Sunday Gravy
This meat-filled gravy has been a tradition in our house for as long as I remember. Somewhere it is written, in the Italian bible, "Thou shall have gravy and macaroni on Sunday". Before we go any further, we can debate if it's gravy or sauce. I guess that depends on what part of the country you were raised in and how passionate you are about the subject. The definition of gravy is:" a sauce made from cooked meat juices together with stock and other ingredients". My "grav
Frozen Orange Creamsicle
Growing up in Newark, we had a Good Humor Truck that came around every night after dinner. As my friends and I darted to the truck, all I could think of was my orange creamsicle. Everyone thought I was crazy as they got their "shaggy dog" or "chocolate-covered cone". I went in the opposite direction with an old fashion cream creamsicle. Even as a young child I walked to the beat of my drum! Something about that creamy vanilla ice cream with an orange twist, make it my fav
Espresso Martini
Happy Mother's Day! I'm not much of a drinker, but this one wins my heart. Coffee and alcohol, what else could we ask for? Make yourself one, grab a good book and tell everyone, Mom is off today! Want to keep my attention? Please make me an iced cold espresso martini, and I'll be yours! The strong coffee is complimented by the perfect blend of liqueurs. My mother-in-law called these “delightfuls” and you’ll see why once you taste them. You’ll need: 1 shot of Kahlua
Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries
I can justify this delish dessert by saying "it's fruit after all, that's good for you!" Somehow I think once you add the cheesecake filling, it might eliminate it from the "good for you list". These are extremely easy to make and will make your Easter dessert table look very elegant. I used a piping bag and a star tip, but you can use those disposable bags that zip on top, just snip the bottom corner to make a piping bag. Let's put these together, you'll need: Fresh strawbe
Is it Done Yet?
Nothing worse than taking a roast out of the oven only to find the ends are well done and the middle is raw. I live by my meat thermometer and don't care much for the digital one. The old-fashioned one where it shows you the range for beef, chicken, and lamb works fine for me. These are general temperatures and after a few trials and errors, you'll find what your family likes. This is what the USDA recommends: Beef, Pork, Veal & Lamb Steaks, chops, roasts145 °F (62.8
Anise Biscotti
Biscott refers to "twice baked" and you can shape them large or small in size. The cookies are baked first to cook them, then a second bake drys them out. They can be stored for weeks in an air tight container and great to have on hand in case guests drop in for "a cuppa". Nibble.com writes, "Tuscan biscotti were flavored with almonds from the plentiful almond groves of Prato. There, the cookies were—and still are—known as cantucci. Cantucci di Prato can be found in the w
Almost Italian Knots- Italian Easter Cookie (Uncinetti)
These are non-traditional love knots made with almond paste that are moist and easy to make. Somewhere in Italy my Nonna is yelling "dov'è l'anice" - "Where is the Anisette?" Sorry Nonna, I don't use Anise or Anisette in my love knots, actually, I don't tie them into knots anymore. How's that for breaking tradition? This Easter Cookie is not too sweet and can be enhanced with lemon extract and zest. So it appears, no one person can take claim for the "love knot" but it is
Kitchen Fun Facts
Thought it would be fun to share some not so known facts about the kitchen. Some you may have known already as where others are brilliant and I'm wondering why I didn't know them sooner! Here goes... * Fresh lemon juice will remove the onion scent from your hands. * To avoid teary eyes when cutting onions, cut them under cold running water, or briefly place them in the freezer before cutting. * Separate stuck-together glasses by filling the inside glass with cold wate
Pizzagaina - Easter Meat Pie
The aroma of pizzagaina baking brings back memories of Easter past. We always had a few Easter pies at our table, but this was always my favorite. This is no way a healthy pie, but it's only once a year splurge! If you can find the meats, now is the time to collect the cold-cut ends and freeze them to offset the price of making this pie. This year, I was shocked at how expensive the meats were. You can cut back on all other things, but not the meats for this pie. This tra
Born on Date - Marketing Ploy?
Did you ever notice how the "best used by" date is always a few days after you purchase your item? Does the item really go bad as the clock strikes midnight on that date? According to AI (yes it's a reference) "Best if used by" and similar open dating (like "sell-by") became mainstream in the 1970s due to consumer demand for freshness as processed, packaged food consumption grew. While early, secret dating of dairy occurred in the 1930s (reportedly pushed by Al Capone ), th
