GMG Contributor Donna Ardizzoni and her adorable Grandchildren came over this morning to learn how to make Pizzelle. I absolutely love when the kids climb up onto my kitchen island and help me cook!
Tag: Eats
Fried Artichoke
A few weeks ago as I waited in line for some cuts of meat from the butcher, during my weekly shop at Joe Pace & Son in Saugus Ma., , I spotted a childhood favorite displayed on top of the deli counter….marinated artichokes! Immediately my brain became flooded with dozens of recipe ideas, and became so excited, that I could feel butterflies in my stomach. I could not wait to get home an crack open that can and start cooking.
Fried Artichokes
Ingredients
1 Can Roman Artichokes with stem
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
3 cup Sicilian Breadcrumbs (recipe in my cookbook, “Gifts Of Gold”on page 201)
1/2 cup milk
2 large eggs
La Spagnola Oil (for frying)
4 paper towels
Step-by-Step
1 In pie plate,combine flour salt and pepper; mix well; reserve
2 Whisk eggs and milk together in separate pie plate; reserve
3 Stack 3 paper towels on flat work surface; arrange each artichoke on top; absorb excess oil with remaining paper towel
4 Cut each artichoke in half lengthwise
5 Carefully coat all sides of each artichoke half, generously with seasoned flour mixture
6 Immediately dip and coat all sides with egg wash
7 Generously coat flour and egg washed artichoke pieces with Sicilian Breadcrumbs
8 Heat 4 cups La Spagnola Oil in large frying pa; using kitchen tongs and working in small batches, carefully arrange 3-4 artichoke pieces into hot oil
9 Fry 2-3 minute, turn pieces; cook 2-3 minutes or until all sides are golden in color
10 Cool and drain excess oil on cookie rack lined cookie sheet; serve warm with your favorite dipping sauce
A special Note from Sista~
I have received a few new Sista Felicia recipe photos sent in from GMG FOB Cooks this week… keep them coming … I will be posting them once per week…they are looking great !
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Sista’s Helpful Tips…Where To Buy Vanilla Baking Powder
In 1972 brothers Gus and Frank Sclafani, made their way from Sicily to America settling here in Gloucester. As young adults, and new to this country they set out together to live the American dream finding employment on the working waterfront at my paternal grandfathers Warf, Capt. Joey & Sons. While the brothers, worked off loading fish from day boats at the dock, their mother worked nearby on the assembly line at Capt. Joe & Sons, cleaning and packing fresh fish. In 1980 Frank and Gus’s father purchased the store front on the corner of Washington Street and Gould Court, from my maternal grandfather “Joseph Ciaramitaro, AKA Joe Popcorn,” and opened the doors of Sclafani’s Bakery. Two years latter Frank and Gus left their jobs on the dock behind, and took over their fathers’ bread business. Today they continue to work sisde by side daily making their families famous Italian bread recipe at that same location. Over the years in our Sicilian community, their store has become one of two remaining local go to places to shop for Italian pantry staple items. They have a fantastic assortment of Italian specialty ingredients: imported cheeses, dried pasta, Italian cookies, and olive oils, are just a few examples of items one can find among their famous Italian bread and fresh breadcrumbs. I personally shop there several times a week, and enjoy chatting with Gus and Frank about cooking Sicilian foods. While I was writing my cookbook, Frank, Gus and I had several conversations, about different Italian ingredients that were hard to find. One day I ask Gus if he could add Vanilla Baking Powder to their stock list, and he agreed to look into it for me. The very next week, Gus proudly showed me the new display of Vanilla Baking Powder adjacent to the cash register. So now when your making one of my recipes from my newly released cookbook ” Gifts of Gold In A Sicilian Kitchen with Sista Felicia, Harvest” you know where to go to purchase it. Don’t forget to tell Gus and Frank Sista Felicia sent you in!
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Bean Curds. Really?
So Kim Smith asks if I’d like her to pick up lunch today. My cousin Joe Marcantonio a while back suggested I try out the Chinese restaurant on Washington St- Midori.
So wanting to step outside of the box a little I suggest to Kim Smith that she pick up something from Midori but not something deep fried and greasy.
She suggests some veggies with bean curds.
Now I ask you. Who in the world would make this kind of suggestion outside of the obvious Kim Smith?
Bean curds? As in some farmer feeds his cows beans and they collect the been laden feces and make it into bean curds?
Uhmmm no thanks Kim. Think I’ll take a pass on the bean curds and veggies.
Bean curds?
Only commies eat bean curds. Mark my words. Next time you hear someone order bean curds in a restaurant you can rest assured they’re a commie.
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The Gift That Keeps On Giving
It feels like Christmas every time I receive a GMG comment, email, or Facebook message from GMG’s FOB regarding one of my recipes or post! When I decided to share my recipes and passion for cooking with the public I never realized how my “Gifts Of Gold” would become a gift that keeps on giving. I had hoped to inspire all ages to get into their kitchen and break through their fairs, and unlock the mysteries of cooking, but I had no idea they would turn into gifts of my own. Thank you for taking the time to share your comments, and photos of dishes that you created from my easy Step-by-Step tutorials. They warm my heart and bring a smile to face every day…keep them coming!
Cathy Kelley~ AKA…my incredibly talented book designer and friend, sent in her photo of her Walnut Cups she made this past weekend from the pages of “Gifts Of Gold In A Sicilian Kitchen with Sista Felicia”. They look perfect…Nice job Cathy! Thank you for sharing.
Melissa Joy Teixeira~ Resident of Gloucester, and current School Committee member tagged me in this photo on Facebook of her Pork tenderloin with Vidalia Onion Fig Sauce, Straight from the pages of “Gifts of Gold”…Beautiful presentation! Thank you for sharing.
Ellyse Hamlin~ Sent in from CT, One of America’s top teenage USTA Tennis Players, and dear friend of my daughter Amanda sent her beautiful photo of a recipe posted last week on GMG, “Pumpkin Caramel Cookie Bark”…She made my day…Loved seeing her creative talents on and off the tennis court!
Lainie Noble~ Eldest Daughter of Steve and Dee Noble owners of Noble Electric, sent me text message at 11:00 pm Saturday evening, whipping up a batch of Grandpa Joe’s Italian Ricotta Donuts as a late night snack for her friends during a sleepover with he BFF’s…Awesome Job Lainie! I heard that they were gone in minutes.
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Sista’s Helpful Tips
Today I thought I’d take todays post as an opportunity to answer the mystry question about where one can purchase Fig Filling. If your questioning why one might be asking then you must not have purchased a copy of my cookbook yet. For those who have, I thank you very much for your support and hope your enjoying every page! My recipe for Pork Tenderloin with Vidalia Onion Fig Sauce on page 196 includes fig filling in the list of ingredients, many folks are writing in asking where it is sold. I have seen it in many grocery stores but the other day while I was shopping at Market Basket I noticed the Fig Filling on the shelf, and took out my phone and snapped this photo to clarify it’s exact location in the store to make your life a little easier. Fig filling can be found at the far end of aisle #7 .
Happy Shopping …I know what I’m making for Sunday Dinner this week!
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It’s Peanut Butter Jelly Time
Have you had a day when a song is stuck in your head like Peanut Butter Jelly Time…
It recently happened to me. With peanut butter and jelly on my mind, the craving for it followed. I Googled recipes containing peanut butter & jelly and found hundreds of the same-old-same-old cookies and dessert bars. After refining my search I came across this recipe for PB&J Cookies and went straight to the store for the supplies….the results were outstanding and I now keep the supplies on hand in my pantry at all times. This is a perfect recipe that can be whipped up and on the table in minutes. While enjoying every bite of my PB&J Cookie, I could feel my creative juices start to flow and the Sista Felicia PB&J Caramel Apple was created!
Sista Felicia’s PB&J Caramel Apples
Ingredient
2 cups packed brown sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter cut into pieces
1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
2/3 cup dark corn syrup
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon molasses
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
12 Gala Apple
12 wooden popsicle sticks
1 fine or medium grit sandpaper
1 lb. peanut butter flavored chocolate wafers
1 lb. purple colored chocolate wafers
1/4 teaspoon LorAnn grape flavored Candy Flavoring (can be found at any craft/candy supple store)
12 PB&J Cookies (see recipe below)
Step-by-Step
1 Make Peanut Butter & Jelly Cookies; reserve (see recipe below)
2 In 2 1/2 quart sauce pan combine first eight ingredients; stir over medium low heat until sugar dissolves and butter is completely melted
3 Secure one popsicle stick into the stem side of each Apple; gently rub sandpaper along the sides of each Apple removing wax this step will help adhere caramel all to apples
4 Attached candy thermometer to side of pan increase heat to medium-high; use pastry brush and water to remove sugar crystals from the sides of pan to avoid burning
5 Bring mixture to rolling boil until candy thermometer reads 230° soft ball stage stirring constantly
6 Carefully transfer hot, two mixing bowl; Attach candy thermometer to side of bowl; cool caramel to 200°
7 In two separate double boiler pans melt chocolate completely; turn heat off; add grape flavoring to purple chocolate; mix well
8 Line 2 cookie sheets with aluminum foil; lightly coat foil with cooking spray
9 Place 12 PB&J cookies flat side down on one cookie sheet 2 inches apart
10 Dip each Apple in Caramel; in a rolling motion twists Apple until excess caramel drips off and Caramel is evenly distributed around each apple; immediately place on greased aluminum foil lined cookie sheet; rest 5 to 10 minutes until caramel is set
11 Carefully peel each apple from aluminum foil; and smooth caramel on bottom side of each Apple
12 Dip apple into grape flavored purple chocolate turn Turn pink coat bottom Half of apple in warm chocolate; place on greased aluminum foil cookie sheet; cool 5 minutes
13 Dip apple in peanut butter flavored chocolate one quarter of the way up the sides of each Apple; Immediately place Apple onto a PB&J cookie
14 Transfer remaining purple grape flavored chocolate into disposable plastic pastry bag
15 Transfer remaining peanut butter flavored chocolate into disposable plastic pastry bag
16 Make small cut at ends of H disposable pastry bag; drizzle chocolates over sides and tops of each Apple; pipe small dollop of chocolate at top of each Apple; fix one miniature Reesie’s peanut butter cup and one half PB&J cookie on top; cool completely at room temperature
PB & Jelly Cookies
Ingredients
1 white cake mix
½ cup salted butter melted
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 heaping cup mini Reeses Peanut Butter Cup candies
1 3.25 oz. premium Dark Chocolate Raspberry filled candy bar, broken into pieces (I used Market Basket brand)
Step by Step
-
Combine cake mix, butter, eggs, and vanilla in a bowl, using a large spoon, mix well until creamy batter forms
-
Add peanut butter cups and raspberry filled candy bar pieces, mix well (candy bar pieces will break up in the mixing process…that’s a good thin
-
Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper
-
Using a 1 inch cookie scoop, place scant balls of chilled cookie batter ½ inch apart on prepared cookie sheet
-
In preheated 350 degree oven bake 12 minutes; cool 10 minutes before serving
*Yields approximately 2 dozen cookies
Happy Halloween!
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Sunday Dinner
Pasta with Baby Clams
Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup sweet onion diced
5 large garlic cloves minced
9.5 ounce whole baby clams in their own juice
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes in tomato juices
28 oz can San Marzano Peeled Tomatoes
1 can diced tomatoes with their juices
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup basil roughly chopped
1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley roughly chopped
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
Step by Step
1 Heat olive oil in large frying pan over high heat; add garlic, onions, ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper; saute 2-3 minutes until onions are translucent
2 Puree San Marzano tomatoes; add to frying pan; mix well
3 Add diced tomatoes, whole baby clams and their juices; mix well; add red pepper flakes ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper and white wine; cook 20 minutes; stir often
5 In a large pot, bring several cups of water to a rolling boil; add 1 teaspoon kosher salt return to boil; add 1 lb. linguine pasta; cook pasta al dente 9-11 minutes; strain in large colander
6 Add basil and parsley to sauce; mix well
7 Plate pasta in serving bowl; ladle hot sauce over pasta; top with Parmesan cheese
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Willow Rest From Cat Ryan
Yummy lunch and lots to look at! Rusty Kinnunen linocuts on exhibit along with other creative folks work. His linos range $25- $80, editions from 20 to 50, lobster, beaches, boats, whales…
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Video- North Shore Cupcake
Alright Kiddies You Wanna Buy Sista Felicia’s Cookbook? She’s Now Got Her Online Store Set Up!
Click Here To Go To Sista Felicia’s Online Store To Buy Her Cookbook
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Sunday Dinner At Sista Felicia’s
Flowers courtesy John McElhenny 
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Thanks For Lunch Bex!
Protein, light and packed with flavor. Killer lunch!
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Ohana Block Party Grub-Yum!
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Some Saturday Night Sailor Stan’s Chowder House Action
Featuring Sunny Fishcakes revue and Some Fantastic Glosta Cookin!
Chowder House At Sailor Stans With The FAM https://t.co/RuG6SFHtk5
— Joey_C (@Joey_C) August 4, 2013
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Sista Felicia’s Cookbook Just Went over 100 Books Sold
If you would like to reserve your copy click here (guys, think perfect Holiday or Birthday present) you can reserve your copy now and have a back up present ready to go in the inevitable situation when you forget.
Here’s the link-
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/95596299/sista-felicias-sicilian-cookbook?ref=category
Click to check out her video produced by our boy Craig Kimberley-
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You’ve been Hearing About It For 2 Years- Sista Felicia’s Cookbook Kickstarter is Finally Live!!!!!!
Click here to check it out and reserve yours
Check out the video and reserve your copy today!!!
A unique & colorful cookbook that will bring to life lost recipes & traditions from my Sicilian kitchen to yours. My Gifts of Gold!
Funds raised through Kickstarter will allow me to realize the first step in my dream of publishing a series of four cookbooks that includes recipes and stories I learned growing up in a Sicilian family. When I became a mother of twins, I was compelled to collect the stories and the recipes I felt were being left behind because I wanted my children to be raised with all the same traditions and rich cultural heritage I had experienced.
What started out as a gift for my children quickly evolved into a hardcover 250 plus page restoration of Sicilian culture and foods. Through my cooking videos onGoodMorningGloucester.org and Media Program Network (MPN), a demand has developed for a text copy version of all my recipes so they may be shared with others within my community and beyond.
My first book is ready for print; it is written, is loaded with photographs, and awaits funding. Monies raised will pay for current expenses related to editing, book design and layout, photography, and publication.
With your help, Kickstarter will enable me to bring my passion for all things Sicilian to your kitchen to share with your loved ones. This book embodies my commitment to ensure the past is not lost but is forever saved for future generations.
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Dramatic Come From Behind Win For Newly Crowned GMG Gloucester Steak Bomb Champ Destinos!!!!
After four rounds it looked like Captain Hooks Had It In The Bag But in the Final Taste Round (accounting for 40% of the scores) Destinos Pulled Out A Dramatic Come From Behind Win.
We had Bex, Chris DeWolfe, Kim Smith and Brianmoc go in for the sub pick-ups last night. Brought the subs in and weighed and recorded the weights and sequestered the judges in a separate room while we marked each sub Sub A, Sub B, Sub C and Sub D to insure no bias and a blind tasting.
Judges Ed Collard, Chris DeWolfe, Brian O’Connor and Craig Kimberley took their judging duty very seriously. The one part I would say would not be a fair comparison is Cape Ann brewing based on price since their price includes fries, slaw and a pickle. However even if you threw the value category out Cape Ann Brewing would have come in last.
Captain Hooks wins People Choice with far and away most number of nominations.
Overall Best Gloucester Steak Bomb Challenge winner Based on Value, Taste, Packaging, Lack of Sogginess and Equal Distribution of Meat is Destinos.
Once again it was noted by all four judges that each one of these subs was a winner. To be nominated out of all the incredible sub shops in Gloucester is in itself a testament to how great each one of these Steak Bombs are and Cape Ann Brewing, Captain Hooks, Leonardos and Destinos all deserve accolades
Thanks To Mamie’s Kitchen for providing a neutral stage for judging. Thanks to our sub picker uppers. thanks to Kim Smith for filming (look for her awesome video Thursday).
You’d be happy to patronize any of these fine eateries. Today at Mamie’s Kitchen Chris will be serving up his killer Cheese Steak Sub in honor of yesterday’s competition.
The scoring sheet from last night-
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Market Basket Steak Bomb. Reg Price $6.99
Note the ingredients
1.27lbs
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THIS is the place to get your Frozen Yogurt- Café Bishco- and it isn’t even close!
I’m an idiot (surely no surprise to anyone who reads here regularly)
All spring we’ve been heading to Pinkberry for our Frozen Yogurt and paying out the butt when all along under our noses Café Bishco has been serving better FROYO with MORE topping choices for WAY LESS MONEY.
People had mentioned it when we broke the news about Orange Leaf coming to town but I’m noot sure why it didn’t register (probably that whole Joey’s and idiot thing again)
But let me tell you this- my FROYO was at least double the size I get at Pinkberry for at least 30% less money.
And the laundry list of stuff they will put in there is wayyyyy longer than the list they have at Pinkberry.
Get your Froyo ass on down and see what I’m talking about.
Good Morning Gloucester 