Check back often ...and collect them all...

UPDATED 10/21/2008

Recipes from the new season of TINA COOKS - MORE ITALIAN

Eggplant Cakes(Frittelles)

By Tina Piermarini

1 large Eggplant
½ cup chopped spinach
½ cup olive oil
1 garlic clove
1 egg
2 cups bread crumbs (season with salt, pepper, and granulated garlic and Romano cheese)
1 cup Romano chesse
½ cup feta cheese
2 tablespoons flour
Salt, Pepper, granulated garlic and parsley

In a small pot warm up oil. Thinly slice the garlic and add to the oil so oil is infused with garlic.

Peel and cut egglpant (the long way). Place eggplant in a cookie sheet pan. Brush the eggplant with oil and garlic. Season with salt, pepper, granulated garlic and parsley. Bake on 400 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes. Turn the eggplant halfway through so it browns on both sides. After the eggplant is cooked set aside and let it cool.

Cauliflower & Broccoli Aglio e Olio

1 bag frozen cauliflower
1 bag frozen broccoli florets
2 cloves garlic
½ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 box pasta (any shape you like)
1c Romano cheese
¼ c onions chopped fine (optional)
Season: salt, pepper, granulated garlic and parsley to taste

Put a Pot of salted water to boil the pasta.

In a sauté pan add oil and garlic.  Heat the oil and garlic until simmering.  Add onions and butter. Add broccoli & cauliflower (make sure you squeeze out the extra water). Season with salt, pepper, granulated garlic and parsley to taste.  Cook with the cover ajar for about 1 to 15 minutes or until tender. Drop the pasta into boiling water the last 8 minutes of cooking the veggies. Add al dente pasta to cauliflower and broccoli. Add cheese and  about a ½ cup pasta waster and toss. Serve in a big platter and enjoy

Potato Salad

8 to 10 potatoes
2 ribs of celery
2 tablespoons green onions
3/4 cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup sour cream (I used low fat)
Salt, pepper, granulated garlic, and parsley

Peel and cut potatoes into 1 inch cubes. Fill a 12 quart pot with cold salted water. Add potatoes and bring to a boil. Once potatoes boil lower the heat to a low boil and cook for 20 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.

While potatoes are cooking in a large bowl mix mayo, sour cream, green onion, eggs (if you want to add them). Season to taste with salt, pepper, granulated garlic and parsley.  Stir well and put mixture in refrigerator until potatoes are finished cooking.

When potatoes are cooked, drain potatoes well. Add to the mayo mixture while potatoes are hot.  Mix well, being careful not to mash potatoes. Cover with wax paper and then plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator overnight.

Orzo Salad

2 cups Orzo pasta
1/4 inch thick slice of salami diced
10 grape tomatoes diced
1/2 cup pearl size mozzarella
4 Calimata olives diced
4 green olives diced
1/4 cup green onions diced
1/4 cup Feta cheese crumbled
Italian salad dressing (Your favorite)
Salt, pepper, granulated garlic, parsley

In a pot of boiling salted water cook orzo. Drain and cool with cold water. Set aside.

In a bowl add diced salami, tomatoes, olives, green onions, feta cheese and add mozzarella. Season with salt, pepper, granulated garlic, and parsley. Stir together.

Add orzo and ¾ cup Italian dressing and mix well. You want the salad to be moist because the pasta will soak up the dressing. Chill at least 2 hours and enjoy.