Apple Pie

            Can you believe Memorial Day Weekend is here? I feel like the Polar Vortex just left. Oh well, I’ll take a good BBQ and some summer sun any day over blizzards and snow boots.

            So with MDW officially here, I felt it necessary to deliver you an all-American classic: apple pie. Although not exactly a BBQ food, it definitely deserves a spot on your table this weekend. Lucky for you, the recipe below isn’t too time consuming nor will have you cranking your oven all day. I combined two tried and true recipes to come up with this version. The results were excellent, with only specks of flaky crust left on everyone’s plate.

            I hope your weekend turns out yummy and grand, with good friends, family and food all abound. Enjoy…

 

Apple Pie

Servings: 8

Adapted from: Pillsbury and Betty Crocker

OBJ: TCW be able to create an American classic

Ingredients:

 1 box Pillsbury™ refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box

6 C thinly sliced, peeled apples (6 medium)

3/4 C sugar

2 TBS all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

1 TBS lemon juice

1 egg, beaten

2 TBS unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Extra sugar and cinnamon (mixed), for topping

Procedures:

1. Heat oven to 425°F. Place 1 pie crust in ungreased 9-inch glass pie plate. Press firmly against side and bottom

·1 Heat oven to 425°F. Place 1 pie crust in ungreased 9-inch glass pie plate. Press firmly against side and bottom.

·2 In large bowl, gently mix filling ingredients; spoon into crust-lined pie plate. Top with second crust. Wrap excess top crust under bottom crust edge, pressing edges together to seal; flute. Cut slits or shapes in several places in top crust.

·3 Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until apples are tender and crust is golden brown. Cover edge of crust with 2- to 3-inch wide strips of foil after first 15 to 20 minutes of baking to prevent excessive browning. Cool on cooling rack at least 2 hours before serving.

2. In large bowl, gently mix apples, sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and lemon juice

3. Spoon into crust-lined pie plate. Sprinkle butter pieces over filling:

 

4. Top with second crust. Wrap excess top crust under bottom crust edge, pressing edges together to seal; flute. Cut slits or shapes in several places in top crust

5. Brush top of pie with beaten egg and sprinkle generously with cinnamon/sugar mixture:

 

6. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until apples are tender and crust is golden brown. Cover edge of crust with 2- to 3-inch wide strips of foil after first 15 to 20 minutes of baking to prevent excessive browning

7. Cool on cooling rack at least 2 hours before serving

 

 

 

Simple Fettuccini Bolognese

             I think if given the chance to meet anyone from the culinary world, it would be Giada for me. Mrs. De Laurentiis has always been an idol in my eyes and one who I continuously go to for recipes. I own almost all of her cookbooks and can proudly tell you what time all her shows are on. I’ve even pictured myself on her show, cooking alongside……because for one- I’m allowed to dream and two- it would undoubtedly be a great episode! J

            But anyway, I’ll spare you my soliloquy and get to the point. This here recipe was only tweaked by changing the meat part. I took what my Mom raised me on when it came to Bolognese and so therefore went with a meatloaf mix. Rather than just beef, it contains both pork and veal as well. In the end, it came out bread-sopping great and yielded a ton of sauce. Hubby and I chose to freeze the remaining and have since used it on pizzas and manicotti. So unless you are a family of 5, you will be the happy owners of a few vats of Bolognese after making this.

            I hope you try this recipe and enjoy a hearty and comforting meal from one of my faves. Here’s to you, Giada!

Simple Fettuccini Bolognese

Slightly adapted from: Food Network- Giada De Laurentiis

Serves:4-6

OBJ: TCW be able to quickly prepare a warm and comforting dish

Ingredients:

1/4 C olive oil  

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped

1 carrot, coarsely chopped

1 lb ground meatloaf mix- veal, pork and beef

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

1/4 C flat-leaf parsley, chopped, or about 1 TBS dried parsley

8 fresh basil leaves, chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 C freshly grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan

1 lb fettuccini, cooked according to package directions

Procedures:

1. In a large skillet heat the olive oil. When almost smoking, add the onion and garlic and sauté over medium heat until the onions become very soft, about 8 minutes

2. Add the celery and carrot and sauté for 5 minutes. Raise heat to high and add the meatloaf mix. Sauté, stirring frequently and breaking up any large lumps and cook until meat is no longer pink, about 10 minutes

3. Add the tomatoes, parsley and basil and cook over medium low heat until the sauce thickens

4. Season with salt and pepper

**This will take approximately 1/2 hour. Finish Bolognese with Pecorino Romano**

5. Plate your pasta and top with sauce, add more grated cheese!

 

Herbilicious Crab Cakes

Herbilicious Crab Cakes

            Crab cakes- my entry into the seafood world. I think I’m like most people who resist all under-the-sea selections until one day, someone makes them try something on the surf-side.  For me, it was a mix of both calamari and crab cakes that brought me over to this side. They both were fried and served with tasty sauce, there wasn’t much for me to dislike. I would venture to say that this is how most people get into seafood- first something mild and fried, then they take baby steps from there.  I can’t imagine going from fried calamari to roasted salmon, can you? Eesh, that sounds like going from a beach walk to a mountain climb!

            Well anyway, the point is we all came to enjoy seafood at some point whether it be from a fryer or perhaps a dare.  As I was born into the seafood world via crab cakes and calamari, I now hold them dearly to my stomach heart.  I will save the calamari talk for another post and continue on good ol’ Mr. CC.

            I love crab cakes, really I do. I’ve been lucky enough to even judge a few crab cake contests during the past few years. I’ve probably had crab cakes from about 30 different chefs and I always go back to enjoying the lumpiest the best. Lumpiness, as in full of chunks and crabbiness.  So therefore, when I go to make them at home I tend to go for recipes that have minimal ingredients and require little mixing.  

            That being said, I recently came across this recipe and gave it a whirl. It looked tasty and fresh and pretty easy. I had the Fios guy coming, risotto to make, and a few zillion loads of laundry to do so for this day, I was cruisin’ for no time losin’. It came together great, the key was letting it set in the fridge. Hubby loved the fresh herbs, he couldn’t get over how “fragrant” they were. The cakes did have fresh cilantro, dill and tarragon so yeah, I guess they did have that going for them. I enjoyed them too and was happy to even save a few to serve on Easter. The family loved them and were all victim to the “name that herb” game. I wasn’t the one prodding here but let’s just say my other half has his questioning down pat. Enjoy…

 

Crab Cakes

Makes: about 8-10 cakes

Source: adapted from Epicurious  

OBJ: TCW be able to continue on her crab cake making quest

Ingredients:

1/4 C mayonnaise

1/4 C minced green onions

2 large egg yolks

2 TBS fresh lemon juice

4 tsp minced fresh dill

4 tsp minced fresh tarragon

4 tsp minced fresh cilantro

1 TBS spicy brown mustard

1 TBS finely grated lemon peel

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat

2 C panko (Japanese breadcrumbs), divided

2 TBS (or more) butter

2 TBS (or more) canola oil

Lemon slices

Kosher salt

Procedures:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

1. Line baking sheet with waxed paper

2.  Whisk first 10 ingredients in large bowl

3. Mix in crabmeat and 1 cup panko, breaking up crabmeat slightly. Let stand 10 minutes

4.  Place remaining panko on rimmed baking sheet, spreading slightly

5. Form crab mixture into about 8-10 even sized patties (heaping ¼ C)

6. Press both sides of patties into panko. Transfer patties to waxed-paper-lined baking sheet.

7. Cover and chill at least 1 hour and up to 1 day

8. Melt 2 tablespoon butter with 2 tablespoon oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat

9. Add crab cakes to skillets and cook until golden on both sides, adding more butter and oil as needed, about 5 minutes total

10. Transfer to paper towel-lined plate or brown paper bag to drain and salt

11. Place pan-fried cakes on baking sheet and cook in oven for about 8-10 minutes or until bubbly and heated through

12. Serve with lemon slices

 

 

Learning from Traditions

Learning from Traditions: Holupki

 

            A few months back, I was lucky enough to spend an entire Saturday with my grandparents learning what they call “soul food”. Holupki, to be more precise, was what I was in charge of watching, doing and reciting by day’s end. Now this was no 2 hour meal, not even close to anything Mrs. Rachael Ray would advertise and definitely not something I would have ready for Hubby on a weeknight. Oh no, it was a meal worthy of an entire day worth of chopping, stirring, mixing, simmering, layering and then of course cleaning. What I thought was going to be nothing more than rolling some cabbage with beef turned out to be more like an “ok thank goodness I wore yoga pants” kind of day. But beyond the 8 hour cooking, I came to realize the symbolic nature of food- the way it trickles down generations and captures you in its steamy warmth….

 

 

            It is funny how recipes get passed down, ya know. Every family has one or maybe a few recipes that make their appearance at every holiday table. Even if the day doesn’t warrant the dish, it will be there, no questions asked. For our family, it is Holupki and Kielbasa with sour kraut. Now the ladder there, I adore and have no problem with it showing up every few months or so. Yes it is odd to be eating kielbasa with hot dogs and hamburgers at a pool party but it is what this here family does. The former though, holupki ,is one dish that I have stared down for years and halted when being offered. Yes it has been at each event and my brother can attest to eating one to many of those cabbage pockets at probably every hour of the day. Heck, my family even has a Lazy Holupki recipe for the days when you want the flavor but don’t have the 20 hours to make it. Regardless though, I have never been one to jump and high five at the site of it. But then, about 6 months ago, I was watching the Food Network and saw Ina making it and thought that it looked pretty good. So, I did what any eastern European granddaughter would do- I  called my Mama and told her that I have to learn how to make this stuff.

Me & my Mama

 

            Long story short (ha), I planned a day where I could watch the pro do it. She warned me it would take some time so I happily wore comfy clothes and got to working. I really don’t know the exact recipe but I do know that it involved cutting the cabbage a certain way, mixing the beef and pork with certain seasonings and layering with just enough tomato juice. To be completely honest, I actually do have the recipe but have signed off on my life that I will not disclose here……family ruleJ

 

My Papa....the cleaner-upper!

 

           But beyond the cooking, this day was really so much more than the yummy goodness that I had refused for quite some time. It was about watching my Mama make what her elders had taught her and how my Papa grew up on it. I heard stories about my great grandparents who, from what I heard, worked damn hard and lived on both holupki and kielbasa. Honestly, it sounds better than Wendy’s anytime to me! I noticed how my Papa made sure my Mama was telling me each and every detail so that I could continue the recipe with my children’s children. Eventually, he made sure she decoded her hand-written recipe to me because her writing is basically illegible. Needless to say, she wasn’t too keen on all his reminders throughout the day. But anyway, it became clear to me that they were in fact handing down an heirloom to me. A story, if you will, of how our family dug its roots and prospered here. It might have taken a lot of cabbage, beef and kielbasa, but the recipe symbolizes a tie that has brought us all together. A constant that has been at all my family’s gatherings and one that I was more than happy to be witness to.

 

My great grandparents....Julia & George

 

            So in the end, did it really take 8 hours to make this stuff you might ask. And I’d gladly reply, no- it took many lifetimes.

Lobster Mac & Cheese

              So here at mi casa, Hubby and I sort of have a Friday night tradition. It is nothing crazy creative or too mushy for you to handle, believe me. It simply boils down to an easy dinner at our counter-level peninsula where we try a new bottle of wine, enjoy some cheese and crackers and then manga on whatever is quick to heat up. We linger there for, oh about 2/3 hours, and then meander to the couch where I doze off and he catches up on whatever Netflix movie he has awaiting him. It may sound like nothing but to us it is a prized timeslot that we start looking forward to on Mondays!

 

            But every once in awhile, we get the urge to step-up these “date nights”. It may be some good news we are celebrating, a long- awaited Friday night (if we missed one), a new recipe we want to try out, an extra special bottle of wine we purchased or of course, a birthday, holiday or anniversary.

            So this year, we celebrated Valentine’s Day in our kitchen, at our spot, and chose a recipe worthy of this particular holiday. Lobster Mac & Cheese, enough said, right?  I went with a trusty recipe from Ina and couldn’t have been happier with the results. Although let’s be honest- a Friday night, Hubby next to me, great wine, cheese during appetizers, cheesy pasta in the next course, and a couch calling my name…..there wasn’t much room for failure. Enjoy…

 

Valentine's Day Selfie...

 
  

Lobster Mac & Cheese

Slightly adapted from: Food Network, Barefoot Contessa

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients:

Salt

½ lb cavatappi or elbow macaroni

2 C whole milk

4 TBS unsalted butter, (1/2 stick), divided

¼ C flour

2 C Gruyere cheese, grated

1 C extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, grated

¼ tsp fresh ground black pepper

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

¾ lb cooked lobster meat, chopped

¾ C bread crumbs

4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Procedures:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Boil a large pot of boiling salted water, add the pasta and cook according to the directions on the package.  Drain well

3. Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, but don't boil it. In a larger pot, melt 3 tablespoons of butter and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. Still whisking, add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, ½  TBS salt, the pepper, and nutmeg. Add the cooked macaroni, lobster, bacon and stir well. Place the mixture in 3 to 4 individual gratin dishes

4. Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter, combine it with bread crumbs, and sprinkle on the top of each dish

5. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbly and the macaroni is browned on the top

 

 

 

           

Heirloom Kitchen: Pizza, Pizza, Pizza Class

 

Heirloom Kitchen:

Pizza, Pizza, Pizza Class

with Jimmy Esposito of Esposito’s Pizzeria

            First off, hello again….I have returned and am alive! There’s been much going on since we last chatted…..the snow has melted, the days are longer and well, I’ve reached my 30s! With that said, some things haven’t changed though…..I’m still waiting for summer, I’m still a brunette and duh, I’m still cooking away…..

 

 

            Most recently, I attended a cooking class at Heirloom Kitchen in Old Bridge, NJ as a guest blogger along with a great friend of mine, Stephanie of Stephanie Cooks. Let’s start with the space: oh my goodness gracious- what a looker! The décor is a hybrid of Williams-Sonoma and Anthropologie.  I was obsessed with every little nook and cranny. Correction: I am obsessed and will be going back very soon because of this. But beyond the shopping areas, there is a pick-up-your-jaw kitchen studio where they regularly hold cooking classes. The set-up is one that took much thought and creativity. One area is an enlarged rectangular kitchen island where customers prep, cook, mingle, watch the pros and get comfy. Another area is where customers can sit and eat in a dining room-like atmosphere. This area is seamlessly chic and rustic and makes me want to devote more time to finishing my own dining room so that it could perhaps be more like this. One can dream, right?!? Anyway, back to the third area where more prep work takes place: the peninsula. Although we didn’t make use of this on our night, it stands as an open and bright countertop where stations can get right to business.

 

            So now on to the cooking…..I can’t believe I am writing this but yes, it has to do with pizza. I am beginning to think my mother consumed an unthinkable amount of slices while I was in the womb. Seriously, I can’t get away from the stuff. Maybe I should be writing a book or something?!? Haha, na- I’ll spare you the cheesiness! ;)

 

            Okay so the class…..Pizza, Pizza, Pizza with Jimmy Esposito of Esposito’s in Matawan, NJ. My friend Stephanie and I are huge fans of not only Mr. E, but his pizzeria as well. As locals, we both frequent his counter more than I’d like to say and can be caught discussing (and drooling over) what we got the next day at work. With that, taking this class with Jimmy was a no-brainer for us: We love to cook, love to eat, love to learn and well, love to gossip yip-yap and relax while doing so.

            Jimmy took us through some of his popular recipes. We made pizza doughs, watched him make a few sauces, and designed our own little pies. Although the ovens weren’t commercially-made pizza ovens where the temps get sky high and the bottoms are stone, they did do a nice job cooking our creations. Dancing between multiple wall ovens, Jimmy rattled off many tips and answered any questions we had. What I thought to be one of the best parts of the night was learning how to make his signature sesame-crusted pizza. Being a lover of this version, I had all my focus on his lesson. What I thought was going to be complicated was way easy and approachable. All it takes is coating your entire dough with seeds very heavily. I will soon be attempting this….stay tuned.

 

            Because every dinner needs dessert, we most naturally finished the night with Nutella pizza. Topped with fresh strawberry and banana slices, this sweet treat was just the slice to hit the spot. Before Stephanie and I took our goody bags to head home, we did what we'd been itching to do since we arrived: shop. After 20 minutes of perusing, we purchased new goodies for our own kitchens that might wishfully make them a bit more like Heirloom’s.

 

Heirloom Kitchen is located at 3853 Route 516, Old Bridge, NJ. Visit them at their website to view upcoming classes and further information.

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