italian, main dishes Ava Dreessen italian, main dishes Ava Dreessen

Creamy Italian Cannellini Bean Soup with Pasta Abruzzese

Hello, once again, and happy Saturday! The weekend is here and so are cooler temperatures with lots of rainy drizzle. I actually love weather like this. And when there is weather like this, soup comes straight to my mind! But alas... I don’t want to have to go out to the store. (Weekends and grocery stores don’t vibe with me. Too many people) so what is there to do with what I already have?!? Hmmm… Beans. I stocked up recently on some lovely dried Italian Cannellini beans. Cannellini beans, known as “fagioli,” are popular in a lot of French and Italian dishes. They are super creamy and have almost a “nutty” flavor. The perfect star of a cozy little soup!

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italian, main dishes Ava Dreessen italian, main dishes Ava Dreessen

Ground Turkey Lasagna Soup

Lasagna and soup combined?? Say no more... Two of my favorite things ever, combined make a glorious soup. Especially on these COLD winter days we have been having. And leftovers?!? You’ll hope you have some! I think this soup is almost better the next day!

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italian, main dishes Ava Dreessen italian, main dishes Ava Dreessen

Italian Sausage and Pepper Subs

Feeling hungry again? After we toured our home in the snow, hats and mittens on, we headed back to my current kitchen to warm up! And what better way to warm up than with some Italian Sausage and Pepper Subs. Squishy white hoagies, buttered with a garlic herb spread, and topped with a quick and easy way to prepare savory sausage and peppers. Spread some mozzarella and Parmesan and put under the broiler briefly, and with one bite you will be transported to sausage heaven. I’m not kidding. Enjoy!

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italian, main dishes Ava Dreessen italian, main dishes Ava Dreessen

Meatball Lasagna

Prepare to be amazed... now, I know my lasagna recipe from my cooking classes is hard to beat, but I think I've actually found a way to! My family even voted on this one as the best. So, needless to say, this recipe was a total hit. I'm so glad I get to share it with you all!

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italian, main dishes Ava Dreessen italian, main dishes Ava Dreessen

Pesto Focaccia Italian Sub

Hello, once again, everyone! You all know how much I love Costco, right? Well, I was wandering around the bakery the other day (eyeing those amazing mini chocolate chip cookies— yes I resisted, I had to) when I came across a new item. Pesto focaccia. Now, I am a super fan of bread— and an even bigger fan of focaccia. But to put the two of these things together was mind blowing! I had to buy, so I did.

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italian, drinks & appetizers, main dishes Ava Dreessen italian, drinks & appetizers, main dishes Ava Dreessen

Roasted Tomato and Garlic Flatbread with Burrata Cheese

In today's newest recipe, we're featuring one of our favorite cheeses, burrata! If you haven't heard of it, take notes now and jot down this delicious recipe while you're at it! I love using fresh ingredients, especially in the summer, and it doesn't take more than a couple drizzles of olive oil to make into a memorable dinner that you can make at home! Hope you all enjoy!

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italian, sides & salads Ava Dreessen italian, sides & salads Ava Dreessen

Caprese Skewer Salad

It's been a kebab-filled summer for us! From those cooked on the grill, we've turned our focus onto ones you can assemble from anywhere-- including a boat! Our family often frequents our lake house on Lake Poinsett, and with that comes all assortments of food to try! This time, we had an amazing caprese kebab that I layered onto a salad... the perfect boat snack! Watch how we made it, and I hope you enjoy all the views along the way!

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italian, main dishes Ava Dreessen italian, main dishes Ava Dreessen

Our Lakehouse Quarantine Recap and Cheesy Focaccia Tuna Melts

For two weeks, we huddled up in our lakehouse cabin on Lake Poinsett in South Dakota. While there were times we were at each others’s necks, this was a wonderful experience and the perfect time to be with the family having delicious drinks and trying new recipes! Here I’ve complied all the little clips I made while we were there, and I think it's a fun way to introduce the behind the scenes, and how I spend my days with my family! In this one, with the leftover focaccia from my last recipe, I paired with it a creamy and cheesy tuna salad recipe to make focaccia tuna melts! So so delicious. And with all of us together having a comfortable time up north for a while, what could be better?

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Sweet and Savory Prosciutto Crostini

Want an easy game day appetizer?? This is it.  Whether you are hosting a fancy dinner or sitting on the sofa cheering on your favorite team, this quick and easy appetizer will be a total hit. But... be forewarned... they may be addictive. You can’t just have one. You may have three. Or like me, perhaps 5 will do the trick. Yeah... I said it. I did it.

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italian, other, main dishes Ava Dreessen italian, other, main dishes Ava Dreessen

Puff Pastry Pizza Pockets

We went to the back of the fridge for this one, but it turned out fabulous! Today, we made pizza pockets with some puff pastry we had on hand, and paired it with a super easy marinara dipping sauce! The perfect school-night dinner, and the perfect recipe to get your kids involved! Hope you all enjoy!

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