Homemade Crayon Rolls

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

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!

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

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

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!

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!

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!