Cucina Panzano

Raspberry Shiraz Tartlettes

2012-01-23T15:24:00.011-05:00

Do you enjoy eating tarts and tartlettes? Well I surely do! When I was a youngster, one of my favorite things to do was watch my Mom bake. Ma baked the best pies I've ever had. Her crust was just so light and flaky, it just melted in your mouth.

Of course back in those times her crust was lard based--but if you wanted flakiness that's the way they did it. And with the scraps of leftover dough, she always let us 'help' to make either turnovers or tarts. Her favorite, as well as mine were her lemon curd or raspberry jam tarts. Oddly enough though, she seldom made apple tarts even though this was a pie that she made practically weekly through the cooler months of the year. To this day I can't say that Ma made pies simply to make leftover dough tarts or if she made her dough with the tarts in mind in the first place, she enjoyed them that much. All I remember is how pretty they were, and how good they tasted.

So recently when I had some dough scraps left over from making a raspberry peach galette, Ma's tarts came to mind. If ever there was to be a chance of making some jam tarts this was going to be it. I used raspberry shiraz jam, and limoncello mint as this is what I was testing this week, but you could use any of your favorite fruit preserves you prefer. The limoncello tartlettes seemed to have disappeared around here, so sorry no picture of them. When I baked the tartlettes, I started them at 350 degrees for ten minutes, but saw that they were not browning, so I turned up the heat to 400 and they browned nicely with the jam bubbling hot in another ten minutes. Next time I would try it at 425 degrees for ten minutes or so, as if I were blind baking a pie crust.

I suppose, here would be a good place to let you in on a little secret. I began another blog right before the holidays were upon us, and simply haven't really had the chance to post about it until now.

Many of you already know, making seasonal herbal jams and wine jellies made with the freshest of hand picked fruits along with organic herbs right out of our gardens has always been appealing to me. During the summer months, if I'm not in the gardens, then no doubt you'll find me in a local orchard nearby. For years I'd made jars upon jars of old and new family recipes solely for gift giving. But after a while, and so many encouraging words from those gift recipients, we've decided to venture forth and begin seriously offering our scrumptious jams and jellies to the public, and so Vintage Garden Jellies is officially open... though I'm still working on the descriptions and the darn shopping cart.

I started making wine jelly over twenty years ago and really liked the flavor and how well the jellies complimented other foods. I began to share my jelly with family and friends and was encouraged to start selling it. So, as I presently do three farmers markets weekly, I decided to finally give it a go. I applied for my state kitchen license and we are just thrilled to now be able to offer my Nunie's cantucci biscotti, herbal baked goods and confections, wine & herbal jams, giardiniera and other seasonal goodies along with our fine line of herbal dips and seasoning blends and herbal soaps all made from our own organic herb gardens to the open market.

Indeed, wine and herbal jellies are delicious and make a very special gift. We use chardonnay, merlot and cab, limoncello, pinot and a new cordial jelly, with wine I made this past Autumn that hails from the Abruzzo region of Italy called ratafia, yet to come to name a few. Have you tried savory herbal or wine jelly on a cracker with fresh goat cheese or as a basting sauce for poultry or pork?…oh my gosh, it’s so darn good. And so weren't these sweet mini tartlettes. I used a cream cheese dough recipe found here, filling simply little mini muffin tins with the dough. These were so good, I already made another batch of dough..tucked safely away in my freezer... that I've planned for future R&D testing that will need to be done for my jellies. Ha. Who am I kidding, these tartlettes were awesome! I can really get into this R&D stuff :) Roll, shape and bake this dough into tart crusts, sweet turnovers, rugelach, and other sweet or savories. It will keep several days wrapped in the refrigerator, and freezes well. For these mini tartlettes, try several jams at once--use whatever you have in your cupboards--raspberry, strawberry, apricot,blueberry, orange marmalade--think of the endless possibilities and enjoy their many jeweled colors while they last-- which won't be long! Enjoy!

Raspberry Shiraz Tartlettes

Cream Cheese Dough:

8 oz cream cheese, cold
8 oz unsalted butter, cold
2 cups all-purpose flour
pinch salt

Place flour and salt in food processor and process a few seconds, to blend. Chunk butter and cream cheese in pieces over flour, then process, using on-off motion, until dough just forms a ball. Turn out onto floured surface and knead lightly into a smooth mass. After kneading lightly, cut dough in half. Wrap and reserve half for another use (snacking is good.)

Roll remaining half of dough on lightly floured surface to about 1/8″ thick. Using a medium-round cutter – I use a 2″ round – cut circles from dough, re-rolling scraps and cutting circles until done.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Place the mini muffin pan onto the sheet pan and gently begin pressing your dough circles into the muffin holes pressing the dough snuggly on bottom and up the wall of your tins. Place about one teaspoon of jam in the center almost to the top. I wasn't sure this would bubble over during the cook, so I used a sheet pan underneath, but this never occurred--the jams just became bubbly, but not oozing over. Repeat with each muffin cup in the same manner, changing jams as desired. Once baked, cool completely, and serve with or without a bit of sifted confectionary sugar. Enjoy!

Darling Clementine Salsa

2012-01-05T12:17:00.005-05:00

Do you all have a crate of clementines on your kitchen counter right now? These little darlings are super sweet, a breeze to peel and the perfect size for little hands--and so refreshing after a month of high sugar celebrations.

We've been eating these like candy around here and find them absolutely irrisistable. I spotted this recipe in an old copy of Bon Apetit magazine and tucked it away just for clementine season, and while we have 200 clementines presently in the house, it just seemed like the perfect time, right? You betcha!

This flavorful salsa would also be fabulous over grilled fish or shrimp as well as chicken dishes. I served it simply with spicy tomato sausages. The sweet clementines combined with the pungent basil and the bite of the hot peppers really paired well together. It's light--it's bright and just full of sunshine. After combining all the ingredients, let it all meld for a couple of hours covered on your counter before serving.. if you can wait that long! Enjoy!

Darling Clementine Salsa
adapted from Bon Apetit

4 clementines, peeled, diced (about 1 cup) --I used five.
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered -- I had grape tomatoes on hand.
1/2 cup finely diced red onion -- I used shallots, minced
1/2 cup finely diced celery
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 serrano chile, seeded, minced I used 2 jalapenos, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil

Mix clementines and next 8 ingredients in medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD. Salsa can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover; let stand at room temperature.

Simply Cornish

2011-12-29T14:21:00.007-05:00

Can I whisper is it over? Did you all overeat as much as we did? I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas holiday with family and friends. I'm playing catch up this week, stopping by my fave blogs, starting my year end inventory, taking down the tree and decorations. In general, simply re-grouping for the New Year.

I'm just thrilled to have a few unexpected days off here to do all this catching up and prepare some of our favorite dishes. I seldom get the chance to bake, so this also is one of my goals set for this week and then I'm going to read a good book. No real agenda's for me this week--just kick back and relax, and then one New Year's eve dinner party with some very dear friends--what better way to end a wonderful year-- and best of all, I'm not even going to be cooking! Well, perhaps just a few appetizers.

Wishing you the happiest and healthiest New Year..Buon anno!

Are you looking for an easy recipe for cornish hens? Around here, we eat a lot of poultry, and I'm always on the lookout for an affordable, yet tasty meal made with few ingredients that can be ready to serve in under an hour. Keep it simply is my motto.

Sometimes I roast my hens basted in a Shiraz jelly and citrus sauce or, if I'm in a really lazybones kind of mood just roast them in lemon and tarragon, other times I'll spice them up a bit and after splitting them in half, glaze them with a honey mustard and cilantro glaze--and toss them out on the grill. But these past few days have been pretty cold and windy here, too cold to be grilling outdoors, so this is how I prepared my cornish hens last night.. just simply tasty. You don't need to reserve this recipe only for hens, it's equally as good for roasters or turkey as well. Enjoy!

Simply Cornish Hens

3 cornish hens, rinsed and pat dry
1/2 cup olive oil
1 lemon, squeezed
fresh basil leaves
kosher salt
ground pepper
3 TBLS dijon mustard
2 TBLS white balsamic vinegar
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 TBLS total of dried herbs --I used thyme, marjoram, parsley, rosemary, and summer savory

Season the hens with salt and ground pepper. Place them in a large bowl. Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, vinegar, garlic and herbs together and pour over the hens. Cover lightly and allow the hens to rest for an hour at room temperature.

Take the hens out of the marinade and preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place the cornish hens on a rack in your baking dish. Stuff each hen cavity with basil leaves and reserve the marinade. Roast the hens in the oven for 20 minutes. Then lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees. Baste the hens every 10 to 15 minutes with the reserved marninade and continue roasting for 50-60 minutes longer. I served this with fresh asparagus, darling clementines, fresh plums and a garden salad. No spuds, no rice, no stuffing... simply Cornish. Enjoy!

Farro with spinach and sausage

2011-11-26T20:07:00.007-05:00

A while back I decided to try my hand at making homemade sausages; something I'd never tried before even though I've had my sausage maker attachment for my Kitchenaid for nearly two years now. I was lucky enough to find a local supplier for hog casings, but you can also order them online as well. For my first recipe I tried pork sausage, but was disappointed in the salt content in a sausage pre-mix I had purchased. Gads were they salty!! The second batch I decided to try my own blend--much much better. And I learned to make a small patty and cook it firstly to sample the seasoning level in them before I start filling my casings now. From then on I've been making sausage nearly every two to three weeks.. Italian sweet, fennel, cheese and garlic and hot, chicken sausage, and seasoned lamb sausage.

I'm just getting over a bad bout of pneumonia, so little cooking was done around here except for soups, soups, and more soups once I got home. When I did feel well enough to do some cooking, I decided to make an old favorite that's very easy to prepare, and really tasty. I should forewarn you though, this dish will soon become a family favorite for casual suppers on these cool, wintry evenings. Use cremini or shiitake mushrooms in place of the buttons, if you like. We managed to get our late sowing of spinach into the garden just in the nick of time and now, deeply mulched under salt marsh hay I have some awesome spinach right at my fingertips. I've also made this dish using fresh kale or chard as well. It's all good in my book.

Farro with Spinach & Sausage

2 TBLS olive oil, divided
1 1/2 cups farro
3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
3 links sweet Italian pork sausage, removed from casings
3/4 cup red onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups button mushrooms, quartered
2 cups fresh baby spinach
Sea salt and ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 TBLS chopped oregano

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add farro and cook, stirring often, until fragrant and toasted, 4 to 5 minutes. Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until liquid is absorbed and farro is tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat remaining 1/2 TBLS olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and cook, breaking it up into small chunks with a spatula, until almost cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Add onions and garlic and cook until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, toss well and cook, stirring occasionally, until just softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove skillet from the heat and stir in spinach until wilted. Season with salt and pepper.

Stir parsley, oregano, salt and pepper into pot with farro, then spoon onto plates. Top with sausage-mushroom mixture and serve hot. Enjoy!

Roasted Butternut Squash Polenta with Fresh Sage

2011-10-07T13:57:00.007-04:00

The abundance of winter squash at farmers market means fall is officially here. Celebrate this harvest by making some creamy polenta. Last night I made a wonderful Autumn polenta made with roasted butternut squash that I like to make for special holidays such as Thanksgiving, but once you taste it, you won't want to save it just for special occasions. I just love how the squash enhances the flavor. Actually this is so good, that I had planned to make homemade manicotti today and stuff it with my leftover butternut polenta--but hubby had a different idea to polish off the bowl I had tucked away, and instead, made himself breakfast this morn with the polenta and drizzled maple syrup and some almonds on top. So much for my lunch today..sheesh!

I’ve really become a big fan of polenta. It’s rich, creamy, warm, and comforting, and the perfect blank canvas to work with. I almost always add a nice handful of freshly grated cheese to the mix. Sometimes I wilt some spinach or chard into it, or top the polenta with an assortment of mushrooms, but my latest addition has been to include roasted butternut squash,garlic and herbs. The gentle natural sweetness of the roasted squash just gives this dish some oomph that we thoroughly enjoy! Not only is it delicious, I think I'm loving polenta as much as I love risotto for it's versatility. (and if you follow this blog regularly, you know how much we love risotto around here!) Did I tell you that I made roasted tomato risotto last week that was to die for?! If not, well I will very soon. :)

Seriously though, polenta really is so versatile You can serve it freshly made, all that creamy warm goodness and simply savor it. Or as I had planned-- include it into some freshly made manicotti as well. Or you can allow it to set after pouring it out onto a baking sheet, and then cut it into squares to pan fry later and top with your favorite fresh veggies, mushrooms or greens--or even serve it for a brilliant breakfast idea too! LOL Any way you slice it, it's the best leftover dish you'll ever have!

Roasted Butternut Squash Polenta with Fresh Sage

3 lbs butternut squash, halved lengthwise, and seeded
3-4 large garlic cloves, minced
3 TBLS olive oil
3/4 tsp fresh sage, chopped
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 cups fine cornmeal
1 TBLS fresh sage, minced
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 TBLS olive oil
1 cup sliced Mushrooms-Shitake mushrooms, button mushrooms. I like to mix them up
2 shallots, minced.
1 garlic clove, minced
fresh summer savory, minced
fresh Italian parsley, minced

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Arrange squash, cut side up, in large sheet pan. Place garlic cloves in squash cavities. Drizzle olive oil over each. Sprinkle with sage, sea salt and ground pepper. Cover lightly with foil and bake until squash is tender, about 1 hour.

Cool the roasted squash completely and puree in food processor. Set aside.

Sautee the mushrooms garlic and shallots in olive oil until cooked. Set aside.

Combine broth, water and salt in heavy large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Gradually whisk in cornmeal. Reduce heat to low and cook until mixture is thick and creamy, stirring often, about 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in fresh sage and squash puree.

Cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in cheese. Add seasoning to taste. Cover and let sit for a few minutes. Rewarm your mushrooms mixture.

To serve, pour the squash polenta into your bowl--topped with the warm mushrooms and lots of grated cheese. Sprinkle fresh parsley and savory and serve.

I served this with roasted pork loin and apples, with a crisp garden salad and homemade applesauce. Dee-liscious! Enjoy the holiday weekend everyone.. we're heading up north to do some leaf peepin'.

Turkey Meatloaf

2011-10-05T14:03:00.000-04:00

I was flipping through my cookbooks the other day hunting for a turkey meatloaf recipe that wasn't bland, like some turkey recipes can be and spotted Ina Garten's version, and decided to give it a try. I didn't make the five pound version, as suggested--it was only for the two of us after all and we still had plenty left over for sandwiches the next day.. in fact more like three days! There is something really satisfying about a meatloaf sandwich, and I loved that this was made with turkey. Traditional beef meatloaf isn't made too often around here, and when I do make it, it's usually in some sort of loaf pan. I really liked free forming this turkey loaf--The Barefoot Contessa came through again!

The only changes I made to Ina's recipe was to sub in oatmeal for some of the crumbs and instead of topping it with ketchup I just used my family's favorite sauce topping -- a blend of ketchup, brown sugar and vinegar. This loaf was made in the morning before work,and then refrigerated. So I just popped it in the oven when I returned. I have to say, it was so tasty, plus so moist, yet didn't fall apart when I sliced into it. We loved it, and I'll be making it again soon!

The Barefoot Contessa's Turkey Meatloaf
adapted from The Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten

2 large onions, diced small
2 TBLS olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves or (1/2 tsp dried)
1/8 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tsp tomato paste
3 pounds ground turkey
1 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/2 cup oatmeal
2 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup sauce topping

Meatloaf Sauce Topping

4 TBLS ketchup
4TBLS brown sugar
2 tsp white vinegar

Whisk all together and spread over any meatloaf you prepare.

Preheat oven to 325°F.

In a saute pan, over medium-low heat, cook the onions, olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme until translucent, but not browned, approximately 15 minutes. Add the Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and tomato paste and mix well. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Combine the ground turkey, bread crumbs,oatmeal, eggs, and cooled onion mixture in a large bowl. Mix well and shape into a rectangular loaf on an ungreased sheet pan. Spread the sauce topping evenly on top. Bake for 1 1/2 hours until the meatloaf is cooked through. Serve hot, at room temperature, or cold in a sandwich. Enjoy!
** Note: (A pan of hot water in the oven under the meatloaf will keep the top from cracking.)

Fruits of Summer

2011-09-26T10:52:00.009-04:00

No recipe today my friends, only an update on what I've been up to these past weeks here. It's not that I haven't been cooking--because I surely have! My Farmers markets are winding down for the season.. with Kennebunk remaining open until mid November. It's been a wonderful season for us, and we recently signed on for a new Winter Market that will open November 12th on Saco Island, located in one of the old mill's restored lofts. . I'm very excited about this new market and partaking with many new vendors and foodie friends. In addition to my herbal soap line, we'll be offering dips, spices and herbal blends of seasonings. Even hubby has leased booth space for his watercolor artwork. If you're in our neck of the woods, do stop on by!

Did you know that I just love gardening! We garden because we love food. Well, that, plus the fact that the exercise is wonderful, though the aching back has it's pitfalls... but the rewards are tenfold. If you are a regular reader of my blog, you can easily see that I enjoy canning during the summer months when the fruits and vegetables are at their freshest, and if I haven't grown them myself.. I know just who has, before they'll go into my jars. This summer was no exception. If anything, I canned and froze more this year than in years past. Jams, jellies, chutneys, sweet pickles, dill pickles, relishes, tomato sauce, whole plum tomatoes, piccalilli, giardiniera, applesauce, dilly beans, peperonata, tomato salsa, hot habanero peach salsa, corn, carrots, brussell sprouts,edamame, roasted tomatoes, hot peppers, and even some herbs. I'm thinking of adding another freezer or a new jelly cupboard in my letter to Santa this year. ;) Wow! After thinking through this list(and I'm certain I've forgotten some) I have to admit, I really did put up a lot this year.

My loot from this summer's bounty--either from our garden, or picked by me in our nearby orchards.

The fruits of summer are living out their final days, and the mind begins to fearfully anticipate a season when the supermarket will again become a source of fresh produce. Ha! At least this is how my mind works. Over the years I have honed in on some easy ways to preserve the bounty of the abundant seasons, mostly involving freezing. These preserving projects are quite simple to do and apart from ample freezer space, require only a minimal time commitment. Here are a few ideas:

Sweet peppers can be cut up into small pieces and frozen immediately in large ziplock bags. If you have never tried this, you will be amazed at how they defrost right in the oil as you sauté them, and how you would never know the difference once they’re cooked. They don’t retain the crunch they have when fresh, so you wouldn’t want to put them in a salad. But they’re great in stir fries, omelets or a saucy peperonata.

Hot peppers are one of my favorite things to freeze. So overly abundant in August and September, I don’t really start craving (or having the time to cook) spicy Thai food until the middle of winter, when the only hot peppers in the stores are ancient, depressed looking things. I just put them whole into a quart sized bag and pull from it all winter.

Other seasonings I have had good luck freezing are ginger—I buy a few pounds and it lasts all year—and garlic. I find that our garlic really only lasts in top shape in our kitchen until the end of December. As it dries out, the flavor becomes too strong to eat raw. So last year I peeled a whole bunch of garlic the week it was picked, when it’s just so fresh and juicy, and froze it in a bag. It turned out to be a great convenience food; I would just grab a clove and grate it, still frozen. This year I pickled a few jars of garlic cloves... they will come in handy preparing salad dressings or a marinades. To sauté the frozen garlic just wait a few minutes for it to partially thaw, then mince it and sauté it like normal. It tastes just like fresh!

You can even freeze some of the more rugged herbs like parsley, thyme and rosemary. I freeze them in plastic containers. No one has ever used a whole bunch of rosemary before it goes bad. Just stick it in the freezer.

Sweet corn is only available for another couple of weeks. Why buy frozen corn in the store when you can make your own for dirt cheap and it tastes so much better? Just cut the corn of the cobs, stick it in a bag and you’re done. Then, make some corn or seafood chowdahs all winter long.

Don’t even get me started on fruit. If you’re diligent, your freezer is already half full with rhubarb, strawberries, raspberries, peaches and blueberries. The peaches make amazing smoothies and are great for baking. Warm scones right out of the oven. Sweet or savory galettes. A bowl of vanilla ice cream topped with stewed frozen peaches spiked with local honey or Amaretto in January? Can I tempt anyone?

Last week, there were a few firsts for me here. Firstly, I made sausage--hog casings and all, but will save that for another post and secondly I was invited to a 'jar swap' hosted by my friend Sue of Above the Dam Jam. I'd never participated in one of these, so didn't quite know what to expect.

Her instructions: "Make 15 jars of anything you want and show up at 6:00pm and share a bottle of wine with us. You'll love it" And that I did!

As you can see--Sue was thrilled with the turnout, and I was like a kid in a candy store when I saw all these gorgeous jars of summer goodness laid out on her dining room table! Baskets filled with jellies, jams, pickled beets, applesauce, grapes infusing in their juices--(I personally can't wait for this to be ready), pickles, salsa, even homemade catsup and from her Aunt Carol--old fashioned homemade caramel popcorn that curiously disappeared the minute I brought it home. Samples of many opened jars were set out on her counter for all to taste. I've already made chicken with the Zesty Peach BBQ Sauce.. gosh, it was delicious.

Here's some of the wonderful fruits of the season taken at the jar swap & check out that big bowl of caramel corn my other friend Lee is loving. Aunt Carol was kind enough to share her recipe with me, and I know how happy my grandkids will be this holiday season.

As for the wine.. even this was served in small canning jars. Thanks for your hospitality and invitation Sue. What a fun night for me!

Being a family of food lovers, we have learned to preserve. There simply isn’t enough time for us to savor the fruits of our labors and of the seasons in the way they should be: unrushed. I'm often too tuckered to cook in season, and seldom will my oven be turned on unless it rains during the warmer months, so when I do have the time, we devote it to preservation projects. And then we'll savor all that goodness through our long winter months. Preserving allows you to capture fruits and vegetables at their flavorful peaks and enjoy that freshness all year round. Did any of you put up your family's favorites this summer? You'll be kicking yourself in the patootie if you haven't ;-)

Get A Good -- Green beans with lamb

2011-09-15T08:17:00.008-04:00

Are you looking for a way to use up all your garden green and pole beans? Why not try some Get A Good.

One of my all time favorite green bean recipes is called Lubee alaham, but in our family it is known as Get A Good. I'm not certain how this name came about, but I can guarantee you it surely is very good. My sister introduced this bean stew to the family when her husband's Armenian grandmother brought it to the table. It was always made during the summer months when fresh green beans and ripened tomatoes were plentiful and then typically served over rice pilaf, or steamed bulgar wheat but during the cooler months I've even served it over creamy polenta.

You can prepare this with ground lamb, cubed lamb pieces or even just lamb bones, as Nana did, so when your having that leg of lamb boned at your butchers market--tell him you want the bones saved. This week I picked up some seasoned Italian lamb sausage at farmers market that was just scrumptious in this meal. Bush green beans are fine to use, but I find the young pole beans or flat Italian green beans both excellent in texture and flavor.

This dish tastes even better the next day, after the flavors have a chance to intensify. Oh yes, a loaf of crusty bread to mop up the flavorful juices goes great with this, too!

Get A Good - Green Beans with lamb

1 lb.seasoned ground lamb
2 TBLS olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1/4 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. crushed dried basil
1 tsp. crushed dried oregano
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 lb. fresh green beans or Italian pole beans--washed and trimmed
2 cups fresh tomatoes, diced
1 cup roma tomatoes, or half a can tomato paste

In a skillet, brown meat for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Drain any excess fat. Place meat in a bowl & set aside. Using the same skillet, saute the onions and garlic in olive oil until soft and slightly brown.. Return the meat to the skillet with the onions. Add salt, ground pepper, allspice, basil, and oregano.. Cover & cook 10 more minutes.

In a large pot, add the green beans. Stir in the tomatoes, and the tomato paste over the green beans and stir. Add the meat mixture to the green beans and bring to a gentle boil, then cover and simmer for 1 hour, or more until beans are fork tender. Serve over rice pilaf or steamed bulgur. Enjoy!

Summer in a jar--Amaretto peach jam

2011-09-01T08:58:00.006-04:00

Every summer, I wait patiently for the summer peaches to arrive at market. I slice and freeze a bunch for winter galettes, preserve halves in light syrup or make a peach butter and then there's jam. Glorious peach jam! Peaches have become one of those fruits that is nearly always available, but they are only this delicious in the month of and August in our neck of the woods. You know the ones I mean--the kind that when you first bite into them, those scrumptious juices drip down onto your chin. Those mealy, impenetrable fruits that you pay a small fortune for during the winter just can’t possibly compare.

Of all the jams and jellies I put up each summer, peach jam is right up there at the top of my list. I like to flavor mine with Amaretto and nutmeg and enjoy it served over muffins, as a filling in my torte cakes, Christmas thumbprint cookies, over biscuits or just from the spoon. Last week when I finished making my last batch, I had run out of canning jars, so had some jam left over and as I was making yet another zucchini bread also that morning, I decided to add it into my batter. What a delicious surprise!

This weekend will probably be the last week I'll be able to get fresh peaches here, so I'm going to try a habanero peach jelly. So if you want to put some summer into a jar, head off to your local farmer's market and pick up some wonderful fresh peaches before it's too late.

Amaretto Peach Jam

5 cups of peaches, unpeeled and chopped
2 lemons, zested and juiced
5 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
1 cup wildflower honey
1/2 tsp butter
1 1/2 packets Certo liquid pectin
1/4 cup Amaretto liqueur

Fill your canning pot with water and begin to bring it to a light boil.. Wash your jars and rings in warm soapy water and set aside. Put your lids in a small pot of water and heat in order to soften the sealing compound.

Add peaches,sugar and honey to a large, non-reactive pot. Stir so that the peaches begin to release their juice and mingle with the sugar. Bring to a boil and add the nutmeg, lemon zest,juice and butter and let jam continue to cook for about ten minutes. If the fruit hasn’t broken down much after that time is up, use a potato masher or immersion blender to break down the chunks. Add Certo and liqueur and bring to a rolling boil for a full five minutes.

Turn off the heat under the jam, skim any foam off and fill jars. Wipe rims and apply lids. Screw on the bands and lower into the water. Process in the hot water bath 10 minutes. When time is up, remove from water and cool on the counter under a tea towel. This recipe makes approximately 5-6 half pint jars. Enjoy!

Stuffed Zucchini Rounds

2011-08-19T07:57:00.006-04:00

I guess it wouldn't officially be summer without serving something stuffed right? Okay, I have a serious love/hate relationship with zucchini--I'll be the first to admit it. I just love it's lovely yellow blossoms. I hate that one plant yields so much fruit all at once-I probably serve it three times weekly around here. I love the tender nutty flavor of a four inch zucchini and how lovely it presents in many dishes with it's vibrant green color.. it's truly delicious.

Some call this vegetable boring, but truth be known zucchini is one of the many squash plants we grow, and in moderation, I seldom tire of it. This year I wanted to add to my squash patch, so we tried growing round Tondo zucchini. They are really so sweet looking in the garden, the yield so far has been great and now I have a new dish to squash to stuff! You really don't need to use solely the Tondo or round zucchini for this recipe, the typical Italian long squash, delicata squash, Leabanese cousa or pattypan squash will do equally as well.

Come on, fess up-- you know you have a gazillion of these heading into torpedodom(is this really a word?) in your garden right now. With a few simple ingredients along with a few helping hands to assist you in harvesting you can have a really satisfying squash dish to serve your family in no time. What I like the most about stuffed vegetable is that they can be served as a side dish to meat or fish or as part of an antipasto. The fillings are limitless and can be a simple breadcrumbs with herbs, or a meat filling for a more substantial meal. Use your imagination!

P.S. I'm sure you already know this, but if you should come across some of those overgrown torpedoes in your garden, haul them into the kitchen, grate them all up, allow them to drain and toss them into zip lock bags and freeze for cooler weather recipes.

Stuffed Round Zucchini

4 round Tondo or long zucchini
2 TBLS olive oil
1 onion, finely minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 slices pancetta, diced
3/4 cup cherry tomatoes, chopped
2 TBLS pine nuts
4 TBLS panko bread crumbs
2 TBLS fresh basil leaves, torn
2 oz freshly grated romano cheese
1/4 cup grated fontina cheese
2 TBLS olive oil
2 TBLS freshly grated Parmesan cheese
sea salt and ground pepper to taste

Cut off the top of the round zucchini or cut a slice lengthwise from the long zucchini. Scoop out the flesh, making sure that you don't cut through the skin, leaving a shell 1/4 inch thick. Chop the vegetable flesh and put aside in a bowl.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet, then add the garlic and onion and cook, stirring frequently for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring for 2-3 minutes until golden. Add the chopped vegetables flesh and basil and cook for 3-4 minutes until the flesh is cooked and the liquid has evaporated.

Add the tomatoes, pine nuts, panko crumbs, cheese to the vegetable mixture and season to taste with sea salt and ground pepper. Now spoon the mixture into the prepared zucchini shells and drizzle with the olive oil and place the stuffed squash into an oven proof casserole dish. Cover with foil and bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 30 minutes or so, until the vegetables are tender. Remove the foil top, and sprinkle over the parmesan cheese and bake uncovered 10 minutes longer,until the cheese is lightly browned. Enjoy!

Best Ever Peanut Butter Cookies

2011-08-17T15:00:00.000-04:00

When I was a youngster, we had a neighbor on our street that just loved to bake, and the best part about her baking was that she generously shared whatever came out of her oven with all the neighborhood children. On a very warm August morning I can recall the aroma drifting through her kitchen windows out onto the street where we played.
Oh my goodness, 'Mrs. Nelson's baking peanut butter cookies' we all howled. And we all knew it was only a matter of time before we got the call and she shared them with us with the iciest cold glass of milk I can recall drinking.

This was back in the days of fresh milk delivery. Do you recall those days? The milkman would deliver our milk and cream in glass bottles to our doorsteps. Well I remember them well, and every time I bake 'Florence's cookies' I think back on those days gone by with the fondest of memories. Just before she passed away I had asked her to share her cookie recipe with me, so that hopefully one day I could make them for my own children. And that I did.. always during the summer warmer months--mostly on days like today. Our children are up here on holiday, and what better cookie to make for them and share with you than Florence's Peanut Butter Cookies.

Rich smooth peanut butter is the base of this yummy cookie. Slightly crisp on the outside, but soft and chewy on the inside,with a nice peanut butter flavor. This one is a real winner!

Mrs. Nelson's Peanut Butter Cookies

1/2 cup white granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup softened room temperature butter
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 beaten egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, lighty sprayed or silpat. Bake these cookies on the middle shelf of your oven, and watch carefully. Bake cookies only 8-10 minutes.

Whisk together the flour and baking soda. With your mixer, beat the butter on medium speed for a minute or two, until smooth and creamy. Add the peanut butter and sugars and beat for another 3-4 minutes. Slowly add the beaten egg, and flavoring.. beating for another minute.

On low speed add the dry ingredients, scraping down the sides of the bowl, just until everything is moistened. Your dough will be soft and pliable. Pour the sugar into a small bowl. With a tablespoon, scoop out enough dough to form a two inch ball, and roll each formed ball into the sugar bowl, then place onto the cookie sheets. Dip the tines of a fork into the sugar and make a couple of crisscross impressions to each cookie top. This recipe yields approximately 36 cookies. Once they are all on cookie sheets, any remaining sugar in the bowl can be sprinkled over each.

Bake for 8-10 minutes, rotating the cookie sheets mid bake time. The cookies will be lightly colored, still a bit soft in the centers and just beginning to brown around the edges. Transfer to wire racks to cool and pour yourself a big cold glass of milk. Enjoy!

Baked Shrimp

2011-08-15T05:43:00.005-04:00

It's time for some seafood wouldn't you say? I'm setting all the tomatoes,pickles and squash aside, as the sky has opened up and it's just pouring out there, so not much gardening for me today.

This is a dish that I make often around here..not even a real recipe and so easy to prepare. Simply shrimp and potatoes, baked together with garlic,fresh herbs, butter and olive oil whats not to love? A perfect side dish, appetizer or even a light meal. Dip your shrimp into all those flavored juices with some crusty bread and serve with a nice tossed salad. And speaking of crusty breads, I'm taking a day long workshop this week to learn how to make natural Levain bread and I just can't wait! But that's a post for another day. Let's make some yummy shrimp.

Baked Shrimp

2 dozen medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 medium potatoes
2 garlic cloves, sliced
2 TBLS butter
2 TBLS olive oil
panko breadcrumbs
2 TBLS fresh parsley, summer savory, with a pinch of thyme, minced
zest of 1 lemon & reserve the lemon for serving
sea salt and ground pepper

Wash and boil potatoes just until a knife comes out easily.
Drain and then cool. Peel the potatoes and slice thin. Peel shrimp, devein and rinse them off, patting dry with paper toweling. Lightly oil a baking casserole, and arrange shrimp and potatoes, overlapping each as you place in your baker. In a small skillet saute butter, olive oil, garlic,lemon zest, herbs, salt and pepper for just a minute or two. Pour this over the shrimp and potatoes. Add 1 TBLS of water, and don't forget to sprinkle panko crumbs on top, as I did ;-) Well heck, I just saved my crumbs for another meal. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 10 minutes,lightly foil covered. Then, uncover, turn up the oven to broil for 2 more minutes. Squeeze the juice of your peeled lemon over all and serve. Enjoy!

Goodness from the garden

2011-08-12T21:08:00.007-04:00

Do you recall my post back in the Spring for some new vegetable and herb seeds I ordered from a new supplier? Well I have to say I couldn't be more pleased with the outcome of that purchase. Everything I planted has come up beautifully, especially the genovese basil. And though I use a lot of fresh basil in my meals around here.. this week I'm having a difficult time using it up before it goes to flower--so a quick pesto was in order for lunch this week.

I had been roasting tomatoes all morning and thought, why not? Crusty artisan bread from my friend Robin, covered in fresh walnut pesto and topped off with still warm roasted tomatoes with their scrumptious herbal garlicky juice. Lunch was splendid!

Basil Pesto with walnuts

2 cups fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup walnuts, or toasted pine nuts if you prefer
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
4 TBLS extra-virgin olive oil
2 TBLS water
1 large clove garlic, quartered
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Place basil, walnuts, Parmigiano-Reggiano, oil, water, garlic, and pepper in a food processor. I omit any salt in this recipe, as the cheese is salty enough for me. Pulse just a few times, then process until fairly smooth, scraping down the sides occasionally. I'll bet you can't resist dipping your finger in for a sample of this goodness. ;-) Fresh basil is so prolific this time of year and pesto is so simple pesto is to prepare. Try some--you'll love it. Enjoy!

Stuffed Heirloom Tomatoes

2011-08-08T19:16:00.011-04:00

Mark Bittman wrote---"A fresh tomato is a beautiful thing — which is all the more reason to slice it, mash it, crush it, or stuff it" in an article this weekend in the NY Times "The Proper Ways to Treat an Heirloom". Mr. Bittman will get no argument from me. We've waited for weeks to pluck those first warm luscious beauties from the garden, knowing full well those firsts would never make it to the kitchen. I can't think of any other summer vegetable I feel this way about.

But as of yesterday my kitchen counter was nearly covered with an assortment of fresh tomatoes.. romas, brandywines, beefsteaks, 4th of July's (that obviously were a might late producing), early girls and then there are the cherries.. yellows, orange and reds. The grapes, well they too just never seem to make it indoors... some gardeners do work up an appetite with all this weeding you know!

So I have all these lovely tomatoes on hand. I haven't even begun the roasting process, nor the canning yet. Well after reading a post here a few weeks ago, I've been waiting patiently for my romas to ripen to give this recipe a whirl, and as we had some friends over this weekend--here was the perfect opportunity. I didn't want to be in the kitchen long during this visit, so I did the prep work earlier in the morn--so all I needed to do when the time came was pop these tomatoes into the oven and just wait. Clearly they were a big hit here and clearly I will be making these again. So if you have an abundance of tomatoes as we do, definitely give this recipe a try..you won't be disappointed. I chose to use my romas.. as this is what I had the most of on hand, and I preferred this appetizer sized fruit as well. I omitted the eggplant and subbed in zucchini and used half the ricotta cheese--subbing in goat cheese and shredded fontina.

Stuffed Heirloom Tomatoes
Adapted from The Italian Dish Blog & "The Italian Farmer's Table"

6 roma tomatoes
1-1/2 TBLS olive oil
1/4 red onion, diced
1/2 yellow pepper, diced
1 small zucchini, diced
sea salt & freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup herbed goat cheese
1/4 cup grated fontina cheese
1 large egg
1/3 cup panko crumbs
1/4 cup grated Pecorino cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
1 TBLS chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/2 TBLS minced fresh oregano
1 TBLS minced fresh basil

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cut the tomatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds and flesh, reserving 1/4 cup for the filling. Salt the insides of the tomatoes and turn them over to drain excess water.

Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to a medium size skillet and add the red onion and cook over medium heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the yellow pepper and the zucchini and continue to cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the reserved tomato flesh with a bit of the juices and saute for another 5 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender. Season to taste with sea salt and pepper and set aside to cool.

Place the ricotta, goat cheese, eggs, 1/4 cup panko crumbs, the grated pecorino cheese, 1/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano, herbs and vegetable mixture in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Puree ingredients until well combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Stuff tomatoes with the filling, using a spoon and place stuffing side up on an oiled baking dish. Sprinkle the tomatoes with the remaining 1 tablespoon grated Parmigiano and the remaining panko crumbs and drizzle with the remaining 1 TBLS olive oil.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until the tomatoes are tender and the filling is golden brown. Can be served immediately or at room temperature. The stuffed tomatoes can be made a day in advance and gently reheated. Enjoy!

Tuscan Summer Salad-- Panzanella

2011-07-20T10:05:00.007-04:00

Panzanella is one of my favorite summer meals. When the tomatoes are perfect, there is nothing better than this salad, and as I just picked our first of the season tomatoes.. this was a fitting dish to celebrate the event.

According to Cooking American, "Panzanella Salad was likely an invention of necessity, because Italian cooks are known to not waste a single clove of garlic or a sprig of parsley". It's origins date back to a time when shepherds used to herd sheep for long distances and had small amounts of food to take. What they usually had with themselves was some loaves of stale bread and the various vegetables they could find along the road to and back from the mountains and grasslands. Panzanella combines these ingredients adding to the flavor, fresh herbs, extra virgin olive oil and a vinegar for a surprisingly tasty dish. Vegetables could include peppers, cucumbers, and onions. Lots of garlic, capers, black olives, and anchovies added to the salad. Chilled, this is such a refreshing addition to the table as a side, or main course. I served this the other night with slices of rosemary and onion tart.

Panzanella Salad is a great way to utilize stale bread and the freshest of garden veggies. The Tuscan cuisine as it is known today is a blend of the two historically distinct kitchens of the rich and the poor. The rich eat lots of meats, vegetables and spices, the poor find tasty ways to utilize left-overs and to use little tricks to make a dish more filling, and not let anything go to waste. I like to wait until a half hour before serving this salad to add more of the reserved stale bread pieces to give it a bit of crunch and then toss it well.

There really are so many variations on the preparation and ingredients of panzanella. Traditionally, capers are used, for example, but I find this too astringent a flavor in this dish. Sometimes I add anchioves to this salad, sometimes not, but I always include olives to my Panzanella salad. Mix it up and you'll see what I mean..this is a wonderful summer dish!

Panzanella

1 loaf of stale crusty unsalted peasant bread.
4 ripe tomatoes, diced or sliced
1 medium cucumber peeled and sliced or diced
fresh lettuce- any kind--I used a mix of greens. Clean it and shred it into bite-size pieces.
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium red onion diced or thinly sliced.
1 handful of basil leaves, roughly cut
1 stem fresh romsemary, leaves minced
pitted black olives *optional
3 TBLS red wine vinegar
3 tsp balsamic vinegar
4 TBLS extra virgin olive oil
sea salt to taste

Break the bread loaf into large cubed pieces and set it in a bowl of water to cover it completely. Don't let it soak too much as it will crumble excessively and be too mushy. Once you realize the bread is all soaked but still quite firm, drain it well and press down with toweling to remove the excess water.

Mix all the ingredients together and half the bread, reserving the remainder and add the extra virgin olive oil, vinegars and salt to taste. After mixing well, add the bread and keep stirring thoroughly.
Refrigerate for at least one hour, then serve immediately. Just before serving I always add the remaining bread crumb to this salad, then drizzle a bit more olive oil give it one last toss before serving. Enjoy!

Bread and Butter Pickles

2011-07-12T15:10:00.008-04:00

Well after a slow start this season, they are finally here. I'm referring to squash, zucchini and cucumbers! While I just love eating all this fresh abundance from the garden I have a confession to make. I just love eating pickles. especially home-made pickles and to be more precise bread and butter pickles. So early this morning I picked a basket of Kirby cucumbers (better known as pickling cukes) from the garden and knowing full well it was going to be a ninety degree day-- perfect conditions for canning wouldn't you say?

I don't know. I just got the itch to make some good old fashioned bread and butter pickles. with the cukes and some onions. You too can easily make these--don't be intimidated.. just do it. You'll see that flash of nostalgia in their eyes when you serve these to your family from that very first bite and from there on in you'll be their favorite culinary genius or even better bring a jar along to the next cookout you'll be attending. Who needs another pie anyway? I just love the color and crunchy pickly taste in every single bite! The amounts given in this recipe will yield six pint sized jars. I tripled my recipe to give me the six jars, plus one large half gallon jar to bring to a friend.

Bread and Butter Pickles

3 lbs Kirby cukes (known as pickling cucumbers)
1 lb yellow onions. thinly sliced
1/4 cup kosher salt - don't use regular salt or your pickles will look cloudy and not so perdy
1 1/4 cup white vinegar
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 TBLS mustard seed
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
3/4 tsp celery seed
1 tsp pickling spice
1 inch cinnamon stick ( to be removed at the end of the cook
6-8 allspice berries plus a pinch of ground allspice
6 whole cloves. plus a pinch of ground cloves
1/2 tsp tumeric

Clean the cukes and cut off the ends. Slice them into 1/8th - 1/4 inch slices and place in a large bowl. Slice the onions and also add to the bowl sprinkling pickling salt over all. Toss this mixture up well. Now cover the mix with a clean towel--really. just set the towel on top of all the cukes and onions. Then cover the towel with ice cubes so the whole towel is covered. Put the bowl in your refrigerator for several hours.. (at least four.. overnight even better). Take the bowl out and throw away the ice. Rinse off your cukes and onions and drain the water. Do this a second time now to remove any excess salt.

Now--if you intend to keep your jars of pickles on a shelf. or give them away at Christmas. you'll need to process the jars appropriately. If you're bringing them to a picnic this weekend. move on to the next paragraph now. Clean your jars and lids with soap and water. then. while your cooking the pickles. pour boiling water over the lids in a separate bowl. Most people consider the dishwasher to be enough sterilization for jars. so go ahead and just set the jars aside. ready to fill. If you insist on actual sterilization (I happen to do this with everything I put in a jar). place the jars in boiling water in a big stock pot for 10 minutes. Then. take them out just before you put the pickles in them so they are still hot.

Grab a six quart pot and bring the vinegars, sugar and all the spices to a gentle boil. Once the sugar is dissolved, add the cukes and onions and bring this to a boil again. You'll want to stir frequently. When the mixture starts to boil again, use a slotted spoon to pack just the cukes and onions into your clean jars. Pack them up to an inch from the top of the jars. Then use a ladle to pour the vinegar syrup over the cukes and into the jars, up to half an inch from the tops. Wipe all the rims of the jars clean with a damp paper towel, then take your lids out of the hot water to cover your jars. If you're not keeping these on a shelf, go ahead and let them cool, then put all the jars in the fridge. Viola.. done! I hope you took a minute to get a taste before you sealed your jars!

Okay now, here's the important part when it comes to keeping these bad boys on a shelf. Use the same big stock pot you used to sterilize your jars--the water should be still hot put the rack to your water bath in the bottom of the pot. Please use a rack or some other make shift rack for the bottom of your pot. The jars shouldn't be touching the bottom of your pot. Now once you have boiling water again, put your jars into the pot--you'll want to use strong canning tongs if you have them, and let them boil, covers in tact, for ten minutes. This is known as the boiling water bath in the world of canning. You can do it... trust me. When the ten minutes is up, remove your pot from the heat and doing your very best--safely remove the jars from the pot using your tongs or safe grabbing device. **If you plan to do any more canning, you might pick up one of those canning equipment sets you can get these anywhere from big supermarket chains to Wally World. This'll make things easier in the future.

I hope you love these little babies as much as we do! Enjoy!

4th of July Pasta Salad

2011-07-02T16:47:00.005-04:00

Happy 4th of July to all. Have a fun, safe weekend. Remember why we are celebrating!

I made this pasta salad for a cookout tonight - it's so simple yet wonderfully refreshing to taste. A great dish to serve to the crowds. The addition of the garlic is so subtle, but lifts the salad to another level and with the addition of all the remaining fresh vegetables and herbs, rather than prepackaged ingredients - you can't go wrong. Use your best extra virgin olive oil for this one.

4th of July Pasta Salad

12 ounces small shell pasta
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 pint yellow cherry tomatoes
1/2 pint red cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes
1/2 yellow sweet pepper
1/2 cup black olives, pitted & chopped
2 TBLS fresh chives, minced
1/4 cup fresh basil, torn
1 medium cucumber, diced small--leave the skins on
5 TBLS white wine vinegar
10 TBLS extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
fresh ground black pepper
1/2 tsp dry herb blend - oregano, rosemary, summer savory, thyme

Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Throw in the pasta and garlic and simmer for about 5 minutes or until al dente, and drain. Save the garlic to one side for the dressing.
Put the pasta in a bowl. Chop the tomatoes, olives, pepper, chives, basil and cucumber into pieces about half the size of the pasta and add to the bowl. Smash the garlic cloves out of their skins and mince. Add the vinegar, olive oil, dry herb blend and seasoning. Drizzle this over the salad, and toss well. I made this pasta salad this morning and refrigerated it until we leave tonite. Perfect for a hot summer's nite. Enjoy!

Pork Tenderloin with Strawberry Balsamic Sauce

2011-06-29T07:34:00.009-04:00

Our local library was having a book sale this week and as I leafed through the cookbook offerings I came across The Berry Bible by author Jane Hibler, with over 150 delectable recipes that use wild, cultivated, fresh and frozen berries. Well, this being our season for berries, I wasn't about to pass on this little book. The only disappointing part of the book is the lack of photos--not a one, but this book is very informative and interesting with an added bonus of some truly fantastic recipe ideas.

In my mind, few foods capture the sweetness of nature like fresh berries, whether eaten straight off the bush or baked to perfection beneath a flaky crust. We're nearing the end of our fresh strawberry season, but I was able to go earlier this week and pick just a few more quarts for the freezer. No pies or jellies tonite will be made--just a very simple pork dish. The balsamic vinaigrette enhances the flavor of the sweet berries, but manages to retain it's savory notes with the rosemary-garlic pork loin. I'm pretty certain I could eat this salad every day if given the option.

Pork Tenderloin Salad with Strawberry Balsamic Sauce
Adapted from The Berry Bible

1 TBLS chopped fresh rosemary
1 TBLS minced garlic
2 shallots, minced
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 1/4 lbs. pork tenderloin
1 1/2 TBLS olive oil
Pinot Griogio
1/3 cup white balsamic vinegar
2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
1 lb mixed fresh greens

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

In a small bowl, mix the rosemary, garlic, shallots, sea salt, and pepper. Pat the meat dry with paper towels then rub with the rosemary-garlic and shallot mixture. In a large, skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of olive oil over medium high heat. Brown the meat on all sides. Transfer the tenderloin to a baking dish and drizzle a bit of the olive oil drippings from the pan over it and two TBLS Pinot Grigio wine and roast covered with foil for 30 minutes.

Put the skillet over medium-high heat and pour in the balsamic vinegar. Use a wood spoon to loosen the caramelized bits on the bottom of the pan. Reduce the vinegar by about half, then gently stir in the strawberries and the olive oil. Stir to combine and season lightly with just a pinch salt.

Carve the meat into 1/2-inch slices. Pour any collected juices into the strawberry sauce pan and stir to blend.

Spread your greens onto a plate. Arrange the pork slices on top of the greens. Drizzle with the warm strawberry dressing and serve immediately, garnished with fresh strawberries if desired. Enjoy!

Roasted cauliflower with Orzo

2011-06-24T15:50:00.006-04:00

This started as a clean-out-the-fridge meal that turned into something amazing. Sometimes, happy accidents occur in the kitchen and this is one of them. The funny part is, I had to go out and re-buy the ingredients I was trying to use up in the first place in order to make this again for this post. But that's okay, as I'm a big fan of cauliflower prepared any way.

I loved all the components of this dish--the roasted cauliflower with red peppers, the almost creamy multicolored orzo and the astringency of the balsamic vinegar. Paired with roast chicken, it made an excellent side dish.

Roasted Cauliflower with Orzo

3 cups cauliflower florets
1 red pepper, sliced
4 tablespoons olive oil,
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp dried summer savory
1/4 tsp dried oregano
sea salt and pepper to taste
1 cup orzo
1 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
3/4 cup frozen peas,thawed
2 TBLS grated Parmesan cheese
2-3 tsps white balsamic vinegar

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. On a baking sheet, combine the cauliflower, and sliced red peppers with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, red pepper flakes, and a generous pinch of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Toss to coat. Place the pan in the oven and roast for 15 minutes, stirring the vegetables a couple of times as they roast.

Meanwhile, cook the orzo according to the package directions, but sub in the chicken or vegetable stock for the water. During the last 2 minutes of cooking, add the thawed peas. Drain and return to the pot over low heat. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the Parmesan cheese and salt to taste.

Pour the orzo onto a plate and spoon the cauliflower mixture over it. Drizzle with the balsamic and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Berry Exciting Shortcake

2011-06-19T04:15:00.000-04:00

Mid June has to be the sweetest time of the year. This is the time of year we take to the open strawberry fields and pick til our fingers are red and our backs are broken. So today I picked strawberries for tonite's dessert, tomorrow's cereal and afternoon smoothies.
Then I'll go back next week and pick more to make jams and to fill the freezer for a taste of spring in the height of winter. Strawberry picking has become my favorite season these last few years for me--though, I'm pretty keen on our blueberry season as well--but fresh, just picked strawberries are just that good! I just had my cast removed from my fall and still hobbling along in a half cast, but my good friend Marianne came along to give me a helping hand picking. Thanks so much my friend!

To me, the most important part of a strawberry shortcake, besides having beautiful strawberries is the shortcake. Wouldn't you want a moist, sweet flavor of a cake, mixed with the buttery, flakiness of a pastry. These biscuits are so moist on the inside they will almost seem like they are not cooked- but they are! The top is biscuity and has a nice sugary crust. Paired with a vanilla scented whipped cream and fresh strawberries, well it's just a delicious treat. Your friends and family will just love them!

Strawberry Shortcake

2 cups flour
3 TBLS sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup cold butter, cut up into small pieces
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 cups fresh strawberries, stems removed and halved
3 TBLS sugar

Whipped Cream
1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream
2 TBLS white sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

The Berries

Take two cups of the sliced strawberries and add them to a bowl. Sprinkle them with the 3 TBLS of sugar, and leave them to meld.

Shortcake Bisquit

In a food processor, add the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Pulse to combine. Pulse in the cold butter and mix until the dough has a coarse crumb texture.
In a separate bowl, combine the cream and the vanilla. Add this to the wet ingredients and pulse to combine. The dough will be moist and crumbly. Dump the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Press the dough together with your hands until it forms a disc of dough. Cut it into 4 pieces, and gently form them into circles.

Place the shortcakes onto a silpat or parchment lined sheet pan. Gently brush the tops with a little leftover cream and sprinkle them with sugar. Bake the shortcakes for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let them cool at least slightly before cutting them in half horizontally.

Now remove the top of the shortcake and spoon about a half cup of the strawberries and juices onto the bottom of the cake. Top those berries with a big dollop of whipped cream. Place the top on the shortcake, and add another half cup of sliced strawberries, another smaller dollop of whipped cream and garnish the top each with a strawberry, and serve. Enjoy!

Classic Maine Lobster Rolls

2011-06-17T15:12:00.008-04:00

How can it be possible that I have not uttered the word “lobster roll” on this blog yet? Well that is about to change. The lobster roll is one of the true glories of Maine coastal dining and one of the most popular lunch items on the Maine coast, and plenty of places up and down our coastline to enjoy these delicious morsels. It seems every Maineiac and visitor has an opinion on this subject “where to get the best lobster roll”. Now it is my turn to weigh in on the debate. Why even get them at all? They're just so simple to prepare on your own.

I’m guess I am just a traditionalist when it comes to lobster rolls and take a minimalist approach to preparing one– the star always being the lobster. Only large, chilled chunks of the freshest meat combined with a small amount of mayonnaise will do. And then there’s the bun, yes the bun– it must be a top loader, buttered and grilled to a golden brown. The lobster meat should be piled high and generously with perhaps a few chunk spilling out onto the plate. Maybe just a squeeze of fresh lemon and utter perfection.

And then there's the lobster salad, which on a steamy hot day like yesterday--a perfect choice for dinner last night and even easier to prepare than the roll. Same formula basically--chilled and served over a bed of fresh greens and a splash of lemon juice along with an icy cold beer. Perfection, and.. Dad might just love this dish for Father's Day too!

Lobster Salad or Rolls

2-3 cups cooked and diced lobster meat
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 TBLS unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup finely diced celery * optional
white pepper
4 split top hot dog rolls
OR fresh greens from the garden

Toss the lobster with lemon juice in a bowl. Add the mayonnaise and stir to combine. Add the celery if you like. Season with just a bit of white pepper--no salt necessary and refrigerate for a couple of hours if not using right away.

For Lobster Rolls:

Heat a griddle or skillet over medium heat. Brush the crustless sides of the rolls with the melted butter and place on the griddle. Cook, turning once until both sides are golden brown--about two minutes per side.

Spoon in the lobster salad into the grilled rolls, heaping it high ;-) and serve immediately.

**Note--You can buy cooked lobster meat in most grocers or just pick up three 1 1/4 pound lobsters and steam them yourself. Once cooled, crack and pick out the meat yourself.

For Lobster Salad:

Pick the freshest greens in your garden or pick some up at your local farmers market. Rinse, and pat dry the salad greens and generously mound the lobster salad over the fresh greens. Enjoy!

Balsamic Brussel Sprouts

2011-05-23T23:38:00.007-04:00

So you typically turn your nose up at the thoughts of brussel sprouts? I can't imagine why. This is a wonderful vegetable anytime of the year. Brussel sprouts are just so tasty and healthy. These mini cabbages can sometimes be bitter, but picked at just the right time from your garden, rinsed and steamed in lemon juice just before pan frying them, they are just irresistable. The addition of shallots, shaved garden carrots, some eggplant, garlic and a drizzle of white balsamic are just what this dish needs to complete any meal. I just planted this years sprouts and I'm hoping my yield will be as awesome as last season. From four plants my yields were just fabulous, and once blanched, they freeze up beautifully. Do save some room in your garden for this wonderful vegetable.

Brussel Sprouts & Balsamic

1 dozen brussel sprouts, rinsed, trimmed
juice of 1 lemon
2 TBLS olive oil
2 large shallots, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 carrot, shaved
1 small Japanese eggplant, cut into 1/2 " pieces *opt
1/4 cup vegetable broth
pinch of sugar
2 tsps white balsamic vinegar
sea salt & ground pepper

Peel the sprouts outer leaves off and trim a bit of the ends. If the sprouts are large, halve or quarter them. Steam the sprouts in lemon juice for about 4 minutes in a covered pan. In a saute pan, heat the olive oil and add garlic, shallots, brussel sprouts, vegetable broth, seasoning and sugar. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes, then add the balsamic--stir, uncover and cook 3 minutes more to combine all the flavors and serve. Enjoy!

Simply Baked Haddock

2011-05-16T09:12:00.006-04:00

I don't believe we are going to see Spring this year, but rather just hop right on into the warmer summer days. Rain, fog and chilled to the bones is how I've been feeling these past few days. But with the cool temps it gives me an excuse to turn the oven back on.

So last night I made an old standby dish, that's easy and quick to prepare, and one that you just hate to see come to an end. It's that good. Made with fresh haddock or cod, vegetables, grated romano--I know? Cheese on fish? But clearly it works in this dish and topped with an herbed panko crumb crust. If you like fish as much as we do, you're going to love it.

Baked Haddock with Zucchini and Tomatoes

1 1/2 lbs fresh haddock filets
3/4 cup panko crumbs
2 cloves garlic
2 shallots
2 tsp softened butter
2 TBLS fresh thyme leaves, parsley, savory & basil combined
3 roma tomatoes, sliced thin
2 small zucchini, sliced think
grated romano cheese
sea salt & ground pepper
olive oil

Make the herbed panko by processing softened butter,fresh herbs, shallots, garlic, salt and pepper together and tossing it with your crumbs. In an oven proof baker sprinkle some sea salt salt and pepper over each haddock filet. Squeeze the juice of half a lemon over the fish. Cover the haddock with layers of thinly sliced zucchini and roma tomatoes over each piece. Sprinkle grated romano cheese next and then top with seasoned panko crumbs. Drizzle just a bit of olive oil over all and bake uncovered in a 375° oven for approximately 20 minutes. Bake until the haddock is still a tiny bit opaque in the middle. It will keep cooking when you remove it from the oven. **Remember to not answer the telephone and start a gabbing session with an old friend or your crumbs will begin to singe as mine did from a good yak! ;-) Serve with arugula salad and jasmine rice and enjoy!

Rhubarb Muffins

2011-05-14T16:06:00.006-04:00

One thing you can always count on coming up in Spring are the croccus--and then there's the rhubarb patch. And this year's rhubarb patch is simply gorgeous. I just love those marvelous leaves in the garden, and those beautiful magenta stalks. I remember as a youngster having the pinkest fingers this time of year. When Mum washed the fresh picked stalks how we'd stick them into the sugar bowl and taste that wonderful tarty flavor. Gosh they were so good! Rhubarb is just so showy in the garden--especially after a new fallen rain. The fruit itself is always a favorite around here. It just pairs so well other sweet fruits... apples, strawberries or blueberries along with a bit of sugar and some cinnamon.

So this week it was rhubarb muffin week. Believe it or not, all of my frozen quarts of strawberries are gone, but being the gal I am, you'll always find blueberries in my freezer so I just subbed those in these crispy topped delights. Perfect for Spring brunch or an on-the-run breakfast.

Blueberry & Rhubarb Muffins

2 cups flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
2-1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1 cup sour cream
4 oz unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup of 1/4-inch diced rhubarb pieces
1/2 cup wild blueberries

For the topping:
3 TBLS granulated sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt and whisk to blend.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Lightly stir the sour cream mixture into the dry ingredients with a spatula until the batter just comes together, but don't overmix. Gently stir in the diced rhubarb. This batter will be thick.

Divide the batter among the 12 muffin cups or six of the jumbo muffin cups. The batter should mound a bit higher than the tops of the cups.

Make the topping: In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon and mix well. Sprinkle a generous 1/2 of the cinnamon-sugar mixture over each muffin. And then again five minutes before removing from the oven I like to sprinkle the remaining mixture.

Bake the muffins until they’re golden brown, spring back most of the way when gently pressed, about 18 to 22 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Transfer to a rack and let the muffins cool. Served warm--just yummy! Enjoy!

Creamy Marscapone Polenta

2011-05-04T10:02:00.005-04:00

If I could eat this meal everyday I would!! This is total comfort food to me and I love how flavorful it is. It's finally grilling season and one of the first things I like to cook outdoors is Italian sausage. This time it was sausage with fennel, cheese and garlic, a favorite of mine that went into a pot of sauce--but I swiped a few for our lunch yesterday. With carmelized onions, roasted red peppers, fennel and black olives and served it over a bowl of creamy marscapone polenta--pure comfort!

Creamy Marscapone Polenta
Adapted from Emeril Lagasse

* 2 cups water
* 2 cups milk
* 1 cup yellow cornmeal
* 2 ounces Marscapone cheese@ room temperature
* 1/4 c light cream
* sea salt
* white pepper

In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the water and milk to a light boil. Slowly stir in the polenta. Cook, stirring constantly, for 15 minutes. Stir in the marscapone cheese. Stir in enough of the cream for a smooth and creamy texture. Season with sea salt and white pepper. Remove from the heat and serve immediately.

Sausage,Onion,Fennel & Peppers Topping

grilled Italian sausage
roasted red peppers, sliced
1/2 fennel bulb, sliced thin
3 onions, sliced thin
dried oregano, thyme, rosemary
8 kalamata olives, cut in half
marinara sauce
grated parmesan cheese
fresh parsley, minced

In a medium skillet saute onions, fennel in 2 TBLS olive oil. Once golden, add a teaspoon of sugar and toss well. Add the olives and red peppers, cooking until they go limp. Add seasoning and herbs and cook a few minutes more. Add the previously grilled sausage, turn off the heat and keep covered. Once the polenta is ready spoon it out into a bowl topping it with a ladle of marinara sauce and then lastly the sausage, peppers and onions mixture. Sprinkle generously with grated parmesan and minced fresh parsley. Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Salmon Pie

2011-05-02T08:49:00.008-04:00

There are so many different versions of this pie out there, but we always enjoyed a version my brother often made. His called for a typical buttery flaky crust, just like my Mom's crust, but I decided to use sweet potatoes and lighten this up a bit. I'm a big fresh sockeye fan here, and serve it weekly and though we seldom eat anything out of a can, this dish was surprisingly tasty, affordable and heart healthy too. Canned salmon is loaded with vitamins, minerals, and healthy Omega 3 fatty acids.

While it’s costing a tad more than it used to, actually a lot more, but hey, what isn't these days? It is still trumping tuna for price where I shop. I’m talking about canned salmon. It’s still within the realm of affordable, can be stocked up on and stored without a freezer, and believe it or not, is remarkably versatile. Canned salmon is pretty much on par with fresh salmon nutritionally, and it costs much less. An affordable option? Alaskan salmon will run you only $4.19 for a 13-ounce can. At least that's what I just paid for some.

And take this to heart-- An Italian study showed that people who eat fresh or canned salmon twice a week were 30 percent less likely to have had heart attacks than those who ate fish less than once per week.

Sweet Potato Salmon Pie

3 cups mashed potatoes
1 onion, chopped
1/4 green pepper, diced small
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 - 13 oz cans Sockeye salmon- drained, skinned and I remove any large bones
2 scallions, minced
white pepper
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced
olive oil
dry herbal blend- thyme, parsley, rosemary & savory
smoked paprika

Clean the salmon and add it to the mashed potatoes. Add onions, garlic, peppers, scallions and seasoning.

Peel and slice sweet potatoes and toss in a bowl with a drizzle of olive oil and the herb blend. Toss the slices well to coat.

In a two quart baker put the salmon mixture, and layer the sweet potato slices in a circular pattern around the top of the pie. Drizzle just a bit of olive oil over all and sprinkle on a bit of paprika. Pop into a 400 degree oven for ten minutes. Then lower oven to 350 degrees and continue baking until just golden brown on top. Enjoy!

Happy Easter

2011-04-23T17:02:00.003-04:00

Crab stuffed flounder

2011-04-17T00:50:00.008-04:00

If I had to choose my favorite fish, I'm certain it would be flounder, with cod and haddock a close second. I just really enjoy the delicate flavor of this fish but then when you add some Maine lump crabmeat to the formula, a bit of spinach, seasoned panko and a drizzle of limoncello sauce on top--what's not to love? It's light, bright and oh so delicious!

Crab Stuffed Flounder Rolls

1 1/2 lbs flounder
1/2 cup baby spinach
1 shallot, minced
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup seasoned panko crumbs
1/2 lb. jumbo lump crab meat, picked through for shells
juice of one lemon
zest of one lemon
sea salt, white pepper
fresh herb blend--minced rosemary, savory and thyme leaf

Limoncello cream sauce

Approximately 2 teaspoons Lemon Zest
1/8 cup Limoncello
1/2 cup light cream

Gently warm the cream with the grated lemon zest. Once warmed, add the limoncello and stir well for just a moment or two.

Squeeze the lemon over flounder filets and season with sea salt and white pepper. Place filets in a buttered casserole and set aside. Wilt spinach in olive oil in a small skillet. Add shallots, panko crumbs and lump crab meat. Heat just a few minutes. Spread this stuffing over the filets evenly, and roll each, making sure the seam side ends up on the bottom. Drizzle just a bit of olive oil over each stuffed filet and top with herb blend. Bake in a 400 degree oven for twenty minutes. Drizzle with a light limoncello cream sauce and serve. Enjoy!

Asparagus Quiche

2011-04-15T00:10:00.001-04:00

Somebody goofed at the market this week and we ended up with three dozen eggs in our refrigerator. So to use up some of the surplus I decided to make a fave quiche dish. I mean how many Easter eggs can I possibly make?

I'm kind of crazy about asparagus this time of year, so in that went as well as carmelized onions and topped with tomato slices. I prefer to make my dough, but for those in a hurry, a prepared crust will do. We've been eating a lot of seafood and fish in particular these past weeks, so this was a nice change. Served with a side of Spring greens-- an easy meal for those who are running late as I've been most of these past weeks. Farmers markets begins next week, so between this and working the gardens, I've been doing a lot of scrambling here, preparing meals that can be made in a jiff.

Asparagus Quiche

1 1/2 cups onions, sliced
1 medium leek, sliced
1/2 cup asparagus-cut into 1 inch pieces
1 TBLS olive oil
1 TBLS unsalted butter
fresh thyme, sea salt & ground pepper
3/4 cup swiss cheese, sliced thin
3 large tomatoes, sliced thin
1/3 cup light cream
1/3 cup milk
2 large eggs
fresh parsley, minced
3 or 4 shakes of ground nutmeg
2 TBLS grated Piave or Parmesan cheese

For the crust:

2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup cold butter, cubed
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/4 – 1/2 cup cold water

In a food processor, combine the flour, salt and 1 tsp sugar until well mixed. Add the butter using pulses until you no longer see chunks of butter in the dough. Use pulses to get the dough to mix together correctly, it does a better job of breaking up the butter than just letting the machine run.

Slowly add the cold water a tablespoon at a time while pulsing the dough until it is evenly distributed and it begins to look like little peas. You may not need to use all the water, and you do not want the dough to be too wet – it should not be sticky, but should hold together, barely.

Remove the dough from the food processor and knead for a few minutes until it begins to smooth out. Don't over-knead the dough, you just want it to come together and smooth out a little bit, it should really only take a couple of minutes. Divide the dough in half, flatten into discs, cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour.

Meanwhile, slice the onions and saute them in 1 TBL olive oil with 1 TBLS butter until lightly browned. Sprinkle a teaspoon of sugar over the onions, stir and set aside covered to cool. Slice leek and cut asparagus into one inch pieces. Toss them into the cooling onions and cover.

Remove dough from refrigerator ten minutes before you begin to roll out your dough, on a lightly floured board. Line a tart mold, and prick the bottom with a fork. Next, thinly slice the Swiss cheese and spread it over the dough. Now cover the cheese with your onion/asparagus/leek mixture. Top with tomato slices. Lightly beat the eggs with the cream, milk and grated Piave. Season with sea salt, ground pepper, chopped parsley and nutmeg. Evenly pour this mixture over the quiche. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven 40 minutes or until golden brown on top. I serve this warm, but not hot. Enjoy!

Maple Syrup Scallops

2011-03-08T10:10:00.010-05:00

When Sugar Maple trees sprout buckets here in New England, it can only mean one thing--it's maple sugaring season.

The New England tradition of boiling sap to make maple syrup and sugar originated with the region's Native American population. Today, New England continues to produce some of the sweetest syrup and maple products on the market. The maple sugaring season only lasts about four to six weeks, from mid-February through late March when days turn warm, nights remain cold, and the sap starts to flow.

So when my good friend Tracy graced me with some of their own freshly tapped amber maple syrup, I decided to try this recipe I clipped out from a reader of our newspaper a few weeks back. The results--awesome! We just love scallops, but I just couldn't get past the 'sweet' portion of this recipe. My usual way to prepare them is seared, baked or fried. These tender scallops were nothing short of amazing. The maple syrup thickened and penetrated the briney-sweet scallops, making them a perfect foil for the side salad that was served and the panko crumbs gave a nice crunch to the dish and a perfect texture with the maple sauce.

I'm so glad I tried this recipe, because it will be made over and over again. Thanks for sharing this with us Anita. If your a scallops lover, I hope you'll enjoy this recipe also. Enjoy!

Anita's Maple Syrup Scallops

1 pound sea scallops (make sure you buy them dry and not wet, as wet have been soaked in water and will not brown as readily in the pan.

3/4 cup maple syrup

1 tsp. cracked black pepper

1/8 cup olive oil (not extra virgin, as it will smoke)

½ cup panko breadcrumbs

Remove scallops from fridge and pat them dry between two paper towels. Place scallops in Tupperware bowl with lid. Add maple syrup, black pepper and pinch of salt. Cover and shake, then refrigerate. Let marinate two hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray a small casserole dish or gratin dish with cooking spray.

Preheat olive oil in a large saute pan. When oil is shimmery, add scallops and saute until sauce begins to thicken and scallops start to brown, no more than 3-5 minutes.

Pour scallops and pan sauce into gratin and cover with panko crumbs. Bake uncovered for 5-7 minutes until the panko crumbs are browned. Serve immediately.

Amaretto Peach and custard cake

2011-02-28T15:40:00.007-05:00

My Dad never had much of a sweet tooth. Whenever a special event was taking place and he would be asked, 'what kind of cake would you like to have?' the answer was always the same-- plain white. When I say plain yellow, that translates according to Dad as, no frills, no frostings, no embellishments whatsoever. And if it were made from a packaged box, even better.
I think for this reason I've never been a big fan of yellow cakes. But then some years ago, I found a recipe in a magazine that offered the most moist yellow cake recipe I'd ever tried, and I've been making it ever since. Dad would probably just love this cake, but if he really had the option of choosing, he'd still stick with 'plain Jane', dry yellow cake.

Last August when juicy fresh peaches were abundant in my neck of the woods, and while it didn't hurt any to have good friends that just happen to have a fruit orchard, I put every last peach that came my way, and there were bushels, to the task. I simply adore fresh peaches. With some of my golden treasures I made peach brandy, a spicy peach salsa, fabulous jellies, I canned many quarts for winter use, froze some for breakfast scones and made an old family favorite -- Amaretto peach jam for holiday gift giving, and was wise enough to put a few jars aside just for us. I'll save the jam recipe for another post, but here's the recipe for the best yellow cake you'll ever want to prepare. Even straight up and simply plain, it's a wonderful recipe. The really special treat for me is this fluffy golden cake, redolent flavor of vanilla, that always makes me go back for seconds.

Moist Yellow Cake

3/4 cups butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs--fresh from the farm, even better
2 cups flour
1 TBLS baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup whole milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Butter and flour two 8-inch cake pans. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy-about 10 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Sift the flour, salt and baking powder and add, a little bit at a time, alternating with the milk and vanilla, while beating. Beat until very smooth. Pour into prepared bake pans and bake 30 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool on wire racks for 15 minutes. Then remove cakes from pans and cool completely on racks. While the cake cools, prepare the pastry cream filling. When the cakes are cool, place one on a cake dish. Spread a layer of preserve along with a thin layer of custard. Top with second cake and spread remaining custard on top. You may use any fruit preserve you have on hand, or even a sprinkling of Amaretto, about a tablespoon or so if you don't want to use the custard filling--but for me, this is the best part.

Simple pastry cream

This is a basic all purpose pastry cream that can be used for a variety of desserts: éclairs, cream puffs, Napoleans, fruit tarts, even layered cakes. And you may use any flavorings such as vanilla, almond or anise extracts to taste.

2 cups milk
2 eggs – room temp
¾ cup sugar
½ cup all purpose flour
1 tsp flavoring – or omit.. it’s yummy enough without

Bring milk to scalding stage in a pan or double boiler (Do not allow it to boil.) Beat the sugar, eggs and flour together with a whisk and pour into the scalded milk. Lower the heat and with a wooden spoon, stir continuously until the pudding has thickened. Remove from heat and add your flavoring.

I've used this base yellow cake recipe for numerous dessert dishes here, so use your imagination. Fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced on top of the custard comes to mind vividly ;) or even chocolate custard filling with a simple drizzled ganache topping will just fly off your serving dish. A very lovely orange torte can be assembled easily from this basic cake as well. Slice the cakes horizontally in half once cooled to form four layers,with a drizzling of (about a tablespoon) before spreading the custard of Grand Marnier along with an orange sour cream frosting is just plain scrumptious! Enjoy!

Hearty Farro soup

2011-02-22T16:11:00.015-05:00

All in all this has been a great week. The snow never materialized that the weatherman predicted, my tomato and pepper seedings are beginning to sprout, and I made a big pot of farro and bean soup. This is a soup that I make routinely around here, and is a fave of my family.

Who wouldn’t enjoy this delicate nutty whole grain that’s extremely satisfying. An ancient grain, that is rich in fiber, and so very easily digested, plus one that’s low in gluten and is an extremely versatile whole grain. From soups to salads, to risotto like dishes it will heartily fill you up without the calories. It’s just that good! Try some and maybe you can make it a favorite of your family too!

I was lucky enough to come across Seeds From Italy in one of my ordering searches for San Marzano tomato seeds one day, and even better, they are located right here in New England. Yes, I am one of those die hard gardeners, that is seriously itching to get her hands back into the earth.

San Marzano seedings Not too sweet are they?

What a great selection of seed they offer along with rapid shipping. I ended up ordering many basils, some more herbs, romanesco zucchini that I'm anxious to compare to what I normally grow, peperone friggitello, a frying pepper from Naples, (I could feel my Nonna & Dad smiling down on me when I picked these out), far too many San Marzano's--but the garden wouldn't be complete without them, along with a new chard that was advertised to 'cut & come again'-- verde da taglio. We are major chard eaters here, so this too will be a fun seed to try out for me. After this long snowy winter--green is just what I need to see. So if your in the market for some seed directly from Italy, give them a try--you won't be disappointed.

There you go, once I get started on gardening, there's no stopping me ;-) But now you need to try some fabulous farro soup. Add whatever beans you have on hand. I used a mix of dry pinto and frozen edamame that I tossed in at the very end of the cook, along with a few handfuls of baby spinach, or even try some kale..it's all good and plenty of cheese.

Hearty Farro Soup

1 cup dried pinto bean - save the liquid you will cook them in
2 sage leaves, minced
3 dried bay leaves, crumbled
olive oil, or you may use canned beans
3 cloves garlic, smashed
2 medium shallots, minced
1/4 cup white wine
2 stalks celery, minced
3 carrots, diced
a few slices of pancetta, chopped
1 1/4 cups farro, rinsed
8 oz low salt vegetable broth -- if using canned beans, use 16 oz of broth
3 TBLS tomato paste
1/2 cup frozen edamame
1 cup baby spinach or kale, roughly torn
fresh parsley
fresh basil
sea salt, ground pepper to taste

Soak the beans overnight, or for at least eight hours. Cover the beans with water, sage, bay leaf and a clove of garlic and bring to a medium boil. Once it begins to boil, turn it down to just a simmer and cook until beans become tender, about an hour. Strain the beans, reserving the liquid and set aside.

In a large pot saute the pancetta, shallots and garlic in olive oil five minutes. Add white wine, carrots, celery and tomato paste. Cook a few minutes more. While this is cooking, take two thirds of your cooked beans and run them through a food processor until you have a smooth paste. You can add some of the vegetable broth or reserved cooking liquids to help form the paste. Add this puree to the pot along with the remaining whole, unprocessed beans, your rinsed farro and fresh herbs. Add vegetable broth or enough water to cover, plus an inch of liquids. I don't add my salt until the end of the cook. Cover and simmer about an hour or until the farro puffs up and tender. This grain absorbs a lot of fluids during the cook, so you may need to add a little more liquid. During the last ten minutes of cooking, add edamame and fresh spinach. Give it a few stirs while it's simmering away and try not to dip into this delicious broth before serving ;) Serve with plenty of grated parmesan cheese and some crusty bread. I really love this soup served even better, reheated the next day.. when it becomes a thick more stew like dish. Enjoy!

Creamy Polenta

2011-02-16T14:38:00.007-05:00

I absolutely adore polenta. How about you? Polenta is a ground cornmeal that can be served hot and creamy, or once it sets, cut into shapes and grilled. This past week, I served it both ways. It all began with a big pot of brasciole that I had simmering on the stove. The sauce was just too inviting and being the chilly day that it was, I decided to prepare an easy lunch for myself. One of my favorite dishes is simply creamy polenta with sauce.A few slices of pecorina and viola! Simple, filling and delicious lunch.

Once the polenta was made, I scooped out what I'd need and with the rest, added a bit of this and a bit of that and poured it all out onto a damp sheet pan spread about 1/2 inch thick. There it sat to cool and shape. I wasn't certain just what I was going to do with this excess, but a friend sent me her Mama's recipe for dolce polenta that really sounded too good not to try.

Well, the dolce never materialized because I forgot I had this wrapped half sheet pan until a couple of days later. I'm kicking myself now for not setting some of it aside to freeze, as polenta freezes beautifully. Instead, I decided to bake it--layering it with assorted mushrooms and loads of cheese. I make this often, but typically with greens--spinach, chards or kale and sometimes even sausage, sort of a vegetable pasticchio, the polenta being substituted for lasagne noodles, and served with a simple salad on the side.
It didn't turn out as formed as any baked polenta I'd made in the past,nor visually appealing but was it ever scrumptious! So if you've never tried making creamy polenta, give it a try--you won't be sorry.

Creamy Polenta

1 1/2 cups fine cornmeal or half fine ground & half coarse meal
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups light cream
1 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
2 TBLS butter
1 cup whole milk
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup grated Pecorino cheese
ground black pepper
herbs of choice * optional
1/4 cup EV Olive oil to drizzle over at the end of the cook

In a large saucepan bring the cream and water to a light boil. Add the salt and ground pepper and then gradually add the cornmeal while stirring with a whisk, whisking vigorously to prevent lumps from forming in the cornmeal. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, stirring constantly. The polenta should be smooth and some large bubbles may pop to the surface, so do be careful. Remove from heat and add butter cheese and milk. Stir very well until all is blended. For this batch I sprinkled in some dry ground rosemary, thyme and summer savory, but this is optional. Just before serving drizzle with olive oil, mix once again and serve plain, or with a ladle of fresh tomato sauce and dig in. Enjoy!

Now if you want to try my baked polenta you should have more than enough creamy polenta now on hand. Pour off approximately 3 cups of finished polenta while it's still hot onto a dampened sheet pan. Spread it all out to a thickness of about 1/2 inch. Allow to set, about an hour. Or you can forget about it like I did :-) Just keep it covered and refrigerated until ready to use.

Baked Polenta,Creamy Mushrooms & Fontina

8 creamy (set up & (firm) polenta squares, cut into 3 inch squares
2 TBLS dried porcini mushrooms
1/2 cup hot water
1/2 lb fresh button mushrooms, sliced
1/2 lb fresh shittake mushrooms, sliced thin
1 TBLS olive oil
2 TBLS unsalted butter
1 medium onion, sliced
1 shallot, minced
3 TBLS white wine
sea salt & white pepper
1/2 cup light cream
1 1/2 cups shredded fontina cheese
1/4 cup grated parmigiano

Mushroom Sauce

Combine the dried porcini mushrooms with the hot water in a bowl and allow to sit for an hour until softened completely. Remove the porcini, squeezing out excess water, reserving all the liquid. Roughly chop the mushrooms and set aside.

In a skillet melt the olive oil with butter over medium heat. Add the onions slices and shallot and saute just a few minutes until softened. Add the porcini mushrooms and saute another five minutes or so. Add the rest of the sliced mushrooms and continue to saute until tender, about five minutes. Pour wine over all. Add sea salt and pepper and then add the reserved shitake mushroom liquid. Allow this all to simmer for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Then, stir in the cream and bring to a light simmer. Once it begins to simmer, remove the pan from heat.

Place half the polenta squares in a bottom layer in a lightly oiled casserole dish. Spread half the mushroom sauce over them, then sprinkle with half the blended cheeses. Place the top layer of polenta squares over the cheese. Spoon the remaining mushroom sauce and sprinkle on the remaining cheese. Bake in a 350 degree oven until the cheese is melted and polenta is bubbling. Remove from the oven and allow to settle for about 10 minutes before cutting and serving. Once baked, the polenta, sauce and cheeses fuse into one delicioso dish. Enjoy!

Baked Pepper, onion and sausage casserole

2011-01-24T14:50:00.004-05:00

Aside from pasta, meatballs, scrumptious pastries and minestrone soup... what other flavors does your mind conjure up when you think of Italian foods? My mind zooms right in to peppers, onions and sausage.

It's been a long while since I prepared this dish, but one that my family always enjoyed. and because it is so darn cold today, I wanted to run the oven as much as I could and just stay put in the kitchen. First, I made some rosemary and basil foccaccio and for lunch today a small favorite casserole. I still had much in the frig from the childrens visit that I wanted to use up. Some sausage, roasted red peppers, onions, a half tub of ricotta cheese along with a bag of spinach. Usually I'd use hot Italian sausage in this dish, but I had on hand some homemade chicken and herb sausage that needed to be used up along with the last of my garden potatoes.

This is a very quick and easy meal to prepare, served with some warm crusty bread and big salad and a few glasses of Cab-- a perfect lucheon dish. The fragrance from the peppers, onions and rosemary combine to make this casserole amazing, both in smell and flavor!

Baked Peppers, Onion and Sausage Casserole

5 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced thin
2 TBLS butter, softened
1 large onion, sliced
1/4 cup roasted red peppers
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 bell pepper, sliced
2 TBLS olive oil
3 Italian sausage links, sliced into one inch pieces
3 cups fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp dried thyme, rosemary and savory
sea salt & ground pepper

* Butter an ovenproof casserole dish and place potato slices across the bottom and along the sides of dish overlapping them. Reserve enough potato slices to encrust the top of finished casserole.
* Saute the pepper, onions, garlic in some olive oil until vegetables are softened, about five minutes. Add sausage and cook until lightly browned.
* Turn off the heat, stir in spinach,roasted red peppers, ricotta cheese, half the herb seasonings, sea salt and pepper. Cover the pan and let sit just a few minutes, or until the spinach wilts.
* Drizzle a bit of olive oil over the potato base crust. Add the cooked vegetable/sausage mixture and cover casserole with remaining potato slices. Drizzle just a bit more olive oil over all and sprinkle on the remaining herbs and grated cheese.
* Bake covered in a 400 degree oven for twenty minutes. Uncover casserole, and lower oven to 350 degrees and bake 10 minutes longer. Serve with a tossed salad and crusty bread. Lunch is served. Enjoy!

Healthy Granola

2011-01-21T03:45:00.010-05:00

Well the kids got out of town just in time, and just before they closed the airport due to the storm. It was so great to see everyone. So much catching up to do. Much chatter, many laughs and plenty of time spent in the kitchen. Once they got all that skiing out of their systems, it was time to cook. We made stuffed manicotti, filled with roasted root veggies, veal parmesan for the non vegans, sausage subs with peppers and onions for Bill, Bobby and Hank--the football fans who were first in line when we made two trays of white pizza. They, in turn arrived bearing gifts from the North End of Boston as they arrived here via Logan airport with boxes of Italian pastries. I had forgotten just how much I miss a good Italian bakery living here in Maine now. I was in heaven ;-) One morning Nan, Susan and Jeanine wanted to make some granola to bring back home. I can't tell you how many bags of this I ship annually to these kids.

I simply love granola. Added on top of my morning yogurt with honey, sprinkled over most of the smoothies I prepare, in most of my muffins.. or just to munch on. It's all good, and so good for you. I figured, if we made some, perhaps my annual postage bill would decrease somewhat too. ;-) This is my base recipe, but feel free to add or subtract to it. Sometimes I'll add dried fruits-- cranberries,raisins,or apricots but typically you'll always find a mix of almonds, walnuts and pecans in my granola. Susan left me a recipe she found for granola biscotti, so I'm anxious to try this next. It just sounds so good to me.

Healthy Granola

4 cups old fashioned rolled oats
3/4 cup Canola oil
1/2 cup wheat germ
1 cup honey
1/2 cup oat bran
3/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup molasses
2 TBLS cinnamon powder
pinch of nutmeg
1 TBLS vanilla extract
1 cup each: chopped walnuts, coarsely chopped pecans, whole almonds
** optional-- 1/2 cup dried fruits: cranberries, raisins,chopped apricots, dates

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In large bowl combine oatmeal, wheat germ, oat bran, wheat bran, cinnamon powder and nutmeg. Mix in all of the nuts. Then stir in the canola oil, honey, maple syrup, molasses and vanilla until everything is well coated.

Spread evenly onto a large 12 x 15 sheet pan and bake for 30-40 minutes, stirring every ten minutes so everything bakes evenly. Don't overbake it. Add dried fruits of your choice after removing the granola from oven and it has cooled completely. This granola can be stored up to three weeks in an airtight container. Enjoy!

We're already missing you kids..love you guys-- see you again in August. xoxo

Our ski bums. :-)

Chick Pea & Miso Soup

2011-01-09T14:55:00.004-05:00

Hmmm.. my kitchen smells so good right now. See, we New Englanders have some perks on windy, frigid days like today too. We can just stay indoors and put on a large pot of Chick Pea and Miso soup to warm us right down to our toes :-) Catch all the football games on TV--perhaps finish knitting that sweater I've been working on for weeks now. Even better, how about some warm peasant bread just out of the oven. Who could ask for anything more? Well I could think of several, but for now I'm toasty warm, and not missing those pina colada's poolside on some remote island. What am I saying? I think this flu has shaded a few of my grey cells. But, I'm on the mend. Heck, I can smell the soup so that's one major improvement!

I just love this soup. The addition of the chick pea miso gives it such a yummy flavor. I'm certain it's the brown rice and chick peas vs. soybean in the blend. Try not to omit this ingredient if you give it a try. I've tried other miso, and none compares to this one. You can readily order it online from South River Miso, or if you're lucky enough to have a Whole Foods nearby--they also carry it. And while you're at it, you might want to give their Azuki Bean Miso a try too. I've never seen it anywhere else.

Stay warm. Enjoy!

Chick Pea & Miso Soup

2 oz prosciutto, sliced thin
1 shallot, diced
2 carrots, diced
1 celery stalk, sliced
2 garlic cloves, mashed
2 tsp fresh rosemary
2 TBLS olive oil
1 large can crushed plum tomatoes
4 cups low salt vegetable stock
2 (15 oz) cans chickpeas, rinsed well
1 handful fresh spinach leaves, torn
2 tsp South River Chick Pea Miso
sea salt, ground pepper
1 cup baby pasta shells
cooked chicken pieces,diced *optional
Parmigiano cheese rind *optional
freshly grated Pecorino cheese

Chop prosciutto, shallot, carrots, celery & garlic. Heat olive oil in a large pot and sautee until veggies become softened. Add all remaining ingredients except pasta & grated cheese. Bring the soup to a gentle simmer and cook for 30 minutes. If you've added in cheese rind, remove it now and cut the softened cheese into cubes and return it to the simmering pot. Five minutes before serving add the spinach and pasta to the pot. When it is al dente, ladle the soup into bowls and generously sprinkle with cheese and pass the bread!

Tabouli salad

2011-01-08T11:44:00.005-05:00

Wrong time of year? Right time of year too! Whenever I serve tabouli, most often it's in the warmer months when I can just pop into the garden to pick the freshest of ingredients, and typically it disappears after no more than 20 minutes. So recently when a group of friends got together for a girls night out, and oh, everyone is bringing something to 'pick on' I just knew what the topic of conversation would be. After all the holiday goodies we all overdid on--diet, diet, diet and how the new year waistlines were bulging because of all of that overindulging, so instead of bring a dessert dish, I made a double batch of the salad to bring along with some roasted red pepper hummus and a spinach artichoke dip. Served with toasted Syrian bread wedges, it disappeared just as quickly.

It's such a healthy dish and with a little planning ahead, an easy to prepare and one of the most popular Middle Eastern recipes. I like to soak my cracked wheat (bulgur) overnight whenever I make this salad, and then all that needs to be done is chopped the veggies and your good to go. But if you forget to pre-soak, you may pour two cups of boiling water over the bulgar and let it rest for an hour or so before using.

Tabouli Salad

1 cup cracked wheat, fine bulgur - soaked overnight and drained
1 bunch of scallions or 1 red onion, minced
2 large bunches of fresh parsley, minced
1/2 bunch of fresh mint, minced
4 medium tomatoes, chopped
juice of 4 lemons
1/2 cup olive oil
sea salt & ground pepper to taste

Soak wheat covered in water overnight. Drain the bulgur and set aside. In a large bowl, add finely chopped parsley, mint, tomatoes and onion. Salt and pepper to taste. Add lemon juice, olive oil and drained bulgur and mix well to combine. Serve with toasted Syrian bread triangles, lettuce leaves, or grape leaves. Some days I'll stuff a tomato with tabouli salad for lunch. Enjoy cold or at room temperature, but I think it's really best made a day ahead. Enjoy!

Uncle Pete's Baked Shrimp

2010-12-27T11:34:00.011-05:00

What are you doing on this snowy Monday? We're getting hammered with this blizzard, but so far-knocking on wood-we still have power remarkably enough! It's really a good day for staying in and cooking! What can we make?

I had early 4am detail for shoveling this morn, so as soon as I came in, I put on a big pot of sauce. Meatballs you'll always find in my freezer, readied for a hungry crowd. I knew the kids would really work up an appetite when they come in from their detail. The winds are howling along with much drifting snow, and the visibility is just awful here so no one is getting out on these roads, not if I have anything to say about it :) So as I grabbed the meatballs I spotted some shrimp in the deep freeze, and as we didn't have our Christmas Eve seafood, why not today?

My Uncle Pete made the best baked shrimp I've ever eaten. Such an easy dish that disappears off the platters typically made for a gang, with it's buttery crumb topping, it's sure to be a crowd pleaser. When I was a youngster and our family got together, my uncle would make trays of this dish, as well at holiday time. I have fond remembrances of him lowering the tailgate of the station wagon on a hot summer's day at the beach and lining up these trays of shrimp for all to enjoy. I just made one casserole dish as I knew we had plenty with the pasta, salad and crusty peasant bread. Double or triple this recipe as needed. No need to worry about leftovers--there won't be any. Stay warm.

Uncle Pete's Baked Shrimp

2 lbs thawed and rinsed frozen jumbo shrimp
1 cup melted unsalted butter
2 tsp worcestershire sauce
4-6 drops tabasco sauce
2 cups Ritz crackers crushed
1 cup corn flakes, crushed
2 scallions, minced
1/2 tsp dried thyme, rosemary and oregano blended
zest of one lemon
hot pepper flakes **optional

Pulse the Ritz cracker and corn flakes in a food processor until you have a rough crumb. Drizzle the melted butter, scallions and seasoning in thoroughly. Drizzle a bit of oilive oil into a 2 quart casserole and layer in the shrimp, alternating with the crumb mixture. Mix all together and pack onto and around the shrimp. Foil cover and bake in a 400 degree oven for only 18 minutes--no longer and serve. Enjoy!

Christmas confections

2010-12-19T09:40:00.004-05:00

Well it’s nearly here. Are you all set for it? Shopping done? Christmas cards mailed? Gifts all wrapped? Cookies and confections all made? Isn’t it crazy how we all overextend ourselves this time of year? I’m guilty as much as the next one most years, but this year I decided to put a stop to all the craziness and simply enjoy this holiday. Well except for the cookies and sweets ;-) In spite of the hectic schedules we all experience this time of year I have to say I had a blast baking trays of cookies and candies--Anise cookies, almond biscotti, Todo's, tea cakes, pizelles, date nut balls,chocolate espresso's, fennel pistachio cookies, cappuccino blondies, brownies, peanut butter cookies, assorted fudges, peanut and almond brittles, limoncello bars and of course gingerbread men.

I think everyone needs a good 'visiting cake' during the holidays. You know the ones? You get a call about a last minute get together and will you please bring dessert? Well you'll need something that's delicious and easy-to-make right? This one is mine. It's moist, buttery, and mildly sweet, and pairs perfectly with a cup of tea of coffee.

May the special gifts of Christmas be yours to treasure this holiday season. Merry Christmas! Buon natale! xo

Cranberry Amaretto Sour Cream Cake

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1/2 pint sour cream
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup Amaretto
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
2 TBLS sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 can whole cranberry sauce

Almond Glaze:

2 TBLS milk
3/4 cup confectionary sugar
1/4 cup Almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9-inch Bundt or tube cake pan.

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.Add the sour cream mixing well.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and blend this into the creamed sugar mixture. Mix in the Amaretto and vanilla extract. Pour 1/3 the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle chopped walnuts, sugar and cinnamon. Add a little more batter. Spoon whole cranberry sauce for your next layer and top with the rest of the batter, swirling the cranberry into this top layer. Bake 1 hour, or until golden brown.

For the almond glaze: Whisk the sugar and milk until creamy and smooth. Add in almond extract. Pour this glaze over completely cooled cake and serve. Happy holidays!

On the mend Chicken Pot Pie

2010-12-06T06:54:00.006-05:00

Our good friend Steve recently got out of the hospital after some surgery with specific instructions to simply take it easy and not overdo! You have to know Steve, to see how difficult a task this would be for him--he's just one of those people that's always on the go and very active senior. About the only time he really slows down is at mealtime. But since he got home he's been complaining about always feeling 'cold'. So I popped in on him the other day for two reasons. One to see that he was following his doctors orders {and, I promised his wife I'd harp on him of the benefits of him following those orders :) and to bring him a warm pot pie just out of the oven. What better dish will warm you from the inside out and brings a big smile to the recipients face? Chicken Pot Pie, that's what!

This is a very easy pie to make, especially for those on the run, and these days who isn't busy? We just love chicken pot pies around here, and though I typically make mine with a buttery flaky crust, this time just used puff pastry sheets. I also like my chicken pot pies loaded with vegetables. You can prepare four individual five inch pies or one large pie from this recipe. This one features chunks of chicken with big pieces of carrots, potatoes and peas jammed with a savory herb gravy.

Cricket Corner Farm Chicken Pot Pie

3 cups chicken broth (homemade or stock)
1 cup dry white wine
3 cups boneless chicken breasts cut into cubes
1 1/2 cups fresh carrots, cut into pieces
1 1/2 cups peeled potatoes, cubed
1 1/2 cups frozen petite peas
4 TBLS unsalted butter
6 TBLS flour
1/2 tsp fresh thyme
sea salt & ground pepper to taste
One pie crust topping.. or puff pastry to cover

Pour the chicken broth and wine into a large skillet and bring to a simmer. Add chicken pieces, carrots and potatoes pressing them down into an even layer. Cover the skillet and return to simmer. Tilt the lid slightly to let the steam escape and cook for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat, add in the peas, cover and let sit 15 more minutes. Strain the hot broth from the mixture into a bowl and reserve. Let the veggies cool off.

In a heavy saucepan melt the butter over low heat. Add the flour and whisk together for just a few moments. Add the reserved broth all at once and whisk briskly. Bring to a gentle boil--then lower the heat and stir until the sauce is smooth and thickened. Add fresh thyme leaves and seasoning to taste.

Pour the sauce over the chicken and vegetable mixture in the skillet and stir well. Transfer the mixture to a 2 1/2 quart or four five inch individual pie tins and set aside. Top with your favorite pie crust or puff pastry cover. Pierce the pie to vent and bake in a 350 degree oven approximately 40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and just bubbly. Enjoy!

Red Beans with Orechiette

2010-11-07T01:16:00.007-04:00

Looking back over the last few weeks, it seems something I typically make at least weekly around our house has been missing. I know what it is--pasta! Give me a big bowl of any pasta swimming in Sunday sauce and I am one happy camper. But we also enjoy beans equally as much. Any kind of shell bean is just fine by me, and I try to incorporate them in many of my favorite dishes as possible.

It's been a very busy week for me and this is an easy dish to prepare when you're on a tight schedule. And even better, this is great comfort food perfect for a chilly evening meal. What I like the most about this sauce, is that it may be eaten straight up on it's own, or served over any smaller pasta of your choice. I oftentimes make extra just to tuck a few containers in the freezer for a quick lunch. It's a great winter dish that will warm you from the inside out.

Red Beans with Orrichette

1 1/2 cups red kidney beans, rinsed & drained
olive oil
2 red onions, chopped
2 1/2 cups chopped celery
3 carrots, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 tsp red chile flakes
fresh basil & rosemary, finely minced
4 TBLS fresh parsley
3 slices sweet prosciutto, diced
1/2 cup chickpeas
1 can whole plum tomatoes, chopped
sea salt & ground pepper to taste
12 oz orechiette pasta

In a large saucepan add enough olive oil to nearly cover the bottom. Saute the chopped onions, celery, and carrots over medium heat until the onion is soft. Add the garlic, chile pepper flakes, herbs and prosciutto. Continue cooking until the prosciutto is just beginning to brown. Add the wine and cook a few minutes more. Pour in the tomatoes along with their juice and cook over medium heat 30 minutes.

In a blender puree the chickpeas and half of the kidney beans with just a bit of water or vegetable broth. Who can't use some added protein and extra fiber in their diets? Add this puree, along with the rest of the red beans to your stockpot. Season with sea salt and ground pepper along with 2 TBLS of fresh parsley cooking another 30 minutes or until carrots are tender.

In another pot, cook your pasta al dente, and then drain. Ladle out the finished bean sauce in a serving bowl. Now layer the cooked pasta and top it off with a large ladle of more sauce. Garnish with the remaining parsley and freshly grated parmesan cheese and serve, piping hot. Enjoy!

Potato leek Soup

2010-10-30T10:04:00.006-04:00

The Autumn harvest brings the perfect ingredients for making delicious, creamy soups and chowders. Blending some basic ingredients can provide you foundation for a huge variety of wonderful soups. Some of my favorites are Mushroom Barley, Spicey Carrot & Sweet Potato, Roasted Tomato & Garlic and then there's Potato Leek Soup. Clearly an all time favorite around my kitchen. Truth be known, if I could get away with making a different soup every day, I could be one very happy camper. I simply love soups! But for this pretty simple concoction, the fresh leeks are the shining star and oh so yummy. Use whatever veggies you have on hand.. the more that's added, the better the pot.
What I like about leeks is that there is very little waste and they are just so tasty from tip to tail. For this soup I use almost the whole leek and save the darker tips to add to another dish.

Potato Leek Soup

6-8 mid size leeks, cleaned thoroughly & chopped
2 large onions, sliced
2 shallots, diced fine
3 garlic cloves, smashed
1 zucchini, cubed
1/2 bunch Italian kale, chopped
3 carrots, cleand & cut
4 scallions, diced
1 summer squash, cubed
7-8 potatoes, peeled & cubed ( I used red & white New potatoes and Yukons)
1/4 stick unsalted butter
2 cans low salt chicken or vegetable stock
low fat milk or light cream
sea salt & ground pepper to taste

Saute cut leeks, onions, shallots, & garlic in butter about 5-6 minutes. Rinse and cut up all your vegetables. Add to the pot with 2 cans chicken stock. Cover, and bring to a low boil and cook until vegetables are just tender. Remove cover and cool for 10 minutes. Pour vegetable mixture into Cuisinart or blender & give it a whirl until just smooth. Return it to your pot & add low fat milk (not much) or if you must.. light cream! Season to taste. Serve with Syrian bread triangles, or nice crusty bread, Serve warm or cold. Enjoy!

Savory Harvest Galette

2010-10-26T07:07:00.008-04:00

Autumn to winter, winter into spring. Spring, into summer, summer into fall, So rolls the changing year, and so we seem to change menus with the season. It's pretty safe to say that Fall is officially in full swing. Up here in the northeast, the leaves have changed from green to gold, rusts and striking crimson and the crisp Autumn air has brought about the first chills of the season.

What sets Autumn's menu aside from Summer fare?-- Root crops! Most of the garden has been put to bed, the herbs are all harvested and dried for teas along with winter meals--the root crop ready for harvesting. In my basket this week I pulled beets, carrots, leeks, purple top turnips, ruby swiss chard, delicata squash, and some butternut squash from the gardens, so I decided to go with this colorful season, roasting them all up to go into a savory galette. Earlier this summer I made my first galette using fresh fruits of the season,that was just fabulous, but I've anxiously been waiting for cooler weather to try a savory version. Saturday, I picked up some goat cheese at farmers market and a couple of kambocha squash. I just love roasted vegetables and root crops--but also love their look.. beautiful and so Fall like.

Piled all over my counter, they just draw me into the kitchen thinking of delicious recipes they'll all be used in. Besides-- a combo of root vegetables slow roasting in the oven for an hour lends warmth, and great smells to my kitchen as well as go into a very satisfying dish. Perfect, for the chilly day that it was.

Combined with some carmelized onions, herbs and seasonings and fresh goat cheese. The outcome? Well it was both, very colorful and so tasty! I can't wait now to try another. :) You can't go wrong, no matter what assortment of veggies you might decide to use. Enjoy!

Savory Harvest Galette

The Pastry:

2 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
1 cup chilled and cubed butter
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup cold water

2 TBLS milk - to wash top of dough before baking

In a food processor, combine the flour, salt and 1 tsp sugar until well mixed. Add the butter using pulses until you no longer see chunks of butter in the dough. Use pulses to get everything to mix together correctly,and does a better job of breaking up the butter rather than letting the machine just run.

Slowly add the ice water a tablespoon at a time while pulsing the dough until it is evenly distributed and it begins to look like play-dough. If you need to add a bit more water--add it only a teaspoon at a time. You don't want your dough to be too wet-- but it should hold together nicely.

Remove the dough from the food processor and knead for a few minutes until it begins to smooth out. Don't overwork the dough, you just want it to come together and smooth out a little bit, it should really only take a couple of minutes. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

The roasting veggies:

6 medium beets, rinsed, unpeeled & quartered
4 purple top turnips, quartered
4 new red potatoes, quartered
6 carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 delicata squash - unpeeled,quartered and cubed
1/2 butternut squash- peeled & cube
1/2 medium size kabocha squash, peeled & seeded
1 tsp fresh summer savory
1 TBLS fresh thyme
1 TBLS fresh oregano
1/4 cup olive oil
sea salt & ground pepper

In a large bowl toss all the vegetables with fresh herbs in olive oil. Be sure to coat them all well and turn out onto a large parchment paper lined baking sheet. Roast in a preheated 400 degree oven for an hour, until the veggies have just become tender. Remove from the oven, set aside to cool.

Carmelizing the Onions
:
3 medium sized yellow onions, peeled & thinly sliced
2 TBLS olive oil
2 TBLS unsalted butter
titch of sugar

In a large skillet stir oil and sliced onions together over a medium heat. Cover and cook slowly until very soft, about 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover, and add the butter and continue to cook until the onions are golden brown. I like to add a pinch of sugar at this point. Remove from heat and reserve.

Other Ingredients:

Add to the roasted vegetables and toss well:
**1/2 lb fresh chard leaves,chopped; stems removed (save for another day)
** 2 apples, peeled, cored & cubed
**********************
8 oz fresh goat cheese
4 oz grated fontina cheese
:) A mug of warm apple cider to sip as your savory galette bakes in the oven.

Assembling the tart:

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll out into a circle to about a twelve inch round. Don't worry if your edges aren't smooth or perfect--galettes aren't meant to be perfect, but rather rustic looking. Take a pastry scraper and transfer the dough round to a parchment paper lined sheet pan. Mix the cheeses together and spread onto center of pastry. Next, evenly distribute the roasted vegetables over the cheese, leaving a two inch border of pastry uncovered. Now top with the carmelized onions. Drizzle with just a bit of olive oil and season with sea salt & ground pepper. Free fanfold the edges of pastry over the mixture, pinching the dough as you go along to seal. Brush the crust with milk and bake until golden brown, about 35-40 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool. May be served warm or at room temperature. * Note.. I ended up with about 1 1/2 cups vegetable filling left over in this galette, so we used the leftovers in a breakfast omelet the next day. Enjoy!

Harvest Plum Bread Pudding

2010-10-06T16:15:00.008-04:00

Fall is officially here and I just love baking during this time of year. One thing that's near and dear to my heart is bread pudding! It's one of my favorite Autumn desserts, plus, it's a great way to use up breads that are about to go stale. With just a few ingredients, bread pudding makes such a homey, comforting dessert.

Who can resist the fragrance of warm cinnamon and spice on a chilly Autumn night? Soft cushions of assorted country breads lightly browned on top with a creamy custard below. Served warm, with a topping of vanilla bean ice cream and a drizzle of Amaretto sauce--not me for certain!

I had on hand a half loaf of peasant bread and a half loaf of crusty cinnamon raisin bread -- so this is what I used, plus we really enjoy the texture using a crustier grained bread in the pudding. I just love all those nooks and crannies where the cinnamon and spice can find it's way in to.

Because we are such big fruit eaters here and I still had on hand a few fresh plums in my basket after making some plum jelly, I tossed in a few of these along with just a bit of mashed pumpkin puree. The plums added just the right amount of tart to the recipe to offset the sweetness. Sometimes I use wild blueberries or apples or just plain old raisins, so you can't go wrong here using what fruits you have on hand. This bread pudding is packed with down home flavor and makes a wonderful addition to your dessert menu. The Amaretto sauce is to die for -really! But I'm one of those that just has to have that scoop of vanilla ice cream on any bread pudding I make as well.

Harvest Plum Bread Pudding

1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup light cream
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs, beaten
5 cups cubed day old stale or crusty bread
3/4 cup chopped plums- about six
1/2 stick unsalted melted butter
1/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp each ginger, allspice & a pinch of cloves
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup raisins if you aren't using a raisin bread

Cut the bread into cube sized pieces and place in a good sized bowl. Add cut pieces of plums, tossing with the bread cubes. Drizzle the melted butter over the bread cubes and toss all gently and set aside.

In another bowl, whisk together eggs.. once frothy, add in whole milk, cream, pumpkin, sugar and spices. Gently whisk a bit more after each addition. Place your buttered bread cubes in a greased 2 qt casserole dish. Give the egg mixture one last mix and pour evenly over the bread cubes. Place casserole into a larger baker filling it with water about a third of the way up the sides of your pudding dish. Bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for approximately 30 minutes or until set and golden on top. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream and some Amaretto cream sauce on top. Enjoy!

Amaretto Cream Sauce

1/4 cup powdered sugar
5 TBLS unsalted butter
3/4 cup cream
1/4 cup milk
1 egg
4 TBLS Amaretto liqueur

In a samll bowl dissolve the cornstarch in the Amaretto, whisking until smooth. In a saucepan scald the cream and milk over medium heat. Melt butter for 30 seconds in microwave and add to the scalded milk. Add the Amaretto slurry to the hot cream and bring to a gentle boil whisking constantly for 30 seconds. Remove from heat and add the powdered sugar. Whisk until completely dissolved. Cover and allow the cream to cool completely before serving over the bread pudding. See if you can resist a second serving. :)

Italian Meat Pie - Scaciatta

2010-09-30T18:13:00.007-04:00

Well, they are finally gone. As prolific as they were this year, every last pepper in my garden has been used. I've stuffed them, roasted them, marinated them, they've topped more than one sausage sub around here, they were included in a nice eggplant caponata, but enough is enough! I just know I'll be regretting these words come January.
So today I tried something a little different for me. A dish I make often, but never include peppers. Surprisingly, it turned out just great!

I made an old family favorite -- scaciatta (pronounced ska cha ta) or Italian meatpie or as some call it, pizzachino. I really don't consider this dish a pizza rustica, but you may. This dish is a two-crust pie of risen dough and typically filled with any assortment of meats, tuna, anchioves, vegetables or cheeses. In this meat pie I combined seasoned pork, veal and a little ground beef along with an assortment of my remaining peppers--both sweet and hots, some red wine, chopped onions, and of course, garlic. Earlier this year I posted my recipe for spinach pies. I use my same dough recipe but different fillings and shapes, or you can use a store bought, ready to use pizza dough. But any way you slice it -- they're all good. Served as an appetizer, late night snack or a side with a big salad and if you should have any leftovers, pop the slices into your freezer. They keep beautifully and you'll have a delicious and handy quick meal on those occasions when you just don't want to prepare a large dinner.
I ended up with about 1 1/2 cups of extra filling left over, so later this week I'll be making a chard pie topped with my leftover meat pie filling. As I said, anything goes here. Get creative!

Italian Meat Pie -- Scaciatta

fresh pizza dough - enough to make two 12 inch rounds
olive oil
4 garlic cloves, smashed
1 large onion, minced
2 sweet red peppers, cut fine
2 green peppers, cut fine
3 hot peppers - cut fine, *optional
1 large potato, cut in tiny pieces
1/4 cup red wine
1 lb ground sweet Italian sausage
1 lb ground veal
1/2 lb lean ground beef
1/8 cup homemade spaghetti sauce (not gravy :) - *just enough to lightly coat the meat/vegetable mixture
parmesan cheese
pecorina romano cheese
shredded mozzarella cheese
ground pepper
ground fennel seed
basil, sweet marjoram, thyme, oregano, parsley to taste

In a large skillet, saute in olive oil the garlic, onion and potatoes until just tender. Add the rest of the vegetables along with the red wine and cook for 6-8 minutes over a medium heat. Next, toss in all the ground meats, incorporating well with the vegetables. Season with ground black pepper, herbs and cook until the meat is finished about 15 minutes or so. Add spaghetti sauce -- I ended up using 8 TBLS total-- just enough to lightly coat the mixture. Put a cover on your pan and let the mixture cook down a bit. Once cooled, I always pour off any excess oils by tossing the entire mixture into a collander. As this has been slowly doing its cooking thing, you can roll out your dough into two rounds. Coat your baking sheet with olive oil, wiping off any excess and place your first dough round onto the sheet, overlapping the edge some. Sprinkle parmesan cheese over the dough, and then again with pecorino romano. Begin to add the cooked and cooled filling, leaving a two inch border until you've covered the entire center of pan. You'll be rolling that portion upwards to seal your pie. Once again sprinkle with grated cheeses and top with some mozzarella cheese. (I used a multi package of mozzarella, fontina, asiago blend.) Here's a few photo's up to this point of preparation.

Pretty easy so far? Just about everyone has a few bags of pizza dough in their freezers -- at least I hope you do :+) Now all that's left to do, is to add your cover crust, pressing it in place to seal over the meat mixture only. And finally draw the bottom crust in a rolling action upward while pressing at the same time to seal well all around the meatpie. You want all the filling to remain in your pie without oozing out everywhere. Just give the top crust a few stabs with a fork,to vent it, and just a bit of drizzled olive oil rubbed over the crust and pop this bad boy into a 375 degree oven for approximately 25 minutes total, or until golden brown.

Once you remove it from the oven, cover it lightly with some aluminum foil and allow it to cool down completely, before slicing. Enjoy!

A day of nothingness

2010-09-26T18:35:00.001-04:00

Though the date says it's the end of summer, I was secretly keeping my fingers crossed for a few more nice days. Yesterday I got my wish -- a simply gorgeous day with temps here in the 80's! A perfectly fine day to celebrate National Estuary Day and Punkinfiddle Festival. It was the last of my outdoor shows, excluding a few more weeks of farmers market--but then the growing season comes to an end :( What a fabulous season it's been for gardeners. I still have more cold crop & root veggies left in the garden and way too much kale, chard and turnips left, but I'm looking forward to preparing those comfy Autumn meals I love so much. This morning I picked my corn stalks and a few pumpkins to decorate the entryway and then it began to rain.

So I decided to make the rest of the day a me day. You know--those days you steal away from your everyday lists of things to do. and simply take a long overdue break. Italians have an old expression--il bel far niente, which means “the good do nothing.” As I reflected on recent past weeks of events I was reminded how good my life has been. A great family, close friends-the kind you can really count on, wonderful memories, and no regrets. Well, perhaps one itty bitty one. But hey, there's always next year. Real life occurs to us all, and includes all the ups and downs and in betweens that go along with it, right?

This week we were suppose to travel back to Tuscany for an anniversary trip, but then real life stepped in, so we've postponed those plans. It just wasn't in God's plan this year. But, I believe with all my heart, next year for certain. Nod your head if you're listening god.

So I'm taking the day off, re-reading one of my fave books and remembering our last visit to Italy. I wasn't even planning to cook a meal today -- but then just had a hankering for mussels and pasta.. The summer's disappearing and we simply love mussels prepared any way. but my favorite is mussels marinara. Quick and easy and you only need a few ingredients, So instead of meal planning, I went back to Italy today-- here's a few of my fave pics.

If you should get hungry along the way make yourself a big bowl of mussels marinara and dream of a hill town in Tuscany; Panzano, San Gimignano, Montepuliciano, Cortona, Siene, Rhadda in Chianti, Lemole. Be sure to stop at every gelato shop and try a new flavor too! Or head south and take a drive along the amazing Amalfi coast,. Be sure to stop in Sorrento to sample the limoncello and sample the quiet out of the way family run ristorantes, Positano perhaps.. a small quaint, and remarkabley hilly town ( you'll really get your daily workout ) with lovely shoppes or a cozy dinner in Rome-- historical, cosmopolitan with fountains galore! Vatican City and Sistene Chapel -- Michaelangelo's work of art simply breathtaking. Be sure to toss your lucky coin in Trevi Fountain. You'll need a great meal after all the sightseeing you'll be doing while there or in Florence for that matter--known for it's world class fashion, by their own world class designers. If you're into art you won't want to miss Uffizi Gallery and of course no one misses a visit to the Duomo and Bell Tower, or Statue of David and be sure to pick up a trinket or two or three :-) when you visit the Ponte Vecchio's which spans the river Arno. Maybe you'd love a visit to the romantic Isle of Capri. Rent a boat and let the local fisherman give you the tour. Nothing beats the pizza and pastries in Naples... but then I'm partial. Memories -- they sure beat working on your list of things you should be doing today :+)

Mussels Marinara

2 lb mussels, rinsed & bearded
4 garlic cloves, smashed & minced
2-3 TBLS fresh parsley, minced
1/2 cup olive oil
3/4 cup pinot grigio
11/2 cup tomatoes, chopped
red pepper flakes
1/2 cup clam juice
1# linguini

In a large pan heat olive oil. Add garlic, mussels, tomatoes, wine, clam juice and hot pepper flakes. Cover and cook until all the mussels have opened. Discard any mussels that have not opened. As the mussels are cooking toss your pasta into a boiling pan of water and cook til just al dente. Once the pasta is ready, drain and pour the mussels and tomato mixture over the pasta, sprinkle on the fresh parsley and toss well. Serve with crusty peasant bread and enjoy!

You're the blogger

2010-09-19T15:01:00.000-04:00

Saturdays are busy days for me, and this Saturday was no different than most - so I thought. I was busy setting up my booth, when my girlfriend Marsie popped into my booth at Kennebunk Farmers Market to ask me for my autograph?? I replied. 'Marsie what in heavens are you talking about'? She laughed and said, she was sitting at her kitchen table having her morning coffee when she opened her newspaper to find an article about three local bloggers. And as luck would have it, I was one of them! I interviewed so long ago, I had forgotten all about it, and I hadn't been to my PO Box all week to read my own newspaper, as dh is back in the hospital. So she ran into the local pharmacy nearby just to pick me up a copy to see. Thanks so very much Marsie xox.

Then market opened up for the day, and as my customers came into the booth -- instead of sniffing all of my soap offerings, instead I just kept hearing, 'You're the blogger!' What a fun way to spend at our newly acquired title, "Maine's Best Farmers Market" yakking about food, veggies and sharing recipes. It really made my day!
So, anyone who's stopping by due to the YCCS article, howdy and welcome! Happy to have you here :-)

Fresh from the garden - Eggplant parmesan

2010-09-11T15:51:00.003-04:00

What a great season this has been for many gardeners here in the northeast. We were lucky side stepping a bit of blight that only a few witnessed this year, as opposed to last summer. What a nightmare! This week I harvested the rest of my ripened tomatoes, many eggplants and far too many peppers. So I have been busy roasting tray after trayful of yummy roma's. The rest of the tomatoes were canned, or frozen--or went into sauce and some even into jams.

With this last basketful of assorted tomatoes,herbs and veggies, I prepared a pot of chili and then last night, one of my favorite eggplant dishes...eggplant parmesan. Now all I have left to put up is my annual piccalilli and I won't even have to go out and buy green tomatoes this year :+)

Eggplant Parmesan

3 medium sized eggplants
1 cup flour
3 eggs, beaten
3cups Italian bread crumbs
olive oil for sauteing
marinara sauce (recipe follows)
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 pounds of mozzarella cheese,shredded
2 cups of ricotta cheese

After rinsing the eggplant, slice them into 1/4-inch thick slices. Place the slices on a layer of paper towels and sprinkle with a little salt, then cover with another layer of paper towels and hold it down with something heavy to drain the excess moisture. Let them sit for about a half hour.

Take one slice of eggplant at a time, dust with flour, dip in beaten eggs, then coat well with breadcrumbs.Saute in preheated olive oil on both sides until golden brown.

In your baking dish, alternate layers of marinara sauce, eggplant slices, ricotta, parmesan and Romano cheeses, until you almost fill the baking dish. Cover with shredded mozzarella cheese, and bake for 25 minutes covered,in a 375 degree oven. Let it rest for 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Marinara Sauce

2 TBLS chopped garlic
3 TBLS olive oil
6 cups chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup onions, chopped
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup of fresh parsley, minced
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp crushed red pepper
1/8 cup fresh basil, chopped fine
pinch of thyme, savory & rosemary
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp sea salt
One tsp white pepper
pinch of sugar

Lightly saute the onions in olive oil in large pot for a few minutes. Add the garlic and saute another minute. Add the wine with the tomatoes and bring sauce just to a light boil, then turn heat to low.
Add remaining seasonings and herbs, cover and let simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally.

Coffee brandy ice cream float

2010-08-31T10:00:00.000-04:00

Want to go down memory lane with me? Close your eyes and come with me, on a trip down memory lane to the place where red and white checked dreams come true. Many of us from the older generation can remember going to the local soda fountain for a burger and a shake or to have a burger and fries after school.

Many were decorated with red bar stools and black and white floors and if you were lucky enough those miniature juke boxes just ready for you to plunk your coins in to listen, while you waited for your orders. Two plays for a quarter no less that featured old 45's that I know I haven't heard in years. Our local soda fountain was in the 'square' of town, in a corner drugstore--Halls Drug.

Every afternoon as school let out Mr Hall readied for the slew of kids that would be pushing their way into his store just about 3 o'clock every weekday afternoon. Two of my favorite items were lime rickey's and rootbeer floats. It's funny the way our minds sometimes work-- remembering the little things, we sometimes can recall from back in those good old days. One thing that stands out in my mind was looking down the row of spinning bar stools to see so many pairs of dangling saddle shoes and poodle skirts swirling around. You do remember saddle shoes don't you? Nope, they weren't specialty fit shoes for the equestrians. And also how Mr Hall would always serve your orders--first he'd re-wipe off the counter in front of your seat, and then neatly place a paper napkin followed by your order placed on top. He was such a quiet, yet sweet old gent who seldom forgot to ask 'would you like 'jimmies' on top' regardless of whether you ordered a milk shake, ice cream soda, or banana split! It was just one of his little quirks.

Many of the great recipes for our best frozen confections have been lost to us and, since I just love ice cream, and just made a new batch of coffee brandy a few weeks ago, I decided to try a new twist on an old favorite-- So this is my recapture the nostalgic flavor of childhood but with a grownups-only version of the root beer float. With the heat wave we've all been having this past week, this was a deliciously thirst quenching treat. Don't forget to put a scoop of your fave ice cream on top before serving and cool off! Autumn's just around the corner.

Coffee Brandy Ice Cream Float

* ¼ cup of milk
* 3 TBLS coffee brandy - recipe follows
* 1 scoop coffee ice cream
* club soda

Mix milk and coffee brandy together in a tall glass. Then pour club soda over top to fill the glass about ¾ of the glass full, and then top off with a scoop of coffee ice cream & cool off! Enjoy.

Homemade Coffee Brandy

3 cups water
2 1/2 cups sugar

Bring to a boil and simmer 15 minutes.

1/2 cup instant coffee - I used Colombian
1/2 cup boiling water

Dissolve and add it to the above mixture.

Cool all and pour into a half gallon canning jar. Then add 2 bourbon vanilla beans split lengthwise, and 3 cups of brandy and 1/4 cup quality vodka. Cover and store in a cool cupboard 3-4 weeks.

Chicken Marsala

2010-08-16T08:12:00.004-04:00

This is one of my favorite chicken dishes, and one I make often, it seems we never tire of it. It’s quick enough to whip up on a weeknight, and always a hit when served to dinner guests. So if you need a dish that looks like you've been slaving in a hot kitchen all afternoon, give this a try-- it's just wonderful.

The best part for me is the mushrooms - they absorb all the flavor from the marsala wine and delicately rich sauce. I served this with Jamie Oliver's recipe for chilled roasted vegetable farro salad. The salad was very flavorful, but I couldn't get past the coldness - so I warmed it up a bit before serving.

If you don't have any Marsala wine on hand, and need to pick some up, just be certain of two things -- You don’t need anything too expensive, and make sure it’s just regular dry Marsala wine, and not Sweet Marsala, a desert wine, and too sweet for this dish. This same recipe can also be made the with veal cutlets with very nice results.

Chicken Marsala

1/4 cup flour
4 boned & skinless chicken breast, pounded flat-- cut into medalians
sea salt and white pepper
1 TBLS butter
2 TBLS olive oil
2 oz of dry Marsala wine
3/4 cup mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup chicken stock
juice of half a fresh lemon
1 TBLS fresh parsley, minced

Season the flour with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge the chicken medalians with seasoned flour. Heat the olive oil and butter in a medium size skillet. Place the chicken pieces in the pan and brown on both sides. Once browned remove from pan and set aside.

Add the Marsala wine to your pan and gently bring it to a boil. Add the chicken broth, lemon juice and stir in the sliced mushrooms. Lower the heat and cook for about 10 minutes reducing the sauce. Return the cooked chicken medalians to the pan and spoon over the Marsala sauce. Cook for five minutes more on each side until warmed through. Sprinkle on some fresh parsley and serve with roasted vegetable farro salad or over linguini or pasta of choice Enjoy!

Wild Blueberry Cobbler

2010-08-14T13:53:00.007-04:00

High bush blueberry season has gone by. Peach season is flourishing and now our wild blueberries are turning up on most of the northern routes. We are simply wild about Maine wild blueberries. There's something so special about these gorgeous berries that clearly sets them apart from any other crop. Add to that their status as nature's number one antioxidant, their incredible nutritional value, and their ability to help in the prevention of cancer. Pretty impressive yes? But for us, even moreso, is the fact that 90 percent of the wild blueberry crops harvested each year in the USA comes from our home state of Maine. And because our wild blueberries have become so popular, this adds up to approximately 30 million pounds of blueberries a year. Even more impressive!

Wild blueberries aren't planted as high bush berries. Rather, the fields and barrens where they thrive here in our pinetree state, are carefully managed to encourage the plants to grow in a healthy sustainable fashion. Many suggest that our acidic soil and harsh winters that prevail here in Maine, where the land is wild and generally inaccessible, where the winter temperatures can dip down as low as -30 and the ground too acidic for most plants to thrive, all may be part of the reason that they are so rich in the natural chemicals that provide the health benefits associated with the fruit. Wild blueberries aren't farmed in the traditional way, the bushes simply grow where nature takes them -- and up north they are even still picked in a traditional way as well, by hand. Whatever the reason is, we think they are simply the berries!

Last week we went up to Machias and Blue Hill area of Maine and then down to Booth Bay Harbor, ending up in Pemaquid Point. You can always tell it's August in our neck of the woods -- you can smell the berries in the air. Blueberry farms galore! Along the roadsides you'll find literally hundreds of vendors selling fresh berries. We stopped by one and I picked up a bushel basket to freeze for winter baking along with morning cereals. The nicest thing about these delicious morsels is that wild blueberries, as opposed to highbush berries never lose any of their punch. All that healthy goodness remains in the berries as though you were eating freshly picked.
So the next time you are pouring your morning cereal into a bowl, be sure to add a handful of our naturally healthy and so so scrumptious wild blueberries. Or add some to your favorite blueberry cobbler. Here's a family recipe that's been around longer than I can recall -- my Grandma's Wild Blueberry Cobbler.

Grandma's Wild Blueberry Cobbler

Mix together:
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 egg

Stir in 1/2 cup whole milk

Sift together:
2 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder

2 cups wild blueberries -- washed & drained
sugar, cinnamon powder, flour

Gently mix with egg mixture. Set aside 1/3 batter to use as topping. Spread the batter into a greased and floured 9 inch square baking dish. Fold in 2 cups washed & drained wild blueberries that have been tossed with sugar, cinnamon and 2 TBLS of flour. Dot blueberry layer with four pads of butter and scoop remaining reserved batter in pieces and sprinkle the top. Dust the top with 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 tsp powdered cinnamon. Bake cobbler 35-40 minutes in a 350 degree oven until browned on top and blueberries just beginning to burst open. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream. Enjoy!

Pemaquid Lighthouse

How do you spell relief

2010-07-28T14:12:00.002-04:00

It being ice cream month, along with a gentle nudge from my friend Louise at Months of Edible Celebrations, who says she can easily 'scoop up gallons of ice cream' passed on a link heading me to Modern Day Ozzie and Harriet,and, the best darn peaches and cream ice cream recipe I've ever made! Now that's how I spell r-e-l-i-e-f!

Is there no end in sight for these dreadful muggies we are seeing? Well let me assure you--if you are sweltering in your neck of the woods give this absolutely cooling and scrumptious recipe a try. I've been assured you'll sweat off the calories after ingesting --lickety split! I just knew it was in the stars when I went to farmers market Saturday to pick up my tray of fresh peaches to make more peach jam. I made mention to my friends Ann & Howard that I'd just love to make some peach ice cream one of these days so they insisted I take home some slightly bruised peaches to give it a try.

When I arrived home--I started my prep work for the jam, when I recalled reading a post over at Louise's blog mentioning National Ice Cream month--so back I went to re-read her post. It was there that I hit the jackpot! A link to Marjie's blog with easy instructions, and even better, I had all the ingredients in the house. The only changes I made to her recipe was to substitute almond extract, for the vanilla, added a titch of cardamon powder and used heavy whipping cream for the 'cream'. I also cut back just a bit on the sugar amount called for and as my ice cream maker was chugging along we just couldn't stop ourselves from sampling spoonful after spoonful of this luscious blend. My ice cream maker makes two quarts and as luck would have it--so doesn't this recipe.

Peaches N' Cream Ice Cream

Slightly modified. Recipe by Marjie at Modern Day Ozzie and Harriet

6 large peaches--washed, pitted and cut into chunks (skin & all)
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp almond extract
2 cups heavy cream (whipping cream)
a pinch of cardamon powder *opt

Place the peach chunks into the food processor and whirl via the pulse button until moderately chopped. I didn't want it to end up a pureee of peaches. It's one of the things I really enjoy about peach ice cream--finding those delicious pieces of fruit with every lick. I also liked the idea of leaving the skins on the cut fruits for that added extra fiber, as Marjie suggested. Once the peaches have been chopped, sprinkle on the 1/4 cup of sugar--give it a couple of whirls and allow fruit mixture to rest, about an hour.
After the time has elapsed, whisk in the remaining sugar into the milk,along with just a pinch of powdered cardamon. combining well. Then whisk in the almond or vanilla extract and heavy cream. Gently stir in the peach mixture and pour into your ice cream maker and process according to manufacturer's instructions. I processed mine 25 minutes. I packed it into two 1-quart containers knowing it won't last the week. :) Enjoy & stay cool!

Stuffed Pattypans

2010-07-28T10:11:00.008-04:00

My refrigerator drawers are overflowing with squash! Summer squash, zucchini, crooknecks, cousa and those sweet pattypans. Thank goodness the delicata, hubbard and butternuts are still weeks away. My freezer is overflowing with frozen squash for winter baking. We had a little break in the humid weather this week so after bringing in the evening pick from the garden with even more squash I decided to try a Jamie Oliver recipe that's been sitting on my desk for a few weeks for a farro salad.

Part of the recipe called for roasting garden veggies--and that I had more than enough of around here! I roasted so much that I ended up with enough for two meals, and after all that roasting decided I didn't even want a large meal, so I set some aside and with the other half, stuffed my fave squash of the summer--the pattypan.
I know, how much stuffed squash can one possibly eat? LOL But we just enjoy them so.. and there was a method to my madness after all. Right around the corner all the tomatoes, cukes and peppers will be ready to harvest and I have no drawer space left.

You may use any vegetable that's currently being harvested in your garden--it's all great in my book. I used a combination of crumbled feta and grated fontina cheese because that's what I had on hand. Feel free to experiment on your own.

Stuffed Pattypan Squash

2 medium eggplants cut into chunks
2 summer squash, halved lengthwise and cut
2 pattypan squash, halved and quartered
2 zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut
2 cousa squash, halved lengthwise and cut
2 sweet red peppers,halved, deseeded and chopped
1 bulb of fennel, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 medium red onion, peeled and cut into wedges
2 shallots finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb ground lamb *optional
1 cup cooked jasmine rice
2 TBLS lemon rosemary olive oil
2 TBLS minced fresh parsley
½ tsp summer savory, minced
1/4 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
sea salt & ground pepper to taste
2 oz crumbed feta cheese
3 oz shredded fontina cheese
6 additional pattypan squash-washed & scooped out

Wash, pat dry and cut all the vegetables. No need to be fussy, as you will cut them all again once they've been roasted. Toss them all into a large bowl and drizzle olive oil over and toss very well, so that they all been coated in the olive. Place them onto your parchment lined sheet pans, sprinkle fresh herbs, seasonings and one last drizzle of olive oil. Try not to overlap the vegetables on your cooking sheet though, so that they will roast better this way. Roast in a 400 degree oven for approximately 30 - 40 minutes, or until the vegetables are cooked through and just crisping around the edges. Sprinkle a little white vinegar over the vegetables as soon as they come out of the oven and set aside to cool. Once the vegetables have cooled, dice them up into smaller, bite sized pieces.

As your vegetables are roasting, trim tops and with a spoon, scoop out pattypan pulp. Chop and reserve.

In a skillet saute the shallots, and ground lamb in a bit of olive oil. Add the chopped pattypan pulp last and cook for just a few minutes.

Add cheese mixture to the roasted vegetables, the jasmine rice and blend this with the lamb mixture and toss gently. Spoon mixture into reserved pattypan shells. Sprinkle with paprika. Place in an ungreased baking dish and pour water or vegetable stock into bottom of pan about 1/4 way up the side of the squash.
Cover and bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until heated through. Uncover and bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is lightly browned. I like to spritz fresh lemon juice over these pattypans before serving. Enjoy!

Pearls of pleasure--Blueberries

2010-07-23T08:16:00.013-04:00

Think pearls. No, not the neck adornment, but instead hundreds of perfectly round orbs. Think blueberries. I know, I went a little blueberry crazy here. But, I mean, BLUEBERRIES! How can anyone not love those plump, sweet blue pearls of utter sweet and so healthy goodness? Yes, I went blueberry picking again, and in just a short time collected 20 pounds of fruit, enough to gorge ourselves and have plenty leftover to freeze for later holiday pies and winter desserts. And we musn't forget homemade blueberry ice cream. I’m so glad its summer.

Sure there are other delectable berries. Strawberries in late June and then the fragrant delicate raspberries (another personal favorite)and then the thorny, meaty blackberries of our late summer. But by far, my favorite berry of the season are blueberries! Crisps,grunts,scones,cheesecake, turnovers,cobblers, pies -- even Tuscan chicken--the list goes on and on in my kitchen when it comes to blueberries. But one thing I'd never tried is making a galette. I don't know why. I just love the rustic look and carefree assembly about them. Savory, or sweet. You get to decide what fillings will go into them.

For my first I wasn't going to pass up the chance to use up some of my fresh picked blueberries along with some fresh peaches our good friends Ann & Howard gave us, from their fruit farm along with her famous honey peach jam recipe. Thanks so much Ann for your generosity--your delicious peaches were the perfect addition to my first galette. And the jam turns out just awesome!

I ended up making two smaller galettes, about nine inch rounds and delivered the 2nd one to my good friend Lee who has a sweet tooth as large as my own. :)

Blueberry Peach Galette

Pastry

2 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
1 cup chilled and cubed butter
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup cold water

2 TBLS milk - to wash top of dough before baking
2 TBLS sugar - to sprinkle over crust

In a food processor, combine the flour, salt and 1 tsp sugar until well mixed. Add the butter using pulses until you no longer see chunks of butter in the dough. Use pulses to get everything to mix together correctly,and does a better job of breaking up the butter rather than letting the machine just run.

Slowly add the ice water a tablespoon at a time while pulsing the dough until it is evenly distributed and it begins to look like play-dough. If you need to add a bit more water--add it only a teaspoon at a time. You don't want your dough to be too wet-- but it should hold together nicely.

Remove the dough from the food processor and knead for a few minutes until it begins to smooth out. Don't overwork the dough, you just want it to come together and smooth out a little bit, it should really only take a couple of minutes. Divide the dough in half, flatten into discs, cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour. At this point you can also freeze this dough for later use, up to a couple of months. Seldom does it last this long in my freezer during fruit season.

Preparing the filling

2 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
2 1/2 cups sliced peaches
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
pinch of cardamon powder
2 1/2 TBLS tapioca powder (I found mine in an Asian grocer) or cornstarch
2 TBLS honey peach jam
3 amaretto cookies-crushed
1 egg & a bit of milk

While your dough is chilling, prepare the filling. Place the blueberries and peach slices in a bowl. Add the sugars, cinnamon, a pinch of cardamon powder,tapioca powder (or cornstarch) and stir gently. You want the fruits well covered.

Preheat the oven to 350º.
Remove one of the discs of dough from the refrigerator and roll out into a circle to about an eleven inch round. Don't worry if your edges aren't smooth or perfect--galettes aren't meant to be perfect, but rather rustic looking.. as you can see from my first one...it's pretty rustic :) You’re in good shape. Take a pastry scraper and transfer the dough round to a parchment paper lined sheet pan.

Now crumble up the amaretto cookies and place in the center of your rolled out pastry disc. (I like to add these crumbs to most of my fruit pies--they help to absorb much of the excess juice that will form while baking, so I figured I couldn't go wrong here.) Yup, pile the crumbs right in the middle. Give your bowl of fruits one last stir and layer right over the cookie crumbs and spread around leaving a two inch border of dough.

Roughly fanfold the 2 inch border of crust all around your galette every couple of inches or so and give each fold a gentle pinch to hold it in place. I have to admit, I needed to do my fanfolding twice to get it to look the way I had it envisioned in my mind--but there are no rights or wrongs to doing this step. Take two tablespoons of peach jam and spread it over the fruits. Beat egg with milk and brush over the galette dough and sprinkle with sugar. Pop it into the oven and bake for approximately 30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the blueberries are bubbly. As the first galette is baking, prepare your second one or save the dough for another day of berry picking!

Here's where the hard part comes in. Remove from the oven and cool very well before slicing. As you can see from my photos, I moved one a little too early and my dough cracked. But did this stop me from having a second piece piled high with vanilla bean ice cream? Nope! :-) Simply too scrumptious to pass up! Enjoy!

Rosie Risotto & dear friends

2010-07-14T17:21:00.012-04:00

I have a lot on my plate right now, but sometimes that can be a good thing. My dh has been undergoing oncology care again--this time with stem cell transplant, and with my being his sole caretaker, I haven't had a lot of time in the kitchen or garden for that matter. With it being the height of gardening season, it's so great to know we have the best garden friends in the world!

This group of dear friends took it upon themselves to do my harvesting for me temporarily. What a blessing they are. Peas, peppers, beets, chard, cousa, zucchini and squash squash squash. Well you know the drill. No matter how well you plan your gardens -- once that heat finally arrives -- and it surely has - it all seems to mature overnight. This past weekend they came with baskets filled with our veggies, and as it turns out, a strong day for my dear patient. We decided on a potluck dinner with everyone contributing dishes from their own harvest along with just caught fresh cod.

With pounds of fresh peas in my own basket, I made a roasted eggplant, peas and pepper risotto. Yes, it's always a favorite around here -- and well tolerated at times like this. Even better there's nothing magical about preparing it. What I love the most about making risotto is how versatile and forgiving this dish can be. Dress it up or dress it down. It's always delicious in my book. You can find my basic risotto along with many more risotto recipes here.

Before serving the risotto, I dressed her up a bit with parsley and fresh calendula blossom in her 'hair' and we all named her Rosie -- Rosie Risotto -- mostly because it was a good day, especially for dh. :)

When I said I had a lot on my plate, I wasn't joking.. I really made way too much! So with my leftover risotto I managed to make three more simple meals for us this week, my Nunie's arancine, stuffed beet leaf holubsti and fried risotto cakes. Amazing isn't it, how far a bowl of risotto will go!

Nunnie's Arancine filled with pecorino cheese and bits of meatballs

Fried Risotto Cakes rolled in a seasoned panko crumb

Stuffed Beet Leaf Holubsti with a scrumptious dilly sauce that I'll be posting up next week.

Rosie and dear friends have been such a big help to me this week. Thanks guys so very much! xoxo

I'll only be blogging weekly at best for the next few weeks friends. Thank you for the notes and prayers, understanding and for coming back!

Simple Summer Supper

2010-07-02T22:49:00.006-04:00

Today in my harvest basket I had peas, potatoes, zucchini and onions from the garden. It's been an awesome season for peas this year. They're just so sweet right off the vine. I've been waiting so patiently for the potatoes to be ready to harvest. There is something I really love about reaching into the dirt to find these ruby red gems and knew I didn't want to make potato salad or roast these yummy spuds just yet.

We've been having splendid weather here this past week and the holiday weekend is going to be a beauty, but a hot one. With a lobster bake and cookout to go to this weekend, I just wanted a simple summer supper tonight. So we grilled some barbecued chicken, made a big garden salad along with some new potatoes, fresh peas, zucchini and just pulled onions. If you have an abundance of potatoes in your gardens, or frequent your local farmers market, give this simple recipe a try. It's easy to prepare and awfully good!

Peas, Potatoes & Zucchini

10 new potatoes, quartered
1 cup fresh peas, hulled
2 small zucchini, trimmed and sliced
1 onion, chopped
2 TBLS olive oil
2 TBLS unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, smashed
fresh thyme, summer savory, parsley--minced
ground black pepper
bacon crumbles to taste

Par boil the potatoes -- just until tender. Drain & cool. In a skillet sautee the garlic and onion in the olive oil and unsalted butter for just a few minutes. Add the fresh peas, zucchini, herbs and seasoning and continue to cook until the zucchini is just becoming soft. Toss in the cooked potatoes, gently mix all and cook for another 3-4 minutes. I had some leftover bacon from breakfast, so I added the crumbles just before serving. Enjoy, and I hope everyone has a fabulous 4th of July!

Rosemary Pork Spiedini

2010-06-18T22:15:00.010-04:00

Rosemary-- the herb for remembrance. What better way to celebrate Fathers' Day. It's going to be a hot sizzling weekend, so why not grill up some Rosemary Pork Spiedini just for Dad.
Rosemary, an herb originating in the Mediterranean, is highly aromatic and adds a rich resinous flavor to grilled and roasted meats and vegetables. Along the Italian coastline rosemary grows everywhere and sizeable--so large, that women still drape their freshly washed sheets over the large bushes to dry. Still known as ‘dew of the sea’ it is said to be endowed with many virtues. Long ago rosemary and juniper berries were burned to purify the air, and sometimes used as a tea to allay headaches or smoked in the hopes of curing asthma, and an herb that strengthens memory. Rosemary.. for remembrance.

This is a very simple dish to prepare, with amazing flavors from the rosemary, fennel, bay leaves and sage. Chunks of fennel flavored Italian sausage and pork combined with bay leaves, red peppers and onions grilled on fresh rosemary skewers for these delicious kebobs. Just use fresh rosemary stems as skewers, stripping off most of the leaves. Be sure to save the leaves as you'll be making an herbal rub with them.

Rosemary Pork Spiedini

12 oz pork tenderloin or boneless pork chops, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 TBLS herbal rub-- recipe below
1 lb fennel Italian sausage
2 red peppers
1 large red onion
20 fresh bay leaves
10 fresh rosemary branches
olive oil for basting

Toss pork cubes in a little of the herbal rub, about 3/4 teaspoon, mixed well and set aside.

Slice Italian sausage into 1 inch pieces and cut the red peppers into similar-sized pieces. Cut the red onion in half lengthwise, then cut each half into 6-8 segments and separate the layers. You should have enough for 3 on each skewer.

Strip rosemary skewers of all but the top few leaves and make a point at the opposite end with a sharp knife.

Thread on pork, onion, sausage, red peppers and bay leaves. Repeat in this order, twice for each skewer.

Sprinkle skewers all over with the rest of the herbal rub, and brush with extra virgin olive oil and grill over a medium heat for approximately 8 minutes each side, until pork and sausage meat are fully cooked. Serve with a large antipasto and very chilled vino and enjoy! Happy Fathers' day to all the special Dads out there.

Herbal Rub

Combine 1 TBLS sea salt, 4 TBLS rosemary leaves, chopped very fine, 1/4 tsp ground chili pepper flakes, 3 bay leaves, crushed or chopped fine, 6 sage leaves. Now combine these ingredients in a spice mill, mortar and pestle or chop very finely This tastes really great and may be used on any grilled or roasted meats and vegetables to enhance the flavor. This will make approximately 3-4 TBLS.

For dessert, Dad will just love this one. Actually, everyone will love it! I made this dish from The Italian Dish last week and followed the recipe to a tee--only substituting marscapone for half the cream cheese and nectarines and cherries in addition to the star of this dish--strawberries.. Simply scrumptious!

Strawberry Fields Forever

2010-06-12T15:31:00.015-04:00

Strawberry season--one of the sweetest times of the year is upon us, which means now is the moment to snatch up their fleeting goodness. And in another month or so, nature's candy store continues to throw open its doors as blueberries begin to ripen on farms. And after that, raspberries and peaches. Each year at this time, I'm reminded about how delicious it is to live in Maine.

I will eat strawberries in almost any form, but one of my favorite ways to enjoy this near perfect fruit is to make a nice strawberry or strawberry rhubarb shortcake. I'll make jellies, jams, fruity toppings, many quarts will go into the freezer for a winter treat and remind me of why I look forward to our early summers' fruitful arrival, or simply sliced to top off my yogurt and granola breakfast. Then just when I think I couldn't possibly eat another strawberry, our South Berwick Strawberry Festival takes place when we always can muster up just one (or two) more scrumptious treats! The town's annual festival kicks off, with 2,654 pounds of strawberries, 60 gallons of whipped cream, and 5,000 biscuits ready to be slathered together in delicious servings of strawberry shortcake at $4 a pop.

So for the last ten days, when we haven't had the drizzles--I've gone strawberry picking. After last years' disastrously rainy season, this year so far has been just perfect for pickin' and we're lucky enough to be surrounded by dozens of organic berry farms, and last nights' dessert.. Strawberry Rhubarb Oatmeal Bars.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Oatmeal Bars

1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
2 cups flour, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1 1/2 cups strawberry-rhubarb filling (recipe follows)
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350. Grease a 9-inch square pan.

In a stand mixer, beat the 1 1/2 sticks of butter and 1/3 cup of sugar until light and fluffy. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups flour and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in the stand mixer and beat until incorporated. Using floured hands, gather the butter mixture into a ball in the mixer bowl. Press the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the crust has begun to brown at the edges. Remove from the oven to cool slightly while preparing the remaining ingredients.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the remaining 1/4 stick of butter, 1/2 cup flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt and the brown sugar, soda, oats and lemon zest. Pulse until the mixture becomes crumbly.

Spread the 1 1/2 cups of filling over the baked crust. Sprinkle the oat mixture on top of the jam. Bake for 30 minutes or until the oat topping has become golden.

Strawberry Rhubarb Filling

1/2 pound fresh rhubarb, cut into 1/2" pieces
1 pint fresh strawberries, washed, hulled and quartered
1 TBL orange juice
1/2 cup sugar
4 tsp cornstarch

In a medium saucepan cook the rhubarb, sugar, orange juice and cornstarch--stirring constantly until the mixture thickens and begins to boil. Boil only two minutes. Stir in the cleaned strawberries and remove from heat. Set aside to cool.

Salmon with a Twist

2010-05-25T08:51:00.001-04:00

I'm a big fan of salmon in any form, so anytime I see sockeye salmon on sale, in my shopping cart it goes. Some of my favorite recipes for salmon are Cajan Salmon, Salmon Burgers, and a couple of weeks ago I tried Marie's of Proud Italian Cooks' recipe for Salmon stuffed with artichoke hearts and sun dried tomatoes, It was simply scrumptious!

We try to have fish twice a week around here and this week I tried yet another new recipe a friend mailed to me. She'd clipped it out of her local newspaper knowing how much we enjoy salmon and sent it along. This recipe was easy to prepare, and really delicious. I kept the meal simple, serving just garden greens along with citrus baby beets. Dessert was another thing :+)

Salmon with a Twist or Salmon rollups

1 1/2 lbs Wild Sockeye salmon filets
2 TBLS unsalted butter
1/4 cup minced shallots
1/4 cup celery, minced
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 cup roasted red peppers, chopped
3/4 cup clump crab meat
3/4 cup plain bread crumbs
1 egg, beaten
1/2 tsp dill weed or chives, minced
1/4 cup cream cheese
1/2 cup baby spinach, chopped
1/4 cup Pinot Grigio
olive oil for drizzling

In a saucepan saute shallots and celery until transluscent. Remove from heat and cool completely. Transfer to a bowl and add lemon juice, crabmeat, bread crumbs, egg, cream cheese,peppers, spinach and herbs. Blend together well.

Cut the salmon filets into two lengthwise pieces. Season with a bit of sea salt and white pepper. Now spread the crabmeat stuffing on each piece of salmon. Starting at the wider end, roll salmon up as in jellyroll fashion. Cover with Saran wrap and pop it into the freezer for twenty minutes to make slicing easier.

Once firm enough, with a very sharp knife, slice salmon into 2-inch portions. Coat a baking dish with cooking spray. Place pinwheels in pan, and drizzle just a bit of lemon rosemary olive oil on top of each round. Now just pour the Pinot around them, and loosely cover with foil. Bake for 20 minutes or so in a 425 degree oven.

I ended up with a little leftover stuffing, so the next day I made some stuffed mushrooms to use up the remaining filling. Enjoy!

For dessert.. Raspberry Chambord Torte.. yumma!

Asparagus Puffs

2010-05-25T08:34:00.005-04:00

It took me years to realize how rare and precious a flourishing asparagus bed can be. I was fortunate enough to buy a farmhouse that had a well established asparagus bed on it. It had been so well cared for over the years--free of weeds and with three different varieties of asparagus growing to choose from. Just the sight of those beautiful spears breaking through the soil in the Spring is one of nature's wonders. Maybe secretly I was drawn to this farm just because it had these beds.

Growing asparagus requires patience and restraint--three to four years of growing is needed but will reward you with beautifully formed spears that will allow you at least six weeks of harvest each year thereafter, and even better-- a well established asparagus bed will produce for decades to come! At just about the same time of the year the spring nettles and fiddleheads are are also at their best, so I like to prepare dishes using these ingredients as often as I can during their short season here in New England.

Asparagus is extremely high in vitamins A, C and E. It's not only delicious but really good for you too. You can find fresh asparagus all year but it is the most affordable in the springtime, that's why it's so popular at Easter.

Fresh asparagus is delicious on it's own but by adding a few simple ingredients you can turn a simple side dish that your entire family will adore. This recipe is light, very tasty, a breeze to prepare and oh so good! The mildness of Muenster and goat cheese will accent, but not overpower the delicate asparagus flavor.

1 lb asparagus
3 TBL unsalted butter
2 TBLS olive oil
2 TBL shallots, diced
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup dried nettles (found at any health store if you don't grow & dry your own)
a few sprigs of fresh thyme
1 tsp sugar
5 eggs
1/3 cup cream
1 cup Muenster cheese, grated
1/4 cup herbed goat cheese, crumbled *opt
sea salt & ground pepper to taste

Rinse,roll and cut asparagus into 1 inch pieces. You should end up with 2 cups. Melt 1 TBLS butter and olive in a saute' pan and saute onion, shallots until soft and golden. Add asparagus--sprinkle with sugar, cover and steam cook for 2-3 minutes. Remove the cover and cook until liquid has evaporated. Allow to cool slightly.

Beat together, eggs, cream, dried nettles, thyme, sea salt & ground pepper to taste. Melt and put remaining butter in a two inch high baking dish. Pour in egg mixture and bake in pre-heated 400 degree oven until it just begins to set(about 3 minutes). Remove from oven and arrange asparagus and onions on top of the eggs. Back into the oven, bake another 5 minutes. Remove from oven once more and cover asparagus layer with grated cheese and goat milk crumbles. then bake an additional 10 minutes . When the eggs have puffed and the cheese is lightly browned, this dish is finished. Let it set a few moments before cutting and serving. Enjoy!

Makin' Whoopie

2010-05-08T08:42:00.005-04:00

Making these classic eat with your hands treats is a piece of cake. There are some things about whoopie pies that pretty much everyone can agree on. First, they're really not pies at all, but instead a sandwich type dessert usually made with two chocolate cakes and a white frosting filling. Though you'll find them in all sizes from the hamburger bun size right down to mini whoopies, but beyond that, everything else about whoopies is pretty much up for debate--including just where they originated.

You might call it a mystery from the American culinary past, but just who's responsible for creating the magnificent whoopie pie? Both Maine and Pennsylvania claim credit, along with two competing stories. Maine lore asserts that a woman in Bangor baked some leftover cake batter in cookie-sized rounds and stuck them together with frosting. Here in Maine, the whoopie pie is practically its own food group and even some bakeries in the state claim to have been making them since the mid-1920's. Given our Maine bias that's long enough for me to justify the state's claim to makin' whoopie creations.

On the other hand, there's the name to consider. The Amish of Lancaster County, PA also claim to have created the whoopie pie from leftover cake batter, with even a traditional explaination for it's unusual name for this treat.. it is said the Amish children would cry out "whoopee" when they found the pies in their lunch bags, and so the name stuck. Some folks speculate that migrating Amish introduced the treat to Maine and other surrounding states, which might explain why the whoopie pie seems to be best known in New England and Pennsylvania. One thing's for sure, no matter where whoopies came from originally, there's more than one way to make them and it's up to you to pick your favorite (which, translated means multiple test batches might be in order!) Whoopee!

First there is the cake itself. The traditional are chocolate, made with unsweetened cocoa. The higher end dark cocoa powder will result in a darker richer cake, Regular cocoa is fine too and results in a more milk chocolatey like cake.

Then there is the size to consider. A typical whoopie pie found here in Maine lends itself to two-handed eating, but this is another area open to interpretation. Some folks prefer to make a smaller, snack size whoopie pie about two to three inches across. This is the size I generally make. I get more yield per my recipe and they're easily wrapped and may be frozen for later. Then there are the wee mini- whoopies that are about 1 1/2 inch across--that make for a nice cookie-tray offering or party dessert.

And finally there is the flavor to consider. Even though the classic whoopie pie is chocolate with a white vanilla filling, the structure itself of the whoopie pie lends itself to all sorts of flavor variations in both the cake and the filling. Pumpkin cake with cream cheese filling is popular here in the Fall, and a reverse version for fans of vanilla cake with chocolate filling. In the Spring you'll find the strawberry whoopies at most farmers market and I've tried nearly all of them ;) Actually I am one of the original taste testers at my friend Claire, of Little Cottage Bakery booth at market weekly.. it's a tough job, but someone's gotta do it! Ayup, whoopie pies are always a hit around here.

Fillings are so varied, but have two essential components: fat and confectioners' sugar. Some folks favor shortening, some prefer butter and oftentimes a combo of both is frequently called for in printed recipes. It all boils down to the taste you like best. Then, there's the matter of a third ingredient: marshmallow creme is the traditional part of the filling, and yet you can readily find whoopie pies that don't use it. To me, without the marshmallow, any filling, no matter how tasty are heavy and rather dense--more like a thick frosting, which I don't really care for in my whoopies.

This week, I broke my own rule and made a new version for me.. chocolate peanut butter whoopie pies, and gosh they were good..but I did miss the lightness the marshmallow lends to fillings. So who can really lay claim to the creation of the whoopie pie? What constitutes the best filling, cake and flavors? In the end does it really matter? Something as good as a whoopie pie doesn't need an accurate history or ingredient concensus.. it just needs an appreciative recipient--and a tall glass of ice cold milk chaser to please me. :) These cakes have a taste reminiscent of milk chocolate, the perfect compliment to peanut butter.
I hope all you Moms out there have a wonderful Mothers Day!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies

Chocolate Cakes

3/4 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk

Peanut Butter Filling

6 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 TBLS unsalted butter, at room temp
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
4 cups confectioners' XXX sugar
2 TBLS milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat two cookie sheets with cooking spray or parchment paper.
In a large bowl mix the butter and sugar until well blended, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, mixing until smooth after each egg. Mix in vanilla extract.
In a separate bowl, stir together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Add half the flour mixture to the first bowl, mixing until well combined. Add half the buttermilk and mix again until smooth. Repeat with remaining flour and buttermilk. The batter will be thick and slightly springy.
Here's where you will decide which size pies you want to make. Pictured, I did up a sample of the three most commonly used sizes. I dropped 2 TBLS portions of batter onto the cookie sheets, leaving 2 inches between each portion to allow for spreading, and then baked about 12 minutes until they were puffed and set, but still soft when lightly touched. Let the cakes cool for 5 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to finish cooling about 20 minutes.
Prepare the filling while the cakes are baking and cooling. In a large mixing bowl mix cream cheese, peanut butter, butter, vanilla and salt until creamy. Add confectioners sugar slowly while continuing to mix and lastly the milk and mix until light and fluffy about 5 minutes total.
Assemble the whoopie pies by spoon filling onto the flat sides of half the cakes, dividing it evenly among cakes. Top with remaining unfrosted cakes and serve.. or wrap each pie up in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for two days or up to a month in the freezer. Seldom, does this happen around our house. Enjoy!

Roasted Cauliflower, Tomato & Fennel Soup

2010-04-28T15:16:00.007-04:00

I'm roasting! I wish! After a week of warm, sunny days we’ve been having around here, the skies are now gloomy and overcast,hail with rain and downright chilly. It’s hard to believe May Day is just a few short days away! I’m keeping my fingers crossed the weather will improve by then, May Day is also our opening day for my Kennebunk farmers market and I’ve been wrapping soaps all week for the grand opening.

It’s still very cold today and after buttoning up many of my sprouting veggies in the garden with the threat of another freaky frost I was craving something warm and comforting. Since there wasn’t much in the frig but a lone head of cauliflower and some fennel, and remarkably enough I found two bags of last seasons roasted tomatoes in the freezer, I settled on some roasted cauliflower soup and cornbread.

Roasted Cauliflower, Roma’s and Fennel Soup

1 head cauliflower
extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup fennel, sliced thin
about 6-7 roasted tomatoes- I used roma’s
1/2 cup mushrooms, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup light cream
zest of one lemon
thyme, savory and parsley
sea salt
ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash the cauliflower then cut into flowerets.
In a large bowl toss cauliflower and sliced fennel with enough olive oil to lightly coat all the pieces then spread them out in a single layer on a baking sheet and season with herb blend.
Place cauliflower in the oven and roast, turning pieces occasionally until almost tender, about 20 minutes.
Remove cauliflower pieces and set aside to cool. There will be some olive oil left on the baking sheet. Pour the leftover oil into a soup pot. Add the fennel slices, mushrooms and minced garlic and saute over medium heat until just golden. Add cauliflower, roasted tomatoes and vegetable broth to the pot and bring to a boil. Then, turn heat down and simmer for ten minutes or until cauliflower is tender.
Remove pot from heat and let cool slightly. Scoop out four ladles and puree the soup until nearly smooth. I like to leave some of the cauliflower unprocessed, so I just used an immersion blender, but you can choose to puree it all, and then pour it back into the pot. On low heat gently reheat soup, then add one quarter cup of light cream, zest of one lemon, herbs, sea salt and lots of ground pepper to taste. If you find the soup too thick, add a little bit more of vegetable broth or even water to your liking. Stay warm. Enjoy!

Fennel Cornbread
Adapted from Ocean Mist Farms

The fennel and shallots adds flavor and moisture to traditional cornbread and was so tasty served with the roasted cauliflower and fennel soup.

1 egg, beaten
1/2 fennel bulb, grated
2 shallots, minced
1 3/4 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup sugar
1/8 cup wildflower honey
1/2 cup cooked crumbled bacon
2 cups plain cornmeal
a handful of fresh chopped chives
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
cooking spray

Directions Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spray 9 inch cast iron skillet with cooking spray and place skillet in hot oven to heat up.

In large bowl, combine all ingredients, mixing until well combined. Spoon batter into greased hot skillet and bake at 450 degrees for 20 minutes or until corn bread is golden brown. Slice the cornbread warm right out of the pan and serve.

I won't be around for a few days, and though these daffodils are now shivering in the rain I'd like to wish everyone a Happy May Day and pray the sun shines on all of you. Happy Spring!

Orzo with Eggplant, Asparagus & Mushrooms

2010-04-16T14:01:00.010-04:00

The weather has been so nice this past week, with highs in the 80's but then today it turned really brisk, rainy and even a few spits of that white snowy stuff mixed in, so it’s really cold and stormy here today, limiting my time in the gardens. But hey, that's New England weather for you.

The first thing I did when I got home was turn on the heat.. I just couldn’t warm up. Whenever it's cold outside, I want comfort food. So I made lemoncello and basil chicken breasts for dinner and decided to serve it with orzo, mushrooms, eggplant and fresh asparagus. This was a simple yet comforting side dish, and I even had a little left over for lunch tomorrow. The mushrooms, shallots and eggplant gave it a wonderful flavor and texture to the orzo while the pepper added just enough heat.. It was a nice dinner and just perfect for a cold and stormy day like this one.

Orzo with Mushroom, Eggplant & Asparagus

2 TBLS olive oil
3 shallots, minced
7-8 mushrooms, sliced
2 clove of garlic, minced
5 spears asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 medium eggplant, peeled and cubed
ground pepper
½ cup crushed roma tomatoes
¼ tsp hot pepper flakes *opt
1 ½ cup chicken stock
1 bay leaf
½ tsp thyme
1/2 cup of orzo

Peel the eggplant and cube for a total of about 2 cups. Heat olive oil, adding shallots, mushrooms and garlic. Cook until garlic is just beginning to brown. Add the eggplant, asparagus and a generous grinding of pepper. Stir well and add crushed tomatoes, thyme and bay leaf and continue to cook for 3-5 minutes more. Add the orzo and chicken stock. Cover and simmer over medium heat about 20 minutes and it’s ready. Enjoy!

Scallops Marinara

2010-04-12T09:11:00.009-04:00

I just love this time of year, warm enough to get your hands dirty and cool enough to not work up a sweat. I've been busy working in the garden all this week clearing,transplanting, adding amendments and planting. So far my peas have sprouted, the lettuce is up and the spinach is just beginning to pop through the soil. Big meals have been sparce spending so much time outdoors, but big appetites at the end of the day abound.

We try to eat seafood twice a week in our house, be it fresh fish or shelled and one of my favorites are sea scallops. In all honesty, they are so easy to prepare, I'd hardly call it a recipe, but still affordable. So when our good vegan friends Robin and Marcie came for dinner this weekend, I served these seared rapidly with a mushroom brushetta along with antipasto. With a few nice bottles of wine and great conversation we feasted and shared many laughs over a 'throw together meal' as Robin so aptly put it.

Scallops Marinara

2 lb sea scallops
3-4 tbs olive oil
3 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp white pepper
Marinara sauce

Heat olive oil in a large pan, and saute garlic 2-3 minutes over medium-high heat. Add all herbs and spices and saute another minute before adding the scallops. Cook the scallops just until they turn opaque, then add the marinara sauce and bring to a simmer, reducing the heat to low for just a few minutes. This is so good served over polenta, angel hair or linguine..but we decided to keep this meal really simple and along with the sides--it was more than enough to fill us up. Enjoy!

Marinara sauce

3 tsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, smashed
5 fresh basil leaves
1/4 tsp oregano
1 16 oz can San Marzano plum tomatoes, crushed
sea salt & ground pepper
pinch of sugar

Saute the garlic in olive oil. Add crushed tomatoes, basil oregano, sugar,sea salt and pepper. Over medium heat-- simmer just 30 minutes.

Happy Easter!

2010-04-03T18:40:00.007-04:00

Finally the trees are budding, and daffodils and tulips are just beginning to open, the goats are kidding, the croakies are happily peeping in our overfilled ponds singing away -- Spring is a beautiful time of the year! Best of all I planted my peas!

Easter Sunday is predicted to be just a gorgeous day. We'll be having roast lamb with all the fixings, with only a few sweets. I'm really trying to stick to my diet :) but we couldn't celebrate the holiday without at least one slice of sweet Easter rice pie--torta di riso. I made just a small one for us this year. Wishing you all a very blessed Easter--Buona Pasqua

Cacciatore Risotto

2010-03-31T14:00:00.010-04:00

We really enjoy chicken cacciatore, almost as much as risotto so I decided to combine these two favorites into one really hearty dish. I’m also kind of addicted to one pot meals and as we had guests over this week I wanted to be able to spend as much time with them and not be in the kitchen. I think it turned out great and from the look of their empty plates, would definitely make it again. I’d like to make it with boneless chicken thighs, as I think they are more flavorful. For dessert-- my Nonna's chocolate and almond cream pasticiotti’s that I only make during the Easter holiday.

Chicken Cacciatore Risotto

sea salt
white pepper
1/2 lemon
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 pound boneless, skinless, chicken breasts
flour to dredge chicken breasts
2 shallots, minced
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 green pepper, seeded & chopped
4 ounces mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 pound plum tomatoes, chopped
1 ½ cups arborio rice
1/2 cup red wine
4 cups simmering chicken stock
4 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup grated pecorino romano cheese
1/4 cup fresh basil, minced
1/4 cup chopped parsley

Preparing the Chicken:

Rub the chicken with the lemon and season chicken on both sides with sea salt and white pepper. Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large, nonstick skillet.
Dredge chicken in flour, shaking off excess. sauté chicken until well browned and cooked through. Drain on paper towels and cool. When cool enough to handle, cut into slices and set aside.

Preparing the Risotto:

In the chicken saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over med-high heat. Add onion, garlic, celery, carrot, green pepper, mushrooms and tomatoes. Cook until mushrooms just begin to brown.
Add rice, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes more, just enough to coat the rice well—don’t brown it.
Add wine, stirring constantly, and let totally absorb. When wine is evaporated, begin adding warmed stock 1/2 cup at a time, letting each addition evaporate before adding the next cupful. After most of stock is added--taste the rice. It should be full, just a bit chewy--al dente, but not mushy! Add chicken pieces after the last addition of chicken stock is added.
Once the last addition of stock is absorbed, remove from heat, and stir in butter, grated romano cheese, fresh basil and parsley. Serve with some nice crusty bread, a garden salad and dig in. Enjoy!

Almond & Chocolate Easter Pasticiotti's

Cranberry Almond Couscous

2010-03-14T10:11:00.003-04:00

When I am on the run I’ll often stop into a local deli and pick up one of their fresh salads and one of my favorites—couscous. I have a minor fixation with Israeli couscous, the larger pearled type of couscous. It just feels lighter than pasta and yet more substantial than traditional couscous, plus it makes a perfect base for many one dish meals. I think my fondness for this pearled variety is why I am so keen on fregola a Sardinian pasta that I posted a few weeks back. To me they are very similar in appearance and flavor and both so simple to incorporate into a multitude of dishes.
I made this dish last night and served it with some cranberry orange glazed tilapia. It seems I make couscous as often as I make risotto these days, as side dishes or on its own. It’s light, filling and so adaptable—you can add tons of colorful veggies or just keep it simple. This recipe comes together very easily and it’s just great served either warm or cold.

Cranberry Almond Couscous

1 1/2 cups pearled couscous
2 TBLS. olive oil
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth or water
½ cup dried cranberries, diced
1/2 cup slivered almonds
¼ cup grated carrots
½ tsp tumeric
2 TBLS fresh flat leaf parsley, minced
pinch of curry powder
2 tsp wildflower honey
juice of one orange
zest of one orange
2 tsp canola oil
white pepper, & pinch of sea salt to taste
drizzle of sesame seed oil *optional

Heat olive oil and add couscous, cooking on medium heat until slightly browned, 3-5 minutes. Add vegetable broth or water, orange zest,grated carrots and bring light boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes until all liquid has been absorbed. Transfer the couscous to another large skillet or baking sheet to cool. As it’s cooling whisk together canola oil, orange juice, fresh parsley, honey, tumeric, curry powder, white pepper & salt. Pour this over cooled couscous pearls and toss to coat all. Add cranberries. Cover, and chill. Just before serving I toss in the almonds and a drizzle of sesame oil and toss once again. We enjoy this dish either served warm or as a cold salad, both equally great! Enjoy!

Friday night Spinach Pie

2010-03-13T08:21:00.009-05:00

Many Friday nights my Dad would meet up with his brothers and eat at my Nonna's house with his brothers and just visit. Like most Italian Mama's this was a highlight in her week to have her sons just to herself and feeding them food she knew they all enjoyed. Her menu always changed, but the bottles of homemade vino were the first thing put on the table with a half dozen jelly glasses. Not much was fancy in my grandmothers kitchen, but the food always plentiful, comforting and just perfect. Sometimes Nonna would make them spinach pies, calzones or stromboli and some extra for him to bring home to us. And were times Mom and I never got any because Dad had finished them off while driving home. Yes, they were that good and Dad simply loved them.

This weekend marks the passing of my Dad, so in his memory I decided to make a tray of spinach pie that I knew he enjoyed so much. Typically I make individual pies, just like my Nonna's but this time I made one sheet of them to cut into squares to serve. Making them this way saves me a bit of time and though I really enjoy the individual pockets of spinach pies this is a close second in my book. Squared or pocket I know Dad would enjoy coming home to this dish. We miss you Dad, xox.

Spinach Pie
print recipe

fresh pizza dough
2 lbs fresh spring spinach, washed
10 mushrooms, chopped
3 garlic cloves, mashed
1/2 bunch scallions chopped
2 TBLS pine nuts
fresh oregano, basil & thyme to taste
grated pecorino cheese
1 can black olives, each cut in half
extra virgin olive oil
splash of white wine
sea salt & ground pepper

Sautee in olive oil the garlic, scallions,pine nuts, herbs and mushrooms for just a few minutes. Toss in washed fresh spinach leaves and a few oz of white wine. Cover & cook for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and add the olives, salt, & ground pepper. Give it another couple of stirs and allow to cool uncovered. Transfer the spinach mixture to a colander and allow to drain excess liquid.

Roll out pizza dough adding just enough flour so that it won't stick to rolling pin. Divide the dough in half and press evenly into baking dish with one section of dough to fill the dish and up half the side of dish. Add spinach filling and spread evenly over the dough. Top with second sheet of dough wrapping edges under to seal crust. Brush top with a bit of olive oil. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the crust is lightly golden. Remove from oven--allow to cool and slice. Enjoy!

Lamb shanks & beans

2010-03-01T08:10:00.009-05:00

This is a favorite dish around our house, though my children think.. 'they look a little barbaric Ma, with the shank hanging out of the bowl'. Yes, I guess they sort of do, but they make one fabulous meal.

What's with this awful weather? Uprooted trees, downed power lines and flooding. Once our power was restored, I knew just what dinner would be. So, no Sunday sauce on this dismally raw and rainy weekend--but instead lamb shanks! It'll warm you right down to the bone.

Lamb Shanks with Cannellini Beans

6 TBLS olive oil
4 lamb shanks
Flour for dredging
Sea salt and white pepper
1 large white onion, diced
8 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups San Marzano plum tomatoes, crushed
2 sprigs chopped fresh oregano
3 sprigs chopped fresh thyme
3 sprigs chopped fresh rosemary
2 sprigs chopped fresh savory
6 cups vegetable stock
2 cans cannellini beans or northern white beans, drained & rinsed
fresh parsley

To prepare:

Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan.
Dredge the shanks in flour, shake off the excess, and then salt and pepper them. Brown the lamb over medium heat. Once a shank has browned evenly, place it in the roasting pan.
Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Add about 4 more tablespoons oil to a saute pan, and over medium heat add the onions and garlic. Cook until soft. Then add the tomatoes, oregano, thyme, rosemary, savory and the vegetable broth and let simmer for a few minutes. Taste for seasoning and add sea salt and pepper if necessary.
Pour the sauce over the lamb shanks, cover with aluminum foil, and put in the oven for about 3 hours. The meat will begin to fall off the bones. Turn the oven down to lowest setting to keep warm until ready to serve.
Remove 1 1/2 cups of sauce and add it to some cannellini or northern white beans with ground pepper and some fresh minced parsley.

Tobey's weigh in--five minutes old

It's lambing season on many farms this time of year and on a weekend much like this past one, this little guy came into the world on our farm. Winds howling through the barn, no power and he decided to deliver breech. So by kerosene lantern and a little assistance from me he was born healthy along with his two sisters.. triplets! We were going to name him 'blizzard',for obvious reasons :-) but instead decided on Tobias.. Tobey. So, I'm wishing all shepherds a much calmer upcoming weather week and smooth birthings.

Proud Mama Lidia and young Tobias

Tuscan Blueberry Port Chicken Breast

2010-02-20T16:42:00.014-05:00

Italians are accustomed to turning to the land for culinary inspiration. For every cook who stops by a supermarket to pick up a roast of beef or some chicken breasts, several more will return from the woods with rabbits, ducks or even wild boar for dinner.
Hunting is an age old tradition in Italy, but one that is still embraced to this day in hundreds of little hilltowns and villages. When in Tuscany on holiday, we'll go out of our way to find roasted duck or rabbit on the menu.

Just north of Rhadda is one of our favorite places for wine tasting, Castello di Volpaia. Tour the winery,taste the superb wines and then enjoy a delicious dinner at the winery's excellent ristorante, La Bottega Their pastas are simply delicious, and the cinghiale, wild boar, is the best we have ever had. It's clearly easy to see why their hunter's style dinners are so popular on their menu. Real Italian fare to celebrate life and the bounty of land.

Back at home I'm often experimenting with new recipes in my kitchen, and as we eat a lot of chicken or turkey this was one of my efforts to replicate a marvelous duck dish with the lightest plum sauce I had the last time we visited La Bottega. I subbed in last of the fresh picked blueberries I had in the freezer along with some organic boneless chicken breasts in place of the duck breast. Though I have made this both ways now, I am sort of torn to which I prefer, the duck or chicken. So if you have an appreciation for game meats, do try this recipe. It's a breeze to prepare and even better, it's a heart healthy recipe too!

Blueberry Port Chicken Breast

1 1/2 cups pomegranate juice- I used POM
4 organic boneless chicken breasts
olive oil
sea salt & ground pepper
2 lemons, sliced
dried rosemary, thyme, parsley
10 shallots, minced
8 oz fresh blueberries
1 cup Port wine
3 TBLS lemon juice

Rinse and pat dry chicken breasts and place in a resealable bag and add pomegranate juice. Push out all excess air, seal and refrigerate overnight or aty least six hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove chicken breasts from the marinade and sprinkle with sea salt & ground pepper.Reserve leftover marinade liquid. Place the lemon slices on top and a sprinkle of dried rosemary, thyme and parsley.Drizzle 2 tsp olive oil over chicken pieces and bake 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325 degrees and bake another 25 minutes. Remove the chicken breasts from oven and keep warm.

Transfer 3-4 TBLS of pan drippings to a saute pan and saute shallots until lightly browned, about 3-4 minutes. Add the blueberries, remaining pomegranate marinade and Port wine. Bring to a light boil and cook for another 4 minutes to reduce liquids slightly. Stir in the lemon juice, mashing some of the blueberries.

To serve, spoon a large ladle of the blueberry sauce onto a warm serving plate. Thinly slice the chicken or duck breasts and place on top of the sauce. Top with remaining sauce and serve. Enjoy!

Valentine's Pick Me Up Tiramisu

2010-02-14T11:10:00.007-05:00

Today when friends gather, the conversation inevitably turns to food and restaurants. At one recent gathering, a friend was heard to say, “I discovered Italy here in America right here in one of our local restaurants. I was served a fantastic dessert. The waiter called it, tiramisu.” I had to smile to myself, as it’s one of our family favorites.

Though it originated in northern Italy, many have discovered this incredible confection appearing on many restaurant dessert menus.. we even recently spotted it in a small French bistro we enjoy. There are many different recipes for this scrumptious dish and as it’s my Valentine’s favorite dessert, I’ll share my version of tiramisu ( which literally means “pick me up”) I made two of these yesterday, one to bring to a friend this weekend and one for my dear hubby. I had to stash it in the refrigerator under a bed of arugula greens so he wouldn’t spot it ..(and knew that would be the least likely place he’d go hunting for his evening snack. :)

Valentine Tiramisu

30 Savoiardi lady fingers (sponge finger biscuits)
2 cups strong espresso coffee, cooled
½ cup coffee liqueor, rum or brandy
6 oz mascarpone cheese
2 cups heavy cream, whipped
1 pastry cream recipe
2 egg whites
cocoa powder
sugar
semisweet chocolate shavings

Whip the egg whites to a soft stage. Add mascarpone cheese, 1 tsp sugar and two tsp liqueor of choice. Blend well and fold it into the cooled pastry cream along with 1 cup whipped cream. In an 8 x8 serving dish, place a layer of lady fingers that have been lightly soaked with espresso coffee. Cover this layer generously with the pastry cream mixture and dust the top with cocoa powder and top with a second layer of lady fingers, but this time, lightly soaked in coffee liqueor or brandy. With the remaining cup of whipped cream cover the top of confection in a decorative fashion. Sieve another light dusting of cocoa powder over the whipped cream and sprinkle with chocolate shavings. I like to make my tiramisu the day before I plan to serve it to give the flavors some time to meld together and set. So cover it and refrigerate until serving time. You can easily make individual ramekins or readily double this recipe for a gang. But no matter which you decide, it’s sure to be a real pick me upper at your table! Enjoy & Happy Valentine’s Day!

Pastry Cream

This is a perfect all purpose pastry cream that can readily be used for a variety of desserts: eclairs, cream puffs, Napoleans, fruit tarts and even layered cakes, and the cream will also accommodate various flavorings such as almond or anise extracts as well.

2 cups milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
½ cup sifted flour
1 tsp vanilla extract

Bring milk to a scalding stage in a double boiler. Beat eggs, sugar and flour together with a whisk and pour it into the scalded milk. Lower the heat and stir with a wooden spoon continuously until thickened. Remove it from heat and add vanilla extract. Allow to cool.

Mr McGregors Carrot Ricotta Muffins

2010-02-10T17:48:00.005-05:00

I heard these were awesome! Well, if you listen to my sister brag about them, you would think so too! :) My sister use to own a Bed & Breakfast in Vermont and had quite an assortment of daily muffins on her menu for the guests, and as I have been in a muffin making mood lately I thought we'd give these a try. I didn't have enough carrots on hand, but did have a couple of sweet potatoes and because I just love raisins, tossed in a few of these too. Fanny, pictured here was one of our pet rabbits who just loved my carrot patch on our farm.. as well as the lettuce, celery & beet patch. I think she'd give these muffins a big thumbs {err or rather ear up} up. Okay sis, I surely would have to agree with you, these were just yummy! Enjoy.

Carrot Ricotta Muffins

In one bowl sift together and mix well:

2 3/4 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 TBLS baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice

In another bowl combine & mix together:

3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup sweet potato-cooked, peeled & mashed
1/2 cup white raisins
1/4 cup softened butter
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 1/4 cup shredded carrots

Combine shredded carrots into the dry ingredients. Mix well, breaking up any lumps. Make a well in the center of the mixture. Add the milk/egg/ricotta mixture and raisins. Don't overmix--just combine enough to wetten. Spoon batter into greased muffin tins and bake in a 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes.

Tipping the Scales--Fettucini Alfredo Day

2010-02-07T06:49:00.010-05:00

I honestly think, the month of February should be declared as the National Go Off Your Diet month.
We can kick off the event, and tipping the scales by celebrating World Nutella Day.

One of my favorite days of the year. Who can possibly resist this sweet, dark hazelnut spread? Yes, I admit it, I'm clearly addicted. In fact, I can be in Nutella heaven just licking it off my fingers each morning before it even reaches my toast. You simply won't want to miss this event! Hundreds of absolutely delicious recipes for you to indulge in. World Nutella Day

Then, there is today, February 7th, in addition to Big Game Sunday,this being the second largest snack day of the year..second only to New Year. Super Bowl Sunday is the time to break out the snacks and enjoy the biggest football game of the year. Sure you can try to burn some of those extra calories cheering hard for your fave team, but that won't cut it if you plan to load your plate up with fried potato skins and cheesy processed dips, followed by what else? Oh yeah! Can after can of beer.

Now just stop a minute here, don't even think about jumping on that scale until after you finish celebrating National Fettucini Alfredo Day!

Would I kid you? Today is in fact the day to really cheat on your diets.

Fettuccini Alfredo has become one of those dishes that everybody makes, and everybody makes a bit differently. To my way of thinking, this indicates the dish is a good one, since everybody adapts it to their own taste (like a macaroni salad). So I can't honestly say there is just one authentic recipe for Fettuccini Alfredo, but I can say that this recipe seems to embody the 'original' concept, but a richer version where a cream sauce lends itself to a glorious pasta dish.

I made this earlier this week as a side dish for five guests. I suppose 'in moderation' is the key like anything else. And just around the corner, Valentines Day. Yikes! But if we tack on an extra five miles of walking each day for the month, we can easily partake in these festivities, somewhat guilt-free!

1 lb fettuccini
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano,plus extra cheese to pass at the table
1/2 cup heavy cream, lightly whipped
a pinch of ground nutmeg
Sea salt and white pepper
Optional* roasted chicken breast, sliced, steamed broccoli florets

Timing is crucial for this dish. Ideally, the pasta and the sauce should be ready at the same time.

Cook fettucini in boiling, salted water to al dente stage.While the fettucine is cooking, place butter in a pan large enough to hold the sauce and all the pasta together, and melt over low heat.
Slowly add lightly-whipped cream to the pan, whisking continually.
Stir continuously until the sauce is hot and slightly reduced.
Still stirring, add grated cheese and nutmeg.
The sauce should thicken and yet be smooth
Add salt and pepper to taste. (At this point, pasta should be cooked)
Drain pasta and add it to the sauce. Mix well. Toss in some chicken slices and steamed broccoli and toss once more. Serve with grated Parmesan to pass at the table.
Enjoy--
Now, Are you nearly as full as I am? And we're only halfway through the month. GO for that walk! :)

Delicata & Fig

2010-02-05T10:08:00.007-05:00

I made a tray of fig and sage tartlettes last weekend while the children were here visiting and had a half dozen figs left over, so along with some lemon roasted chicken and butternut risotto, made some stuffed delicata squash.

We enjoy all of the squash family but this one is a family favorite, and one of the tastier winter squashes, with creamy pulp that tastes a bit like corn and sweet potatoes, and the last I had stored from the summer garden. A friend had given me some of the heirloom seed that grew very well for me. What I like the most about this tasty winter squash is that the thin skin is also edible. And if you don’t want to stuff them, just halve them length-wise, scoop out the seed and rub them with olive oil, herbs, sea salt & pepper placing them face down in a baking dish and roast them in the oven for about 20 minutes until tender. Aside from the lovely color in the garden, it’s just so delicious to eat! Clearly this season, I will be planting many more!

Stuffed Delicata & Fig
***********************
2 medium delicata squash, sliced in half lengthwise, pulp & seed removed
1 medium delicata squash, peeled, pulp & seed removed and diced
1 small zucchini, diced
2 figs, sliced
2 figs, diced
2 slices pancetta, diced
2 shallots finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup diced sweet peppers
2 TBLS olive oil
2 TBLS minced fresh parsley
½ tsp summer savory, minced
1/4 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
sea salt & ground pepper to taste
2 oz crumbed feta cheese
3 oz shredded fontina cheese
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup water

Brush diced squash with a bit of oil,salt, pepper, herbs and bake at 375* until just starting to tender. Don't overcook. Remove from oven & set aside.

In a large skillet, saute the zucchini, pancetta, shallots, peppers and garlic in olive oil until peppers are just tender. Add chopped figs,herbs and seasoning. Cook for two minutes longer. Turn off the heat and add gently mix in the cooked delicata squash.

In a separate bowl mix cheeses and one beaten egg together. Add cheese mixture to sautéed vegetables. Divide and spoon mixture into reserved delicata shells.Top with a few fig slices and rizzle each stuffed squash with a bit of olive oil. Place in an ungreased baking dish and pour water into bottom of pan.
Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until heated through. Uncover and bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is lightly browned. Enjoy!

Shrimp Fregola

2010-01-30T15:59:00.006-05:00

One of the cooking magazines I subscribe to is the magazine of La Cucina Italiana. It's become one of my favorites over the years and all the recipes I've made from it have been consistently good.

Recently, a friend gifted me with a basket of various kitchen gadgets and food goods. Included in the basket were two bags of fregola, a typical Sardinian pasta. Somewhere I had read and heard about fregola, but had never tried it. As I flipped through my cookbooks I found little in the way of recipes, other than an additive to soups. One book indicated fregola is a pasta made from semolina flour, and appears to look like a somewhat larger version of couscous--but the dough is hand rolled into balls and then lightly toasted, giving it a nutty flavor. I'm just sorry that I never tasted it sooner because it was wonderful. Move over couscous, you've been replaced!

I began this dish much like how I make risotto, and pretty much the way I cook--seldom measuring much, and began with a soffrito of sauteed minced onion, carrot, celery and anchiove paste in some olive oil. To this I added half cup white wine, 14 oz of chicken stock along with approximately 8 oz of fregola and gave it a few stirs. This I let simmer covered until the fregola cooked until just about aldente. As this simmered, in another pan I sauteed in olive oil three cloves minced garlic, with 1 1/2 lbs fresh shrimp until just pink and because I had extra on hand I added some fresh zucchini pieces along with roasted tomatoes along with a bit of chopped kale. A bit of ground pepper, and a few chopped sprigs of fresh thyme, rosemary and basil. I find that the anchiove plus shrimp is salt enough, so omitted it from my recipe.

Once the shrimp were done, I combined it to the fregola pot, stirred and added in some freshly grated pecorino cheese. I purposely left a bit of the stock in my pot and not all abosorbed by the fregola, and yet I didn't want to end up with a bowl of soup either, but do enjoy the addition of a crusty bread to a meal like this to sop up those wonderful flavors of the broth. It turned out just right to my liking..as there was very little if any leftovers.

A few days later, I was clearing out some older magazine additions. One issue dating back to 2003 had three recipes using fregola.. one with seared scallops, one with clams, and a delicious sounding cannelini bean and fregola soup that I'm now anxious to try, especially on days like today when our temps dipped to -10 and we woke to find our kitchen pipes had frozen overnight :( Not a happy camper here today. So I am on the hunt now for any recipes that include this very tasty pasta. If anyone has one, could you send it my way please? Thanks! Enjoy!

Not Mom's Meatloaf

2010-01-27T09:31:00.003-05:00

I really love my Mom's meatloaf but we seldom eat beef much these days, but I wanted a meatloaf we could enjoy. I was thinking chicken, but then changed my mind to turkey. After trying a few recipes from the internet with disappointing results I decided to make my own. They just seemed so tasteless, so how far off could I get? The results turned out pretty tasty, served along with a delicata squash casserole and garden salad, but even better next day in a pumpkin raisin sandwich. I will definitely make this loaf again, but will try it with chicken as well.

Country Turkey Meatloaf

2 TBLS unsalted butter
3/4 cup onion, minced
2 apples, unpeeled & diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp summer savory
1/4 tsp dried tarragon
3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs, cubed small
2 eggs, beaten lightly
2 TBL lemon zest
2 scallions, chopped
sea salt & white pepper
1 1/2 lbs ground turkey
1/2 cup cinnamon applesauce- I used my own
2 TBLS dry bread crumbs, unseasoned
1 TBLS light brown sugar

Melt butter in a large skillet and cook onion, apples and garlic, stirrring until soft and golden, about 10 minutes. Add tarragon and savory and mix. Allow to cool 15 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the apple mixture, fresh breadcrumbs,lemon zest, seasonings and eggs. Once all mixed, lightly pack into a 9 x 5 loaf pan. Spread top of loaf with applesauce. Combine dry bread crumbs with sugar and sprinkle over top. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 1/2 hour. Then turn up the oven to 425 degrees and cook 5 minutes more, until it had a nice golden brown crust.
Allow the cooked loaf to rest 10 minutes or so before slicing. Decide on your side dishes and enjoy!

My turkey sandwich was made on pumpkin raisin bread, greens and a honey mustard dressing. Yumma!