Thank-you for 2009

The generosity of bloggers overwhelm me. I did not go into this for "free stuff." I do not comment for the same. I read your sweetnesses and try to return in kind. I came home from scary driving in downtown St. Paul to what you see below from Joe at Italyville.com. Bacis and torrone and coffee (black coffee! as Aunt Fay would say) and a heavenly jar of roasted peppers that I will guard with my life. And my college-age kids oohing and ahhing and wondering when they could partake. And I received this - for what? For commenting???? Sending a post? Which I did in order to join in the Feast. Who wouldn't want to join in an Italian feast? Thank-you, Joe.



I started the blog two years ago. The first year it was pretty private. Simply a way of sharing family stories and recipes so my Midwestern children would have a feel for their New Yorker Italian/American mother. One year ago (almost), I went public and met all of you.
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In early December I received two awards which I am late in acknowledging. So, I shall share the first award with "old" friends who lifted helped me navigate the blogging world and the second award with "new" friends.
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2009 has brought a lot of "slings and arrows." I won't dwell, for everyone has their share of slings and arrows. Cooking and blogging lets me lose myself for awhile and take a respite. So, to all of you - I thank you for being there and providing a safe haven of comfort and delectables.
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This is from Rebecca who created Chow and Chatter. I cook from her blog (most recently Columbia-inspired meatloaf) and enjoy her warmth and recipes. Thank-you, Rebecca.

I know some of you have "award-free" blogs and I respect that - so even if you do not pick up the award, I still wanted you to know I valued you.
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I have cooked from all the blogs mentioned below - so I hope you will visit them. I guarantee you'll leave smiling.


I would like to share this with:
Donna at My Tasty Treasures, Heather/Dar at Girlichef, Reeni at Cinnamon Spice & Everything Nice, Bunny at Bunny's Warm Oven, Sam from My Carolina Kitchen, Katherine at Smoky Mountain Cafe, Linda at Ciao Chow Linda and Wanda from Moments of Mine

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And this came from Gaga in the Kitchen, who like me, doesn't always measure - but manages some heavenly stuff. Her baked brie was a hit in this house last week.

This goes to seven people with seven facts about yourself. I think people know too much about me as it is! So I shall just state that I am an onion - lots of layers, lots of sarcasm, too much cynicism, cannot resist the wisecrack but I think I could be caramelized.

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I would like to share this with: Janet from Meatless Mama, Gera at Sweets Foods, Velva at Tomatoes on the Vine, Claudia at What's Cookin' Italian Style Cuisine, Bridgett at La Bella Cook,

Barbara GF at Dish 'n That and Mary at One Perfect Bite.

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Speaking of onions, my caramelized onion tart is ready ..... again, thanks to all of you and onward and upward in 2010! Who knows what we will create? Happy New Year! Felice Anna Nuovo!

Braised Beef Short Ribs with Red Wine Gravy - Bon Appetit's October Cover Recipe

My resolve to keep my New Year's resolution 2008 to cook all 12 cover recipes of Bon Appetit has been successful. (There's just the little matter of baking the peppermint chocolate cake on December 2009's cover...) My procrastination is in posting the Cover Girl dinners - well - this, that and the other thing occurred. There was the sprained ankle.... and my six weeks directing a rodent (Stuart Little- a holiday show), a few deadlines and then this decision (which I declared in print) to bake 24 holiday Italian cookies in December.... which will definitely go into my "what was I thinking" file folder....
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Enough! Below is Bon Appetit's slow-cooked short ribs dinner. Smothered in a red wine, sun-dried tomato gravy with mashed potatoes and braised greens, it was a hit.


I bought my ribs from a local producer at St. Paul Farmer's Market - Otis Family Farms. His ribs were meaty and tender. Another plus for buying local and from someone you know.

The Swiss chard was briefly sauteed in olive oil.

The ribs were braised for two hours in red wine, herbs, sun-dried tomatoes and other aromatics.

Potatoes were mashed and the melding of flavors was delectable. Comforting, autumn, with the fresh taste of the Farmer's Market shining through. It can be made a day ahead, it does not need babysitting and it guarantees smiles at the dinner table. Conversation ceased for awhile as everyone savored the meal. Don't let the list of ingredients intimidate you - the meal is very easy to execute and once your ribs are braising, you are free to dance in your living room, take a bubble bath, check Facebook, read food blogs, or nap. The recipe is here: Braised beef short ribs.

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Dessert was "Cake with three milks." The cake is drenched in three milks and just - soaks it in - marinates and is the tenderest, milkiest, whitest, creamiest cake know to come out of an oven that does not contain buttercream. You will find yourself thanking cows. It will be part of your repertoire. Find the recipe for Pastel de Tres Leches at Girlchef's blog here.

Looks like a simple sheet cake.

But the clouds of milk tells you there is something special going on in that cake. It's inviting.

The 12 Days of an Italian Foodie Christmas

The 12 Days of an Italian Foodie Christmas

On the 12th day of Christmas my true love gave to me...
12 scampis scampering
11 scungillis congealing
10 olives oiling
9 rapinis rapping
8 pignolis pining
7 feasts of fishes
6 yeasts-a-proofing
5 golden figs
4 squalling squids
3 frenched hens
2 curdled doves
and Mario Batali in a pine tree.

Merry Christmas, friends! May your days be merry and bright!

Claudia

Cioppino for Feast of the Seven Fishes

Holy cannoli! I almost forgot. Joe at Italyville.com is hosting Feast of the Seven Fishes and the deadline is (gulp) tonight.I made something to bring.... I just didn't bring it yet.

Cioppino!Or as Aunt Fay said, "Neopolitan Stew." She hosted the Feast for decades. All "us" cousins looked at the sumptuous Christmas Eve platters of fish and pushed the seafood aside and ate the pastas. This is where age has its advantages. I know better now - as did my aunts, uncles and grandmother!

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Since I do not live in the "seaport of the world," I made do with what Minnesota has to offer. The meal was quick and easy to prepare and I had a short vacation to Naples this evening. All for the price of some shrimp, a few mussels and clams.

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INGREDIENTS: (serves 4)

1 fennel bulb - chopped

1 large shallot - chopped

4 T olive oil

2 cloves of garlic - chopped

1 rosemary sprig

1 can vegetable broth

1/2 small bottle clam juice

1 cup white wine

1 large can of peeled tomatoes in juice

1/2 cup tomato paste (sometimes I leave it out when I don't want it sweet)

8 clams - scrubbed

3/4 pound mussels - scrubbed

1/2 pound shrimp (peeled, deveined)

1 tilapia fillet - can use any white fish

1/4 cup Italian flat-leaf parsley

1 pound spaghetti (optional)

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In large stew/soup pot, heat olive oil. Add chopped fennel, shallots and garlic. Saute till fennel is soft (about 4-5 minutes). Add vegetable broth, clam juice, tomatoes, wine and rosemary. Let simmer for ten minutes and break up the tomatoes with the back of a spoon. Add mussels and clams and let them simmer for 8-10 minutes - until they open. Discard any unopened ones. Add shrimp and tilapia or other white fish and let it simmer for five minutes. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve as a soup or over spaghetti. Savor. Alternate play Volare in the background with Christmas songs. Go to Italy for Christmas Eve - even for just one hour.

Shimmering Candied Orange Peels and a Cast that Glistens

Yes. He's adorable. He's also hard-working and talented. He carries the show in a cast of 22 adults and kids and he's ten years old. When you work with kids, you know that's as good as it gets. In between the frenzy of opening Stuart Little, baking an Italian cookie a day for The Examiner and you know - the Christmas stuff, I took an evening off to concoct some candied orange peels.

But first Stuart - that's the mouse with his mother - having just rescued her engagement ring from the bathtub drain.

In one of my favorite scenes, some cats menace a pigeon. (Conflict in a children's play!) They glowed opening night. The show is a confection, a sweetness and they had all of that plus humor, insight into acceptance and finally - a responsive, grand audience. So I could go back to my kitchen.
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I am planning on making an almond-ricotta pudding and some panettone bread. Both call for candied orange and lemon peels.

My orange peels were thick - I cut the peel off - and sliced them into 1/4 inch pieces. I then boiled them for one minute - four times (you drain the water and start anew) until they were soft.

Some recipes have you cut the peel off with a vegetable peeler but then they are too flimsy to hold up to the sugar syrup.

Add 3 cups of sugar to one cup of water. Stir to dissolve and then heat to boiling.

Add your peels and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour. You want the coating to be thick and shimmer on the peels. The peels should start to look translucent. Mine took an hour.
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Put wax paper under a wire rack, drain the sugar syrup and let dry for 6 hours. I let them dry over night.
They will adorn my Italian Cookie Christmas platter, be eaten from their airtight container at whim and be put into Italian Christmas desserts. They glisten also. Just like my cast.

I had a heavy hand when I dipped them into chocolate.

But no one minded. Because they're gone.

I hid a few to use for baking. My tree remains undecorated, my Christmas decor are in boxes - but the shimmery, glistening days are here. Onstage and at home.