Bourbon Meatballs Italian

• 2 cups barbecue sauce 
• 1 1/2 cups bourbon
• 1 cup honey
• 1 cup prepared mustard
• 1/8 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 (32-ounce) package frozen cooked Italian-style meatballs  (thawed for cooking)

1. Cook first 5 ingredients in a Dutch oven on medium heat 5-8 minutes. Add the thawed meatballs bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for about 30 minutes.

Home Made Meatballs  if you do not use frozen.

• 1 1/2 pounds of lean ground beef

• 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs

• 1.4 cup chopped onion

• 1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)

• 1 teaspoon dry mustard

• 2 teaspoons of chili sauce

• 1 egg

Deviled Eggs

• 6 large large hard boiled eggs
• 1/8 teaspoon  salt
•  1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise or miracle whip
• 1 teaspoon of your favorite yellow mustard
• 2 tablespoons of your favorite sweet pickle relish
•  paprika as a garnish

After you boil your eggs refrigerate to cool 1-2 hours, then peel the shells and slice lengthwise into halve, then remove the yolks and place in a medium size bowl.  Mash all the yolks into fine pieces, add two tablespoons of mayo or miracle whip, add the yellow mustard and sweet pickle relish and salt and pepper. Stir this mixture well until its creamy in texture. Spoon this mixture into eggs white halves, or use a (plastic zip lock sandwich bag cut off one of the corner ends of the bag and then squeeze the mixture into the egg white halves) or even a frosting bag.  Once the eggs are all filled with the filling sprinkle the eggs lightly with paprika to give it color.  After making keep the eggs chilled in refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours before serving so the are cold when serving.

Ham Glaze

• 1 cup packed  dark brown sugar 
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons of pineapple or orange juice
• 3 tablespoons ginger ale
• 3 tablespoons water
• Mix the brown sugar, flour and mustard, cinnamon, ginger ale and water. mix really well and spread evenly over your ham, then cook your ham as recommended. 

Maria's Sweet Butternut Squash

• 2 medium size butternut squash
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon  dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Peel butternut squash and remove the seeds. Cut your squash into 1 to 2 inch cubes, and place them into a medium size bowl, and drizzle your olive oil over the cubes  and mix well so they are evenly covered with the oil.  Mix your brown sugar and salt and pepper together, and then evenly spread over your squash mixing it well. Pour your prepared squash onto a baking sheet or baking ban that has been sprayed with pam, and arrange single layered.  Roast you Butternut Squash for 45-50 minutes or until your squash is tender and you notice that the sugar glaze becomes caramelized in color and view.  Make sure to turn while cooking to ensure that your squash is evenly caramelized and browning.  Serve warm Preheat your oven to 450 degrees 

Vincenzo's Peaches in Red Wine & Expresso Coffee

There were two things in our house that our family never did without during and after dinner, one was red wine and the other was black coffee also known as espresso or caffe' Nero.  The coffee was served in little demitasse coffee cups, which in french means half cup.   Every night after dinner my dad would take out the special coffee pot that would make this liquid culinary delight.  He would take out the can that held the Italian espresso coffee.  He measured the perfect amount of coffee to the measured amount of water.  The pot was put on the stove, and you just knew when the coffee was done by the sound of the espresso maker would make, as well as the aroma of the coffee.  Making espresso coffee was one of the first things I learn to make as a young girl.  My dad showed me the secret of measuring the correct amount of coffee to the correct amount of water.  I felt that when mastering the fine art of espresso making, I truly had achieved a culinary high.

As I mentioned no dinner was complete without a glass of wine with every meal, and he never drank more than one.  It made the dinner complete and it finished off the meal.  It was not an expensive wine, but in was a fine tasting one, it completed the meal, and the coffee just aided in the digestion of the meal.

I remember we would have many different types of summer fruit, Italian figs, pears, strawberries, fresh cherries, pineapple and peaches.  Often at the end of his meal he would cut his peach into slices small enough to fit into a wine glass and dip his peach into the wine or cut them ahead and let them sit in the wine.  The taste of the sweet peach and the wine was just a perfect mix for the taste buds and one everyone should try.

                                                        Peaches in Red Wine

1/2 cup of granulated sugar

2 1/2 cups of fruity red wind  (home made wine is often what many Italian families used, going back)

6 ripe yellow peaches

In a medium to large bowl, mix your sugar and wine mix until your sugar is well dissolved.  Next cut your peaches into slices, remove the pits, you can peel the peaches or leave them unpeeled, and put them into the wine and sugar stir well.  Cover your bowel and put into your refrigerator for 3 hours, the peaches will take all the flavor of the wine.

When ready to serve, spoon the peaches into wineglasses  and some of the remaining wine and serve. This can be served as a dessert, very different and very refreshing.   (You can also use pears for this)  You can break this down for one or two people or more.  All you need is a bowel and wine.