PASTA SALAD
Combine: cooked pasta

             cooked green beans, drained

             frozen peas

             chopped red bell pepper

             broccoli, cut up

             sliced green olives

For 1 qt of salad, combine *:

1 T Dijon mustard

1 T lemon juice

¼ c Italian dressing

1 T sugar

Mix into above ingredients. Refrigerate.

Zuppa Toscana
(from Olive Garden Restaurant)
Serves four.
Make ahead according to package directions:
1 twelve-ounce package breakfast sausage, preferably turkey
Remove and discard fat. Reserve juices.

Cut sausage into ½-inch pieces.

In a two-quart saucepan, sauté:
2 tablespoons Olive Oil, preferably extra virgin
1 small onion, chopped

Add: 1 14-ounce can broth, any variety
1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach
Bring to boil and simmer for five to ten minutes.

Add: 1 14-ounce can sliced potatoes, including liquid
Sausage pieces and juices
Bring to boil, and simmer for five minutes.

Add: ½ c milk
3 ounces cheese (American, Swiss American or gouda)
Bring up to heat and melt cheese. DO NOT BOIL.
Turn off heat.
Serve with Grated Romano or Parmesan cheese and Hard French or Italian Bread and Butter.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE-EGGPLANT CASSEROLE
Easy Moussaka
Sauté & drain: 1 lb. loose mild Italian sausage

Add and sauté until tender:
1 large chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced

Add and simmer: 1 qt stewed tomatoes
1 t oregano
1½ t salt
1/8 t pepper

Add: 2 sm. or 1 lg. eggplant, peeled & cubed 5/8"

Place in 13x9 inch baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees until moist, not soupy, 45 min. to 1 hr. Cover with sliced or grated white cheese (Swiss, Mozzarella, brick, etc.). Sprinkle with grated Parmesan or Romano. Bake at 350 degrees until cheese melts.

OVEN FRENCH FRIED ZUCCHINI SPEARS
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Grease cookie sheet, set aside.

Combine and place on waxed paper:
1 c bread crumbs
¼ c grated Parmesan cheese
2 T Italian Herbs
1/8 t salt
Dash black pepper

Quarter medium sized unpeeled zucchini lengthwise then slice.
Cut in half or thirds to make shorter spears.

In plastic bag, combine:
1 T oil
1 T water
1/16 t vinegar or lemon (‘2 shakes’)

Place a few spears at a time in bag, close bag, and shake so spears are lightly coated with oil.
Pat each spear in crumb mixture so it is lightly coated.
Arrange spears in a single layer on the pan.
Bake uncovered in preheated 450 oven.
Turn. Brown until tender and crunchy.

My Nana’s Italian Tomato Salad
Peel one to three garlic cloves. Cut in quarters lengthwise and place in a 1½-quart casserole. Rub the insides of the casserole with the cut side of one of the pieces of garlic.

Place in the casserole and stir:
1 quart vine ripened, freshly cut, tomato chunks
1 small onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1 Hungarian (banana) pepper (hot or mild) or ½ green bell pepper
(seeded and sliced or chopped)
2 tablespoons to ¼ cup olive oil
1 teaspoon dry oregano
½ teaspoon dry basil (optional)
¾ salt (or more, to taste)

Let stand at least one hour before serving. Stir well and serve with juices.

MARINARA SAUCE
In sauce pot, sauté ½ Teaspoon (or 1 Teaspoon if desired) minced garlic in virgin olive oil until a light butter color. Remove fromheat.

Add and simmer:
3 cans stewed tomatoes (crushed)
¼ Teaspoon dry rosemary
½ Tablespoon dry basil
½ Teaspoon dry parsley
½ Teaspoon dry oregano
1 dash black pepper
1 Teaspoon Sugar (up to 1 Tablespoon if needed for sour tomatoes)

Blend in:
6 oz. Tomato paste
salt to taste

Simmer up to fifteen minutes, or until spices are blended, stirring often to prevent sticking.

This is perfect on fettuccine. But you knew that.

ALFREDO SAUCE

In a two cup glass measuring cup, melt:
1 Tablespoon Butter

Add and Stir:

1 Tablespoon Flour

Stir in, a little at a time:
1 cup milk

Add and Stir:

¼ cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
½ Teaspoon dry oregano
Add:
3 slices Swiss-American cheese

Place in microwave and cook on high about one minute.
Stir thoroughly. Cook thirty seconds. Stir thoroughly.
Cook until mixture comes near top of measuring cup.
Stir thoroughly.
Cook until mixture comes near top of measuring cup two more times, stirring thoroughly each time.

Cool for about two minutes, and pour over cooked pasta. Makes about three servings.

As per request, this is for Squiffy (I have several more zuppa recipes. This will feed nine -- if you add water, it will feed twelve;)

Minestrone
Sauté: 1 to 1 ½ pounds hot Italian sausage.
Drain. Remove and discard fat. Reserve juices.
Cut up and place sausage and juices in a four-quart stockpot (or larger).

Add: 2 c (one can) broth
1 c spaghetti sauce
1 can (14 oz) tomatoes
1½ cans water (3 cups)
1 bag (1 lb.) frozen vegetables
1 pkg. (10 oz) frozen spinach
¼ t Italian herbs

Bring to boil and simmer 5 min.
Add: 1 can (14 oz) white or red beans
1 cup dry pasta (macaroni, small shells, or other small pasta)
Bring to boil and simmer 15 minutes.

Serve with Parmesan or Romano cheese and bread.