-wrapped shrimp with olive oil. Also, you can add a slice of lemon or two to the skewer. Put prociutto-wrapped shrimp on the grill.Cook approximately three to four minutes or at least until shrimp are pink. Serve immediately and savor the look on your guests’ faces as they enjoy their first bites.

With these wonderfully delicious and simple barbecue ideas, you can look forward to planning your next backyard party or camping barbecue. You can spend less time preparing the food and more time socializing with friends, while still serving a meal that will have everyone raving. Cheers to summer!

May 31, 2009

Italian Deli Meats Will Wow Your Graduation Party Guests

Filed under: Food and Drink advice — Tags: , , , , — admin @ 11:09 pm

It’s graduation season again, which means it’s time to prepare a great party for family and friends. While you’re trying to figure out how to entertain the guests and prepare the graduation party food, wouldn’t you like some help in the kitchen to prepare the perfect menu?

So, what kind of food interests both teenagers and adults? Well, none other than meats straight from the Italian deli. We’re talkin about a great assortment of cold-cut sandwiches and platters that are neatly and fancily arranged to delight the taste buds of the adult and teen guests alike.

Italian deli meats are a great option because they are so easy to prepare. All you have to do is layer Italian meat slices on gourmet breads, cut and serve. Or, simply arrange the meats nicely on the platter with a variety of cheese and olives for a beautiful and delicious presentation.

A few great ways to add Italian deli meats to your graduation party food menu is to incorporate wonderful Italian deli recipes, but keep in mind you can always substitute one of the Italian deli meats for one you or your family prefers. For example, some people love spicy salami, like Volpi’s Romano Salami or Hot Sopressata, while others prefer milder salami flavors. Some people would opt to serve prosciutto instead of pancetta. Whichever you decide, you really can’t go wrong with Italian deli selections. Without a doubt, there is an Italian meat selection that each person would love.

One fabulous Italian deli sandwich recipe incorporates wonderful deli meats like salami, coppa, and pancetta. To make this simple gourmet sandwich, you need 4 tablespoons pepperoncini relish, 4 oz provolone cheese, and 4 ciabatta loaves sliced. For preparation, preheat your broiler. For making the relish, you’ll need 1/2 cup of sundried tomatoes, one small bunch of fresh basil, 1/8 to 1/4 cup olive oil, 5 pepperoncini, and then salt and pepper to taste. To prepare, roughly chop sun-dried tomatoes, basil and pepperoncini. Combine in a mixing bowl with oil. Make it more seasoned by adding salt and pepper.  Spread 1 tablespoon of pepperoncini relish on each side of the inside piece of bread. Add provolove cheese to the ciabatta loaves, Volpi Genova Salami, Coppa, and Pancetta. Put in the oven open face and take it out when the cheese appears melted. Take out of oven, shut the sandwich, cut in half and serve. This sandwich makes 4 servings, so adjust ingredient quantities as needed for larger parties.

Graduation party ideas for food preparation and entertainment are all over the web. Take advantage of the idea of making Italian deli meat dishes or cold-cut sandwiches so you can delightfully surprise your guests. These Italian meats aren’t just easy to serve and prepare, they are easily enjoyed while conversing with others.Simply put, you don’t feel its necessary to sit down while you eat them like you have to do with an entree.

Italian deli selections are not the typical finger food to serve, but they are exquisitely flavored and a great addition to any graduation party food menu. So for this year, plan an Italian deli meat menu with the meat selections of your choice, and remember you really can’t mess these up. These meats are great any way you serve or slice them.

 

April 22, 2009

Fun with Finger Food Recipes – Italian Style

Filed under: Food and Drink advice — Tags: , , , — admin @ 4:01 pm

Are you tired of serving and eating the same old finger food recipes?. Instead of getting crafty with finger food recipes, most people think to serve the trusty favorites like chips and salsa, pretzel dips or a cheese ball of some sort.We think it’s about time to get the kitchen fired up with creative ideas. Volpi Foods, one of America’s oldest and most prestigious manufacturer of hand-crafted Italian meat products, would like to help you in the kitchen so that your next get-together will be one your friends won’t soon forget!

Among the most well-liked cuisine in the world is Italian cuisine, don’t you agree? When Italian dishes come to mind, you probably think of the favorites – lasagna, pasta or pizza. However, think of all the zesty Italian meat platters and finger foods that would be an amazing addition to your menu. No longer do you have to serve only those heavy pastas and Italian dishes for your entrée; you can get creative with various Italian meat selections for wonderful appetizers and finger foods.

Even if you’re short on time, there’s no reason to rely on pre-made store dips and fruit and veggie platters. Serve an antipasto dish for a great eye appealing “before the meal” treat? Decadently arranged, these Italian meat dishes are one of a kind and pleasing to the eye. For this delicious finger food recipe, use mozzarela and provolone cheese with Volpi’s Milano, pre-sliced proscuitto and coppa. Just roll the meats and cut cheeses in little square pieces, and then arrange perfectly on serving dish. For an even quicker appetizer, try Volpi’s rotola, which is made of thinly sliced prosciutto rolled in mozzarella cheese.Simply slice up and serve to your guests! 

Another wonderful finger food recipe is Volpi’s “antipasticks”.These skewers add amazing flair and flavor to your party and your attendees will want to get a taste as soon as they arrive. For this, use Volpini pre-sliced salami, mozzarella cheese, green and black olives, grape tomatoes, olive oil and salt and pepper. To prepare, place olives and tomatoes in a bowl and season with olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. Dice cheese into small cubes.In this particular order put salami, cheese, salami, tomato, salami, and olive on your toothpick.Could we recommend a great wine complement to your meal? Try a crisp Pinot Grigio or a robust Chianti Classico.

We invite you to take a deeper and more creative approach to your finger food recipes the next time you entertain. Not only are these suggested finger food ideas Italian meat delicacies, they are so easy to make! With dishes like these, we recommend leaving the chips and salsa and pretzel dip for the kids’ sleepovers.

 

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