Tomasso Trattoria & Panzano Market

Tomasso Trattoria & Panzano Market

Within the last year I’ve discovered Tomasso Trattoria and Panzano Market during my travels to the Framingham, MA area.

Tomasso’s is an authentic Italian trattoria-style restaurant.  A trattoria-style eating establishment is less formal than a ristorante.

Tomasso Trattoria

Located next door to the restaurant, is its sister establishment Panzano Market.  It carries Italian provisions, baked goods, prepared foods and delectable lunch Paninis.  We’ve ordered the pollo, parma and caprese paninis for take out several times.  They are amazing and feature house-made ciabatta rolls that are crispy and delicious!

This time we decided to try Tomasso’s restaurant and were extremely pleased.  The restaurant features a cool wine bar, quaint dining room, private dining room and a chef’s counter seating giving a panoramic view into the open kitchen.

 

Tomasso’s chef’s counter seating gives a panoramic view into the open kitchen

The menu features Tuscan Italian style food that changes weekly.  I liked that it features locally sourced produce, fish, cheeses and meats, since I’m a big proponent of eating locally grown products.  The menu denotes which farms the products come from in the MA, RI, NY and NH areas.

After reviewing the menu, we decided to order two servings of the Arancini for our appetizer.  The deep fried risotto balls were crispy and delicious with the homemade pomodoro sauce.  Unfortunately we scoffed them up so quickly I didn’t get a photo.

The breadbasket was another highlight before our meals arrived.  It featured homemade traditional Italian and Focaccia breads with olive oil for dipping.  The focaccia bread was so light and flavorful.  It reminded me of my Nona’s.

For dinner I ordered the Capesante – seared sea scallops with pea risotto, leaks and caramelized citrus.

Capesante – seared sea scallops with pea risotto, leaks and caramelized citrus

The scallops were well seared with a nice crust on top but tender inside that they melted in your mouth.  This dish was the perfect selection for me as it combined my two favorites – sea scallops and risotto.

Others ordered the Tagliatelle Bolognese in the entrée size. The dish featured hand-cut pasta full of a rich, flavorful meat sauce.  The portion was huge – enough for a second meal.

Tagliatelle Bolognese

We were very tempted by several of the enticing items on the dessert menu, but refrained because we were full from our meal and the appetizer.

The wait staff was excellent and extremely attentive.  My water glass was never below half full.

I highly recommend both Panzano’s Market and Tomasso Trattoria if you’re in the Framingham, MA area…both are worth the drive from CT!

 

Have you ever eaten at an Italian market or Trattoria-style restaurant?

What’s your favorite Italian food?  

Pasta with sausage, tomato and cream sauce

Pasta with sausage, tomato and cream sauce

When I was a kid, I always knew what was for dinner by the day of the week.  Mondays were always soup and a chicken dish.  Tuesdays and Thursdays were a meat, potato and vegetable meal.  Fridays were always fish – even if it wasn’t lent.  And, Wednesdays were always pasta with homemade marinara sauce, meatballs and sausage.

I’m not sure how the correlation between Wednesdays and spaghetti began.  Maybe it was from the 1969 Prince spaghetti slogan, “Wednesday is Prince spaghetti Day.”  Generations of Americans still recall the company’s memorable slogan and little Anthony running through the streets of Boston’s north end to be home for his momma’s spaghetti dinner. Take a trip down memory lane by watching that commercial at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlNAYCcxgUw

While I do make my own homemade traditional marinara sauce, I’ve also come to love several variations of the time-honored sauce recipe.

Here’s my recipe for pasta with a sausage, tomato and light cream sauce.  It’s a hearty sauce with a delicate flavor from the turkey sausage and light cream.  Try it for a variation from your traditional spaghetti sauce.

Pasta with sausage, tomato and cream sauce

Pasta with sausage, tomato and cream sauce

Ingredients:

1 lb. sweet turkey sausage, casing removed

2 tbsp olive oil

1 c. chopped yellow onion

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1, 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes

1, 8oz cans of tomato sauce

2/3 c. light cream (measure it out and set it aside so it’s not too cold.  Otherwise it may curdle when adding into the warm sauce)

¼ c chopped Italian parsley

¼ c chopped fresh basil

1 lb. pasta

Directions:

In a large sized skillet with a lid, heat the oil over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and sauté until the onion is tender.  Add the garlic and continue sautéing for 3 minutes.  Be careful not to let the garlic burn.  Add the sausage and cook until it is no longer pink, breaking it up into small pieces with a potato masher hand kitchen utensil.  Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, parsley and cream.  Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes.  Just before adding the sauce to the hot pasta, add in the fresh basil.

Mmm! The sauce is simmering.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, according to the package instructions. While I’ve used farfalle pasta for this recipe, I recently found this Colavita brand of fettuccini pasta at Walmart’s grocery store.  I think it tastes like homemade pasta.

Colavita brand fettuccini pasta nests

Drain the pasta.  Add the sausage sauce to the hot pasta and toss until the sauce coats the pasta.

Makes 4-6 servings, depending on portion size.  I pair it with a simple garden salad and garlic bread.

 

What’s your favorite kind of pasta sauce?

Do you make homemade spaghetti sauce?

Southwest Ground Chicken Burgers

Southwest Ground Chicken Burgers

Now that spring is here and thoughts turn to warmer weather activities, I’m betting your menus are taking advantage of the season changes.

For me the warmer weather means firing up the barbeque and grilling.  But after a few weeks, you might find your typical hamburger and hot dog menu gets old.  Try this variation to the typical hamburger.

Southwest ground chicken burgers

 

Southwest Ground Chicken Burgers

1 lb. ground chicken

¼ c. egg substitute

6 tbsp. dried breadcrumbs

1 jalapeño, seeded and minced (optional)

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. chili powder

½ tsp. salt

4 whole wheat, light hamburger buns

Combine the egg substitute, breadcrumbs, jalapeno, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder and salt in a medium bowl.  Add in the ground chicken and mix together so the spices are combined with the meat.  With damp hands, form mixture into 4 patties.

Spray the grill with non-stick spray.  Cook the patties over medium heat, about 6-8 minutes on each side.  Serve on the buns.

I pair the burgers with potato (both white and sweet) potato wedges and cucumber slices.

I typically make the 4 patties and freeze 2 for another meal.

 

What’s your favorite meal to cook on the grill?

Have you started grilling yet?  

Millwright’s Tavern

Millwright’s Tavern

Millwright’s Tavern in Simsbury offers a quaint atmosphere, renowned for a New England-style colonial tavern.  Set above a waterfall in a 17^th century gristmill, it is more than just a place to enjoy a burger and a beer.  The upscale tavern is cozy and casual and features a gourmet experience of New England inspired cuisine – definitely not your typical pub food.

We chose to eat at Millwright’s before heading to The Bushnell to see The Book of Mormon’s play.  It was our second time eating here.  I reviewed the Tavern for the Valley Press right after it first opened.  Each time, I’ve had an outstanding experience – both service and food!

The tavern menu offers a range of exciting choices, highlighting fresh ingredients.  Our group decided to begin with the johnnycake meal biscuits and a series of appetizers.

My husband and I shared the Arancini, which are fried rice balls with sausage and parmesan with a smoked tomato aioli.

Arancini appetizer

 

For my entrée, I chose the roast cauliflower “steak.”  It was served with quinoa, turnip and black currant puree.  The flavor was amazing and I enjoyed every bite!

Roast cauliflower “steak”

My husband chose the fish and chips, which was a hearty portion — enough for two.

Despite our full bellies, we opted to share a dessert.  We chose the caramel bar.  It’s a combination of milk chocolate with crushed pretzels and peanuts with a side of house-made milk sorbet.  The presentation was as wonderful as was every bite.

Caramel bar

Chef Tyler Anderson, owner and executive chef at Millwrights, creates unique food at Millwright’s Tavern that is truly a delicious culinary experience!

 

Have you dined at Millwright’s restaurant or tavern?

Did you know that Chef Tyler Anderson was a season two winner of Food Network’s “Chopped” challenge television show?

Broccoli and Ham Quiche

Broccoli and Ham Quiche

Quiche is a very versatile meal.  You can serve it for dinner, lunch or brunch.  You can “healthify” it by filling it with vegetables and lean protein.  Keep the entire meal light and fit by pairing it with a side salad and fresh fruit.

Here’s an easy recipe for broccoli and ham quiche, but you could fill it with several other options (e.g., tomato and turkey bacon, crabmeat).  It’s hearty enough to get “real men to eat quiche.”  But if the 1980’s cliché, “real men don’t eat quiche” still threatens the men in your home, try calling it “broccoli and ham pie.”  Because what guy wouldn’t want pie for dinner?

Broccoli and ham quiche

Broccoli and Ham Quiche

½ c light mayonnaise

2 tbsp flour

½ c egg substitutes

½ c fat free milk

½ tsp dried chives

½ tsp dried dill weed

1 ½ c cooked broccoli florets

½ c ham, cubed

1 c fat free shredded cheddar cheese or shredded Swiss cheese

¼ c sliced scallions

1 store-bought refrigerated pie crust

 

Spray a 9” pie or quiche plate with non-stick spray.  Line the plate with the pie crust.  Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the first six ingredients until blended.  Stir in the broccoli, ham, cheese and scallions.  Pour the wet mixture into the pastry-lined pie plate.  Make sure the wet mixture is spread evenly across the crust.

Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and until a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Serve it warm or at room temperature.  Yields 4-6 servings.  I paired it with a tomato and cucumber salad.

Quiche paired with tomato and cucumber salad

 

Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.  The leftovers are delicious, reheated the next day.

What’s your favorite “flavor” of quiche?

Do you have a good quiche recipe?