Italian Meal

This  week  transport your table to Italy with this delicious  three  course  Italian  dinner.  They are sure to make you feel  like you are dining in Italy.

 Italian Lettuce Salad

Ingredients

• 1 head romaine lettuce
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs
• 1 (6 1/2 ounce) jars artichoke hearts, quartered ( not marinated)
• 1 (2 ounce) jars pimientos
• 1/4 large red onion

Directions

1. Tear romaine lettuce into bite sized pieces and put in large bowl.
2. Set aside.
3. Combine olive oil, vinegar, dijon mustard, and garlic.
4. Drizzle over salad and toss.
5. Add thin sliced onion, pimento, and quartered artichoke hearts.
6. Sprinkle parmesan and bread crumbs over salad evenly and toss all ingredients until evenly mixed.
7. Refrigerate up to 2 hours before using.

Absolute Best Ever Lasagna

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
• 1/2 lb Italian sausage
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt ( or to taste)
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans whole tomatoes, undrained and chopped
• 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
• 24 ounces cottage cheese or 24 ounces ricotta cheese
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons parsley
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 lb mozzarella cheese, divided
• 12 -15 lasagna noodles

Directions

1. Brown ground beef, Italian sausage, onion and garlic.
2. Add salt and next 5 ingredients; stirring until well mixed.
3. Simmer 1 hour.
4. Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions; drain and set aside.
5. Spray a 13 x 9" baking pan with cooking spray.
6. Combine cottage cheese, eggs, pepper, 2 tablespoons parsley, Parmesan cheese and 1/2 of mozzarella cheese; In a lasagna pan, layer noodles, meat sauce, and cheese mixture; repeat.
7. Top off with layer of noodles; sprinkle evenly with remaining mozzarella cheese.

The meal isn’t over in Italy until something sweet, or doice, hits the tongue.  Be sure to try this delicious Ricotta Lemon Cake with Blueberry Topping.

Italian Ricotta Lemon Cake With Blueberry Topping

Ingredients

Cake

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup softened butter
• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon extract
• 1 lemon, zest of
• 4 large eggs
• powdered sugar, for topping

For the topping

• 3 cups blueberries
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Directions

1. For the cake:.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Butter and flour a 9" cake pan.
4. In a bowl, mix together the butter and sugar until fluffy.
5. Add the eggs, lemon extract, milk, ricotta, flour and lemon zest, and beat well for 2 minutes on high speed.
6. Pour into your prepared pan.
7. Bake 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool.
8. Topping:.

Directions

9. Combine the blueberries, lemon, sugar and 1/2 cup of water, and cook until thickened. Remove and cool.
10. Once the cake has cooled, dust lightly with the powdered sugar.
11. Serve a small slice with a spoonful of blueberry topping.