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15 delicious and make-ahead Italian favorites that everyone will love! These recipes are great for easy entertaining.
A go-to, crowd-pleaser in our house is Italian food. If I want a meal that everyone will love, we're having Italian!
These recipes are some of our family favorites and we think you'll love them too. They are perfect for easy entertaining because you can make them ahead, saving you last-minute stress. We've included our favorite focaccia bread, an amazing kale salad, plenty of main course options and of course desserts. Invite your friends for a delicious Italian feast!
The BEST Homemade Crostini
Crostini make a great base for so many types of appetizers. Learn how to make the BEST Homemade Crostini for a fraction of what you'd pay at the grocery store or gourmet shop!
Any Time of Year Italian Bruschetta
This delicious Italian Bruschetta, made with sweet cherry tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, Â fresh basil and a splash of balsamic vinegar is easy to make and is ALWAYS a crowd-pleaser!Â
Tuscan Kale Salad with Lemon Basil Dressing
Think you don't like kale salad? Think again! This delicious Tuscan Kale Salad with crisp, buttery bread crumbs, salty, savory Parmesan and a fabulous lemon basil dressing will have the most adamant kale hater requesting seconds!
Ridiculously Easy Focaccia Bread
With less than 10-minutes of hands-on time and no-kneading, the name Ridiculously Easy Focaccia Bread says it all! Almost. It's also ridiculously delicious!
Easy Pan-Seared Chicken Bruschetta
If you're in the mood for something healthy, satiating and fabulous, this super easy Pan-Seared Chicken Bruschetta is calling your name! Serve it with some crusty bread to sop up the delicious juices and you'll be hearing rave reviews from family, friends and guests!
Make-Ahead Homemade Manicotti
This make-ahead, Homemade Manicotti is beyond delicious with an Italian sausage marinara and tender melt-in-your-mouth pasta.
Italian Chicken Sausage Ravioli Lasagna
This make-ahead Italian Chicken Sausage Ravioli Lasagna is bursting with fabulous Italian flavor and tastes like you labored for hours! No one has to know the delicious little secret.
Italian Chicken Meatballs and Marinara
These Italian Chicken Meatballs are made from boneless, skinless chicken breasts, not ground chicken. They're lean, light, tender, juicy and full of flavor!
Italian Chicken Pastina Soup (aka Italian Nonna's Penicillin Soup)
This cozy, comforting Chicken Pastina Soup is also called Italian Nonna's Penicillin soup because it's known to cure just about anything that ails you! It hits the spot on a chilly day, for sure!
Make-Ahead Italian Zucchini Involtini
With cheese-stuffed ribbons of zucchini nestled in an easy Italian sausage-tomato sauce, this delicious Zucchini Involtini is a fabulous make-ahead meal that's perfect for family dinners and entertaining!
Slow-Braised Sunday Sauce
This fabulous Slow-Braised Sunday sauce requires only 30 minutes of hands-on time and will transform your kitchen into a fragrant Italian trattoria!
Eggplant Italian Sausage Gratin
This Eggplant Italian Sausage Gratin is bursting with fabulous Italian flavor. A delicious, make-ahead, dinner party-worthy meal!
Italian Raspberry Jam Ricotta Crumb Cake (Torta Sbrisolona)
This delicious Italian Ricotta Crumb Cake features a layer of creamy ricotta topped by a ribbon of raspberry jam nestled between a crisp, buttery dough that forms both the bottom crust and pretty crumb topping.
Salted Butterscotch Panna Cotta
Although this silky-smooth, crazy-delicious Salted Butterscotch Panna Cotta has a fancy name and beautiful presentation, it may go down in history as one of the easiest desserts you'll ever make!
Ridiculously Easy Italian Lemon Amaretti Cookies (Gluten-Free!)
These easy (Ridiculously Easy) Italian Lemon Amaretti Cookies (aka Biscotti Amaretti Al Limone) Â have a thin, crisp outer shell, a chewy interior, and a burst of bright lemon flavor in every bite! A bonus is that they're gluten-free, making them a universal crowd-pleaser!
Thought for the day:
I know that my redeemer lives,
    and that in the end, He will stand on the earth.
Job 19:25
What we're listening to for inspiration:
Shop Our Café Loves
We’ve gathered our favorite kitchen tools, tableware, and entertaining treasures in one place, the Café Loves store. It’s a wonderful spot to find something special for yourself or the cooks and hosts you love!
