grilled chicken spiedini

I love this recipe for the great flavors and for the convenience of being able to make them in the morning and throwing them on the grill for dinner. My boys and husband love these. It is my oldest son’s favorite dinner. I usually make up extra of the breading and use some veal cutlets in this recipe too. I also double this recipe as they disappear so fast!

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves or chicken cutlets
• 2/3 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
• 1/3 grated pecorino Romano cheese
• 2 Tbs chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
• 3-4 tsp lemon zest
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Good quality mozzarella (not shredded or sliced)
• Fresh bay leaves or fresh basil
• Olive oil
• Melted butter

1. Place chicken breasts between sheets of plastic wrap and pound until very thin. If you are using the cutlets, they do not need to be pounded.

2. Combine bread crumbs, cheese parsley, lemon zest and garlic

3. In another bowl combine even amounts of olive oil and butter

4. Dip chicken into butter mixture and then into the bread crumb mixture

5. Place a chunk of the mozzarella on the meat and roll up tight

6. Slice into 1 inch thick pieces

7. Skewer, using two skewers on each end of the meat to keep it from turning. Using two will make it easier to turn and handle on the grill, as the chicken won’t just roll around the skewer. Skewer the bay leaves around the chicken.

8. Grill over med hot coals, covered, and cook about 5 minutes per side. I use charcoal and have a bottle of water handy for any flare-ups.

It is very important to use fresh ingredients in this recipe. Do not use dry parsley, garlic powder etc. Do not leave out the lemon zest…It is the key ingredient!

roast leg of lamb for Easter

While some recipes call for boneless legs that may be stuffed and rolled, I find that this recipe keeps more flavor of the lamb with the bone in. For a great holiday lamb, this is the best. It may take some time, but your guests will rave over it, I promise!

• 6 pound leg of lamb
• Salt
• 1 ½ Tablespoons of dried rosemary
• 4-6 garlic cloves cut into medium size pieces
• 1 ½ Cups good olive oil
• 2 cups chopped onions
• 2 cups chopped carrots
• Cups chopped celery 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ cups dry white wine
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups hand crushed, canned, imported San Marzano Italian plum tomatoes
• Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 F.Trim the lamb of fat. Generously salt and season the lamb with rosemary, pushing the seasonings into all the crevices. Do the same with the garlic, make little slits, and push the garlic into the slits. You can use more garlic if you prefer.

Heat oil in a large, heavy bottomed roasting pan over medium heat on top of the stove. Add the lamb and roast in preheated oven for 30 minutes.Stir in the onions,carrots, and celery and roast for another 20 minutes or until vegetables are beginning to brown.

Remove pan from the oven and lift the lamb onto a plate. Lower oven temp to 350 degrees Farenheight.Drain the vegetable through a fine sieve, allowing all excess oil to drain off. Return drained veggies to the pan. Stir in the flour and combine. Stir in the wine. Add chicken broth and tomatoes and mix together well.

Return the lamb to the roasting pan, and roast for another 20 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 155 degrees, for medium.Remove lamb to serving platter. Pour all the vegetable liquid through a fine sieve into a saucepan, pushing on the vegetable to get all the flavors and juice out. Place the gravy over medium heat and bring to a boil. Taste, and add salt and pepper if needed.

Pour the gravy over the lamb and serve, or serve the gravy on the side.

panzanella

This is a great salad where the bread is the star. Great lunch time meal, and so full of flavor. I always make this when I have left over Italian bread.

• 8 Cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• 1 cucumber, peeled and sliced
• 1 small red onion, sliced thin
• 1 clove garlic, smashed, peeled, and chopped fine
• 1 cup torn fresh basil leaves
• 1 1/2 cups extra virgin olive oil
• 3-4 tbs balsamic vinegar
• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6-8 thick slices of Italian bread, (crusty baguette, or day old bread, not too soft) torn into bite size pieces
• fresh grated parmesan

In a large bowl, put the tomatoes, cucumber, onion, garlic and basil. Drizzle with the olive oil and then pour in both vinegars, add salt and pepper to taste, and toss well. Refrigerate for one hour. Adjust the seasonings as needed. Add the bread and toss well.

If the bread is too dry, add a little more of the oil and vinegar and toss. Top with fresh grated parmesan cheese. Feel free to add whatever you have into this salad. I sometimes add red peppers, garbanzo beans, or cubed mozzarella. Whatever you have in the fridge, throw it in!! Don't let that stale bread go to waste!

THE BEST CAKE IN THE WORLD

I love love love this cake! I swear it will be your favorite if you try it. And if you bring it to someones house you will become famous for it!! If you don't like coconut than stop reading now...its in the filling. Personally anything that has chocolate and coconut in it is a winner for me. Make sure its really cold before you serve it..oh its so goooood!

Cream Cheese Chocolate Bit Ring Cake

2 Cups sugar
1 Cup oil
2 Eggs
3 Cups flour
3/4 Cup unsweetened cocoa
2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 cup hot coffee
1 cup sour milk (just squeeze some lemon juice in and let sit a few minutes you'll see it start to look funny)
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts

FILLING
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 pkg 8oz softened cream cheese
1 egg 1 pkg 6oz semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup flaked coconut

In a small bowl, beat sugar, vanilla and cream cheese and egg until smooth. Stir in coconut and chocolate chips
Set aside

In another bowl, mix together sugar, oil and eggs, beat 1 minute at hight speed. Add remaining ingredients except filling and nuts, beat 3 minutes at medium speed, scraping the bowl occasionally. Stir in nuts. Pour half of the batter into a greased 10 inch tube pan or bundt pan. Carefully soon prepared filling over batter, then top with remaining batter. Bake in 350 degree oven for 70-75 min. or until done. Cool upright in pan for 15 minutes. and then remove from pan. Cool completely and drizzle with glaze:

Glaze
1 cup confectionery sugar
2 TBS unsweetened cocoa
2 TBS butter melted
2 tsp vanilla
1-3 TBS hot water

Making gnocchi!

MAKING GNOCCHI WITH AUNT MIMI, MY BROTHER DANNY, AND MYSELF!







Set on trays and freeze. When frozen we seperate them and bag them..when ready to cook, we throw them into the water, still frozen, when they float they are done! Louie and the boys helped to seperate and bag them!

Aunt Teresa

This is my 80 year old Aunt Teresa talking about zeppole and easter bread! She is just too darn cute!

St. Joseph Day and Zeppole!

Every year Aunt Teresa makes zeppole and invites the family over to celebrate St. Joseph's day. Aunt Teresa is 80 years old, but she can run circles around most people half her age..and the woman is on no medications at all, shes in perfect health!! So heres a small peek into a family gathering with some pictures!! I have a video but had some problems loading it..maybe I'll have better luck tomorrow!
ZEPPOLE
UNCLE GENNARO
MY BROTHERS DANNY & VINNY


THE ZEPPOLE WITH HONEY AND POWDERED SUGAR

ST. JOSEPH