Artichokes Stuffed With Salami & Mushrooms

Nothing says spring like fresh, green vegetables. My favorites are asparagus and artichokes. Knowing that bright, red, plump tomatoes and sweet corn-on-the-cob will soon be in market bins makes my heart sing. At our Easter meal, stuffed artichokes are enjoyed. I can never understand anyone relishing steamed artichoke leaves dipped in a mayonnaise based sauce or melted butter. I guess it looks like dainty-eating, but come on, hearty is so much better. A stuffed artichoke is the way to go!

So the artichokes at the market were deep green, fragrant and heavy.  They squeaked when squeezed, so they were keepers. The price was right. I bought only two as I'm the only one who will dine on these beauties. No company expected....it's the weekend after Easter and most everyone is still coming down from the excitement of this sacred holiday. My husband, Steve, isn't a big fan of this wonderful vegetable, so two were enough. Of course, once I had made them....four would have been better!

Eating an artichoke is an experience similar to eating a crab, a hands-on affair. The tender "meat" on each leaf is removed by putting it between your front teeth and pulling the leaf through. It's a slow, methodical process that elicits sighs of contentment. Every leaf is scraped clean, the stuffing that clings to it savored, then a hearty mound of center stuffing is enjoyed...finally the prize is unearthed, the heart or flower of the artichoke.

mushrooms, salami, onion, garlic
sauteing in skillet

A stuffed artichoke isn't a side dish...nope, it's a meal in itself. It takes some preparation time, but considering it's a main course, it's not much more work than any other meal.  I stuffed these with sauteed mushrooms, diced hard salami, and breadcrumbs among a few other ingredients. The artichokes depicted are over-stuffed. The moist filling is enough for four, but since I only had two, I packed these babies to overflow. I didn't want to serve this with anything too heavy, so my choice was a cup of zucchini soup and plain, sliced tomatoes.  This meal is the epitome of an eating experience and more delicious than words can describe. And that's Italian!



Artichoke Stuffed With Salami & Mushrooms
2-4 fresh Artichokes, each leaf snipped, middle of choke cleaned out
4 slices of Hard Salami, diced (a 1/4 lb chunk will do fine)
8 oz of button mushrooms, cleaned and diced
2 tablespoon onion, diced
1 egg
2 cups flavored breadcrumbs (1 1/2 c will do for 2 artichokes)
1 cup vegetable broth
1 cup white wine
3 fresh basil leaves, snipped into pieces

5 cloves garlic, reserve 2 for the cooking pot

olive oil

In a skillet, saute mushrooms, onion, & 3 cloves of garlic in a bit of olive oil. When almost golden add salami.  Cook for about 5 minutes, then set aside to cool. While this is sauteing and cooling,  prepare the artichokes. Turn upside down and rap artichoke on the counter to open the leaves.  Cut off stem, so the artichoke can sit up on the plate. Snip tip of each leaf, then with a spoon clean out the center removing any of the prickly inside. Rinse in cold water and let dry upside-down on a paper towel.  In a bowl, add

mushroom & salami mixture
with breadcrumbs

           breadcrumbs & beaten egg and cooled mushroom/salami mixture. Mix well and add fresh basil leaves. Mix. Fill center and in between leaves with breadcrumb mixture.
Drizzle olive oil into a wide pot. Heat and add remaining 2 cloves of garlic. Combine vegetable broth and white wine in a measuring cup. When garlic is just golden, add 1/4 cup of the liquid. Stir. Place stuffed artichokes in pot.  Drizzle tops with a bit of olive oil. Lower heat to a simmer.  Cover and cook for 45 minutes. As often as possible, check that bottom of artichokes arent' burning. Baste with remaining liquid to keep vegetables moist. Test a leaf to be sure it is soft.
Enjoy the artichokes either warm or cold.

Artichokes with tips snipped

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Fried Mozzarella Sandwich (Mozzarella in Carrozza)

I'm sure many Italian friends and family members are wrinkling their foreheads at my posting this recipe. It's so common, so spaghetti-and-meatball simple. With all the fancy-schmancy recipes found everywhere these days, why Mozzarella in Carrozza? Because like in my post, Simple Chicken Cutlets, we often forget the tried & true recipes.  Mozzarella in Carrozza (mozzarella in a carriage) is an easy, traditional Italian cheese sandwich. It’s rich, gooey on the inside and crispy on the outside.
 I remember, as a kid, having lunch at an all-American friend's house. It was soup and sandwich. Fine. The soup was canned tomato and the sandwich, Grilled Cheese. Now, we lived in the Bronx (NY) and it was winter. There wasn't a grill, so a skillet on the stove was the appliance of choice. I never enjoyed tomato soup..reminds me of watered down tomato sauce, but melted cheese sandwich was on my like-list.
Mrs. Monroe melted butter in a skillet, took two slices of white bread, slapped on two slices of yellow American cheese, put together the sandwich and grilled the bread on both sides until the cheese melted. Now, dear reader, I'm not that much of a food snob and there's nothing wrong with a melted cheese sandwich, so I ate it, happily, with the soup. I didn't think much of it....until Friday night rolled around.

Mama Eugenia didn't make the ordinary grilled cheese sandwich. Nope. She made Mozzarella in Carrozza. It's similar to the Grilled Cheese sandwich, but a couple of extra steps makes this panino special. Canola oil goes into a heavy skillet, the bread is dipped in seasoned, beaten eggs like French Toast, mozzarella is sliced thin and it's fried between the bread. OMGosh. When this wonderful, creamy, white, cheese melts...you can darn near faint. Mom served this sandwich with a tomato salad and the soup could be pasta e fagioli (pasta with cannellini beans) or escarole soup with tiny meatballs...a far cry from canned tomato soup. This sandwich is great for lunch, supper or even cut into small squares for an appetizer. Sometimes, it's served with a marinara sauce on the side, but we never did. To keep it warm, heat your oven on low and place the sandwiches on an oven-proof dish lined with a paper towel.
I don't make this panino as often as I should considering how wonderful it is, but it will never, ever go out of favor. Great recipes don't. This childhood favorite is right up there with other simple meals like warm Zeppoli (fried dough) sprinkled with salt served with  fresh, plump tomatoes in quality olive oil, a bit of warm water, garlic, salt and basil. When Mama put these sort of meals on our table, memories were always made.

Mozzarella in Carrozza

This is the method my family traditionally prepared this sandwich. After dipping into egg mixture, I always fry two slices of bread on one side first. Flip the slices over, layer the cheese on one fried slice of bread,  place the other slice-fried side- on top of cheese. You now have a sandwich that you will fry on both sides until the cheese in the middle melts.

4 eggs, beaten
6 slices of soft bread (white or wheat)
9 slices of mozzarella cheese, sliced thin
dash of garlic powder
dash of salt
1 tsp. parsley
canola oil for frying

Heat oil in a heavy skillet. In a bowl, beat eggs, garlic powder, salt & parsley. Dip both sides of one slice of bread in egg mixture. Let excess drip back into bowl.  Place in skillet. Immediately, repeat with a second slice of bread, frying both at the same time. Follow the above method to finish sandwich. Serve warm
Yields: 3 sandwiches

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Scallops Casino

Chicken With Trinity Sauce

In cooking, the term trinity is used to describe three important, go-to starter ingredients. In Cajun cuisine the trinity is bell peppers, celery & onion. The French trinity is onion, celery & carrots. I have two trinities...my personal trinity-onions, garlic & basil sauteed in olive oil, of course. But my trinity sauce is a good deli mustard, mayonnaise & honey. With these 3 ingredients, I can combine many other ingredients such as raisins, nuts, coconut, curry to name a few OR nothing at all and still have a delicious dish.

I have smothered fish in my trinity sauce and never regretted it. It's the base of my Cole slaw.

Sauce with cashews
& unsweetened coconut


 

Trinity Sauce



 Today, I decided it would be  boneless chicken thigh night, but really wasn't sure how I'd prepare it. I thought about it throughout the day...roasted chicken with rice and corn, chicken with sauteed cabbage, maybe a whitesauce and broccoli. What to do? Then my BFF, Sunny, called and I remembered giving her the Trinity Sauce recipe for tilapia on Friday and bingo, how-to-cook-my-chicken question was answered.

I couldn't have been happier with the results. It was sweet, tangy, and buttery moist...add cashews for crunch and unsweetened coconut for another layer of taste and texture, and this is a keeper. Hope you enjoy it, too. I served it with rice and spinach and a toss salad.

Chicken With Trinity Sauce

1 package boneless chicken thighs (usually 5),

remove fat, rinse and pat dry

onion powder

garlic powder

salt

Sauce

2 tablespoon Mayonnaise

1 1/2 tablespoon Honey

1 teaspoon mustard
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut
1/4 cup of cashews, pieces
1 teaspoon parsley
dash of garlic & onion powders
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.  Sprinkle chicken with garlic & onion powders and salt and place in a baking pan, ( I prefer a dark pan) no oil or butter, please. Put in oven and bake for 30 minutes. In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, honey, mustard, onion & garlic powders and parsley. Mix well. Add coconut and cashews. Mix. Remove pan from oven and drain any liquid. Baste with sauce on both sides. Put back into oven for 15 minutes. Done!

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Heavenly Coffee Or Not! The K-Cup Update

I am a coffee drinker. I enjoy the aroma, the taste, the mouth-feel and the comfort it gives me. I've been drinking this brew since I was a tot....yes, a tot. Grandpa Frank would put coffee in a cup plate, add milk and sugar and hand it to one of his many grand kids. It was actually just a sip of coffee, but enough to prime our palates for the taste of it. I used to be able to put up a pot at 10 PM, drink it down and still fall asleep the minute my head hit the pillow. Now...not so. Not a drop after 6 PM, though I switch to decaf for that final cup.

I used to be a Maxwell House coffee drinker, but my taste for a stronger brew intensified as I got older. I was never a Bold Dark Roast gal, but love an Espresso on occasion. A splash of Anisette or Sambuca and it's a holiday. My preferred ground coffees: Folgers and Dunkin' Donuts. Both brands make a delicious decaf, too.  I stock up on Dunkin's when it's 4 (1 pound) bags for $19.99! You can't beat the price or taste of coffee from 7-Eleven or of all places...McDonald.  I don't mind spending my money on what I most enjoy, but I can't justify the price of Starbucks or other gourmet coffee shops.

For years, long after automatic coffee machines became popular, I would brew in a percolator. I loved the aroma of this method as well as the full bodied taste. There was something about seeing it perk in the glass top stem that made me feel like this was the way coffee should be brewed. I still own one and will keep it forever. It's as shiny as the first day I received it from my mom, Eugenia. Her comment as she handed it to me was, "Now keep the outside sparkling clean....Aunt Katie used to say, 'You should be able to see your face in it'". Who was I to argue with Great Aunt Katie?

Throughout the years, I've brewed in a Mr. Coffee, Cuisinart, Melitta Drip, Bunn among other makers. Cuisinart was my favorite. Then it happened....that phone call from my sister, Kaz. I never heard her so excited. She'd just purchased a Keurig Brewer. Huh? She'd been wanting one, but didn't want to spend over $100 for a coffee maker. She saw it on sale and went for it. She liked the fact that she could put her morning-to-work travel mug under the spout and have a hot cup of coffee in under 1 minute! And was thrilled with the variety packs that came with the unit. I was happy she was happy, but not enough to run out and purchase one.
That all changed on a visit to Florida when I stayed with my sister, Judey. Yep, she too, had a Keurig Brewer. I must say...to just put a mug on the drip plate, press a size button and Voila! was cool....very cool.  The brewer was super fast and those pods or K-cups as they're called are amazing. No mess is my middle name.  I mentioned it to my husband in practically every conversation....my birthday was that month....hint, hint.
To my delight....my birthday gift was the Keurig Brewer. Gosh, I love that man! I immediately set up the machine according to the instruction...it took 5 minutes. Don't forget this step. In the box of K-cups that came with the brewer were two decafs and since it was after 6 PM, I chose Timothy's brand. I'm sorry to say, I was so excited that I didn't pay great attention to the mouth-feel, aroma, taste...blogging was not on my mind. I don't remember not enjoying it, so I have to rate it as fine.

Then, I got SERIOUS. The next day, I purchased the reusable filter. I was having spending-pangs about the cost of the K-Cups. There are different amounts in boxes --50, 24, 18, 16 or 12 with prices ranging from $30 to $15 to $11. You can join a K-cup club on Keurig.com or purchase boxes at a good price on Amazon.com as well as sites like coffeeforless.com & singleservecoffee.com
The varieties are ridiculous....200 and counting. Some brands are: Gloriajeans, Vanhoutte, Coffeepeople, Diedrich, Wolfgang Puck, Twinings, Bigelow, Celestial Seasonings and others mentioned below. The specialty flavors include: Coconut, Maple, German Chocolate Cake, Kahlua, Mocha, Irish Creme to name a few. There are Teas (English Breakfast is nice), Hot Apple Cider and Hot Chocolate and you can make Iced Tea & Iced Coffee with a Keurig. Tea brews excellently....the Hot Chocolates on the weak side. Chai Latte (tea by Cafe Escapes) was downright awful.
A reusable filter at Bed, Bath & Beyond cost $18 and at my local supermarket $15. There is a big selection of K-cups at BB&B. If you have a membership at stores like Costco, Sam's, BJ's you can get a box of 80 K-cups for less than $40. The downside is...not a large variety to choose from and sometimes your favorite brand is unavailale by the time you make your next shopping visit.
The reusable filter was a disappointment, at first. According to the instructions it should be filled to the 2 Tablespoons mark and should not be tamped down. The coffee was tasteless, weak and not enjoyable at all! The water comes out so quickly that the coffee grounds were barely wet, so how could it make a good cup of coffee? I threw it out and brewed a second cup by hitting the small mug button...still a lousy cup of coffee. A friend had a can of Espresso coffee and gifted it to me. I'm not a bold roast gal, but thought I'd give it a try, so I filled the reusable filter with it. Surprise! It was a very good cup of coffee. So, I guess the trick to using the filter is to fill it with a bold roast so that it compensates for the light brew it tends to brew. Give it a try.
Taste is very personal. Some like it Bold, some Medium Roast, some just pass the coffee over the mug and call it brewed. Each his/her own, but I like it to be a full-bodied medium roast...if there's bitterness, I'll spit it out. So this is how I rated the variety of K-Cups that came with my B-40 Elite Keurig Brewer and a couple that didn't. I used filtered water:
Emeril's Big Easy: Intense flavor, good aroma, but bitter (not a keeper), Tully's Extra Bold French Roast: good aroma but bitter after-taste (not a keeper), Tully's House Blend Extra Bold: no better than the French Roast, Green Mountain Dark Magic: so-so aroma but strong, bitter taste (not a keeper), Green Mountain Breakfast Blend: nice aroma, no bitterness but a bit mild (okay), Green Mountain Nantucket Blend: not a full-bodied coffee, similar to the Breakfast Blend (okay), Donut Shop: Original & Decaf had a good aroma, slightly bitter taste yet on the mild side (okay), Folgers Gourmet Decaf: great aroma, no bitterness, medium roast (my favorite decaf), though I haven't tried the Folgers Original yet....I would think it's as good as the decaf, Caribou Blend: pleasant real coffee aroma, rich-full-bodied taste, no bitterness (#1 favorite). Caribou has 6 varieties and the reviews were very good on each of them. I will eventually try them all. I have a strong feeling that the Caribou Columbia & the Mahogany will be the Bold Roast I'll enjoy when I'm in need of an extra kick. As an aside: it was at Judey's that I decided I wanted a Keurig and the coffee she served was Caribou...need I say more.
Update 2013: Yes, I have more to say 2 years later: I still love Caribou Blend. Medium Roast is still my favorite roast. I switch my morning coffee from: Folgers gourmet (red K-cup), Millstone Foglifter, & Caribou Blend. Green Mountain Colombian Fair Trade Select is tasty, too. I didn't give Timothy's Decaf a fair review, so I tried it again....decent. It's a bit light for a medium roast, but no bitterness and it's a smooth brew.

2013 Updates

Now for my favorite flavored coffee. I love, love, love Wolfgang Puck Jamaica Me Crazy. It is medium roast coconut infused coffee. It is the treat I enjoy during the afternoon. It has plenty of coconut flavor and reminds me of being on a beach on a sunshiny day. My autumn flavor is Green Mountain Pumpkin Spice. It is a light roast, so for me, I brew a smaller cup. I tend to add Creamy Chocolate Coffee-Mate powder to my regular brew, but never to a flavored coffee. Most flavored coffees tend to be light roast, so check the strength so you can brew the proper size for your enjoyment.

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Love my Folgers & Chocolate Coffee Mate!

Citrus Garlic Fish Taco

During a recent visit to Florida, I dined at an upscale Mexican restaurant, De La Vega. I adore paella and was torn between this favorite dish and a seafood taco. I opted for the paella...a post for another time. I just couldn't get that darn fish taco out of my mind and being it's Lent, I thought it would be a perfect meatless Friday meal.

A traditional fish taco consists of a white fish, a type of Cole slaw and salsa. Many recipes call for fried fish and I've had the fish stuffed inside a crunchy corn taco shell instead of a soft flour tortilla. Both are terrific. But, I wanted something just a bit different...something refreshing....something with a clean taste. Citrus. But what? Lemon, Lime, Orange? I wanted the meal to be light.  First, I could afford to lose a few pounds (again) and I believe that a Friday Lenten meal should be on the "lean" side. I don't think that having fish on Friday means a decadent lobster dinner. To me that's not much of a sacrifice.

Slaw with walnuts & seasoned
 with Citrus N Garlic

I chose Catfish and rummaged through my cabinets and fridge for various ingredients. Cabbage for Cole slaw, sweet baby carrots, mayonnaise, honey, flour tortilla. It was missing the crunch of a corn taco shell, so I grabbed walnuts. So far so good. What about the spices, the seasonings...what to use, what to use?

Then it dawned on me. Kitchen Kick'n Seasonings! Tom of Tomarc's of Troy had kindly sent me Citrus N Garlic Kick after I featured his seasonings on my post, Pork Tenderloin With Maple BBQ Sauce. This seasoning had everything I wanted for my Citrus Fish Meal... Granulated Garlic, Orange Peel, Lemon Peel, Minced Garlic, Lime Powder, Chili Powder, Sugar, Basil, Black Pepper, Parsley, Rosemary, and other spices. What could be better in a Mexican dish than garlic, chili powder, orange, lemon, & lime! The thought of a cold, salty Margarita drifted through my mind. I bet a splash of tequila would add a unique flavor to this dish. I'll try that next time.

My catfish needed nothing more than Citrus N Garlic Kick, salt and a pat of butter. To double the wonderful citrus taste, I added the spices to the homemade Cole slaw...perfect. I couldn't have been happier with the end result, a refreshing, taste-bud poppin' recipe. Thanks, Tom, for your creative seasonings that affords chefs of every level endless cooking possibilities and a culinary delight.  This recipe satisfied my craving for a Fish Taco and kept my penitential observance of abstaining from meat simple.

Citrus Garlic Fish Taco
2 Catfish fillets
Citrus N Garlic Kick
4 pats of butter
salt
olive oil
2 flour tortillas

Cole Slaw:
1 cup shredded Savoy cabbage
5 baby carrots, slivered
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon Citrus N Garlic Kick
8 walnut pieces, chopped
Preheat oven at 400 degrees.  Drizzle olive oil into a baking dish. Sprinkle catfish with Citrus N Garlic seasoning, salt lightly and put 2 pats of butter on each fillet. Bake in baking dish for 20 minutes or until white and flaky.
In a small bowl, mix cabbage, carrots, honey, mayonnaise, Citrus N Garlic seasoning and walnuts.
Place baked fish on a flour tortilla, top with homemade Cole slaw. Serve with fresh tomatoes.

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Pasta, Peas & Bacon (Pasta Piselli)

Pasta Piselli...a family favorite growing up when Meatless Fridays were the norm. Yes, this recipe has bacon but not on Fridays. Lent is almost upon us, so this is perfect for this time of the liturgical year when Carnevale is observed: Carnevale means meat removed, not carnival (festival).  There are many variations of this simple dish. It can be made with diced ham, heavy cream, a bit of tomatoes. Mine has an egg scrambled into it that adds another texture to this savory fare. I use frozen peas as these are closer to fresh than canned peas. I enjoy the "snap" and brighter green of frozen peas. If you'd like a healthier meal use wheat pasta. Somehow spaghetti is the bite and mouth-feel I enjoy most in piselli, though penne or your favorite shape of pasta can be used. I always have leftover pasta after Sunday supper is finished, so a Tuesday meal of pasta piselli is a weekday delight and oh, so easy after a long work day. Don't forget to top this meal off with a sprinkle of Parmesan-Romano cheese..perfetto! Toasty garlic bread compliments this dish and a tomato salad completes the meal. Mangiare e Gustare!! Eat & Enjoy!

Pasta, Peas & Bacon
1/2 box of spaghetti reserve a scant 1/2 cup of salty pasta water
1 & 1/2 cups frozen peas
6 slices of bacon
1 small onion, sliced
1 egg, scrambled
olive oil (if needed)
Parmesan-Romano cheese

Cook the spaghetti according to directions.  Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water, then drain and put to the side. In a skillet fry up the bacon to near crisp. Remove and set aside. In the bacon fat saute the onion until clear, then add peas and cook until done but still "crisp". Add cooked bacon to peas and onions, toss. Add 1/4 cup of hot pasta water and scrape up all the bits in skillet. Add pasta to peas/bacon/onions and toss.  Add remaining hot pasta water. Mix well but gently so as not to break the peas. Bring to a simmer and add scrambled egg. Cook through, but don't over-cook.  If it looks a bit "dry" drizzle with olive oil and toss. Serve in bowls and top with cheese. Yields: 2 servings

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