Olive Garden
Olive Garden and 5 Minutes for Mom have enjoyed sharing with you a peek into Olive Garden’s kitchen and the source of the restaurant’s culinary inspiration – Italy!
Over the past four weeks we’ve shared Italian cooking techniques that Olive Garden chefs use in their restaurants every day, and that you can apply at home for your family. With culinary expert insights from Olive Garden Executive Chef and mom Marie Grimm, we’ve brought you family-friendly food tips like sauce layering, pairing food with wine and sauce with pasta, a fresh herb how-to, olive oil and garlic primers, and a crusting technique. Chef Marie even opened Olive Garden’s cookbook and gave us recipes for Tuscan Garlic Chicken and Panna Cotta!
If you haven’t yet, check out Janice’s national TV debut with Chef Marie, where we discussed culinary time-saving tips for busy moms.
If you don’t feel like cooking, there’s still time to try Olive Garden’s limited-time dishes – Tuscan Garlic Chicken and Tuscan Garlic Shrimp – and enter to win a trip to Olive Garden’s Culinary Institute of Tuscany in Italy!
Last Chance to Win a $100 Olive Garden Gift Card!
This week’s challenge is all about you!
Leave a comment below telling us if this Olive Garden culinary workshop has inspired you in the kitchen – or maybe just inspired a craving to go out Italian!
We’ll randomly select one winner from the comments to win a $100 Olive Garden gift card. Your feedback will help us bring you more great content, so thank you!
This Week: The Dessert Course
We couldn’t close our culinary tour of Italy without exploring the country’s rich and decadent desserts!
Scroll down now to:
- Discover a recipe for Panna Cotta with Raspberry Sauce – perfect for spring al fresco dining.
- learn more about food and wine pairing – this time with dessert!
Even though this is our final culinary lesson, you can find more great tips, recipes, and videos any time on Olive Garden’s sites.
For recipes:
http://www.olivegarden.com/recipes/
For Italian culinary:
http://www.olivegarden.com/culinary/italian_essentials/
For cooking videos and to learn more about Olive Garden’s Culinary Institute of Tuscany:
http://www.youtube.com/user/OGVideo
http://www.youtube.com/olivegardensitaly
For the menu:
http://www.olivegarden.com/menus/
Win a Trip to Italy
You have only a few more days to enter, and remember you can enter every day! For a chance to experience Italy’s culinary inspiration firsthand, enter Olive Garden’s Trip to Italy Sweepstakes.
Just imagine…
The grand prize winner will receive an 8-day guided trip for two to Rome and Florence with a visit to Olive Garden’s Culinary Institute of Tuscany.
Located in the heart of Tuscany in a restored 11th-century village in Castellina in Chianti, the Culinary Institute of Tuscany provides inspiration for Olive Garden’s menu and a unique training experience for more than 100 managers who are selected to attend the institute each year.
To learn more about the training Olive Garden chefs and team members experience at the restaurant’s Culinary Institute of Tuscany, visit http://www.olivegarden.com/culinary/cit/
Recipe: Panna Cotta with Raspberry Sauce
Italian for cooked cream, panna cotta is a light, silky custard often flavored with vanilla. It’s served chilled, accompanied with fruit or chocolate sauce.
Ingredients
1 1/2 qt heavy cream
1/2 qt whole milk
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract or ½ vanilla bean, cut in half lengthwise
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
8 oz fresh raspberries
1/3 cup powdered sugar
PANNA COTTA
- COMBINE heavy cream, milk, sugar, salt and vanilla in a glass bowl. Mix well.
- HEAT bowl over double boiler until it registers 180°F on a thermometer. Remove from heat and remove vanilla bean.
- DISSOLVE gelatin in the cream. Mix well.
- PORTION into small glass containers and cover with plastic wrap.
- CHILL in refrigerator until cold, preferably overnight.
SAUCE
- BLEND raspberries on high speed until nice and smooth. Strain to remove all seeds. Add powdered sugar and mix well.
- COVER and refrigerate overnight.
TO SERVE:
- LOOSEN panna cotta from sides of small containers.
- INVERT onto small serving plate.
- DRIZZLE with chilled raspberry sauce.
- SERVE immediately.
Culinary Lesson: Week 4
Dessert & Wine Pairings
According to Chef Marie, as a general rule, when pairing a dessert with wine choose a wine that is as sweet or sweeter than the dessert.
- The traditional box of chocolates pairs well with a semi-sweet, semi-sparkling (spumante) red dessert wine such as Braccetto di Aqui.
- Chocolate mousse with fresh raspberries, or another rich, chocolate dessert, can be enhanced with a full-bodied red such as a Ruby Port.
- A cream dessert like panna cotta (cooked cream and fresh berries) is best paired with a late-harvest Riesling or a late-harvest Sauvignon Blanc.
- Olive Garden’s Lemon Cream Cake with its mild citrus flavors is enjoyable with Asti, a light and effervescent Italian dessert wine.
Grazie to Our Chef!
The guest chef on 5 Minutes for Mom throughout our culinary tour of Italy is Chef Marie Grimm, Director of Culinary Development at Olive Garden. Marie’s passion for food and cooking was inherited from her mother, who crafted the family’s meals from scratch. At Olive Garden, Chef Marie helps transform dish concepts, inspired from Italy, into a reality for guests.
In this video, Chef Marie speaks about the Italian inspiration behind the dishes at Olive Garden.
Watch more great videos at Olive Garden’s
Culinary Institute of Tuscany YouTube Channel.
Olive Garden TV
Remember to check out Janice with Chef Marie from Olive Garden discussing timesaving tips for busy moms. The segment has been aired on TV and radio to an audience of almost 900,000 people!
Watch more great videos at Olive Garden’s
Culinary Institute of Tuscany YouTube Channel.
Cooking Technique: Week 3
Crusting
How to Add Flavor, Texture, and Moisture to Meats, Poultry, and Seafood
According to Chef Marie, crusting, or the coating of meats, poultry and seafood prior to cooking, is a simple and versatile way to add interesting textures and flavor combinations to almost any dish. Crusting can be done with a variety of spices, cheeses, breadcrumbs and nuts, or with less traditional ingredients such as sesame seeds or coconut. This technique seals in moisture, adds texture and flavor and makes for a great presentation.
You can create a delicious crusted dish by following these simple steps:
- First, select a lean, thin cut of what you want to coat. This will prevent the coating from burning before the inside is thoroughly cooked.
- Next, determine what ingredient(s) you will use in the crust, then chop or process them until they are crumb-like in size. Choose one of the following ingredients or create your own combination – you can use items you already have on hand in the pantry and fridge.
Cheese
Combine grated Parmesan cheese with crumbled breadcrumbs for a coating similar to the one in Olive Garden’s Parmesan Crusted Tilapia.
Nuts
Finely chopped peanuts, almonds, cashews, pistachio or macadamia nuts create a rich and flavorful crust.
Spices
Spices such as red pepper, cumin or Italian herbs including rosemary, oregano and sage add a zesty and lighter-style layer.
Get Creative!
Sesame seeds or baked shredded potatoes add a wonderful crunch and texture. - Start by dipping the meat, poultry or seafood in flour, shaking off any excess. Next, lightly coat in egg whites. Then, pat crumbs on one or both sides and place on a cooling rack to air-dry in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Now, it’s time to cook. For thicker cuts of meat, poultry or seafood, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. On the stove top, heat oil in a large nonstick, bake proof pan. Sauté food in the pan for approximately two to three minutes on each side until golden and a crust begins to form. Place pan in the oven and cook until desired level of doneness or internal temperature is reached.
- Thin cuts of meat, poultry or fish with heartier crusts can be sautéed on the stove top until cooked through; while foods with a very delicate crust or a crust only on top should be baked in the oven and left unturned.
Culinary Lesson: Week 3
Tips for Enhancing Flavor with Garlic
Garlic is the quintessential Italian seasoning and can enhance the flavor of almost any dish. According to Chef Marie, garlic is extremely versatile and has the ability to take on a variety of flavors and strengths, depending on how it is prepared and cooked.
Selecting & Using Garlic
Buying: Bulbs should be firm and plump with dry skins, preferably with a hint of purple coloring. Avoid heads with soft or shriveled cloves and those stored in the refrigerated section of the produce department.
Peeling: To loosen the skin, soak cloves in plain water for at least one hour; or, drop cloves in a hot pan and sauté for 30 seconds, remove, cool and gently press with the flat blade of a knife.
Tasting: Crushing, chopping, pressing or pureeing garlic creates a chemical reaction and releases essential oils for a more intense flavor. The more garlic is chopped, the stronger the flavor. Conversely, the longer garlic is cooked, the less pungent and flavorful it becomes.
Smelling: The smell and taste of garlic often remains long after its consumption. To remedy this, try chewing on fresh parsley, a natural mouth freshener, or a spoonful of sunflower seeds. To remove the scent from fingers, rub hands with salt or lemon and rinse under cold water.
Storing: Garlic can be stored at room temperature in an open container or cloth sack for a few weeks. And while fresh is best, to keep garlic for an extended period of time, peel the cloves and store in olive oil in the refrigerator.
Cooking with Garlic
- To create a sweet, subtle flavor, add whole garlic cloves early in the cooking process and allow the garlic to cook longer. Remove before serving.
- For a stronger flavor, finely chop garlic and add just before the cooking time is complete.
- To create a toasty flavor, slowly sauté garlic in one tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat until the garlic turns a light golden color, then add other ingredients.
- To avoid bitterness, do not allow garlic to overheat and turn brown, which can occur if garlic is added to a skillet that is too hot.
BONUS Culinary Lesson: Week 3
What’s Your Oil IQ?
How to Use Different Types of Olive Oil
Why use olive oil? Olive oil has a high percentage of monounsaturated fat, which is healthier than polyunsaturated fats found in corn oil and saturated fats in butter. Because olive oil is vegetable based, it is cholesterol-free. It is also rich in vitamins A, B-1, B-2, C, D, E and K and iron.
Not all olive oils are created equal, according to Chef Marie. Every grade has a distinct quality and flavor, making each suitable for different uses and cooking methods.
For dressings, dipping and marinades
Chef Marie recommends premium extra-virgin olive oil. These oils are of the highest quality and considered to have the best taste. They come from the “first press” of the olives and are unprocessed. Drizzle over cold appetizers such as tomato and mozzarella caprese, crusty breads or cooked vegetables. However, these oils should not be heated. Because of their low acidity, warming these oils will create a loss of flavor.
Flavored olive oils typically combine extra-virgin olive oil with citrus or various herbs and spices such as rosemary, garlic, peppercorns, parsley, oregano, hot peppers, thyme or basil.
For high-heat cooking methods such as sautéing, pan-frying or broiling
Use virgin olive oil. Also unprocessed, it has a slightly higher acidity level than premium or extra-virgin olive oils.
For deep frying
Because of its high burning point, pure olive oil is ideal for deep frying. It is a blend of refined and virgin olive oils and is the most common of olive oils, often used to add flavor and coloring.
For baking
Commonly used for baking, light olive oil is not a quality grade nor does it have anything to do with calorie count. The term “light” refers to the oil’s color and mildness of flavor.
Recipe from Week 2
Tuscan Garlic Chicken
Chef Marie Says: Through April 12, Olive Garden brings back guest favorite Tuscan Garlic Chicken and debuts Tuscan Garlic Shrimp, two dishes inspired by the restaurant’s Culinary Institute of Tuscany. The dishes feature a flavorful blend of herb-seasoned chicken or shrimp sautéed with oven-roasted garlic, sweet roasted red peppers and spinach served in a white wine and garlic cream sauce and tossed with curly fettuccine – and it’s the sauce that makes these two dishes special.
The white wine and garlic cream sauce is created with simple, fresh ingredients layered in steps to build and accentuate the wonderful flavors of each ingredient. The combination of Italian herbs and sweet roasted garlic with the texture of the cream and acidity of the white wine makes this a creamy yet light sauce, perfect for spring.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients
4 each (4 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 cups flour, plus 1 tablespoon
1 Tbsp salt
2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 lb fettuccine pasta, cooked according to package directions
5 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp garlic, chopped
1 red pepper, julienne cut
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 lb whole leaf spinach, stemmed
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Steps
- PRE-HEAT oven to 350ºF.
- MIX 1½ cups flour, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning in a shallow dish. Dredge chicken in the mixture, shaking off any excess.
- HEAT 3 Tbsp oil in a large skillet. Cook chicken breasts 2 at a time over medium-high heat until golden brown and crisp (2-3 min). Add more oil for each batch as necessary.
- PLACE cooked chicken breasts on a baking sheet and transfer to preheated oven. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- HEAT 2 Tbsp oil in a sauce pan. Add garlic and red pepper and cook for approximately 1 minute. Stir in 1 Tbsp flour, wine, spinach and cream and bring to a boil. Sauce is done when spinach becomes wilted. Complete by stirring in parmesan cheese.
- COAT cooked, drained pasta with sauce, then top with chicken and remaining sauce. Garnish with extra Parmesan cheese.
Click here for more great Olive Garden recipes, including soups, appetizers, entrees, and desserts!
Culinary Lesson: Week 2
Fresh Herbs 101 – Tips for Buying and Preserving Herbs
Fresh herbs provide added zest and enhance the flavors of food without adding calories, salt or fat. Chef Marie recommends the following must-have fresh herbs in your kitchen for preparing flavorful Italian dishes:
- Basil
- Oregano
- Italian flat-leaf parsley
- Rosemary
- Sage
- Tarragon
- Thyme
- Marjoram
- Mint
Here are her tips for buying herbs and keeping them fresh:
- When choosing fresh herbs, pick those with a clean, fresh fragrance and a bright color without any sign of wilting or browning. The oils that give herbs their flavor can escape if the leaves, seeds or stems are injured. Take care in handling them and use just enough to be cooked, dried or frozen that day.
- Fresh herbs can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. Rinse fresh herbs in cool water and place them on a paper towel. Gently roll herbs in the paper towel and moisten with a fine mist until lightly damp. Place wrapped herbs in an airtight container and refrigerate. Each time you remove some herbs for cooking, replace the remainder in a new, damp paper towel and refrigerate.
- Since fresh herbs are not always readily available, Chef Marie suggests freezing some when you can. First, rinse herbs and pat dry. Divide herbs into smaller portions and freeze in airtight bags. Another method is to place chopped, fresh herbs into ice cube trays and cover with an equal amount of water before freezing. Once cubes are frozen, place in sealed bags to maintain freshness.
The Secret’s in the Sauce – Choosing the Best Pasta Shapes
Choosing the best sauce for a pasta dish is as important to your meal’s success as selecting the right wine. Considerations are the shape, texture and density of the pasta and how they complement the varying weights and ingredients of the sauce.
Just in time for National Sauce Month, Chef Marie offers these tips for pairing pasta and sauces:
- Angel hair pasta, with its delicate shape, is best paired with a rich broth or a light sauce such as tomato pomodoro, marinara or pesto.
- Spaghetti and linguine or tubular pastas such as penne or ziti work best with sauces bursting with chunks of sausage, meats, garden fresh vegetables or seafood as these shapes hold sauce well.
- Fettuccine, lasagna and other flat, thick noodles are made to be paired with heavier meat or cream-based sauces, such as alfredo or bolognese.
- And with these sauces, Olive Garden suggests some great wine pairings:
| SAUCE | WINE PAIRING |
| Pesto | Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc |
| Marinara | Chardonnay, Sangiovese, or Pinot Noir |
| Seafood | Pinot Grigio or Chardonnay |
| Alfredo | Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, or Vernaccia |
| Meat sauce | Chianti Classico Riserva, Barolo, or Amarone |
For more tips, check out Olive Garden’s food and wine pairing tool.
Culinary Lesson: Week 1
Building Flavor Layer-by-Layer
Chef Marie Says: The technique of layering ingredients, or adding them in cooking stages, builds exceptional flavor in any dish, particularly when making an Italian sauce from scratch. Layering has long been a traditional part of cooking in Italy and around the world.
Creating an authentic and flavorful Italian sauce from scratch is an easy process if you follow these three key steps:
- The first layer is the battuto, the rich base of flavor every Italian chef starts with when preparing sauce. Preheat olive oil and add base ingredients of chopped celery, onions and carrots. If desired, a small amount of meat such as pancetta, a lightly seasoned Italian bacon, can be added to the battuto just for seasoning. If meat is used, little or no oil is needed because of its natural fat content. Sauté until steam dissipates. Add garlic and parsley last, in order to maintain their flavor.
- When the onion becomes translucent and the garlic turns a pale, golden color, the sauce has entered the second stage or soffritto. At this point, add meant if desired, such as ground beef or sausage, and cook until steam dissipates. Next, add wine to help balance the flavors. Lafata recommends a medium-bodied red wine, such as Chianti, and, to enhance the dining experience, cook with the same type of wine you plan to serve with the meal. Briefly cook the wine in the soffritto on medium heat to completely evaporate the alcohol.
- Insaporire, which means "to give flavor," is the final layer, when pureed tomatoes or paste, herbs (except delicate basil) and vegetables, such as mushrooms, bell peppers and olives, are added to the pan. Sauté until all the ingredients have been coated with the flavors of the onion and garlic. Sugar (or a high-quality Balsamic vinegar), salt, pepper and additional garlic can be added here to taste.
Tomato sauce should simmer for 30 minutes to one hour. A sauce with meat should simmer for two to four hours. To complete your sauce, add basil during the last 20 minutes of cooking. Garnish with fresh, chopped parsley before serving.
Don’t forget
That trip to Italy sounds good, doesn’t it? Ahhhhh… I’m dreaming about it now…
Remember to post a comment below about below telling us if this Olive Garden culinary workshop has inspired you in the kitchen – or maybe just inspired a craving to go out Italian!
Your comment might win you a $100 Olive Garden gift card.
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{ 350 comments… read them below or add one }
I most want to know about olive oil. Olive oil is like wine with its different uses, tastes, fragrances, etc. I would love to know how to decide wich kind of olive oil is best for various uses.
I’d like to learn some easy techniques.
I’m into easy. I love Italian food, but I generally go pre-packaged, even frozen dinners, because I don’t have time to cook. What are some authentic, good, and QUICK recipes?!
I would love to know the steps to making pasta from scratch – and also recipes for some Italian appetizers.
Oh I love Olive Garden. I also LOVE Italy. We went there for our honeymoon. I’d love to know more about making Italian dishes like manicotti and lasagna that taste as good as a restaurant. Is it possible to do in a short period of time? Thanks so much for this.
What a neat prize! The American version of Italian food has a reputation for being high-calorie, with all the cheese and pasta. I am wondering if “real” Italian cooking is that way, and what are some ways to make it less calorie-dense.
I’d like to know how they make their breadsticks so darn addicting!
And really how to make their minestrone soup. It seems simple to make, but the flavors are so rich. Thanks!
alexandra dot hancock at gmail dot com
How fun is this! I LOVE Italian food but never venture far from the basics. I would love to learn the different spices and dishes eaten in Italy.
I’m so excited you all are doing this! Olive Garden is one of my favorite places to eat!
I’d like to know if they will be coming out with any more dipping sauces for the bread sticks? I love their bread sticks and pasta fagioli soup.
I just need some quick and easy, tasty and authentic recipes!! Thanks for the giveaway!
OG is my favorite restaurant! The chicken alfredo is my favorite, and the breadsticks are so yummy. What I want to know is how they cook the noodles just right. I have a horrible time getting noodles right, they always end up too hard or too soft.
Wow! So great that you guys are doing this, I LOVE Olive Garden!
Hmmm… what would I like to learn to cook like an Italian Momma? I think the real question is what WOULDN’T I like to learn?! Can’t wait to read your future posts here and start picking up some tips.
I would LOVE some recipes. I LOVE pasta and the Olive Garden but unfortunately I don’t get there too often!
I would love to learn how to make a hearty sauce that goes with everything.
I would like to know some make-ahead sauces or other meals I could freeze for later.
I want to learn how to make Zuppa Toscana and the salad dressing. That stuff is so addictive! My kids also love Italian, so I’d love to learn how to make other kinds of pasta for kids.
I’d like to learn how to make shrimp scampi like at Olive Garden. Soooo good!
I’d like to learn how to make gnocchi.
I would love to learn about the sauces in Italian cooking. I know there must be secrets that I have yet to discover! Great give a way!
twitter susieqtpie
facebook Susan A Chambers Buetow
Olive garden is where we go for our date nights. I’d love to learn how to select better ingredients!
I’d love to know what the differences are in Olive Oil and the right uses for specific pasta noodles. Also I’d love to know how to prepare more than just tomato based Italian dishes.
I am a recipe hound, so I’d love to find new and fabulous recipes!
I would love to learn more about different wines and how to distinguish what types of wine to serve with different dishes. and i think my husband would love for me to learn some more italian dishes to make!
I’d like to know how to make dishes that are beyond the usual spaghetti and lasagna.
I know fresh herbs are always better, but how do you know when you have added just that bit to much of one…like garlic or basil or even bay leaves?
I would love to learn about making pasta from scratch. I’m a huge fan of Italian cooking but have never attempted doing homemade pasta. A good lesson in this would be helpful.
I would like to learn how to get just the right combination of spices to get that authentic Italian taste
I would love to know how to easily make fresh pasta at home!
no stations in my area but I would love tips for great tasting meals and how to cook with capers
I did take the poll, forgot to mention until I hit submit on the last comment, lol
I’d love to learn more about Italian cheeses! What makes a good parmesan, etc.
Wow! What fabulous questions, Ladies. My mouth is watering just reading all these questions.
I’d love to learn some techniques and some recipes. This is a great project!
What a fun giveaway! I’d love to learn more about pairing wine with my meals.
Food and wine pairing! I love to cook and I love wine but have little idea what goes with what!
Thanks!
Incredible! I love the idea of learning some “tips and tricks” for preparing meals in my own kitchen. Making an Italian sauce from scratch seems simple enough – I’ll definitely try it!
I’d love to be able to make a delicious alfredo sauce easily!
My husband is a chef we love Olive Garden!
I LOVE Italian food…and Olive Garden is by far my favorite restaurant for it! Garlic Herb Chicken Con Broccoli? YUM! I would enjoy learning how to make a good garlic cream sauce!
Yummm! I love Olive Garden. My husband is a huge Italian food lover, I’d love to learn to make some of the yummy recipes.
I have always wanted to know what it is about their salad dressing that makes it appealing to so many people. It is one of the tastiest ever!
I have never really given it much thought, since my Italian cooking is pretty basic. But I would like to learn more about the different sauces and what dishes they go best with.
I most want to learn healthier ways to cook Italian foods.
I want to learn some recipes and trade secrets that might make my life easier or our dinners more yummy!!
I don’t like to cook so how do I get the yummy tastes the quickest & easiest way! …I know, just eat at Olive Garden all the time! (0:
I became a vegetarian twelve years ago. I would love some recipes that are heavier on the vegetables and lighter on the pasta. I would like to see more of these kinds of recipies at the restaurants, too.
I would like to learn how to make many different dishes using many of the same ingredients. So, if I go grocery shopping and buy ingredients to make a particular dish, I can maximize my grocery budget and use some same ingredients for a completely different dish the next night.
I would love to learn how to make the perfect Alfredo Sauce. Mine always seems to runny or thick!
I would love to know how to use the different herbs in Italian Cooking.
I would like to know how to make the wonderful breadsticks. I am going to Olive Garden tonight with my hubby and friends! Thanks for the chance to win!
I would like to learn to make a wider variety of sauces… it seems that when we have pasta dishes, we always have either marinara or Alfredo sauce atop it.
I love to know how to make good raviolis.
I’d love to know more about fresh herbs and spices and what recipes to use each of them for. I’d also love to know more about how to grow fresh herbs on my own.
I’d love how to make a great light non tomato sauce that all my family would love. And what wine is great to have with it!
I would like to learn to make Alfredo Sauce just like they do at Olive Garden. Mine didn’t turn out too good…..
I’d also like to learn how to make a tasty but easy Garlic Alfredo Sauce!! I’ve never quite mastered this. Thanks for the giveaway!
I want to be able to “whip” up a quick and easy pasta using garlic and maybe a couple other ingredients tat tastes magnificent!
I’m always on the look out for tasty new recipes, and we love Italian food around this house!
i want to learn how to make great tasting sauce from scratch, with fresh ingrediants of course. i also want to learn how to make those great breadsticks from olive garden!
I would like to learn some easy techniques to prepare authentic tasting Italian dishes at home.
I love Italian food and would enjoy learning some new recipes to make at home.
What ingredients can you not replace or do without in Italian cooking?
I like fresh basil and garlic in everything, but I don’t always have fresh basil or garlic and have to use dry.
What I most want to learn about Italian cooking is the different kinds of pasta and the different kinds of sauces.
How do you use pasta in different dishes you wouldn’t normally expect? To stretch meals and make them more interesting?
I would like to learn how to make authentic italian spaghetti sauce
I would like to learn some shortcuts when making lasagna and other Italian dishes. Like 30 minute Italian meals.
I’d love to learn a basic red sauce.
I would be interested in learning easy ways to make old favorites (like spaghetti) more interesting taste-wise. I feel like I fall back on the same old recipes constantly.
I’d love to know more about making pasta, boiling the noodles is about as far as I get! Good thing my husband can cook…
I LOVE Olive Garden! And I LOVE Italy! So, I’d be thrilled with either prize!
Thank you!!
I love this section, it’s helpful and simple to follow. I can do!
I would LOVE to learn easy recipes that taste delicious and will make my family happy. I find myself LOST when it’s time to cook dinner. I need help! thanks
My Grandaddy Lopresto is from Italy. I would love to go to Italy. But, something I would love even more is to learn how he probably made his spaghetti. When he came to America he opened up a restaurant and I understand everyone raved about his spaghetti and wanted the recipe. He never gave the recipe out and so he died with the secret. What could have been his special ingredient(s)?
Thanks for doing the giveaway & I just LOVE Olive Garden.
Joyful@JoyfulJourney
I would love to have the recipe for Chicken Marsala- My FAV!!!! Olive Garden has the best!
Love the Olive Garden. Thanks for the giveaway!
I’d love to learn some new recipes!
I would love to learn how I can prepare ahead Italian dishes so that I can quickly heat up a meal after coming home from work.
I would love to learn more recipes – pasta is something that pretty much everyone in my family will eat (one of very few things!), but we get tired of the same recipes over and over…
I just absolutely LOOOOVVVEEE Italian food. I am part Italian so I do have to say that I believe that it’s not the food that we love but it’s the flavor of the food that we adore and “drool” over.
would love to know matching up of seasonings…and are olive oils the same, I saw crisco has an oil out there olive oil and was wondering what the difference between 3 dollar oil and 30 dollar a bottle oil
I would enjoy reading this book. Thanks for having the wonderful giveaway.
I would love to learn how to make exceptional Italian sauces–they make the dish! The sauce can turn something simple into something special!
how to infuse the wonderful flavors throughout the meats that I use to cook
I love italian food. I would love to know how to capture all of the flavors when cooking any italian meal. And knowing which wines to pair with a meal would be great too! Thanks for the chance to win!
I would like to know what exactly pesto is? Well, you asked!
I would like to know their secret to their AMAZING breadsticks!
yzgirl4[at]verizon[dot]net
I am SO enjoying this new blog world I discovered ((clap))
I love Italian and in fact, I am preparing an Italian menu for later this week we are having our son’s teacher over for dinner. I would love any tips on how to make Italian food as AUTHENTIC as possible! What are the true Authentic ingredients and how do I get my food to taste authentic?
I would love to learn how to make Italian sauces and Desserts —- yummmmm
thanks for this great giveaway!!!
Every one loves my cooking and I am always willing to learn more. It gives me great pleasure to see people enjoy what I cook.
I voted, and I would love to learn which wines pair well with which entrees
jceko77@yahoo.com
I love Italian cooking, My family especially loves The Olive Garden. We have made plans to take my mom there for Mothers Day! My mom is battling cancer and she honestly craves Olive Garden, My sisters and I just took her the other night, I had the Garlic Chicken Yummy and they give you enough for 2 meals. We loved everything.
I love the idea of layering the flavors, I also would like to know more about the actual types of pastas. The pasta in the Garlic Chicken was so good. How do you always know which type of Pasta is going to work best with which kind of sauce. Olive Garden always does a wonderful job of matching them all together.
Thanks for such a great giveaway.
Have a Fantastic Day!!! and now you have made me hungry for Olive Garden with all this talk of Pasta.
Always looking for good recipes, thanks!
I would like to know how to make authentic Italian food with easy recipes.
Since Italian cuisine has always been my favorite, I would like to learn more of the basics that every cook and chef in Italy knows. It would help me to make my Italian dishes more authentic-tasting, I think.
I love cooking and trying new recipes, so anything I can learn about cooking is always very appreciated.
I have always loved Italian food and wanted to know what is the difference between using fresh garlic cloves to minced garlic and does it really make a difference in taste using either one.
I’d like to learn some easy techniques. Right now I need quick & easy recipes….as I’m a mom of 6 children. The youngest 2 are 15 mo. apart, with the youngest being 14 & 1/2 mo. old. I’m not afraid to teach my older 2 (15 & 12 yr old boys) & have them help in the kitchen.
An extra bit of info: my daughter (5 yrs old now) calls Olive Garden, “Fruities” because of their sign…fruit (grapes) on it =)
I’d like to be able to quickly put together a meal with ingredients on hand rather than be a slave to a cookbook.
I would like to learn about cooking with wine and wine pairings.
I want to know how to make a great tiramisu.
I want to learn how to make the gnocchi soup at Olive Garden. I also want to learn fast and easy Italian recipes.
Thanks so much – I can’t wait to take my family out to dinner!! And thank you for the recipe – it looks like something that even my picky family could enjoy. I’ll have to give it a try!
I used to make spaghetti sauce from scratch – from a recipe I got from a friend whose family was Italian.
Since having kids though, we do jar sauce every time because it’s quicker and easier. I’m going to have to try the from scratch recipe again soon though – I miss it. 
Would loved to try new recipies! Italian is always a fave at our house.
I retweeted! This is yummy
YUM! My husband would love this. Going to try to make it this week! Thanks for the recipe.
I’m pretty sure Olive Garden is my hubbie’s fav. restaurant chain. And I can’t get enough of their scampi, or their salad, or their soups, the list goes on and on!
I’d love to be entered!!! Going to try the recipe soon!!
This recipe sounds really easy and it would definitely be a nice change to our normal menu.1
This is fabulous! My kids and I love Oliva Garden and to have this column is wonderful! Thank you!
My kids love the Olive Garden. We always seem to get more food than we can eat!
I LOVE to buy a bottle of Olive Garden dressing every time I’m there to take home with me!
Olive Garden should publish a cookbook! I would buy it.
I would love to learn exactly or somewhat near how much fresh spices to use. I usually end up with not enough after the sauce cooks down. Just once I would like to get it right!! Thanks for the lessons, really appreciate them.
my favorite will always be spagetti with meat sauce. the cheese raviollis are good too!
I think my favorite restaurant cuisine is pizza. Simply put, there’s nothing like a fresh pizza. I can’t make one the same at home, can’t get one the same frozen. And I love it.
We try to eat out only once a month in order to save some money but we do love the Olive Garden!
Mmmm…. I love their chicken alfredo!
I love Olive Garden, but tend to go for places like Applebee’s an Chili’s-I like their spicy food!
My favorite restaurant cuisine is steak! It’s something we never have at home!
My favorite restaurant cuisine is pasta or pizza!!
If I can talk anyone into going with me, I will go out to lunch at the Olive Garden for their soup and salad. It is my favorite restaurant. Sometimes when my husband is going out of town, I will take all five of our kids there and we will pretend we are on a fancy business trip just like Daddy. O.K. I would LOVE to win this and go to Tuscany.
My favorite type of restaurant cuisine is Chinese. It is so hard to get an authentic taste at home!
That is so tough – I love going out for Mexican food and also Italian – those are probably my two favorites. Really, I love going out to eat and wish I could do it more often!
I love food!! I love Italian – and that’s my hubbie’s favorite. But I also love Mexican and Japanese. Yummmmmmmmm!
My son and I are Chinese food buddies! My favorite!
My daughter and I love seafood!
So, it really depends on where we go as to what my fave fare is. I love a good steak. But I also love pasta. I love seafood – but we can’t eat it because my husband is allergic (imagine his dismay when he found this out at 28 years old!)
So, bring a nice, big juicy medium cooked steak to the table any time with sauteed mushrooms on top, some nice, hot yeast bread, a yummy salad and maybe a baked potato. Okay – gotta go now – mouth is watering.
I love to eat Indian food when we go out-it’s hard for me to find the right spices to try and make it at home!!
I was suprised that I was in the biggest group, once a month. I thought the numbers would be higher, must just me my friends!
Favorite Cuisine? It really depends on my mood, but I am finding that if I want to take the kids along (and not end up at a fast food place) Italian is the way to go….
I love to have Italian cuisine when eatting out, it is just so satisfying!
I love anything Italian!
We love Italian but we have to drive about 1 1/2 hours to the closest Olive Garden … which we do visit every time we are near one! Since we don’t have an Olive Garden nearby we visit a little family owned Italian place called Mama G’s. Almost as good as Olive Garden … but different.
Breadsticks and Ministrone, what more can I say
Italian food, a good pizza anytime anywhere!
Okay, so Olive Garden IS my very very very favorite restaurant – it’s actually my first pick for all dates with my hubby! I think I’ve been once since my daughter was born a year ago, though.
We sometimes do Chinese takeout at a place nearby.
I took the poll! I’m one who goes once or twice a month. I can only stand cooking so long.
my favorite is Mexican and Italian food i can never decide
I think my favorite today is Mexican, but tomorrow it might be Seafood or Italian or Chinese. I just like food!
My love Italian and Mexican cuisine. It’s hard to pick one over the other.
i love italian food. the different sauces are my favorites.
My favorite restaurant cuisine is Italian or Chinese.
I also the poll
I actually love Chinese food because we all share when we go out and it makes great leftovers!
I’d say my favorite cuisine would be Mexican because we don’t really have many Mexican restaurants around here so it’s kind of a treat when we do have it.
Hmm…I have so many favorites, that’s hard to choose! I love sushi restaurants and steak houses…but, I adore Mexican food also! Do I really HAVE to choose a favorite?
It’s probably a tie between Italian and Indian. For me, pastas, parmigiana and such are total comfort food, and being far from home, it makes me feel good. Indian fare is so exotic and nicely spiced that it’s a party in my mouth, and I’m never a party pooper!
We love Italian food – especially pizza (and its still affordable for a family of 4).
This is making me hungry! I love Italian food, of course, but I think Indian might be my favorite restaurant food since I don’t cook it at home.
I LOVE OLIVE GARDEN!!! Anytime we go out to eat it’s where we go (with or without the kids!)
When eating out I always choose Italian or Mexican. Not that I can’t make these things at home… But, it’s nice to be served a good meal and not have to labor over it!
I love Olive Garden! It’s one of the only places where I actually like the dressing already on my salad!
One of my favorite things is Mexican food..we dont go out for mexican very often b/c not all the kids will eat it, but when we do it is jsut so yummy.
I love mexican food, but my husband doesn’t, so Olive Garden and our local Indian food place are where we go most often.
Mexican food is the staple around here, why? Because it’s just like mamá used to make it! LOL!!
But dh & I love dates out to our nearby (30 min) Olive Garden! Love the never ending salad & fresh Parmesan cheese!
Thanks for the chance to win!
Hugs & Blessings!
When we go out, it’s usually for a big hunk of meat. I rarely cook meat at home, and am not very good at it, so our once a month dinner out satisfies that craving!
I don’t think I have one cuisine that favors the other. Just whatever my mood is. I am a fan of the Olive Garden though…breadsticks..yum!
I’d love to win – the Olive Garden is our FAVORITE!!! Italian is definitely one of our favorite cuisines.
Thanks!
I LOVE the Olive Garden! I’m a huge italian food fan! I could eat it every night of the week!!
Fresh, light, full of flavor Italian. Olive Garden is the only place for our family! Everyone is happy when we point the car to our favorite Olive Garden.
ANY restaurant cuisine is great with me because I hardly ever get to go! I guess the stuff I like the best is the kind that I have a hard time making well at home – maybe really great Chinese (like PF Chang’s) or a place like Cheesecake Factory – YUM!
9 times out of 10 we go for Italian cuisine because it’s my absolute favorite. The one time we pick something else, it’s American.
What an awesome contest – I love the Olive Garden but do not get to visit very often. My favorite cuisine is Japanese because it’s very light & I don’t tend to eat as much. But Italian is a close second – the blend of flavors is irresistible!
I AM Italian…and I love Italian food…I just hate complicated…I just wish I could cook on instinct and skill…and not have to follow recipies all the time…
I absolutly love the Olive Garden…I just wish I didn’t pig out so much when I go…
I just voted in the survey. With a toodler we don’t get to eat out but a few times a month!
My favorite cuisine is italian because everyone in our family likes it including out toddler. You also get tons of food with salad and bread sticks at most places!
My family loves Italian and Mexican. My kids love calamari and I’d love to know how to make it good and how easy is it to get fresh calamari in a land locked state?
My wife and I always dedicate Friday to a special meal, usually an Asian restaurant.
There is a fabulous place in Phoenix I miss so much that makes the best Mexican Chinese food. It sounds weird but it is pure heaven!
Our family loves ALL food but we frequent Mexican restaurants as my toddler is in a “chip, chip” stage and loves to have a basket of tortilla chips in front of her! m_huston(at)hotmail(dot)com
My favorite restaurant cuisine is something hearty and not as easy to replicate at home. Tastes from around the world, like Mexican, Chinese, and Italian are my favorites.
Even though I’m learning some of the tricks here, Olive Garden is still a favorite spot because I may be able to make a good sauce now, but I can’t seem to replicate their dessert menu at home!
My favorite going out to seat cuisine is Sushi. I think this is my favorite because we hardly go to sushi places so it is reserved for special occasions.
Where did my post go? hmmmmm…anyway, we hardly ever eat or fix steak at home, so nothing can beat a really good steak dinner out for us! I have never been able to make good mexican at home, either, so love to eat mexican food while we are out, too!
I love Mexican food! I’d love to find good Mexican restaurants in New England. Having moved from San Diego, I’m bit spoiled on good taco shops.
Our favorite is Korean because it has many side dishes with unlimited refills, which makes it a very good value meal. Of course we love Italian and Olive Garden too.
My favorite cuisine is sushi! I just love rice and vinegar and the flavors of the fish. Mmmm
When pregnant, I loved this hole in the wall italian restaraunt, I would crave the food there!
My Family loves pasta and bread! So, we LOVE olive garden!
Fried shrimp, hushpuppies, fries every trip to the OB. My unborn just loves it too.
Mexican used to be my favorite, but I now lean more towards lean meats, salad and soups, so Olive Garden fits that bill for sure.
I like casual restaurants that serve American or Italian food. If it’s Italian, it has to be VERY good, becuse I come from an Italian family, and we cook great Italian food. One of my favorite types of food to get at a restaurant is BBQ. I LOVE BBQ beef briskit, pulled pork, and RIBS!
Come on! It’s EASY with RANDISI! (It rhymes.) My husband Joe’s father PETE RANDISI made the best meatballs and spaghetti in the whole world. Papa Randisi’s…we should be in the biz!
I love Italian food. I rarely get to eat it because I am diabetic and carbs kill my blood sugar. So it is a special treat for me.
I love spaghetti bolognese! So good!
I’m half Italian, and my mom is Irish. I am a self-taught cook, my spaghetti sauce is insanely good. I LOVE Italian food, and serve some sort of Italian dish at least 4x a week. The cheapest meals I make are the simple peasant dishes of Italy. Great giveaway!
Love steak & mexican food…yum!!
My favorite restaurant cuisine is middle eastern and Mediterranean. I love flavors like lemon & garlic, and the bread. Yum.
My favorite cuisine is the Grilled Shrimp Caprese. Great Giveaway!!
I have so many favorites, but right now I really enjoy Thai. The coconut in their curry is to die for!
My favorite restaurant cuisine is anything seafood because I rarely cook seafood at home since my children don’t like it.
My favorite restaurant cuisine is mexican because the dishes are nutritious, delicious, and most places are family-friendly.
My favorite eating-out quisine is Italian, because I was raised Ukrainian, with Ukrainian cuisine, so Italian cuisine was always exotic to me!
I adore Italian food! It is not something I had as a child. Since discovering it as an adult…I’m addicted!
Italian food is my favorite too….even the deli I stop at is Italian. I love shrimp scampi, veal parm., anti-pasto and garlic bread. Yum!!
I love to eat out at Italian restaurants because it’s difficult to make sauces at home.
My favorite is seafood specially spicy. I like a little kick with my food.
favorite cuisine: I like the Italian lasagna, and also the spaghetti with meatballs at Olive Garden! I like these because of the taste of the sauce and the cheeses used. yum! The fresh Parmesan cheese on the dishes is a real treat!
We cannot afford to go to restaurants any more, hardly ever. Our family of 8 love most all Italian foods — we bake Italian bread, sometimes.
Kathy A.
Husband’s dad’s family are Sicilian…
I receive your 5M4M email newsletter.
Kathy A.
My favorite cuisines are seafood and italian, which is why I love the food at Olive Garden. Their Zuppa Toscana is the most azazing soup – and this comes from someone who, in general, never eats soup. When you pair that with their seafood pasta dishes you get a perfect match.
This, of course, would NOT be the normal fare for a good, old fashioned POLISH girl like me. Then again, my motto is “Why Be NORMAL? I’d Rather Be UNIQUE!” so my food tastes fit right in there!
My absolute favorite cuisine is seafood of course. Followed closely by a good steak dinner.
I adore Olive Garden’s Shrimp dishes.
My favorite restaurant cuisine is Italian. Lasagna. Steamed vegetables. I love a fresh salad, too. For dessert, something chocolate. Why? These make me happy, and I feel special when I am taken out.
Amy A.
I love to eat steak at restaurants. It’s just something that I don’t cook for myself at home…it just doesn’t ever taste the same. My all time favorite is the steak at Outback Steakhouse.
Thanks for the opportunity,
Beth
My husband is a chef so we continually check out new resturants, and yes Italian is our favorite.He would love the trip to Italy culinary instutate and so would I.HE HAS WORKED AS A CHEF FOR 30 YEARS AND DESERVES A BREAK! THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENTER.
MY FAVE IS GRILLED CHICKEN SPIDINI, MY HUSBAND LIKES THE GRILLED SHRIMP CAPRESE. WE DINE AT OLIVE GARDEN ON A REGULAR BASIS AND HAVE ALWAYS LEFT PLEASED.I HATE TO SAY IT BUT IN OUR OPINION OLIVE GARDEN KICKS CARABBAS BUT. MY HUSBAND IS A CHEF OF THIRTY YEARS AND IT SAYS ALOT WHEN HE CHOSES OLIVE GARDEN AS A FAVE. THANKS!
My overall favorite cuisine is Indian. I love the various seasonings they cook with, giving the food a unique taste.
I most often think Italian or Mexican when I think of eating out. I think it’s the tomato and cheeses that I love!
Thai, italian or mexican.
My favorite is mexican…I think it is because of the chips and salsa…Love this. semtaylor(at)yahoo(dot)com
salad and breadsticks are awesome
I love going to a Vietnamese, Mexican and Italian restaurants. Seems like I need rice or pasta with my meals.
member(dot)thao(at)gmail.com
Twitter: makeetis
April 4, 2009 at 4:20 am
I will say their breadsticks and their Chicken Marsala. I love olive garden. Thanks for the chance.
That is great.
I subscribe to your newsletter.
I have your button on my blog.
I get your feed.
I’m not too picky about restaurant cuisine as I love food! LOL Italian is right up there with the gyros and hamburgers though.
We usually go to a pizza place. Both kids love pizza so it’s really exciting for them when we go out for it. In addition pizza places are family friendly, naturally noisy and reasonably priced so it works out for all!
Our favorite cuisine is Japanese. We enjoy the atmosphere at a Japanese Steakhouse. We love sushi and Japanese Buffalo Chicken. Yum-O!
I LOVE olive gardens bread sticks and soup mmmmm I love everything there!!
Definitely love Italian food the best — anything with a cream sauce or seafood has my heart!
When I go out to eat…not often… I tend to go for seafood…love Shrimp, lobster, fried fish.
Would love to win… have never been to Olive Garden and would love to try it. I’ve heard it is very good.
prpldy (at) comcast.net
My favorite is Mexican.
Twitter: longwait4bella
April 4, 2009 at 6:52 pm
My favorite type of cuisine is Asian. I am vegetarian and mostly vegan and eating Asian food is easy and good! But I do like many of the pasta dishes at OG without cheese of course.
We love Italian food!! Especially Olive Garden. Pasta, salad, and bread….what’s not to love!
Italian is my favorite
My husband and I only eat out once a year because we have such high medical bills. My mom takes me out for lunch about twice a year. Olive Garden is always one of my favorites! I make 2 of their soups, but I think theirs is better!
We love Olive Garden! The Zuppa Toscana is to die for, and the bread sticks are addicting! My favotite dish is the Garlic Chicken. We have never had a meal there that we didn’t completely enjoy!! My mouth is watering just thinking about it, so we will be having Olive Garden TONIGHT!
We love the Olive Garden. We tend to go to places like this because they are kid friendly. My husband usually orders some kind of scampi dish, or a scallop or shrimp thing since those are things I don’t cook at home. I’m very traditional with a marsala, or something like that. But love the Olive Garden. Great giveaway!
I tweeted just for fun. Love the giveaway!
http://twitter.com/BabyKing
I love italian food. And mostly anything chicken
i love the shrimp primavara…. YUMMMMMMMM
I love to try new restaurants. Mostly I like mexican or hamburger places. Steak places are good too. I love pasta places as well.
My favorite is Mexican. But Italian comes in a close second. When we go out to eat, I try to find these type of restaurants.
In 2000 I took a culinary course in Florida with Disney I’m 62 and it remains one of the highlights of my life I went alone and learned so much I currently use many of the recipes the chefs taught me so long ago. If you offered seminars I think you’d receive more support then you ever thought. The week was expensive however worth every dime when Disney discontinued the classes on an individual basis groups only it was much to my regret. I love Olive Garden having dinner there tonight it’s one of the few chain restaurants that doesn’t feels like a chain..instead the atmosphere is the comfort of home..
Good luck and stay so very cool…
Dorothy from grammology
grammology.com
I love Chinese buffets…but I like places where I can get a nice salad a good bowl of soup on the cheap!
I love going to Olive Garden with my daughter…we eat and laugh and just enjoy everything about our luncheon.
I absolutely love the house dressing at Olive Garden. I also love the bread and the Chicken Splendeni.
I have a huge appetite for tomatoes and would enjoy learning how to make a truly authentic tomato paste and sauce to cook with.
Olive Garden is my favorite restaurant, and pasta is my favorite thing to order out. I would have a field day with a $100 gift card to my favorite place. WOW!
I can’t believe I’ve found this contest. OG is the one restaurant I’d go to if I had a choice…ever! If someone gives me a G.C. it’s to this restaurant.
I’ve been going to OG’s for about 14 yrs. Back then, and now, as a single mom with young children, all we could afford was the soup, salad & breadsticks. So, my girl friend and I would go after church on the Sundays we had $ and have this “meal”. She with her 2 daughter’s and me with my 2 little girls.
All that to say, my favorite OG menu item is their Pasta e Fagioli. I could live off that soup!
My favorite restaurant cuisine is Italian food. I like the creamy sauces the best.
My favorite kind of cuisine is whatever the specialty is. I don’t like to get a burrito at an Italian restuarant, for example. I think it’s just best to stick to what the main type of food is, and hope they are good at what they do
My favorite restaurant cuisine is Italian because that is the food that I grew up on.
janetfaye (at) gmail (dot) com
I love Italian food. I wish I didn’t love it so much with all the carbs involved! I love it because there are so many different types of dishes that include a multitude of variety not limited to pasta, rice, veggies, meat, cheese, etc. I like being able to have choices (red sauce vs white, chicken, beef or fish, scampi or battered shrimp, etc). The best part of all is that most of it taste yummy!!! You can’t really go wrong with Italian food, esp with the yummy sides of bread and salad! I’m getting hungry just thinking about it!
My favorite restaurant cuisine is everything. I think it depends on what mood I’m in. I love Italian food, steak & seafood. Olive Garden’s GREAT!!!!
We have a few favorite restaurants we like, it just depends on the mood. We do go to the Olive Garden very often. I love their Tuscan soup.
I loooooove Olive Garden! Definitely my fave. I love their new Chicken & Gnocchi Soup. Yum. Yum. And, oh, the breadsticks. My mouth is watering…
We love eating out. Mexican and Italian are my two favorites. They both have meat, cheeses, and vegetables all mixed together. Oh so yummy!!
italian because i love bread!!
thanks!
moore.g@Insideconnect.net
Italian is my favorite because I love pasta with cheese
My favorite food is Italian. I especially love tomato based sauces. Olive oil, tomatoes,garlic, lemon are all wonderful,versitile ingredients.
I LOVE italian food and we get Olive Garden take-out all the time!!! I love their breadsticks and alfredo sauce but my favorite has to to be the Cheese Ravioli in marinara sauce!!!
I am a subscriber!
I have your button on my sidebar!
I like Italian food, Japanese, and Mexican. One of my favorites is chile rellenos. yum!
My favorite cuisine is Italian because it is my “comfort food”. There’s nothing like lasagna to make me feel better.
There’s nothing like a great Italian dish with a glass or two of wine!
My favorite foods are Mexican and Italian
I was unable to hear your message on Monday due to a power outage. I would really like to hear or read what you had to say. Is there any way that I can get a copy of your message?
Thanks Jean
Twitter: I saw thi9s
April 8, 2009 at 4:53 pm
I LOVE tex mex! Fajitas, burritos, tacos, enchiladas!! Chips and salsa on the table, fried ice cream for dessert, ice tea, fruity ice-filled drinks and lots of CHEESE!
this is the one restaurant both my husband and I agree on….and it’s our favorite. Unfortunately, due to budget cuts, we haven’t been in a loooooooong time.
Seafood, no matter how it’s prepared.
the workshop has inspired me a lot, i’ve never made anything from scratch and now, i’ve already completed sauces, and moving forward. i’m so excited.
LOVE trying the recipes at home…always a huge hit!
anything covered in Alfredo sauce
This makes me want to go to Olive Garden and try the Chicken and Gnocchi Soup.
I’m so hungry and Olive Garden sounds wonderful!!!
Love the tips on cooking with Garlic. I would love to cook with garlic but have always been intimidated as to how to do it correctly!
I want my daughter to try out some of these tips. She is beginning to really enjoy cooking. I want to go to Olive Garden to try the Tuscan Garlic chicken very soon.
I enjoyed pairing food with wine! Thanks for the cooking techniques
I love the workshops. My husband loves Italian food, especially Olive Garden. Thanks for sharing the recipes!
I so wish Olive Garden was closer to us, because this is one of my all-time favorite restaurants. Watching the video with Janice with the Olive Garden chef, just gives me inspiration. Just recently, have I been stepping out of the box so to speak and cooking more. I love trying new recipes, but the thing is, I do not like them being too tricky. Giving us these simple meal recipes you have here, is just wonderful. I feel like I am tasting the sauce right now that Janice was on TV helping cook.
I bought pizza just yesterday….yeah, I’ve been thinking about Italian.
Thanks for the series! I am certainly going to try some new recipes & techniques in the kitchen now! I love Italian!
MMMM, those dishes look so good, can’t wait to try a few
The culinary workshop is awesome!! I can’t wait to learn all of their tricks!
I’m six months pregnant right now and going to Olive Graden will really satisfy my cravings. They have yummy foods.
I love Olive Garden…my alltime favorite Italian restaurant. What a fun culinary workshop!
What great tips from an expert! Olive Garden is so consistent and so good. I’m always leery of tips from random “self-proclaimed chef experts.” This is fabulous content for a mom who loves to dabble in extra-ordinary cuisine for the family.
This workshop has inspired me in the kitchen and has me craving for some Olive Garden. thanks for the workshops.
I love Italian food and everything to do with it! Thanks for this post I just love to get new tips! I actually just went to Olive Garden this afternoon for lunch! No joke! How funny! Thanks for presenting us with this contest!
I love to cook and I love seeing new ideas and collecting recipes. Really fun workshop…thanks for sharing!
The Olive Garden has the best Chicken Alfredo! Yummy!
Yes, this has inspired a little bit in the kitchen. I enjoy the Olive Garden’s desserts, so seeing this has made me think I should attempt to create one at home.
The dessert has inspired me although I wouldn’t make this one because I’d be the only one eating it. I’d love to see how creme brulee is made..
now I’m hungry.
where’s the basket of candy the easter bunny stashed away for tonight? I might just have to delve into a cadbury cream egg..think the boys will notice?
Can’t wait to try the Tuscan Garlic Chicken recipe! Great website..Thanks for sharing!
This has made me wish Olive Garden wasn’t an hour away. Thanks for the ideas.
That panna cotta looks wonderful. I’ve been wanting to attempt this at home; you make it look easier than I thought. And the Olive Garden giveaway? Great. We haven’t been there in sooo long, this would be a treat!
That looks delicious. I love Olive Garden.
Thanks
I think I will make that panna cotta thing tonight, since I have the ingredients here. Thanks for showing us how to do these awesome things! Great job you guys!
I actually had Olive Garden for dinner. I had the Tuscan Garlic Chicken.(delish) Yes, I’m inspired to try Italian.
Thanks
This has been a great reminder that great food can happen at home. Thanks!
I haven’t been to olive garden in years and just reading and watching I have decided to make it a point to go there. It would be awesome to take my mother who lives 1200 miles away from us, to olive garden since she has never been and we will be visiting in june.
Thank you.
camper223[at]live[dot]com
Yep, def inspired a craving for italian! I never cook italian as well as it tastes getting it from somewhere else!
I find Italian cooking very exotic since I grew
up Ukrainian-American and didn’t eat pasta and pizza as a child, and Olive Garden certainly seems inspiring and quintessential in terms of Italian cooking!
I am Italian and do not really no any other type of cooking.. Lol. Actually have learned many techniques that have been passed down in my family. I really do enjoy the dishes Olive Garden as to offer.. Thanks!
Wow. That Panna Cotta looks delish! I’ve been craving Panna Cotta lately – I am definitely going to have to give this recipe a whirl!
Oh, and my husband and I haven’t been out to dinner in forever. We just cannot afford it… not even McDonald’s. A $100 Olive Garden Gift Card would be awesome!
Definitely inspired to eat more Italian. I have tried making alfredo sauce, which is my favorite, but nobody does it better than Olive Garden.
Italian is always my favorite type of food to enjoy when eating out. Now I’m even more inspired to chow down
I love me some Italian food. I love lasagna and manicotti the best. Olive Garden has the best soup!
The salads at Olive Garden are so fresh and yummy – they encourage me to eat more greens until I am fortunate enough to go back and enjoy their delicious food
The recipes left me craving Italian… I love pasta and Olive Garden They are at the top of Italian Cusine
I love the tips on using Garlic & Olive Oil. I have started to cook more with fresh garlic & it’s good to know these tips & tricks. I’ve used olive oil for many years but didn’t know some of those tips either. Thank you for sharing these with us. I appreciate it.
Olive Garden is my favorite restaurant, and I also love to cook, so OF COURSE this series has inspired me to cook. I’ve gotten so many ideas from the various recipes and learned a few new techniques by checking out all the various links online. My dream is to one day attend this academy myself, but until then I will simply live it vicariously thought the vision of others.
After my disaster in the kitchen tonight, I need to learn how to make an alfredo sauce properly!
I love the visuals (recipes, videos), and they’re inspiring me to *visit* Olive Garden! Great place to celebrate my daughter’s excellent report card!
Definitely inspired me to try my hand at some of my favorite Olive Garden recipes at home and try some new things at the restaurant!
I love Olive Garden!!!
Its one of my favorite places to eat.
The recipes give me ambition to try in the kitchen.
Who doesn’t love the flavors and atmosphere at Olive garden? I would love to learn how to make Zuppa Tuscana as they do. Although I’ve tried, it’s never quite the same as OG.
I just need a good basic sauce recipe. I’d like to say that I made the sauce, not Ragu!
This series ahs made me want to eat at The Olive Garden more often! Some of our most memorable dinners out have been at this long-time favorite spot. I still remember when the first Olive Garden opened in our city, many years ago, and was best known for making their own fresh pasta. Love it!
Wow, this has been great! Thanks for the chance to win a great giveaway. Olive Garden is one of my favorite restaurants.
Wow! I have picked up some awesome tips for cooking Italian I thank you but more so the family as they have loved the meals. Thanks,Olive Garden.
It’s inspired me to learn to cook better Italian…as it’s my favorite, anytime!
I am inspired to eat more Italian food!! Yummo!
Oh my word, do those recipes look divine!! I love easy and I love pasta and desserts, so you ladies have hooked me right up! Thank you!
OLIVE GARDEN is my FAVORITE PLACE in the WORLD! The nearest one is 45 minutes away and they are always incredibly busy, but anytime anyone gives ME a choice of where to go to eat … Well, let’s just say my decision takes about 2.1 nanoseconds!
I love Italian and I am DYING to try these recipes! Thank you SO MUCH for sharing them. The dessert today looks heavenly
I guess great sisters think alike. My sister came to visit and we went to Olive Garden and spoke with the manager for almost an hour on their culinary school and how exciting it would be to attend. I am in love with Food Network, so if it’s about food I am there. My sister and I have thought of creating a store of our own by being there at olive garden that day. I love Olive Garden and everytime I get a meal from there I think how can I change it around and make it my own.
What an awesome culinary delight!! I love the info on cooking with herbs as I am starting my own little herb garden. Olive Garden is one of the places me and my girl friends like to go to catch up on what’s happening in each other’s lives.
It has inspired me a little bit in the kitchen. . . but mostly made me hungry for Olive Garden!
Thanks for the great culinary tips!
It has inspired me to start cooking more Italian dishes at home-or at least to try. It has also made me want to go the Olive Garden- maybe today
I’m inspired to cook more Italian, and to visit the Olive Garden more often
I’m always looking for fun recipes! I love your entire Olive Garden segment! Of all of them I was tickled about the PANNA COTTA recipe. I”ve never made it! I’ve eaten it and thought…oh my what a lot of work! Well it is but it isn’t overwhelming!
Thanks for sharing!
Wow! This looks like fun!
Definitely makes me want to go to Olive Garden for some wonderful Italian. I’d love to learn all about the sauces of Italy! Love sauces, especially creamy ones.
We love to eat out at Olive Garden. Their food is so good!
This definitely has helped me in the kitchen! I love Olive Garden but can’t always afford to go!
I’m just hungry now… Especially after seeing the Olive Garden commercial last night…
This course has truly been inspiring. I have been able to make Pasta y Fagiloi at home (delicious!) before, and I have been longing to learn more from my favorite Italian Restaurant. Thank you so much for making it available to us through the net. Panna Cotta is on the menu for the weekend!
I have been inspired to give a few of the ideas (or versions of) a try….but seeing yummy italian food always inspires me to go and eat it at a favorite italian restaurant!
I love all the recipes and tips. Thank you. I just love olive garden and am always looking for new idea’s.
I am a huge fan of authentic Italian food. I was so spoiled by my trip to Italy many years ago and I would like to be able to create the wonderful food I ate there.
I love that Olive Garden provided all these tips and recipes. I also love that they gave a few of us in Orlando the chance to get together and experience their great food! Loved the chicken & gnocchi soup!
Loved the recipes and soup and salad is still mt favorite.
I am SO excited to try this dessert! I can’t wait to look through the whole workshop, thanks! We love Olive Garden!
Cooking ANYTHING new or containing dairy is a NO-NO in our house…. so this workshop reminds me that my hubby and I need to plan a date night at Olive Garden SOON!!!
We love Olive Garden and it is always our TOP choice for our much needed “date nights”!!
This has inspired me to not be so intimidated to make such delicious looking meals. Often I think it will be just too difficult or too time consuming. With little ones it’s hard to stay TOO focused in the kitchen for TOO long.
But, these recipes don’t seem all that intimidating.
I also learned how to cook garlic to get the flavor I want. Yay! I love garlic! Thank you for this!
~Christin
Olive Garden is where my family goes when we want something special, delicious, and inexpensive. Your recipes are very easy to follow and I have been having a blast creating them!
We have been experimenting with different types of olive oils and breads for dipping. We also can’t get enough garlic, finding ways to put it in everything we cook! Thanks for the new cooking ideas. The Soup and Salad lunch combo is on of my favorites at Olive Garden.
This has been so great. I am a single mom and grandmother and my kids and I have always loved Olive Garden! Thanks for bringing me and my daughter closer. We have gotten together and tried everything together! Thanks
I have always enjoyed the unique flavors and have wanted “in” on how to to it! I just learned how chef’s are able to go to the school and experiment and learn, it makes going to eat there even more enjoyable knowing there was creativity behind the meals!
Looking over the recipies and kitchen, my question of where to go to eat tonight was answered! Italian cooking is great because of the smells as well as the sights of the dishes! Really does it get any better??
Oh my goodness! I am starving now! I can’t wait to try some of these recipes and tips! Thanks so much! And of course I’d love to win a gift card! An excuse to eat out? I’m all over that!
Inspired a taste of Italy like never before. How awesome this journey has been!
The Olive Garden culinary workshop has inspired a craving to go out Italian! The workshop was thorough & precise and loving every moment of cooking and/or teaching!!
the workshop did inspire me..but I have to admit I am still not all that handy in the kitchen. A good nite out would be fun. Thank you for the giveaway
I’m not that great a cook but we love their salads and all the entrees on Olive Garden!
I LOVE all of these receipes! My husband is a true italian and I am always looking for something to make that is different from the “normal” red sauce and pasta. These recipies sound sooo good I can’t wait to get in the kitchen and start cooking them. Thank you so much.
Love the breadsticks dipped in ranch. took our kids to Olive Garden for the first time last month. They both loved it tons. Thanks OG
The Olive Garden culinary workshop has inspired me both in the kitchen and out. I have tried cooking more Italian recipes and we have plans to go to Olive Garden more often. I love pasta and the choices are just going to be harder.
Thanks so much for all the info, recipes, videos and Web sites.
I’d like to know how they make their breadsticks so darn addicting!
And really how to make their chichen gnocchi soup. Its new and simple to make, but awesome.xoxoxo
Don’t know about improving my cooking ability, but my mouth is watering!! I have added the ingredients for the chicken alfredo with spinach and red peppers to my shopping list. YUM! I’m a big pasta lover and am always looking for new recipes.
My family is trying to eat healthier and cook together. My 11 and 6 year old are very picky eaters, but they LOVE Olive Garden! It’s the first place they say they want to eat out at every time we have a chance to go out for dinner. These tips and recipes will be exciting for all of us to try to cook together! Thank you!
How wonderful! I love Italian food and am big into pastas and breads and this is a great way to learn new tricks. Thanks so much for sharing this great info!
I’ve never had Pana Cotta but wow does it look good. Our Olive Garden is thankfully not too busy most weeknights and we love it!
Ahh the OG- home of unlimited breadsticks and salad. Back in college I would probably plow through 3 baskets of their bread in one sitting. I think they lost money on me back then.