Burning the Candle at Both Ends

I doubt Giada eats this herself...

but that didn't stop me from making this recipe from Giada De Laurentis's cookbook Giada's Family Dinners.

( Idon't believe she is actually going to eat that tidbit, do you?) 

 

It was called  "Pizza Rustica".  And it was good. Very good.  Basically, you make a pie crust,  lay it into a springform pan, layer in some spinach; (sauteed in garlic, of course), various Italian meats.. think salami, pepperoni, prosciutto; ricotta cheese; mozzarella cheese; roasted red peppers. Top it with more pie crust, brush with an egg wash and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.  Bake for one hour. Let it cool to room temperature,so the layers hold when sliced.  Yummy.  There is no way Giada eats this and stays so stinkin' skinny! Just look at these pictures!

 

And look at those cheesy layers!

 

The reviews from the family were mixed. Generally, those who tried it liked it.  It is very filling and I think meant to be served as a snack, or a larger  slice with a salad would make a decent meal, if one is particularly hungry! I liked it, but my sometimes lactose intolerant stomach complained a bit. One of my daughters said it was too cheesy and could have used more meat.  I might change one or more of the meats to ground sausage.  Overall, something I might make again to bring to a party. I thought it really looked nice and appetizing.

Not your mother's soda bread!

Years ago, we used to get home delivery of the local newspaper. Gradually I started to notice, not only a strongly liberal bias in the publication, but I would even say anti-Catholic!  A nagging feeling to cancel the subscription kept haunting me, but then where would I clip my coupons from, since this was the main reason I received it, anyway?  I was in a quandry. Then, I attended a dinner for our parish where the guest speaker was Fr. Benedict Groeschel, founder of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal.  He addressed my quandry head-on in his talk. He said he personally knew many of the editorial staff of said newspaper and that if anyone was supecting an anti-Catholic bias, they were absolutely right. Many of the writers were former Catholics with a bone to pick with the Church they had abandoned. I believe his exact words were "I wouldn't be caught dead reading that wretched rag!"  Now it has become a joke between my husband and me whenever we see this paper... the "wretched rag". 

What does any of this have to do with soda bread, you may be wondering? Well, I guess the one good thing that I ever got from that paper was my Irish soda bread recipe.  Now, I know what I am about to say is bordering on blasphemy for anyone of even vague Irish descent to say publicly, but I can't stand that dry, crumbly, tasteless soda bread with the caraway seeds that is actually authentic, Irish soda bread.  This recipe is more of a tea cake.. Irish soda bread for the feint of heart! But it is a keeper, and one the whole gang gobbles up.  It will make four small loaves, or less if you use larger pans... you'll  never go back to your mother's soda bread again.  As a matter of fact, my sister-in-law just called me looking for her mother's recipe and guess what? I don't even have it anymore!

 

Don't those look yummy?  What doesn't get eaten at dinner tonight will be toasted for breakfast! So here is the recipe if you want to cut those apron strings and and try something new.

        Sweet Irish Soda Bread 
  6 1/2 c. flour               4 xl eggs
1 1/2c. sugar               1/2 c. corn oil
2 t. salt                         2 t. vanilla
2 t. baking soda            3 c. buttermilk
2 t. baking powder        1 15 oz. box raisins

Prehaeat oven to 350. Grease loaf pans.

1. Mix dry ingredients together in large bowl.
2. In a separate bowl beat eggs, oil, vanilla and buttermilk. Add to flour mixture and stir well.  Stir in raisins.
3. Divide batter into greased pans. Place pans on middle rack in preheated oven. Rotate pans halfway through cooking.
4. Bake for 45 min. or until tester comes out clean. Cool on rack for 15 minutes before removing from pans.

Semi-Homemade with Chris

                               

Friday, Jessie left for Italy.  So, as per usual in our house, we needed to have cake on Thursday. Having no cake mix in the house, nor the will to bake one from scratch, I remembered that about a month ago, I made a two layer cake that only had one layer. The layer we didn't use got  put in the freezer to be eaten at a later date.  Sometimes, my freezer has the tendency to mangle things that get forgotten in there. So here I had this yummy vanilla cake in a ziploc bag that was in several pieces. Then I recalled  the ice cream I had gotten on sale last week and thought... ice cream and cake... the perfect pairing! I finished the job of mangling the cake and pressed half of the crumbs in the bottom of an 8-inch square pan and popped it back in the freezeer while Thomas did math. You need to freeze this between layers so the layers don't all get mixed together.   Then I softened some chocolate ice cream so it was just at a spreadable consistency and smeared that over the frozen cake crumb crust and put that in the freezer while Thomas did History.   Next another layer of crumbs and we did spelling and vocabulary while those firmed up in the freezer. A layer of spreadable vanilla ice cream and it went back in the freezer while Thomas and I read together. I love how we multi-task in our home!  The finishing layer (and I believe my favorite) was the layer of homemade whipped cream I topped it with. Notice how thick that layer is!  We decorated with some sprinkles and put the whole thing back in the freezer until after dinner. This was a fun cake to make, and to eat. But it is even more fun when you discuss with the family how it could be improved. Next time I'm thinking chocolate cake and coffe ice cream for some kind of mocha sensation. I might used crushed cookies as a layer for a crunchier texture than the cake crumbs. How about crumbled up milky way or snickers in the middle... Reese's peanut butter cups, anyone?  The possibilites are only limited by your own imagination!  Try this.. it couldn't be easier... and look at all the schoolwork that got done at the same time! 

Hey Mom, What's for Dinner?

We had a wonderful weekend meeting Katie's future in-laws.  I don't know why, but I was more stressed about everything than I should have been. Saturday night was our first meeting with Matt's family and I thought it would be nice to cook a  meal for us all to share here and have time to get to know one another. It worked out really well. Here are some remarks from my lovely children which may have compounded my stress.

Me:  So Kate, I thought I would cook a nice dinner here Saturday night so we can all relax and have some time to chat.

Kate:  Can't we all just go to a restaurant???

(later in the week)

Kate: What are you making for dinner Saturday, Mom?

Me: I was thinking roast beef, roasted garlic potatoes, brocolli casserole, salad, and homemade bread. I'll make our usual heart-shaped cake for Valentine's Day dessert.

Kate: The roast beef is so dry. Why don't you make slow-roasted chicken?

Me: (To myself) No one ever told me my roast beef was dry!

from Jessie

Jessie: What are you making for dinner Saturday?

Me: (see above)

Jessie: The roast beef is so dry, and why don't you make mashed potatoes instead of roasted?

Me:(to myself)  No one ever told me my roast beef was dry! And what's wrong with my roasted garlic potatoes?

Saturday at the dinner table

Ben: Hey mom, the roast beef was really good. It wasn't as dry as usual!

Me:(to myself) Why do they all think my roast beef is dry?????

P.S.  I made roast beef and slow-roasted chicken and it all turned out nice and moist! So there!

Third Sunday of Advent

  Traditionally known as Gaudette Sunday, from the Latin word for rejoice. We rejoice this Sunday because we are getting ever closer to the light of Christ entering the world. Hence, we burn the lighter, rose-colored candle on our Advent wreath to symbolize our hope and joy. Or, since cake is a staple for most liturgical observances in our home, we lit the rose colored candle on our Gaudette Sunday cake! Becky baked and decorated tonight's dessert.  I know it will taste as yummy as it looks.  Everything tastes better to me when I don't have to make it! We spent today finishing up our Christmas decorating. I love how homey and old-fashioned the house feels at Christmastime. Check back tomorrow for more pictures since I will be participating in the Christmas Tour of Homes  which begins tomorrow.