PASTA WITH SHRIMP

Welcome!  I was all prepared to give you the most scrumptious Chocolate Brownie recipe ever.  But alas, I cannot seem to locate it anywhere.  I know it by heart but I cannot be quite sure enough to pass it on to you.  So, today I will search through the mass of cookbooks and when I find it, I will post it for your enjoyment. So from Brownies to Dinner.  I am having company tonight and I don't have a lot of time so I am going to be making this Shrimp and Pasta dish, which I make often.  It is easy, delicious and is a wonderful "Company Dinner Dish".

This serves 4 people
20 Jumbo Shrimp (raw) de-veined and tail off
1 lb Barilla Thick Spaghetti
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 lemon
2 tbls drained and rinsed capers
2 to 3 cloves minced garlic
chopped flat leaf parsley

While the pasta is cooking saute the garlic in 3  tabls of olive oil.  Add the shrimp and cook just until pink on both sides.  Don't overcook as the shrimp will get tough.  Add the capers and the red pepper flakes.  Mix about 1/4 cup olive oil or more (to coat the pasta) with the juice of one lemon,  Drain the pasta (al dente) and add the olive oil mixture, toss to mix and then add the shrimp and capers. Toss quickly and serve hot. Top with the chopped parsley.

I always serve this with a Ceasar Salad and some grilled bread.  A nice Pinot Grigio makes it a perfect meal.  Fit for a King and Queen, if you happen to know one.  Sometimes I just make it for myself :).

So there you have it.  Try it soon.  Just a few ingredients, a short amount of time and a wonderful meal is on the table.

Thanks for stopping in today
Ciao for now
Grayce

BREAD SALAD

Hi everyone.  Back to the old grind as they say.  Kids off to schools, adults off to work.  The hustle and bustle of everyday life.  I told you about my childhood in the beginning of my blog days.  Today I want to share a recipe from those days that I still make today.  Bread Salad or Panzanella.  My Grandmother used to make it with all the fresh vegetables from the garden and the day old bread, (when there was any left over).  She would put in fresh, ripe juicy tomatoes, onions, peas, olives, whatever there happened to be at the time.  There really wasn't a "recipe" as such, more of "what do we have?"  I just know that I could have eaten all of it myself.  With a piece of fish, chicken, beef or pork you have a satisfying meal.  Here is how I make it today.

BREAD SALAD

3 cups of day old Italian bread cut into large cubes
4 or 5 tomatoes (use red, heirloom, ) cut into pieces
1/2 cup black olives
1 can artichoke hearts cut in half
2 or 3 stalks of celery cut into pieces
1 red onion cut into thin slices
about 1/2 bunch bunch Italian flat leaf parsley rough chopped
some fresh basil rough chopped
2 cloves of fresh garlic minced
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 white wine vinegar or whatever you prefer
salt and pepper to taste

Put the bread chunks on a cookie sheet and into the oven at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes, just until slightly browned.  Mix all the vegetables together, add the bread and mix, add the dressing, mix together and serve immediately.

This is a wonderful, hearty salad.  Full of flavor.  It can stand on it's own for a light lunch.  I know if you try it once you will make it often.  Use your imagination.  Add whatever you like.  There are no mistakes to this one.  This is just how I remember my Grandmother making it for us.

Have a great day, and thanks for stopping by.
Ciao for now.
Grayce

MINI PIZZAS

Good morning everyone.  Here it is, the weekend, already!  Two more weekends left in October.  I'm telling you once school starts, it is like a hurricane is pushing the hands of clock, time goes by so quickly. Everyone feels caught up whizzing around like a witch on her broom.  There does not seem to be a minute to sit and just be, if you know what I mean. Speaking of witches, Halloween will be here in two weeks.  I remember when my kids were younger, dinner on Halloween night was always Tomato soup and Grilled Cheese sandwiches so that we could get out for Trick or Treating just as soon as it got dark.  Today I have a recipe you may want to try on your little Goblins and their friends this year.  Little mini pizzas.  These are easy and quick.  You can even make them for an after school snack, (and have Grilled Cheese and Tomato soup for dinner :)".

MINI PIZZAS

pizza dough, you can buy it at your local Pizza Parlour or buy the kind at your market (that is easy and can be sliced into rounds)
 Pepperoni
Mozzarella
Tomato and Basil
Sauteed Mushrooms
Sausage
Goat Cheese
Green Pepper chopped finely
Sun Dried Tomatoes
Grated Parmesan
Olive Oil
Pizza sauce

If you buy the refrigerated pizza dough, slice into 1/4" thick slices, on a flat surface roll out to a 4" circle and brush lightly with olive oil.  Use your imagination and top each with a different topping.  Do the same thing with pizza dough you make or buy at the Pizzeria near you. Bake at 400 degrees on the middle rack of your oven for 15 to 20 minutes.  Also great for snacks while watching Football or Baseball.  Make some this weekend.  Or, make them as a snack for when the kids get home from school.

Thanks for stopping in today, have a really great weekend!
Ciao for now
Grayce

CHICKEN PEASANT CASSEROLE

Good morning.  Thanks for dropping in today.  It is really foggy this morning and that means we are in for a really hot weekend.  It is actually already pretty warm.  Years ago when I first moved to California, we had a family emergency.  One of Al's friends Mother sent over a Casserole for our dinner.  It was such a wonderful gesture.  It was also a really wonderful dinner.  I immediately got the recipe from her and have been making it ever since.  Mitch turned out to be Al's best friend and still lives a block away from him in Irvine. His Mom passed away a few years ago, but I always think of her kindness when I make this dish.  The really great thing is that you make it the night before and bake it the next day.  Make it for your Football Sunday or just so you can get out in the beautiful weather (if you live here) and you will have a great dinner in an hour and a half when you get home.

CHICKEN PEASANT CASSEROLE

4 chicken breast (or 2 whole breasts cut into half)
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 small can diced chiles
1 finely chopped onion
shredded cheddar cheese (about 6 cups)
1 pkg of corn tortillas cut in half and then into 6 pieces

Poach the chicken breasts, and let them cool before cutting into 1/2 inch pieces.  Mix the Chicken, the onion, chiles, and the soup together, butter a casserole dish and put a layer of tortillas, chicken mixture, and then cheese.  Repeat 2 more times ending with the chicken mixture and a good layer of the cheese.
(Tortillas, chicken mixture, cheese, tortillas)  Cover the dish tightly with foil and refrigerate overnight.
When ready to bake, remove from the refrigerator, let stand while the oven heats (pre-heat to 350 degrees) and bake for at least 1 hour and a half, or until the cheese is melted and it is very bubbly. Remove from the oven and let it set for 10 minutes before serving.

This is a really wonderful dish.  You almost can't stop eating.  Try it this weekend.  You can be gone or doing whatever and still have a wonderful dinner with your family that night.

Thanks for stopping in today.
Ciao for now
Grayce

SPAGHETTI PIE

Good morning.  Well, unbelievable but true, it rained here during the night and is still raining this morning. But with the rain comes warmer weather.  It will be 86 by Friday.  Ah, Southern California.  It's why we love you.

Today I am going to give you a quick one dish meal that is hearty and delicious.  Not quite something my Grandmother's may have made but let's just say, "Italian inspired."  There are a lot of ways to use left over pasta.  Sometimes you can just fry it up in a little olive oil.  If it has no sauce on it you can add an egg, a little cream, salt and pepper and fry in a little olive oil and slice into pieces and top with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.  Today's recipe is one for left over pasta with no sauce on it or cook up a batch.  Either way, you will have a main dish on the table in no time.

SPAGHETTI PIE

3 cups of cooked pasta (Barilla thick) or whatever you have)
2 tbls olive oil, 1 tbls butter melted
1/2 cup parmesan
2 well beaten eggs
1 cup Ricotta
 1/2 lb of ground beef, 1/2 lb italian sausage or just 1 lb beef
1/2 chopped onion
2 to 3 cloves minced garlic
1 8 oz can cut tomatoes
1 6 oz can tomato paste
1 tsp dried oregano
a pinch of allspice and a pinch of nutmeg
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Melt the butter and mix with the olive oil and pour over the spaghetti.  (if it is left over heat it first, if it is jut made, drain and toss with the mixture).  Stir in the parmesan and eggs.  Pour this mixture into a 9" pie plate and form a crust .  Spread the ricotta on top of this in an even layer.  In a skillet put a little olive oil and brown the garlic and the onion, being careful not  to burn.  Add the ground meat and saute until browned and crumbly.  Drain off all the drippings.  Stir in the undrained tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, nutmeg, allspice and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.  Turn meat mixture into spaghetti "crust" and bake uncovered at 350 degrees for about 25 to 30 minutes.  Sprinkle with the mozzarella and bake just until the cheese is melted.  Remove from the oven and slice like a pie.  Serve with a tossed green salad, some hot bread and of course a glass of red wine.  Quick and delicious.  I think all of your family will love this.

That is it for now.  Thanks for stopping in today.  It is gratifying to hear so many comments on my blog and to hear how many of you have made the recipes.  Thanks to all of you.

Ciao for now.
Grayce

STUFFED PORK CHOPS

Good morning everyone.  Ok, today let's talk "the other white meat".  Not only is Pork the other white meat, but it is nutritious, flavorful, and a great change from chicken and beef etc.  When my two youngest children, Ed and Linda were in school, they were in 4-H.  We lived in Irvine, a mile from UCI.  At that time we were able to have a parcel of land for the kids to raise animals.  It started with Ed and Susie, our neighbor, having chickens.  Then it went on to pigs, lambs and a steer.  Linda had goats.  Anyway, when we were involved in the swine program, the piglets were bought at six weeks, raised for six months and then.......oh dear!  Some were shown at the Fair, auctioned off and then......oh dear!  The moral of the story is that we got to eat a lot of really good, fresh pork. So today I give you a wonderful, tasty recipe for STUFFED PORK CHOPS.

4 thick pork chops with a pocket cut into them lightly salted and peppered on both sides
8 oz of herb stuffing or 3 cups of bread cubed
1 diced apple
1/4 cup apple juice
2 tbls butter melted
1 sprig of rosemary chopped fine
1/2 small onion chopped very fine

Mix the ingredients together and stuff into the pork chops.  In a saucepan melt 2 more tbls of butter with 2 tbls of brown sugar.  When melted add 1 cup of apple juice.  Bring to a boil.  Put the pork chops in a large baking dish or chicken fryer, pour the sauce over the top.  Cover and bake for one hour and 15 minutes or until the pork is no longer pink.  Uncover the last 15 minutes, baste with the juice and let brown.  Serve with green beans dressed with an olive oil and vinegar dressing.  While the pork chops cook you can make a quick applesauce.  Peel and core 4 or five apples, chop into small pieces put into sauce pan with water, sugar to taste, cinnamon and butter.  Cook till apples are are soft.  Keep cooking and stirring until it is just chunky.  Serve warm with the chops and green beans.

Talk about a Fall dinner!  Your family will love this.  And the smells from the chops and applesauce, Divine!

Thanks for stopping by
Ciao for now
Grayce

SCONES

Hi everyone.  Wow!  Another weekend gone by.  My Yankees took care of the Twins in 3 games and now they will take on the Angels.  They split this year 5 and 5.  Here's hoping they can take of them as well.  It will be exciting for sure.  Today I am going to post my very favorite Scone recipe, courtesy of the Adorable Tyler Florence.  I have tried many, many Scone recipes over the years but this is the BEST.  No question about it.  My very good friend Marti, who used to live in CA. down the street from me, but moved back East to be with her children, asked me to do this today.  So for her and all of you, the very best Scone recipe ever!

2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, very cold, cut into chunks
1 cup heavy cream, plus a little to brush on top. (enough will settle in the carton to do this)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Sift the dry ingredients, flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.  Using a pastry blender or your fingers, quickly cut in the butter .  The mixture should be like coarse crumbs.  Make a well in the center and pour in the heavy cream.  Fold together just to incorporate. ( Before adding the cream I zest in some lemon, or some orange or add blueberries or cranberries or whatever you like.)  Turn mixture out onto a lightly floured board, it will be crumbly.  Just press it together and  while pressing give it a couple of rolls on the board, then press out into a rectangle about 12x3 and 1 1/4 inch thick, as shown in the picture above.  Cut in half, then into fours, and cut each into eight triangles.  Brush the tops with the cream and sprinkle with sugar .  Bake for 15 minutes or until very lightly browned.  Tips:  work quickly, don't overwork the dough, and do not over bake.

These are the most mouth watering, delicious scones you will ever eat.  No question about it.  Eat them warm with jam and a cup of tea.  AHHH!

Well that is it for today.  I actually made these yesterday morning so I could take pictures.  I ate two and rushed the other six hot ones over to Glory and Scott who are my neighbors.  She called five minutes later and said "are you kidding me!"  These are amazing.  So there you have it.  Try them tomorrow or on the weekend when you can really savor them without rushing.

Have a great day
Ciao for now
Grayce