Three Years of Deliciousness mark the end of 2011!

Wow, it's been three years for 'la bella vita' as of this past October, and here we are once again at the end of another year!  Time truly does pass by quickly, doesn't it?  I know that all of us in the blogging world enjoy looking back at our original blog posts and seeing how our blogs have 'evolved' over time.  I know that 'la bella vita' has certainly transformed since it's beginning in 2008.  And what a unique and wonderful community of friends I've made in these three years!

This end-of-the-year post is my annual compilation of your 'favorites' that you've commented on the most and have also prepared in your own kitchens (the ultimate compliment).  I have to agree with you, these are wonderful recipes, with some that were entirely new and some that are tried and true family recipes.  I hope you enjoy this ensemble of good eats from 2011.

January, 2011's chill of winter, as usual, always presents opportunities to heat up the oven to prepare delicious recipes.  For us, this oven-baked pork roast created by the late Craig Claiborne back in the 70's when my passion for cooking sprouted, is simply perfect.  Dripping in a garlic-thyme-lemon-olive oil marinade, this Roast Pork with Garlic and Thyme never fails to warm us up with super flavor!

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In February, 2011 we were still experiencing some serious winter weather here in the South.  However, since winter is the premier, peak growing season for citrus I created this special Italian Blood Orange Polenta Olive Oil Cake with a sweet mascarpone filling, then drizzled with honey.  This is a less sweet and heavier-crumb cake that is perfect with a hot cup of coffee or tea any time of the day.

For March, 2011 there were two recipes that tied in popularity with you!  I think my readers have some serious sweet teeth!  First, for breakfast or brunch, I created a decadent Raspberry and Italian Mascarpone Cheese Stuffed French Toast.  It tastes as wonderful as it looks!  The second sweet treat is a 'lite' version of Luscious Lemon Cake with Limoncello Cream Icing!  Yumminess with less guilt!  You loved both of these recipes!

In April, 2011 the most popular recipe was another one of my creations that is super easy to make and definitely a diet-buster!  Farfalle Carbonara with Spring Peas is this creamy pasta dish with loads of cheese and cream to make it totally blissful!  

In May, 2011 I decided to make my own balsamico vinaigrette for a Fresh Spring Salad with Strawberries.  It is just wonderful and I'm grateful for Larry over at Big Dude's Eclectic Ramblings for trying this salad and vinaigrette and for confirming how flavorful it is!   Even my ranch-dressing-only husband enjoyed it! 

In June, 2011 you'd probably find me frequenting our local farmer's market for fresh, local produce that wasn't growing in my garden on the acreage.  I have absolutely no berry plants, so I always buy locally grown berries for a more intense level of flavor.  You loved this Blackberry Cobbler with Sweet, Tender Biscuits.  This is the quintessential summer dessert!

During July, 2011 I traveled to Iowa for my annual summer visit with my parents and other family.  I brought a huge box of perfectly vine-ripe tomatoes for everyone to enjoy.  My mother used some in a delicious batch of cold Gazpacho that was thoroughly enjoyed during the heat of those summer days!

In the continuing heat of August, 2011 my husband and I escaped to spend a few days in the cooler mountains of North Carolina where we enjoyed some recipes that utilized minimal amounts of heat for preparation.  While there I made this Panzanella Salad with Bacon, Tomato, and Basil for the Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club that I'm a member of.  This salad is outstanding!

In September, 2011 the Lemon Raspberry Cheesecake was not only a chilled sweet treat in the midst of an intense summer heat, but it was gorgeous just to look at too!  This cheesecake didn't last long at all!  After all, who doesn't love the combination of lemons and raspberries?

For October, 2011 I shared my delicious Chicken Salad with Dried Cranberries and Grapes.  The dried red cranberries and red onion add a lovely crimson hue for autumn color.  Red grapes can be used instead of green grapes to add even more red if you like.  I know there are a million recipes for chicken salad, but this one is really a winner!  Thanks to those of you who made this chicken salad for writing to me and letting me know how you liked it too.

November, 2011 marked my first month as a member of The Secret Recipe Club.  I discovered a wonderful little treat that everyone loved.  These little Nutella and Pumpkin Cheesecake Bites are a new find and a true keeper in my family!  It seems that just reading and saying "Nutella" strikes a most happy note in all of us!

And lastly for December, 2011 this is my family's most cherished holiday recipe, Tortellini in Brodo (Broth).  We make nearly 2,000 hand-made tortellini for every major holiday throughout the year.  I couldn't imagine Italian life without these delicate little stuffed pastas to enjoy and share with family and close friends in celebration of Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas!

It has been such a pleasure for me to be able to come into your computer screens, tablets and cell phones with posts about great food, healthy gardening, restaurant reviews, and fun stories and photos while on the road traveling!  I have valued all of your friendships, recipes, stories, and inspiration.  So heres a big cheers to another fun, delicious, and inspirational year of blogging together in 2012!

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Dark Chocolate Hot Cocoa Mix ~ ~ Secret Recipe Club!

What would Christmas and winter be without a hot, frothy mug of hot chocolate to warm us up inside!  I just cannot imagine it!  Growing up in the cold Midwest, we always enjoyed hot chocolate after being outside sledding, building snowmen, or snow forts to protect us in snow ball fights!  As a child, that frigid cold didn't' seem to bother me at all.  It was just normal winter weather!  But even now, as a warmer weather lover adult in the South, I still savor quiet moments by a crackling fire with a mug of this liquid chocolate love!

For this month's Secret Recipe Club, my 'secret' blog is from a young aspiring cook, Casey, who is in high school and enjoys cooking and team sports (lucky girl to work off the calories from all of her yummy creations on her blog).  Casey's food love can be found on her blog, Beautiful Disasters where I found this delicious recipe reminiscent of the blend that I grew up with (and even took to college to heat up in my dorm room):   Dark Chocolate Hot Chocolate Mix!  The biggest difference between Casey's recipe and my family's is that Casey's is more up to date with a focus on DARK chocolate and not milk chocolate.  I guess that eases up the guilt a bit since dark choco is better for our health!  Casey's recipe also includes chocolate chips for that extra cocoa blast!   Mmmm!

This hot cocoa recipe is also great because you can make it in a batch that you can always come back for more when you want to and it is ready to mix right there and then!  Easy, the way I like things in the kitchen!

I hope that everyone is having a blessed Christmas and holiday season!
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Dark Chocolate Hot Cocoa Mix

1 cup cocoa powder (half Ghiradelli‘s unsweetened cocoa and half  Hershey’s Special Dark)
1 cup white sugar
1 cup powdered milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Mix all of the ingredients except for the whipped cream in a medium bowl.
Place mix into a jar or airtight container to store.
When making hot chocolate, microwave a mug of water for about 60 - 70 seconds (until hot-desired drinking temperature).
Add about 3 tablespoons of hot chocolate mix, or to taste.
Garnish with whipped cream of course and whatever other goodies you like on top!


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Cooking Gifts for Aspiring Cooks in My Family!

I've just found some time for Christmas gift-making and shopping!  My life has just been a whirlwind of over-busyness and I'm focusing on a holiday season filled with as little stress as possible!  One great way for me to decrease the normal levels of stress experienced at this time is to keep our gift-giving expenses within budget and at the same time give gifts that will have lasting meaning and memories!

Several years ago I began our first family cookbook with recipes that have been cherished and enjoyed since my own childhood. Each of my kids received one of these cookbooks as a Christmas gift, as well as did my mother and sister.  Every Christmas since the first 'edition' was created, I add about 15 more recipes to their cookbooks since they are binder-bound and can easily be snapped open to add more recipe inserts.  This year I even began adding my favorite and most popular recipes from my blog, 'la bella vita'.  

"Tastebook" is the name of the web-site that helps develop your own custom cookbook.  I love how I can add my own 'story' or thoughts and notes to each recipe.  Having my own photos uploaded really adds a lot to each recipe as well.

One of the coolest things about this cookbook is that there is also an awesome app that can be downloaded onto my iPad2 and iPhone.  So when I'm out and about doing errands or away on a trip and want one of my recipes, all I need to do is pull up the Tastebook app and retrieve a recipe, ingredients, and procedure!  Actually I needed one of my mother's recipes included in my cookbook over Thanksgiving when we were in Hilton Head.  My mother couldn't remember how much of an ingredient to use in a recipe, and so all I did was pull it up on the app and there was her answer!  

How sweet is that?

So all of you foodies, if you need a super great gift for the cooks or cooks-to-be in your life, I highly recommend this cookbook for a gift.  If your friends and family are anything like mine, who not only love to cook, but also value family traditions, I know that they will love this and treasure it for many years!

Isn't this so cool?  My recipes in the cookbook pull up identically on my iPad2!

(PS: I wasn't paid nor solicited for this free publicity for "Tastebook"; 

this post was simply sharing my thoughts with my fellow blogging friends and readers)

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Nutella and Pumpkin Mini Cheesecake Bites

Throughout November and all of autumn I always think of seasonal pumpkin recipes.  Although I've never been fond of pumpkin pie, I do enjoy small pumpkin treats such as pumpkin brownies.  So when I found this recipe for Nutella and Pumpkin Mini Cheesecake Bites on my Secret Recipe Club blog, The Spiffy Cookie, I knew that this would be a recipe that I had to try.  Erin's blog is full of wonderful sweet recipes that make your mouth water just from her photos alone.

Most of us have a food love affair going on with Nutella right?  This gooey, chocolate-y, Italian ingredient was the clincher that made this recipe from Erin's blog call out to me to bake.

Did you know that "the original version of Nutella was called "pasta gianduja"?  Pasta means paste and "gianduja", is the name of a carnival character famous to the region.  This was actually made in loaves and wrapped in tinfoil so it could be sliced and placed on bread for mothers to make sandwiches for their children.  But many children would throw away the bread and only eat the pasta gianduja!"
         
"So Mr. Ferrero altered the product into a paste that came in a jar so it could be spread on the bread. This then became known as "supercrema gianduja," because it was a spreadable version of the gianduja. It was eventually renamed "Nutella" in 1964, with the origin of the word being "nut" and the "ella" giving it a soft ending.  Nutella was first imported from Italy to the U.S. over 25 years ago in 1983 and was initially distributed in the Northeastern part of the country.  The popularity of Nutella has grown steadily over the years and it is now available across the United States and sold all over the world."  all quoted excerpts from the "History of Nutella".

Now since I'm a cook that prefers at all times to use up anything that I have in my pantry, I used milk chocolate instead of semi-sweet chocolate for the ganache.  This made the mini cheesecakes a bit sweeter, which is what my family prefers anyway.  We just loved these little mini-desserts and will definitely make them again and again!  Thanks Erin!

These are simply incredible . . . and so neat to be in such small sizes!  Great for a party tray!

Nutella and Pumpkin Mini Cheesecake Bites 

8 whole Oreos, finely ground in food processor
1-1/2 Tbsp. butter, melted
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. pumpkin puree
2 Tbsp. Nutella
1/4 cup milk chocolate, melted in 2 Tbsp. heavy cream
2 Tbsp. chopped hazelnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine ground Oreos and melted butter into a bowl until well combined.
Spoon into 12 mini cheesecake cups that have been sprayed with cooking spray.
Press into the bottom of each cup so the crust is flat.
Partially bake for 10 minutes then remove from oven.
In a stand or electric mixer beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth.
Beat in egg, vanilla, and cinnamon until combined.
Remove approximately a fourth of the cream cheese mixture into a separate bowl. Add the pumpkin to larger, and Nutella to the small half and mix until incorporated.
Pour the pumpkin mixture evenly into the 12 cups filling about 2/3 way full.
Spoon about half a tablespoon of the Nutella mixture into the tops of each filled cup and swirl with a toothpick gently.
Bake for 25-28 minutes or until cheesecake is cooked through.
Let cool completely.
Remove cheesecakes from pan and top each with a spoonful of chocolate ganache and hazelnuts.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Click below to view the blog hop with all of the entries for November!

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Simple, Quiet Nature in the Lowcountry

It seems that there is a need for a little more peace and serenity in our lives.  In all of our busy-ness these are so difficult to experience, especially with the craziness of the holiday season.  I'm a firm believer in taking time to savor the simple silence that nature offers us.  So with that said, here are a few photos of my escape from the calls of the shopping centers and black Friday sales.  We won't be back to the coast until summer and so I thought I'd chronicle some of the blissful beauty by the sea.

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Tortellini in Brodo (Tortellini in Broth) A Northern Italian Classic!

Everyone loves their cherished family traditions, especially for the holidays.  For my family, no holiday would ever be complete without tortellini in broth (tortellini in brodo).  We serve this soup the authentic way from northern Italy, specifically the provence of Emilia-Romagna.  Although tortellini is delightful served in a cream sauce, this is the true northern Italian way to serve it.  My family savors this delicate homemade stuffed pasta in a very American way that differs from how it is served in Italy . . . we fill our bowls with a large quantity of tortellini, whereas in Italy only a small amount of tortelllini float in a large amount of broth.  Why keep going back for seconds when it's already in front of you in your bowl?  Makes sense to me!

We are spending Thanksgiving in a much different way than in the past.  For the first time we are celebrating this holiday on the coast on Hilton Head Island, SC.  The weather is just gorgeous in the 70's to low 80's, with soft breezes and cool evenings.    It really is a wonderful change.  Each day we've been biking and walking the beach.  A perfect way to relax, restore, and ponder on all things that we are grateful for.

This recipe requires several days to prepare; one day to make the pasta and broth, and one day to fill and twist the tortellini.  If you have the time and desire for a true Italian homemade pasta specialty, here is my cherished family recipe for Tortellini in Brodo (Tortellini in Broth):

I found this following bit of Italian food trivia on the Barilla web-site:


"Although tortellini are undoubtedly a food from Emilia, the origin of this famous pasta dish is unclear. One thing is for sure and that is that tortellini are fairly ancient. There is a recipe for tortelli, larger tortellini, that dates back to the 12th century, while the first recipe for tortellini alla Bolognese comes from 1550. From that moment on, tortellini have held a special place in the cuisine of Bologna. 


There are many legends told about this dish: one of the most famous, written by Cerri in the 14th century, recounts that Mars, Bacchus and Venus came down to earth to intervene in the 12th century war between the people of Modena and Bologna. Having arrived at the battle site, the three guests decided to spend the night at an inn in Castelfranco, a small town located in between the two cities. 


According to the legend, in the morning, Bacchus and Mars woke up early to visit the battle site, but when Venus awoke, she thought she had been abandoned by her companions. She immediately called the innkeeper to find out where they had gone. The innkeeper arrived to find the goddess of love naked in front of him. The beauty of her body made such a strong impression on him that he created a new shape of pasta that resembled her belly button!


DID YOU KNOW THAT...


Traditionally, when cooked in broth, 50 tortellini were served per person?"


Thanks Barilla!

Tortellini in Brodo (Tortellini in Broth)

Pasta Dough:

Blend together:

1 - 2 Tbsp. olive oil

1/2 tsp. salt

2 jumbo eggs

2 Tbsp. water

1 Tbsp. whole milk (this helps the pasta seal together when twisting the tortellini)

1 cup Semolina flour

Blend these six ingredients together very, very well.

Then add:

3/4 cup regular flour (not semolina)

You can mix this the old-fashioned way by making a "bowl" of flour on a wooden block, placing the wet ingredients in the center of the 'flour bowl' and gently add the flour in with a fork until completely mixed, OR you can mix the dough in a food processor until it has the consistency of corn meal. This finished dough should be well blended, but NOT sticky. If it is sticky, cut the dough into 3 sections and add 1 Tbsp. flour to each. If, on the other hand, it is too dry and crumbly, add 1 - 2 tsp. water.

Knead the pasta dough for 2 - 3 minutes. Put into plastic bag and let rest for 30 minutes.

For every egg that you use, it will make about 100 tortellini, therefore this recipe makes 100 tortellini (at the correct size that is).

Tortellini Filling:

1 lb. ground cooked veal, drain the fat and cool slightly

1/4 lb. prosciutto

1/4 lb. mortadella

While the veal is cooking, grind the prosciutto and mortadella in a food processor, only until it is in little pieces -- don't process to much or it will turn into a mushy mess.

Then add this the cooked veal; let it cool a little or the egg that you are about to add will cook and you don't want the eggs to cook.

Add to this whole mixture:

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. (or more to taste) nutmeg

dash of pepper

1 jumbo beaten egg

Continue to add:

1/3 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese

1/3 cup grated Parmigiana Reggiano cheese

1/3 - 2/3 cups plain bread crumbs

If needed: add 1 - 2 Tbsp. butter

You need to taste throughout the blending process to determine the 'crumbly texture and biting taste'.

Now, let's get the chicken broth going on the stove before you get started rolling the pasta dough out.

Homemade Chicken Broth (Brodo):

Fill a large, tall pot with clean water (I like to use water from my frig that purifies it) with enough room from the top of the pot to put the rest of the ingredients in without overflowing the water.

Put the following in the pot:

One 6-pound chicken (hen)

1 package soup bones (if you can get them)

1 4-pound round bone beef roast

3 carrots, cut in thirds

1 onion, cut in 1/4's

3 celery stalks, cut in thirds

1/4 bunch of Italian parsley

salt

Cook 2 - 3 hours.

Take all ingredients out of the broth with a hand strainer.

With 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).

Serve with freshly grated Parmigiana cheese

Buon Appetito and Happy Thanksgiving!

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Pork Tenderloin with Dijon Cranberry Sauce!

Cranberries:  one of the very few truly native North American fruits.  Cranberries were first given to European settlers from Native Americans, who also taught them how to bake cranberries in breads or mashed with honey or maple syrup for sweetener.  These little round ruby berries are mostly grown in marshes and bogs in the northern region of the U.S. (Wisconsin, Massachusetts, Oregon, New Jersey and Washington).  They're great for including in a healthy lifestyle.

I'm always so happy when cranberries are in season and available in the marketplace (mid-September through November).  Finding a recipe to use cranberries was a natural choice for me for this month's Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club theme.  Since it was my month to select a theme, "An Autumn Harvest", I knew that the entree recipe had to include cranberries.  Once again, the archives of Cooking Light did not fail in producing a delicious recipe.  Plus this recipe is super easy!

Please check out the host of this monthly food blog event, Val, and her wonderful blog "More Than Burnt Toast".   On her blog you will find the recipe line-up of all the food bloggers who join together (from Canada and the U.S.) every month with cooking/baking recipes from Cooking Light magazine:

Jerry baked a Pear Cake for dessert,
Val made Curried Butternut Squash and Potato Latkes with Apple Salsa,
MaryAnn prepared Warm White Beans with Roasted Fennel, and
Sandi made a Roasted Acorn Squash with Corn Bread Stuffing.

Mouthwatering recipe titles, don't you think?

Every month the recipes are simply amazing!  I never knew that preparing healthy recipes could taste this good!

Pork Tenderloin with Dijon Cranberry Sauce

For the Pork:

1/4 cup Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 (1-pound) pork tenderloins, trimmed
1 tablespoon olive oil

For the Sauce:

1 1/2 cups whole-berry cranberry sauce
2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preparation

To prepare pork, combine first 3 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag.
Add pork; seal and marinate in refrigerator 8 hours, turning bag occasionally.
Preheat oven to 425°.
Remove pork from bag, discarding marinade.
Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat.
Add pork; cook 4 minutes, browning on all sides.
Place pan in oven; cook at 425° for 30 minutes.
Remove from heat; let stand 5 minutes.
Cut pork into 1/4-inch slices; keep warm.
To prepare sauce, combine cranberry sauce and remaining ingredients in a small saucepan.
Cook over medium heat 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally.
Serve sauce with pork.

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Fresh Homemade Applesauce!

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What would autumn be without apples?  I just cannot imagine this season without this wonderful fruit, whether eaten straight from our hands or prepared in some wonderful recipe.  This month is my very first to participate in the wildly popular "Secret Recipe Club" and I was assigned to an absolutely beautiful blog with a sub-title that tops them all "Without Adornment ~ A Quest to be Myself".  A lovely young woman named "Bean" is the author of this delightful blog and has one some of the best photography talent in blog-land (in my humble opinion).  I hope that everyone will give her a visit for both her recipes, photography, and philosophy on life! 

One of the most simple and yet satisfying apple recipes that everyone in the family enjoys is for homemade applesauce.  For this busy working woman, nothing beats simplicity with yumminess and this recipe meets both of those!  I had to try Bean's version.  For her post, she also provides us with wonderful advice on canning applesauce (which I have never done).  I made two different versions, plain and simple as instructed in Bean's recipe and then with some cinnamon for a second version.  Both are delicious!  Enjoy!

Homemade Applesauce

Tart apples
Water
Sugar
Cinnamon (for the second version, if desired)
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Wash the apples, remove any spots and chop into halves, quarters or eighths depending on the size of the apple. Don’t worry about removing the stems or cores as the food mill will take care of that.
Put cut apples into a large pot with an inch or two of water in the bottom.
Bring the pot up to a boil, stirring moderately frequently.
Once the pot comes up to the boil, turn it down to medium heat and stew until the apples are falling apart.
Remove the pot from the heat and place the foley food mill (or whatever you are using) over another large pot.
Scoop the apple stew into the food mill and process. Periodically scrape out the skins, stems and seeds once the flesh has been removed.
Once all the applesauce has been processed, return pot to heat and bring up to a boil.
Once boiling, turn down the heat and add sugar until the desired sweetness. Adjust consistency either by reducing or adding more water. Remove from heat.


For further instructions on canning applesauce, please click on the link above which takes you directly to her post.
I hope that everyone will enjoy a fresh taste of autumn with this delicious applesauce recipe!

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Autumn Chicken Salad with Dried Cranberries and Grapes

The other day, I stopped and picked up a pretty good chicken salad croissant sandwich for lunch from a local gourmet grocery store . . . you know the kind of food store that has the most beautiful readily-prepared foods displayed inside and in front of glass food cases.  Foods so gorgeous that they could easily be in a glossy, high-end food magazine or blog!  

Well, the sandwich wasn't too bad, really.  It certainly satisfied my tummy.   Yet to me it lacked some major taste factors to make the sandwich better than great . . . to make it a 'wow' chicken salad (whether in a sandwich or salad alone).

Some of you are probably thinking that here we are in October, autumn, the pre-holiday season, and so why am I making a simple chicken salad sandwich/salad at this time of year when we celebrate pumpkin, squash, and sweet potatoes in our recipes?

Simply because I love chicken salad, and it doesn't matter what time of year it is to enjoy this traditionally loved sandwich or salad.  However, in the spirit of the season, I added dried cranberries and used red onion instead of yellow or scallions . . . just to match the changing colors of autumn.

I hope that you enjoy this little twist and tribute to autumn in an old classic!  And I know that you'll definitely taste some great flavors in this recipe!

PS:  I just wanted to give a BIG shout-out thank you to Larry and Bev over at "Big Dude's Eclectic Ramblings" for their culinary approval of this recipe who also prepared substituting dried blueberries for dried cranberries (both are great additions!).  Do stop by this incredible blog that I guarantee will always inspire you and have you leaving very hungry (especially for breakfast!).

Autumn Chicken Salad with Dried Cranberries and Grapes

2 1/2 cups diced cooked chicken

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1 cup thinly sliced celery

1 cup halved green grapes (red would be even prettier for the season)
1/4 cup chopped red onion
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1 cup mayonnaise or Miracle Whip salad dressing

1/2 cup heavy whipped cream (whipped until soft peaks form)

1 tablespoon freshly diced Italian parsley
(use any or all of the following seasonings to your taste preference)
1 tsp. chopped fresh tarragon or dill
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. onion powder
1/8 tsp. poultry seasoning

1/8 tsp. curry powder (if desired, optional)

1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper

paprika

Italian parsley

large tomatoes

lettuce varieties of choice

Combine the first dry ingredients in one large bowl.
In another medium sized bowl, blend the mayonnaise, whipped cream, and spices.
Add the mayonnaise mixture to the chicken and other ingredients.
Mix well.
Adjust seasonings as desired.
Cut out large tomatoes.
Lay tomatoes on bed of lettuce, or inside a half head of iceburg lettuce.
Place the chicken salad inside the tomatoes and around the lettuce.
Sprinkle with paprika.
Garnish with sprigs of Italian parsley.

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Sun~Dried Tomato Pesto, Basil Pesto, and Turkey Bagels with Herb Cheese Spread!

Once upon a time, a local sandwich shop offered a wonderful bagel sammie that was unforgettable.  I memorized the ingredients way-back-when so that I could try and replicate the sandwich at home.  I really had to go back into the cobwebs of my mind to retrieve those ingredients to make this savory bagel sandwich.

Here's the story that I found in the recesses of my mind:

There once was a toasted bagel that had two friends stop over and visit.  One friend's name was sun-dried tomato pesto and the other friend's name was basil pesto.  Along came some nice, crispy lettuce, a sliced red onion, and plenty of sliced turkey friends to join the party.  But what would a good sandwich be without the joy and friendliness of some creamy, soft herb cheese to soften up the tangy pestos?  Together these ingredients made one bagel lover eat happily every after!

If you're looking for a flavorful sandwich, than you'll certainly love this!

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto, Basil Pesto, and Turkey Bagels with Herb Cheese Spread.

Bagels (your preference in flavor, garlic would be nice; and preferably authentic NY bagels)
Sun-dried tomato pesto
Basil pesto
Lettuce (use the variety of your choice)
Red onion
Sliced smoked turkey (Boar's Head is the best)
Soft herb cheese (such as Boursin)

Slice the bagels in half and toast them.
Spread the sun-dried tomato pesto on the inside of one half.
Spread the basil pesto on the inside of the other half sliced bagel.
Thickly layer the smoked turkey on top of one half.
Spread some soft herb cheese on top of the turkey slices.
Place some lettuce leaves on top of the cheese.
Place some red onion slices on top of the cheese.
Put the other half of the bagel on top.
Slice the whole bagel sandwich in half and secure with toothpicks, if necessary.

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Chocolate Spiderweb Cookies

Chocolate and Halloween!  What a fun pair!

This month’s Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club’s theme is “Spooks”, perfectly appropriate for this time of year.  Although I’m a chocoholic, I’ve never, ever made chocolate cookies . . . always brownies or a cake.  So this was a first for me.  The cookie dough itself is like buttery fudge and truthfully could be devoured as such and not even baked into cookies!  Yum!

Now I must admit that I didn’t have the steadiest hand to make perfect icing spiderwebs . . . after all, I’m not a spider or a professional baker!  In the end after the big ‘photo shoot’, I just filled two chocolate cookies with the icing and enjoyed what I think could really rival an Oreo cookie!  Mr. M. and P. will be so happy when he gets home to nosh on these chocolate treats!

Chocolate Spiderweb Cookies

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup vegetable shortening
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg white
Cooking spray
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons low-fat milk

Preheat oven to 350º.
Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt, stirring well with a whisk.
Place shortening in a large mixing bowl; beat with a heavy-duty mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy.
Gradually add the granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until well blended.
Add vanilla and egg white; beat well.
Add flour mixture; beat until well blended.
Turn dough out onto wax paper; shape into a 6-inch log.
Wrap log in wax paper.
Freeze 2 hours until very firm.
Cut log into 1/4-inch slices, and place slices 1 inch apart on baking sheets coated with cooking spray.
Bake at 350º for 7 minutes.  These will harden as they cool, so do not over bake.
Remove from pans; cool completely on wire racks.
Combine powdered sugar and milk in a medium bowl; stir well with a whisk until smooth.
Spoon into a small zip-top plastic bag; seal.
Snip a tiny hole in 1 corner of bag.
Working with 1 cookie at a time, pipe 2 to 3 circles onto each cookie.
Starting at center circle, pull a wooden pick through other circles at regular intervals to create a "web."

Note:  For the glaze, snip a very small hole in the corner of the plastic bag. If it's too small, you can always make it bigger.


For more recipes from this month's Cooking Light group, head on over to Val's blog More Than Burnt Toast!

Our host this month is Jerry from Jerry's Thoughts, Musings and Rants prepared Dracula's Revenge (Baked Penne with Sausage and Garlic)

Sandi of The Whistlestop Cafe started us off with Devilish Eggs.
Mary Ann of Meet Me in the Kitchen brought Sweet Potato and Black Bean Empanadas.
Val of More Than Burnt Toast contributed Roasted Squash Soup with Turkey Croquettes.
Jamie of Mom's Cooking Club made Devilishly Divine Peanut Butter Caramel Corn.

Lots of super-delicious autumn and Halloween fare to enjoy!

Boo!
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Nonna's Italian Stew!

October has arrived!  

Finally, we're able to enjoy a break in the intense heat of this past summer.  All of these welcomed cooler days and chilly evenings officially ring in the time of year to prepare delicious, rib-sticking, hearty soups and stews.   So today, with daytime temps in the low 70's, it was a perfect time to prepare my mother's treasured stew.

Although we enjoy this throughout fall and winter, it is very special to my family because we traditionally serve this stew every Christmas eve, ladled on top of creamy polenta and thick slices of cheese.  Since my family is from the northern mountains of Italy, they do not live near the sea.  My relatives weren't even aware of the Italian 'Feast of the Seven Fishes' on Christmas eve!

Now this is definitely an Italian version of beef and vegetable stew.  It's thick tomato base and garlic give this stew it's distinctive difference.  Here is the recipe for our beloved Italian stew:

Nonna's Italian Stew

2 lbs. round steak or London broil, cut into 1" cubes
8 cloves minced garlic
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
6 carrots, peeled, sliced into 1 - 2" pieces
10 russet potatoes, peeled, and cut into 2" cubes
2 cups sliced celery, with the leaves chopped up
2 large onions, quartered
1 bunch Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped
at least 12 oz. of tomato paste
at least 4 cups of water

In a large, deep, heavy pot, brown the meat cubes in the olive oil.
Add the garlic when the meat is browned (do not burn the garlic).
Add the tomato paste and the water.
Cook the meat approximately 45 minutes.
Add all of the vegetables and more water if it is too thick.
Add the parsley.
Cook for potatoes are 'al dente' and NOT mushy, about 20 minutes.
Always taste and change, taste and change to your preferences!

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