Printable Recipe
Serves 4

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2-3 eggs, beaten
~1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
~2 cups dried bread crumbs
2 large tomatoes, chopped or about 2 cups canned tomatoes, drained well
1 1/2 t. dried basil or more to taste (about 3 tablespoons minced fresh basil)
2 garlic cloves, minced (~1 teaspoon)
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt & pepper to taste

Mix the tomatoes, basil, garlic, olive oil and salt/pepper together. Set aside so the flavors can blend.

Beat the eggs, place them in a pie tin or flat plate. Mix the bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese together and place in another flat plate. Flatten the chicken breasts, dip in the egg mixture and then in the bread crumb/cheese mixture.

Place in a greased pan. Bake at 375 for about 30-40 minutes, until crust is browned and juices run clear. Top the chicken with the tomato mixture and bake for about 8 minutes longer.

Serve with baked potatoes.

Holly's Note:
I found the original recipe at Bakin' Bits and, like most recipes, modified it before I even tried it! I didn't have fresh basil on hand and no large tomatoes, only a few cherry tomatoes. So I drained a pint of home-canned tomatoes and mixed in a few fresh cherry tomatoes. Fresh basil would definitely give it a fuller flavor, but the dried basil was just fine. This is an easy recipe to double or triple. I rarely measure, but usually just eyeball the Parmesan and bread crumbs, so it's easy to adjust it to your tastes or needs.

This works just as well without breading the chicken.

This was definitely a keeper for our family.

Printable Recipe

1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound bulk Italian sausage
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T basil
1 can stewed tomatoes
2 small cans tomato paste

Brown beef and sausage together. Drain. Add garlic and basil. Stir. Add tomatoes and tomato paste. Mix together and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

This is the same sauce that is the base for my Best Ever Lasagna. I like to make the sauce alone, triple the recipe and then freeze it in 2-3 cup batches. It's easy to thaw for spaghetti or Penne Pasta Casserole.

Printable Recipe

Cook one package of mini penne pasta as directed. Drain.
Add one jar of your favorite pasta sauce or about two cups-ish of Pasta Sauce.
I add extra dried basil and a minced garlic clove.
Mix it all together with some grated mozzarella (or Italian blend) cheese: about one cup or to your tastes.

Put it in a round casserole dish and bake for about 25 minutes.
Serve with salad and garlic bread (or the Herbed Bread Rolls).

Holly's Note:
This is one of our favorite, quick and easy meals. If you like a good, meaty pasta sauce, then use this delicious pasta sauce recipe that includes both ground beef and ground sausage.

Printable Recipe


1 box (1 lb) pasta (many people like spaghetti or linguine, but we like penne)
4 eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 t. red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
salt and pepper to taste
1 12 oz package of bacon or about 8 slices, diced
1/2 cup diced onion
Parmesan Cheese

While the pasta is cooking, whisk together the eggs, cream, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.  Set aside.

Brown the onions and bacon together until done.  Drain all but about 2 T of drippings.  When the pasta is finished, drain it and immediately return it to the hot pan.  Pour the bacon/onion mixture over the pasta.  Pour the egg/cream mixture over the pasta and toss it together until coated.  The hot pasta is what sets the eggs.  Sprinkle with Parmesan and parsley if that floats your boat and serve.

Serves 4.

Holly's Note:
You can also add 1/4 cup of butter to the pasta when you add the egg mixture.  I cook the bacon and onions together because I think it gives a better flavor.  I also leave some of the bacon drippings in because of the flavor and, let's face it, this isn't a recipe you make when you're looking to count calories anyway.  So, why skimp?


As far as the eggs go:  you want at least 1 egg for every 100 g of pasta, so a one pound box of pasta would take 4 eggs.  I usually use 1/2 a box of pasta and 4 eggs anyway.  It's creamier that way.

About the book:
In this inspiring new book, Lidia Bastianich awakens in us a new respect for food and for the people who produce it in the little-known parts of Italy that she explores. All of the recipes reflect the regions from which they spring, and in translating them to our home kitchens, Lidia passes on time-honored techniques and wonderful, uncomplicated recipes for dishes bursting with different regional flavors -- the kind of elemental, good family cooking that is particularly appreciated today.

Penetrating the heart of Italy -- starting at the north, working down to the tip, and ending in Sardinia -- Lidia unearths a wealth of recipes:

• From Trentino-Alto Adige: Delicious Dumplings with Speck (cured pork); apples accenting soup, pasta, salsa, and salad; local beer used to roast a chicken and to braise beef
• From Lombardy: A world of rice -- baked in a frittata, with lentils, with butternut squash, with gorgonzola, with eggs and cheese, and the special treat of Risotto Milan-Style with Marrow and Saffron
• From Valle D'Aosta: Polenta with Black Beans and Kale, and local fontina featured in fondue, in a roasted pepper salad, and embedded in veal chops
• From Liguria: An array of Stuffed Vegetables, a bread salad, and elegant Veal Stuffed with a Mosaic of Vegetables
• From Emilia-Romagna: An olive oil dough for making the traditional, versatile vegetable tart erbazzone, as well as the secrets of making tagliatelle and other pasta doughs, and an irresistible Veal Scaloppine Bolognese
• From Le Marche: Farro with Roasted Pepper Sauce, Lamb Chunks with Olives, and Stuffed Quail in Parchment
• From Umbria: A taste of the sweet Norcino black truffle, and seductive dishes such as Potato-Mushroom Cake with Braised Lentils, Sausages in the Skillet with Grapes, and Chocolate Bread Parfait
• From Abruzzo: Fresh scrippelle (crêpe) ribbons baked with spinach or garnishing a soup, fresh pasta made with a "guitar," Rabbit with Onions, and Lamb Chops with Olives
• From Molise: Fried Ricotta; homemade cavatelli pasta in a variety of ways; Spaghetti with Calamari, Shrimp, and Scallops; and Braised Octopus
• From Basilicata: Wedding Soup, Fiery Maccheroni, and Farro with Pork Ragù
• From Calabria: Shepherd's Rigatoni, steamed swordfish, and Almond Biscottini
• From Sardinia: Flatbread Lasagna, two lovely eggplant dishes, and Roast Lobster with Bread Crumb Topping

This is just a sampling of the many delight Lidia has uncovered. All the recipes she shares with us in this rich feast of a book represent the work of the local people and friends with whom she made intimate contact -- the farmers, shepherds, foragers, and artisans who produce regional cheeses, meats, olive oils, and wines. And in addition, her daughter, Tanya, takes us on side trips in each of the twelve regions to share her love of the country and its art.

I don't regularly watch cooking shows, but I love Lidia's show when I can catch it on PBS. She's an absolute delight to watch, and her cookbook is just as great. I love this book as much for the commentary as I do the recipes.

I have so many of them marked, it's going to take me awhile to get through all of them. But, my mouth waters just reading them. I love that each region is high-lighted, not only with recipes, but with lovely commentary about the area and the people. And each recipe isn't just written out with ingredients and instructions; Lidia shares definitions, explanations and anecdotes about how a dish or ingredient came to be created or used.

Like I do with every cookbook, I wish this had a photo for every recipe, but this is a lovely book, perfect for any cook who wants to learn a more authentic Italian way of cooking, and it would make a gorgeous gift. My first recipe: Spaghetti in Tomato-Apple Sauce, followed by Baked Penne & Mushrooms, followed by Almond Torta with Chocolate Chips, followed by Fresh Cavatelli with Eggs & Bacon, followed by...

Thanks to Caitlin Price of FSB Associates for the opportunity to review this book. You can learn more about Lidia here. You can purchase your own copy here.

Read 4/10

* * * *
4/5 Stars

Printable Recipe
Makes about 2 cups of sauce

2 T. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped fine
2 garlic cloves, chopped fine
1 can (14 oz size or home canned pint) diced tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste
1 small can tomato sauce
1 t. oregano to taste
1-2 t. basil to taste
1/2 t. salt

Saute the onion and garlic in oil, about 2-3 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and stir. Simmer about 30 minutes. Use in place of any meatless spaghetti sauce. This was fine for a 9 x 9 pan of shells. I'd double it for a 9 x 13 pan.

Holly's Note:
I happened to be out of pasta sauce and went looking for a homemade version that was similar. I modified a couple of recipes I found and came up with this version. It was pretty good. Is it cheaper than the $1 bottles of GV brand? I don't know. It was certainly easy to make and I had everything on hand and didn't have to run to the store. I will certainly use it in a pinch again.

I normally use the GV (Volde-Mart brand) Onion and Garlic pasta sauce with my Stuffed Shells recipes. If it's on sale, Ragu's Tomato, Onion and Garlic sauce is about equal in taste.

Printable Recipe
~1 large pizza or 6 small

1 cup warm water
1 T. yeast
2 T. oil
2 T. sugar
1 t. Italian seasoning
1 t. salt
2 1/3 to 3 cups flour
Pizza sauce to taste
Cheddar cheese to taste
Mozzarella cheese to taste
Your choice of toppings

Stir sugar into water, add yeast and proof for 10 minutes. Stir in salt, seasoning and oil. Add about 2 cups flour and mix, forming a small ball. Add flour as needed and knead until smooth and elastic--about 10 minutes. (I put it in my mixer with a dough hook.)

Place dough in a greased bowl and let rise until doubled--about 45 minutes.

Roll it out and top with sauce, cheeses and toppings. It will make 1 normal size pizza or about 6 smaller ones. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Holly's Note:
My boys like making their own individual pizzas. You can also do calzones instead of pizzas. Bake for about 25-30 minutes.

Printable Recipe
Serves 4, depending on how many chicken breasts you use

boneless chicken breasts
bread crumbs
grated Parmesan cheese
eggs
pasta sauce
shredded mozzarella
couple T. oil

Beat the eggs, place them in a pie tin or flat plate. Mix the bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese together and place in another flat plate. Flatten the chicken breasts, dip in the egg mixture and then in the bread crumb/cheese mixture. Lightly brown the chicken breasts on both sides, in oil. Place in a greased pan. Pour pasta sauce over the top and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.

Serve with baked potatoes.

Holly's Note:
This is one of those recipes where I don't have or use precise measurements. You just use what you need. If you're only doing one or two breasts, use one egg. If you're doing more, use more. One or two chicken breasts probably only needs about 1/2 cup bread crumbs and 1/4 cup Parmesan, but I just eyeball it. It's easy to double or triple. Similar recipes are often called Parmesan Chicken, but we've always called it Mozzarella Chicken.

This is super easy and very good with baked potatoes. Even my picky eaters like it.

Printable Recipe

1 box jumbo shells
4 cups ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1 T. parsley
3/4 t. oregano
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
3 cups (about a 28 oz jar) Pasta sauce (or a double batch of homemade Marinara sauce)

Cook pasta, drain. Mix together cheeses, eggs, and spices. Pour some sauce into the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. Fill each shell with the cheese mixture. Put the filled shells in the pan. Cover with the rest of the pasta sauce. Sprinkle with additional Parmesan and bake at 375 for about 35-40 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Holly's Note: These freeze well too. (Thaw them and then add the sauce and bake as directed.)

Printable Recipe

4 chicken breast halves -- boneless skinless
1/2 cup Italian salad dressing
2 cups marinara sauce
1/3 cup chopped tomatoes
1 1/2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
1/2 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese

Place all ingredients except cheese into your slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours. Sprinkle with cheese before serving.

Holly’s Note:
This is a delicious easy recipe that is great with baked potatoes. (Just toss the potatoes in the microwave for an even quicker meal!) I prefer using our favorite spaghetti sauce (Ragu), rather than the salad dressing, marinara sauce and tomatoes. It’s easier.

Printable Recipe

¼ cup butter
1 8oz. package of fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 block cream cheese
1 can chicken broth
1 pkg. Italian salad dressing mix. (Parmesan Italian is best.)
Grilled chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
Roasted red pepper, sliced (about ½ cup or ½ the jar)
8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese
1 lb. cooked penne pasta (or farfalle)

Saute the mushrooms in butter until golden and tender. Add the cream cheese, chicken broth, and Italian dressing mix. Simmer until smooth, stirring frequently (about 8 minutes). Add the chicken and red pepper and simmer for about 5 minutes more. Toss sauce with pasta and mozzarella cheese and place in casserole dish. Top with grated Parmesan cheese and bake at 450 for about 10 minutes, or until heated through and cheese is brown and bubbly.

Printable Recipe

Preheat oven to 425.

1 T. yeast dissolved in 1/2 c. warm water
2 T. sugar
1 c. milk
6 T. oil
1 1/2 t. salt
4+ cups of flour
1 T. Italian seasoning

Dump it all together in a bowl and knead or mix until well mixed. Dough will be sticky.

For Pizza:
Spray a large pizza pan and put dough in the middle of pan, spread out (using flour if necessary). Poke dough with a fork. Immediately bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and top as you normally do for pizza: sauce, cheese, toppings. Bake for an additional 10 minutes.

For Calzones:
Makes about 8. Roll them out, stuff them and seal and bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes.

Printable Recipe

1 T. crushed red pepper
1/2 T. black pepper
1 T. dried oregano
1 T. dried rosemary, crushed
1 T. dried basil
1 T. dried parsley
1/2 T. garlic powder
1/2 T. garlic, minced
1/2 t. sugar
1/2 t. salt

Stir/grind it all together and put ~1-2 tablespoons on a shallow plate. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over and mix it together. Dip warm French Bread into it and enjoy.

Holly's Note:
This is a work in progress. I've found several listings for this recipe online and I've since modified it. The original recipe was too heavy on the garlic and pepper, so I halved both and added a bit of sugar, which really finishes it. I will probably continue to tweak this, as I'm sure you will if you try it. It also needs a full-bodied, extra virgin olive oil, not a light one.

Ever since I discovered Carrabba's restaurant, I have been trying to duplicate the herb seasoning they use with olive oil and warm french bread. I would always ask the server what was in it, and then try and remember all the ingredients. Now that my local Carrabba's has closed, we can at least enjoy the seasoning/oil mix at home. If anyone can duplicate their Marsala sauce, please let me know!

1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound bulk italian sausage
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T basil
1 can stewed tomatoes
2 small cans tomato paste
Small box of lasagna noodles (cooked)
Grated mozzarella cheese (couple of cups?)

Brown beef and sausage together. Drain. Add garlic and basil. Stir. Add tomatoes and tomato paste. Mix together and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Mix together
2 cups cottage cheese
2 eggs, beaten
2 T. parsley
1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Layer everything in a 9 x 13 pan. (Noodles, sauce, cottage cheese mixture, mozzarella, etc.) Bake at 350° for about 30-40 minutes or until bubbly.

Holly’s Note:
My sister got this recipe from jr. high school home ec. I make the sauce alone, tripling the recipe, and then freeze it in bags with my foodsaver and use it as spaghetti sauce. My family prefers it over any canned or jar sauce. I make a 9x9 pan for our family and then freeze a 9x9 pan for later.

1 box large pasta shells
1 lb ground beef
1 lb bulk sausage
4 eggs
1 cup flavored dry bread crumbs
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup finely chopped onion
3/4 t. oregano
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
3 cups (about a 28 oz jar) Pasta sauce (or a double batch of homemade Marinara sauce)
grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta, drain. Cook sausage and beef together until no longer pink. Drain. Mix with eggs, bread crumbs, cheese, onion, and spices. Pour some sauce into the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. Fill each shell with the meat mixture. Put the filled shells in the pan. Cover with the rest of the pasta sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan and bake at 375 for about 35-40 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Holly's Note:
These freeze well. (Thaw them and then add the sauce and bake as directed.)

4-5 leaves of fresh basil, diced
2 T. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes
1/2 cup white wine
1 can (14 oz) chicken broth
1 1/2 cup heavy cream
1 pound of pasta, cooked and drained (linguini works well, as does mini penne, which we prefer)
1 bunch green onions, sliced
2 chicken breasts, cooked and cut into bite-size pieces

Warm the olive oil. Sauté the garlic, but don’t let it brown. Add the tomatoes and sauté about one more minute. Add the wine, broth and cream. Bring it to a simmer. Cook until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 12-15 minutes), stirring often. Add onions, basil, and chicken. Stir together and cook another 2-3 minutes. Pour sauce over the pasta, toss to coat, add grated parmesan cheese if desired and serve.

Holly's Note:
This is even better second day. It is fabulous when paired with green salad and Herbed Bread Rolls.

1 cup water (70° to 80°)
2 T. butter, softened
1 egg
1/4 cup sugar
1 t. salt
1/2 t. each, dried basil, oregano, thyme, crushed rosemary, and garlic powder
3 1/4 cups flour
2 t. yeast (or 1 pkg.)

In bread machine, place everything in the order recommended by manufacturer. Select dough setting (check after 5 minutes, add water or flour if necessary). When cycle is completed, turn dough onto floured surface. Divide into 16 portions, shape into balls. Place on baking sheet, cover and let rise until doubled (about 1/2 hour).

Bake at 375° for 12-15 minutes (my oven is only about 9-10 minutes), until golden brown.

Holly's Note:
We love these. I haven't made garlic bread since I found this recipe. It is the perfect accompaniment to pasta dishes. These freeze well too. The original recipe came from a Quick Cooking magazine.