Robyn's Recipes
Meal of the Week

Spring is in the air and it's time to start thinking about the meals we can have together outdoors -- on the patio or deck.  It doesn't necessarily have to be a barbecue.  How about a fine Italian dinner?  Sure!  If it's not quite warm enough where you live, try buying a bouquet of spring flowers and bring the new season indoors to you!

Appetizer

Minestrone Soup

My favorite fine Italian restaurant always serves Minestrone soup as an appetizer before the main course.  I've managed to obtain this wonderful recipe to share with you.

1 lb. lean beef cubes
1 tablespoon oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
2 cups water
4 beef bouillon cubes
1 cup diced carrots
1 10-oz. package frozen peas
2 medium potatoes, diced
1 15-oz. can dark red kidney beans, undrained
1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup small shell macaroni, cooked and drained

Brown beef in oil in a pan.  Add onions and celery.  Sauté for a few moments.  Add remaining ingredients, except macaroni and bring to a boil.
Turn down heat and simmer for 1 hour or until meat and vegetables are tender.  Stir in shell macaroni.  Cook until macaroni is done.
Spoon into soup bowls and sprinkle a little parmesan cheese over each bowl, if desired.

Serves 4-6 people.

Entree

This entree brings your meat, vegetable and starch into one main dish.  It's simple to make and will most certainly delight your dinner guests!

Fettuccine with Asparagus Tips, Ham and Cheese

salt
1 tablespoon olive oil OR vegetable oil
1 lb. fettuccine
12 fresh asparagus spears
4 oz. cooked ham, diced (to reduce cooking time, you can purchase a small canned ham that is already fully cooked)
3 oz. finely shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon dried parsley

Bring a large pan of water to a boil;  add a little salt, 1 tablespoon olive oil and the pasta.  Bring to a boil again, then reduce heat to maintain a rolling boil while the pasta cooks (about 8 minutes or so).
In another saucepan, cook the asparagus in simmering, lightly salted water until tender enough to be easily pierced with a fork.  Drain and cut into 3/4 inch pieces.
When pasta is finished cooking, drain and transfer to a large bowl.  Cut the ham into small squares.  Toss the pasta with the asparagus, ham, half the cheese and 2 tablespoons butter.
Serve in pasta bowls and top with the remaining cheese and the parsley.

Serves 4 people.

Beverage Suggestion:

If you prefer a drier wine, try a good Chianti.
If your preference is a sweeter wine, I suggest Sangria.

Side Dish

Seasoned Italian Biscuits

  These are seasoned just right and should be served warm with plenty of butter available to spread on them at the table.

2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cooking oil
3/4 cup milk

Stir together all the dry ingredients.
Combine oil and milk and add to the flour mixture.
Stir until the dough clings together.
On a lightly floured surface, gently knead dough for 10 to 12 strokes.  Roll or pat the dough to 1/2 inch thickness on a floured surface.

To cut out the biscuits:

Use a regular sized drinking glass...a water-glass is perfect.
Turn the glass upside down, using the rim of the glass to cut them out of the dough.  Dip the rim of the glass in a little flour between each cut.
Transfer biscuits to a baking sheet.
Bake at 450 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until golden.
When done, immediately brush the tops of each with the following mixture:

1/2 stick butter, melted
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil

Add the seasonings to the melted butter and brush liberally over top of hot biscuits.

Dessert

Ok, so dinner is over, and you're sitting around the table talking with your guests.  You'd like something to top off the meal, but you'd like something with... hmmm.... chocolate!!
Maybe you'd like something not too fattening since you just consumed more pasta than you probably needed.  Not to worry....

Non-Fat Dusted Chocolate Cake

Cooking spray
Flour
1 cup sifted flour
1/3 cup unsweetened dry cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
6 egg whites
1-1/3 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla
Powdered sugar

Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray, dust with a little flour to keep cake from sticking to pan.
Set the pan aside.
In a small mixing bowl, mix 1 cup flour, the cocoa, baking soda and baking powder.  Set aside.
In a separate large mixing bowl, beat the egg whites, brown sugar, yogurt, and vanilla until blended.
Add the flour mixture and beat until well moistened.
Pour batter into the baking pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of cake comes out clean.
Let cake cool in pan for about 20 minutes.  Turn cake out onto a serving plate.
If you have a paper doilie, lay it across the top of cake, and using as a stencil, lightly dust the top of cake and doilie with powdered sugar.
When done, gently remove doilie from cake.
If you do not wish to use a doilie, simply dust the top of cake with a little powdered sugar, and serve cake either warm or cooled.