A Cinnamon Treat Guest Post from "That Skinny (Lizzy) Chick Can Bake!!!"

Cinnamon delight is the highlight of this wonderful guest post from Liz of "That Skinny Chick Can Bake!!!".   For a long time now, I've been wanting to ask more of my favorite food bloggers to come on over and allow me to spotlight their wonderful cooking and baking skills on my blog.  Now that I've been home on a leave of absence for my surgery, I have the additional time that I needed to hop around blog-land and ask!  I'm not finished with my list yet, so heads up, I'll be writing to you too!  Or geez, just volunteer!

Now I'm not going to tell you the story of how Liz and I know each other because she tells a far better story than I do!  And she has shared it below.  After that comes one of her specialties . . . baking super wonderful breads; this recipe she is sharing with all of us is for Cinnamon Twists!  Your home will smell wonderful from the aroma of this baking in the oven, even better for this time of year:   autumn and the upcoming holidays!  And who doesn't like sweet sugar and cinnamon in their bread?

Before I turn it over to Liz, let me remind you that all of her contact information follows her recipe too, so that you can follow all of her posts.

And now I'll let Liz do the talking! 

"My blog started on a whim...I remember revealing my little project to a group of friends while out to lunch one spring day. One happened to have a friend whose wife was on the now defunct Foodbuzz, an on-line food blogger community...and this gal encouraged me to join the site and network with other foodies. It was there that I connected with so many fabulous, inspirational bloggers...including Roz. My blog ballooned from a simple way to share favorite recipes with friends and family into a place where I developed relationships with food bloggers across the globe. Blogging, along with baking, became one of my passions.

Those of you who are regular followers of my blog may remember the serendipitous reunion between Roz and me. She commented on my blog one day, which lead me back to her blog.  I was immediately awed by all of her marvelous food, gorgeous photography and especially her kind heart. She had oodles of fans and followers, and I knew I'd be back. She mentioned in her bio that she was from Iowa...well, what the heck, so was I. Then I learned she was 100% Italian...hmmmm...and her photo resembled a friend from my hometown, Kelly. I just had to ask her if she was from Iowa and if she had a sister named 'Kelly'. Yup, she was the older sister of one of my dear friends since childhood.  Roz was the beautiful, mysterious, popular older sister who I had only known by a portrait in their family room...she was always busy with high school activities while Kelly and I were still immature and squirrelly in grade school.

After we reconnected, I reminded Roz that when Kelly and I were in college together, we took a road trip one weekend to visit Roz in St. Louis, where she then lived and where we were treated to one of her home cooked, gourmet dinners. I'm still hoping that she and I will be able to meet again in person.  Roz did a guest post for me this summer when we were in France, so I was delighted to reciprocate when she made plans to travel abroad with her parents this fall. Such a thrill.  I had to bake up something both beautiful and delicious...so you'll have to pop over to La Bella Vita to see the details."

I had seen a few versions of these cinnamon twists on-line and knew my family would love them. The King Arthur Flour site had an apple filled version which I tweaked to be more like a traditional cinnamon roll.  I baked one in an 8-inch cake pan and the other on a sheet pan lined with parchment. The one in the cake pan produced a much prettier loaf.

This dough was silky smooth...maybe from the addition of potato buds (instant mashed potatoes) or maybe from the overnight rising time. I did not learn the chemistry of baking in my nursing chemistry course, so maybe someone can enlighten me. Nevertheless, this dough produced a delicious bread that all 5 of us enjoyed.

Cinnamon Twists

from "That Skinny Chick Can Bake!!!"

(adapted from King Arthur Flour)

3-1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup dried potato flakes or buds

3 heaping tablespoons sugar

1-1/2 teaspoons instant yeast

1-1/4 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons butter plus extra for buttering bowl, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

1 cup milk

Filling:

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar

4-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

A few grates of fresh nutmeg, optional

2 tablespoons melted butter

Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2-3 tablespoons heavy cream

Mix all dry ingredients in bowl of large stand mixer (you can also mix and knead by hand). Make sure potato flakes are well dispersed. Add the butter, vanilla, egg and milk. Mix with dough hook till a shaggy dough forms. Let rest 30 minutes.

Knead dough with dough hook or by hand for 10 minutes, then place dough in a greased bowl, turning to coat top of dough with butter, then cover and refrigerate dough overnight.

The next morning, bring dough out and allow to sit out on the counter for 3 hours.

Make filling by combining sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.

To assemble, deflate dough and divide in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one dough half into a 10 x 12 inch rectangle. Brush dough with half the melted butter, then sprinkle with half the cinnamon mixture over the surface stopping within about 1/2 inch of one longer edge. Roll up jelly roll style starting at the long edge with the cinnamon, making a log. Press seam together to lightly seal.

Cut the log in half lengthwise with a sharp knife. Turn each half so that filling and cut edges face upward. Seal two of the short edges together, then cross one side over the other repeatedly to make a twist. Carefully place twist in a greased 8-inch cake pan forming a ring. Repeat with second piece of dough.

Cover lightly and let rise at room temperature for about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350º. Bake for about 30 minutes. Cool for few minutes, then carefully remove from pans to a rack to finish cooling.

Make glaze by combining all ingredients using the extra tablespoon of cream if necessary. Place into a quart ziplock bag, seal and clip off corner with a scissors. Squeeze bag to drizzle icing over cooled twists.

Makes 2 8-inch cinnamon twists.

Thanks so much, Roz, for inviting me to share a recipe with your blog followers! Enjoy your holiday, my friend! 

xo,

Liz 

I knew that you would love whatever Liz shared for her guest post!

After ALL of these years since her friendship began with my sister in 1968 and when I met Liz in St. Louis (1978), it is because of our two food blogs that we re-connected in 2010 between Indiana and South Carolina where we now live!  Just so cool!

As promised here are all of the ways that you can follow Liz.  You can either click on the site names or copy and paste the addesses:

That Skinny Chick Can Bake!!!  . . . http://www.thatskinnychickcanbake.com/

Twitter . . . https://twitter.com/#!/ThatSkinnyChick

Facebook . . . https://www.facebook.com/pages/That-Skinny-Chick-Can-Bake/112597838794834

Google + . . . https://plus.google.com/116213594518847001708/posts?hl=en

Pinterest . . . http://pinterest.com/lizzydo/   

StumbleUpon . . . http://www.stumbleupon.com/stumbler/lizzydo 

Thanks Lizzy!!!  

Mwah!  

xoxo, Roz

.

Pin It

The Traditional Foods of Venice, Italy!

(the photo above is a free downloadable image from "Islands")

Ciao from Venice!

It has been said that whether or not someone is a romantic at heart or not, Venice promises to take one's breath away. Venice must be experienced with all of one's senses wide open!

With it's breath-taking ancient architecture, winding canals, and endless mysterious passageways, Venice is one of the most alluring cities in the world.  Here I intend to relax with an espresso in Piazza San Marco, partake in a moonlit gondola ride and sip a Bellini at Harry's Bar.  And maybe just wander off the beaten paths to engage in history and beauty.

At this moment, I am in splendid, magical, enchanting Venice, the city of dreams, with my parents and I'm really not anywhere near a computer to post on my blog . . . every post has been pre-scheduled for the days that we're in each location of the trip.  But I promise to post my photos of the best sights and food that we enjoyed when I return to the States.

Venice, one of the 'bucket list' cities of the world, and one of the most endangered due to its foundation of low mud-banked islands amid the lagoon waters of the Adriatic Sea.  With its continual charming allure, physically it is very fragile with continual decay, erosion and water damage causing world-wide attention to prevent.  Venice is recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.  

To arrive in Venice, one must enter by water . . . in a boat through a series of canals.  The quintessential image of boat transportation in Venice is the 'gondola', once essential to navigate through the narrow and shallow canals, today they are a preferred mode in which to take a romantic trip around Venice.

While in Italy we want to see some of the great sights, but also just sit in the cafe's in some of the squares sipping on an espresso or glass of vino while watching the people of the country go about their daily routines.  In the evening we are hoping to take part in the traditional Italian 'passeggiata', or 'evening stroll'.  The purpose of this among Italians is 'to see and to be seen', to gather around and gossip about the latest going-ons.

For this portion of our trip, we will obviously visit the 'must sees' of Venice:  The Piazza San Marco, the heart of Venice with its Basilica San Marco, the Campanile, looking out at the 'Canalazzo', the Grand Canal,  and if time permits, I'd love to go to Murano to pick up a small glass momento!  I'm not sure if we'll take a gondola ride due to the lack of time.

But let's not forget THE FOOD of Venice!

Italian cuisine with its simple ingredients, enticing aromas, and fabulous flavors is one of the most delicious food on the planet. And it is here in Venice, where I'll begin my gastronomic tour of Italian food.

Venice, like every region of Italy, is known for its traditional food specialities.  A visit to Venice offers an opportunity to discover fascinating gastronomic traditions.  Obviously due to Venice's location on the sea, there is a large abundance of fish dishes, simply seasoned with olive oil, vinegar, garlic, parsley, and herbs.  Although the lagoon is famous for the quality and variety of its fish, the inland river waters' fresh fish are also cherished in recipes.   

Traditionally, fish was marinated and/or salted in order to preserve it for long periods of time before eating. Being a fish lover, I know that I will be in heaven with the high quality of seafood harvested from the sea.  The most famous fish entree is Baccala' Mantecata, which is made with cod from the colder northern seas and in shipping to Italy is preserved by salting it profusely, and within four days the excess salt is removed and then the fish is dried in the open air.  Finally the cod is soaked for some time in water. 

(photo credit to ItalianFoodNet; link for the recipe)

Baccala' Mantecata

Venice's most notable dish is softened, dried, salted Baltic codfish that is prepared in olive oil, garlic, parsley and creamed in a blender.  This is what I'd like to enjoy in Venice.  However, because we're in Venice on Monday, and I understand that it will be difficult, if not impossible to have fresh fish on Mondays because most fishermen do not work on Sunday nights.  I'll just have to see, right?  Bacala is usually served with polenta as a side dish and when mixed together, this is a delicate and delicious fish appetizer or first course served in both restaurants and Venetian homes.

(photo credit to Todd Coleman for Saveur, link for the recipe)

Sarde in Saor (Marinated Sardines)

This dish of Venice is a typical example of its traditions.  Translated, the name means 'sardines immersed in flavor'. This is an antipasto of sardines or anchovies with onions in a sweet and sour sauce, with 'pinoli' (pine nuts) and raisins.

Polenta

A staple in Northern Italy, polenta enjoys its greatest popularity among Venetians!   Originally known as part of 'cucina povera' (food of the poor), polenta is interestingly now considered to be a gourmet, upscale food!   Ah, that creamy, golden pool of ground semolina cornmeal that results from 30 to 45 minutes of constant stirring with a 'mescala', wooden stirring stick!  Venetians prefer polenta over pasta (although they do have pasta dishes).

My family still prepares polenta in the traditional way of pouring it onto a wooden board to cool off and then cut it with a string while hot.  If the polenta hardens, we always cut it with a knife.  Using milk or cream instead of water makes polenta even more rich and decadent!  We embrace the social tradition of making polenta and stirring it constantly each and every Christmas eve, both in the creamy version and fried with Fontina cheese melted on top!  YUM!

(photo credit to Leo Gong and Karen Shinto, link for the recipe)

Risi i Bisi (Rice and Fresh Peas) 

One of the most famous and ancient regional specialties of Venice and Risi i Bisi is offered in most Venetian restaurants and homes.  This is simple and tasty dish that is a unique combination of a soup and thick risotto which is made of fresh peas and risotto (rice) and cooked with chunks of pancetta (thick Italian bacon).  

Rice is a mainstay on Venetian menus and arrived on the scene from Arabia as a result of the strong maritime merchant position of Venice.  Rice dominates Venetian cuisine, but is served differently than in other regions of Italy.  Never eaten alone, rice is always cooked and served with other ingredients, such as fish and shellfish, sausage, beans, and more.    

(photo credit, Rosalind Corieri Paige, link to the recipe)

Risotto 

Once considered only food of the poor risotto is very popular in Northern Italy, with Venice being no exception.  The unique way to prepare risotto in Venice is with seafood, such as using black squid ink (Risotto Nero) and as in the States, using numerous combinations of ingredients including vegetables, artichokes, mushrooms, asparagus, peas and/or tomatoes.

Growing up, my mother prepared risotto for our family at least twice a week and it was always one of our favorite meals!  Mix it with Bolognese sauce and it's an incredible, filling meal in itself!  

Bigoli

This is the Venetians' contribution to the pasta of Italy.  It is similar to spaghetti pasta noodles, except slightly thicker with a small hole in the middle.  Bigoli is also slightly darker than regular pasta because it is made of whole wheat flour.

(photo credit to Annabelle Breakey and Randy Mon)

Gnocchi 

Although now prepared all over Italy, the delicious gnocchi is a culinary tradition dating all the way back to the 16th century and connected to the festivities of Carnival.   Exactly prepared from the recipe handed down from my family in Northern Italy gnocchi is made of potatoes, flour and eggs and then served with either melted butter, cheese, and sage, or other creative sauces.  If you have never had gnocchi in 'quattro formaggio' (four cheeses) you have not tasted Italian culinary bliss!

In Italian meals, gnocchi makes a delicious 'i primi' (first dish), but I love it as a side dish!  I adore gnocchi made with spinach served with a light butter and sage or marinara sauce . . . but I have to admit, the super-cheesy the sauce the better!

Tiramisù 

Oh, this is the famous, quintessential 'pick-me-up' dessert made of sponge cake soaked in rich coffee, Marsala wine, cocoa, amidst layers of sweet mascarpone cheese!   Records show that Tuscany and Veneto have fought over the origin of this recipe, however many sources confirm that it hails from Venice. 

(photo credited to "Pasta D'Arte")

Carpaccio

A famous treat created at Harry's Bar in Venice, and known here in the States, consists of raw/ultra-rare beef from the filet cut, sliced wafer-thin, coated with peppercorns or capers and served with Parmesan cheese and radicchio.  Often a sauce is served prepared with mayonnaise, mustard, cream, and tomato.  Many variations of the dish have evolved from the original recipe as well.

(photo credited to "Traveling Mamas" blog)

The "Bellini" and Prosecco!  Prosecco, a light, champagne-like sparkling wine is known as an 'appertivo', and is the base for the infamous Bellini mixed with white peach juice, from which morphed the 'Mimosa' with fresh orange juice and the 'Tiziano' made with fresh red grapefruit juice.  The Bellini was introduced at the famous Harry's Bar and enjoyed by Hemingway.

Trust me, I WILL end up here during our time in Venice!  I've just got to try one of these authentic, famous Bellini!

T

(photo credited to Ed from "The Bork Blog")

Cichetti

Similar to Spanish tapas, these are small portions of food that are served in Venetian bars.  Traditionally, Venetians eat cichetti ("have some fun") with a small glass of wine (ombre) either before lunch or dinner or often in place of those meals.  Eating cichetti is mostly a social activity where the locals hang out in crowded bars and eat cichetti standing up at the bar where the cichetti are spread out for one to choose from.  

Asiago Cheese

Asiago is one of Italy's finest sharp cheese specialties that comes from Veneto's famous cow's milk cheese.  Asiago is now one of the most popular imported Italian cheeses in the States today and one of my personal favorites.  I must try this cheese as fresh as I can find it in Venice! 

Wine

The best wines from the Veneto region include the fragrant reds, Valpolicella, Bardolino, and the more strong, white Soave.

Grappa 

Grappa is the strong alcohol that comes from distilled grape skin, pulp, seeds, and stem remnants from the winegrape pressings. Grappa has been the peasant's and farmers' drink of choice when it was customary to enjoy a very strong drink after a day of hard physical labor.  Grappa is Italy's national spirit, a liqueur today.

(photo credit to "A Food Odyssey" blog by Kathy)

Fritelle alla Veneziane

Considered to be the national dessert of the Veneto province, Fritelle are small, fried, sweet doughnuts made of flour, eggs, sugar, lemon, and Marsala.  They can  also be made with a variety of extra ingredients including 'frutta' (fruit), cream, powdered sugar, or zabaglione.  Venetians have exceptional expertise with pastries and 'i dolci' (sweets).  Fritelle have been the traditional sweet of Carnival dating all the way back to the Renaissance! 

It's a good thing that I'll be doing a LOT of walking to hopefully balance the food tasting!

This is certainly not a complete list of the specialty foods of Venice and Veneto, so if you feel that there is some dish that I have not included, please let me know in your comment and I will quickly edit this post upon my return to the States on the 21st of October.


Mangia!

. Pin It

$190.00 Giveaway for the 4th Birthday of 'la bella vita' !!

Pumpkin Tureen and Imported Italian Food!!

'la bella vita' is fours years old and to celebrate with my wonderful friends, it's time for a wonderful giveaway valued at $190.00!

Because it is October and I'm in Italy today until October 21st, I am so excited to be giving away this large ceramic pumpkin tureen with lid that will arrive just in time to look perfect on your Thanksgiving table or simply with your home's autumn decor!

But that's not all!

I am going to FILL this huge pumpkin tureen with lots of imported Italian food products that I'm bringing back from Italy for you to enjoy:

• imported Italian Balsamic vinegar ($50.00)
• imported extra virgin olive oil ($20.00)
• imported Italian pasta ($15.00)
• pumpkin tureen (worth $50.00)
• shipping costs for this huge package and weight will be approx. $25.00 which will also be paid by myself.

I am NOT affiliated with any brand or company for this giveaway; it is completely paid for by myself alone.

Bonus Giveaway:  I will include the matching pumpkin teapot for the winner who completes the very last entry option listed below with the ** double asterisks! This teapot is valued at $35.00 bringing the total value of this giveaway to $190.00

So let the fun begin!

To enter this October pumpkin / Italian food giveaway:

First become a follower of 'la bella vita' here on Google Friends and leave a comment letting me know that you did so.  Pretty easy, huh?


To increase your odds/chances of being selected as the winner of this giveaway, I will add additional entries for doing any or all of the following:

Bonus Entries:

~ For 2 extra entries:  Like "la bella vita di rosalinda" on Facebook and leave another separate comment here letting me know you “liked” the page.  (you can either go directly to the page to do that, or just click on 'like' above).

~ For 2 extra entries:  Follow me on Pinterest:  http://pinterest.com/paige1and2/  and come back to leave another separate comment letting me know that you did so.  (You'll LOVE my pins!)

~ For 2 extra entries:  Follow @miabellavita on Twitter and come back again to leave a separate comment letting me know you are following.

~ For 2 extra entries:  Tweet the following statement about this giveaway:  $190.00 giveaway: Pumpkin tureen with imported Italian food @miabellavita  www.bellavita-bellasblog.blogspot.com

~ ** Bonus Giveaway Entry Option for 4 extra entries:  For the matching pumpkin teapot, in addition to the above entry methods, go to my new Wordpress location and follow the RSS feed box and leave a comment on that blog letting me know that you did so: http://italianbellavita.com.  

The giveaway is open until Sunday, October 21, 2012 at midnight Pacific Standard Time when I return from Italy.

This gives you LOTS of time (2 weeks) to use all of the entry options above!

This giveaway is only open to USA and Canada residents due to the huge size of this package and its heavy weight on shipping costs. Be sure to include an e-mail address with your comment(s). Winner will be chosen randomly and announced on Tuesday, October 22 after I have had time to go through all of the entries. I will announce the winner on both blog sites and then inform the winner (either through email if you provide it, or through your blog contact).  If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new winner will be chosen.

This great package will be carefully packaged and shipped via UPS from me.

Good luck!

And now here's a Super Easy Way to do any or all of the above entries!

a Rafflecopter giveaway Pin It