Bone Broth

I read an article about "bone broth" and its nourishing, anti-inflammatory properties and it inspired me to give it a try.

First I bought some beef marrow bones and roasted them for about an hour at 350 degrees.

Then I put them into my crock pot with a few stalks of celery, a chopped onion, a few carrots, 2 Tbsp of apple cider vinegar and 2-3 Tbsp salt.  I added water to fill and let it cook for 2 days.  Yes, 2 days!!!

In the end I had lovely rich broth and vegetables.  I strained all the broth and stored it in jars in my freezer.  I've been drinking a few mugs of this broth every week and I really like it.


Why do this??  Well, according to many sources, here are some benefits of bone broth:

-promotes healthy digestion
-has anti-inflammatory properties
-helps build strong bones

Plus, there is something luxurious about sipping hot, steamy, delicious broth on a cold winter day.  There is a successful business in NYC called "Brodo" that sells cups of rich meat sipping broth to go...at $4.50 for a small cup to $8.50 for a large!  I would love to try it, I bet it's worth every penny.

Special Dinners For Friends

Why not invite people into your home and cook up something special?  Tony and I love to cook together and some of our best memories have been made around our table.  If you've never done this before or even if you don't consider yourself a good cook, I encourage you to try.  I never regret reaching out beyond my comfort zone to try to bless others.  In fact, I usually am the one who benefits the most!

Recently we wanted to have a special dinner for some dear friends.  My husband, Tony, dreams up wonderful food combinations and this is what he planned for that night.  This is our version of "Surf and Turf."  The filet mignon was grilled to a perfect medium-rare, the scallops and shrimp were broiled in a light wine and butter sauce, and the linguine was dressed in a garlic and oil sauce 'aglio e olio' and Romano cheese. I didn't take a photo of the cheese board appetizer, or the chocolate molten cake dessert, but you can imagine it was an amazing meal.  Even better was the time spent with sweet friends and memories made!

Another special dinner we made was for some dear college students we have befriended.  One is from Germany and he likes Schnitzel, or friend pork cutlets.  Tony worked his magic, as usual.  He dipped thin slices of pork tenderloin in egg, then well-seasoned bread crumbs before pan frying them to a deep golden brown.  We also served pork spareribs, macaroni and cheese and green beans.  Here are some photos of the cutlets frying and some table shots.

Let me know about some memories you have made around your table!

Struffoli

Here's one of my favorite Italian desserts - Struffoli.  These small fritters have a mild citrus flavor and are sweetened with a honey glaze.  If you want to serve a unique dessert, try this with some nice espresso.

Blend 2 cups of flour, 3 tsp of baking powder, 2 Tbs sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, 2 large eggs, 4 Tbs soft butter, 1-2 tsp lemon zest, 1-2 tsp orange zest and 4-5 tsp rum into a dough.  I use a food processor, but this could be mixed by hand.  It should be the consistency of pizza dough.  Wrap in plastic and let it rest for about 30 minutes.  Cut off pieces of dough the size of a tomato, roll into a tube and cut into small pieces.  Roll them into balls.

Fry these in a pan with a 1/2 inch of oil or a deep fryer.  They take 2 to 3 minutes to turn golden brown.

Heat 3/4 cup of honey and 2 tsp sugar in the microwave, then pour over the Struffoli to coat.  Pour onto a pretty platter and cover with sprinkles before serving.  Store at room temperature.  They are good for about a week, but are best eaten fresh.

Meatballs

I love to make a batch of meatballs when I have a crowd to feed, or just when it's Tony and me!  If I make a large batch I usually freeze some for a quick meal later on.

I mix 2 kinds of meat, usually ground beef and either sausage or turkey.  I mix the meats and spread them out on the bottom and up the sides of a large bowl. Then I start sprinkling seasonings over the surface.  This makes sure I add a "nice amount" of seasoning.
Over the meat I add salt, coarse ground pepper, garlic powder, oregano, and parsley.  Per pound of meat add 1/2 to 3/4 cup bread crumbs , one egg, 1/4 cup grated Romano cheese and a few tablespoons of water -the mixture needs to be soft!  Mix with your hands to make sure everything is incorporated.

I use an ice cream scoop and roll them by hand to get evenly sized meatballs.

I broil them on low about 6 inches from the heating element until they are nicely browned on one side.  Then I flip them and finish the cooking on the other side.


This is what they look like when they're done.  They are cooked and ready for some sauce, cheese, a meatball hoagie, or a nice plate of pasta!

Happy New Year 2015

I must extend a warm "Thank You" from my heart to all of you who take the time to read these posts.  I appreciate your comments and words of encouragement!  This blog is now one year old and I hope to keep writing for many more!

Since it's the time to make New Year's Resolutions, may I offer a bit of advice?  Keep them simple, doable and smart.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths...Honor the Lord with your wealth...Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due..." Proverbs 3

Whatever your heart's desires are for this new year, make a simple plan to pray about them, commit them to God, and then listen to his words and wisdom for your life.  Small permanent steps in the right direction are always better than grand bursts of effort that don't last.  I love how Proverbs lays out simple truths for how to live.  God loves us so much that he doesn't leave us in the dark about how to navigate life on earth.  I've quoted just a few nuggets of wisdom from this great book.  My heart has been comforted innumerable times from the wisdom I found there.

So, make plans to be healthier, exercise regularly, work on relationships, be generous...but make those changes small and from the heart.  They will probably last!

Remembering Mom

It's the time of year to get sentimental.  This ceramic Christmas Tree was made in the 70s and my mother absolutely loved it.  She's been gone almost 31 years but I never stop missing her.  Every year when I bring this tree into my living room I can't help but think of all the Christmases that my mom made special.  Moms do that.  They think of things that no one else does and they get them done for their families.  Thanks, Mom, for all  those great memories!

This photo is from a friend of mine, Gilda.  She puts together a "few of her favorite things" in her kitchen -  her Mom's retro 1950s Betty Crocker Cooky Book, her Mother-in-law's kitchen Christmas tree, her Gram's measuring cup and her Father-in-law's retro flour sifter.  All these precious memories lovingly displayed in one spot to treasure and remember loved ones.

What Christmas memories are a focal point in your home this season?

Homemade Caramel Corn

I got this recipe from a book called "Better Than Store- Bought" that I've had for decades.  It's true - some things are just better made at home!  If you like Cracker Jack,

you'll LOVE this homemade version.

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.

Start with 8-12 cups of freshly popped popcorn spread onto 2 baking sheets with edges.  Mix 1 cup almonds or peanuts into the popcorn.

In a heavy bottomed saucepan mix:

1/2 cup packed brown sugar
6 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/8 cup water
1/2 cup molasses
1 tsp salt

Heat the mixture at medium heat and stir until everything is combined.  Then let it boil gently and DO NOT STIR.  Put a candy thermometer into the mixture to measure the temperature.  When it reaches 250 degrees remove from heat and stir in:

1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda

Pour syrup over the popcorn and gently stir to coat.  Don't worry about covering all the popcorn now, you will have more time to evenly distribute the syrup later.

Place the pans into a 250 degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes and take out every 10 minutes to stir and coat the popcorn.

Once it's cooled you can store it at room temperature in a plastic bag or container.

I like to give small bags of this away as gifts.