Archive | 2018

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and most of us are busy carrying out our families’ traditional holiday celebrations. In homage to our Italian heritage, we thought we’d share some of Italy’s biggest holiday traditions. Do you do any of these in your home?

Nativity Set – “Crib sets” are found in most homes that celebrate Christmas, but they actually originated in Italy! Traditionally they are displayed beginning on December 8th, but the crib remains empty until late on December 24th, at which time the baby Jesus is finally placed in the manger.

Christmas Eve Meal – On Christmas Eve, Italian families have a large meal called “The Feast of the Seven Fishes.” No meat or dairy is eaten. Children write letters to their parents telling them how much they love them and place it under their father’s plate to be read at the end of the meal.

Midnight Mass – Midnight mass is a Christmas Eve tradition in Italy. The services are usually very well attended.

Bagpipes – Shepherds from the mountain come to the town square and wander around paying their respects to the nativity scenes while playing the bagpipes. They also perform at the Christmas markets.

Gift Giving – Children do write to Father Christmas (Babbo Natale) and may get gifts from Santa, a woman on a broom named La Befana, or Jesus on Christmas Day. However, the main gift-giving day for most Italians is Ephiphany, which is January 6th. (Fun fact: If you look at a calendar you’ll realize that January 6th is actually “the 12th day of Christmas” which you probably recognize from the popular Christmas carol.)

Food – On Christmas Day, lunch is the main meal. The exact menu varies by region, but most include several courses of meat, pasta, and sweetbreads for dessert. Some even leave the table set after the meal waiting for Mary and baby Jesus to arrive and sample the food.

Christmas in Italy doesn’t look anything like the glittery commercial holiday we celebrate here in the US, but the meaningful traditions run deep. This season, we hope you find the same depth and meaning in your own family’s traditions – whatever they may be.

Happy Holidays from Isernio’s!

Italian food is the ultimate in simple elegance, but it becomes a little more difficult if you don’t have the right tools. At Isernio’s, we want you to love your time in the kitchen as much as you love the food that comes out of it, so we’ve rounded up some of the essential kitchen tools needed in every Italian-inspired kitchen.

Pasta Machine – This gadget is well worth the investment if you plan to make your own pasta.

Mezzaluna Knife – You’ll wonder how you ever lived without this once you get used to using it for chopping garlic and herbs.

Olivewood Utensils – You’ll love cooking with these traditional utensils.

Large Pasta Pot – Pasta can’t be crowded if you want it to cook well. You need a BIG one if you want to make pasta like the Italians.

Colander – Choose a sturdy colander so when it comes time to drain your pasta it’s not falling over in your kitchen sink.

Pasta Drying Rack – If you’re making your own pasta it needs to dry. This rack will help make sure it’s perfect.

Mortar & Pestle – Grinding spices? Making pesto? You need this to do it properly.

Parmesan Knife – This almond-shaped knife is designed to cut hard parmesan, but can be used for a variety of other cheeses as well.

Ravioli Cutter – Technically you could make ravioli without this gadget, but your creations will look so much more authentic if you do.

Gnocchi Board – Gnocchi needs small impressions in the dough to hold the sauce; you can roll the delicate dough along this board to shape them perfectly.

Olive Oil Decanter – These help you with a neat pour. They can also help you store the oil properly – just make sure you choose a dark-colored one and keep it in a cabinet away from heat and light.

Stovetop Espresso Maker – Once you learn how to make homemade espresso, you may never drive through local espresso stand again.

Serrated Bread Knife – You can’t just use any knife to cut rustic Italian bread or you’ll compress it. To keep it intact, make sure you’re using the right knife.

Cheese Grater – If you’re cooking authentic Italian food, you probably won’t be buying pre-shredded cheese. Buy high-quality cheese and grate it at home!

Cannoli Roller – Don’t forget the cannoli! A roller will help you get the shells to perfect size and shape for stuffing.

Whether you’re looking to boost your own Italian kitchen tool collection or looking for gift inspiration for a loved one for Christmas, we hope this list helps you with ideas. And remember to use Isernio’s in all your Italian dishes to give them that authentic old-world flavor and quality.

What kitchen tools do you find most essential?

The afternoon is waning, and you’ve got nothing planned for dinner. It’s tempting to hop in the car and run to the restaurant down the street or swing through the drive-through on your way home from work.

But aside from the usual deterrents to takeout (low quality! high cost! all that waste!), you might be surprised to realize that it’s really not much of a time-saver. Between the time you spend driving to your favorite restaurant and the time you spend waiting for your order to be filled, you can usually whip up a healthy and respectable meal at home.

Isernio’s loves being your go-to choice for all those complex Italian meals steeped in tradition. But we can also be your biggest time-saver, too. Don’t believe us? Here’s how.

Pre-Cooked Sausages: These are fully cooked, packed with flavor, and ready at a moment’s notice for a meal that’s sure to please. There are a number of ways you can serve these.

TRY IT:

• Alone on your favorite roll or bun
• Slice them and toss with pasta and some store-bought pesto
• Skewer them with zucchini, peppers, and mushrooms and toss on the grill for ten minutes

The possibilities are endless for a healthy, satisfying meal ready in 15 minutes or less.

Sausage Rolls: It takes less than ten minutes to brown a pound of sausage, and if you use our bulk rolls you don’t even have to worry about removing it from the casing, saving you even more time. Sausage is so flavorful in itself that you need very little in the way of seasoning for the rest of your dish.

TRY IT:

• This Orecchiette Pasta with Chicken Sausage and Broccoli cooks the pasta and the broccoli in one pot, minimizing both cook time and clean-up.
• Brown your sausage then add tomato sauce, salt, garlic, and Italian seasonings. Allow to simmer while you cook up a pot of noodles and you’ve got a quick and satisfying spaghetti dinner. It’s even easier if you keep some of our Half Hour Tomato Sauce in your freezer for just such an occasion.

Fresh Sausage: Whether you like traditional or chicken sausage, mild or spicy, Italian or Chicken & Feta, we’ve got plenty of options to keep your quick weeknight meal from being anything but boring.

TRY IT:

• Our Grilled Sausage Sandwiches come together lightning-fast and since your bun is loaded with both meat and veggies, it’s a complete meal in itself and needs no additional sides.
• Roast sausage, potatoes, and peppers on one sheet pan for easy cooking and clean-up. Cut sausages into bite-sized pieces and roast in a 400-degree oven with diced potatoes and cut peppers. This recipe may take a little longer than takeout in the oven, but the hands-on prep time is minimal. Hint: Give the potatoes a 20-minute head start, and cook on parchment to make clean-up a breeze.

Ground Chicken: Once again, browning the meat takes almost no time and you’re ready to assemble a quick, easy, and healthy dinner. Our ground chicken is guaranteed to make your dish a hit; you’ll find it doesn’t dry out like some other ground poultry products and the whole-muscle chicken thighs ensure that it’s packed with flavor.

TRY IT:

• Our Spicy Chicken and Cabbage Lettuce Cups are perfect if you’re craving Chinese food.
• Baja Chicken Tacos will be on the table before you know it.
• Nachos for dinner are even easier. Use store-bought taco seasoning to flavor the chicken, heat up some beans, and assemble a meal everyone in your family will be happy about.

We love to savor time at the table, but we know that in today’s busy world it’s not always possible. Serving Isernio’s for dinner can be even faster than take-out – and a whole lot healthier, too.

What’s your go-to quick & easy meal?

While hamburgers and hot dogs are traditional backyard grilling fare, sometimes you want something a bit different. More unique. More impressive.

Enter the skewer.

Also known as a kebab or kabob, the premise is simple yet elegant: thread a collection of foods onto a metal or bamboo rod and roast it over the coals.

But while it sounds simple, there are some guidelines that we think will help your backyard barbecue creations turn out fantastic.

• Cut all pieces into similar sizes to help them all cook evenly. If some foods are significantly smaller than others, they may be overcooked or even burned by the time the larger pieces are done.
• If you use wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes prior to threading and cooking. This will help keep them from catching on fire when placed on the heat.
• Don’t over-crowd the skewer. Food can be touching, but don’t pack it in too tightly. You want the heat to reach all parts of the food.
• Par-boil potatoes. If skewering potatoes, par-boil them to reduce the time needed on the grill. Otherwise, they’ll take a long time to cook and other veggies will be done far before your potatoes.
• Cook raw meat on a separate skewer. While skewers of meat and veggies look gorgeous, they’re harder to cook well since the meat and veggies often require different cooking times. You also risk cross-contamination by having raw meat touching your vegetables. The safest (and easiest) way to cook your skewers is to leave them separate. 

And now, here are some fun combinations to try with your favorite Isernio’s sausage:

• Hawaiian Skewers. Sausage, pineapple, and red onion basted with a teriyaki glaze.
  
• Mediterranean Skewers. Zucchini, peppers, red onion, and sausage served over grilled flatbread, sprinkled with feta, and topped with tzatziki sauce.
  
• Italian Skewers. Sausage, red and green peppers, and onions basted with Italian dressing.
• Pizza Skewers. Sausage, mushrooms, green peppers, and cherry tomatoes basted with garlic and olive oil and served with marinara sauce.
• Cowboy skewers. Sausage, potatoes, mushrooms, peppers, and small sections of corn on the cob, served with ranch dressing.
• Fajita skewers. Sausage, red & green peppers, red onion, and small sections of corn on the cob basted with butter and lime, and served with tortillas and salsa.

When cooking skewers, you’re only limited by your imagination. Experiment with different veggies, fruits, and sauces. And don’t forget your favorite Isernio’s sausage!