Gadgets: The best peelers & whisks I have ever used are from Pampered Chef. They have a variety of peelers for different uses and the stainless steel whisks are strong and unbending. Check them out on Amazon –  pampered chef kitchen tools

Sicilian Fig Cookies Ingredients:

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 TSP baking powder
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 X·large egg
1 TSP vanilla
1/4 CUP milk
1/2 cup dried figs, soaked in water, water drained off when ready to use
1/2 cup dried dates, pitted & chopped
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup honey
1/2 TSP cinnamon
1/4 cup orange marmalade
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1 large egg white beaten with 1 tablespoon water for egg wash
Colored non parell sprinkles
Parchment paper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375. Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt & sugar, set aside. Mix together the egg, milk, butter and vanilla, set aside. Mince up (food processor works best) the dried fruit, honey. cinnamon, marmalade & almonds until finely chopped, set aside. The fruit mixture will be thick. Beat the butter and add the flour mixture until smooth. Tum the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead a few times. Shape into a ball and cut In four pieces. Work with one piece at a time leaving the others covered with plastic wrap. Roll the dough out to about 12 x 4. Cut oblong pieces about 3 inches long by 2 inches wide, you can make larger cookies if you wish or other shapes. Place about a tablespoon (add more If you make larger cookies) of fruit mixture on the end and roll and pinch the seam. On a parchment paper lined cookie sheet place seam side down and pinch the ends and curve it into a crescent. Make 3 small cuts with a knife on the bent side of the crescent. Brush with the egg wash and sprinkle with non parells.
Bake at 375 for about 17 mins until lightly brown. Makes about 35-40 cookies depending on how big you make them.

My Aunt Chris made Paglia e Fieno for us many years ago.  The name means “Hay and Straw in Italian. The original recipe was from a great Italian cook, Marcella Hazen.

Recipe Ingredients:
12oz fettuccini, mixed yellow & spinach is preferred
1 cup heavy cream
5 TBLS unsalted butter
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
1 egg yolk
5oz pancetta, diced
12oz mushrooms, chopped, any kind
2 TBLS shallot, minced
1/2 TSP salt
Pepper to taste
Dash of nutmeg

Recipe Directions:
Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Melt butter in pan (big enough to hold all ingredients) and add shallots. Cook for a few mins until they are soft. Add the chopped mushrooms bring them to a simmer on med-high then reduce temp to med & add the salt. The juices will dry and then add the pancetta and cook 5 mins or so and then add half the cream.
Simmer a few mins until all is hot. Add the egg yolk to the remaining cream and stir to blend and add it into the pan along with the cheese, nutmeg & pepper to taste. Make sure the pasta is ready and pour over & toss & serve immediately.

These Pignoli Cookies are a very old Italian favorite. They have no flour so they are gluten free.

Recipe Ingredients:

2 x 8oz Almond paste (Solo brand is what most supermarkets carry)
3 X-Lrg egg whites
1/2 Cup Confectioners sugar
1 TSP baking powder
8oz raw Pignoli (Pine Nuts)
Parchment paper

Recipe Directions:
All ingredients should be at room temperature.
Blend all ingredients together except for nuts.
The dough will be very sticky. Drop dough by level tablespoons full into nuts and place nut side up onto parchment paper lined cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 for 18-20 mins until very lightly brown.

What to do with cheese rinds:A cheese rind can give great flavor to a soup or a sauce that would compliment each others taste. Just wrap the rind in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer bag for later use.

(This is the website admin, not Liz)

I know its a bit intimidating to see that our comment section requires your email, but don’t worry. It does not post in your comments. It wont be there for the spammers to grab. We require it so we don’t get spammed on the blog. So if you have a comment or question for Liz about one of her postings – please feel free to comment and ask!

Vanilla Is not just Vanilla: Did you know not all vanillas are the same and some are better used in hot or cold items. Check out the largest vanilla producer, “NielsenMassey.com”. They have a full explanation of what types of vanilla are best used in certain recipes. Also you can get Nielsen Massey on Amazon

Recipe Ingredients:

1 prepared 8″ x 1″ deep pie shell, uncooked. (NOT any deeper or you won’t have enough filling)
1 ¾ cups raw pecan pieces or whole pecans (Lizzie prefers whole)
4 eggs beaten
½ cup sugar
½ cup light brown sugar
¼ cup 100 percent Pure Cane Syrup (upscale markets carry this)
¼ cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I prefer vanilla paste)

pinch of salt
½ stick butter, softened
1 tablespoon flour

Recipe Directions:

Preheat oven to 370 degrees. Spread the pecans evenly on the bottom of the pie shell. In a mixing bowl whisk the eggs, sugar, brown sugar, cane syrup, vanilla, salt, butter,and flour together. MIX WELL. Pour the mixture over the pecans. Bake for 40 minutes OR UNTIL the filling sets. (Sets means the pie filling puffs up in the center) Remove the pie from the oven and ALLOW TO COOL for 30 minutes before slicing.

It pays to buy the better grade crab meat in the refrigerated area for this Maryland Style Crab cakes recipe.

Recipe Ingredients:

13-16oz Back fin or lump crab meat
1 X-Lrg egg, slightly beaten
2 Heaping tablespoons mayo
1 Teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 Teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
Dash of Tabasco
1 Tablespoon minced parsley
Salt & pepper to taste
6-8 crushed crackers

Recipe Directions:
Stir together all ingredients except crab.  Then gently add crab meat, and fold into mixture.

Pat into patties & refrigerate for 1 hr. Fry until golden brown or spray/brush with oil and bake on parchment paper at 375 for 20 mins.
If you like the taste of Old Bay Seasoning you can dust the tops with it too.

Variations:
Add chopped green or red pepper
Add chopped sauteed shallot or onion
Add chopped chives or green onion

My Favorite Vinegars

Some of the best balsamic vinegars I’ve had come from Isabella’s. They are aged and not sweetened with sugars. They have a variety of flavors and sizes. Great for salads, marinades and sauces. They also offer olive oils too. Two locations in NC; Huntersville and Mooresville, but you can order online too.

Check them out at : http://www.isabellasoliveoil.com

Recipe Ingredients:
4 cups raw broccoli florets, cut very small
1 cup grapes, halved or raisins
1/2 cup minced celery
¼ cup minced red onion
4 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
1/4 cup light mayo
1/2 cup non fat plain Greek yogurt
1 to 2 tablespoons sugar, Stevia or Splenda
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Recipe Directions:
Mix together the first five ingredients. Combine mayo, yogurt, sugar & vinegar and pour over the broccoli mix.

Recipe Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 x-lrg egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups unbleached flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso coffee powder
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Recipe Directions for the Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Cream the butter with the sugars using an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy (approximately 1 min)
Beat in the egg and the vanilla extract for another 30 seconds.
In a mixing bowl, sift together the dry ingredients and beat into the butter mixture at low speed for about 15 seconds. Stir in the espresso coffee powder and chocolate chips.
Using a 1 ounce scoop or a 2 tablespoon measure, drop cookie dough balls. Bake for about 20 minutes or until barely browned around the edges. Bake a little longer for a crispier cookie.

OR
spread into a lipped sheet pan and bake at 350 until slightly puffed and browned.  Let cool about 10 minutes and cut into squares.

Freeze the dough…
You can also make the cookie dough and roll it on waxed paper into a 2″ x 12″ log.  Wrap it in the waxed paper and then freezer wrap as pictured.

Freeze it. When you want to bake cookies just cut the dough into the slices you need. Place them on a parchment lined cookie pan. Allow them to defrost about 15 minutes and bake as directed.  Peanut Butter cookies also work will with freezing.

Recipe Ingredients:
8 oz chopped dates
2 1/2 cups unbleached flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1  1/2 cups boiling water
pinch of salt
1 cup sugar
1 TBL melted butter
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 egg
1/2 cup walnuts
1 tsp. Vanilla
Recipe Directions:
Remove boiling water from stove and add dates & baking soda, let soak. Mix all other wet ingredients. Add date mixture then dry ingredients. Add the walnuts last after mixing thoroughly. Bake 350 for 45 mins.

Recipe Ingredients:

4 CUPS FLOUR
1 ¼ CUPS SUGAR
1 ½ TEASPOONS BAKING POWDER
1 LBS UNSALTED BUTTER
2 EGGS
2 TEASPOONS VANILLA OR ALMOND EXTRACT
2 CANS OF FRUIT PIE FILLING

Recipe Directions:
PREHEAT OVEN 350.
GREASE 9X13 PAN OR MAKE IN LARGE MUFFIN CUPS OR PAPER BAKE WARE CUPS AS PICTURED ABOVE
MIX TOGETHER THE SUGAR AND BUTTER ADD THE EGGS AND VANILLA AND MIX. THEN ADD ALL INGREDIENTS BUT THE FRUIT. SHAPE THE DOUGH LIKE A MEATLOAF, CHILL THE DOUGH FOR 1-2 HOURS FOR EASY HANDLING. DIVIDE DOUGH IN HALF, CUT THIN SLICES WITH A KNIFE AND PRESS INTO PAN. TOP WITH FRUIT AND DOT THE TOP WITH REMAINING DOUGH TO COVER FRUIT COMPLETELY.
YOU CAN USE MORE THAN ONE TYPE OF FRUIT, MAKING PART BERRY, PEACH & APPLE OR WHATEVER YOU DESIRE.
BAKE FOR 1 HOUR -15 MINS FOR 9X13 PAN OR ABOUT 30 MINS FOR MUFFIN SIZE. LIGHTLY BROWN AND SLIGHTLY PUFFED.
COOL AND THEN DUST THE TOP WITH A COATING OF POWDERED SUGAR.

Part One:

Recipe Ingredients:
1 BOX CHOCOLATE – PEANUT BUTTER BROWNIE MIX (8X8 OR 9×9 SIZE)
2 X-LRG EGGS
2 TABLESPOONS WATER
1/3 CUP OIL
2 TEASPOONS VANILLA
1 ½ TEASPOONS ESPRESSO POWDER

Recipe Directions:
MIX AND PUT INTO A GREASED 8X8 OR 9X9 PAN.

Part Two:

Recipe Ingredients:
4OZ CREAM CHEESE
3 TABLESPOONS PEANUT BUTTER
1 TEASPOON VANILLA
4 TABLESPOONS SUGAR
1 EGG
1 TABLESPOON FLOUR
Recipe Directions:
MIX AND DOT THE TOP OF THE BROWNIE MIXTURE (part one) AND FOLD INTO BATTER.

TWO REESES KING CUP PEANUT BUTTER CUPS

CHOP THEM UP AND SPRINKLE ON THE TOP THE THE BATTER.

BAKE AT 325 FOR 45- 50 MINS UNTIL TOOTHPICK COMES OUT CLEAN.

This recipe is not as difficult as some may think. The tender crepes are just soft and creamy as can be.
A classic Italian holiday pasta.

Recipe Ingredients:
Shell:
4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
4 cups water
4 eggs
4 TBLS olive oil
30 wax paper squares
Shell Recipe Directions:
Blend together until smooth. Mixture will be a very thin crepe like batter.
In a very good non stick pan pour 1/4 cup of batter to form a crepe.

Let cook a few mins until just set but not brown and flip over for another minute. Place on plate with wax paper sheets in between the crepes. Repeat until batter is gone.

Filling Recipe Ingredients:
3LBS whole milk ricotta
3 X-Lrg eggs
2/3 cups grated Romano cheese
2/3 cup grated mozzarella cheese
pepper to taste
3 TBLS minced parsley
3-4 cups of tomato sauce, your own or store bought
Recipe Directions:
Blend together (all but the tomato sauce) and fill center of crepe with about 3 heaping tablespoons of cheese mixture.

Fold crepe rolling over the sides to curl around the cheese forming a tube like shape

At this point you can also freeze them, wrapped as pictured in wax paper. Just take out what you want to make and leave the rest frozen.

Place open side down in a roasting pan that has a coating of tomato sauce. Space a inch or so in between the manicotti as they expand when cooked. Once pan is filled, top with a thin layer of tomato sauce and cover with foil. Bake in a 350 oven for about 30-40 mins until the manicotti have puffed and expanded. Let set 10 mins before serving.

Makes about 30 manicotti

This Prime Rib roast recipe seems too easy to be true, but that’s it.
A beautiful impressive roast comes out of just these few steps.

Ingredients:
Prime Rib roast (about 4.5LBS), with or without ribs
3 large garlic cloves, cut into slivers
2 TBLS flour
1 TSP pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 500. Cut 10-15 slits in the meat and insert garlic slivers. Mix the flour & pepper and coat the roast. Place the meat in a roasting pan (rib side down, if you have ribs) otherwise fat side up. Roast for about 1 hour for rare-med rare and add another 12 mins for med. Turn the oven off and do not open the oven, leave the roast in the oven for another 1 hour. Take the roast out of the oven and let it sit for 15-20 mins before carving.
**you can use a meat thermometer if you wish. Just be sure the tip is not in fat or on the bone.

Recipe Ingredients:
Smoked Ham, any style, whole, half or spiral cut
1 can of ginger ale
Lrg can of pineapple rings
Small jar maraschino cherries
10 whole cloves

Recipe Directions:
Place the ham on its side in a large roasting pan (spirals go cut side down).
Score with a knife ( not spiral) in a tic-tac-toe pattern.
Place the cloves into the ham and pour the ginger ale over it. Place the pineapple rings around the ham and put a cherry in each ring whole secured with a toothpick. See the below glaze recipe. Glaze twice beginning at the half way point of roasting time.
Roast on 325 for 1-3 hours depending on the size of the ham and cut. See the package time recommendation.

Ham Glaze
Recipe Ingredients:
1/2LB light brown sugar
1 TSP cinnamon
1 TBLS mustard, dark is better
the juice from the pineapple rings
1/4 cup orange juice
1 TSP orange zest

Recipe Directions:
Place all ingredients in a sauce pan and heat until hot and blended. 10 minutes or so.

Baking or griddle items with Buttermilk:

Buttermilk tastes awful but is incredible for baking, pancakes or waffles. Substitute buttermilk for reg milk, ratio 1:1, When using the buttermilk substitution you should add a bit of baking soda. Recipes having baking soda won’t need any change. Otherwise add 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda for every 2 cups of FLOUR used.

A great recipe to bring to a party.  Can be assembled the night before and baked just before serving. Every time I make this I see someone scrapping the dish to get the last bit out!

Recipe Ingredients:

2 (6oz) cans chopped or minced clams with the juice
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
6 TBLS unsalted butter
1 sm. onion chopped
1/2 of a green or red pepper chopped
1 Tsp each; garlic powder (not salt), oregano, parsley, red pepper flakes
3/4 cup plain bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese + a little more for the top

Recipe Directions:

Sauté the onion & pepper in the butter until soft. Mix in all other ingredients and place in a baking dish. Top with a little cheese and bake 20 min on 350.  Serve warm.

Recipe Ingredients:

12oz fettuccini, mixed yellow & spinach is preferred
1 cup heavy cream
5 TBLS unsalted butter
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
1 egg yolk
5oz pancetta, diced (Italian unsmoked bacon)
12oz mushrooms, chopped, any kind
2 TBLS shallot, minced
1/2 TSP salt
Pepper to taste
Dash of nutmeg

Recipe Directions:

Cook the pasta according to the box instructions. Melt butter in pan (big enough to hold all ingredients) and add shallots. Cook for a few mins until they are soft. Add the chopped mushrooms bring them to a simmer on med-high then reduce temp to med & add the salt. The juices will dry and then add the pancetta and cook 5 mins or so and then add half the cream.
Simmer a few mins until all is hot. Add the egg yolk to the remaining cream and stir to blend and add it into the pan along with the cheese, nutmeg & pepper to taste. Make sure the pasta is ready and pour over & toss & serve immediately.

She crab soup INGREDIENTS:

2 TBLS BUTTER, UNSALTED
1 TBLS FLOUR
EQUAL PARTS MILK TO HEAVY CREAM (1QT)
3 TEASPOONS ONION PULP-JUICE (GRATED FINE WORKS WELL)
8oz – 16oz CRAB MEAT (BACKFIN OR JUMBO LUMP)
¼ TEASPOON PEPPER
FEW DASHES OF TABASCO
1 TEASPOON WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE
½ TEASPOON SALT
FEW DASHES OF PAPRIKA
4 – 6 TBLS DRY SHERRY
PARSLEY
Recipe DIRECTIONS:
IN A SAUCE PAN MELT THE BUTTER AND STIR IN THE FLOUR TO MAKE A RUE BUT DO NOT LET IT DARKEN. SLOWLY ADD THE MILK AND HEAT UNTIL SOME STEAM IS COMING OUT OF THE POT. ADD THE BALANCE OF THE INGREDIENTS EXCEPT THE SHERRY.
HEAT FOR 15-20 MINS.
SPOON INTO BOWLS AND ADD A TABLESPOON OR SO OF SHERRY TO EACH BOWL.

Recipe Ingredients:

1 ¼ cups flour
¼ cup wheat bran
¼ tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
dash nutmeg
1/3 cup canolia oil
¼ cup unsweet applesauce
1 tsp butter extract (optional)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup honey or sugar or maple syrup
2 lrg eggs
½ cup grated carrots (1 med)
½ cup grated zucchini (1 med)
½ cup white raisins
3 heaping tablespoons non fat greek yogurt

Recipe Directions:

Measure dry ingredients together. Mix wet ingredients and then add dry just until mixed. Over mixing will make tough muffins. Bake 350 for 20 mins or until toothpick test comes up dry

Recipe Ingredients:
• 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• Dash ground cinnamon
• Dash nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups half-and-half
• 8 slices day-old Cinnamon-raisin brioche French bread, crusts
removed and cut into 1/2 inch cubes (about 4 cups)
Recipe Directions:
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Grease a 6-cup (9 1/4 by 5 1/4 by 2 3/4-inch) loaf pan with
butter.
• Whisk together eggs, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla until very
smooth. Stir in half-and-half & bread. Let the mixture sit for 30
minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake until the pudding is
set in the center, about 55 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes.
• To serve, cut the pudding into 1-inch thick slices. Top with fresh
whipped heavy cream.

Recipe Ingredients:
4 cups unbleached all purpose flour + a little extra for currants
5 TBLS sugar
1 TSP baking soda
1 1/2 TSP kosher salt
4 TBLS (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cold and diced
1 3/4 cups cold whole buttermilk, shaken
1 X-large or jumbo egg, beaten
1 TSP grated orange zest
1 cup dried currants
1/2 TSP caraway seeds

Recipe Directions:
Preheat oven 375 & line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
Combine the all dry ingredients (not the currants).
Mix the butter into the dry ingredients.
Mix the currants with 1 TBLS of flour.
Combine all the wet ingredients. Then add the wet ingredients into the dry slowly. Add the currants. The mixture will be very wet.
Place the dough on a well floured surface and knead a few times. Either keep whole for one large loaf or cut dough in half for two loaves. Shape into a ball and cut 1/2 deep slice X on the top.
Bake 40-55 mins depending on the size loaf you choose or until a tester comes out clean .
Serve slightly warm or cool completely before wrapping.
Serve with butter or apple butter for an extra treat.