Carmelized Applesauce 2 tablespoons of milk
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

In a small bowl whisk mayo, sugar, milk and vinegar.  Add cabbage, carrot and pineapple and toss to coat.

To assemble sandwich: mound pork onto roll. Pile high with a layer of slaw and enjoy!!

Creamcheese Tassies

 

Crust

 

3/4 cup butter, softened

2 packages cream cheese, 3 oz each

2 tablespoons powered sugar

2 cups all purpose flour

 

In bowl, cream butter and cream cheese. Gradually add flour and confectionery suagr until dough comes together.  Do not over beat. Cover and refrigerate for one hour.

 

Filling

3 pkgs. (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened

2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

3 eggs

1 cup sour cream

Assorted fresh fruit for garnish

1/4 cup strawberry jelly, heated until smooth (this will glisten fruit)

 

Preheat oven 350 degrees. (we will be using a 8-9 inch springform pan). Mix all crust ingredients together and press firmly onto bottom and at least 2 inches up the side of the pan; set aside.

 

Beat cream cheese, the remaining 1 cup sugar and the vanilla with electric mixer on high speed until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each one. Add sour cream and blend.

 

To assemble Tassies:

 

Use 1-1 1/2 tablespoons of dough to form a ball.  Spray mini-muffin pan with pam spray. Gently press into the bottom of a mini muffin pan and up the sides to form a little well. Spoon about a tablespoon of filling  into shells and bake for approximately 15 minutes. (every oven is different, shells should be slightly golden). remove a let cool.  Top with your favorite fruit or garnish!!

 

Cheesecake Tassies "Two Minute Take"

 

1 pouch sugar cookie mix, prepared as directed

1 container of ready to eat cheesecake filling

1 jar of strawberry jam, or what ever you like

raspberries or blueberries for garnish

 

Prepare cookie mix according to package directions. Grease each cupcake mold and roll 1 heaping teaspoon of dough into a ball and put in bottom of a mini cupcake pan, gently pressing the dough half way up the sides. Bake at 350 degrees for about 6 to 7 minutes, till edges are golden. They should look like little cups. If they look to puffy, gently push your finger in the center making a well in center. Let cool about 20 minutes and loosen edges very gently with a knife, if needed, and remove.

In a small bowl measure 2 cups of the prepared cheesecake filling and swirl in about 2 level tablespoons of jam. Fill cookie cups and top with a berry!

 

Chocolate Cherry Cookies

 

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

24 maraschino cherries, drained & cut in half - reserve liquid

 

Frosting

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

4 teaspoons reserved cherry juice

 

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugar in mixing bowl on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. In a seperate bowl add flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda; sift to blend perfectly. Now add to the butter mixture and combine.  Chill dough for at least 1 hour. Shape dough into 1 inch balls, place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 5 minutes only!  They will look under cooked!  While they are baking, finish cutting drained cheeries in half and immediately place the half cherry on the hot cookie, gently pressing to adhere it to cookie. Done!!! Let cookies cool completely before frosting. (the cookies can be chilled or frozen at this point).

 

To make frosting:

 

Melt chips, sweetened condensed milk and cherry juice in a small saucepan over low heat.  Stir occasionally, its easy to burn!! When melted, set aside about 10 minutes until it SLIGHTLY thickens to a frosting consistency and frost around the cherry, into a swirl type peak. Let harden before moving.  They also freeze well at this point.  Good luck!!

 

Chocolate Cherry Cookies "Two Minute Take"

This is definitely a time saver, just as beautiful and so easy to make!

Cookies

I pouch Double Chocolate Cookie mix, prepared as directed

1/4 cup flour

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

Marachino cheeries cut in half and drained in a colander  then on a paper towel for a few minutes, saving juice

1 container store bought frosting

Blend flour and cocoa powder together mix well and sprinkle over already prepared batter, mix well with a spoon

Chill batter for 1/2 hour (batter should feel cold)

take 1/2 teaspoon of batter and roll into a small ball

 

Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for 6 minutes

let cool 1 minute and add cheery half on top, let cool completely

 

Frosting

Use 1 cup of a container of  bought frosting ( I used Pillsbury Creamy Supreme)

Add 1 teaspoon of reserved cheery juice and mix well in a small bowl

Microwave for 15 seconds and frost, covering cherry

Chocolate Mousse Napoleon

Pizzelle Cookies

6 eggs

3 cups of flour

1 cup of sugar

1 cup of melted shortening ( yes, melted crisco)

4 teaspoons of baking powder

4 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla

Beat eggs and add sugar and continue beating. Add slightly cooled melted shortening and vanilla and mix well. Mix flour and baking powder together and add to mixer. Drop by teaspoonful onto an electric pizzelle grill. Each grill is different so make a few to test how many minutes you should cook till golden. Let cool.

Chocolate Mousse

2 cups heavy cream - separated

4 large eggs yolks

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

need: instant read thermometer

Heat 3/4 cup cream in a saucepan until hot. Whisk together yolks, sugar and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Add hot cream in a slow stream and whisk until blended.  Transfer mixture back to the saucepan and cook over low heat until thermometer registers 160 degrees.  Strain mixture through a fine mesh sieve and stir in vanilla. Melt chocolate in double boiler, or microwave until smooth, then cool.  Beat remaining 1 1/4 cups cream until stiff peaks form and fold one fourth of the cream with the chocolate to lighten. Then fold in remaining cream gently.

To assemble Napoleon: Place one pizzelle cookie on plate, center with a small dollop of chocolate mousse. Top with another pizzelle and more mousse. Dust the final layer with powered sugar and garnish with a small dot of mousse and a mint leaf!! A small quenelle of gelato to the side of the plate creates a fabulous presentation!!

Chocolate Mousse Napoleon "Two Minute Take"

1 package of store bought pizzelle cookies
1 box of a packaged chocolate mousse mix
Coolwhip or reddi wip whipped cream
Chocolate cocoa powder for dusting or chocolate curls

Assembly: Put one pizzelle on a dessert plate. Put a few tablespoons of chocolate mousse in the middle of the cookie, top with another pizzelle and repeat, ending with the pizzelle on top. Add a swirl of whipped cream and top with chocolate curls and maybe a cherry! So cute!

This year Father's Day is on June 21, 2009. Some of the most common gifts for Dad seem to be a shirt, a tie or a new pair of comfy slippers. Just like the gifts, Dads come in all shapes and sizes and can have many different names like Grandfather or Uncle, Stepfather or friend.

        Contrary to popular belief by moms all over the world, some Dads can do lots of other things besides going to their paying jobs everyday. Some can and do play baseball with their sons on Sundays, some paint ten tiny little toenails pink, while mom is at the grocery store, and some can even whip up a great macaroni cheese from a blue box for dinner and serve it with a smile! 

         We would like to tell you a little about our Dad. He was a Bridgeport policeman for 38 years and sang as a side job, which is why he was known as the "singing cop", a name that would stick with him for the rest of his life. He was very generous and kind of quiet with a very strong presence. Of course he was quiet. He had five sisters, three daughters and a wife! How could he talk? He used to clink a spoon on a glass like you do at a wedding to get attention at the dinner table! Poor guy!

 Our Father had many favorite things in his life like his family, Sinatra and a hot cup of freshly brewed coffee. One of his favorite desserts to go with that cup of coffee was cheesecake, which Joy would make for him all the time. We hope you enjoy the recipe and decide to serve it for the holiday!

Happy Father's Day Daddy, we miss you!

Daddy's Favorite Cheesecake

Crust

1 3/4 graham cracker crumbs

1/3 butter

1/4 cup sugar

Filling

3 pkgs. (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened

2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

3 eggs

1 cup sour cream

Assorted fresh fruit for garnish

1/4 cup strawberry jelly, heated until smooth (this will glisten fruit)

Preheat oven 350 degrees. (we will be using a 8-9 inch springform pan). Mix all crust ingredients together and press firmly onto bottom and at least 2 inches up the side of the pan; set aside.

Beat cream cheese, the remaining 1 cup sugar and the vanilla with electric mixer on high speed until well blended. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each one. Add sour cream, blend,and pour into crust.

Bake 1 hour and 10 minutes (every oven temperature is different).The center will still be soft.  Turn oven off and leave in oven for 1 hour more.  Remove and cool.  If using fresh fruit to decorate, now brush fruit with melted jelly, using a pastry brush, for an incredible shine!!!  Enjoy!

Frosty Vanilla Shake 

Joy and I came up with this recipe as we were testing the grilled steak sandwich. She looked at me and said,"I need a plain vanilla shake to go with this, ice cold, frosty, very creamy and smooth like Mom used to make when we were kids". So I decided to go with the very basic old fashioned vanilla ice cream milkshake recipe from the good ol' days. If you would like to make an" Adult" version just add a shot of vanilla vodka! Yum!

1 cup milk 

2 cups vanilla ice cream

1 tsp vanilla

Add all ingredients into a blender and mix till combined, add more ice cream if you like it a little thicker

You can't make a mistake, just enjoy it!

After a lot of research and many tries Joy and I came up with this great dessert Cheesecake Martini. It is really delicious. Sometimes after a heavy meal a liquid dessert is just what you need!

Chocolate Cheesecake Martini

1 1/2 shot chocolate liquor

1 1/2 shot creme De CaCao

1/2 shot Vanilla Vodka

2 1/2 shots half &half

1 tablespoon powdered cheesecake mix (I tried Jello)

Dip rim of martini glass into light corn syrup and then into graham cracker crumbs

Put all ingredients into a shaker and strain into a martini glass

To make drink a little more decedent (as if it needs it) freeze vanilla ice cream in an ice cube tray, pop out a cube and float on top!

This cake is a heritage recipe from the Coca Cola Company.  Enjoy!!!

Coca Cola Cake

2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
1/2 cup butter (1stick)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 cup Coca Cola
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift flour and sugar in separate bowl. Add marshmallows.  In a saucepan, melt butter, oil, cocoa and Coca Cola and bring to a boil.
Pour over dry ingredients, blend well.  Dissolve baking soda in buttermilk just before adding to batter along with the eggs and vanilla extract. Mix well. Pour into a well greased  9x13 pan and bake 35 to 45 minutes. (I used two 9 inch round cake pans, it worked well also).

Chocolate Ganache Frosting

12 ounces semisweet chocolate (chips are fine)

8 ounces heavy cream

2 teaspoons of your favorite liqueur or extract (I used vanilla extract)

Heat cream in small saucepan until bubbles form along the edges, do not boil. Remove immediately and pour over chocolate.  Let sit for 2 minutes and then slowly mix with a wire whisk.  Add extract and whisk slowly again. By doing this slowly you will not let any air bubble into the chocolate.  Put into fridge to chill and stir every 15 minutes until desired texture is reached!!  Good luck!!! 

Chilled Asparagus Soup

This is another recipe from our DeDe that came from her girlfriend Cathy McKane's luncheon party that she just can't stop talking about. (Actually I'm getting a little sick of hearing about it!) It is a chilled summer soup that would be great to serve to anyone on a hot and humid summer day. The color is so beautiful it makes the presentation spectacular! Of course Joy's presentation is just beautiful!

INGREDIENTS:

2 lbs fresh asparagus

4 tablespoons butter or olive oil (Cathy used 3 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil)

6 oz (1 1/2 cups sliced leeks or scallions, Cathy used leeks)

3 tablespoons flour

6 1/4 cups chicken stock or water (Cathy used College Inn fat free/light chicken broth - one 48 oz can)

4 fluid oz, 1/2 cup light cream or plain yogurt, (Cathy used 1 cup light cream, Cathy just keeps changing the recipe! ha ha)

1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon or chervil (I used about 1/2  to 1 teaspoon dried tarragon)

Salt and pepper

Cut the top 2 1/2 inches off the asparagus spears and blanch in boiling  water for 5-6 minutes until just tender. Drain, cut into 2 or 3 pieces.  

Trim the ends of the stalks. Chop into 1/2 inch pieces.

Heat the butter/oil in a small stock pot. Add the leeks or scallions and cook over low heat 5-8 minutes until softened. Stir in the asparagus, COVER and cook for 6-8 minutes unt il tender.

Add the flour and stir well to blend. Cook for 3-4 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally.

Add the stock or water. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 min. Season to taste.

Puree the soup in a food processor or food mill, or use an immersion blender. (Everyone should have one. They are so easy and clean up a cinch.) Strain.

Stir in asparagus tips, most of the cream or yogurt and the herbs. Chill well. Before serving check seasoning and garnish with cream or yogurt.

P.S. This soup can be made a day ahead of time. Enjoy!!

Nana brought this cake to our house every weekend. Our grandparents lived in West Hartford, CT and made the trip to Bridgeport, CT most weekends. We never knew which way she would be serving this cake and that was the guessing game we played with each other as we waited for them to arrive.  It was sometimes made with apples & cinnamon, or just frosted with her delicious chocolate frosting, or used as a base for a strawberry shortcake, that was always Daddy's favorite!! Here is the recipe for the cake but we are going to grill it and top with fresh fruit and a chantilly cream.  Enjoy!

Happy Day Cake

 

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup butter

4 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon lemon extract

3 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup buttermilk

Bake at 325 degrees,  Grease and flour a bundt pan, If using a loaf pan, adjust baking time.

Cream sugar, shortening,and butter until fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla and lemon extracts.  In a separate bowl combine flour and baking soda.  Add this, alternately, to butter mixture with the buttermilk.  Pour into prepared pan. Bake 50 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.

Fruit

2 cups of assorted summer berries, washed and sliced

1/4 of sugar

splash of orange juice

Combine all and let sit to absorb sugar. Set aside until ready to prepare cake

Chantilly Cream

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

 2-3 tablespoons confectionery sugar, sifted, more if needed

Combine all and whip until stiff peaks form. To assemble dessert,  sliced cooled cake, grill cake slices until grill marks appear on both sides. Top with berries and whipped cream.  Enjoy! 

Watermelon, Arrugula and Feta Salad

What could be better on a heat drenched summer day than a juicy ice cold watermelon combined with a spicy peppery green, like arrugula and sweet vidalia onions! Oh yes we know, a sprinkle of feta cheese on top! The combination of sweet and salty in this salad is over the top! 

1 5lb (or so) watermelon

2 handfuls of arugula

1/4 of a red onion, sliced

1/4 vidalia onion, sliced (You can add as much as you like)

S'wepper (2 parts salt to 1 part pepper)

1/2 cup olive oil

drizzle of balsamic vinegar or a balsamic reduction (recipe follows)

feta cheese

Cut watermelon into bite size chunks and slice onion quarters into thin slices

In a large bowl combine onion slices, arugula and watermelon and sprinkle with S'wepper, add olive oil and toss

drizzle with balsamic vinegar or balsamic reduction

sprinkle with feta cheese

Balsamic Reduction

2 cups balsamic vinegar

pinch of salt

1/4 cup sugar

Put all ingredients into a medium size saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir till sugar dissolves and cook till redu ced to 1/3-1/4 cup. The mixture should be thick and syrupy and will be very potent.

Bisquits

3 1/4 cups cake flour

4 tsp sugar

4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/4 cup very cold butter, cut into small pieces

1cup heavy whipping cream

3/4 cups milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Whisk the first 4 ingredients together and cut in butter using a pastry blender or your hands.  Mix so the flour resembles little pebbles. Add heavy cream and milk, mix until combined. I used a kitchen aid mixer on the stir speed. Dough will be sticky!  Rub hands with flour before shaping bisquits. I made each bisquit about 3 inches.  Pat into a rough disk shape, (it doesn't have to be perfect). Place bisquits on a foil lined baking sheet and  bake for 20 -25 minutes (they should be golden brown). Bisquits can also be frozen, in a single layer, right on the cookie sheet for 1 hour. After 1 hour they can be transferred to a ziploc freezer bag and stored for later use.

Fresh Berry, "Berry Chunky" Jam

 I love to make fresh berry jam and have tried many, many recipes.  Some worked and came out perfectly and others just didn't jell, but the flavor was great so we used it as a topping for shortcake or ice cream. So if yours does not come out perfectly the first time, don't give up, keep trying. It is well worth it!

 

3 pints of strawberries (FYI-1 pint of strawberries=2 cups)

3 cups of sugar

1 tablespoon of orange flavored liqueur

1 tablespoon raspberry chambord

1 handful fresh blueberries

1/2 of a granny smith apple, peeled, cored and chopped into a small dice

 

Rinse the strawberries in a colander and drain well. Put on paper towels to drain off any excess water. Remove green tops and cut into quarters then each piece in half, so its in small chunks. Place in a large sauce pan and add sugar and liqueurs. Bring this to a boil over medium high heat and stir often. Add the chopped apple and blueberries and keep at a rolling boil, stir often until the jam reaches 220 degrees on a candy thermometer. This will take 25 to 35 minutes. A foam may appear on the top, just skim it off and throw it away.. Cool mixture to room temperature, and put in fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Coca Cola Ribs

This is one of the most popular recipes from one of the cola websites! I added some ingredients and instructions I thought would be great. 

2 cups cola 

2 cups ketchup (we forgot this on the show, how could I concentrate with Scot standing next to me!) 

1/2 cup white vinegar 

1/2 large onion finely chopped 

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 

1/4 cup brown sugar 

Dry rub: 

S'wepper (salt with pepper, 2 parts salt to 1 part pepper) 

1/2 tsp garlic powder 

2 teaspoons paprika 

 

Mix first 6 ingredients together in a bowl and set aside while you prepare dry rub. 

Now mix together dry rub ingredients and rub into meat on both sides. 

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. place ribs on a foil lined baking sheet (for easy clean up) and add a 1/4 cup water to bottom of pan. Cover tightly with foil and bake low and slow for about 2 hours. Now brush with cola mixture, put foil cover back on. Do this every 15 min for the next hour. Now remove cover, brush with cola sauce=2 0and broil till bubbly and crisp. if you would like to serve remaining sauce on the side you must bring it to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer it on the stove for about 20 minutes before serving. Enjoy! 

Grilled Shrimp Salad

2 pounds of shrimp, peeled and deveined

3 tablespoons of olive oil

1 1/2 cups store bought mayonaise

1 bunch of fresh dill, chopped

1 small onion, minced,( I only use 1/2 of onion)

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Pat the shrimp dry.  Toss with olive oil, if you need more, use it!! Sprinkle with salt & pepper. I use a grill pan to cook the shrimp on the grill. Set grill on medium heat. They cook very quickly, 3-4 minutes per side.  When pink and not opague anymore, they are done! Assemble dressing by combining all the ingredients and taste it.  If you prefer more of one ingredient, add it and adjust salt & pepper.  Toss with warm shrimp and enjoy!  This can be made a day ahead and kept refrigerated.

My Favorite Flank Steak Sandwiches with Thyme and Garlic Mayo

 1-1 1/2 lb Flank steak

 1/2 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons ketchup

6 tablespoons soy sauce

3 sprigs of thyme

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon pepper

Ciabatta rolls

Arugula

Combine all ingredients and pour over Flank steak. Marinate for at least 8 hours or overnight. Pour off marinade and grill 5 to 6 minutes per side. Let rest for 10 minutes and then slice very thin.

Thyme and Garlic Mayo

1 cup mayo

1 garlic clove, minced

2-3 springs of thyme,

Salt & pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients. Just use the tiny leaves of the thyme.  This can be made ahead of time and stored in a tupperware.

To assemble the sandwiches: Use your favorite bread or ciabatta roll and spread mayo on both sides.  Add several slices of flank steak and arugula.

Our Favorite Grilled Potato Salad

2lbs of baby red potatoes 

1/2 of a red onion, sliced (med slice to hold up on grill)

olive oil for brushing

1 cup mayonaise 

1 tablespoon white vinegar

Salt and Pepper (S'wepper) to taste

1 teaspoon sugar

2 hard boiled eggs, chopped

Par-boil potatoes and drain well. Cool slightly and cut in half. In a bowl add potatoes and sliced onions and toss with a little olive oil and S&P

place in a grill pan and put on a med high grill until golden or crisply charred. Leave potatoes to cool while you prepare dressing.

Dressing:

When potatoes are cool, chop onions any way you like them ( I prefer them diced, but Joy likes to leave them in slices)

Mix first 4 ingredients in a large bowl and add the onions, next potatoes and chopped eggs. Toss all together and serve or refrigerate till needed. 

This is our first decorating segment for channel 3's morning talk show,

Better Connecticut, and we are so happy it is an Easter one! We have been crafting together for many years doing holiday projects. We love to do some with the children but we always seem to change things up a bit and come up with crafts that are a little more elegant and sophisticated, like the golden Easter basket filled with golden eggs.

The monochromatic color scheme makes it a unique and amazing centerpiece for the holiday table! Joy has been doing this particular craft for many years and every time we see it, it's like seeing it for the very first time. The traditional dyed eggs, marbleized and glittered eggs are a better choice to do with the children and the little bunny eggs are so adorable you will probably make a whole bunch. So hop to it and get started! 

Glitter Eggs: 

Hard boiled eggs 

Elmers glue or craft glue  

small paint brush 

glitter 

 

Directions: 

With a paint brush, paint 1/2 of the egg with the glue and sprinkle with glitter, let dry for a few minutes then paint rest of egg with glue and sprinkle with glitter 

Little Pink Bunny Eggs: (Adult supervision needed when using a hot glue gun) 

pink dyed easter eggs 

white felt ears 

cotton balls for tails and nose 

embroidery thread for whiskers 

foam sheet for feet 

 

Directions: 

Cut bunny feet out of felt and using a hot glue gun, attach the larger end of the egg onto the feet. The egg will stand freely. Cut out bunny ears from a white sheet of felt and glue onto top of egg draw on eyes with a marker and with a small piece of cotton make a nose and glue on. At craft stores you can purchase tiny cotton balls to use also. Use a large cotton ball for bunny tail. Add whiskers by cutting the embroidery thread about an inch or so and glue on 

Golden Basket With Gilded Eggs: 

Basket of your choice 

Gold metallic or bronze spray paint 

natural paper easter grass 

hard boiled eggs, or paper mache eggs or even plastic eggs. 

Bow of your choice 

Directions: 

Spray the wooden basket with spray paint according to directions and let dry, spray eggs and let dry, and lightly spray easter grass, Fill basket with tissue paper to fill it up and top with easter grass 

Arrange sprayed eggs on top of grass and add bow. Beautiful! 

"Greenery at its best" Easter Basket 

Wooden basket of your choice sprayed sage green 

Insert a live small leaf plant into basket. (may need to stuff with tissue paper first to get the right height) 

Using a sage green food coloring, color hard boiled eggs, using the traditional method 

Place eggs in basket on top of plant, add a chocolate bunny and enjoy! 

  

For the nature in some of us!

Marbleized Eggs: 

Clean hard boiled white eggs 

dye mixture (2/3 cup water, 1 tablespoon vinegar, and food coloring added to the desired color) 

3 teaspoons vegetable oil 

 

Directions:

Add 3 teaspoons of oil into the dye mix and stir. Lower the egg in and swirl around or hold egg over cup and spoon mixture over the top. Place on paper towel then wipe the excess oil off and shine with a clean paper towel. 

This year Easter Sunday is April 12, 2009. It is the most important Christian holiday and celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The holiday is often linked to the Jewish Passover with similar symbolisms and the way the holidays fall on the calendar. Easter is a great time to celebrate the fresh spring air and warm sunshine that gives us a feeling of hope and new beginnings. Our thoughts turn to bright tulips, purple crocus and bunches of yellow daffodils! We find ourselves day dreaming of spending endless hours in the garden, deciding on a color scheme for the flower beds and just sitting back to relax, take a breath and enjoy this wonderful season.

Every Easter weekend our Father and Grandfather would run a small flower stand at our family grocery store, the Mohegan Market in Stratford. Uncle John, dressed so handsomely in his starched white butchers coat, would be in his office frying up some of the fresh sausage he and cousin John just made themselves, on a make-shift grill he put together.  Aunti Lou would be gathering the freshest hard rolls( just off the bakery truck) to put together the best sandwich this side of town! Papa Tony would talk about that sandwich for years to come! To this day the smell of fresh spring flowers and roasted meats cooking at the local grocery stores brings us right back to those wonderful days gone by.

      Back at home mom was preparing an elaborate holiday breakfast. The table was perfectly set with the most beautiful tablecloth. My mother and grandmother called it a" cloth" that needed to be ironed for hours!. Am I going to do this for just the kids and the husband? I don't think so! Freshly baked Hotcross buns, just made from Luigis Bakery in Bridgeport, colorful Easter egg breads, fluffy scrambled eggs, buttered toast and of course the hottest freshly perked coffee were all set in place on the table and ready for us to enjoy. Didn't Mom ever get tired?

Preparations for the Easter Dinner began soon after breakfast was finished. We always had a baked ham, crusted with brown sugar and pineapple and a roasted to perfection leg of lamb with all the trimmings. The leg of lamb always took center stage. Mom would begin by putting slits into the meat and stuffing them with slivers of parmesan cheese and fresh garlic, season it with salt and pepper and roasted it for hours. Dinner was always a success!

      Now it was time for dessert which we called "Coffee An". Nana would always make her ricotta pie, traditionally served at this time of year, a sicilian recipe, thick and rich and lightly sweetened with a hint of vanilla and cinnamon. Also every year she would surprise us with her Easter basket cookies, a vanilla cookie in the shape of an easter basket with a hard boiled egg tucked inside of the basket. The cutest baby chick was formed and set on top.  The Easter holiday is a time to share a great meal, spend time with family and friends and be enjoyed by all. So-o-o to all of you, happy eating!!  Enjoy!!   

 

Roasted Leg of Lamb studded with Parmesan Cheese and Garlic

 

1 (6-9 pound) leg of Lamb

Wedge of Parmesan cheese, cut into slivers

1 bunch of parsley, use 1 leaf in each slit

4 cloves of garlic, sliced into slivers

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

 1/2 cup wine

 

 

Gravy

 

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup red wine

1 cup chicken stock

Pan juices, skimmed

2 tablespoons butter creamed with 2 tablespoons flour

 

Preheat oven 350 degrees.  Rub the roast with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  With the tip of a small sharp knife puncture the lamb all over. Insert slivers of parmesan cheese, garlic and leaves of the parsley, pushing into the puncture gently. Pour red wine over the roast. Place roast in roasting pan. Its about 20 minutes of cooking time per pound or until meat thermometer reaches 160 degrees for medium, 170 degrees for a well done roast.  Remove roast from oven and let rest, lightly covered, for 20 minutes before carving.

 

If making a gravy; skim fat from the juices and strain through a fine sieve. In skillet, heat a little more olive oil over moderate heat and saute garlic until tender. Add a 1/2 cup more of the red wine and simmer.  Add strained pan juices and 1 cup chicken stock and simmer until reduced by half.  Whisk 1/2 of the butter/flour mixture and simmer until thickened.  Add more of the butter mixture if needed. Taste and season again if necessary. Enjoy!

Classic Chicken Divan over Risotto with Baby Broccolini

4 chicken breasts

3 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons oil

1 large shallot, minced

6 tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon pepper

2 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup whipping cream or milk

2 or3 tablespoons sherry

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

salt to taste

1 bunch of broccoli, trimmed and cooked

1 cup mozzarella cheese

Melt butter and oil in a large skillet. Saute shallot until soft. Add chicken and brown on both sides until golden in color and cooked through.

Remove chicken to another platter and add the 6 tablespoons of flour, cook 1 minute more. Add pepper and slowly add the chicken broth, the cream or milk, and the sherry to taste. At this point simmer 5 minutes.  Stir constantly, it will get thick quickly. Add 1/4 cup of the parmesan cheese to sauce and re-season to your liking. Add cooked broccolini to sauce.

Risotto

1 lb arborio rice

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup white wine - optional

1 quart chicken broth, on stove and warming

2 tablespoons butter

Pour olive oil in large pan and saute onions until soft. Add rice and mix with the oil until all kernals are coated with the oil.  Watch carefully not to burn rice, 4 minutes is long enough. Now add about 1 1/2 cups of warm broth and cook until almost evaporated and dry looking.  Add another 1 cup of the warm broth to rice and keep repaeating this until the rice is tender, a tiny crunch in the rice is perfect! Finish with the 2 tablespoons of butter for a creamy risotto. 

To plate your meal lay risotto down first, top with chicken breast, sprinkled with the mozzarella and drizzle sauce with the broccolini over the chicken breast.  Sprinkle with additional parmesan cheese and enjoy!

Beef Burgundy over Parmesan Polenta  

  This is another classic recipe Joy and I wanted to share with you. It is definitely an old traditional french recipe, one of their standards, that we wanted to change up a bit. We decided to use ground beef, rolled into tiny meatballs and sauteed in olive oil till golden brown, instead of boneless chuck. The idea of this looking like another pot of stew was just boring and blah! To further put our italian twist on this (as if the meatballs weren't enough) we like to serve it over buttered parmesan polenta instead of the ordinary egg noodles with butter. The presentation is amazing, the little meatballs swimming in a pool of buttery yellow polenta and splashed with the dark bronze colored wine gravy is just too much to resist!! I hope you enjoy this as much as we did. Enjoy!

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Meatball Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef

1/4 cup bread crumbs

1 egg

1/4 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

Mix all ingredients together and roll into small cocktail size meatballs and set aside

Tip: this can be done a day ahead and refridgerated

 

Recipe:

3 slices of bacon, chopped ( Get your best brand it makes a difference.)

2 tablespoons butter

1 1/2 cups white button mushrooms, sliced (you can buy them already sliced)

1/2 teaspoon of each, salt and pepper  

1/2 cup chopped onion

3 tablespoons all- purpose flour

1 cup of your favorite burgundy wine (don't forget to take a big swig!) haha

1 1/2 cups store bought beef stock (if you want to stay home all day to make home made stock, go ahead, not me!)

olive oil

Heat a large skillet  and brown bacon bits, remove with slotted spoon when done, set aside .

Add the butter to the bacon drippings left in the pan, melt and stir in onions and mushrooms and saute till onions are soft and glassy

season with salt and pepper, transfer to a plate and set aside

Add 2 swirls of olive oil and fry meatballs on all sides till golden brown ( may have to do in batches, then return all to pan)

Add flour and stir gently all around meatballs to cook four for 2 minutes

Add wine to pan slowly, while stirring, and bring up to a boil, stirring while scraping up bits on bottom of pan

Add stock, reduce heat to med-med low and cover for 5 min

Remove lid and add mushroom and onion mixture and bacon and simmer with the cover off, adjust seasonings

While simmering prepare polenta

 

Polenta

Scalfani instant polenta

3 cups of milk (believe it or not Joy and I used lactaid and it was fantastic)

3 cups of water

salt and pepper to taste

Butter and parmesan cheese

Add polenta to heated milk and water mixture , slowly and constantly stirring

Add salt immediately, start with 1/2 teaspoon, cook then adjust salt

Add pepper and parmesan cheese to taste and stir

 

To serve: Place a ladle full of polenta into a wide low rimmed bowl and spoon meatball mixture over it arranging little meatballs on top, so cute!!!! Enjoy! 

Or we prefer to serve it like this...

Shrimp and Grits

This recipe comes from Food Network's, Throwdown with Bobby Flay and courtesy of Mr. Joe Barnett. We enjoyed it so much we wanted to share it with you just the way Joe makes it. We put a few notes next to some of the ingredients that we changed, but feel free to do what ever you like. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb (26-30) Wild Georgia Shrimp

2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning

1 tablespoon paprika

1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning

Freshly ground black pepper

Grits:

2 cups water (We used 1 cup milk, 1 cup water)

2 chicken bouillon cubes (recommended: Knorr) (we used one and any one 

you like)

1 cup quick grits (recommended:Quaker)

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1/2 cup heavy cream

3 1/2 oz extra-sharp cheddar

Sauce:

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 tablespoon minced garlic

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup chicken stock

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce (we left this out completely, we do not care for it) 

1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (recommended: Texas Pete)

1 slice sugar-cured country ham (we couldn't find this, we used any slice of ham from the meat case, not lunch meat)

Directions:

First, peel and devein the shrimp. In a small bowl, combine cajun seasoning and salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle the spice mixture over the shrimp to coat well and set the shrimp aside.

Next, make your grits. In a medium saucepan, bring water and chicken bouillon cubes and 2 tablespoons of butter to a boil. Slowly add the grits, whisking often with wire whisk for 5 minutes. Add tomato paste, cream, and cheese. Keep whisking for another 2 or 3 minutes untill the grits become creamy. Don't skimp on the butter and cream!

Now saute the shrimp. In a large saute pan, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add minced garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add in the spice-coated shrimp, and cook till just done. Remove and set them aside in a bowl.

The roux is next. With all those wonderful drippings from the shrimp in the saute pan, add 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour and stir with a wooden spatula to make a roux. Cook for 10 or 15 minutes or until the roux reaches a medium-tan color, then slowly add the chicken broth and heavy whipping cream. Whisk together and cook for 2 minutes, then whisk in Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce.  Set aside.

At last, the ham. Cook in saute pan and cut into cubes.

To serve, place a few heaping spoonfuls of grits on to a plate, and top with shrimp. Drizzle that wonderful roux over the shrimp and sprinkle on a few cubes of ham.