Tag: Italian parsley

Leftover Turkey Manicotti – “Little Muffs” for the Day After the Day After

Manicotti, which means, “little muffs” in Italian, has to be
one of the best ways ever for using up leftover Thanksgiving turkey.

The moist
filling will bring the driest bird back from the dead, and you can literally
add anything that can be chopped up.

Leftover green bean casserole? Throw it in. Peas and
Onions? You bet’cha. Cranberry Sauce? No, don’t be ridiculous. Anyway, thanks
to the absence of cheese, tomato, and pasta on the usual Thanksgiving menu,
this concoction will erase any connection with the aforementioned feast.

One portioning note: The recipe below made six crepes, and
if you make yours slightly smaller, the filling recipe will make six nicely
sized manicotti.

I went low-carb and used all the filling to make four
portions, but you should probably just fill all 6 crepes, or even double the
recipe to get 12. I think you’ll want leftovers of the leftovers. So whether you make manicotti with the last of the holiday
turkey, or just use the technique to recycle other meaty meals, I hope you give
this a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 6 crepes:

2 eggs

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup water

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp olive oil

olive oil for cooking crepes as needed

For the filling:

1 cup chopped turkey or anything

1 cup ricotta cheese

1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1/2 cup grated mozzarella

1/4 tsp dried marjoram

1/8 tsp red chili flakes

1 egg

1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley

For the rest:

1 1/2 cups marinara sauce

2 tsp olive oil

1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for top

1 tbsp chopped Italian parsley, garnish

“Ultimate” Ranch Dressing – The Ultimate “Ultimate”

After five years, and a few thousand requests, I’m finally
posting my “ultimate” ranch dressing recipe. What makes it the “ultimate?”
Nothing, except that’s what I’m calling it, and in the world of dips and
dressings, that makes it so. By the way, ignore those other roughly 65,000
“ultimate” recipes; this one is the actual “ultimate” ranch dressing.

It’s been ages since I made homemade ranch dressing, and I’d
forgotten how much better it is than the bottled stuff. Don’t get me wrong; I
like high-fructose corn syrup, artificial flavorings, and preservatives as much
as the next low-information voter, but this really is significantly more
delicious.

As you’ll see, I used some crème fraiche (which we showed
you how to make in this video), but relax, sour cream will work perfectly.
However, I do believe the buttermilk is crucial. That some of my peers are
calling their ranch dressings “ultimate” without using buttermilk, really makes
me question their grasp of the word “ultimate.”

Anyway, hyperbole aside, this really is the best ranch
dressing I’ve ever had, and I hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for about 2 cups Ranch Dressing:

1 1/3 cup real mayonnaise

1/3 cup sour cream or crème fraiche

1/3 cup buttermilk

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

pinch of cayenne

pinch of salt

1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed

1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon

2 teaspoons sliced fresh chives

1 tablespoon minced fresh Italian parsley

2 drops Worcestershire sauce

Grilled Sausage-Stuffed Calamari – Squid Pro Quo

I usually go out of my way to simplify the recipes we post here, but for some things, like this Spanish-inspired, sausage-stuffed calamari recipe, there just are no acceptable shortcuts to take. However, your efforts will be rewarded with something that tastes every bit the effort it took to make…as long as they don’t explode in your face.

If you overstuff these, like I do every single time, they can burst open, sometimes violently. As you’ll see, the final results will still look great, and you do get to sneak a few tastes of the stuffing as you grill. So, be careful not to fill these too much, and/or wear your sunglasses while grilling these beauties.

As far as grilling time goes, you really should use a thermometer, and cook until you have an internal temp of 155 F. Especially since you’ll have squid of various sizes on the grill at the same time. If that’s not an option, look for when the juices and fat from the sausage starts bubbling out.

I was so hungry when I finally finished this batch I forgot to serve these with lemon wedges, which adds a nice, bright note to the smoky, spicy meat. A few platters of these, some ice cold beer (provided by friends you just taught what quid pro quo means), and you’re basically summering in Spain. I hope you give these a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 16 to 18 stuffed squid:

1 1/2 pounds cleaned calamari (tell the fish guy to give you mostly tubes)

For the stuffing:

1 tbsp olive oil

1/2 cup diced onion

1/2 cup diced red pepper

salt and pepper to taste

6 oz Italian or other spicy, garlicky sausage

1 large egg

1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley

1/8 tsp smoked paprika

4 ounces chopped tentacles (grilled the rest separately and eat!)

– serve with lemon wedges

*Note: grill these over a medium-hot coals, or close your cover to keep the heat down