Thanks For Pushing me!

Over the years, I have learned so much from my family.  My Mom, Nana and Aunts.  One Aunt in particular was instrumental in shaping my career.  When I moved to Southern Utah in 1999 I was new to the area, new to the lifestyle of living in the desert and trying to adapt what I did in New York to this slow paced environment.  It wasn't working.  People were different here.  I tried getting back into the hotel business and it worked for a little bit, but I struggled with how differently things were done here.

My Aunt Angie offered to send me to Real Estate School.  That had been her career for many years and she enjoyed knowing the community and helping it grow through Real Estate.  I went to school and straight into handling a Real Estate office and assisted another Realtor.

It was about 4 years into my career that I started learning from my Aunt what it was all about.  It's about communication, knowledge and building relationships.  She not only showed me that, but she lived it every day in her career.  She's an outgoing person, vibrant, loved and respected in her Real Estate community.  I followed her like a puppy for years wondering how she did it!

I have to Thank her for all the wonderful things she instilled in me.  Without her, it would have been another job that I had for a few years and then moved on.  She forced me to go with her to Women's Council of Realtors (WCR) meetings.  Not long after, I became the President of our local chapter and subsequently that led to being the Governor of the State for the WCR.  She honored me with a pin that she wore when she was President in the 1980's.

She forced me to be on committees on the local Association.  And told me constantly that if I stuck with it, I could make something of myself in this industry.  I always blushed and thanked her, but I never really Thanked her!

To this day, I am so blessed to be the Principal Broker for a company and that my Aunt works along side of me.  I couldn't have made it through all these years without her...really!

She will never outgrow her beliefs NOR SHOULD SHE!  Those that have chosen to NOT listen to her will never really know the true potential in their lives.

I love you Aunt Angie and Thank You for all of your confidence in me.  I have and always will be there for you and in your corner!  Life has changed for us all, but one thing remains constant....you have always been there for me and I love your for that!  I hope that you find your smile again and know that all that you have done for everyone in your life has not gone unnoticed!

Joy Can Be Spread In So Many Ways!

This year we have had some fun festivities.  From a Family dinner of had to be 35 people to playing Secret Santa, we filled our hearts with JOY!

As my Granddaughter explains, "Nana we need to do a Joy Project.  It's something you do for someone from the love in your heart!"  (Insert tears of pride and Joy)

So we set out on a mission of Shopping for a cute young man that wasn't going to have much of a Christmas.  His mom being ill and his own personal struggles made it hard for that to happen.  So, with nothing but Love in Our Hearts, Mariah and I bought a bunch of gifts.  Because Santa is super busy this time of year, we enlisted Papa and suited him up for a Santa appearance for this young man.
I was never more proud than in that moment when I explained to Mariah that she would have to be quiet and let the kids believe that Papa is Santa, he is doing Santa's work for him tonight.  The whole evening she was all smiles and enjoyed the innocence of others....she did AMAZING!!!

When we said our prayers that night, she Thanked God for his son Jesus and for being able to do the Joy Project!  Again, proud beyond words of her selflessness and the JOY in her Heart!!!

A couple of days before we made a HUGE pan of stuffed shells for the Family Dinner...it was so much fun too.

I am going to put my recipe here for the Stuffed Shells (You won't believe what is in them!)

1 box of Jumbo Shells
1 32 oz container of whole milk Ricotta Cheese
2 eggs
Bunch of Kale or Spinach (fresh not frozen)
Basil to taste
Salt and Pepper
1 tsp Garlic Powder
12 oz pkg of Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1 small ball of fresh Mozzarella if you like it cheesy ( For topping)
Spaghetti or Marinara Sauce - 32 oz jar or homemade
1 Tbsp Dried or freshly cut chives or parsley

Cook the shells according to directions, taking out of the water when al dente and stopping the cooking process by rinsing in very cold water until all shells are cooled.  Let dry, they are easier to work with when dry.

In the meantime, mix the Ricotta, eggs, Kale or Spinach, Basil, Salt and Pepper and 8 oz of the Mozzarella Cheese together in a bowl.

In the bottom of a casserole dish, pour spaghetti sauce or marinara.  Coat the bottom of the pan heavily so the shells sit in the sauce, but not covered by it.

Start filling the shells and put them in the pan as tightly as you like.  Top with remaining shredded Mozzarella and the Fresh Mozzarella cut into small pieces and distributed on top evenly. Add a sprinkling of Dried or fresh Chives or parsley.

Cover with foil and bake for about 50 minutes at 350.  Remove the foil and cook for an additional 10 minutes.  Do not let it get to brown or dried out.  You want it cheesy.

Serve!

This is definitely something you can hide good veggies in, so be creative!

Now for some pics of our wonderful Joy Project!  This is Noah.  He is 8 yrs old and has medical issues.  Noah's mom also suffers from medical issues.  Noah's Dad works as a CNA and takes care of the family as best he can.  It was wonderful to see such a good time being had with Santa!

This is Mariah and my hubby Ken before the trip to see Noah.  She could not be more excited to help by being an Elf for Papa.

While Santa was visiting Audrina and Mariah (cousins) spent some special time with Santa as well!

Such a fun evening!  I am so proud of Mariah and her ability to give from her heart!

Lemon Spinach Chicken

This is a YUMMY treat for a family dinner.  My family enjoyed this, including my very finicky husband.  The folks in my house have very bland taste buds, but they love chicken. Therefore, I have to find many ways to keep my pallet happy while they still eat the food I make!  It's a tough job, but someone has to do it.

Chicken thighs are my husband's all time favorite!  This wonderful dinner was brought to you by bone in and skin on chicken thighs.  I know, I know, but it is the best!  

I poured this mixture over fresh fettuccine pasta and it was wonderful.  The buttery lemon sauce is creamy yet light.  It's layers are so yummy and all work so well together.  It's great for a big family dinner or an intimate dinner party.  Your guests will be blown away at the complexity of the flavors!

First things first, you need a deep frying pan or in my case, I used my cast iron dutch oven. Whatever you use will have to be able to be put in the oven to finish the cook time.  

Lemon Spinach Chicken

Ingredients:

8 Chicken thighs, bone in and skin on (you can go skinless if you like)
Sprinkles of Smoked Paprika
Sprinkles of Salt and Pepper
4 Tbsp of Butter (unsalted)
2 Cups of Chicken broth
1 C Heavy cream
3 Tbsp Goat Cheese 9 (I used a lemon flavored goat cheese)
1/4 Parmesan Cheese
1 Lemon (juiced)
2 Tsp thyme (dried)
Handful of Italian Flat leaf parsley chopped
2 Cups fresh baby spinach (Not frozen)

How To:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Sprinkle the chicken thighs withe a light amount of smoked paprika and salt and pepper to liking.  

In a large oven safe skillet or dutch oven, melt 2 Tbsp butter and sear both sides of the chicken.  Pull the chicken out and set aside.

Add 2 Tbsp butter to the pan, melt and add the chopped garlic.  Cook until fragrant, but not burned. Stir in the chicken broth, the lemon juice, Parmesan, thyme, heavy cream and goat cheese until the cheese is melted.  Add salt and pepper to liking.  

Put the spinach leaves in and cook until fully wilted.  Add the Italian flat leaf parsley and stir until well combined.  

Once it is all cooked down and thickened a little (about 5 minutes), add the chicken back into the sauce.  Place uncovered into a 400 degree F oven for 25 - 30 minutes or until the chicken reads 175 degrees when a meat thermometer is placed in it.  

Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve over your favorite pasta!  That's it!

You can serve with your favorite crusty bread or your own garlic bread.  Either way, this is a win win!  AND you will get your family to eat their spinach!

Enjoy!!

Momma's Meatballs - Good Old Italian Style!

As I sit here writing this blog, I can't stay away from the kitchen and from tasting!  I am researching the background of this style meatball and trying to concentrate with the smell that has filled my home!  All the reference material I have found gives credit for these wonderful meatballs to Southern Italy, most likely Sicily or Calabria, Italy.  

My family is from the Campania Region, in a town called Pontelatone, Italy.  Pontelatone is about 40 kilometers north of Naples and Naples is about 310 mile North of Calabria.  So, I am not sure where the influence of this wonderful meatball came from for our family, but I am told that my Grandfather, Albert Capone would make these meatballs often and this is pretty close to how he made them.  

There has been no family recipe handed down until now, that I am aware of, so this is quite a special treat!  My Mom came over and I had the hardest time slowing her down and letting me write down each detail.  It was even harder to get her to let me take pictures of the process, she has made this so much that she whips them up quickly!

When I was very young, my family was pretty poor.  My mom would make the most of so little when it came to cooking.  We ate and by the Grace of God, Family and my creative Mom, we always had a good meal!  I have to credit her for all she did to make sure that happened.  It wasn't until I was much older that I come to realize, as I cared for my family, all that she did.  I love you Mom!!!  Thank You!

As you can imagine, when we were gathering ingredients, I offered some fresh Basil and fresh Oregano and she said, "You want me to make these like I always did right?  Well I didn't have those fancy ingredients, so this is what I did."  When I tasted them afterward, I just said, "That's what I remember and they are perfect!"

If you wish to add your own personal touch to them, feel free.  

Meatballs with Raisins and Pignolia Nuts (Pine Nuts):

Ingredients:  (This recipe makes approximately 48 meatballs)

2.5 - 3 Pounds of Ground Beef (80/20)
1 Medium onion chopped
1 Small Red Pepper chopped
4 Tbsp. Dried Oregano
4 Eggs
Italian Style Dry Bread Crumbs (enough to give them a stiff consistency)
1 Tbsp. Minced garlic 
1 1/2 C Raisins (softened)
1/2 - 3/4 C Pine Nuts 
Salt and Pepper 
2 or 3 Tbsp. Olive Oil
About 2 quarts of Sauce

Soak the Raisins in a small pan on the stove with water (enough to just cover them).  Bring to a boil and turn them off and let sit for about 20 minutes.  Drain and set aside.

Mix all the above ingredients and be sure not to make the meat mixture too dry with the bread crumbs.  Roll them into about 1 1/2 inch balls, trying to be sure every meatball gets some of all the ingredients.

In a large deep fry pan, heat 1 Tbsp. of the olive oil and enough meatballs to cover the bottom of the pan.  Get a good sear on them and turn to get all sides.  Do not over cook, they will finish cooking in the sauce.  When finished, add all of the drippings and the meatballs to the sauce.

I cook mine in the crockpot these days, but when my Mom made them for us when we were kids, she would cook them in a dutch oven all day long on the stove.  I cook them for about 6-8 hours in the crock pot on low, in the sauce.

When ready, serve however you wish.  I love them over spaghetti, or just on an Italian roll with Parmesan Cheese...they are wonderful!  And the best part is the FREE SMELLS you have in your home!  Bonus!

Enjoy!

Well Used and Loved for Decades!

The Background of this blog is now reflecting some of our VERY Used and Loved Cookbooks!  Collected back in the day when communities came together and made these books for fundraisers.  It was awesome to see a neighbor or friend in them and see what they offered up for a recipe.  I have fond memories of cooking with these books.  Over the years they have been brought out for all types of occasions and the recipes within them have been cooked and eaten by so many people.  

It's hard to believe how many decades have passed!  As I look closer, my Aunt's recipe is in there.  I will cherish these for all of my life and will pass them down to my granddaughter for sure!

Nothing says Fall like Butternut Squash Soup!

Butternut Squash Soup

Warm and cozy soup with a little twist ~ Apple and Cheddar Cheese!  This hearty soup incorporates all the things I love about the fall, nothing says HARVEST like this!  Mom my made this one tonight and I had to call her and say WOW! I love it!

I love butternut squash just about any way you can come up with to make it, so when she said would you like some, I couldn't say NO!

Ingredients are:

4 Tablespoons butter
1 Medium onion, sliced
2 Medium apples, sliced
1 Large white potato, diced
1 1/2 Cups chopped butternut squash (medium sized squash)
Salt and Pepper
1/2 Tsp. Dried sage
1/2 Tsp. Nutmeg
2 Tbsp. of all-purpose flour
1/3 Cup Apple Cider
4 Cups chicken broth
1 Cup milk
2 Cups grated sharp cheddar cheese

Garnish:

Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese
Chopped Chives
Extra light sprinkle of nutmeg


Directions:

First, melt 4 tablespoons butter in a Dutch Oven and add the onion, apples, potato and squash.  Add Salt and Pepper and cook for about 8 minutes or until the onion is soft.  Stir in the sage and flour.  Add the cider and cook until it thickens.  Add the broth and milk, cover and bring to a boil; reduce to simmer and cook for about 8-10 minutes.  Stir occasionally to make sure the potato is soft.

Add the cheese and stir over medium-low heat until melted all the way.  Put it in a blender and puree until smooth (will probably have to do in batches).  Season with salt and pepper and add the garnishes. 

Serve this with a warm bread and enjoy!   With the addition of the tart apple and the richness of the cheddar cheese the flavor is out of this world!  Enjoy your Fall!  Thanks Mom for such a yummy treat!

Crockpot Chicken and Biscuits

Crockpot Chicken and Biscuits

I LOVE the smell of the crockpot cooking when I walk in the house from work!  Sometimes, I even cook in the crockpot all night long to finish a recipe before going to work the next day. Waking up to the smell, I don't know, there is just something about it that feels like Home!

There is also something about the Fall!  For this girl who was born and raised in the heart of the Adirondacks in Upstate New York, the Fall is the ONLY season for me!  With the brisk air in the morning and at night and the sunny fall days, you need things that scream warmth!

Tonight we are having this wonderful meal that I can only categorize as Comfort Food at its best!  

Ingredients are:


In the Crockpot:

3 large chicken breasts or 4 medium sized ones, cut in half
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
1 celery stalk chopped
1/2 small onion chopped (if you like onion add a whole onion)
1/2 package baby carrots ( I like them whole, you can chop them up though)
5 medium potatoes cut into pieces
1 Tbsp. Chicken Boullion 
1/2 package of Herb flavored powdered soup mix 
1 small can Chicken Broth
A pinch of salt and pepper

Biscuits: 

1 can (or 2 for a large crowd) of refrigerated biscuits (we used the crescent rolls tonight). Cook them as directed and serve hot with your meal.

Add the ingredients to your crockpot, pretty much in this order for 8 hrs on low.  You can tweak it according to your personal tastes.  You can stir occasionally or wait until the time is up, either way, the flavor is all through the meat and the broth, it's Amazing!

The chicken breast should just fall apart to the touch, so no real shredding is needed.  If you prefer a thicker sauce, add a couple tablespoons of cornstarch to thicken it up.  Honestly it is all about the preference.

We didn't use biscuits tonight, we used the packaged crescent rolls.  If you use the biscuits you could cut the biscuit in half and pour the chicken mixture on top of it for that Chicken and Biscuit taste.

The Best way to eat this feast is however you choose!  Spoon or Fork, it's all up to you.  

Delicious and this one is dedicated to my sweet husband Ken!  He loves comfort food like nobody else.  But what he loves the most is Chicken!  After all these years...I have to continue to find new ways to bring back old favorites!  Love you Ken <3