Tag: Italian Inspired Cuisine

Shrimp Alfredo

Jumbo shrimp seasoned in a lemon basil seasoning, pan seared to perfection and tossed with a creamy cheesy alfredo sauce, garden fresh broccoli, roasted bell pepper, and homemade fettuccine.

Shrimp Alfredo

Cedar Oak Farms
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 8 mins
Cook Time 12 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 1 small head broccoli, cut into florets
  • 1 bell pepper, roasted and diced
  • 1 pound shrimp
  • 1 pound fettuccine
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 2 ounces fresh parmesan, shaved

Basil Lemon Seasoning:

  • 1 tablespoon COFarms basil lemon salt
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 teaspoon thyme leaves
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Grind together all the basil lemon seasoning ingredients. Can store in an airtight container for up to a year.
  • Rinse shrimp, pat dry, and sprinkle with basil lemon seasoning.
  • Cook pasta according to package instructions. For a super fresh option use homemade fettuccine. Super easy to make and delicious! Add broccoli florets to water about 2 minutes before cooking time ends.
  • Meanwhile, roast the red pepper over the fire on your stove’s burner until charred and skin slightly bubbled. When cool enough to handle dice the pepper. Use a colorful pepper like red, orange, or yellow to add color contrast to dish.
  • Reserve 1 cup pasta water for sauce. Drain pasta and broccoli in colander, shaking to remove as much water as possible.
  • Return the pot to medium-high heat, add cream, and bring to a boil. Add parmesan cheese, remove from heat, and stir until smooth.
  • Add the roasted pepper, pasta, and broccoli to the pot and stir until sauce coats pasta. Taste and adjust seasoning to taste. Cover and set aside. Sauce will thicken as it rests. Add the reserved pasta water a little at a time to smooth sauce.
  • Heat a medium non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 teaspoon olive oil and shrimp to hot pan and cook until opaque but firm, about 2 minutes per side.
  • Plate the pasta on plate and top with shrimp.
    Shrimp Alfredo

Notes

Recipe Inspiration for our Basil Lemon Salt.
Keyword Basil Lemon Salt, Fish & Seafood, Pasta

Cedar Oak Farms

Sausage Meatball Pizza

Tender, flavor-packed meatballs dipped in a spicy red-pepper sauce then layered with a ricotta cheese blend and caramelized onions over a handmade pizza crust take this pizza to a whole new and indulgent level. 

Sausage Meatball Pizza

Cedar Oak Farms
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 45 mins
Resting Time 15 mins
Course Main Course
Servings 2 Pizzas

Ingredients
  

Meatballs:

  • 1 cup breadcrumbs
  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon *Cedar Oak Farms spaghetti seasoning
  • 1 pound *Whistling Hen’s “Mama’s Hot Italian” Sausage
  • 1/2 pound *Cow Creek Organic Farm ground beef

Never Fail Pizza Crust:

  • 1½ cups warm water
  • 3 tablespoons molasses
  • 2 envelopes active dry yeast
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 4 cups of *Janie’s Mill pizza flour + extra for kneading

Pepper Sauce:

  • 12 oz. jar roasted red peppers, drained
  • 2 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 1/4 cup fresh basil
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Toppings:

  • 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
  • 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • 1 tablespoon *Cedar Oak Farms spaghetti seasoning
  • 1 egg
  • 1 large onion, sliced
  • Olive Oil
  • Coarse salt

Additional Toppings:

  • Arugula
  • 6 ounces *Ludwig Farmstead Creamery Mozzarella, shredded
  • 4 ounces *Ludwig Farmstead Creamery Kickapoo, shredded

Instructions
 

Meatballs:

  • In a large bowl, combine breadcrumbs, milk, onion, garlic, salt, chili powder, and spaghetti seasoning. Crumble the meat over mixture and mix well. Shape into 1” meatballs. Place in a rimmed baking pan.
  • Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30 minutes.

Pizza Crust:

  • Meanwhile, in a 2-cup measuring cup measure out the water. Add **molasses and yeast, mix. Let the mixture rest for 5 minutes or until the yeast starts to bubble.
  • Pour the yeast mixture into a food processor bowl. Add the olive oil and salt. Pulse for 30 seconds. Slowly begin to add the flour one cup at time, mixing for 2 minutes between additions. Turn the dough onto a floured board. The dough will be very sticky at this point so sprinkle some extra flour on top.
  • Knead adding additional flour from the board until no longer sticky, about 5 – 6 kneads is all that is needed. Place a warm, moist towel over the dough and let rest for 15 minutes.
  • When the meatballs are done remove from oven but do not turn off oven. Roll the dough into a ½-inch thick circle, or two ovals, dusting the pizza dough with flour as needed. Poke holes in the pizza dough with a fork to prevent bubbles. Bake in 350°F oven for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven.

Sauce:

  • In a high-power blender or food processor, combine roasted peppers, garlic, basil, and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Blend the mixture on high until well blended and smooth.

Toppings:

  • In a small bowl, mix the ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, Kickapoo, spaghetti seasoning, and egg until blended. Set aside until ready to use.
  • In a skillet add the onion and ***enough olive oil to coat the onions. You want to use a large skillet to allow the onions enough room to absorb the heat and caramelize. Sauté on medium-high heat.
  • Using your fingers pinch the salt and scatter about the onions to draw out the moisture. Your onions will first get soft, then juicy. As they cook, they will begin to brown, or caramelize. In all this will take about 10-15minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

To Assemble:

  • Spread the cheese mixture over the crust. Add some of the caramelized onions. Roll the meatballs in the red pepper sauce and arrange the meatballs and some of the sauce over the ricotta cheese. Sprinkle the cheese blend over the top. Bake at 425°F for 10-15 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly.
  • Remove from oven and top with fresh arugula. Serve immediately.

Notes

*Available in The Market at the Farm!
**The molasses is the magic to a never-fail crust. The yeast feeds off the sugar in the molasses creating perfect proof. It just doesn’t get any pretty than that. I use molasses to keep the crust from getting too sweet but, you can substitute honey, corn syrup, or sugar if you prefer.
***I have the best results if I place the onion in a bowl and drizzle the oil over the top using my fingers to massive the oil and evenly coat the onions.
Do not let the ingredients or steps discourage you. You are going to love the flavor and texture of this crust and the flavor combo of the other ingredients. 
Keyword Pizzas & Flatbreads, Spaghetti Seasoning

Cedar Oak Farms

Creamy Orzo & Mushrooms Plate

This creamy orzo dish is loaded with mushrooms and freshly grated Parmesan cheese with the most amazing garlic cream sauce. We added a pan-seared hanger steak and turn it into a main dish!

Creamy Orzo & Mushrooms Plate

Cedar Oak Farms
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

  • 1 3-4 pound hanger steak
  • 4 tablespoons butter, divided
  • 1 cup orzo pasta
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 small yellow onion, diced
  • 1/2 cup baby bella mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 sprig fresh oregano, destemmed
  • 1 1/2 cups beef stock
  • 1/2 cup half-and-half
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions
 

  • Rub the steak with the salt and pepper and let sit for 10 minutes. (We used COFarms Smoked Sea Salt because, YUM!)
  • Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Carefully place the steak in the skillet and cook for 7 minutes, turning and moving the steak often to prevent burning. Add 4 tablespoons of butter, melting and spooning the butter over the steak as it finishes cooking, about 7 more minutes.
  • Remove the pan from the heat and cover with foil. Allow the steak to rest for 8-10 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add the orzo pasta and brown a bit. Transfer the orzo to a bowl.
  • Heat the olive oil in the skillet, when hot add onions and mushrooms and sauté until the mushrooms are tender. Add in the garlic and oregano sauté for until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.
  • Add the orzo back to the skillet along with the chicken stock and half-and-half, stir to combine.
  • Continue to cook over medium heat until the pasta is cooked al dente, about 8 -10 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and stir in the cheese to melt.
  • Spoon the orzo onto a serving plate, slice the steak and serve over the orzo. Garnish with fresh oregano.
Keyword Beef, Pasta

Cedar Oak Farms4 Comments
Twisted Pizza

Twisted Pizza

A “Twist” on Pizza! This pizza has a twisted handmade crust filled with a mixture of melted butter and roasted garlic and filled with soppressata sausage, roasted red pepper, black olives, grated Parmesan cheese, and fresh basil.

Twisted Pizza

Cedar Oak Farms
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Resting Time 15 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Servings 6 slices

Ingredients
  

Pizza Dough:

  • 1½ cups warm water
  • 3 tablespoons white cornstarch
  • 2 envelopes active dry yeast
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 4 cups of flour

Buttery Sauce:

  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 2 cloves minced garlic

Toppings:

  • 4½ ounces soppressata sausage
  • 3 tablespoons chopped black olives
  • 2 roasted red peppers
  • 1 small bunch basil
  • 2 – 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
  • Olive oil, for drizzling
  • Garlic salt, to taste
  • Black Pepper, to taste

Instructions
 

Pizza Dough:

  • This is one of our favorite never-fail recipes. In a 2-cup measuring cup measure out the warm water. Add the cornstarch and yeast, mix. Let the mixture rest for 5 minutes to let the yeast bubble. Adding some form of sugar gives the yeast something to eat on giving you that desired proof that ensures the perfect rise.
  • Pour the yeast mixture into a food processor bowl. Add the olive oil and salt. Pulse for 30 seconds. Slowly begin to add the flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing for 2 minutes between additions. Turn the dough onto a floured board. The dough will be very sticky at this point so sprinkle some extra flour on top.
  • Knead, adding additional flour as needed until no longer sticky, about 5 – 6 kneads is all that is needed. Place the dough into a warm bowl and let rest under a warm, moist towel for 15 minutes.
  • Start rolling the dough into a long rope, working downward until about as thick as your thumb. Twist as you work to prevent it from retracting. Form into a circle leaving some space in between as it is not done expanding yet.

Buttery Sauce:

  • In a microwave-safe bowl, add the butter and garlic, microwave 40 seconds, or until butter is melted. Spoon the mixture into the creases of the twisted dough filling the seams. Do not worry if some of the yum fall in between. As the dough expands it will be incorporated into the pizza.

Toppings:

  • Roughly chop the sausage, black olives, red peppers, and basil and place in a small bowl. Mix with Parmesan cheese. Spread the mixture between the rows. Drizzle with olive oil and season with a little garlic salt and black pepper. Let rise for 30 minutes.
  • Bake in a preheated 390°F oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown. You’ll start to smell the aroma filling your kitchen right before the buzzer goes off. Take out of the oven and garnish with some Parmesan cheese and a handful of basil leaves.
    Twisted Pizza
Keyword Pizzas & Flatbreads

Cedar Oak Farms18 Comments

Bruschetta Steak Salad

Bruschetta, an antipasto from Italy. We love it because it takes advantage of summer’s bounty like tomatoes, basil, and bell peppers. Delicious slathered over grilled Italian bread, but even better as a Bruschetta Steak Salad.

Bruschetta Steak Salad

Cedar Oak Farms
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Servings 2

Ingredients
  

  • 4 Beef tenderloin steaks, trimmed
  • 2 tablespoons CoFarms coffee rub
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for brushing
  • 1/4 cup sliced shallots
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
  • 1/4 cup roasted red bell peppers, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 12 cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 6 cups loosely packed lettuce mix
  • Grilled Italian bread

Instructions
 

  • Rub both sides of the steak with the coffee rub, let rest of 10 minutes.
  • Heat a grilling pan over medium heat. Brush the olive oil over the steaks. Add the steaks to the pan and cook 3-4 minutes per side, to desired doneness. Remove steaks from pan and let stand 7 minutes.
  • Combine shallots, basil, bell peppers, lemon juice, and tomatoes in a small bowl, toss well.
  • Arrange 1½ cups of lettuce mix into 4 serving bowls. Cut each steak into thin slices. Add 1 steak to each bowl and divide the tomato mixture between each bowl.
  • Serve immediately with your favorite dressing and the grilled bread.
Keyword Beef, Coffee Rub, Salad

Cedar Oak Farms4 Comments