Italian Nacho Dessert Dip

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Delicious and fun twist on traditional Italian Cannoli…makes a perfect dessert dip for holiday gatherings.

Italian Nachos

Ingredients

1 cup Mascarpone Cheese

3 cups fresh Ricotta Cheese

⅛ teaspoon pure vanilla powder (can substitute ½ teaspoon vanilla pure extract)

½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 cup confectioners’ sugar

4 cups blended La Spagnola Vegetable and Olive Oils

8 flour Fajita Style Tortillas cut into eighths

2 cups granulated sugar

4 tablespoon ground italian cinnamon

½ cup mini chocolate morsels

1 tablespoon of holiday or festive candy pieces(optional)

Step-by-Step

1 Combine first five ingredients in bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment; mix on high speed 1 minute until smooth; reserve ricotta mixture

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2  Combine sugar and cinnamon in medium mixing bowl; mix well

3  Line one cookie sheet with wire cookie rack; set aside near frying pan

4  In medium frying pan heat oil over high heat setting 3-4 minutes or until very hot

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5  Working in batches carefully arrange 5-8 tortilla pieces in hot oil; cook 1 minute or until golden in color

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6 Using long kitchen tongs, turn pieces; cook 1 additional minute

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7 Using tongs remove golden pieces from oil ; arrange hot pieces standing up on wire cookie rack allowing excess oil to drip onto paper towel

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8 Repeat steps 5-7 with remaining tortillas

9 Working in batches of 4-5, toss hot tortillas in cinnamon sugar mixture, coat all sides; reserve

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10 Transfer reserved ricotta mixture to serving bowl, sprinkle top with chocolate morsels and optional candy pieces; place bowl in center of serving platter

11  Arrange cinnamon sugar tortillas around bowl on serving platter

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Fresh Ricotta can be purchased at J. Pace & Sons, in Saugus Ma. 

Note~Tortillas can be made up to 1 day ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature and the ricotta mixture can be prepared and stored refrigerated in airtight container up to 3 days

Rocky Neck Fire Report 12/13/13

The Gloucester fire department received a call reporting a building fire on Rocky Neck Ave. Upon arrival firefighters found a 2 story wood framed workshop fully charged with smoke. Crews vented the 2nd floor of heat and smoke by breaking out windows and it was found to be fully involved with fire. Firefighters stretched a hose line up the ladder well to the 2nd floor and quickly knocked down the main body of fire. Due to a significant amount of contents firefighting personnel remained on scene sifting through the workshop for hot spots to prevent against a rekindle. Crews from Headquarters and West Gloucester responded while the crew from Bay View covered the city. The workshop and it’s contents were destroyed by the fire and there was 1 minor injury reported as the frigid conditions turned the water from the firefighter’s hose lines almost immediately into ice and created very slippery conditions. One firefighter reported neck and shoulder pain from a slip and fall. The property is owner reported he was on the 2nd floor in the workshop when he noticed it filling with smoke. Upon his investigation he found smoke and fire coming from the 1st floor wall in the area of an operating wood stove. He stated that he attempted to extinguish the fire himself before calling the fire department but was unsuccessful. An investigation determined the fire was unintentional and originated on the first floor in the interior wall around the area where the wood stove vents to the exterior and was most likely caused by years of pyrolysis.Deputy Chief Stephen Aiello 12/14/13 Stephen M. Aiello, Deputy ChiefGloucester Fire Department8 School StreetGloucester, MA. 01930

Photos from Bill OConnor
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GMG Holiday Party 2013

It was a very successful GMG Holiday Party.  This is the  party near it's peak.
It was a very successful GMG Holiday Party. This is the party near it’s peak.
Her is GMG contributor Ed Collard, sporting my Mako Shark jaw.
Here is GMG contributor Ed Collard, sporting my Mako Shark jaw.

Margaret Atwood Quote of the Week From Greg Bover

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13 December, 2013

“Another belief of mine: that everyone else my age is an adult, whereas I am merely in disguise.”

Margaret Atwood  (1939 –     )

Born in Canada to parents engaged in the study of forest entomology, Atwood spent much of her youth in the woods and did not attend school full time until she was a teenager. A voracious reader, she ultimately graduated from the University of Toronto with a degree in English and the goal of becoming a writer. She did several years of postgraduate work at Radcliffe and Harvard, but did not finish her dissertation. Her poetry began to receive widespread notice in the 1960’s, but her novel The Handmaid’s Tale (1981) propelled her to celebrity status, winning the Arthur C. Clarke and Governor General’s award, and making her an icon of the feminist movement. Other works of speculative fiction, Oryx and Crake, (2003) and The Blind Assassin (2000) have won her the Booker Prize and the Dan David Prize, as well as a long list of honorary doctorates at prestigious institutions including Smith, Harvard, Oxford and the Sorbonne. Atwood is well regarded in humanist and liberal circles and is a member of the Green Party of Canada.

MLK DAY OF SERVICE – Y TEEN ROCK TO RE-STOCK!

For the 17th year, the teens and advisors from our Y TEEN LEADERS CLUB will be rocking in rocking chairs for 24-sleepless hours for our ROCKATHON TO FEED CAPE ANN’S HUNGRY.  We’ll all be in our rockers from 8am Saturday – 8am Sunday of MLK weekend (with short 10-minute breaks allowed)

With the need in our community growing, our teens are steadfastly committed to making this our biggest event ever!  With more than 45 active club members, we’ve already collected and delivered more than 1600 items in the past couple weeks!  Each member has personally committed to collect no-less-than 150 items toward our “reach goal” 15,000!

100% of Food Donations will go to Open Door, St. Vincent DePaul Society and directly to families in need.

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

     *  Please consider any or all of the following:

                  – honoring this supreme effort with your donation of non-perishable food items (financial donations will be forwarded to OPEN DOOR)

                  – donating a rocking chair you don’t want (at this time we are looking for “keepers” to build our fleet)

                  – help spread the word of this selfless effort by a great team of local teens

For more information, please contact Rick Doucette Executive Director of Teen & Camp Services, doucetter@northshoreymca.org

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2013 Middle Street Walk Schedule- Don’t Be a Frickin’ Grinch- Participate!!!

If the Middle Street Walk doesn’t get you in the mood for the Holidays then you have a heart of stone plain and simple.

Might as well paint your face green, strap a mangy dog to the front of a sleigh and go around stealing little kid’s presents.
Don’t be this guy-
grinchParticipate!

Thank Bill OConnor for producing this readable, searchable program-

2013 Middle Street Walk Schedule of Events

Saturday, December 14, 2013

When Where and What
8 am – 6 pm Gloucester Boy Scout Troop #112 will be selling Christmas Trees on the Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church lawn, Saturday and Sunday from 8am to 6pm
9 am-4:30 pm Saunders House, Sawyer Free Library

  • seARTS Wearable Art Holiday Show& Sale
    • (and Sunday from Noon to 4pm)
  • Raffle drawing to be held on Sunday at 3:30pm to benefit Sawyer Free Library
  • Raffle tickets sold at Saunders House and Library, Middle Street entrance of Sawyer Free Library 3pm
10 am- 2 pm Sawyer Free LibraryPresentation of History of WPA Murals and Samuel Sawyer
10 am
to
3 pm
Gloucester City Hall

  • 10am – Welcome and Launch in the Auditorium
  • Festival Headquarters for information and buttons
  • Committee for the Arts will sell postcards of City Hall’s WPA Murals and have a table with information on City Hall Restoration efforts.
  • The Gingerbread House Contest Display – winner will be announced in Kyrouz Auditorium at 1pm.
  • Girl Scouts Troop #60235 – Bake/Cocoa Sale
  • The Phyllis A. Marine Association will have an information table and Ship’s Store.
  • Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church – Popcorn & Lunch Ticket Sales
  • ‘Community of Neighborhoods’ Quilts from the Rose Baker Senior Center
  • Cape Ann Museum – Folly Cove Designers inspired family ornament making and Museum Pop-Up Store
10 am-3 pm Trinity Congregational Church of Gloucester
Cape Ann Thrift Shop Seasonal Goods Sale.Cape Ann YMCA
Open house, kids activities, face painting and craftsSargent House Museum
Visitors can shop holiday Christmas decorations, enjoy seasonal foods and browse the museum gift shop for holiday gifts and treats
10 am-4 pm Cape Ann Art Haven

  • Join a community art creation! Help create a Giant Ice Sculpture (ice courtesy of Cape Pond Ice)
  • Buoy Painting for Lobster Trap Tree All Day

Sargent House Museum
Open House decorated for the season, Holiday Goodies & Seasonal Gifts.

10:30 am Trinity Congregational Church of Gloucester
Performance – Bell Ringers
11 am Sawyer Free Library
Magic by Matthew Cushman – Magician to the Red Sox
11 am – 4 pm Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church
Make your own s’mores, coffee and cocoa for sale on the Church lawn!
11 am-2 pm Gloucester City HallTours of City Hall Tower on the half hour by Maggie Rosa, Chair of City Hall Restoration Committee.Guided Tours of Middle Street

11:30 am Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church
Tour of this historic churchGloucester City Hall Auditorium
Live performance – Cape Ann Big Band
11:30 am – 1:30 pm Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church
Lunch with 2 menus:

  • Historic New England – Clam Chowder, corn bread & gingerbread cookie – $10
  • Modern New England – Fenway Frank, Cape Cod chips & brownie – $5
12 pm Trinity Congregational Church of Gloucester
Concert – Plum Cove Singers
12-2 pm Middle Street Trolley Rides
Featuring the Songbirds and a Holiday Sing Along, courtesy of CATA.
12:30 pm Gloucester City Hall Auditorium
“Mixed Bag of Nuts”:

  • Christmas Carol Singing
  • Collection for ‘Toys for Tots’

Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church
Tour of this historic church

1 pm Saint John’s Episcopal Church
‘A Children’s Holiday’ with the Rockport and Annisquam youth choir singing music for the season
1 -3 pm A Visit with Santa at Brown’s Mall
1:30 pm Trinity Congregational Church of Gloucester
Concert – with Louis Stella (piano), Mary Jane Fabanio (cello), Jeanine Lynch (flute) and Robert Heinaman (French horn)Gloucester City Hall

Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church
Tour of this historic church

2 pm Gloucester Unitarian Universalist Church
Concert – Elementary and Middle School String Group & Band and Gloucester High School Chorus
2:30 – 3:30 pm Temple Ahavat Achim
Tour and Q&A Session with Rabbi LewisSargent House Museum
Scenes from Judith Sargent Murray’s play “The Medium”, staged by the North Shore Folklore Theatre Co.
3 pm Sawyer Free Library

  • seArts drawing
  • Concert: What Time is it Mr. Fox? Trio
3:30 – 5 pm Art Gallery Open Houses – Pleasant & Main Streets
Visit All four Galleries and Win a Prize:

  • The Hive
  • State of the Art Gallery
  • Law and Water Gallery
  • Trident Gallery
4:30pm Cape Ann Art Haven & Gloucester Police Station Plaza
Lighting of the Holiday Lobster Trap Tree and a visit from Santa!

Chocolate Amaretto Truffle Recipe

A fun to make and relatively easy recipe, Chocolate Amaretto Truffles make a wonderful host/hostess gift and also easily freeze for make-ahead gifts. I am bringing a batch to the GMG Holiday Party tonight at Fred Bodin’s gallery and hope to see you there!

Choclolate Amaretto Truffles ©Kim Smith 2011

Ingredients

Mini baking cups

2 ounces Baker’s sweet German chocolate, broken into small bits

6 ounces Ghiradelli semi-sweet chocolate chips

¼ C. Disaronno Amaretto liqueur

2 Tbs. strong coffee

Few drops almond extract

2 ounces (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened

1 Tbs. vanilla extract

½ C. pulverized Jules Destrooper almond thins (or Anna’s, or any super fine, thin cookie)

Confectioner’s sugar to taste (approx. ¼ cup)

½ C. Ghiradelli unsweetened cocoa powder for final powdering

*   *   *

Melt sweet chocolate bits and semi-sweet chocolate chips over a gently simmering double boiler.

Whisk in liqueur, coffee, almond extract, and vanilla. Whisk vigorously, over gentle heat, a few minutes more until mixture is shiny and smooth. Gradually add the butter by tablespoons. With a wooden spoon, beat in the pulverized cookies. Beat in sifted confectioner’s sugar, to taste. Remove the pan from the double boiler and place in a bowl of ice with water. Stir until well chilled and firm enough to form into balls.

By teaspoonful, gather up a gob and form into a rough, truffle-like shape. Roll in cocoa powder and drop into frilled paper cup.

Makes about 22, depending on size. Refrigerate in an airtight container. They will keep for several weeks or they may be frozen. Very loosely adapted from Julia Child’s Chocolate Amaretti Truffles The Way to Cook Page 485.

I think you will find this recipe relatively easy. Let us know if you give it a try.

Reposted from December 2011.

Treats From Sista’s Kitchen For GMG Holiday Party Tonight!

PrintLooking Forward to celebrating with GMG FOB’s Tonight at Bodin Historic Photo on Main Street in Gloucester. Just packed up some delights highlighted in this months Cape Ann Magazine !

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Italian Nachos

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Sista Felicia’s Holiday Torrone Candy

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Hope to see you there tonight!

Fish on Fridays

The Fish on Fridays series is a collaboration between Gloucester photographers Kathy Chapman and Marty Luster. Look for various aspects of Gloucester’s centuries-old fishing industry highlighted here on Fridays.

This week we have something a little different on our plate.

Gloucester’s fishing industry has many components, most of which we have explored over the past year. We’ve visited fishing vessels, spoken with captains and crew, talked to boat owners, reported on fish processing, preparation and cuisine, described the species that are caught, prepared and served here in Gloucester and touched upon the state of the industry and its future.

Left out of the discussion until now has been the “back office,” the place where orders are placed and filled, fishing activities are tracked, prices are established, records maintained and distribution is begun. The office at Intershell Seafood is not that much different from those of other businesses, but it is the less public aspect of the fishing industry and we thought you would enjoy a glimpse of this vital part of the industry that always ends with a question: “What have you got for sale today?”

Our thanks to Paul Movalli, Yebing Rome, Ruby Xie and Chris Blankenbaker at Intershell for their hospitality and cooperation.

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Photos © Kathy Chapman 2013
http://www.kathychapman.com

Video © Marty Luster 2013
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Everyone Loves Happy Hour, Especially when it is Two and Free

happy hour

This weekend the Rocky Neck Holiday Art & Fine Crafts festival continues Sat. & Sun. from noon to 4:00, with a Happy Hour Party on Sunday, 12/15 from 3-5:00pm.  Typical Happy Hour fare, beer, wine and a special festive holiday concoction that will warm the cockles of your heart, fingers, toes and other parts that might need warming.

The festival features over 2,500 items by Rocky Neck Art Colony members, many ranging in price from $4 to $50, for a relaxing, unique and fun local shopping and party experience.

E.J. Lefavour

In the face of a storm! The Green Monster!

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Even as a storm gets ready to blanket Cape Ann, there are clear signs of hope around! 59 Days until Spring Training!!

Get your Cape Ann Solstice tickets tomorrow at the Middle Street Walk

Tomorrow is what Winter in Gloucester is all about.  Stroll downtown from 8am – 4pm and take in our historic city’s wonderful, eclectic architecture, do some shopping, eat, make an ice sculpture — or s’mores, listen to music, sing carols, (see music schedule) take some tours — you can even get a tree (see full Middle Street Walk event schedule).  Plus you can get your Cape Ann Solstice tickets at City Hall and the Unitarian Universalist Church.  Don’t wait until the last minute — and don’t say we didn’t warn you.  If you can’t get downtown tomorrow, get tickets here.

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The Toy Drive is Still On

Yesterday’s marathon toy drive led by Senator Bruce Tarr and broadcast on North Shore 104.9 brought in lots of toys and cash donations, but it’s not over yet.  If you missed the opportunity to donate a toy yesterday, you can drop one off at any of the collection spots through next Friday, December 20.  See a list of collection spots here.

Here’s a wonderful PSA created by Cape Ann TV featuring local budding movie stars!

December 14, 2013, Middle Street Walk

At the Middle Street Walk this Saturday the 14th, the four galleries of the Pleasant & Main Art Zone — The Hive, Law and Water Gallery, State of the Art Gallery II, and Trident Gallery, will be holding an Open House from 3:30-5:00pm, surrounding the time of the lighting of the lobster buoy Christmas tree at the police station plaza next to Trident Gallery. The galleries will be offering refreshments (Trident Gallery will have cookies and hot chocolate), and each gallery will be distributing one part of a souvenir, the Pleasant & Main Art Zone Art Cube, which can be assembled by those who visit all the galleries.
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