Twice Baked Twins
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A special treat for our soldier's homecoming
Written by Joy Paoletti and Judy Vig
Wednesday, 20 October 2010
The day we have waited for, for so long is here; our soldier is finally home! Our anxiety levels are extremely high as we buzz around the house preparing every inch of it to perfection. The house is clean and shiny with fresh fluffy towels for a much deserved shower and the refrigerator has been filled with everything ones heart could desire. His first request ... a long hot shower and a home cooked meal.
Our drive to the airport is in complete silence, but the beating of our hearts is so loud we swear the car driving next to us can hear the thumping. The moment we have been waiting for, six long agonizing months, is finally here.
The people in the airport terminal begin cheering and clapping as our soldier appears and makes his way through the crowd and back into our arms. Judy and I have planned a huge family gathering to celebrate our soldier’s homecoming.
With all the beautiful fall colors inspiring us outside, our menu is warm and comforting, and a special request has been given for something “thick with frosting,” and that is just what we have created.
The cupcake is moist and velvety in texture and has just the right amount of sweetness. When draped in the rich bourbon icing, it’s sheer perfection. Enjoy!
Look for us on Thursday, Oct. 28, at 3 p.m. as we join Better CT for a spooky Halloween meal the kids will enjoy. Please visit us @TwicebakedTwins.com and leave a message or share your favorite recipe at Joi0627@aol.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or Cookievig@aol.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Pumpkin cupcakes crowned with
bourbon caramel cream cheese frosting
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, melted and cool
4 large eggs
1 can pumpkin puree
Bake at 350F for 18-22 minutes
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice. Set this aside. In another bowl, whisk together brown sugar, white sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla and pumpkin puree. Add dry ingredients to wet and whisk or beat on low speed until combined. Taste batter, If you like a little more spice add it!!
Bourbon Caramel
Cream Cheese Frosting
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons whipping cream
1 tablespoon butter
pinch salt
2 to 3 tablespoons bourbon
1 1/2 packages of cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups, sifted, confectioner’s sugar
Heat brown sugar, cream, butter and salt over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Pour in the bourbon and stir to combine. Remove from heat and cool. In a bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until soft. Add confectioner’s sugar and beat to combine. Add three tablespoons of the cooled bourbon mixture and taste. Add more if desired.
Hersam Acorn
Publications
written by Judy Vig & Joy Paoletti
It is already October, the temperatures are starting to drop and we are very excited to think about serving big bowls of piping hot stew, fragrant soups and comfort dishes that that take a little longer to cook. With a little less to do outside we are going to do just that, focus on recipes that cook low and slow!
Osso Bucco is one of the first dishes that was always served, in our home, as soon as the leaves began to fall and the smell of lit fireplaces linger in the air. When you think of Osso Bucco , you most likely think of Ossobuco alla Milanese, a fabulous recipe from Milan, Italy. The people of Italy prepare this dish with braised veal shanks. They can be a little pricey, close to eight or nine dollars a pound but substituting a pork or beef shank will reduce the cost and be just as delicious. We have even tried boneless chicken thighs!!!! Right before serving be sure to swirl into the pot a sprinkle of the gremolata mixture. The addition of these flavors is quite surprising.
Traditionally we serve this rich dish over risotto or polenta but mashed potatoes can be just as satisfying. If there are any leftovers, the meat can be shredded and tossed with any type pasta! Enjoy!!
Please feel free to visit us @TwiceBakedTwins.com and to email at Joi0627@aol.com - Cookievig@aol.com
Osso Bucco
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 dry bay leaf
2 whole cloves
3 shanks , veal or beef
sea salt & pepper
all purpose flour, for dredging
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, diced
1 small carrot, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup dry white wine
3 cups chicken stock
Gremolata
Gremolata is a traditional Italian condiment made from finely minced parsley, garlic and lemon zest. It's a nice way to wake up a heavy, meaty, braised dish, which is why it's usually served with braised veal shanks.
3 tablespoons flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 garlic clove, chopped
Prepare gremolata by combining all chopped ingredients and dusting the dish after it it plated. Its just so scrumptious!
Tie together the rosemary, thyme & bay leaf with twine, set aside. This will be the herb bouquet. For the shanks, pat dry with paper towels, they will brown better if they are dry. Season each piece with salt & pepper and dredge into the flour and shake off the excess.
In a large pot, heat the oil and butter until very hot and brown the shanks on each side, about 3 minutes per side. Remove shanks & set aside.
In this same pot, add the onion, carrot and celery. Season with salt. Saute until soft, about 8 minutes. Add tomato paste and mix well. Return the shanks to the pot and add the wine and reduce the liquid by about half, about 5 minutes. add the bouquet and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cover pan. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until meat falls off the bone. Keep checking and turning shanks every 15 minutes or so. You can add a little more stock if needed. The cooking liquid should always be 3/4 of the way on the shank. When done remove the bouguet and remove shanks. At this point you can blend the sauce & vegetable with a hand blender. Taste and re-season.
The temperatures are changing. Fall is coming and bringing the cooler weather along for the ride! Our beautiful summer flowers are brown and stalky and look terrible. Every time we walk by them it's hard to believe they were once so gorgeous! But wait, off in the distance, in the backyard I lots of green, big beautiful bunches of green. Oh my God, the tiny basil plant that I bought at the grocery store and completely forgot about, has exploded into a huge bundle of emerald deliciousness! What the heck am I going to do with all this? Make pesto...lots and lots of pesto.
Basil is an typically an annual plant here in our area and has several varieties form a lemony tang to the more exotic and spicy ones. When prepared right from the garden it can be one of the great summer recipes. It is simple to prepare and can be used in many ways in addition to the traditional paring with pasta. It is wonderful as a spread on sandwiches, paired with toasted bread as an appetizer or atop sauteed fish and chicken. Either way it is simple and the possibilities are endless. So make a great big batch, store it properly and use on those crazy nights when dinner seems impossible. Enjoy!
This recipe can be varied according to taste. Use different greens, cheeses, nuts, toasted or raw, whatever you have on hand. It's your pesto, make it the way you like it! Enjoy!
Basil Pesto with Parsley and Toasted Pignolis
1 large bunch fresh basil (about 4 cups loosely packed)
1 small bunch parsley (about 1/2 cup)
2- garlic cloves to taste
6-8 Tablespoons really good olive oil
1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup pine nuts (optional)
Rinse the basil as many times as necessary to remove all sand. Pat it dry with paper towel or let it air dry. Do the same with the parsley.
Place the leaves in the bowl of a large food processor along with the parsley.
Pulse until the leaves have been chopped quite a bit.
Add garlic and pulse again.
With the FP running, add the olive oil one Tablespoon at a time through the opening. Turn the machine off and scrape down.
Add the parmesan cheese and pine nuts and pulse again until you get the consistency you want. Some people like their pesto coarse, others like it pureed. You decide!
Remove to a container with a lid on it and cover lightly with a piece of plastic. As soon as the air hits the pesto, it starts to turn brown.
Freeze tightly covered for many months or refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
Ok everyone, the countdown has begun! The kids are headed back to school in just about a week. We are sure most Moms are thinking about school supplies, clothes, sneakers and snacks. But, there is still one weekend left we consider summer and then, "BOOM!" we are thinking fall! Thank you again for all of your requests and sending your most treasured summer recipes to us. We wrote about grilled meats, side dishes, berries, cherries, peaches and plums. But we forgot one; bananas!
Of course bananas can be used a million different ways, adding a sweet flavor and creating a very moist texture in many recipes. Growing up in our house, ripe bananas were always used for Mom's Best Banana Bread. When Judy and I asked for your favorite recipe for this, the variations were amazing. Pineapple, coconut and Italian cocoa powder were all the favorites and we will enjoy trying all of them. We would like to share our version of this old favorite. It is a little more like a coffee cake, using a round cake pan and drizzled with a shiny rum icing, we are calling a gloss. Join us, sit back and relax with a hot cup of coffee and a slice of this banana coffee cake and keep thinking, "soon the house will be quiet, the kids are back in school"! Enjoy!
Written by By Joy Paoletti and Judy Vig for Hersam Acorn Publications
Banana Coffee Cake with Drunken Raisins and Vanilla Rum Gloss
2 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 t baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 1/4 cups ripe banana mashed, about 3 bananas
1/2 cup rum soaked raisins
2 eggs
1/2 cup roasted nuts, optional
sanding sugar (optional garnish)
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl beat sugar, oil, buttermilk, vanilla and eggs. Add the dry ingredients and beat slowly until just blended. Do not over beat. Fold in mashed bananas, raisins and roasted nuts if using. Pour into prepared 9 inch round cake pan. Crust the top with a sprinkling of course sanding sugar. Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes or until tester come out clean.
Rum Soaked Raisins
Pour raisins into a glass bowl. Pour 1/2 cup dark rum over raisins (spice rum works too). Add enough water so that all raisins are covered in the liquid and let sit for at least 30 minutes
Vanilla Rum Gloss
1 cups sifted powdered sugar
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1 to 2 tablespoons milk or water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon rum flavoring
Combine all ingredients with enough milk or water to the desired consistency. Makes about 1 taste and add more vanilla or rum, whichever you prefer cups.
This is a very forgiving recipe, if it becomes too thin add more powdered sugar and too thick add more liquid until you're happy with it.
Of course bananas can be used a million different ways, adding a sweet flavor and creating a very moist texture in many recipes. Growing up in our house, ripe bananas were always used for Mom's Best Banana Bread. When Judy and I asked for your favorite recipe for this, the variations were amazing. Pineapple, coconut and Italian cocoa powder were all the favorites and we will enjoy trying all of them. We would like to share our version of this old favorite. It is a little more like a coffee cake, using a round cake pan and drizzled with a shiny rum icing, we are calling a gloss. Join us, sit back and relax with a hot cup of coffee and a slice of this banana coffee cake and keep thinking, "soon the house will be quiet, the kids are back in school"! Enjoy!
Written by By Joy Paoletti and Judy Vig for Hersam Acorn Publications
Banana Coffee Cake with Drunken Raisins and Vanilla Rum Gloss
2 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 t baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup buttermilk
1 1/4 cups ripe banana mashed, about 3 bananas
1/2 cup rum soaked raisins
2 eggs
1/2 cup roasted nuts, optional
sanding sugar (optional garnish)
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl beat sugar, oil, buttermilk, vanilla and eggs. Add the dry ingredients and beat slowly until just blended. Do not over beat. Fold in mashed bananas, raisins and roasted nuts if using. Pour into prepared 9 inch round cake pan. Crust the top with a sprinkling of course sanding sugar. Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes or until tester come out clean.
Rum Soaked Raisins
Pour raisins into a glass bowl. Pour 1/2 cup dark rum over raisins (spice rum works too). Add enough water so that all raisins are covered in the liquid and let sit for at least 30 minutes
Vanilla Rum Gloss
1 cups sifted powdered sugar
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1 to 2 tablespoons milk or water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon rum flavoring
Combine all ingredients with enough milk or water to the desired consistency. Makes about 1 taste and add more vanilla or rum, whichever you prefer cups.
This is a very forgiving recipe, if it becomes too thin add more powdered sugar and too thick add more liquid until you're happy with it.
Summertime Pavlova
As the heat wave returns we are still packing up and heading off to the beach as many times as we can. We try to save our beautiful flower and herb gardens daily, but swear we hear them softly coughing as we walk by. It's just to hot! The weeks are flying by and there isn't much time left before school starts. (Yeah!)
The last big picnic weekend of the summer is approaching, and we begin to plan a great menu, always jumping at a chance to have a crowd of people to try out new recipes.
Many of you have requested recipes from grilled meats and fish to side dishes and great summer salads. But once again I must ask, "what about dessert?" You may have noticed that Judy prefers to cook and I would rather bake. Chocolate cake, cupcakes, cookies... over a meal any day!
We have a great quick and easy "2 minute take" on a much loved elegant dessert called " Pavlova". A Pavlova is a meringue shell made out of whipped egg whites and baked in a very low oven for a long time. It comes out crispy and crunchy but the inside has a marshmallow-y texture that is pure delish-ish-ness when topped with fresh whipped cream and berries. We are using a store bought meringue cookie which works beautifully and saves time. Enjoy!
Please visit us @Twicebakedtwins.com and leave us an email at Joi0627@aol.com - Cookievig@aol.comjoi
. "Twice Baked 2 Minute Take" Summertime Pavlova
1 10 oz package of frozen strawberries, reduced sugar (works best)
1 8 oz container of frozen whipped topping
3 or 4 store bought meringue cookies, vanilla flavored, just slightly broken up with your hands
Strain most of the syrup from the berries. In a large bowl combine whipped topping and gently add crushed cookies and then the berries of your choice. Fold until just combined. Serve in martini glasses, (the plastic colored ones are great for outdoors) Makes about 6 individual servings.
Look for our articles in these two
top selling magazines
Twice Baked Twins Roast Marshmallows
MY Little Margie's- Famous Rice Pudding
There are many people that come and go as we travel through our lives. I still believe we meet everyone of them for a reason, perhaps each one leaving us with a bit of knowledge or a lesson to pass on...our family members have the greatest lessons and stories as they have a more permanent place in our life.
Our Father's sisters have inspired us with many lessons we will always treasure . While running the family grocery stores, the furniture store and caring for their families, they taught us how to be strong, positive women and how to keep family and outside interests in perfect balance.
The interest in food was and is a very big part of our family life. Passing down the much loved favorites keeps us warm in ours hearts and fills us with a feeling of comfort like no other. The recipe we have chosen today is a special favorite, as it has been for many years, prepared the same way each time with a great big handful of love and just a pinch of great pride...
MY Little Margie's- Famous Rice Pudding
3/4 cups arborio rice
6 cups whole milk
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped or 3/4 teaspoon extract
1/2 cup vanilla sugar
dash of salt
1/4 cup cream
handful of raisins (optional)
Combine rice, milk, vanilla, sugar and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer. Stir frequently, as the bottom can burn quickly. Continue stirring until rice is tender and liquid has absorbed, about 40 minutes. Prepare coconut sauce below.
Coconut sauce
1 14oz can coconut milk
1/2 cup sugar
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
shredded toasted coconut for garnish
Heat all ingredients together in saucepan, over medium low heat, whisking to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat and continue cooking until sauce is slightly thickened.
Spoon sauce over rice pudding either warmed or room temperature. Enjoy!
THE QUEST FOR THE BEST BURGER!
For everyone that follows our articles, time and again we mention
our grandfathers grocery store, the Royal Food Market, in West Hartford Ct. What we didn't know was that before PaPa opened the grocery store he had a meat delivery service that he started in the 1940's. He would drive from house to house to sell these prime meats. Our Mom and her sister Francis, described it as an old white truck with one seat in the front for him to drive and an opened space in the back. The space was filled with large blocks of ice that were purchased every morning, a large butchers block and a set of knives for him to "custom cut" as each customer requested.
He especially loved the ground meats. Beef to be exact. He would tell us, "I selected the best piece for that hamburg (never hamburger) and put
it through the grinder 3x". It was always perfect and when cooked so tender and juicy. Diving into this burger was like eating a piece of the best filet mignon.
Our grandmother would flavor them slightly different for the grill than the ones she would make inside on the stove. A splash of milk to moisten the beef, a handful of fresh breadcrumbs and a little salt & pepper to taste. Nothing too complicated or over spiced, Papa wanted us to taste the rich "beefy" flavor of the burger itself. The toppings were prepared separately, in the house and on top of the stove. Our favorite was a saute of fresh tomatoes, sweet onions, garlic and peppers all from their garden.
There is a lot of hype out there in the quest for the best burger, from the local greasy spoon to Daniel Boulud's upscale burger bar called dbgb Bar and Kitchen in NYC. I'm thinking... we still like Papa's burger best! Enjoy.
Join us on Better Connecticut, ch 3 @ 3pm on Monday June 21 to prepare a few quick and easy grilled desserts to go with this burger!!!
Roll/bun of your choice
1 pound ground beef
2-3 tablespoons milk
1/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs
3/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoons pepper
Mix all ingredients well. Pat into a 4 inch round burger and grill on each side, about 4 minutes.
Tomato Saute
3 tablespoons olive oil
3-4 tomatoes, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 italian frying peppers, chopped & seeded
salt & pepper to taste
Basil leaves, torn into pieces
Saute all ingredients in 3 tablespoons olive oil for about 5-6 minutes or until softened. Taste and reseason. Sprinkle with the basil and pile on burger. Delish!!
our grandfathers grocery store, the Royal Food Market, in West Hartford Ct. What we didn't know was that before PaPa opened the grocery store he had a meat delivery service that he started in the 1940's. He would drive from house to house to sell these prime meats. Our Mom and her sister Francis, described it as an old white truck with one seat in the front for him to drive and an opened space in the back. The space was filled with large blocks of ice that were purchased every morning, a large butchers block and a set of knives for him to "custom cut" as each customer requested.
He especially loved the ground meats. Beef to be exact. He would tell us, "I selected the best piece for that hamburg (never hamburger) and put
it through the grinder 3x". It was always perfect and when cooked so tender and juicy. Diving into this burger was like eating a piece of the best filet mignon.
Our grandmother would flavor them slightly different for the grill than the ones she would make inside on the stove. A splash of milk to moisten the beef, a handful of fresh breadcrumbs and a little salt & pepper to taste. Nothing too complicated or over spiced, Papa wanted us to taste the rich "beefy" flavor of the burger itself. The toppings were prepared separately, in the house and on top of the stove. Our favorite was a saute of fresh tomatoes, sweet onions, garlic and peppers all from their garden.
There is a lot of hype out there in the quest for the best burger, from the local greasy spoon to Daniel Boulud's upscale burger bar called dbgb Bar and Kitchen in NYC. I'm thinking... we still like Papa's burger best! Enjoy.
Join us on Better Connecticut, ch 3 @ 3pm on Monday June 21 to prepare a few quick and easy grilled desserts to go with this burger!!!
Roll/bun of your choice
1 pound ground beef
2-3 tablespoons milk
1/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs
3/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoons pepper
Mix all ingredients well. Pat into a 4 inch round burger and grill on each side, about 4 minutes.
Tomato Saute
3 tablespoons olive oil
3-4 tomatoes, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 italian frying peppers, chopped & seeded
salt & pepper to taste
Basil leaves, torn into pieces
Saute all ingredients in 3 tablespoons olive oil for about 5-6 minutes or until softened. Taste and reseason. Sprinkle with the basil and pile on burger. Delish!!
Scallop Shooters
Written by By Joy Paoletti and Judy
Vig for Hersam Acorn PublicationsJoy and I decided to take off for a couple of days to Fort Lauderdale, Florida for a little much needed rest & relaxation. Wow, all the memories from our senior class trip came flooding back! (now that’s a blast from the past!) The balmy Florida air, the palm trees standing tall with all their splendor... are we in heaven? We decide to see if our teen hangout is still there, the outdoor restaurant called Shooters. It was right on the water so you could take a water taxi or a private boat, oh... did we say boat? We meant yacht! You could just pull up, hop out and enjoy a great bite to eat! And hop out they did; one more handsome than the next. I wonder if Don Johnson is around...
Its here! The restaurant is still here! We take a deep breath; trying to compose ourselves and get right to the menu, let's talk about the food.
The fresh fish is plentiful here and the variety is even better. We choose a few different kinds of fresh fish to sample, grouper, mahi mahi and shark bites but fall in love with a small platter of scallop shooters. It is a large sea scallop, grilled perfectly with a spicy yet tangy lime mayo dressing on a small soft bun. Just too much perfection in one day! Serve these with our fresh blueberry lemonade. It is a great refreshing drink to go with these little beauties.
Scallops
1 pound jumbo fresh sea scallops (or frozen if fresh is not available)
olive oil
S'wepper (mixture of salt & pepper)
avocado for garnish
Wash and pat dry all the scallops. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Grill 2-3 minutes on each side. Assemble by laying each scallop on a small roll. Brush with the mayo mixture and a slice of ripe avocado.
Spicy Mayo
1 cup prepared mayonnaise
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup minced cilantro
juice of 1/2 lime
mix together all ingredients and taste. If you like less hot, go with 1/2 teaspoon on the peppers! Enjoy!
Blueberry Lemonade
8 oz store bought lemonade
1/4 Blueberry vodka
1 tablespoon Blackberry liquor (not blackberry brandy)
1 fresh lemon slice
small handful of fresh blueberries
Serve in a tall glass with ice and a straw to get every last drop! This is for 1 8oz serving.
Coffee Crusted Tenderloin Steaks with
Roasted Smashed Potatoes
2 Filet Mignon steaks
1 cup coarse salt for tenderizing
1/2 cup chocolate coffee grinds (finely ground)
coarse black pepper
2 oz, good quality dark chocolate
2 small red potatoes
splash of olive oil
s’wepper (salt & pepper)
fresh rosemary for garnish
Prepare tenderloins (Filet Mignon)
Generously salt steaks on both sides. Let sit 15 minutes. Rinse and dry completely. (the steaks should sit on paper towels for a few minutes to completely dry). Select a good chocolate coffee and grind to a fine powder. Season steaks with cracked black pepper and press into coffee as if they were breadcrumbs. Grill steaks for about 4 minutes on each side or to your preferred doneness. While steaks are grilling, wash and pierce red potatoes. Microwave for 3 minutes to speed up the grilling time. When done microwaving, add to grill just to enhance the grill flavor. Smash or flatten potatoes, drizzle with olive oil salt, pepper and a sprinkle of rosemary. Enjoy!
1 cup coarse salt for tenderizing
1/2 cup chocolate coffee grinds (finely ground)
coarse black pepper
2 oz, good quality dark chocolate
2 small red potatoes
splash of olive oil
s’wepper (salt & pepper)
fresh rosemary for garnish
Prepare tenderloins (Filet Mignon)
Generously salt steaks on both sides. Let sit 15 minutes. Rinse and dry completely. (the steaks should sit on paper towels for a few minutes to completely dry). Select a good chocolate coffee and grind to a fine powder. Season steaks with cracked black pepper and press into coffee as if they were breadcrumbs. Grill steaks for about 4 minutes on each side or to your preferred doneness. While steaks are grilling, wash and pierce red potatoes. Microwave for 3 minutes to speed up the grilling time. When done microwaving, add to grill just to enhance the grill flavor. Smash or flatten potatoes, drizzle with olive oil salt, pepper and a sprinkle of rosemary. Enjoy!
Our Summer Picnic Salad will steal the spotlight at your next family barbecue
Written by By Joy Paoletti and Judy Vig for Hersam Acorn Publications
The warm weekends are a perfect time to plan a barbecue with family and friends and keeping it simple and easy is definitely the way to go especially after a busy week. Hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken or fish; it's all delicious when grilled to perfection! Judy and I like to serve any of these with homemade blueberry lemonade or an iced sweet tea with fresh mint, but what about the side dishes? We are so sick of that same coleslaw, potato salad and "that every picnic macaroni salad" the kids want us to make! Our Aunt Fran (DeDe) came up with a great new idea for a side picnic salad.
Since we are Italian, lets start with pasta, ravioli's, small cheese filled pillows. Add some sweet tomatoes, fresh basil and a sprinkle of pignoli nuts and you have got yourself one easy, delicious picnic salad. Enjoy!
Ravioli Picnic Salad
1 lb small ricotta ravioli's, cooked and drained well
2 cups grape tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup black olives
1 shallot, sliced thin
1 small bunch basil, torn
grated parmesan cheese for garnish
Toasted pignoli nuts for garnish (optional)
Dressing
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white rice vinegar
splash of red vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Cook ravioli's according to packaged directions. Drain and place ravioli's in a single layer while cooling. (This way they won't stick to each other). While pasta is cooling, combine the oil, vinegars and salt & pepper in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Add ravioli 's and the rest of the ingredients to the bowl and pour just enough dressing to coat. Very gently toss salad to blend all ingredients. Sprinkle with the torn basil, grated Parmesan and toasted pignoli's. Taste and re-season. Enjoy!!
Remember to pick up a copy of this months issue of the FOOD magazine. Wolfgang Puck is on the cover and Judy&Joy, the "Twice Baked Twins" have a full page feature recipe too!
Welcome Home Soldier
The chocolate chip cookie has been a favorite for decades. Some add oatmeal, M&M’s, peanut butter and nuts. Ruth Wakefield invented the traditional cookies accidentally in 1934. Ms. Wakefield owned the Toll House Inn in Whitman, Massachusetts and served these gems to her customers. It is reported that Ms. Wakefield had run out of her baking chocolate and substituted a chocolate bar that was given to her by Andrew Nestle. (Sound familiar?)
During WWII, the GI’s from Massachusetts shared these cookies, which they received in care packages from back home, with soldiers from other parts of the United States. Soon hundreds of GI’s were writing home about the crunchy little cookie asking for more. And the nation-wide craze began.
A wonderful young man has entered our lives and our hearts this year…he is an American soldier. With much hesitation and sadness we wait for his safe return. Pride, fear and silent tears overwhelm us daily...
Judy and I will be honoring our brave men and women this year as we bake this old wartime favorite waiting anxiously for their safe return. My daughter and I will wait patiently, once again, until we can say the words “welcome home soldier” and until then, may God bless them all.
Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 cups, minus 2 tablespoons, CAKE flour1 cup BREAD flour
2/3 cup self rising flour
1 1/4 t baking soda
1 1/2 t baking powder
2 1/2 sticks butter
1 1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons white sugar
2 large eggs
2 1/4 t vanilla extract
1/1/4 lbs chocolate discs, 60 % cacao content (I used choc chips) it was perfect.
SEA SALT (for garnish-its fabulous!!)
-Sift flours, add baking soda, baking powder and salt.
-Cream butter and sugars until very light (5 min.)
-Add eggs, one at a time
-Add dry ingredients and mix until combined
-drop in chocolate pieces and incorporate them gently
-cover & chill up to 36 hr
-drop cookie batter onto sheet and sprinkle with sea salt
-Bake 350 F – line sheet with parchment paper
-bake 15-20 minutes, every oven and cookie size is different
Enjoy, they are worth the wait!!!!!!!!!!!
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A Very Special Mother's Day Recipe
Chocolate, The Ultimate Passion
Written by By Joy Paoletti and Judy Vig for Hersam Acorn Publications
It is early morning and the house is very still.
The sun is starting to rise, and I can feel its warmth through the window of the kitchen door.
“Wow, where are all the fingerprints? Someone must have cleaned it before they went to bed.” What a great way to start Mother’s Day,” I say to myself. “Somebody actually helped do something.”
The scent of the lilacs Judy brought over yesterday fill the kitchen as I think about the plans for the day. As I sip my hot black coffee my mind starts to wander, and my eyes fill up with tears.
I remember the lilacs at our grandparents’ house — such wonderful memories. I’m missing them terribly, especially today. “Happy Mother’s Day, Nana. We miss you.”
Very soon Mom will arrive along with the rest of the family. The noises coming from upstairs remind me that my quiet time is over, and it is time to get busy preparing our meal.
My favorite memories are the times we all gather around a table, share a story and a laugh.
“La familia,” Papa would say, “there is just nothing better.”
The recipe Judy and I have selected for you is surprisingly easy and has a very different ingredient — chocolate. For Mom and I, chocolate is our ultimate passion. I hope she will enjoy it as much as I did preparing it.
2 tenderloin steaks
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon cracked white pepper
Coarse sea salt to taste
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1/4 cup port wine
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup beef stock
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1/2 ounce bittersweet chocolate
2 tablespoons butter
Brush steaks all over with one tablespoon of olive oil. Sprinkle sea salt and pepper on both sides of tenderloins. Add another tablespoon of olive oil to skillet and turn heat to medium high; pan should be very hot. Add steaks and cook (3 to 4 minutes per side, based on your preference for doneness).
Remove tenderloins from skillet and keep warm. In the same skillet, stir in minced shallot; cook for one minute. Pour in the port and balsamic vinegar. Simmer until the port reduces to the consistency of chocolate syrup, about 2 or 3 minutes. Add stock and rosemary, and return to simmer. Whisk in chocolate until melted and slightly thickened. Lastly, whisk in 2 tablespoons of cold butter. Re-season to taste. Enjoy!
The sun is starting to rise, and I can feel its warmth through the window of the kitchen door.
“Wow, where are all the fingerprints? Someone must have cleaned it before they went to bed.” What a great way to start Mother’s Day,” I say to myself. “Somebody actually helped do something.”
The scent of the lilacs Judy brought over yesterday fill the kitchen as I think about the plans for the day. As I sip my hot black coffee my mind starts to wander, and my eyes fill up with tears.
I remember the lilacs at our grandparents’ house — such wonderful memories. I’m missing them terribly, especially today. “Happy Mother’s Day, Nana. We miss you.”
Very soon Mom will arrive along with the rest of the family. The noises coming from upstairs remind me that my quiet time is over, and it is time to get busy preparing our meal.
My favorite memories are the times we all gather around a table, share a story and a laugh.
“La familia,” Papa would say, “there is just nothing better.”
The recipe Judy and I have selected for you is surprisingly easy and has a very different ingredient — chocolate. For Mom and I, chocolate is our ultimate passion. I hope she will enjoy it as much as I did preparing it.
Peppered crusted beef tenderloin
with chocolate port sauce
with chocolate port sauce
2 tenderloin steaks
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon cracked white pepper
Coarse sea salt to taste
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1/4 cup port wine
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup beef stock
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
1/2 ounce bittersweet chocolate
2 tablespoons butter
Brush steaks all over with one tablespoon of olive oil. Sprinkle sea salt and pepper on both sides of tenderloins. Add another tablespoon of olive oil to skillet and turn heat to medium high; pan should be very hot. Add steaks and cook (3 to 4 minutes per side, based on your preference for doneness).
Remove tenderloins from skillet and keep warm. In the same skillet, stir in minced shallot; cook for one minute. Pour in the port and balsamic vinegar. Simmer until the port reduces to the consistency of chocolate syrup, about 2 or 3 minutes. Add stock and rosemary, and return to simmer. Whisk in chocolate until melted and slightly thickened. Lastly, whisk in 2 tablespoons of cold butter. Re-season to taste. Enjoy!
Celebrate spring-time with our
Pasta and Lemon Ricotta Recipe
