Marie, Author at Proud Italian Cook

AUTUMN SIDES

November 2, 2008 by Marie 48 Comments

These are two very easy sides to make, because your oven does all the work! The hardest thing would probably be cutting up the vegetables! Preparing your veggies with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper, and then roasting them at 400F gives a nice carmelization to them all. And if your lucky to have a “convection roast” setting on your stove, that’s even better.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Green Beans, Dried Cranberries, Toasted Hazelnuts, all tossed with Brown Butter and Sage. I saw this combination in a magazine and loved it ever since! I think it was shown with whole pecans, which would be equally delicious!

Brown butter and sage, is simply made by melting some butter on medium heat, tossing in some fresh sage, heat until the white milk solids turn brown, and sage is crispy.

Balsamic Glazed Roasted Acorn Squash

Taking balsamic vinegar and simmering it down until it becomes a dark, sweet rich syrup, and then pouring a generous drizzle over your squash, makes it irresistibly good!!!

Have a great day, and Buon Appetito!!

48 Comments Filed Under: Fall, Side Dishes, Vegetables Tagged: autumn side dish, balsamic glaze, brown butter and sage, roasted veggies, turkey sides

Antipasto Anyone?

October 30, 2008 by Marie 43 Comments

For special occasions, stuffed mushrooms and stuffed artichokes can be the perfect starter! Yes, artichokes can be a little time consuming, with the prepping and all, but that can all be done ahead of time, which makes things alot easier.

In both appetizers I used the same stuffing which consisted of crumbled Italian sausage, sauteed mushrooms, flavored breadcrumbs, fresh herbs and cheese. I love buying crimini mushrooms, if you’re lucky to have a Costco near you, they have a great buy for a huge container of them.

Preparing the Mushrooms:

Wipe them off with a damp paper towel, trim away hard tips, snip off the stems, chop them up, then set aside. Place stem side up in a baking dish that was drizzled with olive oil. I used Crimini mushrooms, but you can use what you like.. Ater you stuff them drizzle olive oil over each mushroom.

Prepping The Artichokes:

This does take a little time, but it all can be done a day ahead if you like. Trim about 1/3 off the top of your artichokes, then take a scissor and trim off all the pointy tips. Slice it half length wise, and place in pot of water with squeezed lemon. Simmer till you can just start to stick the point of a knife through, you don’t want them to be falling apart or mushy. Stoves, and the size of your artichokes will vary so its something you just have to watch.

After they cool a little bit, trim them down to the light green and tender leaves that are all edible, scoop out all the pointy and fuzzy stuff, but be careful to leave the heart in tact! What you’ll have left is all edible, even the stem if you trim that up too. Place in a baking dish drizzled with olive oil. After you stuff them, drizzle olive oil over the top of each one.

For The Sausage And Breadcrumb Stuffing:

Squeeze your Italian sausage out of the casing, or buy it in bulk. Brown it up and get it into small crumbles. Drain on paper towel. Drizzle olive oil in pan, saute your chopped mushroom stems and a clove or two of crushed garlic. Add back your sausage, and mix together then take off the stove, add in Italian style dry breadcrumbs, or panko, or day old Italian bread, fresh grated romano cheese, fresh parsley, salt and pepper, and just a little bit of shredded mozzarella to hold it all together. Measurements don’t have to be exact here, you’ll be able to judge the amounts by the way it looks.

Bake at 400F, 15 or 20 min’s, or until breading on top is nice and crispy. When mushrooms come out of the oven I usually place a little warm marinara on top, the flavors are terrific together! The artichokes are served with lemon wedges.

I guarantee your guests will not be able to resist these!

Buon Appetito!!

43 Comments Filed Under: Appetizers Tagged: party foods, special occasion foods, stuffed artichoke hearts, Stuffed mushrooms

Chicago Style, Italian Beef Pizza!!

October 28, 2008 by Marie 50 Comments

I was excited to do this months Daring Baker challenge, ” PIZZA NAPOLETANA” , for one thing, I’m a proud Italian cook! and the other thing is, my family on my Mom’s side is from Naples!

The pizza dough recipe which we had to use, came from Peter Reinharts, “The Bread Bakers Apprentice” other than that, we were free to use any sauce or topping we wanted.

Seeing that I’m a girl born and raised in Chicagoland, I thought it would be fun to base my pizza on one of the foods Chicago is known for, and that is Italian Beef!

Originating in Chicago, this sandwich dates back to the 1930’s. Paper thin slices of lean roast beef, simmered in a beef juice that’s loaded with flavors of garlic, oregano, and depending on where you get it from, many other “secret spices”!

I always order mine with “sweet and hot”( peppers that is). Sweet being, green bell peppers that have been sauteed, and the hot, which is usually a homemade giardiniera.

I picked up a pound of our favorite Italian beef from Portillo’s, a very popular place that is always consistent, and always good.

When you buy it by the pound, they always separate the beef from the juice. When you get it home, instructions are to slowly simmer them together, never heating it on high heat, so that’s what I did to get all the flavors into the beef, but then because I was going to put this on top of a pizza, I drained all the juice from it, otherwise your pizza would be a soggy mess.

My sauce was made by simply opening up a can of good crushed tomatoes, and right into the can I put 1 clove of crushed garlic, about 1 teaspoon of salt, some pepper, a light sprinkling of oregano, and a drizzle of olive oil. Stir it all up, take a spoon, and spread it all over your dough.

Of course I had to add “sweet and hot” to my pizza, along with some shredded mozzarella.

The verdict on the dough: I thought the texture and the chewiness was great, it cooked up golden and crunchy, but I feel it lacked flavor, almost like it needed a little more yeasty taste to it. But thats just my opinion!

A big “Thanks” goes out to our hostess Rosa, of Rosas Yummy Yums who picked this challenge.

Click on her blog to get the complete recipe for the pizza dough.

Also go here, and check out some of the other pizza’s that have been cooked up out in the blogosphere!

50 Comments Filed Under: Chicago, Pizza Tagged: Chicago style pizza, Chicago tradition, Italian beef pizza, Portillo's beef

Pumpkin Pastina

October 20, 2008 by Marie 70 Comments

In many Italian households children are first introduced to pasta by way of pastina. Pastina literally means “little pasta”. Today you can find shapes of many different forms, from tiny dots to stars, alphabets, and many more. My own kids grew up with pastina, simply made with a little butter, and grated cheese, but this recipe takes it over the top with a beautiful presentation in a pumpkin, hence the name pumpkin pastina.

To this day it’s the kind of comfort food that my family and I still crave today.

When I first saw this recipe in Michael Chiarello’s cookbook…The Tra Vigne… all my fond memories of pastina came rushing back, I just had to make this!

Tiny pastina cooked in a warm broth flavored with onion, & thyme, adding to that, creamy parmesan cheese, and roasted butternut squash.

I can barely describe how good this is, it almost didn’t make it to the table, I’m warning you you’ll be tempted to eat it right over the stove with a spoon!

By all means, you don’t have to serve it in a pumpkin like it’s featured here, but the presentation is so eye catching and very festive for this time of year, and besides, you have to roast your butternut squash anyway so why not do it all on the same baking sheet.

This recipe serves four, and the pumpkin I used was on the small side about 6 or 8 inches round. I was going to use the green one in the photo as well but decided against it.

Just cut the top, scoop out the seeds, oil it inside and out, and season with salt and pepper. Place the lids back on the top when baking.

For the butternut squash, I just cut it in half, scoop out the seeds, oil it inside and out add salt and pepper, and then place it cut side down on baking sheet.

Both will cook at 375F for about 40 min’s. You want your pumpkin still firm enough to stand up, so depending on what size you use, you might want to keep checking it.

NOTE: Do all of this earlier in the day to get it out of the way, the pastina cooks up fast.

This has nothing to do with the recipe at all, but I just wanted to show you the beautiful colors that were on these leaves that I saw when I was taking a walk the other day, I just love the fall colors!

Michael added turkey in his recipe and cooked the pastina like risotto, adding the broth little by little. I didn’t do that.

You certainly could add turkey to it if you like, for a more heartier meal. I didn’t do that either. I might however, use his suggestion to chiffonade some chard or spinach into it next time.

FOR THE PASTINA:

In a pot, sauté about 1 cup of onion in olive oil, season with salt and pepper and fresh thyme.

Pour in 4 cups of stock (I used chicken) and bring to a gentle boil.

When stock is boiling pour in 3/4 lb. of your dry pastina or any tiny pasta.

When al dente, fold in about 1 cup of your roasted butternut squash that has been scooped out, and 1/2 cup of good parmesan cheese. Season it to taste with salt and pepper.

The consistency should be loose, so you might want to add more stock to it, so have extra on hand if need be.

Pumpkin pastina is the perfect meal to make this fall.

Buon Appetito!

70 Comments Filed Under: Fall, Pasta Tagged: autumn comfort food, comfort food, fall food, pastina, roasted pumpkin, tiny pasta

Savory Vegetable Ricotta Pie’s

October 15, 2008 by Marie 71 Comments

I’ve made many things using ricotta on this blog, obviously we love it here, and I always have some in my frig! Ricotta is such a versatile cheese that works very well in sweet, and savory dishes alike! It bakes wonderful with any kind of veggie or herb that you put with it. I often make these pies for a light dinner, lunch, or brunch.

You can bake them with a crust, or without. Below I used a 10″ pie pan, and above I used a 10″ spring form pan. Basically the ingredients are the same. About 1lb. of ricotta, 1/2 lb or less, of your favorite shredded cheese, here I used a mixture of provolone, asiago, and mozzerella. 1 cup of grated parm or romano, 3 beaten eggs, garlic and onion. After that, you can add in whatever veggies you want!

You can use shredded zucchini which has been squeezed of its moisture, frozen spinach that has been thawed and squeezed of all water, chopped artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, sun dried tomatoes, various pesto’s and herbs for flavorings. You can get very creative with all your favorite flavors!

Just start out sauteing your onion and garlic in olive oil, then add your veggies. Have your eggs and all your cheese whipped up together in a separate bowl, and then combine it all together. I bake them at 350F, till golden and firm in the middle, not wet. It could take 30 to 50 min’s. It depends how good you get the moisture out of everything, the ricotta included. Cool them down a bit before you cut into them, so everything stays together.

Serve them with a salad or some fruit, for a complete meal thats light, satisfying and full of flavor! You’ll find that the leftovers are just as good as the day you made it!!

Buon Appetito!!!

71 Comments Filed Under: Savory Tarts Tagged: brunch food, light meal, vegetarian ricotta pie

He Did It!!!

October 13, 2008 by Marie 39 Comments

As promised, I said I was going to share some photo’s of my son Tony running in the Chicago Marathon yesterday. 26.2 miles through the city of Chicago. There were 4500 runners and over
one million people attending the event. This photo was taken right before the race was about to begin.

The horn blew and we cheered him on! He gave us a wave as he took off!

Because the route was 26 miles, we had to jump on the elevated trains, the subways and taxi’s, to get to the different cheering stations, we were walking or riding on public transportation throughout the course. You couldn’t possibly move your car.

He wore a chip, that would give us a text message on our cell phones to tell us what mile he just passed through, so it was easy to figure out when he would be arriving at a certain mile marker, because we all knew how fast he could run a mile. Very high tech stuff!!!

Here he is at the 12 mile marker, my DIL, had two star balloons attached to her backpack so he could spot us as we were all yelling ” TONY!!!” He’s still smiling at 12 miles and looking good!

Here he is at the 21 mile marker, high fiving us all, as we were cheering him on. Still looking good with only 6.2 miles to go!! Needless to say he finished the race! I have no pictures of him crossing the finish line, as you couldn’t even get near it with the mobs of people around. Fortunately he’ll get a professional one taken from the marathon.

This is the shirt my Granddaughter wore, and it really sums up how we all felt! Great job Tony,

You kicked butt!!!

Thanks everyone for your well wishes, it was much appreciated!

39 Comments Filed Under: Chicago Tagged: 26.2, Chicago marathon

Roasted Carrots and Shallots, w/ Olives and Gremolata!!

October 9, 2008 by Marie 46 Comments

This recipe really takes the humble carrot and makes it the star of the show! It’s a perfect autumn side dish, and great for any holiday table. I actually saw this while flipping through some magazines in Border’s one day. What caught my attention, was the use of a parsley, garlic, and lemon zest gremolata, which you use as a garnish. The gremolata gives the carrots and shallots a depth of flavor that makes the whole dish pop!!

Cut your carrots length wise and place on a baking sheet along with your shallots that have been peeled and cut in half. Drizzle it all with olive oil, salt, pepper, and fresh thyme. Bake at 425F for around 30 min’s, they will start to caramelize but still have a little bite to them.

For the GREMOLATA

I used my micro plane to zest my lemon and also my garlic. I just used one clove and it was enough. Chop up some parsley and put it all together with a drizzle of olive oil and pepper.

When the carrots and shallots are finished roasting and all is still warm, toss in the gremolata and some good green olives. That’s it!!

Buon Appetito, and have a great weekend!

I want to take this time to brag a little about my son Tony. You know, us mothers need to do that every now and then. This Sunday morning he is running in the Chicago Marathon, 26.2 miles, he has trained all year for this! This will be his first. The transformation of him has been phenomenal, he is now a lean, mean, running machine!!! This weekend we’re all going to cheer him on in this enormous test of endurance, I’ll be sure to take some photo’s to share with you all. Wish him a great run!

46 Comments Filed Under: Side Dishes Tagged: Chicago marathon, gremolata, holiday side dish, roasted carrots, vegetable

Rustic Cranberry and Apple Tart!… and a few Scarecrows…

October 7, 2008 by Marie 49 Comments

Fall is definitely in the air!! The leaves are beginning to change, I’m starting to put the heat on to take the chill out of the house, and the flannel sheets and heating blankets are ready to go!

I love putting my oven on this time of year, it warms up the house while the aromas are
filling the air!
Having recently bought a bunch of apples, and after seeing numerous apple creations in the blogoshere, I decided on making this free form tart. I love using those dried cranberries with apples, they go so good together. In fact, who was the brilliant person who thought of packaging dried cranberries? Whoever it was, was a genius!

Pastry for the Tart
1 1/4 c. Flour
1/3 c. of Almond Meal Flour
1/4 c. Sugar
1/3 c. of Cold Butter
2 Egg Yolks
2 Tbl. Milk
Mix the flours, and the sugar together. Cut in your cold butter, till it resembles small pea’s. Gradually stir in the yolks. When dough comes together wrap it and refrigerate it for couple of hours. This is key, because the butter needs to get really cold again, otherwise you can’t even roll it out, it will stick. You could even do this the night before, or early in the day.

Peel and slice 3 cups of apples, flavor them with a little cinnamon and sugar according to your sweetness. Sprinkle about 1/2 cup of the cranberries to this.

When ready to bake, line a baking sheet with parchment, and heat your oven to 375.
Take the pastry dough out and divide it in half. You’ll be making 2 tarts from this. Work quickly on a floured surface and roll out the dough, place it on the parchment, and fill with apple mixture leaving a border so you can fold up the sides. Brush on some apricot preserves on top of the apples, and a little milk over the dough to get it nice and golden. Bake for about 25 minutes.
Cool it down a bit before cutting, but serve it warm!

I think the almond flour is what really makes this stand out, so really you have to put it in, otherwise it won’t taste the same.

Over the weekend we went to the Morton Arboretum, they had a Fall Color Festival, and a 5k going on. I thought I’d share with you some nature themed scarecrows that were created by the local Girl Scout troops. They were so cute!

Elvis, with his pumpkin head

Daisy girl

The Count, with all his bats!!

This was so cute, Hannah “Bloomtanna”/ Miley “Cyprus”

And lastly, Pirates of “the Arboretum”!! They did a great job didn’t they?

Buon Appetito!!

49 Comments Filed Under: Desserts, Fall Tagged: apple and cranberry, fall festivals, rustic tarts, scarecrows

Polenta with Spicy Sausage and Beans, and a Black Pepper Focaccia!!

October 2, 2008 by Marie 54 Comments

Comfort food doesn’t have to take all day, this meal was cooked up in no time using just a few staples that I always have stocked in my pantry. With polenta that cooks up in 5 minutes, canned beans, and some good canned tomatoes, this could easily be done in minutes for a nice midweek meal!

Brown up your Italian sausage (either spicy or mild) in a large saute pan in a little olive oil till it’s crispy, add some fresh crushed garlic, cook till golden, now add some good canned tomatoes, I love Carmelina brand for this, they have a San Marzano Italian cherry tomato in juice, that hold their shape, and are so sweet! Simmer with the sausage till cooked through.

Now add some rinsed and drained beans of your choice, along with some fresh snipped herbs. Cook until all the flavors infuse. Start your quick polenta in another pan, and when its done, layer your sausage and beans on top.

For years my family has loved a black pepper focaccia that I would always pick up at my favorite Italian store, that has recently closed after being in business for over 30 years! I’m so sad! We miss you, D’ Andrea’s!

Anyway, this is my quickie version. Take some pizza dough, either store bought or homemade.

Roll it out, but keep it thick, drizzle with olive oil, and put lots of crushed black pepper all over. Make your dimples on top and push the pepper into the dough. You can leave it just like that, or in this case I added Kalamata olives and some snipped rosemary to it. Bake 400, till nice and golden, but still soft like a focaccia.

Buon Appetito, and Have A Great Weekend!!

54 Comments Filed Under: Breads, Meats Tagged: black pepper focaccia, quick comfort foods, sausage and beans

Butternut Squash Lasagna w/ Roasted Garlic and Rosemary Bechemal!!

September 29, 2008 by Marie 55 Comments

I’m a late bloomer in my love for butternut squash. I never wanted to cut up a big squash like that and bake it, I’d rather have a sweet potato! . But then a couple years ago I had the most amazing soup made of butternut squash, and I was hooked!

I started to see it everywhere in magazines, and on cooking shows. I saw it in souffle’s, gratin’s, ravioli’s, in grain’s, pasta dishes. I saw it roasted, maple glazed, pureed, in tart’s, and even in muffin’s and cakes! Suddenly it seemed it was so in vogue!! How come I never noticed this awesome vegetable before? Whats wrong with me?

And guess what! It’s one of those power foods, high in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and beta carotene. I’m sure by now all of you have tried this versatile vegetable, but in case you haven’t, go out and get some, please! You won’t be disappointed.

Which brings me to this lasagna I made over the weekend. I have to admit Hubby wasn’t all that excited when I told him I was making a butternut squash lasagna. He gave me a look like, “Huh.” He’s typically a lasagna purist with the red sauce, but I knew he would love this, and he did!

After searching on the Internet and picking bits and pieces of different recipes I came up with this. I liked the idea of garlic in the sauce, but I thought roasted garlic would make the flavor even more intense, and as it turned out I think it really made the whole dish!

I roasted the garlic a day ahead, as I knew I was going to make this. It also calls for no -boil lasagna, which I’m still of the old school boil kind, and I’m not convinced I like them yet. They are very convenient and fast though. Here I used the Barilla brand. What are your thoughts on no- boil ??

INGREDIENTS:

About 3lbs. of peeled, seeded, squash in 1/2 in. slices

2 Heads of Roasted Garlic

1 Box of No-Boil Lasagna

Parmesan Cheese around 1 1/2 cups

Bechemal Sauce

First, you need to roast your squash in a hot oven at 425 degrees. till tender. Make sure you drizzle it with olive oil, salt and pepper. It will probably take about 25 mins.

In the meantime make a pot of bechemel by melting 1/4 to 1/2 cup of butter and then mixing in 1/4 to 1/2 cup of flour, keep whisking, then squeeze in your roasted garlic, add salt and black pepper.

Pour about 5 cups of milk in and whisk till thick. When squash is cooked, stir it into the sauce along with the rosemary ( about 1 tbl.) and half of the Parmesan cheese.

IMPORTANT TIP HERE:I would have liked to had a little more sauce, the noodles soaked it up as it cooked, so you might want to make more. Next time I will.

Reduce oven temp to 375F. Layer it like you would any lasagna. Spray your baking dish, layer the noodles, and spread the sauce mixture all over, and sprinkle with cheese. Continue layering till done. Sprinkle more cheese on top. Cover with foil. Bake around 35 to 40 mins. Uncover and cook till golden brown.

The roasted garlic sauce infused with rosemary, complimented the squash so well, it was heavenly!

Buon Appetito!!

55 Comments Filed Under: Pasta, Vegetables Tagged: butternut squash lasagna, no boil noodles, roasted garlic bechamel

Lavash Crackers w/ Artichoke Salsa! Daring Bakers September Challenge

September 26, 2008 by Marie 38 Comments

This month’s challenge was to make Lavash crackers along with a dip, spread, a salsa, or a relish of some sort. Here’s the challenge… the crackers had to be made with an all purpose wheat flour, or a gluten free flour, I choose the wheat flour, because I had it in my house, but the toppings had to be made gluten and vegan free!

Our host’s this month are alternative Daring Bakers, Natalie from Gluten A Go Go, and Shel, from Musings From The Fish Bowl. I want to thank them for picking a savory recipe this time, it was nice for a change. The recipe comes from the book, The Art Of Extraordinary Bread, By Peter Reinhart. Please check out their blogs for the complete recipe’s and instructions on the crackers.

This took no time to get the dough together, I think it took longer to knead it! I probably didn’t roll it thin enough I should have divided the dough in half, and rolled it into 2 pans, but I didn’t!!

I used a dry seasoning I have that is a mixture of rosemary, garlic, lemon peel, and spicy red pepper, to press into the cracker dough. Some stuck, some didn’t!

All in all this was a very easy and fun challenge, and who knew, I’d learn how to make crackers!!

The topping I chose was a very quick “Artichoke Salsa” which by the way is vegan, and gluten free! It’s simply made by opening a jar or two of your favorite marinated artichokes, draining them and pulsing them in your food processor. When finished pulsing, pour into your bowl.

Then chop some red onion, slice up some kalamata olives, 1 clove of smashed garlic, and diced and seeded tomatoes. Finish off with salt, pepper, shredded basil, a hint of lemon peel and a little olive oil to taste.

It actually tasted really good with the crackers, and it was a great appetizer with a glass of wine!

Please check out the ever growing Daring Baker blogroll for all their cracker creations!

Buon Appetito!

38 Comments Filed Under: Appetizers Tagged: artichoke salsa, daring bakers, lavash crackers appetizer, vegangluten free salsa

Onion Soup w/ Fontina Garlic Bread! O Foods For Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month!!

September 24, 2008 by Marie 46 Comments

September is Ovarian Cancer research and awareness month. The blogosphere is a buzz with many bloggers helping to spread the word! Spear heading this awareness along with having a contest is Sara, of Ms Adventures in Italy, Jenn, of The Leftover Queen, and Michelle, of Bleeding Espresso.
We were asked to spread the word by posting a recipe that either started or ended with the letter O. All details are here.

This is my small part of spreading the word for a cause that’s near and dear to my heart! Ovarian Cancer claimed the life of my mother when I was 9, and a vibrant niece at age 26.

Please click on the link to read about signs and symptoms, and how you can help!

Now on to this warm and satisfying recipe!

Ingredients
5 onions sliced
Thyme
6 Cups of Stock ( Beef or Vegetable) I used Beef
3 Tbl. of Brandy
1 tsp. sugar
A little flour, Olive Oil and Butter

Warm a little butter and olive oil in heavy pan, add onions and cook till soft and a deep golden brown. Don’t rush the cooking time or else onions will become bitter, stir frequently on a medium heat. Add your thyme, salt, pepper, and sugar.
Meanwhile get your stock nice and hot in another pan. Stir about 2 Tbl. of flour over your golden brown onions, and whisk in gently your hot stock. Add your Brandy and simmer for 10 mins.

To make the Fontina garlic bread, simply rub garlic over a nice chunk of bread, something that has some body, like a good crusty baguette. Slice Fontina cheese on top, and stick it under your broiler for a few mins. or place in an oven till golden.

I hope you try this rich and flavorful soup!

Buon Appetito!!

46 Comments Filed Under: Soups and Stews Tagged: o foods, onion soup, ovarian cancer awareness

Artichoke Frittata

September 19, 2008 by Marie 49 Comments

If you’re having a busy week, no need to drive threw those tasteless burger places for dinner, you know which ones I’m talking about! Why not go home and whip up a frittata?

Frittata’s are quick and easy to make, you can put just about anything you want in them, and it’s a great way to use up some leftover veggies or meats.

Great for a light dinner or a fancy brunch, frittata’s are pure comfort food for me and the Hubby!

In this recipe all I used was 1 bag of frozen artichokes, ( I’m putting in another plug for Trader Joes, they have the best frozen artichokes, I can’t live without them!) which I quickly defrosted in my microwave. While it was defrosting I turned my broiler on, took out my saute pan quickly drizzled it with olive oil, sauteed some green onion, diced red pepper, and thinly shaved garlic. I also tossed in the artichokes (which were gently squeezed of any water) just to flavor them up.

After they were sauteed in the olive oil a little, I took them them back out of the pan, and set aside.

In the meantime beat some eggs with a little milk, add a generous amount of grated romano cheese, salt, pepper and whatever herbs you want, if any.

Pour egg mixture into the pan, now arrange your artichokes cut side up around the frittata, and slowly let the eggs set, about 10 min’s. When set, sprinkle top with more grated cheese and stick the whole thing under the broiler till golden brown. Garnish with fresh parsley and more cheese if you want.

After it cools off a little I think the flavors really come out, with every bite you’ll taste the cheese, and that hint of the shaved garlic, and lets not forget the star of this dish, the artichokes!

Have a good weekend and Buon Appetito!!

49 Comments Filed Under: Eggs Tagged: artichoke frittata, brunch food, frittata's, light dinner

Mezzanotte!!! (Midnight)

September 14, 2008 by Marie 45 Comments

Pure decadence! That’s how I describe this amazing coffee cocktail called, “Mezzanotte”.
This is something you’d would want to make for a very special occasion. Dark chocolate, espresso, vodka, and coffee liqueur, make up this little treat! Who wouldn’t want to sip one of these? It’s like having your espresso and dessert all in one!

Consider making these for a very special occasion, I know I am! In case you haven’t heard, there’s a big bash going on in the blogosphere. Susan, over at Sticky, Gooey, Creamy, Chewy, is celebrating her 1 year blogiversary, and we’re all invited to her virtual cocktail party!! If you haven’t already met Susan, please go over and check out her wonderful blog, It’s full of family stories that will bring tears to your eyes, and snippets of her life that will make you laugh out loud, along with all her glorious food!!

I’ve decided to bring this cocktail as my contribution to her party. It’s going to be a long night, and I figure we will be sipping these well past midnight!!

Mezzanotte Cocktail

2 oz. Vodka

2 Shots of Espresso ( 1 oz. each)

1 oz. simple Sugar

1/2 oz. of Coffee Liqueur ( Kahlua, Godiva, or Starbucks)

Chocolate Syrup

One Stick of Dark Chocolate

Chocolate Shavings

Sugar the rim of a martini glass. Swirl chocolate syrup inside the glass. Pour your Vodka, sugar, espresso, and coffee liqueur, into a shaker with ice. Shake vigorously. Strain. Garnish with chocolate shavings and a chocolate stick.

Cin Cin!!

45 Comments Filed Under: Drinks Tagged: blogiversary bash, coffee cocktails, mezzanotte cocktail

Risotto Primavera Cake!

September 8, 2008 by Marie 43 Comments

I’m beginning to see a trend in my cooking. I’ve noticed I have a fondness for molded foods! No really! Check it out! Here, here, here, here, and here. And now I’m adding this one to my list! I must surely have a problem!!!

I started molding risotto about 10 yrs ago in my green Tupperware Jello mold, you know the one with the whole in the center. I read it somewhere in a magazine many years ago and I thought it was the coolest idea, especially for a dinner party as a side dish, I just liked the idea of cutting off a piece that was all contained, it has a nice presentation.
Believe me I don’t do this all the time, we like our risotto the normal way, slathered on our plates too, but for something a little different and out of the ordinary, you might want to give this a try.

The other thing I like about this is the fact that you can make your risotto the day before, have all that stirring done, and your kitchen cleaned up! Use any combination you like, you know risotto’s a personal thing. Put together the ingredients and flavors you enjoy!

I did a primavera, because I had alot of veggies I wanted to use up. In mine I used zucchini, yellow squash, red and green pepper, mushroom, onions, and pea’s. I added to it, fresh parsley and basil, salt, pepper, and grated romano cheese.

The key here is that you use a little less liquid than normal, so it will have a drier consistency, but still be very moist and creamy. The other thing I do is saute my veggies first in another pan and set aside. I don’t like my veggies overcooked and mushy, so when the risotto is finished absorbing all the liquid, thats when I’ll fold my veggies in.

Grease your mold, here I used a springform pan. Pour your risotto mixture into it, make sure you press it down with the back of a spoon, then wrap in foil and refrigerate it! If you’re making it the same day, still keep it in foil, but bake it in a 400 degree oven for about 30 to 35 min. Let it sit for about 5 min’s, then un mold. You can serve this hot, cold, or at room temperature.

The important things to remember are, for every 1 cup of rice use 2 1/2 cups of stock, and don’t forget to deglaze with a shot of wine, finish it off with a little butter, and the cheese. and don’t forget you’re going to bake it for about a half hour.

Other than that you could use any risotto recipe you like.

Any one else seeing a trend in their posts?

Buon Appetito Everyone!!

43 Comments Filed Under: Rice and Risotto Tagged: main course, risotto, side dish, Tupperware molds

Adoring Dolcetti!

September 5, 2008 by Marie 34 Comments

There’s still an abundance of peaches out there and this is a great way to use them up. In fact a whole platter of these is a great thing to bring to a party, trust me I’ve done it! You can grill them ahead of time either outdoors, or like I did here right here, on my indoor grill.

Cut them in half, scoop out the pit, grill face down, just till you get some grill marks on.

Put a dollop of mascarpone, chopped pistachio’s, and a good drizzle of honey!

Do you have any banana’s that are starting to look sad? No problem! Wrap them in some tin foil and throw them on the grill, either inside or out.
Let them cook till the skin gets brown and soft in the center, about 20 min’s.
In a small sauce pan melt some butter, about 2 Tbl. Now add 1/2 cup of toasted and chopped hazelnuts, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a few Tbl. of light corn syrup.
Pour the warm sauce over your warm banana’s with a scoop of vanilla ice cream sprinkled with cinnamon!

Both of these desserts are very quick and so, so, easy to make!! They taste very decadent! and your family and friends will adore you for serving these!

Have a nice weekend, and Buon Appetito!

34 Comments Filed Under: Desserts, Fruit Tagged: grilled peaches, hazelnut sauce, honey, roasted banana's, summer fruits

Balsamic and Herb Grilled Chicken Breasts with Roasted Red Pepper and Basil Salsa!!

September 1, 2008 by Marie 42 Comments

Even though Labor Day is long gone, there’s still plenty of time left for grilling!

The flavors in this dish go so well together, I hope you’ll give it a try before grilling season is over.

Marinating the chicken is the key here, so you’ll want to do it for at least 2 hours.

In a Ziploc bag place 4 chicken breasts, 2 crushed garlic cloves, herbs of your choice, I used rosemary, oregano, and thyme, you can use fresh or dry. 1 tbl. of Dijon mustard, 3 tbl. of olive oil, 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar, plus some salt and fresh ground pepper.

When done marinating, place on your grill to cook.

While your chicken is marinating grill your red peppers. Peel, seed, then cut them into a dice.
Place in a bowl along with some crushed garlic, lots of fresh basil, red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt and black pepper. Let everything sit together at room temperature.

When your chicken breasts are done grilling, you’ll want to spoon this roasted red pepper salsa on top. You won’t believe how good these flavors taste together! So please, fire up your grill and give this a try!

Buon Appetito Everyone!

42 Comments Filed Under: Poultry Tagged: balsamic chicken breasts, grill season, red pepper salsa

Cannoli Filled Cream Puffs!! August Daring Bakers Challenge

August 30, 2008 by Marie 44 Comments

This months Daring Bakers challenge was taken from a book called, Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Herme’.
I knew I was going to like this the minute I saw the recipe, because it only had 3 elements to it! Choux pastry, or cream puff dough, some kind of pastry cream, and a chocolate glaze.

Then there was the fact that our dear Host’s MeetaK and Tony Tahhan, kindly gave us culinary leeway to choose what ever filling we wanted, along with the size and shape of our choice, which made it even better!!

Of course my choice was to stuff these little mini babies with cannoli filling. The filling consisted of ricotta, which was made smooth by putting it into a food processor, along with some powdered sugar for sweetness, after which I added some rum, grated orange rind, just the slightest hint of cinnamon, and mini chocolate chips.

To make it less dense, I folded in some freshly whipped cream.

After glazing the top with chocolate, I finished it off with some chopped pistachio’s.

The biggest problem I had was working with the pastry bag! Everything was squishing out the top, I think my bag was too small. So after one attempt with it, I quickly switched to a gallon size Ziploc bag. I would appreciate any hints to working neatly with a pastry bag!

Other than that only issue, everything else was a breeze! I would definitely make these again!

For the complete recipe please click on our Host’s link above.

And please go check out some of the other Daring Bakers creations here.

Buon Appetito!!

44 Comments Filed Under: Desserts Tagged: Cannoli, daring bakers, mini cream puffs, pistachio's

Family, Friends, and an Evening with Tony Bennett!!

August 25, 2008 by Marie 51 Comments

This past Saturday our family and friends joined together again for our annual trek to Ravinia Festival, for the Tony Bennett concert.

Ravinia is one of the oldest outdoor music festival’s located in Highland Pk. The venue is a gorgeous park like setting with old trees, a sprawling open lawn area, an open air pavilion where Tony Bennett actually performs. Scattered along the grounds there are wine bars, espresso bars, ice cream stands, food areas where you can pick up some gourmet treats and baked goods, and even a sit down restaurant.

If you live in the Chicagoland area and haven’t been to Ravinia, you are missing out on one of the best times!! You just have to go! I repeat!….”Go to Ravinia!” Stealing a quote from my son, “It’s just not summer unless we go to Ravinia at least once!” And it’s so true!

The whole thing about Ravinia is the picnicking that takes place on the lawn. Yes, the lawn seating is the best! But there’s a strategy to it, you have to claim your spot quickly,you must have all your plans thought out ahead of time. And when the gates open, send in your best runners to claim your spot, all you have to do is lay out your tarps and mats, and then the fun begins. We have our “secret ways” and it works every time! Did you check out the crowd?

As far as the picnic fare, you will see a whole spectrum of things, humble eating straight from a pizza takeout box, to a turkey dinner on china with candelabras. It’s fun to walk around and see the different picnic’s going on, We actually saw a small wedding reception picnic there with the bride still in her wedding gown.

This is the Pavilion where the artists perform, it’s open, and there is seating for 3200 people, but you will pay at least $75.oo per ticket. Lawn seats are $15.00 per person and you will hear Tony being piped out from all the speakers they have set up in the trees. We always manage to get near the stage where the sound is great and if we want too, we can walk up to the fence and take a look at Tony performing. Many times you will see couples dancing on the lawn.

By the way, can I just say that Tony Bennett still sounds amazing! You’d never know he was in his 80’s! He’s as sharp as a whistle, and doesn’t miss a beat! He talks to his audience, and makes sure he plays all there favorite songs. Needless to say, “Chicago” was sung!

For our group of 14, we had 3 tables that we put together to make a buffet. We had a separate table that was for our beverages where homemade Sangria was made. The gates opened at 5:00 and Tony performed at 7:30, so we had 2 1/2 hours of ” grazing” before the concert started. Everyone all chipped in a brought something! The only thing we ever buy is coffee at dessert time.

For Appetizers we had:

Brie and fig, Goat cheese with Lavender, Spinach and Artichoke Dip, Olive Salad Dip, Salsa and Chips, Feta Dip, Baba Ganoush, Hummus, and Pita Chips.

Main Courses:

Chicken Kabobs, Falafel, Spinach and Artichoke Quiche, Mini Prosciutto and fresh Mozzarella sandwiches, Breaded Chicken Fingers, Tortellini Pasta Salad skewer’s, Spicy Capicola and Mozzerella skewer’s, Mini Pizza’s of Caprese, and a Gorgonzola and Artichoke one, Stuffed Tomatoes, Roasted Veggies, Cucumber Salad, and, an assortment of Olives.

This is my son Tony, going in for the desserts which consisted of:

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries, Oreo Truffles, Mini Cheesecakes, 2 kinds of Brownies, Banana Bread, Lemon bars, and 2 different Fruit Kabobs!

It truly was a great evening had by all! Thanks everyone!

This is something I made which is great for a party, sort of a deconstructed pasta salad. In this case it is pre-cooked Tortellini that was marinaded with lemon and olive oil for 30 min’s, then skewered with fresh basil, sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and fresh mozzarella. Grate some fresh cheese over top. Mmmm!!

And finally, I just want to mention that this post makes it my 100th post!! Woo Hoo, I finally did it!

Buon Appetito Everyone!!

51 Comments Filed Under: Chicago Tagged: 100th post, Chicago outdoor music festival, deconstucted pasta salad, picnic foods, Ravinia Festival, Tony Bennett concert

Grilled Scallops with Roasted Tomatoes and French Beans!

August 21, 2008 by Marie 37 Comments

If you love scallops, I’m certain you will love this dish! Every time I make it you will hear sounds like “Mmmmm!” “Oh, Wow!” “Yummm!” around my table, (me included).
Believe me, it isn’t any skill on my part, it’s very simple to make, it’s just that the flavors go so well together. You have the intense concentration of the tomatoes which have been roasted, balanced with the sweet and slightly smoky flavor of the grilled scallops, added with it all, are those thin french beans that still have a little bite to them, I’m telling you, it’s a match made in heaven!

The other great thing about this dish is the fact that the tomatoes and beans can be done ahead of time, even the day before. Scallops take no time at all, so I actually recommend you doing that, this way when the scallops are done, everything comes together so quickly.

Roasting the Tomatoes:

You must use those little tomatoes on the vine! I used the Campari ones from Costco, but you can get them almost any where. They have such terrific flavor already, and when you roast them they get even better. Take a foil or parchment lined baking sheet, cut each tomato in half, over a bowl lightly squeeze a little of the juice out, place cut side up , drizzle with olive oil, s&p, and crushed garlic. Roast in a hot 400 degree oven till they shrivel up and have a deep red color with still a little moisture.

Forgive me, I’m not sure how long it takes, I know its less than an hour and more than 20 min’s.

Again it depends how much moisture is inside, just keep checking. Let them cool, and gently lift them off with a spatula and pack them into a container till ready to use.

Scallops:

Good quality scallops, big ones, that are dry, you don’t want to put a wet scallop on the grill it just won’t sear right. So place them between paper towels to get any moisture out. Toss them with some olive oil, salt and pepper, and cook them on a very hot grill and don’t flip them till you get some good grill marks. I can’t tell you exactly how long they take, it depends on how thick they are.

But don’t over cook them OK!

French Beans:

Cook till crisp tender, rinse in cold water, put them into a Ziploc bag till ready to use.

Now when you’re ready to eat, take a large saute pan, cook some shallots and more garlic in olive oil till tender. Now take your roasted tomatoes, place them in the pan and heat then gently through, as well as the beans.

When scallops are done, just incorporate everything together! That’s it!

Buon Appetito!!!

37 Comments Filed Under: Seafood Tagged: french beans, grilled scallops, roasted tomatoes, seafood

Grab A Cannoli, And Come Share My Blogoversary

August 14, 2008 by Marie 89 Comments

Well it’s finally here, the 1st anniversary of Proud Italian Cook! I can’t believe a year has gone by already. I remember before I started this blog, I would browse the Internet and check out all of the food blogs out there, looking at all the beautiful photo’s and reading great stories , and learning about different cultures and food traditions. Having a passion for cooking I wanted to have my own blog but thought it would be impossible for me, how would I start it? How did they get those pictures on line? Remember, I’m from the non-techie generation!

One day my daughter was over and I was showing her some of my favorite blogs and I was saying to her that I wish I could have one of my own. Of course her response was,”I can set you up in about a half hour with your own blog!” What? really? I said. “Yeah, pick a name for it” In the meantime she was typing faster than the speed of light asking me what color background, what font, etc and all the other things you have to do to set up a blog.” Come on Mom! Pick a name I gotta go home” Are you kidding me? You’re just going to leave now? I said. As soon as I came up with Proud Italian Cook she was done with everything else. ” It’s all done, see? I gotta go now”. “Read up on it Mom, you can do it, Bye!”

Needless to say her phone was ringing off the hook from me, question after question, I even gave her my passwords so she could upload my photos from her house, she’s a night owl and so am I,
so many a night I’d be calling her to help me.

Then I noticed the answering machine going on a little more often then before, Hmmm, was that a hint? I did hear her say she created a monster once! So baby step, by baby step, I slowly learned about blogging.

All that being said, if it wasn’t for her, no way would I have started this! So thank you Vanessa! and the rest of my family, for putting up with me.

I’m looking forward to the year to come, maybe I’ll even figure out what bandwidth is, or how to do a widget, or even a gadget!!

89 Comments Filed Under: blogiversary Tagged: blog friends, blogoversary, Cannoli

Fresh Strawberry Mousse! Something Pink, for the Chicago 3-Day, 60 Mile Walk for Breast Cancer!

August 11, 2008 by Marie 37 Comments

This weekend in Chicago was the Susan G. Komen, 60 mile walk for Breast Cancer. My daughter, daughter in law, niece, and a few of their friends joined as a team, and together they walked 60 miles in 3 days along with thousands of others to fight breast cancer.

I did a post here about some of the highlights of it, and the training and fundraising part of it.

Day 1, at 6AM, Team Boob Patrol assembled together all fresh, motivated and ready for their 60 mile walk! some of the team names were hilarious, Babes for Boobs, Titty Commitee, and The Rack Pack, to name a few.
From left to right, Tenley (friend), Vanessa (daughter), Christa (daughter in law), Julie (niece), Elena (friend), Michele (friend).

Before they started their journey there were so many motivational stories they told of those who were walking and why. The loved ones that they had lost to this disease. Moms, daughters, wives, aunts, cousins, best friends, co workers. And then the survivors came in and thanked them all for doing this. Some of the survivors are pictured in the circle here with the flags, holding hands.

To watch over all these walkers there was a wonderful crew looking out for them every step of the way, here was an “angel”all in pink who rode along the walking route.

Day 2, This is one of the cheering stations set up for friends and family to cheer their walkers on. This one family set up a “red carpet” right on the side walk, complete with music as the walkers walked by. Everyone cheering, clapping, and thanking them as they passed. Cars that drove by were beeping there horns in support of the walkers. Police that were directing traffic had pink shirts on. Ambulance and fire department trucks were decorated with pink ribbons and encouraging words.

This is my Granddaughter all decked out to cheer her Mom on. She along with other kids, handed out freeze pops to the walkers as they walked by. Other people had bottled water, licorice, Tootsie Roll pops along the way.

Many of the walkers decorated their own shirts, some had names of those they were walking for on the back. This was done by my daughter in laws crafty sister.

We just loved this sign a man had made for his wife!

I have to say my son and son in law, did a terrific job to encourage and support their wives. They were both there acting as their private crew members for whatever they needed, bandaids a change of socks, shoes, whatever.
Here is one of 6 huge signs that my son placed daily on the walking route so his wife could see it and be motivated to keep going. He blew up pictures of her workmates (pictured here), her grandmother, her parents, and her sisters family, glued them on poster board and with the help of my DIL’s crafty sister wrote encouraging words to her.

These signs were so big he had to hammer them in the ground!

Day 3, The walk completed, hand and hand team Boob Patrol walked proudly into the closing ceremony together, relieved it was over,bistered feet, a little sore, but very proud of what they accomplished, as well as all of us, their family!

The closing ceremony took place in the parking lot of Soldier Field, what a sight to see when all the walkers took off one shoe, and raised it high above their heads in honor of those who have survived breast cancer. Not a dry eye was left!!

Victory to team Boob Patrol!!! You guys did it! Each and everyone of your family members are so proud of you!! Cheers to you!

In finishing, I had to show you a picture of this. Upon arriving home after her 3Day walk, my son had 60 pink flamingo’s placed in the front of their home. One for each mile she walked!

Wasn’t that sweet?

If anyone is interested after reading this post, the mousse I made was simply chopped fresh strawberries,that were sweetened to taste, folded into some freshly whipped cream that was flavored with some Amaretto, and placed into a white chocolate rimmed glass.

The ribbon was made out of warmed white chocolate, piped onto parchment, and immediately decorated with sprinkles.

37 Comments Filed Under: Chicago Tagged: Chicago 3Day, Chicago breast cancer 3day, fresh strawberry mousse, pink flamingos

What to do with an over abundance of veggies!!

August 5, 2008 by Marie 53 Comments

I just can’t resist buying veggies this time of year, I’m happy when my frig is stocked full of them, but I think I went a little overboard this past week! Knowing I had a busy week and weekend ahead I knew I had to cook these up, so I decided to fire up my grill.

I call this a Grilled Vegetable Torte, it’s so easy to prepare, it has a WOW presentation, and it goes fantastic with grilled meats. After grilling your veggies, which have all been brushed with olive oil, salt and pepper, layer them into an oiled spring form pan, any size will do it just depends how many veggies you have.

Each layer a different color, a different veg that is topped off with shredded parm or in this case pecorino romano, you might want to put a few basil leaves in between too. Repeat untill you get to the top. Press veggies down.

Cover and wrap the bottom of your pan with foil and place on a baking sheet in a 400F oven.
Bake for about a half hour, giving it enough time to melt the cheese which acts like “glue” and holds the veggies together when you slice it. Let it cool, unmold and eat it at room temperature. Garnish with shredded romano or your favorite cheese on top.

Don’t cut your veggies into small pieces, you’ll want to cut them into nice big slices it’s easier to layer that way.

Believe me it cuts into perfect wedges, just use a sharp serrated knife and take your time, pulling it out with a pie spatula. I would have showed you a wedge but I took this whole thing to a friends house for lunch, minus my camera.

Adding some grilled veggies and ripe tomatoes to orzo pasta along with fresh herbs and grilled shrimp tossed in a fresh lemon and olive oil dressing, makes this a light summer pasta salad.

Tomato Bread, this has great flavor and goes with just about anything! Take a good quality baguette, and scoop out a well down the middle, stick in some grape tomatoes, drizzle with olive oil, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper, place on a baking sheet and bake in a 350 degree oven till tomatoes are soft around 30 min. When the tomatoes pop the juice runs into the bread and flavors it. Garnish with fresh basil.

Hope these ideas help you out a little in using up any of your veggies you have laying around!

Buon Appetito!!

53 Comments Filed Under: Breads, Pasta, Vegetables Tagged: Grilled Veggies, shrimp and orzo, tomato bread, vegetable torte

Italian Style Portobello Burgers!

July 31, 2008 by Marie 41 Comments

We all get pressed for time and need something we can cook fast every now and then. This is my idea of fast food!! Something I can take out of the frig, it doesn’t have to be defrosted, I don’t have to mix it with anything, it can all be cooked on the grill, with no pots or pans to clean, and it just takes minutes to cook!

Not only is this super fast, the flavors going on here are so good together, believe me you won’t even miss the meat!

I take everything out to my grill on a baking sheet all sliced and ready to go, cut fairly thick slices of the tomato and onion so it stands up to the grill when you flip it. With the portobello’s I usually clean the gills out, that’s just my personal preference, you don’t have to.

Everything is brushed with an herb flavored olive oil which takes a couple seconds to make by mixing some fresh or dry basil, with a clove of crushed fresh garlic into some olive oil with some salt and pepper. You can tell the portobello’s are done when they shrink and flatten. Be sure to add your cheese so it has time to melt, here I used provolone.

When everything is done toast up your buns, we like ciabatta rolls so that’s what I used, but use whatever you like, just get them a nice and golden color.

To assemble the “burger” :

Spread some leftover warmed marinara or pizza sauce on the grilled bread.

Layer with some arugula

Place portobello, grilled onions, provolone cheese, and the grilled tomatoes on top and serve immediately!

Buon Appetito!

41 Comments Filed Under: Vegetables Tagged: fast food, herb oil, meat alternative, mid week meal, portobella burgers

Filbert Gateau with Praline Buttercream ( Daring Bakers)

July 29, 2008 by Marie 38 Comments

Filbert genoise, praline paste, praline butter cream frosting, sugar syrup, apricot glaze, and a ganache! Phew!! Those were all the components to this months Daring Baker challenge.

I must say It all got off to a pretty good start, I mean my cake itself (the genoise), came together perfectly, it rose nice and I was able to get 3 layers evenly cut.

I think the problem started here, although it doesn’t look that bad, I think I overcooked the sugar which turned into a bitter tasting caramel.

I proceeded to make the praline paste by putting the brittle into my food processor and just letting it go till it turned paste like.

I had no problem with this either, It looks pretty good doesn’t it?

Little did I know at the time that the bitterness of the caramel was going to affect the whole flavor of the cake!

Unfortunately that’s what happened, the whole cake had a bitter taste to it, even my Hubby who has a enormous sweet tooth couldn’t even finish his one piece, believe me, he wanted it to be good!!

So needless to say I was very glad that I halved the recipe. I used a 6×3″ pan, and stuck pretty much to the flavorings.

Oh, and my ganache, well that’s another story, I definitely need help in that department!

Mine never got thick enough it turned out more like a glaze, I probably should have added more chocolate to it, but I wanted to get it done as I was starting to lose day light.

I tried to cover a multitude of sins with my “fancy scroll work,” lol, which I did “Sandra Lee” style, by filling a zip lock bag with the frosting and then snipping the corner like a pastry bag.

Hey, you win some and you lose some! I don’t think “fancy cakes” are my forte’, but that’s what being a Daring Baker is all about, I definitely challenged myself! You should have seen my totaled kitchen, that would have been a great photo! lol

I want to thank our dear host this month Chris, over at Mele Cotte, go over there and you can check out the whole recipe. It was 5 pages long when I printed it out.

And don’t forget to check out the other Daring Bakers cakes, I’m sure there are some gorgeous ones out there!!

38 Comments Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged: caramel, daring bakers, filberts, ganache, gateau, hazelnuts, praline

BURRATA!

July 21, 2008 by Marie 64 Comments

If You’re lucky enough to come across some Burrata cheese, please don’t hesitate to pick some up. Yes, it’s a little pricey, but worth every single penny! It’s a food experience you’re not likely to forget. I happen to be at the right place, at the right time, the other day when I saw a special display of Burrata set up over at Whole Foods.

Imported from Italy, this artisanal cheese has a very short shelf life of about 2 weeks because it is fresh and not aged at all. This is not something that Whole Foods has in stock all the time, they try to get it in on all the holidays though. Even they were surprised when they got this shipment in. They tell me when it does come in it sells out so fast, so that’s why I said I was there at the right time. Lucky me there was 3 left!

Don’t you just love the packaging!!

The best way to describe Burrata is think fresh mozzarella kicked up a couple hundred notches, with a luscious creamy-like center that’s filled with a mixture of heavy cream and stracciatella (little rags) or curds of mozzarella. When you burst open the center everything oozes out!

This must be eaten at room temperature for maximum flavor and creaminess.

I roasted some Campari tomatoes with olive oil and purchased some spicy olives to go along with it, and of course some warm crusty bread!

I can’t think of a better way to spend a relaxing Sunday afternoon, sipping on some cool crisp white wine to go along with our Burrata treat, al fresco style!

You can also cook with Burrata, you can put it on pizza or any number of things.

But Me… I prefer it in it’s purest form, just like this!! I urge you to seek out this cheese if you’ve never tried it, and savor every bite!!

BUON APPETITO!

64 Comments Filed Under: Appetizers Tagged: al fresco dining, artisanal cheese, Burrata cheese

PRIMAVERA PASTA PIE

July 10, 2008 by Marie 44 Comments

Have any leftover spaghetti? Some veggies that need to be used up before they go bad? Then consider making this pasta pie. I always have a few different veggies left over that I didn’t use in other things, it could be one zucchini, or half of a red pepper, a little broccoli, whatever! It doesn’t matter what kind you have, just put them all on a roasting pan drizzle with olive oil and roast at 400 degrees.

Make sure you season and flavor your veggies good, I have a Tuscan dry seasoning I used along with some garlic, fresh basil, salt and pepper. The veggies I had on hand were, eggplant, red pepper, red onion, broccoli, and a few frozen peas I had left in a bag.

Take your leftover spaghetti, mine had a light marinara sauce already on it, but it doesn’t have to have sauce on it at all. If you don’t have leftover spaghetti you can just cook up 1/2 lb. Drain it, and while it’s still warm, add 1 beaten egg, some grated cheese, salt and pepper, then mix this up with your spaghetti. Place everything into your buttered 10″ pie plate, you might not have to use all the pasta just make sure it covers the pie plate, because that will be your “crust”.

Place your roasted veggies on top of your pasta “crust”. In a bowl whisk 3 eggs, grated Romano, and about 1/2 cup of half and half cream, and pour this all over your pie. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Uncover and sprinkle with a little more cheese, and bake for 10 minutes more.

Let it rest for at least 10 minutes before you slice it up. Cut into wedges.

All you need to top this off is a nice salad on the side and your meal is complete!

This is so good, and the best part is nothing went to waste! And in this economy, that’s a good thing!

Buon Appetito!!

44 Comments Filed Under: Pasta Tagged: leftover veggies, one dish meal, primavera pasta pie, spaghetti pie

Balsamic Glazed Cipollini Onions, and a HUGE, HUGE Thanks!!

July 3, 2008 by Marie 62 Comments

Before I get on to these cute little cipollini’s, I have to share some good news with all of you.

Last week I was contacted by a wonderful woman from the Chicago Tribune, saying that they wanted to feature me as “Blogger of the Week” on their “Chicago’s Best Blogs” website, and would I be interested!! Are you kidding me! Did you say, THE Chicago Tribune?? Needless to say I was in complete shock, I must have read the email 10 times before I responded, called every family member I have in a matter of 10 minutes, and I’ve been buzzing ever since.

I just want to say “Thank You” to the Chicago Tribune, I’m truly honored, and proud to display my badge!

And now on to these little gems!

Cipollini onions, pronounced “Cheep-oh-lee-nee” originated from Italy,but now you can find them all over the states. I’ve seen them in regular and specialty stores, and of course always at my Italian markets around here. Although they can be a little expensive at times, they’re worth the special treat. They have an intense sweet flavor that especially comes out when you roast them. Which is my favorite way to eat them.

Their flat and saucer shaped with a thin, paper like skin, just remove the skin and trim the ends.

When you roast these with balsamic, it becomes a rich, syrupy glaze that flavors and caramelizes the entire onion The taste is phenomenal!!

Place them in a hot oven around 400 degree’s, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper, fresh thyme and a good balsamic vinegar, roast them till tender and caramelized, if the glaze seems to be cooking down to fast, just lower the oven to 350.

Picture a nice grilled steak with these on the side, or some grilled chicken, chops, or even a roast. Either way, I’m sure you’re gonna love them!

Buon Appetito!!

62 Comments Filed Under: Vegetables Tagged: balsamic glazed cipollini's, Blogger of the week, Chicago Tribune, Chicago's Best Blogs, cipollini onions

Fireworks, and Fire Up! (your grill that is!)

July 1, 2008 by Marie 32 Comments

Barbecue season will be in full swing this weekend as the 4Th of July is quickly approaching. Many are planning a relaxing summer day with family and friends and there will be cook outs everywhere. The smell of ribs, steaks, burgers and hot dogs will permeate the air!

I thought I’d share with you a few things we like to grill ,and a couple of sides.

Pork tenderloin is great on the grill, it doesn’t take long. the meat is always tender, and if you just slice it open like a book, it can be marinated and stuffed with just about anything. In this case I made an olive tapenade, mixed it with a little Dijon mustard, spread it all over, and then rolled and tied it. Mighty Good!!

Beer Can chicken, if you’ve never tried it, please do! It may not look the most attractive, but the taste is phenomenal, crispy on the outside and super moist on the inside. Just remember to plug the top so all the moisture of the beer stays inside. As far as your choice of spice, the sky’s the limit!! Here I used, paprika, thyme, cayenne, granulated garlic, dry mustard, salt and pepper, cumin, sometimes a little brown sugar too. Mix it all up together and after coating your chicken with olive oil, slather it on.

Pasta salad is always a favorite with my family, you can make it a million different ways, this is an old stand by recipe, I just changed it up with some Cavatappi pasta. Olives, broccoli, shredded carrots, red onions, fresh basil and parsley, granulated garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper, and tons of Romano cheese. This is always a request by my daughter!

Who doesn’t like corn on the cob? Keep the heat out of your house and cook it on the grill. I like to cut the cobs smaller, it’s easier to fit on your plate.

Sometimes I like to spice it up a bit, for a change of pace.

Just melt some butter, have your spices ready, in this case I just mixed some paprika, cumin, granulated garlic, salt and pepper. Dip your corn in the butter, sprinkle with the spice, and grill!

Mmmm, it’s so good!

Cannellini Bean Salad, this is a great side that can be made ahead of time, in fact, it tastes even better as it sits. Canned beans, rinsed and drained, diced tomatoes, red and green peppers diced, a little jalapeno for some heat, crushed garlic, chopped parsley, basil, tossed in a fresh lemon and olive oil dressing.

And last but not least, I can’t take credit for this Blueberry Tart, I actually found it by way of Mile Fiori Favoriti, a blog I visit often. What appealed to me was how she made it sound and the ease of making it, go over and check her out, she has the link to the recipe. I made it last Sunday and it was a real hit!!! I WILL be making this again. Thanks Pat!!

Blueberries, almond flavor, and in my case, ( shhhh, don’t tell anyone) I used a store bought pie pastry dough, you know, the kind that’s already rolled out. Again I’m plugging Trader Joe’s, check it out in their freezer case, it taste’s outstanding.

I hope I’ve given you some inspiration for some good eats ,and good grilling, I would love to know some of your favorites for the summer and the grill.

Wishing you all lot’s of fun and food for the 4TH!!!

32 Comments Filed Under: Desserts, Meats, Poultry, Summer Tagged: beer can chicken, blueberry tart, cannellini bean salad, grilled corn, grilled pork tenderloin, summer bbq's

Rum, Raisin, and Ricotta Danish Braid

June 27, 2008 by Marie 45 Comments

Daring Bakers June Challenge

Danish Braid

Danish dough, or as it’s sometimes called laminated or layered dough, is a pastry technique. It’s like the beginning steps of learning puff pastry,” but not nearly as complex”, so says the author Sherry Yard of (The Secrets of Baking). By learning this technique you can create a whole slew of different recipes, of course I would be contented just getting through this one!!

Although it was time consuming, it wasn’t too difficult to do, as long as I had my directions close at hand.

Of course I had to put my Italian twist on it, so for my filling I decided to do sweetened ricotta cheese, with rum soaked, golden raisins. I soaked the raisins over night in the rum so they were definitely “drunk”!!

I wouldn’t call this “braided to perfection” by any means. I prefer to call it a, well…. a more “rustic look”.

The recipe called for Cardamon, which I didn’t own, but really wanted to try, besides, I thought that it would go well with the ricotta . I searched a few stores for the cardamon, and ended up getting it at Whole Foods, it was ground, and only $4.99, which I thought was a steal. In my search I even found it as high as $15.00 (ouch!)

I was anxious to try Cardamon, because I’ve been reading that it’s the “new Cinnamon”. I can’t say that I’m 100% sold on it yet, I’ll have to try it again in something else. I do love it in Chai tea though!

The egg wash made for a beautiful golden brown finish!

Can you see the layers? It really worked!

I have a deep respect for bakers, with their exact measuring and patience, something I am learning to do in this group!

A big “Thank You” to our host’s this month, Kelly, of Sass and Veracity, and Ben, over at What’s

Cooking, for helping me get out of my “comfort zone”. Go over and check out the complete recipe on their blogs.

Don’t forget to check out some of the other Daring Bakers braids here.

45 Comments Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged: cardamon, daring bakers, dark rum, ricotta danish braid

LEMON SORBETTO BLENDED WITH MASCARPONE CHEESE

June 23, 2008 by Marie 48 Comments

Wandering through the food blogosphere we come across so many fantastic recipes, I’m always inspired by the talent of all my fellow food bloggers. I must have a list a mile long of recipes I’ve bookmarked to try!

Sometimes I come across a concept that is so simple, and I think to myself, what a brilliant idea! I knew back in April when I saw this over at Taste With The Eyes, that it was something I was going to make, lemon with mascarpone a match made in heaven and I could not wait to make it!

What attracted me to this was how simple it was to make but yet the end result was so dreamy and decadent. In fact Lori Lynn’s own words were ” it’s embarrassingly simple”.

All you do is take 1 pint of your favorite sorbet, put it on your counter and let it defrost a little, take out your food processor, and put in the sorbet along with 6oz. of mascarpone cheese. Give it a whirl until all combined and smooth. Spoon it into a pretty glass, and refreeze it. Garnish it with whatever your heart desires, I just used some lemon peel.

The best thing about this is there was no ice cream machine needed, and no one would ever know the difference!!

Slightly defrost before you serve it because that’s when the true flavors come out, then sit down and enjoy every creamy spoonful!

My Hubby loved this so much that now he wants me to try blending an orange sorbet with the mascarpone, sort of like an upscale dreamsicle.

I think the possibilities are endless, don’t you?

Thanks Lori Lynn, for letting us all in on “your little secret”.

WARNING!!! This could become very addicting!!

48 Comments Filed Under: Desserts, Summer Tagged: lemon and mascarpone sorbet, lemon sorbet, sorbet, sorbetto desserts, summer dessert

Food and a Fundraiser!

June 16, 2008 by Marie 40 Comments

This was a busy weekend for me with not much time for blogging I was helping out in a fundraiser for my daughter and daughter in law.
The food that I’m showing is great for a crowd, especially the potatoes which are simply Idaho’s or Russets, cut in planks with the skin on, tossed in olive oil and seasoned with salt, pepper, oregano, granulated garlic, paprika, and generous amounts of grated romano cheese. Bake in a 400 degree oven till crispy.

In August, my daughter, daughter in law, and niece ,will be walking 60 miles in the Chicago Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer 3 Day. Each walker makes the commitment to raise $2,200.00, all proceeds go to benefit the ongoing research to fight this disease, and find a cure.

It’s not an easy task to come up with the money so they encourage the walkers to do some fundraising. We held a 2 day garage sale with things donated by friends, family and neighbors to help them meet their goal. They also held a big poker party that same night with some of the proceeds going towards their team. My daughter in law works in a big office and she came up with the idea ( after clearing it with human resources) that whoever donates $2.00 for the Cause, gets to wear jeans to work, I thought that was a great idea, who doesn’t want to wear jeans instead of a shirt and tie!

Walking 60 miles is no easy feat, you have to stick to their training schedule and build up your miles, otherwise you could really hurt yourself.

As of today they are all up to about 13 mile walks, but when the actual 3-Day starts, the first day they walk 22 miles, the second day is 20, and the last day is 18.

They did it once before and let me tell you my daughter had to tape her feet to finish, she had blisters like you’ve never seen before! It’s grueling! but so is this disease!!

Last time they walked we attended the opening ceremony where thousands were gathered to start this journey together, many walked all 60 miles holding pictures of loved ones, poster size pictures of mothers and sisters, aunts, cousins, friends they lost to this disease. They wore Tshirts with names on them, they held big banners with names of loved ones as they walked. It is truly an emotional event!

Along the route they walk, people drive by in cars and beep their horns, come out of their homes and offer water or just to say “Thank You”, its that encouragement that keeps them going.

We met them along the way with band aids and Advils, new socks or a change of shoes, but mostly to encourage them to finish. My Granddaughter held up a big sign as her Mom walked by that said…My Mommy Rocks!! I Love You Mommy!! My daughter burst out in tears!!

The opening ceremony is very emotional, but the closing ceremony is even more touching!!

Friends and family form a line, now mind you, there are thousands of people, this was held in Chicago on the lake front at the time and as the walkers walk in together ,they are hand and hand, arm and arm, they all take off one shoe and raise it high above their heads in honor of the survivors, all are crying, there’s not a dry eye anywhere!!!

Here are some of the survivors, many of them walked all 60 miles also, some even being pushed by family and friends in their wheel chairs, believe me it is a sight to see!

As most of you are aware of, their is a fellow food blogger who is fighting this very battle right now, her name is Bri, the name of her blog is Figs with Bri, and through the kindness of fellow bloggers and others, there is a fundraiser going on for her right now to help her seek other treatments, there is a goal to be met and although it is well on the way, it hasn’t been met yet, so any donation big or small would be so appreciated.

Please take the time to read about this courageous young women if you haven’t already done so, just click on the link above to get to know her and learn about the fundraiser going on.

Hopefully Bri will be walking among these survivors one day!!!

I just want to say “Thank You” Vanessa, Christa, and Julie, we are soooo proud of you girls for doing this!!

40 Comments Filed Under: Chicago Tagged: Bri Brownlow, cancer survivors, Chicago breast cancer 3day, fundraisers, italian roasted potatoes

AFFOGATO!!

June 10, 2008 by Marie 58 Comments

Affogato in Italian means “drowned”, and in this case it’s cold vanilla gelato being drowned by pouring freshly brewed espresso all over it. Add a splash of Amaretto, and you have a wonderful ending to a great summer BBQ.

It’s like having your coffee and dessert all at the same time!

Simply brew up some of your favorite espresso, I happen to like these two, and would normally use either one.

But I just so happen to have one last bag of this coffee that I have been holding on to since our trip to Italy, I decided to finally open it up and use it, I just loved the look of the bag, and the fact that I bought it in Florence.

My espresso pot is a cherished gift that I got from a very special Aunt, a family heirloom that she gave to me because she knows how much I love coffee. I love it, and I thought it would be perfect to feature it in this post.

I don’t know how old it is, but I do know it makes a perfect espresso. When I first received it from her I kept it all packed up and stored away, then I thought, why? I want to enjoy it and use it, so I pulled it out and have been using it ever since!

The recipe calls for gelato, but unfortunately once you try the real thing nothing compares.

I saw this and thought I’d give it a try, sorry Ciao Bella you’re not worth the $$$$!

A good quality vanilla ice cream would work just as well.

This is definitely an “Adult” version of an ice cream float, just scoop some good ice cream in a coffee cup, splash a liqueur of your choice, “drown” it with your hot espresso, and garnish with some whip cream. (optional)

I promise that once you try this, you’ll soon be craving an Affogato!

Enjoy!!

58 Comments Filed Under: Desserts, Drinks Tagged: affogato, espresso drink, gelato, heirlooms

WINE, FOOD, FUN! …A little more of my vacation

June 7, 2008 by Marie 24 Comments

Since I took so many pictures of my recent trip I thought I would share a little more with you.

This was a tour we took in Sonoma of the Benziger family winery, they have been written up in Wine Spectator magazine because of their Green standards. Their estate is one of only a handful of vineyards in North America to be certified Biodynamic. Biodynamics is a holistic farming approach that goes a step beyond organic farming, it requires close attention to the varied forces of nature influencing the vine, along with the elimination of all chemicals.

We took a tram tour up into the vineyards where we learned how geography and weather influence their farming practices.

The Benzingers are leaders in Biodynamic and sustainable winegrowing.

Benzinger’s 28,000 square foot wine cave that stores around 4000 barrels. We learned how different types of oak influence the aging and flavors of wines.
When the tour was over we got to sample their Biodynamic and other award-winning wines.

A visit to DEAN & DELUCA in Napa. Epicurean excellence at it’s finest!!!

Chocolate anyone??

I’ve never knew or seen, so many different kinds of salts.

Parmigiano- Reggiano! the “Queen Mother”, …. I would have loved to tuck her in my suitcase!

Rows and rows of delectable olives!

Any kind of paste you would need, pistachio and almond, the smell was amazing!

Crepes with Nutella, who wouldn’t love that!

Add some fresh strawberries and banana, sheer bliss!!

I Picked these up at a beautiful farmers market set up right on pier 39 in San Francisco. Beautiful golden red Rainier cherries, if you haven’t tried these yet, and if they are available near you, please go out and get some!!

Ruby red, sweet and delicious Bing cherries

The most gorgeous strawberries not one of them blemished!

And finally, those are seals that were sleeping all at the same time, what a sight, what a day, what a trip!

24 Comments Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged: biodynamic wine growing, farmers market, organtic wine, wine tour

GRILLED VEGETABLE POLENTA TART

June 3, 2008 by Marie 40 Comments

Polenta, you either love it or hate it! I love it, but I also realize that you have to flavor the heck out of it. Please don’t ever buy those round flavorless tubes, the ones that you can cut a slice off. And on the flip side you really don’t have to stir for hours and hours to make a good polenta. (although if you have the patience it’s delicious). Me,I don’t have patience, so I like using the instant kind, it’s readily available, it’s quick, it tastes great, and it comes out nice and creamy. It cooks up in no time, and right at the end you stir in all your herbs, cheese and other goodies.

In this case, I poured the creamy mixture that was flavored with fresh basil, grated Romano cheese, (lots!), pitted kalamata olives, some olive oil, salt and pepper, into a 10′ tart pan. When it cools it moulds perfectly. You can even add sun-dried tomatoes, it’s so good but I didn’t have any on hand at the time. The key is flavor it up!

This makes a great presentation on a cake stand, and is great as a lunch, appetizer or side dish.

The sky’s the limit on what kind of veggies to put on it, whatever you have on hand, or all of your favorites, I used zucchini ribbons, portabella mushrooms, onions, and red peppers. It cuts perfectly into wedges, just finish it off with shaved Pecorino and a drizzle of your favorite EV olive oil.