A Little Piece of Italy

Studs and I have served this meal many times to family and friends and they’re always surprised to learn it's actually Italian. This is also a perfect meal to dine al fresco on a summer evening.

Mustard Chicken
Curly Pasta
Parmesan Cheese
Salad with Creamy Garlic Dressing
Fresh Italian Bread
Dry White Wine – Soave Bolla

Mustard Chicken
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
8 tbsp. butter, melted
¼ cup Dijon mustard
4 tbsp. lemon or lime juice
2 rounded tbsp. brown sugar
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tsp. paprika
3 tbsp. poppy seeds, optional

Preheat oven to 400° F.

Lay chicken into an ovenproof dish.


Combine all ingredients, except poppy seeds and pasta, in a small bowl. Coat the chicken evenly with half the mixture. Bake 15 minutes.

Remove dish from the oven and carefully turn over the chicken. Cost the chicken with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle on the poppy seeds. Return to the oven and bake 15 minutes.

Serves 4

Pasta
1 lb. campanelle pasta, shells, or other curly pasta

Cook per package directions. Be sure to cook al dente, no more.

Arrange the Dish
Ladle drained pasta into a serving dish. Add some of the juice from the cooked chicken and stir. Lay the chicken across the pasta. Pour the remaining sauce over the top.

Add a bowl of freshly grated parmesan cheese to the table for your guests to sprinkle on the chicken and pasta.

Salad
Red leaf lettuce
Romaine lettuce
Head lettuce
Tomato chunks

Use two leaves of each type lettuce and half a tomato per person. Combine in a bowl. Cover with a damp paper and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Creamy Garlic Dressing
1 ½ cups mayonnaise – it must be real mayo, not Miracle Whip
Scant ½ cup vegetable oil
Scant ¼ cup white vinegar
3 tbsp. chopped onion
¾ tsp. sugar
¼ tsp. salt
4 big gloves garlic pressed

Combine all ingredients into a blender or food processor. Mix on high until smooth.

Keeps two week in refrigerator. Store on bottom shelf.

To serve either toss with your salad or arrange the salad on individual chilled plates and ladle a dollop on top.

I'll be back Monday. Until then...

Mangiare Bene!

Sloane Taylor
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Amazon Author Page

It's Wednesday. So What's Cooking?

Time for an easy recipe that certainly fits an erotica writer’s web site! Pasta Puntanesca which translates to Whore’s Spaghetti.

Rumor has it that over a century ago, the Italian Working Girls prepared this dish for their late night customers from standard kitchen supplies. It was an added bonus for their clients and an easy way to keep business flowing. No matter how the name came to be, the dish is superb and freezes well. Try it and, please, let me know what you think.

Pasta Puntanesca – Whore’s Spaghetti
Salad
Italian Bread
Olive Oil for dipping the bread
Chianti Wine Carlo Rossi makes a decent Chianti at a fantastic price

Puntanesca
¼ cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic minced
1 - 14.5oz can Italian plum tomatoes drained, and coarsely chopped
1 tbsp. capers chopped (optional)
1 can medium black olives, drained, pitted, and chopped
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
freshly ground pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, stir, 2 - 3 minutes.

Stir in the tomatoes, capers, olives, red pepper flakes, basil, oregano, and black pepper, return to low heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add pepper. Taste the sauce, adjust seasoning to suit your taste.

Reduce the heat to low, simmer another 15 minutes.

Pasta
1# spaghetti
1 tsp. fresh or dried parsley
Grated parmesan cheese

Cook the spaghetti in plenty of boiling water until al dente; drain.

Toss the spaghetti with the sauce, sprinkle on the parsley.

Serve the parmesan cheese on the side.


Tossed Salad
A variety of fresh lettuce
Feta cheese
Fried bacon crumbled
Tomatoes cut in eights
Extra virgin olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Toss everything but oil and vinegar together in a large bowl. Cover with a damp paper towel and store in the fridge until ready to serve.

Combine the oil and vinegar just before serving. Add in pepper and stir. Pour some over the salad and toss well.

Save some oil for dipping the bread!

I'll be back Monday with awesome YA author Sharon Ledwith. Until then...

Mangiare Bene!

Sloane Taylor
Twitter
Amazon Author Page

It's Wednesday. So, What's Cooking?

Pasta with Fresh Mozzarella, Italian Sausage, Salad with Creamy Garlic Dressing.

A quick meal guaranteed to satisfy the hungriest person in your crowd and not break the budget.

Pasta
Italian Sausage
Salad with Creamy Garlic Dressing
Texas Toast Garlic Bread found in your grocers freezer section
Dry White Wine – Pinot Grigio or Chianti Wine

Pasta
Curly pasta
3-4 plum tomatoes diced
¾ cup virgin olive oil
fresh basil leaves
1 clove fresh garlic pressed
fresh mini Mozzarella balls quartered
freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Cook the pasta al dente. While its boiling sauté the garlic in the olive oil for 1 – 2 minutes. Don’t let it burn or your dish will be bitter.

Drain the pasta well. Add the oil/garlic mixture, Mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil. Toss well.

Serve the freshly grated Parmesan on the side.

The Meat
Italian sausage mild or hot – 1 link per person
Oregano
½ cup chicken stock
Olive oil to drizzle
Red and yellow peppers cleaned and cut into strips

Preheat the oven to 350° F.

Lay the sausage in a baking dish. Add the chicken stock and bake covered for 25 minutes.

Lay the peppers across the sausage in any pattern you like. Sprinkle oregano across the top. Drizzle on a little olive oil. Bake uncovered for another 20 minutes.

Salad
Red leaf lettuce
Romaine lettuce
Head lettuce
Tomato chunks

Plan two leaves of each type lettuce and half a tomato per person. Combine in a bowl. Cover with a damp paper and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Creamy Garlic Dressing
1 ½ cups mayonnaise – it must be real mayo, not Miracle Whip
½ cup vegetable oil
Scant ¼ cup white vinegar
3 tbsp. chopped onion
¾ tsp. sugar
¼ tsp. salt
4 big gloves garlic pressed

Combine all ingredients into a blender or food processor. Mix on high until smooth.

Keeps two week in refrigerator. Store on bottom shelf.

To serve either toss with your salad or arrange the salad on individual chilled plates and ladle a dollop on top.

I'll be back Friday with a little more for aspiring authors. Until then...

Mangiar Bene!

Sloane Taylor

Buono Mangiare!

As you all know, it’s rare for me to post a restaurant review. Today, I have to.

Studs and I had the pleasure of dining at Merlo La Salumeria, which translates to The Delicatessen, on Chicago’s north side. The restaurant was new to us, but it was Italian so we knew it had to be good. Good didn’t begin to cover it.

The smiling staff welcomed us the moment we walked into the intimate dining room with modern Italian décor of pale, warm colors and subdued lighting, creating an instant sensation of coming home. Crisp white tablecloths and napkins and a menu to die for made us want to nestle in and never leave.

Our server arrived and introduced herself. Being the pro that she is, Jacqueline had extensive knowledge about the menu and wine card. She offered suggestions to create a dinner we’ll long remember. With her friendly manner, Jacqueline turned a good evening into a perfect night.

With Jacqueline's guidance our first plates were handmade tortelloni filled with ricotta di pecora in Bolognese ragu and handmade ravioli filled with ricotta di pecora, and parsley, tossed with a lighly spiced beef, pork and chicken ragu then topped with pecorino di pienza. The pasta melted in our mouths.

The main course was organic pork tenderloin medallions pan seared with white wine, pink and green pepper, and served with glazed Granny Smith apples. The flavorful meat was fork-tender, nothing like I'd ever had before.

We also shared a plate of asparagus with extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper which were scrumptious.

The desserts were tempting, but we decided cappucinos would be best after a superb meal.

Besides awesome food, another bonus to this topnotch eatery are the pleasant, helpful servers and crew who never slack. Without being intrusive, they work hard with a minimal amount of noise. It’s noticeable and much appreciated.

What good is a review without pictures? It’s not. I freely admit “borrowing” these from the Merlo La Salumeria website. Below are two pastas to set your mouth watering.





Luisa Silvia, the Executive Chef and owner, is a marvel. Each day fresh pastas, sauces and ragus are prepared under her talented guidance.



The tastes are amazing. Believe me - you’ll never want another boxed noodle or jarred sauce in your life.

Open for dinner, the Salumeria offers a huge variety of recipes including salads, pastas, meats and fish entrees along with carryout. Next time you’re in Chicago, be sure to share a meal at this wonderful establishment.

When you go, be sure to ask for Jacqueline - the lady is a treasure.

Merlo La Salumeria
2638 N Lincoln Avenue, Chicago
Phone: (773) 529-0747

I'll be back tomorrow. Until then...

Happy Writing!

Sloane Taylor
Sweet as Honey...Hotter than Hell
www.sloanetaylor.com

LIFE IS GOOD

When you enjoy a perfect evening at an excellent restaurant. Studs and I were fortunate enough to have just that this past Saturday at Biaggi's Ristorante Italiano in Bloomington, IL.



We kicked off the evening with a cocktail at the bar until our table was set which only took a matter of minutes.



As usual, I was cheat sheeting the menu and rapidly scrawling the ingredients for Chicken Piemontese, Tilapia with Lemon Caper Cream and Formaggi Di Cappa, a delicious herbed goat cheese, when our server caught me. After a few jokes about me and a prison cell, Adam got down to the business of the day's specials and offered wonderful suggestions for the ideal dinner. Not only does he have a marvelous sense of humor, the man knows his food.

Throughout the expertly served meal we got to learn a little about Adam's life. He was originally from Elgin, Illinois and has worked in kitchens since the tender age of thirteen. Adam came to Bloomington to visit friends. One night they dined at Biaggi's, during which he chatted with the manager and head chef. The next day Adam was hired and prepared to relocate. We asked about his future plans. Adam's dream is to own a restaurant. From the short time we were together, Studs and I are confident this young man will be a huge success.

He shared a rib recipe with us but, like all creative cooks, didn't commit to the ingredient amounts. I don't think it would be hard for any of us to figure it out. I hope.

ADAM'S RIBS

Apple Cider
Brown Sugar
Chili Flakes
Spare Ribs

Pre-boil ribs until they almost fall off the bone.

Over medium heat bring the apple cider to a boil. Add brown sugar and chili flakes. Continue to cook until the sauce is candied.

Heat the oven to 350 F. Brush the sauce over the ribs and bake for 30 minutes.

Sure sounds good to me!

Biaggi's is a casual dress restaurant even though the tables are set with crisp linens. They offer superb fresh food and have a flair for creating an intimate atmosphere with subdued lighting and plenty of space between tables. It is a beautiful experience and one we will enjoy many times. It's a must, their menu's too tempting!

They have twenty restaurants around the country. To find the one closest to you click HERE. I guarantee you'll love the food at any of them. Unfortunately, you won't have Adam, and that's a real shame.

I'll be back tomorrow with a bit of unabashed self-promotion. :) Until then...

Happy Writing!

Sloane Taylor
Sweet as Honey...Hotter than Hell
www.sloanetaylor.com