Recipes Most Wanted

A Great Pizza Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (History and Women) — Mon, 16 May 2011 16:03:00 +0000

One of my best friends, Sandra Falconi, gently reminded me yesterday, that it's been a while since I've posted a new recipe. So Sandra, this one is for you.

I'm trying to perfect my pizza, so I've been experimenting with pizza sauces. Here is a recipe I've been experimenting with that turned out great.

Ingredients

1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce. I used Primo Hot and Zesty

1/4 cup broth or water

1 teaspoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon dried basil leaves

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 whole bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Pinch of cayenne or chili pepper

Instructions

1. Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan.

2. Cook over medium heat until the sauce reaches a boil.

3. Turn down the heat to simmer. Cover the pot and cook for 45 minutes more.

4. Sauce makes enough for two large pizzas. For a wonderful pizza crust, click here: Mamma's Pizza Crust

Turtle Bars

noreply@blogger.com (History and Women) — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 01:34:00 +0000

These are an all time favourite - terrificallly easy and very, very naughty. You can whip them up in minutes.
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups pecan halves
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
2/3 cup butter
1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips

Preparation:
Combine flour, 3/4 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup butter; blend until crumbly. Pat mixture firmly onto bottom of ungreased 9x13-inch baking pan. Sprinkle pecan halves over the unbaked crust. Set aside.

In small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup brown sugar and 2/3 cup butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture begins to boil. Boil for one minute, stirring constantly. Drizzle hot the caramel mixture over pecans and crust. Bake at 350° for 18 to 20 minutes or until caramel layer is bubbly and crust is light brown. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with chocolate chips. Use a small spatula or butter knife to spread chips evenly as they melt. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

Marinara Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (History and Women) — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 18:16:00 +0000

Marinara Sauce

Marinara in Italian means marine. So a marinara sauce is a meatless sauce and is often the base for other sauces including those that are seafood based.

Here's one recipe I really like. If you don't like garlic as much as I do, feel free to reduce the number of cloves. You can also omit some of the ingredients too. It's hard to go wrong with pasta.

So enjoy and if you like it, please do let me know.

Ingredients:

6 to 8 crushed garlic cloves

2 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon brown sugar

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon dried sweet basil

1 teaspoon oregano

1 bay leaf

Directions:

1. Saute garlic in olive oil until lightly golden. Do not let it burn or it will make your sauce very bitter.

2. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to boil then reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.

3. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Banana Muffins

noreply@blogger.com (History and Women) — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 17:08:00 +0000

We've been making these banana muffins for several years. They're simple and they're tried and true.

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 medium banana, mashed
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup oil
1 egg, slightly beaten

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. For large muffins only grease 9 muffin cups. Fill the other three cups 1/2 way with water. In a medium bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients. Stir in remaining ingredients only until moistened. Spoon batter into muffin cups. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Immediately remove from pan and serve warm. Muffins can be reheated when wrapped in a paper towel and put in the microwave for approximately 15 seconds depending on the microwave watage.

Vintage Recipe - Irish Stew

noreply@blogger.com (History and Women) — Fri, 07 May 2010 08:20:00 +0000

Today's Vintage Recipe comes from an early Canadian cookbook published by Holt Refrew and The Hudson's Bay Compay called MY PET RECIPES, TRIED AND TRUE by the Ladies and Friends of St. Andrew's Church, Quebec. It was published in 1900.

We may live without poetry, music and art;

We may live without conscience, and live without heart;

We may live without friends; we may live without books;

But civilized man cannot live without cooks.

By Owen Meredith.

GENUINE IRISH STEW.

MRS. DUNCAN LAURIE

Take the feet and legs of a pig, cut off at the hams, two will be sufficient for a family of eight. Singe off the hair and thoroughly cleanse them, removing the toes by scorching. Cut the legs in pieces suitable for stewing, put down in cold water and cook slowly for three hours. Pare and cut up nine or ten good sized potatoes and add to your stew with salt and pepper, about one half an hour before dishing. After the potatoes have been put in, the greatest care must be taken to prevent them from sticking to the pot and burning, therefore you must stir frequently with a spoon. What remains from dinner pour into a mould and it will become a jelly, which is nice eaten cold for breakfast.

I LOVE COMMENTS

Vintage Recipe - Cocoa Sponge Cake

noreply@blogger.com (History and Women) — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 08:17:00 +0000

Today's vintage recipe comes from the cookbook, Chocolate and Cocoa Recipes by Miss Parloa

COCOA SPONGE CAKE

3 eggs,

1 ½ cups of sugar
½ a cup of cold water
1 teaspoonful of vanilla
1 ¾ cups of flour
¼ a cup of Baker's Cocoa
2 teaspoonfuls of baking powder
1 teaspoonful of cinnamon.

Beat yolks of eggs light, add water, vanilla and sugar; beat again thoroughly; then add the flour, with which the baking powder, cocoa and cinnamon have been sifted. Fold in the stiffly beaten whites of the eggs. Bake in a rather quick oven for twenty-five or thirty minutes.

I LOVE COMMENTS

California Tossed Salad

noreply@blogger.com (History and Women) — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 06:06:00 +0000

California Tossed Salad is a beauty to behold.

According to my recipe book, EVEN MORE RECIPES FROM THE BACKS OF BOXES, BOTTLES, CANS, AND JARS by Ceil Dyer, it was first served many years ago in the executive restaurant at MGM Studios in Hollywood. Later, it was adapted for a national ad by the Diamond Walnut Company.

I've been known to make substitutions based on my family's likes and dislikes and it always comes out good.

Ingredients

1/2 cup large walnut pieces
1/3 cup salad oil
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon marjoram, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon dill weed
1 1/2 quarts torn mixed salad greens
6 ounces cooked shrimp (or one 5 ounce can drained)
1 large tomato cut in wedges
1/4 cup radish slices
2 tablespoons chipped chives or green onion
1 tin manadarin slices drained
1/4 cup cheese cubes

Toast walnuts lightly in a small skillet over low heat with 1 teaspoon oil, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; sprinkle with 1/4 tsp seasoned salt. Cool. Beat together remaining oil, salt, lemon juice, sugar, marjoram, and dill weed. In a large bowl, combine greens, shrimp, tomato, radishes, olives, and chives. Stir dressing; pour over salad. Toss until evenly coated. Add walnuts and mandarins; toss again. Sprinkle with cheese. Serve at once.

I've been known to substitute peas for the shrimp and strawberries for the mandarin orange slices. Have fun with this recipe. It's very good.

Sunmaid Raisin Oaties

noreply@blogger.com (History and Women) — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 06:50:00 +0000

If you were to see my recipe card for this cookie, it's badly stained and barely legible. It's been made so often that I'm surprised it's still intact. I remember taking the recipe from the back of a bag of Sunmaid raisins. It's a huge family favourite!

Sunmaid Raisin Oaties

1 1/2 cups butter
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups oats
1 cup raisins

Cream together butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in flour, salt, baking soda, and oats. Mix well. Stir in raisins. Drop by tablespoon onto lightly greased baking sheets. Bake above the oven center at 350 for 10 to 12 minutes Cookies should be chewy. Makes about 36 cookies.

Vintage Recipe - Perfect Corn Bread

noreply@blogger.com (History and Women) — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 06:13:00 +0000

Today's recipe comes from the 1905 cookbook, A Little Cook Book for a Little Girl by Caroline French Benton.

Perfect Corn Bread

1 large cup of yellow corn-meal.

1 small cup of flour.
1/2 cup of sugar.
2 eggs.
2 teaspoonfuls of baking-powder.
3 tablespoonfuls of butter.
1 teaspoonful of salt.
Flour to a thin batter.

Mix the sugar and butter and rub to a cream; add the yolks of the eggs, well beaten, and then half a cup of milk; then put in the baking-powder mixed in the flour and the salt, and then part of the corn-meal, and a little more milk; next fold in the beaten whites of the eggs, and if it still is not like ``a thin batter,'' put in a little more milk. Then bake in a buttered biscuit-tin till brown, cut in squares and serve hot. This is particularly good eaten with hot maple syrup.

Meatloaf - Martha's Stewart's Mothers

noreply@blogger.com (History and Women) — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 06:40:00 +0000

Years ago, I was watching Martha Stewart. She had her lovely mother on tv that day and together they made a traditional meatloaf.

I quickly scribbled out the recipe and made it the next day. We've enjoyed it ever since. It's quite easy if you can chop the ingredients in a food processor, but if you're like me and don't have one, then you can chop everything finely by hand.

It's great served with mashed potatoes.

MarthaStewart's Mother's Meatloaf

2 onions
2 sticks of celery
2 carrots
parsley
2 cloves garlic
bread crumbs
1/2 cup ketchup
1 egg
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 1/2 lbs ground beef

Mix all ingredients and bake in a 9 x 6 loaf pan at 350 for an hour and a half.

Halfway through the cooking, pour glaze over it.

Glaze

2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

Vintage Recipe - Griddle Cakes

noreply@blogger.com (History and Women) — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 06:09:00 +0000

Today's recipe comes from MRS. WILSON'S COOKBOOK (Numerous new recipes based on present economic conditions) from 1915. Sorry, but I couldn't find a photo of the actual book cover.

GRIDDLE CAKES

Place the griddle on the range to heat slowly, while mixing the batter. Place in a bowl or a flat, wide-mouthed pitcher:

One cupful milk,
One cupful water,
One teaspoonful salt,
One tablespoonful syrup,
Two and one-half cups of flour,
Two tablespoonfuls shortening,
Four level teaspoonfuls baking powder.

Beat to mix to a smooth batter. This batter will make hotcakes for four persons. For larger amounts, multiply. One egg may be used for every two cupfuls of flour.

Test the griddle by dropping a few drops of water on it; if the water boils, the griddle is sufficiently hot to bake with. Aluminum griddles do not require any grease. Rub with a clean cloth dipped in salt. Grease iron griddles slightly. Pour [pg 37] on the batter; just as soon as the cakes begin to form air bubbles slip a cake-turner under the cakes and turn them.

Now, if large bubbles rise at once to the top of the cakes, the griddle is too hot and the heat should be reduced; while, if the cake stiffens before the underside is brown the griddle is not hot enough. Never turn a griddle cake twice—this makes them heavy. Serve them as soon as baked, piling not more than five or six together. Sour milk may be used in place of sweet milk. Discard the baking powder and use one level teaspoonful of baking soda for each cup of sour milk. One egg and two cupfuls of water may be used in place of two cupfuls of milk.

If you try this recipe...

I LOVE COMMENTS

Simply the Best - Fruit Crisp Topping

noreply@blogger.com (History and Women) — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 06:33:00 +0000

Nothing beats a delicious fruit crisp for dessert. Through great experimentation, I've finally stumbled upon the best crisp topping ever!

Crisp Topping

1 1/2 sticks butter softened (One stick = 1/4 cup)
1 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups oats
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cardammon

Mix together in a mixing bowl and pour over the crisp. Bake as per your favourite crisp recipe.

Lazy Cabbage Roll Casserole

noreply@blogger.com (History and Women) — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 17:28:00 +0000

This is a fantastic tasting lazy cabbage roll casserole dish. A family friend used to make it for lunch during the horse shows we used to compete at. The recipe was raved about by everyone. Sorry, but like all handed down family recipes, the ingredients are never exact. But no matter how much you use of any particular ingredient, you can never go wrong.

Lazy Cabbage Rolls

Cook hamburger, bacon, and onions. Don't drain. (I always use extra lean ground beef!)

Cook 3 cups of rice to 3 cups water. Let set and then mix in 1 large can of tomato soup. Add to the hamburger mixture.

Place a layer of tomato soup in the bottom of a pan Then put on 1 layer of bacon and 1 layer of cabbage. Next place haburger and rice mixture over the cabbage.

Put the rest of the cabbage on top. Cover with tomato soup. Place bacon on the very top.

Cook slowly (270 degrees for 4 hours and then 350 degrees to finish.

Death by Chocolate Trifle

noreply@blogger.com (History and Women) — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 15:16:00 +0000

I have to confess, I kind of invent my own Death by Chocolate Trifle and it never comes out the same way twice. And I never follow a recipe so you can vary all the ingredient amounts if you wish. These are only an approximation. So here's how I make mine.

Brownies (iced with basic chocolate frosting or peanut butter frosting.)
Khalua or Baileys or Cream de Cacao
Oetker Chocolate Mousse package (or better yet, make your own mousse)
2 cups whipping cream whipped with 1/4 cup chocolate baking powder and 1/4 cup sugar
1 large Cadbury chocolate bar
Toffee bits
chocolate syrup

Layer 1/2 of the brownies in trifle bowl. Sprinkle with Khalua. Add chocolate mousse. Add shaved Cadbury Bar. Add chocolate whip cream. Add chocolate syrup. Repeat layers. Top with toffee bits.

Decadent Hot Cocoa Mix

noreply@blogger.com (History and Women) — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:57:00 +0000

I like to make this as a hostess gift. It's a bit more decadent than the usual homemade cocoa mix and it's definitely worth going to the extra work of chopping chocolate.

Ingredients:

2 cups powdered sugar

1 cup Dutch cocoa

2 1/2 cup powdered milk - I prefer a good quality like Nestle Carnation powdered milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup powdered creamer (flavor of choice)
1 teaspoon vanilla powder
4 ounces good quality chopped chocolate (I like Cadbury milk or dark chocolate or Bernard Callebaut)

Mix all ingredients together and store in a mason jar.

Mac and Cheese

noreply@blogger.com (History and Women) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 18:24:00 +0000

Who doesn't love mac and cheese on a cold winter day.

12 ounces of cooked noodles
2 cups heavy cream
2 1/2 cups whole milk
2 teaspoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black peper
2 cups grated Velveeta or Asiago or Fontina or Provolone (you get the idea)
3/4 cup parmesan cheese
Parsley

Butter a 13 x 9 baking dish. Mix all ingredients and toss onto pasta. Sprinkle with more cheese on the top.

Try adding some ham, broccoli, peas, mixed veggies, or anything else you think would go well.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Anginetti

noreply@blogger.com (History and Women) — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 17:25:00 +0000

Lemon Drop Cookies

(Anginetti)

This recipe I have made on numerous occasions. I sometimes substitute almond extract in lieu of the lemon. They always turn out great.

3 eggs

1/2 cup milk

2 teaspoons lemon extract

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 cups flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In an electric mixer on medium speed, beat eggs, milk, lemon extract, sugar and oil until well blended.

On low speed, add flour and baking powder. Mix until just blended. The dough should be soft and sticky.

Lightly dust the dough and your fingers with a little additional flour.

Drop the dough from a teaspoon onto a lightly greased cookie sheet, spacing the cookies 2 inches apart.

Bake immediately for 8 to 10 minutes or until slightly browned.

Remove cookie sheet from oven. Using a metal spatula, remove cookies from sheet onto wire racks.

Cool on wire rack.

Frost with Lemon Confectioner's Frosting. If it is necessary to freeze cookies, use heavy-duty plastic freezer bags and freeze the cookies unfrosted.

Confectioner's Frosting

6 cups confectioner's sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup water

In an electric mixer on medium speed, beat all ingredients untill smooth.

Using a metal spatula, frost the tops of the cookies. The frosting will drip down the sides and coat the cookies.

Dry the frosted cookies on wire cooling racks. Store in an airtight container.

Yields enough for 50 cookies.

The original recipe comes from the cookbook, Italian Cookie Tray by Maria Bruscino Sanchez.

Haystacks (Sometimes called Cowpies)

noreply@blogger.com (History and Women) — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 14:41:00 +0000

Haystack cookies or candy is a very prevalent recipe. Almost everyone has made it and there are tons of variations around. It took me a while, but I found a recipe that holds its shape beautifully.

Haystacks

2 cups sugar (white or brown)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter

Mix these ingredients together in a saucepan and bring to a rolling boil for 2 minutes. Stir constantly. Move the pot to another burner on low and add the following ingredients:

1/2 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 cup coconut

Mix well together. Quickly drop on waxed paper cookie sheets and allow to cool.

Oatmeal Pancakes

noreply@blogger.com (History and Women) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 14:56:00 +0000

I have to admit, my daughters and I love these oatmeal pancakes, but I seldom follow a recipe. I make these the good old fashioned Italian way, by simply adding the ingredients and judging the amounts with only my eyes until I reach the right consistency.

So I made these this morning and wrote down the amounts as I went. They turned out perfectly. And now I have a recipe!

1 large egg
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats, uncooked

Beat the egg. Add milk and butter, mixing well.

Combine flour and next 4 ingredients.

Add to the egg mixture, mixing until blended.

Stir oats into batter.

Heat a lightly greased griddle or skillet over medium heat (375*F / 190*C). Griddle is ready when a few drops of water bubble and skitter rapidly around.

For each pancake, pour scant 1/4 cup batter onto hot griddle. Cook pancakes until surface is covered with bubbles and appear dry around the edges. Turn and cook other side until golden brown.
Makes about 10 (4-inch) pancakes.

Shortbread Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (History and Women) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 14:56:00 +0000

If you were to pick up my recipe card for this, you'd likely laugh. It's corners are worn, the words are faded, and there are years of stains on it. And that's how I know this is an all time, beloved, family favourite.

These shortbread cookies are the light and fluffy kind.

Shortbread Cookies

1 pound of butter, softened
1 cup icing sugar
1/2 cup corn starch
3 cups flour

Use very soft butter and whip. Add icing sugar gradually and whip. Add cornstarch and flour and continue whipping gradually.

Form into balls and press gently with hands or fork.

Bake at 300 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes

Festive Eggnog

noreply@blogger.com (History and Women) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 14:27:00 +0000

I found this recipe in a newspaper over twenty years ago. I've been making it ever since. It's extremely decadent and my family's favourite. Once you've had a taste of the real stuff, you'll never buy the supermarket eggnog again.

Festive Eggnog

12 eggs separated
1 cup sugar
2 cups light cream or half and half
1/2 cup rye, rum, or brandy
3 cups heavy cream

Combine the yolks with the sugar and beat until thick and lemon colored. Slowly add the light cream and liquor and beat until well blended. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Beat egg whites until soft peaks are formed. Beat whipping cream in a large bowl to very soft peaks. Then fold in egg whites. Add this to the yolk mixture in the punch bowl. Sprinkle with nutmeg.

Makes 16 cups

Please keep refrigerated at all times.

Please make sure you use the freshest grade AAA eggs with intact shells and avoid contact between the yolks or whites and the shells.

Christmas Morning Wife Saver

noreply@blogger.com (History and Women) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 20:39:00 +0000

I've had this recipe in my collection for about 25 years now. I guess you can consider it a classic. It's a great little casserole, meant for breakfast, which can be used all year round. I like to serve it with a little fruit salad, coffee, and/or some juice. You make it up the night before, leave it in the fridge, and then pop it into the oven in the morning. What could be easier than that?

Christmas Morning Wife Saver

16 slices bread with crusts removed
Slices of ham or back bacon
Slices of sharp cheddar cheese
6 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/4 cup minced onion
1/4 cup green pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
3 cups milk
dash taobasco sauce
1/4 lb butter
Special K cereal or crushed Corn Flakes

In a 9 x 13 buttered glass baking dish, put 8 pieces of bread. Cover with ham or back bacon, cheese slices, and the remaining bread.

In a bowl, beat eggs, salt, pepper. Add dry mustard, onion, green pepper, Worcestershire sauce, milk, and tabasco.

Pour over bread. Cover and let stand in fridge overnight.

In the morning, melt butter, pour over the top. Cover with Special K. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Let sit for 10 minutes. Serve with fresh fruit.

The Romantic History of Italian Panettone

noreply@blogger.com (History and Women) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 20:36:00 +0000

In Italian folklore, it is widely believed that Panettone originated in the city of Milano in northern Italy during the 15th century. It became instantly popular. Today, hundreds of years later, people around the world continue to enjoy the sweet bread. It was originally called Tony's Bread or Pan de Tonio . The name has since evolved to become known as the panettone we enjoy today.

As with all ancient recipes, several legends circulate about how is one came into being. Here is the most popular, and most romantic of the versions. How typical of the Italians to meld together romance and food.

In the city of Milano in northern Italy during the 15th century, there lived a baker named Tony who had a beautiful daughter named Adalgisa. A wealthy young man, Ughetto della Tela, fell in love with the beauty and wanted to marry her, but he knew his family would oppose the marriage because she was a commoner.

Ughetto, a quiet, studious man, worked as a hawk breeder in the court of Duke Ludovico Maria Sforza. Undaunted in his quest to marry Adalgisa, he began to secretly meet the lovely young woman late at night, far from prying eyes. Meeting at such odd hours made a lot of sense because Adalgisa was required to start mixing the bread in the wee hours of the morning in her father’s bakery.

Soon, a strange series of misfortunes befell Tony. A new bakery opened nearby and he began to lose clients. Then he fell ill. This left Adalgisa to do all the work in the bakery, including all the heavy chores.

The gallant Ughetto seized upon this misfortunes and offered himself to assist her. He wanted to improve the bread by adding some butter to the mix, but the struggling bakery had no money to buy the additional ingredient, which was very expensive at the time. So Ughetto sold a few of his prized hawks and with the money purchased all the butter needed.

The bread was an immediate success. Loaves disappeared from the shelves. When Ughetto decided to add a little sugar to the recipe, it became even more popular. Soon word about the tasty bread spread. The beautiful Adalgisa smiled, for the bakery was once again turning a profit. Happy to see his beloved happy once more, Ughetto decided to improve upon the recipe once more. This time, he added candied citron and eggs. At Christimas time, he added raisins. Now the bread really became a huge success, well known throughout the entire city of Milano. Tony's bakery prospered and he became very wealthy.

Without hesitation, Ughetto's family approved the marriage to the wealthy young woman and Ughetto and Adalgisa were soon married. Their secret recipe and other bakers soon began to imitate the bread, ever-increasing quantities to satisfy the palates of Italians.

Today, the bread is produced and shipped throughout the world. It is always given away as gifts and graces the tables of all Italians at Christmas.

Once December hits, I find myself making panettone almost daily. My family loves it. Here is my favourite recipe, easily made in the bread machine:

Mirella Patzer's Panettone

3 1/4 cups bread flour (divided)
1/4 cup each golden raisins
1/4 cup candied mixed peel
1/4 cup milk
3 eggs, beaten
2 egg yolks, beaten
1/2 cup softened butter
1 tsp anise extract
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh grated orange peel
1 tsp fress grated lemon peel
2 tsp yeast

Mix 1 tbsp of the flour with raisins, candied peel and citron. Add milk, eggs, butter, vanilla, sugar, salt, orange and lemon peels in bread machine pan or proceed as per manufacturers instructions.

Turn on machine and set to normal/basic bread setting, choosing light color setting if possible. Sprinkle reserved fruit mixture into machine when fruit alarm sounds or just as second kneading is ending. Makes one 1 1/2 lb. loaf.

(If candied mixed peel is not something your family likes, this bread tastes just as good with only the raisins.)

Beef Stew

noreply@blogger.com (History and Women) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 22:06:00 +0000

This is my family's favourite beef stew recipe. And this is a great time of the year to have a big pot of it boiling on your stove.

2 1/2 pounds beef for stew
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup salad oil
1 large onion chopped
1 garlic clove minced
3 cups water
4 beef bouillon cubes in water or 4 cups beef broth
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 teaspoon pepper
5 medium potatoes cut in chunks
8 carrots cut in chunks
2 turnips cut in chunks
1 10 ounce package frozen peas

1. Cut meat into 1 1/2 inch chunks. Coat stew beef with flour. Reserve leftover flour. Heat oil in 6 quart dutch oven over medium-heat.

2. Brown meat all over in oil, a few pieces at a time. Remove pieces as they brown. Reduce heat to medium.

3. To drippings in pan, add onion and garlic. Cook 3 minutes, stirring until onion is almost tender. Stir in reserved flour.

4. Gradually add water, bouillion/broth, salt, Worcestershire, pepper. Cook, stirring until mixture is slightly thickened.

5. Add meat; heat to boiling, stirring Reduce heat to low. Cover, simmer 2 1/2 hours until almost tender, stirring occasionally.

6. Add potato, carrot, and turnip. Over medium heat, heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 20 minutes.

7. Stir in frozen peas, cover and simmer 5 to 10 minugtes or untail all the vegetables are tender. Serve immediately.

Halloween Witch Finger Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (History and Women) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:21:00 +0000

When called upon to bring cookies to school for a Halloween Party, these are always my favourite. And they're a favourite for the kids too.

1 cup (250 mL) butter, softened
1 cup (250 mL) icing sugar
1 egg
1 tsp (5 mL) almond extract
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla
2-3/4 cups (675 mL) all-purpose flour
1 tsp (5 mL) baking powder
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
3/4 cup (175 mL) whole blanched almonds
1 tube (19 g) red decorator gel (blood for fingers)

In bowl, beat together butter, sugar, egg, almond extract and vanilla; beat in flour, baking powder and salt. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Working with one quarter of the dough at a time and keeping remaining dough refrigerated, roll heaping teaspoonful of dough into finger shape for each cookie.

Press almond firmly into 1end for nail. Squeeze in centre to create knuckle shape; using paring knife, make slashes in several places to form knuckle.

Place on lightly greased baking sheets; bake in 325°F (160°C) oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until pale golden. Let cool for 3 minutes. Lift up almond; squeeze red decorator gel onto nail bed and press almond back into place, so gel oozes out from underneath. Remove from baking sheets; let cool on racks. Repeat with remaining dough.