An Epic Eats Easter!

Happy Easter to everyone, I hope your day was as lovely as mine! I had a wonderful time being home with my family and enjoying time with my niece and nephews (Erik and Me are above!) It's good to be back on the blog too. Things have been so busy lately with school and life, it was hard to find time, but I'm back and I've got some delicious things to share :)

Trav and I headed up to my parents house for the weekend to enjoy Easter with my family. We went into Boston on Saturday to go to Mike's Pastry in the North End. A few lobster tails and a bunch of cannolis were just what we needed to bring a little cheer to the rainy day. I must say, lobster tails are starting to win me over. The crunchy flaky crust is such a good match for the fluffy cream inside. I always thought cannoli were my favorite, but I think I've been converted to a Lobster Tail Lovah. If you have never had one, you should probably order them off Mike's website.




Anywho, onto the good stuff: Easter brunch! After giving up meat for lent, I could not wait to eat some bacon on Easter morning. It was liberating and scrumptious. My Mom and Dad went all out and cooked a huge feast, with a lot of help of course from the family! My Dad was most excited about his Pizzagaina, a traditional Easter Ham Pie filled with tons of italian meats, cheeses, and eggs. He used his mother's recipe from when he was a kid, so it brought back some good memories. My brother and nephew helped him make it and they did such a great job. It was the first time I got to have pizzagaina, so I was really excited about it. Doesn't that picture just make you wanna take a huge bite hehe!



My Mom did some fantastic baking with the help of Erika. The monkey bread was my favorite - ooey gooey buttery cinnamon-y pastry bread! YUM! It didn't last very long at the table, I think everyone loved it. She also made an amazing chocolate bread pudding that she got from Paula Deen. It was SO chocolate-y, it tasted like very moist chocolate cake. Carol made a really delicious french toast casserole as well. It had apple slices on top with a sweet cream cheese frosting. Everything was just amazing. Of course we had bacon, eggs, sausage, ham, bagels, etc. Lance made his fancy fruit salad (we did have some healthy menu items!). And last but not least, we had mimosas! No brunch is complete without one!




I hope everyone had a great Easter and ate some yummy food. I will be posting these recipes soon so be on the lookout :)

Blueberry Muffin Smoothie

We all know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, it gets you going and wakes you up! That being said, I am not much of a morning person so most of the time my main motivation for getting out of bed is what I am going to eat for breakfast. A runny egg and cheese on toast? Greek yogurt and honey? Pancakes? Oatmeal? Oh the possibilities. Being as busy as I am, it is sometimes a challenge to eat before I leave the house. Sure it's easy to go to DD and grab a bagel or a donut, but I like to start my day off on a healthy note to give me plenty of energy. This one day I was running a little late, I decided to try a place on campus, the cereal bowl. I had always been a bit curious about it and thought it would offer some smart healthy, yet delicious, breakfast choices. Turns out, I was correct. I quickly looked over the menu and noticed some seasonal specials, one being a Blueberry Muffin Oatie, a mixture of frozen yogurt, milk, blueberries, oats, and maple syrup. After my first sip, I was hooked. I went back many many times for this oatie. Then it occured to me I could probably save a few bucks by making my own, so I created my own version of this delicious creamy way to start your day!

Blueberry Muffin Smoothie:

1 1/2 c fat-free vanilla bean frozen yogurt (i use the turkey hill kind)
2/3 c skim milk
1/3 c fresh blueberries (or more, depending on how you want it)
1/3 cup old fashioned oats
1 packet french vanilla carnation instant breakfast
1 tblsp maple syrup



Throw it all in the blender and blend until smooth and creamy! Depending on what consistency you like your smoothies, you can add more or less milk. I added the instant breakfast to include some more protein and add some more creamy vanilla flavor. If you feel you don't want the extra protein, feel free to leave it out, either way it is going to be delicious! You can also experiment with many more flavors of this smoothie. Turkey hill makes a honey granola frozen yogurt as well and you can add any fruit you wish, get creative :)

Eggplant Parmigiana

It's no secret that my favorite dish is eggplant parm. The thought of it makes my mouth water. It is also a dish that I usually only make when I have to cook for more than just a few people, since you get quite a bit out of just one eggplant. It's also no secret that watching The Jersey Shore is one of my guilty pleasures. I just can't help it. With that being said, Jody and I have been anxiously awaiting the premiere of season 3 and decided to have a little dinner party in honor of it. So I invited a few friends over and made two large dishes of eggplant parm and it was a pretty big hit :) I also picked up some mini cannoli shells and made chocolate chip cannoli for dessert. We had quite the situation on hand.

Now I do believe that the best way to enjoy eggplant parm is to bread it and fry it. It may not exactly be the healthiest, but it's all about moderation anyways. So I hand breaded my eggplant and pan fried it in olive oil. I made a small batch of sauce and completed the parmigiana with a mixture of mozzarella, parmesan, fontina, and asiago cheeses. Crispy eggplant, tangy sauce, and gooey cheese....is there a more perfect combination of ingredients? I didn't think so. I don't measure much with this recipe, so I sort of guesstimated the amounts of seasonings. I think it's really all up to you, if you want more garlic, less garlic, more pepper, etc. Don't be afraid to forget about your measuring spoons!

Eggplant:
1 large eggplant, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cups bread crumbs
garlic powder
italian seasoning
fresh cracked pepper
salt
4 eggs
1/2 c milk




Mix bread crumbs with seasonings and beat eggs with milk (in two separate containers). I like to use two large tupperware containers and bread all my eggplant before I start frying, otherwise your kitchen may end up a huge mess. Next, heat a saute pan (medium to medium high) with olive oil and place eggplant in hot pan. Flip over when browned (about 2-3 minutes per side). While your first batch of eggplant is cooking, place a layer of sauce in casserole pan. Once the eggplant is done, place a layer on top of the sauce. Follow with another layer of sauce and then the cheese. Repeat until you have no more eggplant. Depending on the size of the eggplant, you will probably end up with 2-3 layers.


Quick and easy sauce:

1 large can of tomato sauce
1 medium can of diced tomatoes (I like the Del Monte diced with oregano, basil, and garlic)
1 small can of tomato paste
2 tbl sp chopped garlic
2 tbl sp parmesan cheese (grated)
1 tbl sp sugar
good red wine ( to taste, I usually go with 1/3 cup)

Start with some olive oil and add the garlic, sauce, tomatoes and paste. Then add sugar, wine, and cheese. The longer you simmer the better!



Simple Cannoli filling:

1 small container of whole milk ricotta (or a large one, depending on how much you want to make)
1/2 to 1 cup of Powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Drain ricotta in a cheese cloth for about an hour or longer, depending on how dry you want it. Mix all ingredients together until sugar is dissolved. I usually start off with 1/2 cup of sugar and taste as I go to make sure I don't make it too sweet, which usually ends up at about 1 cup of sugar. Fill shells with a pastry bag, or if you don't have a pastry bag, you can put the filling in a zip loc bag and cut one of the corners to act as a pastry bag, it works just the same!
Lastly, ENJOY :)

Starting off the new year right - with Egg Nog French Toast!

A very Happy New Year to everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful NYE and have a happy healthy 2011 :) After a nice low key night at the lovely home of Sandra & Mike, we woke up and started off 2011 with a delicious breakfast. With the end of the Holiday season pretty much here, it is safe to say that Egg Nog won't be in stores much longer. As a fat kid, I was obsessed with Egg Nog. I would drink it non stop, hence, fat kid-ness. Nowadays, you really just need a few sips, otherwise you'll start to feel like you drank a gallon of heavy cream and have no desire to ever drink Egg Nog again. As Trav and I shopped for some groceries, I thought mmm egg nog dipped french toast. Thus, our first meal of 2011 was born. I saw a loaf of apple fritter bread, which not only smelled amazing, but seemed thick and dense enough to stand up to french toast batter. So we picked that up along with some egg nog and cinnamon. The bread lived up to my expectations and was really thick and moist. It soaked up the batter perfectly to create a sweet bite into 2011.

Ingredients:

10-12 slices bread (we used apple fritter)
3 eggs
1/2 cup egg nog
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp sugar




Beat the eggs with the eggnog and milk. Add vanilla, cinnamon, and sugar. Mix it well until it is a nice creamy blend and smells of cinnamon-y egg nog. You can add more cinnamon, more egg nog, all depending on how you want it to taste. Once the slices have soaked in the batter on both sides, place on a hot griddle and flip when browned. Once there is a nice brown crust on the outside of the bread, it is done. You want the outside to be a bit crusty while the inside is still moist and gooey. We used the Vermont Maple Syrup from Williams-Sonoma with cinnamon stick in it. It was very very good syrup, and the hint of cinnamon was perfect for this french toast.

I hope you and yours started off 2011 with an equally delicious meal :)

The World's Greatest Roast Pork Sandwich EVER

So I am sure many of you are familiar with the show Man Vs. Food. Perhaps you even saw the episode when he was in Philly and went to the Reading Terminal Market for a roasted pork sandwich from Di Nic's. If you did then I hope you were also drooling at your television over this delicious looking piece of work.

Di Nic's is known for its pork and roast beef. You can get sharp provolone, roasted, peppers, spinach, or broccoli rabe as a topping on your sandwich. They also have hot peppers and horseradish sauce sitting on the counter as an option. Travis, Meghan and I all chose the roasted pork. I opted for sharp provolone and broccoli rabe as my topping. After waiting in line for at least a half hour, we were lucky enough to snag some seats at their counter top. This line was INSANE, it wrapped around the whole corner and was down near the fish market. After the first bite of my sandwich, I knew why the line was so long. And let me tell you, it is well worth the wait.

The outside of the bread is crusty enough that it stands up to the over flowing juice of the meat. The meat was unbelievably juicy. There was juice dripping off my sandwich after every bite. Just look at the juice in the picture. If your mouth isn't watering, then you must be a vegetarian. The provolone provides a smooth creamy contrast to the juicy pork while the broccoli rabe is a nice bitter bite. All of the elements came together so nicely, this sandwich was without doubt the best pork I have ever eaten. It was very large too, I took the 2nd half home because I just could not finish it. I did not want to ruin something so delicious by filling myself to the point where I was uncomfortable. This sandwich is all about savory enjoyment. I got a glimpse of their pulled pork and roast beef sandwiches as well, so the next time we go I think I may try the pulled pork. Be sure to pay the Reading Terminal Market a visit if you are ever in Philly. Beyond this sandwich, they have any type of food you could ever imagine and a bunch of local vendors that sell their homemade goods and make them all right in front of you. It was a great place!

Welcome back to Delaware Dinner

So after a not so awesome 10 hour ride from Boston, I was very glad to be back in Delaware. Marisa and I could not believe the traffic, it was horrid. We did, however, enjoy playing the windshield wiper game (we made this up on one of our journey's home last year). Once a car was close enough behind us, we clean our windshield and since the fluid gets on the car behind us, they have to clean theirs too. We don't know why, but it is SO funny. Or at least, it keeps us entertained as we trudge up 95. Ah the simple things in life.

It was great to be back, and even more great to spend lots of time with Trav. So Wednesday we saw Little Fockers (which was really funny, so go see it) and then I cooked a delicious dinner. Perfect day. Since I am obsessed With Williams Sonoma, Travis was thoughtful enough to pick me up a few things for Christmas. One being the most delicious extra virgin olive oil I have ever tasted, and another was a package of pasta from Italy. And also the 12 days of Christmas mugs I had wanted. Isn't he just great? So anyways, back to our dinner. We went and got some fresh broccoli, pancetta, and pignoli nuts. This was a super simple recipe, but it is one that we really love and is great for when you don't want to cook an elaborate meal.


Ingredients:

2 crowns fresh broccoli
1/4 cup pignoli nuts
8 slices (thin) pancetta
1 lb pasta (you can use any kind, penne or farfalle are probably best)
2 tbl sp fresh chopped garlic
fresh cracked pepper
extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

Cut pancetta into small pieces and bring to a crisp in a saute pan. Remove the crisped pancetta and set aside. Then cut the stems off the broccoli crowns and cut into pieces and add garlic and olive oil to saute pan with pancetta grease. In the meantime, boil the pasta and toast the pine nuts until brown in a toaster oven or regular oven. Be sure to watch the pine nuts, they burn easily. Drain the pasta then add broccoli, pancetta, and pine nuts. Add a bit more olive oil and fresh cracked pepper to taste. I also added grated parmesan cheese to mine as well.

Simple & Delicious. The way food should be :)

A Very Delicious Christmas!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Holiday with
their friends and family, I know I did. I went home to Massachusetts for a little over a week and got to spend some quality time with the fam and caught up with some dear old friends. And, of course, I ate copious amounts of food (and desperately need to get my butt to the gym). But before I start eating lettuce and yogurt and running 5 miles a day, let's recount the delicious morsels I consumed over the past week. I am
sad to say, I did not photograph a lot of it, but the ones I did take were some of my favs so I hope you all enjoy!


Christmas Eve began with a lovely trip into the Boston Opera House to see The Nutcracker with my parents, Gram, Jules, Lance, Abby & Noah. The Opera House is SO beautiful, the architecture and decor are definitely something to rave about. The Nutcracker was a great show as well. Anywho, after the show we all headed down to my sisters for dinner. It began with some appetizers, including bacon wrapped scallops. I am not a huge seafood fan (I know, doesn't make much sense being from New England), but I will eat a bacon wrapped scallop. You could wrap anything in bacon and it would be good, lets be serious. Next came the main course which included a homemade chicken alfredo, which my sister let us all know was HERS! It was very good, a nice thick creamy cheesy coating for the noodles and chicken. Lance also made a crock pot beef stew, which had been cooking all day so the meat just fell apart and the flavors were very well melded together from hanging out in the pot all day. It was yummy.










Christmas day we were at my uncles and had a traditional Turkey dinner, which I did not manage to get any pics of since I was busy stuffing my face. But, it was good, my mom made some delicious sweet potatoes. Later that night we headed up to Maine to my brother's house. We cooked up a bunch of Italian food for the weekend,

since the Pats were playing Sunday and Jules/Lance & the kids were coming up as well. I was in charge of calzone, Tommy & Erika made the sauce/meatballs and my Dad & Tommy did the Lasagna. Everything was molto bene! I made 4 calzones, all with wheat dough. 3 were the regular Italian filling with provolone, pepperoni, salami, prosciutto, capicola, ham, and mozzarella. Then topped with a mixture of sweet and hot peppers. (The same calzone recipe from the previous post). The last one was a turkey meatball and cheese with some homemade sauce. They were all delicious! I wish I had taken more pictures of all the food, but Holidays are about family and that's what I was busy with. Best wishes to you and yours :)

Italian Christmas Cookies

Well everyone, it's that time of year again. The time of year where your pants get a little tighter and you constantly find yourself saying "I'll just have one more, just one." And then that one turns into 5. Ah, the Holiday gluttony, you are delicious. With that being said, my schedule of Holiday parties kicked off with a lovely gathering of all the faculty/staff and grad students in the HPL. It's a tradition we do every year, in which everyone brings something, so it turns into quite the potluck. From pulled pork to enchiladas to pumpkin cookies to kettlecorn, we had it all. This year I decided to make anisette cookies. They are my favorite Italian cookie and remind me of when I was little. When you're little, anything with sprinkles and/or frosting is appealing, but now that I am older and have a much more sophisticated palette (insert sarcastic grin here), I look for recipes with layers of flavor...who am I kidding, I still love the frosting and sprinkles. Anywho, these were super easy to make and you can let the dough sit in your fridge for a day or two if you find that you don't need to make a lot all at once. I think they are also a very good kid-friendly recipe. Simple enough dough and what kid wouldn't love dipping cookies in frosting and sprinkles. Perhaps I will make some more with my niece when I go home for Christmas!



Ingredients:

Dough:

3 cups flour
3/4 cup butter (softened)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tblsp vanilla extract
2 tblsp anise extract

Frosting:

*First, heat up 1 tblsp butter, 1 tblsp water and 3/4 cup powdered sugar in a sauce pan. Don't bring to boil, just simmer and dissolve the sugar into a nice smooth mixture.

Then take about 2 tblsp of this mixture and combine with more powdered sugar (not over heat, just in a separate bowl). Add more sugar/liquid as needed until you get a malleable white frosting. Make sure it isn't too clear, you want it to be nice and white for the sprinkles to pop out of.

They were so good even my cat, Dolce, wanted one! (above)

Combine all the dough ingredients and roll into small balls. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Allow to cool before dipping tops into the frosting. After the frosting has been added, sprinkle the colored sprinkles on top of each cookie. Allow to cool or eat warm if you would like!

Papa DuP's Calzone!

Anyone that knows my father knows that he loves food. Which, really, should come as no surprise, he the epitome of a jolly Italian man. His family is everything and from the second you walk in the door till the second you leave home, he is trying to shove food in your face. God bless him. One of my favorite Papa DuP recipes is his calzone. They were usually a Holiday special, only making appearances at the DuPont Christmas party. I always loved helping my Dad make them and carefully observed his every move, from rolling out the dough to glazing the finished product with some egg wash. So I have been making them for several years now for my friends and various holiday parties I have been to and they are always a huge huge hit. A few Sundays ago I made a few calzones to take to Trav's so we could munch on them while we watched football (the Eagles to my disliking, but if the Patriots aren't an option, I'll settle for the Eagles).

Ingredients:

Dough:
*Follow recipe from previous post, minus the brown sugar. It is enough to make 2 calzones.

Filling:
1/2 lb sandwich sliced pepperoni
1/2 lb sandwich sliced genoa salami
1/2 lb hot capicola
1/2 lb provolone
1/4 lb thinly sliced prosciutto (imported is best, it's pricey, but makes a difference)
1 can Pepper salad (sweet or hot or both)



Once the dough is rolled out into two oval shapes, begin to layer the meat and cheese. I like this order: pepperoni, salami, capicola, prosciutto, provolone. Then repeat again beginning with the pepperoni on top of the provolone. You should have enough for 2 layers of each meat in each calzone. Then top the last layer of provolone with the pepper salad or whatever peppers you have chosen. The peppers are really what makes the calzone. They provide a nice acidic crunch inside the dense meaty filling. Once the calzone is filled, fold the dough over the filling and knot it in the middle. Brush with a bit of egg wash for a nice glossy finish and pop in a 425 degree oven for about 20 minutes, until golden brown. You must let them cool a little bit before cutting them, otherwise it will be very messy. I think the best part is that the bottom layer of dough gets very crusty and greasy from the meat ( I know, not healthy, but so good). Also, if you can snag an end piece, I highly recommend it.




I have done other fillings for the calzones as well. I did a buffalo chicken as well as as spicy sausage with mushroom and cheese filling. Both were good, but the classic italian meat is the big winner. It just can't be beat, all thanks to my Dad!

Belly-warming Bread

I'm sure you've all noticed - winter is upon us. With cold weather comes the excuse to cook up warm and hearty comfort foods. When I went to make calzone a little while ago (a calzone post will soon follow), I couldn't find any pizza dough in the store, so I set out to make my own. I was very pleased with how it came out, obviously better than store bought dough. So a few Sundays ago I decided to make a nice pot of butternut squash soup (which was so delicious I forgot to even take a picture of it) and a few loaves of homemade bread to accompany it.

Ingredients:
1 packet rapid rise yeast
4-5 Cups all-purpose flour
1 tblsp Brown sugar
1 tblsp white sugar
2 tblsp olive oil
pinch of salt
2 Cups warm water

First I added the yeast to the warm water and let it sit for 5 minutes. Then I added the white sugar, salt, and olive oil and mixed well. Once this was done I added the flour one cup at a time until a nice consistency was met. Once the dough had formed into a ball I kneaded it for about 10 minutes adding flour when I thought necessary. Once that was done, I placed it back into the bowl and covered until it doubled in size (about an hour or so).



Once the dough had risen, I kneaded it some more and formed it into a nice loaf shape ( I did not use a loaf pan). Once it had the shape I wanted, I drizzled just a tad bit more olive oil on top and sprinkled with some brown sugar for a nice glaze (I think this is what really made the crust).
I let it rise again before putting it into a 425 degree oven for 20-25 minutes (until a nice golden brown crust was achieved).

I was a bit nervous since this was my first time making real bread, but I ended up very very pleased with the result. The crust was crispy and the inside was fluffy and rich. It was the perfect combination for the soup, which I really wish I had taken a picture of. You can find that recipe at Williams Sonoma, it was from a jar of their butternut squash puree. Anywho, this bread was perfect, warming and hit the spot!

Spicy Chicken & Cashews

So for all of you that have been to the Cheesecake factory, you know how delicious it is. It is probably one of the only restuarants that I absolutely refuse to look at the nutritional info. It would seriously ruin every ounce of enjoyment each succulent bite of their food gives me. So, when I go there, I just try to eat in moderation and save some leftovers. And maybe go for an extra run or 10. In my humble opinion, their spicy chicken and cashews is one of their best dishes. It is spicy, savory, and to say the least, filling. I am sure it is also loaded with salt and fat. So I set out to make my own healthier version of the dish with a little kicked up spice (Travis loves loves loves spicy food). By the time I was done eating, my nose was running and I'm pretty sure I broke a sweat. Oh the things we do for love.

Ingredients:

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
1 tbl sp extra virgin olive oil
2 tblsp fresh chopped garlic
1 finely chopped jalapeno chile pepper
1/4 cup marinated hot peppers
1/4 cup chopped green onion
pinch of salt
fresh cracked black pepper (to taste)
1 tbl sp brown sugar
1/2 cup cashews
4 cups cooked brown rice




My recipe began with the marinating of the chicken. I took 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts and pounded them out until they were tender and thin. Then i sliced them into bite size pieces and threw them in a tupperware container. Next I added just a DASH of salt and a generous helping of fresh cracked pepper. Then came the soy sauce, olive oil, peppers, brown sugar and green onion. I mixed it up well and let it chill for about a half hour. You could leave it longer, I am sure overnight marinating would only enhance the flavor more.

Once I took the chicken out, I had a pan warmed up with a dash of olive oil and a bit more soy sauce. I sauteed the chicken on medium heat so that it would cook slowly and still be tender. Meanwhile, I cooked 4 cups of brown rice to serve as a nice bed for the yummy chicken. Also, the cashews toasted in the toaster oven until a nice golden brown. Once they were done I tossed them in with the chicken and added just a tad of olive oil and pepper to the rice.

This definitely served as a healthier alternative to the Cheesecake Factory dish. The chicken wasn't fried, I used less sodium, and obviously smaller portions. Most importantly, it was spicy, crunchy, and tasty tasty tasty! Enjoy :)

Yummy Pumpkin Risotto

Fall foods are just the best, the flavors really cannot be beat in my opinion. Between apple picking, fresh pumpkins, and hearty earthy vegetables, you can't go wrong. That being said, who doesn't love risotto? Risotto is the perfect belly-warming comfort food on a chilly day. Combining yummy fall flavors with the creamy comfort of risotto is no doubt a win-win situation.

I had made a vegetable risotto with a nice garlic white-wine herb broth a few weeks ago and it was absolutely delicious. With Fall being my favorite season and Halloween being my favorite Holiday, I set out to make a savory pumpkin dish. After quite possibly the best Saturday ever (Halloween costume shopping, pumpkin carving, pirate cupcake making, a haunted hayride, and a Halloween party), I made dinner for Travis and I. I must give a big shout out to Trav for his cupcakes, they came out DELISH! Check them out in the picture. Also check out our awesome pirate pumpkin, Captain Jack O'lantern.



Anywho, the risotto began with a whole box of arborio rice and some fresh chopped garlic. The rice and garlic were coated with EV olive oil and just slightly toasted in a saute pan. You want to make sure all the rice is coated with the olive oil and gets slightly toasty in order to create the best possible risotto texture. Once that step was over I added in a can of pumpkin pie filling and stirred it into the rice. Next I added about 32 ounces of chicken broth. You can get the low sodium, but I have noticed the risotto is not as flavorful with it, so I recommend the regular broth or make your own. Now comes the seasoning. I added quite a bit of nutmeg (obviously I didn't measure), id guess it was about 3-4 tablespoons of nutmeg. Then I added probably 2 tablespoons of cinnamon sugar. A teaspoon or so of salt and some fresh cracked pepper. Then I added a tablespoon or two of maple syrup (might sound crazy, but it really brings out a sweetness and compliments the pumpkin nicely). Lastly, I chopped up some boiled sweet potatoes. The sweet potatoes added a nice texture to the risotto and an additional hearty flavor.




The ingredients came together quite nicely and the risotto was done cooking in about 15-20 minutes. It is best if served right away to fully enjoy the warm creaminess of the risotto. Now, since I had never made this dish and just sort of made up the recipe as I went, I was a bit worried it might not be good. My doubts were blown away with my first bite. I could not believe how good it tasted! It was so creamy and warm and sweet and salty all at the same time. It really almost tasted like pumpkin pie because of the sweetness but then you get the saltiness from the broth, it was such a mouth watering combination of flavors. I plan on using this recipe again on Thanksgiving, I may slice and bake the sweet potatoes after boiling them to give then a little extra texture and char before adding them to the risotto. Either way, this recipe was a big hit and super easy!

Rosemary pork loin and Cannoli

After a very long week of studying and quite arguably the hardest exam I have ever taken in my life, I decided it would be nice to cook a delicious relaxing dinner for Travis and I on Friday evening. I decided to go with a rosemary pork loin, my uncle (Uncle Merlot) and aunt Jan make this when Christmas is at their house and it is always a big hit. I had decided it would be a good idea to try to make a rub or a paste to coat the pork loin before I cooked it. I took some fresh rosemary, extra virgin olive oil, chopped garlic, fresh cracked pepper, basil leaves, and some flour and blended it together in a blender to create a paste. I then rubbed the mixture all over the pork loin, mainly the fat side and the lateral sides. I set my oven to 350 and let it cook for about an hour and 15 minutes. I had never cooked a pork loin before, so I was hoping it could come out good. Well my hopes had come true - this meat was perfectly cooked, it was dripping with juice when I sliced it up and was so tender you could cut it with a butter knife. The rosemary had seeped into the meat and created a wonderful burst of flavor with each bite. I paired the loin with garlic mashed potatoes and honey glazed carrots along with gravy ( I actually used turkey gravy, couldn't find pork in the store). I boiled red skinned potatoes and blended them with chopped garlic, cracked pepper, some milk, and half and half using an electric mixer. Once they were blended I added a little bit of olive oil for an extra smooth flavor. The potatoes were fantastic and worked nicely with the pork. How can you not love taking a nice hunk of pork covered in gravy and dipping it in your mashed potatoes? That's what I call the perfect bite.


Next was dessert. I love love love cannolis, they are tied for my favorite italian dessert (the other number one being panna cotta - which I should make a blog entry soon). I will admit, these cannolis I made are something that would go well on Semi-homemade with Sandra Lee on the Food Network because I purchased the shells at the grocery store. I would like to make my own, I have yet to get the necessary cylinders from my mother, I will soon! Anywho I added my own touch to the shells by dipping each end in melted chocolate. While the chocolate dried, I mixed whole-milk ricotta (If you are eating a cannoli, go all the way and use whole-milk ricotta, who cares about calories at this point) with powdered sugar. Again, I do not measure, I add maybe 3/4 of a cup at first and see how it tastes, if I think more is needed I add more. You can also add vanilla extract to the mixture as well. It is also best to let the ricotta sit in a cheesecloth overnight so that the moisture is drawn out and you don't end up with runny filling. So once I had the mixture all ready, I put it into a ziploc bag that I had cut a corner off of the bottom (in order to imitate a piping bag). Then I squeezed the filling into both ends of each shell and put chocolate chips on each end. I dusted each cannoli with powdered sugar when done. They were great and very easy to make!

An Italian Feast!

I had been craving sauce and meatballs for a few weeks so I decided to make fresh "gravy" and meatballs one Sunday afternoon and a nice dish of eggplant parmesan (my all-time favorite food). I have been cooking with my Dad since I was younger so the meatballs and gravy recipes are what I have learned from him. The eggplant parm comes from my mama - she makes the best eggplant ever.
So a good sauce starts with some fresh chopped garlic and olive oil. I also added some chopped shallot to the pan for a little extra flavor. Once the garlic and shallot had browned a bit in the pan, I added some diced tomatoes flavored with oregano and basil. Next I added a can of Tomato paste and a large can of tomato sauce (usually I use the Cento brand). I also add a small amount of water to the pot as well. Next comes the seasoning. I added fresh rosemary and basil, along with fresh cracked pepper and a small amount of salt. Then comes some granulated sugar. I don't really measure amounts, I just sort of throw it all together and taste it occasionally to see what I need to add. The last ingredient to a good gravy is a can of beer. I used miller lite, but you can go with any beer really, light beer is preferable. You could even add some red wine, who doesn't love a good merlot??
Now time for the meatballs. For these meatballs I used ground turkey in an effort to be a bit more healthy. I will say though - you can't beat meatballs with ground beef, the flavor is unbeatable. I mixed up the ground turkey with an egg, breadcrumbs, fresh cracked pepper, salt, fresh chopped garlic, fresh basil, grated parmesan cheese, and some italian seasoning. Again, I don't really measure anything out, I just mix it and then smell it to see if it smells seasoned enough (my Dad taught me that, I was always the "smeller" to make sure the meatballs smelled good). I think the more garlic, the better, can you really ever use too much garlic? As long as you don't plan on making out after, I really don't think you can have too much garlic. Once I had all the meatballs rolled onto a plate covered in paper towels, I put them in the microwave for about 3 minutes so they would cook mostly. Then I dumped them into the pot of gravy and let it simmer for hours. The longer it simmers the better!


Now onto the eggplant parmigiano - yum! First i sliced and peeled the eggplant - no skin is best. Then I dipped each slice of eggplant into beaten egg and milk, then dipped it straight into the breadcrumbs which were seasoned with pepper, salt, garlic, basil, italian seasoning and parmesan cheese. Then I fried each piece of eggplant in olive oil and transferred it into a casserole pan that had a layer of sauce in it. The eggplant was then covered in another layer of sauce and then a layer of shredded mozzarella cheese. This was repeated until the pant was full, usually ends up being 2-3 layers of eggplant. Then I baked it in the oven for about 20 minutes, until the cheese its melted golden brown. Mmm and the first bite - just magical. There is nothing better than the crispy eggplant with the tartness of the sauce and creamy melty cheese.

Apple Pie Pancakes...Breakfast of Champions!

So it's finally my favorite season - Fall. Nothing is better than crisp fall weather, warm sweaters, cute boots, and of course savory fall dishes. That being said, who doesn't like pancakes? No matter what time of year it is, pancakes are a timeless classic. If you don't like pancakes, I feel bad for you. My boyfriend is basically obsessed with pancakes, he might even love them more than he loves me. Just kidding, but seriously, he might. Anywho, one day he told me he put cinnamon in his pancake batter and it came out good, then I thought to myself how delicious it would be if you added some apple and cinnamon sugar to the mix and made apple pie pancakes. Thus, this recipe was born. So I went to the store and ended up buying a can of apple pie filling - possibly the best idea ive had in a while, along with a spice container of cinnamon and sugar. First we mixed up the batter (the just add water from Aunt Jemima, it really is the easiest and tastes great), then we added the can of apple pie filling. I cut up the apples first though, because they are large slices, so chopped up into smaller pieces goes much better in the batter. Lastly, we added a bunch of cinnamon/sugar to give a nice apple pie flavor.
To cook the pancakes, I put a small dab of olive oil in the pan and then place the batter on top of it. The olive oil gives the edges a nice crisp but leaves the inside moist and fluffy. Once we were done cooking we dove right into these pancakes. They were thick and heavy - the goo from the apple pie filling had moistened the batter even more and given the pancakes a very cake-like consistency. These pancakes were seriously amazing. They were very very filling though so I recommend eating them once in a while!

Pasta with chicken, zucchini, and yellow squash in a garlic white wine sauce

I love pasta, chicken, zucchini, yellow squash, garlic, and white wine, so why not mix them all together? I had never made a white wine sauce before tonight, but I was pretty pleased with the end product. I took some thin sliced chicken breast and cut it into smaller pieces. I let the saute pan get warm with extra virgin olive oil and I added some fresh chopped garlic along with the chicken and fresh cracked black pepper with a little bit of salt. Once the chicken was mostly cooked, I added the zucchini (special thanks to Jody for the loads of zucchini she gave me from her Dad's garden) and yellow squash along with a little bit of rosemary and fresh basil. I also added maybe a 1/4 cup of white wine (Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio). Then I turned the heat up and let the veggies and chicken brown up in the pan. Meanwhile, I began to boil the pasta.
Once the chicken and veggies had browned up a bit, I removed them from the pan and added more wine to deglaze the yummy browned flavorful bits on the bottom of the pan. The wine reduced nicely as the pasta finished boiling. I added the pasta to the bowl of chicken and veggies and then topped it all with the white wine sauce from the saute pan. Lastly, I had toasted some pignoli nuts so I added them to the dish as well for an extra texture and rich flavor. I love pignoli nuts in my pasta, I just think they add this extra layer of satisfying flavor and a little bit of a crunch. Before I dug into my bowl, I also added some parmesan cheese and a little extra cracked black pepper. I must say, this was a very tasty dish and I will definitely be making it again, with lots more garlic!

Castle Island Burgers and Mike's Pastry Cannoli

Towards the latter half of my trip home, my wonderful boyfriend came to visit for his first trip Massachusetts EVER! So I was very excited to show him around and of course, introduce him to some delicious local food. After a fun night at Fenway and a trip to Scusset beach by the Cape Cod Canal, we headed into Boston for the day with my family. Our first stop was to Castle Island, home of Sullivan's. Castle Island is a great summer spot right on the water and home of a very historical fort originally built in the 1600's. Sullivan's is a Castle Island staple consisting of fast-food style ordering, with downright delectable burgers, hot dogs, etc etc. The food just tastes like it came right off the grill in your backyard and your Dad cooked it with a whole lotta love. I got a cheeseburger and it was mouth wateringly delicious. It was greasy - but not too greasy, the cheese was perfectly melted and the bun smooshed everything together to form a harmony of happiness in my mouth. The four of us (Mom, Dad, Trav & myself) also split an order of onion rings and french fries. The onion rings are probably the best I have ever had - very crunchy on the outside, but not too heavy, with a soft mild onion on the inside. Their french fries are standard crinkle cut fries but also come with a fantastic crunchy outside and creamy potato inside. The weather was beautiful, our lunch was delicious, we really couldn't have asked for a better afternoon.

After soaking up some sun at Castle Island, we made our way to the North End, my absolute favorite part of Boston. I was super excited because there was a festival going on this weekend for Madonna Della Cava. The North End festivals are a great big celebration with lots of food, drinks, games and entertainment. Mike's Pastry is one of the most famous bakeries in the area and is one place I always try to get to when I am home. Their cannoli's are my favorite - very large with crunchy shells filled with thick creamy ricotta. I always get the chocolate chip cannoli - the ends are sprinkled with little chocolate chips. The line to get into Mike's was literally out the door and down the sidewalk so we got in line knowing that the wait would be worth it. My Mom ordered a bunch of cannoli's for us to take home - traditional ricotta filled, pistachio, florentine, and chocolate dipped. She also got a lobster tail, an extremely large pastry in the shape of a lobster tail filled with a lighter ricotta filling almost the consistency of whipped cream. I absolutely could not wait until after dinner to eat a cannoli, so I ordered a chocolate chip one to go for my boyfriend and I to split. Mike's cannolis are never a disappointment, time and time again they remain the best cannoli I have ever had. I am sad to say I was so excited about eating them that I forgot to actually take a picture of one, but I did take a few inside the pastry shop and at their stand on the festival street (which they humorously decorated with the advertisements pictured above). They do have a website so feel free to check that out, you can actually order cannoli's online and they will ship them to you!
http://www.mikespastry.com/