You Deserve a Special Award (to ALL of my friends)!

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Special Love from Joy of Joy of Desserts

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I was so surprised when I discovered that Joy, from Joy of Desserts had sent me this unique and special blog award. Not only is Joy's blog so deliciously full of superb recipes for sweet eats, but she also has the best recipe round-ups for all of us to take part in. This award is such a different recognition in that the 'sender' asks the 'recipient' to list the reasons why he/she enjoys blogging. I don't even know where to begin to respond to that! But I'll give it a try! ;-)

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1. I started to just write down my thoughts as in a true journal a little over one year ago and never knew I was going to make such great friends . . . you are ALL a BONUS!

2. I love to share with others.

3. I enjoy reading my favorite blogs which help me learn and get out of my comfort zone.

4. I love meeting people from all parts of our planet.

5. It's just way too much fun!

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Neno’s Award—-Rules and Regulations

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1. As a dedication for those who love blogging and love to encourage friendships through blogging.
2. To seek the reasons why we all love blogging.
3. Put the award in one post as soon as you receive it.
4. Don’t forget to mention the person who gives you the award.
5. Answer the award’s question by writing the reason why you love blogging.
6. Tag and distribute the award to as many people as you like.
7. Don’t forget to notify the award receivers and put their links in your post.

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Below is my mini-list of blogs that I read. My whole list is about 50 deep, but I can't include them all in this post. But since the rules state that I can pass this on to as AS MANY BLOGS as I want, those of you who have blogs listed on my sidebar.....you get this award, OK? Some of the blogs that I read are "award-free". If that's the case, you need not worry about receiving it.
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A Feast for the Eyes
A Whisk and A Spoon

All Our Fingers In The Pie

Annie Bakes
Apple & Spice
Are You Hungry?

Chic Eats

Chow and Chatter

Cinnamon Spice & Everything Nice
Cooking For My Peace of Mind
Deep South Dish
For The Love of Cooking
Girlichef
Lick The Bowl Good

Mimi's Kitchen
Only Cookware
Recipes, Tips, and Thoughts
Symphonious Sweets

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One more time everyone, this is so very worth repeating: Any blog that I follow that is listed on my sidebar is invited to receive this award from me. I love you all! Please pass this award on to those blogs you love too!

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A big "MWAH" air-kiss and hug to Miss Joy and all of you fabuloso blogger/friends of mine!

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Chicken Broth for Tortellini (Brodo di Pollo)

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Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and so today everyone across the States is stirring up their favorite dishes to serve to loved ones and guests with a sprinkle of love. For us, each holiday is time for our Italian-American family tradition: to prepare thousands of little tortellini by hand and make a home-made 'brodo' or broth in which to gently place the tortellini to swim seductively. This broth is served in the Italian region of my family, Emiglia-Romagna, where the recipe for it and tortellini have their beginnings.

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This is my family recipe that I'll share with each of you today for the broth; the recipe and the step-by-step instructions for the little tortellini pasta was posted in my archives this past winter on January 7th, 2009. Today I'll include the step-by-step procedure for the broth, which I didn't include last year.
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So let's get to the stove!

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Brodo di Pollo (Chicken Broth)
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Here's what you'll need to make the broth:
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One 6-pound chicken (hen)

1 package (beef) soup bones (if you can get them)
1 4-pound beef roast

3 carrots, cut in 3's

1 large onion, cut in 1/4's

3 celery stalks with leaves, cut into thirds

1/4 bunch of Italian parsley, chopped

salt

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Here's what you need to do to prepare the broth:

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Give that chicken a nice bath (clean it) and empty the contents of the cavity inside.

Cut up into large pieces so that it cooks a little bit faster than if you cook it whole.
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Cut up all of your veggies.

Cut your beef roast up into about 2 or 3 large sections.

Fill a LARGE deep pot half way full of water. Make sure that you have enough room from the top of the pot to put the rest of the ingredients in without overflowing the water.

Put all of the ingredients into the pot of water.
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I cut fresh Italian parsley from my garden just minutes before chopping it up and putting it into the pot.....it is fresh, fresh, fresh! (You can see the nearly bare trees behind the garden, the rosemary is next to the parsley, and there is STILL rhubarb growing to the right of the parsley!
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Oh my goodness, fresh Italian parsley in November! Seriously? What a surprise and JOY!
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PLOP. . . in goes that fresh parsley! Flavor up that broth now!
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Bring up the heat to high and get it to a low, rolling boil.

Immediately lower the heat and simmer until the beef is tender.

During this simmer, continually remove the junky stuff that rises to the top with a strainer.

The cooking on simmer and straining process takes about 2 - 3 hours.

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Take all of the ingredients out of the broth with a hand strainer.
With very thin tea towels covering a colander/strainer, pour the broth through them into another pot......this is a lot of work and usually needs two people to do this.

Be careful, the broth is very hot while you do this!

Continue to strain the broth into clean tea towels about two more times until the broth is completely clear and free of any ingredient remains.
Taste, add more salt to taste.
If you make this the night before, refrigerate it, and then the next day, skim off any fat/grease from the top (it will solidify in the frig and be very easy to remove).

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Afterwards, use this fresh broth for your any of your favorite recipes that call for chicken broth. Again, as I mentioned previously, we make this every holiday and add our home-made, hand-twisted tortellini to it).

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I send you all the kindest wishes on this American holiday of gratitude. You do not know how grateful I am for each of you loyal readers and all my new friends too! You have enhanced my life beyond words of expression. May God Bless each of you!

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Quilts Made With Love and An Award

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I've finally found some glimmers of moments to finish some quilting projects that have been screaming at me to finish. I started them some time ago and just continued to get side-swiped by life that always puts these things on hold and takes me away to other priorities. Here's one of my favorite autumn quilts that I made and wanted to show you. Does anyone quilt or sew besides me? It seems that quilting has become more popular, but sewing in general hasn't. We're all just so ridiculously busy. But for some odd reason, sewing relaxes me. Listening to my old sewing machine hum along or simply hand stitching peacefully with a cup of warm tea is so calming!

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I made the next quilt for my daughter, Lauren, when she graduated from college. I used her school colors of garnet and black blended with white and cream. I can't remember the name of the block pattern, something like "woman's work". I'm working on my son's quilt now, who graduated from the same university, and am using the same colors with a different block pattern.

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The photos are a bit blurry, since they were shot with an older camera. The quilt is in Tennessee now, so I can't take a new picture to show you.

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I had to share those because one of my favorite blogging buddies, Kathy, from "Are You Hungry", sent me a lovely Florida sunshiney surprise. I felt that I needed to justify her award for 'creativity'! Kathy's blog link is: http://theessenceofwomanhood.blogspot.com/ and her blog is included in my sidebar, as well as her cute button!
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Kathy, you are too sweet and I am grateful for your thoughtfulness. I'm singing James Taylor's "You've Got A Friend" right now and blowing you kisses! :-)

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Now, Kathy did give me some rules for this award, so here goes:
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1. Thank the person who has given you the award.
2. Copy the award and place it on your blog. (See it up there?)
3. Link the award back to the person who has nominated you for the award.
4. Name 7 things about yourself.
5. Pass it on to seven (7) other blogging friends.
Seven (7) Things about Roz:
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1. My family has been in America for 100 years this year (they arrived in 1909 from Italy).
2. I was employed as a buyer at the prestigious Neiman-Marcus after college graduation.
3. I've lived in six states (in this order): Iowa (Ames), Missouri (St.Louis), California (Los Angeles), Arizona (Scottsdale), Tennessee (Knoxville), and South Carolina (Greenville).
4. My favorite place on earth (right now) is Hawaii, lounging on a beach alongside my husband, drinking a 'Lava Flow", listening to the music of the ocean waves!
5. I love water, swimming in water, relaxing in water, drinking water, looking at water, boating on water, skiing on water, or simply listening to the flow of water.
6. I miss my two kids who live in Tennessee and Illinois.
7. I have traveled internationally to Moscow & St. Petersburg (Russia), Paris (France) London (England), Banff (Canada), Oaxaca, Puerto Vallarta, Tijuana & Nagales (Mexico), Hong Kong & Chenchen (China), Seoul (S. Korea), Bangkok & Chiang Mai (Thailand) and Tokyo (Japan). AND YET I'VE NEVER BEEN TO ITALY.
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The seven blogs that I'm choosing to pass this award to are some that I've never sent an award to before and I thought it would be nice to recognize their work and creativity:
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Zoe Bakes
elra's garden
Laura's Paris Cooking Notebook
My Italian Grandmother
Memorie di Angelina
Mimi's Kitchen
Living In The Kitchen With Puppies
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All of these blogs are delightful to read for their creativity and inspiration in beautifying my days! One last thing about me, that I felt compelled to include: The Lord has never failed me and my life is blessed! Pin It

Fresh Cranberry Bread

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Cranberries, beautiful little crimson red cranberries! They're fresh in the market right now and I'm stocking up on them to use in some great recipes that have been featured in many cooking magazines this season.  I have an old perennial cherished family recipe that I cannot be without for the holidays, but I'm also anxious to try a lot of new recipes this year too.  Gotta stay fresh and on top of things!

So to share with you, here is one of my absolutely favorite Thanksgiving and Christmas family recipes.  I bake batches and batches of this Cranberry Bread that our family just devours.  They freeze beautifully and make wonderful gifts for friends, family, and neighbors (especially nice to give as gifts to folks who pop by with those surprise visits with a holiday gift in hand, and you're standing there thinking, "Oh my gosh, I need to reciprocate with something nice in return!"  Well this little bread is the answer to your situation.  Plus, it's so nice to know that something as delicious as fresh cranberries have such strong health benefits as well!  These little red gems are packed with powerful antioxidants and cooking does NOT destroy their benefits!

So dig in, enjoy, and feel good about it all at the same time!

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Cranberry Nut Bread
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Here's what you need for the cranberry bread:

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1 cup fresh, sliced cranberries

2 cups flour

3/4 cups chopped walnuts

3 tsp. baking powder

1/4 cup melted butter

3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup whole or 2% milk
2 cups sifted flour

1/4 tsp. salt

Crisco/shortening

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Here's what you need to do to prepare the cranberry bread:

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Wash and slice the cranberries (can be sliced in a food processor).

Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl.

Stir in cranberries and nuts.

Beat eggs with a beater.

Add the beaten eggs to the milk, butter and vanilla.

In the center of the dry mixture, make a hole or well into which you pour in the egg mixture.

Blend together until all of the dry ingredients are moistened.

Spread Crisco/shortening on all sides and bottom of small and mini bread loaf pans.

Pour the mixture into greased loaf pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes or until golden brown on top, until a cake tester/knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let stand and cool in pans for 10 minutes.
Remove from pans and allow to cool on wire racks.
Decadent when spread with softened butter and sprinkled with sugar.

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Autumn Harvest Spinach Salad with Pears, Cranberries, and Pumpkin Seeds

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This week's theme in the 'I Heart Cooking Clubs' food blogging group is "Autumn Harvest" with Nigella Lawson's recipes. I selected her Spinach Salad with Pumpkin Seeds and Avocados because I just LOVE spinach salad and always serve it for special occasions and holidays. However, I've never made this particular recipe. So I decided to give it a go. And as usual, I made some changes for my own creativity by ADDING sliced pears, dried cranberries, and a cranberry balsamic vinaigrette instead of using Nigella's dressing. These additions truly made this salad more representative of autumn fare!

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Spinach Salad with Pears, Cranberries, and Pumpkin Seeds

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Here's what you need for the salad:

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2 packages of baby spinach leaves

pumpkin seeds

2 sliced pears with peels (my addition)

2 avocados, peeled and cubed

dried cranberries (my addition)
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Here's what you need for the Vinaigrette:

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Cranberry Balsamic Vinaigrette (my substitution for her dressing)

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2 - 3 Tbsp cranberries
4 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 tsp salt

fresh ground black pepper to taste
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Combine all ingredients in blender and mix until smooth. Adjust ingredients by adding what you prefer.

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Here's what you need to do to prepare the salad:

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Gently wash the spinach leaves with water and gently pat dry with a towel.

Add the avocado to the spinach.

Sprinkle the pumpkin seeds in the spinach.Add dried cranberries to your desired amounts.

Gently toss together well.

Place on individual salad plates and place several slices of the pears on top.

Add more cranberries or pumpkin seeds if desired.

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Either add the vinaigrette and toss lightly all of the ingredients again or pass the vinaigrette around in a pretty bowl or small pitcher for your guests to add their own dressing.

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Pumpkin Brownies That Are Simply Sinful !

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Happy November everyone!
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I want to thank all of you who wrote to me in the last few days. I missed each of YOU TOO! I just read on another blog that the author was 'missing in action' for awhile as she was also unable to post on her blog either . . . I thought that was humorous! Life does get busier at times, doesn't it?
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Well, before you know it, the holidays will be here. So I wanted to share a superb, incredibly cinnamon-y dessert recipe with all of you. I have never given this recipe away to anyone but my kids. I literally had to PRY it out of a friend when I lived in Scottsdale, Arizona back in the '80s.
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My mother says that these pumpkin brownies are simply sinful and that she just can't stop eating them! Personally, I think these are even better than pumpkin pie. These little delights have 3 layers of yumminess: a soft cake-y crust, a very pumpkin pie-like center, and and oh-so-cinnamony-crumb topping. And oh, yes, your kitchen smells better than any of those expensive scented candles! You be the judge if you decide to make them.
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Pumpkin Brownies
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What you'll need for the brownies:
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1 yellow cake mix
1/2 cup melted butter
1 jumbo egg, beaten
1 small can pumpkin
3/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice
2 jumbo eggs, beaten
2/3 cup milk (I use whole or 2% milk)
1/4 cup sugar
1-1/2 Tbsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup butter
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Here's what you need to do to make the brownies:
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In an ungreased square baking pan, combine the following:
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the yellow cake mix --- SAVE one (1) cup and set aside for the brownie topping!
1/2 cup melted butter
1 beaten egg
Blend these together and PRESS into the baking pan to form the 'crust' of the brownies.

In a medium size mixing bowl, combine the following:

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the can of pumpkin

pumpkin pie spice

2 beaten jumbo eggs

the milk

Blend well and pour over the 'crust' layer

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In a small bowl, combine the following:
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the cup of cake mix that was previously set aside

1/4 cup sugar

1 -1/2 Tbsp. cinnamon

1/4 cup butter

This is very gum-my, so break it up and sprinkle this on the top of the pumpkin layer.

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Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes.

Serve alone, with vanilla ice cream, or caramel sauce drizzled on top

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I hope that you try this sweet little recipe . . . and if you do, please let me know what you think! And now, I'm going to go and visit your blogs to do some catching up with you!

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