From what I gather, Meme's Upside Down Pizza was one of Pepe's favorite's. A crowd pleaser for any age group, it's fun to make and fun to eat. So, I don't blame him if it was on his favorites list (although, between Meme's knack for cooking and Pepe's complimentary personality and adoration of Meme, I'm sure he had a lot of favorites).
I browned the meat, chopped the veggies, sprinkled in the cheese and sauce and wondered "what defines this as a pizza?". The answer finally dawned on me as I rolled out the sheet of crescents. I was thrilled with the revelation that the triangular perforations really do define this, precisely as an upside down pizza! It was hearty and delicious and luckily, lasted us for a few days.
1 lb. ground turkey
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 cup veggies of choice
2 cups tomato sauce
8 oz. shredded mozzarella
8 oz. can crescent rolls
Saute turkey, celery and seasoning. Pour into 9"x13" pan. Top with veggies, tomato sauce and cheese. Cover with crescent rolls (flat, not rolled). Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.
Note: Our veggies of choice were broccoli, green and red bell peppers and mushrooms.
Grandma Duval was a woman who exuded joy all the time. She loved nothing more than family. Always by Grandpa's side, she was surrounded by their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. If you were to walk into their house on a Sunday, you would become an honorary family member. I'm lucky enough to have married her eldest grandson and to have become a part of her ever-growing family. She loved everyone and was loved by everyone.
I wanted to honor her this Easter by making her famous wine biscuits. As I rolled and knotted the biscuits, I gained a deeper understanding of her talent and humility. I picture her carefully measuring, rolling and knotting dozens of biscuits (making plenty of extras to ensure there would be enough to go around). The process, for me, was a challenge but, after her many years of practice, I'm sure she could have done it in her sleep.
While they will never be quite as good as hers, I was proud of the finished product and happy to have a piece of Grandma Duval with us on Easter.
2 cups Muscatel/Muscato wine
2 cups oil
2 tbsp. anise seed
2 tsp black pepper
10 tsp. (3 tbsp. plus 1 tsp.) baking powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
8 cups flour (do not pack)
Mix together wine, oil, anise seed, pepper, baking powder and sugar. Keep adding flour until all used up. Roll thicken than a pencil and knot. Bake 15 to 20 minutes at 350 of 375 on an ungreased baking sheet.
Note: I used about 1 tbsp. of dough per biscuit. The recipe makes a huge batch.
I love meals that are quick and versatile. Tender Pasta with Vegetables is the epitome of both. This basic recipe allows for the cook to take culinary license and create a delicious, nutritious meal, perfectly suited to the taste of whomever will be eating it. Thanks for sharing, Aunt Joan!
1-1 1/4 pound selected tender vegetables (e.g. peppers, zucchini, tomatoes)
1 tbsp. salt
1 pkg (1 pound) pasta
4 tbsp. fat (olive oil, butter or bacon fat)
3 cloves garlic and onion, chopped
ground black pepper
fresh and dried herbs of choice
Parmesan cheese, to taste
Prepare selected vegetables. Bring 2 quarts of water to boil in a large kettle. Add salt and pasta. Cook until al dente, using package directions.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat fat and garlic until garlic just starts to sizzle. If using onion, add and saute until soft, 3-4 minutes. Add prepared vegetables to the pan, sprinkling generously with sale and pepper. Saute until tender, 5-7 minutes. Saute tomatoes last. Stir in herbs and cook to blend flavors, about 1 minute longer. remove from heat and set aside.
Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. Return pasta to the pot and add contents of skillet, pasta cooking liquid and a generous sprinkling of Parmesan cheese. Serve with additional cheese.
Note: For veggies, I used zucchini, bell peppers, and mushrooms. For pasta, corkscrew style. For fat, I used olive oil and for flavor I added crushed red pepper and fresh parsley.
I can't think of anyone who doesn't love comfort food. In our house, one pot pasta dishes are the go-to when we're looking for a comforting, hot meal after a long week. Cooked low and slow, the aroma of American Chop Suey fills the house as it cooks. The generous batch lasts for days and only gets better with time. Thanks to my talented mother-in-law for sharing this recipe. It's sure to become a staple in my kitchen!
1/2 pkg. celery
1/2 diced pepper
1 diced onion
1/2 cup water
1 lb. elbow macaroni, cooked
1/2 cup butter
2 cans tomato soup (do not dilute)
1 can tomato paste
1 lb. ground hamburg or turkey
Combine celery, pepper, onion, water and butter. Cook until soft. Add hamburg/turkey and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until brown. Add tomato soup and tomato paste. Simmer for 2 hours. Add macaroni. Serve hot.
Who doesn't love a slow Sunday morning? When sleeping late is acceptable but, the smell of breakfast draws you out of bed and to the table. Thanks to Aunt Michelle's Morning Glory Muffins and Meme's Sweet Potato Sausage Hash, I was happy to be the one in the kitchen creating the aromatically irresistible breakfast.
I'm always sure that when I make a recipe shared by Meme or Aunt Michelle, it's going to be delicious. Loaded with vitamins and fiber, these 2 recipes satisfied our hearty Sunday morning appetites and the leftovers have carried us through the week.
Morning Glory Muffins
2 cups flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups grated carrots
1 apple, cored and shredded
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 raisins
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup chopped nuts
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Stir in the carrots, raisins, coconut and nuts. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, oil, apple and vanilla. Add to flour mixture. stir only until combined. Spoon into greased muffin tins. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes.
Note: I've made this recipe a bunch of times. The muffins are so delicious when they are made exactly as the recipe directs but, are also versatile. In a pinch, I've substituted applesauce for the apple, dates for the raisins and flax seed for the walnuts.
Sweet Potato Sausage Hash
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 lb. bulk sausage
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 bell peppers (any color), chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 tsp. ground cumin
In a medium pot of boiling water, cook the sweet potatoes until almost tender. Drain and set aside. In a large non-stick skillet, cook the sausage over medium heat until brown and crumbly. Transfer with a slotted spoon and drain. Heat the oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add the peppers, onion and garlic and cook until softened. Add the sausage, cumin and sweet potatoes and cook 5 minutes more. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve with green salsa.
Aunt Suzanne's Healthy Shrimp Lo Mein was a perfect Thursday night meal. This low-maintenance lo mein is made with whole wheat pasta, and edamame. Dressed with teriyaki sauce, it's packed with both nutrition and flavor. It was quick to prepare and makes a batch big enough to leave plenty of leftovers. A great substitute for take-out!
1/2 lb. whole wheat angel hair pasta
1/2 pack frozen, shelled edamame
1/2 bunch scallions, chopped
1 lb. shrimp
vegetable oil
teriyaki sauce
Heat vegetable oil in stir fry pan. Add edamame and scallions. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add shrimp to stir fry. Meanwhile, boil pasta. Lastly, add cooked pasta to stir fry. Just before removing pan from heat, add teriyaki sauce. Goes great with chicken wings!
Note: I had sesame oil on hand so, I used that instead of vegetable oil.
It amazes me how strongly the senses of smell and taste are tied to memory. My mother cooked so many delicious meals (all of which were eaten around the family dinner table, of course). Many meals I recall precisely. Others, are a general memory of good, home cooked, food.
As soon as the smell of Pork Chops Risotto filled my kitchen, I began to be pulled back to my childhood. With my first bite, I was totally there. I can't put a finger on the last time that I ate pork chops. But, eating them last night, was like being reunited with an old friend.
There was no signature on this recipe card so, I'm not sure to whom I should give credit. But, I'm glad it was shared with me. Now, when I want to cook a comforting family dinner, I know that I can turn to this classic.
6 shoulder pork chops, 1/2 inch thick
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 cup uncooked regular white rice
1 or 2 green peppers, seeded
chili sauce
1 envelope onion soup mix
6 lemon slices
About 1 1/2 hour before serving: Start heating oven to 350 degrees. Trim chops of outside fat and slit their edges 3 or 4 times. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. In large skillet, brown chops well. Spread bottom of 13"x2" baking dish with rice. Top with browned chops. On each chop, arrange a green pepper ring with a heaping tsp. of chili sauce in center. Into drippings in skillet, pour 2 1/2 cups water. Stir in onion soup mix and bring to a boil. Pour into baking dish. Bake covered 1 hour or until chops and rice are tender. Garnish each chop with a slice of lemon.
Note: I had brown rice on hand so, I used that instead. It worked just fine as a substitute for the white rice.
From what I gather, Meme's Upside Down Pizza was one of Pepe's favorite's. A crowd pleaser for any age group, it's fun to make and fun to eat. So, I don't blame him if it was on his favorites list (although, between Meme's knack for cooking and Pepe's complimentary personality and adoration of Meme, I'm sure he had a lot of favorites). 
