Comfort Foods For Families

Dark Chocolate Apricot Granola Bars

2016-02-24T17:24:00.002-08:00

Time needed: 25 minutes

Serving: 5

Ingredients

· Brown sugar: ½ cup

· Coconut oil: 2 tbs

· Wheat flour: ¾ cup

· Rolled oats: 1.5 cups

· Dark chocolate chips: ½ cup

· Apricots, chopped: ½ cup

· Ground cinnamon: 1 tsp

· Egg whites, beaten: 2

· Applesauce: ¼ cup

· Vanilla extract: 1 tsp

Directions

      Preheat your oven at 350 F.
Grease baking pan with oil.
Take a bowl and mix coconut oil and brown sugar. Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
Take another bowl and mix oats, raisins, flour, cinnamon and apricots.
  Now stir in the refrigerated mixture in this mixture and add vanilla, applesauce and egg whites. Mix well.
  Pour this batter into greased baking pan and bake for 15 minutes. Cool down for 1.5 hours and then cut into bars.

Lobster Mac & Cheese

2016-01-27T05:24:00.001-08:00

This dish is a comfort food with style! Outstanding choice for someone who needs an attractive dish without breaking the budget or needing a culinary degree. Sure to impress your guests!

Ingredients:

o Butter: 7 tbsp plus for greasing
o Bread crumbs: 1 cup
o Salt & pepper
o Flour: 1/3 cup
o Milk: 4 cups
o Cheddar, grated: 2 cups
o Grated nutmeg: 1 tsp
o Mustard: 1 tsp
o Elbow pasta: 1 lb
o Steamed, shelled, cut lobster in pieces: 3 lb
o Chopped parsley: 2 tsp

Directions: o Heat oven at 325 F. Grease baking dish.

                   o Take a skillet and heat 2 tbsp butter on medium heat.
                       Stir in bread crumbs and cook for 2 minutes.

o Take a saucepan and heat remaining butter and stir in flour. Cook for 2 minutes.

o Add milk, cheese, mustard, nutmeg, salt and pepper.

o Remove from heat and close the lid.

o Boil water in a pot and cook pasta with some salt.

o Drain pasta and put into a bowl.

o Now put over cheese sauce and lobster. Mix well.

o Put this mixture into baking dish and top with crumbs topping.

o Bake for 30 minutes.

o Garnish with parsley.

Serve warm with garlic bread and a glass of crisp Prosecco or a pink fuzzy slipper!

Crusted Herb Lamb Chops

2015-11-29T06:26:00.000-08:00

Crusted Herb Lamb Chops

Prep Time: 3-5mins Cook Time: 8-10mins Serves: 4

Ingredients

Cooking spray

1tbs mixed dried herbs

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

2tbs Dijon mustard

1 garlic clove, minced

8 - 4oz lamb loin chops, trimmed

Instructions

Turn on the grill to heat.

Now take all the ingredients, apart from the lamb, and the spray oil, blend together.

Once mixed smear over the lamb on both sides.

Add the meat to a greased rack, put under the grill and cook for around 4-6mins either side,

depending on how you like it cooked.

Serve with vegetables or salad.

Pumpkin Pie Brisket

2014-09-01T07:00:00.001-07:00

Pumpkin Pie Brisket

The best season for comfort food is the fall months! This one is for the slow cooker. This cooks really really slow.....24 hours slow! It is worth the wait if you are a pumpkin lover! I know... pumpkin and brisket?? Give it a try you will enjoy1 I used spinach and white potatoes but personalize with your favorite greens or sweet potatoes. This recipes serves a generous 4.
.
Gotta have:

4 white potatoes, cubed
2 sweet onions, sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 beef brisket...about 4 pounds
1 package of onion soup mix
3/4 cup of bourbon
1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
5 cups of fresh spinach
1/2 cup apricot preserves
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

How to assemble in a 5 quart or larger slow cooker:

Place onion slices in the bottom of the cooker. Massage the package of oinion soup mix into the meat and place on top of the onions.

Mix together the bourbon, worcestershire sauce in a mixing cup and pour over the brisket.

Cook for 20 hours on the low setting of the slow cooker.

Remove lid and add spinach. In a medium saute pan heat, warm the orage juice, presevsre and spice. add pototoes and fold until coated. Remove from heat and place on top of brisket.

Cover and cook or an additional 3 to 3 1/2 hours.

Place brisket to a cutting board and rest for 15 to 20 minutes before slicing.

Serve with greens, potatoes and left over juices.

Rotini with Broccoli Rabe and Sausage

2011-06-19T19:28:00.000-07:00

I love Broccoli Rabe! This recipe is a perfect simple meal that has a quick prep time and a goes amazing with a sprinkle of Asiago cheese!

This recipe makes 4 servings.

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1/2 pound of sweet sausage with cassing removed and crumbled

4 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced

1 large bunch of broccoli rabe , stems cut, rinsed and cut into 2 inch peices

1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teas dried organo

1/2 teas black pepper

1 16 oz box of rotini

Italian Wedding Soup

2010-01-04T16:10:00.000-08:00

It is getting cold now, so I tried to think of another comfort food for winter months. Growing up in my house this was just my mom's chicken soup, but in the past decade or so it has been titled "Italian Wedding Soup".

This is great as a first cource . Reserve some extra chicken and make chicken salad for soup and sandwiches!

Chicken Broth

1 3 lb soup chicken

1 small onion

2 tbsp salt

6 qts water

Meatballs

1 lb ground chuck

2 garlic clove

1/4 cup of water

2 tbsp parsley

1 cup bread crumbs

1 small onion

2 eggs

3 cups of chopped streamed escarole

1/4 cup romano cheese mixed with 2 eggs.

Chop garlic, onions and parsley very fine and add to ingredients. Mix well and form into very small meatballs.

Boil chicken, salt and onions in water until tender. This can be anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour. Remove chicken from broth. Let chicken cool and shut broth. Debone chicken and ct into small pieces. Set aside. Skim off any fat off the broth, and bring it to a boil. Drop in meatballs, lower heat and heat for 15 minutes. Add chicken and escarole. Cook 10 minutes more, then add cheese and egg mixture while soup begins to boil again. Cook for another 10 minutes. Serve hot.

Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-12-03T07:47:00.000-08:00

This is a yummy sweet comfort food dessert! Great this time of year with some eggnog or hot toddies...see the links below!!

16 tablespoons of unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 vanilla bean

2 1/4 cup of unbleached all purpose flour

2 teaspoons powdered instant espresso

1 teas salt

12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1 1/3 cups chopped pecans

Place oven racks near the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease cookie sheets.

In an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars, scraping down the sides of the bowl often. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one.

Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the mixing bowl. Mix well.

Sift the flour. Mix the sifted flour with the espresso powder, baking soda, and sat. Slowly beat into the butter mixture until fully mixed.

Mix the chopped chocolate and pecans into the dough

For big cookies, drop the batter heaping tablespoonful on the cookie sheets. For smaller cookies, drop heaping teaspoons. For flatter cookies pat the dough with the back of a spoon before baking. Bake 10 to 12 minutes for the larger cookies. Let the cookies cool slightly on the baking sheets and then remove to racks.

Now for the drinks to eat them with..talk about comfort!!!

Apple Pie Hot Toddy

Cooked Eggnog

Itailian Sausage Soup with Tortellini

2009-11-21T06:36:00.000-08:00

Super tasting, super simple, elegant looking soup. This is actually my traditional Christmas Day soup, but it is perfect for any occasion, Goes well with some nice crusty Italian Bread!! This serves 8, I double my recipe.

1 lb Italian Sausage
2 garlic cloves
1/2 cup of water
4 medium tomatoes (peeled, seeded and chopped)
1/2 tsp oregano
8 oz tomato sauce
3 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)
1 medium green pepper (cut in 1/4 inch strips)
1 cup chopped onions
5 cups of beef broth
1/2 cup red wine (can use water instead)
1 cup thin sliced carrots
1/2 tsp basil
1 1/2 cups zucchini, sliced thin
8 oz frozen tortellini
Grated Parmesan cheese

Remove the sausage casings then brown in 5 qt pot. Brown until cooked, then drain, reserving 1 tablespoon of drippings in the pot. Saute the onions and garlic in drippings until tender. Add beef broth, water, wine, tomatoes, carrots , and tomato sauce and add bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Skim the fat from the soup. (you can make this part up to two days ahead of time, just bring to a boil until you proceed). Put in the zucchini , tortellini, parsley and pepper in the pot.

Simmer covered for 30 minutes or until tortellini is tender.

Farmer's Pasta

2009-10-16T03:44:00.000-07:00

Wow it has gotten cold very fast! This is a perfect meal to come home to if you have a family member working outside all day. This is a hardy comfort food that is all about the great flavors of different cheeses...stringy mozzarella, mild fontina, flavorful Parmesan, and sharp provolone!

Butter for baking dish
2 tablespoons of olive oil
6 oz sliced panchetta or bacon, chopped
4 teaspoons of minced garlic
3 tablespoons all purposes flour
4 cups whole milk
3 cups heavy cream
8 oz mozzarella cheese
8 oz fontina cheese
salt
1 pound of penne pasta
3 tablespoons of chopped parsley
3 tablespoons of chopped fresh basil
6 oz provolone cubed
ground fresh pepper
2 cups bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 375.

Butter a 13 X 9 X 2 inch baking dish. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute until golden, about 4 minutes. Remove the pancetta. Add 3 teaspoons of garlic and saute for only one minute, add flour and whisk for 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk and cream. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat and let simmer, whisking often, until the sauce thickens a bit, about 5 minutes. Now whisk in all the fontina, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese

As you are completing this part. ring a large pot if salted water to a boil. Add penne and cook, al dente. For me that is about 8-9 minutes. Drain and transfer into another large bowl. Pour the cheese sauce over the penne. Add parsley and basil and toss to coat. Let it stand until the mixture cools and the cheese sauce thickens slightly, ( 10 minutes) tossing every few minutes. Mix the provolone cheese and pancetta to the dish. Season the pasta mixture to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to buttered dish.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining tablespoon of garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat. Add bread crumbs on top.

Bake uncovered, until bubbly and golden brown, about 20 minutes.

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Diner Chicken Soup

2009-10-10T05:44:00.000-07:00

Here's a simple, yet great tasting chicken soup with very few ingredients but packs a great flavor!

1 whole chicken (about 3 pounds)
1/2 bunch fresh thyme
1/2 cup oil
2 cups diced Spanish onions
2 cups diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
1/4 teas salt
1/4 teas ground black pepper
1 box ache egg noodle or thin spaghetti broken in two

In a large stock pot, bring a gallon and 1/2 of water to a boil. Add chicken and thyme. Simmer gently for 30 to 40 minutes. Meanwhile, in a saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Saute all the vegetable until nice and soft.

When chicken is done, usually about and hour, remove it from the pot . Shut off the pot, Allow it to cool Strain and excess fat off the top of the pot and add the vegetables.

Remove all the meat from the chicken. Throw out bones and add meat to the pot. Return to a boil, them simmer for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

15 minutes before you are ready to serve, throw in the whole box of macaroni. Stir for 15 minutes until cooked. Serve hot!

Have a great weekend!

Easy Marinara Sauce

2009-10-07T08:24:00.000-07:00

This sauce can be made ahead of time, has a refrigerator life of 5 days!

This recipe makes about 5 cups of sauce

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
16 garlic cloves, crushed
6 pounds of ripe plum tomatoes, peeled, coed and seeded or
2 cans (35 oz) of peeled plumed tomatoes, seeded and crushed with their liquid or
2 cans (35 oz) of crushed tomatoes
Salt
Red or black Pepper
10 fresh basil leaves, washed, dried and cut into ribbons

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until lightly brown, about 2 minutes. Carefully add the tomatoes and their liquid. Bring to a boil and season with salt and the pepper of your choice.

Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer, breaking up the tomatoes with a whisk s they cook (if using cans of crushed, just lightly stir) until the sauce gets chunky and thick, about 20 minutes. Remove the garlic cloves if desired. Cook another 5 minutes, than add the basil. Taste the sauce and adjust the salt and pepper to your liking.

Cook another 10 minutes.

Use this recipe for egglpant, veal or chicken parm, pasta, rice, saute baby vegetable!
Feel free to post any recipe requests or ideas for this fall!!!

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Eggplant Parmigana Siciliana Style

2009-10-07T06:54:00.000-07:00

Sundays afternoons are days that we usually visit my mother for a Sunday "gravy." Unfortunately for me she went to the St Anne's alumni event with my siblings in the Bronx leaving me to cook for my very hungry football eating tribe. Luckily ,my daughter's took care of desserts!

I made a pretty satisfying eggplant recipe below. It can get tricky to keep everyone away from the eggplant when it comes out of the pan, so beware of big and little fingers!

Mio padre sarebbe uspet che ha aggiunto questo sicilana, essendo da Napoli, ma i complimenti vanno al territorio di mia madre per questo le ricette. mi manchi.

2 Large Eggplants

Egg Mixture:

3 egg

1 cup milk

2 tsp garlic chopped

2 tsp onions chopped

1 tsp parsley

flour for dredging

oil for frying

2 cups basil, chopped

Marinara sauce (recipe to be posted next or can use a jarred sauce, but that's a sin in this house!)

Peel and slice the eggplant, about 1/8 th thick. Put into a colander and salt for 30 minutes. Rinse them well and pat them dry.

Dip them into the flour then in egg mixture. Fry in a medium hot oil until golden, drain over layers of newspaper & paper towels.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread two laddles of sauce in the bottom of a shallow baking dish, place a single layer of eggplant over the sauce, sprinkle a little basil leaves, Parmesan cheese, spread more sauce, repeat until complete. You can also choose to add slices of mozzarella cheese on top to made it even more cheesy

You should have plenty of sauce left over to add a few spaghetti's to the plate!

Yankee Pot Roast Recipe

2009-10-04T15:05:00.001-07:00

The change of weather made me decided to make a perfect "feel good" comfort food . I decided to make a Yankee pot roast. This one calls for beef brisket rather than a bottom round. The brisket is leaner than a bottom round. I though I would share it since it is easy on time and so good! A perfect fall/winter meal for our family.

Yankee Pot Roast

Serves 6

3 to 4 pounds of beef brisket
2 tbs chopped fresh sage (10 leaves)
8 sprigs rosemary
8 sprigs thyme
1/2 cup olive oil
4 garlic cloves chopped
3 garlic cloves minced
1/2 teas black pepper
2 med carrots, sliced
6 celery stalks, sliced
2 cups Spanish onions, diced
6 new pototatos
4 cups tomato puree
4 cups beef stock
2 bay leaves

1 1/4 teas salt

In a baking dish, combine the beef, sage, rosemary, thyme, 1/4 cup olive oil, chopped garlic, 1/4 teas salt, 1 teas of the pepper. Marinade for 2 hours or overnight if possible.

After the meat has been marinated, remove it to a large skillet on high heat. Sear 5 minutes on each side. Set aside to a platter. Preheat the oven to 350F.

In a roasting pan place across two burners, heat the remaining 1/4 cup of oil. Saute the carrots, celery, onions, minced garlic and the remaining salt and pepper for about 10 minutes.

Add the meat to the vegetables. Pour the tomato puree and beef stock over the meat. Add the bay leaves and potatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, simmering for 10 minutes. Cover the pan with foil and place in oven. Cook for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until meat is tender and falls apart.Remove meat, allowing it to sit for 10 minutes.

Slice meat, arrange the slices on a serving platter, and pour the broth and vegetables over the meat.