Italian Pasta and Dessert - No need to go to Olive Garden!

Pasta With Creamy Tomato Sauce

This recipe is from my favorite cooks American's Test Chicken. They don't try to make things easy they try to make thing really authentically yummy. So if you are up for something that will take some time and want to try some knew things you would have to pay $20 dollars for at a nice Italian restaurant then I high recommend this. Some nights its all about cheap fast food but others it a time for me to stretch my cooking muscles and discover that I cook like a chef if I work for it! We really liked this. And its not too un-healthy it only calls for half a cup of cream so its not too bad.

This pasta is best served with a short pasta like ziti, penne, or fusillli.

3 TB unsalted butter
1 ounce prosciutto, mined (about 2 TB) - I found it by the deli at walmart so you should be able
to get it too
1 mall onion diced fine
1 bay leaf
Pinch of Red Pepper flakes
Table Salt
3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press
2 TB tomato paste
2 ounces oil packed sun dried tomatoes, drained, and patted dry, and chopped coarse ( about 3
table spoons
1/2 cup dry white wine (I substituted with chicken broth)
2 cups crushed tomatoes 28 ounce can (they were out at my store so I used petite diced
tomatoes)
1 pound pasta
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
Ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
Grated Parmesan cheese

Strawberries and Homemade Lemon Ice Cream

I don't think this is Italian but it seems like it works well enough. It reminds me of Italian ice and ice cream though I know it isn't much like either of them. But it is just as good! I think this is perfect in the Spring and Summer. Its full of Bright Fresh flavors and honestly it is super easy. I also like it not frozen. I do a reverse. Frozen sweetened strawberries and the cream not frozen just whipped. Have fun with it and make it your own.

Juice from 3 small lemons or 2 large lemons
lemon Zest from 3 small lemons or 2 large lemons
1/4 to 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 baskets Strawberries
1/8 cup sugar

In a large bowl mix the lemon juice, 2/3 thirds of the lemon zest and sugar. Then add the Heavy whipping cream and mix on high until it is a soft whipped cream texture. test to make sure it has a strong lemon flavor that is tart bu still sweet. Then cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in the freezer. Remove the frozen lemons when desert time has arrived. Rinse and cup your strawberries. add sugar until as sweet as you like it . With an ice cream scoop, scoop out some frozen lemon whipped cream into a serving dish. Then spoon some strawberries on top. For a final touch sprinkle the top with some lemon zest. It is pretty, rich , and still very refreshing. Sounds like a prefect spring desert to me! :O)