Philadelphia Tribune - Index

Philadelphia Tribune - Sunday, September 07 2008 - Index

FAMILY FEATURES
Feel a need to reconnect with your loved one? Don’t make reservations; make a
dinner date at home. Rekindle a little romance with a special meal for two.
You can be spontaneous even with busy schedules. You can make it special, together:
� Plan a minimal-fuss menu and one-stop shopping: wine,
flowers, dessert, dinner ingredients all from the grocery
super center.
� Share kitchen tasks — tossing salad, boiling water for
pasta, table setting and candle lighting.
� Pour a glass of wine to share while preparing dinner.
� Play your favorite music to set the mood.
� Make the evening special with candles and “company’s
coming” dishes.
� After dinner enjoy a simple dessert or sip a liqueur.
� Set a date for “next time” to keep romance alive and well.
While many people find cooking at home to be intimidat ing,
Bertolli is helping to empower the home chef by introducing
their new chef-inspired sauces that are ready to be served in
only 90 seconds. These restaurant-quality sauces are pack -
aged in a convenient microwavable pouch that protects fresh
taste. Designed for discerning palates, these fresh-tasting
sauces cel ebrate succulent ingredients that make your menu
sizzle with “fantastico!” They are quick and easy to prepare,
allowing you to focus on your partner rather than on hours of
preparation.
Whether simply tossed with your favorite pasta, or as an
inspiration for a fish or chicken dish, a chef-inspired sauce
makes dinner extra-special.
Uncork the wine, unwind and enjoy a saucy night in by
exploring the possibilities at www.VillaBertolli.com. Here are
some examples of time-efficient meals that allow you to be
creative but are still convenient for the average at-home cook.
Eggplant Parmesan Soup
2 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 17 minutes
3 tablespoons Bertolli Extra Virgin
Olive Oil
1 small Japanese or Italian eggplant,
halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
(about 2 cups)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 pouch Bertolli Premium Summer
Crushed Tomato and Basil Pasta Sauce
1 can (14.5 ounces) chicken broth
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
(about 4 ounces)
2 tablespoons. Italian seasoned dry bread
crumbs
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Crusty Italian bread, if desired
In 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat olive oil over medium
heat and cook eggplant, stirring occasionally, 5 min -
utes. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 min -
utes or until eggplant is golden and tender. Stir in
sauce and broth. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce
heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 min -
utes or until thickened.
On cookie sheet, place 2 oven-proof soup bowls
or crocks. Evenly spoon soup into crocks, then top
with mozzarella cheese, bread crumbs and Parmesan
cheese. Broil 2 minutes or until cheese is melted and
golden. Serve, if desired, with crusty Italian bread.
B SECTION
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Mediterranean Mussels With Wine
2 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
4 slices (1/2 inch thick) crusty Italian bread
2 tablespoons Bertolli Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
(optional)
1 cup chopped sweet onion
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 pouch Bertolli Premium Sun Ripened
Tomato and Olive Pasta Sauce
1 bag (2 pounds) mussels, well scrubbed*
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
Brush both sides of bread with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
Heat 5-quart saucepot over medium-high heat and
cook bread, turning once, 3 minutes or until golden
brown. Remove bread and set aside.
In same saucepot, heat remaining 1 tablespoon
olive oil with pepper flakes over medium-high heat
and cook onion, stirring occasionally, 4 minutes or
until tender. Add garlic and cook, stirring frequently,
30 seconds. Stir in wine and cook, stirring frequently,
1 minute. Stir in sauce and bring just to a boil. Reduce
heat to medium-low and add mussels. Cover and
simmer 10 minutes or until mussels open. (Discard
any unopened shells.) In serving bowls, evenly
arrange garlic toasts, then top with mussel mixture
and sprinkle with parsley.
*Substitution: Use 1/2 pound peeled and deveined
shrimp instead of mussels and cook 3 minutes or until
shrimp turn pink.
Sausage & Gorgonzola-Stuffed
Portobello Mushrooms
2 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
2 large portobello mushrooms, stems removed
1 tablespoon Bertolli Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and black pepper, if desired
8 ounces sweet Italian sausage links, removed
from casing and crumbled
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 pouch Bertolli Premium Champignon and
Portobello Mushroom Pasta Sauce
1 cup fresh bread, torn into small pieces
1/3 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
8 cups baby spinach or arugula leaves
Preheat oven to 425°F. Evenly drizzle both sides of
mushrooms with olive oil; then season, if desired,
with salt and black pepper. On cookie sheet, arrange
mushrooms, gill-side-up; set aside.
In 10-inch nonstick skillet, brown sausage; drain, if
desired. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally,
3 minutes or until tender; cool slightly.
In medium bowl, combine sausage mixture,
1/2 cup sauce, bread, 3 tablespoons cheese and pine
nuts. Evenly spoon sausage mixture onto prepared
mush rooms, then sprinkle with remaining cheese.
Bake 15 minutes or until mushrooms are tender.
Meanwhile, in 5-quart saucepot, bring spinach and
1/4 cup water to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to
low and cook covered, stirring occasionally, 2 min -
utes or until spinach is wilted. Season, if desired, with
salt and black pepper. With slotted spoon, evenly
arrange spinach on plates, then top with mushrooms.
Serve with remaining sauce, heated.
Tip: For Vegetarian Stuffed Mushrooms, omit sausage
and cook chopped mushroom stems with onion.
Variation: To make Appetizer Stuffed Mushrooms,
prepare filling as above and stuff into white
mushroom caps. Bake 10 minutes or until tender.