S’mores can also be made indoors by baking in a 350oF preheated oven.

Directions for indoors:
- Melt 1 Cup butter and set aside.
- Roll Graham Crackers into crumbs and mix with butter.
- Press half the mixture into a 9” square pan (lightly greased)
- Add a layer of chocolate chips
- Next add a layer of mini marhmallows.
- Now cover with the rest of the graham cracker crumbs.
- Bake in 350oF preheated oven for 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven, let cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar and cut into squares (about 2”)

Enjoy! – But keep in mind that each square is about 190 calories.

Watch for more treats – soon to come!!!


Copyright © 2008 – 2011 AngeloBiondo.com™

All contents are the sole property of AngeloBiondo.com. AngeloBiondo.com reserves the right to change, modify or delete articles and recipes without notice. The readers of AngeloBiondo.com are allowed to download, print and share material contained herein without pre authorization, so long as the material is not sold copied, modified or changed in any way, The material contained herein, may not under no condition be used for profit and/or personal gain. All shared copies must contain this notice and the copyright© must be included. AngeloBiondo.com™ is the trademark of AngeloBiondo.com™ and cannot be copied, reproduced or used without the explicit written consent of AngeloBiondo.com™

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Some tips for the last minute shopper. The 12 days of Christmas are closing fast, and for those Santa’s out there with an empty sack and not an idea of what to get for the gourmet in the family we have compiled a few suggestions that would be at the top of any gourmet’s wish list.

I don’t know any good chef that wouldn’t appreciate a good set of pots and pans and you won’t find a better set than Cuisinart’s Multiclad Pro Stainless Steel 12-Piece Cookware Set. Most of us just can’t have enough pots and pans especially in the 4-6 cup size

Whether you are first waking up or spending time in the kitchen, nothing beats the smell of a great cup of coffee brewing. We take our coffee seriously and looked to the pro’s when shopping for a coffee brewer that would capture that coffee house flavor, so naturally we purchased the “Bunn® NHBX-B”. If you’re looking for a great cup of home brew, you need to make the investment. The Bunn® coffee maker brews a pot of coffee in less than 2 minutes and is great for company. But if you work in a one person office you might want to consider the Keurig® Coffee system described below.

The problem with this type of coffee maker, is the waste. It seems it doesn’t matter if you make 4 cups or 10, by the time you finish the pot the coffee has that burned smell and taste and you wind up tossing it and making a fresh pot..

Our daughter set us onto the Keurig® single cup coffer brewer which eliminates coffee waste by brewing one cup of quality gourmet coffee house coffee at a time, and at today’s coffee prices believe me, it pays for itself in short order. She was acquainted with the Keurig® system when she worked at the Fed’ some years back, but the price of the unit at the time prohibited buying one for home use. Keurig® now makes two reasonably priced models for home use. Both utilize the k-cup (single packet) gourmet coffee packs featuring over 200 gourmet coffee house flavors. Keurig® also has a single cup filter unit available which allows you to brew your own favorite coffee brands which makes it even more reasonable. This unit is an absolute must for the work at home office, where using a 10 or 12 cup brewerjust generates costly coffee waste.

For the extravagant minded you might want to consider the Waring Pro popcorn popper. This is an item I’ve had on my wish list for a while and am too cheap to buy it for myself. I don’t think I’ll get it this year either, but I could wish. There’s nothing like the smell of that movie house popcorn aroma and sound of popping popcorn when preparing to sit and watch a favorite movie thriller or Sunday football game. It’s also makes a great hit with the kid’s, and there always seems to be a place for one, I’ve got the spot all picked out.

And for the health minded calorie counter this Cuisinart KML-10 Perfect Weight Digital Kitchen Scale, is ideal for precision measurements to insure properly proportioned ingredients. Good for making sure you have the proper amount of postage affixed to the bulky letter too. This versatile digital kitchen scale features;

• Cuisinart’s compact electronic scale displays weights up to 11 pounds (or 5 kilograms) and is accurate
  to 1/4 ounce (1 gram).

• Converts between American and metric units (LB/KG) at the touch of a button.
• Dishwasher safe stainless steel platform cover
• The Add’n Weigh feature lets you add ingredients one at a time to a single container, and the tare feature means that you can use any container when weighing your food items.
• Can also be used as a postal scale.
• Uses a 3 volt lithium battery (included).
• Square platform is approx. 6.375″ x 6.375″. Scale dimensions approx. 8″L x 6.375″W x 1.375″H. Mfg. lifetime warranty.

And for the mom looking to have some fun with the kids in the kitchen, this 35 pack of kitchen gadgets has everything she needs to keep the keep the young ones involved for hours. Gaget Nation takes you through the eccentric world of invention. Kids will learn while being entertained. For the novelty minded this stocking stuffer will be a big hit for the youngsters in the family.

We finish our ‘Wish List’ off with the classic KitchenAid® K45SS Classic 250-Watt 4-1/2-Quart Stand Mixer. A kitchen just isn’t a kitchen without a KitchenAid® classic Mixer. I don’t know anyone who has one that doesn’t boast how great they are to have. For the gourmet cook, it is one of the best gifts they could ever hope for. For those who are looking for elegance at a reasonable price, you can guarantee this one to be a hit.

Merry Christmas and Happy Shopping! I hope we managed to give you a few ideas to make your holiday season a big hit this year. Goodluck!

Copyright © 2008 – 2010 AngeloBiondo.com™

All contents are the sole property of AngeloBiondo.com. AngeloBiondo.com reserves the right to change, modify or delete articles and recipes without notice. The readers of AngeloBiondo.com are allowed to download, print and share material contained herein without pre authorization, so long as the material is not sold copied, modified or changed in any way, The material contained herein, may not under no condition be used for profit and/or personal gain. All shared copies must contain this notice and the copyright© must be included. AngeloBiondo.com™ is the trademark of AngeloBiondo.com™ and cannot be copied, reproduced or used without the explicit written consent of AngeloBiondo.com™

This is a fantastic dinner party recipe, hearty enough to please both your vegitarian and meat-loving guests.

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EGGPLANT LAZAGNA
• 4 Nice size Eggplant (look for the ones with the oval ring at bottom of the fruit. They seem to be more tender and less seedy)
• 1 Jar Bruchetta Mix or you can make your own. (See below)
• Grated cheese (usually use parmesan but can use any grating cheese)
• 8 oz package of grated Mozzarella
• 1 lb container of Ricotta Cheese (mix with one egg)
• Olive Oil
• Container of Breadcrumbs
• Salt, Pepper, Italian Seasoning

Peel Eggplant and slice in ¼-inch pieces. Cook in hot olive oil in pan until slightly soft throughout. Drain on dish with paper towels, and set aside.

In deep baking dish or roasting pan, start to layer evenly, Eggplant, Cheeses, Bruchetta mix, spices, sprinkle breadcrumbs between each layer. Repeat until you use all the ingredients. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes. Remove, let stand for 10 minutes. Enjoy!

BRUCHETTA MIX
• Tomato
• Onion
• 1 Small Eggplant
• ½ cup chopped Green Olives
• Green Peppers
• Capers
• Olive Oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Italian Seasoning

Sautee tomato, onion, small cubes of eggplant, chopped green olive, green peppers, capers in olive oil until slightly soft, add a little salt, pepper, Italian seasonings to taste. Cool.

Enjoy!

Copyright © AngeloBiondo.com™ (2008-2010)

All contents are the sole property of AngeloBiondo.com. AngeloBiondo.com reserves the right to change, modify or delete articles and recipes without notice. The readers of AngeloBiondo.com are allowed to download, print and share material contained herein without pre authorization, so long as the material is not sold copied, modified or changed in any way, The material contained herein, may not under no condition be used for profit and/or personal gain. All shared copies must contain this notice and the copyright© must be included. AngeloBiondo.com™ is the trademark of AngeloBiondo.com™ and cannot be copied, reproduced or used without the explicit written consent of AngeloBiondo.com™

This recipe is both easy and delicious! I have made this with both the low fat and the full fat versions of the milk products and honestly couldn’t tell the difference.

CRUST:
• 3 cups crushed graham crackers
• ½-cup sugar
• 1 cup melted butter

(You can use the standard Graham Cracker crust or modify with cookie crust, etc.)

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CHEESECAKE FILLING:
• 1 – 2 lb container of Ricotta Cheese
• 1 – 8 oz container of sour cream
• 2 – 8 oz packages of cream cheese
• 6 eggs
• 1 tablespoon – Real vanilla (not imitation)
• 2 cups of sugar
• 1-tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Topping Options (1 of the following):
• 1 can cherry pie filling
• 1 can blueberry pie filling
• 2 cups fresh strawberries

With blender beat eggs mix in sugar. Add cream cheese, sour cream, ricotta cheese. This makes a fairly large cheesecake so I use a roasting pan that is about 12 x 18 in size. The smaller the pan the thicker the cheesecake and likewise the larger the pan the thinner the cheesecake. Bake at 325 and depending on the pan size anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour or so. Inserted knife will come out clean. Let cool, spread topping over top of cake and return to oven for approximately 10 minutes. Remove and let cool.

Enjoy!

Copyright © AngeloBiondo.com™ (2008-2010)

All contents are the sole property of AngeloBiondo.com. AngeloBiondo.com reserves the right to change, modify or delete articles and recipes without notice. The readers of AngeloBiondo.com are allowed to download, print and share material contained herein without pre authorization, so long as the material is not sold copied, modified or changed in any way, The material contained herein, may not under no condition be used for profit and/or personal gain. All shared copies must contain this notice and the copyright© must be included. AngeloBiondo.com™ is the trademark of AngeloBiondo.com™ and cannot be copied, reproduced or used without the explicit written consent of AngeloBiondo.com™

I’ve received a number of requests to clarify my grandmother’s ‘Pickled Eggplant Italiano’ recipe which I posted back in February of 2008. That recipe also prompted questions concerning various writers lost or forgotten old family recipes which they vaguely remember family members making when they were young children.

One of those was a pickled eggplant recipe which he remembers was made with eggplant (cubed), green tomatoes and celery. There were possibly other ingredients as well. I asked a number of my elders but unfortunately, outside of my 94 year old mother – I don’t have many left.

Since I’ve exhausted my personal contacts and searched the internet and libraries without results. I have spent consideral time on this and am totally frustrated. I now turn to my readers for help. If anyone knows of a pickled eggplant recipe made with green tomatoes and celery, I would appreciate your input. It sounds like a great recipe, and would be a real shame if it were forever lost.

The writer, ‘Bill’ says:
”My Grandmother made an eggplant, Green tomatoes, and celery dish. I remember her slicing the green tomatoes, and cubing the eggplant. She would salt the green tomatoes and eggplant and let them sit for 24 hours. After drain them she put them in a crock for weeks. It was great. BUT I don’t have the recipe. Does your family make anything like this? If so can I get the recipe?”
Thanks

As for the ‘Pickled Eggplant Italiano’ recipe, I have modified it slightly and am reposting it under the name ‘Pickled (or maranated) eggplant Sicilian Style’. This is both versions of the recipe will be available. My wife and I recently made this recipe and received complements from all who tried it.

Pickled (or maranated) eggplant Sicilian Style
Yield: 4 – 6 pints

Ingredients:
6 Eggplants
Kosher Salt
Cider Vinegar
6-12 cloves garlic, sliced thin (1-2 cloves per eggplant – or to taste)
½ tsp Oregano (optional to taste)
½ – 1 tsp Crushed red pepper flakes (optional to taste)

Preparation:
•Cut off the ends of the eggplants peel and slice into ¼” slices length wise.
•Layer the slices in a colander and sprinkle with Kosher salt.
• Continue layering the slices in the colander sprinkling each layer with salt as you go along.
• Place the colander in the sink, put a dish on top of it, and put something heavy on top of the dish to weigh it down. The Kosher salt draws the liquid from the eggplant and helps to remove that slight bitterness from the eggplant.
• Let stand for several hours, (2 – 4 hours)
• Remove the coverings and, squeeze the eggplant slices gently to remove excess moisture.
• Pour a quart or more of cider vinegar in a pan enough to contain a quantity of the sliced eggplant. The object is to bring the vinegar to a boil, turn off the heat (flame) and then adding just enough eggplant slices to the vinegar so as they are fully submerged. Leave the batch submerged in the hot vinegar for 5 to 6 minutes and remove from vinegar with sterile tongs to a waiting colander.
• Bring the vinegar to a boil again and repeat previous step. Continue purchase prescription drugs without a prescription this until all of the eggplant has been processed through the vinegar.
• Once the dipping process is completed, your are ready to place in sterilized canning jars.
• Mix 2 C Virgin olive oil, ¼ C vinegar (you can use the vinegar used for dipping), sliced garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes. You may want to prepare several jars prior to adding the crushed pepper, so that a portion of the recipe will be left mild. Mix thoroughly. (Mix more if needed)
• With the sterile tongs, layer the sliced eggplant in canning jars or plastic refrigerator containers. Fill jar (container) about ¼ and cover with oil and garlic mixture. Continue filling jars, (containers) ¼ at a time, covering with oil mixture as you go along, until jars (containers) are filled to 1” from top.
• Cover with oil mixture, and seal jar (container) tightly.
• Store in refrigerator. Let marinate for 2 to 4 weeks before serving.

If you used sterilized canning jars, they are ready to can if you choose to do so. My grandmother use to store this recipe in a large open top ceramic crock pot for months, covered only with a clean cloth. She never gave the thought of botulism a possibility. Today we are very much aware of the possibility of botulism, and other hazards such as e-coli etc. that are just waiting for us to be careless. So I don’t recommend storing this or any recipe in an open crock pot these days even if it is covered with a clean cloth.

I do recommend that if you are making a large quantity of this recipe that you want to last longer than one or two months in a refrigerator, then you should look into the various methods available for preserving various fruits and vegetables.

We use the water bath method of canning for preserving a number of fresh fruits and vegetables, and have been doing so for a number of years. However, since it is a process handed down through the years, I do not know if our method complies with government standards. Since I could possibly be held liable for poor instructions, if I do not cover all the bases, canning information is available on numerous specialized sites like that in the following example. I hope you understand.

The information is available on a number of sites like ‘The National Center for Food Preservation’. Example: http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/questions/FAQ_canning.html and a host of other sites both government and organizational.

Copyright © 2008 – 2010 AngeloBiondo.com™

All contents are the sole property of AngeloBiondo.com. AngeloBiondo.com reserves the right to change, modify or delete articles and recipes without notice. The readers of AngeloBiondo.com are allowed to download, print and share material contained herein without pre authorization, so long as the material is not sold copied, modified or changed in any way, The material contained herein, may not under no condition be used for profit and/or personal gain. All shared copies must contain this notice and the copyright© must be included. AngeloBiondo.com™ is the trademark of AngeloBiondo.com™ and cannot be copied, reproduced or used without the explicit written consent of AngeloBiondo.com™

• It’s time to boil them in water until they are tender, (usually about 30 minutes)
• Next drain them and let them cool
• Separate them into six to eight per bunch holding out what you plan to cook and freezing the rest.

A friend of ours used to batter and bread all of them at the same time since eggs are cheapest in the spring and summer and since the summer sun makes it conducive for chickens to lay eggs. She would prepare them to the point of frying, but instead package them six to a package and freeze them. When she felt like cooking them, she would simply remove them from the freezer and put them in the frying pan. They would taste as fresh as they did in the spring of the year.

Fried Cardoon Recipe – Cardoni Fritto
6 to 8 Burdock (Cardoni – cooked)

• 1½ C All purpose flour
• 2 – 4 cloves fresh garlic (chopped)
• 2 eggs (slightly beaten)
• ¼+ C milk (approximate – see preparation)
• ½ tsp salt (to taste)
• ¼ tsp black pepper (fresh ground – to taste)
• Grated Romano, or Parmesan cheese
• ¼ C olive oil (for frying)

Pre-Preparation:

• Cleaned Cardoni are defined as having been washed, the leafs removed, the roots trimmed, and the strings peeled from the stalks. It is important to peel as many strings from the stalks as possible, since they are tough and become tougher in the cooking process.
• Boil the stalks until tender – about 30 to 45 minutes.

Preparation

• In a large bowl, mix all dry ingredients.
• Then in a separate bowl mix the beaten eggs and milk together
• Mix the milk and egg mixture into the flour with an electric beater until a smooth batter is formed.
  • If the batter is too thin add a little flour at a time until proper consistency (not too thick but not too thin either.) You want the batter to stick to the stalks and not run.
  • Form into patties and fry in olive oil until golden brown.
    Remove from frying pan and place on paper towels, sprinkle with grated Romano, or Parmesan cheese and serve.

  
  
  Breaded Cardoni Fritto
  
  This is the same as above except that you might want to make the batter a little thicker, then dip in seasoned bread crumbs before frying.
  
  
  Copyright © 2008 – 2009 AngeloBiondo.com™
  
  All contents are the sole property of AngeloBiondo.com. AngeloBiondo.com reserves the right to change, modify or delete articles and recipes without notice. The readers of AngeloBiondo.com are allowed to download, print and share material contained herein without pre authorization, so long as the material is not sold copied, modified or changed in any way, The material contained herein, may not under no condition be used for profit and/or personal gain. All shared copies must contain this notice and the copyright© must be included. AngeloBiondo.com™ is the trademark of AngeloBiondo.com™ and cannot be copied, reproduced or used without the explicit written consent of AngeloBiondo.com™

  ]]> http://angelobiondo.com/?feed=rss2&p=326 2 http://angelobiondo.com/?p=251 http://angelobiondo.com/?p=251#comments Sun, 25 Oct 2009 22:18:51 +0000 angelo http://angelobiondo.com/?p=251 By: Angelo Biondo

   

  Holiday shopping season this year should prove challenging to the thousands of unemployed this year however, Christmas is a time of joy and giving as we celebrate the birth of our Savior, and having little money to spend on gifts doesn’t have to crimp our style. So with that in mind, this issue is dedicated to easing the stress of the Holiday Shopping season for the many who are pinching pennies and worried about providing a joyous Christmas for their families.
  
  

  
  

  First of all, Christmas, Chanukah, or whatever the Holliday is for you, is a time of giving, a show of love and appreciation for those close to us.  Commercially made gifts are nice, but don’t always show the true feeling and compassion we have for those close to us. This is the easy way out, simply buy, wrap, (or have wrapped), sign a card and give it to the recipient.  You need to ask yourself, how much love went into that?  Any parent will tell you the most precious gifts they have are those their children made for them in school.</br>

  My daughter-in-law Kirsten makes her own cards.  Each card is cut, stamped or imprinted, hand printed in her own hand calligraphy and totally designed by her from scratch.  The words and verses are hers and impossible not to notice the love and affection that goes into each card. She could use a computer to make it easy, but she does not, each card is completely created with her own hands with the words coming from her heart. If you are fortunate enough to get one, you are truly blessed,

   

  In another example, my brother Paul makes all the women, nieces and nephews hand crafted Christmas ornaments and gifts.  They aren’t just hand crafted, but are made from the wood of the previous year’s Christmas tree.  He works on this project from the time the tree comes down right up to the time he distributes his tiny treasures to those lucky truly loved recipients.

   

  The time and love put into these precious hand crafted gifts automatically become family keepsakes to their recipients to be passed from generation to generation. There isn’t a family member who receives one of these gifts whose eyes don’t water up from the joy of receiving these priceless treasures.

   

  We all have this ability in one form or another.  And, since this site is dedicated to family and favorite recipe’s I hope some of the suggestions contained herein will make your Holliday season a bright one for you and your favorite people.

   

  A most favorite of gifts one can get is a tin of assorted homemade cookies.  Most all of us have a number of favorite holiday cookie recipes we make each year for the holidays.  We can’t wait to bring out a tray to serve to company as soon as they walk in the door and wait for the ooh’s and ayah’s as they savor the tasty tidbits.  This year simply make more, then package them in decorative tins or aluminum cake pans and pass them out as gifts.  The tins or aluminum cake pans are readily available in most supermarkets.

   

  Cucidati	Chocolate Balls	Pizzelles
  buy amoxicillin without prescription ‘Times New Roman’”>Ingredients: (cookier crust) 2 ½ C all-purpose flour ½ C Heavy cream 2 tbsp butter 1/3 C sugar ¼ tsp baking powder 1 egg (beaten) 1 tsp vanilla extract Instructions: In a large mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, and baking powder. Cut in butter and mix until pieces are the size of small peas. Stir in cream and egg and mix thouroughly.  Divide dough in half. Cover and chill for 2 hrs in refrigerator.	Ingredients: 8 C All purpose flour 3 ½ tsp baking powder 2 C sugar 1 tsp cinnamon 1 C shortening 1 tbsp grated orange zest 1 tbsp grated lemon zest 1 tsp lemon flavor (extract) 1 tsp orange flavor (extract) ¼ lb butter (1 stick) 5 eggs 1 tbsp vanilla extract 1 C cocoa ¼ C Grand marnier or brandy or bourbon (optionally) ¾ C water	Ingredients: 3 eggs ½ tsp anise extract ½ tsp baking Powder 1 tsp pure vanilla extract 1¾ C all purpose flour ½ C melted butter ¾ C sugar.   .
  FILLING: 1½  cup dried figs (8 0z pkg) ¾ C light raisins ½ C walnuts (chopped) 1 C candied mixed fruits ¼ C sugar ¼ C bourbon whiskey ¼ tsp ground cinnamon	Instructions: Blend sugar shortening and butter in a bowl.  Add eggs one at a time.  Combine the flour and baking powder-cinnamon, cocoa orange, lemon and vanilla extract Last add Grand Marnier and water.	Instructions: Beat eggs in a bowl and add sugar. Combine with cooled melted butter,  vanilla extract and anise extract. Mix in sifted flour and baking powder.  The batter should be thick enough to drop by a spoon into the pizzelle
  Directions: (For the filling): Using a coarse blade in a food processor, or meat grinder, grind figs, raisins, and nuts.  In a medium mixing bowl combine the ¼ C sugar, bourbon, and cinnamon.  Stir in the fruit mixture. Cover and chill in refrigerator for 1 hr.	This cookie dough is naturally soft, but firm enough to roll into balls about 1½” diameter If it’s too soft add more flour. .  Roll into balls and place on a  cookie sheet leaving at least 1” all around. Bake for 20 minutes in a pre-heated oven at 350o F.	iron. Store unused batter in a tightly covered container and refrigerated to be used another day. Recipe makes 30 pizzelles Dusting with powdered sugar! Before serving is optional.
  Finishing Up: Roll out each of the dough balls into a 12 inch squares. Then cut into 12, 4 inch strips. Spread a generous amount of filling down the side of each strip of dough,(about the diameter of a hotdog)  Roll up from that side forming a long thin roll and seal the edge. With roll seam side down, cut the rolls into 2 inch sections using a diagonal cut forming the cookies.  Place cookies seam side down, on an ungreased cookie sheet. Brush with egg wash & sprinkle with decorative Candies spinkles. Bake in a 350o F oven for 20 to 25 minutes or untill a golden brown. Remove and cool.	This Italian cookie is everyone’s favorite.  They always seem to be the first to disappear from the cookie tray.

   

   

  For those with a creative side you might want to try creating ‘Gourmet Gift Baskets’. Creating a gourmet gift basket can be as creative and expensive or inexpensive as its creator desires depending on the size and content.  The nice thing about gift baskets is that you can determine its cost and content.  A gourmet gift basket need not be expensive but should reflect the character of the recipient.  That is you should have a good idea of the recipients likes and dislikes.  Normally we think of a ‘Gift Basket’ as a basket of fresh fruit.  If you want your Gourmet Gift Basket to be impressive, it must be created, not thrown together.  To do this you need to deviate from the norm and think in the abstract.  If you do, your Gift Basket will undoubtedly be looked upon as a work of art.  To start with try abandoning the use of the traditional wicker basket to create your master-piece.

   

  For instance, a quick query on the internet supplied me with numerous excellent substitutes for the traditional wicker basket.  Pinata’s for example are easy to make and cheap to buy.  They come in a vast variety of shapes and sizes and can be adapted easily for our use.  We think of Pinata’s in the traditional sense as something hung from the ceiling and filled with goodies to be beaten open with sticks by children to retrieve the treasures within, but thinking in the abstract, they become perfect replacements for the traditional wicker basket in our creations.  

   

  Some sample receptacles and pinata’s are shown and naturally — would depend on the theme:

  Chinese –  A Wok French – A Champaign cooler Hawaiian –  A roasted pig (pinata) Japanese –  Puffer fish (pinata) Mexican – Sombrero (pinata) Spanish – Treasure Chest (pinata)

  For instance with a ‘WESTERN THEME’:  You might want to use a Cowboy hat or bonnet turned upside-down and filled with one or two bottles of gourmet barbeque sauce, a moderately priced bottle of red wine, and an assortment of nuts and fresh fruits.  Wrap in the traditional colored see through plastic wrap, tie it with a giant bow, attach a card or tag and your basket is ready to give. Or:

   

  To create an ‘ITALIAN THEME’, might use a 10 qt sauce pan. Fill it with a bottle of gourmet spaghetti sauce, one or two pounds of imported pasta, some imported Parmesan and/or Romano cheese, a moderately priced bottle of red wine (imported optional), etc.  If you’re the type who cans, a bottle of your homemade canned sauce would be the ultimate finishing touch.  You can also add fresh fruits and assorted nuts if you like. 

   

  There are a number of sites on line that will either sell you pinata’s or instruct you how to make your own.  A simple search with your favorite search using the key word ‘pinata’ will come up with what you are looking for.

   

  Gift baskets especially those created by the giver are a thoughtful gift that over flowing with love and compassion.  Those created with an ethnic base portray the essence of the country of origin and emit that odor of walking into the kitchen of a fine restaurant.

   

  Another great gift is a ‘Recipe in A Jar’.  If you have a family recipe you would like to share, but keep the ingredients somewhat secret, a recipe in a jar is the perfect way to go.  I have recipes that I had to promise my right arm not to divulge.  Yet they are so good it is a sin to keep them to myself.  What to do?:

   

  Using a 4 oz. canning jar (available in most supermarkets), or baby food jars measure out the dry ingredients of your favorite recipe.  If your recipe calls for fresh onions substitute onion flakes or dry soup mix.  If you use the mix, eliminate the salt from your recipe as the mix will usually suffice.  Substitute any herbs you can such as, garlic, basil, bay leaf, marjoram, etc., with the powdered or ground variety (see chart below).  Any ingredients that cannot be substituted with a dried or preserved variety simply include on a card or list with instructions on how to complete the recipe.  Although the recipe may not come out exactly like your original, it will be extremely close in aroma and taste, and the recipient is sure to be pleased.

   

  You can also place the dried herbs and spices in a small plastic zip-lock bag and include it in a one qt. canning jar filled with pasta, rice, or beans, etc. (If it is an ingredient used in the recipe.)

   

  next you will need to make a label, an easy task if you are using a computer.  Printer labels are readily available in any size variety of sizes at any office supply store.  Some labels come with complimentary labeling software on a CD or an option allowing you to download one from their web site.  Depending on your artistic talents you can make it as fancy or as plain as you  like.

   

  This chart is based on a consensus from various web sites and are approximate:

  Onion powder equivalent of fresh onion	Garlic powder equivalent of one clove
  ½ Tbsp = 1 small onion                                              1 Tbsp = 1 medium onion                                                                   1½ Tbsp = 1 large onion	1/8 tsp garlic powder = 1 clove
  Dried onion flakes
  1/3 C dried onion flakes = 1 small onion

   

  And we’ll finish with a couple of great homemade sweet tooth gift ideas that are easy to make and make great gifts for young and old.  Marshmallow Fluff Treats and Gourmet Chocolate Fudge’, always a treat for all ages. I obtained these recipes from the ‘Marshmallow Fluff’ (click here) Web site.  If you have a favorite fudge recipe of your own which you would rather use, by all means use yours.  If not these are excellent recipes.  Don’t forget you are making them as gifts, so you will have to personalize the quantity by using smaller pans than called for in the recipes.  See note following the recipes.

   

  Marshmallow Fluff Treats Ingredients: ¼ C margarine or butter 1 Jar (7½ oz) Marshmallow Fluff 5 C Crispy rice cereal

   

  Directions:

  Melt margarine in large saucepan over low heat. Add Marshmallow Fluff and cook over low heat about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add crispy rice cereal. Stir until well coated. Using buttered spatula or waxed paper, press mixture evenly into buttered 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan. Cut into squares when cool. Yield: 24 squares, 2 x 2 inches

   

  Microwave Marshmallow Fluff Treats

  Place Fluff and margarine in 2 1/2 qt. microwave safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH for 3 minute, stirring each minute. (Based on 700-watt microwave oven.) Stir in cereal until coated. Using a buttered spatula or waxpaper, press mixture evenly into buttered 13 X 9 inch pan. Cut into 2 X 2 squares. Yield: 24 squares.

   

  Never-Fail-Fudge   Ingredients: 2 ½ C sugar ¾ tsp salt ½  stick butter or margarine 1 5 oz can evaporated milk (¾ C)  1 Jar (7½ oz) Marshmallow Fluff ¾  tsp vanilla 1 12-oz package semisweet-chocolate pieces ½ C chopped walnuts (optional)

  Directions:

  Grease a 9-inch square baking pan; set aside. In large saucepan combine the first 5 ingredients. Stir over low heat until blended. Increase heat to Medium and bring to a full-rolling boil being careful not to mistake escaping air bubbles for boiling. Boil slowly, stirring constantly for 5 minutes (use Soft-Ball test). Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and chocolate until chocolate is melted. Add nuts. Turn into greased pan and cool. Makes 2 1/2 pounds.
  
  

  Hint: As with all fudge recipes, cooking time will vary depending on factors such as humidity and altitude. For best results, use the softball test to make sure the fudge has been cooked enough. The softball test can be found in any cookbook and on our website under frequently asked question (FAQ’s).

   

  Note: Use smaller tinfoil pans to personalize i.e. 2”x 4”, etc. Optionally sprinkle with green and red sugar sprinkles or M&M’s  Wrap in clear or Holliday colored plastic wrap and seal with a Red or Green Bow, etc.  Attach a card or tag, and your set to go. Some basic helpful tools you should have when making candy products: A candy thermometer for temperature control an essential key to making fudge correctly.  if you are new to candy making this will ensure your chances for success in making a smooth textured fudge.  If your fudge fails to reach the desired temperature the sugar will crystallize and the fudge will be gritty.  Thermometers are inexpensive and will make the purchase worth it.  Use a heavy pan to cook the fudge, an iron skillet works great. The heavy iron holds the heat and ensures a nice even heat.  Don’t use aluminum or even a stainless steel that does not have a heavy bottom.  A stainless steel saucepan with a heavy layered aluminum bottom will work also.   A wooden spoon works best for stirring while it boils. Stir constantly until it is removed from stove.  Be sure to the fudge over a low to medium-low flame, or as the recipe calls for depending on the type of fudge you are making.

  For those who would like visual instructions to see fudge making in action just click on the ‘YouTube’ video below:
  
  Fudge making video
  
  

  
  
  

   

   

  Copyright © AngeloBiondo.com™ (2009) 

   

  All contents are the sole property of AngeloBiondo.com.   AngeloBiondo.com reserves the right to change, modify or delete articles and recipes without notice.  The readers of AngeloBiondo.com are allowed to download, print and share material contained herein without pre authorization, so long as the material is not sold copied, modified or changed in any way, The material contained herein, may not under no condition be used for profit and/or personal gain. All shared copies must contain this notice and the copyright© must be included.  AngeloBiondo.com™ is the trademark of AngeloBiondo.com™ and cannot be copied, reproduced or used without the explicit written consent of AngeloBiondo.com™

   

   

   

  ]]> http://angelobiondo.com/?feed=rss2&p=251 0 http://angelobiondo.com/?p=234 http://angelobiondo.com/?p=234#comments Fri, 25 Sep 2009 23:38:55 +0000 angelo http://angelobiondo.com/?p=234 By: Angelo Biondo

   

  Growing up as a kid, times were tough – the effects of the Great Depression left many scares and we were in the middle of World War II, food, gas, tires and a whole lot of necessities of life were rationed and people made do with what they had or improvised.  Victory Gardens were popular supplying hard to get expensive fresh vegetable allowing the hard working patriots a meal as close to gourmet as they can get.

  
  

   

  Calamari, (squid), a favorite among Italians and Orientals at that time was scoffed by other nationalities and very cheap to buy.  Back then, the markets were almost giving it away.  Today the tides have turned. Calamari has become a popular appetizer in almost any restaurant from the local family restaurant to five star gourmet restaurants.  Naturally, the cost has been affected as well.  

   

  I was recently asked if I had any calamari recipes and came up with a few that should satisfy the taste of most people, starting with the most popular appetizer variety on the menu of many restaurants today.

   

  Since the cleaning is essential to all recipes, I’ll explain that process first.  You may be able to find fresh calamari at your local fish market or fresh seafood department of your local super markets, however you are more likely to find it in the frozen food section.  Since the cleaning process is such a hassle most store now carry the flash frozen cleaned and sliced variety. 

   

  Being kind of fussy I like to know my diner has been processed properly, especially if that item is going to be stuffed.  I prefer to clean these foods myself, and calamari is one of them – a process I must say is not for the squeamish.  If you find a place to purchase fresh calamari consider yourself fortunate.  However you are more likely to find the frozen variety.  If you do buy fresh all you need do is take it home and follow the directions below.  If you are using the frozen variety let them first thaw out thoroughly in the refrigerator over night.

   

  Calamari come frozen in several varieties:

  • Whole – Complete with the heads and innards intact.
  • Whole – Cleaned, with the tentacles and tubular body separated 
  • Sliced – The tubular body portion is sliced into thin rings, with tentacles separate 
  • Sliced – The tubular body sliced into rings sans the tentacles 

  In our recipes we are interested in only the top two afore mentioned with the first selection being the most preferable.

   

  To clean the fresh calamari:

  1.    Separate the tentacles from the body by severing the tentacles just below the eye section, leaving that portion with just the tentacles.

  2.    Turn the tentacle section over exposing the hard beak and remove same by pressing gently from behind and pulling the beak off. (set aside)

  3.    Remove the fins and spotted membrane covering the tubular body. Save the fins

  4.    Remove the interior cartilaginous skeleton by inserting your fore finger or small spoon in to the tubular body and removing the innards, making sure to remove everything from inside and rinse out the inside under running cold water .  If you are gentle enough you can invert (turn inside out) the body and rinse thoroughly under cold running water   Be careful not to split the body

  5.    Repeat this process for each of the calamari, placing them in a bowl of ice as they are cleaned.

   

  When served as an appetizer, calamari can be served with a garnish or dip of many varieties.  I like to serve them right from the frying pan, with a sprinkle of fresh lemon juice. Or serve them with a nice Jalapeno cheese dip. 

   

  Jalapeno are an extremely hot pepper, but you can control the heat factor.  You should wear rubber gloves when handling and preparing hot peppers, the acid in the seed sac or membrane tends to burn tender skin or minor cuts. The hot spiciness of the pepper is contained in the seed sac and membrane of the pepper and depending on how well you clean out the seed sac and membrane determine the heat factor or spiciness when consumed.  Knowing this little tid-bit of trivia allows you to control just how hot you want your recipe to be.  If you are looking for flavor only then remove all the seeds and membrane, you will be surprised on how mild the pepper will taste.  Or if you don’t care to have any spiciness at all then substitute the Jalapenos with sweet banana peppers, etc.

   

  Roasted Jalapeno Cheese Dip

   

  Ingredients:

  4 to 6 fresh jalapeno peppers

  2 cloves garlic, minced
  1 cup mayonnaise (or Miracle Whip)

  ¼ C White sharp cheddar cheese, (cubed)

  ¼ C Chardonnay or juice from 1 lemon
  ¼ tsp sea salt (to taste)

  ¼ tsp black pepper (fresh ground – to taste)

   

  Directions: 

  • Preheat oven to 350^o F  
  • Place cleaned jalapeno peppers in a small pan and roast in over broiler for 10 to 15 minutes or until soft and slightly browned. 
  • Remove and let cool 
  • Place jalapeno peppers, garlic and cheese cubes into a food processor and puree until smooth. 
  • Add the mayonnaise or miracle whip, sea salt, black pepper, chardonnay or lemon juice. 
  • Blend until smooth, about 10 to 15 seconds.  
  • Sauce is ready to serve, but can be heated and served warm if desired. 

   

  Grandma DeGeorge’s fried calamari recipe:

   

  Ingredients:

  2 lbs fresh calamari (squid)

  1 C all-purpose flour

  ¼ tsp salt (to taste)

  ¼ tsp black pepper (freshly ground)

  4 cloves of garlic – (minced) or

  ½ tsp garlic powder (alternate)

  ¾ C olive oil (cooking variety is fine)

  2 lemons – (fresh, cut into slices) and/or

  Jalapeno cheese dip

   

  Directions: 

  • Slice the tubular bodies of the calamari into rings ¼” to ¾” sections,  I prefer the thicker sections as it seems to enhance the flavor. 
  • Set the calamari rings and the tentacles into separate containers over ice and set aside. 
  • In a large zip-lock baggie, mix the flour, garlic, salt and pepper and set aside. An improvement from my grand-mothers time when she had to use a brown paper bag. 
  • Pour the ¾ C olive oil into a large skillet and heat over a medium flame 
  • Strain and dry the calamari rings and place a handful into the flour mixture.  Shake well until all rings are fully coated.  
  • Empty contents of zip-lock bag into a colander and shake out excess flour over a dish, leaving the flour coated calamari rings. 
  • Dump flour mixture back into zip-lock bag 
  • Fry calamari rings turning often until they are a golden brown 
  • While frying rings, line a baking pan with paper towels and pre-heat oven to its lowest warming temperature. 
  • Remove the browned rings from frying pan an place in paper towel lined baking pan, place in oven to keep warm until the frying process is completed. 
  • Repeat the flour coating and frying process until all the calamari rings are fried, then repeat the process for the tentacles. 
  • Serve with your favorite dip, lemon garnish or try the Jalapeno dip recipe included in this article.

  Another method to serve calamari is stuffed.  When serving stuffed calamari as a main entree, a larger variety is usually desired and is often mistaken by another species of squid, the cuttlefish.  Cuttlefish are larger by nature with a wider body and shorter tentacles.  They have a white elongated oval shaped bone instead of the clear cellophane like membrane of the calamari.  This white bone is used commercially for a variety of applications we won’t get into here.  The stocky wider body of the cuttlefish makes it ideal to use with stuffed calamari recipes and makes it an ideal alternative.

   

   

  The Cuttlefish: Cuttlefish common name applied to cephalopod mollusks that have 10 tentacles, or arms, 8 of which have muscular suction cups on their inner surface and 2 that are longer and can shoot out for grasping prey, and a reduced internal shell embedded in the enveloping mantle. The body is short, broad, and flattened. Cuttlefish are carnivorous and excellent at capturing prey with their arms.squids , but like the squids cuttlefish have lateral fins used as stabilizers and for steering and propulsion. They swim by jet propulsion, forcibly expelling water through a siphon. During the day they lie buried in the bottom of the ocean; at night they swim and hunt for food.

  Although good swimmers, they are not as fast as the related

  Except for the squid genus Loligo, cuttlefish have the best cephalopod eyes, which are highly complex. When disturbed, cuttlefish eject a cloud of dark brown ink from an ink sac for protection. The ink gland and ink sac are specializations of the rectal gland. The ink is composed mostly of melanin. All cuttlefish are dioecious, i.e., the sexes are separate.^[1]

   

  The Squid or Calamari: The common squid is a carnivorous mollusk belonging to the same class as the nautilus, cuttlefish, and octopus.  The squid has a large head and a relatively large brain. Its body, stiffened by an interior cartilaginous skeleton, is spherical or cigar-shaped, with two lateral fins. Around the mouth are eight sucker-bearing arms and two contractile tentacles with spatulate tips; on the latter are four rows of suction cups encircled by rings of chitinous (horny) hooks. The contractile tentacles, longer than the rest, are used to seize the prey and pass it to the shorter arms, which hold it to be torn by strong jaws shaped like a parrot’s beak. Squid can swim faster than any other invertebrate by rapidly expelling water from the mantle cavity through the ³funnel,² which can be turned to direct movement. Many deep-sea squid are bioluminescent. They shoot out a cloud of dark ink when pursued; one genus secretes luminescent ink. 

  In the male squid, one smaller arm is modified for the purpose of planting a packet of sperm (a spermatophore) in the female’s oviduct. In some squid, such as the common squid of the east North Atlantic coast, the sperm can also be deposited in a vesicle below the female’s mouth; the spermatophore, already opened by the male, releases the sperm as the eggs are produced. The females fasten their eggs to seaweed or to the ocean bottom by a viscous filament. The eggs of deep-water squid are free-floating. 

  Squid species vary greatly in size. The common squid of the east North Atlantic coast is 30 to 45 cm (12 to 18 in) long, and the giant squid, at least 18 m (60 ft) long, is the largest aquatic invertebrate. It lives at depths of 300 to 600 m (985 to 1970 ft), where it is the prey of sperm whales. Scientific classification: Squid belong to the order Teuthoidea of the class Cephalopoda. Squid that secrete luminescent ink are classified in the genus Heteroteuthis of the family Sepiolidae. The common squid of the east North Atlantic coast belongs to the family Loliginidae and is classified as Loligo vulgaris. The giant squid is classified in the genus Architeuthis of the family Architeuthidae.^[2] 

   

  So now that we know the difference, here are a couple of good “Stuffed Calamari” recipes I think you will find to your liking – enjoy!

   

  I grew up in the years following the Great Depression and WWII.  Times were tough and rationing was still in place.  People had victory gardens to supplement their food supply and everyone was looking for bargains.  My Grandmother was no exception and calamari was cheap.  She used to cook calamari in a variety of ways, and one of my favorites was stuffed, cooked in a tomato base and served over linguine.  As I have stated before, she never used a written recipe, she came from the “Little of this and a little of that” school, so once again I’ve done my best to put numbers to the recipe.

   

   

  Stuffed Calamari

  This recipe calls for fairly large calamari or cuttlefish about 6” to 8” inch tube section.  It can be used as a main entre or served over pasta (linguine) with a nice loaf of hot garlic bread coupled with a nice Caesar salad or anti-pasta.

   

  Ingredients

  8 – 10 large squid (calamari or cuttlefish)

  1 pound Ricotta cheese

  2 cloves garlic, minced

  ¼ cup grated Romano Pecorino, or Parmesan cheese

  1 egg

  ¼ C finely chopped fresh parsley

  ¼  tsp salt (to taste)

  ¼ tsp black pepper (freshly ground – to taste)

  ¼ tsp oregano (Pinch)

  ¼ C all-purpose flour

  ½ C Chardonnay (or good white wine)*

  2 cans (28-ounce) crushed tomatoes

  ¾ C olive oil (for frying)

   

  Directions: 

  • Remove tentacles, fins and spotted membrane from body of squid. 
  • Clean out the tubular body of squid.  
  • Remove eyes and beak from tentacle part of squid. 
  • Boil tentacles and fins for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and let cool 
  • Chop tentacles and fins finely to mix with stuffing.  
  • In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta, egg, cheese, parsley, chopped tentacles and fins, salt and pepper.  
  • Stuff squid with cheese mixture closing each end with a toothpick.  
  • After stuffed, dredge in flour. 
  • Heat the oil in large pan and sauté squid until brown on all sides.  
  • Remove from pan. 
  • Drain oil from pan, add garlic and Chardonnay 
  • Bring mixture to a boil, and turn heat down and let simmer until volume is reduced to half.   
  • Add tomatoes, salt pepper, and oregano, bring to a boil and cook for 10 more minutes. 
  • Place squid In roasting pan cover with the tomatoes and cover pan with foil, 
  • Bake in a preheated 350^o F oven for 20 minutes.  
  • Remove from oven, sprinkle with parmesan and serve.  

   

  Grandma DeGeorge’s Stuffed Calamari

   

  Ingredients

  8 – 10 large squid (calamari or cuttlefish)

  4 Tbsp olive oil

  ½ C Italian bread crumbs

  ½ C All-purpose flour (for dredging)

  ½ C olive oil (for cooking)

  4 cloves garlic, (fresh minced)

  1 Tsp fresh oregano, crumbled

  1 Tbsp parsley, (fresh minced)

  ¼ tsp salt (to taste)

  ¼ tsp black pepper, (freshly ground)

  ¼ C Pecorino-Romano cheese, (freshly grated)

  2 C of your favorite tomato sauce

  1 lb linguine

  (If you need a tomato sauce recipe I’ve included one at the end of this article)

   

  Directions:

  • Remove the tentacles and fins and set aside. 
  • Clean the body of the squid and remove the spotted membrane covering the body. 
  • In a bowl mix the bread crumbs, garlic, 2 Tbs olive oil, oregano, parsley, salt, and pepper.  
  • Gently stuff the squid with the bread crumbs, (don’t over fill). 
  • Close the end by gently weaving a toothpick, metal squewer threw or sewing the opening shut  (This recipe does not use a binder ie: egg, etc. in the filling and will fall out if not careful) 
  • Keep any leftover bread crumbs.  
  • Roll (dredge) stuffed calamari in flour and place to side (remove all excess flour) 
  • Add the ½ C olive oil to a skillet large enough to hold all calamari and heat.  
  • Brown calamari on all side and then; 
  • Gently transfer the stuffed calamari to a sauce pan to finish cooking. 
  • Place sauce pan containing calamari over a medium heat. 
  • Pour the tomato sauce over the calamari and bring to a boil. 
  • Reduce heat and let simmer in covered sauce pan over a low heat for 30 minutes  
  • Be careful to not stir the calamari too much so as not to disturb the filling anymore than necessary 
  • Turn the heat to low and gently stir in any remaining breadcrumbs.  
  • Remove from the heat and sprinkle with the Pecorino-Romano cheese. 
  • Serve over a bed of linguine

  Serves 4 

   

   

  Grandma DeGeorge’s Broiled Stuffed Cuttlefish or Calamari
  
  4 large whole Cuttlefish
  4 cloves garlic (minced)
  ½ C onions (finely chopped)
  ½ C Pecorino-Romano cheese, (freshly grated)

  1 green pepper, (roasted and diced)l
  ½ C Italian bread crumbs
  ¼ tsp Sea Salt (to taste)

  ¼ tsp black pepper (freshly ground)
  2 tbsp olive oil (for cooking)

   

  Directions: 

  • Sauté the onions and garlic in the 2 tbsp of olive oil using a small skillet until soft and translucent.  
  • Season with salt and pepper and set aside to cool.  
  • In a medium size bowl, combine cheese, roasted pepper, and bread crumbs.  
  • Mix in the onion and garlic.  
  • Stuff each of the cuttlefish or calamari with the filling until nice and plump   
  • Close the open end with a toothpick or metal skewer (a clean 3” 6 penny nail works great) 
  • Baste each the cuttlefish or calamari with a little of the oil used to sauté the onions to prevent from sticking while broiling. 
  • Broil each tube for 2-3 minutes on each side, 
  • Cut each tube into 4 or 5 nice pieces using a French or angle cut.
  • Using the Jalapeno sauce included above or your favorite dipping sauce, spoon a generous amount over the top and serve..

   

  Stuffed Calamari and Linguine

   

  Ingredients:

  2 pounds calamari (fresh or frozen and cleaned)

  2 cans tomatoes (28 oz crushed + 1 can of water) 

  4 cloves of garlic (chopped)

  ¼ tsp sea salt (to taste)

  ¼ tsp black pepper (fresh ground – to taste)

  ½ C Pecorino-Romano or Parmesan cheese (freshly grated of your choice

  2 tsp Old Bay seasoning  

  Stuffing Ingredients

  4 C Italian bread crumbs

  ¹/₈ C fresh parsley (chopped)

  ¼ C of grated cheese

  Salt and pepper to taste

  Oil (enough to moisten mixture)

  1 clove garlic (minced)  

  1 C milk

  Buy cheap Cialis class=”MsoNoSpacing” style=”margin: 0in 0in 0pt;”>1 egg

   

  Instructions:  

  • After removing the tentacles and cleaning the calamari 
  • Remove the fins and spotted membrane covering the calamari setting the fins aside, 
  • Prepare your tomato sauce and allow to simmer while you finsh preparing the stuffing  
  • In a large bowl, combine 4 C Italian bread crumbs, 1 clove minced garlic, 1 cup of milk, and 1 egg. 
  • Add the cheese of your choice and the chopped tentacles and fins.  
  • Mix thoroughly until a thick moist mixture emerges. (add more milk if necessary). 
  • Fill each of the calamari being careful not to over stuff.  
  • Place each of the stuffed calamari in a lightly oiled casserole, layering if necessary. 
  • Spray or drizzle the stuffed calamari with olive oil. 
  • Sprinkle with the grated cheese of choice and cover calamari with the tomato sauce, covering the entirely. 
  • Cover casserole with foil and or lid and place in oven pre-heated to 450^o F. 
  • Bake casserole for 1 hour or until calamari pierce easily with a fork 
  • Remove from oven.  Can be served as a main entree, or over linguine.  

   

  Basic Spaghetti Sauce Recipe

   

  Ingredients

  ½ C onion, (chopped)

  2-4 cloves garlic, (to taste – minced)

  2 Tbsp olive oil

  15 oz can tomato puree (+ 1 can of water)

  1 large can whole tomatoes, (un-drained & crushed – optional)

  6 oz can tomato paste (+ 3 cans of water)

  1 large bay leaf

  ½ tsp basil

  ¼ tsp oregano (crushed)

  2 Tbsp Parmesan or Pecorino-Romano cheese, (freshly grated)

  1 tsp sea salt (to taste)

  ¼ tsp black pepper (freshly ground)

   

  Directions: 

  • Add 2 tbsp of olive oil to a large sauce pan and sauté chopped onions and garlic until translucent 
  • Add tomato puree, and paste plus the water. 
  • Add the crushed tomatoes, bay leaf, oregano, cheese, salt and pepper and stir thoroughly 
  • Bring to a boil over a medium-high heat. 
  • Reduce heat to medium-low and let simmer until reduced in volume by 1/3. 
  • Sauce is ready to use with your favorite pasta or recipe.  

   

  Copyright © AngeloBiondo.com™ (2009) 

   

  All contents are the sole property of AngeloBiondo.com.   AngeloBiondo.com reserves the right to change, modify or delete articles and recipes without notice.  The readers of AngeloBiondo.com are allowed to download, print and share material contained herein without pre authorization, so long as the material is not sold copied, modified or changed in any way, The material contained herein, may not under no condition be used for profit and/or personal gain. All shared copies must contain this notice and the copyright© must be included.  AngeloBiondo.com™ is the trademark of AngeloBiondo.com™ and cannot be copied, reproduced or used without the explicit written consent of AngeloBiondo.com™

  ]]> http://angelobiondo.com/?feed=rss2&p=234 1 http://angelobiondo.com/?p=220 http://angelobiondo.com/?p=220#comments Tue, 11 Aug 2009 17:09:00 +0000 angelo http://angelobiondo.com/?p=220 By: Angelo Biondo

  Last month I posted the original winning recipe in the Toronto Star and Anne’s Improved Rotisserie Chicken Sauce. I made both recipes following the instructions for each to the letter. I thought both were excellent and received many complements on both of them.

  However, neither of them was exactly what I was looking for. I still craved for that flavor found only in Swiss Chalet’s Rotisserie BBQ sauce. Using a combination of both recipes and adlibbing along the way, I discovered what I believe to be an acceptable replacement – or at the very least a great substitute for Swiss Chalet’s featured sauce. It is also the version which everyone seems to like best. My 7 yr. old grand-daughter Taylor calls it Amazing Sauce so good she can drink it, and so the name:
  Amazing Rotisserie BBQ Sauce:
  

  
  
  Ingredients:                                                         
  3 C. water
  4 chicken bouillon cubes                                                         
  ¼ C. Tomato Juice
  1/8 C Worcestershire
  1 ½ tsp paprika
  1 tsp granulated raw sugar (brown)
  ¾ tsp basil, (dried)
  ¼ tsp salt (optional to taste)
  (cubes should provide enough)
  ½ tsp Thyme, (dried)
  ½ tsp Oregano, (dried)
  1 tsp poultry seasoning
  1 tsp parsley, (dried)
  ½ tsp dry mustard
  ¼ tsp Ground Ginger
  ¼ tsp onion powder
  2+ Bay leafs, (dried)
  4 – 6 drops Tabasco Sauce

  Directions: (pretty much cut and dry) 

  • Mix all of the liquids together in a suitable sauce pan and place on medium to low burner.
  • Add the dry ingredients and bring to a boil 
  • Mix about 1 tbsp cornstarch to water, mix well and pour into sauce while stirring. If necessary add additional cornstarchmixture to thicken to taste.

  Bonus Recipe:

  Note: As always when handling fresh meat, read and use the safe handling instructions on the packaging. Those instructions are there by law and for your protection. With the many food recalls of late due to salmonella contamination, its wise to be careful.

  A little trick I use to aid in sealing in the flavor and juices when cooking outdoors on the grill. I make a chicken rub or marinade to prep the chicken pieces for the grill, consisting of: 

  • ½ C Olive oil 
  • 6 – 8 cloves of fresh garlic 
  • 1 tbsp Poultry seasoning 
  • ½ tsp salt 
  • ½ tsp pepper, (optional)

  Directions:
  Mix online pharmacy all ingredients in a blender and blend for 15 to 20 seconds or until garlic is liquefied. 

  • Brush the mixture on each piece of chicken thoroughly with a pastry brush before placing on grill. 
  • Cook for 1 minute on each side to seer and seal in the juices at high heat 
  • Reduce flame to medium heat and baste chicken with the Rotisserie Chicken BBQ sauce 
  • Turn several times while cooking, basting chicken with each turn 
  • Cook for 20 to 30 minutes or until done. Chicken is cooked when you can insert a knife in the thickest part of the meat and the fluids come out clear. Or if not sure, cut open and make sure you see no pink.

  Serve chicken with a side cup of heated Amazing Rotisserie BBQ Chicken Sauce for dipping.

  Enjoy!

  Copyright © AngeloBiondo.com™ (2009)

  All contents are the sole property of AngeloBiondo.com. AngeloBiondo.com reserves the right to change, modify or delete articles and recipes without notice. The readers of AngeloBiondo.com are allowed to download, print and share material contained herein without pre authorization, so long as the material is not sold copied, modified or changed in any way, The material contained herein, may not under no condition be used for profit and/or personal gain. All shared copies must contain this notice and the copyright© must be included. AngeloBiondo.com™ is the trademark of AngeloBiondo.com™ and cannot be copied, reproduced or used without the explicit written consent of AngeloBiondo.com™

  ]]> http://angelobiondo.com/?feed=rss2&p=220 1 http://angelobiondo.com/?p=212 http://angelobiondo.com/?p=212#comments Sat, 20 Jun 2009 17:37:34 +0000 angelo http://angelobiondo.com/?p=212 By: Angelo Biondo

  Living in western New York we’re fortunate to border Canada, home of the Swiss Chalet Restaurant based chain.  The Swiss Chalet chicken restaurant chain is a Canadian based company with restaurants throughout Canada and northern parts of the United States. We are glad to have a couple in our area and frequent them often.  We thoroughly enjoy their rotisserie chicken served with their own very popular BBQ sauce.  Of course they are not about to share that recipe with the world, but many have tried to emulate it.  If you never had their specialty chicken, you don’t know what you’re missing.

  
  

   

  If you have a rotisserie attachment for you outside grill, you might want to try one of the Swiss Chalet “look Cialis alike” recipes listed below – and even if you don’t have the rotisserie attachment, using the sauce as a marinating and cooking on the grill will prove to be a real treat.

   

  “The recipe listed on left of the table below originally appeared in the Toronto Star many years ago as a result of a contest to create a sauce similar to Swiss Chalet’s rotisserie barbecue sauce. Home economist Kay Spicer created the winning recipe.”  

  Original Recipe Printed in the Toronto Star   3 C. water ¼ C. tomato juice 1 chicken bouillon cube 1 ½ tsp paprika 1 tsp granulated sugar ¾  tsp salt ¼  tsp. basil, dried ¼  tsp. parsley ¼  tsp poultry seasoning ¼  tsp thyme, dried ¼  tsp ginger, ground ¼  tsp dry mustard ¼  tsp onion powder 1 bay leaf ¾  tsp Worcestershire  6 drops Tabasco sauce 2 tsp lemon juice 1 tbsp cornstarch 1 tbsp water 1 tbsp vegetable oil

  Anne’s Improved Recipe   3 C chicken stock ¼ C tomato juice 1/8 cup Worcestershire 1 tsp paprika 1 ½ tsp thyme 1 ½ tsp ground ginger ½ tsp dry mustard ½ tsp oregano ½ tsp poultry seasoning 1 tsp parsley 1 tsp sugar 4 drops Tabasco simmer for 5 – 10 minutes 1 bay leaf add ½ tsp lemon juice mix 1 tsp of cornstarch with a little water ,add the mixture to thicken

   

  Anne’s note: This sauce is brushed on the chicken before cooking and served at the table in small containers to dip the chicken pieces in.  Anne says she tried the posted winning entry recipe and didn’t like it, so it became her mission to perfect it.  And she proudly states she thinks she did so with her improved version (listed on the right side of the above table.” 

   

  Note the similarity with only slight variations in the recipes.  Though both are good, you would have to be familiar with the original Swiss Chalet recipe to accurately judge which you feel is closest in flavor.  Though I feel the later may have a slight edge, the winning entry is definitely a winner.  I can’t quite put my finger on what makes one preferable over the other, you may have to try them both.  So you’ll have to be the final judge to decide which one your taste buds prefer.

   

  Directions: (for winning entry) 

  • Pour 3 cups of water and tomato juice into 1 1/2 qt saucepan. 
  •  Add bouillon cube, paprika, sugar, salt, basil, parsley, poultry seasoning, thyme, ginger, mustard, onion powder, bay leaf, Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco. 
  • Stir well or whisk to mix. 
  • Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. 
  • Remove bay leaf. 
  • Stir in lemon juice. 
  • Mix cornstarch and 1 Tbsp water to smooth paste. 
  •  Add to mixture and cook, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes until sauce thickens. 
  • Whisk in oil.

  Makes about 3 cups 

   

  Note: The directions are pretty much cut and dry and may also be used for Anne’s recipe.

   

  You can also buy the sauce from the Swiss Chalet if you are near a location, there is nothing like the real thing.

   

  Our Thanks to The Toronto Star and Anne for making these available.

  to The Toronto Star and Anne for making these available.
  

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