Roasted Peppers

When we were kids, mom did all kinds of canning.  One of my favorites was always roasted red peppers.  Mom modernized this process by cooking the peppers on the grill, our gas grill.  Once the peppers were nice and charred, we would put them on a tray and cover them with a wet dish towel and let them steam.  The smell is amazing................there is something so earthy and rich about the aroma of a pepper.    Once the peppers are steamed, the skin will separate from the flesh of the pepper............peel them and discard the skin.  In a bowl, put the roasted peppers (you may want to cut them into strips, or smaller pieces) and cover them with a good olive oil.  Add a little parsley and garlic........and let them sit for just a little while to absorb the flavors.  Roasted peppers are the perfect addition to any sandwich, or just as a side dish to almost any meal. 

ahhh....the aroma still brings back memories of sandwiches of crusty Italian bread, peppers and some nice parmesean shaved on top..................

Update to previous post on Pineapple upside down cake

a reader asked for a recipe for the cake that is served at the Dole Pineapple Plantation.....this was submitted by my brother  as a recipe he found online........try it out and let me know what you think....I am sure that I will be trying it soon........

Hawaiian Pineapple Macadamia Nut Cake
¼ c butter, softened
¾ c light brown sugar, packed
2 eggs, beaten
1 ¾ c flour
2 t baking powder
¼ t baking soda
½ t salt
1 c macadamia nuts, chopped
3/4 c fresh, shredded coconut
1 1/2 to 2 c shredded fresh Hawaiian pineapple with juice
Cream butter and sugar in a mixing bowl. Beat in eggs. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Set aside.
Stir nuts into butter mixture. Stir half the flour mixture into the creamed mixture, then add the pineapple and coconut, and stir well.
Add remaining flour mixture, and beat to a smooth consistency. Turn batter into a greased springform pan, bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for an hour. Test with toothpick.
Makes 12 servings
The cake baked perfectly in one hour, and my oven thermometer is correct at 350 degrees. Be sure you check your oven for accuracy.
You can adjust your fruit or nut quantities up or down by a 1/2 cup, with no problems. This is just the way we like it. This cake is not too sweet; just sweet enough. No need at all for frosting or icing.  We believe that this can be easily made in a greased loaf pan too. My angel food pan worked fine. Please wait until completely cool to cut. We used three different type knives to get this not to crumble.

Quick and East 'Fruit Pizza'

This recipe comes to me from an old roomate Maryann.  Wherever you are Maryann...you should know that this has been made so many times and by so many people that I cannot count.  It is easy and something that you can throw together using ingredients that you usually have at home..........perfect for any kind of fruit and for after any meal.  It is a summer staple in my home, but some winter nights are brightened up by this fruity treat as well.

cookie crust:
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 egg
1 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon  flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

filling:
1 8 ounce package cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

glaze:
1/2 cup orange marmalade or apricot preserves
1 tablespoon hot water

cream butter and 1/4 cup sugar, add egg, flour and baking powder.  spread onto a greased pizza pan. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes.   Cool.

mix cream cheese with sugar and vanila.  Pour over cookie.  Place fruit on top.  You can use anything...I like to make a circle of strawberries, a circle of kiwi, fill the center with blueberries - or use orange slices or grapes....just make a pretty pattern and use lots of colors.  top with glaze and serve

Pizzelles

An Italian tradition that has certainly survived the test of time is Pizzelles.  The thin waffle-like treats are delicate and crispy...the perfect cookie.  My grandmother used to make them all the time.....Cousin Philippe has inherited Nonna's electric pizzelle iron and carries on the family tradition of pizzelles for holidays.  I inherited the old fashioned iron that is used over an open flame..........it is beautiful but I must admit, I have not used it for the purpose it was intended.........electric is much easier. 

I have my own pizzelle iron and make them any time I want.   When we were kids, we used to make all sorts of flavors, but now, strictly the traditional anise flavor.   I made them for my boyfriends mom and she is now addicted.  This is really saying something for a woman who spent her entire life living in Pennsylvania Dutch country in Reading, PA.  She now requests these exotic cookies for her and for her friends........hmmm....maybe I can start a business selling them.....anyone else interested????

6 eggs
3 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 cup margarine or butter
4 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons oil of anise
a handfull of anise seeds...or to taste...

Beat eggs, add sugar gradually.  Add cooled melted margarine and anise oil and seeds.  Add flour and baking powder.  Mix and let sit for a few minutes.
Using an electric pizzelle iron, put a spoonful on each side and hold down for a minute or two until browned.  Cookies will still be soft, they harden immediately once you take them off the iron. 

Dog House Cookies

Does anyone remember the days of Dog House Restaurants??  The little A-frame hut with big hound dogs on each side........the menu consisted of Hot Dogs.....and of course Dog House Cookies.  Well, my father was legal counsel for this Ohio based franchise restaurant.  One year, in particularly tough Dog House Days, dad was given a restaurant as part of his payment............us kids were thrilled!!!  Can you imagine!!  Having hot dogs any time you wanted!!!   Well.......unfortunately, along with the perks came a few chores.  One of these duties was helping mom to make the Dog House Cookies for the restaurant.  Nothing smells better than these cookies in the oven...........

this recipe makes 4 dozen large cookies.......we used to use an ice cream scoop to form the cookie, so you can imagine the size......

2 2/3 cup lark (or Crisco)
4 cups brown sugar
4 eggs
4 cups raisins
2 cups raisin juice
12 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
4 teaspoons baking soda
4 tablespoons vanilla

Cook raisins in raisin juice until plumped.  Let cool.
Mix lard, sugar and eggs.
Sift together dry ingredients and add to egg mixture alternating with the raisin juice.  Add the raisins and the vanilla and mix well.  This will be more like a dough than a batter.........

With a large scoop (ice cream scoop will do) place cookies on buttered tray.  Bake at 375 for 15 minutes.

Seriously, I kid you not, the aroma of these cookies is nothing short of spectacular.  Cookies keep well in a tin for a week or two.........they never lasted longer than that in our house........!!

Norma's Orange Cake

There are more stains on this recipe card than any others in my box.  Handwritten in my 'Nonna Cecile's' writtin, it is covered with juice and butter stains.......

When we were little we didn't really care much about desserts that weren't gooey and chocolatey....except for orange cake.  I started to make this cake for Easter in the past few years and my friends have all adopted this one into their repetoires.......it is moist, gooey and loaded with flavor.  It is refreshing after a heavy meal....and worthy of holiday status.

1 box Duncan Hines yellow cake mix (I am sure that you can use any cake mix, but I always use DH since it says so on the recipe card.....)
1 box instant vanilla pudding
4 eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup water
Mix all together 2 minutes at medium speed.  Pour into buttered large pyrex.  Bake at 350 30-40 min.

Icing
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons melted butter
whip together until liquidy

poke holes all over hot cake and pour icing all over until it soaks in.  

this cake is best served chilled.....maybe an orange slice or two on top....it is just perfect! 

Gourmet Potatoes

This recipe came to me from 'Aunt Delores'........

When we were kids, Mom, Aunt Delores and Aunt Esther were always cooking up something.  So many of my recipes come from these great ladies.  Aunt Delores used to do cooking demonstrations for some of the local department stores.......she always drew a crowd with her dramatic looks and enthusiastic personality.  Of course, butter was her number 1 ingredient in most of her dishes... they were always GOOD!!!!There is nothing healthy about this potato dish.......but who cares!!  It is incredibly creamy, smooth....melding of so many flavors into one explosive flavor punch. 

It has become a holiday staple at my house....in fact, it is now going to on the menu for a friends Rash Hashana dinner.......I better get cooking!

Gourmet Potatoes

8 medium potoatoes, cooked, peeled and then chilled
1/2 cup butter or margarine
2 cup cheddar cheese -- shredded  - I usually use white cheddar only for the color, but it doesn't
             matter
1 can creamof chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/3 cup chopped green onions
1 pint sour cream (don't use the fat free stuff, it just doesn't work as well)

Grate the chilled potatoes.
Melt butter, cheese and soups together.  Once melted, remove from heat - add sour cream and onions.  Mix sauce and grated potatoes together.  Pour into a baking dish and top with bread crumbs.
Bake 1 hour at 350.  Let sit for about 15-20 minutes...........

Chances are that you will never have any leftovers...........but if you do....these are even better reheated the next day. 

Family traditions - almond tarts

Almond tarts.......just the mere mention makes my mouth water.  Our family has always had almond tarts at Christmas.......one of my brothers favorites as well as mine.  These delectible little mouthfulls of goodness capture the essence of a true holiday treat......decadent, certainly a guilty pleasure!  Crunchy on top, gooey inside....the little surprise of the jam.......ahhhhhhhhhhh!

You can use store bought pie shells, the little 2" or 3" shells.......or you can make your own, but it really is not necessary.  I happen to love raspberry jam as the filling, but any jam will do........

who can't cook????

I often wonder how it is that people say they can't cook.  If you can read you can cook.  My mother always said that 'if the ingredients are good, how bad can it be...'. So many people are afraid........what are you afraid of???  It is your kitchen........it is your dish.........so what if it isn't exactly what you thought it would be, it is your own creation....enjoy the outcome!

Since we were children, my sister and I have always experimented with cooking.  Starting by helping mom in the kitchen, we got our first taste of culinary adventure.  We then graduated to our own 'Easy Bake Oven'......WOW.......we were able to make towering cakes that my brother would devour.  We fancied ourselves masters of the kitchen.  As we got a little older, mom would let us try our hands at a meal or a dessert.  I vividly remember deciding to make a lemon meringue pie....not knowing that you were supposed to let the lemon cool before putting the meringue on top.........it was basically lemon custard with baked egg whites kind of mixed in and sitting on top.....rather ugly and sad.....but hey, my dad ate it anyway.  He said that it was good!! (the ingredients were good, how bad could it be!!) He always encouraged us, no matter what it looked like......he said that it was great!  No wonder we are so confident in the kitchen. 

Tell yourself that it is all good........no matter what you make, enjoy and experiment and make it your own!

Fig Pie

I have a fig tree in my backyard.  2 'stitcks' from a friends fig tree were given to me 10 years ago.  I plopped them into the ground and nurtured them for the first few years.  I wrapped them in the winter and piled dirt and leaves to protect them from the elements....all to no avail, I never got more than a dozen or so figs.  A few years ago I decided...screw it...if it dies, it dies....I stopped doing anything and just let the plant brave the cold hard winter like the rest of us.................my fig tree has doubled and tripled in size.  This year I have had hundreds, yes folks, HUNDREDS of figs.  I have become the queen of all things fig.  This is one of the better recipes that I have come up with.........it is actually a variation on the tomato pie that I wrote about earlier in my blog.......

unroll a pie crust into a pie plate.  I like to use the Pilsbury pie crust that comes in a box and you just have to roll out


cover bottom with 2 T almond butter


cover with 1C shredded italian cheeses (parmesean, romano, fontina)  any mixture will do....


put a layer of fresh figs.........depending on the size, 20 or so cut in half


spoon over a few teaspoons of apricot  jam...


fold in sides and bake for 40 min

this mixture of sweet and savory is a winner...not too sweet or overpowering, you can really taste the figs and appreciate their versatility..............enjoy!