If you enjoy cannoli as much as we do give ours a try. You won’t be disappointed! You can place your order by text or phone call to 910-444-1916. Leave a message if we can’t pick up, we’re busy baking!
Author: Twiins in the Kitchen
We are identical twin sisters Barbara & Teresa, who love to cook together and share with friends & family. Italian food is our heritage and cooking has become our passion.
Now Accepting Cannoli & Cannoli Cupcake Orders
Twiins in the Kitchen are excited to announce we are now accepting orders for our Cannoli and Cannoli Cupcakes, in the Leland, NC area.
We both missed our local Italian bakery on Long Island. We thought they made the best cannoli and pastries in our area. After repeatedly hearing from friends & family how delicious our cannoli are we decided it was time to offer them to our local community.
Our cannoli cream is naturally gluten-free and comes in 2 sizes, mini and large. We offer our mini cannoli with regular or gluten-free shells. Cupcakes are also available in regular and gluten-free. Large shells are regular only at this time. Just choose your favorite garnish and enjoy. Order early for the holiday season.
Did you know that a single cannoli is actually “cannolo” in Italian while the grammatically plural is cannoli? Here in the US, we usually use cannoli for the singular and cannolis for the plural. However, any way you want to say it they are a delicious dessert for any occasion!
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Our Family Thanksgiving Menu – November 24, 2022
For us, Thanksgiving is a special time when we reflect on past traditions, family, friends, and how our lives may have changed throughout the year. We are thankful for our health, wonderful husbands, all of our children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, friends & followers.
Our family Thanksgiving menu hasn’t changed much from years past served by our Mother and Grandmother. Penne Alla Vodka replaced our traditional lasagna or baked ziti to start things off followed by the roasted turkey with sausage stuffing. My family loves the stuffing with chopped apples but Teresa’s family prefers it without…what do they know?🤣
Being of Italian heritage, Thanksgiving wasn’t just about the turkey; the meal also had to have a pasta dish! I always made baked ziti on Thanksgiving and one year Gary picked up the ricotta & mozzarella for me the day before. I didn’t look at the brands because he knew which to buy so when I took out the ingredients to start making the ziti I was shocked as both main ingredients were the right brands but were fat-free instead of whole milk! There was nothing I could do so I went about making the baked ziti with the fat-free ingredients. When we all sat down for dinner, my nephew Joseph said, “Aunt Barb, this isn’t your baked ziti!” The rest of the family agreed with him. To this day everyone remembers how disappointed they were when the texture they loved was noticeably different. They’re a tough crowd! It was a disaster except for Gary…he ate it with no complaints.
Our family holidays were filled with aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, friends, and FOOD! We hope you will try some of our favorites to add to your holiday menu and create wonderful memories with your families & friends.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING 🦃
Sausage & Herb Stuffing, Cranberry Orange Relish
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The Best Keto Meatball Parmigiana – Twiins Style
The Best Keto Meatball Parmigiana - Twiins Style
I have been longing for a Sunday pasta & meatball dinner for a few months. Since I started doing Keto I substitute hearts of palm sheets for lasagna noodles or use zucchini or spaghetti squash. These make a wonderful conversion however, the meatballs are not keto... I've been switching out the breadcrumbs for Pork Panko on several dishes that call for breadcrumbs and to my surprise, the Pork Panko works well. 😋 😋
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ lbs ground beef 80-85% lean/20-15% fat (or 2¼ lbs of ground beef, veal, and pork mixture)
- 3/4 cup Pork Panko or crushed pork rinds (packed)
- 10 garlic cloves, finely chopped or grated
- 1/2 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 6 large eggs
- 3-4 large handfuls of grated Pecorino Romano cheese (about 1 cup+ 1 Tablespoon)
- 1 handful of fresh parsley, chopped (or 2 Tablespoons dried)
- salt and pepper to taste
- EVOO (for frying)
- 8 oz whole milk mozzarella
Directions
- Place ground meat in a large mixing bowl, and break up with a fork.
- Add Pork Panko, onion, garlic, basil, salt, and pepper and combine well.
- Make a well in the center of the meat mixture and place all the eggs, Pecorino Romano cheese, and parsley.
- With a large fork scramble the eggs, cheese, and parsley in the well, then start to combine into the entire meat mixture. You can do this best with your hands that are scrupulously clean or with gloves…your preference.
- Once well combined (don’t over-mix) use an ice cream scoop to get even-sized meatballs,(about a small cupped handful of meat mixture) and roll into a ball then place on parchment or waxed paper. Continue making meatballs until all meat has been formed. An ice cream scoop should yield 16-18 meatballs.
- In a large skillet pour enough EVOO to about 3/4 inches in depth. Let the oil get hot, then working in batches, brown all sides (Don’t overload, allow each meatball some breathing room, or they get steamed & not browned).
- When meatballs are browned and crisp, remove them to a paper towel-lined bowl or tray. Repeat until all meatballs are cooked.
- Cook meatballs in tomato sauce for 20 minutes. (Skip the next step if you are not making it parmigiana style.)
- In a casserole dish, lightly coat with tomato sauce then place meatballs in the dish, sprinkle with grated cheese, and slices of mozzarella. Microwave on medium just enough to melt the cheese (about 3-5 minutes depending on your microwave). Serve with a big salad or your favorite keto pasta and enjoy!
Notes: The texture is a little meatier than meatballs made with soaked Italian bread but they are just as delicious. I like using Skinny Pasta (konjac noodles) or Palmini hearts of palm noodles in place of real pasta.
Make a well then add eggs, cheese & parsley then mix well
Forming the meatballs
Place formed meatballs on parchment paper
Frying meatballs
Draining fried meatballs
Cook 20 in tomato sauce and serve!
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Keto Stuffed Zucchini
We have been making the original, non-keto version for many, many years using breadcrumbs, however, since breadcrumbs are not a keto food I substituted with Pork Panko, 
which I found in my local grocery store. It’s a delicious, easy-to-make meal that is so tasty. Stuffed zucchini is a winning dinner whether you use Italian sweet or hot sausage or bulk country sausage. Leftovers can be eaten for lunch the next day.
Keto Stuffed Zucchini
Keto version of delicious sausage stuffed zucchini.
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Calories: 452kcal
Equipment
- 1 large skillet (to cook zucchini for 8-10 minutes)
- 1 Large rimmed baking sheet
- 1 large spoon (to scoop out cooked zucchini)
Ingredients
- 4 large zucchini (Sliced in half lengthwise. Do not cut off the ends.)
- 1 pound Italian sausage (sweet or hot) (remove casings)
- ½ large onion (diced)
- 2 large garlic cloves (smashed)
- ⅓ cup Panko pork rinds (packed)
- ¼ cup Pecorino-Romano cheese (grated)
- 8 oz whole milk mozzarella cheese (shredded)
- 1 cup tomato sauce (homemade or jar, with no sugar added)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- In a large skillet, cook halved zucchini in boiling, salted water for 8-10 minutes. Drain. Scoop out insides, leaving a 1/4-inch shell. Drain and mash the scooped-out zucchini. Set aside.
- Place shells onto an ungreased large rimmed baking sheet.
- Remove casings from sausage and cook in the same skillet for 5 minutes, breaking the meat into a crumble while cooking. Add the chopped onions and smashed garlic. Saute 3 minutes until tender. Add the mashed zucchini, Panko pork rinds, and 3/4 of the grated Pecorino-Romano cheese.
- Spoon mixture into shells. Spoon tomato sauce on top to cover lengthwise. Sprinkle with remaining grated cheese. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake for 20-30 minutes until cheese melts. Enjoy!
Notes
Pork Panko makes a great substitute for any recipe calling for breadcrumbs.
Nutrition
Calories: 452kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 1080mg | Potassium: 929mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 881IU | Vitamin C: 44mg | Calcium: 294mg | Iron: 2mg
Please note: Although the Nutritional Facts are provided, we are not nutritionists and therefore cannot verify the accuracy of these calculations. Please verify any data you see here with your favorite nutrition calculator.
Pork Panko makes a great substitute for any recipe calling for breadcrumbs.
Tried this recipe? We would love to see!Mention @twiins_in_the_kitchen or tag #twiinsinthekitchen
@cookingwithtwiinsinthekitchenMention @cookingwithtwiinsinthekitchen
Check out our YouTube Videos https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFE_9i4ZkY96NT1s4IAaKaw
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Keto Cauliflower Frittata
Barbara is on a healthy keto diet so naturally, she wanted to turn Grandma Tessie’s Cauliflower Frittata into a healthy keto dish. This is just as good as Grandma’s original but it’s keto, low-carb, and gluten-free. It can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, or a side for dinner, plus it’s delicious and very healthy.
We recommend Penzeys Tuscan Sunset Salt Free Italian Seasoning for this recipe because it’s the best blend of herbs we’ve come across, is delicious, and doesn’t overpower the dish. If you’ve never used Penzeys spices before, please give them a try. We do not get paid by Penszeys but we really do love their herbs and spices.
Keto Cauliflower Frittata
Delicious Keto version of Grandma Tessie's Cauliflower Frittata. A great keto breakfast and gluten-free.
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Servings: slices
Calories: 132kcal
Equipment
- 1 Frittata Pan
- 1 bowl
- 1 3/4 cup size measuring cup
- 1 very large skillet
- 1 9" pie pans or serving dishes
- 1 measuring teaspoon
Ingredients
- 1 small head of cauliflower florets only,
- ½ large sweet onions sliced medium to thin
- 2-3 Tablespoons EVOO as needed
- ¼ cup Parmigiana-Reggiano cheese grated
- ½ cup Pecorino Romano cheese grated
- 7 large eggs
- 2 medium garlic cloves smashed
- ½ tsp pink Himalayan salt
- dash ground black pepper
- 1 - 1½ tsp Penzeys Tuscan Sunset this is a salt-free Italian-style seasoning. Regular Italian seasoning can be used in place of Penzeys but Penseys Tuscan Sunset is delicious and mild.
Makes: 9inch round, 1inch height
Instructions
- Wash and pat dry the cauliflower head then cut the florets and discard stems.
- Slice onions lengthwise and set aside.
- Smash garlic cloves and set aside.
- In a bowl, add the Parmegiano-Reggiano & Pecorino Romano grated cheeses, eggs, and Tuscan Sunset seasoning. Beat well then set aside.
- In a very large skillet, add 2 Tablespoons of EVOO until hot (medium heat). Add the onions and caramelize to a golden brown.
- Once caramelized, add a bit more EVOO then add the raw cauliflower florets with the smashed garlic. Season with pink Himalayan salt & black pepper to taste. Cover and cook for about 8-10 minutes until cauliflower is cooked but not mushy. Remove from heat.
- Heat the larger bottom part of the frittata pan then add 1 Tablespoon of EVOO plus a little to coat the top frittata pan. When hot enough add the cauliflower & onions to cover the bottom of the pan.
- On a medium-low flame, add the egg mixture. Place the oiled frittata cover on top and cook for about 5 minutes. Flip the pan over and continue to cook for another 5 minutes. Remove the larger pan that's on top then slide the frittata from the upper pan into a 9" pie plate or serving dish. Garnish with some grated cheese and a sprig of fresh parsley if desired.
- Cauliflower Frittatas can be frozen and then thawed before heating up in a microwave or oven.
Notes
After caramelizing the onions add the raw cauliflower florets with the smashed garlic cloves until cooked but not mushy.
Add the egg mixture
Cover the frittata pan and cook 5 minutes on medium low
With the cover on, flip the pan and keep covered. cook an additional 5 minutes
slide onto 9″ pie pan or serving dish
The best seasoning we’ve found for this dish and many others
Nutrition
Serving: 1pie slice | Calories: 132kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 169mg | Sodium: 289mg | Potassium: 154mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 269IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 140mg | Iron: 1mg
Please note: Although the Nutritional Facts are provided, we are not nutritionists and therefore cannot verify the accuracy of these calculations. Please verify any data you see here with your favorite nutrition calculator.
After caramelizing the onions add the raw cauliflower florets with the smashed garlic cloves until cooked but not mushy.
Add the egg mixture
Cover the frittata pan and cook 5 minutes on medium low
With the cover on, flip the pan and keep covered. cook an additional 5 minutes
slide onto 9″ pie pan or serving dish
The best seasoning we’ve found for this dish and many others
Tried this recipe? We would love to see!Mention @twiins_in_the_kitchen or tag #twiinsinthekitchen
@cookingwithtwiinsinthekitchenMention @cookingwithtwiinsinthekitchen
Check out our YouTube Videos https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFE_9i4ZkY96NT1s4IAaKaw
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Easy Pesto Chicken Casserole 😋😋
If you’re always searching for a new, quick, and easy chicken recipe then this is for you! Not only is it delicious but we hit the Trifecta with it being, Keto-friendly, Low Carb and Gluten-free…did we say delicious? We can’t emphasize enough how delicious this meal is. If homemade pesto is not your thing then by all means use a good store-bought brand. Today Barbara harvested her first batch of basil and so it was a given it would be tonight’s dinner! Everyone loved it and there were no leftovers…
Easy Pesto Chicken Casserole 😋😋
Easy & delicious chicken casserole that's low carb, Keto-friendly, and gluten-free.
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Servings:
Calories: 283kcal
Equipment
- 1 Grill/Fry Pan
- 1 Large Casserole dish
- 1 Medium mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 8 thin chicken cutlets pound lightly if too thick
- 1 cup pesto Homemade or store bought
- 1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 2 cups shredded whole milk mozzarella cheese
- ½ cup grated Pecorino Romano Locatelli
- salt, pepper & Italian seasoning to season chicken, both sides
- salt, pepper & Italian seasoning to add to ricotta mixture, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°
- Season both sides of chicken with salt, pepper & Italian seasoning.
- In a medium-size bowl, mix togther ricotta, grated pecorino romano, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Set bowl aside.
- Using a very hot griddle or fry pan, sear each cutlet on both sides. No more than a minute on each side.
- Place several spoonfuls of pesto to coat the bottom of the casserole dish.
- Place the seared chicken cutlets on top of the pesto.
- Spoon the ricotta mixture over the chicken, spreading evenly to cover. Top the ricotta mixture with spoonfuls of pesto. Sprinkle mozzarella on top and bake for 20 - 25 minutes until bubbly and chicken cutlets are cooked through.
- Serve with a side salad or a vegetable of your choice. If you're not concerned with eating low carb or following a keto diet, serve with your favorite pasta & crusty bread. Enjoy
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 283kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 567mg | Potassium: 63mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 977IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 322mg | Iron: 1mg
Please note: Although the Nutritional Facts are provided, we are not nutritionists and therefore cannot verify the accuracy of these calculations. Please verify any data you see here with your favorite nutrition calculator.
Tried this recipe? We would love to see!Mention @twiins_in_the_kitchen or tag #twiinsinthekitchen
@cookingwithtwiinsinthekitchenMention @cookingwithtwiinsinthekitchen
Check out our YouTube Videos https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFE_9i4ZkY96NT1s4IAaKaw
Please note: Although the Nutritional Facts are provided, we are not nutritionists and therefore cannot verify the accuracy of these calculations. Please verify any data you see here with your favorite nutrition calculator.
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Clear Onion & Mushroom Soup
Clear Soup with Mushrooms & Scallions
A delicious clear onion broth with mushrooms & scallions. Just like your favorite Sushi or Hibachi restaurant.
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Servings:
Calories: 61kcal
Equipment
- 8 quart stockpot
Ingredients
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 4 cups beef broth
- 4 cups water
- 2 large sweet onions cut into 12 wedges
- 2 large carrots cut in chunks
- 4-5 large garlic cloves smashed
- 3 inch piece fresh ginger sliced
- 4-5 whole scallions (green onions) sliced thin (green & white parts)
- 10-12 Baby Bella mushrooms sliced very thin
- salt to taste
- French's fried onion pieces
Instructions
- Heat a large 8 quart stock pot until water makes a "pish" sound. The pot is then hot enough to add the sesame oil.
- When the sesame oil is hot enough it will show striations on the bottom surface. Add the onion wedges, ginger slices and carrot chunks until all surfaces are lightly charred. Add the garlic and cook additional 1 minute but don't burn.
- Add the chicken, beef broths and water. Bring to a boil then simmer on low for about an hour.
- Use a strainer to remove the vegetables and toss them or use elsewhere; however, they will be very soft.
- Serve into individual soup bowls with a ladle or two of hot broth. Add some thinly sliced mushroms and scallions. Top with a few fried onions and enjoy!
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 61kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1069mg | Potassium: 385mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 9IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 1mg
Please note: Although the Nutritional Facts are provided, we are not nutritionists and therefore cannot verify the accuracy of these calculations. Please verify any data you see here with your favorite nutrition calculator.
Tried this recipe? We would love to see!Mention @twiins_in_the_kitchen or tag #twiinsinthekitchen
@cookingwithtwiinsinthekitchenMention @cookingwithtwiinsinthekitchen
Check out our YouTube Videos https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFE_9i4ZkY96NT1s4IAaKaw
Clear Soup is always the first item we order from our favorite sushi restaurant whether it’s dine in or take out. It’s a delicate onion flavor is so comforting on cold days or nights not just for your body but your soul too! Typically it’s topped with thinly sliced mushrooms and scallions. After many tries to duplicate the right flavors, we found the right balance. Now we can enjoy this soup anytime we want it and you can too! It’s quick and very easy.
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Springtime Asparagus & Cheese Tart
This Easter we tried a new twist on our asparagus side dish and we loved it! We adapted this recipe from Food Network Kitchen making just a few tweaks. The whole family really enjoyed this new dish and requested we make it often. Whether you make it for a side dish, appetizer, or for brunch it will definitely be a hit! Enjoy 😋
Springtime Asparagus & Cheese Tart
A bed of puff pastry, fontina & gruyere cheese, and asparagus makes this a refreshing change to plain old veggies.
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Servings:
Calories: 340kcal
Equipment
- 1 large bowl for ice bath
- 1 11" x 15" rimmed baking sheet inside measurement
- parchment paper
- 1 large skillet
Ingredients
- 1 bunch asparagus , trimmed approximately 1-1.5" only.
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry , thawed
- all-purpose flour , for dusting
- 1 cup fontina cheese , grated
- 1 cup gruyere cheese , grated
- 2 Tablespoon minced shallot , may substitue with minced onion
- 2 large egg yolks
- 3 Tablespoons whole milk
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- Kosher salt
- fresh ground pepper
- 2 tsp EVOO
- 1 tsp lemon zest
Instructions
- Fill a large bowl with ice water and set aside.
- In a large skillet bring 1" of water to a boil. Add the asparagus and cook for 2-5 minutes until bright green, crisp tender depending on the thickness of the asparagus. Drain and transfer to the ice bath to stop cooking; drain & pat dry with paper towels. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- On a lightly floured clean surface, roll out thawed puff pastry into an 11" x 15" rectangle (to fit your pan). Line your baking sheet with parchment paper then transfer the rolled-out pastry into the pan. Prick all over with a fork.
- Bake until light golden brown, about 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool in the pan.
- While cooling the puff pastry, mix the fontina, gruyere, shallot or onion, egg yolks, milk, nutmeg, salt & pepper in a bowl until combined.
- Once puff pastry is cooled, spread the cheese mixture evenly over the puffed pastry, leaving a 1" border on all sides.
- Toss the asparagus with EVOO, 1/4 tsp salt, and pepper to taste. Arrange asparagus onto the tart and bake until the cheese mixture is slightly puffy, 15-20 minutes. Garnish with lemon zest.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Nutrition
Serving: 1piece | Calories: 340kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 332mg | Potassium: 178mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 803IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 288mg | Iron: 2mg
Please note: Although the Nutritional Facts are provided, we are not nutritionists and therefore cannot verify the accuracy of these calculations. Please verify any data you see here with your favorite nutrition calculator.
Tried this recipe? We would love to see!Mention @twiins_in_the_kitchen or tag #twiinsinthekitchen
@cookingwithtwiinsinthekitchenMention @cookingwithtwiinsinthekitchen
Check out our YouTube Videos https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFE_9i4ZkY96NT1s4IAaKaw
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Easter Breakfast the Whole Family Will Enjoy
With Easter, only a week away, start getting those ingredients together to make our tasty and fun Italian Easter Egg Breakfast Baskets (Pupa Cu L’ova)
