Una Mamma Italiana

Homemade Mac and Cheese for the Birthday Girl - with Cake Pops!

2012-01-26T11:44:00.000-08:00

Each of my kids gets to pick their dinner of choice on their birthday. This started as a cute and innocent tradition and has since developed into the very cause of my migraines! If there was a parenting course on "How to Teach your Children To Be Demanding Needy Little Tyrants," then I would graduate with honors.

As our kids have gotten older and smarter they now have very detailed stipulations on what exactly their birthday dinner will entail. For instance, my son usually asks for chicken soup. But not just any chicken soup - "the homemade kind, from whole roasted chicken bones, with mini meatballs and pieces of chicken....and the carrots need to be soft...and grated Romano cheese on top - heaping spoonfuls of grated Romano cheese," to be precise.

And then I lovingly smack them with my wooden spoon....I mean........ I give them a kiss and say, "Anything for the Birthday Boy!"

Well, this year my daughter was turning FIVE! Five is a HUGE deal to her since it means school is coming up this year. Also, I have learned a ton of new things about turning five. For instance, (straight from my daughter's mouth) "When you're five you don't take naps anymore." Or "I can ride my scooter in the house cuz I'm five." Everything she wants to do is now suddenly allowed at the age of five. In your dreams, kid.

SO this year the Birthday girl requested homemade macaroni and cheese. VERY cheesy macaroni and cheese with absolutely "NO ham" (here come those stipulations again). And she wanted it to look orange like the box of store bought 'Macaroni and Hydrogenated Oil' (some call it "Macaroni and Cheese"). Well, that wasn't happening because I used a wonderful gourmet blend of cheeses that were predominantly white! Yeah, that did not go over well. But in the end she loved it (and so did we cuz we got our yummy cheese fix) You know how I love my cheese.

So here is a recipe that I altered out of my trusty Betty Crocker cookbook. I switched up some ingredients and ratios and, of course, cheeses. But if you want to pick your own selection of cheese, just stick to the overall amount of cheese and pick cheeses that melt well. For instance, mozzarella would not be a good choice for this!

MACARONI AND CHEESE:

1 lb elbow macaroni

1/4 cup butter

1.4 cup flour

1 -2 tsp salt

black pepper, to taste

1/2 tsp Dijon mustard ( I added a bit more, it really does enhance the flavor!)

1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

4 cups milk

3 cups shredded cheeses that melt all creamy-like! (I used white cheddar, swiss, havarti, and asiago)

While the pasta is boiling (I would under cook it by a couple minutes), prepare the sauce as follows:

Melt butter in a saucepan. Stir in the flour, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt & pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until mixture is smooth and lightly bubbly. Stir in milk. Heat to boiling, stirring CONSTANTLY! Boil & stir 1 minute. Turn heat off. Stir in the cheese until melted.

Toss the pasta in the sauce and pout into an un-greased casserole dish. Bake uncovered for 10 - 20 minutes. Here, you have the option of topping it with more cheese or maybe crumbled Ritz crackers or bread crumbs - whatever you like! Buon Appetito!

And Voila! The birthday dinner was a success. We'll pretend this next picture is not of the girls spitting on the Birthday cake ;)

Soft Glazed Molasses Cookies!!!

2012-01-03T12:21:00.000-08:00

I tell you now I am definitely NO BAKER!!! I just can't wrap my hands around the scientific methods behind measurements and leavening and wet/dry ingredients.....it's just too much for my brain to handle. I cook (and I can't even do that very well) only because I am at liberty to add a little of this, and a little of that at my discretion!! This could have something to do with the fact that my 100% Italian blood dictates a rather stubborn personality that does not lend itself to following directions very well. But that's just a theory....

So when I had to come up with something for a cookie exchange, I went with a cookie that I knew I would LOVE since I would have to spend ample time rebelling against my tendency to experiment and actually follow a recipe! I love those off-brand iced oatmeal cookies you find on the bottom shelf in the cookie aisles at the grocery store. I generally go through half a package in one sitting. And I also LOVE gingerbread cookies but I hate the labor involved in rolling out dough and cutting out shapes (I told you I was lazy). So this recipe is a combo of both my favorites and really is fool proof! After all, I have made it three times and perfectly each time!! I also suggest the use of a cookie scoop as it is my new FAVORITE kitchen tool! Try it for yourself:

GLAZED SOFT MOLASSES COOKIES

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup sour cream

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup molasses

1 large egg

3 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 TB cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp salt

PREHEAT OVEN TO 350 DEGREES

Beat the sugar, sour cream, butter, shortening and egg together with a hand mixer. Stir in remaining ingredients. Drop dough with a cookie scoop on to parchment paper or un-greased cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes, or until no indentation remains when pressed. Drizzle with glaze and eat em up!

GLAZE:

3 cups powdered sugar

1/3 cup butter (softened completely)

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

3 or more TBSP milk (more as needed to thin it out)

Mix until thin enough to either drizzle on in a cute pattern, or brush on with a brush while cookies are still warm. There is no way you could be disappointed with these cookies! ENJOY!!

The Mamma Meets the Cucina: COOKING WITH SPIRITS!

2012-01-03T11:36:00.000-08:00

So the holidays have come and gone and our liquor cabinets are pretty much cleaned out. But don't write off those nearly empty bottles yet! With less than a cup of some of the most common spirits, you can have an awesome meal on the table with a huge wow factor. And the Mamma & the Cucina are battling again to show you just how to do it!

FROM THE CUCINA

Of all the liquors that I keep stored in my house (and aside from a variety of rums, there aren't many others), tequila seems to be the least used. Just a nice margarita on Cinco de Mayo and maybe a grill-out or two is all the time that I usually have for tequila. Yes...my Cuervo 'shot' days are way behind me. So when I started to plan for our Cooking with Spirits post, I figured it would be a good time to dust off the tequila bottle and put it to some good use!
This recipe is very simple and only uses a handful of ingredients. The the tequila lime marinade leaves a refreshing, zesty flavor that, although screams for a summer grill-out, can be enjoyed all year round and makes for a terrific party appetizer.
TEQUILA LIME CHICKEN BITES
INGREDIENTS:
6 uncooked skinless chicken tenders, cut into 2" pieces
1/3 cup silver/white tequila
juice of 4 limes, plus zest of 1 lime
1 tspn honey
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
4 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced
2 tblspn butter
PREPARATION:
Whisk together the tequila, lime juice, lime zest, honey and cilantro. Place the cut chicken pieces into tequila mixture, let sit in fridge for at least two hours (a plastic baggie works well for this).
Remove chicken from marinade, discard marinade. Quarter each piece of the prosciutto (adjust size accordingly to fit around each chicken strip). Wrap each chicken strip with one piece of the prosciutto and secure with a toothpick.
Melt butter in a pan over medium-high heat. Place the prosciutto wrapped chicken in pan, cooking the chicken evenly on each side, until chicken is fully browned and prosciutto is slightly crisp.
Serve and enjoy!

FROM THE MAMMA

Sambuca is one of the liquors I remember from my childhood. After dinner my parents and grandparents would have a small glass over ice, or even put some in their coffee. I, personally, never liked the stuff, but I find that the naturally sweet flavor really enhances savory dishes for a sweet & salty effect! Sambuca is often used in cooking with prawns or lamb, but I went with shrimp. So my food-blogging brain did a little talking with my Italian stomach and I invented the following recipe:

SAMBUCA SHRIMP:

INGREDIENTS

12 shrimp, trimmed & deveined

1 TB olive oil

4 TB butter

3 TB minced shallots

juice of one small lemon

1/4 cup Sambuca

salt, pepper, crushed red pepper to taste

Saute the shallots in 1 Tablespoon olive oil and 1 Tablespoon butter until transparent. (You want to sweat the shallots, meaning you cook them without any color or browning). Add in the shrimp and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and plenty of crushed red pepper. Cook for about 1 minute on each side. Remove the shrimp. Add the sambuca and cook for 5 minutes on medium-high heat.

Then add the lemon juice and the remaining TB of butter and simmer lightly until you get kind of a thin glaze. Then, throw the shrimp back in and toss it all together. Turn the heat off (you do not want to overcook the shrimp,a s the heat alone will finish the cooking process). Serve immediately over rice pilaf, or alongside roasted veggies. I served mine with brown rice since we are trying to keep that New Year's resolution of eating healthy! MANGIA!!

DON'T FORGET TO VOTE ON WHICH LIQUOR YOU WOULD PREFER AS AN INGREDIENT!!! SEE THE POLL ON THE RIGHT SIDEBAR OF THIS BLOG!

Homemade Crayon Rolls

2011-12-21T18:14:00.000-08:00

Each year at Christmas we buy and make gifts to put under the tree....but the gift giving doesn't stop on Dec 25th!!

After all, there are 12 days of Christmas and Epiphany wraps up the gift season for us. As goes the Italian tradition, La Befana comes and brings the children goodies in their shoes on January 6th. In our family, we also make small handmade gifts for each other! Usually I will pick one craft project and make a mass produce them for all the kiddos in the family (mine plus nieces and nephews!) This year in my little factory (a.k.a. my kitchen table) I was sewing up a storm with these awesome crayon rolls.

Now, let me warn you that I do not sew very well. I hate patterns and I just can't follow directions!! I can, however, sew a straight line and that is pretty much all you need to know how to do for this project. I got ideas from a tutorial here and then pretty much ignored the directions, channeled Frank Sinatra and did it my way. What can I say, I'm Italian....

I cut these peices of fabric

1.) 16 1/2 inches by 5 inches

2.) 16 1/2 inches by 5 inches

3.) 16 1/2 inches by 6 inches, then folded in half longways

4.) FUSEABLE INTERFACING: 16 1/2 by 5

Then I ironed the interfacing to fabric piece #1. Then I took the folded fabric piece #3 and placed in on top of piece #1.

I lined up the bottoms, so that the folded piece became the pocket. Then I starting sewing vertical lines, starting 1 1/2 inches from the end. Then every 1 inch after that until I got to the other end. These made up the crayon slots.

Then I sewed the two fabrics together (wrong sidees together) flipped it inside out and top stitched around the whole thing!! You can add a button or shoe laces to wrap it up, but the tutorial will be MUCH MORE INFORMATIVE!! I just wanted to give you an idea...

aAd that's how it's done!!! Buona Fortuna!

Italian Christmas & Advent Traditions

2011-12-13T17:18:00.000-08:00

This is, hands down, my favorite time of year. There are so many great aspects to the Christmas season - good food, good music, and the special traditions that come along with the "reason for the season." I think you all remember how I feel about the commercialization of Christmas!!

Like many Catholics, our "partying" starts with Advent and ends with Epiphany, since our "Holiday Season" is centered around the birth of Christ. Liturgically speaking, Advent marks the "New Year" of the Church, so naturally our family makes a certain "new year resolution" for the four weeks until Christmas. This helps build up the anticipation for celebrating the birth of Christ (And hopefully distracts the kids a bit from their concern with a full stocking or tons of presents!)

So if our family decides to do some extra work of charity for four weeks, or even simply gives up candy - we are all the more excited for Christmas Day when we can eat our favorite junk food again!

We countdown the days of Advent with an Advent Calendar and the Advent Wreath. This usually begins on the First Sunday in Advent and goes all the way until Christmas Eve.

But the first exciting celebration in Advent is St. Nicholas' Feast Day! On the night of December 5th, our kids make sure the stockings are hung for St. Nicholas to fill with goodies. This comes from the historic tale of the real Saint Nicholas, a Bishop, serving the less fortunate. Nicholas' parents died when he was young and left him a great fortune, which he chose to share with others. Not wanting recognition, he would sneakily leave these riches in a family's left out shoes (hence the stockings) or even through and open window or chimney (hence the Santa comin' down the chimney tale). This was his way of helping out those in need but not getting all kinds of glory for it.

This is a great lesson to teach our children of today...helping others without seeking some kind of earthly reward or recognition makes it truly selfless. So on the morning of December 6th, the feast of Saint Nicholas, the kids get to open their stockings full of goodies, small toys and, of course, some chocolate gold coins!

Another "lesson" we teach our kiddos makes use of a long-standing Italian tradition - Il Presipio - the Christmas Crib. Saint Francis of Assisi (yep, an Italian!) is credited with constructing the first Christmas Crib, a replica of the manger to be displayed during the season to recall Jesus' birth. But you won't find the Infant Jesus in our Nativity scene!! After all, He isn't actually "born" yet! Our Presipio includes only Mary, Joseph, and an empty crib, which the children fill with hay each time they do a good deed.

So if my little ones do an extra chore or obey me without a complaint, they get to put a piece of hay in the crib, thus making a more comfortable bed for the Child Jesus come Christmas morning. This is a fabulous reminder of the reason for the season that little minds can understand!

Then there's Christmas Eve - La Vigilia!! The Feast of the Seven Fishes is celebrated by Italians everywhere! Being a "Vigil Day" - (which basically means it is the Eve of a great Feast Day) the Church has long required fasting from meat on this day in order to prepare oneself for the great feast that is coming. Consequently, Italians have more than risen to the occasion with tons of great fish dishes (usually seven to symbolize the seven Sacraments of the Catholic Church). You can read about some great recipes from Dominic Condo and myself from our Seven Fishes Post last year.

Then, of course, CHRISTMAS DAY!! The morning of Christmas, we are all usually pretty exhausted from Midnight Mass - but the kids are excited for their presents from Babbo Natale.

Now, we have a HUGE family an the kids are completely spoiled by all their loving grandparents/aunts/uncles/etc....So My husband and I have chosen to give them only three gifts each from us (reminiscent of the three gifts brought by the Wise Men). They get one special gift and two smaller ones. Any more would frankly spoil them rotten since our extended family spoils them mercilessly already! Oh how I love them for that:)

But before any gifts are opened, the kids - walking in procession led by the youngest - carry the baby Jesus (statue) in and place it in the Manger that they have been filling with hay all Advent long. We are then reminded that Jesus' birth is at the forefront of our Holiday celebrations.

Of course, Christmas Day (and beyond) means a house full of sweet treats and goodies. Struffoli is a festive Italian dessert that my kids love! It's fried balls of dough tossed in honey and sprinkles. You can even use red and green sprinkles to keep it festive!

We also always make a Cornflake Wreath, a kind of Rice Crispy treats. Replace the rice crispies with corn flakes and use green food coloring after you melt the marshmallows. Then place into a bundt cake mold until hardened. When flipped over on to a plate, decorate it with red mini m&ms (to look like holly berries) and a red bow on top. This is what we hand out to our friends and neighbors each year. A Christmas "wreath" that is way too easy not to make!

Our celebrating season comes to an end on January 6th with Epiphany. This is the day the Catholic Church celebrates the coming of the Three Wise Men to the Christmas Crib. So, like any good Italian, we put out our slippers on the Eve of Epiphany (the night of January 5th) for La Befana to fill.

The Story of La Befana is a long standing Italian tradition that my kiddos love! The story goes that this good old Italian "witch" was at home when three men knocked at her door asking directions to the stable where the King was to be born. Engrossed in housework, she neglected to accompany them on their journey and stayed at home to sweep! Later on, feeling remorse, she set out on her own journey trying to find the Newborn King, so that she could leave him a little Birthday gift. Since she was unsure which baby it was, she just left treats for each child she passed, hoping one would end up being the Christ Child! La Befana visits us every Epiphany, and somehow always brings my husband's favorite candy!

These traditions are truly what make the Holiday Season such a memorable time for our family. My husband and I feel it is so important to give our kids these memories to hold on to as they grow older. That way, they learn the true meaning of the season in a fun way, and could even celebrate with their own families one day.

For more explanations and deeper meanings, you can use the links above to reference my original articles on these traditions. Also, you can find my column on ItaliansRUs.com, under "Una Mamma Italiana." Happy Celebrating - and from our famiglia to yours -

Buon Natale!

Italian Thanksgiving Recipes!

2011-11-21T09:59:00.000-08:00

Unless you're a Med-e-gone, some kind of pasta on Thanksgiving is just plain normal. So is spending the four days preceding Turkey Day in the kitchen. It's just what you do. This year, we'll be trying some new recipes while sticking to the good old favorites, too. I've decided to pull together some of my favorites in this post for your menu planning pleasure...Click the links for the full recipe:

Mascarpone Mashed Potatoes - Our family favorite - rich & creamy!

Captain Morgan's Sweet Potatoes - The perfect balance of sweet, salty, and spicy!!

Thanksgiving Dinner Rolls - Just use this bread recipe but shaped into rolls.

Sunday Gravy - for your Thanksgiving pasta!

And for dessert, be sure to check out Cucina Domenico's latest post: Pumpkin Crisp!

Amatriciana Sauce - Italian Sauce with Pancetta

2011-10-21T17:20:00.001-07:00

Since I started blogging here at UMI over 3 years ago, I've noticed that readers really love the sauce recipes. Whether its my family recipe for Sunday Gravy, Vodka Sauce or Arrabiatta Sauce - these sauces are classics that can usually be made with minimal effort and a big wow factor.

Here is another classic Italian sauce recipe that boasts the amazing flavor of Pancetta! It gets its name from the town of its origin, Amatrice (a super small town in Northern Lazio. We're talking central Italy, here - the countryside that literally divides the North from the South.) It is a very rustic style sauce.

Pancetta is Italian bacon that is cured with all kinds of salt and yummy spices. It is most often used in recipes for the flavor you get from the fat (who doesn't love cooking in a good fat!?) on the meat. Some "Med-E-Gones" substitute regular bacon in recipes such as these. I guess you could do the same, but then you run the risk of breaking my heart (and the hearts of Italians everywhere).

AMATRICIANA SAUCE

3 TB e.v.o.o.

2 oz. pancetta, finely cubed

1 med onion, minced

1 TB minced garlic

pinch of dried oregano

1 can whole peeled tomatoes, chopped or hand crushed

1/2 tsp (to start) curshed red pepper flakes (adjust to your liking)

1 TB julienned fresh basil leaves

salt & pepper to taste

Start with only 2 TB of the olive oil. Use it to brown the pancetta. Once browned, add the onions and garlic, saute over medium heat until soft. Stir in the oregano, hot pepper flakes, and the tomatoes. Bring it to a boil. SImmer until sauce has thickened a bit (around 30 minutes)

At the end, stir in the basil leaves and add more hot pepper/salt/pepper as needed. Stir in the remaining TB of olive oil until emulsified.

Toss with your favorite pasta and top with lots of yummy grated pecorino romano cheese! (my fav) And MANGIA!!

Cookin with Lentils: Easy Lentil Soup Recipe

2011-10-06T11:54:00.000-07:00

Lentils are a hearty, economical ingredient when feeding a large family!

(Having five children, I've kinda figured 'economical' out)

So I thought I'd share my Dad's recipe for Lentil Soup.

It's very simple and perfect for a rainy day.

LENTIL SOUP

1 small onion, finely minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 stalk celery, minced

2 carrots, minced

2 TB butter

1 - 2 TB e.v.o.o.

2 cups Chicken or Beef Stock

2 cups water

2 cups cooked (very al dente) ditalini pasta

1 cup lentils, rinsed

salt and pepper to taste

Saute the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic in the butter and e.v.o.o. until soft. Do not brown. Add in the lentils and coat. Add in the stock and water. Simmer until the lentils are tender (around 30 minutes or so). Stir in the cooked ditalini pasta. Serve hot with a bunch of grated cheese on top! Buon Appetito!

*Variations: If you want more of a minestrone type taste, add in one can of diced tomatoes after having cooked the mirepoix for a bit. Also a bay leaf is a nice touch. Add a whole leaf while simmering.

Veggie Challenge Results!

2011-09-26T19:52:00.000-07:00

After tallying the votes from both Una Mamma Italiana and Dom's Kitchen, the zucchini fritters came out on top! With another food challenge victory under my belt (check out my record here), my Italian Pride is gleaming....

But Chef Condo makes quite an interesting point. With each challenge we do, we have readers vote on both of our individual blogs. Now, as much as we talk trash on the Cucina Chatter radio show, we really are not in this for the money. (I mean, how can we be when there is no actual prize involved in this heated competition!?!) So, we just trust that people will actually vote with their preference.

This time, the fritters were champion on my site, while the Pepperonata clearly took the lead on Dom's. Could we possibly just have very loyal friends? Is Chef Condo paying off his readers to vote for him? Hey - I won't say it, but something smells fishy!!

Okay, okay - all kidding aside - Condo's analysis of this challenge is very true. My zucchini fritters were a fresh, trendy twist on a garden veggie dish, while his Pepperonata was a rustic, home style Italian favorite from the vault! Could East Coast foodies be more old school? Are West Coast readers after those new world concepts? Could be! But it sounds more like a case for a my college Cultural Studies professor that two Italian-food lovers!

This challenge is the first to really expose the fact that we are dueling bloggers from opposite coasts! It just reinforces how very cool this concept is! I am grateful to duke it out with a paisan across the country who loves Italian food & culture as much as I do! Readers get the benefit of two perspectives on the same general topic! And really, our MMC Food Challenges are quite possibly the best, most competitive oonline challenge there is.

If I had to lose to anyone, Dominic Condo would be my pick. But since I won, I'll surely rub it in.....

until the next food challenge, that is!

Piu Tardi!!!

THE MAMMA MEETS THE CUCINA - Veggie Challenge!

2011-09-11T11:56:00.000-07:00

A VEGGIE CHALLENGE!!!!!!!!!

Well, another Mamma Meets the Cucina battle was long overdue. This time we're dueling with veggies.

Cast your vote for your favorite side dish!

FROM THE CUCINA...

Peperonata, in my opinion, is the perfect Italian vegetable dish. The classic combination of onions, garlic and peppers sautéed in olive oil makes for the beautiful fragrance. The potatoes and tomatoes help give a nice, hearty texture to the dish. And the splash of white balsamic adds the delicious, slightly sweet, slightly tart finish. Whether you're serving it as a side dish, as an appetizer or as a meal itself, the hearty and rustic peperonata is a stick-to-your-ribs kind of meal that you will enjoy time and time again.

Many of the recipes that I have found use either fresh tomatoes or canned crushed tomatoes, with the addition of some water or broth to keep the peperonata from drying out. I actually prefer to use canned stewed tomatoes and their juices. The stewed tomatoes are already seasoned, they are soft enough where they will meld nicely with the softened peppers and the remaining ingredients, and the juice is plenty to keep this dish thick but moist (you don't want a soupy consistency). Be sure to use a variety of bell peppers. The variety of pepper colors make for a very appealing presentation. And don't forget the crusty bread for dipping and scooping!

PEPERONATA

1/4 cup EVOO

1 small onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

8 bell peppers (two green, two red, two orange and two yellow), seeded and sliced into strips

2 14.5 oz. cans of stewed tomatoes and their juices

4-5 medium russet potatoes, peeled and sliced

1 tblspn Italian seasoning

Salt and Pepper to taste

2 tblspn white balsamic vinegar

In a large pot saute the onions in olive oil on medium-high heat, and when it is completely softened, and before it starts browning, add the garlic. Saute for an additional couple of minutes, then add the peppers, lower the heat to medium-low and stir well. Partially cover with a lid and let them soften up, about 10 minutes.

When the peppers have settled into the pan, add the stewed tomatoes and the potatoes. Season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste and the Italian seasoning, stir well over medium-low heat. Add the white balsamic, stir again, cover, cook on medium-low for about 1-1/2 hours or until potatoes are cooked to preference, stirring occasionally. Serve on a platter with crusty or toasted Italian bread.

FROM THE MAMMA...

Zucchini is one of my favorite veggies - especially this time of year. I can remember my Grandma Rose picking the zucchini from her backyard garden, stuffing the flowers with ricotta and baking them. It was such a special treat that I loved when I was a kid. I figured that in an attempt to mimic my Grandma's recipe I could risk shaming the family, so I opted for fritters instead!

Fritters are a fun and easy way to incorporate veggies into a diet - especially for picky little ones. It's fun for kids to mix up a batter and watch them fry up. I made my daughter part of the whole process and she loved the final result twice as much because of it! Presented with a small slice of fresh lemon and parsley, these become a simple yet elegant side dish. They're like a good pair of jeans - you can dress 'em up or dress 'em down and they always look great.

ZUCCHINI FRITTERS

2 medium zucchini, trimmed & grated

1/2 small onion, trimmed & grated

1/2 cup grated Romano cheese

1/3 cup flour

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

2 eggs, beaten

e.v.o.o. for frying

Before combining all the ingredients, pat the grated onion and zucchini dry with a paper towel. This will remove any excess moisture that might make the batter too wet. Then combine all the remaining ingredients (except for the e.v.o.o.) with a spoon. Season with salt and pepper.

Drop spoonfuls of the batter into a skillet coated with a couple TBSP of e.v.o.o. Flatten them slightly and cook until golden brown on each side. (about 2-3 minutes per side over medium heat)

Drain on a paper towel lined plate and serve hot or warm.

(The great thing about these fritters is they are great party appetizers since you can easily make up a whole batch and reheat them in a warm oven on a cookie sheet.)

Don't forget to cast your votes on either the Una Mamma blog or the Cucina Domenico website. And be sure to 'like' the Cucina Domenico group page on Face Book! Salud!

FRIDAY FIVE! - An Italian Mojito!

2011-09-09T16:49:00.000-07:00

This cocktail recipe uses less than five ingredients - and ONE of the five is one of my favorites - PROSECCO!!

I discovered Prosecco while in Venice (so loved the bellini!!). The rest of my family, while on a recent visit to Florence, discovered this drink, which I lovingly call an Italian Mojito!! Just replace the fresh mint with fresh basil and the sparkling soda with Prosecco. Nix the rum; exchange it for scotch & cointreau and there you have it!

Ingredients:
Bunch of Basil
1/2c. Lt. Scotch(like Dewers)
Almost 1/2c. Cointreau
1 bottle Prosecco

Mix Scotch, Cointreau, & Basil together, muddling (crushing) the Basil to bring out the flavor.
Add Prosecco & mix all together. Enjoy!

Above is an actual photo that my aunt took in Rome as this drink was being concocted. It may sound like an odd mix of ingredients, but it's surprisingly tasty! Cheers!

Vote for me! UNA MAMMA ITALIANA for Babble.com's Mom Food Blogger 2011

2011-09-02T17:53:00.000-07:00

Una Mamma Italiana has been nominated for

THE BABBLE 100!!

Please take a moment to go to www.Babble.com, where you can vote for my blog to be in the top 100 for 2011's "Mom Food Bloggers!"

It may be a little late in the game (since it's already September!) It takes no signing up just one click! So hurry up and go vote here. You can also search alphabetically for Una Mamma Italiana & Click on the thumbs up! Don't forget to pass on the link to all your paisani!

Ciao e grazie!!

Vodka Sauce

2011-08-28T19:56:00.000-07:00

I was in the third grade. The D.A.R.E. program had been educating our class on the perils of drugs and alcohol. Clearly, I hadn't needed such elementary instruction considering my (scandalous) exposure to such addictive substances from an early age. I mean, we were Italian. Limoncello was for "dessert" and scotch was for teething babies.

So imagine my lack of concern when they asked, "Do any of your parents keep alcohol in the house?" Needless to say, I outed my own mother to the D.A.R.E. officers...

"My mom puts vodka in her sauce!" I proudly exclaimed.

Today, I am just as proud to say that I put my very own vodka in my sauce! When I moved out of my parents home at the young age of 19, my mom bought me an enormous jug of vodka (for vodka Sauce) since I couldn't legally buy my own! And really, most of it was used for Vodka Sauce!

All kidding aside, Vodka Sauce is truly one of my top favorite family recipes. All my friends wanted to eat over at my house for Mom's Penne A La Vodka. And it won my husband's heart when we were dating (to the heart, through the stomach!) And so today, I am sharing it with you.

Woo your lovers without intoxicating them with my recipe for Vodka Sauce.

VODKA SAUCE

4 TBSP olive oil (enough to coat the onions)

2 TBSP butter

1/2 onion, chopped

1 28 oz. cans whole peeled tomatoes (I recommend San Marzano varieties)

1 cup vodka, divided

1 cup heavy cream

Saute the onions in the oil and the butter on medium heat until transparent (Do Not Brown). Add 1/2 cup of the vodka. Cook out the alcohol (about 5 minutes). Add the tomatoes and blend with a hand blender. Add the remaining vodka. Simmer for 45 minutes. Then, slowly stir in the heavy cream (not while boiling). Serve over penne or your favorite pasta! MANGIA!

*NOTE: Should you wish to freeze this sauce ahead of time, do so before adding the cream. Otherwise, when you defrost it for use, the cream will break. When ready to use, thaw your frozen vodka sauce and add the heavy cream just before serving. I love keeping this on hand for nights when a marinara might not sound as exciting:)

FRIDAY FIVE! Blueberry Iced Tea & a little politics...

2011-08-24T12:35:00.000-07:00

With all the heat the Tea Party has been getting lately, I figured I'd pay homage to TEA by posting an easy recipe for a fresh & fancy summer beverage. With five ingredients or less, you can't go wrong serving this at your next tea party! And if you can handle it, I would strongly recommend the addition of a sixth ingredient - perhaps some bacardi limon?!

Berry Iced Tea

4 qts brewed tea, cooled (I usually steep several green tea bags in 4 qts of water, but it will depend on your choice of tea and the strength you prefer)

1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

2 TB lemon juice

In a small saucepan, combine the blueberries, water, and sugar. Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly. Strain, squeezing all the juice from the blueberries. Add the lemon juice to the strained mixture & allow it to cool. Combine the brewed tea and the syrup (do this a bit at a time, so as to control how much blueberry flavor you prefer in your tea) and chill in the fridge. Serve in a chilled glass over ice. I like to add a couple blueberries to the bottom:) Cheers!

And since I've already opened the can of worms, here's a little political humor for your Friday:)

Why did the chicken cross the road?

SARAH PALIN: The chicken crossed the road because, gosh-darn it, he's a maverick!

BARACK OBAMA: The chicken crossed the road because it was time for change! The chicken wanted change!

JOHN MCCAIN: My friends, that chicken crossed the road because he recognized the need to engage in cooperation and dialogue with all the chickens on the other side of the road.

HILLARY CLINTON: When I was First Lady, I personally helped that little chicken to cross the road. This experience makes me uniquely qualified to ensure right from Day One that every chicken in this country gets the chance it deserves to cross the road. But then, this really isn't about me.

GEORGE W. BUSH: We don't really care why the chicken crossed the road. We just want to know if the chicken is on our side of the road, or not. The chicken is either against us, or for us. There is no middle ground here.

DICK CHENEY: Where's my gun?

COLIN POWELL: Now to the left of the screen, you can clearly see the satellite image of the chicken crossing the road.

BILL CLINTON: I did not cross the road with that chicken.

AL GORE: I invented the chicken.

JOHN KERRY: Although I voted to let the chicken cross the road, I am now against it! It was the wrong road to cross, and I was misled about the chicken's intentions. I am not for it now, and will remain against it.

AL SHARPTON: Why are all the chickens white? We need some black chickens.

DR. PHIL: The problem we have here is that this chicken won't realize that he must first deal with the problem on this side of the road before it goes after the problem on the other side of the road. What we need to do is help him realize how stupid he's acting by not taking on his current problems before adding new problems.

OPRAH: Well, I understand that the chicken is having problems, which is why he wants to cross this road so bad. So instead of having the chicken learn from his mistakes and take falls, which is a part of life, I'm going to give this chicken a NEW CAR so that he can just drive across the road and not live his life like the rest of the chickens.

ANDERSON COOPER, CNN: We have reason to believe there is a chicken, but we have not yet been allowed to have access to the other side of the road.

NANCY GRACE: That chicken crossed the road because he's guilty! You can see it in his eyes and the way he walks.

PAT BUCHANAN: To steal the job of a decent, hardworking American.

DR SEUSS: Did the chicken cross the road? Did he cross it with a toad? Yes, the chicken crossed the road, but why it crossed I've not been told.

ERNEST HEMINGWAY: To die in the rain, alone.

GRANDPA: In my day we didn't ask why the chicken crossed the road. Somebody told us the chicken crossed the road, and that was good enough.

BARBARA WALTERS: Isn't that interesting? In a few moments, we will be listening to the chicken tell, for the first time, the heart warming story of how it experienced a serious case of molting, and went on to accomplish its lifelong dream of crossing the road.

ARISTOTLE: It is the nature of chickens to cross the road.

JOHN LENNON: Imagine all the chickens in the world crossing roads together, in peace.

BILL GATES: I have just released eChicken2011, which will not only cross roads, but will lay eggs, file your important documents, and balance your checkbook. Internet Explorer is an integral part of eChicken2011. This new platform is much more stable and will never reboot.

ALBERT EINSTEIN: Did the chicken really cross the road, or did the road move beneath the chicken?

COLONEL SANDERS: Did I miss one?

What's keeping me up at night...

2011-08-18T15:51:00.001-07:00

L'uccello mattinieo si becca il verme

In other words, (in ENGLISH words) - "The early bird catches the worm."

Lately, "early bird" is a pretty accurate description of this new mamma. I stay up late at night catching up on my "mamma" duties and barely fit in some sleep before those early morning feedings. Now, you might say this isn't my first rodeo, I should have it down pat by now....but even numero cinque has given me a run for my money!! Don't get me wrong, she is a great baby, but she's definitely taken up some of my blogging time! Now, this could be dangerous since clearly.....

I mean, doesn't everybody? But if it isn't one distraction, it's another, and I'll happily accept any excuse NOT to do housework!

But doesn't it make you wonder how our nonnas did it all? They had a bunch of bambini running around and still made homemade gravy every Sunday and the scratch pasta was hanging to dry (NOT in the upstairs kitchen, of course). And forget about drive-thrus - dinner was on the table every night!

How did they do all that, AND keep the plastic covered couches clean? It boggles my mind. But when I need a little inspiration, I go to them. I think of my grandma who had her stuff together on the home front. I remember her gardening, canning, praying, cleaning, cooking, and playing with her grand kids! After all that, I'd be, um, praying for a vacation and that's about it....

So I thought I'd share a past article about my Nonna - just because. And I guess it's about time I share a pic of my new bambina too!!

Giuliana Carmela

This is what keeps me up all night - but I wouldn't change it for the world:)

Here she wears the baptismal gown, handmade by my Aunt Marie, worn by me and now my four daughters!

Homemade Pasta with the kids!

2011-08-09T09:25:00.001-07:00

Every time we have a new baby in the house, we seem to spend much of the first few weeks at home. Coming up with fun at-home activities for the other kids is very important to us. We don't want any jealousy and any parent knows that a kid with nothing to do is NEVER a good thing!

Our last go-around involved homemade pizza. It was a great way to get the older kids involved in something and make them feel special despite a new baby getting all the attention! This time, we went for homemade pasta.

Now, we kind of cheated and busted out the old PASTA-MATIC. It's a dinosaur of a pasta machine from my childhood. I kid you not - it is the actual pasta machine we used to use when I was a kid! Now this circa 1980's hunk of plastic did a pretty good job despite it's age! It was a hit with the kids, because they could see the process or making and shaping a dough into the pasta they are used to eating. We chose rigatoni and spaghetti because, well, what grade-schooler doesn't like playing with long stringy dough? (It had nothing to do with the fact that we lost most of the pieces over the years so these were our only choices...)

Anyway, see for yourself it was a blast! It did the trick of keeping the kids entertained - and we got dinner out of it!! My only complaint was the dough texture & taste was pretty basic. We only followed the whole wheat recipe in the instruction booklet but I am sooo looking for new one!! Anyone with experience in homemade pasta is invited to share their recipe here as a guest post. I would LOVE to find a recipe that I can stick to that actually tastes great too!

Homemade anything is fun to our family!!! We'll definitely give this another shot, and hopefully won't wait for another baby to do so!!

FRIDAY FIVE: Brie Panini

2011-08-05T20:26:00.000-07:00

How do you feed (and impress) a crowd with minimal effort? Two words:

Brie Panini.

RECIPE**

1 wedge Brie cheese

1 loaf ciabatta bread

1 - 2 lbs sandwich meat of your choice

4 thinly sliced roma tomatoes

arugala (optional)

Evenly slice the ciabatta and spread each slice with some brie. Top with the meat (I used turkey), tomatoes, and arugala. Close the sandwich and grill on an olive oil greased panini maker or grilling machine.

I served this for a crowd alongside pasta salad I love the versatility of pasta salad! If you're looking for a way to spice up your pasta salad, try this recipe or this recipe.

**Obviously, you can go SOOO many directions with this meal. Try different combinations for different tastes. The above combo is perfect for the kiddos that don't have a sophisticated prosciutto and pesto palette quite yet! I personally LOVE fresh mozarella with prosciutto for a mock caprese panino. Be creative and enjoy!**

Brown Rice with Cherry Tomatoes

2011-06-21T11:48:00.000-07:00

This is an easy side dish that mimics the flavor of pasta salad with the health benefits of whole grain brown rice. You can do so many variations with this recipe, but it's super easy. (I love my Barefoot Contessa Family Style Cookbook!!)

My only drawback with this recipe - my garden has been growing VERY slowly, so my fresh basil was not at all ready to be picked and I had to use dried:( It was a bummer, but wow - it would be great with julienned fresh basil, just like Ina Garten suggests. Give it a try:

Brown Rice Salad with Fresh Cherry Tomatoes

1 cup brown rice

2 teaspoons salt, divided

1/4 cup White Wine vinegar

2 teaspoons sugar

1 tablespoon good olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

1 pound ripe cherry tomatoes

1 cup packed basil leaves (1 large bunch), julienned (cut into thin strips)

Bring 2 1/4 cups water to a boil and add the rice and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Return to a boil, cover, and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, until the rice is tender and all the water is absorbed. Transfer the rice to a bowl.

Whisk together the vinegar, sugar, olive oil, remaining teaspoon of salt, and a pinch of pepper. Pour over the rice. Add the tomatoes and basil. Mix well and check the seasonings. Serve at room temperature.

St. Anthony's Day bread

2011-06-13T14:36:00.000-07:00

Buona Festa di San Antonio a tutti!

Today is the feast of the great Saint Anthony of Padua! Traditionally on this day, Italian Catholics would start the day with Mass, followed by the Priest blessing animals, lilies, and bread in honor of the charitable San Antonio!

Likewise, Italians traditionally exchange loaves or baskets of bread rolls with other families as a token of prosperity and health that they may never go hungry. It is a long standing practice among past generations, and it's something we need more of today. Warm, freshly baked bread makes a great gift for any family, especially when it's blessed! So today, I've got my latest whole wheat bread recipe for all of you.....

Except this one is kind of cheating!! I use my bread machine to do most of the work, and then I take all the credit. The machine mixes, kneads, and rises the dough. Then, when that's all done, I simply roll it out and bake it! Perfect for a pregnant mammarella who won't be caught barefoot in the kitchen for TOO long!

NOTE: Most bread machines can accommodate a 2 lb. loaf (which this recipe's dough capacity is) but if yours does not, simply cut this recipe in half. Also, if you do not have a bread machine, you can always use this recipe with a hand-kneading method (but really, why would you want to?)

Bread Machine Rolls

Pane di San Antonio!

4 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

3 tsp. salt

1 heaping TBSP. Active Dry Yeast

1 heaping tsp. vital wheat gluten

1/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup honey

1 1/2 cups very hot water

1 egg, beaten

Add the oil, water, honey, and egg into your bread machine container. Mix the dry ingredients (except for the yeast). Add the dry ingredients on top of the liquid, maintaining the separation of the liquid & dry layers. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add the yeast. Turn on the bread machine (set on a 2lb dough cycle) and wait patiently!!!!

When the dough is done, remove it from the bread machine. This dough will be wet and sticky. Use enough all purpose unbleached flour to coat it and make it workable.

You can shape it into rolls like this:

OR you can braid it into a

pull-apart loaf like this:

This recipe makes a soft, fluffy dinner roll. If you want a crisper bottom, try baking it on a pizza stone with a water bath in the oven, but it really is not meant to be a crusty loaf, yet it still tastes AWESOME and is versatile enough for almost any meal!

Friday Five: Boursin Cheese Alfredo Sauce

2011-06-09T23:51:00.000-07:00

Last week I purchased the three pack of Boursin cheese from one of my favorite places in the universe: Costco!! I served one with my homemade crackers, and used the other in this Fabulous Friday Five recipe!

Trick your family into thinking you slaved over a restaurant style homemade Alfredo, and let the Boursin do all the work.

BOURSIN CHEESE ALFREDO SAUCE

One 5.2 oz. package Garlic & Herb Boursin Cheese

2-3 TB Butter for sauteing

2 TB minced shallots

2 cups Heavy Cream

1 cup grated Romano Cheese

Saute the shallots in the butter until translucent. Add in the Boursin Cheese; gently melt it. Add the cream, stirring often. Add the cheese until incorporated. Simmer until thickened. Season with salt & pepper and pour over your favorite pasta!

Variations:

Add chicken, shrimp, mushrooms......or even add a little white wine after the shallots for a fancier sauce!

Whole Roasted Chickens

2011-06-08T18:38:00.000-07:00

My first born turns seven tomorrow (*sniffle*) and as goes family tradition, he gets to pick out what he wants for his Birthday Meal. What does he choose? Chicken Soup!!! Right smack dab in the middle of June!

Oh well, he's gonna get it! Today I roasted two organic whole chickens with this fancy herb oil. This works well with fresh herbs too. Experiment and be creative!

HERB E.V.O.O.

about a cup of extra virgin live oil

8 - 10 cloves minced garlic

salt

freshly ground black pepper

about 2 tsp each of dried:

-parsley

-rosemary

-thyme

-basil

Make this mixture in the morning, or even a day or two ahead of time (if you're that efficient). Let mixture sit in fridge so the flavors incorporate. Rub all over the outside of the whole chickens.

I bake my two birds at 375 for one hour (depending on size and weight). You pretty much want the internal temp to be 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

After we eat these beauties for dinner tonight, I'll take the bones and make a homemade stock, from which I'll make his birthday soup!! Even with the six of us eating tonight, we usually end up with some leftover chicken meat. I'll use some in the soup, then I'll save the rest for another whole meal. (I do this roast chicken thing about once a month - I love trying to come up with new ways to stretch a chicken!)

Remember this????

2011-06-08T15:05:00.000-07:00

Anyone who knows me knows I like to cook, but hate to bake!! It's too scientific for me. One mistake and you've ruined the whole recipe. Not so with a Sunday Gravy!! You could always add a little more of this or that to fix it, and no one would ever know!! Now, that's my kind of cooking!

But yes, this mamma can sometimes be clumsy in the kitchen (hard to believe considering how perfect I am the rest of the time) - especially when it comes to baking.

However, I've recently fallen in love with learning how to bake certain goodies for my family, especially in my new Stoneware Muffin Tin!!!!!! Can I just say I LOVE Stoneware for baking.....such an excellent conductor of heat, and it cooks recipes like my banana muffins perfectly evenly.

Well, imagine my surprise when the packaging on my stoneware had a picture of this:

Remind you of anything? For anyone who keeps up with all of my Mamma Meets the Cucina Food Challenges, you might remember the meatball challenge this past February. I humbly (but happily) gave the victory to my dueling co-blogger, Dominic Condo for his Meatball Stromboli. It was super yummy! But MY recipe was actually a MEATBALL RING, much like the picture on my stoneware packaging!!!! So really, my creative unique idea is a little more popular than I thought.

NOTE: they obviously stole this idea from my blog and immediately had it printed up for their company's promotional purposes. Despicable. Naturally, my lawyer is drawing up copyright lawsuit papers as you read this......

Homemade Crackers (better than wheat thins!)

2011-06-06T19:29:00.000-07:00

Now that summer has made it's debut, we have been having a lot more get-togethers with family and friends. One of the easiest hoers derv's to serve is cheese & crackers.

Given my obsession with cheese during this pregnancy, and all the milling of fresh whole wheat flour that I have been up to lately, I decided to make try my own crackers from scratch!

The recipe is a piece of cake, and worth it once you get the hang of it. I can't say I'll make these all the time, but they are WAY healthier than the store bought variety and JUST as tasty!

WHOLE WHEAT CRACKERS

4 tbsp. butter, softened

1 1/4 whole wheat flour (all purpose would work as well)

1/2 tsp. salt + more for topping

1/2 tsp. paprika

1/2 tsp. sugar

1/4 cup cold water, as needed

Cut the butter into the flour/salt/sugar/paprika mixture. Add in the cold water until a smooth dough forms. Knead only as much is necessary to form the dough - do not overknead!

Separate dough into four pieces (this makes rolling out a bit easier).

Roll out each dough ball as thin as possible onto lightly floured parchment paper.

Poke with a fork all over, THEN cut with a pizza cutter into squares.

(If you do not poke until after you cut, your crackers will get all messed up, so follow the order of instructions here, people!)

Sprinkle them with salt.

Bake in a 400 degree oven for 5 - 7 minutes or until edges of the entire rolled out cracker dough begin to brown. Let them crisp up in a warm oven. (After I'm done baking all my crackers, I just leave them in the cooled oven once it has been off for a bit)

Serve with some YUMMY Boursin Cheese!

For a variation, try adding 3 or 4 tsp. of Italian Seasoning to the flour before mixing! I've done it and it's fabulous!

Friday Five: Crustless Breakfast Quiche!

2011-05-27T18:38:00.001-07:00

This is another GREAT breakfast meal to feed a crowd (a.k.a. just my family) and even prepare in advance. Just cook it up a day ahead of time, and then bring to room temp and reheat for a few minutes in a 250 degree oven. Easy as pie....or should I say, quiche?

CRUSTLESS BREAKFAST QUICHE

NOTE: There are so many adaptations for this recipe so experiment according to your liking. These are just some basic ingredients to get you started (and to keep it eligible for the "Friday Five!") This goes great alongside these biscuits! This recipe makes two pies.

*12 - 15 eggs, scrambled

*1/2 lb cooked ground breakfast sausage

*1/2 cup shredded cheese (any blend you prefer, I used Colby-jack because that's what I had on hand)

*1/2 cup cubed potatoes, cooked (I used leftover roasted potatoes. You could quickly boil some to soften them up for this recipe. You could also brown some in the pan first, and cook for a bit with the lid on... just don't use raw potatoes, they'll never cook all the way through.)

Fill a deep pie dish with the sausage, cheese, and potatoes. Season your egg mixture with salt & pepper to taste. Pour into pie dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 - 20 minutes or until lightly golden and a toothpick comes out clean. MANGIA!!!

Whole Wheat Buttermilk Biscuits

2011-05-23T03:37:00.000-07:00

These are such an easy idea for a quick breakfast that smells like you've been laboring in the kitchen for hours! (It really takes less than 20 minutes to prep and bake these yummy biscuits)I mix up the batter and drop tablespoons on parchment paper to bake. I have also tried rolling out the dough and using biscuit cutters, but I just think the drop method works best for this recipe...plus it's easier!

WHOLE WHEAT BUTTERMILK BISCUITS

4 cups whole wheat flour (I use freshly milled soft white wheat)

8 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 TBSP sugar

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

4 TBSP oil

Combine dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately in two bowls. Then mix both combinations together with a spoon until combined. Drop heaping tablespoons of batter onto the un-greased parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes!

Voila! EASY Buttermilk biscuits that make the perfect compliment to any breakfast:)

FRIDAY FIVE! Homemade Chocolate Syrup

2011-05-17T06:25:00.000-07:00

Introducing....the Friday Five!

....where we'll showcase recipes with five (or less!) ingredients to simplify your life & time in the kitchen!!! If you have a "Friday Five" recipe that you would like to contribute, then please link it to this post, or email me at unamamma1@gmail.com, and I will use it as part of our once a month guest posts!

HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE SYRUP!

1/2 cup Cocoa Powder

1 cup Sugar

1 cup Water

A dash of salt

1 tsp. Vanilla

*Combine cocoa, sugar, and salt in a saucepan on low heat.

*Add water and mix until smooth.

*Bring mix to a boil.

*Allow to boil for 1 minute, careful not to overboil.

*Remove from heat & when cooled, add vanilla.

This is not meant to be a thick fudge, but rather more of a syrup. Pour it over ice cream, or in a smoothie, or make chocolate milk with it!!! ENJOY!

FRIDAY FIVE! - Vanilla Cream Cheese Icing

2011-05-12T10:42:00.002-07:00

This is a light and fluffy icing recipe that works great for something like my bananna cupcakes or zucchini bread:

1/2 cup whipping cream

3 oz. cream cheese

4 TB honey

1 tsp. vanilla

*Beat the cream cheese, vanilla, and honey until smooth and creamy. Set aside.

* Beat the heavy cream in a separate bowl until soft peaks form.

*Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture.

*Spread on the cake & enjoy!

Whole Wheat Bananna Cupcakes - YUM!

2011-05-12T08:52:00.000-07:00

This is a super easy, one bowl recipe that uses my beloved whole wheat flour!! There's a ton of reasons why I am coming to loathe white flour, mostly discovered after reading this book. But in my quest towards healthy flours, I've realized that whole wheat is not as yucky as everyone makes it out to be. It's good and good for you!

SO here's a fool proof, really good recipe for banana muffins/cupcakes (is it a muffin? is it a cupcake? who cares its good). You could also substitute white flour for the whole wheat, and white sugar for the Evaporated Cane Juice (organic unbleached sugar) I suppose...

Ingredients:

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 1/4 cups evaporated cane juice crystals (organic sugar)

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

1 stick unsalted butter, melted

2 very ripe bananas, mashed

1/2 cup milk

Directions:

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Make a well in the center. Add wet ingredients and incorporate well. Pour into muffin cups and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Wouldn't these be twice as yummy topped with some vanilla cream cheese icing?!?!

MANGIA & ENJOY!!!!

Whole Wheat French Bread!

2011-05-05T20:21:00.000-07:00

Okay, knowing that you'll need the basics: (flour, water, yeast, salt, olive oil, and honey) this is the easiest way for me to format these instructions for you.

The following steps should make it simple for you to stay organized as you prepare this yummy, healthy, whole wheat recipe...

Dissolve and let activate for 5-10 minutes:

5 tsp. (or two packages) active dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water (110-120 degrees)

1/2 tsp honey (this feeds the yeast and is a super great secret to good rising!)

Combine together with:

2 TB honey

2 TB olive oil

2 tsp. salt

2 cups hot water

Stir in:

6 1/2 - 7 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

2 TB vital wheat gluten flour

(I found that I only needed about 6 1/2 cups to start with, and added the rest in the kneading process. Less is more with flour!)

Directions:

Knead the dough for 10 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. Place ball of dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise until doubled. (Hint: place on top of or inside a warm oven for great rising!)

Punch down, and let rest 15 minutes.

Divide dough in half, roll each into a 12 x 15 inch flat rectangle.

Roll up the rectangular dough, starting from the 15 inch edge.

Place loaves on a greased cookie sheet. Make some slashes on the top and brush with an egg wash. Cover & let rise until doubled.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

Warning: This could possibly be the easiest & yummiest "healthy" bread you'll ever taste. And trust me, I am NO baker, and I pulled this one off! I milled my flour fresh (more on that later) and the taste was exquisite. If you do not love whole wheat flour, I would suggest using a ratio of 3/4 whole wheat flour to 1/4 white flour - it might make the adjustment a bit easier.

Homemade & Natural Laundry Detergent Powder

2011-04-18T20:18:00.001-07:00

MY DIRTY LAUNDRY

Okay folks, I may be Una Mamma Italiana, but I am NOT Susie Homemaker, nor will I ever be. But because of my oldest daughter's extremely sensitive skin and eczema, I have to be very careful with the chemicals/scents I use on her skin. I have thus found myself exploring all sorts of homemaking tricks that were used by those perfect housewives generations ago. You know, someone like this:

I'm working on it, but this is a bit more accurate for me:

Honestly - who wants to separate each kid's laundry just to save $$$ on the fancy, organic stuff? (Who wants to separate laundry period?) I, as is common in my role as the mamma, have had to take matters into my own hands and figure out a cost effective, EASY solution so as to not lose all of my hair before the age of 30.

I have to admit its kind of liberating to be able to create something on your own without needing the grocery store brands to pull you through these types of obstacles. No matter how likely premature baldness may be, having four (and a half) kiddos does not need to mean the end of all simplicity in life. In fact, just look how SIMPLE I am becoming right before your very eyes:

No, Really - give it a try, it is actually super easy, and totally worth it:

NOTE: The following recipe requires no pot, no stove, not even a wooden spoon (unless your kids aren't folding the laundry, in which case I would suggest you DO have a wooden spoon readily available. Tying one onto the strap of your mammarella apron works quite well....not that I know anything about that...

HOMEMADE LAUNDRY DETERGENT

Powdered Formula

1 bar natural soap, grated*

1 cup Washing Soda**

1 cup Borax***

Grate the soap using your food processor or hand grater. Combine with the Washing Soda and Borax and Pulse in a food processor (or blender) until a fine powder is formed. (You'll want to cover the top of your food processor with a wet kitchen towel to avoid all the dusty powder flying everywhere. Also, it is okay if the soap bits are slightly larger in the fine powder.)

Pour into a sealed container and use 2 tbsp per load. I use this for all my loads and I have an HE washer. I have heard the same dosage is fine for regular washing machines as well. This really ends up costing me less than 17 cents a load, making me the perfect, stereotypically frugal housewife.

*I use a brand without Sodium Lauryl/Laureth Sulfates or Parabens, which although very common in domestic soaps, can be carcinogens! HELLO people! You can pay a pretty penny for these "handmade" soaps or find them online in bulk. I get mine from www.SwansonVitamins.com (quite possibly one of my favorite sites! They sell all sorts of paraben-free and SLS-free baby shampoos and stuff like that. But not EVERYTHING on there is organic or completely natural so watch the ingredients carefully.

**I buy the Arm & Hammer Brand in the Laundry Detergent Aisle at the grocery store. Baking Soda is a different chemical compound entirely and will NOT achieve the same result. Although it is a good odor neutralizer if your sensitive skinned child is smelly.

*** I buy the 20 Mule Team brand from the Laundry Aisle at the Grocery store. If you have problems finding any of these at your store/walmart, check Ace Hardware.

Also, mine smells especially yummy since my soap of choice is Lavender & Wildflower, with little bits of dried lavender in the soap! I am in love with my new found Susie Homemaker-ness. Aren't you?

Next thing you know, I'll be using my homemade detergent and merely a wooden washboard - down by the Spokane river......

Okay, no. Never.

Grandma's Garden - The Next Generation

2011-04-06T11:42:00.000-07:00

My March Article for La Voce Newspaper! Just click on the image to enlarge it and read about our version of my Grandma Rose's garden!

Stuffed Zucchini

2011-04-04T19:53:00.000-07:00

You don't need a whole lot of fancy ingredients to make a delectable, fresh tasting, from-the-garden treat like Stuffed Zucchini!

For this recipe, choose some fresh, firm zucchini, and adjust the fillings to your liking.

I used:

3 medium sized zucchini, sliced lengthwise

4 fresh Roma tomatoes, chopped

1 - 2 lb. Italian sausage, removed from casing & cooked

1/4 cup - 1/2 cup grated Romano cheese

1 big handful chopped fresh Italian parsley

1/2 - 1 cup Seasoned Italian bread crumbs

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper to taste

minced garlic to taste

Scoop out the pulp from the zucchini with a spoon. Roughly chop & place in a large mixing bowl. Combine with the all other ingredients and enough extra virgin olive oil to moisten the entire mixture. Add salt, pepper, garlic to your liking. Fill each zucchini half with the mixture and top with mozzarella cheese. Bake at 275 degrees for 15 minutes.

I did a lot of mixing & adding by eye, so these measurements are approximate. Experiment to find out what works best for you. Add some hot pepper, or sauteed onions and garlic. You simply cannot go wrong when you're working with such yummy, simple ingredients! And THAT is my kind of recipe!

Italian Mammas Put Meals on Wheels!

2011-04-01T12:28:00.000-07:00

Check out this awesome article from the WSJ: original article here.

Italian Mammas Put Meals on Wheels, Say 'Mangia!' to Faraway Offspring

By STACY MEICHTRY

On a recent Sunday in Rome, Daniela Varano and some friends lunched on eggplant parmesan whipped up by the 33-year-old publicist's mother.

Mom, meanwhile, was 500 miles away in Bovalino, a small town in southern Italy. Despite the distance, she does what it takes to spoil her grown daughter with home-cooked fare.

"The umbilical cord was never cut," says Ms. Varano's 61-year-old mother, Lina.

Like thousands of other mammas across the southern Italian region of Calabria, she relies on Domenico Martino, a 39-year-old truck driver who has made a career of ferrying lasagnas, raviolis and other traditional dishes over long distances.

Every Saturday afternoon, Mr. Martino picks up hundreds of meals from kitchens across Calabria, drives them overnight to the bustling capital of Rome, and delivers them to children's doorsteps in time for Sunday lunch.

Whenever she gets a package, Ms. Varano calls up her friends for an impromptu feast. "Everyone postpones their plans just to have the lunch," she says. "Although it seems weird, I'm maintaining an emotional link with my family."

Rocco Rorandelli / TerrraProject for The Wall Street Journal

Michela Natale, with her daughter, unwraps her mother's latest dishes.

Mr. Martino's is one of a dozen such services thriving on Calabrian mothers' steely determination: to cater, literally, to their far-flung adult children. While Mr. Martino only serves Rome, a wave of other trucks depart each week from Calabria to cities across the rest of Italy.

"They don't want their children doing anything. Even getting up and going to the market is overdoing it," says Mr. Martino, hoisting a crate of oranges into his truck on a recent Saturday afternoon. "And that's good for me."

For generations, Calabrian women have poured their maternal love into Sunday lunch. They labor to produce sumptuous meals of fresh pasta, long-stewed meats and homegrown greens to lure their grown children back to the nest every week. It was easy when the children lived nearby or—as was often the case—in upstairs apartments built or bought by their parents. But today, the Sunday lunch tradition has fallen on hard times.

Ravioli

Jobs for young Italians are scarce—particularly in Italy's poorer south—forcing people to migrate north to big cities, leaving their mothers behind. In Calabria, on the toe of Italy's boot, 52% of Italians between the ages of 15 to 64 were "inactive," or not working or studying during most of 2010, according to Italy's official statistics agency ISTAT. Authorities say Calabria is also home to the 'ndrangheta mob, a drug trafficking syndicate that maintains a stranglehold on the region's economy, starving the area of jobs.

Mr. Martino's career got rolling in the late 1990s when he delivered chocolate and pasta to supermarkets around the region. He launched his current enterprise a decade ago, after a handful of mammas asked him to help them make a gastronomic connection to their faraway kids. As more family members scattered across Italy, Mr. Martino's business boomed.

Eventually, some 3,000 mothers came calling, each with a set of special requests, Mr. Martino recalls. Many wanted a discount on what traditional couriers charged; others wanted meals to arrive in time for lunch. Some have asked him to linger at the delivery site to gather intelligence on their children's new lives. Others demanded his cellphone number.

"I needed someone who would take it seriously," says Annamaria Careri, a silver-haired 69-year-old, as she welcomed Mr. Martino into her home on a recent Saturday afternoon and handed him 165 pounds of food she had prepared for her three grown children in Rome. Like other customers, she doesn't bristle at the price, which is relatively low compared to other courier services. Mr. Martino charges €15, or about $21, for a 55-pound package.

Timely delivery is crucial, added Lina Varano, as she waited for Mr. Martino to call on her. Mrs. Varano puts days of preparation into her packages, combing her garden for fava beans, citrus fruit and scarlet-colored tomatoes that she presses into tomato sauce for freshly made ravioli.

On this occasion, she had prepared lightly breaded artichokes, pork cutlets and stuffed eggplants one night with the help of her 90-year-old mother-in-law. A tube of salami, from a recently slaughtered pig, was wrapped into tin foil for its journey to Rome.

"I have to give it my all. Everything, everything, everything!" said Mrs. Varano.

Mr. Martino and a small crew of associates spend the whole morning navigating Calabria's streets to collect packages. It's not easy. Many lack signs; others are pocked with potholes or give way to dirt roads that wind through olive groves and cacti. On his way, he fields calls from mothers seeking updates or speedier deliveries.

"There is raw meat in there, and I don't want it to spoil," said one mother, pressing for an early delivery to her child.

"Signora, all the packages are created equal," Mr. Martino replied.

The cargo is then brought to a warehouse in Calabria and packed into a semi-truck that Mr. Martino drives to Rome. Arriving in the capital at midnight, he sleeps in the truck and rises at the crack of dawn on Sunday to make the deliveries before lunch.

Anna Bianchi, 68, says Mr. Martino's marathon goes a long way in easing the stress her daughter faces as an architect working in Rome. "She's absolutely suffocated by work," Mrs. Bianchi said after entrusting a casserole of baked fish and a freshly made meatballs to Mr. Martino.

Antonio Natale, Ms. Careri's 37-year-old son, padded up to the door in sneakers and a blue track suit to collect the latest haul: slabs of vacuum-packed chicken meat, jars of olives, homemade almond-paste cookies, fish stock. "You see, the separation has been traumatic for her," he said.

A high-school teacher, Mr. Natale has been receiving Sunday deliveries for eight years. He deeply misses his mother, he said, but "there is no going back."

Write to Stacy Meichtry at stacy.meichtry@wsj.com

Sage Honey - THE Sore Throat Remedy

2011-03-25T18:23:00.000-07:00

With all the sickness that has plagued our household, the kids were starting to become immune to OTC cough meds! I can only give them so much before it stops working - especially when the sickness circulates through all the kiddos for weeks.

This is my latest finding in sore throat remedies that ACTUALLY WORKS!

Not only does honey have an enzyme that actually heals inflammation, it coats the throat. Sage also has antiviral properties (just learned this) and is a great addition to the honey. I use raw local honey because a lot of the commonly store-bought brands are often processed so much that they lose all their goodness & nutrients in the high heat of pasteurization.

DIRECTIONS:

Simmer (on low) some organic sage leaves in

enough honey to cover the leaves for almost 1 hour. Strain, and pour into bottles. Take 1-2 teaspoonfuls throughout the day as needed for sore throats!

That's it! Medicine in a minute! And its not so dangerous that you have to worry about giving them too much! Just don't give it to babies under one year. Salud!

Gabriella's Onomastico!

2011-03-25T17:47:00.000-07:00

Today marked a popular Feast Day for many Italians - the feast of the Annunciation, or L'Annunciazione!

It's when Catholics remember the Annunciation of the Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary, "announcing" that she would bear the Christ child. In our house, this is a particularly special feast because our daughter's name is Gabriella. Now, the traditional feast of St. Gabriel the Archangel was yesterday, so that was really Gabriella's "Onomastico" or 'name day." (In Italy it is very common to celebrate the feast day of your patron Saint or namesake.) We decided to celebrate today instead for a few reasons:

1. It's Friday night and the sugar buzz will not be so lethal on a non-school night.

2. It is also the anniversary of our other daughter, Gianna's, baptism - or her "Baptismal Birthday" (which we also celebrate every year!)

3. L'Annunciazione is a pretty special feast to just let pass by...

Since our kids were babies, we would celebrate these 'excuses for cake during Lent'........ahem, I mean - special feast days.....to try and teach the kids a little bit about their culture & religion. (we all give up sweets for Lent - it's my husband's way of dieting) Now that the kids are really starting to understand the meaning behind it all, it's tons more fun.

These are the cupcakes that went to school with Gabriella this morning:

When I asked if her class enjoyed them, she paraphrased, "Oh, Mamma - everyone in the class wanted my cupcakes soooo bad. I opened them in the morning and I wanted them all day but I waited until lunch and then Sister handed them out because I would have spilled."

I was looking for a simple, "yes" and "thank you" but hey, that works.

Each little picture is a scene of the Annunciation that I printed off from my computer (in t-2 seconds), cut out, and taped to toothpicks - super simple.

So if you don't do it already, find a way to incorporate these types of feast days into your calendar. It's a terrific way to teach the kids a little something with meaning behind it, and a greaaat excuse for cake:) Cheers!

5 Things to cook with Ground Beef

2011-03-21T14:51:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the busy week gets the best of us, and we just don't have time to pull a meal together in only 20 minutes. Rather than drive through the nearest fast food chain, I've come up with a quick solution for your weeknight chaos - ground beef! All it takes is the investment of cooking a larger batch of ground beef ONE NIGHT, and you'll have dinners for FIVE NIGHTS!

INSTRUCTIONS:

Saute a few pounds of ground beef (adjust to the size of your family) with garlic, onions, salt, and pepper until browned. Separate into 3-5 batches and you have the makings of 3-5 meals in a cinch! I use one small onion and 5 cloves of minced garlic per pound of meat, because I like it to be VERY flavorful. Adjust to your liking. (You can even place the cooked ground meat into freezer baggies and freeze for later use.)

Here are the TOP FIVE ways I use my pre-cooked ground beef:

1.) SLOPPY GIUSEPPE'S

(Open-faced Sloppy Joe sandwiches)

Mix the ground beef with your favorite bbq sauce. Top sliced ciabatta bread with the mixture. Sprinkle with a mix grated mozarella, cheddar, and provolone cheese. Cook under the broiler until warmed & melted.

2.) PSEUDO-GREEK EMPENADAS

Mix the ground beef with feta cheese. Fill croissant dough and fold over to make empanada pockets. Serve with zucchini or cucumber 'chips' & Sour Cream Dipping Sauce (below).

Dipping Sauce:

1 3/4 cups sour cream

1/4 cup mayonaisse (you may substitute sour cream if you are not a mayo fan)

1/2 tsp dill

1/2 tsp basil

1/2 tsp oregano

1 tsp lemon juice

3.) Baked Ziti

Mix the cooked ground beef with a can of your fav. crushed tomatoes, simmer 20 minutes. Toss with ziti pasta & ricotta cheese. Pour into a casserole dish, top with shredded mozarella and bake it off!

Here's mine right before it goes into the oven! I use a mixture of fresh and shredded mozarella! (I usually bake it at 375 degrees)

4.) Tacos

Reheat the ground beef in a skillet on med-low heat, tossing in some cumin, garlic & onion powder, chili powder, and shredded mexican cheese. Fill up some taco shells & mangia!

5.) Asian Lettuce Wraps

These are one of my favorites! Reheat the ground beef in a skillet on med-low, adding your favorite terriyaki or hoisin sauce (I prefer hoisin). Pour spoonfuls of the meat mixture into lettuce cups and top with fresh chives, cashews, and whatever other asian veggies you might like.

Sfingi di San Giuseppe & Our St Joesph's Table

2011-03-18T09:23:00.000-07:00

So Saint Patrick's day has come and gone, but the green beer and the partying is not over yet! Well, maybe the green beer is over (that is just NOT appealing to me) but Italians will party on this Saturday with La Festa Di San Giuseppe - The Feast of St. Joseph! The Irish may make their claim on Saint Pat (who wasn't even from Ireland!!), but Italy's love for St. Joseph dates way back to Sicilia, the home of my paternal grandfather.

THE STORY

Long ago, during famine in Sicily, the people prayed to Saint Joesph to end the drought and hunger that plagued their people. They promised to honor him with a great feast if he came through. Well good old Saint Joseph (patron of Sicily, fathers, and carpenters) took care of his paesans, and the people of Sicily kept their word!

The Sicilians honored him with a grand feast in his name. They bult an altar (usually consisting of three tiers for the Blessed Trinity) caleld the Tavolo Di San Giusppe, or the Saint Joseph's Table. Since his feast day falls during Lent, much of the food was meatless, consisting of authentic recipes of the region. Basically, they cooked what grew in their area, like fava beans and artichokes. There was always a ton of homemade bread, often shaped into symbolic crosses, shepherd's staffs, or carpenters tools. And the altar is gloriously decorated with pictures of St. Joseph and, of course, lilies (a symbol of his purity).

OUR TRADITIONS

Our first Saint Joseph's table was a hit with my kids!

We made simple recipes that the entire

family would enjoy, including stuffed artichokes, pasta with vegetable sauce (recipe coming soon), fried wonton skins stuffed with nutella and mascarpone cheese, and, of course, bread! We braided some loaves, and the kids shaped their dough into little hammers and candy-cane-shaped shepherd staffs. We decorated the table with our finest linens. It was a feast to remember.

This year we'll conquer it again, thanking St. Joseph for our family's blessings, just as our ancestors did. (St. Joseph is a special friend to our famiglia!) Here's one of the traditional recipes we'll be trying for the first time - a zeppole-like pastry or cream puff that is often served this time of year. The following recipe uses cream puffs mix. You could also buy the cream puff shells from your frozen section.

SFINGI DI SAN GIUSEPPE!

Saint Joseph's Cream Puffs

(a quick mix version)

1 pkg. prepared cream puff mix, made as directed with the addition of:

~1 tsp lemon zest

~1 tsp orange zest

Bake into small cream puff shells. Cool, split & fill with:

1 lb ricotta cheese

1 TBSP orange zest

2 TBSP grated bittersweet chocolate

2 TBSP sugar

1 1/2 oz. rum or liquer

(ABOVE RIGHT: our Tavolo di San Giuseppe a few years ago)

Cream the cheese and blend thoroughly with other ingredients. After the shells are filled, dust with confectioners sugar.

OTHER IDEAS:

You could always top each shell with a spoonful of chocolate icing and sprinkle with slivered almonds, or slender strips of candied orange peel.

They are also often decorated with sweet vanilla butter cream icing and a cherry on top.

I'll let you know how it works out! Buona Festa di San Giuseppe!

Mom's Pasta Salad

2011-03-15T16:33:00.000-07:00

Almost every party my mom throws, she serves up this simple pasta salad and it is always a hit! In honor of my Italian mamma, I thought I'd share it with the rest of the world! Thanks, Mom!

Kosher salt

6 sundried tomatoes diced

16 asparagus spears

1 lb. pasta (your choice)

2 tbsp. butter

2 minced garlic cloves

zest of one lemon

black pepper

l tbsp. lemon juice freshly squeezed

1/4 cup toasted pignoli nuts

freshly grated cheese (I used ricotta salada)

Saute the julienned asparagus in a frying pan with a little olive oil, kosher salt and pepper

Set this aside.

In a small saute pan heat butter and garlic and lemon zest over low heat for one minute

Boil pasta, drain and put in a large pasta bowl.

Add asparagus mixture to pasta.

Add butter, garlic, lemon zest mixture to pasta

Add diced sundried tomato to pasta

Sprinkle with grated ricotta salada

Add pignoli nuts

Toss all together

Taste and make sure you don't need to add more salt, pepper, etc.

Serve room temperature.

Eat and Enjoy (and maybe put on a few pounds).

Easy Fried Chicken Tenders with Cous Cous - a kid pleaser!

2011-03-10T13:23:00.000-08:00

FIRED CHICKEN FINGERS
This is an easy, healthy alternative to drive-thru chicken nuggets ~ and the kids will be equally as satisfied!

I served my Fried Chicken Tenders alongside Tricolor Cous Cous that I cooked with chicken stock and then tossed with a few pats of butter, grated cheese, salt, pepper, and diced fresh zucchini (always sneaking in fresh veggies!). Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

6 chicken breasts, cut into strips (or use the chicken tenders from your butcher)

1 egg

1 cup buttermilk (If you don't have buttermilk, you can use regular milk. Buttermilk just adds a slightly different flavor & naturally tenderizes the chicken when it soaks.)

2 cups flour

2 tsp salt

2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp black pepper

1/2 - 1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

Peanut Oil for frying

INSTRUCTIONS:

Cut & trim your chicken as needed. Combine the buttermilk, beaten egg, and 1 tsp. of garlic powder. Soak the chicken in this mixture for 1-3 hours in the fridge. In a large resealable baggy, combine the dry ingredients thoroughly. Bread the chicken strips in the flour mixture. Fry each strip in the peanut oil, turning only once. When removing from the pan, drain on a paper towel and immediately dust with grated cheese.

NOTE: If you want a fluffier crust, you could add 1 tsp of baking powder to the flour mixture.

Also, if you are using regular milk, you may omit the marinating step.

Italian Fried Onion Rings

2011-02-24T15:39:00.000-08:00

You know me, I love anything fried! Here's a super simple recipe for Onion Ring batter. I fried mine in peanut oil, but use whatever you like - just make sure the oil is hot - these fry up really quickly.

ONION RING BATTER

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

3/4 Italian Seasoned Bread Crumbs

1 egg

1 cup milk, add more as needed

Combine ingredients, adding more milk until desired batter consistency is reached.

Slice your onions into 1/4 inch rings. Dip into batter, shaking off excess. Fry.

Remove from oil and drain on a paper towel. Sprinkle with sea salt & grated cheese immediately. MANGIA!

NEW: The Meatball Challenge Champion!

2011-02-21T10:41:00.001-08:00

When Dominic Condo and Una Mamma Italiana, two of my fellow Cucina Chatter radio contributors asked me to weigh in on their meatball competition, I didn’t hesitate for a second! I love anything having to do with meatballs, especially trying new twists on how to make them or how to serve them. Unfortunately, I only got to “virtually” try them, by reading the mouth-watering recipes they both shared on their respective food sites and by looking at the tantalizing pictures. Neither were reinventing the actual meatball, rather coming up with different ways to serve them.

Let’s start with Una Mamma, she came up with a “Meatball Ring,” a sort of stuffed crust pizza made with croissant dough and a raised crust filled with meatballs and a flat center which she topped with salad. It looked fantastic! Oh, if only I could have eaten it! Dom’s creation was a meatball Stromboli. Of course, I did not get to taste his either, but Strombolis are one of my favorite things! He recommends a combo of mozzarella and provolone inside, and to that I couldn’t agree more. I love combining different cheeses and meats in a Stromboli or calzone. While both looked fantastic, my vote goes to the Stromboli and the polls reflected that. Now if they each want to ship me their creations to me here in New Jersey, I could get a better feel for the flavor…

Nice job you guys, Lorraine can attest to the fact that there’s never any losers in an Italian cucina—even though my meatballs and gravy won out when we squared off in our own throwdowns last year. Keep on rollin’!

– Johnny Meatballs
Meatball King of New Jersey - As Seen on TV!

A big Italian congratulations to Dom on his FIRST win of our "Mamma Meets The Cucina" food challenges! Of course, there's no need to mention that I won the last two competitions in a row. But naturally, I'll say it! And it was time to let him taste victory - just this once.

Be not afraid, paisans - I will not be so kind in the future! The next competition will inevitably feature my comeback - and, as you may know, I like to make quite an entrance...
Bravo Cucina Domenico!

Baked Ziti with Mini Meatballs

2011-02-19T12:53:00.001-08:00

Happy Meatball Month!! As you may know, I have declared February "Meatball Month" in lieu of the recent "Mamma Meets The Cucina" Meatball Battle. Last week, I gave you recipes for Meatball Stew and Italian Herb Beer Bread. This week I've got another dish that is so classic, but often forgotten - Baked Ziti.

Typically, this dish involves ziti cut pasta tossed in a bolognese sauce, mixed with cheeses, and baked. Since I often roll mini meatballs (my kids love em), I decided to use those in place of the bolognese. Mini meatballs work especially well as snacks or appetizers - or in dishes like my Meatball Ring, because they cook more quickly, and therefore do not need to simmer in gravy to be enjoyed! When I make a big batch and have leftovers, I always throw together a ziti. It's a lot like lasagne but at least fifty steps simpler...

MEATBALL RECIPE #2: Baked Ziti with Polpetini (mini meatballs)

penne or ziti cut pasta

sauce

meatballs

ricotta cheese

fresh mozzarella

shredded mozzarella

grated cheese

(Now, regarding quantities: I usually use an entire carton of ricotta because I'm cooking for 6 people and make a big casserole dish! You decide waht fits your family, beased on size and love of cheese! I also like to combine fresh and shredded mozzarella on top because I like the way it melts. But NOTHING tops the cubed fresh mozzarella for tossing in with the pasta. Che Bella!)

Boil 1-2 lbs (depending on your family size!) of penne or ziti pasta. BUT: Only boil them halfway. Take them out before they're even al dente - they will finish cooking in the oven and you DON'T want soggy noodles :(

Toss it in your favorite gravy or sauce and the cooked mini meatballs and fill a casserole dish. Gently fold in spoonfuls of ricotta cheese and cubed fresh mozzarella. Top with remaining mozzarella and grated cheese. I also love a few dollops of ricotta on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 20- 30 minutes. MANGIA!

As you can see here, I served mine with a side of my homemade Sausage Bread - VERY similar to a stromboli like Dom Condo made for our meatball challenge! You might want to give that a try too!

Meatball Stew and Italian Herb BEER BREAD!

2011-02-16T11:58:00.000-08:00

HAPPY MEATBALL MONTH!

In lieu of our recent "Mamma Meets the Cucina" Meatball Challenge, I have decided to officially declare February as Meatball Month!

I have so many meatball dishes to share that I couldn't use for the challenge since we were trying to showcase the meatball on its own.

So for the rest of the month, you will see more meatball recipes. The upcoming dishes are a bit more traditional, but still classics that everyone needs to try! I must admit that I'm most impressed with my new found love - beer bread.

MEATBALL RECIPE # 1: MEATBALL STEW & BEER BREAD - the perfect match.

I had originally wanted to make meatball stew after trying it at one of the indoor markets in Florence. When I returned to the states, I never gave it another thought. That is, until Dominic Condo posted his recipe on his blog and I rediscovered my craving. I created my own rendition with what I had in the house and am sharing it with you. I'm sure we will come up with several different versions in the future. One thing I'd like to try is adding red wine. But this version is such an EASY meal to prepare, and quite healthy.

Most simple Italian recipes stem from the poor regions of Italy, where they cooked with whatever foods grew regionally. I'm talking about authentic Peasant Food, which happens to be my FAVORITE way to eat Italian. Don't get me wrong, I can appreciate gourmet Italian fare, but I grew up on the simple flavors of Italian cooking straight from the garden. This is one of those recipes.

So serve up a bowl with a slice of Italian Herb Beer Bread for dunking and you've got yourself a comforting, hearty Italian meal.

MEATBALL STEW

NOTE: Ingredients are unmeasured because this really is a dish you do by eye. Throw in the veggies YOUR FAMILY likes. If you stick with the proper liquid ratios, you really can't mess it up:)

e.v.o.o.

1-2 cups each of chopped/cubed zucchini, carrots, and potatoes

1/2 large onion, minced

2 cups LOW SODIUM beef broth

2 15 oz. cans tomato sauce

Fresh basil

10 - 20 mini meatballs, already cooked (preferably fried!)

Saute the onions in some e.v.o.o. and add the veggies.

Coat them in the oil and let brown slightly. Season them (in the pan) with sea salt and cracked black pepper.

Add the sauce/broth and stir to combine. Throw in a bunch of fresh basil for flavor (to be removed later). Let simmer for 15-20 minutes. Add the meatballs and simmer another 15-20 minutes. The liquid will significantly reduce.

So serve up a bowl with a slice of Italian Herb Beer Bread for dunking and you've got yourself a comforting, hearty Italian meal.

ITALIAN HERB BEER BREAD

3 cups flour

1 Tbsp baking Powder

2 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp sugar

1 tbsp Italian Seasoning

2 tsp salt

12 z. beer

Mix all dry ingredients. Add the beer and stir (dough will be slightly wet, like a biscuit dough). Place dough in a well oiled loaf pan. Brush the top with Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Once it comes out of the oven, brush the top with e.v.o.o. again and sprinkle with sea salt. Let cool for 10 minutes, then slice.

MANGIA! And don't forget to check back for some more meatball recipes coming this month!

Happy St. Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T10:31:00.001-08:00

Happy V-Day to all of you folks romancing it up this holiday! While my two older kids are at school passing out the Valentines we spent hours writing out this weekend, we are having our own party here at home! Well, as much of a party as we can have with my two littlest ones being sick (can't you just see the sickness in their eyes in the pic?).

Naturally, candy is just what the doctor ordered, right? Not really. Sugar breaks down the immune system and makes it harder for your body to fight whatever sickness comes our way. My kids already know - "No more candy, mom, cuz I'm sick already and I want to get better fast!" (this usually involves some sort of bribery). This may sound strange - but sometimes I wish they were sick more often - like when it's 9 p.m. on a school night and my husband gets the brilliant idea to bust open the candy jar....I wonder if they would exercise such self control then - "Mom, no more candy..." Wishful thinking.

Anyway, in lieu of the wintery cold and the abundance of sugar this time of year, I have provided a few new "RECIPES" - a couple of old school Italian remedies for the common cold. This is straight from Le Nonne (the grandmothers) I know - so make use of it and avoid all the nasty, medicinal, RECALLED remedies out there today.

And this stuff goes for kids and adults, people! Buona Salute!! (To Good Health!)

GARLIC - garlic is more than just one of may favorite things in the world. It is actually has natural antibiotic characteristics when eaten raw. I've also heard of rubbing garlic infused olive oil on your feet and wrapping them for a few hours. Apparently toxins leave your body through the feet, so that draws out the sickness.

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR - speaking of feet, I have personally soaked my feet (at the onset of sickness) in apple cider vinegar and hot water. You have to get the organic, not brommated ACV. I usually get the Bragg's brand. Bragg's also has a book on all the possible uses for Apple Cider Vinegar as a health fix for so many things. Supposedly drinking water mixed with apple cider vinegar and honey aids digestion and prevents illness when done every day.

GRAPEFRUIT SEED OIL - A few drops of grapefruit seed oil on the tongue is also a cold remedy. This can be found at a local health store or in a "naturals" section of an upscale market. Grapefruit also has natural antibiotic effects.

GINGER- Ginger is always a great fix. Brew some in some hot water with honey and lemon juice and drink it to soothe a sore throat. The natural local honey is best. Normal grocery store honey is often heated to abnormally high temps during processing. High heat, with anything, kills all the essential naturally occurring nutrients, and basically makes any health benefits null and void.

HUMIDIFIERS - Run your humidifier in your kids' room with a couple drops of eucalyptus oil near the steam vent. My humidifier has a spot for this (where they want you to put vicks) but skip the chemicals in the air and us the natural oil. It clears their sinuses just as easily (and smells fresh too).

Have any other health remedies? I would LOVE to hear them! Email me at UnaMamma1@gmail.com or post a comment here. I have plenty more remedies where this came from, but am always eager for more. After all, I'm bound to encounter childhood colds a bit more in my lifetime! Here's to a healthy Spring!

Meatball Competition: Meatball Stromboli & The Meatball Ring

2011-02-05T14:30:00.000-08:00

Any self-respecting Italian has seen the movie, "Big Night," in which an Italian family tries to succeed at the restaurant business in America. Well, there is one particular scene in which the chef accuses a dining customer of being a 'criminal' for wrongly assuming that spaghetti just comes with meatballs. Astonished at the fact that spaghetti is served on its own, she asks why on earth this is. The waiter kindly responds, with a confused disposition,

"Sometimes spaghetti just likes to be alone!"

(click here to watch the hilarious video footage of the scene)

It is a classic scene that depicts the epitome of Italian pride in cooking! But upon pondering the humor in this ordeal, Chef Condo and I got to thinking,

"what about the meatball? Does the meatball ever like to be alone?"

And thus, this meatball challenge was born. We decided to explore unique ways to serve the meatball on its own - without its commonly paired up partner - spaghetti - or any pasta, for that matter.

And so, here you have two dishes that involve meatballs in two similar, yet very different ways. Which one looks better? YOU decide. Don't forget to vote in the poll on the sidebar of this or the Cucina Domenico blog!

THE MEATBALL RING

Una Mamma Italiana

Here, (out West, that is) we have more than just sunshine and the Pacific - we have a fabulous restaurant chain, "The California Pizza Kitchen!" Now, I'm sure many of you Easterners have tried this place, but have you ever ordered their pizza salad? I grew up eating at this place. While my brother & I ordered greasy pepperoni, or barbeque chicken pizza, my mom (the constant dieter) would order this pizza salad. This, my friends, is the dish that inspired The Meatball Ring.

CPK would often serve a specialty salad atop a blindy baked (cooked with no toppings) pizza crust. It was like getting some bread on the side of your salad, but it made for a very unique presentation. I thought, why not incorporate meatballs into this.

My mind whirled around stuffed crust pizzas - why not stuff the crust with meatballs? But that looked a bit ridiculous in my head. Then I thought about wrapping the meatballs, instead of hiding them in the crust. (Think pigs in a blanket). Eureka. That - with a little bit of help from my best friend (google), brought the meatball ring to life. And there are SO many directions you can go with this.

I used croissant dough, but I am pretty sure that pizza dough, rolled out thin enough, would work just fine (maybe even better).

I laid out the dough on a circular pizza pan, leaving the triangular tips around the edge in the shape of a ring. I rolled a meatball under each point of dough until I had a star-like pizza crust. I baked it according to package directions.

Then, I let it cool, and topped it with a fresh salad. it was such a fun way of serving up a big salad to a crown. Then with every scoop of salad, each person can pull apart one of the triangles holding meatball. Not a bad idea, right?

But then my mind went a-whirling again. Why not use this meatball ring as a way to serve up ANYTHING at all. My next thought was antipasto. PERFECT. The gorgeous layout of Italian meats, cheeses, olives, artichokes,and whatever else you like on your antipasto platter would look beautiful served atop this meatball ring. And once it's cooled, it holds together like a gem!

Needless to say, this was my Superbowl party recipe! I will surely post a picture of the antipasto version a.s.a.p. - but use your imagination. What would you top this meatball ring with?

MEATBALL STROMBOLI

Dominic Condo

To me, there is no other dish as traditional and tasty as a plate of pasta topped with two or three meatballs. Even when Sunday dinners are presented family style, the full serving plate of meatballs almost serves as the centerpiece of the table. Classic. Comforting.

But I also love me a good meatball sandwich! Served up in a nice roll, topped with Parmesan and maybe a little mozzarella, toasted up in the oven grinder-style...it's crispy hot goodness in every bite! If you've read my previous posts, you know that one of our go-to foods when getting together with friends is homemade Stromboli. Using meatball as Stromboli filling is always high on our request list. The consistency of a meatball sandwich combined with the taste of delicious homemade pizza dough. How could you go wrong?

The recipe itself is fairly simple – roll out your dough, top with meatballs, add some cheese, roll up, bake and serve. It's during the actual assembly when the love and craftsmanship comes into play.

Let's break it down....

A. you want to make sure that you roll out your dough thin enough to fold, but not too thin where it will break. There's a lot more texture in this filling as opposed to a pepperoni or ham Stromboli, so you need enough dough to keep everything contained.

B. you want to squash up your meatballs so they fill up more space and are not to lumpy. You'll want to let the meatballs cool before doing this step for two reasons:

1 - it's easier to work with the meatballs when slightly cooled

2 - if the meat is still hot, it will start to warm up the dough and make it harder to work with.

C. do not go overboard when adding your gravy/sauce.The key to a meatball Stromboli is the gravy....you don't want it to be dry. A nice little drizzle of sauce on top of the crushed meatball is plenty. Too much sauce will make the dough soggy and hard to work with. And just as I mentioned about working with the meatballs cooled, you don't want the gravy to be too hot. Otherwise it will make the dough difficult to work with, You can always serve up a bowl of gravy/sauce on the side for dipping.

D. try using a combination of provolone and mozzarella cheese. Both melt well, and the combination gives you an equal balance of mozzarella creaminess and provolone sharpness. This is one of the many cooking tricks that my cousin Michael taught me many years ago!

You can follow my example photo on how to roll a Stromboli (although the example photo is of a pepperoni stromboli, the same rolling method applies to the meatball stromboli).
Add a few slits on the top of the dough to avoid air bubbles. Give it a quick hit with cooking spray, top with a bit of Italian seasoning. Bake uncovered at 375º for about 20-25 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and let it sit for 5 minutes to cool. Otherwise the insides will run out if you slice it too soon.

Slice, Serve, & Enjoy!

Grandma Rose's Zucchini Pie!

2011-01-31T15:57:00.000-08:00

Every few months, some friends and I get together at my house for "Breakfast at Tiffany's!" It's usually on a weekday morning, after we drop the kids off at school. Everyone brings something to eat & drink while we just relax and enjoy each other's company. It's a great break for some friends on their way to work, and an even better break for the mom's of little kids that would otherwise wreak havoc at ...(gasp)... a public coffee shop! (never MY little ones, of course....)

Anyway, last week, I made my Grandma Rose's recipe for Zucchini Pie. It's a simple recipe that is light enough to have for brunch, and is served well best when warm or at room temp (perfect for a long, drawn out coffee gathering). I love this recipe so much, if I don't have it for brunch, I sometimes make it alongside a light pasta dish and eat a piece with some marinara on the side.

ZUCCHINI PIE

1/2 cup vegi oil

4 eggs

4 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded

1/2 cup grated cheese

1 cup self rising flour

3 cups sliced zucchini

cayenne pepper

Mix wet ingredients. Mix in the flour. Combine with the sliced zucchini. Spread evenly into a casserole dish and sprinkle the top lightly with cayenne pepper. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool, cut, and serve warm.

The PERFECT Pancake

2011-01-23T11:14:00.000-08:00

Every weekend we try to make a big, hearty breakfast at least once. For YEARS we have been trying different pancake recipes. After abandoning our box of Bisquick, finding something we ALL loved was pretty tough. Until, after a lot of experimentation and research, we came up with this:

THE PERFECT PANCAKE.

I kid you not when I say it is perfect, because, truly, it is. There is no pancake that tastes fluffier than this precise recipe, which takes just as much prep time as Bisquick, so give up those partially hydrogenated oils already! You can do this! You will be healthier and happier for doing so. (unless, of course, you pair it with some fried Jimmy Dean sausage patties and eggs fried in the sausage grease - my fav)

But health is not ALL that matters here. This recipe involves most ingredients that you already have on hand, and it's down right easy - like Sunday morning...

THE PERFECT PANCAKE:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

7 tsps baking powder (this is the secret to the fluffiness!)

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

6 tbsp melted salted butter (this is the secret to the 'perfect' cooking and, of course, the perfect taste)

2 1/2 cups milk

Mix all wet ingredients first. Then, mix all dry ingredients separately. Combine and whisk together. Cook on a lightly greased griddle until bubbles begin to form on one side. Flip. Cook. EAT!

Cravings...

2011-01-18T10:11:00.000-08:00

I have two favorite things right now - Italian french toast and McDonald's apple pies.

What?...that's perfectly normal.....:)

I'm pregnant, therefore I eat.......for two. Which is probably why I finish two of these pies for breakfast and then again around 10:30 p.m. like clockwork. Some may see this as simply a poor pregnant girl indulging her craving. I choose to look at it quite differently...

I am doing the American fast food industry a favor. I am passing onto my children a lifetime of tastebuds for America's #1 fast food chain. They will inevitably grow up and continue my legacy of buying every McDonalds in town out of their apple pie supply. I kid you not. Then I go home, eat two, and stash the rest in the fridge. It's really quite brilliant, if I do say so myself. And while it may not be healthy (or Italian), I still reason out this craving to be my serving of fruit for the morning.

Likewise, I find the "health" in my love of Italian French Toast. You have no idea what this is, you say? Well, let me enlighten you, my friends, for you are missing out on something truly wonderful.

Now, I have been eating this since I was a kid, and when I share the recipe with people I usually get one of two responses. Either the person is completely disgusted at my excessive use of mayonnaise, or they are completely IN LOVE with my excessive use of mayonnaise!

So my dad and I used to get up on a Saturday morning and soak some of the Italian bread from last night's dinner in a mixture of beaten eggs, heavy cream, grated romano cheese, basil, black pepper, and a touch of garlic salt. Heavenly! Then we would fry it in some melted butter to make our own version of french toast! Then....wait for it......we would dip the entire thing in a mayonnaise sauce made from mayo, grated cheese, basil, pepper, and a touch of garlic salt! Again, heavenly. (Yes, this was breakfast)

Well, my husband, who works in the hotel business, likes to go back in the kitchen and spend some time with the Chef every so often. They sit there and talk and eat and concoct recipes and......... I'm really quite jealous of his job, now that I think of it.....must be nice.

Anyway, unbeknownst to him, my hubby came home one day to show me his latest creation, which happened to be an adaptation of my favorite Italian breakfast snack - the french toast! He spread the exact mayonnaise mixture on sliced ciabatta bread, and then fried it in some melted butter. It was the PERFECT snack for the little one inside me (It's really not about me, people. It's whatever the BABY likes!!!) Well, this baby loves it.

And so as I conquer random nausea and my disgust at the sight of certain foods, the apple pies and Italian French toast are still keeping me - I mean, baby - happy. They are the only things that I can eat early in the morning without feeling like gagging, which is odd considering the richness of the mayo and butter, and the sweetness of the apple pies, but hey - it's not my taste - it's this baby!

Why do I think I'll end up with a picky eater?

Well, I must leave you all with one warning. I am known for falling in love with a certain snack, and then eating so much of it that I can no longer even stand the thought of eating it again. I went through this during my last pregnancy with Twinkies, and I'm afraid I might be at it again. Which saddens me, considering my lifelong love for the above mentioned items. Nonetheless, I will try to use the principle of moderation, and I might need some help. I need some other 'craving ' suggestions to feed this baby:) Comment with your ideas or post them on facebook. I'd love to hear the strangest cravings you or someone you know has had while pregnant!

The Big Cheese!

2011-01-11T12:00:00.000-08:00

So as you might have already heard, bambino/a #5 is on the way for us! That's right, five kiddos. Before you draw up the paperwork to have me committed, hear me out....

Kids are tough, but coming from a family of only TWO kids (me and my younger brother) I always wanted a big family. My husband, on the other hand was #6 of 7 kids, so he felt the same way:) And so here we are, with four (and a half) kiddos, where our house is messy, our family dinners are loud, and our weekends are full of fun. In a certain sense, it keeps you young;)

So somehow with this "youth" and my expertise in being pregnant, I have found the time to let you all follow along with my unusual pregnancy cravings. Aside from tomato juice with a dash Tabasco sauce in the morning (weird, right?!) I just cant seem to eat enough CHEESE! I guess they say whatever you crave is what your body is in need of, so perhaps I need more calcium? Who knows?!

Who cares?!

Cheese is darn yummy and I am all about eating it alone, with crackers, with fruit, on pasta...and even, IN pasta! So here's some cheese stuffed dishes for your enjoyment!

TORTELLINI PASCARA

(that's what the restaurant called it anyway...this recipe is adapted from my long-time love of a favorite restaurant's cheese tortellini in a spicy pink sauce)

1 small onion, diced

1 tbsp butter

a few tbsp e.v.o.o.

1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 can crushed tomatoes

1 cup heavy whipping cream

black pepper to taste

This sauce is so simple, it just takes a bit of love and attention. Saute the onions in the butter and olive oil. WATCH THEM CAREFULLY. You want to use a medium heat and sweat the onions. Try not to let them get any color. This means waiting patiently for them to turn transparent. While cooking, add the crushed red pepper. The spice infuses the oil with the help of the heat and adds a lasting bite to the sauce. Add the can of tomatoes. Puree with a hand blender. Simmer for 30 minutes or so, until the raw tomato taste is cooked out, and the flavors meld. Lower the heat to low, and slowly add the cream, while stirring. Do not let it boil. (see what i mean by TLC?) bring back up to temp, serve over CHEESE tortellini, and LOVE EVERY BITE!

DAD'S LOBSTER RAVIOLI

This is a recipe my dad had recently experimented with, which also incorporates my second love - cheese. (My first love is arguably my husband...or, at the moment, McDonald's apple pies -I'm not quite sure.) This is a very creative combination of lobster and ricotta cheese, stuffed in a homemade pasta dough, cut into ravioli and served with a tomato cream sauce made with shallots and brandy. Given the way that my dad and I cook, recipes are hard to come by. It's usually a little of this and a little of that, but I can tell you the basics and if you want more details, email me...SUBITO!

Stuffing: Saute some minced shallots in e.v.o.o. and cook the seasoned lobster in them. Remove and let cool. Roughly chop the lobster and mix with beaten egg, grated cheese, ricotta cheese, salt and pepper to taste.

Sauce: Saute some minced shallots in e.v.o.o. Add the brandy, cook out the alcohol. Add the crushed tomatoes, simmer. Add the heavy cream (using a similar method as above). You may or may not want to cook some additional lobster in with the shallots and brandy to make it more of a fishy dish.

Here's some pics to get you started:

Anthony's Spaghetti Sauce & Meatballs

2011-01-06T21:40:00.000-08:00

So years back, I made a connection with the owner of the website, Anthony's Spaghetti Sauce and Meatballs! What a guy this is. He has shared his entire family's ancestry - photos, documents and all - online for others to share. He's got photos, videos, and recipes for all the huge, well-known Italian dishes. He recently added step by step instructional videos. I have not personally tried any of his recipes yet, but thanks to the Internet, I feel I've made yet another valuable Paisan connection that I wanted to share with all of you! So take a look at his YouTube channel, which has all his instructional videos, and his Italian Links page, where you will undoubtedly find access to several Italian online resources! Check it out & Felice Anno Nuovo!

The Mamma Meets the Cucina: Feast of the Seven Fishes!

2010-12-19T20:18:00.000-08:00

From the Mamma...

Christmas Eve's Feast of the Seven Fishes or "La Vigilia" comes from a long standing Catholic tradition of avoiding meat on the vigil of (vigil = the night before) the Feast Day of Christmas. Tilapia is a favorite meatless dish in our house, which is why I chose to highlight it for this blog post. Now, our family might not have ALL seven dishes include fish, but we will throw on some shrimp fra diavolo, even if it is served sans capellini as an appetizer. But the tilapia and the pasta dish are a staple for us on Christmas Eve. It's yummy enough to impress the crowds of friends and family, but easy enough to handle as we quickly end the game of Scopa and rush to Midnight Mass! So give these a try - even if it's not for La Vigilia - they make a great accompaniment to each other.

PARMESAN CRUSTED TILAPIA
This recipe is one of easy, healthy , and tasty all at the same time. Even kids are huge fans - whaddaya know?! A kid-pleasing fish dish without the word "stick" in the title!

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup grated romano cheese
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup melted butter
4-6 tilapia loins

Coat the tilapia in the melted butter. Mix all dry ingredients. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Coat the tilapia i the bread crumb mixture. Place on parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees. Serve immediately with a side of GEMELLI PASTA!!

CHRISTMAS EVE GEMELLI
This dish is so simple, yet full of flavor. The red and green of the tomatoes and the arugula make a great addition to the Christmas tablescape.

1 lb. Gemelli pasta
1 can crushed tomatoes
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
e.v.o.o.
1 bag arugula
salt
pepper
crushed red pepper

Add 2-3 tbsps of e.v.o.o. to a large, deep skillet. Saute the garlic until light caramel in color. Add the arugula and cook until slightly wilted. (NOTE: you could use spinach here if you do not like arugula. The idea is to get the green color and an added distinct flavor) Remove and set aside. Add the crushed tomatoes, crushed red pepper, salt & black pepper to taste. Simmer for 20 minutes or so. Boil the gemelli till al dente. Just before draining, add the arugula back in. Drain the pasta and toss with the sauce. Serve immediately.

NOTE: Gemelli is such a great pasta for this dish. It's curvy shape holds this rustic, crushed tomato auce perfectly, and I LOVE the chewy texture:)

From the Cucina...

My family has been celebrating Christmas Eve with the traditional Feast of the Seven Fishes for as long as I could remember, and of course many years before that. For years, our meal would consist of most of the traditional dishes, such as baccala soup, smelts and shrimp. Non-fish dishes, such as spaghetti aglio e olio (garlic and oil) and chicken cutlets would also be served for those not-so-much into seafood. Over the past few years, my cousins, my brother and sister-in-law, and myself have been stepping up to help relieve our aunts and Grandmother from the heavy kitchen duties, while at the same time trying to update the menu a bit with some more modern dishes such as seared scallops and crab cakes. However we still make sure to keep some of the traditional staples in the rotation.

This year I am very proud and honored to be taking over one of the crown jewels of the table, stuffed calamari. Now chances are that many of you are only familiar with the more popular Italian eatery appetizer, fried calamari. Unlike the fried rings, stuffed calamari is actually using the whole calamari tube, stuffed with a breadcrumb and cheese filling, and cooked slowly in a pot of red sauce (I don't use the word gravy here because there is no meat involved). When cooked, they resemble a stuffed shell, and they are tender enough to cut without a knife!

If you have never tried stuffed calamari, I encourage you to do so. Whether you serve it along with pasta or on its own, I guarantee you it will make for a special part of your meal, especially if you are planning to celebrate a traditional Italian Christmas Eve.

STUFFED CALAMARI
Makes 8-10 pieces

1 lb. calamari tubes, cleaned (you can purchase cleaned calamari tubes in the freezer section of your grocery store)
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
2 teaspoon parsley
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Olive oil (enough to add to mixture until proper consistency)
* you can also chop the unused calamari tentacles and place them in the stuffing mixture for extra texture and flavor. Uncooked shrimp will also work well

Sauce Ingredients
1 29oz can tomato sauce, plus 1 can water
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon sugar
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

In a large pot, sauté garlic in heated olive oil. Add tomato sauce and sauce seasonings. Add water until desired consistency. Bring to a slow boil, then lower the temperature to simmer.

Mix stuffing ingredients, add oil and mix with hands until you get a nice, meatball-like consistency. Using a spoon, loosely stuff each calamari tube. You don't want to pack the tubes, because the stuffing will expand and the calamari will shrink when cooked. Secure the open ends of the tubes with a toothpick. Add the tubes to the sauce, cook on a medium-low simmer for 2 hours. You're looking for a string cheese consistency when you slice into the calamari. Serve and enjoy!

– We would like to wish all of our readers a happy and peaceful holiday and the warmest wishes for the New Year. Buon Natale!

Christmas Appetizers!

2010-12-05T22:05:00.000-08:00

Years ago, my Aunt Marie put together a family cookbook, named "Cucina Di Rosa," after my grandmother Rose. It was full of my grandma's classic recipes and even some new recipes from all family members. We write them down as we cook them, so sometimes the measurements are approximate, but, hey - we're Italian! So make the best of it, and adjust it to your liking. I have chosen three appetizers to share from my family recipe archive - just in time for the holiday cocktail parties! Try them out, have a party, then.........................invite me!

NICOLE'S TOMATO AND ARTICHOKE DIP

1/2 cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes

1 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped

1 8oz. pkg (2 cups) shredded Jarlsburg Cheese

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 tsp minced garlic

2 tbsp. grated parmesan cheese

Drain tomatoes to remove oil, chop. Combine tomatoes, artichoke hearts, cheese, sour cream, mayo & garlic in mixing bowl. Transfer to baking dish and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake @ 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and mixture is heated through. Serve with baguettes.

KICKED UP HUMMIS DIP

3 cups cannelini beans

cilantro, finely chopped

2 - 4 tbsp lime juice

4 - 6 sun dried tomatoes, chopped

3 garlic cloves

chopped parsley

1 cup goat cheese

Place beans, goat cheese, cilantro, parsley in a bowl and mash together. Add sun-dried tomatoes, chopped garlic and lime juice and mix together to form dip. Serve with crackers, pita, or toasted french bread slices.

EGGPLANT, TOMATO & GOAT CHEESE BRUSCHETTA

2 cans peeled plum tomatoes (San Marzano, of course)

1 med. eggplant

4 cloves garlic

1 small onion

1/4 cup olive oil

Oregano, to taste

1/4 cup fresh basil leaves

3 tbsp. re wine vinegar

1 loaf Italian bread

1 pkg goat cheese

Coat the bottom of a medium saucepan with olive oil. Add chopped garlic & onion to the oil while still cold. Season with salt & pepper. Cook until onions are transparent. Add oregano. Peel & dice eggplant into small pieces and add to the pan, season well. Saute for about 5-7 minutes. Add vinegar & cook for about 2 more minutes. Pour both cans of tomatoes in & break up with a wooden spoon. Season well. Allow to cook for about an hour, uncovered, so as to cook away some of the liquid.

Slice the bread to about 3/4" thickness. Lay on a baking sheet & drizzle with olive oil. Bake in 350 degree oven until light brown. Remove & spread each slice with goat cheese. Chop basil & add it to the eggplant just before spreading it onto the toasts. Serve immediately.

Captain Morgan's Sweet Potatoes

2010-11-22T23:10:00.000-08:00

Did YOU invite The Captain to your Thanksgiving soiree? I DID! Check it out....

CAPTAIN MORGAN'S SWEET POTATOES

4 - 6 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 cups Captain Morgan's Private Stock Rum

1 - 2 sticks melted butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

Mix the rum, butter, and seasoning. Toss cubed potatoes in the mixture to coat. Roast in the oven at 325 degrees for 1 - 1/2 hours. Then, MANGIA!!!!

These sweet potatoes are sweet, with a touch of savory - and you can spice them up by adding cayenne pepper. There are so many variations to this recipe, and it's one of those dishes that you really have to play around with. Taste the mixture as you go along to be sure that you've got the right seasoning. It's all about the taste that YOU like. Adjust it to what your preference is - you cannot ruin this dish!!!!

Unless, of course, you let that extra Captain Morgan go to waste! Pour yourself a glass of one of these AWESOME C.M. Private Stock drink ideas to pass the cooking time! But for now -

HAPPY TURKEY DAY EVERYONE!

See you after Thanksgiving

with a photo (and recipe) recap! CIAO!

EASY Chocolate Swirl Cookie Snack

2010-11-18T09:10:00.000-08:00

You love chocolate. You have no patience for baking. You have little time to spend precisely measuring 25 ingredients........

If that sounds like you, then

1.) you are remarkably similar to me, and...

2.) you are going to LOVE this easy snack recipe

With only FOUR ingredients and NO OVEN TIME you have a presentable snack that tastes good too. I, personally, am going to have this on hand while we cook our Thanksgiving dinner.

You see, in our house, Thanksgiving is typically a three day process of cooking that involves tasting everything as you go. With all those wonderful savory flavors, every once in a while you want something sweet to nibble on. This snack is the perfect fix for any one's sweet tooth.

CHOCOLATE SWIRL COOKIES

1 pkg graham crackers

1/2 lg. milk chocolate bar

1/4 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup white chocolate chips

Cover a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Line the surface with graham crackers (in flat rows), breaking pieces as needed to cover the entire thing. Heat the peanut butter and chocolate bar in the microwave in 30 second intervals until melted. Spread with a spatula on top of the graham cracker base. Heat the white chocolate chips in a separate bowl(in 30 second intervals) until melted. Drop spoonfuls of the melted white chocolate randomly onto the chocolate covered graham crackers. Use a butter knife to swirl the white chocolate into the chocolate. (you can make figure eights, or simply swirl it around randomly, whatever you're comfortable with)

Then, place in the freezer for about an hour. Remove, cut, and serve when ready. Be sure to leave the leftovers in the freezer so that the chocolate does not get soft. Pull them out whenever you get that chocolate craving, and its better than any artificially flavored candy bar!

By the way, kids LOVE this recipe because its SO easy and quick. You don't lose their attention span, and they build up anticipation waiting for the frozen result.

Italian Popp-a-corn!

2010-11-13T09:26:00.000-08:00

Lately, I have been on a serious popcorn kick. I thought it only appropriate to repost a recipe I blogged about a couple years ago for garlic parmesan popcorn. It doesn't get any better than this for an Italian movie snack. ENJOY!

I am always looking for ways to 'Italianize' the common snack. (yes, I make up my own words, get used to it.) That's how this recipe for "garlic parmigiano popp-a-corn" was born. It's so easy, and it sure beats that greasy, stale stuff you get at the theatre. I attribute the popularity of this snack to my love for garlic. I have inevitably passed it on to my chilren, who love to peel it, smell it, and eat it. And so began our family movie nights - with an Italian twist:

GARLIC PARMESAN POPCORN

Pop a bag of popcorn in the micro (you can find some really good organic varieties these days!)

While it's popping, heat 3-4 tablespoons of butter in a small pot until melted. (adjust amount according to number of bags)

Stir in a little bit of fresh, finely chopped parsley

Mix in some salt and pepper, to taste*

Add in two cloves of minced garlic (about 2 tsp). Be careful not to brown it, just slightly heat it.

Empty popcorn into a large bowl and toss it evenly in the butter mixture, then toss in a few heaping spoonfuls of grated parmesan cheese.

Mangia, e guarda il film!

*Note: cayenne pepper or hot pepper flakes really spice this up! Or try adding lemon juice for a tangy twist!

Family Recipes - Braciole & Chicken Cacciatore

2010-11-07T23:14:00.000-08:00

Whether they're passed along from your parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles or cousins, family recipes are what help keep tradition alive and well. Just a simple smell of a Sunday Gravy or a taste of an antipasto is enough to bring you back to your childhood in an instant. And what better way to help keep these fantastic traditions alive than to share them with our readers!

That's why Cucina Domenico and myself have agreed to share some of our favorite family recipes in our new feature segment called.....

*drum roll, please*

Family Recipes!
We will be featuring this special segment now and again, as we look forward to not only sharing the recipes with you, but also reliving some of our favorite memories as we once again get to enjoy the heavenly tastes of our favorite meals! We hope you enjoy as well!

From The Cucina:
Marie's Chicken Cacciatore

This family recipe has an interesting background, as it was actually first passed up in the family, then back down again. My Aunt Marie (Marie, or Re-Re to those who are her age in the family) was the first person to make it, and she served it once to my grandparents. My Grandmother (also Marie, and Aunt Marie to her nieces and nephews), loved it so much, that she asked to have the recipe, which my Aunt passed up to her. Fast forward a few years to when my Grandmother submitted this recipe to our local newspaper as Recipe of the Week, which was featured as a family favorite dish simply called Marie's Chicken Cacciatore (everyone in our family named Marie gets to share in the glory!). And whether or not you have a Mom or a Grandmom named Marie, an Aunt Marie or a Cousin Re-Re, you will be sure to enjoy this fantastic traditional Italian dish!

Marie's Chicken Cacciatore

4-6 chicken thighs (skin removed)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 tspn rosemary
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
1 green bell pepper, cut into small pieces
1 cup water
2 tblspn vegetable oil
pinch sugar
salt & pepper to taste

In a large frying pan, brown chicken and garlic in oil until chicken is golden brown. Add vinegar and 1/2 cup water. Simmer until liquid evaporates, then drain excess fat. Add rosemary, tomato sauce, remaining water, sugar, salt and pepper. Add peppers, stir together, cover slightly, let cook for 30 minutes.

Serve over a bed of rice or over mini pasta shells.

*Note - you can either serve the chicken thighs whole or shred the meat and discard the bone.

From the Mamma:

Dad's Braciole

Braciole is one of those classic Italian comfort foods. Slow cooked meat in a hearty gravy with a taste that no beef stew, stroganoff, or wellington could even compare with. It's one of those dishes you make in the downstairs kitchen and you nurture for a good few hours until it reaches perfection. The smell alone makes my dad's braciole recipe one of my greatest family memories. My father got his passion for cooking from the big Italian famiglia, and his technique from the Culinary Institute of America. Needless to say, his recipe is top of the line!

Dad's Braciole

2 - 3 lb. cut of top round or flank steak, pounded relatively thin

2 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs

2-4 slices good quality ham or prosciutto cotto

2-4 slices domestic provolone

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup chopped parsley

salt to taste

pepper to taste

1 lg onion, minced

12 cloves garlic, minced

2 28 oz. cans San Marzano crushed tomatoes

1 1/2 cups red wine

1 28 oz can of water

Mix the seasoned bread crumbs with parsley, grated cheese, 3 cloves of minced garlic. Combine with extra virgin olive oil until moistened (like the consistency of wet beach sand).

Lay out the pounded meat and top with bread crumb mixture, sliced provolone, and sliced ham. Roll against the direction of the grain of the meat (so that when you slice the cooked braciole, it is cut against the grain. Roll up the meat. Secure with butcher's twine. Season the outside of meat with salt and pepper. Sear on each side in a few tbsp of olive oil. Remove from pan, set aside.

Add a few more tbsp of olive oil to the pan. (enough to coat the veggies). Saute the onions for a couple minutes, add the garlic. saute until all are soft and lightly golden. Add in the red wine, de-glaze the pan. Cook off the alcohol (about 5 minutes). Add the tomatoes and water. Return the meat to the pan.

Simmer on medium heat for about 2 1/2 hours, depending on the size of your meat. Stir frequently. When cooked, slice the meat and serve the extra sauce over pasta. MANGIA!

*TIP* - whenever you are slow cooking a gravy like this, or even a soup, throw in the rind from the block of cheese you are using. (In this case, parmigiana!!) It gives the sauce an incredible flavor. Always save those rinds in the freezer, you never know when you'll need 'em!

Meatloaf Italiano

2010-11-03T16:00:00.000-07:00

Sailing on a yacht in the Bahamas, playing a round of tennis, taking a long nap, even doing laundry.....I can think of a million better things to do with my time rather than roll a batch of meatballs large enough to feed a family of 6.

So tonight I adapted my polpette recipe into a loaf. It's much easier on the hands (and the clock). My easy Italian meatloaf is another one of my family's favorites.

What sets this meatloaf apart from your typical recipe is the fact that we cook the garlic and onions before mixing it in the meat. Any cook knows that the flavor of raw garlic or onions vs. cooked garlic or onions is a world of difference. Another key factor is the marinara sauce instead of the typical ketchup. It's the difference between a glorified med-e-gone sloppy joe, and a hearty Italian loaf of, well, meatballs.

Give this recipe a try, modifying it to your liking. Maybe you have a polpette (meatball) recipe that you love. Adjust the ingredients accordingly, and mangia! I serve mine with a side of garlic mashed potatoes.

MEATLOAF ITALIANO

1 1/2 lbs ground beef

2 tbsp e.v.o.o.

1/2 lg. onion, minced

6-8 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes.

1 cup breadcrumbs

3 eggs, beaten

1/4 grated Parmesan cheese

2 tsp. balsamic vinegar

2 tsp Italian seasoning (I often use 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil, if I have it on hand)

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 cup marinara sauce

Saute the onions in the olive oil for 2 - 3 minutes, add the garlic. Saute for another two minutes. Add the crushed pepper flakes*, continue cooking until the garlic and onions are lightly browned and soft. Set aside to cool.

Mix the beaten eggs, meat, cheese, bread crumbs, vinegar, and seasonings lightly. Fold in the cooled onion mixture. Form into a loaf on a cookie sheet (I prefer this method to a loaf pan) and top with marinara sauce. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to an hour, or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. Serve with garlic mashed potatoes and you've got yourself a tasty dinner (and probably some really bad breath)! BUON APPETITO!

*Adding the crushed red pepper flakes makes the meat mixture spicy. You may omit this step. I add it to the oil, rather than the meat, because the flavor seems to infuse the oil better, which brings out the heat (which I love!) Adjust it however you like.

Election Day Lasagne Roll-Ups

2010-11-02T10:16:00.000-07:00

Today is Election Day! (For us Italian Catholics, it is more importantly All Souls Day!) So when you're done praying for your departed love ones, say an extra one for the election....

But with all the praying and news watching going on today - I needed a quick and easy dinner that I could assemble ahead of time and throw in the oven tonight, as I watch the election recap. Lasagne is the perfect recipe! Although, lasagne can get kinda boring, so I switch it up a bit, and make individual rolled up servings. These are just as easy to make as regular lasagne. Its kinda similar to manicotti, but not as much cheesiness. These roll ups are cute and they taste good.

So as you sit in front of the tv watching election day news, you can rest easy knowing that dinner is in the oven waiting.

Lasagne Roll Ups

12 pcs. uncooked lasagne

1 1/2 32 oz. containers of whole milk ricotta cheese

1/2 cup grated pecorino romano cheese

2 cups shredded mozarella cheese, divided

salt & pepper to taste

bolognese sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Boil the lasagne noodles until barely bendable (do not cook all the way through, or you will end up with soft, soggy lasagne). Drain, and spread out evenly on a piece of foil sprayed with pam. In a bowl, mix the ricotta, romano, and half of the mozarella with salt and pepper. Spread the cheese mixture evenly over each lasagne noodle, then roll them up like a little pinwheel.

Line the bottom of a large casserole dish with marinara sauce. Place the lasagne rolls neatly in rows in the dish. Top with bolognese sauce* and the remaining mozarella cheese. Sprinkle some romano cheese on top. I also like to add dollops of ricotta on the top. Bake uncovered until lightly brown and bubbly for around 45 minutes.

*When I'm in a hurry and I have leftovers, I crumble up leftover meatballs that are in sauce and use that in place of bolognese. You will not be disappointed, and it saves you some work!*

Pumpkin Risotto Recap

2010-10-28T10:01:00.000-07:00

Recently I asked my blogging buddy, Dominic Condo to come up with some amazing recipe for Pumpkin Risotto. I had tasted a similar dish in Italy and fell in love at first bite. I haven't had anything like it since (and that was 7 years ago)....until Tuesday!

I actually made the recipe as featured on the Cucina Domenico blog and WOW was it yummy. The only modification I made was adding chicken. I cooked up some lightly seasoned chicken breasts (Italian herbs, sea salt, hot pepper) and then sliced them thinly on a diagonal. Then I coarsely chopped the thin slices into smaller, bite sized pieces, which I stirred into the risotto towards the end.

When I initially looked at the recipe, I thought 1 - 1 1/2 cups of pumpkin puree was quite a bit. Boy, was I wrong. I think I used nearly two cups because the flavor and the aroma were that awesome. It just goes to show - don't question a paisano's recipe - he probably knows what he's talking about! So have no fear and give it a shot (of amaretto). I did, and you won't be disappointed.

PUMPKIN BISCOTTI!! mmm....

2010-10-23T15:03:00.000-07:00

Last week, while in Boston I got to chatting with Mary (my dad's cousin's wife - so my SECOND cousin). She had me laughing as she constantly reminded me that she CANNOT cook, but does a "wonderful job of cleaning" up after her husband, Vinny, who cooked enough for an army last week. We arrived to homemade chicken soup with mini meatballs and ditalini, alongside homemade pizza, three varieties - broccoli rabe, italian sausage, and olives. The next night was eggplant parm with tortellini in red gravy. We probably gained an average of 10 lbs each last week...

Anyway, as we were sitting around pretending to cook, Mary pulled out her father's BISCOTTICHART. This thing was incredible. It was a handwritten graph of all different variations of biscotti, the beloved Italian, twice baked cookie that goes great with coffee, tea, or as LorraineRanalli suggests, a martini! Needless to say I took a copy home for my kitchen. It lists, in columns, each ingredient (sugar, flour, eggs, etc) and the varying amounts for each recipe (almond, chocolate, etc). Well with a little imagination, and a lot of fall inspiration, I made up a festive recipe for PUMPKIN BISCOTTI! I like to make them small - about half the size of a regular biscotti - so that they are easy to pop in your mouth. My kids especially appreciate this.

PUMPKIN BISCOTTI

2 1/2 cups flour

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp ginger (optional)

1/4 tsp cloves

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

1/2 cup pumpkin puree (this can be canned pumpkin, but make sure it is NOT canned pumpkin pie filling. You want to use pure pumpkin and season it yourself)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix the flour, sugar, salt, and spices in a large bowl. Sift out any clumps.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, pumpkin puree, softened butter, and the vanilla.

Pour the pumpkin mixture into the flour mixture and combine the ingredients. Do this gently, you don't want to overmix.

With floured hands , knead the dough lightly in the bowl. Form the dough into a large log (or small, if you want bite sized biscotti like me) and place on a lightly greased, parchment paper lined cookie sheet.

Bake for 25 - 30 minutes until the center is firm to the touch. Let the biscotti cool for 10 minutes, then slice into one inch pieces using a serrated knife.

Lower the oven to 300 degrees and bake, cut side down for an additional 15 minutes.

Now, I like my biscotti a tad chewy, so I wrap them up once they've cooled. If you prefer your biscotti to be crispy, then let it sit out uncovered for a few hours in a dry place.

TIP: I LOVE mixing in about 1/2 cup of white chocolate chips. It is the perfect accompaniment to the pumpkin for all you chocolate lovers:) You might have just found the perfect accompaniment for coffee after Thanksgiving dinner!

Sausage Bread x 2

2010-10-23T14:13:00.000-07:00

Recently I had a bunch of my friends over for "Breakfast at Tiffany's!" It was quite a hit if I do say so myself! The best part about it was that everybody brought some unique breakfast dish and we basically ate for a good three hours. Che bella!

One of the dishes I made was an experimental twist on one of my favorite Italian sides - Sausage Bread! When my family owned our Italian Deli in Vegas, my dad would roll out some leftover pizza dough, pile on some cooked, ground Italian sausage and cheese (and sometimes mushrooms) and braid the excess dough over the top. A quick brush of some eggwash and this thing was gorgeous! It tasted so good - hot, cold, or room temp - and was a great side dish to serve with pasta, soup, or even bring to a dinner party. Anyway, the thing sold like crazy. Everyone loved it, and I was trying to think of a way I could make this for breakfast.

Now, if my "Breakfast at Tiffany's" was back home and all my Italian relatives were coming over, I would feel perfectly comfortable eating this savory Italian Sausage Bread for breakfast. But since I was dealing with my med-e-gone friends (i love you all, by the way), I figured I would go easy on their stomachs that early in the morning. SO what did I do? I made a rich breakfast sausage gravy and used that in the sausage bread instead!! It, too, was a hit, and was the prefect substitute for biscuits and gravy.

I encourage you to try both the breakfast and the Italian sausage variations, because they're both amazing. And there's so much room for improvement with this bread, so let me know your variations - I would LOVE to try them:)

BREAKFAST SAUSAGE BREAD

Ground Breakfast Sausage

4 TBSP flour

2 cups milk

1 egg, beaten

Pizza dough, rolled out thin

Fry the ground sausage until cooked thoroughly. Add the flour, one tablespoon at a time until absorbed. Then gradually add the milk, and cook until thickened. (NOTE: in a typical sausage gravy, you would add more milk to make more gravy. By reducing the amount of milk for this recipe, you create enough of a paste to hold the mixture together. This gives the gravy taste without the sloppy mess, and enables the mixture to stay together inside the bread.)

Spread the thickened gravy mixture over the middle of a rolled out pizza dough, leaving a 2-3 inch border on all sides. Cut diagonal strips on the sides of the excess dough, and fold over alternately until you have a braided effect on top.

Brush the top with the remaining beaten egg.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes, or until golden.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE BREAD

2 lb sausage, removed from casing

1 lg block mozzarella, grated

1-2 TB grated parmesan cheese

2 eggs, beaten

Pizza dough, rolled out thin

Fry the ground sausage meat until done, drain. Mix with grated cheese, shredded mozzarella, and 1 beaten egg. Spread over the middle of a rolled out pizza dough, leaving a 2-3 inch border on all sides. Cut diagonal strips on the sides of the excess dough, and fold over alternately until you have a braided effect on top.

Brush the top with the remaining beaten egg.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes, or until golden.

Happy Columbus Day

2010-10-10T20:14:00.000-07:00

I love fall. It means all my favorite holidays are around the corner. Everything starts with a bunch of September birthdays for us. First my daughter's. She turned five and we made her an oreo cookie cake! Gotta love Williams Sonoma!

Then my husband's birthday, then mine. You can see that my kids took every single one of my favorite candies/junk food and decorated the table for me! Then we spent the evening eating it all up (in the name of cleaning, of course).

Sugar babies, candy corn, zebra cakes, Brach's candy pumpkins...all that sugary stuff that I tell my kids never to eat!mmm i love it:)

But the best part of fall for me is that we get a lot more quality family time together. Usually the summers are busy with fun bbq's and get-togethers where our kids run off to play with the other kids while we adults eat, drink, and be merry! Now that the weather is getting cooler, and we're seeing some more rainy days, we tend to find fun in indoor activities. For our family, it always means getting in the kitchen. The kids know just when to pull their chairs up to the counter to get a front row seat to the action. Then they, of course, help mix and stir whatever we're cooking up. Today it was pumpkin pie.

Pumpkin pie is so easy to make I don't think I will buy another one from the store again! Plus with all of our apple pie baking, I have the crust method down 100%! I make a mean homemade pie crust. Plus - making it from scratch means you know exactly what you're eating.

NOTE: I just watched the movie "Food, Inc." and was pretty much grossed out by every single thing I put into my mouth each day. Actually, I was mostly grossed out that I was feeding this my kids. I already know I'll probably have cancer in another 20 years or so - but my kids? Now the food industry has messed with the wrong person!

Anyway, I have a new found inspiration (which will likely diminish after a few weeks) to make everything from scratch. Like I said - we'll see how long this lasts:) But, in keeping with Longo Columbus Day tradition, we made a pumpkin pie and its already nearly gone!

So what to do when the food runs out and its still a rainy day? How about some indoor crafts? Last year, my Columbus Day articles for La Voce and Italians R Us highlighted a few Italian themed crafts that were good for young children. There are even a few that the older kids might enjoy. You can make anything from colored pasta flags to Italian themed trivets. check it out, and send me your Italian craft ideas!

Visit my article on Italiansrus.com using the link above!

CIAO!

Another Easy Weeknight Meal

2010-09-30T20:40:00.000-07:00

Am I the only one who can't get back into the groove of the school year? Busy weekdays, cranky kiddos, homework.......I am so frustrated I could smash something.

How about some pretzels?

Dominic Condo's pretzel Coated Chicken Tenders is any easy weeknight meal that allows the kids to have something fun, and the parents to get out all their pent up stress and aggravation!

I can see it now --

"Pretzel Coated Chicken Tenders - Healthy for kids, even healthier for ornery adults..."

Honestly - the only thing more fun than smashing pretzels is having something quick, easy, AND yummy for dinner:) So get to it, and let us know what you think of the latest recipe from the Cucina!

PRETZEL COATED TENDERS

Looking to put a new spin on a weekday meal that will keep the kids asking for more? Put aside your traditional chicken cutlets, and serve up pretzel coated chicken tenders. The shape of the tenders are similar to fast food chicken fingers, and the pretzels add a natural salty/snacky taste. Plus, knowing that pretzels are part of the meal is sure to make for a fun dinner for parents and kids.

Using a food processor, break up about two cups worth of pretzels almost to the point of breadcrumb consistency. You want to have some small pieces of pretzel still in the mix. If you don't have a food processor, you can smash the pretzels by placing them in a plastic bag and rolling it with a rolling pin or a large tomato sauce can. The crumbs will not be as fine, but it will work. Then simply bread the tenders as you would normally bread chicken cutlets (rolling in flour, then egg wash, then pretzel crumbs).

For the best taste and texture you want to fry the tenders, not bake them. I prefer using peanut oil for the taste, but vegetable oil will also work fine. For some extra flavor, you can add a few drops of sesame oil to the frying pan. Serve with honey mustard, barbecue sauce or marinara sauce for dipping (gotta get some Italian influence in there!!). Serve with steamed vegetables (carrots and peas are our favorites).

Note: you can bread the tenders ahead of time, either that morning or the night before, and keep them in the refrigerator until ready to use. This will save prep time to help get a quick meal on the table for your family to enjoy!

Two Meals in One

2010-09-27T21:23:00.000-07:00

Here's an easy weeknight dinner that makes a GREAT fritatta the next morning! Italian sausage and potatoes, roasted with a little kosher salt, black pepper, garlic, and rosemary. Served very appropriately with a simple side salad. Easy, right?

Then, the next morning the sausage and potatoes make a cameo appearance, coarsely chopped in my fritatta. Mix in a little grated cheese, fresh parsley and basil, and you've possibly stumbled upon a quick fix for a fancy breakfast in bed! Hubby will be happy:)

(Use this trick wisely, ladies)

MANGIA!

And the winner is....

2010-09-16T08:40:00.001-07:00

I am grateful to say that in our "Mamma Meets the Cucina" Gravy War, Una Mamma Italiana's gravy recipe came out on top! This is not to say Cucina Domenico's did not look super tasty as well! In fact, I will very soon be making his recipe and posting a review for all of you.

The whole point of this gravy war was to realize the signifiance of the Sunday Gravy tradition. And no matter which recipe looks closest to yours, any one who keeps the tradition going is the real winner. Let us never lose our cultural heritage that boasts such things as family meals and awesome food!

Try our gravy recipes. Dare to compare them! Why not submit your own recipe to us? We love to hear about other paisani that love Italia as much as we do.

So thanks for all the votes and Buon Appetito!

Being Italian In America

2010-09-07T23:38:00.000-07:00

Are you Italian? American-Italian?? Italian-American???

So many Italians from all ranges of the cultural spectrum have their defined opinions on this issue. In fact, my my writing has sometimes even been criticized for not being true to Italian culture. An Italian from Italy felt my cultural experiences in my life were stereotypical. Probably because it was from my perspective as an Italian in America, not an Italian in Italy. But then I often find other "Italian Americans" offensive with their stereotypical portrayals of Italians as "guidos" and "gumbas" that speak broken English with a Jersey accent, greasy hair, and tattoos everywhere.

So where is the happy medium? What is the defining image of our culture? I think that first we must admit that an Italian-American culture is different from Italian culture, and different from American culture. It is one in its own. I wrote an article on this precise issue for ItaliansRus.com, which can be read here. I would love your thoughts on the issue. Here's my esteemed colleague's opinion:

"Italian Americans are passionate people. Passionate about their work, their lifestyle, their food (obviously), and most of all their family. When our ancestors came to this country, they had no money and no knowledge of the English language. But they did have pride, skills, determination and passion. These traits are still passed on throughout Italian American families today, which is why many Italian Americans can still enjoy old world culture and passion even in these modern, too-busy-for-anyone-else times."

~Dominic Condo of Cucina Domenico

I agree. We Italian-Americans are not Italian because we were technically not born in Italy (most of us, anyway) but we are not completely American because our culture goes so much deeper than burgers, fries, an the red white and blue. SO where do you fall? What's your opinion? Even if you're not Italian, you can relate because every culture struggles to find its identity in the new world - but let us not forget how lucky we are to have this freedom.