May 2015 Newsletter

Good Morning Everyone,
Happy May!!! This month's newsletter is a blast from the past containing "Food for Thought" from 11 years ago, and recipes from several that were/are family  former customers favorites.
Hope this finds all well. Hugs, thoughts & prayers to those cyber friends that are enduring sickness, injuries & just need an extra hug!

Hugs,
Paula

FOOD FOR THOUGHT:

Give Us This Day, Our Daily Thread
As we daily bear our hearts and souls.
Our Pathways crossed sometime ago.
Friendships grow as each new day unfolds.

What started as we shared our
mutual love of cooking...
Became the love, care and support
of one another here.
Across the miles of cyberspace over coffee,
for the quiet times we are looking.
Openly we share, the beauty of a flower blooming,
a triumph or a fear.

We thank You, Spirit, for these cyber
friendships we have found.
A place where joy and laughter,
tears and sharing abound.
You've taken each daily thread and woven
a Masterpiece.
Into a beautiful garment, adorning friendships
that will never cease.

Knowing deep within our hearts, we are truly
kindred spirits.
Once again we ask, Thee,
"Give Us This Day, Our Daily Bread"
Our lives are better having passed this way,
Sharing a few moments of friendship bond.
Watch over each; Chloe, Deb, Cathy and Paula,
Our sustenance found in "Our Daily Thread".

May 2004

• RECIPES: Family Favorites that became Customer Favorites!

   

  Paula's Pomodoro Pasta
  Paula George

  12 oz. angel hair pasta, cooked
  1/4 cup olive oil
  1/2 red onion or shallots, chopped
  4 cloves garlic, minced
  1/2 cup red wine
  1-28oz. can Italian Plum tomatoes with basil (I prefer San Marzano) hand crush tomatoes before adding to sauce
  2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  1 (10.75 ounce) can low-sodium chicken broth
  crushed red pepper to taste
  freshly ground black pepper to taste
  1/4 cup basil pesto
  2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
  1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  In large skillet, saute onion and garlic in olive oil for  5 minutes.
  Add wine to deglaze and cook down. Add next 6 ingredients and simmer
  for 10 minutes. Stir in fresh basil and grated Parmesan cheese.
  Reserve 1 cup of sauce for Eggplant.Toss with Angel Hair Pasta and serve.
  Garnish with additional basil and Parmesan cheese.

  Eggplant Parmesan
  Paula George

  1 eggplant, peeled and sliced into 1/4" slices
  Salt
  2 eggs mixed with 1/2 cup milk
  Self Rising flour
  2 cups Panko bread crumbs seasoned with 1/2 tsp. salt,
  1 tsp. Italian seasoning, 1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
  1/2" oil in skillet for frying
  reserved pomodoro sauce
  1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  Place eggplant in colander and season with salt. Let stand 20-30 minutes.
  In 3 shallow dishes...place flour, egg mixture and bread crumb mixture.
  Dredge each slice in flour, egg wash & bread crumbs. Fry in preheated oil until golden, turning once. Place on parchment lined baing sheet. Top each with dollop of sauce and sprinkling of Parmesan. Bake in 350 preheated oven for 5 minutes to melt cheese.
  Serve immediately.
  ********************************************************************
  For years, this has been a family favorite! With a few revisions,
  we also served this at LuVici's...a favorite of many customers...
  one lady told me she could just drink a bowl of sauce! haha
  There are so many variations that can be used in this combo.
  Saute chicken pieces or breast strips...blanched broccoli florets...
  use leftovers of chicken & broccoli...Sauteed Chicken Strips & Sundried
  Tomatoes or Sauteed Chicken Strips & Sauteed Mushrooms. My children love this

  Alfredo Sauce and I have used the same recipe for years!
  OH, several years ago I was on Sara's Secrets with Sara Moulton's
  live phone call. We were discussing leftovers and this is the recipe
  that I was talking about. They aired my picture as Sara was talking
  with me. I also told her that my family has always called leftovers,
  "re-runs" and many times they were incorporated to a totally
  different realm, whether entree, side dish or soup!

   

  Nana's Alfredo Sauce
  Paula George

  1 stick butter 1/2 cup
  1/2 cup flour
  1 tsp. salt
  1 /s tsp. fresh ground pepper
  1 tsp. oregano leaves
  2 tsp. parsley flakes
  1 tsp. basil leaves
  1 tsp. garlic powder
  1 tsp. onion powder
  2 cups heavy cream
  3 cups milk
  1 cup shredded Provolone
  1 cup shredded Parmesan

   

  (2 Tbsp. McCormick's Mediterranean Spiced Sea Salt can be used in lieu of the herbs & spices)

   

  Melt butter in saucepan. Add flour and whisk until smooth.
  Do not brown. Add seasonings, heavy cream & milk.
  Heat over med heat until hot, reduce heat to low and whisk in
  cheeses until melted. Adding 1/2 of each at a time makes it easier
  to melt.
  Sauteed Chicken Breast strips and blanched broccoli can be
  added to sauce or plated on fettucine pouring the sauce over last.
  Garnish with a sprinkling of Shredded Parmesan and Parsley.
  Serve with a salad and crusty bread!

  Serve over fettucine cooked al dente...
  I normally serve with sauteed chicken breasts and
  steamed broccoli (or "trees" as my children called them)  florets.

  ********************************************************************
  Stuffed Meatloaf
  Alberta George (Momma)
  I make Momma's Stuffed Meatloaf...both at home and at work.
  My grandson makes it frequently after learning to make it at my home.

   

  1-1/2 lb.Ground chuck
  1 package Onion Soup Mix
  2 Eggs
  1/3 cup Water
  1/3 cup A-1 sauce
  1/3 cup ketchup
  1 cup Bread Crumbs

  Mix & pat into rectangle. Layer with sliced Swiss cheese and Deli ham.
  Roll up jelly roll style and place in loaf pan.
  Bake at 350 for 45 min to 1 hour.
  Topping:1 cup Ketchup,1/3 cup brown sugar, 1/3 cup worcestershire.
  Bake 10 minutes after adding topping.
  *********************************************************************

  This is a wonderful sauce for pasta of any kind! It can be served with
  ravioli, gnocchi, fettucine or tortellini!

   

  Prosciutto Sage Cream Sauce
  Paula George aka mecookin

  3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
  3/4 cups minced shallots
  1 lb. prosciutto sliced into thin strips
  1 cup white wine
  5 cups heavy cream
  1/3 cup julienned fresh sage
  3/4 tsp. white pepper
  1-1/2 cups grated Romano cheese

  Saute shallots and prosciutto in large skillet with olive oil.
  Add white wine and reduce by one half. Add heavy cream,
  sage and white pepper. Cook about 5-7 minutes until thickened.
  Stir in Romano cheese.
  Serve over your favorite pasta!

  ******************************************************************
  Warm Banana Pudding
  Paula George

  6 Bananas sliced thin
  1 box Vanilla wafers

  Layer in 2qt casserole and prepare pudding. Pour pudding over and serve
  warm.
  PUDDING:
  Ingredients:
  3 cups milk
  1/4 cup cornstarch
  1/2 cup sugar
  1/4 teaspoon salt
  1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  2 Tbsp. butter
  Preparation:
  Scald 2 2/3 cups of the milk. Mix cornstarch, sugar and salt;
  stir in remaining 1/3 cup milk. Add to scalded milk and cook over
  low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and smooth.
  Continue cooking vanilla pudding for about 5 minutes to thoroughly
  cook cornstarch. Cool vanilla pudding slightly;
  stir in vanilla & butter; pour over bananas & vanilla wafers.
  Vanilla pudding recipe serves 6.