Holly's Ambrosia (A few of my additions)

Great anytime dessert refreshing and light!


Ingredients
2 package 8 oz Cream Cheese (softened)
1 cup confectionery sugar
1 16 oz Crushed Pineapple (drained)
1 large Fruit Cocktail (drained)
1 16 oz Mandarin Oranges (drained)
1 large cool Whip
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup coconut


I actually made sure cream cheese was softened and mixed with cool whip while fruit was draining. Added the conf sugar, coconut then the drained fruit I topped it with the chopped nuts and cherries ready to go!

This time though I added a 3rd cream cheese and a another cool whip a little more confect sugar too it came out big enough for those throw away aluminum pans the one you see it pictured in for a picnic made it bigger and a little more fruit!

Everyone makes this different some people use sour cream we never did this is really good trust me on it!

Enjoy

Chicken Stroganoff

Ingredients
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil, divided
10 ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch strips
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 cup sliced onions
1 cup chicken broth
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sour cream
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
1/4 teaspoon pepper
 Directions
 In medium skillet, heat 2 teaspoons oil; add chicken.
 Cover over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown. Remove chicken from skillet; set aside.
 In same skillet, heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil; add mushrooms and onion. Cook stirring frequently, until all  liquids has evaporated and onions are golden brown.
 In small bowl, with wire whisk, combine broth and flour, blending until flour is dissolved; strain and add to skillet. Stirring constantly, bring liquid to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to low. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
Stir reserved chicken into broth mixture; simmer 5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat; stir in sour cream, red wine vinegar, mustard and pepper.

Enjoy you serve over noodles, rice or pasta if you would like or with a side or over mashed potatoes!

Ricotta Cookies

Ricotta Cookies



2 sticks of margarine or butter (I use butter)
1 3/4 cups of sugar
1 tspn salt
1 tspn baking powder
1 tspn baking soda
3 eggs
1 lb ricotta
2 tablespoons anise flavoring (we don't like anise I use vanilla)
4 cups flour


Mix all ingredients for dough together until well blended. The dough will be sticky do not add more flour sometimes I add a little to my fingers so it doesn't stick so much!
Now you can do this a few ways you can do like balls or Easter eggs like I did or you can shape dough into 4 loaves, approximately 1 foot long 2-3 inches wide. Bake @ 350 for 15 minutes, Cool frost cut into strips or frost the little cookies and decorate.


Frosting
1 cup confectionery

sugar
2 tablespoons half half

Easter Bread or Sweet Bread

Sweet Bread 

6 to 7 cups flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp salt

2 Pkg of Active Dry Yeast

1 Cup Milk

1 Cup Water

1/2 cup Butter or margarine (I use butter)

1 egg

Put 4 cup of flour in bowl sprinkle the dry yeast over the flour. ( I know this sounds weird but it works)

Melt butter add cup of milk & water add to flour

Beat egg with 1/2 cup of sugar.

Add to flour

As you are working it add flour a little at a time. Dough should be sticky, but not wet. Smear butter over the dough. Let it rise for 3 hours I covered with saran wrap and 2 kitchen towels and put in a warm dark room for about 4 hours and boy did it rise! Then you need it and put it in a greased tube pan, let it rise for another hour or two. Bake @ 350 for 45 minutes. You can drizzle the confectionery sugar frosting over it once it cools and put those little sprinkles if you would like.

The frosting is just confectionery sugar and half and half.

Enjoy 

Happy Baking!!

Felicia M Apuzzo

Pizzagaina (Meat Pie) Easter Specialty

Filling for the Pizzagaina 



So we all know now that I use the Frazelli dough for the crust of the meat pie I posted that recipe earlier on my blog.


I get the next few items @ the deli and they cut it for me in thick piece so I can cut it in chunks myself

1 1/2 lbs Ham 
1 1/2 lbs Muenster Cheese
1 lbs Proscuittini  (peppered ham) 
1 lb Prosciutto 

This amount of meats and cheeses will make 2 13 x 9 pies so if your going to make one or a small round use less meat so an example use 1 lb ham and 1/2 of the others and 1 lb muenster and 1 basket cheese
If your using Pepperoni you can do the same get in deli I just happen to have some bags of the sliced one so if I want to use it I will cut it in with these other meats and cheese.
There are lots of Italian Meats you can use its all up to the individual you do have to be careful though some of the meats can make the pie very salty  

2 basket cheese (secret here always make sure you drain your basket cheese in the scolapasta (colander)
it is very wet and you don't want that much liquid in with the rest of the ingredients
Grated Cheese (I can't tell you how much probably 1/2 cup or more 
Black Pepper (if your using the proscuittini don't do alot of pepper might be overpowering 
12 eggs or more 
1 lbRicotta  

Mix up the fresh basket cheese (drained), and then add the ricotta cheese.  Mix the two together with a mixer, and then add in the percorino romano cheese. Next, gradually mix in the eggs.  Once mixed thoroughly, add the prosciutto, ham, and pepperoni (or other meats).  Use a wooden spoon to mix the meats in.  Once mixed, pour the filling into the pie shell.  Smooth out the filling on top with the spoon.

Now this depends on how big you make the pie this is for a good size pie a deep square dish or large round pan
My Mom gave me 2 beautiful pans that they used to use but anything will work well you can even buy those throw away large aluminum ones but use 2 it will be very heavy once you add it all in there and too pick it up out of the oven! 

When you add the crust to the top use a fork to work your way around it and put seams in it to seal it then put in two or three little air holes on top for it to breathe while cooking.

About 50 minutes @ 375 but if its bigger could take a few extra minutes you will be able to tell.
Once its cooked let it cool and cover it well and put in refrigerator you will serve it cold on Holy Saturday no meat on Good Friday for us.
It is a tradition that we go to my parents house @ noon on Holy Saturday to cut the meat pie and eat together.



I don't know if this recipe makes any sense LOL I make it by sight and don't have a written recipe but this pretty much says it all if you have any questions let me know!

Thank you 
Buona Pasqua 
Felicia 

Frazelli's Recipe (Meat Pie Dough Recipe)

Frazelli


3 1/2 cups
3/4 tablespoon salt
3/4 cup oil
1 cup water
4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tablespoon pepper or more according to how much spice you want it to have


Mix the dough all the together if you are making the Frazelli's just roll them according to what size you want them to be and roll on ungreased cookie sheets @ 350 until golden brown about 10- 15 minutes


We use this for our Apizzagain dough it comes out wonderful just make the dough as you do above roll it out on a floured surface and put it in the pan your making the pie in and make it hang over cutting it if need be and making another one for the top or just lattice strips its all up to you.
Sometimes I don't even use a crust for the top it depends on your preference!
I make it double if I am making it for the top too or 1 1/2 for the lattice!

If you have any questions let me know



Thanks

Enjoy and Buona Pasqua

Boneless Center Cut Pork Roast Viva Alla Crock Pot

Ingredients 

2.5-3 lb. Boneless Pork Loin

1 Chicken bouillon cube

Spices Rub: 2 tsp. garlic powder, 2 tsp. onion powder, 1 tsp. salt, pinch black pepper, 1 tsp basil, 2 tsp. sage, 2 tsp. thyme if you like rosemary you can add that too we don't particularly care for it! 

1 onion, halved and sliced

4 cloves garlic

3-4 apples, (whatever kind you like) peeled and sliced

1/2 cup water

olive oil

I put olive oil in bottom of crock pot, I rubbed the seasoning on the pork roast and I also slivered the pork roast and added the garlic slivers right in each slit about 4 of them put the pork roast in crock pot

Then cover with sliced onions and apples.

put the bullion cube in the 1/2 cup water melt it and pour over pork roast I also put another drop of olive oil 

its on low now I might higher it depending on how it goes.

It is either LOW 8-10 hrs or HIGH 4-5 hrs I was a little late in putting it on this morning! 

Doing mashed potatoes and veggies on side that can be your choice!

Enjoy and of course if you are cooking a bigger pork roast you can adjust all the ingredients!