Italian Appetizers and Side Dish Ideas

MARINATED MUSHROOMS

½ pound mushrooms, rinsed and sliced

2/3 cup vinegar

½ cup vegetable oil

1 medium clove garlic

2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley

Combine all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for ate least 2 hours, stirring at least once. After you serve the mushrooms, you can use the remaining liquids and seasoning as salad dressing.

ITALIAN SALAD WITH ARTICHOKE HEARTS

1 head of romaine, cut into bite-size pieces.

14 ounce can of artichoke hearts, cut into quarters

2 ¼ ounce can of sliced black olives

½ cup grated parmesan

1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes cut in halves

Combine all ingredients and toss with Basil Vinaigrette.

BASIL VINAIGRETTE

½ cup olive oil

½ cup balsamic vinegar

1 cup fresh basil

2 cloves garlic

Combine all ingredients in the blender.

ROSEMARY SQUASH AND POTATOS

Medium potato - 2 ½-inch diameter (120 calories, 2.5 g protein, 10% fiber, 29% vitamin A)

½ Tablespoon oil (60 calories)

½ teaspoon rosemary

½ medium yellow squash (15 calories, 28% vitamin C, 9% fiber)

Scrub the potato. Wrap the potato in a wet paper towel and microwave on high for 1 minute. Let stand for 2 minutes.

Cut the potato and the ½ squash into pieces. Place the vegetables in a microwave-safe container. Cut the rosemary and sprinkle it over the vegetables. Drizzle the oil over the vegetables. Microwave for 2 ½ minutes.

Season with black pepper.

GARLIC SAUTEED VEGETABLES

1 Tablespoon olive oil

2 cloves of garlic

8 ounce package of mushrooms, sliced

10 ounce bag of fresh spinach

2 roma tomatoes

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Then add the garlic and mushrooms. After about four minutes, as mushrooms start to shrink and darken, add the spinach. When the spinach is almost wilted, add tomatoes. Stir the vegetables to heat the tomatoes. Serve these vegetables alone or serve them over pasta, rice, or chicken.