www.thesweetlifeuncorked.com - Recipe


As part of our broadcast The Sweet Llife...Uncorked offers you delicious recipes to share with family and friends. On OUR ITALIAN DINNER SHOW, a soft Eggplant with Buffalo Mozzarella and great Italian Antipasti, creamy Penne Pasta with Grilled Chicken, tender Grilled Lamb Chops, Tomatoes and Vodka Cream Sauce followed by a fruit, nut, cheese and biscotti platter
	Italian Antipasti
What you will need: Sweet Shrimp- 4 U-15 Brown Mexican Shrimp 4-oz Buffalo Mozzarella 4-oz Granna cheese 1 large vine ripened tomato 1 yellow zucchini 1 green zucchini 4 large large asparagus 4-oz Italian salami 4-oz prosciutto cured olives Dressing 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/2 lemon pinch of crushed red pepper Print	What you will do: Slice the cheese into bite size pieces. Slice the tomato. Shell and clean the shrimp then gently poach for several minutes in lightly salted water. Medium slice both zucchinis. Take the sliced zucchini and asparagus, brush them with olive oil, salt and pepper then grill on both sides until marked. Let cool. Mix dressing ingredients together. Arrange everything on a platter and drizzle with dressing.
	Eggplant with Buffalo Mozzarella
What you will need: 1/4 cup olive oil 1/4 cup finely chopped onion 1 clove garlic, mashed 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 3 cans (8 ounces each) tomato sauce or 1 jar spaghetti sauce 1 medium eggplant lemon 1 egg 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/4 cup milk flour olive oil for frying 8 ounces sliced Buffalo mozzarella cheese 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese Print	What you will do: In a large skillet heat 1/4 cup olive oil; add onions and garlic and sauté over low heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are tender and yellow. Stir in basil, salt, pepper, and tomato sauce; simmer for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, peel the eggplant and cut into 1/4-inch thick slices; brush each slice with lemon juice to prevent discoloration. Beat egg slightly; beat in milk and 1 tablespoon oil. Dust each slice of eggplant with flour, patting well to remove excess flour. Dip into the egg and milk mixture; drain. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons oil. Fry eggplant on both sides, adding more oil as needed, until golden brown. In a 2-quart baking dish, layer sauce, eggplant, and mozzarella, topping layers off with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

	Penne Pasta with Grilled Chicken, Tomatoes and Vodka Cream Sauce
What you will need: 1 tbsp. butter 1 tbsp. olive oil 1 sm. onion, chopped 1 (28 oz.) can Italian plum tomatoes, drained, seeded, chopped 1 c. whipping cream 1/4 c. vodka 1/4 tsp. dried crushed red pepper 1 lb. penne pasta (any tubular pasta) Freshly grated Parmesan cheese Minced fresh chives 2 grilled chicken breasts coarsely chopped Print	What you need to do: Melt butter with oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and saute until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook until almost no liquid remains in pan, stirring frequently, about 25 minutes. Add cream, vodka and red pepper and boil until thickened to sauce consistency, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Sauce can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate). Cook pasta in large pot of boiling water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Drain well. Transfer to a large bowl. Bring sauce to simmer. Pour over pasta and toss well with grilled chicken. Sprinkle with Parmesan and chives and serve.

Penne Pasta with Grilled Chicken, Tomatoes and Vodka Cream Sauce

What you will need:

1 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 sm. onion, chopped
1 (28 oz.) can Italian plum tomatoes, drained, seeded, chopped
1 c. whipping cream
1/4 c. vodka
1/4 tsp. dried crushed red pepper
1 lb. penne pasta (any tubular pasta)
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Minced fresh chives
2 grilled chicken breasts coarsely chopped

What you need to do:

Melt butter with oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and saute until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook until almost no liquid remains in pan, stirring frequently, about 25 minutes. Add cream, vodka and red pepper and boil until thickened to sauce consistency, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Sauce can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate).

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Drain well. Transfer to a large bowl. Bring sauce to simmer. Pour over pasta and toss well with grilled chicken. Sprinkle with Parmesan and chives and serve.

	Grilled Lamb Chops
What you will need: 3 racks of lamb (6 to 8 chops per rack), fat removed and frenched, cut into double bone chops Rosemary and Thyme Marinade 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil 2 tblsp chopped fresh rosemary 2 tblsp chopped fresh thyme 2 tblsp minced fresh garlic salt & pepper Print	What you need to do: *Trim fat from roast to expose 1 to 1 1/2-inches of bones and about 1/8-inch of fat on meat. An easier way is to ask your butcher to dress rack and trim all fat from the ribs. Combine marinade ingredients except salt and pepper. Arrange racks of lamb in a single layer in a large baking dish. Brush marinade over the lamb; turning chops to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours, turning and basting often. Can be marinated in refrigerator overnight for stronger flavor. When ready to cook, remove from refrigerator 1 hour before grilling to bring to room temperature. Remove lamb chops from marinade; reserving any marinade and salt and pepper to taste on each side of the chop. When ready to grill, preheat barbecue grill to medium-high heat (350 degrees F). Sear the lamb chops on the hot grill, down for 1 minute. Turn and sear the other side for 1 minute. Turn back onto other side and cook for approximately 6 to 8 minutes, basting occasionally with the marinade. Turn and cook another 6 to 8 minutes, basting occasionally, or until a meat thermometer registers desired temperature (see below). Rare - 120°F Medium Rare - 125°F Medium - 130°

Grilled Lamb Chops

What you will need:

3 racks of lamb (6 to 8 chops per rack), fat removed and frenched, cut into double bone chops

Rosemary and Thyme Marinade
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tblsp chopped fresh rosemary
2 tblsp chopped fresh thyme
2 tblsp minced fresh garlic
salt & pepper

What you need to do:

*Trim fat from roast to expose 1 to 1 1/2-inches of bones and about 1/8-inch of fat on meat. An easier way is to ask your butcher to dress rack and trim all fat from the ribs. Combine marinade ingredients except salt and pepper. Arrange racks of lamb in a single layer in a large baking dish. Brush marinade over the lamb; turning chops to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours, turning and basting often. Can be marinated in refrigerator overnight for stronger flavor.

When ready to cook, remove from refrigerator 1 hour before grilling to bring to room temperature. Remove lamb chops from marinade; reserving any marinade and salt and pepper to taste on each side of the chop.

When ready to grill, preheat barbecue grill to medium-high heat (350 degrees F). Sear the lamb chops on the hot grill, down for 1 minute. Turn and sear the other side for 1 minute. Turn back onto other side and cook for approximately 6 to 8 minutes, basting occasionally with the marinade. Turn and cook another 6 to 8 minutes, basting occasionally, or until a meat thermometer registers desired temperature (see below).

Rare - 120°F
Medium Rare - 125°F
Medium - 130°

	Fruit, nut, cheese and biscotti platter
What you will need: 1 wedge (about 8 ounces) Parmigiano-Reggiano 1 wedge (about 8 ounces) Fontina or Taleggio 1 wedge (about 6 ounces) Gorgonzola 1 tablespoon honey 8 fresh figs, quartered 1 cluster seedless red grapes 1 cluster seedless green grapes 1 cup dates 1 cup dried apricots 1 cup whole shelled walnuts or pecans, toasted Package of Italian biscotti Print	What you need to do: Arrange the cheeses together on 1 very large platter, or separately on small platters. Drizzle the honey around the Gorgonzola cheese. Arrange some of the fresh and dried fruits, nuts, and biscotti on the large cheese platter. Arrange the rest of the fruit and nuts on another platter. Serve, allowing guests to compose their own assortment of cheese, fruit, nuts, and bread on their plate.

Fruit, nut, cheese and biscotti platter

What you will need:

1 wedge (about 8 ounces) Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 wedge (about 8 ounces) Fontina or Taleggio
1 wedge (about 6 ounces) Gorgonzola
1 tablespoon honey
8 fresh figs, quartered
1 cluster seedless red grapes
1 cluster seedless green grapes
1 cup dates
1 cup dried apricots
1 cup whole shelled walnuts or pecans, toasted
Package of Italian biscotti

Fruit, nut, cheese and biscotti platter
What you need to do:

Arrange the cheeses together on 1 very large platter, or separately on small platters. Drizzle the honey around the Gorgonzola cheese. Arrange some of the fresh and dried fruits, nuts, and biscotti on the large cheese platter. Arrange the rest of the fruit and nuts on another platter. Serve, allowing guests to compose their own assortment of cheese, fruit, nuts, and bread on their plate.