The era of the Vietnam War, Bra Burning, Equal Rights, Woodstock, Pot Smoking and the Peace and Love Generation, that is what started my adult life.

When I turned 18 all hell was breaking loose. By the time I was 20 it was a different world than the peaceful times of the 50’s and early 60’s. We were the Boomers in the Peace and Love generation.  

When I was a senior in high school our much loved President, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, was shot and killed and we watched these events unfold on TV. I remember that day like it was yesterday, when the voice of our principle came over the PA system advising us that President Kennedy shot and was dead. He closed the school and sent us home. All the way home I was in a daze and felt like nothing around me was real. I know what it means when people say things appeared surreal because of that day. When I got home the TV was on and my Mama was watching it and crying. Two days later his murderer was also shot and killed, right in front of our eyes on live television. For the next few days we were transfixed by the TV. It was the first time America was actually watching, as the whole funeral played out on the TV screen. It was very emotional to be able to watch it live, as it happened, even so it did help our grieving. 

We were all so proud of Jackie as she walked behind her husband’s casket and her adorable little boy saluted his father’s coffin. We didn’t only lose a President that day, we lost a whole way of life. We didn’t feel safe and secure anymore. We lost the confidence in the knowledge that no one would hurt us because we lived in America. I think it was the first time in my life it I even lost my appetite. That was the year I graduated Morristown High School and our yearbook for the class of 1964 was dedicated to JFK.       

Time moved on and in 1966 I was twenty years old and the mother of a cute little boy of my own. Lyndon B. Johnston was our president and he was escalating a war in Vietnam. No one knew why we were fighting this senseless war but it lasted for years. In 66 we still had the draft, no volunteer military. Men or should I say boys, were burning there draft cards and many were fleeing to Canada, saying the mantra of the day, “HELL NO I WON”T GO”. If I had been a boy, I think I would still be living in Canada today. We watch on TV as the demonstrator’s at the Whitehouse carried signs to end the war, or to give equal rights to women and black American and watched as women burned their bra’s.  

It was a confusing time, we had all these pictures on TV and in the newspapers showing all the atrocities of this horrible war, and hippy’s at Hait Asbury in San Francisco, wearing flowers in their hair and making peace signs with their fingers and saying PEACE AND LOVE. We had songs playing on the radio about war and others about love and peace. And I started wearing jeans with the rest of young America. Boy did we love our jeans or what, and mini skirts and go-go boots. Our hair wasn’t teased anymore we were wearing it long and straight. Oh, and I can’t forget Woodstock, that was the place for Drugs and Rock and Roll. I think today the kids refer our music that was so very cool to us in the 60’s as “ Geezer Rock”. I remember one of the very popular songs was He ain't Heavy He’s My Brother. This song summed up in song what was being felt in life. Love your fellow man.

I was busy in my little house on Washington Street cooking and raising my son, Scott Rosa. Now I was Mrs. Rosa and I hated that last name. And just a funny side note , my mother in laws name was Rose Rosa. I was busy in my kitchen baking, chocolate chip cookies, sour cream cakes and Christmas cookies, which I loved to cut out and decorate. My son was right there helping me. No wonder he became a Chef. We had a doughnut maker and together we would create some pretty interesting doughnuts. While hell was breaking loose around us we were in the kitchen cooking and baking. That is still my way of escaping to this day. Just get me in the kitchen to try new recipes, create new ways to make a dish or just cook and old standard. 

One lovely fall day I decided to make pumpkin pies. But not the way we make them today or even back then, I decided to cook a whole pumpkin to make the pies. Never again!!! Way to much work and they didn’t taste any different than using the canned pumpkin. But I had the bragging rights when I took them over to a friend’s dinner party. They loved them, but then again they were all smoking Mary Jane, as it was also known as, and anything would taste great. Talk about enhancing your taste buds as well as many other things, if you get the drift.

It was now 1968 and Bobby Kennedy was running for President. We Democrats were so happy. We were sure we were going to have another Kennedy in the White House. Not, that frigging Sir Han Sir Han killed him. And again we all sat in front of our TV’s and watched his wife Ethel, in the black veil, along with Jackie and what was left of the Kennedy family mourn the loss of their beloved son, husband, father and brother. Hearts were breaking everywhere. How could this be happening again?  

Somewhere around this time we also lost Martin Luther King to an assassins bullet. It seems like back then we had one man killing one person. Today we have one man killing many. Columbine, World Trade Center, Virginia Tech, Batman Movie in Colorado and all those children in Newtown.  Mama said this back in the day but it still applies today, “What is this world coming to.” And just this week Boston.

And while all this chaos was going around us, I got busy in the kitchen. My sister tells me that I was always making Tuna Noodle Casserole. If I did I don’t remember it, haven’t made it since. I don’t even like it. I do remember that I loved making Beef Stroganoff, which I served with a salad with Green Goddess Dressing, which was popular at that time. My Green Goddess dressing was not from a bottle, I made my own. Yes I made a mess. I remember I cut up potatoes and left them out to be cooked later in the day, and could not figure out for the life of me why they turned BLACK. I had a lot to learn.

I hate messing with flour then and now. I never make my own pie crust, seems like I get flour everywhere. Not that long ago Joe and I decided to make homemade pasta, and sure enough there was flour all over the kitchen and I have a good size kitchen. He has asked me several times when we are going to do it again, and I never answer him. TEE HEE. With my Beef Stroganoff dinner I would make a Strawberry Chiffon which everyone seemed to love because it was very refreshing.  

So here is the recipe for Beef Stroganoff and the Strawberry Chiffon in memory of Anna Carlo, Nee Rocco, who we loved having as a neighbor and she loved my Strawberry Chiffon and gave it it’s name..
 

Strawberry Chiffon

1 large of Strawberry Jello, you can use sugar free if you choose.

1 Package of Frozen strawberries in juice, not whole.

I container of Cool Whip, you can use light or sugar free.

1 14 oz can crushed pineapple in its natural juice, larger can is okay to use.

½ cup of toasted pine nuts, optional.

Make Jello as directed using one cup less water and chill until just starting to thicken. Remove from refrigerator and in large bowl whip in, with electric mixer, the strawberries, pineapple and cool whip. Add nuts. Put back in refrigerator to set completely. You can do this in a Mold if you choose. Looks pretty when removed from Mold and served with strawberries decorating the plate. This is a very refreshing summer time dessert. Put a sprig of mint on top. I never do but I sure it would look nice. Really I don’t care how your present it, I just care that you enjoy it.

Nasty Nuns of New Jersey

    
copyright pending

     To say the least Nuns and I were like oil and water, we did not mix. I said that I would write more about the nuns later and so here it comes because I have a lot to say about these nasty, unhappy ladies who devoted their lives to God. Unlike today there were many Nun’s when I was a child.  Today the younger generation has figured out there were better ways to devote your life to God without marring him, giving up all your worldly goods, and never be able to own anything again except your Habit. On the other hand Priest could, and did have everything they wanted including the Nuns. Okay God forgive me for that one, but that was the stories I have heard.

     I will make this disclaimer, I am sure all Nuns were not like the ones I ran into, and probably were very satisfied with their choice in life. But let me tell you about the ones that I was blessed to encounter.

My friend Marietta Tartaglia, the first little girl in the first row on the right.  She still had ths picture and was gracious to let me use it on my blog.

      When I was four years old I was sent to church with Zizi Rosie and her daughter JoJo  Since we were kids we had to sit in the children’s section. I had seen Nuns before this and at the time I thought they were some kind of Angels. I can clearly remember thinking that they must have had a button under their Habit which they pushed, and went sent up to heaven when they were not needed here on earth. What did I know? I was four years old had never gone to church before. I can’t remember what I did at the time, I think I was talking to my cousin, suddenly a Nun appeared and gave me hell, no pun intended. She made the comment that they were just like everyone else and that I better behave and do as they said or I was going to displease God. Remember I was only 4. Oh well I guess if you are going to terrorize children you might as well start while they are young.

    So now I knew they were just like eveyoene else, not angles that could go up to heaven when they wanted to. Now I had a whole new outlook about them. They were just like us and had no special powers. This was good to know, so now I didn’t have to be frightened, as well as pay attention to them. Unfortunately that was the wrong assumption, and I quickly learned that you did not want to piss these ladies off.

The Priest we’re not so nice either,  we were all scared to death of Monsignor Sheerin. On Saturday’s when we went to confession and we saw that he was the priest hearing our confessions, we all slid to the other side of the pews so that we could have Father Francino hear our confessions instead. He was much nicer man,  of course, he was Italian! My friends who went to school at St. Margaret’s told me, that during choir practice Monsignor would grab the Altar Boys and shake the heck out of them, if they were not  performing correctly during rehearsals. She said she that she was so scared of him if he even looked at her she almost threw up, others have told me just about the same thing. This is not the way religious training should have been, WTF.  Sunday  mornings in the freezing cold winter, Monsignor would stand in front of the Church with no coat on. My mother would always say that was because he was all “liquored up”. He always did have a red face and a rather large red nose. I steered pretty clear of him, smart child that I was.

     When I was six years old I had my next encounter with a Nun when I was in first grade at Alexander Hamilton Public School. I knew nothing about Catholic School and how it was run. All I knew is that if we got sick or had an accident at school  we were sent to the school nurse. Our school nurse was Mrs. Buccanon, nice lady. I can still picture her in her white uniform, nurse’s cap, white shoes, and stockings. I guess they wore all white as a sign of cleanliness and or purity. So now I wonder why the Nuns had to wear black. White would have been much more appropriate for them,  as a sign of purity, maybe just maybe, it would have changed their nasty habits, pun intended.

      Anyway I was going to make my First Holy Communion and after school we were required to go to a special sessions at the Catholic School In this session ch we were co-mingled with the Catholic school kids to practice walking into the church together. Before class, out in the playground, a girl was swinging her coat around and somehow it connected with my finger nail and tore it off. Once in class I was raised my hand to show the Sister, that is what we called them, my injury.   My cousin Donald Cresitello, (you may know him as the  2 time Mayor of Morristown)  went to catholic school and was in this class. He kept looking at me and shaking his head “NO”. My finger was bleeding and it hurt so I ignored him, thinking that the nun would send me to the nurse. But that wasn’t the case, not by a long shot. After she got tired of ignoring me she came over to me and very aggressively told me to put my hand down. I told her what was wrong and she told me to show her my hand, which I did, and that’s when she struck it with a ruler. I kid you not, now I had a sore, stinging hand with a bleeding finger. No nurse for me. I don't even know if they had one. . After class my cute little cousin came to me and said, “I told you to put your hand down”. He knew how mean that particular nun was. I can't remember her name for sure, but I think it was either Ursalina or Theresa. I do think she was the head nasty nun. With her in charge it was no wonder that all the rest of the nuns were bitchy. Can you imagine how bad it got when they had PMS.

      The next encounter was when I was ten years old, and this occurred at Assumption Church. I got my Mama to send me there because I thought it would be an improvement over St. Margaret’s. Wrong!!!! The Nasty Nuns there were the same, so from now on I will be referring to them as NN.

     At the time the church was having a fund raiser and wanted us kids to participate. So they gave us boxes to collect our money in, and said that if we raised $5.00 we would get a lovely statue of Jesus. Well that got me hooked because I did love Jesus, and I wanted that statue. I went all over the neighborhood collecting money, and every day got more excited as I counted my money, getting closer to earning my $5.00 for the church. I had even put in a few cents of my own to make my goal. I could just see that statue of Jesus sitting on the shelf in my little bedroom. On the day that we had to have in our boxes collected by the NN, I was so proud and happy because I had raised my $5.00. Once our money was collected we had to wait one more week to get our statues. The following week I was happy to go to Sunday school for a change, in expectation of receiving my Statue.  But did I get my eagerly anticipated statue? Not!  as the NN handed them out to the other kids she passed me by.  I asked the NN why I didn’t get my statue and she said, “Because you did not raise $5.00 so you don’t get one”. She was not nice about it either. I insisted that I did. But it was obvious I was not going to win that battle. I remember thinking that maybe I counted wrong; the NN would not lie, would she? That was it, no more Sunday School for me. I put my foot down on that one.  I guess Mama thought it was not worth the fight. I won that battle. Thank you, Jesus!

      As I said Father Francino was very nice, and being that he was Italian, all the Italian ladies invited him over for dinner. He was young and new to the church when I was a child,  I remember all the teenage girls in our neighborhood had a crush on him. One of our neighbors, was a very dedicated Catholic and a member in good standing with St. Margaret’s Church, and she had him over her house for dinner quite often. I remember that she made an Italian Rum Cake that was to die for, and she always made it when he came to dinner. She would always send him home with one for the NNs.  I think they like to drink.  I guess if I was them I probable would want to stay drunk 24/7. I wonder if  she put extra rum in their cake. 
     I asked my friends who went to Catholic School in Morristown to give me some of their experiences; I got so many it is going to have to be in another story. Of  7 ladies I only got one who felt she had a good experience.   They had stories of brothers being locked in basements and cloak rooms and left there all day.  I believe this is one of the reasons there are so many lapsed catholics from my generation. 

This is a Recipe for an Italian Rum Cake. 

Italian Rum Cake

Ingredients

Italian Sponge Cake

5 egg yolks

5 egg whites

1 ½ cups sugar

1 ¼ cup pastry flour

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ teaspoon grated fresh lemon rind, optional

I don’t care much for sponge cake, so I just make a Duncan Hines or Betty Crocker yellow cake and I add the lemon rind.   But if you do make it,  pour batter into two round 8 in pans and bake at 375 for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on your oven, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. 

Italian Pastry Cream

3 Tablespoons sugar

3 egg yolks

3 Tablespoons flour

½ teaspoons vanilla

2 cups of whole mile

1 Tablespoon butter

Chocolate Cream

Same as basic Pastry Cream only add, 2 ounces baking chocolate grated and 1 tablespoon butter.

Rum Syrup

½ cup of dark rum, more if that is your preference.

1/3 cup water an 2 teaspoons light corn syrup

Okay are you ready, here we go, I swear to God this is a pain in the ass to make but it is well worth it.  If it wasn’t I would not be typing all these instructions.  If you do make it, and I am sure that is a long shot because of all the work, let me know what you think.  I might make it for Christmas this year but I am not even sure of that.

Sponge Cake

Place egg yolks and sugar in a mixing bowl and beat until very thick and lemon colored, it should be at least doubled in volume, and thick like frosting,  this can take up to 15 minutes.  Oh the hell with it buy a mix or if you have a sponge cake recipe that you like, make that.

Italian Pastry Cream

Place sugar, egg yolks, flour and vanilla in a sauce pan and mix well.  In a separate pan, scald milk.  Very slowly pour milk over egg mixture, in a thin stream, beating constantly with mixer in pan. Cook on low heat, stirring with wooden spoon, until mixture reaches the boiling point, then cook for 4 minutes longer stirring constantly. Remove pan from heat and add butter, mix well. Pour into bowl and let cook.  Cover with plastic wrap so a skin will not form.  Now if you are lazy like me, just buy a box of vanilla cooking pudding and make that.

Chocolate Pastry Cream

Do exactly the same as the Italian Pastry Cream instructions only after the 4 minutes add the chocolate and cook for 1 minute longer Remove pan from heat and add butter, mix well than do the same as for the Italian Pastry Cream.  Again if you are feeling lazy, just buy a box of Chocolate cooking pudding and make that.  Although I must say the homemade creams are much tastier. 

Rum Syrup

Mix together the water, sugar and rum in small pan.  Bring to boil, and stir until sugar is dissolved.  Remove from the heat and cool before using.

Assuming  you baked the cake and it has cooled, slice each layer in half, diagonally.  Now start assembling cake. Place bottom layer on platter cut side up, sprinkle or brush with about ¼ of the rum syrup.  Be careful not to get the cake to wet.  Spread a layer of vanilla cream on first layer then top it with another cake layer.  Put on the rum and chocolate pastry cream.  Continue this process alternating layers.  Once this is done, you can cover the cake with whipped cream or just sprinkle  powered sugar on the top and let it go on the sides as well.  You can put crushed pineapple in the Italian Pastry Cream and chopped pistachio nuts in the chocolate cream if you wish.  Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.  This also freezes well. 

This cake is worth the work and the expense.  My neighbor must have  been  a really devout Catholic because she made this cake for the Priest and NN often.  I bet her kids were treated very well  by the Nuns.  They new what side there cake had rum on, LOL

Carol and Morristown High School, not a good mix

Terry Maher, Ed Terreri, Dolores Nasilli, Annie Cifrese, Bunny Hyler

     Okay, I will admit that I was never a good student in grade school, but once I got into high school, it all went downhill from there. First of all I hated gym class. I had to pass this class to get promoted, so I had to get very creative of finding ways to get out of class without failing it. The surest way to fail gym was not to put on your gym clothes, and I hated putting them on, what to do? So one year I lucked out, and during Gym Class I broke my left hand. Since I am left handed I got out of many things thanks to the girl who ran into me and broke it. I can’t remember who she was or I would thank her. Not only could I not take my beloved gym class, but I could not write in my other classes or do chores at home. I was a happy camper for about 6 weeks. However I could still eat, and got good at using my right hand to do that. Of and of course my mouth was not affected.  I also had a friend, Bunny Hyler who could write just like a Doctor.  She wrote me a couple of passes to get out of Gym for 6 weeks two times.  The gym teacher asked me why the Dr. didn't put it one his RX pad and I can remember it just coming out of my mouth, "I don't know, why don't you call him and ask him".  I still can't believe I said that and that she never called him. Whew!!!

     In high school we all went to Soda Shops after school. The cool kids went to the Colonial right next door to Grey Mats record shop. The cool naughty kids went to the Bellaire. In the Bellaire I found out I really like French fries with gravy. My mother would have banned me from going there if she found that out. She just kept reminding me that I was gaining weight, and how because of that I would not become popular. Funny I didn’t care much about being popular and I had plenty of friends that I liked just fine. Most of them were Italian, but a few were Irish, and they were all nice kids. Most of them had attended catholic elementary schools. I am sure that if I had gone to catholic school the nuns would have expelled me, besides I didn’t get along with them in Sunday school classes, but more about the nuns later. Anyway I really didn’t get to know most of my friends until I went to high school. Let’s see if I can name them. There was Terri Maher, Delores Nasilli, Beth Mazzoni, Annie Cifrese, Ed Terreri, Mary Jane Antanio, Denise Dasey and that’s just to name a few.  

     Ed and I had been friends all through grammar school and even before that. Ed’s family lived in a 2 story house on Phoenix Avenue when we were small kids. My Uncle Ben’s sister and her family the Dandra’s lived upstairs from the Terreris’; that is how we met. I was wandering around the streets, as my Mama never seemed to watch me, and I was not even in Kindergarten yet. I would go visit my Zizi Mary, that’s what I called her. Her house was right around the corner from Washington Street where I lived. I loved to eat at her house; she made the best baked rice pudding ever. Eddie was my age and since he lived right downstairs and we played together all the time. I would get mad at him because he could cut out paper dolls better than I could. Although both families moved to lovely single story homes in other parts of Morristown, Eddie and I stayed close. He was one of my best friends all though grammar school and high school and we managed to get into lots of mischief together. In second grade we got in trouble for ringing doorbells and running away before the people answered. We did this during lunch break and got caught and were sent to the Principal’s office. His name was Mr. Humor but he didn’t’ think we were funny. When we were seniors we discovered that we rather go ‘Driving Around’ instead of going to school. Eddie had a green Ford Galaxy and we spent many a weekday in the car instead of school. We figured out that if we went to school late after the absentee list was issued, and then sent to our classrooms, we could sign in and be considered in attendance. That is how our parents did not get called and the teachers thought that we were legally absent. We would then turn right around and walk out of school and go for a drive. We would go to Sip and Sup the drive in restaurant in Morris Plains for lunch. After that who knew where we would end up. Sometimes we would drive around the Rutgers or Drew University Campuses and smoke our fool heads off. 

     When I would get babysitting jobs Ed would come and help me with the kids. One night I was upstairs giving one of them a bath and when I came back downstairs Ed had moved all the furniture and redecorated the Living Room. I had a fit, and I wanted him to put everything all back to the way it was. He had said, “No” and that the room looked much better the way he redecorated it. Right about then the people I was babysitting for came home. I was so upset and thought they would pitch a bitch, but, low and behold they liked it. He did this same thing in my Mothers living room, and she like it as well. Even today as a side job I think he buys homes remodels them and sells them. Sort of like ‘Flip this House’.

     If you are from the Morris County area you may remember the Menens Baby Oil, Powder, and Baby Majic Factory. It had a large Pool in the front of the building and rumor had it that if was filled with Baby Oil. One night Eddie just had to find out so we took a dip in it. No oil just water, but it was fun and something to tell our friends about. I still miss Eddie to this day. Oh and did I mention he was also very good looking. His mother and father moved to this country from Italy and boy could his mom cook, I loved her home made pizza.

     Then there was Terri Maher whom was my new best friend in High School, and we had many experiences together. Once I started to drive, which I didn’t do well for many years, she was there to help me out of a lot of situations that I got into with my dad’s car. Once I managed to get the car stuck in the split rail fence at a little store Terry and I liked to shop at. It was called Anson Newton’s and was on Morristown Road on the way to Bernardsville, sort of out in the country. It had a gravel parking lot on a slope and the split rail fence boarding woods. I backed up and got the tail fins caught right between the rails. Terry ran in and got the owner, who was not happy about our problem but she charmed him into trying to get the car unstuck which he did. I can still see him pushing down on the car looking very pissed off. Thank god he helped out, luckily for me there seemed to be no damage to the car or to the fence. If the fence was damaged he didn’t seem to care, he just wanted us to go away.  

     Terri and I loved to bake. She had a boyfriend named Ralph Babbit, who was a very nice guy. He was a lot of fun and loved cars. He drove a convertible and because he was a big guy his head stuck out of the car (he had a big head) so he got the nick name “The Head”. Ralph loved Chocolate Chip Cookies so Terri and I made them for him a lot. Not that we minded, we ate plenty ourselves. To this day whenever I make the Nestles Toll House cookies I think of Ralph and Terri. I think it is still the best recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies, and I have tried many different ones over the years. I would give it to you but it is still printed right on the Nestles Chocolate Chip package. My son Scott loves them and so does everyone else I give them to. When I worked I would make them and take them to the office. I was always popular that day. “You see Mama; you don’t have to be thin to be popular, just feed people Chocolate Chip Cookies”.  

     Terri was athletic and I was not. I don’t know how I let her do it but she talked me into playing girls basketball for extra credit after school. She was great at it, I on the other hand did not even understand the game and got in the way more than I helped out the team. I could not wait to get off of the court and never went back, I was not missed. As soon as I got out of there I headed for the Bellaire and some French Fries with gravy. Mama could not know this so when I went home I had to eat again, as if I minded. I don’t remember what she made for dinner that day, but I do remember what she did make on many nights so I think I will give you one of her week night dinner recipes. I loved her rice with brown gravy and stuffed meatballs with peas and mushrooms. Good food and inexpensive to make, which we need if this frigging economy, especially if you are feeding a family. I find myself going from store to store to get sales and cutting coupons. Of course I enjoy doing this because anything to do with food makes me happy. So here is the recipes I promised you from Mama’s week night dinner.

Pork Chops with Rice

Mama always used a cast iron skillet and I swear it makes the food taste better. I don’t use one because I think they are way too heavy but if you don’t mind that try using one.

2 tablespoons of olive oil

4 to 6 loin chops bone in

½ chicken broth or white wine

1 jar of pork gravy

3 cups cooked white rice, I use brown and it turns out fine, better for you as well

1 chopped onion

3 cloves garlic

1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms, crimini or button

1 teaspoon onion powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Salt and pepper chops on both sides and Sautee until a nice golden brown, Mama would say. Remove chops from pan and set aside. In the same pan add onions, mushrooms and garlic, Sautee for a few minutes. Add wine or broth and deglaze the pan. Add in the cooked rice, chops and gravy. Cover and over low heat simmer for 20 minutes. You meal is done. Add a salad and you are good to go. I love this meal two of my favorite things rice and pork chops, how can you go wrong?

Stuffed Meatballs with Peas and Mushrooms

1 LB Ground Beef or Turkey if you are into low fat

1 scrambled egg

4 cloves of chopped garlic

½ fresh chopped parsley

½ lb mushrooms, button or crimini

½ cup Italian flavored bread crumbs

1/3 cup of parmesan cheese

1 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Two cans of peas or 1 med size bag frozen peas

1 chopped brown onion

The olive oil is to be mixed with the stuffing to make it moist.  Use more when sautéing the meat.

Mix meat with egg and salt and pepper add fresh chopped parsley and 2 cloves of chopped garlic.  Split the meat in half and put half to the side.  With remaining meat make flat hamburger size paddies.  Mix together all the other ingredients except peas and onions to make the stuffing.  With a tablespoon drop the stuffing in the center of each patty.  When that is done take the meat that was set aside and make patty’s to place on top of each of the patty’s that have the filling in them.  Shape into balls and sautee in Olive Oil until evenly browned.  Set aside.  I another pan sauté the onions, when limp add the peas and meatballs.  Simmer for 20 minutes. Serve immediately.  You can add a little Chicken stock to make it moist. And sprinkle with Parmesan Cheese if desired.

My Zizi Rosie Loved Cassata Cake

copyright pending

     No matter what the holiday, my Zizi always had a Cassata Cake ready. If we said “Party” she had the cake ready in an instant and that was because she always had one in the freezer. Zizi Rosie loved sweets. The woman never ate much at a meal so that she had room for dessert. The term, “eats like a bird” describe her very well, except when it came to candy, cookies, cake or anything sweet. Zizi never met a sweet she didn’t like. She always had candy hidden around the house but no one ever saw her eat it, she was pretty sneaky. But my Uncle Benny was wise to her, because he would find the wrappers in the garbage. She was a Sweets Foodie, but she didn’t want anyone to know it. I don’t know why, we didn’t care what she ate; since she was maybe 110 lbs. soak and wet. But she never wanted anyone to know she had a weakness. It was the same with her hair, at 70 she had black hair which she said she didn’t dye. We believed her until one day my Papa went to her house unexpectly and found her with the dye on her head. Since there was no love lost between the two of them, he could not wait to tell everyone. If he didn’t think Mama would kill him, I think he would have put it in the Morristown Daily Record, our local newspaper.

     I have been looking for the Cassata Cake recipe for years but I never found it until today. Do you believe this, I was playing Words with Friends and some recipes came up between moves. Low and behold one was for a Sicilian Cassata (Ricotta Cake). I pulled it up immediately and it sure sounds like my Zizi’s cake. I can’t wait to make it, she must be smiling right now. I wonder if she had anything to do with that Pop-up. She was a full blooded Sicilian, and I know that this must be it. I am going to make it right away and let you all know if this is the right recipe. I am so excited, can you imagine a Foodie who just found a recipe that she has been looking to find for years. OMG I am going to the store right now to get the ingredients. I pity anyone who gets in my way.  

     So I made the cake and if it is not exactly the same as Zizi’s, it is very close and it does freeze wonderfully. Zizi said she would put it in the freezer unwrapped and once it was frozen she would wrap it, smart lady. Thank you Zizi Rose for all the years of eating your delicious Cassata Cake.

Zizi’s Cassata Cake
 
2 lbs of fresh, whole milk ricotta

1 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

½ cup of chocolate chips

1 tablespoon grated orange rind

1 yellow layer cake, made from scratch or a cake mix or store bought your choice. The recipe called for sponge cake but Zizi did not make it with a sponge cake.

2 cups Whipped Cream

     Place the ricotta into a fine mesh sieve and put it over a bowl, place into the refrigerator overnight to allow the excess moisture to drain out before proceeding with the Cassata recipe.

     Place the drained ricotta into the bowl of a mixer and beat with the paddle attachment until the curds are smooth. Mix the smooth ricotta with 1 cup sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, chocolate chips and orange rind. Set aside.

     Cut each layer of cake in half horizontally making 4 pieces. Put one layer on a plate and put filling on it, repeat with eat layer. Now cover the whole outside of the cake with whipped cream. Don’t skimp, use the real thing. If you don’t know how to make whipped cream look it up it is very easy. Grate dark chocolate on top of cake or make chocolate curls and it is ready to serve. You can freeze it like Zizi did so you can have it ready when anyone says PARTY. 

A piece of this cake probable has a million calories but you won’t be eating it every day and think of all the healthy calcium and protein it has in it. See I can always find a way to make something we might think as bad as healthy. Remember life is short “Eat Dessert First”.

Sedona and Friends from New Jersey, nothing can be better than that

Copyright Pending

     I have friends old and new that live in one of the most beautiful places on earth, Sedona Arizona which is just a two hour drive north of Metro Phoenix. Red Rock country is a place that is both mystical and breathtaking.  Many new-agers and people who love the peacefulness it brings to them, migrate there. It is also known for UFO activity.  I must say, if I were a space traveler, it is a place I would want to visit. I wager a guess, that it is by far one of the most amazing places in the Universe.

     I have been drawn to Sedona since I first moved to Arizona in 1978. Whenever I go there, I feel a peacefulness and calm that I  only feel when I am in Sedona. Now, we have wonderful friends, who live there, they have opened up their homes to me and my hubby Joe. What’s even better, is that they are from New Jersey and we relate to each other very well. The Red Rocks of Sedona have an amazing drawing power, and they make you want to stay there forever, or at the least go back often.  My hubby Joe feels the same way.  The pictures you see here do not even hold a candle to how the red rocks look, and make you feel when you are there.

     This past Easter Sunday was a glorious day. The weather was perfect, and Joe and I were invited to Sedona to celebrate it with our friends. It was also Chaz McLaughlin's Birthday. I stayed for the week at Chaz and Lou Anns’ lovely home. Unfortunately for Joe, he had to come back down to Metro Phoenix to go to work. My friends in Sedona are all Foodies just like Joe and I. We all love to cook, even the men. Men cooking in a kitchen and doing it well, is that erotic or what?

     In the past Mama and Papa had many friends, but only a small group of them were special, and one of the couples that were special was Sal and Sally Pepe. They owned a shoe repair shop in the center of Morristown. Sal and Sally had two children, Rose Ann and Anthony. Although Rose Ann is older than me, we spent time together as children with our parents. I always thought Ro, as we call her now, was beautiful and she still is both inside and out. She now lives in Sedona with her husband of 50 years, Frank Santorelli. What a nice guy he is, and he is one of the men who can, and does cook well. In this picture Frank is on the left and Chaz on the right.

     Ro and Frank introduced us to their friends Chaz and Lou Ann Mclaughlin. She knew we would hit it off, and hit it off we did. I love them as much as the Santorelli family. We are all foodies, but I think Chaz takes the prize for being the biggest one, next to me. We can talk for hours about cooking, food shopping, what we are going to cook, how we are going to prepare it, when we are going to serve it, and with what. We will even discuss recipes that we invented, and if they are good or bad. We will share secrets and cooking tips.  I have gone on shopping excursions with Chaz and we stop in the middle of a store and discuss how to use ingredients.  When we eat breakfast, we are thinking about lunch, and at lunch we are thinking about dinner. Lou Ann, is right there with us but I don’t think she is as obsessed as we are. I kid you not, when the grocery stores see Chaz coming they must say, “make sure the shelves are stocked, Chaz is here!”  

     Because of his passion, you would not believe the amount of food that was prepared for 30 people on Easter Sunday. I think there was enough for 50 more. I will just give you a brief overview of the menu.

Appetizers

Stuffed mushrooms, Sausage Bread, Easter Pie (Italian Pizzagaina), Fresh Lemon and Anchovy Salad, Cheese and Crackers, wine and beverages, and this is just a few.

Main Course

3 Hugh Pans of Homemade Lasagna, made by Lou and Ro.

2 big stuffed Lamb Roasts, made by Chaz.

Veggies, Salad and Bread.

OMG I almost forgot the Spiral Ham.

Chaz made a wonderful Ham and Split Pea soup with the leftover ham bone in the coming week.

It was so good that I ate 3 bowls as soon as it was cooked.

Desserts

2 Birthday Cakes, which were baked from scratch by Ro and Doreen Advar.

One Coconut Cream and one Carrot,
there was two Birthday Boys, hence two cakes,

Cookies, candy, Italian Ricotta Cheese Pie, Biscotti, Linzer Tarts, Canolli’s and the list goes on.

     There were 13 of us to feed all week long, because Ro and Franks son Michael was visiting with his wife Laurel and daughter Gigi. Laurel's mom Julie, Rose ann's daugther Cheryl Travalgia with her two handsome sons, and her husband Mickey. We ate the leftovers for lunch and dinner for two days, and the rest went into the freezer. God Forbid, we Italians never want to run short of food. Mama always said, it is better to have too much food to feed guest than to little. We all still live by that rule today, at least all us Foodies do. Can you just imagine how we might go into cardiac arrest if we ran short on food while feeding guest. That would be a crime punishable by never forgiving yourself, EVER!

     The last night I was there, we were all going to go out to a restaurant call ‘A Pizza Heaven’ for dinner. We could not get reservations for a group our size on a Friday night until 8:30. Chaz and Lou invited everyone over his house for wine and snacks while we waited for 8:30 to roll around. At 7:30 someone suggested that we stay there and the guys cook us all a meal, and cook they did. Frank made his famous Pasta Aioli and Chaz made Pasta Carbonaro, Cheryl whipped together a salad, and Lou made the garlic bread. By 8:30 we were sitting around the dining room table, eating a meal fit for Italian Royalty! Only a kitchen with a pantry and huge refrigerator as loaded as the McLaughlin's, could have provided all the ingredients for this meal at a drop of a hat. Chaz had already brought the grocery store home during his many shopping trips. So it does pay to be a Foodie and a shopper as well.
    
     I want to say a word about how they all maintain their weight while partaking in good food, and drink. ---Excerise---! Cheryl teaches an exercise class which I understand is not for sissy's. Also eating a healthy diet with lots of fruits and veggies and only splurging on special occasions. I, did not eat correctly and had to have gastric by pass surgery 8 years ago. I now walk 8 to 10 miles a week and eat healthier than I ever did.

     I could go on and on about my trip to Sedona, and the wonderful way I feel when I am there. But, I think I will stop here, and tell you more about the trip in my next story. Right now I am going to give you some really good recipes from Cheryl (her grandmothers Orange Chicken) and Chazs’ asparagus, enjoy.

Mama Pepe’s Orange Chicken 

Boneless chicken breasts cutlets as much as needed allowing 2 per person

1 cup orange juice
 
1/3 cup soy sauce.

4 tablespoon mustard

3 tablespoon honey

4 to 5 cloves minced garlic

1/3 cup sherry (optional)

Salt and Pepper to taste

    Dip chicken breasts in egg than Italian flavored breadcrumbs. Sauté in olive oil till light golden brown. Mix all other ingredients in small mixing bowl with wire whisk. Pour over sautéed chicken breasts. Bake 30 minutes in 350 degree oven or till hot and bubbly.


     As my Mama would say, “believe you me” this is delicious. The chicken is tender, and the flavor, while being full bodied, is light. This is great served with rice. There will be enouigh sauce to cover the rice. I love this recipe so much that I will be making again soon. Thank you Mama Sally!

Asparagus’ by Chaz

2 Bunches of Asparagus.

¼ cup olive oil.

½ cup Italian flavored bread crumbs, or Panko if you prefer

 ½ cup Parmesan or Romano grated cheese

Salt and Pepper to taste

Prepare Asparagus by washing and cutting off hard ends. Bring 5 qt. pot of water to boil and par cook asparagus for 4 minutes. Drain and spread on cookie sheet that has been prepared with cooking spray. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with grated cheese, bread crumbs and salt and pepper. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Yum

Moving To The Southwest

Copyright Pending

     In 1978 I decided to move to Arizona with my husband  and my son.  I divorced the husband in 1985, thank god, so he will go nameless. However he did rob me and my family and I  had to file bankruptcy because of him.  He was one of those "Who the Bleep Did I Marry" guys.   Therefore I won't mention him again.

  This move  opened up  a whole new culinary world for me,  Mexican Food. My good friends,  Doreen and Bud Sims, had moved to Phoenix in 1969.  When I came out to  Arizona to visit them in Feb of 1977 I fell in love with it.  We were having a very bad winter in New Jersey.  Snow was piled up into the middle of the street by the snow plows, I kid you not.  When I got out of work the locks would be frozen on the car door but in Arizona  it was 90 degrees in Feb.  

Doreen  introduced me to  Salsa, Guacamole  with Chips and all other exciting dishes of Mexican Food. I fell in love with Tacos,  Chilies Rellenos, Cheese Crisp, which I like to call Mexican Pizza, and  Green Corn Tamales.  Nothing is better than a homemade tamale.  Making Tamales on Christmas Eve is a tradition Mexicans hold dear.  And if you are as lucky as I was, you have Mexican friends who will share them with you. Oh, and I can’t forget dessert, creamy and rich Mexican Flan. It’s a good thing for me that I loved these new culinary delight because you could not get Italian Food in Arizona.  Nor could you get the right ingredients to make.  It was culture shock for me.  They had nothing  in the  grocery stores  except Ragu and some off brand pastas.  I am not kidding either. If you wanted a sandwich with Genoea Salami, Provolone Cheese, Hot Ham or even Taylor pork roll, you could forget about it.

     You could not even get a Thomas English muffin, Drakes cakes not even a veal cutlet.  When my parents would come to visit I would have them bring me these items and I stocked my freezer.  I don’t think the people who lived in Arizona ever heard of a Bagel or Provolone in the 70's.  I had to go through withdrawal.  Thank god things have changed and around 20 years ago we started getting real food  (Italian food and other ethnic foods) available to us.  Now we have everything just like real people on the East Coast.  Except you can’t get good  fresh sea food here.  And I have not found a Pizza or Chinese Food in Arizona that can hold a candle to the East Coast, believe me I have tried.  I had to force myself to stop at every Chinese and Pizza Restaurant between my home and my job looking for the "one" and after eating hundreds I still haven't found the "one" yet. I guess I will just have to keep tasting. Oh the Hell of it all.

     So what the hell 'when in Rome',  I knew nothing about making Mexican Food in 1978 but I was determined to learn.  I bought many Mexican food cookbooks but the best recipes I found were from a Mexican woman I worked with back in the 80’s.  Even my Mexican friends enjoy the food thatI have learned to make.  Mama and Papa came for a visit and Mama fell in love with the Chili Rellenos.

     The recipe for shredded beef that I put in tacos and burritos also came from a Mexican lady that I worked with.  I was suprised how easy it was to make and it had right seasoning and flavor.  I am sharing some of these recipes with you right here and now.  I have so many I can’t share them all at once but I will give you a few to get started.  If you want a specific  recipe let me know and I will be glad to email it to you if I have it.

Salsa

  2 cups of canned chopped  tomatoes  do not drain ( Honestly I use fresh Roma tomatoes  of which I remove the seeds and chop)  I think it makes for a better taste.

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, Minced

1 can of diced green chilies (4 ounces)

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoon Wine vinegar

1 green pepper, diced

1 teaspoon chili powder

3 teaspoons hot sauce, you can choose the degree of hot you want

4 tablespoons of chopped fresh cilantro, don't leave this out

Mix all ingredients together and cover and refrigerate over night so all the flaors blend together.

     I like my Salsa chunky but if you want it to be a finer texture put in blender for a few seconds.  Serve with Corn Chips.

Guacamole Dip

2 large avocadoes

1 large tomato, chopped

¼ cup onion, chopped

1 teaspoon lemon juice

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

½ teaspoon tabasco sauce

½ cup sour cream

     Peel and remove pit from avocados.  Mash them with a fork.  In bowl combine the avocados with all other ingredients.  Do not leave out the lemon juice it not only adds flavor but  it is a must to keep the avocado from turning black.  Cover and chill for several house or overnight.  Serve with corn chips.

Cheese Crisp

Large Flour Tortillas ( you choose how many you wish to make)

Melted butter

Grated Medium Cheddar cheese shredded

Chopped Green Onions

     Warm the flour tortillas under broiler for one minute.  Remove and brush the tortillas with melted butter.  Sprinkle generously with grated cheddar cheese.  Place under broiler just until cheese melts.  Remove from broiler and sprinkle with green onions.  Serve immediately with Salas on the side. 

Shredded Beef

1 Bottom Round Roast (approx. 3 lbs)

2 cups water

4 garlic cloves

Salt and Pepper

1 package of Taco Seasoning

     Put Roast in large pot or Dutch oven.  Add water salt pepper and garlic.  Bring to boil and then let simmer for 3 hours.  Take meat out of pot and shred it.  Do not drain off the water.  Put meat back in the pot with the water and add the Taco seasoning.  Mix well.  It is now ready to use as taco filling or to make Burritos or Enchalads.

Mexican Flan

8 eggs

2/3 cup of granulated sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

3 ½ cups evaporated milk

2 teaspoons vanilla

½ cup light brown sugar

     Beat eggs until well blended, add sugar and salt.  Beat in evaporated milk and vanilla.

    Sprinkle brown sugar into bottom of a loaf pan and gently pour in the custard mixture.  Place pan in shallow baking pan filled with hot water.  Just enough to come about ½ of an inch on the loaf pan.

     Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees until knife inserted in center comes  out clean.  Refrigerate overnight.  To remove the flan from pan run a knife around the edges and turn out onto a pretty serving platter.

     To make this dessert even better when serving place a layer of light brown sugar over the top and put under broiler and lightly brown it and serve immediately.  Yum O