Fabulous Blueberry Buckle - A Tribute to my mom

My beautiful, precious mom passed away on July 13th, she took with her a piece of my heart that will never be replaced.  She taught me lots of things, she taught me to love life, embrace it, spread happiness, always be respectful and most of all the love of food and how important it is to prepare with passion.  We never sat at her table with just one dish.  We had courses, side dishes and beautifully presented dessert.  Mom never went half way, it was always all or nothing.  She loved to hear the compliments of her culinary masterpiece where she lovingly used her hands to bring ordinary ingredients to extraordinary.

     Mom at 17

She was a great mom

Are you digging those great hats?  Guess which holiday...

A wonderful mom-mom to my daughter

Her little doll

Loved and cherished her summers in Wildwood with her children and grandchildren

Summer lovin-had me a blast....

My wedding day

She was so proud and happy to gain another son

So blessed to have this photo,  5 generations!!!

Great grandmom Olivia
Grandmom Pauline
Mom
Me
My Alana
All first born and all were girls

Beautiful person inside and out

Always and forever in my heart, heaven gained a true angel!  RIP mom until we meet again!!
I love you!!!

My daughter got to know and love her.  Most of all, she got to be loved by her.  We cried together on the sofa, I promised Alana we will always keep her memory alive.  

My mom was everything to us, she was loving, caring, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, good and gentle.

She was perfect.

She was my mother.

I will love and miss her every day for the rest of my life and I thank God for every second I spent with her!

Here is one of the wonderful desserts she would make to end her delicious meal.  Believe me, you wanted to save room because her desserts were scrumptious!  This requires a 9 inch square baking pan, use  9  X 13 if you want to double it.  This recipe serves 4-6.

Moist, sweet with a crunchy topping!

Preheat the oven to 375

Ingredients:

1/4 Cup Butter - Softened

3/4 Cup Sugar

1 Egg

2 Cups All Purpose Flour

2 Tsp Baking Powder

1/4 Tsp Salt

1/2 Cup Milk

2 Cups Fresh or Frozen Blueberries

Topping:

1/4 Cup Sugar

1/4 Cup Brown Sugar

1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour

1/2 Tsp Ground Cinnamon

1/3 Cup Cold Butter - Cubed

1/4 Cup Chopped Pecans or Walnuts - (Optional)

Directions:

In a small bowl cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in egg.  Combine the flour, baking powder and salt.  Add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition.  Fold in blueberries.  Pour into greased 9 inch square baking pan.

For topping, in a small bowl, combine the sugars, flour and cinnamon.  Cut in butter until crumbly, add the chopped nuts and mix.  Sprinkle over blueberry mixture.  

Bake at 375 for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Cool a wire rack.

Yummy Broccoli Salad

Mom suggestion today is a summer salad perfect for 4th of July.

The flavors in this salad are perfect together.  I owe this recipe to my sister-in-law Lynn who prepares this all the time for our summer BBQ's.  I cannot get enough of it, it's that good!

I will say it's healthy too since it does have broccoli, who cares if it has bacon and mayo, that is where all the flavor comes from and you will still have the health benefits broccoli has to offer.

Be sure if you take this to a BBQ, keep it cold or if you have a food chiller plastic container that would be perfect.

Thank you Lynn for all the love and support you have given us during a very difficult time and also thanks for this great recipe!  It's sweet, it's salty, it's crunchy, it is perfectly delicious!!

2 Heads Broccoli, Broken up into bite size pieces
1 lb Bacon, Fried crispy and crumbled
2 Cups Mayo (Preferably Hellman's)
2 Tablespoons White or Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2 Cup Sugar
8 Ounce Bag Shredded Cheddar

Combine all the ingredients and refrigerate until ready to serve.  The longer it sits the better it will taste.

Sauteed Crab Cakes

I have been quite busy since my last post in October.

My mom who is suffering from Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma has been through so much during this time, including a stem cell transplant due to recurrence of her disease at the age of 72.   As many folks do, juggling work, home, my 9 year old daughter and caring for my mom, I was forced to give up something, so my blog took the hit.

Unfortunately, the transplant failed and we are back to square one.  The stress of this situation is overwhelming.  I am now sitting by my mom bedside as she's been in ICU for over 6 weeks with many different complications but she is one strong lady and a fighter is just too small of a word to describe her.

Against all odds she is still here fighting the BIG C!

She told me to keep up with my passion for food.  I pondered this and realized I have the perfect opportunity while sitting in her hospital room by adding posts to my blog.  I asked her to help me in which recipe I should do first, she thought a crab recipe would be fitting since it's July.  I totally agree!

Mom, this one is for you, the strength you have shown the past year has been nothing short of amazing and I am extremely proud to be your daughter, I love you so much!

I've experimented with many different crab cake recipes until I finally came up with this one. It's actually a recipe taken from many others to create what I think are perfect, delicious, tender cakes.  A lot of ingredients but very easy, the recipe will make 4 to 6 depending on the size you want or roll them into balls and deep fry for a great appetizer.

If you have a situation similar to mine, and the mere thought of mayonnaise coming close to your mouth instantly ruins your appetite as it does my dear husband, please feel free to substitute the mayo with buttermilk.   

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons Dry Bread Crumbs
1 Stalk Scallion, Chopped
1 1/2 Tablespoon Green Pepper, Finely Chopped
1 1/2 Tablespoon Red Pepper, Finely Chopped
1 Teaspoon Hot Pepper, Finely Chopped (Optional)
2 Cloves Garlic, Finely Chopped
2 Tablespoons Fresh Parsley, Finely Chopped

Mix Together in a bowl

In a separate larger bowl add:

1 lb of Jumbo Lump Crab meat
2 Tablespoons Mayo (Hellman's Preferably)
1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
1/2 Teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
2 Teaspoons Old Bay or To Taste (I like lots)
1 Egg White

Mix together

In a pie plate or wide dish with sides add more bread crumbs for coating.
2 Tablespoons of Butter for sauteing

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir well but being careful not to break up the beautiful lumps of crab meat.

Make patties to your desired size and pat the bread crumbs on both sides.

Sprinkle some bread crumbs onto a cookie sheet, place the cakes onto the sheet and into the refrigerator for about 1/2 hour.   It will give them time to set and also make it easier to fry.

Heat the 2 tablespoons of butter in a large frying on medium high heat until hot but be careful not to burn the butter, once it starts to sizzle add the cakes.  Cook for 5 to 8 minutes on each side or until golden brown, be very careful when flipping over so they don't fall apart.

Serve alone or with tarter and cocktail sauce.  These are also great in a sandwich or on top of a salad.

Delicious Oven Baked Sweet Potatoes

Tis the season for sweet potatoes, this is such an easy recipe, yet the results are amazing.  My grandparents always had sweet potatoes baking in the oven during the fall and winter months.  Anyone who came to visit them would smell the aroma at the front door than their nose would lead them to the wall oven where they were cooked and ready to eat.  We would grab a plate, search out the butter and gobble it down.  As the years went on, I would follow that tradition but I added a couple of other ingredients to go with the butter.  I promise your taste buds will be singing!

Ingredients:

Sweet Potatoes or Yams
Butter
Brown Sugar
Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350

Bake the potatoes for about an hour or until fork tender.

Slice them down the center but don't cut in half completely.

Add a slice of butter, teaspoon brown sugar, cinnamon to taste.

Serve alone for a snack or with your favorite comfort food.  Told you it was easy, you tell me how delicious!

Happy Birthday Uncle Eddie

This post is dedicated to Alana's Uncle Eddie, my brother-in-law!

Happy Birthday!  Love, Baby Doll

Eddie is married to my hubby's sister, Lynn, also Alana's Godmother.  He affectionately refers to my daughter as "baby doll".  She adores him.  I decided to dedicate this post to him and his favorite meal.

I asked him what is his favorite meal, he of course came back with something sarcastic, so I replied "stop it"!  I than asked again "what is your favorite meal"?  He replies, "why"?  I think to myself, dear lord up in heaven, all I want to do is give him a surprise birthday dedication and he won't give me a straight answer.  I than say, "just work with me here, I don't want to tell you yet".  He replies:  Veal Parmigiana!

Eddie and I have one great thing in common.....WINE!  As soon as I enter his home, he pulls out a bottle of nice red wine, removes the cork, and proceeds to pour me a glass.  I really like that about him!

Happiest of birthdays Eddie, hope it is great and I cannot wait to visit soon to toast to your day!

So excited he picked Veal Parmigiana, my hubby's favorite is Chicken Parmigiana.  You choose the meat, the rest remains the same.

Eddie's Birthday Dinner

Ingredients:

4 - Veal or Chicken Cutlet, Pounded Thin
2 Eggs
Milk
Seasoned Bread Crumbs
8 Slices Provolone Cheese
Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
Marinara Sauce (Recipe below)
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper, to taste
1 lb Pasta

Preheat oven to 300, proceed to make the sauce.

Marinara Sauce:

1 32 oz Can Whole Tomatoes, Mashed - preferably with basil
1 Small Can Tomato Sauce
Salt and Pepper to taste
Olive Oil
5 Cloves Garlic, minced

In a sauce pot heat the olive oil over medium high heat, then add the garlic, saute for one minute.

Add the whole tomatoes and sauce, salt and pepper to taste.  Allow to simmer for 20 minutes.

Put a large pot of water on for pasta, once boiling add salt.

Directions:

In a pie plate, or wide, deep dish add the milk and eggs, mix well and season with salt and pepper.

In another deep dish, add the bread crumbs.

Bread the cutlets, first in the egg mixture, than in the bread crumb, pressing well into the meat.  Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat.  Add the breaded meat, cook until golden brown then turn to brown other side.  Have a plate with paper towels by the stove.  When meat is finished, allow to drain on the paper towels, than transfer to a cookie sheet.

Place the meat in the oven to keep warm.

Add the pasta to the water.  Remove the cutlets from the oven and lay two pieces of provolone cheese on each piece of meat then top with mozzarella cheese and return to the oven.

When the pasta is finished, so is the meat, cheese should be melted and bubbly.  Drain the pasta, add to pasta bowl and toss with some of the sauce, reserving the rest for the sauce for the meat.

On warm plates, place the meat and ladle reserved sauce over it.

Serve with pasta, grated cheese and crusty bread!

Eddie and his lovely bride Lynn ~ Alana and I behind them
They just celebrated 30 years of marriage!
Love you guys!!

Pumpkin Bars, Baked With Love

I dedicate this recipe to my mother, my best friend, my inspiration!

My mother has been fighting non-hodgkins lymphoma, she was once in remission, but it reared it's ugly head again in January.  She has now finished her grueling chemo treatments, 8 rounds of radiation, and is now gearing up for a stem cell transplant.  Her strength and attitude have been nothing short of amazing!

Throughout my life, my mom has been my rock, she was always someone I looked up to.  Her positive attitude and love for life have always been contagious.  I always remember our phone ringing off the hook with people calling to talk with her.  My friends chose my house to hang out because my mom was just like us, full of free spirit and laughter.  In short, my house was the place to be!

Now, I am all grown up, married and raising my own child.  I still cannot imagine life without her, and knowing she is fighting cancer for the second time is so scary.  There are times when I face it head on, and that is not a good idea, I simply cannot accept it.   It is much to painful to stare at, so I choose to pray and tell myself it will be ok, it simply has to be!

My love for cooking started in my mother's kitchen, watching, and helping her every night.  She is a fabulous cook, and great baker.  This is one of her signature desserts.  I only ask that when you decide to bake this up, you say a prayer for the woman who this is dedicated to, my MOM!  I love her so much!

My daughter Alana and my mother are extremely close and she will often draw her loving cards to keep her spirits up.  It touches my heart to know my 8 year old is aware of the love my mother needs right now.  Here is Alana after carving her own pumpkin, she is so proud of it!  I figure, I will include it here since we are on the pumpkin subject.

My cousin Gina is on the food advisory board for the local newspaper, the Daily Journal.  She wrote and dedicated a wonderful article for my mom featuring her pumpkin bars.

I thought it would be the perfect time to add this to my blog and share with you.  Gina is like a daughter to me, and another mother to my Alana.  I truly don't know what I would do without her.  She does so much for me and my family.  There are no words for the gratitude and love I feel for her!  Gina Fiocchi, love ya, miss ya, call ya!  You are my best friend, I could not do, what I do every day without you!  You are such a wonderful, thoughtful person, and our family is blessed to have you!!

Here is the article:  http://www.thedailyjournal.com/article/20131009/LIFESTYLE/310090048

God bless you mom, as you take the next step towards recovery.  You will beat this again, but this time for good!  We have lots of fun things to do yet so stay strong, focused, and positive.  We all know you will win again!!

Ingredients:

3/4 Cup Butter
2 Cups Sugar
1 16 oz. Can Pumpkin
4 Eggs
2 Cups Flour
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1 Tsp Cinnamon
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Nutmeg
1 Cup Walnuts, chopped (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350

Greased and floured 15 x 10 Pan

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Blend in pumpkin and eggs.

Add flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg.

Spread mixture into pan.  Bake for 30 to 35 mintutes.

Cool and frost with cream cheese frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 (3oz) Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 Cup Butter
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
3 Cups Confectioners Sugar

Combine softened cream cheese, butter and vanilla, mixing until well blended.

Gradually add sugar, mixing well after each addition.

Spread over the cake and top with chopped walnuts.  Cut into bars.

Succulent Pork Roast

It is National Pork Month.  No, really.  

I heard this, and than I did some research, and it's true!  

Here is what I found:  Decades ago, October was the major month in which large amounts of hogs would be brought to the market.  Though times have changed and production practices have evolved, October Pork Month is one way in which history and tradition have lived on in the pork industry.  

Iowa is the number one pork producing state in the nation.  

Iowa, a place my hubby loves to hunt, my very own Davy Crocket!  I always told him I would prefer he hunt for hogs, I love pork, but he still brings home the prize buck.  

October is the month to celebrate pork.  The other white meat, so show your support and make this delicious, oh, so easy roast.  I promise it will be, tender, juicy, and full of flavor.  

( I just heard you thank me.)

Oh, how I love life.  For life includes dinner like this.

The stars of the show:

Pork Roast

Pork Gravy Packet

Lipton Onion Soup Mix

Adobo, To Taste

Garlic Powder, To Taste

Black Pepper, To Taste

Rosemary, To Taste

Fresh Parsley, Chopped

Onions, Sliced or Cipollini Onion which are small round, no need to cut them up.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300

9 x 13 Pan or Pyrex baking dish

Rinse off the roast and pat dry with a paper towel.

Combine in a bowl the pork gravy packet, 1/2 the packet onion soup mix, adobo to taste, garlic powder, black pepper and rosemary.  Mix well

Heat oil in frying pan until hot, sear the roast on all sides and set is a dish to cool, just enough to brown it.  

Lay a large piece of foil inside the baking dish, enough to wrap entire pork roast.  Sprinkle the other half of the onion soup mix on the foil then top with the onions.

Sprinkle the entire roast with the seasoning mix and rub all over.  Set the seasoned roast on top of the onions and top with the parsley.  Close up the foil so it is completely sealed.  No need to add any liquid.

Bake in preheated oven for 3 to 4 hours depending on size.  

The gravy it makes will be perfect for a side of mashed potatoes.   Allow the roast to rest for 10 minutes then slice, top with the juices and lay the onions over top.  Taste the juices, if they are a little salty add some hot water to even out the flavor.

Yummy for my tummy!