If you’re looking for an easy appetizer to make for your next dinner or party, try these Antipasto Skewers with Italian Dressing. They look great on a table, and they are delicious. Plus, they are so easy to put together.
Here’s a fun recipe to make during the holidays for a church or family gathering. This Christmas Antipasto Cheese Spread will have everyone oohing and aahing. It makes for a pretty display on your table, and it tastes really good, too!
I love to serve Antipasto Trays when we have a gathering of family and friends. Antipasto is commonly known as the first course of a traditional Italian meal. Here in America, they might also be called a cheese and cracker tray, a charcuterie board, or simply appetizers. Continue reading Antipasto Trays
Antipasto Rotini Salad is an easy recipe to make for your family in the spring or summer. Tri-colored rotini with my favorite antipasto ingredients–green and black olives, red onion, carrots, bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, pepperoni, marinated artichokes, and fresh mozzarella. Then marinated in a creamy …
Whether you plan to ring in the New Year with a handful of friends, a houseful, or maybe just one loved one, here are some of our favorite New Year’s Eve Recipes perfect for any festivity.
Here’s a Traditional Italian Dinner I served to our family with six courses that lasted over 2 hours. This type of meal is more like an event–perhaps on a Sunday afternoon with family and friends and plan for plenty of visiting in-between courses. Because there are so many courses, the portions are smaller than what we might see in the U.S.
It was such fun learning about the steps of a Traditional Italian Dinner and the wines to serve with each dish. Here’s to Italian Food! Buon Appetito!
First Course – Antipasto – “Before the Meal” similar to appetizers in America. I love to serve Antipasto Trays when we have a gathering of family and friends. Antipasto is commonly known as the first course of a traditional Italian meal. Here in America, it might also be called a cheese and cracker tray, a charcuterie board, or simply appetizers. For this course, I served a simple tray with cheese, pistachios, salami, and olives with Sauvignon Blanc.
Primo is a pasta dish, risotto, gnocchi, or soup served with a hard bread. For a lighter meal (or one with fewer courses, you might serve this as your main dish and exclude the Secondo.) For this course, I served Fettuccine with Truffle Sauce and Asparagus.
Other Primo options might be Ragu Bolognese, Tagliolini with Vegetables, Spaghetti and Meatballs, or Lasagna. A nice Chardonnay would be good with this course. If serving a red sauce you might go with a favorite Chianti or Sangiovese.
Fettuccine with Truffle Sauce and Asparagus
This Fettuccine with Truffle Sauce and Asparagus is a perfect second course (Primi) for a traditional Italian meal. Or served as a side dish with boiled shrimp or steak. So yummy!
Check out this recipe
You’ll want to continue serving bread through the 2nd-4th courses. Rustic Sourdough Baguettes are so delicious and perfect for breaking bread with your family during the meal. Our family loves when I make them. Hard and crusty on the outside, chewy on the inside, and just the right taste of tangy sourness. Have everyone break apart small sections throughout the meal. This recipe will make 4 small loaves.
Rustic Sourdough Baguettes
Oh my goodness! This is the best recipe for Sourdough Baguettes--hard and crusty on the outside, chewy on the inside, and just the right taste of tangy sourness.
Check out this recipe
The Secondo course is a meat and/or fish dish often served with Contorni, ie vegetables. I made this Stuffed Pork Tenderloin based on an Italian “Rosa di Parma”–which is so wonderfully tender and delicious you have to try it! Serve with a nice Pinot Noir.
I’ve recently become a fan of homemade gnocchi and this Skillet Gnocchi and Brussels Sprouts is so easy and delicious to make, you’ll be coming up with all kinds of meals to serve it with. Another vegetable that is good with pork tenderloin is Baked Italian Zucchini Boats.
Stuffed Pork Tenderloin
Here's a recipe I made based on an Italian "Rosa di Parma"--which is so wonderfully tender and delicious you have to try it! Treat yourself to an Italian dinner and serve this as a Secondi or meat course.
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Insalata is a salad, served after the main dish to cleanse your palate before dessert. Isn’t that interesting? We Americans have it all backward. We eat salad to fill our bellies before our main dish so that we don’t overeat. Who would have guessed?
Spinach Salad with Fig Dressing is a wonderful addition to your next Italian dinner. Spinach Beet Salad or Spinach Salad with Vinegar Dressing would also be good choices for this fourth course. Serve a salad with Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, or Chardonnay.
Spinach Salad with Fig Dressing
Here's a delicious salad I make when I want to serve a special Italian dinner.
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Formaggio e Frutta is simply Cheese and Fruit. Sometimes this course is omitted or could even be combined with the final course of dessert. This Crescent Lined Baked Brie with Apricots is perfect when you want to serve guests a little something special. I love how the cheese oozes once you slice into this yummy goodness. Baked Brie is delicious with a sweet Riesling or a zesty Pinot Grigio.
Dolce is a final sweet or dessert, often served with Prosecco followed by a cup of coffee. This Elderberry Wine-Poached Pear Crostata is a fabulous recipe I tried last summer that we really loved. Honestly, I thought it was amazing. Decadent enough to include as the finale for the finest Italian meal. This would be a perfect example of combining the 5 and 6th courses.
Other options for Dolce would be a simple plate of Biscotti or even Homemade Cannoli.
Elderberry Wine-Poached Pear Crostata
This rustic dessert will make your guests give a sigh of content. It's that good.
Check out this recipe
See more Italian Menu Ideas HERE. Browse more Entertaining Ideas Here.
This summer, I’ve had the pleasure of receiving boxes filled with fruits and vegetables from a community food program due to the Covid-19 virus. One of those was a package of purple plums. Of course, we could have eaten them fresh, but I decided to …
Summer is the perfect time to serve light evening meals to your family. Too hot outside to heat up the kitchen with an oven or stove. Why not make a quick yummy meal with fresh vegetables and a smattering of meat. Here are a few …
Make Steak and Shrimp Shish Kabobs the next time you grill this summer!
Our daughters love shish kabobs and this recipe is a fun way to make them smile. Along with the steak and shrimp, I opted for chunks of zucchini, green peppers, onions, and mushrooms, but you could also add cherry or grape tomatoes or fresh pineapple.
The teriyaki marinade sauce is amazing and gives the meat and vegetables a wonderful flavor. When you’re marinating your meat, be sure to put the plastic bag in a large bowl to protect your refrigerator from accidental spills. Cook your steak to your desired degree of doneness, but 12-18 minutes ought to do the trick.
Serve Steak and Shrimp Shish Kabobs with your favorite summer salads like Antipasto Salad, Mixed Vegetable Salad, or Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad.
For wine recommendations, try Columbia Crest H3 Cabernet Sauvignon.
I enjoy making Italian recipes and sharing them with my family–usually with a salad and a nice bottle of wine. And did you know that here in United States, we celebrate Italian-American Heritage Month in October? But for me, every month is a great time …
