Cioppino Fish Soup

Cioppino from Allrecipes

Recipe By:Cindy Anschutz Barbieri
"Great for a hungry family, they will love this recipe! Just ladle soup into bowls and enjoy!"
Ingredients
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
2 (14.5 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
3/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 bay leaves
1 1/4 pounds cod fillets, cut into chunks
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 pound bay scallops
10 small clams in shell, scrubbed
10 mussels, cleaned and debearded
Directions
Melt butter in a large braising pan over medium heat. Cook onions and garlic in melted butter, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until onions are softened, 5 to 7 minutes.
Stir chicken broth, diced tomatoes, wine, water, basil, thyme, oregano, red pepper flakes, and bay leaves with the onion and garlic. Place a cover on the braising pan and cook mixture at a simmer until the tomatoes are softened and the broth flavorful, about 30 minutes.
Fold cod, shrimp, scallops, clams, and mussels into the broth mixture; bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, return cover to pan, and continue to simmer until the clams open, 5 to 7 minutes.

Pecan Cookies

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup pecans, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees farenheit.
2. Beat butter and sugar together, in bowl, until creamy and fluffy.
3. Gradually add the flour until well mixed in, then salt, vanilla and pecans.

4. Shape level teaspoons of dough into 2-inch-long fingers.
5. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
6. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned.
7. Cool before eating.

Ricotta Cookies

"Delicate Italian ricotta cookies with an almond flavored glaze. Very good!"

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound butter
• 1 3/4 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 15 ounces ricotta cheese
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 4 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 5 tablespoons milk
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/4 cup colored candy sprinkles

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, cream together butter, sugar, eggs, ricotta cheese, and vanilla extract. Combine the flour, baking powder, and baking soda; blend into the creamed mixture, mixing in additional flour as necessary to form a workable dough. Roll dough into teaspoon-sized balls, and arrange on an ungreased cookie sheet.
3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until lightly browned.
4. In a medium bowl, beat milk, confectioners' sugar, and almond extract until smooth. Spoon over warm cookies, and sprinkle with colored candy sprinkles.

Pizzelles!

According to history, the first pizzella was made in the region of Abruzzo (geographically located in Central Italy) back in the 8th century. This highly recognizable cookie gets its shape by flattening the batter between two hot iron plates (just like waffles). These plates (rectangular or round) often had the pattern of the family crest engraved on them. Nowadays, the imprint can be a geometric/waffle design, a flower or even a snowflake pattern. 

"This recipe calls for a batter-like dough and is baked on a pizzelle iron. Powdered sugar adds an elegant touch. In the Italian version, vanilla is replaced by anise. Chocolate may also be used."

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, melted

• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder

Directions

1. In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar until thick. Stir in the melted butter and vanilla. Sift together the flour and baking powder, and blend into the batter until smooth.
2. Heat the pizzelle iron, and brush with oil. Drop about one tablespoon of batter onto each circle on the iron. You may need to experiment with the amount of batter and baking time depending on the iron. Bake for 20 to 45 seconds, or until steam is no longer coming out of the iron. Carefully remove cookies from the iron. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
3. For chocolate pizzelles, add 1/4 cup cocoa sifted together with flour and baking powder, 1/4 cup more sugar and 1/4 teaspoon more baking powder. I find that for the chocolate mixture, the iron must be well oiled to start and then brush on more as needed.

Best Chicken Salad

Chicken Salad

Recipe By:Becky Riley

"A delicious, rich and tasty cold chicken salad! Whipped cream gives this a lift. Serve on a lettuce leaf or in sandwiches."

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups diced and chilled, cooked chicken meat
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 cup sliced, seedless grapes
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, whip cream to soft peaks.
2. Combine meat, celery, grapes, almonds, parsley, salt, and mayonnaise with whipped cream. Chill.

Watermelon Tomato Salad

• 5 cups (3/4-inch) seeded watermelon cubes
• 1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 3 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 small red onion, quartered and thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Romaine lettuce leaves (optional)
• Cracked black pepper to taste

Salmon Glaze

YIELD  

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

1. • 2 tablespoons honey
   • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
   • 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
   • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
   • 1 tablespoon water
   • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
   • two 6-ounce pieces salmon fillet

PREPARATION

1. 1. In a small bowl whisk together honey, soy sauce, lime juice, mustard, and water. In a small non-stick skillet heat oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and cook salmon 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until golden and just cooked through. Transfer salmon to 2 plates. Add honey glaze to skillet and simmer, stirring, 1 minute. Pour glaze over salmon.

Parsley Sauce

Parsley Sauce

• 3 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 4 teaspoons capers
• 1 tablespoon finely minced scallion
• 1 teaspoon finely minced garlic
• ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 pounds salmon fillets, cut in 6 portions
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• Nutritional Information

PREPARATION

1. Combine the parsley, capers, scallion and garlic in a bowl. Stir in half the olive oil. Set aside.
2. Preheat a broiler or grill. Brush the salmon with the remaining oil and broil or grill close to the source of heat about two minutes on each side for medium rare, or to desired degree of doneness. Remove from the heat and allow to rest two minutes.
3. Season the salmon to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Add the lemon juice to the parsley mixture, drizzle or brush this mixture over the salmon and serve.

Grain Bowls, Salads

Grain Bowls, Salads
from Eating Well, May/June 2017

Dressings
1/3 Cup Olive Oil
citrus juice or vinegar (lemon, lime, orange)
2 tsp minced shallots
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Whisk in a large bowl

Grains
3 cups cooked
barley, bulgur, whole wheat couscous, farro, freekeh, kamut, millet quinoa, whole grain or wild rice, wheat berries

Produce
3 cups total
apples, berries, grapes, mangoes, melon, pears
artichoke, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, celery, corn, cucumbers, greens, peas, radishes, squash, zucchini, tomatoes

Protein
2 cups
beans, chicken, edamame, pork, scallops, shrimp, steak, tofu

Final Flourish
1/4 cup
Dried fruit: apricots, cranberries, dates, raisins
Herbs: basil, cilantro, dill, parsley
Nuts and Seeds: peanuts, pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts
Cheese: blue cheese, cheddar, feta, parmesan

Delmarva Chicken Like You Get on the Roadsides

DELMARVA BARBECUED CHICKEN

1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. pepper 2 tsp. poultry seasoning 1 c. cider vinegar 1/2 c. veg. oil 1 egg, well beaten 2 chickens, each split in half Combine salt, pepper and poultry seasoning in a small bowl. Add vinegar, oil, and egg; mix well.When coals are ready, put chicken on the grill and baste with sauce. Keep mixing sauce as chicken cooks, because sauce tends to separate. Cook chicken slowly over medium coals 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours, or until juices run clear. Cooking time will depend on size of chicken. Baste chicken frequently with sauce, and turn chicken frequently. Four generous servings. NOTE: To serve 8, cut each half in two with poultry shears or a sharp knife. "This is good!"

Easter Bread and Rice Pie

I really liked the way these worked out, but remember to leave a larger area in the center of the ring so the egg fits in. Add glaze and plenty of sprinkles for color! 

Recipes from my mom's Cookbook for the holiday of Easter!

Italian Easter Bread from the Brown Eyed Baker

I made this recipe on March 25, 2017 - took me most of the day but this is DELICIOUS especially warm with butter. 
Notes for next time:
Use two oranges/zest/grated or even lemons and add the juice too. Add more anise- 1 teaspoon at least. I used butter in the mix, not margarine.  I used the Kitchenade with the dough hook.  Make a two batches and created 6 smaller loaves from each/total 12 loaves. Roll the dough into a long snake and then turn it into a ring. In order to fit an egg after is it cooked, leave plenty of space in the center of the circle. 
Plan ahead to get heavy paper plates and heavy ziplock to give away the bread.  Loved the glaze - William said it really made the bread!

For the Bread Dough:

8 cups all-purpose flour

1½ cups whole milk

½ cup granulated sugar

2 oranges, zested & juiced

4½ teaspoons (2 envelopes) active dry yeast

1 cup margarine, melted   NO USE BUTTER unsalted

8 eggs

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon anise oil NO ADD MORE! 

For the Glaze:

2 cups powdered sugar

¼ cup whole milk

Sprinkles, if desired  YES - Lots! 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place the flour in a large mixing bowl; set aside.

2. Heat the milk in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, until it is warm to the touch, but not hot. If you have an instant-read thermometer, the temperature of the milk should be between 110 and 115 degrees F.

3. While the heat is warming, place the sugar in a small bowl and add the orange zest. With your fingertips, rub the zest into the sugar until it is completely incorporated and the sugar is moistened.

4. Once the milk reaches the correct temperature, stir in the sugar and zest mixture, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the yeast, stir, and let sit for 10 minutes.

5. Add the milk and yeast mixture to the flour (using a mixmaster and a dough hook) and begin to mix it into a dough (it will be shaggy at this point).

6. Next, add the melted margarine and continue to mix. Now, add the orange juice to the dough and mix to combine.

7. In a small bowl, use a fork to lightly beat together the eggs, salt, and anise oil. Add to the dough and continue mixing.

8. At this point, you may need to add more flour to the dough, depending on how much juice you get out of your oranges. I added quite a bit more to get the dough to come together. Once you have a sticky ball of dough formed, turn it out onto a floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes, or until the dough is soft and elastic. It will remain slightly tacky.

9. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, turning to coat, and cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap. Place in a draft-free area and allow to rise until doubled in volume, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

10. Turn the dough out onto a clean surface and divide in two. Divide each half into two (you will have four pieces of dough). We will work with one pair, and then the other. Roll two pieces of dough into 24-inch long ropes. Loosely twist the ropes together. Transfer the braided rope to one of the prepared baking sheets and bring the ends together to form a ring, twisting and pinching the ends together to seal. Repeat with the remaining two pieces of dough so that you have two circular, braided loaves. Brush the tops of each with melted butter, loosely cover with plastic wrap, and let rise until nearly doubled in size, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

11. While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. (I used the convection oven and converted the temperature down with GREAT REULTS!)  Bake one at a time (unless you have the oven capacity to correctly bake both at the same time) until golden brown on top, 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

12. Once the breads are cooled to room temperature, you can glaze them (if you desire). Whisk together the powdered sugar and the milk, adding more if necessary to reach the desired consistency. Use a pastry brush to brush the glaze onto the top and sides of the bread, and decorate with sprinkles. The bread is best served at room temperature. If you have leftovers, wrap well in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Good Source!

Cooking with Nonna