Baked Stuffed Eggplant & Sardines 🍆🐟
Baked Stuffed Eggplant & Sardines
Not everyone likes sardines but Teresa and I love them! To be honest, when my husband & son heard I was making sardines & eggplant they made some weird faces. I told them that's what I was cooking so they could either join me or cook for themselves! The combination of eggplant, sardines, garlic, onions, and tomatoes was making my mouth water. This dish doesn't have a strong 'fishy' taste at all but the flavor is reminiscent of Sicilian cuisine. My son had one request; please add some tomato sauce to it. Since I didn't have any made I whipped up a quick sauce using Italian stewed tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic & oil. At first, their faces were very skeptical and then they took their first bites. I'm pretty sure they didn't want to say they liked it, but those weird faces turned to smiles and both wanted to split the 4th eggplant, which I immediately said 'NO', it's mine and Teresa's lunch for tomorrow! Moral of the story: never be afraid to cook what comes into your head because it just might be a new family favorite...you never know. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 2 (4.375 oz) cans skinless boneless sardines in olive oil, drained and flaked
- 2 large eggplants, cut in half lengthwise (leave stems on)
- 1/3 cup EVOO
- 1 Tablespoon EVOO
- 1 ½ large sweet onions, diced
- 4-6 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (14 ounce) cans Hunt’s Italian style diced tomatoes
- 1 Tablespoons Hunt’s Italian style tomato paste with garlic & basil
- 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 Tablespoon dried oregano (more or less to taste, fresh oregano may be substituted.)
- 1/4 cup grated Locatelli cheese (Pecorino Romano)
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1 cup Quick Tomato Sauce (any homemade or jar sauce is fine) more if you are serving with pasta
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375ºF.
- Cut eggplants in half, lengthwise with the stem attached. Score the flesh in a criss-cross pattern being careful not to cut through the skins.
- In a large skillet on medium heat, heat 1/3 cup oil then lower heat. Add the eggplant, flesh down. Cover and cook until completely softened but not falling apart. About 10 minutes. Carefully flip over and cook until soft, about 5 minutes more. You may have to do this in 2 batches if your skillet isn’t large enough.
- When done, let cool in a separate dish. Once cooled, leaving a 1/8-inch border, gently scoop eggplant flesh into a bowl and chop. Lightly drizzle some EVOO on the bottom of a baking dish and place the eggplant shells gently inside, close to each other to support them from flattening.
- In the same pan, add the 1 Tablespoon EVOO and saute onions for about 6-7 minutes on medium heat. Add all remaining ingredients including the chopped eggplant & flaked sardines, except the grated Locatelli and mozzarella cheeses. Remove from heat and combine well.
- Sprinkle with Locatelli cheese, shredded mozzarella cheese then top with 1 or 2 spoonfuls of quick sauce down the middle, again sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese again. Bake about 5-10 minutes or until cheese melts.
- Serve by itself or over your favorite pasta!
Note:
Prep
Cooking eggplants
cooling
Gently scoop flesh from skins
Saute onions, then remaining ingredients
Fill skins with eggplan & sardine mixture then top with a little shredded mozzarella
Add 2 T sauce on top of mozzarella then sprinkle with grated Locatell and top with additional shredded mozzarella
Served over whole grain spaghetti.
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Quick Tomato Sauce – Twiins Style 🍝
Quick Tomato Sauce - Twiins Style
Don’t have time to make a pot of tomato sauce? This quick and easy sauce can be made in no time at all with staple ingredients from your pantry.
Ingredients
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can Italian stewed tomatoes
- 1 Tablespoon EVOO
- 2 frozen Dorot garlic cubes
- 2 Tablespoons Hunt’s Italian style tomato paste with garlic & basil
- 1/2 tsp dried Italian seasoning (more or less to taste)
- Immersion blender
Directions
- In a small saucepan on medium heat, heat the oil and add the garlic cubes. Sauté until fragrant, about a minute.
- Add tomato paste and stir well for a minute. Add the stewed tomatoes and stir well until the tomato paste is blended.
- Add 1/2 tsp dried Italian seasoning and simmer for 10 minutes. Using an immersion blender right in the saucepan, purée the tomato mixture and simmer another 5-10 minutes.
Note: Makes enough sauce for our Baked Stuffed Eggplant & Sardines (4) plus a few spoonfuls to top spaghetti.
Pantry & Freezer Staples:
2 cans stewed tomatoes, plain or Italian style, preferably Hunt’s
2 cans diced tomatoes, plain or Italian style, preferably Hunt’s
2 cans tomato paste, preferably Hunt’s with garlic & basil
1 tray Dorot’s frozen garlic cubes (you can get these at Target and most Harris Teeter grocery stores)
Add 2 T sauce on top of mozzarella then sprinkle with grated Locatell and top with additional shredded mozzarella
Served over whole grain spaghetti.
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Orecchiette with Veal Chorizo
Orecchiette with Veal Chorizo
This recipe was actually a wonderful accident. I defrosted a pound of ground veal only to realize when I started to cook it that it was ground veal chorizo (quite spicy) Well it turned out pretty good and my family enjoyed it so here it is. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground veal chorizo (spicy and gives a nice reddish color to the sauce)
- 2 tablespoons EVOO
- 1 large onion, finely minced
- 1 large clove garlic, minced
- salt & pepper to taste
- 1 ½ cups chicken stock
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 Tablespoons capers (optional)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 1 tsp chopped thyme
- 1/2 tsp rosemary, chopped
- 1/2 tsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 12 ounces orecchiette pasta
- 2 Tablespoons butter
Directions
- In a large deep skillet, heat EVOO. Add the onion and minced garlic. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until soft, about 4-6 minutes.
- Raise heat to high. Add the ground veal then season with salt & pepper. Cook until veal is fully cooked and no longer pink, about 7-8 minutes. Any juices from the veal should be evaporated.
- Add the white wine. Bring to a boil. Boil until almost evaporated, about 4-5 minutes. Add the chicken stock, thyme, rosemary, and optional capers then simmer over medium-low heat until reduced by half, about 10 minutes.
- Cook the orecchiette according to package directions. Reserve 1/4 cup pasta liquid before draining well. Add the pasta to the skillet. Add the Parmigiano=Reggiano cheese, chopped parsley, and butter. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until the sauce is thick and creamy, about 1-2 minutes. If too dry, add a little of the reserved pasta water until the consistency desired.
- Serve right away with some crusty bread and Enjoy!
Note: You can add vegetables of your choice to make this a one-pan meal.
Recipe adapted from Quentin Bacon.
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Gluten-Free Tuscan Bean Soup – Twiins Style 🌻 🌻
Gluten-Free Tuscan Bean Soup - Twiins Style
With the first spoonful of our savory Tuscan Bean Soup you will be swept away to Tuscany admiring the sunflowers. This is the same recipe as our regular Tuscan Bean Soup using gluten-free pasta & broth in place of regular. It’s chock full of vegetables, delicious flavor & of course love! Serve as a main meal for either lunch or dinner and don't forget the toasted crusty bread to soak up every last drop. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1 (28-oz) can San Marzano tomatoes, crush with clean hands
- 1/4 cup EVOO
- 3 (15.5 oz) cans cannellini beans with liquid (divided into 3/4 and 1/4)
- 1 rounded tsp Hunt’s tomato paste with garlic & basil
- 1 leek, chopped (both white & green parts)
- 2 yellow onions, diced ( I was out of yellow onions so I substituted with red)
- 2 cups large celery stalks, large dice (about 3-4 ribs)
- 2 cups large carrots, large dice (about 5-6 peeled carrots)
- 8-10 garlic cloves, smashed then chopped (Add more or less to suit your taste.)
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 2 large bay leaves
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp Kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- pinch red pepper flakes
- 3-4 handfuls baby spinach, torn by hand (escarole or kale may be substituted)
- 4 cups chicken broth (gluten-free)
- 4 cups beef broth (gluten-free)
- 1 small piece of rind from a block of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 3 ounces gluten-free Ditalini pasta (any small GF pasta may be substituted.)
- Pecorino Romano, freshly grated cheese (Locatelli), or Parmigiano-Reggiano (not the stuff in the green container, please!)
Directions
- In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, add the EVOO. When EVOO is hot enough add the leeks, onions, carrots, celery, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and salt & pepper. Sauté on medium heat about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic, spinach, cheese rind, and 3/4 of the canned beans. Cook for another 3 minutes on medium-low flame until fragrant. Using an immersion blender, blend the remaining 1/4 beans then add to the pot and stir.
- Add the tomato paste and stir well.
- Add the hand crushed tomatoes, both broths & stir well. Add 3 oz of GF ditalini to the soup. (If you’re making more than 3 oz of GF pasta, we recommend you cook it separately & add right before serving.)
- Bring to a slow boil. Once it begins to boil, lower the heat to a simmer and simmer about 40-45 minutes or until vegetable are done.
- While the soup is simmering, prepare the GF ditalini pasta following package directions.
- Ladle soup into bowls & add the pasta. Sprinkle with grated Locatelli cheese (Pecorino Romano). Enjoy!
Note: Please make sure all your canned ingredients are gluten-free.
You can double this recipe for a big batch to freeze for later use. Just don’t add the pasta before freezing.
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Tuscan Bean Soup – Twiins Style 🌻 🌻
Tuscan Bean Soup - Twiins Style
With the first spoonful of our savory Tuscan Bean Soup you will be swept away to Tuscany admiring the sunflowers. It’s chock full of vegetables, delicious flavor & of course love! Serve as a main meal for either lunch or dinner and don't forget the toasted crusty bread to soak up every last drop. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1 (28-oz) can San Marzano tomatoesSan Marzano tomatoes, crush with clean hands
- 1/4 cup EVOO
- 3 (15.5 oz) cans cannellini beans with liquid (divided into 3/4 and 1/4)
- 1 rounded tsp Hunt’s tomato paste with garlic & basil
- 1 leek, chopped (both white & green parts)
- 2 yellow onions, diced ( I was out of yellow onions so I substituted with red)
- 2 cups large celery stalks, large dice (about 3-4 ribs)
- 2 cups large carrots, large dice (about 5-6 peeled carrots)
- 8-10 garlic cloves, smashed then chopped (Add more or less to suit your taste.)
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 2 large bay leaves
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp Kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- pinch red pepper flakes
- 3-4 handfuls baby spinach, torn by hand (escarole or kale may be substituted)
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1 small piece of rind from a block of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 3 ounces Ditalini pasta (any small pasta may be substituted.)
- Pecorino Romano, freshly grated cheese (Locatelli), or Parmigiano-Reggiano (not the stuff in the green container, please!)
Directions
- In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, add the EVOO. When EVOO is hot enough add the leeks, onions, carrots, celery, bay leaves, red pepper flakes, basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, and salt & pepper. Sauté on medium heat about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic, spinach, cheese rind, and 3/4 of the canned beans. Cook for another 3 minutes on medium-low flame until fragrant. Using an immersion blender, blend the remaining 1/4 beans then add to the pot and stir.
- Add the tomato paste and stir well.
- Add the hand crushed tomatoes, both broths & stir well. Add 3 oz of ditalini to the soup. (If you’re making more than 3 oz of pasta, we recommend you cook it separately & add right before serving.)
- Bring to a slow boil. Once it begins to boil, lower the heat to a simmer and simmer about 40-45 minutes or until vegetable are done.
- While the soup is simmering, prepare the ditalini pasta following package directions.
- Ladle soup into bowls & add the pasta. Sprinkle with grated Locatelli cheese (Pecorino Romano). Enjoy!
Note: You can double this recipe for a big batch to freeze for later use. Just don’t add the pasta before freezing.
To make this soup gluten-free, use GF broth & GF pasta.
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Gluten-Free Lobster Seafood Chowder – Twiins Style🦞🍤🦀
Gluten-Free Lobster Seafood Chowder - Twiins Style
If you're a lobster & seafood lover, this chowder is a must-try. It's filled with lobster, jumbo lump crab meat, shrimp, corn kernels, all delivered in a silky, creamy texture that's loaded with seafood flavor. (When we made this batch we were out of carrots so you won't see any in the photo. We never missed them; however, they do add a pleasant sweetness when included). One spoonful and you'll be transported to the waterfronts of Maine or Cape Cod.
Ingredients
- 2 -3 Tablespoons butter
- 4 celery stalks, cut into 1/4″ slices
- 3 large carrots, sliced into 1/4″ slices
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1½ Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
- salt & freshly ground pepper to taste (optional)
- 6 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled & cut into 1/2” cubes.
- 1 -2 Tablespoon Old Bay® Seasoning Blend. (to taste)
- 6 Tablespoons Bob’s Red Mill® Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour (regular flour if gluten-free not needed)
- 2 cups lobster broth (Better than Bouillon Lobster Base -2 tsp mixed in 16 oz. hot water)
- 1 – 15.25 oz. corn kernels drained well or frozen can be used
- 1 lb. lobster meat, cooked and cut into large chunks
- 1 lb. jumbo lump crab meat (we use Phillips)
- 1 lb. shrimp, cleaned, deveined, and tails removed
- 1 8-oz. bottle clam juice
- 1 cup 2% milk
- 1 cup half and half
Directions
- Chop vegetables and set aside.
- Add butter into a large deep stockpot over medium heat.
- Add the tomato paste and stir well for 1 minute. Then add the onion, celery, thyme, salt, pepper, Old Bay seasoning, and potatoes.
- Cook vegetables 5 -6 minutes, then sprinkle in flour a little at a time. Cook mixture for 2 minutes, stirring constantly until the flour is no longer visible.
- Stir in the milk, half & half, lobster broth, and clam juice into the onion/potato mixture. Bring to a simmer and cook until potatoes are softened about 6-8 minutes.
- At this point, the soup should be nicely thickened. If you like thinner soup add a little more broth, 1/8 cup at a time.
- Add lobster, crabmeat, shrimp & corn.
- Stir well to combine.
- Continue to simmer until shrimp are pink and opaque, no longer grayish and translucent. Do not overcook.
- Taste. Add additional salt, pepper, or Old Bay to taste.
- Ladle into soup bowls and top with gluten-free crackers, hot sauce, or sliced scallions.
- If serving buffet style, keep chowder warm in a crockpot on the keep warm setting.
Note: If you like more corn in your chowder, just add another can or frozen kernels.
Did you make this recipe? We would love to hear from you. Please leave us a comment below or Tag @twinsinthekitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #twiinsinthekitchen.
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Grandma’s Chicken Soup 😋😋
Grandma's Chicken Soup
One of our very fondest childhood memories was of our Mom & Grandma Florence bringing us a bowl of their homemade chicken soup. It was the most comforting, get-well soup that we looked forward to whenever we caught a cold or were feeling a little under the weather. Today, there is still a nostalgic sense of well being whenever we make this soup. With every spoonful, we still feel the love and caring that went into every batch of this delicious soup from Mom and Grandma. You don't need to feel under the weather to enjoy this hearty flavorful soup. It's perfect on cold winter days to take away the chill.
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs with bone & skin
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 3 large celery stalks, large dice
- 4 large carrots, large dice
- 3 large garlic cloves, minced (approximately 2 Tablespoons. Add more or less to suit your taste.
- 1 Tablespoon EVOO
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 large bay leaf
- 1 Tablespoon dried parsley (or 1/4 cup fresh & chopped)
- salt & pepper to taste
- 8 ounces Ditalini (small round hollow tubes) or Orzo (cook separately) or rice
- 4 cups chicken broth
- Pecorino Romano, freshly grated cheese (Locatelli), or Parmigiano Reggiano (not the stuff in the green container, please!)
Directions
- In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, add the butter. When melted & hot add the bay leaf & chicken thighs, skin-side down first until browned. Flip and brown the other side. When fully cooked, remove to plate & set aside, discard bay leaf.
- In the same pot, add the EVOO, onion, celery, & carrots making sure to scrape all browned bits (fond) from the cooked chicken. Saute for about 5-7 minutes until softened.
- Add garlic, thyme & parsley & cook for another minute.
- Add the broth & combine.
- Remove the chicken skin then shred the chicken. Add to broth and low simmer for 20 minutes.
- While simmering, prepare the pasta of your choice while the broth is simmering.
- Ladle the chicken soup into bowls, add some cooked pasta or rice and garnish with Locatelli cheese and some fresh parsley if desired. Serve with some crusty bread and enjoy!
Note: You can double this recipe for a big batch to freeze for later use. Just don’t add the pasta or rice before freezing.
To make this soup gluten-free, use GF broth & GF pasta.
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Stretching Leftover Beef Stew
Teresa made a delicious beef stew the other night and we all enjoyed it. There were about 2 cups of leftovers so we decided to stretch it into a second dinner by adding some mushrooms, red wine, Kalamata olives, leftover green beans, a cup of cherry tomatoes (halved) and 8 oz of uncooked ziti.
No measurements are really needed. Just sauté the mushrooms in a little EVOO or butter, add the wine then leftover stew, simmer about 10-15 minutes. Add the olives & cherry tomatoes. We mixed the cooked & drained ziti with a ladle full of the stew mixture to coat the pasta then put the pasta on individual plates topped with stew mixture & garnished with fresh basil & Locatelli grated cheese.
You could add feta cheese instead of Locatelli if you prefer. Any leftover vegetables will also work well.
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Homemade Balsamic Ranch Dressing – Twiins Style
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Homemade Balsamic Ranch Dressing - Twiins Style
Ranch dressing is delicious on salads, cooked vegetables, chicken tenders, and as a dip for fresh vegetables. When my grandsons were little boys ranch dressing was the perfect way to get them to eat fresh vegetables. They couldn't get enough. Actually, this dressing is good on everything!!! Our homemade Balsamic Ranch dressing is so good and easy to make you will never buy store-bought again! 😋❤️
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 tsp. celery seed
- 1 tsp. oregano
- 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tsp. white balsamic vinegar
- salt & pepper to taste
Directions
- In a small bowl, whisk all the ingredients together and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- When ready to serve remove from refrigerator and pour over salad greens or vegetables. Enjoy !
Notes: Try adding blue cheese crumbles and bacon crumbles on top for an added touch…Delicious!
Did you make this recipe? We would love to hear from you. Please leave us a comment below or Tag @twiinsinthekitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #twiinsinthekitchen.
