King Arthur Flour Gingerbread Cookies

I finally got around to making the Gingerbread cookies from the King Arthur Flour mix. The mix is actually titled Gingerbread Mix for Cookies & Cake. The cookies turned out very good. They were nice and crisp. I got tired of cutting and rolling and cutting and rolling, so I made regular cookies at the end. These turned out nice and soft. The flavor was slightly spicy, but not too hot as gingerbread sometimes can be. Just a perfect mix of sweet and spicy! I'll definitely buy these again next year. You can also make cake with the mix.

Arun Thai Place Grill

This past Friday night we were trying to decide on a place to eat and our friend Larry suggested Arun. He had been there before and really liked it. I thought it was owned by the same people who own Thai Place in Westport, which we had been to before and really like. Turns out they are the same people and Larry made a great suggestion.

Like Tarantino's, Arun is just across the river from our house, so it's a 10 minute drive at the most. They are located at 100 E. 7th Street in downtown KCMO. That is 7th and Walnut if you need a cross street. The restaurant is very nice and modern and they have a fairly large menu. The staff was also very good and very attentive.

We started out with the Spring Roll Deluxe, which consisted of 2 egg rolls and 2 spring rolls. They were both good, the egg rolls were a little greasy, but the spring rolls were perfection. These will certainly become a staple for me. Dan and Larry enjoyed them too. They came with two nicely flavored sauces.

For dinner I ordered the Pineapple Fried Rice. This was an excellent choice! It was stir fried rice with shrimp, pineapples, cashews and scallions. It comes with raisins too, but I asked them to leave out those gross little things. Dan had the Panang Curry with chicken. This was a spicy, thick and rich stew of chicken, curry, peanuts and coconut milk with bell peppers and kaffir lime. A little bit of this goes along way, it was so rich, but so good. Larry had the Pad Thai, he says he gets it every time. Stir fried noodles, eggs, bean sprouts, cabbage and scallions topped with chopped peanuts. This was also really good.

We each had 2 beers a piece, $3.75 for premium beers, not a bad price! Overall the food and service were great. The place has a great atmosphere and our bill came to $74. This will definitely be added to our list of places to go.

Caramel Pecan Pie

When we were down in Florida over Thanksgiving to be with Dad, my Aunt Betty had us over for an early Thanksgiving dinner. My cousin Cindy made this incredible caramel pecan pie. I decided to make my own version of it after looking at several other recipes. Here is the one I made, it was very good! I used a frozen pie crust. You just pour the filling into the frozen crust and bake.

Caramel Pecan Pie

1/2 cup light corn syrup
30 caramels, unwrapped (I used Kraft)
1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
3 large eggs
1 cup pecan halves
1/2 cup pecan pieces
9 inch deep dish pie crust

Preheat oven to 350. Heat corn syrup, caramels and butter over low heat. Stir constantly until the caramels are melted. Combine sugar, salt, vanilla and eggs in a medium bowl. Mix well. Slowly add caramel mixture to egg mixture, stirring well. Stir in pecans. Pour mixture into pie shell and bake 50-55 minute's until brown and puffy.

Mike's Stuffing Balls

This is a recipe that I adapted last year from the Kraft Foods magazine. I thought it sounded interesting, but also lacking. I can't ever look at a recipe and follow it the way it is printed, I am such a rebel. Their recipe called for 1 pound of ground pork, 1 box of stuffing, 3/4 cup cranberry sauce and 1 cup of water. Those were all things I changed. They were a hit last year and again this year. They have that salty, slightly sweet taste that works every time.

Mike's Stuffing Balls

2 (6 oz) boxes Stove Top Stuffing Mix for Turkey
16 oz. Regular Pork Sausage
1 (16 oz) can Jellied Cranberry Sauce
1 egg
1 (14 oz) can Chicken Broth
Cooking Spray

Preheat oven to 330. Brown sausage in skillet until cooked through, stirring frequently, drain. Place in large bowl and cool slightly. Stir in stuffing mix. Add cranberry sauce, egg and broth. Mix well. Shape into 2 to 2 1/2 inch balls. Mixture will be wet, but they will set up fine. Place onto baking sheets sprayed with cooking spray. Spray tops of balls lightly with spray, bake for 25 minutes.

Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays or Whatever!!

Happy holidays everyone! I will be sharing my recipes for Christmas dinner this week after we see how they turned out. The turkey breast is in the oven, the stuffing balls are done and ready to be reheated, the caramel pecan pie is sitting on the counter and the rolls are rising.

My son and my mom are both here this year, so that makes Christmas that much better. I received two great cookbooks; Dave Lieberman's Dave's Dinners and Jamie Oliver's Jamie's Italy. I have started reading Jamie's book already and love it. It is full of beautiful pictures of Italy, it's people and of course the food!! Can't wait to try out the recipes.

And speaking of recipes, I also received an ice cream maker attachment for my Kitchenaid stand mixer. I have some great gelato recipes to try out!! Merry Christmas to you all!!

Chicken Cacciatore

I found this recipe in a newspaper and thought it looked like a winner. It seemed simple too, which is something I look for. This is one of those meals you can prepare on a weeknight and people will think you worked all day on it!

I used Muir Glen Organic Fire-Roasted Crushed Tomatoes for this recipe. I have really gotten addicted to them and use them all the time now. The recipe I had called for 1 teaspoon of oregano and 1/2 teaspoon of celery seed. I have every spice in the world in my cabinet thanks to Penzey's, but I was out of both of these. Instead, I used 1-1/2 teaspoons of Italian seasoning and it worked great. The recipe also called for 1 3-lb frying chicken, but I used 4 bone in chicken breasts and removed the skin. They weighed in at 3.84 pounds.

Chicken Cacciatore

4 (3.5 to 4 lb.) bone in chicken breast, skin removed
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14.5 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
2 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 cup white wine
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
2 bay leaves

In a large skillet, brown chicken in hot olive oil. Remove from skillet. And onions and saute for 3 minutes. Add garlic and saute 1 minute more. Add the rest of the ingredients to the skillet and stir to combine. Add chicken and cover with sauce. Cover skillet and simmer on low for 45 minutes. Cook uncovered for an additional 20 minutes, turning the chicken occasionally; until chicken is tender and sauce is thickened. Remove bay leaves. Serve with cooked pasta.

Eating With the Elderly

I was invited, along with the 2 women I work with, to a lunch at our favorite resident's home. She has us over every year and we love her dearly. She is 83 going on 21. She dresses and acts like a young person, keeps herself tanned year round and has incredible energy. Her husband, unfortunately, is starting to succumb to Alzheimer's.

We arrived at her home and her husband presented us each with a glass at the door. We proceed to drink the golden liquid and question it's unusual taste. I thought it was sparkling cider and Karen thought it might be wine. We asked our hostess what we were drinking and she said sparkling grape juice. Karen asked her where she got it, because it did not taste like any she had ever had. Our hostess replied, that it was given to them 13 years ago when they moved in. We each quietly sat our glasses down and looked at each other with shocked horror.

We then sat down to a nice lunch of tasty and spicy chili. All I could think was, how old was the beef, tomatoes and beans. If I got gas would they produce 6 year old farts? Would I be sick or end up with some exotic new sickness? Other than some indigestion,I was fine and the company was great!

O'Dowds at Zona Rosa

Last night we had to go to Zona Rosa to pick up my new glasses. Ryan is in town and is wanting a new skateboard for Christmas, so we decided to all go check out the new skateboard store there. We decided to eat at O'Dowds Little Dublin because they have a great variety of food. Ryan and Dan ordered Cheddar-burgers, medium well. I ordered the Spicy Chicken Salad. The food arrived shortly after our beers and turned out just as ordered. The portions are perfect, not too much and not too little. The burgers are thick and juicy with crispy big fries. My salad was just what I was wanting, with a nice little kick to it. 3 big beers and the food for under $40.00 was a bargain too! Service was good and efficient. This place is definitely worth going back to. Their address is 8600 NW Prairie View Rd. KCMO, phone number 816-269-6333.

Gingerbones

This is a recipe I found in the Nov/Dec issue of Bark. Bark's subtitle is " the modern dog culture magazine". I saw this recipe and thought it would make a great accompaniment to the other dog biscuits I made for Christmas gifts. The only thing I did different was to use one of those small containers of Tone's ground ginger, not quite 4 tbsp. I also added 2 tablespoons of water after I mixed it, because it seemed to dry. Gabby loved these, she wanted more than one. My son Ryan and I tries them, they weren't bad, just needed some sugar. I left them in the oven about 30 minutes after the initial bake time with the oven off. This seemed to make them a little to hard, so I suggest taking them out of the oven after the initial 35 minutes. You could easily halve this recipe, this one makes a lot. The pictures are of my nephew Auggy and Gabby at Halloween, Gabby hated her costume!

Gingerbones

4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup molasses
1 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 tbs. ground ginger
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cloves

Place all the ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. Roll out dough on floured surface to 1/4" thickness. Using cookie cutters, cut into desired shapes. Combine dough scraps and continue to cut out cookies until all has been used. Place the cookies on parchment paper and bake in preheated 325 oven for 30 to 35 minutes.

Gabby Tested, Gabby Approved

Gabby is our 8 year old female wire hair fox terrier. She is everything you would expect in a terrier and more. Sometimes too much more. Like latley getting up at odd hours of the night to bark at the backdoor or wanting to go potty at 3:00 am. Such a treasure...

Anyway, tonight I prepared some baked doggie biscuits for her and her canine friends. Carly, Bruiser, Betty, Rex and Maddy will get to take part in fresh , ho-made treats for the holidays. Tonight we started with the easy ones and they have been used before.

We used King Arthur Flour Homemade Dog Bisquit Mix. Like all the other mixes I have made of theirs, this was simple. And the plus side is that Gabby loves them! You can order them at www.kingarthurflour.com . Here she is with Santa HO HO HO!!!

Borgo Argenina

If anyone out there is looking for a great place too stay in Tuscany, Borgo Argenina is the place. We stayed here on one of our visits to Italy and truly enjoyed it. It's a little hamlet situated between Siena and Gaiole. This is one of the most scenic places I have ever been. There are grape vines as far as the eye can see. The grounds at the Bed and Breakfast are charming, with lots of vegetable gardens and fig trees. It is truly a magical place.

The rooms are nicely appointed and furnished with antiques. The room we stayed in had a sitting room kitchen combo, a bedroom and a large bathroom with a real shower. The owner, Elena, is very gracious and welcoming. She will recommend some great restaurants, winery tours and anything else you have questions with. She is now doing cooking lessons, which I would really enjoy!

Check out her website, it's very interesting. She also has recipes on it, including her famous Limoncella, which she offers when you fist arrive. I recommend this place for anyone looking for a relaxing and laid back getaway. The website is www.borgoargenina.it .

Potlucks, Christmas Cookies and Mommie Dearest

Tis the season for receiving cookies and candies and cakes and breads.....I am guilty of giving these myself, but I know that my hands and kitchen are clean!! So, as people hand me trays of homemade goodies, I smile and then...well let's just say some of it ends up in the trash. I know this is wasteful, but I blame my mother for my food receiving neurosis.

My mother is the world's Queen of neat freaks. If you saw the movie Mommie Dearest, then you know what I'm talking about. After each meal in my childhood home, my mother would break out the Comet and proceed to scour the entire kitchen. She scoured so much, that our stove top and sink looked like Dalmatians. The white enamel on both had been rubbed through to the black metal below. She would also get down on her hands and knees with the Comet and a sponge and go at the linoleum like Joan Crawford. We were actually required to call our mother "Mommie Dearest" and that was before the movie!! (Actually she did not require we call her that until after we all saw the movie. To this day, she has a memorial to Joan in her kitchen)

I was raised in a Lutheran church. Once a month they would have Potluck Dinners. These were big affairs, where all the women would try to outdo the others with some new Jello concoction or Man Pleasing meat creation. (This was the 60's, so that last statement is PC). Mommie Dearest would station her 4 children at the church doors, so we could report back what certain women brought in. We had to describe the dish color and wrap and scent , so that we could then make sure we stayed far away from it. One must always assume that a woman with messy hair or bad shoes has roaches in her home.

Needless to say, this has haunted me my entire life. I have politely taken tiny bites of food, just to spit into a napkin that I then place into my socks. This is especially hard at dinner parties, but that is why knee high socks were created. Now that I work at a retirement community, you can just imagine the plethora of goodies I receive. Some I eat, but others freak me out so much that I put on rubber gloves to dispose of the tin. I watch aghast, as co-workers cram cookies and candies into their mouths that were given by someone with questionable hygiene.

Just remember to always be polite and very thankful. These people have gone to a lot of trouble to put these trays together. If you are forced into a situation that requires you to eat in front of them, just take big bites and swallow it whole. If you do it quick enough, you won't even taste it.
Happy Holidays!!

Rich Chocolate Fudge

Dan called his mom yesterday and got her fudge recipe. Her recipe called for 10 ounces of milk chocolate. We had some Ghirardelli Premium Baking Bars at home and decided to use them. We used one and half semi-sweet chocolate bars and one 60% Cocoa. The fudge turned out creamy and rich, almost decadent. Anyone needing a chocolate fix will find it here. Dan's fudge turned out perfectly!

Rich Chocolate Fudge

1 2/3 cup sugar
5 oz. evaporated milk (the small can)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
6 0z. semi-sweet chocolate, broken into pieces
4 oz. 60% Cocoa chocolate, broken into pieces
1 tsp. vanilla

In a medium saucepan; bring sugar, evaporated milk and salt to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in marshmallows, chocolate and vanilla. Stir until marshmallows and chocolate are melted and mixture is smooth. Pour into a 9" or 8" square buttered pan. Let it cool to set. Cut into 1" squares.

The Sad Demise of Iliki Cafe

Sadly, yesterday saw the closure of one of Kansas City's better restaurants. Iliki Cafe was a very good Mediterranean food restaurant located in the Picture Hills Shopping Center off of 64th Street. Not the greatest location, but it was well worth finding. Chris and Crystal Fuller served up some great tapas, the best falafel and one of the countries best wine lists. They were recently listed in Wine Spectator for their wine list. The service could sometimes be a little lacking, but the food more than made up for it. They also had a great beer list!

Unfortunately, it seems that a majority of Kansas Citians, would rather eat at mediocre chain restaurants. I'm not knocking the chains, I myself go to them on occasion, but there are so many great choices out there. The Mango Room, Tarantino's, Bluebird Cafe and Cafe Trio are just a few to try out! Get out of your rut and start exploring all the great restaurants Kansas City has to offer!

Oatmeal Cake

This is one of those things I remember from childhood. My Granny would make this recipe and I loved it. I came across a version of it that is as close to hers as possible. Granny was a great cook, but would not share her recipes!! I have a few of my own that I will hold on to forever. It's a great recipe, good comfort food!!

Oatmeal Cake

1 1/4 cups water
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/3 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Icing:
3 tbsp. butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup. chopped pecans
1/2 cup coconut
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp. vanilla

Bring water to a boil in medium saucepan, remove from heat. Add the oats and let stand for 20 minutes. Combine shortening, sugars, and eggs; add to oatmeal after letting it stand. Add flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon to oat mixture. Pour batter into greased baking dish and bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

Combine icing ingredients and mix well. Spread on warm cake and place under broiler until topping is light brown. Watch carefully so that it does not burn!!

Asparagus Cream Soup

This is a recipe I adapted from watching Emeril Lagasse. I did not have the same ingredients and chose to make it a little differently. It turned out great. The stores in my area have had some really good asparagus, so I thought this would be a great cold night dinner! We love to eat asparagus and I'm always trying to come up with different ways to eat it. I use garlic twice, it is not a type-o. It looks complicated, but it is simple. I try to do only easy recipes. This one does have a few steps, but it is well worth it.

Asparagus Cream Soup

2 lbs. fresh asparagus, rinsed
6 cups low sodium, low fat chicken broth
2 cloves garlic, smashed
3 tbs. unsalted butter
1 small white onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground white pepper
1 cup half & half
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, grated

Trim the top tips from the asparagus. Cut the woody stem ends and reserve. Cut the remaining tender stalks into 1/2" pieces. In a medium pot, bring the broth to a boil. Add the woody stems and smashed garlic. Simmer, 20 to 30 minutes, to infuse with flavor. Remove stems and garlic with slotted spoon and discard. Add the tips to the broth, blanch until tender, about 1 minute. Remove with a stainer and refresh in ice water bath. Drain on paper towels and reserve. Reserve broth. In medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. When foamy, add chopped onion and cook about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Add chopped asparagus, salt and pepper, and cook 2 minutes while stirring. Add the broth and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, until asparagus is tender. Remove from heat. With hand-immersion blender or in batches in food processor, puree until smooth. Adjust seasonings to taste. Return to heat, add 1/2 and 1/2, white wine and asparagus tips. Warm soup, about 3 minutes. Serve garnished with Parmesan cheese.

Organic Grass Fed Beef

People who live in Kansas City North finally have a health food grocery store!! Green Acres Market has opened at Briarcliff Village. It's a nice store with fresh produce, a deli and lots of health items. I wish the store was bigger, but beggars can't be chooser's. They actually have items there that I have not seen anywhere else, like Romenesco broccoli and purple broccoli.

They also sell Grass Fed Beef. The product comes from Golden Harvest Organic. The package says it is grass fed, USDA organic, no antibiotics or added hormones vacuum packed. It's fat content is 85/15 and come in 1 lb. packages. It says to enhance the flavor of organic beef, it is best cooked rare to medium rare. If you like well done cook at a low temperature in sauce to add moisture.

We have cooked with it twice. First in chili and then in the Sloppy Joe pizza. It does taste different than regular beef and smells different. It's hard to explain the difference, it's not bad, just different. The smell at first is a little funky though. But it cooks up just fine and works well in both the recipes we tested.

Beef is one of those things that I have trouble digesting. I love eating it, but my stomach hates me for it. Both times I eaten the organic, I have not had a stomach issue. I don't know if the reason is the difference in what the cattle eat, but it makes me think so. It is pricey, coming in at over $5.00 a pound. I will have to try out the steaks to see if they taste any different.

Trans Fats in New York City

Yesterday, the New York City Council voted to ban trans fats in their restaurants. Personally, I don't think we need our government to say what we can or cannot eat. We need to be responsible for what we eat and what our children eat. If places like McDonald's want to continue using trans fats, that's fine with me. The public just needs to stop eating there, find better choices for yourself. If we stopped eating at places that used trans fats, they would have to change of their own accord. Some people may want to eat trans fats, obviously there are lots of them in our country that do. That is their choice!! What's next? Banning corn syrup in soda pop or closing down any candy store that stocks it's shelves with candy made from corn syrup. I think it's fine for governments to make recommendations on these matters, but I think they go too far in legislating them. My body is my responsibility. There are bigger issues out there, let's try sticking to the real priorities out there.

Pea Salad

When I was younger and married, my ex-wife would make things for family gatherings like all good young wives. My family, being my family, pretty much hated anything she made. She wasn't that great of a cook, but other than the carrot souffle she brought once, I thought she did just fine. One thing she made that was a huge hit, was this recipe for pea salad. I did not even remember the recipe when my mom asked for a copy recently. I called Judy and got the recipe from her and here it is.

Pea Salad

1 can french cut green beans, drained
1 can Lucerne peas, drained
1 can shoe peg corn, drained
1 cup celery, chopped
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 small jar pimentos, drained
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Combine the vegetables in a bowl. In a medium saucepan, add sugar, vinegar and salt, bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let it cool. Add the oil. Pour over the vegetables. Let stand in the refrigerator for 12 hours before serving.

Dan's Mexican Corn Dip

This is every body's favorite dip at every party. Whenever you serve this dip, everyone will ask for the recipe.

Dan's Mexican Corn Dip

2 (12 oz.) cans Mexicorn, drained
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup Miracle Whip
3 green onions, chopped
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chilis
1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, grated
1 jalapeno pepper, seeds removed and chopped

Drain the corn and combine the ingredients. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Serve with tortilla chips.

Sloppy Joe Pizza

This isn't the best name for this pizza, but that is what the recipe calls it. I didn't modify this too much from the original, because it was such a good recipe. I don't remember where it came from, but we love this pizza. I use the regular Boboli crust for this, the thin one would not hold this pizza.

Sloppy Joe Pizza

1 lb. lean ground beef
3/4 cup frozen corn, defrosted
3/4 cup barbecue sauce
1/2 cup green onion, sliced
1/2 tsp. salt
1 large (12") Italian bread shell or prepared pizza crust
2 cups Colby Jack cheese, shredded

Heat oven to 425. In a large skillet, brown the beef over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes or until no longer pink, stirring occasionally. Pour off the fat. Stir in corn, barbecue sauce, green onion and 1/2 teaspoon of salt; heat through. Place pizza shell on a baking sheet. Spoon mixture over the top, sprinkle with cheese. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Fire Roasted Tomato Sauce

The other night I was looking for something to put together for dinner and I came up with this simple sauce recipe. I mixed the sauce with refrigerated cheese ravioli (cooked according to package), placed it into large ramekins, topped it with shredded Parmesan cheese and a slice of provolone. I put the ramekins on a baking sheet and placed it under the broiler until the cheese was bubbly and turning a golden brown.

Fire Roasted Tomato Sauce

1 (28 oz) can Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted Crushed Tomatoes
1/2 tbs. sugar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

Mix the ingredients in a 2-quart saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Grilled Honey-Bourbon Pork Tenderloin

This is one of our favorite foods. We love to grill pork tenderloins and this is one of the better marinades. I used this for a tenderloin that weighed in at 1 1/3 pounds. You can double the recipe and marinade about 3 of them at this weight. I marinate mine for 1 hour, 45 minutes in the refrigerator and the 15 minutes on the counter.


Grilled Honey-Bourbon Pork Tenderloin

1/2 cup water
1/4 cup bourbon
2 tbs. honey
2 tbs. lite soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 1/3 lb. Pork Tenderloin
salt and fresh ground black pepper

Mix the first 6 ingredients in a small bowl. Place the pork tenderloin into a gallon size resealable plastic bag. Pour in marinade, seal bag, and rub marinade into the pork. Let it marinade at least 30 minutes. Take the pork from the bag and shake off excess marinade. Salt and pepper on all sides. Place on grill over hot coals. Grill until internal temperature reaches 160. Let it stand 5 minutes before slicing.

Tarantino's Gourmet Pizza & Subs

You will not find a better calzone in Kansas City. I also think you will have to look for a better meatball sandwich or chicken spiedini tramezzini. Tarantino's is located just across the river from us at 601 McGee St., just on the northeast side of downtown. They are located in an old service station, that used to be The Garage. They have a wide variety of sandwichs, pizzas and calzones. They also have a great toasted ravioli and cheap side salads that you can get with that good creamy pink garlic dressing. I love the calzone, I get mine with Italian sausage, red peppers and mushrooms. The crust is crispy and golden and the sauce on the side is thick and tasty. They make their own dough right there. You always get a great welcome and the service could not be better. Enjoy a nice ice cold Peroni with dinner, it doesn't get any better that this! You can also do takeout, just call 816-421-0043.

King Arthur Flour Eggnog Sugar Cookies

I am a huge fan of the King Arthur Flour people. They have a great catalogue where you can get numerous and hard to find baking items. They also have some wonderful mixes for cakes, breads, scones and other baked items. Since I am not the best baker I rely on them quite a bit. Their web address is http://www.bakerscatalogue.com/ . I just made their Eggnog Sugar Cookies from a mix I purchased from them . Since I love both sugar cookies and eggnog, I thought this would be the mix for me. I was wrong. While not the worst cookie ever, these just did not do it for me. I will try the gingerbread tomorrow!!.

Everyone else that has tried these cookies LOVED them. I guess my taste buds are not working all that well!!

A Tribute To My Dad

My father wasn't exactly a finicky eater, he just liked certain foods and really hated others. He was a meat and potatoes kind of guy. Whenever Mom made one of her specialties, fried chicken, my Dad would eat something else. She made chicken numerous times, because her four kids demanded it. Dad could grill up the best platter of pork chops you could ever want, but would not eat them himself. I have tried to recreate those same chops, but to this day cannot seem to get them right. I even use a Weber Kettle grill like Dad did. He loved spaghetti and meatballs, we all did, Mom's were the best. She never used a recipe, just made it from scratch every time. The next morning you would find Dad putting cold leftover spaghetti on white bread and eating it for breakfast. I still love to eat cold pasta to this day.

Dad was very athletic and loved to play football. He had a stocky build and was very muscular.He looked exactly like someone would think a 2nd generation Italian would. His hair was jet black, almost blue. It turned silver in his 40's and was one of those colors that women try to get from a box. Women would always say "your father is so good looking". Back then I would just roll my eyes, but as I get older and see pictures of him, he was a good looking man.

He worked as a race car mechanic, a truck driver and repaired and flew Chinooks for the military. He once got to fly the first President Bush and had his picture taken with him. He was overjoyed! Always a staunch republican, he didn't even flinch as his 4 liberal democrat kids lambasted the president. He took it all in stride, always putting up with his loudmouth kids. He was not talkative, but you listened when he did speak.

He was always there to help with our homework, especially math. I remember standing at the kitchen counter with him as he tried to explain fractions and measurements to me, over and over again. It never did take, but I appreciated the effort. He was also very patient when he tried to teach me to throw a baseball or football. Again, it didn't take, but he took it all in stride.

When you asked Dad the question "why?", he would usually answer, "Because the ace is high". It took me forever to figure out what that meant. Another reason he didn't talk much was because he was always talking to the walls. You know those walls might as well have had ears! Whenever he wanted one of his kids, he would call Beth-Mike-Gina-Myla, whoever you are. We thought that was pretty funny.

My Dad was very strong , but on Monday November 27, 2006, George Thomas Tosatto lost his long fought battle to cancer. He fought up until the very end! All of us kids were fortunate to say our last goodbyes. He was in a hospital in Florida, hooked up to a respirator and feeding tube. He tried talking and was relegated to just nodding his head or squeezing our hands. He started writing things, like; "I want to stand up", "I'm hungry" or "I want to watch football". When he died my mother and sister Gina were with him, holding his hands.

He died too early. At 72 he still had many good years in him. He and mom were to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary the following month. He also missed out on going to Italy. We wanted to make that trip when he got better. We just waited too long.

His wife, 4 kids and 4 grand kids will miss him dearly. But, we have memories of him that will live on. We have decided that we will celebrate Thanksgiving in the future with spaghetti and meatballs and have that banana pudding vanilla wafer dessert that he loved so much. Dad hated turkey and would have loved to eat this meal. We will eat it in his honor from here on out.

The picture was taken a month before Dad died. From left to right; Auggy, Mom, Ryan, Dad.

We love you Dad!

Meatballs and Orzo in Broth

The freezing rain is coming down and a fire has been laid in the fireplace. Now it's time for some good comfort food. This is a nice recipe that is part soup, part pasta. I serve it as a main coarse. This recipe uses orzo, a small rice shaped pasta. Serve it with some cheese bread and a salad.

Meatballs and Orzo in Broth

3 (16 oz.) cans fat free, less sodium chicken broth
1 (1 oz.) slice Italian Bread
1/2 cups skim milk
1 lb. ground sirloin
1/2 cup onion, minced
1/2 cup Parmesan, grated and divided
1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped + 2 tbs. for garnish
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 cup carrot, shredded
2 cups hot cooked orzo (1 cup uncooked)

Bring broth to simmer in a Dutch oven (don't boil). Keep warm over low heat. Soak the bread in milk for 5 minutes, then squeeze the milk from the bread. Combine bread, beef, minced onion, 1/4 cup cheese, 1/4 cup parsley, salt and pepper in a bowl. Shape into 24 , 1 1/2 inch, balls. Add meatballs and carrot to the broth, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer for 8 minutes. Stir in the orzo and cook for 2 minutes. Serve topped with grated Parmesan and chopped parsley.

Trezo Mare Ristorante

This past Tuesday night, Dan and I decided to try the newest restaurant to open in the Northland, Trezo Mare(4105 N. Mulberry Dr. KCMO 816-505-3200) . Trezo mare is Italian for Treasures of the Sea. This is one of the new restuarants opening at Briarcliff Village. The restaurant is beautiful on the inside and has great lighting(you can actually read the menu).
After we were sat at our table, our waitress arrived and offered us a free welcome glass of Proseco. Never ones to turn down a free glass of bubbly, we accepted what was a very nice pour. Our waitress suggested the Tempura Lobster and Asparagus as a starter. It was one of the pricier appetizer items at $17.00, but well worth it. There were 2 lobster tails and 4 pieces of asparagus, all lightly battered and fried. Dan had the Crisp Romaine Salad($7.00) and I had the Fire Roasted Tomato Bisque($6.00). The salad was a large portion of romaine lettuce leaves, drizzled with a nice light dressing and topped with shaved Parmesan and white anchovies. The soup was incredible, you could taste the fire roasted tomatoes. Dan ordered the King Alaskan Salmon($18.00) with a Wasabi-Ginger burre blanc and a side of Gnocchi in a Fontina-truffle sauce($9.00). The salmon was a little on the salty side, but the sauce was very nice and not overpowering. The gnocchi was the best part of the meal. It was served in a flaming bowl and was enough that we could have shared. I ordered the Small Beef Filet($28.00) and the Yukon gold smashed potatoes with roasted garlic($6.00). The steak was good, but pricey for the portion and the potatoes were perfect. For dessert Dan ordered the pumpkin Creme Brulee($7.00) and I had the Poached Pear($7.00). Both desserts were very good. We each had 2 glasses of wine and I had a cup of coffee with my dessert. Before tip the total was $140.00!. Definitely not an every night dining location, but great for special occasions. You could actually get out of there paying less. We thought it would be a great place to sit at the bar and order wine and appetizers. The overall experience was very good and we will go back. The presentation on all the plates is great, without being showy.

Latte'Land Review

Yesterday, Dan and I decided to take advantage of the unbelievably warm day to walk around the Country Club Plaza. Just being there, walking around with the other shoppers, can really help put you in the Christmas spirit. We decided to stop into our favorite local coffee shop, Latte'Land(318 W. 47th St. KCMO), to have a nice coffee drink to walk around with. Since it was warm, we decided iced coffees would be better. We asked if the holiday drinks were available on ice and told by the helpful staff that they were. She said they actually tasted just as good cold. Dan ordered the gingerbread latte and I had the eggnog latte. They actually tasted good, but I think I prefer them hot. We are also excited that they have just opened a Northland location in our favorite new shopping center, Briarcliff Village.

Easy Cheese Ball

This is the easiest cheese ball and one of the best. My mom has served this as long as I can remember and it's always the first to thing to go at a party or holiday celebration.

Easy Cheese Ball

2 pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 pkg. Good Seasonings Zesty Italian Salad Dressing Mix
3/4 cup pecans, chopped

Mix softened cream cheese with dry salad dressing mix. Roll into a ball and roll in chopped pecans. Refrigerate until cooled. Serve with crackers.

The Best Peanut Butter Cookies

Okay, I'm on a peanut butter kick. These are the best peanut butter cookies. I have used this recipe for over 15 years now. I prefer to use creamy peanut butter when I make them, the crunchy kind can be used, though.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Cream together;
1/2 cp. butter, softened
1/2 cp. peanut butter
1/2 cp. sugar
1/2 cp. brown sugar
1 large egg

Sift together and add to creamed mixture;
1 1/4 cps. all purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder

Mix all together and chill for an hour. Roll dough into walnut size balls. Place 3" apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Flatten with a fork, dipped in flour, in criss-cross manner.
Bake for 10 minutes in preheated 375 oven.
Make 3 Dozen.

Peanut Butter Fudge

Now that the holidays are here, it's time to start making all those treats that you wait all year for. Peanut butter fudge is one of my favorites and it's so easy to make. It seems as those this is one of those things that people either love or hate. I love it!! Not only for it's simplicity, but the creamy peanut butter goodness of it. I use Peter Pan lower fat peanut butter for this.

Peanut Butter Fudge

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 1/3 cup peanut butter
1 jar (7 oz.) marshmallow cream

In saucepan, bring sugar and milk to boil. Boil for 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Add peanut butter and marshmallow cream; mix well. Quickly pour into a buttered 8" square pan. Chill until set. Cut into squares.

Baked Cheese Tortellini

This is a great holiday side dish. My sister Myla and I have prepared this with roast turkey and ham. It would also make a great dinner by adding some cooked chicken and serving with a nice salad and crusty Italian bread.

Baked Cheese Tortellini
1 lb. cooked cheese tortellini
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. flour
1 3/4 cups milk
1 garlic clove, crushed and chopped
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. fresh cracked black pepper
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
2 tbsp. fresh Parmesan, grated
2 tbsp. fresh Italian Flat leaf parsley, chopped
1/4 cup bread crumbs

Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour. Gradually whisk in milk. Add garlic, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is thickened and just begins to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in 1/2 of the cheddar cheese and the grated Parmesan. Stir in tortellini and parsley. Transfer to a shallow baking dish. Combine remaining cheddar with bread crumbs. Sprinkle mixture on top. Bake until topping is golden brown at 350 about 30 to 35 minutes.

Slow Cooker Pot Roast

I stated earlier that I like to collect recipes. I have this box in one of my kitchen cabinets with thousands of recipes taken from magazines, copied from the internet or odd cookbooks. I'm that guy at the doctor's office who pulls out pages from Good Houskeeping, Gourmet and Southern Living magazines. My goal here is to start using those recipes and posting the results here. Sharing my foul ups and my ideas for making the recipe better or just reporting the great results of a perfect recipe.
This past Sunday I found a recipe in the coupon insert for Slow Cooker Pot Roast. The recipe looked simple enough, but I thought it could be made better. I will reprint the recipe as they had it in the paper and then relate my changes after. The add was for Lipton Recipe Secrets Soup & Dip Mixes.

Slow Cooker Pot Roast
8 servings
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 8 Hours

1 Tbsp. oil
3 to 3 1/2 lb. boneless beef pot roast(rump,chuck or round)
4 carrots, sliced
4 medium all-purpose potatoes(about 2 lbs.), cut into 1-inch pieces
2 envelopes Lipton Recipe Secrets Onion Soup Mix
3/4 cup water

1. In large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat and brown roast.
2. In slow cooker, arrange carrots and potatoes; top with roast;set aside.
3. In glass measuring cup, combine Lipton recipe Secrets Onion Soup Mix with water. Add to skillet, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of pan. Add soup mixture to slow cooker. Cook covered on LOW 8 to 10 hours or HIGH 4 to 6 hours. Remove roast and vegetables to serving platter.
4. Thicken gravy, if desired, by combining 1/4 water with 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour. Cook on HIGH 15 minutes or until thickened.

Instead fo using Onion Soup Mix, I used Lipton Recipe Secrets Onion Mushroom. I used 4 carrots as called for in the recipe, but that was not enough for 2 people let alone 8. I did not put potatoes in mine, I just don't like the way they taste in the crock pot, I prefer to roast them with olive oil, salt, pepper and rosemary. As for the oil, I used olive oil to brown the roast, which I salted and peppered before browning. I added 6 peeled cloves of garlic to the crock pot. And as for the water soup mixture, I also added a 1/2 cup of red wine.
The roast was excellent and was fork tender. The house smelled incredible. And there was enough leftover for the next night.
I prepped all of this the night before. I use a Rival Crock Pot that has a removable crock. After I pepped it, I placed the crock in the fridge until the next morning. What a great meal on a chilly Kansas City evening, with little work involved.
Also, I used a 2 1/2 lb. Beef Chuck Boneless Pot Roast. That was plenty for 2 people , with leftovers to be had.

Starting a Blog

I have decided to start a blog. Okay, like who hasn't decided to start up a blog? I wanted to start one, to share my thoughts on all things related to cooking. Sharing recipes and things to do with cooking are my favorite things. I love collecting recipes and cookbooks, creating recipes and sharing them with other people. What are the best tools to use? How can I make a recipe better? What's up with Sandra Lee and the matching outfits and kitchens?!?
Going to restaurants is also a favorite pastime and I thought I could share thoughts on the places I go to. Bad service is a pet peeve of mine and there seems to be alot of it. But, there is also some great service in unexpected places. There are some great places to eat in KC and since I travel some, I'll share some places in Italy and other fun places.
So stay tuned and I'll get to work on this. It should be fun and it will be great to get other people's thoughts and ideas.