Cooking with JOYce

We all know someone who has a way in the kitchen that is marvelous, not just to our stomachs but to our souls as well. They feed both with comforting skill. I'd like you to meet my dear friend Joyce, who is one of those with the gift of making you feel full, not just of fantastic food but of love, hope and friendship, too. Her recipes and background stories are sure to make you sit back in your chair and let out a satisfied, "Ahhhhhh."
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According to Webster’s… the word recipe comprises directions and a list of ingredients for preparing or making something, especially food.  It is also a medical prescription. And, most importantly, a formula for a desired end … that is, a recipe for winning!

This blog is to provide you with “recipes for winning”… no matter what your desired end might be. Whether our ideas help you set a beautiful table, decorate a room or entire home, prepare quick, healthy, dishes to serve to your family or friends, or help you maintain a winning attitude about life in general. Our goal here is to nurture your hearts, minds, souls, and bellies with simple things reminiscent of times past, but within easy reach today.

And so, we start our journey back to simpler times… times when money was scarce, work was hard, but families were closer and loving.

I share with you many of the wonderful recipes passed down to me by my wonderful grandparents, Paul and Carmela. They came to America from Sicily as very young children. Their parents settled in Boston, where they met as young adolescents. They fell in love, married, and moved to the “suburbs” to raise their family. They believed in family and in community living. Their parents helped them acquire the wonderful home they shared with their own young children. As time passed, their parents passed on, and they became “the parents”.  There was so much love and devotion in this home, their own children never wanted to leave. The secret glue to this personality mix was RESPECT and LOVE for each other, and the moments shared around the table savoring wonderful meals and stories. In the end, everyone had more, lived better, loved and laughed a lot. How wonderful is that??!!

So, may I begin with….

Bongiorno and Happy Day,

Here’s a very simple (meatless) recipe to warm your hearts and tummy…  (Note:  I usually don’t measure precisely when I cook… some of this, and a little of that, or a lot of that… so please bear with me and add/subtract depending on your taste buds!)

Pasta e Piselli (pasta with peas)

1 medium (or large) sweet onion cut into strips

1 15 oz can Hunt’s Tomato Sauce  

1 16 oz can French Cut Sweet Peas (do not drain)

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (I use Filippo Berio)

Minced garlic

Dry basil

Coarse ground pepper

Pasta of choice: either elbow or small shells

Grated Pecorino Romano cheese (optional)

In a 2-4 quart sauce pan, pour enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan.

Add sliced onion(s), tablespoon of minced dry garlic (or less, depending on your taste), a tablespoon (or more depending on your taste) of dry basil, and ground coarse pepper according to your taste.

Saute over medium heat until onions become translucent, but not mushy. Do not burn!

Add Hunts tomato sauce plus a can + of water.

Add the peas with juice and all.

Simmer over medium heat. Do not boil.

In a separate pan, cook the pasta until it is al dente (quantity depends on how many servings you want.) Drain off the water. Add enough pasta scoop at a time into the sauce mixture (depending on how soupy you like it.)

Let your family/guests sprinkle the Grated Pecorino Romano cheese as they like.

Bellisimo! Mangia

Sit down and relax, for awhile. Eat well, for good food is a blessing. Talk, for words are nourishment to the soul. Laugh, for laughter is the whipped cream 
on the dessert that is life.

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Lucky, Lucky, Lucky me…

I’m a lucky son-of-a- gun…

I work eight hours,

I sleep eight hours,

I have eight hours of fun…..

Bongiorno and Happy Day!

 After working all spring getting the garden ready for planting; and working all summer keeping the beetles in check and the plants well fed, watered, and happy, the end of summer brings forth a glorious bounty of beautiful color and smells. Fresh squashes, peppers, eggplants, and tomatoes fill the vines heavy with your labors of love. Suddenly, you have more fresh vegetables than you know what to do with. Today, many CSAs and Farmers’ Markets are in full force in every part of the country. Here’s a fabulous, easy as pie recipe you can “throw” together for a wonderful, fresh, wholesome meal. You can add almost any vegetable or bean… and, if you have to have meat… you can add pieces of chicken, sausage… whatever your imagination (and tummy) desires!

Jumbortha (“a jumble of earthy delights”)

I’m not sure I’m spelling this correctly. I recall this is what my wonderful Grandmother Carmela called it in her Sicilian dialect. My recipe is as follows.  Again, please keep in mind that you can increase/decrease according to your likes/dislikes and tastebuds. This recipe makes a fairly big batch.

Ingredients

1 very large Zucchini (or several smaller ones)

2-3 Summer Squash

1 Eggplant

Peppers (one each red, yellow, orange)

String beans (2 cups more/less)

Potatoes (3 red bliss)

Onion (1 very large sweet/Vidalia)

Fresh Basil (at least a handful of leaves)

Minced garlic (or fresh cloves pressed) (about 1 tablespoon)

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (about 1/3 cup or so)

Coarse Ground Pepper (about a tablespoon)

Kitchen Ready Tomatoes – Chunky style – 1 large can

(You can also use fresh chopped tomatoes in addition

Pecorino Romano Grated Cheese

Use a large (~8 quart covered dutch oven or other deep pot with cover)

Preparation

Wash all the vegetables well.Cut off and discard ends/stems and cut into medium sized cubes.

Peel and Slice onions lengthwise. Cut peppers in medium sized strips.

Add Kitchen Ready Tomatoes plus a can of water. Add Olive oil, garlic, pepper and basil.

You can also add kidney, pinto, or cannelli beans or chick peas.

Simmer together slowly over medium to low heat

Do not boil or over cook

You can serve this as a side dish, or add pasta as a wonderful vegetable soup.

Serve with s Sprinkle of Grated Pecorino Romano cheese and

a nice crusty bread of choice

Wine pairing is a matter of taste. A nice Zinfandel, Shiraz, Petite Sirrah, or Pinot Noir would be lovely. Since this is all vegetables with a light tomatoe broth… a white or rosé might also be enjoyable. I’ve enjoyed Reislings or Sauvignon Blancs… but I’m sure any wine aficionado would prefer otherwise.  Again, let your tastebuds and preferences be your guide!

Bellisimo! Mangia!

My beloved grandmother, Carmela, who taught me 

the joy of stirring the pot at the stove and also the 

happiness that comes from mixing lots of love into your heart.

The falling leaves

Pass by my window

The falling leaves

Of red and gold….

 Fall in New England is a beautiful time of year, especially here in the Nashoba Valley. You can almost smell the scent of apples in the air. The red and gold fruits hang on the limbs of the apple trees in the many wonderful orchards in the area. Carlsons is known for its wonderful apple cider. The Winery in Bolton offers tours of its winery where you can sample the wonderful wines available for sale. How lucky we are to live in such a wonderful New England place!

My good friend, Lorri hosted a fun pizza party one evening in her wonderful New England barn. Someone she knew had invented a great, portable pizza oven (http://www.piesonoven.com/) which he wanted to use and demonstrate. Everyone was asked to bring ingredients of their choice. And there was a contest for the most creative pizza. I guess everyone loved my pizza.  In fact, my recipe was put on the PiesonOven website, and I would love to share it all with you here. If you love pizza, please check out the PiesonOven website… and, please try this recipe too… it’s sooooo good and soooo easy!

Bongiorno and Happy Day,

Here’s a sweet treat: a nice pizza-pie-a-la mode recipe…

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Ingredients
·         Large (or small) pizza dough* (*apple recipe makes 2 pizzas) ·         2 medium Ginger Gold apples ·         2 small Granny Smith apples ·         ½ cup granulated sugar ·         2 tsp cinnamon		·         ¼ tsp nutmeg ·         Dash Allspice ·         ½ lemon – juice only ·         ¼ cup dried cranberries ·         ¼ cup walnut pieces ·         ¼ cup marscapone cheese
Instructions
·         Prepare (2) dough, stretch to final size ·         Peal, core, cut apples into apple pie-size pieces ·         In mixing bowl, add apples and sprinkle with lemon juice ·         Mix sugar and spices and add to apples	·         Add cranberries and walnuts to apples ·         Spread thin layer of marscapone cheese on pizza dough ·         Arrange apple mixture on top (use slotted spoon to avoid juice falling onto dough) ·         Cook 20-30 minutes in 350 oven
History or Background Story
Well, I can’t say I invented the apple pie, but I am most certainly one of the first to make an apple pie pizza! Never under estimate the power of apples and cinnamon on your pizza. This “forbidden” fruit tastes “motto bene” any way you slice it!  Bon appétit! ….

Bellisimo! Mangia



A turkey sat on a barnyard fence

And he sang this sad, sad tune….

Thanksgiving Day is coming

Gobble, Gobble, Gobble, Gobble….

And I know I’ll be eaten soooooon…..

Well, it’s not squash or pumpkin or mincemeat pie….

But this is a wonderful dessert Carmela would make for the holidays.

It’s light and refreshing…. And ooooooh so good… even after a big meal!

Your family and friends will certainly “gobble” this one up any time of year!!

Bongiorno and Happy Day,

Carmela’s Ice Box Cake
La Crema

4 eggs

4 tbs sugar

4 cups milk

4 tbs cornstarch

Rind of one lemon, cut in one piece

2 lbs plain pound cake*

1 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1 tsp almond extract

In top part of a double boiler saucepan, blend cornstarch in ½ cup milk. Combine with rest of milk, eggs, sugar and lemon rind. Blend thoroughly. Cook over low heat for about 10 minutes; stir constantly until it comes to a boil. Remove from heat immediately; take out lemon rind; add almond extract. Cool.

Slice pound cake in ¼ inch thick slices. Arrange one layer of cake on bottom of 10 inch square Pyrex cake pan.  Pour some of the mixture (about ½ inch thick) over this. Alternate until all the cake and mixture is used. The top layer should be cream. Place in refrigerator for 4-5 hours or until ready to serve. Sprinkle the top with chopped chocolate.

*You can also use lady fingers or graham crackers.

Note from JOYce….

I loved when my grandmother Carmela made “la crema”… I used to love licking the spoon and pan … but the lemon rind coated with the wonderful cream was even more heavenly!! 

Motto, motto bene!

   Bellisimo! Mangia  


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“…Over the meadow and through the woods…

To Grandma’s house we go….

The horse knows the way

To carry the sleigh…

Over the fields of snow…oh…”

As we enter into the winter season here in the Nashoba Valley (and elsewhere around the country), we often see hunters out in their camouflage outfits and orange caps with riffles over their shoulders. I’m sure they are hoping to be lucky enough to get a “prize” buck for their time and effort in the cold and sometimes wet weather.

While I have to admit I don’t like to see these beautiful creatures killed, I have been fortunate enough to savor the wonderful flavors of game meats. A friend of our family was an avid sportsman and hunter. He belonged to a “sportsmens’ club”, and had a beautiful log cabin in the National Forest in the White Mountains. He traveled extensively to remote areas in Canada and Alaska for wild game and salmon. He was usually very generous with his bounty. He knew that Carmela would always welcome his generosity by inviting him to savor the wonderful meals she would prepare, especially with the venison chops and rabbit he brought to her.

One of our family favorites was a dish Carmela referred to as “Scumeche” (which I’m spelling phonetically and probably not correctly). She often would use the base and change it by adding  either venison chops, pieces of rabbit, chicken and even octopus –especially at Christmas time.  It’s very simple to make, and tastes like a million bucks (excuse the pun)!!

Bongiorno and Happy Day,

Scumeche

1-2  Heads Celery (plus any extra inside leaves you might have left over)

1-2  jars Sicilian olives (drained and pitted)

1-2 jars Capers (drained)

Olive oil

2-3 cloves pressed Garlic

Sea salt

Coarse ground black pepper

Choice of meat: venison, rabbit, chicken, octopus*

¼ to ½ cup Red wine or red wine vinegar

Note: The ingredients can be altered depending on how many servings you wish to make.

Wash celery and chop into medium-sized pieces, including the leafy part (the more the better)!

Pit the Sicilian olives. I usually use a heavy can to pound the olives which breaks them and allows you to remove the pits easily.

In a large skillet, pour enough olive oil to cover the bottom sparingly.

Crush the garlic cloves with a garlic press (quantity depends on the size of the cloves and your taste buds).

Saute lightly over medium heat; be sure not to burn the garlic

Add celery and sauté until al dente

Add capers and pitted Sicilian olives and mix together well

Season with coarse ground pepper and sea salt to your taste

Pour these ingredients into a bowl while you cook the meat in the same skillet

You may need to add a little more olive oil and crushed garlic

Saute the venison chops/rabbit/chicken until browned and almost cooked

Add the celery mixture to the cooked meat

Slowly add a small portion of the red wine or red wine vinegar to your liking and blend the meat and celery mixture well.

Saute all over medium heat until all the flavors are blended. This should sit for a while before serving so that all of the flavors blend and intensify!

You can add a little more sea salt and coarse ground pepper if you would like.

Note:  *Octupus requires pre-work before you can use in this recipe.

Octupus needs to be cleaned (unless you can buy it already cleaned) and par-boiled (pre-cooked). Then you can cut into bite-sized pieces and add to the celery/caper/Sicilian olive mixture above.

A nice rice pilaf or roasted potatoes and root vegetables would go nicely with this main course.

Enjoy!

Bellisimo! Mangia

Take a look and have listen to this new song by Train--Shake up Christmas---Hope it gets you dancin' in the kitchen and feeling the true spirit of the season stirring in your hearts! (There's a little ad for a certain soda that comes first so make sure you wait for the actual music video!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-8VCL4uSUc

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The following recipes come from a dear friend whose also a great baker--her cookie exchange parties knock your socks off! She also included the story behind finding the recipes. I've had both and well, let's just say I still can't find the socks I was wearing when I did. : )Thank you, Peggy!

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It was March 1995. I was trying to get Ryan to sleep through the night using the Ferber method (which did work by the way). It was hard to hear her cry that first night though, so I went into the next room and went on my computer. I found a site called It Takes a Village (which doesn't seem to exist anymore) and found two recipes that will forever be the go-to recipes if I want to impress people. They are also the two most requested recipes. I couldn't even begin to guess how many times I have passed them on and how they were then passed on to others. Anyway, here you go:

Bailey's Irish Cream Fudge

2 pkg. (12-oz.) milk chocolate chips
1 (12-oz.) pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 (7-oz.) jars Marshmallow Fluff
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2/3 c. Bailey's Irish Cream
3 cups chopped nuts, optional (I leave them out)
4 1/2 cups sugar
1 (12-oz.) can evaporated milk
1/2 lb. butter

In a very large bowl, combine milk chocolate chips, semi-sweet chocolate chips, Marshmallow Fluff, Bailey's, vanilla and nuts. Set aside. Line a 10x15-inch pan (cookie sheet with sides) with foil and spread lightly with butter. In a saucepan, combine sugar, evaporated milk and butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook slowly, stirring constantly for 11 minutes. Poor milk mixture over the chocolate chip mixture. Stir slowly by hand to blend. DO NOT USE A MIXER. Poor into prepared pan. Chill until set. Makes 5 pounds.

I like to pull it out of the fridge after about an hour to score the pieces. It makes it easier later on to cut.


Cookies and Cream Truffles

1 (18-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 pkg. Oreo cookies
White melting candy wafers

Break the cookies into pieces and place into the bowl of an electric mixer. Mix the cookies until they are smooth and black. Add the cream cheese and beat until well combined. Refrigerate for one hour until thoroughly chilled. Using a teaspoon to measure, roll dough into 1-inch balls. Place balls back into the refrigerator to re-chill. Meanwhile, melt candy wafers in microwave. Let sit to cool about 5 minutes. Dip balls into melted candy, thoroughly coat and place on waxed paper to harden.

You can use any color/flavored candy disks depending on the occasion. I have made pumpkins for Thanksgiving, eyeballs for Halloween, red for Valentine's day or Christmas. You can also melt various colored wafers and pipe designs on the top.

From: Peggy McCabe Kangas


This recipe comes from a wonderful neighbor and friend and it sounds fabulous! Something easy and fantastic to whip up for parties or for your own family! Enjoy!
Sp
 Spinach Squares
4 Tblsp. margarine
3 eggs
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 pound mild chedder cheese
2 pkg. spinach, thawed and drained
1 Tblsp. onion (I use whole onion)
Preheat oven to 350. Put margarine in baking dish and put in oven to melt. Remove. In a large bowl, beat eggs well. Add flour, milk, salt, and baking powder. Mix well. Add spinach, cheese and onion. Spoon into dish. Sprinkle with seasoned salt and garlic powder. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes. Cool and cut into bite sized squares.


From: Beth Bedard (Thanks for sharing!!)

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“…Come on-a-my house, my house a-come on…

I’m gonna give you candy….

Come on-a-my house, my house a-come on…

I’m gonna give you everything…

Everything – everything – everything…”

This was an old song sung by Rosemary Clooney, and re-created a few years back by the “Divine Miss M”—Bette Midler. It’s reminiscent of the wonderful tunes of the “good ol’ days”. We loved music and a house filled with friends and family. My Grandmother, Carmela loved to entertain family and friends. Everyone loved coming to Carmela’s house, since she was known for her wonderful dishes and desserts. She also made her own wonderful cordials: strega, crème de menthe, sambuca, apricots and cherries in brandy, just to name a few.

When I was a young girl, all too often, my friends would call and ask me to come out to play. But Carmela had other plans for me. I was her “dolly” and kitchen helper. I had to help her knead the cookie dough or stir whatever it was she decided to make that day. I was her “official” taster!  My other VIP jobs were washing all the pans, spoons, knives, and dishes she used in the preparation of what she made and, of course, cleaning the stove top. So many times I would be in the kitchen for hours, just cleaning up after the “maestro”!  I promised myself that when I grew up and had my own kitchen, I would clean up as I go.

Needless to say, good food has always been a very important part of my life. Carmela was my “Professore a la cucina”, and I was her apprentice. Many of the meals I cook today are made without recipes. I am able to prepare dishes with my eyes, nose, and mouth. When it comes to preparing desserts, however, that’s another story. Desserts are more precise, and recipes are necessary for them to come out perfect.

Carmela taught me well!

Here is the perfect New Year’s Eve dessert… Buon Natale!

Bongiorno and Happy Day,

Cassata alla Siciliana (Cream Tart Sicilian)

1 sponge cake (10-12 inch in diameter)

½ cup sugar

¼ lb glazed fruit mix or toasted pistachios or almonds slivers

1 ½ lbs Ricotta

2 squares bitter chocolate, chopped

2 tsp almond extract

Strain ricotta through a wire sieve. Add sugar; mix thoroughly. Add chocolate and almond extract; blend until custard like consistency is obtained. Set aside in refrigerator until ready to use. Cut plain sponge cake in 3 layers. Put bottom layer on large round dish. Spread about ½ inch thick with filling. Top this with another layer of cake, then another ½ inch of the filling. Top layer should be sponge cake.  Set in refrigerator until the frosting is ready:

Frosting:

1 egg white

1 ½ cups sifted confectioners’ sugar

1 tsp almond extract

½ tsp lemon juice

Gradually mix 1 cup of sugar with egg white; beat with spoon until smooth.  Add almond extract and lemon juice; blend with more sugar (about ½ cup) until thick enough to spread.

Cover sides and top of Cassata evenly. Place cherry in center. Distribute glazed fruit on top to form an attractive design. Sprinkle with nuts and citron if desired. (Or sprinkle pistachio or almond slivers on top and on sides).

Bellisimo! Mangia