Almost Wordless Wednesday…

March 16, 2011 by 12 Comments
  
                        “Obviously, you’re not a Golfer…”
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Please look past the mud and into these big, blue eyes of Ms. Mia who was rescued as a baby (along with her littermates) and came to live with my daughter Jill and her family.
 
Mia is an extraordinary example of how Staffordshire Terriers (Pit Bulls) raised by the right people, with training and much love, absolutely thrive and are fabulous pets.
 
Then…go to the best blogging site ever (click on the name and it will take you there)….For The Love Of Blogs….and click “Like” on Mia’s pic for a much-appreciated vote!  If I’m lucky enough to win, that gift will be donated to a local rescue group here in New York in Mia’s name.
Signature
Filed Under: Uncategorized

Orecchiete with Artichokes

March 15, 2011 by 14 Comments
I just adore Lidia Bastianich of…Lidia’s Italy.  Watching her show is just so relaxing, so low-key as she prepares the simplest of  Italy’s regional foods, turning them into a gourmet feast.  When I make some of her spectacular dishes, armed with one of her wonderful cookbooks, it’s like having her there with me in my kitchen. 
With Spring’s arrival this coming Sunday, March 20th, one of my favorite veggies is the Artichoke; mix it with some imported pasta and you have a meal fit for a king, queen, prince or whichever assorted royalty sits at your table….. 
                                                             
I give you…..Orecchiete with Artichokes…you will just love this one, trust me!
                                                                  9
Juice of 1 lemon
3 cups water
8 small spring artichokes, (about 3/4 pound)
6 quarts salted water
salt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup spring onions, chopped
4 scallions , including 3/4 of the green part, trimmed
1 teaspoon peperoncino, (crushed red pepper)
1 cup young zucchini , diced (1/2-inch)
2 cups young fava beans, shelled, blanched and peeled
1 cup young peas, blanched
2 cups chicken stock, hot
1 pound orecchiette
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup Pecorino Romano, freshly grated
In a small bowl stir the lemon juice into 3 cups of water. Pluck all the tough outer leaves from the artichokes, stopping when the leaves are all yellow. Cut off the tough tips of the leaves. With a vegetable peeler or paring knife peel the stems and the bases of the leaves down to the pale green flesh. Then cut the artichokes in half through the stem. With a teaspoon scrape out the furry choke and the purple-tipped leaves, leaving only the yellow leaves attached to the heart. Slice the artichoke lengthwise into very thin slices and quickly immerse in lemon water to prevent them from turning brown.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

In a large, deep skillet heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onions and scallions and saute’ until wilted, about 2 minutes. Drain the artichokes well and add to skillet. Season the artichokes lightly with salt and stir in the peperoncino. Sauté the artichokes, stirring continuously, until they are softened and begin to brown around the edges, about 10 minutes. Add zucchini, fava beans, and peas to the skillet. Reduce the heat to medium and continue stirring until the zucchini is softened, about 5 minutes. Add a small amount (about 1/4 cup) of the hot stock. Cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid is almost evaporated. Continue adding stock and stirring, until all the stock is added and the vegetables are very tender, about 15 minutes. There should be enough of the liquid to make a sauce that lightly coats the vegetables. Add salt to taste.

Meanwhile, stir the orecchiette into the boiling water. Cover the pot and reheat to boiling, stirring once or twice. When the water returns to a boil uncover the pot. Cook the pasta, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 12 minutes.

Reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta well and return it to the pot over low heat. Add the artichoke sauce and the butter, tossing until the butter is melted. If necessary, add enough of the reserved pasta water to make enough of a creamy sauce to coat the pasta. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the grated cheese. Toss well and transfer to a warmed serving platter or individual bowls. Serve immediately.

Note: If spring onions are unavailable, omit them and double the amount of scallions called for and….I sometimes add Swiss Chard instead of Peas. 

Signature
Filed Under: Recipes Tagged With:

Excuse me…God?

March 11, 2011 by 20 Comments

Awoke very early this morning, grabbed some coffee and sat down at my computer; my first stop was to my blog page where a new post from Ashley..plus 3 quickly caught my eye;  when I read it, well, it broke my heart.

Ashley tells of this precious little girl, named Maddie,  who is dying from an inoperable brain tumor.  If you can support this family, with a donation or in their quest to have Maddie go on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show”, please do so.

                                                                        

I’m putting up the link to Ashley’s page with the hope that anyone stopping by my blog will head there and do whatever they can.
                                              http://www.ashleyplus3.com/2011/03/please-help.html


After visiting my fav bloggers, I clicked on the news of the day and sat in horror as I read about the earthquake and resulting tsunami hitting Japan, heading for the Hawaiian Islands, towards the states and beyond.  I’ll admit to not being a deeply religious person, what reverence I hold for God is kept deep inside but this morning was different.  I asked Him, out loud, to help all of these hurting, devastated beings and restore some element of calm, of peace, in their lives.

I’m always the first one to preach that God never gives any of us more than we can handle, especially when I relate this old story about a woman who complained to Him that the cross she carried in life was much too heavy of a burden.  God had her stand next to Him and made all the crosses of the world pass her by, one by one, telling her to pick out the one she wanted.  Finally, she picked out the smallest cross in the line; God looked over and said, “That was the cross you have been carrying all along.”

This is probably about as spiritual of a post that you will ever see from me but it was something I felt worth sharing.

Excuse me, God?  There are so many who desperately need your Divine Intervention, when you aren’t too busy…please!

Signature
Filed Under: Uncategorized
« Previous Page
Next Page »