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!

Butternut Squash and the World Connection

With Halloween behind us, we are well into the holiday season! The word, "holiday" for me represents relaxation, family, tradition, and FOOD! When it comes to holidays, Italians tend to go overboard with the food! I'll use Thanksgiving as an example.

A traditional Thanksgiving feast has turkey and stuffing, and the usual sides of green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberry sauce, and some kind of dessert.

Thanksgiving Italian style is a little different. Rather than commit the mortal sin of going out for the holiday dinner, have it in the home, and rarely leave the dining room table!

Start off your feast with a variety of appetizers: Asparagus spears wrapped in prosciutto; a platter of shrimp cocktail; rolled nova salmon; a huge antipasto with salami, prosciutto, mozzarella and provolone cheeses, artichokes, roasted red peppers, oil cured and calamata olives; sun-dried tomatoes...and any other mouth-watering delicacy you could think of!

After devouring the appetizers, proceed with the soup! You can't have the turkey, unless you have piping hot homemade turkey soup! Afterward, you'll want to curl up on the couch and take a nap...but you can't because there's more food to serve!

Real Italians offer Lasagna, or some type of pasta before the turkey meal. Through the years, we have eliminated this. In its place is an absolute vegetable orgy! Setting aside the gas pains that will haunt you for days, the vegetables are most enjoyable, and include grilled asparagus, breaded cauliflower, stuffed mushrooms, broccoli rabe, brussels sprouts, string beans, and of course the newest vegetable addition of butternut squash! All of the vegetables are cooked fresh, with a hint of olive oil and garlic...unless you are the butternut squash, which is flavored with brown sugar and delicious spices!

Along with the vegetables are candied sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes and gravy, homemade stuffing, and, finally, the turkey! If you're still alive after this, leave the table and take a brisk walk, or have a quick game of softball! This, of course, is so you can make a little room for dessert!

At the close of the evening there will be fennel and nuts, homemade pumpkin, apple and lemon meringue pies, and a cranberry fruit jello mold! Complimenting these are your favorite liqueurs...Sambuca or Frangelico...or maybe just espresso, straight up, for the stronger guests!

I love Thanksgiving...the downtime, the cooler temperatures, the company...the food!

In honor of the newest vegetable addition to our menu, we give you three variations of Butternut Squash! You may take your choice, or make them all! However, if you make them all, you will have a helluva lot of Butternut Squash!

Again we give these recipes to you with love!

From Mama Melisi and Me

*As an aside, the Mama Melisi and Me Blog has had page views in the following locations: Australia, Russia, India, Belgium, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Israel, the United Kingdom, China, Germany, Greece, Norway, Slovenia, and the United States. We love the fact that there are similarities among people throughout the world, and respect the unique traditions of those who live in faraway places!

We welcome your comments, and would like to hear some of your own traditions. We are also taking requests for any of the above mentioned recipes. And, we thank you for reading our stories and recipes, and establishing a world connection that includes family, tradition, and food!

Baked Butternut Squash

Ingredients:

1-2 lb butternut squash, peeled and cut in half lengthwise (remove pulp)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 small can whole cranberry sauce

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Place the halves of the squash in a baking dish
Sprinkle with cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar
Spoon on the whole cranberry sauce
Place approx 1/2 cup of water or a little more in the pan
Cover and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour until soft to the touch
(Can uncover for the last 15 minutes of baking time)

Butternut Squash Casserole

Ingredients:

1-2 lb butternut squash peeled, cored and cut into cubes (pulp removed)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2-3 tablespoons butter or trans-fat free margarine
3/4 cup water (can substitute water with apple juice)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Mix the brown sugar and spices together
Place the cubed squash in a baking dish
Sprinkle with the brown sugar mixture
Dot with the butter or margarine
Put the water or apple juice into the bottom of the casserole
Cover the casserole and place in the oven
Bake 30 minutes covered, and 20 minutes more uncovered (or until tender)
If more liquid is needed, just add a little bit - you do not want it to be soupy!

Butternut Squash Soup

Ingredients:

1-2 lb butternut squash peeled and cut into halves (remove pulp)
After pulp is removed, cut squash into cubes
2 tablespoons light olive oil or canola oil
1 medium sized onion chopped
1 carrot peeled and thinly sliced
1 stalk celery thinly sliced
1 potato peeled and cubed
1 granny smith apple peeled and cubed
6 or more cups of low sodium, fat free chicken broth
nutmeg

Preparation:

Heat the oil in a large saucepan
Add the onion, carrot, celery and potato
Saute until softened
Add the chicken stock, squash and cubed apple
Make sure the contents are covered with the broth
Simmer for about 30 minutes, or until all the ingredients are soft
Gradually spoon the squash ingredients into a blender
Be careful when blending hot ingredients
Pour into a soup tureen and sprinkle lightly with nutmeg

Pass The Cup...Of Chili!

There's nothing like spending a Saturday morning at a good Little League baseball game! And, it's even better when you're watching that special little guy out on the field!

Whether it's a son, nephew, grandson...or in this case, a friend's son who you've known long before he was able to bat, it's exciting watching that special kid's every move! It's also one of the most nerve-wracking experiences, as I hold my breath each time the ball flies in his direction!

At some point, you do take notice of all the little ones, wearing their black Nike sneakers and clay stained baggy pants. The boy on first base stands in a striking "V" pose, ready to bolt with the crack of the bat! His cheeks are red and sweaty, under the large blue helmet. At a quick glance, he resembles one of those baseball statues with the wobbly head!

The dug-out is in a frenzy, as the team spots a little field mouse darting around their gear. All the boys go scurrying, except the one who just keeps guzzling his purple power aid drink!

My special boy was having a tough day, as his bat was just not connecting with the ball! As the evil "man" pitcher struck him out, I could see the disappointment on his face as he sluggishly walked off the field. It took every ounce of energy and adult self-control for me not to go out there and take down the pitcher! But I calmed down, and reminded myself that it was just a game...as long as they had fun! Deep inside, though, my heart broke for my special boy!

The most omnipotent player was the catcher. He was calm and confident in his squat position. It didn't matter how weighed down he was with his shiny red leg guards, black chest vest, and full face mask. He seemed like the man of the team...until he came running off the field saying, "Hi, Mommy" as he buzzed past the bleachers!

I sat there in disbelief, as I saw him whip out the plastic "protective gear" from the front of his pants, and pass it to another player. Could it be...they actually SHARE their protective gear???? Or was it my imagination that he passed the "cup"? There are some things us girls never dealt with in softball league!

As the game came to an end, and the two teams ran parallel giving each other "good game slaps", I saw my little guy grinning from ear to ear. Coach gave him the game ball because he completed one of the most valuable plays! Finally, I could breathe easily again...until, of course, the playoffs!
In honor of the catcher who passed the "cup", we give you the recipe for several cups...of chili! This is a special chili from Mama Melisi, which is mild and non spicy. If you want to spice it up, just add several drops of hot sauce to the recipe below. Again, we give it to you with love!

From Mama Melisi and Me


Chili

Ingredients:

1 lb ground sirloin (you can substitute ground turkey if you wish)
1 medium sized onion
3-4 cloves fresh garlic
1 small can Del Monte diced tomatoes (flavored with garlic and olive oil)
1 small can Progresso black beans
salt
pepper
parsley flakes
1 cup boiled white rice

Preparation:

Dice the onion and fresh garlic and saute in a light oil till golden in color
Add the chopped meat of your choice and brown until medium cooked, stirring as you go along
Add the diced tomatoes, and some salt, pepper, and parsley flakes
Add 1can of drained black beans
Simmer for about 20 minutes
While the mixture is simmering, boil your rice until fluffy
Drain rice and place on plate
Serve chili over the rice

**Add 1 tablespoon of the hot sauce of your choice if you like your chili spicy!

The Great Pumpkin Bread

Although I'm one of the many who has been sucked in to a quick-paced lifestyle, and the cyclone of advanced technology, I still value simple traditions. And this time of year, it's the search for the perfect pumpkin!

South Florida is not the ideal place for pumpkin patches...too much sun, and those lovely round faces rot before Halloween! If I remember correctly, the place to go for a pumpkin was Chestnut Ridge Road in Bergen County, New Jersey!

It seems like yesterday, that the family would ride the Garden State Parkway to the last exit before New York State. Five minutes off the highway, and you had your choice of either Tices Farms or Van Ripers!

Both farms operated since at least the 1800s. And each year the competition was on for the best Apple Cider Donuts!

If you were lucky, the foliage would be at its peak...deep reds, bright golds, burnt oranges, against a backdrop of brilliant blue sky! The air was crisp, and the families came in droves!

Strolling between the two farms, you could see the red barns lined with haystacks, and
overflowing bushel barrels of apples. The apple cider stand had large, sweet smelling barrels, dumping fresh cider into neat rows of plastic gallons. Bags of warm donuts beckoned. The hayride kept circling back for new groups to go on its bumpy adventure. And, of course, there was the winding patch of pumpkins, offering every size, painted and unpainted. The challenge was on to find that clean, unbruised prize possession...ready to be displayed on your front porch or window!

Sadly, after years of excursions, both farms have closed down, only to be replaced by a supermarket, and an upscale shopping strip. While I don't have anything against J Crew or Victoria Secret, this time of year, I do long for life's treasured traditions, and the great pumpkin patches of Chestnut Ridge Road!

You can still bake great pumpkin bread with Mama Melisi's 40 year old recipe! Either way, fresh or canned, it is delicious! We give you the recipe, with love!

From Mama Melisi and Me

Pumpkin Bread

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 2/3 cups flour
2 eggs
1 cup pumpkin (canned)
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup white or dark raisins

Preparation:

Add ingredients one at a time in an electric mixing bowl
(Dry ingredients do not have to be sifted)
Mix after each addition
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Spray 2 bread pans (4 x 8 size) with pam or any baking spray
Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour until done
Check with a cake tester

Preparation if you use Fresh Pumpkin:

Scrub pumpkin with hot water
Cut in quarters
Scoop out seeds
Put quarters in roasting pan
Fill pan about half way with water
Cover with foil
Bake 400 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour
Spoon pulp out of skin
Drain pulp well in colander
Puree pumpkin in a blender or food processor
Drain again
*You can freeze fresh pumpkin in 1 cup containers for future breads!

The Candy Caper, and the Kindergarten Kid!

Although working in the school system poses its challenges, once in a while you experience something that really makes you chuckle.  Here's a fun memory from over twenty years ago.

Two students were up in the main office.  The first student, who was older, simply refused to do his work in class.  The second student looked like he might be in kindergarten.

Both students were housed in the Assistant Principal's Office. The older one was working on a vocabulary sheet. Oddly, each time he was stuck on a word, I noticed that the kindergarten student read it to him. At first, I thought his word recognition was sheer luck. Then I noticed that he not only was reading isolated words, but he began reading complete paragraphs to the older student!

Looking at the "K Kid" in disbelief, I said to him, "Why were you sent up to the Office?" With a sheepish expression, and wide eyes, he answered, "Because I urinated outside!" I thought to myself, "Holy smokes...since when does a kindergarten kid use the word, urinated!" Again, I asked him a question, "Who taught you the word urinated...your teacher?" He whispered back, "No, my mommy taught me...she didn't like me saying the piss word!"

I quickly exited the office for fear of bursting out laughing. After two or three minutes, I came back in the room, and my gifted "K Kid" asked to use the bathroom. I thought, boy this kid urinates a lot!

Before the day was through, the "K Kid" went back to class, promising, from that moment on, that he would follow the rules, listen to the teacher, and urinate only in the toilet! He was so convincing, that I not only believed that he would transform, but that he would also be chosen as the next Kid of Character!

I returned to the office, only to discover that the older student snitched on his Kindergarten counterpart. While I was out of the room containing myself, the "K Kid" dipped into the Halloween pumpkin filled with candy. I thought to myself, "No...he couldn't have been that quick." I actually defended the "K Kid", until minutes later, several candy wrappers were discovered floating in the clinic toilet bowl!

After 20 years in the school system, I have truly learned my lesson. NEVER trust a "K Kid" who properly uses the word, "urinate"!

Since the "K Kid" obviously has a sweet tooth, today we give you a quick and easy recipe for Toffee. Again, we give this to you with love,

From Mama Melisi and Me

Toffee

Ingredients:

1 1/2 sticks of margarine or butter
1 cup chopped walnuts
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1 pie plate (8 inches)

Preparation:

Rub the pie pan very well with the 1/2 stick margarine or butter
Spread the cup of chopped walnuts over the margarine or butter
Melt 1 stick margarine or butter in a saucepan
Add the brown sugar
Boil and stir constantly for 7 minutes
Pour this mixture over the nuts
Sprinkle with the chocolate chips
Cover the pie plate with foil and let sit for 5 minutes or until chocolate chips are melted
Spread the melted chocolate evenly and let cool
When firm to the touch, cut into squares

Enjoy!

Angel Hair Pasta With Fresh Spinach...and A Little Alice Cooper!

As life progresses, there are certain obligations that tend to be more difficult than others. For me, visiting an aging family member in a nearby nursing home falls in this category.

Hilde was a vibrant and vivacious woman in her heyday. Always dressed to the nines, she was a social butterfly who had a grand smile, beautiful disposition, and kind words for the people who surrounded her. Stricken twenty years ago with Alzheimer's, at 81 she lingers in her wheel chair, barely able to eat, and mostly non-responsive to the touch and talk of those who love her.

With all of this in mind, we still visit Hilde on a regular basis, secretly hoping for that little spark that ignites once in a while, or the teardrops in her eyes that we hope show some hint of recognition!

On one of my recent visits, I was making my way to the recreation center. As I wandered down the spic and span hallway, I could hear music in the distance. I discreetly opened the double doors, and found myself on the outskirts of a large circle of wheel chairs. I quietly walked around to the other side where I saw Hilde...in her usual reclined pose...as the music played!

At a quick glance, the guy at the microphone reminded me of an aging Alice Cooper! Minus any face make-up or writhing snakes, his long, dark hair flowed down to his belt, and his nose was quite pronounced. Standing in cowboy boots and bluejeans, he was growling to his audience, clearly trying to make every wheel-chaired lady a "Pretty Woman"! And he was good!

I quickly got the feeling that he didn't care that he had an Alzheimer Unit Audience. This gig meant something to him, and he was playing with heart!

Alice closed his eyes and belted out one pop hit after another! Those magical notes rang familiar to me as he sang "Tie A Yellow Ribbon", "Cracklin Rosie", and the usual wedding song,
"Sweet Caroline" (bah, bah, bah)! And the lyrics came alive..."Hands...touching hands...reaching out...touching me...touching you"!

I glanced around at the 34 wheel chairs in the circle, and saw life! The African American woman wearing the floppy hat was bobbing her head up and down. The frail woman with the white hair, pale blue dress and matching blue socks moved her hands from side to side, and tapped her feet in perfect rhythm. The old New Yorker with the Yankee cap started flirting with the Caribbean Aide! And off in the corner was the aging couple...maybe newlyweds, maybe married forever...perfectly content sitting side by side, holding hands.

The finale was the Sinatra hit, "New York, New York". I found I felt no different than when a great Bruce Springsteen concert was over. I didn't want it to end!

Thank you, my Alice Cooper lookalike, for passionately playing for your people. I hope, when I near my final curtain, there will be someone like you, playing for me!

This post is dedicated to Hilde, still lovely deep inside...and to all who are stricken with Alzheimer's. May you have love, dignity, respect, and music in your life!

I chose a recipe that is easy on the teeth...especially if you don't have any! It's Angel Hair Pasta and Fresh Spinach. Again, we offer it to you with love!

From Mama Melisi and Me

Angel Hair Pasta and Fresh Spinach

Ingredients:

1/2 lb angel hair pasta
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves of garlic, sliced
2 bags fresh baby spinach (16 oz. bags)
(Serves 2 people)

Preparation:

Place a pot of salted water to boil for the pasta
Rinse the fresh spinach and place in a colander to drain
Use a large saute pan to heat the olive oil
Add the sliced garlic
Stir till golden and add the fresh spinach
Toss the spinach in the garlic and oil, and cook until wilted
(Cook to the consistency you prefer - spinach does not take long)
Cook your angel hair pasta in the boiling water
Drain and reserve a little of the pasta water
Mix the angel hair into the spinach
If too dry, add pasta water or heat some chicken broth and add

This is a very light dish and most enjoyable! It can be served with a tomato salad and crusty Italian bread. You can also add shrimp to your pasta and spinach, for a seafood delight!

9/11 Tribute: No Recipe...Just Remembrance

I'm a Jersey Girl who has lived in South Florida for twenty years. Despite my Florida address, I'll always be a Jersey Girl. And I'll always love New York.

I consider myself lucky to have grown up in a town that was a quick bus ride to Midtown Manhattan. All I had to do was take the 163, and venture through the Lincoln Tunnel, to enjoy all the benefits of the city that never sleeps.

I chuckle when I hear Florida kids taking fieldtrips to Disney. For us, there were endless trips to museums, the opera, ballet, and broadway plays. We walked up town, down town, through China Town. We rode the ferry straight to the Statue of Liberty, or rocketed up the elevator of the Empire State Building. In winter, the streets sucked us into whipping wind tunnels...and we felt alive!

New York! Breathe it in...feel the energy...see the sights!

Each time I go up north, I still take the 163 from Jersey to the City. I wait anxiously for the curve that takes you to the Lincoln Tunnel. As I round the bend, I see the skyline looming ahead across the river...strong...erect. At night, it's dazzling. But I force my eyes to look downtown, and I sense the gash...how odd. I visualize the past...the twin anchors...two towers of strength...and very deep inside, I feel the wound.

I don't understand violence...any violence...slavery...holocaust...kids killing kids. And that day. I watched that day on TV in the Media Center of my school in Florida. I watched in disbelief, and horror. My city...my skyline...the people...my niece. I was worried about my niece, trying to get back to Jersey. I watched, and I knew somehow the world had changed.

Years later, I don't search for any answers. I just know that we must strive for peace...for a better, kinder world. We must denounce acts of evil, cowardice and prejudice. And we must remember.

My heart goes out to those who lost loved ones in the senseless 9/11 Tragedy.

Tropical Ambrosia

August is an odd time of year. Early in the month, it seems summer is at its best! The days are hot and steamy, and many people are loving those long awaited vacations. But as the month rolls on, there is a somber reality that the season will soon end, and the working machine will crank on monotonously until the holidays!

For me, August means the start up of another school year, and the celebration of a birthday. As the month closes out, I find myself folding up my beach towels with finality! They don't get placed on the lounge chairs at the pool. Instead, they are neatly stored in the linen closet, with the hope of occasionally getting some air! Imagine, how just weeks earlier, I was lounging on a low, reclining chair, having one of the best beach days of my life!

The sky was solid blue, and the ocean was emerald and turquoise! I was at my favorite spot near the little resort with the tiki huts and swimming pool. If you watched closely, you could spot someone sneaking through the open gate for a quick, chlorinated swim! However, that day, the ocean beckoned.

As I waded through the shallow end, I could see the sand floor rippling below my toes. The water was crystal clear, and the schools of fish were abundant. Some were bright silver bait fish. Others were green with pointy faces. I planted my feet in the sand, and became a human reef as they tickled my legs!

It took me a long time to swim out deep, but eventually I submerged my entire body in the cool salt water. Each time I surfaced, I could feel the heat on my shoulders, so I just kept diving under!

When I faced inland, I noticed countless little dots of umbrellas splashing color all along the beach. The Mediterranean Villas hugged the shore. There was a sing-song mix of English, Spanish, and French in the air. For a moment, I was in the Riviera!

There wasn't too much action on the weather-beaten fishing pier. People were more obsessed with rubbing on sunscreen and tropical oil. They were going home with a deep tan! The birds gripped the coconut palms, making them dance in the distance. The scene was truly ambrosial!

Hours later, I remember folding my velvety peach and orange beach towel, as I pondered whether to drive back to suburbia, or hang out longer to have a tropical salad at the beach cafe!

Ahhhh, August! Now I look down at that same bright orange towel, still soft and lovely. I quietly sigh as the linen closet door lets out a biting screech as it opens. I plop the towel on the stack, and close it into darkness.

The school year has begun. My 48th birthday is upon me. But all is not bleak. I can still close my eyes and smile, as I remember that tropical salad day!

You, too, can have tropical salad...any time of the year! We give you the recipe for Ambrosia! For those who want the healthy version, we also provide a recipe for Jello Carrot Pineapple Salad!

Again, we offer these to you with love!

From Mama Melisi and Me

Ambrosia: (Tasty Hawaiian Salad)

Ingredients:

2 small cans of mandarin oranges - 8 oz drained
1 small jar maraschino cherries - 8 oz drained
1 small can pineapple chunks - 8 to 10 oz drained
1 small package miniature marshmallows
1/2 of a small can shredded coconut
1/2 pint sour cream
5 tablespoons (or more if needed) of orange or pineapple juice

Preparation:

Beat the sour cream with the juice of your choice
Add all of the other ingredients
Serve in a lovely serving bowl
Chill thoroughly before serving

Healthy Jello Carrot Pineapple Salad:

Ingredients:

1 cup boiling water
1 package (4 servings) orange flavored jello (can be sugar free)
1/2 cup cold water
Dash of salt
1 can (8 1/4 ounce size) crushed pineapple in light syrup, not drained
1 cup shredded carrot

Pour boiling water on gelatin in a bowl
Stir until the gelatin is dissolved
Stir in the cold water, salt and pineapple
Refrigerate for 20-40 minutes (consistency should be like unbeaten egg whites)
Stir in the shredded carrot
Pour into a 3 cup mold
Refrigerate for about 3 hours until firm
Carefully remove mold onto a lovely serving dish

Seafood Recipe With Adventures In The Gritty City

There is a scene from one of my favorite movies, "The Way We Were" that captures my own feelings toward New York City. Hubbell (Robert Redford) has moved to glitzy Hollywood with his wife, Katie (Barbra Streisand), where he is a successful writer. When his former lover states she is moving back to New York, Redford closes his eyes and painfully says, "New York"...as if the very thought of the city brings unbelievable longing. Thank you, Redford, for perfectly portraying how I feel when I'm away from the Island of Manhattan for too long!

New York has a kinetic energy that, to me, compares to no other city. During work hours, you must skillfully blend in with the walls of people bolting ahead of the "Do Not Walk" signs! You better know what you're ordering from those gourmet deli's, or you may lose your spot in line. And be quick about clicking in your seat belt, cause you'll get the ride of your life from the taxi driver with the exotic accent!

This summer, I once again catapulted myself from sunny Florida, to the gritty streets of midtown Manhattan, to soak up some of that Hudson River Edge! Although the trip was a hit, I do have some unusual mishaps to share!

First off, how could New York be hotter than Florida? Temps in Central Park hit 101 degrees in the shade! The humidity peaked midday, and continued to steam off the streets by the late night news!

Having arrived in the evening, I ventured off to one of my favorite bars in the Novotel Hotel. It's a favorite because the walls are all glass, and you could gaze at the soft lights of the city while sipping the martini of your taste!

As I was walking, I spotted the most unusual sight. There was a part human, part creature "thing" standing on the corner, with a chalk white complexion, glaring red eyes, and pure black lips. Make no mistake, this was no Edward! But it was a Twilight Creature!

I usually don't stare, but I couldn't help sizing this creature up! Unexpectedly, our eyes locked. I tried to quickly and casually look away, but its gaze continued. Twilight Creature turned toward me slowly. I felt the cast from those red eyes burning through the moist hairs on my neck, and my insides panicked. In all the years I had been to New York, I had never been attacked! I hastened my step, and crossed the street through the stream of traffic. Having made it to the other side, I glanced back, and saw Twilight Creature watching me, as I continued to venture into a safe distance!

Sitting in the bar in Novotel, I bit into my blue cheese olive, and sucked down my Dirty Martini. I might have enjoyed my encounter with the Twilight Creature, if it resembled Edward. Instead, I was left feeling a bit uneasy, and later walked, New York City style, back to my hotel. In other words, I moved my ass so fast, I made it home in record time!

The following day, I decided to go to the TKTS booth to obtain half price Broadway tickets! Preparing to stand at least an hour in the sun, I gathered my umbrella, and a big, bottled water, and off I went!

At 2:00 sharp, the ticket line thankfully began to move. We actually made our way close to the ticket window very quickly. With only four people ahead of me, I had high hopes of buying tickets for La Cage Aux Folles! Oddly, however, the line came to an abrupt halt. The surrounding lines continued to move. It was then that I heard the raucous sounds coming from the front. The woman at the head was demanding an apology from the ticket person, because he laughed at her! Then she demanded to see his supervisor, who she wanted an apology from, too! The chaos continued for ten minutes until they SHUT DOWN THE WINDOW!

I looked ahead in disbelief, as the sweat beaded on my face! This could not be happening. As the shock dissolved, all of us in line started rumbling, until the thoughtless lady at the front finally began walking away.

Whether it was the heat of the day...or the heat of the moment...I couldn't hold my tongue. I asked the disgruntled woman, as she passed by, if she had obtained her tickets. She stopped, looked me up and down, and blurted that she had. I responded, "Well I'm glad you got your tickets!" She then proceeded to demand an apology from me! I refused to acknowledge her, and she quickly called all of us a bunch of jerks, before she dissolved onto the streets!

Miraculously, the ticket window opened, and I obtained great seats to La Cage Aux Folles! The show was truly a wild and gaudy, mad extravaganza, with every minute delivering pure entertainment! As I left the theatre, one of the drag queens looked me in the eyes, shifted her eyebrows and whispered, "Come again!"

Having encountered the heat wave, Twilight Creature, and chaos at the TKTS Booth, this year's vacation was a little unusual. But I still close my eyes and breathe, "New York", and know that I will always welcome more adventures in the Gritty City!

For your dining pleasure, we give you a recipe totally free of grit...Mama Melisi's Mussels and Clams! Follow it closely, and she'll show you how to clean out every speck of grit! Again, we offer it to you with love!

From Mama Melisi and Me

Mussels and Clams

Ingredients:

2 dozen little neck clams
2 lbs mussels
1 bottle clam juice
1 cup chopped parsley
Black pepper
1 cup white wine of your liking
6 cloves garlic
1/2 cup olive oil

Preparation:

Clams and mussels are gritty...do the following to remove all grit:
Fill the sink with cold water
Place both of the shell fish in the cold water
Add ice cubes
Throw out any clams or mussels which are open
(To ensure they are fresh, they must be tightly closed)
Use a scrub brush, and brush each outer shell clean
(Mussels sometimes have seaweed sticking out; pull out and scrub mussels extra good)
Change water a few times during the process to ensure no gritty sand
You can place some cornmeal in the water
(It is said that shell fish open and close; this is actually a cleaning process)
After all the fish is clean, it is ready to cook

Cooking Directions:

Get a large pan, and heat with olive oil
Add the cloves of garlic
Saute until golden brown
Add the clams and mussels, clam juice and pepper
Cover and bring to a boil until all the fish shells open
Add the wine and parsley, and bring to a quick boil
Serve with crusty Italian bread or over angel hair pasta
Truly delicious!

Please note: DO NOT USE ANY OF THE SHELL FISH WHICH DID NOT OPEN; JUST DISCARD!

And Then We Were 18!

Whenever I ditch Florida heat to take a vacation, I usually feel terrific the second I soak in new scenery and a cooler climate. But, after a couple of weeks, I'm also anxious to get back to my home and my bed! This year was different, as I wasn't quite ready to come back to reality!

My most recent vacation was a whirlwind tour of the northeast, encompassing Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York City. During the fifteen days away, I literally bounced from one destination to the next, and caught up with family and friends along the way.

While in NJ at Mama Melisi's, I managed to coordinate a mini-reunion. A few of my longest, dearest friends came...the staples who are more like family. I also had a couple of friends who I hadn't seen in 10-20 years.

Curiosity was soon shed as we quickly shared our common threads of spouses, kids, aging parents, home, careers...a few aches and pains. Thirty years with several milestones...and a lot of responsibility.

The evening went on, and we drank more of that magical potion, Chianti! Suddenly, it was all about us! Laughter ignited as we reminisced about old flames, first kisses, prom dates, past teachers, and disco dancing! Our memory bank catapulted us right to the halls of our high school. The night didn't end until the clock struck twelve!

I've been back in Florida now for two weeks. I happened to be on the computer with one of my mini-reunion friends. During our instant message exchange, she said, "When I was at your mom's, I felt 18!" I smiled as I thought, "What could be wrong with that?" I think that night, we were all 18 again. And Mama Melisi, who was in the next room, was 48, shedding thirty years, too!

I'll always look back fondly on the mini-reunion...good friends, a nice bottle of magic potion, and a great meal! You, too should have a mini-reunion. If you would like to make what Mama Melisi served that night, here's her recipe for breaded chicken cutlets with roasted peppers and artichokes! Again, we share this to you with love!

From Mama Melisi and Me

Chicken Cutlets with Roasted Peppers and Artichokes:

Ingredients:

6 thinly sliced chicken cutlets (use a kitchen mallet to pound cutlets to tenderize them)
1 cup skim milk or milk of your choice
1 cup Italian flavored bread crumbs
2 tablespoons Italian grating cheese
Extra virgin olive oil
Pam cooking spray
1 onion
1 8 oz jar of red roasted peppers
1 small jar of marinated artichoke hearts

Cooking Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Line a cookie sheet with foil and spray with pam
Add cheese to breadcrumbs
Take the cutlets which have been soaking in milk and dip in breadcrumb mixture
Place cutlets on cookie sheet and drizzle olive oil over each cutlet
Bake for 15 minutes; turn and bake for another 15 minutes or until crumbs are golden

While cutlets are baking, slice onion and saute in tablespoon of olive oil
Saute until onion is golden in color
Drain roasted red peppers and slice them
Drain artichoke hearts
Add red peppers and artichokes to cooked onions and saute a bit
Place cooked chicken cutlets in casserole dish and pour vegetable mixture over top
Heat in 350 degree oven for 15 minutes

* If you prefer, you can place cooked chicken cutlets on platter, and serve vegetable mixture on the side.

Bathroom Anxiety

As the Good Book says: No one is perfect. We all have our quirks! Mine is using a bathroom that is in close proximity to human life!

The root of the problem lies in my childhood. Mama Melisi's house had one bathroom that was directly attached to the social hot spot - the kitchen. This made me a little self-conscious while using the bathroom, when people were on the other side of the wall! Hence, bathroom strategies were a must!

We didn't have that wonderful, modern convenience of a fan, so I had to rely on much more creative strategies to block any embarrassing noise!

Running the faucet at full pressure worked splendidly! No doubt, the water bill was astronomical at holidays and family gatherings! But the sound of the cascade camouflaged all other unwanted sounds from the other side...even when your digestive system was full of fresh veges!

Another excellent method was the timed flush. This worked especially well for those horrible, unexpected explosions! The sound of Mama Melisi's flush lasted a full 40 seconds, and helped disguise those quick and tidy times at the commode!

Finally, if you really wanted to throw everyone off, there was always the blow dryer placed at its highest speed. Never realizing that it was total toilet time, everyone thought you went to the bathroom, took a shower and washed your hair in less than ten minutes!

Once in a while, unfamiliar bathrooms will throw off even the most well developed strategies. Recently, I was visiting a cousin at the Jersey Shore. I was completely intrigued at how the air conditioning vent was located directly parallel to the toilet. Being distracted by this, I let out a gaseous emission that suddenly combined with the cool flow of air from the vent. This created such a wind tunnel, that my cold little butt was knocked completely off of the john!

Luckily, I come from a long line of considerate relatives. I sheepishly made my way to the first floor, and was spared, as no one mentioned the loud thump from above!

To give you a true bathroom challenge, the recipe this week is Pasta Fagiole. This is pronounced pasta fa zul...and stands for pasta and beans! If you see this on a menu, it is served as a soup. You can also serve this as a main course, with a side of salad and garlic bread. Again we offer this to you with love!

From Mama Melisi and Me

Pasta Fagiole

Ingredients:

1 onion finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic chopped
1 carrot shredded
2 stalks of celery finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup of fresh parsley chopped
1/4 cup of olive oil
1 can of low sodium chicken broth
1 large can of crushed tomatoes
1 can of white cannellini beans
1 lb of ditilini, elbow, or any small pasta

Cooking Directions:

Saute the onions, celery and carrot in olive oil
After 10 minutes, add chopped garlic
Saute another 5-8 minutes
Add the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, half cup of water, black pepper and parsley
Simmer for about 15 minutes
Add the white cannellini beans
Simmer for another 20 minutes
While this is simmering, cook pasta
Combine bean mixture with drained pasta
If sauce is too thick, you can add a little water

Adventures In Rome

The countdown is complete, and permission is given to blast the Alice Cooper hit, "School's Out". That means, as Guidance Counselor, I just landed a seven week break from the hallways of hell!

I exaggerate. After twenty years in the profession, I can recount many rewarding moments with kids and families. I can also look back on some really wonderful vacations!

It usually takes a few years to stash the cash, and rack up some serious frequent flier mileage to go on a big trip. My heart yearns for quaint city destinations, that offer cobblestone pathways to adventure. When the exchange rate is right, Europe is always the first choice!

I have squandered many an English Pound throughout the flowery streets of London, hopping the underground tube, and sampling all kinds of ale! London theatre was just as superb as NYC Broadway!

Amsterdam was an odd little place, with its pot smokers, and storefront prostitutes! Bicycle riders keep the streets quiet, until you imagine the pounding boots of Nazi SS. Never forget the tragic history as you meander through the rooms of the Anne Frank House.

Gay Paris offered a multitude of shops and cafes...and locals who would only speak French, when they definitely knew English. I was a little suspicious of the bus driver who looked at me as if I was a crazy American when I asked for the Eiffel Tower! Maybe he was new on the job!

And the first night in the Swiss Alps had me dreaming of yodelers, who turned out to be alpine youth partying in the pub below!

Although I loved every European city I visited, there was something special about Rome!

Imagine the black, cobblestone streets, bustling with shops and markets...and crazy Italians driving their little smart cars and scooters! Hear the sweet sound of the sing song language...Ciao Bella...and look at those gorgeous men and women. Even the policeman, uzi in hand, had a sense of Versace style. Every piazza vibrated with lively bodies, music, romance, and life!

When visiting Rome, you're surrounded by baroque buildings chock full of fine leather bags, jackets, and shoes...or beautiful cuts of Murano glass! But you're really in luck when you reach a piazza, lined with artists showcasing their work.

During my last night in Rome, I spent most of my remaining Euros on an "original painting". The artist told me it was an original...except I can't help remembering the I Love Lucy episode when Lucy buys an original painting in Paris. She discovers later that Ricky, Fred, and Ethel buy the identical painting! I have to hope that Italian artists, surrounded by all their religious statues, and haunted by Italian guilt, are honest when it comes to their artwork!

Oil painting in hand, I strolled to the famous Trevi Fountain, and tossed some coins over my shoulder. I silently made a wish to return to the Eternal City one day soon! Heading back to my hotel, I wound through the candlelit alleys, and stumbled upon an orchestra. I bought my last luscious gelato and lingered for a while, listening to that gorgeous music of the night. It was then that I knew I was reluctant to leave this ancient city behind!

If you can't venture to Rome soon, you can enjoy making a refreshing Italian dessert, Tortoni. We offer this to you with a kiss on both cheeks, and lots of love,

From Mama Melisi and Me

Italian Tortoni

Ingredients:

1 egg white
6 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
Toasted chopped or slivered almonds
1 cupcake tin and paper cups for the tin

Preparation:

Mix the egg white and salt
Beat until stiff using your electric mix master or hand mixer
Gradually add 2 tablespoons of sugar and beat a little
Whip the heavy cream and fold in the remaining 4 tablespoons of sugar
Then fold in the egg white mixture
Add the vanilla and almond extract
Put the paper muffin cups into the cupcake tin
Spoon the mixture into the paper cups
Top with toasted almonds
Cover with aluminum foil and place in the freezer
Yield: 1 dozen

It's an easy and great dessert!

Something With A Kick

Having grown up in a small town in Jersey, the educational options were limited. You either ventured into public school waters, or you attended Sacred Heart School.

For nine years, I was in the parochial group, surrounded by rosaries, religious rituals, and funny little nuns. By eighth grade graduation, we had a well-rounded academic and spiritual education, and our tight little group was ready for high school!

Half of our group continued with their spiritual education. The rest of us shed our maroon and gray uniforms for Jordache Jeans, and rode the bus to Hackensack High!

"Who needs a house out in Hackensack...is that all you get for your money?" If Billy Joel could quote this scary city, the school couldn't be all that bad! But we were certainly nervous about attending this ominous new school! We wouldn't know many of the kids, and it was so big!

Hackensack High School had buildings that stretched across both sides of the street! The buildings were connected by a large indoor bridge. During class changes, the bridge was as bustling as a New York City subway. Students huddled together in conversation along the lockers, until they hustled to their next destination. When freshman year began, we just rode with the flow of traffic! Surprisingly, we mastered all of the hallways of the school quickly, and Hackensack High became our new home!

The nice part about high school, was the pool of activities to choose! Drama Club was my first gig, as it attracted those smart but crazy kids! Despite the fact that I was always supporting cast rather than lead, I loved being in the productions..."Gypsy"..."My Fair Lady"...there was singing, dancing, and the occasional kissing of nice-lipped boys behind the curtain! And we all lived for the cast parties! Life at HHS was going just fine!

Somehow, during my Junior year, my group of friends coerced me into trying out for the Colorguard Squad. I had a real resistance to those blue and gold uniforms...and the pom pom white boots! I couldn't picture myself waltzing out on a football field, and twirling a flag that was twice my size! But, much to my dismay, I made the squad, and became an official "Comette"!

Shockingly, I enjoyed our marches at halftime, as we skillfully sliced those blue and gold flags through the crisp football air! But there were other perks! Before each game, we had a colorguard brunch, during which we shared much food and laughter! And on Fridays, the high school allowed us to wear our colorguard uniforms to school, to ignite the spirit before the next big game!

Being the impish Catholic School kid by origin, I did have an inclination to play practical jokes on my new founded friends! Most of those in my group were the true brains of the school, taking advanced classes as they surged closer to their Ivy League institutions! Then there were some of us who were happy to be in the general college-prep courses!

One Friday, the brainy group left their lunch period to go upstairs to their advanced class.  The rest of us remained in the lunch room, chatting and laughing as we sat in full colorguard garb. To kill some time before our next class, I had a plan...Why don't we see what's going on upstairs

Our small group of Comettes ventured quietly up to the advanced studies hallway. We could see the studious group listening attentively to the teacher who had been teaching a LONG time.

The Comettes boldly stood right outside the classroom door. As if reading each other's minds, our little group linked arms, and began doing rockette kicks back and forth through the hallway.

Slowly, we received glances from inside the classroom. Our scheme was working, as many of the students were silently busting a gut. We then added a little zest, and kicked even higher. Unexpectedly, my white, pom-pom boot went flying toward the door. The girl sitting closest to the door instinctively ducked, with her arms shielding her head! Luckily, the glass didn't break, and the teacher never skipped a beat. 

After four years of antics, we clad our blue and gold caps and gowns, and walked stoicly across the outdoor concrete bridge, which also stretched across the street and led us to our graduation! Thanks to Facebook, we all keep in touch. To this day, we laugh at the Comette Kicks, and believe that the teacher finally retired, and is living somewhere in Florida.

Once again to ignite the spirit, we give you a recipe for Shrimp Cocktail, with the cocktail sauce that has a kick!

We offer this to you with love!

From Mama Melisi and Me

Fresh Shrimp

Ingredients:

1 lb extra large shrimp
1 fresh lemon

Preparation:

Remove the shells
De-vein shrimp - there is a waste sack under shrimp and vein across top.
Remove both and rinse the shrimp in cold water
As you are doing this, bring quart size pot of water with a cut up lemon to a boil
Add the cleaned shrimp after the water boils
The boiling process will stop when you add the shrimp
After it comes to a boil, time for about 5-10 minutes or until all the shrimp are pink in color
Remove and strain
Place the shrimp on a pretty platter with a serving bowl in center for cocktail sauce
Decorate with a few sprigs of fresh parsley and wedges of fresh lemon

Cocktail Sauce With A Kick

Ingredients:

1 12 oz bottle Seafood Cocktail Sauce
2-3 tablespoons of horse radish
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons hot sauce (I use Frank's Red Hot Sauce)

Mix the above ingredients and let it sit for a while and then taste. To add an extra "kick", you can increase the amount of horse radish and hot sauce to your liking. Enjoy!

Guess Who's Coming To The Barbecue

After a long, dreary winter, the kickoff of summer is a sacred event for those who live in the North. Bicycle wheels begin whipping through the streets. Walkers and joggers pick up their gait. People crack open their winter shells, and show some skin! The only thing left to the official kickoff, is the Memorial Day Barbecue!

Holiday weekends in the Melisi household were generally celebrated with family. But over the years, the clan spread out, and at times it was impossible to bring the family together. When this was the case, Mama Melisi would invite her neighbors, friends, and acquaintances to the gatherings.

One of the most eclectic groups who crashed her Memorial Day Barbecue consisted of the Medical Doctor, the Lesbian, and her friend, the Visiting Priest!

You might think that such a diverse group wouldn't have too much in common...but as the Chianti flowed, so did the conversation!

The first table topic was about travel. The MD was disappointed that she couldn't do much travel due to her hectic medical practice. The Priest shared his experience about his journey to the Holy Land. The Lesbian discussed the trials and tribulations of finding gay friendly hotels!

The chatter shifted to proper attire! The MD noted how doctors used to greet you in those starched, white lab coats. Now, it's perfectly acceptable to wear a golf shirt! The Lesbian stated how she just loved golf shirts. The Priest agreed, as he preferred golf shirts any day to his priestly frock!

The group debated over MDs marrying their practice instead of their spouse; legalizing gay marriage; priests being allowed to get married! The topics around the grill were endless!

At some point, the splendid evening took a turn. Mama Melisi could be spotted in the corner staring at her guests, who were now toasting marshmallows. The Lesbian was sobbing to the Priest that she never met the right woman. The Priest was praying, "Please, God, don't let me meet the right woman.  The MD was taking their blood pressure and monitoring their heart rate!

The evening droned on, until a merciful miracle occurred, and the guests went home! It's no wonder why each Memorial Day Weekend, Mama Melisi now says she's coming to Florida!

In honor of the varied group of Memorial Day guests, we offer you a choice of three salad recipes...each unique and delicious in their own way!

We offer this to you with love!

From Mama Melisi and Me

Italian Potato Salad

Ingredients:

2 lbs new potatoes
1 Spanish red onion
3 Stalks of celery - peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 Cup Greek pitted olives sliced in half (optional)
1/4 Cup extra virgin olive oil (more if needed)
Italian wine vinegar (amount used is per your taste)
1 Tablespoon garlic salt
1/2 Teaspoon black pepper
1 Teaspoon oregano

Preparation:

Place the potatoes in a good sized pot and cover with cold water
Cook for 15-20 minutes and test (Cooking time depends on size; do not overcook)
Run cold water over the potatoes in a colander and let cool thoroughly
Meanwhile, peel and thinly slice the red onion and place in a bowl
Add the sliced celery and olives
Peel and thinly slice the potatoes into the above bowl
Add all the condiments as listed and toss ingredients together
Taste the mixture and add more of any condiment if needed

String Bean and Tomato Salad

Ingredients:

1 lb Fresh string beans
2 Good sized red, ripe tomatoes
1 Small sized red Spanish onion
Garlic salt
Black pepper
1/4 Cup extra virgin olive oil
1 Tablespoon Italian wine vinegar

Preparation:

Steam the string beans in a steamer basket for 10-15 minutes. (Do not overcook)
Check to see if they are done
Strain the string beans and place in a bowl
Cut up the tomatoes
Thinly slice the red onion
Add these ingredients to the string beans
Add the condiments
Season according to your taste buds!

Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

1 lb tri-colored pasta
1 Small jar marinated artichoke hearts
3 Stalks celery - peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 Cup Greek pitted olives cut in half
1/2 Spanish red onion thinly sliced
Fresh tomatoes of your liking - cherry, grape, or plum tomatoes
1/4 Cup extra virgin olive oil - more if needed
1/4 Cup Italian wine vinegar

Preparation:

Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package
While the pasta is cooking, prepare the other ingredients and place into a bowl
Drain the pasta and run under cold water
Drain pasta again very well and add to the bowl
Mix well and taste to check the flavors (Pasta absorbs the liquids; that's why you check flavors)
You can sprinkle with some garlic powder if you wish

ENJOY!

The Catholic Kid Caper

Along with growing up Catholic, comes numerous obligations and ritualistic traditions. Some are formal, such as making First Holy Communion or Confirmation. Some are mere expectations, such as going to mass every Sunday.

Being a devoted Sacred Heart School Girl, I consciously fulfilled my Catholic responsibilities. Not only was I in attendance at Mass each week, but the entire SHS class could be found in church each and every Holy Day. Proudly cloaked in our maroon and gray uniforms, we were poised and serious...until something funny happened, and we would have to hold in our hysteria until we were about to bust!

I think the most embarrassing occurrence was when my friend and I remained standing during mass, eyes planted on the altar, while the rest of the congregation sat down in their pews! Actually, the two of us should have been commended for our straight heads, and reverent stance...even if we did look like two church idiots!

Maybe it was that embarrassing moment that led me to stray from my religious obligations...especially once we knew how to drive!

I think back to that warm Sunday morning. There was a husky breeze in the summer air, and the cicadas buzzed steadily in the background. My good friend, just bought a new car. It was a velvety maroon Pontiac Sunbird, with a creamy tan interior. Boy was that car sharp! We planned to drive to 10:00 mass. Wouldn't it be nice to stretch that Sunbird's wings onto the Garden State Parkway, instead of sitting in a subdued church for a long, dreary mass!

There's something amazing about how friends can read each other's minds! No sooner did I slip into the front seat, before that vehicle turned south, straight for the Jersey Shore! Having calculated our secret escapade to last four hours maximum, we made sure we stated that we were going to Saddle Brook Diner after mass for a hefty breakfast!

The ride was a snap! Most of the traffic was on the north side of the highway. Upon arrival, we quickly headed for Seaside Heights Boardwalk. I loved the expansive wooden slats that hugged the white shoreline for miles. The salt-soaked breeze gently caressed our faces as we walked among the crowd.

The playful booths began taunting us to dish out some cash. My temptation was the Coin Toss. In the past, I broke many a dollar bill for countless quarters, tossed onto glass plates, only to bounce on the ground. Although I never had success, I still managed to love this challenging game.

That infamous day, I had one quarter in my pocket...what the heck. I maneuvered myself to the front of the booth, leaned over, took aim, and tossed the coin in the air. Oddly, it had a slight backward pitch, and floated upward ever so gently. I watched the coin in slow motion as it plopped perfectly down onto the center of one of those glass plates!

I stood there stunned, as the little man behind the booth waived his arm toward a slew of dangling, life-sized, stuffed animals. "Take your pick", I heard as my eyes landed on the biggest, cutest stuffed raccoon. Proudly, I waddled away with my arms wrapped around my prized possession, until my heart sank. I was supposed to be praying...not tossing coins!

For those of you who are not Catholic, making confession is another component of our holy duties. Mama Melisi actually smiled as I confessed our sin. Rocky the Raccoon was hoisted in the corner of my bedroom...and to this day, I laugh at how we blundered the Catholic Kid Caper!

We offer, however, a wonderful Haddock Fish recipe with a delicious caper topping. It's quick and easy...and we guarantee you will pull this one off! Again, we offer this recipe to you with love!

From Mama Melisi and Me

Haddock Fish with a Tomato Caper Topping

Ingredients:

1 lb Haddock
1 Fresh tomato chopped
1 Tablespoon capers (rinsed well)
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
Lemon Pepper
Garlic Powder
1/4 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Cooking Directions:

Rinse the haddock and pat dry
Cut into serving pieces and sprinkle both sides with lemon pepper
Place on a dish and set aside
Soak the capers in cold water for approx 10 minutes because they are salty
Prepare the topping - chop a tomato and place in a small bowl
Add the chopped parsley garlic powder and capers
Add about 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
Mix well

Spray a baking dish with pam
Place the fish fillets in the dish and spoon the tomato mixture on the top of the fish
Place in a preheated 350 degree oven
Bake from 15-20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish

Secrets at the Drive-In Movie

In the era of DVDs, DVRs, and On-Demand TV, going to the movies is becoming an infrequent event! I guess this has its pluses. After all, watching a good flick at home, can be more comfortable and quiet! However, before the technology takeover, movie night was special. And, going to the drive-in movies had yet a more unique flair!

There was a certain amount of preparation for the drive-in experience...at least when Mama Melisi was involved! Our family of five wouldn't head off empty-handed! I vaguely remember first packing our most comfortable pillows, and cozy blankets! When it came to food...let's just say dinner would be eaten in the car!

Drive-In movie food, for us, wasn't popcorn or sweet tarts! Mama Melisi would make her famous chicken cutlet sandwiches! And there was never any variation to this! We would pack-up, head out, and feast on breaded chicken cutlet sandwiches while we were watching the latest movie in our roomy Chevrolet!

And that wasn't all! The secret for my dad to have a really relaxing movie night, was to also pack a mason jar of Manhattan Cocktails! Family...good food...classic movie great...cocktails...if you ask me, we should revive the drive-in movie experience now!

Truthfully, my last recollection of a night at the drive-in was the debut of the 1968 movie, "Planet of the Apes"! I remember that scratchy speaker hooked onto the window of our car. And I also vaguely recall hearing, "Take your hands off me, you damn, dirty ape!" NO...that wasn't Mama Melisi talking to my dad...it was Charlton Heston yelling at his ape captors! (I still want to know...was that really Planet Earth???)

In memory of all the secrets at the drive-in movies, we offer you Mama Melisi's Chicken Cutlet Sandwich recipe...and the formula for a Classic Manhattan Cocktail! Once again, we offer it to you with love...

From Mama Melisi and Me

Breaded Chicken Cutlets

Ingredients:

6 slices thinly sliced chicken cutlets (use a kitchen mallet to pound cutlets - it tenderizes them)
1 cup skim milk or milk of your choice
1 cup Italian flavored bread crumbs
Extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons Italian grating cheese (optional)

Cooking Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Line a cookie sheet with foil and spray with pam
Take the cutlets which have been soaking in milk and dip them into bread crumbs
(If you're using cheese, add the cheese to the bread crumbs first)
Place cutlets on cookie sheet and drizzle olive oil over each cutlet
Place on an oven rack which is in the middle of the oven
Bake for 15 minutes, then turn and bake for another 15 minutes (or until crumbs are golden)
Serve on a heated platter with fresh lemon slices

*For Drive-In Movie Sandwiches, place finished cutlets on the bread of your choice!

Manhattan Cocktail

Ingredients:

2 oz rye whiskey
1/2 oz sweet (Italian) vermouth
maraschino cherry for garnish

Preparation:

Pour ingredients into a mixing glass with ice
Stir well
Strain into a chilled cocktail glass (mason jar)
Garnish with a cherry

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

The Poacher

Once in a while, I have the fortunate experience of babysitting for my friend's little boy. At six year's old, he has a head full of dirty blond hair, and round blue eyes that radiate with honesty. He's also blessed with a keen, analytical mind, and a kind little soul. There are some kids that you just love being around!

During my babysitting stint, we played an active outdoor game of airplane. Dollar Store, styrofoam airplanes catch the wind just right! Afterward, we settled onto the couch to watch one of our favorite shows..."Animal Planet".

The segment, already in session, flashed a scene of a baby rhinoceros, visibly injured and limping painfully through the woods. Unexpectedly, the footage became graphic, showing how an evil poacher laid a round, wire trap. When the baby rhino stepped into that wicked contraption, the wire tightened around the rhino's ankle, and cut his leg clear to the bone!

We both became saturated with horror. At first, he froze...then he lowered his head and slumped his shoulders. There was despair in the eyes of a six year old boy from the stark sight of animal cruelty. It was as bad as a physical blow!

I quickly outstretched my arms, and the child plunged into them...burying his head as if to erase the image from his mind. All he could say was, "If people don't want animals to hurt them, why would people hurt animals?" Having no answer, all I could do was hug him. Sometimes, there are no answers to life's sad realities.

We have a responsibility to our children to teach them to take care of one another...as well as the earth and the animals. We must be role models so that our little people never grow up to be poachers...laying wicked traps...practicing evil. Let's work together, to teach our children well.

If you're going to be a poacher, make sure you're poaching eggs! Get up, talk to your kids...make breakfast for them. Start with Mama Melisi's Poached Eggs! It's truly an art the way she cooks them!

Again, we offer this to you with love,

From Mama Melisi and Me

Poached Eggs

Spray the bottom of a shallow sauce pan with Pam
Fill 3/4 of the way with cold water
Bring to a gentle boil
Crack an egg open into the boiling water
Let simmer for 3 minutes for a medium poached, juicy egg
If you like it a bit drier, give it a few more seconds
Use a slotted spatula to ease the egg out of the water
Place onto the buttered toast of your liking

Other suggestions: Can put the poached egg over a pancake!

Can also be served with home fries made with thinly sliced boiled potatoes sauteed in canola oil, sprinkled with onion powder, salt and pepper. Saute until golden brown!

The Versatile Chef

When I was a kid, I pretty much took life, and all that it had to offer, for granted. The fact that I lived in a nice little house, in a nice little neighborhood was a given. Routines came easily. I walked to school every day with the same set of friends, and my family sat down to dinner each night around the same time. Looking back...those routines were like a beautiful set of jewels!

Something I also took for granted was Mama Melisi's versatility in the kitchen! To this day, this is a sharp contrast to my culinary skill, which is extremely limited. I tend to shop for the same things in the supermarket...and cook the same meals for dinner! In fact, the only time I ever changed my actual route through the aisles of Publix Supermarket, was when they closed my store of fifteen years! Once in the "new and improved" Publix, I felt tortured and dyslexic, as I hopelessly searched for my usual boring items!

In contrast, when Mama Melisi shops, it's always a whole new adventure! Encompassing a wide array of ingredients, her list of meals is endless, and she can take one food item, and prepare it in several ways!

Take, for example, eggplant. When one thinks of eggplant, the probable preparation that comes to mind is the Italian Parmigiana version...thin slices fried up, and smothered in sauce and mozzarella cheese. Not so for Mama Melisi! I could give you at least five different ways she makes eggplant. The only given, was picking it fresh out of the garden. The outcome, however, was always a surprise!

During those northern summer months, imagine how she fired it up on the grill, enhancing the flavor, and serving it with a multitude of other grilled veges! Or, pucker up your lips and let some pickled eggplant penetrate your taste buds...just enough vinegar and garlic cloves in the jar! She also would dice it up into delightful and sneaky little chunks, well camouflaged by the fresh marinara sauce! Or she stuffed it good with ricotta cheese, and treated us to eggplant rollatini! Finally, we always loved her eggplant parmigiana...never fried, but delicately baked, and light as a feather! I remember a family member recently experiencing this for the first time, and labeling it Eggplant Souffle!

As an adult, I now delight in her versatility...never taking it for granted. And although my trips to Publix are still rather dull, I do venture into unknown waters by trying out some of these recipes myself! However, if all else fails, the Versatile Chef still frequents South Florida on a regular basis, takes over my kitchen, and cooks up a storm for whoever walks through the door!

Today, we offer you Mama Melisi's Eggplant Parmigiana...whether you pick it fresh from your garden, or find it in the produce aisle, we offer you the recipe with love!

From Mama Melisi and Me

Eggplant Parmigiana

Ingredients:

l large eggplant (make sure it is firm)
Italian flavored breadcrumbs
Flour
2 Eggs
Pam Olive Oil Spray
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Pecorino Romano Grating Cheese
Black Pepper
Parsley
Marinara Sauce (recipe taken from blog 1 - "A Pot of Sauce")

Preparation:

Peel eggplant - hold eggplant upright and peel from the top to bottom (much easier this way)
Slice about 1/4 inch in thickness and set aside
Mix 1 cup Italian flavored bread crumbs with 1/2 cup flour
Take 2 eggs in a flat type bowl, and scramble with a fork
Add 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, a little chopped parsley, and a tablespoon of grated cheese
Mix well

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Line 2 cookie sheets with aluminum foil and spray with Pam Olive Oil Spray

Take each slice of eggplant and swish in the egg mixture
Next coat slices with flour mixture and place on cookie sheets
Drizzle olive oil over the eggplant slices lightly
Place in oven after all of the eggplant is prepared and bake for 45 minutes
(No need to turn...remove and cool a bit)

Get a casserole baking dish and cover bottom with marinara sauce
Place eggplant slices on the bottom
Add some sauce to the eggplant
Sprinkle with your grating cheese and layer until you have used all of the eggplant
Top with more grated cheese

Bake for 45 minutes in a 350 degree oven

Bueno Apetito!

Fish Tales

Those who live in Florida, know it's quite common for sporadic waves of company to gravitate from the north to pay you a visit...especially family! You may think their primary reason, is to replace the bitter cold winter with blue skies, swaying palms, and lovely beaches. Some may even be suspicious enough to think that the fishermen in the group, may secretly wish for one fast and furious tropical storm, strong enough to churn up some great fish within the rushing currents!

Coming from a tight Italian family, the vacation perks of Florida are secondary. When the family comes south, the first thing we look forward to is connecting in person, catching up with each other, and sharing some good meals!

In the last two weeks, I've had visits from not only Mama Melisi and Ray, but Diane and Frank...my sister and brother-in-law...and later, my cousin, Cathy. The consensus on meals throughout the two weeks was everyone wanted "good fish". So, we ditched cooking in, and made the seafood circuit of some of the nicest establishments along Fort Lauderdale Beach.

When I say we had fish, we ate everything from shrimp, scallops, mussels, sole, salmon, grouper, mahi, swordfish, tuna...and that ever-delicious ugly fish...chilean sea bass! Each restaurant offered its own unique preparation...grilled, blackened, broiled, poached...and the ambiance included anything from classical piano notes to island steel drum floating through the airwaves!

I think the best excursion was to one of the oldest restaurants in the area. You had to take a little boat to the 80-year old hot spot. After docking, we saw in the distance two shack-like buildings...one marked "bar" and the other obviously the restaurant. Walking in, you couldn't help but notice the weather-beaten wooden booths and tables, with bare 60-watt bulbs dangling from above!

Our friendly waiter suggested the authentic hearts of palm salad to start, and a fine selection of wines to accompany your choice of fresh, local fish. Oddly, most of us ordered the yellow-tail snapper. Mama Melisi went healthy, and had hers made straight up...the rest of us gladly accepted the lemon piccata sauce with our fish. After driving cross town, and taking the little boat ride, we were all quite hungry!

Following our anxious wait, the waiter arrived with his sturdy, round, wooden serving platter. Arranged on plates were the snapper...and a sea of stiff tails sticking straight up and out of their asses! No one warned us that the tails would be in tact! If I had known that, I would have dropped a line out of their boat, and caught my own fish. At least I wouldn't be so startled!

Poor little fish...it actually looked like a fish when I was eating it! I felt like we were a family of bears in a wooden den, having a fiendish fish fest! After all was said and done, the only thing left on the plates were...the fish tails! And I must say, that was one delicious meal!

Sadly, the company all went home...and I am fished out...no more fish for a long time! However, since I didn't see you down here, you might want one of my favorite fish recipes from Mama Melisi...Salmon! It's quick, easy and delicious!

Once again, we offer it to you with love,

From Mama Melisi and Me

Salmon:

Ingredients:

4 Salmon Fillets
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3 Garlic Cloves
Black Pepper
Lemon Pepper
White Wine
Fresh Lemon
Parsley

Cooking Directions:

Heat olive oil in saute pan
Slice half an onion
Saute onion in olive oil until golden in color
Slice 3 fresh garlic cloves, and stir into olive oil until golden
Season salmon by sprinkling black pepper and lemon pepper
Place seasoned side down into pan and season other side
Cook on medium high heat for five minutes
Turn over and cook another five minutes
Add 1/4 cup white wine to pan
Squeeze fresh lemon and sprinkle parsley over salmon
Cover salmon and let sit for approximately 3 minutes
Check fish - if flaky, it's done!

An Easter Gift

I'm a little late with the blog, as during the past couple of days, my cat, Patches, has been ill. This morning was especially sad, as my little calico of 17 years was laid to rest.

Patches and I were kindred souls...she was petite, agile, and loved to prance with an impish gait. Old age set in, and she could no longer hold her little body up. When her deep, slow purr stopped this morning, I knew it was time.

During this holiday weekend, it is especially important to try to keep the spirit. In doing so, I dedicate this blog to our wonderful pets, who bring so much joy to our lives. They are not just animals, but true members of our families. They are a special gift to us for too short a time, but they live in our hearts forever!

I thought it would be nice to speak of the Easter gift...otherwise known as Mama Melisi's Easter Bread. I should say, that this is a Melisi/Tozzi recipe. About 40 years ago, Mama Melisi and her dear friend, Dolores Tozzi put their heads together to revise and perfect this recipe! And perfect it, they did!

Each year, I would wake up to a Dining Room table filled with pans of rising bread dough! Mama Melisi would make sure that no one would open the back door for fear of cool air entering...the room had to be warm while the bread was rising. Then, of course, I could see her using the punch and knead routine before she formed the dough into braided round loaves!

When I say it was an Easter gift, I mean it. Friends, nieces, nephews, and neighbors would line up anxiously waiting for their personal Easter Bread loaf! It was a gift to us, and to everyone!

The recipe has passed through the generations, as my niece, Lori, made the Easter Bread for the first time this year with much success! (Yeah, Lori!!! I knew that was why you purchased that Dining Room set!) I expect my loaf UPS delivered to Florida...same time next year!

We wish everyone a Happy Easter, Happy Passover...after a long winter, enjoy the sunshine, and most importantly, enjoy time with your family, friends, and beloved pets!

We send our wish with love,

From Mama Melisi and Me

Easter Bread Ingredients:

5 1/2 cups bread flour
1 cup sugar
1 package rapid rise yeast
1/2 cup water
3/8 cup milk (little less than 1/2 cup)
1 stick margarine or butter
3 extra large eggs
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon anise extract
1 teaspoon orange juice
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Hints to follow for success in the bread making:

1. Let eggs become room temperature
2. Prepare the night before baking - let the bread dough raise overnight - it becomes lighter in texture
3. After making the loaves or bread braids, let raise for another 30 minutes
4. Do not over handle the dough in making the breads

Mixing Instructions:

Mix 2 cups of the flour with the sugar and undissolved yeast in a large mixing bowl
Heat the water, milk and butter/margarine in a small saucepan until very warm (but not boiling) 105 degrees to 115 degrees
The butter need not melt
Gradually stir the milk mixture into the yeast mixture on medium mixing speed
Beat for 2-3 minutes
Add the eggs and the flour (2 cups at a time)
Keep mixing (use your dough hook attachment)
Then add all of the flavors
You can add a little more flour if necessary - it should be a soft dough
Knead in your mixer for 7-10 minutes

Place dough in a greased bowl - cover with saran wrap and then a cloth towel
Let dough rise in a warm place...dough should double in size
Punch the dough down with your fist
Now you can prepare the dough for making the breads

One way is to divide the dough into as many loaf pans as you have. This will probably make about 4 loaves. Spray the loaf pan with pam first. Then let the loaves raise for another 30 minutes. Only fill the pans half full. Then beat egg whites and brush the top of each loaf with this. Add sprinkles of your liking.

Italian Easter Bread is usually braided. After the dough is raised, punch it down, and knead a little with your hands. Just give it a quick knead. Take a good handful of the dough and roll into two ropes to be braided. Two pieces are needed to braid and then form into a circle. Pinch the ends together. Take cookie sheets, line with foil or parchment paper, spray with pam and place your braided circles onto the cookie sheet. If the circles are large, you can only fit two on a cookie sheet. If the circles are medium in size you can fit 3 on a cookie sheet. Again, let this raise for 30 minutes - brush with egg white and add your sprinkles.

The bread in loaf pans are baked at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes
The braided breads take about the same amount of time, also in 350 degree oven
Use a baker's tester to check if they are done. (Dough should not stick to the tester.) Breads should be a very golden brown in color.

This is terrific to have on Easter morning with your coffee or hot chocolate! It does take time but it is worth it...As you become the bread expert, triple your recipe so you can give it away, too!

Saturday Afternoon Comfort Food

It's the inevitable that certain customs, practices, even things become archaic with time. Take, for example my kitchen phone that hangs on the wall. It has one of those over sized cords, that you can stretch clear into another room when you are talking. However, with remote madness, and cell phone frenzy, I never use this phone anymore. It's become more of a decoration that I paint around every few years!

How about record albums...I have a whole shelf of these! I can't seem to part with them. I don't play them anymore, but I save them because they contain all of those great posters and pictures in their big, square covers! It would be a shame to lose all of that memorabilia!

Let's forget about some of these "ancient things", and talk about chores! Hats off to the parents who still designate chores...or even a chore...to their kids for the simple reason of teaching responsibility! Responsibility...good work ethic...or even just contributing to the family seem like the intangibles of the past!

I must say, Mama Melisi was real good about teaching responsibility...and designating the chores! Somehow, it was decided that I would be the "dusting girl"! That meant, every Saturday morning, I had to dust the whole house. I HATED this chore! It hung over me like a guillotine! It was the inevitable that I had to dig into that skinny closet, and pull out those old dust cloths...we called them rags! And then I would dust, until every surface in the house was dust-free! It took so long, that new dust accumulated! As if the task wasn't torturous enough, she only supplied me with four rags...it took at least twenty to finish the job! Hence, I would dust, and shake out, dust and shake out. The only thing to look forward to was passing the white glove test!

Honestly, I would have enjoyed doing other chores, like washing the dishes, vacuuming, even cleaning the bathroom...but dusting was the dreadful Saturday morning ritual. Luckily, once that hideous job was done, life went on, and I could enjoy some of the simple pleasures, like watching "Abbott and Costello", or bowling at the Garden State Plaza! Best of all, at rare times there was a wonderful reward awaiting...Saturday afternoon comfort food! I know I've said that Mama Melisi was a healthy cook, but when you needed it most, she made fun food that was quick, delicious, and a real treat!

This week, we're going to reward our bloggers with two easy, but satisfying recipes...Baked Macaroni (Macaroni and Cheese), and Sloppy Joes. The next time you do your least favorite chore, have someone make this for you!

Again, we offer this to you with love,

From Mama Melisi and Me

Baked Macaroni

Ingredients:

1 lb macaroni (elbows, wide egg noodles, shells or rotini pasta)
8 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese cut into pieces
If you have any leftover yellow or white (American) cheese, you can add to the cheddar
1 cup milk
4 oz butter or margarine
Italian flavored bread crumbs
Extra pats of butter or margarine for the top

Cooking Directions:

Cook the pasta of your liking according to the directions on the box
While the pasta is cooking mix the milk, cheese and butter in sauce pan
When the milk is hot, and cheese somewhat melted, mix this into the drained pasta
Spray a 9 x 12 pan (approximate) with pam
Pour the pasta mixed with the milk, butter and cheese into the pan
Spread this in the pan
Sprinkle with some bread crumbs
Place extra pats of butter on the top
Cover with foil, and bake in a preheated oven of 350 degrees for about 20 minutes
Uncover and bake for another 10-15 minutes

Sloppy Joes

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground beef (can use ground chicken or turkey)
1 onion (chopped)
3 cloves minced garlic
1 jar Hamburger Relish (comes in 8 or 10 oz jar)
Hamburger rolls or hard rolls
1/4 cup lite oil

Cooking Directions:

Add the oil to a saute pan
Heat and then add the chopped onion
Saute until golden in color
Add the minced garlic
Again saute a few minutes until golden in color
Add the chopped meat and toss with the onions and garlic
Once the chopped meat is thoroughly cooked, add the jar of hamburger relish
Mix together and heat well
Spoon mixture onto the rolls and enjoy!

An Acquired Taste

Have you ever noticed that there are two types of foods? The first type is instantly appealing, desirable, pleasant to the taste buds, and just wonderfully satisfying. It doesn't matter whether you're a kid or an adult...they just taste good! Think of the first time you had a slice of pizza...macaroni and cheese...a juicy hamburger with a side of fries! Simply delicious!

Then there is type two! These foods are otherwise known as healthy choices! Most of the time, kids don't want to look at these, let alone try them! Have you ever seen a kid's eyes light up if you say they're having fish...lean meat...a tossed salad... or how about fresh vegetables???

Having grown up on type two, I guess I just didn't know the difference! Mama Melisi generally cooked a healthy meal. It included the main serving, more than one fresh vegetable, and a salad. There was no such thing as a separate meal for the kids...no chicken nuggets, and definitely no McDonalds! We ate what was on our plate...and we liked it!

Of course, my mom always nudged us a little with her persuasive phrase, "Just try it...How do you know you won't like it if you don't try it!" Hence, at a very young age, I was turned on to fresh broccoli, zucchini, spinach, even brussels sprouts! But...there was one vegetable that I just couldn't bring myself to eat...ESCAROLE!

Now there was definitely a reason for my strong resistance. Mama Melisi didn't call it escarole. She used the Italian pronunciation of "SCAROLE"! I'll try to give this to you phonetically, so you have an idea of how strange a word this is: First the "SH" sound followed by a "K" followed by a short vowel "O" followed by a very long vowel "O" and an "L" sound at the end. Ready...
"SHKO-OLE"! You have to make a strange face just to say it!

As a young kid, I couldn't even pronounce it. As a teenager, I was too embarrassed to pronounce it. Can you imagine having friends over for dinner, and having to say, "Pass the "SHKO-OLE"!
It was just easier to never even try this odd, little Italian vegetable!

It wasn't until I turned 40...that ever-confident age for women...that I ventured into new culinary territory, and tried "scarole". I did, however, refer to it as escarole, and was pleasantly surprised at how delicious it tasted! Wonderfully flavored with good olive oil, and sauteed garlic, it was a new and fabulous acquired taste!

You, too can broaden your culinary horizons. Put on your best, fake Italian accent (use your hands if you have to), go to the store, and ask for, "SHKO-OLE"! If you're brave enough to buy it, we'll tell you how to cook it, and even spruce it up with beans or pasta!

Again, we offer this recipe to you with love,

From Mama Melisi and Me

Escarole

Ingredients:

1 head of escarole
1 or 2 cans of low salt/fat free chicken broth as needed
1 can of cannellini beans rinsed and drained (optional)
garlic cloves
extra virgin olive oil
black pepper

Preparation:

Rinse and drain a can of cannellini beans and set aside
Put about 1/4 cup olive oil in a sauce pan and heat
Add 2 cloves of minced garlic
Saute until golden in color
Add the beans and some black pepper and toss into the oil
If this is dry, add about 1/2 can of the chicken broth and set aside
Take a head of escarole and cut in half; then cut each half in half again
Cut each quarter into medium size pieces and rinse thoroughly
(Rinsing can be done in the sink or in a good size pot or bowl - escarole could be sandy)
(You can even add baking soda to the first rinse, as it helps in removing the grit)
Take a 6 qt pot or large saute pan, and add 1/4 cup of olive oil
Heat and add 4 cloves of garlic (sliced or whole)
Carefully add the rinsed escarole (moist leaves can spit up a bit when added to hot oil)
Add the other 1/2 of the chicken broth
Cover and steam for about a half hour
Taste test the leaves. If you want them softer, cook another 10 minutes
If more liquid is needed, add more of the chicken broth
When the escarole is cooked, add the cannellini beans

Suggested Serving Methods

Escarole can be served with or without the beans
Escarole can also be served with a small pasta (elbow macaroni, ditalini)
It can also be served with wide egg noodles. Hint - the beans enhance the flavor
When you are ready to serve, add a little of the extra virgin olive oil to mixture