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Recipes

Why I share recipes

My recipes come from either my mind or my family. Family recipes are so important to me and while some I keep locked away for safe keeping, most of them I need to share. Some of these recipes tell a story, and I want you all to be a part of this story.  

Breakfast Items 

Ultimate Breakfast Sandwich 

What you'll need: 

  • Bagel (I like egg bagels)

  • 2 Eggs 

  • 2 Slices of Bacon 

  • 1 small avocado 

  • Cheese of Choice

  • 1 Tablespoon of Butter

  • Salt and Pepper to taste 

Directions: 

  1. Toast your bagel! (most important step)

  2. In a small frying pan, fry up your bacon

  3. Once your bacon is done, place paper towel on small plate and let grease drain

  4. Take another small frying pan and add tbs. of butter and put on medium low heat

  5. In a small bowl, crack both eggs and add salt and pepper and whisk 

  6. Cook your egg (I use an omelet style technique, but you do you!!)

  7. Once cooked on one side, flip your egg and let cook

  8. In the meantime, take your avocado and mash it, adding salt and pepper

  9. Add your cheese of choice on the egg, fold the egg and let it melt. Once cooked, remove from pan. 

  10. Take your toasted bagel, add the avocado, the bacon and the egg. Cut in half and enjoy!

Appetizers 

Homemade Focaccia 

Ingredients: 

·       1 1/3 cup of warm water (approximately 110º F)

·       2 teaspoons of sugar, agave or honey 

·       (0.25 ounces) or a whole packet of active-dry yeast

·       3 1/2 cups of all purpose flour 

·       1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil

·       2 teaspoons of flaky salt or sea salt 

·       2 sprigs of fresh rosemary or 2 teaspoons of dried rosemary 

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Directions:

1.     Add your warm water to a bowl, add the sugar and mix until well combined. Sprinkle the yeast and quickly stir to mix until yeast is foamy 

2.     Let the yeast sit for 5-10 minutes 

3.     Add the flour gradually if mixing in a mixer on a low speed

4.     Gradually add olive oil and salt. Mix in mixer on low speed for 5 minutes. If the dough is too sticky, add 1/4 cup of flour. 

5.     If mixing by hand, add flour, olive oil and salt gradually until the dough looks shaggy. Then turn dough onto a floured surface and kneed by hand for 5 minutes. 

6.     Remove the dough from mixing bowl (if made in mixer) or from counter is kneed by hand). 

7.     Grease the mixing bowl or separate bowl with olive oil. Place the dough into the bowl and cover with a damp towel. Place dough in warm location and let rise for 45-60 minutes. 

8.     After the dough has doubled, turn the dough onto a floured surface and roll into a large circle or rectangle until the dough is 1/2 inch thick (or place dough into 9x13 inch pan) Cover dough again and let it rise for another 20 minutes

9.     Preheat oven to 400ºF. Use fingers to poke holes in dough and add a drizzle of olive oil. Top with the rosemary 

10.   Bake for 20 minutes

11.   Serve warm 

Pizza Rustica 

What you'll need: 

·       1 1/2 cups of Ricotta 

·       1/4 cup of grated cheese 

·       3 eggs 

·       Pepper 

·       6 oz of chopped mozzarella 

·       Half a pound of mixed meats (I use pepperoni, salami, soppressata, capocollo and prosciutto 

·       Frozen store bought pie crust 

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Directions: 

1.     Chop all your meats and cheese

2.     Take the pie crust out of the freezer and let it defrost 

3.     In a mixing bowl, crack in your eggs, add in pepper and whisk 

4.     Add in grated cheese, ricotta ad meats and mix

5.     In defrosted pie crust, poke some holes to let pie breathe 

6.     Add the filling to the pie crust 

7.     Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour

Stuffed Artichokes

What you'll need: 

  • 4 Artichokes 

  • 6 cups of breadcrumbs (about a cup and a half of seasoned bread crumbs per artichoke)

  • 1 cup of grated cheese (I use Parmesan)

  • 4-5 cloves of crushed garlic 

  • 1/2 teaspoon of salt 

  • 2 teaspoons of black pepper 

  • 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil 

  • 3-4 tablespoons of water 

    • You want a wet sand mixture​

  • Large pot

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Directions: 

  1. Cut the stems off of the artichokes as well as trim the leaves

  2. Pull apart the artichoke softly and gently not to break the leaves, but just slightly open it

  3. Combine the breadcrumbs, grated cheese, garlic cloves, salt, pepper, olive oil and water to a large mixing bowl 

  4. Start filling each leaf with the filling, making sure to stuff every leaf 

  5. Take your large pot and put the artichokes in the pot. Drizzle the top with a little bit go olive oil to keep them moist.

  6. Add water to the bottom of the pot, about 1/4 of the way up the artichoke 

  7. Put the flame on high and let steam for at least an hour 

  8. Every 15 minutes baste the artichokes with the water at the bottom of the pot and if needed, add more water. 

After an hour, pull one of the leaves and if they easily come off, they are ready 

Eggplant Caponata

What you'll need: 

  • 1 1/2 pounds of eggplant unpeeled chopped into 1/4 in. chunks 

  • 1 medium sized onion chopped 

  • 5 tablespoons olive oil + more if need be

  • 4 cloves chopped garlic 

  • 1 15.6 oz can of diced tomatoes

  • 3 tbs. red wine vinegar 

  • 2 tbs. drained capers 

  • 2-3 spoonfuls of green olives 

  • Salt and Pepper 

  • Fresh basil and fresh parsley 

  • Large sized pan 

​

Directions 

  1. Thoroughly wash your eggplant and chop off the stem. Keep the skin on and chop the eggplant into 1/4 inch cubes. 

  2. Chop onion and garlic 

  3. In a large sized pan, heat up 5 tbs. olive oil on medium heat

  4. Once shimmering, add eggplant and onion

  5. Once eggplant starts to brown and onion starts to soften, add garlic and cook until fragrant 

  6. Once garlic is fragrant, add diced tomatoes, capers ad red wine vinegar. Stir

  7. Let cook for about 20 minutes on low

  8. Add in green olives

  9. Add salt and pepper to taste and cook for another 10 minutes 

  10. Add fresh basil and fresh parsley 

  11. Serve warm with crackers or bread 

Poultry

Chicken Noodle Soup

What you'll need: 

·       3-4 chicken breasts 

·       5 stalks of celery chopped

·       5 large carrots peeled and chopped

·       2 small onions chopped 

·       2 tbs. butter

·       2 tbs. parsley 

·       Salt and Pepper to taste 

·       Any small pasta, I personally like baby shells 

·       Chicken bouillon cubes or powder (cubes: add 2, powder: add 1 tbs)

​

Directions: 

1.     Put butter in the pot with the onion. Cook until translucent 

2.     Add in the chicken breast and just cook until lightly browned

3.     Add water to almost reach the top of the pot. 

4.     Add chopped carrots and celery 

5.     Cook for 45 minutes on medium high a boil. 

6.     Cover and cook for 2-3 hours. 

7.     After 2-3 hours, take the chicken out of the pot and shred. After shred, put the chicken back in  

8.     Add the bouillon and parsley 

In a separate pot, boil the pasta. Drain and add to bowl. Pour in soup and enjoy! 

Mom's Famous Meatballs

What you'll need: 

  • 2 pounds of triple pack of meat. I get mine from our local meat market (It contains veal, pork and beef)

  • 1 pound of ground beef

  • Eggs (1 egg per pound... 3 pounds = 3 eggs) 

  • Grated Parmesan cheese (I eyeball, but if I had to use measurements, about a cup 

  • About 3 tablespoons of fresh chopped parsley 

  • 4 cloves of crushed garlic 

  • About 3/4 cup of Italian breadcrumbs and another 1/4 on the side just in case you will need it

  • Vegetable or Canola oil 

  • Salt and pepper to taste 

​

Directions: 

  1. Pour enough oil in the pan where it covers the bottom of the pan and is about 3/4 of an inch in depth. 

  2. While your oil is heating ON LOW HEAT, start combining all of your ingredients into a bowl. 

  3. Roll your meatballs into a ball and place on a plate until oil is heated. 

  4. Once oil is heated, place meatballs and start frying. 

  5. Once meatballs are fully browned on the outside and partially cooked on the inside, remove and put on a paper towel lined plate

    1. NOTE: If you plan on eating your meatballs after frying them, cook them all the way through. If you plan on cooking the meatballs in sauce, only cook them partially and finish cooking in sauce. ​

Homemade Chili

What you'll need:​

·       Olive Oil

·       1 medium sized onion

·       1/2 pound of beef

·       1/2 pound of pork 

·       2 1/2 tablespoons of chili powder

·       2 tablespoons of ground cumin 

·       2 tablespoons of granulated sugar 

·       2 tablespoons of tomato paste

·       1 tablespoon of garlic powder

·       1 1/2 teaspoons of salt

·       1/2 teaspoon of black pepper 

·       1 1/2 cups of beef broth 

·       1 (15 oz.) can of diced tomatoes

·       1 (16 oz.) can of red kidney beans (drained and rinsed)

·       1 (8 oz.) can of tomato sauce 

​

Directions: 

1.     Add olive oil to a large pot over medium heat and add onion. Cook for 5 minutes stirring occasionally 

2.     Add beef and pork to the pot. Cook for 6-8 minutes

3.     Add the chili powder, cumin, sugar, tomato paste, garlic powder, salt, pepper and stir until combined 

4.     Add the broth, diced tomatoes, drained beans and tomato sauce 

5.     Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce to low and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally 

6.     Remove from pot and serve hot

Chicken Cutlets

What you'll need:

·       8-10 thin, flattened chicken cutlets 

·       2 cups of Italian seasoned bread crumbs 

·       Salt and Pepper to taste 

·       1/4 cup Grated Cheese

·       Flat leaf Italian parsley 

·       2 eggs 

·       Splash of Milk 

·       1 teaspoon Garlic Powder 

·       Neutral Oil (canola, avocado, vegetable)

​

Directions: 

1.     Take a deep, frying pan and fill with neutral oil, about 1 inch deep 

2.     In a bowl, add two eggs, salt and pepper, garlic powder, grated cheese and milk and whisk. 

3.     In another bowl, add your seasoned bread crumbs 

4.     Take the chicken cutlets and dip in egg, cover and then dip in bread crumbs. Pat cutlet so bread crumbs stick. 

5.     Once oil is hot, fry until edges are golden, flip and repeat. 

6.     Let the oil drip off into paper towel 

Vegetables 

Stuffed Peppers

What you'll need: 

  • Olive Oil

  • One Onion

  • Garlic (use as much as you like)

  • Green or red peppers (I used three green and made them into boats, which created 6 stuffed peppers) 

  • Chop meat (I like to use ground beef for this)

  • 1 tsp. rosemary 

  • 2 tsp. garlic powder

  • salt and pepper to taste 

  • 1 tsp. dried basil

  • about 1 cup of mozzarella cheese

  • 1 can of unsalted diced tomatoes 

​

Directions: 

  1. Heat up a pot of water 

  2. Cut tops of peppers off and take out seeds. Slice pepper down the middle.

  3. Once water is boiled, add a little salt and add the peppers. Blanch for 8 minutes 

  4. In the mean time, dice your onion and garlic. 

  5. Heat frying pan with olive oil. Once oil is hot, add in onions. Once onions are translucent, add in garlic. Add salt and pepper

  6. Add in you chop meat and season with rosemary, garlic powder, basil 

  7. Add in can of diced tomatoes. Fill 1/4 of the can with water (it helps to create a sauce)

  8. Remove blanched peppers and place on lined baking sheet. 

  9. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

  10. Once meat is cooked, spoon meat into peppers, top with a generous amount of mozzarella cheese

  11. Bake in oven for about 15 minutes 

Dessert

Grandma's Crumb Cake

What you'll need: 

For the cake:

  • 1/2 c. of butter softened

  • 1 8oz. cream cheese softened 

  • 1 1/2 c. white sugar 

  • 2 eggs

  • 1 tsp vanilla

  • 2 c. flour

  • 1 tsp. baking powder 

  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda 

  • 1/4 tsp. salt 

  • 1/4 c. milk 

For the crumb: (I usually double the crumb, but this is the original recipe. If you want to double it, please do)

  • 1 c. flour

  • 8 tbs. white sugar 

  • 2 tsp. cinnamon 

  • 1/2 c. softened butter 

​

Directions: 

  1. Mix butter, cream cheese and sugar until smooth, add eggs and vanilla and mix.

  2. Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a separate bowl. 

  3. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients 

  4. Add milk 

  5. Pour int greased and floured 9x13 in. pan 

  6. Sprinkle with crumb and bake at 350º for 35-40 minutes

Crumb Directions

  1. Combine dry ingredients and mix, add butter and fork 

Pumpkin Bread

What you'll need:

  • 1 15 oz. can of pumpkin puree 

  • 1 c. neutral oil (canola, avocado, coconut, vegetable)

  • 4 eggs

  • 3 1/2 c. all purpose flour 

  • 3 c. white sugar

  • 1 tsp. baking powder 

  • 1 1/2 tsp. salt 

  • 1 1/2 tsp nutmeg 

  • 1 1/2 tsp. allspice 

  • 2 tsp. cinnamon

  • 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda 

  • 1/2 c. chopped nuts (I use walnuts)

  • 2 9x5 in. baking pans lines or sprayed with non-stick spray 

​

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 300º F 

  2. Combine pumpkin puree, oil and eggs

  3. Add flour, sugar and mix

  4. Add spices and baking soda and powder and mix 

  5. Chop nuts and add to mixture and combine 

  6. Pour mixture into 2 9x5 in. baking pans 

  7. Bake for an hour and 15 min 

  8. Check with toothpick and see if it comes out clean

  9. If not, bake in 5 min incriminates until toothpick comes out clean 

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