Lemon Meringue Pie...in Memory of Rosario

The most perfect and heavenly Lemon Meringue Pie...a true Southern delight!
photo, and recipe, courtesy of...What's Cooking America

Who would not love a tangy sweet, and sour perfect Lemon Meringue Pie?...certainly all of us would love this perfect Lemon Meringue Pie, including my ex-husband Rosario;

He has passed away since I wrote the last post on my blog, on New Year's Eve. It's been very painful since that time. He passed away peacefully, on Jan. 3rd. of 2013. His last wish for Christmas was to have Lemon Meringue Pie...which he has been given as a gift from a dear family friend. She made the most fabulous Lemon Meringue Pie and as a gift to Rosario, for the last 10 years.

Unfortunately, this year she was not able to make it for him, and as for me...I have not made it in decades...with Eagle Brand Condensed Milk..which worked just fine, but there is a better method of making this heavenly... all American Southern pie!

At this moment, I am in excruciating pain from Sciatica (a very painful low back nerve pain)...which has started after this weekend from Rosario's Memorial service...still not buried...will be buried overseas in Sicily (Italy),,,accompanied by our son Joe. I posted on 'facebook' ...but not have had the strength to post it on my blog, so far. I could barely walk from the pain, and nerve, shooting up and down my low-back, and leg...but it's starting to ease up a little.

I owe you, my blogger friends the explanation of why I have been absent from my blog for so long.Thank you for all your kind comments, and condolences on my facebook page. Lora has not been able to update her blog as well, since...fortunately for her, her in-laws from Italy came to the rescue to help in any way they can. They are so super sweet, and kind. We, now, can start to eat some delicious home-cooked meals for the next month!



I'm dedicating this awesome Lemon Meringue Pie, in memory of my ex-husband Rosario...father of our two beautiful children, and grandfather of our four beautiful grandchildren. The last time I made this fabulous pie, was with the Eagle Brand Condensed Milk recipe, but from now on, I will be following the traditional recipe. I picked my favorite recipe, from Alton Brown!

Ingredients

Lemon Filling:

• 4 egg yolks (reserve whites for meringue)
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1 (9-inch) pre-baked pie shell
• 1 recipe Meringue, recipe follows

Directions

Adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Whisk egg yolks in medium size mixing bowl and set aside.
In a medium saucepan, combine cornstarch, water, sugar, and salt. Whisk to combine. Turn heat on medium and, stirring frequently, bring mixture to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and gradually, 1 whisk-full at a time, add hot mixture to egg yolks and stir until you have added at least half of the mixture.
Return egg mixture to saucepan, turn heat down to low and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 more minute. Remove from heat and gently stir in butter, lemon juice, and zest until well combined. Pour mixture into pie shell and top with meringue while filling is still hot. Make sure meringue completely covers filling and that it goes right up to the edge of the crust. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until meringue is golden. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Make sure pie is cooled completely before slicing.

Meringue Topping:

• 4 egg whites
• 1 pinch cream of tartar
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Place egg whites and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form and then gradually add sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Use to top lemon filling.
Yield: topping for 1 (9-inch) pie

A New Year...a New You!

Yes, this is a New Year...and a New You...if you let it happen! I've been putting it off for the last 7 years and now, I've made the crucial decision! I want to be at my best, and I want to look amazing! ...that means, I have to lose 35 lbs...actually, 45 lbs! According to my daughter Lora, "how about 50 lbs?"...well, that means if I do lose 50lbs it would be my weight since high school! How many of you can really say you are at the same weight since high school?...I bet, not too many! As the years pass, the weight keeps creeping up...sad, but true!

We toasted to the New Year with a glass of nice pink Prosseco...

Had my bowl of  Hungarian/Italian style lentils made in the slow cooker...also, Lora's fabulous lasagne with the pumpkin, and the bechamel sauce...

Tonight...a large glass of Chardonnay (6 ozs.=2points) in the Weight Watchers system, and now...the Diet begins!

I purchased this amazing Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook...a 2006 edition, with fabulous recipes that are totally appealing, and delicious, and are perfect for today's lifestyle, if you are contiguously, thinking of healthier eating and making healthier choices...this is the best way to go about it! I actually bought this book at a favorite thrift store of ours, for $1.99 knowing that it retails for at least $32.00. Beautiful hard covered notebook, with the best, of the best light and easy recipes.

I joined Weight Watchers online, just since yesterday, and will probably have to sign up for their weekly meetings locally, in order to monitor, and maintain my weight loss! I already know my point system, and know how to figure out the points in order to lose weight, and I will be posting recipes from this book, for the next 90 days, and keep you posted of my weight loss results!
I made my own recipe, from 2 pieces of boneless chicken thighs, that I had in the freezer, to accompany with a nice dish of salad. The actual dish was 6 points, and I allowed myself 22 WW points in order to lose 35 lbs within the next 90 days!
Here's the recipe, I adapted my recipe from!


Southern Oven "Fried" Chicken

1/4 cup fat free buttermilk
1/4 cup cornflakes crushed
3 Tbsp all-purp flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 lbs. chicken parts, skinned
4 teaspoons canola oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a large baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
Pour the buttermilk into a large shallow bowl. On a sheet of wax paper, combine the cornflake crumbs, flour, salt, and pepper. Dip the chicken in buttermilk, then dredge in the cornflake mixture, coating completely. Place the chicken on the baking sheet; drizzle with the oil. Bake 30 minutes, then turn the chicken over. Bake until cooked through, 16-20 minutes longer.
Points value: 5

My version of my Boneless Baked Chicken Thighs...based on the WW recipe, using 2 boneless skinless chicken thighs, rubbed with Cajun Blackened spice, and 1 teaspoon each of extra virgin olive oil for the chicken thighs drizzled on, and dredge in 1/4 cup of Matzo Meal, also adding a dash of salt, and pepper. Bake in a 350 degree F. oven till crispy, and light brown for about 25-30 min. turning once. Serve it over a garden salad, topped with 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil, and white wine vinegar. Slicing the chicken, and serving it on top of the salad. Total points- 6


For my first day, I consumed 24 of my 22 allowed points, from breakfast to lunch, and dinner...not too bad for the first day! For breakfast, I had home made oatmeal with raisins, sweetened with Blue Agave organic nectar- 4 points. For lunch I had lentil soup from my huge pot of lentils, added more vegetable broth to make a nice soup- 4 points. For snack crackers, and peanut butter-3 points. Also, cashew peanuts for more snacks, another 2 points. I think I actually stayed within my point system, just have to keep a closer eye on it, and start to exercise, as well! Will keep you more informed of my progress!

Out With the Old...and In With the New Year!

Savory Stuffed Cabbage Rolls- click on the link, for the recipe!

With the new year quickly approaching upon us, where as in Australia, New Zealand, China, Malaysia, and Japan, already has celebrated the New Year 2012...we will be be doing the same, at midnight! I will be featuring some of my dishes from 2011 that in our Hungarian/Italian tradition we celebrate.Savory Stuffed Cabbage Rolls, or Sweet Stuffed Cabbage Rolls is our tradition, to start the New Year off. The ground meat stuffed cabbage, is made with beef, but the fresh sausage is pork, and pork is traditionally eaten, for good luck!

Italian Sausage with Grilled Cheddar Polenta-click on the link for recipe

Here's another suggestion: Italian Sausage with Grilled Cheddar Polenta. One of our very favorites, but if you're a vegetarian, you can omit the sausage...in fact, don't omit the sausage, just try the delicious polenta, filled with chopped jalapeno pepper, and grilled potatoes, onions, and zucchini, is sure to satisfy your hunger, and it's such a fabulous meal combination.

Garden Lentil Balls

No...these are not meatballs, they are actually Garden Lentil Balls and are packed with fresh gremolata, made with a combination of fresh herbs and fresh garlic, of course. Check for the recipe for the gremolata, as well. You can use lemon, in place of orange to make it traditional.You can also add Marinara sauce on top of these yummy lentil balls, and eat it as a main dish, with past

In Southern Italy, there is a tradition: OUT WITH THE OLD...meaning, on New Year's day, you throw out old objects, out the window, or over the balcony...just with caution!

Last...but not least, another Italian tradition, I don't know exactly which region it comes from, but listen to this one...WEAR RED UNDERWEAR!...yes, it's a tradition, but not just any old "ratty" red underwear, it has to be a new one!...most importantly, a gift from someone...LOL

...another suggestion for New Year's, is brunch... too early for breakfast, and maybe you want to chuck the suggested tradition, and go with BRUNCH!

Home fries-click on the link for recipe

There's nothing more comforting for a brunch than Home fries, bacon, scrambled eggs, or pancakes, waffles, and most comforting and so yummy, are the french toast!

Mark Bittman's Perfect Pancakes

 ...or how about these totally delicious and perfect pancakes...Mark Bittman's Perfect Pancakes. I was on a blueberry "kick, when I made these yummy pancakes! So amazing, really good!

It has been such a blessed year, with family, and friends, my life is fulfilled with such joy, you have all given me...by supporting my blog with all your sweet comments, love, and caring!

Wishing all of you a Very Happy New Year, in health and prosperity...with Love!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And days o’ lang syne!

Chorus:

For auld lang syne, my dear
For auld lang syne,
We’ll take a cup o’ kindness yet
For auld lang syne!

Italian Sausage with Grilled Cheddar Polenta, and a Giveaway

After posting my vegetarian spaghetti carbonara, now I feel so guilty...Not!...but I should be, for posting sausage of all things, but not just any sausage, this is homemade, by my favorite Italian meat market, Mario's that's been around forever...about 30 years, with the same owners, now the owner's daughter in charge. This is the sausage, hot, and mild, that I bought for New Year's and still had another 2 lbs left over. I invited a friend over for dinner last night, and she was appalled and I could tell just the sound of her voice saying..."sausage?"...and then, silence!

Oh, my! I committed the "Cardinal Sin"...yes, I said "sausage, Italian sausage"...in her mind, since she doesn't eat sausage, thinking I was making these "dinky little breakfast sausages"...or, as she said...is it "Jimmy Dean sausage patties?"...no silly homemade Italian sausage. Enough said, just come on over, and "stop complaining, already!" I recently, or actually the other day, browsing through my followers blogs,

I found a blog, which had the most delicious Hungarian polenta, well in Hungarian, it's called "puliszka", which I thought looked so delicious, and more tempting was the amazing meat stuffed with sauer kraut, and topped with Hungarian bacon. Wow!...just looking at the photo made my cholesterol, go high, but I had to make a polenta dish which I have not made in a few years.
Lucky for me, I had everything on hand, and did not have to buy a thing.
Do check out Gesztenye
which in English mean Chestnuts she also has another blog too, all about truffles, or as she calls them bon-bons.
Another talented, and creative food blogger, from a different country, Hungary, my mother's birth country!

I had some zucchini on hand, red skinned potatoes, onions, garlic, and a couple hot cherry peppers, and fresh rosemary springs in my freezer, which I peeled, and added to the roasted vegetable, in a heavy duty iron skillet, on top of the stove. Very simple, just slice everything thin, and saute in some extra virgin olive oil, about 2Tbsp. and some canola oil, 1Tbsp. The reason I mixed the two, is because the olive oil tends to burn on high heat, so the canola, or vegetable oil tones it down. I also used the same large skillet, to roast the sausages in the oven, on about 425 degrees for about 35 minutes, and after the vegetables were done, I saved it in a casserole dish to keep warm, and added everything together to display on a large platter.

I was hesitant to post the polenta photo, because of the messiness, and unevennes of the grill marks...but just look at my pride-and-beauty, my cast iron grill pan. Would not, and will not change it for any other, except, the outdoor gas grill, of course...and no, not the charcoal grill. I take pride in my cooking and baking wares, and treat them kindly...as in the cast iron grill pan, but before you grill in it, rub it well with vegetable oil, and not cooking spray, and heat it up until it starts to smoke, and lower the temperature till you're ready to grill your meats or vegetable, and in this case the polenta, not just with cheddar cheese, folded in there, but with sliced canned jalapeno peppers, as you can see the green speckles, in the pan, and in the polenta. I didn't even get a chance to chill my polenta, and it was a bit softer for not being refrigerated. Recipe, and the giveaway, which will surprise you, to follow!

Cheddar Polenta
my own recipe

3 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 cup 8 ounces shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
3 tablespoon canned sliced jalapenos
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Bring chicken broth to a boil over high heat in a medium size saucepan. Gradually add cornmeal, whisking constantly. Reduce heat, and simmer, stirring often with a wooden spoon, for 10 minutes or until mixture is thick and creamy. Remove from heat, and stir in salt, pepper, olive oil, and fold in the cheese, and jalapenos. Spoon into a cooking sprayed loaf pan and chill in refrigerator, for a couple hours, before slicing to heat up or grilling. It is a nice vegetarian side dish, or by itself, Serves 4.

Now, on to the Giveaway!


To enter the giveaway:

1) Please follow foodandthrift on Twitter...sorry, I don't have an account on Facebook. If you already do so,  please see number 3. If you are doing so for the first time, please let me know that you are now following me on Twitter, so I could add you to the giveaway.

2) Leave a comment on this post! You are encouraged to share a comment about the Matryoshka Dolls, or any other thoughts.

3). If you RT or post on your Twitter page this giveaway post link, you get an additional entry. Please drop me an additional comment on this post saying that you did so.

4) To get an additional chance in the giveaway, become a "follower" of 
 food and thrift find's  blog.

5) Drawing will be done randomly from all comments recorded by Tuesday January 18, 2011, at 11 PM (EST) and one lucky winner will announced.

6) Please note: Shipping only in the US, and Canada. I apologize to my other International friends.

The Matryoshka Dolls are made in Russia, exclusively, they have a gloss finish, and are made of basswood, from linden tree and are hand painted, and varnished. They come in 2 pieces, as in this one, in 4, 5, and up to 8 or nine pieces, all with different hand painted fairy tale story villages, and characters. They retail from about $39.99, to $69.99, up to $89.99, which this one is, being that this is about 17 inches high, and the smaller, about 6 inches high. It is brand new, and obviously someone did not want it, and donated it. I snapped it up for $6.99...honest! I will ship it to a lucky winner, who would be interested in this beautiful set. This is certainly a collectors' item, and one of a kind!

I think you all overlooked my mention of a giveaway in my previous post, from Goodwill, where I took a picture of the beautiful bird perched upon the shoulder of it's owner, and there at the checkout  counter, sitting, waiting to pay for, and getting the "eagle eye" from other customers that distinctively knew what my purchase was...a Matryoshka Doll, otherwise known as, Babushka doll, as well. 





Savory Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

On New Year's Day, it's been such a tradition in my mom's and aunt's Hungarian kitchen to have a huge casserole of stuffed cabbage, I have such fond memories from Cleveland, every New Year's Eve was a celebration of family, and friends in our house for the New Year's Eve, in our full "party basement" which most northern houses have...I sure miss that. On New Year's Day, was a huge early dinner celebration at my aunt and uncle's, with our families, siblings, and cousins. Every 1st of the year, my aunt would roast a cute "little" pig...(uggghh) the thought of it now, scares me...I could not be staring the poor innocent piglet in the face...ohh yes, the face, and the poor little mouth with an apple in it!
Anyway, these were traditions of the sixties, and since then, we had our tradition for our children, and times, have changed and we keep moving on with time, moving on to a New Year, and hopefully, a better tomorrow for all!

I have not made Stuffed Cabbage Rolls in several years, simply for the reason that my dear departed aunt

who lived next door to us made it every years, here in S. Florida, as my children were growing up, keeping up with the traditions. It's been over ten years that she's gone, and so have the Hungarian traditions.

But of course, if you live near by here, in S. Florida, and  wish to eat authentic stuffed cabbage rolls, you can visit the Hungarian/American club here, locally, in Lake Worth, where they still keep up with the authentic traditions.

Well, for some reason,  when I saw a  spicy Korean condiment of cabbage called "Kimchi" in my daughter's refrigerator, which I thought was so bizarre, because she is so sensitive to hot spices, and that is one spicy side dish! Of course, I ended up with the Kimchi, but that's another story!

I happened to have ground beef, the 1 1/2 heads of cabbage (really need 2) ...2 lbs of authentic homemade Italian sausage from our favorite Italian market, called Mario's in Delray Beach. I did not use Hungarian sausage because smoked Hungarian, or Polish sausage would be perfect for the cabbage, or use smoked ham hocks, which all have so much sodium nitrate, that again, my daughter cannot have, which unfortunately causes extreme headaches for some people.

As you can see, I have my "misen plaz" already set up for the second production...just look at those awesome fresh, and tender homemade sausages. These people have been in the meat market business for at least 30yrs, and the same recipe is passed on from generation, to generation of sausage makers. On the left is my very favorite Hungarian paprika, and on the right is a 32 oz. jar of my store brand's sauer kraut...looked all over for the ones in the bag, but they were all sold out on New Year's Eve. This is a very acceptable kind, better than the ones in the can, which seems soggy to me. This was perfect, and crispy sauer kraut....and it's not just for "hot dogs"

Mix together 1 lb. of ground  beef, 2 links of sweet sausage, removed from the casings, 1 cup of partially cooked long grain conventional rice, like "Uncle Ben's" cooked for about 10 minutes, and drained from the excess liquid. Just mix all the ingredients together with 1 large chopped onion, 2, or 3 cloves of minced garlic, salt, and pepper to taste, and of course good Hungarian paprika, about 2 teaspoonful.

I apologize for these cabbage leaves for looking so "raggedy, and retarded"...my daughter insisted of taking photos, any way!...The cabbage leaves are removed separately with a sharp knife and boiled until they get soft enough to roll. Don't use the inner part, that need to be chopped up, and sauteed. As you can see, I cut most of the hard veins out, they are chewy, and makes it harder to roll.

Actually, this is a perfect leaf, total of 18 leaves. Just scoop out a small portion like this, place in the center, fold the end up from the bottom first, then the top, and fold over the right side, and then the left side to cover, into a little "piggy blanket"...so cute!

Here comes the good part..."waste not, want not"...the inner part of the cabbage that is crinkly, and cannot be used to roll is chopped up, and sauteed with onions, garlic,  in a small amount of vegetable oil, and about 3/4 cup of water added, and a teaspoon of paprika. Just saute for a few minutes until still crisp, but well incorporated. Adding this, and the rinsed sauerkraut to the casserole.

This is what it looks like, before you place the casserole into a 350 degree oven, covered, with aluminum foil.
Bake for 1 1/2 hrs, covered, remove cover, and bake for an additional 20 minutes, or so, but not longer. (you don't want cabbage to burn, or brown)

I used 1 15oz. can of diced tomatoes, and poured half of it over the top, added 1 can of water, from the tomato can, drizzle a little olive oil, and ready to bake.

I ended up with extra sausage, mostly the hot sausage, so I sauteed the sausage pieces, added more sauer kraut, and divided the tomatoes, and also added a small amount of water into this casserole, and baked both dishes at the same time in the 350 degrees oven, for a total time of 1 hour and 45 minutes. I seemed to surprise my family, because I started this about 10 AM, and we had an early lunch, along with Lora's lentils, which was ohh, so good. The little ones, like the cabbage rolls, called it "meatballs" but unfortunately, there were some hot pieces of sausages in the cabbage casserole, so that didn't go over too well, but the cabbage rolls were not overly spicy. They were just right...

While everyone slept, I was up early, because the little pets were so happy that I stayed over, they wanted to spend time with me, so I just leisurely sneaked out to the patio at 7:30 AM, had a nice cup of caffe latte, with a piece of my daughter's cake, and I felt so great to be alive, on the first morning of 2011!

This is little Stella...saying "hello"...My granddaughter's second little pup, she just loves the name Stella, and probably would have liked it for herself!

This is Luigi ...Lui, for short, he is my "sweetheart"...so sweet and loyal-he sulks when I leave their house and sits by the door for a long time. He is ferocious with big dogs, and forgets that he is just a little Chihuahua!

One time he got into a brawl with the neighbor's boxer, jumped up, and bit Charlie's nose, in the meantime, Michetta, their cat, who is also my little buddy, got upset, and he jumped up and bit my wrist, which required immediate medical "outpatient" attention at a nearby walk-in clinic, for fear of getting a nasty infection!...but don't get me wrong, I still love them all!

So, there you have it...all three were hanging out with me on New Year's morning. Michetta, is a male cat, but so sweet and gentle, and he likes to hang out on my daughter's patio. He lives next door, but I seem to have adopted him, because I feed him also! He is a wise and at the same time an adventerous kitty, loves to torture, lizards, and little snakes, and brings them to his owner's front door, who happens to be my daughter and son-in-law's BFF, and traveling companions to North Carolina!

Holiday Cheesecake, and Christmas Memories

As the year is dwindling down, and Christmas is over, a New Year is awaiting us to start "anew" with a clean slate of resolutions, and promises. Leaving the old year with fond memories, and some sadness...not just what kinds of gifts we got for the holidays, and what parties or events we attended, but thinking ahead for the coming year, of what we can do for each other, to give, and get more BLESSINGS!
After visiting my new and beautiful friend, Jamie's blog @Mangiabella and reading her inspirational posts, and quotes, reminds me, that life is so precious, and that the true joys in our lives are family, and dear friends... let us not forget our faithful pets, and embrace new friends.
I concluded this thought, after leaving Jamie's blog, that:

"Bringing gladness to the hearts of others, and giving of yourself...is the Greatest Gift of All"...(my quote)

So, I will share my most favorite cheesecake of all, that I make, just about for every special occasion...have memorized the ingredients, and method, to the point that this is seriously a "scientific" method, that you must follow, and not sway from it. It's a New York, or should I say New York Style Cheesecake, that can be left simple, without the sour cream topping, which really gives it a more amazing flavor, and dresses it up, but you can do it without it, because you will not see "cracks" on top of the cheesecake...I promise you that. You can dress this cheesecake up for the summer, with a fresh fruit topping, or for the holiday, as I did, with rainbow, holiday sprinkles, and surround them with handmade chocolate pieces that already has sprinkles on it, from your local chocolate shop, as I did. I'm not going into the "song and dance" recipe, to write it down, I will link the recipe back to this summer, when I made it the last time.
I kid you not...this is a "tried and true" recipe, that you will want to follow, to a T! The only important thing is, you should, and must make it the day before, so it will set nicely. Actually, I made this two days before Christmas, and let it chill nicely in my frig.

So, here's the link, and recipe: New York Style Cheesecake

If you want to please all your family members and dear friends who you have invited to your home for the best lasagne...ever!...and not feel guilty for making a meat sauce, since so many folks have turned vegetarian, or have cut out red meat, or eat less meat, as in a lot of cases, again, I say, this lasagne is a must on your list. My son, and wife have been vegetarians now for a couple years, my son, on-and-off, but for the last few months seriously on!
My daughter Lora  and I made this, the day before, a "real dual labor of love"...(and a few mother-daughter kitchen squabbles)...but all with love. She made the sauce, and "bechamel"...yes, a beautiful rich bechamel, from scratch. Lots of fresh basil, Parmigiana, and sliced...not shredded mozzarella cheese.
Unfortunately, she did not have dried lasagne noodles, neither of us wanted to run to the store at the last minute, on Christmas Eve, late in the afternoon, when all the stores were about to close, so either, we abandon the idea, or make homemade pasta, (without a pasta machine)...both pasta machines, hers and mine were at my house. I was ready to jump in my car, and drive the 7 miles back to my place to get the machine, but she did not let me, and believe me, the only solution I had, was to throw all the flour and eggs into her kitchen aid mixer with the "dough hook" mix it up, and use plenty of "elbow grease" to roll the huge dough. End result...truly amazing!

Recipe for the pasta dough, enough for a huge 10x13 lasagne pan, and extra dough and sauce for a small separate portion. This is my formula for fresh pasta dough, enough for 8 servings.
6 cups all-purpose flour
6 large eggs
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt, and pepper, to taste
Have extra flour to roll it in, at least an additional cup, or two. Mix all the ingredients together, in you mixer, with a dough hook, or even in your bread machine. If you don't have these kitchen wares, then you have to mix it by hand.
It has to be well incorporated, glossy, and shiny; at this point you are either ready to roll the dough to almost the last thinness, or divide dough in half, and roll it into a large cylinder shape fairly thin, but not too thin, cut into large strips with a pizza cutter, or a sharp knife, let it dry a little, adding more flour as you work, so it doesn't get sticky, especially, on the bottom of the dough. Drop a few pieces in a huge pot of boiling water, with a sm. amt. of oil in the water... do not drain the whole thing, just remove each piece one by one, drizzling more olive oil on it, to separate. By this point, you should have your sauces ready to assemble. Starting with a small amount of the red sauce on the bottom, the strips of dough, the bechamel, and the cheeses, ending with the pasta sauce, and cheeses on the top. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven, covered for the first 30 minutes, and uncovered for an additional 20 minutes, or until it bubbles, and gets nice and golden on the top. Let it rest for at least 15-20 minutes before cutting into it, to serve.
For the sauce: We used a huge restaurant size can, about 64 ounce, of the Contadina crushed tomatoes, and at least 3 cups of bechamel sauce, along with the grated, and sliced mozzarella cheese, that you can slice, yourself (not the fresh buffalo mozzarella) Plenty of fresh basil, just saute a large chopped onion, small amt. of chopped garlic, salt and pepper, and adding the whole basil to the sauce, and rolled up basil leaves, sliced thin, in between the layers of the assembly. The sauce is cooked for about 45 minutes. All vegetarian, and so amazingly yummy!

 OK...Feast your eyes! Although, this dessert to me, is a traditional dessert, perfect for 4th of July...but in this case, NO RULES, just an amazing Pasta Frolla-which is an Italian, sweet tart, filled with custard, and topped with fresh berries. Our dear friend, Ylaria made this...did not ask for the recipe for the frolla, but here's a good one which I use, occasionally. As for the custard, you can google a good one.

Pasta Frolla-Italian Sweet Pastry Dough

• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 freshly grated lemons, zest of or 1 orange
• 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
• 1 large egg, beaten lightly
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
Change Measurements: US | Metric

1. 1 In a bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, and zest.
2. 2 Cut in the butter, until it resembles coarse meal.
3. 3 Add the egg and the vanilla and toss the mixture until incorporated.
4. 4 Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead very lightly, forming into a disk.
5. 5 Chill, wrapped in plastic at least 1 hour or overnight.
6. 6 Let the dough stand at room temperature until softened, but still firm enough to roll out

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Ylaria, who is from Bari, Italy, made this amazing tart, and the custard was "to die for" was not pleased as we all are at some point...or most of the time, critical of her own homemade custard, that it wasn't thick enoug. Honest? why would you want a thick and rubbery custard, when you can have the most splendid, "heavenly custard" nestled among the fresh berries that we get all season here, in S. Florida (but more expensive) the pasta frolla=pastry dough was so perfect too, that you wanted to savory every little bite!

For all of us "carnivorous" creatures, a beautiful tray of sliced broiled steak (no waste in slicing) made by my son-in-law, Chef Fabrizio (off at lunchtime) working later. We purchased a gorgeous package of 5 huge rib-eye boneless steaks at Costco, with (2 whole steaks left over) broiled to perfection, topped with fresh tomato bruschetta, over a fresh layer of arugula...my, my, so perfect for "steak lovers...and like I said, NO WASTE!

My "fluffy" haired grandson, opening a present; look at all the little cars scattered all over the floor, his newest favorite toys!

My sweet " girls" (son's daughters) ...enjoying auntie Lora's cookies!