Contento Reunion 2009

We finally made it to the Contento reunion this year. And I must, it's about time!!! It was great to see those who made it there. But this came with mixed feelings as I remembered all of those who are no longer with us that use to be at this same picnic in the same pavilion.

My mind just automatically went there. At one point there was a very serious discussion between cousins Paula and Roseann about washing the plastic cutlery. I remember once, many years ago, teasing my grandmother about that very thing. Paula and I ran around chanting "Save the Forks!!!" (Like "Save the Whales")

Anyway, I'm having a hard time figuring out how to do the pictures and the blog; so I am just going to post the pictures. Enjoy.....WE DID!!!!

Hey, Just Thought I Would Check In.....

It has been a long winter. AND you would think that I would spend more time blogging. I did do alot on my other blog (Spirituality 4Dummies), but for some reason I just couldn't find the time to blog here. Probably because I hardly cook anymore. I am so tired by the time I get home from work, that I don't ever cook.

I do cook on the weekends. So on weekdays we usually end up eating leftovers or sandwiches...salads....things of that nature.

I LOVE watching cooking shows. Especially Italian cooking shows. We don't have cable or satelite, so we rely on local channels and PBS. Mary Ann Esposito and Lidia are the two Italian cooks I like to watch.

I especially love watching Lidia who includes her children and grandchildren in much of her show. There is a wonderful family atmosphere.

One of the things that I've been wanting to blog about is the opening of the new Rulli Bros. Store in Boardman. I have been waiting for this for years. They put a sign up on the property about two or three years ago and finally started construction about a year ago. I was hoping it would open around the holidays, but they waited until March 1.

When I was growing up, I only remember going to Anzevino's in the Boardman Plaza. It is still there and is barely a store front. I loved the smell of meats and cheese that met me when I walked through the door.

Rulli Bros. has that same smell and I've talked to more than one non-Italian that has said that they cannot stand going into the store because of the smell. Apparently, these are people who have never been around the smell of fresh meat and cheese. They probably eat alot of bland, flavorless food, also.

For those of you who have never been to this large of an Italian food store, it is a dream come true. Although their produce is extensive, it is sometimes not very "fresh". But the deli and butcher make up for this in the way of good food and very good prices. Where else can you find boneless, skinless chicken breasts for $1.18 a lb. Or Capacola for less than $4.00 a LB. Amazing!

They have by far the best Italian Turkey Sausage I have ever tasted.

You may have to wait, but it's all worth it.

Also, you can get things there that you cannot at other stores. Different types of pasta, sauces, canned foods such as hot peppers or gardenia mixes. (Not in cans, in jars, but canned....is this confusing?)

When we were growing up and visiting Endicott, there were two neghborhood stores that I recall frequenting. Benny's, which was a block from my grandmother's house in one direction and Lupo's, which was a block in another direction. We went to Benny's more because it was a shorter block and it wasn't a long walk for us younger ones (the little kids). I remember going to get pumpkin seeds in a brown paper bag. I loved them.

I think Rulli Bros. started out as a neighborhood store a long time ago and grew.

So, if any of you out there are thinking you can't stand the smell, put a clothespin on your nose and suck it up. You won't regret it.

I LOVE COLD WEATHER!!!!

I started this post before my last one, so bear with the time lapses!

The last time I blogged on this particular blog it was August and hot and sticky and miserable. Well, guess what? No more! Yesterday it snowed! Seriously....October....snow! I'm not thrilled with SNOW, but I would much rather put on sweaters and jeans and hoodies and bundle up under a blanket than have to have a fan blowing on me just so I could breath.

So...now it's time for cold weather food and this weekend I made two of my favorites. Wedding soup and vegetable lasagna.

The wedding soup is something that Grandma Civ and my mother were famous for. Every Christmas Grandma made a big pot of wedding soup. I found out that when I tried to make it her way, it took days! DAYS! Since I'm a working-outside-the-home mom and I've just taken on more responsibility there (at my place of employment), I just don't have time to take days to make a pot of soup. I never did like taking that long. I'm all for convenience.
So I developed my own way of making wedding soup easier. But, first, let me tell you how Grandma made it, First she began with fresh escarole. These large leaves must be cleaned and it takes forever. The easiest way is to stick them in a huge pot of water and dip them over and over until they no longer feel gritty. Then you boil them....in a different pot of water. When they are sufficiently cooked, (tender) you drain them and squeeze them dry. Then you roll them into a ball and stick them into the freezer. (I'm already tired). One time my girlfriend and I decided to share this task between the two of us. It took three brown paper grocery bags of escarole to make an eight inch ball. That's how much it cooks down.

The soup: I make the soup pretty much the same as Grandma; although I was told you should use an old bird. I did this once, but trying to get the meat off of the bird was a pain because it was so old and tough. I'll give you this recipe later. The thing to remember is to make a large pot of soup.

The meatballs: those tiny little veal balls. No thanks. I buy the already premade frozen meatballs from the grocery store. I actually found them at Save-A-Lot this week!

Then there's the pasta debate. Should we or shouldn't we put pasta in it. I do. I like it. My Mom is scandalized by the my pasta in the soup. Grandma never put in the pasta.

Also my Mom liked these cheese and egg croutons that she also made homemade. I never liked them, so I don't make them. Once you put them in the soup, they soak up all of the broth and blow up and get bigger and bigger and.....food should NOT grow while you are eating it!

I remember one time I was talking to a friend who said she had a really easy way to make wedding soup. She mailed it to me. This was before e-mail was the way to go. Here's her easy way. Two cans Progresso Chickerina Soup, One can chicken broth, one pound frozen chopped spinach and a can of chicken. Put them together and Voi La! Wedding Soup!

My recipe isn't quite that easy, but it only took me an hour or so on a Saturday afternoon. It did not take DAYS!

Let's start with the broth or soup. I used a large 8-12 quart stock pot.

Broth
4 chicken breasts (bonesless skinless)
chicken boullion (to taste)
parsley (to taste)
2/3 cup chopped celery
onion flakes (to taste)
garlic (to taste) (chopped)
salt and black pepper (to taste)
1/3 cup chopped or shredded carrots

Place all ingredients in a large stock pot and bring to boil. When it comes to a boil, turn down the heat and let simmer. When chicken is cooked through, remove it from the pot and let it cool. When chicken is cooled, cut it into bite size pieces or just tear it apart with your fingers. Return to pot. One quick stir and then if you are not finishing soup that day, put in storage containers in your frig or freezer (it depends on how long you will be before finishing soup).

THE REST OF THE SOUP:

The rest of the soup is prepared after the broth is done. So if you are doing this in more than one day, you need to thaw and re-heat your broth until it is bubbling hot.
While it is bubbling add the following ingredients (this is for a large pot of soup 8-12 quart stock pot): Two "bricks" of frozen chopped spinach 1/2 bag of DiRusso's mini-meatballs (found in the frozen meat section of your grocery store)
After the soup comes back to a boil then if you like you can add: 1 cup of acini de pipi pasta (or pastine or pasta balls or orzo pasta) When the pasta is tender your soup is done!
I just finished a large pot to give out for Christmas gifts. I know it's not the same as Grandma's Civ, but lets face it, I just don't have the time or energy for it. Let me know if you try it and if you like it!

It's Been Awhile.....so....umm....Merry Christmas?

The last time I posted anything, it was in the 90's. Today, it's snowing. And that's how long it's been since I've posted anything on this blog.

I have recently taken on more responsibility at work, which includes more hours. My time is limited, so I'm just not getting to my blogs like I use to OR like I would like to.

But, I have GOT to write about the holidays. After all, for me, they have always spoke of "FAMILY".

The baking, the cooking, the shopping, the decorations.....all of it brings back so many great memories for me.

Right now, my foyer looks like it puked Christmas. Ken brought down all of the decorations and deposited them in our foyer last weekend. The only thing I have up is our large nativity set. The large tree is still in two parts and apparently still decorated (Thanks, bunches, Olivia!)
I fed nearly 400 at our Community Wide Thanksgiving Dinner where I work and oversee the event. It went well, despite my inner panicking. So I was exhausted and didn't get anything else up. Oh well, life goes on!

I really want to post some holiday recipes. I really try to only eat these foods during the holidays, because I want them to remain special and not become boring. Thus far, this has worked for me.
I will begin with Thanksgiving.

When I was growing up our Thanksgiving table looked slightly different than most Americans. Although we had the usual turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes (bla, bla, bla), we also had the usual Sunday meal regulars: rigatoni, meatballs, tossed salad.....(yum!). I wonder why our family has weight issues?

The recipe I'm going to post is NOT an old family favorite, but it IS a family favorite. Actually, we've been making it for approiximately thirty years and it has been handed down to the next generation. It is now Olivia's job to make the cranberry salad.

Back in 1979, I was in a theater troupe that toured the U.S. for 1 year. We did a Thanksgiving tour that year to Virginia and New York (those are state I remember, we may be gone to P.A., also). We spent Thanksgiving day on an old plantation in Virginia. The house was slightly reminiscent of Tara (Gone With The Wind). I recall sitting on the front porch of the house, which had large white pillars and playing with caterpillars. It was perfect fall weather, very balmy. By the time we got to New York the end of the tour (four days later) it was snowing.

The dinner at the plantation was massive. There were about 15 of us in the group plus about 15 or more other people. Tables snaked through the downstairs of the house and we sat and ate "family" style.

The cranberry salad was the biggest hit. I brought the recipe home and my family loved it and it has been prepared every Thanksgiving since then.

Cranberry Salad
1 can whole cranberries 1 can crushed pineapple (drained) 1 bag (16 oz.) frozen strawberries with juice (thawed) walnuts (chopped) (as many as you like)
Mix all ingredients, folding the walnuts in at the end.
TA DA!

That's it. Is that easy or what?! We love this. I take it to my mother-in-law's every year. She requests it. So try it. You'll like it!
Coming soon, Christmas stories and recipes, including wedding soup.

The Anthony Ciavarella Open....Beer Wenches.....Spiedis and Other Phenomenon

Last weekend was the weekend that our family looks forward to every summer. We only see each other Christmas, weddings and funerals. But the 3rd weekend in August, we all try to get together at my house for a picnic. It is so much fun. My cousins from Endicott come out and they spend the weekend visiting as much as possible and shopping even more. We eat at different restaurants. Lately Smoky Bones and Bellaria are the favorites. We keep trying to find some small "mom and pop" places, but Sunday is usually when we get out and those places are closed on Sundays.

Our family has a golf open every year on this weekend. It's called the Anthony Ciavarella Golf Open, named after my cousins Paul and Kim's son who passed away at the age of 6 in 2004 from leukemia.

The eight that came from Endicott this year were Marsha and daughter Leeann, (did I spell that right? It doesn't look like it.), Marsha's son Joey and his wife Becca, Paula and her daughter Amber, Luann and adopted sister and cousin Nadine. (She's not legally adopted...it's very illegal....it's actually a crime...that's how much we wanted her in our family).

I'm not sure when the "beer wench" tradition began. But one year, Luann and Leeann, went to the golf open dressed in German Wench costumes. They rode around on a golf cart serving beer, pop, and bottled water to the golfers. Of course, the next year the golfers were looking for the "beer wenches" and they have been labeled that since. Every year, they try to dress up as something more ridiculous than the year before, but "beer wenches" is definitely the best.

The rest (not including Joe, who is golfing) go shopping and then we all meet for lunch. For some reason I ALWAYS have something on Sunday morning, so I usually just do the lunch thing. This year after lunch, Paula and I went to my Mom and Dad's and "raped" their photo albums. Pictures will be posted in future blogs.

On Saturday evening we met at my house and invited the Ciavarella boys and their families and also Annette and Chris (who's in Florida). This year Annette didn't make it and Chris hasn't been able to, yet, but someday we'll keep inviting him until he's able to get up here.

The food is GREAT! This year the Endicott crew brought meat for spiedis, not knowing that I was going to do the same and we ended up with like 25 pounds of spiedis (or more). They brought Lamb (yum) and chicken (the Lamb deserves the capitalization) and I did chicken and beef. We had the roasted pepper and tomato salad, tossed salad, pasta salad, creamy cheesy potatoes (thanks to Gary and Patsy; Patsy was unable to make it), Aunt Pauline (who is in her early 80's) did fried zucchini, Annie (Tom's wife...Tom's band was playing, so he was not there) made this incredible dessert with cookies and whipped topping and pudding, there were chips and fresh salsa made from our garden and guacamole, Luann brought her olive spread. There was bread from Endicott and ciabatta bread from Hogan's bakery and of course, pepper cookies. My brother brought a couple different kinds of pie. Oh my gosh, we ate until we burst(ed) (is that a word? because it's a feeling!)

After we got done eating everyone went into my husbands garden and there was much raping and pillaging of produce. We were thrilled. I will try to get a picture of Ken's Amish tomatoes (sounds sexy in a very demented way). They are pretty magnificent and taste spectacular. (okay quit laughing and get your minds OUT of the gutter)

You could find most of the recipes in previous posts. But I will tell you, if you like olives (I love them), you will love Luann's olive spread. She told me quickly how to make it, so I will give you THAT recipe.

LUANN'S OLIVE SPREAD

Okay, here's how she told me. You can use canned black olives (she didn't say how many and I doubt that it matters...so let's just say....to taste) and green olives in a jar. Some olive oil (of course I would suggest extra virgin, because I like the taste) and garlic and put it into your food processor or blender and grind it up. There were no measurements, but I'm thinking if just put enough olive oil to make the mix spreadable.

This stuff is great on crackers and a good crusty bread. I took a sandwich to work with this spread, sandwich pepperoni, Swiss cheese and hot peppers on ciabatta bread and it was really great.

So enjoy the pictures. There's old and new. And try not to overeat...at least not all of the time.

One more Zucchini Recipe and then came the Tomatoes

Well, our zucchini plants have stopped producing, but the tomatoes are now ripening ever so lovely.
My cousin Marsha e-mailed me with a couple of ideas today. One of the ideas was for stuffed zucchini. Hello? Read the blog?
But the other two were recipes I had not posted. The one is zucchini fritters, which are amazing, but I have been spoiled by a friend of mine, Tony (75 -or so- yr. old man that frequents my work place). Tony loves to show up at The Way Station (where I work) with either a cardboard box or a brown paper bag filled with prepared food. He comes prepared with plastic forks and spoons and Styrofoam plates and napkins. His potato salad is to die for and he makes alot of things that my grandmother would make when we were kids.
One time when we were discussing recipes, specifically wedding soup, he said his mother would put "scooch" or "skuche" in it. These are phonetic spellings, I haven't a clue what he was saying. Finally I caught on to egg barley pasta.
Anyway, Tony makes the best zucchini fritters or zucchini patties that I have ever tasted. He uses tons of garlic and no matter how hard I've tried to reproduce them, they never come out as good as his.
Marsha also sent me a recipe I remember Grandma Civ making. I didn't realize Mimi also made this. I'm going to call it: Zucchini and Eggs.


Zucchini & Eggs


Two medium small zucchini (cleaned and cut into small chunks...not diced, though)
Your favorite spaghetti sauce (about 1-2 cups)
4 eggs (beaten)
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
olive oil
onions
garlic (of course)
any other Italian seasonings to your taste (including salt and pepper)


In a medium fry pan (fairly deep) fry your zucchini in the olive oil with onions and garlic and seasonings. While zucchini is still crisp, add spaghetti sauce (my grandmother just used chunked up fresh tomatoes from her garden). While zucchini and sauce cook, beat eggs and cheese together. When everything comes to a good bubble, add beaten eggs and cheese mixture. Scramble with zucchini and sauce. When eggs are cooked (you don't want them still wet, make sure they are firm), you're ready. Marsha said they would dip french bread or any other crusty bread into this. I gotta make this!


Okay we got tomatoes! They are beautiful this year and incredibly flavorful. My favorite are what my husband calls Amish Tomatoes. Although they are slow to ripen, they taste great. (Ken said they were too slow and I said, "Yep, still don't have electricity"). These tomatoes are not pretty. They are big and sort of flat with bunches of dimples and bumps, but boy are they good!

A few months ago I told you how to make L'aqua Salle and Roasted Peppers and Tomatoes and you could go back and get those recipes.

We have been living on tomatoes for the past couple of weeks.
Yesterday I went to our favorite Italian Store, Rulli Brothers. If you are Italian, the smell alone will bring back memories of your childhood. All your favorites! I wanted fresh mozzarella cheese.
I never knew there was a difference, but you only need to taste it. It's so much richer. The important thing to remember is it need eaten right away, because it goes bad pretty quickly.



Fresh Mozzarella and Tomatoes with Crostini


1/2 pound fresh mozzarella cheese chunked into 1/2 - 1 inch pieces.
Very ripe cherry tomatoes (sliced in half) or the same size chunks of full size tomatoes
fresh garlic to taste
salt, pepper, fresh basil, fresh parsley to taste.
A drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
a drizzle of balsamic vinegar
very thin slices of red onion (just enough to your taste)


Mix all of this together and set aside. Let the flavors blend at room temperature. (Not for hours, just about 15 minutes)


Crostini

1/2 - 1 loaf of crusty bread (french, ciabatta, Italian, roasted garlic Italian, etc.)
Olive oil
garlic salt
black pepper
grated Parmesan cheese


Slice your bread about 1/4 - 1/2 inch think. If the bread slices are too large, cut them in half. Brush the extra virgin olive oil onto both sides of the bread - liberally! Then take your seasonings and sprinkle them over both sides of the bread. Place on a pizza pan or stone (I use one of those pizza pans with air holes, it works great). Your oven should be pre-heated to 400. Place in the oven and keep a close watch. You want it golden brown and crispy. As soon as it's down, sprinkle both sides with Parmesan.

Place the crostini on your plate and scoop your tomatoes and mozzarella over it. It's wonderful! Enjoy!


Green Beans and Tomatoes

1-2 lb. fresh green beans
4-6 large ripe tomatoes
fresh garlic to taste
salt
pepper
fresh mint
fresh parsley
a drizzle of olive oil (or more)


I love fresh green beans! It's taken me years to learn how to cook them to my liking. I hate them soft and mushy. Canned? Ewww! Whose idea was that anyway? I can stand them frozen, but I LOVE them fresh and steamed until they are just tender crisp.
When we were growing up, my mother made this next dish with wax beans. Again....Ewww! I have since, changed the recipe to green beans. I use my Pampered Chef Microwave Cooker to steam my beans. I rinse them. Then I break off the hard nubby end, leaving the pointy end and I break the bean in half so that it will fit into the cooker. I don't know how many pounds will fit in there, but I just fill it with beans. Then I add about 1 inch of water. Tighten the lid and microwave it on high for 6 minutes. That seems to work for me. You may have a better way for you, but I would NOT over cook them.
While the beans are steaming, I prepare the tomatoes.
Rinse the tomatoes and quarter them. Add your seasonings and olive oil and then with a potato masher mash it all together. Let sit about 15 minutes for flavors to blend.
When beans are done cooking. Drain them and add them to tomato mixture. Fold them together and let them sit. You can put them into the frig if you do not want it hot. Just be aware that olive oil does set (like jello) when cold.
This is another salad that needs a loaf of crusty bread with it.

Every summer we have one meal with just corn on the cob and this salad with bread. No meat. It's pretty good.


Hope you enjoy!

Okay! Okay! Zucchini.....zeppelins....whatever!

They're big! They're green! They're everywhere! It's like WWII zeppelins, except these are edible. I got a lot of great "feed" back on the zucchini Parmesan. I must admit it was good. But....there is so much MORE!

Have you ever had stuffed zucchini? The way MiMi did it was very yummy and I've served it to many a vegetarian who loved it.

I have stuffed zucchini with chicken and sausage and ground beef, but this is so good with a hunk of Italian bread or a side of spaghetti.

I remember one time in the 70's, my girlfriend and I decide to go to Endicott for a weekend. She was "seeing" some guy from Ithaca, so we made arrangements for the two of them to go out Saturday and I would stay at my grandmother's, looking so sad and pathetic that Marsha's son (who was about seven) hugged me and offered to take me to McDonald's. Cute.....but not the same as an evening with a hot guy at The Vineyard. Is that still opened? They had great eggplant Parmesan.

But I digress (is that the word?).....Anyway....MiMi made stuffed zucchini. After Gina got back from her date, she and I stayed up late that night watching my very favorite movie, "To Kill A Mockingbird", and eating cold leftover stuffed zucchini. Even cold, it was great!

Stuffed Zucchini

2 medium large zucchinis

2 cups seasoned breadcrumbs

1 1/4 cups grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

Your own homemade or a large jar of Prego Spaghetti sauce

mozzarella (optional)

Enough eggs to moisten the stuffing (have a dozen handy just in case)

garlic or garlic powder - to taste

black pepper - to taste

salt - to taste

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Rinse your zucchinis well. Cut off the stem end and then cut them length wise in half. Cut out the seeds and meat from the center of the zucchini, leaving enough meat so that the zucchini will hold it's form. Separate the seeds and the zucchini meat. Throw away the seeds and chop up the zucchini meat left over into small chunks and set aside.

In a large bowl add bread crumbs, cheese, seasonings (to taste), zucchini chunks and baking powder. Blend well. Begin to add your eggs. Start with three, mix. Continue to add one egg at a time, mixing afterwards until stuffing is the same consistency as meatballs or meatloaf (able to hold in your hand and mold).

You could either spray your pans or put just a little water in the bottom of them. They should be long enough for zucchinis and deep enough for the sauce. Place your hollowed out zucchini halves in two large pans hollow side up. Stuff them with stuffing, allowing a small mound on top. Place in a 350 oven on the center rack and allow them to bake until they are golden brown. Cover them. Uncover them when toothpick inserted into the center of the stuffing comes out dry and let them bake another five to ten minutes until they brown. Take them out of the oven and pour the sauce over them. As much as you like without completely covering them. Cover your pan with foil or lid and bake until sauce is hot and bubbly, basting them with the sauce periodically. Uncover and if you like, add mozzarella to taste on top and bake until the mozzarella is a little golden.

This serves a whole bunch of people and can be eaten as a side dish or as a main course with a side of spaghetti. The leftovers are even good.