Tag: family

Shrimp Parmesan

In January of the year I was born there was a big nor’easter.  It was called the Kennedy Nor’easter as it arrived on the eve of Kennedy’s innaguration.  My mom and dad had two small toddlers and had just moved into their new house in Middle Village, NY.

Fast forward to 2018, and we are experiencing another nor’easter.  This one closed schools today, but failed to pack a big punch like the one in 61.  On snow days, I love to stay in my pajamas, relax, read and of course cook.   Today was no exception to that rule.  I had purchased some beautiful shrimp last night in preparation of the coming storm.  Most people buy bread and milk, but I shop for food and wine.  I was so looking forward to today and secretly hoping for a big blizzard.

My day started off with coffee in bed and reading and relaxing.  What a treat that was.  I didn’t come down to workout until almost 11:00 AM.  What a pleasure to not have to be anywhere at anytime.  That doesn’t happen often.  I ate healthy all morning and planned to bake a healthy sheet pan shrimp recipe tonight, but there’s just something about snow days.  I decided instead to make Shrimp Parmesan, a dish I rarely make.

I remember well the first time I ever made this dish.  Newly engaged, I decided to make dinner for my future husband and parents.  My fiancé went out to buy me fresh shrimp.  When he told me they were alive when he picked them out, I nearly died.  I couldn’t get that image out of my head and was secretly afraid one would still be alive in the bag.  I don’t think I made a seafood dish after that for a very long time!

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Mom & Dad at table set for my first dinner party. Middle Village, circa 1982

Today, I decided to throw healthy to the wind and enjoy some good comfort food.  Making this dish 36 years later brought back so many memories.  Wishing my parents were here with us to enjoy it.

Laura’s Shrimp Parmesan

Ingredients:

  • 15 large shrimp – peeled, deveined and tail removed
  • 2 cans crushed tomatoes
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • olive oil
  • onion chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic chopped
  • red pepper flakes
  • Basil
  • salt and pepper
  • parmesan cheese
  • mozzarella cheese
  • pinch of sugar

Directions:

  1. It’s snowing, so pour a big glass of wine and turn on Alexa for dancing in the kitchen.
  2. Saute onions in butter for 4 minutes on medium heat.
  3. Add garlic and cook 1 minute
  4. Add red pepper flakes and basil cook 1 minute.
  5. Add two cans of tomatoes, pinch of sugar, bay leaf, salt and pepper.
  6. Stir, reduce heat and simmer for an hour.
  7. Add parmesan cheese to sauce and cook 30 minutes longer while you prepare shrimp.
  8. Clean shrimp by cutting off tail, peeling and deveining. 5EE128BE-1433-4964-8A9E-AE8B0926EE90
  9. Dip shrimp in egg wash in a bowl.
  10. Dip shrimp in breadcrumbs
  11. Fry in olive oil turning once.  About 5-8 minutes.
  12. Put some sauce in bottom of oven proof baking dish.
  13. Add shrimp
  14. Put mozzarella on top 24BDC8DC-9DEB-4408-8219-0491ED0B3BE2.jpeg
  15. Bake at 350 degrees uncovered for 20 minutes.
  16. Serve over ravioli and top with extra sauce.

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Delicious and easy.   My younger self would be so proud of how far I’ve come.  No jar sauce in this house!  Missed you mom at my table tonight.  Wishing I could close my eyes and be back on 72nd Street at that table with you and Dad.

 

 

 

Stuffed Roast Pork

We were out Saturday night for dinner with some friends.  We ended up going out to a German restaurant on Long Island and I ended up eating pork loin, which happened to be on the menu for Sunday dinner this week.  I prepared the loin to cook this morning, but decided to wrap and hold it in the refrigerator for Monday instead.  This meal is one generally reserved for holidays, but my husband has been asking me to make it since I didn’t make it on our last holiday.  He purchased the meat and brought it home, so how could I possibly say no.

My dinner friends have been friends since we were in kindergarten.  These are the best kind of friends to have, as you have so many shared memories.  We went all through schooling together K – 12, so there’s nothing we didn’t experience together growing up.  I’m thankful we have kept in touch through our adult years and truly enjoy the times we spend together.  I wish we lived closer to each other, but we still manage to see each other several times each year.  Each time we meet, there’s tons of laughter and reminiscing of days gone by.  Gail is the memory keeper who inevitably cleans a closet and finds a photograph, or note we wrote each other back in junior high school.  This was the 1970s version of a group text.  It’s so much fun to read something your younger self wrote.  Marianne was always the level headed one in the group, whose current self loves to call to question that label.  Barbara, who couldn’t make it this time, was and continues to be the wild child who keeps us laughing all night.  These ladies have shared much of my life journey and I’m thankful to have them still in my life.

 

Circa 1971 – The girls
Laura & Barbara
Marianne, Laura & Gail
Gail, Marianne, Joe & Laura

Sunday morning we decided to hold off on our roast, but I still needed to prepare it for cooking.  I came across a cooking page – Cooking with the Kingfish – recently that showed an easier way to cut a roast for stuffing.  I decided to try that out with this roast and it worked out well, super easy.  I prepared my sausage stuffing, cut the roast, pounded, stuffed, rolled and tied it for roasting  It was then placed in a roasting pan and wrapped for overnight.  On Monday, my husband will place it in the oven while I am at work for roasting.

Sausage Stuffing 

Ingredients

  • Onion chopped
  • 2 celery stalks chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic chopped
  • Sausage meat (I used sweet removed from casing)
  • Rye bread (half loaf)
  • 1/4 cup chicken stock
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tbsp thyme
  • 1 tsp rosemary
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • salt & pepper to taste

Directions

  1. Chop celery and onions small and saute in tablespoon of unsalted butter until soft (4 minutes)
  2. Add sausage meat and brown
  3. Add chopped garlic and cook for 1 minute201C0C63-77F3-4F6F-9438-08BFD13E7EC2
  4. In separate bowl place cubed bread
  5. Pour sausage and vegetable mixture over bread
  6. Add egg and spices77BE9931-9B1C-43F5-8283-6F5C3492B94C
  7. Add 1/4 cup of chicken stock
  8. Mix with hands until fully blended and set aside.110671EF-D293-4432-9CB2-1796FC68085D

Stuffed Roast Pork Loin

Ingredients:

  • 5 lb boneless pork loin
  • 1 onion chopped large
  • olive oil
  • 4 sweet potatoes chopped into large pieces (1 – 1/2 inches)
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 1 tbsp paprika
  • salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Pour cup of coffee because it’s far too early for wine and turn on Alexa for dancing in the kitchen.
  2. Rough chop onion and place in roasting pan
  3. Wash and pat dry roast and place on cutting board
  4. Slice gently with sharp knife the long way, almost in half but do NOT cut all the way through.
  5. Unfold the roast.
  6. Starting at center and moving toward outer edge slice in half without cutting all the way through and unfold
  7. Repeat this step on other half
  8. Place plastic wrap over roast and pound to even out24F53EB9-799A-477D-A46F-12D2FF793BF0
  9. Place stuffing on top of flattened roast and spread evenly07044235-8043-4E38-816D-DF4F3C2AC7F8
  10. Roll roast long way much like you would a jellyroll cake.
  11. Tie roast with roasting twine7D259DF6-07E8-41EC-A1A6-8986D68EACE7
  12. Rub pork with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with paprika.
  13. Stir together the flour, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Rub the seasoned flour mixture evenly over the pork loin. (I didn’t put the flour on yet in the photo below. I’ll do that tomorrow, just prior to roasting.)
  14. Place on top of onion and sweet potato in roasting pan5063D2D3-BC4D-4556-AA74-0CAD47741C70
  15. Add 1 cup of chicken stock to bottom of pan
  16. Roast in oven at 450 degrees F for about 10 minutes.
  17. Reduce oven to 350 degrees F and continue to roast for 60 minutes
  18. Insert meat thermometer into pork – not stuffing – ready when 150 – 155 degrees F
  19. Let pork rest for 10 – 15 minutes.  Temperature should be 160 degrees F
  20. Slice with sharp knife and serve

In the past I just cut the roast almost in half and stuffed.  Rolling it made distribution of stuffing more even and presentation was much nicer. Delicious and enough for my dad and leftovers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don’t Take it Personally

Most of you know I have been training for the NYC Marathon for a few years now.  I’ve had ankle tendon surgery and two stress fractures as a result and haven’t toed the line yet.  This week, I received my acceptance to run the 2018 New York City Marathon.  I’ve been resting, cross training and working on my strength as I recover from the femoral stress fracture that resulted from last year’s attempt.  Suddenly, March has arrived and it’s time for me to begin running again.  I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous about it, especially since I’m carrying an extra twenty or so pounds right now.  But, March is the target month to begin running as I’m healed.  Currently, I am 43 days into an 80 day strength training program and feeling stronger each day.  Tomorrow morning it’s me and the road, or treadmill, depending on the weather.

My nutrition needs to change when I am running and in training.  I’m not quite as free with my choices and very focused on using food to fuel me, rather than soothe me.  This requires both soul searching and action.  The switch also requires mental focus and tenacity, especially on days when I just want to eat and drink a glass of wine.  I am aware of what is making me stress eat and know what I need to do about it.  Taking a page out of my favorite reread – The Four Agreements, I’m plan to take control of my thoughts and get back to focusing on me.

I have written about the Four Agreements several times already, but here is my original post, from 2016, that describes what the agreements are  –  Life Change .

Specifically, at this point in time, I need to work harder on these two agreements:

  1. Don’t take anything personally; and
  2. Don’t make assumptions

Both of these are very hard considering my career is one in which everyone feels they have the right to make judgements about me.  Every decision I make, every word I say is looked at and scrutinized.  But, at the end of the day, my decisions are connected to me and other’s are connected to them.  My decisions are not personal, they are always made in the best interest of those I represent – children, parents and teachers.  I need to continue to remind myself that responses to these decisions, should also not be taken personally.  These are two agreements I work hard on each and every day, as I’m sure many people do.

As I enter this training cycle anew, I will once again reflect on the strong connections between the principles of exercise and education.  I’m looking forward to many long runs, which I find challenging, but therapeutic.  Today is my last supper in some ways, as it’s the last one outside the training window.  I have prepared three meals today that will get us through the week, but I will be focusing on a more balanced approach to eating.  My food choices have to be more about fueling and rebuilding this tired, yet capable body.

As I did my menu planning for the week, I was conscious of the days I will be running and what I plan to eat.  Tonight’s dinner for my husband and I will be Sunday Sauce, with homemade pasta, but I also prepared a healthy chicken dish that we will pick on during the week.  As I searched for some new recipes and inspiration, I came across the site – Laughingspatula.com.  There was a treasure trove of easy, quick and healthy meals for the week on the site, many Whole30 and Paleo friendly.  The chicken dish I cooked today comes from her collection, with some minor tweaks.

One Pan Roasted Chicken with  Sausage & Potatoes

Ingredients:

  • 2 chicken breasts, bone in
  • 1 pound small red potatoes halved 
  • 6 sweet Italian sausage links
  • 1 in large red onion cut large chunks
  • 1 bag baby carrots

Marinade

  • 1 large lemon – juiced
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 4 cloves large garlic – chopped
  • 1 tablespoon rosemary
  • 1 tsp red pepper chili flakes
  • salt & pepper to taste
Instructions:
  1. Pour a glass of Chardonnay and turn on Alexa for dancing in the kitchen.
  2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  3. Combine all marinade ingredients, stir and set aside.6672281C-F185-4AD3-9D7C-2F0620AD1B7B
  4. Brown sausage, then cut into pieces
  5. Arrange chicken, sausage, potatoes and onion in a 9 x 13 inch baking pan.A01574E7-F76D-4F54-A2E5-ECB7C00D0549
  6. Combine marinade ingredients in small bowl.
  7. Pour marinade over chicken and toss to coat.4B45B21F-2ED4-4CF1-8351-CCF7E26265A2
  8. Bake one hour or until chicken reaches 165 degrees and potatoes are tender.

Please let me know how you like this one pot meal; and if you have a recipe to share I ‘d love to try it out.  Your family recipe could be featured here on the blog, along with the story of your loved one.  Leave me a message below and I’ll get back to you.

Chicken Schnitzel with Mushroom Gravy & Spaetzle

Yesterday, we went to Philadelphia to see our oldest son, Robert.  We hoped it would be a beautiful day so we could walk around the city, but the weather just did not cooperate.  It doesn’t really matter that much to us though, as we were happy to just be down there with him.  Our youngest niece Stephanie was looking at colleges, hard to imagine that she’s college bound, and one college was in Philadelphia.  We made arrangements to meet up with her family and share the beauty of this city with them. We had a lovely day at my son’s home and a delicious lunch.

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Robert’s street in Philadelphia

Stephanie is my youngest niece and the youngest grandchild in our family.   This week, she received an award from her high school – Heart of  a Champion – for her work in her high school marching band.  When she sent me a photograph of her award, I told her that receiving an award like that says a lot about her character.  There are so many people in this world who find it impossible to be kind to others.  In my opinion, being recognized for having a strong heart is worth more than anything else.  How we treat others says a lot about who we are and who we want to be. Obviously, my niece has received a good foundation from her parents and is ready to now leave the nest.   I look forward to hearing about her final college selection and we wish her well these next four years.  My three children will tell you going away to college was the best growth experience of their lives and one they treasured.

Stephanie
Stephanie 2005, youngest in the family

Today, I need to get myself ready to return to work following my mid-winter break.  I planned to work this week, but it just wasn’t in the cards for me.  I ended up being home all week and once that happens, I settle in to a nesting routine.  The weather wasn’t great so it was easy to just relax at home.  We had some delicious meals and binged on some great shows.  I read a few books and now that it’s over, it’s time to get back to my normal routine.  Cooking a few meals today to prepare for the week helped me get myself ready.

A few weeks back, when we had a snowstorm, I posted photographs of our storm meal – Chicken Schnitzel with Mushroom Gravy and Spaetzle.

I shared the recipe with those who asked and today decided it was time to make it again.  It’s super simple and delicious.  As it poured outside, I was happy to have all the necessary ingredients on hand. Cooking in pajamas is quite fun!

Chicken Schnitzel with Mushroom Gravy & Spaetzle
Mushroom Gravy
Ingredients:
  • Unsalted butter
  • ½ onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 8 oz. Baby Bella mushrooms, sliced (Can use white mushrooms too)
  • 3 tablespoons flour
  • ½ cup of white wine
  • 2 1/2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon of mustard
  • 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Pour a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon and turn on Alexa for dancing in the kitchen.02F8F623-B328-4DB5-A6D9-09A4B7885D0A
  2. Heat butter over medium-high heat in a medium skillet
  3. Saute onions for about 4 minutes
  4. Add the garlic and saute for about 1 minute.
  5. Add the mushrooms and saute for about 5 minutes.E87D5AD5-4B28-47E0-8E10-2D553BF75552
  6. Add the wine, stirring to deglaze the pot and combine with the flour
  7. Add the stock, and stir until it thickens.
  8. Bring to boil, then reduce heat
  9. Stir in the mustard and Worcestershire sauce.
  10. Season with salt and pepper.
  11. Cook for about 10 minutes on low heat, thickening if necessary.
  12.  Cover and set aside, keeping warm

SCHNITZEL Ingredients:

  • Olive oil
  • 1 lb boneless chicken breasts
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup panko
  • 1 tsp hungarian sweet paprika
  • ½ teaspoon of caraway seeds

Directions:

  1. Heat the oil in a large skillet
  2. Thin slice chicken if not already thin.  Place between two pieces of Saran wrap and pound the cutlet with your rolling pin.FF8D5637-9D8D-42E1-BA0E-944A34029579
  3. Place the flour in one bowl, eggs in another and panko in a third with paprika and caraway seeds.
  4. Place each cutlet in the flour, then dip into the egg, then dredge in the panko mix.6E806D4C-DE27-4C65-8955-1DDA6271B11D
  5. Fry each cutlet about 4 minutes per side, or until golden brown.
  6. Serve with gravy poured over top and spaetzle.

Spaetzle Ingredients:

  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp salt

Directions:

  • Combine all ingredients in bowl.  Mix together to form dough.
  • Place dough in spaetzle maker over pot of boiling waterC2CA7D5F-10BC-4F80-9580-4BBD0320C165
  • Cook until spaetzle rises to top (2 minutes)
  • Remove from water and serve immediately5473D0F3-1062-40F6-BFAB-82885A4E7577

This recipe made enough to serve 4 people.  I served it with spinach.  The food reheats beautifully for lunch and a quick dinner during the week.  If you try it, please let me know how you like it.

If you have a recipe you’d like to share, please send me a note below.  I’d love to hear the story of your family recipe and try it out.  We can feature your recipe on an upcoming blog, along with your story and memories.  We love trying out new recipes and hearing the stories attached.

 

 

Not My Mother’s Meatloaf

When I was a little girl nothing disgusted me more than meatloaf.   There was nothing about my mom’s meatloaf that appealed to me.   Seriously, who puts ketchup and raw onion in their ground beef?   I hated onions as a kid and putting ketchup on anything grossed me out – just ask my cousin how her dad tortured me with that one.  As meatloaf was a favorite of my father, it was in mom’s weekly rotation.   Gosh how I remember feigning sickness every time it came around on the menu.

When we were first married, my husband mentioned to me that he liked meatloaf.   I thought I had escaped this meal, but it was rearing it’s ugly head again.  I said I’d look around at some recipes and see what I could find.   I hoped he’d forget all about it, but he brought it up again a few weeks later.   I knew that I loved meatballs, so there had to be a way I could like meatloaf.  I vowed to have an open mind and give this meal another try.

We don’t eat meatloaf often around here, maybe once or twice a year.  After a lot experimenting I found a recipe we both can agree on.  Thankfully, it doesn’t require ketchup or raw onions, though that likely wouldn’t bother me as much anymore.   This recipe is very simple to make and we have had many different variations of it.   Depending on your tastes and side dishes you can change the filling to whatever you’d like.  Be creative and have fun with it.

My version of meatloaf is more or a stuffed meat log.   We’ve used chopped turkey or beef, but both prefer beef.   When we are in the mood for roasted potatoes, I fill the log with feta cheese and spinach.   When, like today we want a little sauce I fill the log with mozzarella cheese and spinach. Either way you make it, there’s likely not going to be much left.

This recipe as written was enough for two, with a care package for my dad.   Even though it’s not my mother’s meatloaf, dad still really enjoys it.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb grass fed ground beef
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 1 cup flavored bread crumbs
  • 1 medium egg
  • 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes
  • 1/2 lb mozzarella cheese chopped
  • Fresh organic baby spinach

Directions

  1. Pour a glass of Malbec and turn on Alexa for dancing in the kitchen. 38B1C00C-2345-4189-9151-2AE4F8E082AE
  2. Mix ground beef, egg, Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs and crushed tomatoes in Kitchen Aid mixer with paddle attachment.
  3. Spread mixture onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  B82B5BD3-BF30-4D98-9274-6F4A5490E813
  4. Put layer of chopped mozzarella and baby spinach on top of beef, spreading evenly.  Leave about 1/2 in border clear.  85D6CDAF-953B-4CCF-8664-90E812C620D9
  5. Lifting parchment paper, begin rolling beef into a log. End with seam down.  E4F405A6-549F-4622-BD21-349725389C57
  6. Place on greased, lined baking sheet. Be sure the tray has a lip to prevent grease from dripping in oven.
  7. Bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes, or until cooked through.
  8. Serve immediately with or without sauce.082BBFE8-6021-492E-803A-B79ACDF915F4

We ate ours tonight with homemade potato gnocchi and a touch of Sunday sauce. Delicious!

Recipe for homemade gnocchi can be found here – Pete’s Lemon Basil Chicken with Gnocchi

Recipe for Sunday sauce can be found here – Sunday Sauce

Let me know if you try any of these recipes.  If you have a favorite recipe you’d like to share, send me a note below.

 

Pete & Kathy’s Garlic Parmesan Shrimp Scampi Pasta

I had some dental work done yesterday and really needed something soft, comforting and delicious to eat today.  I have a few recipes my cousin Kathy sent me from her home in Italy to try out and there was one that I definitely had my eye on.  Yesterday, while my mouth was still numb, I went shopping.   I was worried that today I might not be up to going out, so I picked up some nice, fresh shrimp.  I was planning on making Kathy & Pete’s  Garlic Parmesan Shrimp Scampi Pasta dish.  It had caught my eye when I received her recipes.

This morning, my husband and I decided to take a ride to see my mom and dad at mom’s nursing home.  I was feeling better and we wanted to see them before the coming snowstorm.  I had some meals prepared for my dad and wanted him to have them for the week.  On the way home, we stopped over in Williamsburg to see our daughter.  It was a great day.  It’s always so good to see my family – true medicine for the soul.  There’s nothing like spending time with my family to cure all that ails me.

I thank God everyday for my family.  I was so fortunate to be raised by two people who know the definition of unconditional love.  My parents, George and Else, have been married for over 60 years.  They are totally devoted to their marriage (in sickness and health) and their family. Dad was a policeman and was on the job for over 30 years.  Mom was a homemaker most of her life, but she was a hair dresser prior to marriage. This career fit her well as she was always so stylish and beautiful.  Both of them taught my two brothers and I so much about life.  They worked extremely hard and saved to make sure we were well provided for growing up.  We didn’t have a ton of money back then, yet we never felt poor.  My parents supported us in many ways and always encouraged us to try anything we wanted to do.  They were always there for us and I appreciated that support, especially as a young stay at home mother of three children.

MomandDad
Mom and Dad, 2016

As soon as we got home today from our visit, I pulled out the recipe I wanted to make.  I made a batch of pasta dough and while it rested I did the same.  This recipe is quick and delicious and carries a slight kick.  It was cooked and on the table in 30 minutes, so it will make a nice addition to our work week rotation.  One change I made to the recipe was to put a small amount of fresh baby spinach in at the last minute.  I felt I needed a vegetable and thought this would be the perfect addition.

Pete’s Garlic Parmesan Shrimp Scampi Pasta

  • 8 ounces linguine ( I made homemade pasta noodles)
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon cajun seasoning*
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/4 cup white wine OR chicken stock if you don’t want to use alcohol
  • 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 4 tablespoons salted butter
  • 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 6 garlic cloves, chopped
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • Zest of 1 lemon (I did not use)
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

*Slap Ya Mama All Natural Cajun Seasoning from Louisiana, Original & Hot Blend, 8 ounce canisters, 2 Pack

Directions:

  1. Pour a nice cold beer, as it goes great with this meal.  Turn Alexa on for dancing in the kitchen.image
  2. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions and drain well. (Homemade takes 2 minutes)
  3. In a large, deep skillet, melt the butter over a medium-high heat.
  4. Add in the shrimp, cajun seasoning, olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes.009E5D62-9489-40FD-B01A-067042E93434
  5. Stir periodically, until fully cooked- about 3 minutes.
  6. Stir in wine OR chicken stock and the fresh lemon juice; season with salt and pepper
  7. Lower to a simmer; remove from heat and stir in pasta, lemon zest, HALF a cup of the parmesan cheese and mix until fully incorporated.
  8. Top with the last half cup of parmesan cheese & chopped parsley
  9. Serve immediately

CECA0FD2-2AE9-49E0-A216-A38CBE32C791

This was just enough for two with no leftover.  Sorry, I took the picture before I decided to add the baby spinach.  Thanks to Pete and Kathy for sharing their favorite recipes.  I hope you all enjoy it as much as we did!  Please drop me a note if you would like to share a story, or recipe from your family.  I’d love to feature it on an upcoming blog post.

 

Spicy Lentil Soup with Sweet Potato Gnocchi

This weekend my husband and I are both under the weather.  Bob has the flu and I had a root canal, neither pleasant or fun.   We made the decision Friday to stay home this weekend and forego our visit to Queens.  Neither of us want my dad or mom to catch the flu and my mouth is still sore from my date with an endodontist.

I look forward all week to cooking on the weekend and even though eating is hard right now, I need to prep meals for the week.   I cooked a few meals for lunch and dinner for the week and made a nice pot of soup for the two of us for today.   It was a perfect day for cooking, dreary, rainy and quiet.

When I was a kid my mother always made lentil soup.  It was in her weekly rotation of meals.  I was not crazy about lentil soup back then.  In our house you were not allowed to leave the table until your plate was empty.  When my dog Pierre was alive this was no problem, as I merely put it on the floor while mom was busy washing dishes.   Pierre was my childhood dog,  a black French Poodle that was bought by scraping together our money.   My brother George paid the most, as he was the oldest and had a coin collection we could cash in.

1164DDC0-6A38-4C00-A445-528DB7208085
The dogs of 72nd Street – Loretta & Rusty, Lianne & Rumple and Me & Pierre

Pierre wasn’t always the nicest dog to others, but he was sweet with me and he always ate what I didn’t like.  He lived for 16 years, happily eating all the foods I hated.  After he passed away it became tougher for this picky eater to finish her food.   I remember many a stand-off at the dinner table over finishing my lentil soup.  Who knew that all these years later it would become one of my favorites.

A few years ago, as an adult, I had a small bowl of lentil soup when out to lunch at Carrabba’s.  This version was so different from the plain lentil soup I grew up on.   It was super spicy and had a great kick to it.   After that lunch, I experimented to get my lentil soup to taste similar.   The recipe I use today is as close as I can get it.  It’s hearty, spicy and just what we needed today.   I paired it with homemade sweet potato gnocchi, adapted from my cousin’s husband Pete’s recipe shared last week.   Usually, I serve this soup with small pasta noodles but wanted something a little heartier today, aka comfort food.   It was quite delicious!

Spicy Lentil Soup

Ingredients:

  • 1 medium Yellow onion chopped
  • 1 cup carrots chopped
  • 1 stalk celery chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic chopped
  • 2-3 hot Italian sausage links (removed from casing)
  • 1  ham steak cubed
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 small can Muir organic diced tomatoes
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
  • 2 cups dry lentils
  • 1/2 tbsp basil
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • ¼ tsp. thyme
  • Red pepper flakes

Directions:

  1. Pour a glass of Chardonnay and turn on Alexa for dancing in the kitchen. F737CB1E-B104-4EAF-993A-DA29A6E86892
  2. Remove hot sausage from casing and break apart in soup pan using wooden spatula.  Cook until brown then remove from pot.
  3. In same pot, sauté onion, carrot and celery over medium heat in olive oil 4 minutes until tender.
  4. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute.
  5. Add the chopped ham, can of tomatoes, water, chicken broth, vinegar and lentils.5BEB173E-FA8A-49BD-9C40-FA71AC404468
  6. Add salt, pepper, basil and thyme and stir.
  7. Bring to boil.
  8. Reduce heat and simmer until the lentils are tender. About 60 minutes.
  9. Serve immediately.

Sweet Potato Gnocchi

Ingredients:

  • 4 Sweet potatoes halved
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 cups flour
  • salt to taste

Directions:

  1. Boil sweet potatoes until soft.
  2. Rice into large bowl using potato ricer.
  3. Add eggs, salt and flour48639EC5-7432-43AD-9666-3C8E52BDDA43
  4. Mix with hands until it no longer sticks. Add flour as needed.
  5. Roll pieces into tubular shape the size of your finger and cut into one inch pieces. 7EBAAB62-FC90-420D-BDAC-41DAF51460E0
  6. Boil in salted water until they rise to top of water, under 10 minutes.
  7. Serve on top of bowl of lentil soup.

E2A15A4F-1A37-41CE-9256-EC2A2BCA6351Stir together and sprinkle with fresh Parmesan.  This makes enough to freeze, or eat for lunch during the week.  Either way, it’s delicious.

Do you have a recipe to share?   Would you like to have your family recipe featured?   Contact me to discuss sharing your favorite recipe on a future blog.  It’s a great way to honor your loved ones.

Pete’s Lemon Basil Chicken with Gnocchi

My grandmother Catherine married very young and by the age of 17 had two children.  When her parents passed away, she took in her younger brother George who became more like a brother to my dad than an uncle.   When Uncle George married my Aunt Rose, they moved into the apartment directly across the hall from my Nanny.  Literally, their doors faced each other and you could walk across the hall in two steps.  Aunt Rose and Uncle George had two daughters, my cousins Kathleen and Rosemarie.  Kathleen and I were the same age and graduated from the same high school.

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Aunt Rose, Uncle George, Kathleen & Rosemarie

I have so many fond memories of family life on Seneca Avenue in Ridgewood, NY.  My family was all in the same building, with other family members living in the next building over.  It was so cool to be able to roam the apartment building and visit different homes during our many visits.  I liked the sense of freedom we had there as a kid that I just didn’t have living in our one family home.  With all apartments in the same building, there was no need for us kids to go outside to visit each other.  This made our parents feel secure and we were allowed to go across the hall and downstairs to my Aunt Catherine’s apartment.

Kathleen married her husband Pete and for many years they lived in the neighborhood.  When Pete retired, they returned to his homeland of Italy and have lived there ever since.

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Kathleen & Pete, Italy

Kathy and Pete live in Lucca, Italy these days and have quite a beautiful place with a huge parcel of land.  Pete has an extensive garden which is quite impressive and grows most of his own produce.

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Pete in his garden

 

Most recipes Pete cooks use ingredients fresh from his garden, including tomatoes when making Sunday sauce.  This chicken recipe calls for dried basil and lemon and is quite simple to make.  The result is a light, refreshing lemon chicken sauce that will leave you wanting more.  Pete’s recipe called for bowties and broccoli, which I substituted for his homemade gnocchi recipe and peas.  This substitution fit what I had in the house and personally, I thought the peas would add a nice sweetness to the dish.  It was delicious and light, leaving us feeling full but not bloated.  I can’t wait to see how this tastes tomorrow when I eat the leftover for lunch.

This recipe is simple enough for a weeknight meal, taking about 30 minutes from start to finish.  The gnocchi obviously adds more time, but is so worth it!  I hope you give this one a try.

Pete’s Lemon Basil Chicken with Gnocchi

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • ¾ tsp dried basil
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ½ lb bow tie pasta or homemade gnocchi
  • 1 head broccoli, cut into florets or fresh peas
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (I used 1/8 c and 1/8 c chicken broth to soften the lemon taste)
  • ½ cup Parmesan cheese
  • salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Pour a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon and turn on Alexa for dancing in the kitchen.420B3D4B-CBB6-4F04-B31E-642EE4916B5D

2.Fill a large pot half full of water then bring to a boil over high heat. While you wait for the water to boil, season chicken breasts on both sides with salt, pepper and dried basil then set aside.E4B810C1-4543-44F3-87D0-06A495F4B039

3.When the water reaches a rolling boil, add a large pinch of salt then cook pasta, or gnocchi, according to directions—until it is tender but still firm. Roughly 2 minutes before the pasta is finished cooking, add broccoli florets, or peas to the pot, allowing them to boil with the pasta for the remaining cook time and before draining everything in a colander. After draining, return the pasta and broccoli to the pot to keep it warm.

3.Place a skillet over medium heat then add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add chicken breasts then allow to cook until golden brown on both sides and cooked all the way through—about 8–10 minutes depending on thickness. When the chicken breasts are cooked through, transfer them to a plate and set aside to cool slightly.

4.Reduce the heat to medium-low then add garlic to the oil that remains in the skillet. Cook for about 1 minute to soften the garlic slightly. Remove the skillet from heat then add lemon zest and juice. Using a wooden scraper, scrape any bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pan then pour the sauce over the pasta and broccoli.

5.Chop the slightly cooled chicken breasts into bite-sized chunks then add them to the pot—stirring gently to combine. Sprinkle the entire mixture with Parmesan cheese then stir gently once more to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper then serve immediately. Enjoy!

This dish has a strong lemon flavor. If lemon’s not your thing and you would like to tone it down a notch, leave the zest in but replace the lemon juice with chicken broth. This will give it just a slight hint of lemon.  I did 1/8 c lemon juice and 1/8 c chicken broth and found it to be just perfect.

PETE’S GNOCCHI

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups of FLOUR
  • 8 medium POTATOES
  • 2 EGGS
  • SALT

Directions:

  1. BOIL POTATOES TILL COOKED COMPLETELY.
  2. MASH THEM WITH A HAND POTATO MASHER (NOT AN ELECTRIC MIXER) OR PUT THEM THROUGH A RICER. 97BAEE11-9DD7-4E1C-A884-A03375AE7568
  3. PUT THE MASHED POTATOES  ON A BOARD. ADD FLOUR, EGGS AND SALT.
  4. MIX EVERYTHING TOGETHER AND CONTINUE TO MIX BY HAND UNTIL EVERYTHING IS INCORPORATED AND SMOOTH AND YOU ARE ABLE TO ROLL THE DOUGH INTO DOWEL STRIPS. ADD FLOUR UNTIL YOU REACH THAT CONSISTENCY .
  5. BREAK OFF PIECES AND ROLL INTO DOWEL STRIPS THAT ARE APPROXIMATELY AS WIDE AS YOUR THUMB. 1842ED12-3F22-43FE-A010-07FC7511BA91
  6. CUT APPROXIMATELY 1 INCH PIECES OFF THE STRIPS.  (I didn’t get fancy with the cutting as they taste just as good shaped like soft pillows.  You can press them, or shape them any way you’d like.)10B99899-5FF6-4891-AF5C-15A06901C42D
  7. COOK IN SALTED BOILING WATER FOR APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES.
  8. DRAIN WELL.

Serve chicken and pea sauce over gnocchi and top with fresh parmesan cheese to taste.

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Diana’s Veal & Peppers

Losing a parent is one of the hardest things a person goes through in their life.  Losing two parents and an only sister within three years is unimaginable to me.  When one suffers such a loss, memories are often where they find solace.  Photographs, songs, letters, scents and recipes keep us connected to those we miss the most.  An old friend of mine, Joan often cooks childhood dishes to reconnect to happier times with her family. Living in Buffalo now, Joan’s food photographs pop up on my Facebook feed, often when she can’t sleep.  On those days, I feel like I can smell her cooking right through the computer and wish she still lived nearby.

I met Joan back when our boys were little.  Our boys attended elementary school together and were two peas in a pod, especially when it came to leaving their books at school.  My son Robert used to inform me that Gary’s mother would go and make photocopies of missing homework pages at the nearest drug store.  I told my son that was way too complicated for me with three young children, besides he needed to learn responsibility, right?

Joan was one of the first ladies I met when our children started Kindergarten.  She was hysterically funny and a realist when it came to raising her children.  We shared many laughs and cocktails together as our children grew up.  When Joan’s children went off to college in Buffalo, she and her husband decided to pack up and move up there.

A few years back, Joan lost her mom and dad within one year of each other.  When her mom was dying of cancer, Joan and her sister Barbara moved back into the family home in Brooklyn to care for her.  Joan’s posts were often like Seinfeld episodes, in which she described going back to the old neighborhood.  Throughout this most difficult time, Joan kept her sense of humor and helped her mom Diana keep her dignity.  Anyone who has gone through this knows that is not an easy thing to do.  Not long after Joan’s mom died, her only sister Barbara passed away unexpectedly.  This came as quite a shock to all as Barbara was a healthy woman and left Joan understandably devastated.

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Joan, Diana, Barbara

Yesterday, Joan commented on my sausage and peppers post.   She shared how she too, cooks foods from her past to feel closer to those lost.  She said she tries to make her mother’s recipes to hang on to her childhood memories.  Her mother’s veal and peppers recipe was her favorite as a child.  Every year for her birthday, her mom would let her request a special dinner and this is the one Joan picked.  As she celebrates her birthday this weekend, Joan made her mom’s treasured recipe and kindly shared it with us.

Like most women of her time, Diana never wrote anything down.  Joan said she often has the urge to pick up the phone when cooking to ask her mom how to make certain foods.  I’m sure many of you know that feeling all too well.  Here is Diana’s recipe as Joan makes it today.

Diana’s Veal & PeppersJoansmom

Ingredients:

  • 4-5 red peppers sliced
  • 1 large onion sliced
  • 3 cloves of garlic chopped
  • Red pepper flakes
  • Olive oil
  • 1 1/2 lbs veal cubes for stew
  • Flour
  • 2 small cans of DelMonte Tomato Sauce
  • Red wine

Directions:

I usually make the peppers in advance just to make life easier.

  1. Slice up 4-5 red peppers and 1 onion. Place in pan with olive oil, salt, red pepper flakes. Mix it coating the peppers with oil. Cover with foil and cook at 400 hundred oven till almost soft. (15-20 minutes)
  2. Mix flour, salt and black pepper in dish. Coat veal cubes in flour.
  3. Brown veal in large frying pan with olive oil and minced garlic.
  4. When brown add splash of red wine to deglaze the pot.
  5. Then add 2 small cans of Del Monte tomato sauce and a little bit of water. Bring to boil. Cover and simmer about 1 to 1 1/2 hours till veal is fork tender.
  6. Add peppers and onions and heat all together for 5 minutes or until hot. That’s it.
  7. Serve on rice
  8. Leftovers, if any, are great on Italian hero’s the next dayE974E165-6B44-4A51-AF72-1C9663CD0B1D

If you try this recipe, please leave a comment in the section below.  We’d love to hear how you liked it.

If you’d like to share a special recipe from your family, please leave me a comment and I’d be happy to feature it here on the blog.

 

Sausage & Peppers

My husband brought home some freshly made sausage yesterday, hot and sweet.  I happened to have some gorgeous organic red peppers waiting to be cooked.  Today, we spent the morning in Queens visiting my dad at my mom’s nursing home.  When we got home we had a light lunch and I began to think about what to make for dinner.  One of my husband’s favorite quick meals is sausage and peppers and since I had all the ingredients on hand, why not.

My husband and I have been married for over 30 years.  We’ve known each other since we were 18 years old.  F725EDD3-6ED5-48B0-8060-0AF546F425C7We met in Glendale, NY, at a local hangout through mutual friends.  For those who grew up in Glendale, this hangout was the hot spot of the early 1980s – The Bulkhead. My husband was friends with one of the owners and my best friend and I would go there weekends to hang out and dance.

When we were married, I realized that my husband never really ate any of the Italian meals I loved.  He grew up on meat and starch and not much in the way of pasta or tomato sauce.  I, on the other hand, could eat pizza, baked ziti or chicken parmesan every night of the week.  Thankfully, he now loves these staple meals just as much as I do. Believe me, it was no coincidence he brought these sausage home, knowing I had red peppers.  This meal was so easy to prepare and the biggest decision was – bread, rice, pasta or potatoes.  Tonight, pasta won out as we had rice and bread already this week.

This recipe has evolved over the years from when we were first married.  I was not a huge fan of sausage meat and would never eat peppers back then.  I remember making sausage and peppers for our first family gatherings.  They were always a hit and super easy to make.   Back then, I didn’t make my own sauce.  Rather, I used something in a jar like my mother had.  Back then, I didn’t know that the type of cookware you use impacts the taste of your food – think aluminum pans. Back then, I just wanted something that would taste good and could be prepared ahead so I wouldn’t be stuck in the kitchen when my company arrived.

As my cooking improved, so too did my sausage and peppers.  I never really had a recipe to follow on this one.  I just kind of threw things together and cooked it super long in the oven.  I still experiment with the ingredients, but the version I made today is my latest favorite.  Your house will smell so good when this is cooking.   It’s a nice hearty meal for a Saturday night at home and tastes even better the next day.

Both of us have changed into lounging clothes and have no intention of going out tonight.  He’s watching a movie and I am finishing a good book.  This is not a meal we eat often as it’s not the healthiest.  To lighten it up we have used turkey sausage in the past and it tastes just as good.  With Super Bowl Sunday right around the corner, this may be one dish you might want to try.

Laura’s Sausage & Peppers

Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. Pour glass of Merlot and turn on Alexa for dancing in the kitchen.A525CE1E-46D4-465D-9252-65FEBC84DB2A
  2. Slice each sausage link into 3 pieces (use sharp knife)
  3. Place 1 tbsp butter in cast iron pan and add sausage links.  Cook over medium heat until they brown nicely on outside.  Remove to oven pan.B0FE1B82-5EE4-4142-BFF2-F2D6A7D53394
  4. In same cast iron pan, add few drops of olive oil, onions and peppers.  Add red pepper and brown over medium heat (about 4 minutes).
  5. Add chopped garlic and cook 1 minute74A54DEA-CC67-47C6-B648-AADA1020D31F
  6. Remove onions and peppers to the same pan as sausage.
  7. In same  pan you cooked onions, add wine and cook down, using wooden scraper to deglaze the pan.
  8. Once the alcohol cooks down, add the chicken broth and tomato paste.
  9. Add spices and stir.  Cook over low heat for about 5-7 minutes.
  10. Pour over sausage in pan.  Cover and cook in oven for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
  11. Uncover and leave in oven for 30 minutes as you prepare your pasta or rice.
  12. Serve over rice, pasta or potatoes. (I usually cook the potatoes right in with the sausage and peppers)

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