What Had Happened Was . . .

My "lil Sister" came for a visit!

Day trips were taken to Sea Wold (where we fed dolphins) and Sarasota to go to the aquarium and see my parents.

and now 

These two sisters are coming to visit and they are bringing with them 

"little Nugget"

Needless to say cooking had taken a back seat! No family recipes have been made in 2 weeks and honestly are not in the works until after the sisters leave but I have gotten better with Meal Planning and making sure my husband had a hot home made dinner as often as possible! Baked Ziti tonight and Crock Pot Ham & Potatoes tomorrow. Dinner with friends Thursday and then "Sisters Extravaganza" will begin!

*now that all my "little sisters" have been to visit I NEED a Big sister visit!*

Cooking with Dad

March is the month of my Grandmothers birthday so I decided to make her recipes this month and started with her cookies. I had planned to make her Manicotti this week and when our weekend plans changed and my husband suggested a weekend at my parents I jumped at the chance to make this WITH my Dad. Hes made it many times before and thought it would great to have him teach me his mothers recipe and that way I was sure not to completely butcher the dish! Here are some pictures of our cooking.

Cooking

Sauce

Hand made Crepes

  

Ta Da

A special thanks to my Dad - for always making time to build memories and teach me traditions - I love you!

Grandma Josie's Manicotti

6 Eggs
3 C water
1 1/2 C Flour
Pinch of salt

Beat until blended then drop 3T into a frying pan until firm and flip (like a pancake). Stack and set aside

Filling:
3 lbs Ricotta
6 Eggs
1/2 C grated cheese
4 lbs Mozzarella

Put 2T filling into each pancake and fold over put in 9x13 pan and cover with sauce.

Bake for 30 minutes at 350.

Mission Complete

Another rough recipe! Being that I haven't had these cookies in over 10 years as my Grandma passed in 2005 and went into a nursing home in 2001 - this was hard to get my memory to match my cookie but . . . It was successful being that it was my first time making it - with time I know I will be able to perfect them.

First of all they took a big chunk of time! I started at 8pm and didn't finish until 11 and thats just the baking! I made a few phone calls to my Dad to verify the recipe  when things didn't make sense. For starters I invested in Crisco after the "Gobs Fiasco" but when I melted it like the recipes said, it looked like vegetable oil - hummm maybe I did this wrong so I called my Dad and he said I did it right. Then 9 cups of Flour sounded a little hefty so I called to make sure that was the correct amount and turns out it is and thats not including all the flour you use to get them onto the cookie sheet! I also had to do some goggling to see how much a Whiskey glass is because I don't just have those lying around, Turns out 3 TBS.

There began my rough start. Once everything was assembled I then had to figure out how to "kneed" the dough that was so sticky that I  would have needed massive amounts of flour to form it into a solid mass - which I chose not to do afraid that they would taste like a lump of flour. So I left the sticky mess and just floured my hands "pinched" out some dough and made balls, dropped them onto the wax paper covered cookie sheet and baked for 20 mins. Now I am used to 5-8 min cookie baking. 20 minutes with 6 sets of  cookie sheets = time consuming!

Once they were all baked I made my recipe for butter icing as the recipe says to use, but I had the same issue I had with the Gobs where the ingredients wouldn't blend so it looked separated and chunky not smooth like icing, I cant adequately describe it but trust me it was no good. I then just went to my dads suggestion of Confectionery Sugar, vanilla and milk and that looked right but I had used all my sugar on the disaster icing and was stuck with 5 dozen un iced cookies.

Tonight I was able to make it to the store to get more sugar and viola the cookies are done, 3 days later but they are done, they are pretty, they are tasty and they remind me of the Grandma - MISSION COMPLETE!

P.S 3 hours of baking later my husband come in and says "wait, what are these called? My Grandma makes them! = two family recipes in one!

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Grandma Josie's Pinch Cookies

6 Eggs Beaten
2 C Sugar
2 C melted Crisco
2 C Milk
1 Whiskey Glass full of Lemon, anisette or Vanilla (3 Tbs)
6 Tsp Baking Powder
9 C Flour

Mix in a large bowl
Put on board and kneed a little
Pinch tsp size piece of dough and drop on wax paper

bake at 350 for 20 mins to a flint brown

cool and cover with butter icing

Momma Mia

This week I chose a family fav from my side and probably the most requested dinner of my childhood. I'm pretty sure 3 of us 5 kids requested this as our birthday dinner each year in addition of family friends who would request it.

Growing up we alway had home cooked meals, my mom was pretty much suzie home maker. What can I say other than shes amazing. There are so many recipes that she knew by heart. She was big on family dinners together at the table with everyone and anyone. She passed that on to me - a love of family dinners, people you love and care about gathered together away from tv and other distractions focused on food and each other. I love to set a table with the anticipation of the laughter and conversation that will take place once everyone is seated and dinner is on the table. I don't think she knows how many friends she would allow to stay for dinner and what an impact it had on those who didn't have the parental support and traditions she gave us, Thats why friends loved to stay for dinner not just the food but the environment she created. I could go on and on but suffice to say I learned everything I know about cooking and baking from her. She was never afraid to experiment and tried everything at least once, many memories took place in the kitchen!

I've made her Chicken Pot Pie many many times. its super easy and very forgiving. I've cut the recipe in half to make it a better portion when I was single and it was a success. Tonight I used Cream of Mushroom in place of  Cream of Celery because the MR. loves himself some mushrooms. Its a crowd pleaser, very tasty and super easy! I guarantee - once you make it no other pie crust chicken pot pie will satisfy!

Being that this is such an easy recipe there are a few variations I'd like to make - watching the food network, Gilda made individual pot pies and I'd like to attempt that but I don't have the mini dishes so i'll have to invest in them first. I'd also like to mix up the veggies and add in carrots and pea etc. Give it a try - take it, love it and change it!