Tasty Tuesday

"I can't stand people that do not take food seriously."
-Oscar Wilde

Hello! I do not know if it is because I am Italian and grew up in a large Italian family, but my favorite food is Italian. My favorite Italian dish is braciola! Serve it with some polenta or pasta and a vegetable and you have a complete meal. Below is a recipe for braciola that I adapted to suit my tastes - Enjoy!

"I hate the man who eats without knowing what he's eating. I doubt his taste in more important things."
-Charles Lamb

Beef Braciola

Ingredients:

* 2 cloves garlic, peeled & minced
* 2/3 cup Italian parsley, stemmed & minced
* 2 large eggs
* 2 Tbsp Pecorino-Romano cheese, shredded
* 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
* 4 Tbsp pine nuts, toasted
* Sea Salt and freshly grated pepper
* 1 lb lean ground beef
* 8 top round beef cutlets (about 2 Lbs.)
* Pan Searing Flour
* 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
* 1 1/2 cups dry red wine
* 6 cups tomato sauce

Equipment Needed:

* Large bowl
* Waxed paper
* String
* Braising pan (oven safe)
* Thermometer

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.) Prepare filling:
a.) Put ground beef in a large bowl.
b.) Add garlic, parsley, eggs, cheese, bread crumbs, pine nuts, salt & pepper.
c.) Mix well with hands until well-blended.
3.) Line work surface with waxed paper.
4.) Lay cutlets flat on waxed paper.
5.) Place about 1/3 cup filling on lower 1/3 of cutlet.
6.) Roll up cutlets and secure with string on either end.
7.) Season beef rolls with salt and pepper.
8.) Dust beef rolls lightly with pan-searing flour.
9.) Heat olive oil in large braising pan on med-high, until oil faintly smokes.
10.) Add beef rolls, seam-side down, to pan.
11.) Turn rolls when color changes 1/4 way up & seared side is light brown.
12.) Sear other side about 2 min, until brown.
13.) Remove from pan.
14.) Remove excess drippings from pan, leaving about 1 Tbsp in pan.
15.) Lower heat to medium & add wine.
16.) Stir to loosen browned bits on bottom of pan.
17.) Add tomato sauce & stir well to combine.
18.) Return meat to pan.
19.) Bring liquid to a simmer (180°).
20.) Cover & place pan in oven.
21.) Braise about 2 hours, until meat is very tender.

"The cuisine of a country is the only exact attestation of its civilization."
-Anonymous

Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Mosaic Monday

Hello! Sorry to be away last week - I had surgery last Monday. Granted, not the best way to spend "spring break" but, my hubby was home to care for me and the kids. (he was VERY READY to return to work today). As much as I hate to sit still, it was nice to relax for a bit - but now, back to reality! Since I did not blog on Easter, my mosaic for the day is to commemorate the holiday! Enjoy!




Did you know?
(source: Wikipedia)

* Easter eggs are given to celebrate Easter or springtime.

* The egg is a symbol of the rebirth of the Earth in celebrations of spring and was adopted by early Christians as a symbol of the resurrection of Jesus.

* The oldest tradition is to use dyed or painted chicken eggs, but a modern custom is to substitute chocolate eggs, or plastic eggs filled with candy.

* The egg is widely used as a symbol of the start of new life, just as new life emerges from an egg when the chick hatches out.

* The ancient Zoroastrians painted eggs for Nowrooz, their New Year celebration, which falls on the Spring equinox. The Nawrooz tradition has existed for at least 2,500 years. The sculptures on the walls of Persepolis show people carrying eggs for Nowrooz to the king.

* At the Jewish Passover Seder, hard-boiled eggs called Beitzah, are dipped in salt water, and symbolize Hashlamim, the festival peace-offerings sacrificed at the Temple in Jerusalem to be eaten on Erev Pesach.


Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Temptation Thursday

“Ignorance is like a delicate fruit; touch it, and the bloom is gone.”
-Oscar Wilde

Hello! Today I am sharing the recipe for one of my favorite desserts. It his always a go to - especially in summer when you can make it with different types of fruit. It is not hard to make and the results are always impressive! Enjoy!

What is a Clafouti you ask?

1. fruit pastry: a fruit and batter pastry, typically made with cherries
[Late 20th century. < French < dialect clafir "to stuff" + standard French foutre "to stuff"]
Taken from Encarta® World English Dictionary[North American Edition]©


Strawberry Clafouti

Ingredients:

* 1 1/3 cups + 1 Tbsp sugar
* 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
* 1 cup egg substitute
* 1 1/2 cups skim milk
* 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
* 2 tsp finely grated orange peel
* 1 1/2 tsp finely grated lemon peel
* 2 pears, peeled, sliced, seeded
* 10 strawberries, stems removed, sliced
* 4 Tbsp confectioners' sugar

Equipment Needed:

* 2 Mixing Bowls
* 8 - 6 ounce oven safe dishes
* Large baking sheet

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 375°.
2.) Butter all 8 baking dishes and set aside.
3.) Combine sugar, flour, and baking powder in mixing bowl.
4.) Lightly beat together eggs, milk, vanilla, & grated peels in another bowl.
5.) Add egg mixture to sugar mixture & stir slightly to combine.
6.) Spoon pears and berries into the 8 buttered dishes.
7.) Pour batter over fruit, filling dishes about three-quarters full.
8.) Place dishes on baking sheet.
9.) Then, put baking sheet with dishes onto center rack of oven.
10.) Bake 30 to 35 min, until golden brown.
11.) Sprinkle with confectioners sugar while still warm.

Thought of the Day:

“Truth is a fruit which should not be plucked until it is ripe.”
-Voltaire

Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Tasty Tuesday

“Shrimp is the fruit of the sea. You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, saute it. There's, um, shrimp kebabs, shrimp creole, shrimp gumbo, pan fried, deep fried, stir fried. There's pineapple shrimp and lemon shrimp, coconut shrimp, pepper shrimp, shrimp soup, shrimp stew, shrimp salad, shrimp and potatoes, shrimp burger, shrimp sandwich... That's, that's about it.”
-Mykelti Williamson


Hello! Have a great day everyone! I hope you have time to prepare this tasty recipe I have for you today! They make a great hor's dourves! Enjoy!


Shrimp Balls:
Makes 18 balls

Ingredients:

* Non-stick pan spray
* 1 lb uncooked shrimp, thawed & peeled
* 1 egg white
* 1 tsp garlic Sauce
* 1 tsp chili sauce
* 1 tsp lemongrass
* 1 tsp ginger
* Zest of 1 lime
* 2 Tbsp shallots, peeled & minced
* 1/2 cup green onions, trimmed & thinly sliced
* 1 Tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
* 1 tsp sea salt
* 3 Tbsp asian style bbq sauce

Equipment Needed:

1.) Food processor
2.) Citrus zester
3.) Sheet pan
4.) Aluminum foil
5.) Thermometer

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2.) Line sheet pan with foil and spray w/ non-stick pan spray.
3.) Put shrimp in food processor, in batches.
4.) Process on medium until shrimp is pasty; transfer to large bowl.
5.) Add egg, garlic sauce, chili sauce, lemongrass, ginger, lime, shallots, green onions, cilantro, & salt into bowl with pureed shrimp.
6.) Mix until well-combined.
7.) Form mixture into small balls, about 1 inch in diameter.
8.) Arrange in single layer on lined baking sheet.
9.) Dab each ball with BBQ sauce.
10.) Bake 10-12 min, until internal temp reaches 165 degrees.
(check by inserting thermometer halfway into thickest part of shrimp ball.)

Thought of the Day:

"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."
-Theodore Roosevelt


Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Tasty Tuesday!

Quiche is now a classic dish of French cuisine, but it actually originated in Germany, in the medieval kingdom of Lothringen. Which the French later renamed Lorraine. The word 'quiche' is from the German 'Kuchen', meaning cake.


Hello! I hope everyone is doing well today. It is only 10:15 and I feel like I have done enough work to last the day!

I hope you enjoy the recipe I have for you today. It is easy to make and very tasty to eat. Feel free to substitute your favorite cheese for the gruyere.


"I am convinced that I am the one who introduced quiche to America."
-James Beard



Portobella Mushroom Quiche

Serves: 6

Ingredients:

* 1 premade pie crust
* 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
* 1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
* 1 pkg (6 oz) portobella mushrooms, diced
* 1/2 tsp pepper
* 4 large eggs
* 1 cup skim milk
* 1 tsp. garlic powder
* 1 cup gruyere, grated


Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2.) Bring pie crust to room temp.
3.) Unroll crusts and firmly press into a quiche pan.
4.) Pierce crust all over with fork.
5.) Bake 8 min, but do not allow crust to brown.
6.) Set the crust aside.
7.) Reduce oven temp to 375 degrees.
8.) Heat olive oil in large skillet on medium-high, until oil faintly smokes.
9.) Add onions and cook, about 2 min.
10.) Add mushrooms and pepper, then cook about until mushrooms are tender.
11.) Remove from heat and let cool for 5 min.
12.) Whisk together eggs and milk in a mixing bowl.
13.) Season with garlic powder and pepper; set aside.
14.) Cover bottom of pie shell with the cheese.
15.) Spread onion-mushroom mixture evenly over cheese.
16.) Slowly pour egg mixture over each filled pie shell.
17.) Place quiche on center rack of oven.
18.) Bake 35-40 min or until knife inserted near center comes out clean.


Joke of the Day:

How come the egg could not draw a straight line?
Because it's ideas were scrambled.


Have a great day and remember: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Temptation Thursday!

Hello! I hope everyone is having a good week! Today, I would like to tempt you with some marvelous coffee/tea cakes! I have personally tried them all and can vouch for their YUMMINESS! Enjoy!


"I really don't think I need buns of steel. I'd be happy with buns of cinnamon."
-Ellen DeGeneres


Sweet Butter Tea Cake


Their classic coffeecake, without the nuts and cinnamon. You can never go wrong with Zingermans - all of their products are phenomenal!


"Can you imagine a world without men? No crime and lots of happy fat women."
-Attributed to Marion Smith and Nicole Hollander


Lemon Buttermilk Teacake


Fresh Meyer lemons and buttermilk make this pound cake superb. I LOVE this cake - I always have one in the freezer for unexpected guests!


"Stressed spelled backwards is desserts. Coincidence? I think not!"
-Author Unknown


Miss Ellie's Cinnamon Walnut Coffee Cake


This coffee cake is very moist and tasty. I am slightly allergic to walnuts, but I still cannot resist eating a slice!


"Seize the moment. Remember all those women on the Titanic who waved off the dessert cart."
-Erma Bombeck


Have a great day and until tomorrow: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Tasty Tuesday!

Hello!

I do not know how many of you frequent Saveur.com or receive the magazine, but I love both! They recently listed the editors tops 25 recipes - I am going to be featuring ones that I have tried! Many of the recipes can be time consuming, but they are well worth it!

For those of you that seem daunted by the recipes just remember a few simple rules that I live by in the kitchen:

1. Read the recipe thoroughly several times to familiarize yourself with it.
2. Make your shopping list while having the recipe on hand.
3. Don't skimp on key ingredients.
4. Baking is a science, so unless you have mastered a recipe, follow it to a "T."


A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie.
-Tenneva Jordan
Photo: Michael Kraus


Chocolate Cream Pie
(adapted from Saveur)

Serves: 8 – 12

Ingredients:

* 16 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" cubes & chilled
* 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
* 1 9-oz. package chocolate graham crackers, finely ground (2 1/4 cups)
* 3 1/2 cups half-and-half
* 2/3 cup + 2 tbsp. sugar
* 1/4 cup cornstarch
* 9 egg yolks
* 9 oz. semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
* 2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
* 2 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
* 2 cups heavy cream
* Dark chocolate, grated for garnish

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 375°.
2. Grease bottom and sides of a 9" glass pie plate with cooking spray & set aside.
3. Heat 8 tbsp. of butter and brown sugar in a 1-qt. saucepan until sugar dissolves.
4. Transfer butter mixture to a medium bowl & stir in ground graham crackers.
5. Place mixture in pie plate & press into bottom and sides, using the bottom of a heavy glass to compress crust.
6. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
7. Bake until set, about 15 minutes & cool completely.
8. Heat half-and-half in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat until it just begins to simmer, then remove pan from heat.
9. In a large bowl, whisk together 2/3 cup sugar and cornstarch.
10. Add egg yolks and whisk until smooth.
11. Drizzle half-and-half into egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly, until smooth. 12. Return mixture to saucepan & heat over medium heat.
13. Cook, stirring often, until bubbles rise to the surface and mixture is very thick, about 3–4 minutes.
14. Remove pan from heat and add remaining butter and chocolates in small batches, whisking vigorously until smooth.
15. Stir in 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla.
16. Set a sieve over a medium bowl and strain chocolate mixture.
17. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing plastic onto surface and refrigerate until set, about 4 hours.
18. Remove plastic wrap from chocolate filling and stir mixture until smooth.
19. Spoon mixture into graham crust, forming a dome, and smooth surface with the spatula.
20. In a large bowl, whisk remaining sugar, vanilla, & heavy cream until stiff peaks form.
21. Spread on top of filling, forming a dome.
22. Sprinkle some of the dark chocolate onto top of pie.
23. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.


Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie.
-Jim Davis

Have a great day and until tomorrow: Go Ahead & Indulge!

Tasty Tuesday!!

Hello!

I hope everyone made it through their Monday without too much difficulty!

I never think of days in terms of Monday: the first day of the week, and so on...

Since I am a stay at home mom it does not matter what day it is - I still have my kids, DH, house, business (and everything else) to care for!

I think of days of the week in terms of food.

I like to plan my supper menus so I have an idea of what I will be making for the week.

Everything is open to change, but it is nice to have a rough plan to go buy!

For instance, yesterday, was a cool, but enjoyable day - so the kids and I spent most of the day outside!

In cases like that, we eat dinner later and it need to be quick and easy to make!!!

I decided to make a Frittata! Who can go wrong with eggs, cheese, vegetables and whatever else you can find?

The first thing I like to do is scour the refrigerator for leftovers that I can use - this makes cooking even EASIER!!!

Second, I take filling requests from the kids!

Lastly, I create! I say create, because that is what I do: no recipes, I just grab what I want/need and cook away!






Monday Night Frittata

Serves 4

* Organic cooking spray
* 6 Organic Eggs
* Pinch of Sea Salt
* Fresh Ground Pepper (to taste)
* Garlic Powder
* Parsley
* 1/2 cup leftover diced potatoes & onions
* 6 Slices of Bacon (minced)
* 1 tomato (chopped)
* 1/4 cup fresh grated mozzarella


Directions:

1.) Spray omelet pan with cooking spray.
2.) Place pan over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
3.) While pan is heating beat the eggs in a small bowl, add seasonings.
4.) Once pan is heated thoroughly, add potatoes and bacon - saute for about 3 minutes.
5.) Add beaten eggs to pan and let cook until bottom is set.
6.) Push in sides of eggs with a rubber scraper to let the loose egg on top fall to the sides.
7.) Once the sides have cooked until set, flip egg mixture and let bottom cook a few more minutes. (this takes practice).
8.) Top the egg mixture with tomatoes and cheese (and whatever else you may want).
9.) Place a lid on pan for several minutes to melt the cheese.
10.) Cut into slices, transfer to a plate and serve with toast.





Enjoy!


I wonder what tonight has in store for us!!!

Ciao!