Mad Men Season 5!!!

Tonight is a pretty exciting night, as Mad Men comes back to television for it's fifth season. In a short time I have fallen in love with the Mad Men world and have enjoyed taking a journey through the food of the sixties. In honor of all things Mad Men, I thought it would be fun to take a food trip through the sixties and visit some of the trends that came from that decade.

Fondue
Fondue is a Swiss dish of melted cheese served bread. Over the years there have been many variations of fondue, like chocolate fondue served with fruit or fondue bourguignonne , where pieces of meat are cooked when dipped into hot oil. I wonder what kind of fondue Joan would make?

Ambrosia Salad
I have to admit, I kind of love ambrosia salad with the fluffy mini marshmallows, mandarin oranges, pineapple chunks and coconut. The combination of sour cream and shooed cream works well because it balance the sweetness of the fruits. Ambrosia salad is the perfect addition to your brunch buffet or a summer picnic.

Rumaki
The sixties brought Polynesian and faux Polynesian food to the table and rumaki was an hors d'ouevre enjoyed at many cocktail parties. They are made by wrapping water chestnuts and chicken liver in bacon. It is then marinated in soy sauce and baked. They are placed on cocktail picks and served to your guests. Betty included Rumaki on her dinner menu when trying to impress Don's colleagues.

Lastly, Chicken Kiev and since I'm talking about it I have to include a great quote by Roger Sterling " They have Chicken Kiev, butter squirts everywhere.". Chicken Kiev, has been considered Ukranian in origin. It consists of a boneless chicken breads that has been pounded and then rolled around garlic butter with herbs. The chicken is then breaded and either baked or fried. Mmmmmmm, sounds good.

I hope you enjoyed our short trip through some popular foods from the sixties. Mad Men starts in fifteen minutes, pour yourself a cold Heinekin or make the perfect Old Fashioned then kick back and enjoy the show. Enjoy!

Happy St Patrick's Day and Happy Birthday Uncle Frank

Today is not only St Patrick's Day, it is also my Uncle Frank's Day!!

I thought it would be fitting to post a recipe using cabbage since it is St Paddy's day. Instead of using green cabbage, my recipe uses red cabbage. It's funny, I didn't grow up eating red cabbage, we ate savoy cabbage, but for some reason I always wanted to try it. I think it had something to do with the movie A Christmas Story. There is a scene in the movie when Ralphie asks the mom what's for dinner and she replies "red cabbage". When I was young, I wanted to know what this "red cabbage" was and more importantly how it tasted. So, in my freshman year at JWU, I told mom for one of our side dishes at Christmas I wanted to make braised red cabbage and she gave me her usual skeptical look, but gave in. Well, I have to say I think it was a hit, at least to Uncle Frank! He loved it and every year, he asks "are making the red cabbage?". So, Uncle Frank I dedicate this recipe to you on your birthday. Here is my recipe for Braised Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage

Serves 6 as a side dish

1 full head of red cabbage, cleaned and chopped into quarters
2 Fuji apples, cored and sliced thin
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups of vegetable stock or you could use apple cider
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
11/2 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon allspice
Salt and pepper

In a Dutch oven, heat the butter. Put the red cabbage in the pan and sauté for ten minutes, until cabbage is coated and just beginning to break down. Add the apples and cook for five minutes. Deglaze the pan with the vegetable stock. Season with salt and pepper and add the allspice. Cover with the lid and cook on a medium heat for 45 minutes, until the cabbage is tender. Uncover and stir in the balsamic vinegar and honey. You are looking for the balance of sweet and sour with this recipe. Adjust seasonings and serve with a tender roast pork or balsamic glazed chicken, to name a couple.

Happy Birthday Uncle Frank! Thanks for always making me laugh and always being the one to swear first at a family get together! There's nothing wrong with that!!! Enjoy!

Peaches and Cream!

To celebrate "Frankie Day" this year, I was inspired to make a cake my grandmother would make on occasion for dessert. My brother always loved when grandma would make this cake. She would slice him a hefty piece or a "grandma slice" and he would sometimes go back for seconds. The cake though simple in its components of gold cake, fresh whipped cream and canned peaches, left a lasting impression on Frankie and I wanted to bring back those memories of the cake that he simply couldn't get enough of. Here is my recipe for a Peaches and Cream Cake...

For the cake
4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup, 2 sticks, unsalted butter at room temp
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 cup of buttermilk
1 cup whole milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two 9 inch round cake pans with cooking spray or butter and flour. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the vanilla, then add the eggs one at a time. Slowly add the buttermilk and then the whole milk. Add the dry ingredients slowly and mix until just incorporated. Spread the batter evenly between the two pans. Bake until golden about 30-35 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then remove and cool completely on a rack before frosting or filling.

For the vanilla cream
1 1/2 teaspoons corn starch
2 teaspoons sugar
1 cup whole milk
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon unsalted butter

In a small saucepan combine the corn starch and sugar. Whisk in the milk and put the burner on medium heat. Stirring constantly, cook the mixture until thickened. Shut the burner off and add some of the hot liquid into the egg yolk to temper it. When tempered, add the yolk to the mix and put the burner back on medium. Cook until the cream has bubbled. Fold in vanilla extract and the butter. Pour into a heat proof bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Be sure to to place the plastic wrap directly on the vanilla cream. Place in the fridge and cool completely.

For the whipped cream
2 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup confectioner's sugar

In the bowl of a stand mixer, begin to beat the heavy cream. Add the vanilla ad then the confectioner's sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form.

*You will also need 1 large can of sliced peaches. Drained with half kept whole and half diced. Fold the diced peaches into the vanilla cream, as this will be the filling between the two cake layers. With a serrated knife, cut the cake layers so they have a level top. I like to use cardboard cake rounds to put my cakes on, but if you don't have those at home, place the bottom layer of cake onto your cake plate. Starting in the middle, scoop the vanilla cream onto the cake. Spread evenly around the layer, leaving a 1/4 inch rim as the the cream will spread when the top layer is placed on it. When all the vanilla cream is used, carefully place the top layer, making sure to keep the cake even. I like to give it a little smoosh down, to make sure it is on good. Again, start in the middle of the cake and put a good amount of whipped cream. Using and offset spatula spread the whipped cream over the top of the cake. For this cake, I leave the sides bare because that's the way grandma did it, bit if you want a fully frosted cake, by all means spread the whipped cream all over the cake. You can also use a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and do all sorts of fancy decorations on the cake, be creative. Top the cake with the sliced peaches and refrigerate. Take the cake out of the fridge an hour before serving to bring it to room temp. Enjoy!

Game Day Meatballs.....

Tomorrow is Super Bowl Sunday and everyone is gearing up for the big game. To be honest, I myself am not a football fan, but I am a super bowl food fan. Wings, nachos, chips, dips, chili, you name it, I love it.

These game day meatballs are perfect for a sandwich with provolone or eaten as is with a crunchy piece of garlic bread. They are baked in the oven with my simple marinara sauce and topped with fresh mozzarella. Here is my recipe for game day meatballs...

For the meatballs yields 24 meatballs
1 lb ground pork
1 lb lean ground beef
2 eggs
1/2 cup plain breadcrumb
1/4 cup grated romano cheese
1 garlic clove, peeled
salt and pepper
oil for cooking

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl add the two meats, eggs, breadcrumbs, cheese and salt and pepper. Using a microplane grate the garlic clove over the bowl, be sure to scrape the garlic off the microplane. Carefully mix all the ingredients together, until everything is incorporated. Using an ice cream scoop portion out the meatballs, finishing them off with a quick roll through your hands. Place them on a baking sheet that has been brushed with olive oil. When all the meat is portioned out, brush the tops with oil and place them in the oven. Let them cook for a half hour, until brown. Toss them with your favorite tomato sauce. I put fresh mozzarella and tomato sauce on my meatballs and place them under the broiler for four minutes. Serve them with garlic bread and it's a party! Enjoy!

Simple Marinara
1 garlic clove, peeled
hot pepper flake
oil
1 can plum tomatoes, blended in a food processor
dried oregano
salt and pepper

In a medium saucepan, heat the oil, then add the garlic and hot pepper flake. Carefully, add the tomatoes, salt, pepper and oregano. Let cook for 5 minutes. Add a half can of water. Bring to a simmer and let cook for a forty five minutes. Adjust the seasonings and this sauce is ready to use.

Go Patriots!!

Food Shopping...

Every Sunday morning, mom and I beat the crowds and get our food shopping done early. We typically get to Market Basket by 7:30, so that we can be out before it gets crazy in there. I think the grocery store is the best place to people watch or cart watch. Sometimes I find myself making stories up about the people based on what they have in their carts. A shopping cart can say a lot about a person.

For instance, if you spot a couple pushing their shopping cart through the store, you can tell if they are hosting their first get together. The female will always have a list along with printed recipes from the food network and they both will carefully, select each ingredient to perfect these recipes. Let's not talk about what happens when they can't find the ingredients from the print outs, crisis.

There are the shoppers who can't be bothered with cooking and fill their carts with all sorts of frozen foods, deli meats, and prepared meals. Toss in some chips and cookies and get to the check out.

One of my favorite shoppers are the husbands, sent into the store with a strict list given to them from their wife. I remember this one time I was picking food out for my cat and this gentleman said to me "I am here picking up food for the cat, not sure if he'll be more mad or my wife will be if I get the wrong kind". I remember laughing with him as he carefully selected the canned food.

Then there are the dieters, especially those weight watchers people. I can say this, because I am on the weight watchers. We all have the same foods in our carts. Salad, fruit, light and fit yogurt, an occasional Smart One, chicken breast (boneless, skinless) and you have to have the Special K or Fiber One cereal. Not to mention the endless bottles of seltzer. Fun fact about Market Basket that I learned from weight watchers is that at the Chelsea location if you walk just the perimeter of the inside from beginning to end, you will have walked 1 1/2 miles. Pretty Good.

Lastly, the moms. I have fond memories of shopping with my mom when I was little. We always needed two carriages and at some point during the shopping trip, mom would pull her cart over to the side of an aisle, take out her blue coupon holder and sort through coupons. My mom never had a list, it was more a free for all and I loved it. It meant my brother and I could get the snacks we wanted! The moms today, have their lists and their reusable bags. They walk with determination to get this stuff done. Go moms!

Next time you're out shopping, look at your cart and see what kind of shopper you are. Enjoy!

Weeknight Pot Roast

Pot Roast always makes a hearty and warm weeknight meal, especially during the winter. I love making pot roast on my days off and letting it simmer in the oven until it falls apart. Pot roast is not only the perfect one pot meal, it is also super cheap to make as it uses a tough cut of meat and simple veggies. Here is my recipe for Weeknight Pot Roast.....

1 3-4 lb boneless chuck roast
2 tablespoons of both unsalted butter and olive oil
1 onion, peeled and quartered
5 carrots, peeled and rough chopped
1 1/2 cups button mushrooms, brushed clean
6 Yukon gold potatoes, washed and cut in half
3 cups beef broth
1 tablespoon herbs de provence
2 tablespoons of cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Set a dutch oven on the stovetop and turn the heat to medium. Put the butter and oil in the pan, once hot place the chuck roast inside. Sear the roast on all sides, this will lock in the juices and create some caramelization in the pan. Once all sides are seared, remove roast and put all the veggies in the pot. Saute for 3-5 minutes, then deglaze with the beef stock. Return the roast to the pan. Season with salt, pepper and the herb de provence. Put the lid on the dutch oven and place in the oven. Let cook for 2 1/2-3 hours. This is the kind of meal that the longer you cook it, the better it is. After 3 hours, take it out of the oven. Carefully, take the roast out of the pan and place it on a cutting board. Turn the burner on to medium and bring the "sauce" to a boil. Make a slurry with the cornstarch and water, then whisk into the veggies and stock. This will thicken, once it comes to the boil. Adjust the seasonings. Slice the roast and return it to the pan, along with the veggies. Enjoy!

Now that's a calzone.....

Calzones and Pizza are the typical Friday night dinner for Phil and I. I love making them for a casual dinner paired with some cold beer and a great movie makes for the perfect end to the work week.

The first calzone I ever tried was my nana's "spinach pizza", she called it. Of course, as a kid I would eat anything with the name pizza in it. When my nana cut me a slice and handed it to me, I thought it looked a little different from my Papa Gino's pizza, but I gave it a go. I remember the crust being crisp and a little sweet and the filling flavorful with spinach, ricotta, grated cheese and pepperoni. I fell in love with this "spinach pizza". Thinking back I remember visiting nana just hoping there would be a slice of "pizza" on the table for me.

As I grew and traveled, to Italy, calzone was more a small, individual meal. Walking the streets of Florence, we would find these on lunch carts and in deli's filled with various fillings, but mostly cheese and tomato. I liked them for their portability to continue to walk through the cobblestone streets of Italy and of course for their taste.

My calzone is made using my pizza dough and it is by no means an individual size. I typically make it hoping to have leftovers for a few days to fill my lunch bag for work. The fillings always change and I try to get as creative as possible. Some favorites are prosciutto, soppressata and provolone or sausage, peppers and onions or roasted assorted vegetables, with pesto and fontina cheese. For tonight's recipe I am going to share with you my recipe for Broccoli Calzone.....

For the dough
1 pkg active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
3 cups flour
1 tablespoon olive, plus more for the bowl
pinch kosher salt

Filling
3 cups broccoli florets, blanched
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
1/2 cup diced pepperoni
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1 egg
pinch pepper


For the dough
In a bowl combine the yeast and water to let the yeast bloom. Once the yeast is bubbly add the flour, oil and pinch of salt. Using your hand as a whisk, bring the dough together to form a soft dough. Coat the bowl with oil and cover with plastic. Allow dough to rise for at least an hour in a warm place.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet by brushing oil all over the pan.

For the filling, very simply combine the ingredients in a bowl and carefully mix everything together. Be sure not to break apart the florets. Punch down the dough and take it out of the bowl. Using your fingers, spread the dough over the pan. If it keeps bouncing back, be patient with it and do not overwork it. Once you get the dough spread, using your finger tips punch holes all over the dough to create pockets. This will allow the filling to get right into those pockets. With the pan horizontal to you, fill the dough halfway up and all the way across. Once all spread, fold the dough over and secure the edges by rolling them over each other. Cut a few slits in the top to allow steam to allow the steam the come out. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes without opening the oven, After 20 minutes, check the calzone for color. The dough will be golden and crisp and the filling will bubble through the holes. Overall baking time is 25-30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack before slicing. Slice calzone into pieces and pair with your favorite beer! Enjoy!