Learn To Speak Italian Fluently

There are some great podcasts on iTunes (you can download iTunes at http://www.apple.com/itunes/) to learn italian. Try 'Learn Italian Pod'.

Good luck!

i would also like to learn what you need and how to bake bread

Try making some of these:

Chicken Biscuit Calzones
1 can biscuits
2 cups cooked chicken, diced
4 oz. Mozzarella cheese
½ tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. dried oregano
Black pepper to taste.
Olive oil

1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2.Roll each biscuit into a 5” circle.
3.Mix all remaining ingredients except oil
4.Sprinkle 1/8th of mixture over half of each biscuit circle; leaving ½” of the edge clear.
5.Fold the other half of biscuit dough over filling to make a half-moon.
6.Use fork tines to press edges firmly together and seal.
7.Coat baking pan with cooking spray.
8.Arrange calzones in a single layer with sides not touching.
9.Brush tops with olive oil
10.Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Deep Dish Pizza Casserole

4 oz. shells or macaroni pasta*
½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded*
1 lb. ground beef **
½ cup onions, chopped
½ cup green peppers, chopped
1 small can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
¼ tsp. oregano
¼ tsp. basil
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
½ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
Cooking spray

1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. and lightly coat a 2-quart
baking dish with cooking spray.
2.Cook pasta according to package directions.
3.Meanwhile, brown crumbled ground beef in a large skillet
over medium heat along with onions and green pepper;
drain well.
4.Remove from heat and add tomato sauce, oregano, basil,
and garlic powder to meat mixture; stir to mix all well.
5.Drain pasta and place in bottom of prepared baking dish
and top with cheddar cheese.
6.Layer meat and tomato mixture over pasta and cheese.
7.Sprinkle top with mozzarella cheese, cover and bake for
15 minutes.
8. Remove cover and bake for an additional 3 to 5 minutes
or until mozzarella cheese is lightly browned.

* A package of Mac & Cheese, or Shells and Cheese Dinner may be substituted for pasta and cheddar cheese, if desired.

** Ground beef may be substituted with pork sausage, chicken, ham,
bacon, Italian sausage (with casing removed) or any other choice of
meat, if desired.

Bottoms-Up Pizza Bake

1 lb. roll pork sausage*
1 small onion, diced
1 jar pizza sauce
1 small can sliced mushrooms, drained
½ cup green pepper, diced
4 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. dried basil
¼ tsp. garlic power
½ cup milk
1 egg, beaten
Cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. and lightly coat a 9 X 13 inch
baking pan with cooking spray.
2. Add onion and crumbled meat to a large skillet.
3. Cook over medium/high heat for about 3 minutes or until meat
is browned and onions are tender; drain well.
4. Meanwhile, combine flour, baking powder, salt, garlic and basil
in a bowl; using a wire whisk to mix well.
5. Whisk in milk and egg until well blended; set aside
6. Spoon drained meat mixture evenly over the bottom of prepared pan.
7. Sprinkle green peppers and mushrooms over top of meat layer.
8. Pour pizza sauce over mushroom and green peppers.
9. Sprinkle cheese over pizza sauce.
10. Spread batter evenly over cheese.
11. Bake for 20 minutes or until light golden brown.
12. Serve hot from pan.

* One lb. of any preferred meat may be substituted if desired.

Italian Chicken Bake

2 to 3 lbs. whole chicken, cut into parts
1 can diced or stewed tomatoes
4 potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 onion, quartered
1 small can mushrooms, drained
2 cups sliced zucchini
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. salt or less

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2.Wash and cut up chicken.
3.Place chicken into a small roasting pan or Dutch oven.
4.Add potatoes, onions, mushrooms, zucchini, tomatoes and seasoning.
5.Cover and bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until chicken is done.
6.Serve with Italian green beans if desired.

Onions and Green Peppers with Pasta Nests

1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 lbs. sweet onions
1 green pepper
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. black pepper
½ tsp. dried basil
4 oz. angel hair pasta
1 ¼ cups water
Parmesan cheese, grated

1.Cut onions and green pepper into ½ inch thick slices and separate
into rings.
2.Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
A. Add onions along with green peppers and cook, covered
for 15 minutes; stirring occasionally.
B. Uncover, cook for an additional 10 to 15 minutes or
until vegetables are tender and browned.
C. Remove vegetables from skillet and set aside.
3.Add pasta to hot skillet along with seasoning.
4.Cook and stir pasta for 4 minutes or until pasta is browned.
5.Add water and cooked vegetables to pasta in skillet and bring to a boil.
6.Reduce heat, cover and cook for 5 minutes.
7.Uncover and continue to cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes or until pasta is tender; stirring occasionally.
8.Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese, if desired; serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings

Chicken Pasta Skillet

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken, cut into small piece
1 medium green pepper, sliced.
1 small onion, chopped
1½ cups water
2 cups rigatoni pasta, uncooked
1 jar (26 oz.) spaghetti sauce
1 cup mozzarella cheese

1.Spray large skillet with cooking spray
2.Add chicken and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until evenly browned.
3.Add green peppers and onions, and continue to cook until tender, stirring occasionally.
4.Add water and bring to boil.
5.Reduce heat and stir in pasta while making sure it is covered with water.
6.Cover and simmer until pasta is done.
7.Stir in sauce and sprinkle with cheese.
8.Cover and reduce heat to low.
9.Continue to cook for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Chicago Style Deep Dish Pizza

1 roll of refrigerated pizza dough
2 Tbsp. cornmeal, divided
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped green peppers
1 tsp. Italian herb seasoning
1 can diced tomatoes, drained and divided
4 oz. thinly sliced pepperoni, divided
Cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. and lightly coat a 9-inch square
pan or a cast iron skillet with cooking spray.
2. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp. of cornmeal on a flat surface before rolling out
dough.
3. Roughly shape dough to conform to the pan or skillet and press
into bottom and sides of prepared pan; crimp extra dough at top
edges.
4. Sprinkle dough with remaining cornmeal.
5. Layer dough with 1/2 of the remaining ingredients in the order
listed: cheese, onions, green peppers, seasoning, tomatoes and
pepperoni.
6. Repeat layers in the same order as above.
6. Bake for 5 minutes in preheated 400 degree F. oven.
7. Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees F. and continue to bake
for 20 minutes or until crust is brown.
8. Cool in pan for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Easy Chicken Tetrazzini

16 oz. pkg. uncooked spaghetti or ziti noodles
½ Cup Butter or Margarine
½ Cup All-Purpose flour
3 Cups Chicken Broth
2 Cups Milk
1 2/3 Cups grated Parmesan Cheese
4 Cups chopped cooked chicken

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.Lightly grease medium baking dish.
3.Bring large pot of slightly salted water to a boil.
a. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes.
b. Drain pasta and place in prepared baking dish.
4.Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat.
a. Stir in flour.
b. Mix in broth and milk
c. Cook and stir until the mixture comes to a boil
d. Sir in 1 1/3 cups of cheese and remove from heat.
5.Mix broth mixture and chicken with pasta in baking dish.
6.Top with remaining cheese
7.Bake 1 hour; until surface is lightly brown.