Bertolli Skillet Meals Review

I received an exquisite package in the mail from Bertolli Foods last week.
Wrapped in red and gilt-gold, I discovered a gift card inviting me to purchase Bertolli frozen meals. Accompanying this was a wine aerator (I had never used one before) and a beautifully wrapped envelope with recipes developed by Rocco Dispirito which could accompany my meal. The meal was to coincide with the unveiling of Bertolli's webisodes: Into the Heart of Italy. The trailer was to make its debut during Desperate Housewives on Sunday eve. As someone who:
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a. does not watch TV
b. does not cook frozen meals
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- this was an intriguing opportunity. Because it was Sunday dinner, I felt I had to make some sort of effort. I put out Asiago cheese with Sicilian olives and Caprese roses.
With the gift card, I purchased 3 skillet meals: Italian Sausage & Rigatoni, Chicken Parmigiana & Penne and Shrimp Scampi & Linguine. My college-aged children and my daughter's boyfriend were invited to partake of the festivities. With their time constraints and less expendable income, they are more likely to purchase a frozen meal than I.
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The Chicken Parmigiana with Penne (pictured above) had mixed results. All loved the sauce, the penne came out al dente but the Chicken Parmigiana was soft and soggy. My daughter who is fussy about textures did not eat it. My husband, son and the boyfriend wolfed theirs down.


Having non-shrimp eaters at the table, only three of us tried the Shrimp Scamp with Linguine. It was probably the least favorite. My husband and son did finish theirs. I wasn't wild about the shrimp - too translucent (it was cooked), too mushy and I felt the very strong garlic sauce overpowered the shrimp. I like my shrimp simply broiled, baked or grilled with cooked garlic. I feel cream sauces overwhelm the shrimp. So some of this is personal taste.
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The garlic remained raw during the cooking process. There were large chunks of garlic that overwhelmed everyone's sense of smell and taste. After a few bites, my husband and son started putting the slices aside.



The Italian Sausage and Rigatoni was the hit of the evening. The 20-somethings at the table all declared that it would be a grand meal to have in the freezer. The rigatoni was al dente (which surprised me - I thought it would be softer). The sauce was a savory blend of herbs with the taste of the sausage. The sausage was firm. Not overpowering with enough spice to please all.
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My husband and son ate hungrily and happily - stopping in-between bites to assure me that although this was very good, my from-scratch meals were better. Hmmm. I wondered.

We did a taster's menu - 2 or three meals on each plate. The presentation of al dente pasta, vegetables and meat was pleasing.

I was astounded that a frozen pasta dinner could yield al dente pasta - which it did in all three results. The portions of meat, chicken and fish were generous.

I found the meals for $8.39 at the local grocers. (I checked three grocery stores and the prices did not vary). The meals serve 2. All thought it a reasonable price. The rule of thumb for fast food is that your meal should be under $5.00. And this was much better than fast food. Cooked in a skillet for nine minutes, it was also faster than fast food!
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We have since learned that Target sells these meals for $6.60 and that was the deal-breaker for the 20-somethings. They would definitely keep the sausage-rigatoni skillet meal in the freezer for an easy, flavorful meal. All were predisposed to trying other Bertolli meals.

We rounded out the meals with some arugula topped with fricos and settled down to watch Desperate Housewives and catch the trailer to Into the Heart of Italy.

You could view the trailer here: Into the Heart of Italy

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Bertolli Frozen Meals is getting ready to launch a new series of webisodes titled "Into the Heart of Italy: Six Adventures, Three Celebrities, One Mission. To Unlock the Secrets of Italian Passion for Food and Life." This one-of-a-kind online series will feature celebrity chef Rocco Dispirito and actors Marisa Tomei and Dan Cortese as they explore the food and culture of Italy.

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I guarantee you that the video will have you saving your pennies for a trip to Italy.
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I want to thank Bertolli for giving me the opportunity to try their meals. I am not someone who buys frozen meals and was pleasantly surprised. And while I will continue to cook my pasta dinners from scratch, there will be a frozen meal in the freezer for my busy children. With the gift card and aerator, I also received suggested wine pairings (also on their website) and recipes developed by Chef Rocco DiSpirito: Jump Asparagus with Oyster Mushrooms and Fresh Pecorino Cheese, Chocolate Cake with Armagnac Ice Cream. I will definitely keep those close!

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The wine aerator opened up new possibilities. We have always scrambled when busy to make sure our red wines had time to breathe before serving. As we uncorked the Chianti and poured it into the aerator, the bouquet of the wine was instantly released. The aerator does indeed allow the wine to breathe without prep time. I will use it again and again.

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I have fallen in love with the Bertolli website. With its suggestions on how to use their products, wine pairings and recipes, they provide a wealth of information. My children want to try Bertolli's lasagne ("but we know it won't be as good as yours, Mom.") What? Me worry?

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And while there will now be a Bertolli meal in my freezer, I still won't watch TV.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day

"Land of Heart's Desire, Where beauty has no ebb, decay, no flood,
But joy is wisdom, time an endless song."

Ireland is faerie mist and pubs,

Carefully penned words and laughter,

Abundant salmon: have some on me.

Salmon with lemon-cream chive sauce

And dreams. Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

Caprese Roses

The thing is - I am susceptible. I was paging through a book devoted to small bites at a book store and saw these. They called them "Caprese Lollipops." My daughter called them "Caprese Roses." I left the store and bought tomatoes. Because sometimes you need something fanciful in your life.

I have always made "Caprese-on-a-stick" for appetizers. Thread a toothpick with a tomato, mozzarella ball and basil leaf. Dip it in some sort of balsamic-olive oil mixture. Watch them disappear.

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The grape tomatoes were hollowed to make room for the small ball of cheese. A dab of pesto inside it would dance on your tongue.

So easy, you can just grace your table with it. No need to save this "for company."

Perfect for Mid-March when spring is teasing us - coming and going. And so simple: for each one you need:

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1 large bamboo skewer

1 grape tomato - hollowed

1 pearl-sized mozzarella ball

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I dipped them in olive oil and minced Italian parsley but you know as soon as spring truly comes, these flowers will be dipped in basil. I can hardly wait.

Fantastical roses. Spring-in-a-bite. Being susceptible has its upside.

Beef Rollatinis - a whirl of ingredients and winners of ABC Italiano

It's a truth that you may not think of something for twenty years but once you unlock one memory bank, other locks crumble and open. As I badger my mother with questions about Grandma and the family - I am hit by visions of the old Gresio kitchen. I smell aromas and respond to the sounds. I spend hours piecing memory waves together - what is memory? And what do I think I remember by virtue of the fact that I have heard the story so many times - I think I was there even if my mother assures me I was not.
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While piecing and layering anecdotes and facts - wondering if immigration, cooking and Grandma could be a children's play, I receive an intriguing e-mail. A gentleman has started an Italian food import business of hard to find Italian foods and would I like to sample some of his products and report on them? Is it serendipity? Or do thing unfold in their own time?



"I am Scott Stegen. I recently opened a website selling imported Italian food products, focusing on rare and hard to find items, like bottarga and pane carasau among many others. I have many more new products coming in the next few weeks. You can see my site here:

http://www.sausagedebauchery.com/

May I send you some things?"

And suddenly I have: 2 bags(2kg) "00" flour, 1 250g bag fennel seeds, 1 250ml bottle vincotto, 1 jar of capers from Salina, 1 500g bag of farro perlato. Enough to have fun with. I have used the fennel seeds for making my own turkey sausage (well, sort of - I just add spieces to ground turkey). I can smell the fennel through the bag. Heaven.
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For the beef rollatinis, I opened the vincotto - that is something I cannot find here. My mother is sending me a little jar so she can have some! And I use it sparingly - just for finishing. Is this me cooking? And I hungrily check his site for more ingredients. I know there is an order in the very near future. I know my mother would love a bottle of Vincotto.

We get our meat locally and because we buy in bulk, Bob Otis (a local farmer) throws in some extra cuts. He actually threw in a flat iron skirt steak - a cut rarely seen here. My mother is jealous. She hasn't seen that cut in decades. I slice it - about 3 inch wide stips.

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Rollatini's are simple meat roll-ups. In Liguria you would use veal and have a simple cheese-bread crumb stuffing. In Lazio, beef is used and the stuffing is more savory. I love how every region in Italy has their own rollatini recipe. In Valle D'Aosta, the filling has brandy and cream. In Sardegna, it is a simple filling of lardo, herbs and garlic. In Piemonte, anchovy and tuna are the stars of the stuffing. Each province developed meals according to what the land and sea provided. The foraging of an earlier people has become the cuisine of today.

Beef Rollatini with Vincotto Glaze - serves 4

1-1/2 pounds flat iron skirt (can use a flank steak, tenderloin, sirloin - anything that can be pounded flat

1-2 tbl butter (I used Earth Balance)

salt and pepper to taste

Rollatini Stuffing

3 ounces prosciutto, finely chopped

1/4 cup freshly shredded Parmesan

1/4 cup freshly shredded Fontina

4 oz favorite mushrooms, finely chopped (I used shiitake)

4 tbl fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped

1 large shallot, finely chopped

olive oil to coat a large skillet

Finishing Sauce

4 tbl Vincotto or a very good balsamic vinegar

(Note: Vincotto is not interchangeable with balsamic vinegar but a good balsamic also privdes a rich syrupy sauce for finishing meats)

The Vincotto is reduced by just a third. Although, it already is thick - I could warm it and serve it. As you drizzle it over the finished rollatnis, the aroma of the grape must is a time machine - and an airline ticket. You can smell the goodness of the past. You can breathe in the vineyards of Italy.

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Beef Rollatini Preparation

Between sheets of waxed paper, pound your meat thin (1/4 inch). Put a thin layer of butter on the meat. It will help the stuffing adhere to it. Salt and pepper to taste. Moving along the width of the meat, cut it into three inch strips.

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Combine your stuffing ingredients making sure all is minced. Spread it evenly atop the meat pressing to adhere the stuffing to the beef. Roll the beef and secure with a toothpick. (Can do ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

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Cover the bottom of your skillet or pot with oil and heat till sizzling. Drop the rollatinis in the pot and brown all over. Turn with tongs to ensure even cooking. The beef takes 6-10 minutes to cook. Six minutes will be rare to medium-rare beef and 12 minutes will be medium well to well-done. Remove from pan and let rest 3-4 minutes.

In a small fry pan, add your vincotto or balsamic vinegar. Heat to a boil and reduce 1/3. You should have a sweet syrupy glaze. Drizzle over rollatinis and serve.

I may brown them oil and bake them next time.

A few serve as an entree. Or use them as an appetizer. Change the cheese, change the herbs - make it suit your tastes and your ingredinets - just as the Italians do.
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As I think of my famiglia from my past, I also smile at my family today. My firstborn's birthday is tomorrow. The young man who had the hard task of teaching me to be a mother. I read the books, I went to early childhood classes, but you know, this guy as an infant had a lot to tell me, to show me. A lot of understanding motherhood came from being a mother. Sometimes it was easy and sometimes it took time.

But he stuck with me. I remember sitting at his college graduation last spring - so proud - that I didn't cry. I did not dissolve into puddles. I controlled all those lumps and butterflies. Until of course he told me to check Facebook as soon as I arrived home. He would have photos of the day there. Of course, I did. I went straight to his page - and there he was - in his cap and gown with the title:"All Growed Up." And that's when I melted. And so he is - "all growed up." I wrote about it. Tomorrow we will celebrate that.

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And to end, I am the proud recipient of 10 wonderful ABC Italiano books and while some are earmaked for the Italian Cultural Center in Minneapolis and children's charities and preschools, three of them are for you: Fresh, Local and Best, Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice and Mocha Me. Please e-mail me your address and I shall get them out to you quickly. Thanks to Joe at Italyville.com for providing these charming books and to all of you. Most people develop a love of language and reading on someone's lap. It's the best way to learn.

A humble soup coupled with Italian ABC's giveaway and awards... oh my!

Sometimes when you are in the midst of something, you cannot write about it. Sometimes there are wishes that you previously thought unwishable. And sometimes, oftimes - the distractions in life are very important. I have a mish-mosh of distractions. A giveaway, a humble soup. Two awards. These are all things that make me smile. In the middle



As stated in an earlier post, Joe at Italyville posted a giveaway of this lovely ABC Italiano book by Sonya Caruso - designed to start toddlers on the journey to learning Italian. As someone struggling to learn the language in my rapidly advancing middle years, there's no time like the present to start. I am the lucky recipient of ten of these books (Joe reached his designated 50 comments, bravo Joe!). I will be giving some of the books to the Italian Cultural Institute in Minneapolis as well as to a few local children's charities. (And saving and treasuring one). I will also give three of them away (thanks to Ciao Ciao Linda for the generous idea). Simply comment on the blog and I will randomly select three names to be the recipients of this beautiful book. And please visit Joe - right now he has an olive oil giveaway. And he always has something heavenly cooking in his kitchen.
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My idea of comfort is soup. And a piece of chocolate. But it is the soup that soothes me and nourishes me. It's reassuring, it's warming and it's simple. Some lettuce and beans. Broth. An abundance of spring-like rosemary and just a tad of red pepper flakes to bring it all together.

Chickpea Soup with Rice and Escarole - adapted Tastes of Italia (serves 4)

3 tbl olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 tbl red pepper flakes

6-8 cups vegetable broth (can use chicken broth)

4 tbl fresh, chopped rosemary (it sings)

2 cans chickpeas

4 cups chopped escarole (can use cabbage, kale or chard)

On the side: 2 cups cooked brown rice

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In a stock pot heat your olive oil to hot but not sizzling. Saute the garlic, celery and red pepper flakes until the celery softens - about 3 minutes. Add the broth, rosemary and chickpeas. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes to let the flavors meld. Meanwhile cook your rice separately.

Remove 1/3-1/2 of the mixture. Let cool a bit and then put in the blender. Blend. I like thickening the soup this way - but I also love the chunks of chickpeas floating around - creamy surprises in every bite.

Add it back into the original pot. I am tempted to start serving this now. I can wrap myself around the pot.

Add your escarole. Along with the rosemary, it adds a welcome of the spring that is to come. Plus, I love it. Simple. And packed with flavor.

Watch it cook down. It only takes a minute.

Every thick spoonful brings the humblest bean and the sweetest lettuce. And somewhere in each taste, there is this delightful heat - not overpowering, just a presence of sparkling red pepper dancing. Beckoning.

Let everyone spoon their own rice into the bowls and then ladle the soup over. The rice will never turn mushy if kept separately. While the chickpeas give way to creaminess, the rice will add a touch of the chewy. Sprinkle (or in my case, "drown") freshly grated Parmesan over the soup. What can I say? I am a Parmesan fiend.
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While muddling in the middle, Claudia at What's Cookin Italian? sent me this. A huge smile. Her recipes are creative and Traditional. Innovative and down-home. Visit her and enjoy.

And the gracious Sophie at Sophie's Foodiefiles sent me this.

There's always some flavor-filled healthy cooking on her blog. I hope you also visit her.

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I would like to send these off into the world to evoke more smiles. If it's all right with Claudia and Sophie, I would like to do this differently. I am at a place right now where choosing is too hard. Actually, "choosing" has always been hard. That's how I wind up with 30 kids in my cast when I direct. Hard to say "no." Hard to say "just you two." It's why I write large-cast plays. If you are one of the first ten commenters, please take the "teddy bear" home to your site. And if you are commenter 11-20, please bring home the "honest scrap" award. Don't be shy - it is yours with my thanks for the visit. And all commenters will be eligible for the ABC's Italiano book.
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Now, I will finish my soup. Can I bring you some?