• HONEY BAKED APPLES

    HONEY BAKED APPLES

    4 APPLES – Golden Delicious, Jonagold-your favorite crisp apple 6 TBS RAISINS – Golden raisins or any diced dried fruit such as apricots   1 ½ TSPS CINNAMON 1 PINCH NUTMEG 3 TBS WANUTS or PECANS 4 TSPS HONEY 1 CUP APPLE CIDER – not juice ¼ CUP ITALIAN SWEET WINE*     Preheat oven Continue reading

  • Chestnuts in Italy and A Spicy Cheese Bread

     FESTA DELLA CASTAGNA IN ARCIDOSSA   Fall has many nice surprises one of which is chestnuts. In late fall, chestnuts pop up overnight in the medieval cobbled streets of Arcidossa, a little Tuscan Mountain village on Mount Amiata in the province of Grossetto. There you will find teams of men twirling the handle on huge, Continue reading

  • Creamy Cranberry Dip and Pumpkin Cake Roll

    CREAMY CRANBERRY DIP Something delicious to satisfy your company while waiting for the Turkey to be ready! 1 PKG (8oz) CREAM CHEESE –softened 1 CUP SOUR CREAM – not low fat 2 TBS HONEY 2 TSP CINNAMON 1 CAN (14 oz) WHOLE BERRY CRANBERRY SAUCE  1 CUP SLICED ALMOMDS – toasted, cooled to room temperature Continue reading

  • THANKSGIVING THOUGHTS, AND TWO GOOD RECIPES

    THANKSGIVING THOUGHTS, AND TWO GOOD RECIPES

    Every Thanksgiving the scene is the same in almost every American household.  The ritual of the “Turkey”, the centerpiece of the day; how to cook it, how to baste it and how to stuff it.  That being said, stuffing I have come to realize is as sacred as your Nonna’s spaghetti sauce. Every family has Continue reading

  • PESCADO a la VERCRUZANA

    An exciting fish dish with a most interesting sauce for a perfect Good Friday dinner. This delightful dish comes from Veracruz, founded in 1519 by Hernan Cortes on Good Friday and named for the True Cross.  It is the spot where modern Mexican history began as Veracruz was a cultural crossroads for hundreds of years Continue reading

  • SCALLOPED POTATO CHEESY BUNDT

    What’s not to love about this! PREHEAT OVEN TO 400º 4 TBS BUTTER – unsalted, room temp 2 1/2 POUNDS YUKON GOLD POTATOES     (about 7-8 medium) 1 CUP HEAVY CREAM 2/3 CUPS GRATED PARMESAN 1-2 CLOVES GARLIC – grated 1 TBS FRESH ROSEMARY – chopped 3 SCALLIONS – thinly sliced KOSER SALT FRESHLY GROUND Continue reading

  • SEMIFREDDO WITH LEMON CREAM

    AND BLUEBERRIES ½ CUP HEAVY CREAM LEMON CREAM 2 EGG WHITES PINCH OF KOSHER SALT ½ CUP AND 2 TBS SUGAR – divided  TSP LIGHT CORN SYRUP 2 TBS WATER 1 TSP LIGHT CORN SYRUP 2 ½ CUPS FRESH OR FROZEN BLUEBERRIES – divided 1 TSP VANILLA EXTRACT     Using a 9X5-inch glass loaf Continue reading

  • Chicken Breast Involtini with Potatoes

    SERVES 4 1 ¼ LBS CHICKEN BREASTS – skinless and very thinly sliced ¼ LB MORTADELLA – thinly sliced 4 YUKON GOLD POTATOES 4 LARGE SAGE LEAVES – shredded 1 TSP FRESH ROSEMARY – minced PINCH OF OREGANO 2 GARLIC CLOVES – chopped EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL SALT AND PEPPER – to taste 1/3 CUP CHICKEN BROTH – optional PREHEAT OVEN TO Continue reading

  • Baked Shrimp with Lemon and Oregano

    Baked Shrimp with Lemon and Oregano

    Oreganata di Gamberi al Forno PREHEAT OVEN TO 400º COOKIE SHEET COVERED WITH FOIL 18 JUMBO SHRIMP – peeled, deveined, tails left on ¾ CUP EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL 2 CUPS BREAD CRUMBS – unflavored or flavored 4 GARLIC CLOVES – minced 4-5 TBS LEMON JUICE – freshly squeezed 1 TBS DIRED OREGANO – or Continue reading

  • APPLE BREAD PUDDING with CARAMEL SAUCE

    PREHEAT OVEN TO 325º GREASE 9X13-INCH BAKING DISH 1 LARGE LOAF FRENCH BREAD – 10 cups of small cubes 2 TBS BUTTER – unsalted 2 APPLES – quartered, sliced into ¼-inch thick slices – 2 cups 1 CUP BROWN SUGAR – packed w extra for sprinkling ½ TSP CINNAMON – or more to taste PINCH Continue reading