Tuscan Soup

Ken and Jean came back from Italy raving about the food. Especially at a lovely bed and breakfast in Quarrata where they enjoyed Giuditta Vaiani's ...

Tuscan Soup

Minced onion
Garlic
Olive Oil
Savoy (cabbage)
Carrots
Potatoes
Celery
Tomato Sauce
Basil
Salt
Pepper
Zucchini

Brown an onion in olive oil with a smashed segment of garlic. Take the garlic out of the pot. Put vegetables in it starting from those needing longer cooking times (cabbage, carrots, etc) always stirring to make them cook properly. Add tomato sauce and a little water, salt and stir often by adding water from time to time. The secret is having the vegetables cooked in a bit (the least amount) of water so that you do not miss the flavor. When cooked you add some leaves of minced basil and serve by pouring into a dish on a slice of grilled break. Add some pepper if you want and olive oil. During the winter you take separately cooked beans, strain them and add them to the soup. Some of them not strained will be added directly in the dishes.

If you are ever travelling through Italy and looking for a lovely inn, you can reach Giuditta at abbonbri@alice.it or visit her website at www.abbonbri.it

Roast Stuffed Pork

7 T butter, softened
1 1/4 c onion chopped
2 1/2 c white breadcrumbs, fresh - cubed
2 T fresh parsley
2 T fresh thyme
2 T fresh chives
2 T fresh marjoram
2 T fresh rosemary
2 T fresh savory
4 lb pork loin roast, butterflied
4 T flour
3 c chicken broth

Preheat oven to 375. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and saute until tender and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Mix in breadcrumbs and 6 tablespoons fresh herbs. Season stuffing to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Lay butterflied pork on a piece of foil. Season with salt, pepper and ground ginger. Spread with stuffing mix. Roll up and tie with string every two inches. Season outside of pork roast with salt, pepper nd gorund ginger.

Place stuffed pork in roasting pan and bake about 1 1/2 hours.

Transfer pork to platter to keep warm. Add chicken broth to drippings in pan. Mix 4 tablespoons of melted butter with 4 tablespoons of flour. Stir in boiling broth to thicken for gravy. Add remaining fresh herbs.

Cut pork crosswise into 1/2 inch thick slices and top with gravy. Serves 16.

Peanut Butter Blossoms

48 HERSHEY'S KISSES Milk Chocolates
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Granulated sugar

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375°F. Remove wrappers from chocolates.
2. Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.
3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet.
4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate into center of each cookie; cookie will crack around edges. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. `About 4 dozen cookies.

Brussels Sprouts with Chestnuts and Pancetta

Recipe courtesy Nigella Lawson from Nigella's Christmas Kitchen, 2007

2 1/4 pounds Brussels sprouts
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
9 ounces pancetta, rind removed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 tablespoons butter
About 8 to 9 ounces vacuum-packed chestnuts
2 fluid ounces Marsala wine
1 large handful fresh parsley, chopped, divided
Freshly ground black pepper

Slice the bottoms off each of the Brussels sprouts, cutting a cross onto the base as you go. Place the Brussels sprouts into a large saucepan of salted boiling water. Cook the Brussels sprouts for 5 minutes, or until they are tender but still retain a bit of bite.

Remove the pan from the heat and drain the excess water from the Brussels sprouts.
Heat the oil in a large clean saucepan. Add the pancetta cubes to the pan and cook until they are crisp and golden-brown in color, but not cooked to the point of having dried out.

Add the butter and the chestnuts to the pancetta saucepan and with a wooden spoon or spatula, press down on them to break them up into pieces. Once the chestnuts have been warmed through, turn the heat up and add the Marsala to the pan. Cook until the mixture has reduced and thickened slightly.

Add the sprouts and half the parsley to the saucepan and mix well. Season the Brussels sprouts with freshly ground black pepper.
To serve, place the Brussels sprouts onto a warmed serving plate and sprinkle the remaining chopped parsley over the top.

Pumpkin Pie Dessert Squares

1 pkg yellow cake mix
1/2 c butter, melted 1 egg
3 c canned pumpkin pie mix
2/3 c milk
2 eggs
1 t cinnamon
1/4 c butter

Grease bottom only of 9 x 13 inch pan. Reserve 1 cup cake mix for topping. Combine remaining cake mix, butter and egg. Press into pan.

Prepare filing by combining pumpkin pie mix, eggs, and milk until smooth. Pour over cake mix pressed in pan.

Combine reserved cake mix and cinnamon. Cut in 1/4 cup butter and sprinkle over filling. Bake at 350 for 45 to 50 minutes or until inserted knife comes out clean. Served with whipped cream. Serves 12 to 16.

Pumpkin Pie Dessert Squares

Corned Beef Irish Stew

2 to 3 lb. corned beef
2 onions, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 whole cloves
2 bay leaves
1 head cabbage
6 small carrots
6 medium potatoes

Place corned beef in Dutch oven or pan; barely cover it with water. Add onions, garlic, cloves and bay leaves. Cover and simmer 1 hour per pould of meat, until tender with fork. Remove meat from liquid; add potatoes and carrots to liquid. Cover and bring to a boil; cook 10 minutes, then add cabbage wedges. Continue to cook for 20 minutes, or until vegetable are done.