Hot Artichoke Dip

Here is a perfect Dip to bring to a party on New Years Eve or New Years Day....
I got this recipe from The Pampered Chef. I am now a Consultant so I have access to quite a few recipes. This particular one caught my eye and thought of sharing it with my readers.
Ingredients:
2 jars (6.5 ounces each) marinated artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained (here's a trick to draining spinach....place it in a cotton dish towel, roll it up and twist it. It will get all the excess fluids out of the spinach.)
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup (3 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan Cheese
1 garlic clove, pressed
Fresh vegetable dippers (optional)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375F. combine artichokes, spinach, sour cream and mayonnaise in Classic Batter Bowl (a Pampered Chef item). Add Parmesan cheese and garlic: mix well and spoon into Mini-Baker (another Pampered Chef item).
2. Bake 20-25 minutes or until heated through. Serve with fresh vegetable dippers, if desired.
Yield: 3 cups (24 servings)
Nutrients per serving: (w tablespoons dip): Calories 70, total Fat 6 g, Saturated Fat 2 g, Cholesterol 5 mg, Carbohydrate 2 g, Protein 2 g, Sodium 140 mg, Fiber less than 1 g.
I hope you like this!!

Disclosure: This is not my recipe....it belongs to The Pampered Chef, Ltd.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!!!! Thank you to all my readers and sponsors. Stay safe through the Holidays and we will see you in "2011".

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What to get your children when they purchase a new home???

I think I found the answer for this dilemma. I believe I have found the perfect gift for their new home. Everyone likes to make changes in their decor when purchasing a new home. So, I decided to get them a gift certificate from modern rugs. These are examples of what type of rugs you can get; Contemporary, Transitional, Children, Shag & Flokati, Solid, Novelty, Striped and Outdoor rugs. One cannot go wrong with such a large selection of modern rugs.

Yoplait Coupon - for Susan G. Komen for the Cure

Help support the breast cancer cause through Yoplait Save Lids to Save Lives until the end of the year. For every pink lid sent in through December 31, 2010, Yoplait will donate 10 cents to Susan G. Komen for the Cure® for up to $1.6 million, with a minimum donation of $500,000. Visit YourLidMatters.com for lid collection tips and tools!
The good people from MyBlogSpark.com and General Mills want to share a special Yoplait coupon - click on link below - to help you enjoy a delicious product while supporting a worthwhile cause. Feel free to share the coupon link with your readers and friends but hurry -supply is limited!

http://www.mygettogetherpage.com/uc/main/3943/

(disclosure) The information in this post was sent to me via email by MyBlogSpark.com.

Veal Stew and Veal & Peas

My mother always told me not to go food shopping when you are HUNGRY. Very bad thing to do. Well, I never listened when it came to food shopping. So, yesterday I decided to go to a food warehouse. I went there because they were having a sale on ground sirloin. Guess what? They were out of it. So instead I bought chicken tenders (20 lbs.) frozen cod fish, and frozen chunks of Veal among many other items. I should have listened to my Mother’s advise. Anyhow the Veal was frozen ( all 5 lbs of it) so I thawed it out overnight. I could not wait to cook it, I could taste it…..

This morning I decided to make Veal & Peas and Veal Stew. Here is how I make it.

a. First sauté a large onion in a large skillet. Add the Veal hunks, salt, pepper and let is simmer. Add a cup of wine, any flavor, and let it simmer about 5 more minutes.

I separated the Veal so that I could make both dishes.

Veal & Peas

In a large Crock Pot place the amount of Veal chunks desired

Add at least one can of small peas (frozen or canned)

1 can of Pastene Kitchen Ready tomatoes

3 cans of Hunt’s Tomatoes Sauce

1 can of Chicken Broth

Salt and pepper to taste.

Cook on High for 4 ½ hrs.

Veal Stew

Place the Veal chunks in another large Crock Pot

Add one can of Pastene Kitchen Ready tomatoes

One can of chicken broth

One can of sliced carrots

One can of string beans

Sautéed celery chopped

Sautéed onions chopped

4 medium potatoes cut into small chunks.

Salt & Pepper to taste.

Cook on High for 4 ½ hrs.

Yummy…..

We had it for dinner, of course I had to have both with some nice Italian bread to dunk in the sauce.

Oh by the way, they are getting their order tomorrow for Ground Sirloin....guess who's going back to the food warehouse?

Did you know?

I received this information from a friend a couple of years ago...read it and put it away. I stumbled on it when cleaning my filing cabinet. You will be surprised as to how many uses a sheet of Bounce has. It is not only for the dryer!
It will chase ants away when you lay a sheet near them.
It will repel mice...spread them around foundation areas, or in trailers or cars that are sitting and it keeps mice from entering your vehicle.
It will take odor out of books and photo albums that don't get opened too often.
Repels mosquitoes. Tie a sheet of Bounce through a belt loop when outdoors during mosquito season. (You are probably wondering why mention mosquitoes in November? Some of my readers live in warm climates.)
Eliminates static electricity from your television (or computer) screen. Since Bounce is designed to help eliminate static cling, wipe your television screen with a used sheet to keep dust from settling.
Prevent thread from tangling. Run a threaded needle through sheet of Bounce before beginning to sew.
Eliminate odors in waste basket.
This is my favorite: Clean baked-on foods from a cooking pan. Put a sheet in a pan, fill with water, let sit overnight and sponge clean. The anti-static agent apparently weakens the bond between the food.

There are a few more uses. You can contact me and I will be happy to send you a completed list.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

May you all be blessed with Family and wonderful friends like mine. I am so grateful for everything that life has given me from my wonderful husband, my two great children and the blessing of four grandchildren. I hold them all very close to my heart.

Both of our children have decided to buy new homes at the same time. We want them to find the homes that they love. My problem is trying to find something great to buy them when they find their dream houses.

So I put on my thinking cap and came up with a couple of good ideas…Our son has a beautiful bar in his present home and I thought why not get them barstools, nice padded comfortable barstools that these old bones could sit on and have a great glass of wine! Then it occurred to me that I could get them a gift certificate to CSNstores.com where they could choose the style of barstools. Either way, it would be a win win situation.

Now comes the dilemma about our daughter when it dawned on me that I could do the same for her. CSNstores.com has over 200 plus online stores to choose from.

Problem solved!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!

Stay safe and God Bless

Left over Chicken???

For some reason I always have left over chicken. It's probably because I cook more than I should. My husband, Jack, loves chicken in any shape or form. I try to do different things with it and tonight I came up with a wonderful combination. Here's what I came up with:

In a large saute pan place pieces of chicken (I always remove the bones) roasted red peppers, stuffed green olives, artichoke hearts, small amount of olive oil and seasoning. I used McCormick Perfect Pinch Vegetable seasoning and a dash of salt. While this simmered, I microwaved a bag of Birdseye Steam Fresh Brown Rice and sauteed Broccoli Rabi with garlic and olive oil.

Place the rice in a serving dish, top with chicken mixture and surround it with Rabbi.

What a fantastic combination of flavors!

The two of us ate it ALL!

Cheesy Bean, Zucchini and Red Pepper Dip

Serves: 8; Serving Size: ½ cup
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30-35 minutes
Total: 45-50 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
• 1 small zucchini, cubed
• 1 small red pepper, cubed
• 1 small red onion, chopped
• 1 to 2 jalapeño peppers, seeds and ribs removed, chopped
• 1 can (15-ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 cup grated reduced-fat Monterey jack or cheddar cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add zucchini and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, until soft. Remove from pan and set aside.
3. Repeat step 2 with the red pepper, and then repeat again with the onions.
4. Once the vegetables are all cooked, add them all back into the pan over low heat for another 3 to 5 minutes.
5. Transfer vegetables from pan to a small- to medium-sized ovenproof bowl. Add the drained beans, salt, pepper and chili powder, and toss to combine.
6. Top bean and vegetable mixture with cheese and bake for about 10 minutes. Once the cheese is mostly melted, broil the dip for about 2 to 3 minutes until the cheese is brown and bubbly.

Nutrition Information (per ½ cup serving): 106 calories, 7 g protein, 10 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 4 g fat, 2g sat fat, 8 mg cholesterol, 247 mg sodium

Winner of the $35.00 Gift Certificate from CSNstores.com

And the winner is: Kia89. I will be notifying Kia89 and she will have 48 hrs. to respond. If there is no response, I will choose another winner. Thank you all for entering this contest. Please check back from time to time for more giveaways.

Meme Cimino's Lattice Apple Pie

My mother-in-law Antoinette (Meme to her grandchildren) made a great apple pie. Her cookbook which is a brown spiral pad. It is so old that the pages have turned yellow.
Here is what you will need:

9" PIE PASTRY FILLING
2/3 cup Crisco 5 cups sliced apples
2 cups sifted flour 2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
sift flour and salt into bowl. Remove 1/3 cup flour and mix lightly with water to form a paste. Cut Crisco into remaining flour until pieces are the size of peas. Add flour paste to Crisco flour mixture. Mix and shape into a ball. Place half of the pastry on floured board. Roll with short light strokes, keeping it circular in shape (about 12" in diameter and 1/8 thick. Line pie pan. Trim uneven edges allowing them to extend 1/2" beyond edge of pan. Add apples to pastry lined pan, sprinkling with the sugar, cinnamon and flour. Dot with crisco. Roll out the remaining dough. Cut 34" strips and weave across crust. Fold edge and flute with fingers. Bake in a hot oven at 425 F for 10 minutes, then at 350 F for 25 to 30 minutes.

Subject: $35.00 Gift Card to CSN Stores Giveaway

I recently received Mini Loaf Pans from CSN Stores for review. If you missed my review of them you can read it here. I really liked them and I've used them several times since I received them. CSNstores.com has over 200+ online stores to shop from were you can find just about anything from Baby Bottles to End Tables and everything in between. Need new luggage? CSN Stores has it! Looking for new bed lines? CSN Stores has it. They really do have a store for almost all your needs!

Grandmas Cooking & More has teamed up with CSN Stores and they would like to give one of my readers a gift card for $35 which you can use in any of their stores! Isn't that wonderful?!

To Enter: Do any of the following to enter. Just leave me a separate comment for each entry.

1. Leave a comment as to what you would LOVE to purchase with your gift card.
2. Follow me on Facebook, come back and leave a comment.
3. Follow me and twitter (http//twitter.com/gramscooking) and tweet about the giveaway; come back and leave a comment.

4. Tell your friends about the giveaway and send me a copy of your emails to your friends.
Be sure to include your e-mail address in your comment so that I may notify you if you are a winner. Good Luck!

Details: This giveaway is open to US residents only (unless he said otherwise) and will end October 22, 2010 at 11:59pm EST. The winner will randomly be picked and announced shortly after.

Disclosure: I received a gift certificate to CSN stores for my review. However my words and opinions are my own and were not influenced by this.

PORK LOIN STUFFED WITH ROASTED PEPPERS & MUSHROOMS

This is one of my favorite meals, stuffed pork loin with roasted peppers and mushrooms.
Quick and easy to make and cooks in no time.
Ingredients:
1 small pork loin about 1 1/4 lb to 1 1/2 lb.
4 slices of roasted red peppers
1 small can of mushrooms - any variety
1 sprig of parsley
McCormick Perfect Pinch Vegetable seasoning
1 clove of garlic
Salt and fresh ground pepper
Directions:
Butterly the pork loin
Place in order: roasted pepper, parsley and mushrooms. Add seasons, cover and bake at 350 F
for about 20 minutes (depending on how well you like it done.) Let it sit for a few minutes.
Just before serving, place it under a broiler to brown the mushrooms and serve.

Give away! from Nicole's Nickels

I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter have decided to give away an awesome grilling prize packs on Nicole's Nickels blog. It includes an I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Spray as well as a cool bag with top of the line grilling gadgets in it! Check it out and enter! I did!

Household Hints - #1 Removing gum from surfaces and HAIR

I learned a long time ago when I was selling Avon Products. You can remove gum from any surface especially your child's hair with Skin so Soft Bath Oil.
There are so many uses for Skin so Soft Bath Oil. You can also remove old paint from carpets, use it as a lubricant to spray some around screws and nuts and bolts that won't come loose, use it as a lotion on your arms and legs to repel mosquitoes, spray it around the outside of screens on sliding doors and windows to repel mosquitoes. Coat your shower walls with Skin so Soft after cleaning them. It will repel the water...shower stays cleaner longer. CAUTION: DO NOT USE IT ON THE SHOWER FLOOR. IT WILL BE SLIPPERY AND YOU CAN FALL. Use a clean cloth to apply it on the walls to prevent it from going on the floor.

We had the experience of removing paint from an automobile after scraping the side of our house. You would be amazed how quickly it removed it.

If you have some around the house give it a try. I would be interested in the results.

Tomato, Basil and Mozzarella Salad

This is my second year of having a veggie garden. The tomato featured here is the largest tomato in my garden. it is 4.5" to 5" in diameter and about 5" high. We made two salads and 2 lunches with this tomato. The basil is also fresh. Mozzarella was purchased at Stop & Shop in the Salad Bar Section where you can get fresh Mozzarella, olives etc.

Here is what you need:
Fresh tomatoes (whenever possible)
Fresh Mozzarella
Fresh Basil
Olive Oil
Balsamic Glaze
Oregano
Salt & pepper

Directions:
Slice tomatoes and mozzarella to the thickness to your liking. Layer the slices alternating tomatoes and mozzarella. Chop the basil and sprinkle on top. Season. Drizzle Oil and Balsamic Glaze. Place it in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to chill and serve.

Review for CSN Stores - I received my Pans!

A few weeks ago, I mentioned an upcoming review I would be doing with CSN Stores. I was able to choose any product from their 200 + Stores. I decided to get two mini-loaf pans with a non-stick coating since I love to bake and I knew these would come in handy. They arrived last week and this past week I put them to the test.

Two of my favorite things to bake are Muffins and Banana Pineapple Cakes. I decided to first make Banana Pineapple Mini-Loafs in my new loaf pans. Below I will demonstrate what you need to make this fantastic cake. I'm excited that now I can make Mini loafs to give to my friends instead of slices of cake.

BANANA PINEAPPLE CAKE

3 cups of flour

2 cups of sugar
1 tsp. Salt

1 tbls. baking soda
1 tbls. powdered sugar

2 Cups mashed bananas (3 bananas)
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 - 8oz can crushed pineapple
3 eggs slightly beaten
1 cup cooking oil

In a large bowl sift flour, salt, sugar, baking soda and powdered sugar. Make a well and set aside. Combine eggs, crushed bananas, un-drained pineapple and vanilla. Add to dry ingredients all at once.




Stir until moist. Pour into prepared baking pans.....In my case i used my new pans "Kaiser Mini-Loaf Pans.

Makes one dozen mini cakes. Enjoy!

HOME MADE BAKED BEANS

This is the time of year for BBQ's. An all time favorite is Baked Beans. This recipe comes from my Mother-in-Laws recipe box.

You will need:

2 lbs of dried Pea Beans
1/2 lb. of Salt Pork
2/3 cups Molasses
3 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Teaspoon Mustard
2 Teaspoon Salt
1 Onion, cut in quarters

Pick over beans and wash thoroughly. Soak overnight in cold water. Drain and cook in cold water enough to cover the beans, slowly for 45 minutes. Cut salt pork into 1/2 inch thick strips. Place some on the bottom of pot before the beans are poured in. Mix Molasses, Salt, Sugar and Mustard in boiling water to dissolve. Put the beans in the pot on top of salt pork. Pour mixture over the beans adding enough hot water to cover the beans. Place the rest of salt pork and onions on the top.
If baking in bean pot, bake 4 to 6 hours. If cooking in pressure Cooker be sure to add enough water (about 1 1/2") to cover the beans. Close cover securely. Place pressure regulator and cook beans for 45 minutes at 15 lbs of pressure. Let pressure drop at it's own accord. DO NOT OPEN THE PRESSURE COOKER BEFORE IT COOLS.

You can cook 1 lb. of beans simply cut the recipe in 1/2.

RUSSIAN TEA CAKES (SNOWBALLS/BUTTERBALLS)

The first time I made butter balls was with my friend and neighbor Cathy F. She lived on second floor and I lived on first. We used to bake quite a bit because our children were small and loved baked surprises. She had 4 and I had 2 children. We used to bake for PTA cake sales too...we had lots of fun together. I hope you enjoy this recipe and maybe you can make them with a friend....bake wonderful memories together!!

Oven 400 F makes 4 dozen

Mix: 1 cup soft butter
1/2 cup sifted confectionery sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Sift and stir in: 2 1/4 cups sifted flour
1/4 tsp. salt.

Mix in: 3/4 cups finely chopped nuts.

Chill dough, roll in 1" balls and place 2 1/2" apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 min. Do not let them get brown. While still warm, roll in confectionery sugar. Cool and roll again.

I am very excited that CSN Stores has asked me to do a review on a product from one of their 200+ stores. They have children's toys, yard furniture, household items, dining room tables, clothing for adults and children, yard tools, you name it. This is a great opportunity for me. My Blog has been growing more and more every week and I'm excited about that! I didn't think that when I started this venture that anyone would want me to do a review. I can't wait. Maybe next month I will be able to do a giveaway. Boy would that be great! So check from time to time to see what CSN Stores wants me to review.

CRUSTY WHITE BREAD - a less rich bread

If you like to make your own bread, try this one. You won't be disappointed. I got it from a magazine around 1978.

Ingredients:
2 packages of active dry yeast
2 cups warm water (105-115F)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 cup salad oil
6 to 6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:
Dissolve yeast in warm water. Stir in sugar, salt, oil and 3 cups of the flour. Beat until smooth. Mix in enough of the remaining flour to make dough easy to handle.

Turn dough onto lightly floured board: knead until smooth and elastic 8 to 10 minutes. Place in greased bowl; brush top with oil and cover. Let rise in warm place until dough is double in size..about 45 minutes.

Punch down the dough and divide in half. Roll each half into rectangle 18x9, roll up beginning at the short side. With side of hand, press each end to seal. Fold ends under loaf. Place seam side down in greased loaf pan 9x5x3". Brush loaves with salad oil. Let rise until double, about 1 hour.

Heat oven to 400 F. Bake about 35 minutes or until loaves sound hollow when tapped.

CRISP WHITE SUGAR COOKIES

Here is another of Mother Cimino's recipes....crisp white sugar cookies. I like to put ice cream in between two cookies..yummy.
Ingredients:
4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup butter of shortening (I like Crisco)
1/2 cup sour milk or buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
Preheat oven at 425
Sift measured flour. Sift flour, baking soda, salt and sugar. Cut in the shortening or butter into dry ingredients until very fine. Combine vanilla and slightly beaten eggs. Add to dry ingredients beating until smooth. Cover dough tightly with wax paper. Chill over night or for several hours. (Dough is easier to handle when cold. It is sticky when it's warm) Roll on thin on floured board. Cut with cookie cutter. (You can garnish them with cherries if you wish)
Bake on ungreased cookie sheet in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Cookies will be crisp when cooled.
Makes about 4 dozen large cookies.

BAKED CUSTARD

This recipe is from my mother-in-laws recipe box. The white recipe card is now yellow....that's how old this is....but delicious.

You will need:
2 eggs 1 pint of milk
3 tbsp. sugar 1 tsp. vanilla
and a pinch of salt.

Beat eggs, sugar and salt until creamy. Add milk and flavoring. Stir well and place in baking cups. Bake until firm in the center. 350 degree oven.

Chinese Ramen Noodle Salad

Credit for this wonderful salad goes to my daughter-in-laws friend Cheryl. She brought this delicious salad to a cookout and it was a hit!



Ingredients:

*** SALAD***
1 head cabbage
2 bunches scallions
2 packages Ramen (vegetable or chicken flavored)
5 ounces of slivered almonds
4-6 Tbsp. butter or margarine

***DRESSING***

1/4 cup Rice Wine Vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup oil
3 tablespoons soy sauce

Directions:

Chop and mix the vegetables. Refrigerate until served. Melt 4-6 Tbsp. of butter or margarine.
Add almonds and crushed Ramen noodles. Add seasonings and brown for about 8 minutes. Mix vinegar, oil, sugar ad soy sauce. Shake up well. Just before serving mix the vegetables, crunch and dressing and mix together well.

Recipe originated from CDKitchen.

**One of my readers suggested to add pulled chicken from a Rotisserie Chicken to make it a meal instead of a side dish... Thank you.

CHICKEN FINGERS

I have had this recipe for 31 years. This was given to me by an old friend...written on a recipe card by my then 6 year old daughter, Karen. Made it once and never saw it again. Now that I'm blogging my favorite recipes I decided to make them last week. Jonathan, Kristopher and Kara had dinner with us and I didn't know what to make. I had bought 10 lbs of chicken tenders so out came the recipe.

These chicken fingers went over so big with the Boys....they could not get enough of them. Try it, you will not be disappointed.

This is for 1 lb of chicken tenders or pieces of chicken:

2 eggs
1/2 cup sifted flour.
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tsps. melted shortening (Crisco)
dash of garlic powder and/or any other season you may want.

Wash the chicken and put aside.
Beat eggs for 1 minute on medium speed.
Add milk, sifted dry ingredients, season and shortening. Beat at low speed until well blended.
Batter should be thick like pancake mix. Coat the chicken and deep fry until golden brown.

Here is a trick that I use because I am always afraid that the chicken is not cooked well enough. I quick fry them in frying pan on both sides. Then I place them in an oven at 350 for about 20 minutes. This will give you time to gather everything else that you are serving with them and you don't have to be concerned if the chicken is cooked or not.

***If you are using small pieces of chicken you will probably want to eliminate the oven. They should cook well enough in the Deep Fryer.

Pound Cake - Auntie Etta Rivelli's Recipe

My Auntie Etta used to make this pound cake for us. It would keep for days and always stayed fresh. Here is what you will need:

Preheat oven at 350 - grease and floured 13x9" pan. Cooking time:1-1 1/2 hrs.

4 1/2 cups sifted Swans Down cake flour
3 cups of sugar
1 1/2 cups of Crisco shortening
pinch of salt
3 teaspoons of vanilla
2 cap full of lemon extract
6 eggs
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 cups of milk

Separate eggs...beat egg whites until stiff and set aside. Blend Crisco and sugar to a creamy mixture. Add egg yokes to Crisco and sugar mixture. Blend well. Add flour, baking powder and milk gradually alternating ingredients. Add flavors. Blend well: Add egg whites, blend at low speed until smooth.

Bake at 350 preheated oven in a greased and floured 13x9" pan for 1 to 1 1/2 hrs.

This cake is wonderful....serve alone or with your favorite fruit topping.

Enjoy!

Home Made Chicken Soup (Italian Wedding Soup)

I don't know anyone who doesn't like chicken soup...especially Italian Wedding Soup!
This is my version of it:

Ingredients:
one whole chicken
4 celery stalks-sliced or diced
1 clove of garlic
1/4 chopped onion
1 teaspoon parsley
salt & pepper to taste
two cans of carrots - diced
4 hard boiled eggs - diced
1 teaspoon of poultry seasoning or chicken base
6 cans of chicken broth.
1 head of escarole or kale - chopped
1 box of small pastina - any variety
Directions:

Boil the whole chicken, set aside to cool. Pour the water the chicken was boiled in a very large pot.

In a small skillet brown the garlic in olive oil. Add to the Chicken broth in the large pot. Add the 6 cans of chicken broth and add onion, celery, escarole, seasonings. Let it cook until the escarole and celery are tender.

Meanwhile boil the eggs and dice when cooked. Set them aside. (I have used egg whites from a carton and just poured it in the soup)

Cut up all of the cooked chicken.

Add the chicken and eggs.

I usually cook the pasta separate and then add it.

If you want Italian Wedding soup simply make tiny meatballs and add to the pot when adding the onions and celery. Everything will cook together.

This may sound like a lot of soup - it is. Freeze what you don't need. It comes in handy no matter what season we are in.

PASTA FAGIOLI

Vin Storti's Pasta Fagioli was in the Providence Journal on March 22, 2006. I kept the recipe because it is delicious. Now I will share it with you. I know my daughter Karen will say "Mom, yours is the best" because she rather I make it for her. do try this, it is very good: Vincent Storti was the Caterer at Knights of Columbus in North Providence when I met him.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil Pinch of red pepper flakes
1 clove of garlic 2 tablespoons granulated garlic
1 small Spanish onion diced 1 tablespoon chicken base
2 tablespoons pepperoni, diced Fresh ground pepper, up to a tbsp
` 28-once can cannellini beans or 3 small cans 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese
28 ounces of water 2 bay leaves
1 plum tomato, diced 1/2 cup red wine
1 28-once can tomato sauce

Directions:

Ia a large saucepan over medium heat, saute the garlic and onion in the olive oil until the onions caramelize. Add the pepperoni (more if you like it spicy) and keep stirring. Pour in the can of beans with the juice. Don't drain the beans, Fill the can with water and add to the saucepan so there is 28 ounces of water. Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Lower heat ad let simmer for 7-8 minutes. You don't want the beans to get soggy.
Optional: Add your favorite small pasta to soup. Serves 4-6

SQUASH FLOWERS

This is the time of year everyone, I mean everyone I know is planting a garden. Two of the reasons are 1. Tomatoes, lots and lots of tomatoes and 2. Squash not just for the zucchini or summer squash BUT for the FLOWERS!!! Fried battered squash flowers are fantastic! Try buying them...if you can find any the cost will range from $.75 to $1.75 each, depending the demand. SO, if you like fried battered squash flowers plant some. Two or 3 plants will be enough. Every morning pick the blossom and keep in airtight bag in refrigerator until you have enough to cook. Here's how I make mine. Everyone has a different recipe. If you have a special recipe, send it to me and I will post it.

Ingredients:
1/4 c Parmesan cheese
1 c milk
2 dozen squash flowers
1/2 c canola oil
1 tbs flour
1 egg
Salt & Pepper

Directions:

Clean the flowers removing the stem and wash them. Place on a paper towel to dry.

Blend milk, flour, Parmesan cheese, egg, salt & pepper with a fork; beat the batter until smooth.

Place flattened flower in batter, stir carefully. Allow 10 minutes of soaking time.

Heat Oil in a cast iron skillet until hot (you can use a regular fry pan if you don't have a cast iron one)
Fry batter coated flowers until golden; turn once, drain on paper towels, place on a plate and garnish if you wish.

EJOY

WINE BISCUITS

HERE IS ONE OF MY FAMILY'S FAVORITE: ITALIAN WINE BISCUITS
THIS RECIPE WAS GIVEN TO ME BY MY MOTHER-IN-LAW ANTOINETTE, SHE GOT IT FROM HER MOTHER-IN-LAW ANGELA ISABELLA CIMINO. IT'S AN OLD RECIPE.

HERE IS WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
10 CUPS SIFTED FLOUR
6 TEASPOONS BAKING POWDER
2 CUPS SUGAR
2 CUPS OIL
2 CUPS RED OR WHITE WINE--I PREFER RED WINE
1 TEASPOON SALT
1 TEASPOON ANISE SEED (OPTIONAL) I CHOOSE NOT TO USE IT.

BEAT SUGAR, WINE, OIL & SALT. COMBINE FLOUR AND BAKING POWDER THEN ADD GRADUALLY TO THE LIQUID INGREDIENTS. IF THE DOUGH IS TOO SOFT TO ROLL AFTER ALL THE FLOUR IS ADDED, ADD MORE FLOUR A LITTLE AT A TIME UNTIL YOU CAN ROLL THE DOUGH.
ROLL THE DOUGH IN SMALL AMOUNTS AND SHAPE AS DESIRED (ROUND OR BRAIDED USUALLY WORKS FINE)

PLACE ON UNGREASED COOKIE SHEET OR ON PARCHMENT PAPER. NEXT BEAT 1 EGG AND LIGHTLY BRUSH THE TOP OF EACH BISCUIT. BAKE AT 425 OVEN UNTIL GOLDEN BROWN..CHECK THEM AFTER 15 MINUTES. OVENS VARY...ELECTRIC OVENS COOK FASTER, SO PLEASE CHECK THEM AFTER 15 MINUTES. YOU CAN ALSO LOWER THE TEMP IN THE OVEN TO 400.

THIS SHOULD YEILD ABOUT 100 BISCUITS DEPENDING ON THE SIZE YOU MAKE THEM.

ENJOY!

AUNTIE ETTA'S BASIC COOKIE DOUGH/PRUNE FILLED COOKIES.

AUNTIE ETTA'S BASIC COOKIE DOUGH: She used this dough to make PRUNE FILLED cookies. Everything she baked was in large quantities. Here is what you will need:
5 lbs flour
2 lbs sugar
1 1/2 dozen eggs
1/2 lb butter
1/2 lb Crisco shortening
5 heaping spoons (tablespoons) baking powder
Vanilla and milk is needed.

Beat sugar, eggs, Crisco, and butter with mixer...place mixture in large bowl and add flour - a little at a time - add baking powder, vanilla and milk if needed to form a soft and silky dough. Put aside to rise.


PRUNE FILLING:
combine prunes (pitted of course), 1/2 cup sugar, 1 cup of water,2 tsp cinnamon, raisins, chopped nuts, chopped or sliced cherries and 1/4 cup of brandy. Cook everything together on medium heat stirring constantly simmer for 12 minutes or until thick. Let it cool down.

When filling is cool, gently roll the dough, place the filling in the center and close forming a loaf. Brush top with egg wash. Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes or golden brown (Ovens do vary, please keep a close eye on the loaves)

I like to drizzle frosting, but must people like to sprinkle confectionery sugar on them. Slice when cooled down.

You can use this basic cookie dough to make cherry slices, almond slices, etc. Instead of stuffing the loaf you add the almonds or sliced cherries right in the mixture. Set aside to rise. When ready, form loaves and bake same as filled loaves.
Let cool before slicing.

If anyone bakes these cookies, please let me know how they turn out! ENJOY

WHITE PIZZA

Some of the recipes that I will be sharing with you from time to time will be of my Auntie Etta's and my sister Teresa's who are no longer with us. They left behind wonderful memories that are burned into my heart and food that makes my mouth water every time I think of it.
This particular pizza was one of my sister Teresa's favorite, and lucky for me I watched her make it! She was a few years older but we were very close. She would make this pizza for me so that I wouldn't have to go through all the trouble making it.
Okay! Here we go...you will need:

Pizza dough
Olive Oil
Potatoes
1 clove of garlic
oregano
salt
1 sweet onion

Directions:

Let the dough rise until it doubles.

Coat your pizza pan with Crisco and spread the dough, make sure not to poke holes in it.

Brush olive oil over the entire pizza dough with a pastry brush.

Next, thinly slice potatoes (you can used canned pealed potatoes or part boil one).

Next finely dice a clove of garlic. (You can used minced garlic)

Using a food mandolin, thinly slice a sweet onion.

Once the toppings are ready, begin by lightly sprinkling oregano on the pizza. Layer thin slices potatoes with onions. Sprinkle in the garlic. Now drizzle olive oil all over the ingredients, and add a light layer of oregano and salt.

Bake in 350 to 400 degree oven for about 10 to 15 minutes. Check after 10 minutes because all ovens vary.

Let cool for a few minutes, slice and ENJOY!

SHRIMP WITH BROWN RICE

This blog may turn out to be about food only-but who doesn't like food? I know that I do. I try to combine different ingredients in order to make a dish that is a little out of the ordinary. The same old doesn't always do it for me: my hubby on the other hand will eat just a salad if that's all that I make. Here is something I tried with Shrimp and Brown Rice. I hope you try it...it was yummy! Recipe is for two.

1 lb of raw shrimp 1 small red onion, chopped or sliced
1 pk Steam Fresh brown rice 2 stalks of celery, chopped or sliced
1/2 red pepper black olives
1/2 green pepper 1 pkg Steam Fresh Broccoli Crowns
2 cloves of garlic 1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon
1/4 cup olive oil 1/2 red wine
3 tbs butter or margarine Chicken broth or clam juice
1 tsp red pepper flakes
Salt & Pepper


In a large skillet lightly brown sliced garlic in the oil. Add peppers, onions and celery. Saute for about 3 minutes. Meanwhile, steam the rice and broccoli crowns and put aside. Add butter, lemon juice and shrimp. When the shrimp starts turning pink, add red wine (you can substitute with any wine) sprinkle red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Now add the olives, rice and broccoli. Cover and let simmer for about 5 minutes on low heat.
Time is anywhere from 1/2 hr to 45 minutes. I like to prepare everything in advance so that I don't forget anything.

You can serve this alone or with a nice tossed salad. ENJOY!

Quick Chicken Dinner

Today was a crazy day...worked most of the day. We got home late and Jack and I were both starving. I did have the insight this morning to thaw out chicken breasts. Here is how I prepared them. It took only 30 minutes.

1 package of chicken breast
Red onion
two small potatoes - diced
roasted peppers
cooking spray (Pam)
oil
salt
pepper
Mrs. Dash

Preheat a large skillet. Brown them quickly in a large skillet...I used a cooking spray to brown them. After browning them I added a red onion slices, diced potatoes and seasonings. I added 1/4 cup of canola, salt, fresh ground pepper and Mrs. Dash original seasoning. Let this all cook covered for 10 minutes checking it constantly. Remove the chicken when done so that it doesn't get dry. Cover it with aluminum foil and put aside. Finish sauteing the potatoes and onions. When potatoes are tender, they are done. Return the chicken to the skillet and add roasted peppers. Cover and let simmer for 5 minutes.
This meal is done in one skillet, easy clean-up and it should only take 30 minutes total.
YUMMY! Serve alone or with a tossed salad.

My Very First Blog & Grandma's Homemade Pizza

Good morning everyone! Last night my grandson Kristopher and I decided it was time for Grandma to start her blog. We thought very hard as to what the blog should be about, and Kristopher's answer was " Blog about being a Grandmother, giving advise, doing fun things with grandchildren, making PIZZA and other good stuff". He is special but so are my three other grandchildren: Jonathan, Holly, and Allison. I love them to death! So here goes my first recipe for the day.

Grandma's Pizza

One pound of dough - I prefer Calise & Sons Bakery dough, but any dough will do.
Let it rise until it doubles in size.

Coat your pizza pan with Crisco. This will help the dough stay in place..

Drizzle olive oil around the edges and put it aside.

Next: prepare the sauce. I prefer Pastene chunk style kitchen ready tomatoes. One can will make at least two pizzas.

In a medium size bowl, combine tomatoes, teaspoon of oregano, sprinkle minced garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon sugar and 1 table spoon of Olive Oil. Mix it well. You will also need toppings. I usually make pepperoni with mozzarella cheese for the kids. Spread the sauce on the dough. Then add the mozzarella cheese evenly over the sauce. The more the better. Top it all off with Pepperoni. Bake in 425 oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Start checking it after 15 minutes, some ovens cook quicker than others, especially electric ovens.
Let it set and cool for about 10 minutes after taking it out of the oven. Enjoy!

I make pizza with many different toppings.

One of the favorites is with Cento Anchovies and hot peppers with grated cheese.

In my next blog I will discuss making white pizza with yummy toppings!


ps: If you try this recipe, please let me know how it turns out.