June 2012 Newsletter

                                             June is here already! Have a beautiful summer!

Food for Thought:
A Moment of Life...
Paula George 2012
A moment of life springs forth...the chirping of baby birds in their nest.
The bud of a flower or tree...as we see Spring bringing forth new life.
A moment of life springs forth...a young mother carrying her firstborn child.
Her body carries a new life...as we see Spring bringing forth new life.
A moment of life springs forth...a young couple walking hand in hand.
We see the love in their eyes...as we see Spring bringing forth new life.
A moment of life springs forth...an elderly couple sits in the park talking.
Their smiles focused on one another...as we see Spring bringing forth new life.
A moment of life springs forth...the cry of a newborn baby in its Mother's arms.
Asking for nurturing on this journey of life...as we see Spring  bringing forth new life.
A moment of life springs forth...the morning sun rising to greet us this new day.
Granting us this another day of life...as we see Spring bringing forth new life.
A moment of life springs forth...Chirping birds, a young mother, a young couple,
An elderly couple, a newborn baby, the morning sun...as we see Spring bringing forth new life.
A moment of life springs forth; with each passing moment...as we see Spring bringing forth new life.

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RECIPES:
Prosciutto Shells Alfredo
Paula George
8 oz. medium shells, cooked and drained
1 recipe Alfredo Sauce, recipe follows
3 shallots
2 zucchini, cut into chunks
2 yellow squash, cut into chunks
2 cups broccolini, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
4 oz. prosciutto, chopped
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
2 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup dry Vermouth
Prepare shells, make alfredo sauce...in large skillet, heat butter and olive oil over med high heat, add shallots, broccolini, zucchini and squash. Saute until crisp-tender and lightly browned; add garlic and prosciutto and cook 1 minute longer. Deglaze with Vermouth. Reduce heat and add pasta and alfredo sauce. Stir to combine and serve.
My Alfredo Sauce
3 Tbsp. Butter
3 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. Mediterranean Spiced Sea Salt
1 cup half and half
2 cups water
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
8 0z. sliced Provolone
In saucepan, melt butter and stir in flour. Cook 1 minute, do not brown. Whisk in Spiced Sea Salt, half and half and water...bring to low boil, stir in cheeses until melted. Adjust consistency with whole milk, if necessary.
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Maple Cream Treats
I've made these for years, lost the recipe...but this is my rendition.
1 can Hungry Jack flaky biscuits (10)
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1 cup shredded coconut
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup maple syrup
1 stick butter melted
1 cup chopped pecans
In 11x7 baking dish, melt butter...add syrup and pecans. Separate and roll each biscuit into 5" round.
Mix cream cheese, confectioner's sugar, coconut and vanilla. Put heaping spoonful in center of each
biscuit round. Fold sides over to cover filling. Place in syrup mixture seam side down. Bake in 350 preheated
oven for 20-25 minutes until golden. Let stand for 10 minutes and invert on
serving platter.
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PORCUPINE MEATBALLS
Meatballs:
1/2 c. uncooked rice
1 lb. ground chuck
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. cooking oil

Optional Meatballs:
1/2 cup Zatarains Yellow Rice & seasoning
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 lb. ground chuck
1 Tbsp. cooking oil 

Sauce:
4 c. crushed canned tomatoes
1 Tbsp. worcestershire
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Optional Sauce:
1-1/2 cup beef broth
1 (15 oz) can plum tomatoes, hand crushed
1 can Rotel Tomatoes
1 Vidalia onion chopped 
remainder of Zatarain's Yellow Rice

For optionalal sauce, combine ingredients. pour over meatbals, bring to boil, reduce to simmer...cover & cook 30 minutes. Mix rice with ground beef, pepper, salt and onion. Shape into balls the size of walnuts.
Pour cooking oil into a large pan with a lid. Add meatballs and brown on all sides.
Combine tomatoes, worcestershire and Italian seasoning and add to the meatballs.
Cover the pan and cook slowly about 30 minutes or until the rice is tender and the meatballs are doubled. Meatballs will look like porcupines with bristles sticking out.
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Ice Cream Sandwich Cake
INGREDIENTS
19 ice cream sandwiches
1 carton (12 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 jar (11-3/4 ounces) hot fudge ice cream topping
1 cup salted peanuts
DIRECTIONS
Cut one ice cream sandwich in half.
Place one whole and one half sandwich along a short side
of an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. pan.
Arrange eight sandwiches in opposite direction in the pan.
Spread with half of the whipped topping.
Spoon fudge topping by teaspoonfuls onto whipped topping.
Sprinkle with 1/2 cup peanuts. Repeat layers with remaining
ice cream sandwiches, whipped topping and peanuts (pan will be full).
Cover and freeze for up to 2 months.
Remove from the freezer 20 minutes before serving.
Cut into squares. Yield: 15 servings.
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This is a great spring time recipe.
Three Cheese Spaghetti Pie Recipe courtesy Dan Smith and Steve McDonagh
Show: Party Line with the Hearty Boys
Episode: DVD Night
3/4 pound spaghetti
9 tablespoons olive oil
5 garlic cloves coarsely chopped
1 small onion, thinly sliced
16 cherry tomatoes, halved
16 kalamata olives, pitted and halved
4 eggs
1 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional
6 fresh basil leaves, chopped
4 ounces fontina, grated
8 ounces feta, crumbled
8 ounces Parmesan, shredded
Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
Special Equipment: 10-inch cast iron skillet or nonstick ovenproof skillet
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Generously add salt and 3 tablespoons of oil and add the spaghetti. Bring back to a boil and cook for 11 to 13 minutes until the spaghetti is just tender. Drain into a colander and rinse under cold water. Return the spaghetti to the pot and set aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat for 1 minute. Add the garlic and onion and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomatoes, kalamatas, 1 teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of pepper and cook for an additional 5 minutes until the tomatoes begin to break down.* Remove the mixture from the heat and set aside.
Whisk the eggs and cream together in a large mixing bowl. Add the remaining teaspoon of salt, a few grinds of pepper, the red pepper flakes, basil, fontina, feta, 4 ounces of the Parmesan and the tomato mixture. Mix in the spaghetti.
Heat the remaining olive oil in the 10-inch skillet over high heat. Add the spaghetti mixture, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven for 30 minutes until the center of the pie is set and the top is golden.
Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Run a spatula around the edges and underneath the pie to loosen. Place a large plate over the skillet and invert the pie onto the plate. Place another plate onto the pie and invert again. Let the pie set for an additional 10 minutes.
Slice the pie into 6 to 8 pieces and garnish with the remaining Parmesan and basil leaves before serving.