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!

Lighter version of French Onion Soup its amazing!!

1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter

4 medium onions, sliced

1/8 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons flour

5 cups low-sodium or no sodium, reduced fat beef broth

1/2 cup dry white wine (you could also substitute chicken broth)

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled

1 bay leaf

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon Sherry 

Slice (about 1/4 inch thick each) toasted French baguette or bread

1/4 cup shredded low fat mozzarella cheese (cause I don't like swiss cheese) LOL

In a large heavy saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat; add the onions and cook, uncovered, until golden – about 8-10 minutes. Blend in the sugar and flour and cook for 3-5 more minutes, stirring constantly.

Add the beef broth, wine, thyme,bay leaf, and pepper; increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly for about 6 minutes. Adjust the heat to a simmer, partly cover the saucepan, and simmer for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, spoon out the bay leaf and add the brandy (if using).

Preheat the oven’s broiler you can also use microwave unless you like the toasted cheese taste. Ladle the soup into ovenproof bowls. Place a piece of bread on the top of the liquid in each bowl and sprinkle the top of each with a tablespoon of cheese.

Place the bowls in the oven 4-6 inches from the heat, and broil until the cheese is golden brown (about 2-3 minutes).

Don't know about you but in the chill its nice to have some home made soup around!!

Enjoy 

Chicken Alla Queen (my version of Chicken alla King) LOL

INGREDIENTS

• 4 lg boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 med onion, diced
• 1/2 C diced celery
• 1 16-oz pkg frozen peas & carrots
• 1/2 C sliced mushrooms
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped (or 1/4 tsp garlic powder)
• 4 tbsp flour
• 1 tsp chicken bouillon (or 2 bouillon cubes)
• 2 cans cream of chicken soup (cond)
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup (Cond)
• 1 pint (16 oz) half and half cream
• 3 cups whole milk
• 1/4 C (1/2 stick) salted butter
• 1/4 C olive oil
• 1/2 tsp dried parsley flakes
• 1/4 tsp Italian seasoning
• salt & pepper
• pinch paprika
• pinch nutmeg

Directions

Cut up chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces (wash cutting board, utensils and hands, well, after handling chicken) In a lg, deep skillet over med-high heat melt 1/4 C (1/2 stick) butter, then add 1/4 C olive oil. Add chicken and cook until done (about 10-15 min). In a large crock pot (set to high temp) - combine all liquid ingredients w/seasonings and mix together. Then add cooked chicken to crock pot (along with all liquids from skillet). Add balance of ingredients & stir together well. Let crock pot cook for 4-6 hours, stirring frequently so mixture will not burn on bottom of pot. Mixture should be thick when done.

NOTES

Your Chicken a la Queen should be thick when done...

but will thicken further as it cools down. To thicken it more you can add more

flour or I use Wondra its thinner and doesn't clump to mixture towards end of 

cooking cycle. This is easy to make and you can't do other things while its 

crocking away in the 

crock pot LOL!!

Chicken Chili in Crock Pot via my niece Marissa Mastroianni

Chicken Chili in Crock Pot via my niece Marissa Mastroianni

Ingredients

4 boneless chicken breast

2 jars medium salsa or mild

1 can corn drained

1 can black beans

1 can cannellini beans

1 small can tomato sauce

Onion powder

Garlic powder

Salt and pepper

Cumin

Chili powder

I just sprinkled little each of the spices a little no measured amounts

I also sprayed a little of Pam or whatever you have like that in the crock pot

Put in the can of black beans and ½ corn then one jar salsa then the 4 chicken breasts then the other can beans rest of corn and other salsa then I put in the spices I noticed it looked a little dry so I added the small can of tomato sauce its up to you

I cooked on high from 6:00 am until noon took the breasts out and shredded the chicken then I put the chicken back in crock pot shredded and let it cook a little longer it was wonderful

I cooked rice and served it over rice and some nice crusty Italian bread and butter!!