Italian lunch/20 recipes

This is my copycat of the popular salad sold at McDonald's. It's the only thing I eat off their menu and I was anxious to replicate it at home.

I let the roast sit at room temperature 20-30 minutes before placing in the oven. Also, make sure the oven heats up to 500 for a good 20 minutes before roasting meat.

Made popular by southern Italians in New York city restaurants this dish is based upon old-world family recipes. Here I've adjusted it to two hearty servings.

My 14 year old said "pretty good" much better than a plain ham sandwich.

TVP gives the lasagna beefy texture, the tomato sauce makes the lasagna juicy and flavorful; ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan cheeses add the creaminess and cheesiness . An absolutely delicious vegetarian lasagna that your meat lover friends may ask for second slice.

A long slow simmer makes this cheesy rich crowd pleaser a certain hit when company is coming.

Why order take-out, if you can whip up a delicious meal within about 20 minute. A quick, easy and tasty Chinese stir-fried veggies with spaghetti will ensure to make your tummy feel happy while satisfy your palate.

Don't start the barbecue just yet! Try this mouthwatering stew that warms you up after every bite.

A delicious casserole made with italian sausage, zucchini, rice and parmigiano-reggiano cheese.

These lacy potato latkes are baked in a muffin pan instead of fried in a pan which helps avoid extra fat from the frying oil. The basil and garlic result in great pesto style flavor perfect for potatoes.

Skip the expensive store-bought overly salty salad dressing mix and make your own using ingredients found in most pantries. Perfect for a low-salt ranch dressing.

Italian salad dressing from scratch. Quick, easy and tasty. No need to buy store-bought bottled dressing; within 5 minutes you will have this delicious Italian herb dressing that goes well with any kind of salad.

Skip store-bought packets and make your own Italian dressing mix that will keep in the pantry for up to a year.

This recipe is based on the one from Jean Christoph Novelli's grandmother Louise's recipe. He call's it "The Most Amazing Tomato Sauce on the planet" I agree. This is not the exact recipe (I tweaked it very slightly and made some educated guesses on the amounts of various ingredients but based upon the taste I believe it is probably very close.

Simple and basic

Low-fat ricotta cheese and goat cheese on top of the phyllo, mixed mushrooms with leeks cooked in white wine, on top of the cheese, delicious...