The Creation of the Book, Mama Melisi and Me

After many years of fun blog posts, I have listened to my family and friends, and self-published a book.  Now everyone can have all of the posts and recipes in a beautiful little book,
"Mama Melisi and Me."

The book came out in October, 2013, and has had much success.  Mama Melisi and I have done book signings in both Florida and New Jersey.  This past March, we were invited to a restaurant in Flemington, NJ called The Grill Shack.  The owner, Roseanna, served Mama Melisi's Pasta Fagiole, and it was a great hit!

For those who are interested in this great gift item, please go to my website:  www.mamamelisiandme.com.  You will see right on the Home Page that the book is on sale through Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

My goal is to do a second book entitled, "Holiday Recipes and Tall Tales from Mama Melisi and Me."  This will offer complete holiday menus (great cheat sheets) for everyone to refer to, and wonderful little stories to introduce each holiday.

Please share our first book with your loved ones!

We offer it to you with love,

From Mama Melisi and Me

 

Who'll Take The Tree Down, Who, Who Who Who?

One of the nicest things about Christmas is the delightful ritual of decorating!

In my home, I not only put up the tree.  I have an endless collection of Christmas knickknacks that come to life as they surface from their box.  There are also indoor and outdoor lights.  Each year I ponder whether to string multi-colored or elegant white!

With all of the decorations, there is more candlelight, music, and company.  I actually look forward to commotion, straight through to the sound of,  "Happy New Year"!

It's all wonderful, until I wake up and it's New Year's Day!  I feel a little weary, and the thought of any buzz-making beverage is nauseating!  The neighborhood lights are slowly fading.  I glance around my decorated home and wonder, "Who'll take the tree down, who, who who who???"!

Bah Humbug!  Maybe this year, I need to work a little harder at keeping the spirit!  I can replace those holiday candles with ones that send warm ocean scents through the air.  I'll crank some disco music, and dance a little to those old beats!  I may even string one strand of delicate white lights around the big fake tree in the foyer!

Most importantly, I'll try to keep the giving spirit - not with presents and gift wrap - but with kindness, smiles, and good will!   Maybe if we all keep the spirit, that holiday twinkle will remain ignited in our hearts till the next season busts out of its Christmas box!

To keep the season alive, here's a recipe for a holiday Champagne Punch, to sip throughout the year!

We give this to you with love!

From Mama Melisi and Me

Champagne Punch

Ingredients:

3 bottles pink champagne
2 bottles ginger ale
1 bottle club soda
1 large can pineapple juice
1 can Hawaiian Punch
1 large can fruit salad
1 container sliced strawberries
1/2 gallon orange sherbet

You can prepare an ice ring or use lots of ice cubes

Mix above ingredients in a punch bowl
Add the sherbet at the end

REMEMBER - BE SAFE - DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE!

"Sweet Pea, Chicken Noodle...Our Little Peanut"

Along with the holidays, comes the usual frenzy of activities...cooking, decorating, gift buying. As much as we are eager to spend time with our loved ones, we spend more time scurrying around getting things done!

Emotions are escalated during this time...elation...grief...lonliness...frustration from the usual family dysfunction. It's all there for each of us...common threads connecting us within a diverse web of cultures and traditions. Maybe we should slow down a bit, and look into each others' eyes...take the time to see the connection between people, and share the moments that are truly meaningful.

This year, my special moments are about Ava Rose, the newest addition to the family.

Ava Rose is the daughter of my niece Lori, and her husband Mike. During my Thanksgiving visit, she was just the mere age of three months. In this short time, she has been given many nicknames..."Sweet Pea", "Chicken Noodle", "Munchkin", and "Arf" to name a few!

Ava Rose loved my storytelling. She listened with wide eyes as she learned about the big Florida palm trees and the curly tail lizards. She can't wait to come visit and take a dip in the swimming pool!

As much as I enjoyed talking to her, and holding her, the real moments involved watching Lori and Mike care for their baby girl. I'm not sure if they read up on how to be good parents, or if their parental instincts just kicked in, but I watched them in awe.

Lori gave Ava a bath as if she'd been doing this forever. Not only did she gently bathe her, but she gave her a back stroke swimming lesson that Ava thoroughly enjoyed. I then watched Lori convey her love with every soothing stroke of baby lotion, and every dab of Desitin. She talked to her baby the whole time, and Ava returned the look of love right back to her mommy!

Proud Daddy Mike was equally as skillful. He could scoop up his little girl and place her on his knee, providing the most enjoyable motorcycle ride! You could tell she felt content and protected.

I like their nickname the best..."Our Little Peanut"! And I like what new life brings to the holidays...pure joy at having the most meaningful essentials...food...shelter...and a lot of love!

Some day, our little Peanut will read this, and know that she's the best gift a family could ever receive!

In honor of our little Peanut, we give you a great cookie recipe - Peanut Butter Cookies. We give this to you with love!

From Mama Melisi and Me

Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
1 cup creamy or chunky peanut butter
1 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mixing Instructions:

Combine the flour, baking powder and baking soda in a bowl and set aside
Take your mix master and beat the margarine or butter and peanut butter together
Then beat in the sugars, eggs and vanilla.
Add the dry flour mixture

Chill the dough.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and form the dough into balls
Place 2 inches apart on the parchment paper
Flatten with a fork
Yield 6 dozen

Bake at 350 degrees for about 12-15 minutes or until lightly golden brown

Grace, Giggles and Grins...Portrait of a Royal Wedding

As the world watched the story of "William and Kate" unfold, reactions of the royal wedding varied. Some people were so caught up in the fairy tale, that they made their way across the pond to catch a glimpse and a wave. Others boycotted the news, due to excessive coverage of the extravagant event. I, too, struggled with both the excitement, and the absurdity.

However, the royal wedding was a portrait of prancing white horses, carriage rides, dazzling hats, parades of color, drums and bells...and two young people exchanging vows in the echo of an abbey. Don't be deceived by the pomp and circumstance. As with any art, the meaning lies beneath the surface. I sipped my coffee very early Friday morning, and searched for the meaning. This is what I found...

There were two little boys. How did they get so tall and strong? You can't help but notice their brotherly bond. Was it always there? Or did they fuse together while comforting each other in the early absence of their mom?

There was a beautiful girl. The slight tremble in her hand hinted at how nervous and overwhelmed she was. How does she step out of the car into this scene? She only manages to surface with the help of her proud father, who holds her hand. He supports her, as does her elegant sister, who gladly walks behind.

Brother Harry glances over his shoulder, and displays an impish grin. He can't wait for William to see the radiance walking into his life. He is happy for his brother!

There is a quiet expression of love between the two as William and Kate recite their vows. But the world explodes with exuberance as the married couple approaches the balcony! The bride is amazed and enchanted by the pulsating crowd. There is a kiss, some smiles, another kiss, and a giggle from Kate. If Diana were there, she would be happy for them. I can't help but think of how much she will miss.

A carriage ride is waiting for all, and I watch as two sets of parents face one another. Two different worlds in one little shell, awash in the happiness of their kids.

I have a feeling there was one helluva a good party to follow!

When you strip the bells and whistles from the portrait, here's what lies beneath...love, family, connection, friendship, tradition, and the sharing of hope for a happy future.

I'm glad I watched the grace, giggles, and grins of the royal wedding. Deep down, I think there's a little royalty in all of us!

Here is a cookie recipe that would surely please you, and the royals: Linzer Tarts! (It even sounds royal!) Linzer Tarts are a treat for any special event!

We offer it to you with love,

From Mama Melisi and Me

Linzer Tarts

Ingredients:

1/2 lb margarine
1/2 lb crisco
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
5 cups flour (sprinkle with a little cinnamon)

Directions:

Cream the 2 shortenings
Add sugar, vanilla and eggs
Beat well
Add the flour gradually, mixing well after each addition
Cool for about 1/2 hour in the refrigerator

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cookie sheets with parchment paper
Take a portion of the dough and roll out on a floured board (about 1/4 inch thick)
Cut with circle cutters - this will be the bottom of the cookie
Then prepare the same amount of circles for the top, but cut out small circle in the middle
(I use a thimble)
Make 1 tray for bottoms and 1 tray for the same amount of tops
Bake for 10 minutes or a little longer if necessary

When all circles are cool, place a teaspoon of Raspberry seedless jam on the bottoms
Top with the circle with the hole in the middle
Sprinkle with powdered sugar when serving

Liver, Lentils, and Vitameatavegamin!

There are many things about "moms" that make them special. They deliver us...care for us...nurse us when we're sick...prepare us for life! So when a "mom" becomes ill, and the roles reverse, it's startling, and difficult to accept. This is what happened when Mama Melisi visited Florida!

For most of her two week stay, everything was fine. But, two days before departure, she came down with severe chills, and a 103 fever.

I was advised to take her to the hospital, where they quickly ran a cat scan. She was diagnosed with "diverticulitis", or an infection in her colon. When the blood work came back, it showed that the infection was serious.

Mama Melisi struggled with that relentless fever - breaking and spiking. Many nights I would stand over her hospital bed snarling, "Out, Damn Fever, Out", until finally the demon retreated. During this time, she also became a human spout...I dare not say from where...causing a total of 20 pounds to be lost!

Along with hospitals, come countless characters, who you get to know very quickly. The Happy Black Vampiress loved to pay Mama Melisi a visit in the wee hours of the night. She sauntered in wearing ruby red lipstick and light blue garb...always a smile on her face as she drew bottles of red stuff that resembled Sutter Home splits!

Then there was the hospital roommate, Jolly Mrs. Claus! After all, it was December, so maybe her shoulder injury came from lifting too many heavy toys! One night, Mama Melisi was making her way to the bathroom. Mrs. Claus happened to be standing in her path, back side to her, wearing that ever too small hospital gown. My mom, being half asleep, thought she was staring at a walking/talking chicken pot pie!

Finally, there was the cafeteria lady who I saw religiously at every meal. We struck a conversation, and I told her about my mom. During the nights I was really worried, she reassured me that Mama Melisi would be ok. With her Creole accent, she closed each night by saying, "I will pway for her"...and I knew the nice stranger would!

I like to think that I helped Mama Melisi by being with her...except the night I sent her falling through the portable commode the first time I rigged it. Or the time I insisted she get a sleeping pill...which was more like a hallucinogen. In the middle of the night, my mother declared that she was "bombed", and by morning could recount hallucinating that she had gone to Thailand for Thai food!

After nine days, Mama Melisi was released from her medical carnival! However, she was too weak to travel back to Jersey. She came to my home, visited my doctor, and was declared anemic...lacking not only in iron and hemoglobin, but also in protein, Vitamin D, folic acid, even cholesterol! You name it, she was deficient in it! Hence...she was placed on a high iron diet.

Not liking red meat, her meals consisted of leafy green spinach, lentils with pastina, and...LIVER! Trying to be supportive, I ate whatever she ate...including the chicken liver! There we were, sitting at opposite ends of the kitchen table, each with sauteed liver in our plates. And then I turned into "Lucy", sampling "Vitameatavegamin" for the first time.

"Hello friends, I'm your Vitameatavegamin Girl. Are you tired, run down, listless? Do you poop out of parties? Now, you can spoon your way to health!" I scooped the chicken liver, held it up and said, "It's so tasty, too" I placed it in my mouth, shuddered in absolute horror, and with a forced smile said, "Just like candy!"

It worked! The next few weeks, her numbers were on the rise, and she was slowly gaining her strength. After a total of seven weeks in Florida, and lots of liver and lentils, Mama Melisi could go home!

I'll never forget her "medical episode"...tucking her in, giving her a spoon of honey for good measure, and kissing her goodnight. Moms aren't supposed to get sick. But if they do, we can only hope that we could do a little bit for them...in return for all they did for us!

This post...the last one of the year...comes late. But it comes as a dedication to all the moms who have been there for us. And it comes, more than ever, with love...From Mama Melisi and Me!

Here it is...her high, iron diet. We give you both recipes...lentil soup and, for those who are brave, chicken liver and caramelized onions. Again, we offer these to you with love!

From Mama Melisi and Me

Lentil Soup

Ingredients:

1-8 oz bag of lentils
3 cups of water
1 can chicken broth (low fat low sodium)
1/2 cup chopped celery
1 cup sliced carrots
1 chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

Preparation:

In a 6 qt pot, combine all the ingredients
Simmer the soup with the lid tilted on the pot
Cooking time is approx 1 hour to 1 and 1/2 hours
Check the lentils after 1 hour (They should be soft to the bite)
If not, give more cooking time
Can always add a little extra oil at the end

* Lentil soup has a tendency to be thick. It can be thinned out with chicken broth or water to your liking.

** Also, pasta is usually added to this soup. You can cook small ditalini pasta separately and add as much as you wish to the soup.

Chicken Livers and Caramelized Onions

Ingredients:

1/2 lb chicken liver
1 large onion sliced
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
olive oil

Preparation:

Take a saute pan and drizzle olive oil over the bottom
Add the sliced onion, and saute until golden
Add the chicken liver, salt, pepper and balsamic vinegar
Cover and saute for about 10 minutes
Stir and continue to cook for 5 more minutes
Check to see if done (Add more time if needed)

Turkey Stuffing, Pumpkin Pie, Tradition!

This past week at work, I asked various coworkers what the word, "tradition" meant to them. The list included, "family", "time", "holidays", "gatherings", "nostalgia", "old", and "sauce"!

For me, all of these words ring true. I was raised in a very "traditional" setting. Family gatherings were held on a regular basis, and holidays were coordinated by specific family members. Although our loved ones aged, they refused to give up tradition. Arthritic hands moved a little slower, but the outcome was still rich with family, friends, and plentiful food!

The hardest thing about tradition is accepting that those we love will not always be around to enjoy it. Aging is part of life, but saying goodbye to significant others who have existed in our lives for many years is painful.

The beauty, however, lies within the family core. While we share feelings of sadness and loss, we cling to each other...stronger as a whole. We come together, despite our missing loved ones, and we talk, eat, laugh...hold on to the festivity as if it replenishes us. We open up our lives to new arrivals...babies, friends who don't have family nearby, loved ones who we rarely see. We continue living in every sense of the word, because our lovely ghosts would want it that way. And we hold on to what is significant to us...tradition!

In honor of tradition, we give you a turkey stuffing recipe, as well as a recipe for Pumpkin Pie which Mama Melisi has been making for over 50 years! Wishing everyone a very restful and Happy Thanksgiving, with time to enjoy your loved ones and family traditions!

As Always With Love,

From Mama Melisi and Me

Turkey Stuffing: (For 15 lb. Turkey)

1 - 14 oz package of Herb Seasoned Stuffing mix
2 cups chopped or thinly sliced onions
1 cup chopped celery (I peel the celery to remove the strings)
1 cup fresh mushrooms sliced
2 peeled and diced granny smith apples (optional)
1 can low sodium fat free chicken broth
Light olive oil or canola oil

Preparation:

Saute the onions in a little of the oil until soft in texture
While the onions are cooking, add the celery to the chicken broth and simmer till tender
When the onions are finished, remove from the pan and place in a bowl
Saute the mushrooms in the same pan
Add a little oil if needed
When the mushrooms are cooked, add to the bowl with the onions
Peel and dice the apples and add this to the mushrooms and onions
Place the dry mix in a larger bowl
Add the cooked celery and chicken broth to moisten the dry mixture
Add the other cooked ingredients
If the mixture is too dry, open another can of chicken broth and add as much as needed
The mixture needs to be moist but not mushy
Stuff your turkey just before you are ready to put it in the oven

*Many people like sausage in their stuffing. If so, remove the sausage meat from the casing and saute until lightly browned. You can use chicken sausage or regular Italian pork sausage. One pound of sausage will be sufficient.

Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients: (Filling)

2 eggs slightly beaten
1 1/2 cup solid pack pumpkin
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 - 13 oz can skim evaporated milk

Ingredients: (Pie Shell) You can purchase shell or use recipe below for several pie shells

1 3/4 cup Crisco shortening
4 cups flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tsp salt
1/2 cup cold water
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 egg

Preparation:

Put shortening, flour, sugar and salt together (I use my mix master)
Separately mix water, vinegar and egg together with a fork which will break up the egg a bit
Add the liquid to the flour mixture and mix well
Do not over handle
Shape into 4 patties and refrigerate individually wrapped in either waxed paper or saran wrap
Refrigerate at least 1/2 hour
Remove and let it sit a few minutes before rolling out (very easy to work with)
Place rolled dough in 9 inch pie pan - form to pan
Dough can be refrigerated up to 3 days and also can be frozen

Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Place filling in 9 inch unbaked pie shell
Bake pie for 15 minutes and then reduce temperature to 350 degrees
Continue baking for 45 minutes or until firm
Insert knife to check if it comes out clean...then it is ready!

Pumpkin Cheesecake and the Intimate Stranger

Although I have spent the last twenty years in South Florida, there are some things from my past in New Jersey that I will never forget! One of those things was my daily work commute from New Jersey to New York City!

The bus ride in the morning was fairly predictable, providing that you left early enough. However, getting back to Jersey in the evening was another story. There were always massive lines at the bus platform in Port Authority. If you were lucky, you would land a seat on an express bus. On those unlucky days, it was standing room only, and the local bus trudged along with stops in every little town!

The key to a successful ride was to land a seat with a working overhead light, and to become absorbed in some good reading material! On those chilly winter evenings, the warm bus could actually become welcoming and comfortable. Unfortunately, sometimes it was a little too comfortable!

One brisk night, I caught the last express bus out of the city. Conducting my usual routine, I grabbed a good window seat, and settled in for the ride home. Glancing up, I noticed a somewhat robust man eyeing the seat next to me. The man side-stepped down the aisle, and plopped down beside me. He also immediately confiscated the arm rest I was using!

I pushed myself a little closer to the window, in an attempt to set some boundaries. I'm a very small framed woman, so it was easy to create some space. The bus started rolling, and within the first 3 minutes, we were enveloped in the darkness of the Lincoln Tunnel. Our cozy bus twinkled inside with the little dots of overhead lights, and we quietly drove through the tunnel.

I was relaxed and content reading my book, when suddenly the unthinkable occurred. The head, which was attached to the man sitting next to me, banged into my right shoulder. I slowly turned to look at my snoozing seat mate when BAM, his head bobbed down onto my shoulder again. I wasn't sure what to do...I couldn't move any closer to the window, so I just froze in my seat. Once again, his head hit the same arm muscle...only this time, IT DIDN'T BOUNCE BACK TO HIS SIDE!!!! Instead, the stranger's head was nestled onto my shoulder.

I started praying, "Hail Mary, full of grace, please move this man from my space!" My prayers were not answered. In fact, it backfired! To my complete mortification, the stranger started to snore! At first, it was more like quiet deep breathing. But soon, he began systematically gulping in loud breaths of air through his open mouth and blaring nostrils. Although I braced myself for every loud snort, I jumped, startled each time he let out that unbearable sound!

When it was finally time for me to depart the ride from hell, I nudged the sleeping passenger, who barely allowed me to climb over him. Before I stepped out into the cold, I glanced back at my intimate stranger. He was looking at me, and smiled, somewhat acknowledging that I was responsible for his really good nap!

Thankfully, I drive to work now. I control the air conditioning, the music playing, and most of all, my personal seat space! But I will never forget my New York commute, and commend those who have continued commuting all these years!

In honor of those squished, mortified commuters, here are two festive recipes for you to gain some weight, and claim your space on the bus! The first, homemade Manicotti, was passed down to Mama Melisi from her grandmother, 55 years ago! In turn, Mama Melisi showed her mother-in-law how to make it, and it became a special menu item for the family.

The second is a spectacular holiday dessert, Pumpkin Cheesecake! Again, both recipes are offered to you with love!

From Mama Melisi and Me

Manicotti

Batter Ingredients:

6 extra large eggs (well beaten)
1 full cup flour
1 1/2 cups milk
Mix all of the above ingredients

Filling Ingredients:

3 lb container ricotta (skim or whole milk)
3 extra large eggs (well beaten)
1/2 cup grated Mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan or Locatelli grating cheese
1 tsp black pepper
2 tablespoons parsley (dry or fresh)
Mix all of the ingredients well for the filling

Preparation:

Use a 6 " Teflon saute pan to make the shells
Spray the pan with pam or lightly oil the pan
Heat the pan and test with a small drop of batter
If the pan is ready, (batter doesn't stick) use a medium size ladle and spoon enough batter into the pan to cover the bottom
You can tip the pan a bit
Once the edges appear cooked, flip this crepe and cook the other side (It just takes minutes)
Have a sheet of waxed paper ready and place the crepe on this
Continue making the crepes in the same manner
Layer sheets of waxed paper in between the crepes

When all crepes are made, spoon filling into each one
Cover the bottom of each crepe with the filling and fold one side over the other
(It looks like a filled crepe)

Refer to Blog Post # 1 for Marinara Sauce recipe
Put sauce on the bottom of a baking dish and place each manicotti in the pan
Spoon sauce over the top (do not drown in sauce - you do not want to lose flavor of crepe
and cheese

Bake uncovered in a preheated oven of 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients for Crust:

2 cups gingersnap crumbs (can use Graham Cracker crumbs if you prefer)
4 teaspoons butter spread melted
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Ingredients for Filling:

3 (8 ounce) packages reduced fat cream cheese or Neufchatel Cheese (This is great)
1 16 ounce (or 15 ounce) can solid packed pumpkin
1 cup well packed brown sugar
2 eggs beaten
2/3 cup evaporated reduced fat milk
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Maple Pecan Topping:

1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter spread melted

Preparation of Crust:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Combine crumbs and melted butter spread
Press firmly onto bottom and about 1 1/2 inches up the side of a 9 inch springform pan
Sprinkle pecans over bottom
Bake for 5-7 minutes
Crust will not be brown
Remove from oven and set aside to cool

Preparation of Filling:

With an electric hand mixer or your mix master, beat the cream cheese, pumpkin and brown sugar until creamy
Add remaining ingredients and combine well
Pour into the crust and bake in the center of the oven 45-50 minutes, until filling is firm

Preparation of Pecan Topping:

Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and spread evenly over the surface of the cheesecake
Bake an additional 5-10 minutes until the topping begins to brown and bubble
Remove from oven and cool

Enjoy!