Applebee's Restaurant 2 for $20 deal

What's for dinner tonight? Want to get a great meal at a top restaurant for two people for under $20. Applebee's has brought back the 2 for $20 deal. This is a great deal, with an appetizer, two main course meals, and dessert. You'll love how you're treated at Applebee's. This is a fun, hip restaurant to go out to eat with friends or a date.

visit applebees.com to find the restaurant nearest you in Utah. 

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Seared Rib-Eye Steak, Arugula & Pepper Salad Dinner Recipe

Healthy and delicious! This dinner recipe is quick, nutritious and fabulous.  It is brought to us by the beautiful Giada De Laurentiis- she’s fantastic!   Every time I make this the entire table wants seconds.

Dinner Recipe:
Ingredients

·         6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing

·         2 (1-inch-thick) rib-eye steaks (about 1 pound each)

·         Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

·         3 cups arugula, washed and spun dry

·         11/2 cups roasted peppers, rinsed and patted dry

·         2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

·         Small block Parmesan (about 8 ounces)

Directions

In a large saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Season steaks with salt and pepper. When pan starts to smoke, carefully add steaks. Allow the steaks to cook for about 3 to 4 minutes on 1 side, without moving or piercing the meat. This will help create a good, crusty sear. When steaks are brown, flip and sear the other side for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove meat to a large plate and allow to rest for 10 minutes.

Decoratively line a large platter with arugula. Tear the roasted peppers into large pieces and scatter over the arugula. In a small bowl, whisk in the remaining olive oil, balsamic vinegar and any meat juices that may have collected on the plate from the steaks. Season with salt and pepper.

Slice the steaks across the grain and on a bias into 1 1/2-inch thick pieces. Lay the slices on top of the salad and drizzle with dressing. Using a vegetable peeler, shave about Parmesan over the dish.

Enjoy some other Dinner Recipes as well.

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Broccoli and Cheese Soup Dinner Recipe

Looking for dinner recipes a bit lighter?  This soup is delightful !  Although Emeril Lagasse isn’t always my favorite chef, this dinner recipe is perfect.  It is very easy to make and better than anything you could buy premade.   Enjoy!!

Dinner Recipe:
Ingredients

·         3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

·         1 cup yellow onions or sliced leeks (white parts only, well rinsed)

·         1/2 teaspoon salt

·         1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

·         Pinch nutmeg

·         1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

·         1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

·         3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

·         3 cups chicken stock or canned, low-sodium chicken broth

·         1 (16-ounce) package frozen broccoli, thawed and separated

·         1/2 cup heavy cream

·         1 1/4 cups shredded medium Cheddar

·         Croutons, for garnish, recipe follows

Directions

In a medium pot, melt the 3 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions, salt, pepper, and nutmeg and cook, stirring, until soft, 3 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme cook, stirring, until fragrant, for 20 seconds. Add the flour and cook, stirring until the mixture is well blended and smells fragrant, 2 minutes. Slowly add the chicken stock, whisking constantly, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the broccoli and cook, stirring, until tender, for 10 minutes.

Remove the pot from the heat and puree with a hand-held immersion blender. (Alternatively, in batches, puree in a blender or food processor and return to the pot.)

Add the cream and bring to bare simmer to heat through. Add the cheese and cook over low heat, stirring, until melted. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons cold butter, stirring to blend.

Remove from the heat and ladle the soup into bowls. Sprinkle croutons over the top of the soup and serve immediately.

Croutons:

·         1 cup 1/2 to 3/4-inch cubed French bread

·         2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

·         1/4 teaspoon Essence or Creole seasoning, recipe follows

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the bread in a medium bowl and toss with oil and Essence. Spread evenly on a small baking sheet and bake, stirring twice, until light golden brown on top, about 6 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool slightly before serving.

Yield: 1 cup

Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):

·         2 1/2 tablespoons paprika

·         2 tablespoons salt

·         2 tablespoons garlic powder

·         1 tablespoon black pepper

·         1 tablespoon onion powder

·         1 tablespoon cayenne pepper

·         1 tablespoon dried oregano

·         1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Yield: 2/3 cup

Enjoy some other dinner recipes as well. 

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Buffalo Chicken Pizza Dinner Recipe

What's for dinner tonight? Buffalo Chicken Pizza Dinner Recipe!  This is one of my absolute favorites- courtesy of Rachel Ray!!  It is very easy and has been a complete success at my house!

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Difficulty: EASY

BUFFALO CHICKEN PIZZA DINNER RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

• 3/4 pound chicken breast cutlets
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• 2 teaspoons grill seasoning, (recommended: McCormick Montreal Seasoning) eyeball it
• 1 pizza dough, store bought or from your favorite pizzeria
• Cornmeal or flour, to handle dough
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce, eyeball it
• 2 to 3 tablespoons hot sauce, medium to spicy heat
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, a few generous handfuls
• 1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Preheat grill pan to high.  Place chicken on a plate and drizzle extra-virgin olive oil over the chicken then season with grill seasoning. When grill is hot, add chicken and cook about 3 minutes on each side.  Stretch dough to form pizza using cornmeal or flour to help you handle it. If you let it rest and warm up a few minutes it will handle even easier. Set pizza on pizza pan to the side and clean board.  In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt butter and stir in Worcestershire, hot sauce, and tomato sauce.  Remove the chicken from grill and thinly slice it. Add chicken to sauce and coat. Cover the pizza dough with the saucy Buffalo chicken, cheeses, and scallions. Bake 18 minutes or until crisp. 



Enjoy some other dinner recipes as well.

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Happy Sumo Restaurant

What's for dinner tonight? Do you like Sushi? Orem has Happy Sumo Restaurant that is one of the top restaurants for sushi around. Happy Sumo is the restaurant that turned me into a sushi lover. Happy Sumo has great food, with great service. If you have never tried sushi, this is the place to start. If you already know that you love sushi, then you need to return to or try out Happy Sumo. This may be a little more on the expensive end of restaurants, but you will not be disappointed with the quality, taste and service you get at Happy Sumo.

Quality: 5 of 5
Service: 5 of 5
Atmosphere: 5 of 5
Budget Friendly: 2 of 5
Nutritional: 4 of 5

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The new Earth Fruits Nuts Restaurant in Provo!

What's for dinner tonight? Well, it may not be dinner, but it's the perfect after dinner restaurant. Perhaps you've heard about the new restaurant on University Ave. and Bulldog called Earth Fruits Nuts. Upon entering the restaurant, you realize that the feel is very retro. The ceiling is unlike any other restaurant ceiling you've experienced. Located in the middle of the store is an extremely large selection of toppings. My personal favorite were the cheesecake bites and graham cracker powder. The process is simple, you grab your 8 oz. cup and fill it up with yogurt and toppings as full as you want it. I've only been once, so I can only recommend what I ordered. Fill up your bowl with a moderate amount of tangy yogurts (I recommend the Pomegranate flavor + mango). Then, mix in a good amount of cheesecake bites, graham cracker, and juice poppers.

Be careful not to fill it up too much, you pay by the weight and it is extremely easy to order more than what suffices. So go, try it out, it's one of the best restaurants in Provo!

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Cajun Chicken Alfredo Dinner Recipe

Looking for a little spice in your dinner recipe tonight?  Guy Fieri’s Cajun Chicken Alfredo is a recipe to die for!  This one is a little bit more complicated, but nothing crazy or out of the ordinary.  I’m a fairly inexperienced cook but I managed it without any problems. You can too.

Dinner Recipe:
Ingredients

·         4 (5-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts

·         1 cup blackening spice (recommended: Paul Prudhomme's Chicken)

·         2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

·         3 tablespoons minced garlic

·         1 cup roughly chopped marinated sun-dried tomatoes

·         1/4 cup white wine

·         3 cups heavy cream

·         3/4 cup grated Parmesan

·         1 teaspoon sea salt

·         1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

·         1 pound cooked fettuccine

·         1/2 cup sliced scallions

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Dredge the chicken breasts in the blackening spice and place in a cast iron skillet over very high heat. Blacken both sides of the chicken and place in the oven for 10 minutes, or until internal temperature of chicken reaches 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Slice in strips on the bias and set aside.

In a sauté pan over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil. Add garlic and lightly caramelize. Then add the sun-dried tomatoes and the chicken slices. Deglaze the pan with the white wine. Add the heavy cream, increase the heat to a simmer, and reduce the cream sauce by half.

When the cream sauce is to desired consistency, stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan, salt, pepper, and pasta.

Nest the pasta on large rimmed plates, pour sauce over pasta, and garnish with scallions and the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.

Enjoy some other dinner recipes as well. 

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Texas Roadhouse Restaurant

What’s for dinner tonight?  How about trying Texas Roadhouse, one of the best and most popular steak places around.  I say popular because The Roadhouse is always full.  Luckily, they handle the crowds well.  This is a GOOD sign.  When I go, I usually get the 12 oz. Rib-eye for $15.49 and then split it with my significant other.  We each get one delicious side and our fair share of amazing free rolls with delicious honey butter.  Also there are free peanuts! I promise you that you will not leave this restaurant hungry even if you are splitting the meal. 

Quality: 5 of 5

Service: 4 of 5

Atmosphere: 5 of 5

Budget Friendly: 4 of 5

Nutritional: 3 of 5

http://www.texasroadhouse.com/

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Olive Garden Restaurant In Provo

What's for dinner tonight? Want a great Italian food place to dine at in Provo? The Olive Garden treats you like you're part of their "Italian family". You will love the food, atmosphere, and the way you're treated. Olive Garden has many great pasta bowls, Alfredo Chicken meals, and many other great classic Italian meals. You can't go worng with any choice at The Olive Garden.

Quality: 5 of 5
Service: 5 of 5
Atmosphere: 5 of 5
Budget Friendly: 3 of 5
Nutritioinal: 3.5 of 5

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Guru's Cafe Restaurant

What’s for dinner tonight? Guru’s Cafe restaurant is a great place to try out. It has a great atmosphere with great food! They get your food fast, but remember to sit down and enjoy the meal. With many delicious options, you can keep going back without ever eating the same thing twice. Bring friends, family or a date to this great place.

Quality: 4 of 5
Service: 4 of 5
Atmosphere: 4 of 5
Budget Friendly: 4 of 5
Nutritional: 3 of 5

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Mexican Lasagna Dinner Recipe

If you are wondering what's for dinner tonight, then we have the perfect, phenomenal, fast, and easy dinner recipe for you. After it’s done, it looks amazing, which is always a plus because everyone will be extremely impressed! It's also ranked in the top 10 of Rachel Ray's dinner recipes! She's put a lot into it, which says a lot!

MEXICAN LASAGNA

Cook: Rachel Ray

Level: Easy

Prep: 20 minutes

Dinner Recipe:

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 pounds ground chicken breast, available in the packaged meats case
• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained
• 1 cup medium heat taco sauce or 1 (14-oz) can stewed or fire roasted tomatoes
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• Salt
• 8 (8 inch) spinach flour tortillas, available on dairy aisle of market
• 2 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar or shredded pepper jack
• 2 scallions, finely chopped

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil - twice around the pan. Add chicken and season with chili powder, cumin, and red onion. Brown the meat, 5 minutes. Add taco sauce or stewed or fire roasted tomatoes. Add black beans and corn. Heat the mixture through, 2 to 3 minutes then season with salt, to your taste.

Coat a shallow baking dish with remaining extra-virgin olive oil, about 1 tablespoon oil. Cut the tortillas in half or quarters to make them easy to layer with. Build lasagna in layers of meat and beans, then tortillas, then cheese. Repeat: meat, tortilla, cheese again. Bake lasagna 12 to 15 minutes until cheese is brown and bubbly. Top with the scallions and serve.

Enjoy some other dinner recipes as well. 

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Settebello Pizzeria Napoletan Restaurant

Wondering what’s for dinner?  I highly suggest a fun night in downtown Salt Lake at the new Settebello Pizzeria restaurant. It’s a fun spin on a pizzeria.  They cook the pizzas in a fire stove and the chef is from Italy.  Needless to say, the pizzas are very authentic.  It has fresh, thin crust with delicious ingredients.  Most of my party ordered the Margarita Pizza, which was delicious.  I highly recommend it.  I ordered the Davola, and it was very tasty.  It’s a little spicy and has all sorts of peppers and spicy sausage.  Not great for the waistline, but terrific for a special occasion or fun date night. 

We had a huge party-around 20 of us- and our server was quick and very nice.  They were very gracious in accommodating such a large party as well.  Pizzas come in a “personal” size and cost about 12 to 14 dollars per.  Most couples could share one pizza, which is pretty phenomenal for dinner downtown.

Quality: 4 of 5

Atmosphere: 3 of 5

Service: 5 of 5

Budget: 4 of 5

Health/Nutrition: 2 of 5

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Zubs Subs and Pizza Restaurant

I have found it. After searching for my entire life, I have found the perfect sandwich place. This is what's for dinner tonight and every night you want a sandwich.  These are the BEST sandwiches anywhere, better than what I have had in Europe, California, or Chicago.  It is one of those places that has been there forever and everyone in the area knows and loves it. It is not a franchise, there isn't even a dining area so you just pick up your sandwich and go.  Five dollars for a 6" may seem steep but that 6" is almost as much food as an entire foot long anywhere else. The restaurant is located in Utah Valley, specifically, in Springville--just a 12 minute drive south of campus.

Quality: 6 of 5 (seriously awesome subs)

Service: 4 of 5

Atmosphere: 2 of 5 (no place to sit)

Budget Friendly: 4 of 5

Nutritional: 3 of 5

http://zubs-subs.com

520 N. Main Springville, UT 

  

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Simple, Homemade Chicken Dinner Recipe

What's for dinner? Homemade chicken! Short of catching and killing the chicken itself, this dinner recipe is as homemade as chicken can get. It's a fast and simple dinner recipe that makes the entire meal worth the time and preparation. Keep in mind, when I say homemade--I mean buying the frozen, boneless chicken (already skinned) at the supermarket, and dressing the chicken in the most ideal manner.

The best part about this dinner recipe is that it's fast, easy, and tasty. The outlined steps are found below:

Prep-Time: 10 minutes (defrosted chicken)

Cook- Time: 10-15 minutes

Difficulty Level: 2 out of 5 difficulty

Signature/ Source: Patrick Dabel

Dinner Recipe:
Ingredients:

2 Boneless chicken breast

1 Roma tomatoes

6-8 Portobello mushrooms

1/2 cup Onion

1/4 cup Olive oil

2 Garlic cloves

1/8 cup Ranch, barbecue sauce

Various spices- garlic, oregano, others as desired

(1) Defrost a number of chicken breasts. For informational purposes, the directions will be specified for one chicken breast.

(2) Slice up your Roma tomatoes into 3-4 large slices (3-4 inch circumference).

(3) If you choose, cut up an onion into a couple of rings (3-4 rings per chicken breast).

(4) Prepare a frying pan of olive oil and sauté a number of portobello mushrooms (5-10). Add seasonings as needed; I recommend garlic salt, onion salt, and you could also choose to chop up garlic bits with the mushrooms.

(5) Fire up the George Foreman grill and cook your chicken. Remember, chicken always needs to be cooked thoroughly to protect against harmful bacteria. When the chicken is fully cooked, throw on your pre-sliced tomatoes to be cooked with the chicken. The flavor of the tomatoes will be cooked into the chicken--producing an ideal combination of flavors.

(6) Take off your chicken, put it on your dish and pour the mushrooms on the chicken. Don't be afraid to pour the olive oil residue on the chicken. The flavor in this oil combines well with chicken and elicits a juicy flavor.

(7) The last step or two can differ, depending on your preferences. Personally, I like to smother the chicken with ranch dressing; however there are many other options. Another option would be to melt cheese (Colby, cheddar, mozzarella, etc.) while adding Parmesan cheese on top. In short, you can be creative with this last step. If you like Barbecue sauce, add it. Find your preference with chicken and ensure that your chicken gets the optimal flavor.

Enjoy some other dinner recipes as well.

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SmashBurger Restaurant

If you're in the mood for a burger and fries then we have the perfect restaurant for you! What's for dinner tonight? A Smashburger and Smashfries at Smashburger. Upon entering the restaurant, the first thing that impressed me was the ambiance. Teetering between the high-class and the fast food settings, the restaurant itself portrays affordable sophistication perfectly. The second aspect that truly appealed to me was the service. The workers are highly service-oriented. They allow you to be seated while waiting for your food and are careful to ask you for your input on the quality of the food. It is clear that they value your experience there.

The food itself is tremendous. The fries are, hands down, the best fries that you'll find in Provo, UT. I could not believe the tasty flavor that I was able to enjoy by eating these fries. In fact, I was disappointed when I finished my fries. The hostess was kind enough to walk around and ask me how I was enjoying my food. Upon mentioning the splendid taste of the french fries, she told me how they were prepared. The fries are seasoned in garlic, thyme, and rosemary while being tossed in olive oil. I was happily surprised that they were tossed in olive oil instead of another substitute oil. Olive oil, as you may know, is much healthier than any other oil which fries are usually cooked in.

The burger was delicious as well! Admittedly, I did not choose my ideal burger--but that was purely my mistake. I don't traditionally love barbecue sauce on burgers, and my burger had BBQ sauce. So, words of weary, order what you prefer in a burger before experimenting with new kinds. However, the barbecue sauce notwithstanding; the burger was of an extremely high quality. The patty itself was juicy and tasty. It was not dry and flavorless like many other burgers around Provo, *ahem* 5 Guys *ahem*. My favorite part of the burger were the crispy, small onion rings in the burger. They complemented the flavor perfectly while adding a different element of added texture. It was the perfect touch to the perfect burger and fry meal.

The best part about the meal was the value. If you go to BYU Athletics (one of Smashburger's principal sponsors), you can get a number of coupons that allow you the purchase of free Smashfries with the purchase of a Smashburger. There are no tips required, though there is a tip jar at the cash register--so you can leave Smashburger by paying a total of $6.00ish dollars. Without the coupon, you'll only pay $9.00 for the entire meal. A great deal and highly recommended!

Quality: 5 of 5

Service: 5 of 5

Atmosphere: 4 of 5

Budget Friendly: 3 of 5

Nutritional: 3 of 5

University Parkway & S. State Street
542 E. University Parkway

(Right across the street from University Mall)

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Zupas Cafe Resaturant

Great Food, Great Prices, Great Experience

What's for dinner tonight? Need something great for the two of you, but don't want to spend a fortune? ZUPAS restaurant is the place to head to tonight! ZUPAS has many different options of salads, soups, sandwiches, and desserts that are delicious. They also have a combo meal where you can mix and match any of the two you want. ZUPAS is a very happening place with a lot of popularity, but you won't have to wait very long with their quick service. I just started going to ZUPAS about 3 months ago, and every time I've gone, I have been so pleased with the entire experience. Consider ZUPAS tonight at the most convient location for you. To find the nearest location to you visit: http://www.zupas.com/index.php/cafe-zupas-locations.  Also, just FYI, there is a new location on 400 South in Downtown Salt Lake that just opened!

http://www.zupas.com/index.php/cafe-zupas-locations/

Quality: 5 of 5
Service: 5 of 5
Atmosphere: 4.5 of 5
Budget Friendly: 5 of 5
Nutritioinal: 4.5 of 5

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Sizzler Restaurant

What's for dinner tonight? The best gourmet burger in town! Just head on down to the nearest Sizzler restaurant. In my opinion, it's one of the most underrated restaurants in Orem or Provo. In Provo, there's one on S. University Avenue, and in Orem there is one on State Street. Sizzler is popular for their all you can eat salad bar, but don't waste money there. Flip to the burger section of the menu and feast your eyes on the Mushroom Swiss Burger.

Perhaps the best part of your meal comes even before you get your entree. A large supply of garlic toast will be served to you throughout the meal. The toast is delicious, savory, and salivating. Be careful not to eat too much of this so as not to ruin your appetite for the rest of the meal however!This is particularly difficult considering the deliciousness of the toast. The burger takes about 10-15 minutes to arrive so make sure to bring a date, group, or just a friend.

Now to the burger itself. Forget about the side of fries, they're okay; they're also not the reason why you order the meal--the burger is. The burger is the tastiest burger you'll ever eat. The key to the burger's salivation is the bun. The bun is lightly toasted with butter and garlic so as to make it soft and juicy. Within the bun you'll find thinly cut onion rings that accentuate the taste of the bun and burger. The portobello mushrooms are juicy and are neither dry nor flavor-eaters. The Swiss cheese also is another tasty treat. It's of a high quality and will add the needed cheesy flavor to the burger. Taken all together, this burger is the tastiest, juiciest, and hunger-quenching burger you'll ever eat. The best part about it all is that it's only $6.99! After tip, you'll spend just under $10.00. A very affordable dinner for all you gourmet dinner lovers.

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Mi Ranchito Restaurant

What’s for dinner tonight?  Mi Ranchito, my favorite Mexican restaurant in Orem or Provo. It's a nice sit-down restaurant with an authentic Mexican feel to it. This is no taco-bell; their food is good and the price is even better. The service is more than adequate as well. For years I have gone there on double dates or other excursions.  They give you so much food that it really forces you to split a meal. Even after splitting, you might even have left over food.   If you're looking for a really inexpensive, but still amazing dish, I recommend getting the beef/chicken nachos; they cost $10.00 and feed up to four people comfortably.  

Quality: 5 of 5 Service: 5 of 5 Atmosphere: 4 of 5 Budget Friendly: 3 of 5 Nutritional: 3 of 5 http://www.miranchitogrill.com/

1109 S State St (next to the University Mall)
Orem, UT 84097
(801) 225-9195

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Homemade Italian Pasta Dinner Recipe

What's for dinner tonight? Homemade Italian pasta. Here's a fast and easy dinner recipe to make your pasta at home that's sure to be better than combining cooked pasta with a pre-made sauce.

Dinner Recipe:
Ingredients:

Onion, zucchini, tomato sauce, pasta noodles, olive oil, ground beef, various spices.

(1) Start out by cutting up onions into extremely fine pieces. Half an onion will suffice; however, a whole onion is ideal.
(2) Let your chopped onion simmer into 3/4 cup of olive oil. Allow this until it's slightly brown.
(3) Skin and chop up about a half-cup of a full-sized zucchini into the oil/onion mix. Fry this slowly until all the zucchini chunks are 3/4 cooked. You may need to add more olive oil at this point.
(4) Throw in the mixture about a half-pound of ground beef. Cook everything fully.
(5) At this point you will need to add in some spices. I prefer to wait until the tomato sauce is added to put herb spices. For now, determine how much salt, garlic/onion powder, and other spices you want to add. When in doubt, smell the mixture, then smell the spice, and make a snap decision on whether it would improve the quality.

**Disclaimer** The most important step is the one listed below.

(6) Add tomato sauce to the mixture. Be careful not to add a lot of tomato sauce, usually, one 8 oz. can should suffice. The reason for adding so much olive oil in step 2 is to make the sauce combination really oily. Don't worry, olive oil is not an unhealthy oil like vegetable oil or corn oil is.

**The reason you want your pasta sauce to be more oily than saucy is because olive oil is one of the best mediums for transferring flavor. There are typically 4 steps in making a genuine Italian pasta: (A) add onions/garlic to the oil, (B) add a vegetable (zucchini, egg plant, squash, carrot, celery, etc.) to the mixture, (C) add a meat (chicken, ground beef, sea food, etc.) to the mixture, and lastly, (D) add the sauce (tomato, white, pesto, etc.) to the mixture and top it off with seasonings. By following this procedure, the flavors are each subsequently conjoined with the olive oil, all while mixing and transferring in order to create a most flavorful, oily sauce at the end. To drown it all with tomato sauce would defeat the purpose of all the previous steps. This is the most distinguishable difference between American sauces and Italian: Italian sauces don't taste like tomato sauce at all!


(7) After making your delicious, oily pasta sauce--Mix the sauce in with the pasta noodles. Don't have two separate pots of noodles and sauce, you want to thoroughly mix the noodles with the sauce--for that's how real Italians do it. Any noodles will do for this sauce. I prefer to stay away from spaghetti/linguini. Usually Rotini, Farfalle, or pasta shells are preferable. Don't forget to have salt and pepper on the table either. Sometimes, the difference between an okay pasta and a delectable one is found in a tablespoon of salt. It can make all the difference!

Now you know how to make a genuine Italian pasta. Hope you button up your apron and enjoy! :)

Prep-Time: 10 minutes

Cook- Time: 1 hour

Difficulty Level: 2.5 out of 5

Ingredients: pasta, tomato sauce, onions/garlic, ground beef, spices, olive oil, zucchini. 

Signature/ Source: Patrick Dabel

Enjoy some other dinner recipes as well. 

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Carrabba's Italian Grill Restaurant

Whats for dinner tonight?  One of the best restaurants in Orem Utah, Carrabba's Italian Grill, located next to the University Mall.  When we go there (which is often) we order the Italian Chicken Pizza. It's one of our favorite meals and it is absolutely delicious! The pizza is topped with grilled chicken in an Italian-style sweet and sour sauce with pine nuts, scallions, romano, fontina and mozzarella. It only costs $10.00, so we usually just split one pizza and eat their amazing free bread.  Including the tip, we usually get out of there for under $13.00. Aside from the incredible food, the service at Carrabba's is outstanding as well. Each time we go, we are seated quickly and the waiters/waitresses respond promptly to our requests. We get to eat like the rich even though we're simple college students. The place is simply amazing. So, if you want a great dinner tonight, then try the Italian Chicken Pizza at Carrabba's Italian Grill! It will not disappoint.

Quality: 5 of 5

Service: 5 of 5

Atmosphere: 5 of 5

Budget Friendly: 3 of 5 (unless you know what to get, see suggestion listed above)

Nutritional: 3 of 5

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