December Pasta of the Month- Scampi Scallop Bucatini

For December pasta all my favorites from the sea are the stars. On one of our trips to Southern California we stumbled upon a small deli in Seal Beach. The setting was something out of Mayberry with mostly mom and pop type shops and eateries brimming with originality. The quaintness of a few blocks lured us out of our car as it seemed like an invitation to walk the neighborhood. Unfortunately most neighborhoods these days prefer the "allure" of big box stores. I don't get it! Yes, the price can't be beat, sometimes, but is the quality there? Is it a pleasurable experience? So, it's nice to see a neighborhood area revitalized in a friendly tasteful and inviting way.

When you enter an Italian deli the sights should captivate you and the smells should excite and comfort you. We've been in a few of those over the years and I always buy something. This time I purchased some bucatini because I have a hard time finding it in our town. Bucatini is shaped like spaghetti but it is hollow on the inside. How do they do that? But, the shape allows the sauce to coat the inside of the pasta as well as out.

This dish can be an elegant but simple addition to your table. We enjoyed it!

Ingredients:

2/3 pkg bucatini

Cook pasta in salted boiling water reserving about 1/4 cup of pasta water. Meanwhile saute the next four items until opaque.

2 T olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 shallot, sliced and chopped

1/4 c onion, chopped

Add the following to the skillet.

2 T butter

about 12 each of medium shrimp and sea scallops

salt and pepper

1/4 cup pasta water or use white wine plus large ladle of water

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

2 T chopped fresh basil

Cook seafood a few minutes until shrimp starts to turn pink. Turn them over and continue to cook for only a few minutes, maybe 3-5. Add the cooked bucatini with a drizzle of olive oil and mix well. Serve immediately. Serves 4 hungry people

Italian Holiday Quick Brunch Bread

As promised I wanted to present this stollen like bread which could never replace my dad's Czech bread. (see yesterday's post) However, if you are lacking in time, this Italian quick bread stands alone with its flavor and ease in preparation. The "real" Czech bread like most breads requires the resting, rising and kneading. This one does not. The flavors are similar but the consistency is much more dense rather than flaky. I love both!

Ingredients:

4 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

2 cups ricotta cheese

3 eggs, beaten

1 tsp vanilla

2/3 cup sugar

4 T candied fruit

2 T golden raisins

1 T chopped almonds

1 T orange zest

1 T sugar

1 1/2 T butter or melted margarine

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl place sifted flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in the ricotta, eggs, raisins, nuts, sugar, vanilla and orange zest. Toss in the candied fruit and mix well. Only knead lightly to form into a loaf about 12 inches long. Place onto a greased and floured cookie sheet. Bake for about 55 minutes. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack. Brush with melted butter or margarine and sprinkle the loaf with sugar.

This is perfect all by itself, but it's slightly decadent sliced and toasted with butter on top. Yum!

Christmas is What You Make It

Being with friends is wonderful, coming together with family is comforting, but, remembering the reason for the season is priceless. I wanted to write yesterday, however I found myself a little too introspective at times and maybe a little weepy. I have always known that Christmas is what you make it not what you make, bake, buy or receive during Christmas. I always feel overloaded weeks before and for no apparent reason other than being subjected to the "pull" created by Western civilizations and the media. I yearned for a simple Christmas so I went back to my roots and memories for inspiration.

For my father and mother I digitally copied the dusty slides of their Europe 1972 trip into a DVD they could watch. Photography is one of my "loves" along with cooking. The slides transported them back to a whirlwind tour of 3 weeks which they would never forget, hopefully. From Amsterdam they set off in a VW bug across many countries including Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Luxembourg and a little corner of France. The country, I believe, that was the most memorable for them was Czechoslovakia which is now the Czech Republic. At the time they had to "check in" at the border because it was behind the Iron Curtain. How frightening that must have been. The border patrol needed to know their exact whereabouts at all times!

My parents went to visit my great aunt and uncle in a small village of Domazlice, southwest of Prague. Never having met them, they were warmly welcomed into their humble home. My Czech relatives continued to treat them as royalty and apologized for having such simplicity in their ways. In my mind, almost 40 years later, I see those pictures and think to myself that they are the ones that are truly "rich". Simplicity and a sense of family is what it is all about.

Getting back to the cooking aspect, there were many family recipes I wanted to make this year, just not enough time. I wanted to mention my dad's Czech bread, though. He tries to bake it every year and there is always some family member to ask if he will do so. This season he did and probably made about 6 or 7 loaves and shipped some to family members out of state. It is the best bread and I regret not being in the kitchen with him this year, snapping pictures of the process and the flour flying everywhere!

A few years ago I wanted Czech bread but did not want to struggle with the process of rising and kneading, etc., so I found a similar recipe of Italian descent. It does not have the yeast making it extremely simple for anyone to make, quickly. I made a large loaf and brought some over to my parents as we watched their travel adventure DVD and exchanged gifts. Although it is easy (recipe tomorrow), it will never replace my dad's Czech bread. Too many memories attached to it making it special to us all.

I hope you all had a merry Christmas and seek the simplicity that is sometimes overlooked in our lives. God Bless..

"In a Pinch" Holiday Appetizer

As the Season gets into full swing many people scramble for easy appetizer ideas. I was reminded yesterday by one of my favorite sister-in-laws, that now is the time to add a simple cheese ball type recipe. I have made this many times and it's perfect for those special Christmas and New Year's parties or all year long for that matter. My mother would make it for her friends and family and it was always a hit!

The variation I make has crab in it but you can easily substitute, chicken, turkey or ham.

1 6.5 oz can crab, drained

3 green onions (finely chopped)

1 8 oz cream cheese

a dash of Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans

Mix all ingredients, except the pecans, well with hands and form into a ball. Place the nuts on waxed paper and roll the ball while covering it completely. Refrigerate until firm. Serve with favorite crackers or baguette rounds. So easy! Enjoy!

Merry Christmas, Teri! I hope this becomes part of your traditions for you and your beautiful family!

Spice Cookies for Santa

I remember many a Christmas Eve when my sister and I would lay in our beds and quietly listen for Santa's sleigh bells and reindeers screeching to a halt on top of our roof. I just knew I'd be able to hear them if I listened long enough. I'm sure nobody else did this, right? As a tradition we would bake cookies for Santa and leave carrot sticks for his reindeer, especially Rudolf! In the morning we would check our stockings and always rush to see if Santa enjoyed our cookies. For some reason the carrot sticks would still be there, maybe a little chewed up on the ends but the cookies were always gone. I don't remember what kind we made. It's been many years.

Flash forward, 25 years later, as parents, we made sure Santa and his reindeers were taken care of. I enjoyed the time with my son as we busily baked and baked. Festively frosted and decorated sugar cookies were the most popular. Those "rolls" of cookie dough sure came in handy when I was working and short on time. But, this was a tradition that couldn't be left out during Christmas week, so I did whatever I could to welcome Santa into our home!

This year, I swore to myself that I wasn't going to bake as much. But, tradition got in the way and I proceeded to bake. This time I found a spicy molasses type cookie recipe I've been meaning to try. The results would be good enough for Santa and maybe a few elves. Hopefully someone can carry on those cookie capers with this great recipe! And you should always leave a glass of milk since Santa has acquired the "dunking" skill over the years!

Ingredients:

1 cup granulated sugar

3/4 c butter, room temperature

1 egg

3 T molasses

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp ginger, ground

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp each of salt, ground cloves and ground nutmeg

additional sugar in a bowl for rolling

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cream the sugar and butter in a large bowl. Mix until fluffy, and add egg and molasses. In large measuring cup or bowl add sifted flour, baking soda and spices, mixing well. Add to the butter mixture and blend. At this point you can refrigerate and make them later, or not. Place additional sugar into a bowl. Using a teaspoon, scoop dough the size of a walnut, make into a ball and roll in the sugar. Put on a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper and bake for 10 minutes. Cool and try not to eat all of Santa's cookies! Makes about 3 1/2 dozen.

Chili Verde for those Chilly Nights

Some of the best meals come from family and sometimes we take them for granted. A few years ago I hired someone to remove the wallpaper from my kitchen/breakfast nook area. I attempted to do this myself but soon found that the paper was not going to budge no matter what method I used. I called a handyman over for an estimate. He exclaimed that he could do the job and for a reasonable price , I thought. He started the removal process only to find that the wallpaper would not come off for him either! His plan B was to seal, prime and paint the area while honoring the estimated price. Wow, what a guy!

As he was working I decided to make the chili verde recipe passed down from my parents. As the aroma permeated my workers nostril's, he agreed to be my taste tester. He said it was probably some of the best chili verde he's ever had and pleaded for the recipe. Of course, I obliged and wrote it down for him. It was the least I could do after all the hard work he had done. I hope after all these years he has made this for his family.

This week has been the perfect time to cook of a batch of chili verde. It's very cold outside and I had leftover pork roast waiting to be the "star" of the day, again. Sounds pretty Martha Stewart-ish, huh? I usually don't buy much pork but I stumbled upon a small shoulder roast for under $4.00. One night we had a typical Czech meal of roast pork and dumplings and two nights later I fixed this recipe. Such a deal!

Ingredients:

About 3 cups cubed pork roast meat. You can make this from pork chops but it is better when the meat is precooked from a roast.

1 T oil

1/4 c fl;our

1 small can diced green chili

1/2 - 1 cup salsa (your favorite brand)

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 c fresh chopped cilantro

3 cloves garlic, chopped

1 can of chicken broth (14oz)

salt and pepper to taste

Put oil in a large pan, add pork and heat while stirring in the flour to thicken. Add all the remaining ingredients and cook for at least 30 minutes. Stir often. I usually cook mine for at least hour or so. It's even better the next day. Serve with a dollop of sour cream or queso fresco and warm tortillas. Delicious!

Amaretto Balls

When I am cranky or bored I will go into my kitchen and cook, or I will clean house. Yuk, I'd rather cook. All the frustrations of the Holidays allowed me to get some serious baking done yesterday. It also helps to stay in when there is a foot of fresh snow outside! Earlier this week I revealed my homemade amaretto recipe. Now, what to do with this quart or so of beautifully sweet liquid!

Amaretto Balls used to be a tradition during the holidays as well as frosted sugar cookies and loaves of pumpkin bread wrapped and given to friends and family. One year after our trip to Italy, I wanted to start a tradition of a seafood pasta feast for the family. Lots and lots of mussels, clams, crab, shrimp and cod, yum! I thought it went over quite well, but at the risk of sounding too melancholy, I'll say that idea soon faded away, for whatever reason.

So, this year I started to bake and bake. The amaretto balls are done. I will have a seafood pasta feast for someone. Any volunteers? And it's snowing outside. My dream for a white Christmas will be fulfilled!

Although this dessert is not for children or people with allergies to nuts, everyone else will love these. The longer they "marinate" the stronger and more flavorful they get. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

3 cups or 1 box (11 oz.) of ground vanilla wafers

1 cup ground walnuts

1 cup powdered sugar

3 T light corn syrup

1 1/2 T cocoa

1/2 cup amaretto, brandy, bourbon or liqueur of choice

Mix all ingredients. Roll into balls the size of a small walnut. Dust with powdered sugar and place into a covered container. Refrigerate and eat.

Pumpkin Ginger Pie Bars

Is anyone out there tired of pumpkin yet? I'm not. It's really too bad that pumpkin is so prevalent in the fall months and all but disappears the rest of the year. You can always get your hands on canned pumpkin so there's no excuse to go without.

Another flavor that grows on you (you either love it or hate it) is ginger. Many Asian meals will have some ginger for the main spice. While I don't cook many Asian recipes because of all the slicing and dicing, etc, I love to sprinkle ginger into baked goods such as cakes, cookies and these pumpkin ginger bars. I savor the spicy sweetness and heat that comes through with every bite. So, if you want the flavors of pumpkin pie with chunks of ginger, try this one. It's super easy too.

Ingredients:

1/2 c butter, softened

3/4 c brown sugar, light or dark

3/4 cup pumpkin, canned

1/2 tsp maple flavoring

1/2 c chopped crystallized ginger

1 cup flour

1 tsp ginger, ground

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp salt

Set oven at 350 degrees. Spray (or butter) a 9 by 9 inch baking pan. Cream butter and sugar, add the pumpkin and maple flavoring, beating well. Add the remaining ingredients and pour into the pan. Bake for around 20 minutes. Cool completely. IMPORTANT HINT: You will be tempted to try these as soon as they have cooled, but put them in the refrigerator for a few hours for the best result. The flavors will really come through. You won't be sorry for the wait!

Simple Scrumptious Sundried Tomato Farfalle

When asked the other day, "Don't you need to make some sort of pasta dish for your blog?" I quickly took the not so subtle hint and made these bow ties for dinner. It qualifies for a "lazy girl" meal since it took no time at all to put this in motion. This pasta would be great for a Sunday family dinner or as simple and quick as a working woman weeknight meal. Plus, it has some amounts of lycopene which, although not proven, may decrease your risk for certain cancers.

Ingredients:

3 cups dried farfalle (bow ties)

2 T olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 T sliced onion

10 sun dried tomatoes, reconstituted and chopped

1 handful each of chopped parsley and fresh basil

2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 - 1/3 cup pine nuts

Start your water for the pasta, bring to a boil and add the pasta. Cook according to the directions, usually around 10-12 minutes. Reserve a few tablespoons of pasta water before draining. Reconstitute the tomatoes by adding boiling water to them in a separate bowl. In a large skillet saute onions and garlic in the oil. Add the Roma and sun dried tomatoes, salt and pepper, parsley and basil while stirring. Add a few tablespoons of pasta water, a drizzle of olive oil and the pine nuts. Toss to marry the flavors. Enjoy these bow ties or butterfly shaped pomodoro pasta for the perfect Mediterranean style meal. It's very good cold, too.

Salute! Cheers! Homemade Amaretto

Get out the glasses and throw away the still! This is a recipe worth trying just for the fun of it. I'll begin my annual Christmas baking this week. Included in this year's lineup will be a ricotta quick break, cannoli pie, perhaps a pumpkin ginger bar, toffee, cookies and homemade amaretto! Can someone come over and eat this stuff?!!

While most of these recipes are tried and true, it was my first try making homemade amaretto, that wonderful sweet Italian liqueur. I've always wanted to make it from scratch. (The waiting is the hardest part.) A few years ago I made Kahlua and Irish cream for Christmas gifts and they were much appreciated. Whatever you have left over can go into the all time "most hits" blog about my amaretto cake. It goes well over ice cream and easily into a cup of hot chocolate or coffee, too!

Amaretto

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

3 T water

1 3/4 c vodka

2 T almond extract

2 T vanilla extract

Mix the sugars and water together and bring to a simmer for about 5 minutes. Cool. ( I need to mention a glitch. I let it cool for too long and it turned to a brick consistency. If that happens, reheat to liquefy again. Learn from my mistake!) Add the vodka, and extracts and mix until smooth. Pour into a decorative bottle, seal and place it in a dark pantry or shelf for at least a week. I almost forgot it was there! ALMOST! Makes about 3-4 cups of amber goodness. Salute!

The Best Bolognese Trial Begins

I always thought my lasagna was good until I had the best in, of all places, Costa Rica. It was served by a joyous man named Zeno. My lasagna is actually a "working woman" creation. I have timed myself while preparing it and can do it from start to finish in under an hour. That's not counting cooking time, of course!

Since I got back I've been haunted by the "perfect" lasagna. So, the best Bolognese trial began last week. The recipe which I will not include until it's perfected has many steps. Much chopping, sauteing and cooking time went into this project. Will it be worth it? Probably not! But, it's still the personal challenge I am willing to take on.

After cooking my sauce for most of one day and into the next, I constructed a baked version of penne pasta along with a bechamel sauce base. The Bolognese was mixed in with additional cheese and into the oven it went. My taste testers were summoned for their expert opinions. I have to say, appearance wise it looked great. My testers critiqued it. Some comments were, "It needs salt" "It could use more spice" and "It tastes pretty good to me". But, in my kitchen I am the deciding vote! I will not put more salt into it. Yes, it does need a little more spice in the way of Italian sausage and yes, it wasn't bad for my first try.

Now, some of you know that my mother-in-law is of Italian descent. I should just ask her how to make a good Bolognese sauce, right? Well, first of all she is not from that region and Italian cooking is very regional in their ways. And second? Well, I'll save that for the book. I have many wonderful stories to tell...

Pear Dumpling Cake

Patty cake, Patty cake, baker's man, bake me a cake as fast as you can! It's funny what stirs up memories for some of us. As a toddler, this nursery rhyme was recited for hours (it seemed) along with "this little piggy". My dad's mother, Emma, used to teach me these verses as I sat on her small antique stool at her house. She lived in a modest craftsman style home with lace doilies on all the armchairs and couches. I still have some of her crocheted doily gifts she made for me! She would always have some kind of treat waiting for us on our visits. Isn't that part of what grandmothers do? Whether it was her snicker doodle cookies, or peach dumplings, it sang "comfort" to me.

I saw this recipe years ago, possibly in Sunset or Better Home and Gardens magazine and could not wait to experiment with it and make it my own. I've made different variations of it, mostly using fresh peaches or pears. This time I used canned pears, oh no! The result is always good and it has the consistency of the peach dumplings my grandma made. So, year after year and any time of year, I bake this for my family. The only drawback is that it doesn't last very long!

Ingredients:

2 cans of peaches or pears, drained and sliced. Set aside half of the sliced and chop the remainder. If using fresh, peel, core and slice about 3 fruits.

2 eggs

1 c sugar

1/2 c milk

1/8 tsp salt

1 1/2 c flour

1 T cinnamon

a sprinkle of baker's sugar or regular (for topping)

1 T chopped pecans, optional (for topping)

Using a 9 inch round pan, butter and flour it. In a bowl blend sugar, eggs, milk and salt with a mixer. Add the flour, mix, and fold in half of the chopped peaches or pears. Arrange the sliced pears on top. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar and top with nuts. Dot with butter and bake at 350 degrees for about 55 minutes. Cool and serve with powdered sugar, ice cream or just plain. Enjoy!

Steamed Mussels, Wine, Bread and Thou!

Once again, if it's Friday, we must have fish! If you grew up Catholic you know what I mean! But, instead of a negative it has turned out to be a pleasurable treat in our home. I've had good mussels and I have had some terrible ones at restaurants around town. I've learned my lesson not to order mussels during certain times of the year. I've heard they should only be eaten in the months ending in BER, as in December. Or so they say...

So, I found myself wandering the aisles in the grocery store once again trying to figure out something different for Friday's meal. I standoffishly viewed the meat area and decided against beef or chicken. This is easy for me. The mussels looked good and the price was right. I purchased about 2 lbs for $7.18. You can't get an appetizer serving for that amount! With this "bounty" I prepared the following:

2 lbs rinsed and scrubbed mussels. Do not use any broken or open ones!

2 T olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1 T dried thyme (fresh sprigs could be used)

1/2 cup white wine

1 c chicken broth

1 lemon, juiced

red pepper flakes (optional)

1 tomato, diced

1 handful chopped parsley

2 T butter

Place oil into a large stockpot. Saute with onion, thyme, garlic. Add mussels and stir. Add the wine, broth, pepper flakes and lemon juice.. Cover the pot and steam for about 5 minutes. When the mussels open add the tomato, butter and parsley. Only cook for another minute or so. Serve with some basic bruschetta or a loaf of bread and wine. This could easily be served over fettuccine, too!

The Perfect Day in Paradise

When I think about the perfect day, I have always wondered what it would involve. I experienced that flawless day recently on my trip to Costa Rica. It began with an early morning rise as I quietly slithered out of bed to take a nature walk of sorts and snap pictures of my glorious surroundings. I almost envisioned myself in the garden of Eden as I photographed pictures of hummingbirds, orchids, volcanoes and all the beauty around me. The sights, smells and sounds were amazing and very peaceful. The light is so majestic in the early morning!

Back at our private jungle bungalow I took yet another shower in my outdoor rain forest-like shower. I need one of those at home!

After a light breakfast I had booked a spa appointment for a hot stone massage. The treatment room was an open air treetop area which overlooked the jungle beyond. Needless to say, I was one with nature and totally relaxed for well over an hour. It just doesn't get any better than that. I thought! But, as the day unfolded, I found myself on a van ride to the canopy tour of a lifetime. Yes,. this was on my bucket list! I didn't know how I was going to pull this off. I had a real problem with heights and a few medical challenges that could prove disastrous. Going on the elevator at Barnes and Noble was a stretch for me. My knees usually buckled as I got closer and closer to the edge of the 2nd floor area.

A bunch of us from the van were met by our guides who fitted us with helmets (like they would help if we fell into a jungle crevasse) and an attractive harness outfit! Later when we reached the top of the tram ride and the starting point, I kept thinking, "What did I get myself into?". But, it happened so fast I didn't have time to be afraid for my life! It was so exhilarating I soon forgot to be scared! I was able to cross this activity off my bucket list and wanted more!

When all was said and done, I kept thinking that "today was one of the best days of my life" and I was truly thankful for that experience! The only change I would have made was that I should have had that hot stone massage scheduled after the zip line tour! Next time! One of my favorite sayings is: Life is not measured by how many breaths you take but by the moments that take your breath away. That pretty much summed it up.

Okay, and because this is primarily a food blog I'm sure I had a great meal that night but the day's activities sure eclipsed it!

Corsican Lamb Shanks Cassoulet

I always find myself being "pulled" to places I have never visited. Yet, when I begin to do my research about the people, places, food and history it all feels so familiar to me. To my surprise, Corsica and Sardinia are two of those places. (yes, there are many more travel days ahead) I could see myself renting a villa on the coast of Corsica overlooking the warm turquoise sea and strolling on the white crescent shaped beaches. I was unaware that the island boasts of over 200 beaches. My kind of place! And the seafood must be amazing.

There I go, again, daydreaming or traveling in my mind as I call it. I envisioned that I would serve my guests this dish of braised lamb shanks roasted with lentils and orzo and loads of flavor! Maybe some poached pears drizzled with honey and cheese for dessert....And then a nap!

So, to make my dream come true I created this meal the other day. My inspiration comes from the beautiful island of Corsica in the Mediterranean. I only bought one lamb shank that was split so I could get the flavorful lamb taste. I'm still not eating a bunch of meat, but I did sneak a bite from my husband's plate. I also, used my crock pot for this one. Great results. The meat fell right off the bone and it was super tender!

In a 5 qt pan put the lamb shank which has been salted and peppered in 2 T of olive oil. Cook on medium high until browned. Remove and set aside. To the pan add:

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1 tsp rosemary, dried and crushed

Cook until caramelized or soft. Add:

1/2 c red wine and reduce

Add 3/4 c lentils and cook for 2 minutes. At this point I placed the lamb shanks and veggies in a crock pot. Then I added:

1 bay leaf

2 cups beef broth or chicken plus 1 cup water

2 cloves of garlic, roasted and chopped

Cook on high for 4 hours and reduce to low for 3 more hours. If you want to make this before work you can probably cook on low only for at least 8 hours. The last hour make the orzo separately, (I used about 1 cup uncooked) drain and add to the crock pot, mix and continue to cook until done. You can easily increase the amount of meat if you want or leave it out completely for a vegan meal. Your home will smell like a French Bistro and that is a great thing!

Sex on the Beach

Okay, so now that I have your attention! This was one of the Costa Rican libations that caught my eye, also, as I viewed a menu in Playa Flamingo. Who needs a margarita or mojito when you can have sex on the beach! And it's even better when you get 2 for 1! So, of course, I would try them! Delicious!

If you'd like to serve this to friends and family, it's quite simple. There are several ways to make this thirst quenching drink, but the easiest consists of vodka, cranberry juice and pineapple juice over ice! That's it.

All that's missing is the 80 degree weather and the sound of the waves crashing onto the shore! Enjoy!