Maria's Cranberry Sauce

1 12 ounce bag of fresh cranberries
1 cup of granulated sugar
1 cup of water or 1 cup of orange juice

Combine water and granulated sugar in a medium saucepan in medium heat.  Bring these ingredients to a boil, add cranberries, and continue to let boil.  Reduce the heat to low and boil slowly for 10-15 minutes. Watch and stir occasionally.  Cover and cool completely at room temperature.


Refrigerate until ready to serve

Baked mashed Potatoes

• 5 pounds Yukon gold or Russet potatoes
• 1 1/2 sticks softened butter salt free
• 1 1/2 (8-ounce) of  cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup of  half-and-half
• 1/2 cup light cream
•  Black ground pepper
• Salt optional

Preheat you  oven at 350
Peel the potatoes and rinse in cold water. Cut the potatoes in fourths lengths and place potatoes into a large pot, cover with water and boil over medium heat, bringing to a boil cooking until fork tender, 25 to 30 minutes.

Drain the potatoes in collender, and then turn them back into the pan. Turn to low heat, mash the potatoes with a potato masher; notice that steam is being released while you mash for about 5-7 minutes. Remove from stove and add the butter, cream cheese and half and half, then sprinkle in remaining seasonings.  Stir well, if mashed potatoes is stiff, add some milk to thin it, also check your potatoes and season as needed

Fold the mashed potatoes into a buttered  serving dish.  Cover the mashed potatoes with foil and bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes, remove the foil baking another 10 minutes.  Serve hot from oven to table.
Pour the mashed potatoes into a large casserole pan. Dot the surface with butter.

Vegetable Noodle Soup

2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
2 medium onions chopped
4 carrots slice 1 inch thick rounds
2 sticks of celery cut 1 inch thick slices
1 small can of peas
1 1/2 quarts of chicken low sodium or you can use homemade stock
1-15 ounce can of diced tomatoes including juice
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
1/2 pound of peeled and cut potatoes about 1/2 inch dice/slice
1/2 pound of washed green beans snapped in half
1/2 teaspoon of salt (optional)
1 cup of egg noodles (use fine ones)
1/3 cup of fresh parsley

In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat, add the onions, carrots and celery, peas and cook, stir occasionally until the vegetable start to soften cooking for about 15 minutes.  Slowly stir in the chicken broth, diced tomato, tomato paste, potatoes, green beans and salt and parsely.

Bring all ingredients to a slow boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, cover half way and cook until the vegetables are almost tender about 25 minutes.  Stir in the egg noodles, and keep at a simmer and cook until veggies  and the noodles are tender  cook for 5-10 minutes.

You can also add other veggie that you may like instead of the once above such as cabbage, turnips, peas, Zucchini, squash, corn  Lima beans and sliced bell peppers.

Slow Cooked Apple Cranberry Cider

4 cinnamon sticks (3 inches) broken up
1 teaspoon of whole cloves
2 quarts of apple cider (Apple juice can be used)
3 cups cranberry juice
3 Tablespoons of brown sugar


Place the cinnamon sticks in a double thick cheesecloth, wrap well and tie with a string. (Make it into a bag)
In a 5 quart slow cooker(crock pot), mix liquids together, the cider, cranberry juice and brown sugar then add you bag of cinnamon.  Cover and cook on high for 2 hours or until the cider reaches a nice hot temperature.  After heated remove the bad of cinnamon.

Carrot Cake

2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of salt
2 cups of granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups Crisco vegetable oil
4 medium size eggs
3 cups grated carrots
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1 cup of raisins (optional)

Combine the first five  dry ingredients

In another bowl, mix the sugar, oil, eggs, carrots, and walnuts/raisins well.
Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and mix really well.

Turn batter into a greased tube pan 9" x 13" pan or 2 loaf pans.

Bake at 350 for about an hour -- stick in a fork or toothpick to check that its cooked.  The pick should come out clean.

To Make Frosting: In a medium bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Stir in chopped walnuts optional. Frost cake only after it is cooled  This makes enough frosting for a  9x13 inch cake

8 ounces of cream cheese
4 cups of confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Shepherds Pie

• 1 1/2 lbs ground round beef
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 1-2 cups vegetables see veggies below
• chopped carrots, corn and peas
• 1 1/2 - 2 lbs potatoes (4 big potatoes)
• 1 stick of unsalted butter 
• 1/2 cup beef broth
• Salt, pepper, other seasonings of choice

  Peel, wash cut  potatoes in fours, boil about 25 minutes in water

  While the potatoes cook, melt 4 Tablespoons butter in a large skillet

Sauté  chopped onion in butter, until tender and golden, over medium heat, then  add ground beef in with the onions, cooking until the beef is no longer pink in color, now add you salt and pepper, pour 1/2 cup of beef broth.  Cook over low heat for 15 minutes uncovered.  If you feel you need more beef broth, add it to keep moist.  Now mix in all your veggies, carrots, corn and peas, making sure to mix together well and cook for another 10 minutes

Once your potatoes are cooked. mash and add the remaining butter, season to taste as you like with salt and pepper.

Place you beef and veggie mixture into a deep baking dish spreading evenly.  Now spread your mashed potatoes over the top, leaving little mounds or peaks that will become golden brown in color.

Cook at 375 degree oven until you can see bubbling around the edge of baking dish and golden brown for about 30-45 minutes. This serves 4/    Make a salad, and toast some Italian bread go go with it and enjoy!








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Italian Shepherd's Pie (In Crock Pot)

 

1 pound of ground Italian sausage

6 potatoes ( cooked and mashed) you can also use 1pkge of ready made potatoes. 

2 cups of frozen peas, carrots and corn

1 jar of you favorite brown gravy (I like the one with onions)

 

In a large skillet over medium heat cook Italian sausage till brown, drain the oil from it if any, and then place in slow cooker, added all your veggies and cover over with mashed potatoes then pour the jar of brown gravy over the potatoes. 

 

Cover and cook in crock pot for 4-6 hours. Makes a serving of 6

Cook potatoes in boiling water once cooked and soft, season then add  6 tablespoons of unsalted butter and mash add no milk.

 

 

 

 

 

Pasta and Chickpea Dinner

This dish was a family favorite, and I really loved the way my Mom made this dish.  On a cold night this dish would be wonderful to have after a long day,served hot and eaten with a slice of Italian bread on the side.

2 Tablespoons of extra virgin Olive oil
2 small cloves of garlic minced
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper (you can use red pepper flakes as well)
2 cups of cooked chickpeas
1/2 salt (optional)
28 ounce can of crushed red tomatoe
1/2  teaspoon of parsley
12 ounces of medium size pasta shells
Grated Romano or Parmesan cheese

1. Over medium heat in a medium size pan, heat oil, add the garlic, black pepper and cook, about 25-30 seconds do not brown or burn. Slowly add chickpeas, then season with salt, and cook about 5-7 minutes. Add the entire can of crushed tomatoes bring to slow boil then the lower heat to a simmer and cook  15-20 minutes until the sauce is reduced but not dry, add parsley and cook 5 minutes more. 
   
2. While sauce is cooking, cook the pasta in a medium pot of boiling water until  your pasts is al dente; drain the pasta paste well  leave your pasta in the pan, add the sauce to the pasta and mix well.
   
3.  Sprinkle with more olive oil and then sprinkle the grated cheese over the pasta.  Serve hot with a nice loaf of Italian bread.
   
   

Mom's Pasta and Pea's

1 small onion diced
2 medium size garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon of fresh basil minced
1 can of crushed tomatoes (28 oz.)
1 can Peas (you can also use a bag of frozen baby pea's
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of pepper (you can use red pepper as well)
1 teaspoon of  sugar
 Romano cheese
 Extra virgin olive oil



1 pound of medium size shells (or your favorite small pasta)

In a medium pan saute your onion and garlic in olive oil until soft, but not browned, add the pepper and basil, add crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper and sugar. Cook about 30 minutes, add the canned peas and its sauce.   If frozen peas add about a 1/2 cup of the pasta water once pasta is cooked.  Cook for another 15 minutes on a low heat.

Cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling water until al dente, once pasta is cooked drain well and return pasta to the pan, add the sauce and pea mixture, if the mix is too thick just add some water and season more if needed. Sprinkle with your favorite grated cheese.  Serve with Italian bread



This was another family favorite served on a cold night!  Thanks to my Mom for these pasta dishes pasted down through generations.

Mom's Pasta and Broccoli

1 cup of chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon of parsley

1/2 teaspoon of black pepper

2 minced garlic cloves

3 cups of broccoli florets

1 pound of cooked and well drained pasta (shells or penne pasta works best)

1 fresh lemon

Grated Parmesan or Romano cheese


Over medium heat cook the chicken broth, add the parsley, garlic and and broccoli in a 10 inch skillet and bring to an even boil, reduce the heat to low cover and cook until the broccoli is tender to your liking.  Slowly add the cooked pasta.  Remove from heat.  Slice your fresh lemon remove pits and squeeze the fresh lemon over the pasta and broccoli and mix well to coat.

Sprinkle the pasta with cheese.  (optional)

Serve with Italian bread and a nice glass of white wine.

You can use cauliflower instead of broccoli and cook the same way.

Chicken 4th July made easy!

• 6 chicken wings

• 1 1/2 tablespoons of Vegetable or Canola Oil

• 3 tablespoons of your favorite jerk seasoning

• Cilantro is optional you and also add lemon or orange wedges to the chicken 

  Added your chicken, oil, and jerk seasoning mix together well in a bowel, then pour it into your heavy duty foil wrap, that you formed into a little bowl or packet, grill over high heat turning once or twice.  Cook for about 25 minutes.

  
  

   

Cole Slaw Made Easy No Mayo

• 4 cups of washed finely shredded cabbage
• 1 carrot washed and grated
• 1/4 cup of sour cream 
• 1/4 cup of white vinegar
• 4 tablespoons of white sugar
• 1 teaspoon of salt (optional) 
• 1/8 teaspoon of dry mustard

Mix together the sugar, salt, mustard and vinegar, then slowly add your sour cream and mix together really well. Mix together the cabbage and carrot once mixed well add the sour cream mixture over the cabbage and carrot.


This is a great July 4th cookout dish without the mayo

Clams Casino with a Twist

• 24 claims
• 1/4 cup of salt free butter (room temperature)
• 1 small greem pepper minced
• 1 teaspoon of minced parsley
• 1 tablespoon of minced celery
• 1/4 cups Italian bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoon of anchovy paste (optional)  Dad loved anchovy!
• 8 slices of bacon

Heat your oven at 425 degrees.  Clean you clams and open with a clam knife.  Cut your clam away from its shell but leave it in the half of a shell.  Mix together butter, green pepper, parsley, celery, bread crumbs and anchovy paste.  Mix this all well so it almost looks like a paste.  Spread the mixture onto you half shell.  Cut the bacon into half pieces and cover over the clam and the paste, if it needs more than the half of bacon, add more so it covers the top of the shell.  Bake these on a cookie sheet for 10-12 minutes or until you bacon is cooked.


If your clams are really big in size you may need to make more of the mixture.

Ice Cream Affogato

          Affogato is a typically Italian way to enjoy ice cream 

•  1 pint chocolate ice cream  or vanilla ice cream

•  10 tablespoons finely chopped semisweet chocolate

•  8 tablespoons hot freshly brewed espresso coffee

•  8 tablespoons dark rum

Divide your  ice cream into 4 dessert bowls. Spoon 2 tablespoons each of chocolate or vanilla ice cream, espresso, and rum over ice cream and serve immediately. 

Mom's Cod Fish Cakes

• 1/2 pound of cod fish, soak over night in refrigerator
• 1 cup of seasoned mash potatoes
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon Mrs. Dash (Italian)  I like adding this is optional

• Cut the cod into small size pieces, and add to a medium size pan, and cover with water and bring to a boil at medium heat. Mix the fish, potatoes and eggs together, then add the pepper and Mrs. Dash mixing together well.  Form the fish mixture into cakes and saute in hot butter until golden brown and well cooked.