My first Pasta e Fagioli

KEVIN:  Hello everyone.  Last Friday, I decided to make a pot of soup.  I wanted something different. I usually make chicken soup using a Rotisserie chicken from the grocery store.  It is quick, easy, and tasty.  This time I wanted something different.  I received inspiration from an appetizer I ordered at Don Tommaso’s in Yorktown Heights.  Pasta e Fagioli, a meatless bean soup.  I used Cannellini beans and ditalini pasta. I also added about 4oz. of prosciutto, sliced into thin strips.  I added it when I added the tomato paste.    I highly suggest making this on a cold winter day.

Here is the basic recipe.

• 2 tablespoons pork fatback, slightly softened and mashed into a paste
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1/4 cup to drizzle
• 1 bunch Italian parsley finely chopped to yield 1/4 cup
• 1 medium Spanish onion, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 quarts chicken stock, recipe follows
• 3 cups cooked borlotti beans, may substitute kidney or cannellini beans
• 2 cups pieces of raw pasta left over from making tortellini or pappardelle
• Salt and pepper

Directions

In a Dutch oven, heat the pork fat and olive oil over high heat until it is almost smoking. Add the parsley and the onions and cook over high heat, until they are browned and soft, about 8 to10 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook over medium heat 10 minutes. Add the chicken stock and the cooked beans and bring to a boil. Add the pasta pieces and cook 5 or 6 more minutes. Remove from heat and allow to rest 10 minutes. Divide among 6 serving bowls, drizzle with remaining oil and serve.
I left in the links so if you are unfamiliar with any terms, you can check it out.

Much thanks to my wife’s boss Lisa for giving us the Food Network recipe.  This is Mario Batali’s recipe, minus the homemade stock.  I used store-bought stock.  I would make my own if I had the time and patience.  But in our fast world, high quality pre-packaged stock will work in a pinch.
I suggest a loaf of crusty Italian bread to accompany this satisfying dish.
If you would like to see the original recipe it is located here.
 
AIMEE:  I don’t really eat anything with BEANS in it.  But to my pleasant surprise, I really enjoyed this!  The soup is hearty and delicious and as Kevin said, very satisfying on a cold day! 
 
Let us know if you make it and what edits you might make!

A boxed brownie secret & Update to Kevin’s Carrot Cake Ring!

Hey ladies & gents, It’s Aimee.  Hope this short read finds you in high spirits and that you’re well rested from your weekend!

There are 2 reasons for this update actually.  The first one being; a co-worker of mine made brownies and brought them into work recently.  They were okay, typical brownie I guess, but I noticed they were really oily.  I think another co-worker of mine used the word ‘moist’ -- but no, my hand definitely came away coated in oil and it was kind of gross.

It made me think of the way my mother makes brownies.  I don’t know where she got the idea from or if she just did one of her usual ‘I don’t have what I need, let me use this instead’ toss in’s?  Not sure. Either way,  her little secret is a wonderful way to give a 'taste-lift' to the average boxed brownies.  I can almost guarantee you can start telling people you slaved all day to make them from scratch!

Today I used Betty Crocker’s Ultimate Fudge premium brownie mix because that’s what I had on hand but you can use whatever brand you want.  I’m telling you, it won’t matter.  Mom’s secret switcheroo ingredient fix will change the way you feel about store brand brownies!

You simply pre-heat your oven and follow the directions on the box with the exception of the water.  Instead of water, you’re going to use the same measurement but use cold, black coffee instead.  Kevin made coffee this morning so I asked him to set 1/4 cup aside for me and I put it in the fridge.  You can probably get away with using room temperature coffee if you must, but whatever you do, don’t use warm or hot coffee because when you add your egg(s) they will end up scrambled!
Bake according to the instructions and let cook (sometimes I can’t wait and eat a warm one….Mmmm!)  Today I felt like adding some walnuts so I mixed some into the batter and also put some on top before baking.

By using my Mom’s secret coffee switcheroo instead of water, you’ll have rich, beautiful, brownies coming out of your oven.

The smell is great, but wait til you take a bite! You will be able to taste the dark notes of coffee mixed with the sweet chocolate and it will send you to the moon.  Promise!  Enjoy, I know my co-workers couldn’t stop eating them
The second reason for today’s blog is a quick update to Kevin’s Carrot Cake Ring (click here to see that post if you haven’t already).  We had my mother, my brother Matt and his girlfriend Jessica over for Thanksgiving dessert.  My mom requested Kevin’s carrot cake because she loves it so much.  Kevin usually doesn’t add an icing, but he wanted to try something different this time.  He made a creamy, delicious cream cheese frosting that even I enjoyed – and I don’t really like frosting on anything.
Cream cheese frosting recipe:
4oz cream cheese (half package) at room temperature
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1/2 Cup of powdered sugar
2-3 tablespoons of milk.
Kevin used his stand mixer to beat the cream cheese until smooth, then added vanilla. Next, sift powdered sugar into mixing bowl and continue to mix. Add milk a tablespoon at a time until you get the right consistency.
Then you just apply the frosting to your cake and voila!  Eat and savor.  Delicious!


Enjoy
XOXO,
Aimee & Kevin

Supergirls Saturday: Episode 1

Hi friends!  Aimee here, bringing you what will likely be a new feature on Eats & Treats: Supergirls Saturday.  Supergirls = one of my best friends, Rachael & myself.  We call ourselves super because we are always running around together doing something fun, cooking up a few happy accidents in the kitchen, getting things done in a short amount of time and just being all around productive chicks. Today we had plans to do a little Christmas shopping and there were several stops to make.  Rachael’s power went out for some reason around 3am so her morning plans were foiled. This turned out to be fine.  It just meant we were going to get an earlier start.  We’re always up so darn early anyway, so it usually works out for the better!  We decided we needed to start with breakfast and we wanted to try someplace new.  We pass this little joint called Frankie’s Waffles & Burgers which is hidden away in a small plaza on Route 6 in Mahopac.  It’s so easy to pass, we almost went right by it!  Rachael commented on how busy the parking lot was and I was thinking ‘This is a good sign!’. So we walked in to a narrow room with some booths lining the left wall and a large counter-seating area on the right.  Most of the tables and seats at the counter were taken. There was a friendly waitress who greeted us with a smile.  She asked if we wanted to sit in the ‘other room’ and she sort of pointed in the right direction as she was taking an order from a customer.  We walked through a doorway on our right and into a larger room with several tables.  There was only 2 other tables with people already seated. We chose a spot and settled in.  I was immediately tickled by the looks of this place.

 

With the sage green walls, the orange and maroon tables and chairs and the shiny, colorful art work, the restaurant was quirky, mismatched and fun. 

 

And I LOVED this clock:

 

How clever is that?  I’ve seen the ones with just forks and spoons, but never with the larger utensils, I really love how silly it is

So the same girl who greeted us brought us menus and asked us how our Thanksgiving was and how our weekend was going. She was extremely nice. She definitely knew where her tips were coming from and was working hard for the money.  But she seemed to really genuinely enjoy what she was doing and I thought that was nice to see for a change.  She asked us what we wanted to drink (water for Rach & Cranberry juice for me) and then left us to peruse the selection of crazy-awesome treats on the menu.  (Click here to see what the menu is like, you won’t be sorry!) 

When our waitress returned with our beverages, I just had to ask her, ‘Do you guys make your own hash here?’ – her answer, ‘We sure do!’ – I couldn’t wait to tell my husband. Kevin is always looking for places that make their own corned beef hash as opposed to opening a can, heating it and dumping it onto a plate.  Once I mentally tucked away that information for later, Rachael decided on her order: Walnut & Banana Belgian waffle with chocolate chips, chocolate syrup drizzle, whipped cream and rainbow sprinkles. I ordered the Nutella and Raspberry stuffed french toast with chocolate drizzle, powdered sugar, whipped cream and rainbow sprinkles. I knew all that sweetness might make me feel gross afterward, but I didn’t care, I had to try it.  Having no idea that these plates of food would be HUGE we ordered sides.  Rach got sausage links and I got bacon (extra crispy of course).  We talked about our Christmas shopping plans and the stops we needed to make after breakfast while we waited.  A cute elderly couple was seated next to us and Rachael (who I always say, would talk to a wall if it would talk back – LOL) started to chat with them.  They gave off that localalite vibe and we guessed they had been to Frankie’s numerous times.  We were right.  The older gentleman said that if we go to Frankie’s for lunch sometime, it’s usually served with a soup (Or Salad, his wife chimed in) and that Frankie who is the owner and chef makes a Stracciatella (an Italian-style egg drop) soup to die for!  

Soon we heard a *ding!* coming from the other side of the room where there was a window from the kitchen and really huge plates were being pushed through.  Rachael’s eyes got large and she said “Oh my God, are those ours?”  And sure enough, the server headed over to us and placed our meals on the table.  We could not believe our eyes!

 

Rachael’s: Walnut & Banana Belgian waffle

Needless to say, Rach was REALLY happy… look – the plate is bigger than her!

Aimee’s: Nutella & Raspberry stuffed french toast

Now for those of you who might be confused.. when you cut into this insane meal, this is what you saw:

A beautifully cooked slice of french toast, generously smeared with Nutella and a beautiful magenta raspberry preserves, topped with another slice of french toast.  Oh my good God!

We took our time and ate slowly to savor each bite.  Everything was very, very, very good.  From the food, the company of the sweet elderly couple and our really friendly, fun waitress.  Oh and the prices!  Very reasonable if you ask me.  We had an abundance of food (way more than necessary, but delicious all the same) for about $25.  Rach & I vowed to try something totally different next time, because they have so many yummy sounding dishes to choose from.

I think that Frankie’s is more of a luncheonette than a diner.  They are open early, around 6am most days but I think they close around 3 or 4pm.  You will definitely want to check before heading over there because you wouldn’t want to be disappointed when you arrive.  They don’t have a website, but here is their number & address: 565 Route 6, Mahopac NY - 845-621-2527.

To say that this meal was sinful on all levels, is the understatement of a lifetime, my friends.  Rachael and I were sure to share the love…and tasted each others breakfasts.  Warm, sweet, buttery, chocolaty, heaven on a plate.   You don’t have to ask – we will return again and probably soon!

When we left, it was around 9-930am, you nearly had to roll us to the car, we were that full.  We both said we probably wouldn’t need to eat until dinner time.

We headed to Home Goods in the Somers town center where we spent too much money on our pets for Christmas.  We made one more stop nearby and then headed to the Feed Barn because I needed cat food and litter.  While we were looking around, I spotted a Christmas tree standup cut out with a lot of little pictures of dogs and cats on it, called THE GIVING TREE.

Upon further investigation, I found that it was in support of the dogs and cats at the Putnam Humane Society.   I immediately longed for the days when I used to go visit the dogs. Plaster and Paint, 2 beautiful Staffordshire terriers,  were my favorite.  I would give them bones and they would sit and wait patiently.  Ahh, those were the days when I had the guts to go visit these poor homeless animals every weekend.  Now days, my heart and soul just can’t take it, and I feel terribly selfish for not going.  Anyway, back to the Giving Tree.  Each photo was of a dog or cat in need of something specific, like cat litter, food, treats, etc.  I called Rachael over to show her.  We were really excited to see that the Supergirls could help these animals live a little fuller or happier lives. Rachael being the dog person chose a doggy who needed treats.  I, forever the crazy cat lady, chose a kitty who needed some wet food.  We went in search of what our own pets needed as well as what the PHS adoptables needed.   When we found everything we went up and checked out. The clerk stapled our donations in separate bags with the photo of the animals it would benefit and then we went back to the Giving Tree and put it in the donation bin. 

 

Rachael was really happy to donate, if you couldn’t tell

 

If you would like to visit the Putnam Humane Society to adopt a dog or cat in need of a forever home, here is all their info:

68 Old Route 6
Carmel, New York
(Behind the Putnam Plaza Shopping Center - Hannaford's)

Phone: 845-225-7777 - Hours: Sunday-Saturday, 10:00am - 4:30pm

Email: shelter@puthumane.org

When you visit their website, there is a sidebar (on the left) where you can LIKE them on Facebook & follow them on twitter, you can also see their wish list of things that the shelter is in need of – please donate if you can! Website: www.putnamhumane.org

I was a little sad to see how empty the donation bin was at Feed Barn, so if you want to visit them to sponsor one of these dogs or cats and buy something to donate, here is their information: 155 Rt 6  Mahopac, NY 10541
(845) 621-2276.

 

I hope you enjoyed the first installment of Supergirls Saturday.  We’re not always this busy, but we usually get together a couple Saturday’s a month to run errands, and do Supergirl-ish type things so we will blog about it as it comes.

Check back soon (possibly tomorrow) to my mother’s secret switcheroo to get the best out of your boxed brownies!

 

Til then, Have a wonderful rest of your weekend!

 

xoxo,

Aimee (& Rachael)

Happy Thanksgiving! And an Update :)

Hello to our loyal readers! Kevin & I are wishing you a very Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.  We hope you are feeling thankful and blessed for what you have today and always.
This morning I wanted to do a little update on a few things since it’s been about a week or so since we have posted and I’ve got some time.
Last Friday (11/16) I attended a Flower Centerpiece-making class at the Flower Boutique on Route 6 in Mahopac, NY. My co-worker Lynne had invited me a day or two earlier because her cousin couldn’t go and there was a spot opened. Lynne does one of these classes every year and when she talks about it, I always find myself pining away and wanting to join in, but not being able to afford the cost. This year, even though money was really tight from participating in 3 Hudson Valley Restaurant Week restaurant reviews, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity! The cost for this particular class was $54 including all materials and it was Friday from 630 until about 830pm. I was glad that I had a friend with me because there were about 6-7 other ladies there who already knew one another and were happily chatting away and catching up the whole time. Arriving at the florist around 6:15pm (you know me, gotta get good parking and a good seat, LOL). I felt a little shy and out of sorts while waiting for Lynne. I’m not good at being social and talking to strangers anymore. It’s funny how you sometimes go backwards in life instead of forwards on things! Anyway, when Lynne showed up, I felt much more relaxed and as we waited for one more person to arrive, we all settled into our seats and rolled up our sleeves. When the last woman came in, Karen (the owner) started to hand out some green leafy branches of what she was referring to as ‘leather’. Karen’s assistant (of the same name, so we’ll refer to her as Katie) was standing nearby to help anyone who needed it. By this time there was a green planter with a dark green sponge-type object inside it in front of each of us. Karen & Katie then handed out 2 boxes of candle sticks, some yellow, some orange and asked us all to choose 2. Both Lynne and I chose orange. Karen walked us through step by step, how to add the leather from bottom to top of the green planter to be sure to cover it up well. Now I consider myself to be a creative soul. I’ve done more arts, crafts, painting, drawing, and building than the average person. So I was really surprised when I saw how long and how much skill was required to do some of the simpler steps! It was a lot more complicated then I expected, but to be honest, once you get the hang of it, you can breeze right through. I believe the owner said that all of my fellow classmates had attended a class prior, including Lynne, and everyone seemed to really catch on quickly. After adding the leather in a diamond shape all around the green floral foam, it was time to add some larger accents. I think the first thing we added was a type of floral cabbage actually. Sounds strange right? Well, it’s surprisingly really beautiful! There was both white and purple. Both Lynne and I received white ones and we stuck it into the foam. We added some lilies, mums, carnations, pods, cattails, etc. I was helping Lynne a little bit here and there, and Katie and Karen helped the both of us when necessary, including clearing away the excess flowers, leaves and stems that were everywhere on the table and floor. What a mess! By this time I was feeling really itchy. My face, neck and hands were making me twitch. I think I may have been allergic to something I was using for my centerpiece. But it was all worth it in the end! When you take Karen’s classes, and you follow her direction and let her help you when you need it..you can really amaze yourself! My buddy Lynne, self proclaimed “the most non creative person in the world” and I did an amazing job. We topped our gorgeous creations off with a little scarecrow for playfulness and a fall-colored bow finished the whole thing off.
I hope to return for one of Karen’s classes in the new year when I have more money saved up for this type of thing. I don’t regret going at all and the best part is, I have a wonderful centerpiece for my table for when my family comes today for Thanksgiving I’m really excited for them to see it!
Here is the finished product:

That photo was taken with it sitting on top of my microwave (to keep it from my troublesome cats) so you can get an idea of how large it is.
If you want to get more information about attending one of Karen’s classes, feel free to contact them:
Phone (845) 628-1946
Email: owerboutique11@aol.com
Website: www.flowerboutiquemahopac.com/
And please Like them on facebook! (you can get info there as well):
I hope that everyone out there in the world who is seeing this is counting their blessings today and realizing that what they have is so much more than someone else who may have lost it all. Please, if you have the means, reach out and help someone. It doesn’t have to cost you anything but time and the kindness in your heart.
God bless you all.

Mirabella Espresso bar and Gelateria

Kevin:  Aimee and I were enjoying a lovely day in Westchester.  We had a great lunch, went to Big Lots to do some shopping, and had a not so good experience at Puppies Puppies Puppies in Mohegan Lake.  We were on our way back home and thought it would be the perfect opportunity to fulfill a request on our Eats and Treats Facebook page by one of our fans and one of my personal best friends, Scott Perry.  He wanted to know where the best Gelato in New York was and we were happy to oblige!  So, we stopped at Mirabella's in Baldwin Place, NY to give it a try.

Mirabella’s has been opened for less than a year I think. The place is easy to access, since it is off of the main road.  When we walked in, I saw the coffee/espresso bar and many items or sale.  I also saw the menu overhead.

They have a lot going on at this place!  I see coffee, soup, sandwiches, rice balls, and of course, gelato.  Not sure why they have so many things to offer.  If I was walking off the street and was just curious, I would wonder what direction is this establishment is going.

I ordered a large gelato, Stracciatella (Vanilla base with chocolate shavings) and La Guiliana (Espresso and Mascarpone).  I had it topped with Nutella.

It was heavenly and though a little expensive at $6 and change each, it was worth it.  I cannot say it was the best gelato I ever had, but it was very close!  I do have an issue with the serving dishes there.  They use little plastic bowls that are designed to be reusable, but they treat them as disposable.  I feel that is unacceptable.  I finished my dessert and looked on the bottom of the bowl and it had the markings that it is dishwasher safe, yet they just toss them and buy new bowls.  Now I know why it costs so much!  Maybe they should put more thought into being more environmentally conscious.  Even using paper cups would better, they biodegrade.

AIMEE:  Even though Kevin says it's not the best gelato he has ever had, it's hands down, the best I have ever had.  I'm not big on ice cream in general, I can take it or leave it, I feel the same about gelato.  Don't get me wrong, whether ice cream, gelato or italian ice, its all very delicious. It's just not high on my list of must-have's.  Anyway, I choose Pumpkin and Dark Tuscan chocolate as my flavors, and also a spoonful of Nutella on top.  Totally sinful and amazing.

I loved every bite and I almost wanted to cry when I became too full to finish it!

I agree with Kevin about being a little more environmentally conscious.  Toss away plastic bowls is not the way to go.  If they don't want to go the paper route, perhaps they should only serve the gelato on a cone, so at least it's container is edible?  I don't know, just a thought!  I also agree that things might've been a bit mish-mosh inside the store.  There were a lot of different Italian food products on display and for sale.  There was also a large table on the front with Thanksgiving decorations on it and it looked very out of place with other random items on it.  I totally don't get the rice balls and soup offerings either.  If they mean for Mirabella's to be a CAFE, then that makes total sense, perhaps they should advertise that way?   All in all, I thought the service was great, the atmosphere was charming and the gelato was the best I have had in New York!

xoxo

Dom Tommasso’s Bistro Italiano

KEVIN:  Aimee and I were chosen to review 3 restaurants for lohud.com Small Bites blog during Hudson Valley Restaurant week.  This is the first of three we visited.  We arrived at the restaurant around 12:30pm.  It has a plenty of parking in the lot just outside of the establishment.  The decor outside is not too remarkable.  Upon entering, it has the feel of an old Italian bistro, with checkered tablecloths and tables that are placed close together creates an intimate atmosphere.  Our waitress, Dani,  greeted us and seated us.  The place was empty….but it was very early and it was Sunday. She poured water for us and gave us the menu that  was made especially for Restaurant Week. 

For my appetizer (or Antipasti, as the Italians call it), I chose Pasta e fagioli,a soup made with cannellini beans, pancetta, tomato, rosemary, ditalini pasta, extra virgin olive oil, and baby arugula.  I have never had Pasta Fagioli before. The soup reminded me of a dish my grandmother used to make when I was young using smoked pork and cannellini beans.  I am not a big soup fan, but it was a delightful dish.

It has a real depth of flavor that made me want to finish the whole bowl. I had Ravioli al Manzo, a Chianti braised beef ravioli, garlic, grape tomatoes, cannellini beans, and white wine.

The ravioli was amazing! The filling had great texture and very flavorful.  I didn’t realize until my food was in front of me that the main dish had Cannellini beans.  No worries, I love cannellini beans!  The ravioli was the star of the party anyway. I had Tiramisu for dessert. It was very good! Creamy, not soggy like others I have tried.   What a perfect, sweet end to an amazing lunch.

I hope to visit this restaurant again.

AIMEE:  We found Don Tommaso’s Bistro Italiano, tucked away into a colorful little group of buildings off of Underhill Avenue in Yorktown.  As Kevin said, it being an early Sunday afternoon the restaurant was empty, which was fine, it made for a more intimate atmosphere for the both of us.   The tables were pretty close together, so if the place had been packed, there would have likely been a lot of noise and loud conversation. The décor was old world Italian with dark woods, checkered table cloths and quirky Italian music playing in the background. Our waitress was attentive. She gave us the HVRW 2012 lunch menu:

She let us mull the menu over while she went to get our bread basket.

Then she busied herself setting up tables (for a party coming in around 2pm, we overheard).  The bread was warm and crusty, very good. We both wondered if it was fresh made. It certainly tasted it. When the waitress returned, Kevin ordered first, as always (I like to order last, I don’t know why, just a preference I guess).  When it was my turn, I ordered the beet salad (Barbabietole) for my antipasti and the Gnocchi alla Norma for the Secondi.  I’ve only ever had gnocchi once before and I remembered not liking it much.  I wanted to push my limits a bit during this experience with Restaurant Week.  If you know me at all, then you know I really need to expand my horizons when it comes to many things, food being one of them.  So my taste buds were about to be blessed with at least 2 new flavors.  The beet salad, I will admit, I was a little afraid of trying.  The actual menu description of the Barbabietole was Roasted beets, baby arugula, lemon vinaigrette, pistachio, ricotta salata.  It was visually appealing with deep purple-red beets against the verdant leafy greens.  The dish was really vibrant both in color and flavor. I think it needed a bit more texture for my personal palate, but I enjoyed it regardless.

I tasted Kevin’s Pasta Fragioli. I have had it before, though I don’t really recall where. Probably something my mother or my grandmother made at one time or another.  The soup was very tasty and I even dipped some crusty bread in there for good measure.

I don’t know if it was on purpose or if she was just busy elsewhere in the restaurant, but our waitress gave us a good resting period between each course, which was appreciated.  This was quite a large salad!  I didn’t finish it because I wanted to save room for my main course.  Soon she removed our antipasti plates and came back with the Secondi. 

Well there it is, pretty as a picture! Gnocchi alla Norma, which consisted of home made potato gnocchi, eggplant, pomodoro, pesto, and grated ricotta salata. I cannot explain how tasty and rich this sauce was!  Now, I’m very partial to my mother’s sauce, she uses pork and meat to broaden the flavors of her gravy. But this sauce was almost like a paste.  I’ve never had tomato jam, but this is what I imagine tomato jam to taste like.  It was full of small chunks of tender eggplant and the ricotta salata was the perfect accompaniment.  I think what I’ve discovered about myself is that I have a texture issue.  I thought the gnocchi was okay and I managed to eat some of it, but I couldn’t bring myself to finish it by any means. I think it was too soft for me. I needed a bit more of a crunch – I was expecting something a bit firmer when I ordered the dish.  Kevin tried some of the gnocchi and really liked it.  No matter what my personal texture issues deny my palate, I know it wasn’t the chef’s fault that I didn’t eat this dish in it’s entirety!

Moving right along, our waitress cleared our plates and we ordered dessert.  Our choices were Gelato (Chocolate, Vanilla, or Hazelnut), Sorbet (Lemon or orange), tiramisu or cannoli.  Kevin choose the tiramisu and I, forever being a lover of anything lemon, chose the sorbet.  

Kevin & I discussed it and we give the atmosphere at Don Tommaso’s Bistro Italiano a 7, it was charming but there was nothing terribly remarkable about it.  The food, we proudly give an 8.5!

If you ever find yourself in the neighborhood, we do recommend you stop in for a bite at Don Tommaso’s:  http://www.dontommasos.com/

xoxo

Sandra Lee of the Food Network

Kevin: Hello everyone.  Aimee informed me about 2 weeks ago about the Harvest Festival at Animal Kingdom (Brewster) scheduled for today.  She also told me that Sandra Lee from the Food Network would be there from 1pm – 5pm. 


So I worked a half day and came home to meet my lovely wife and headed to Animal Kingdom to the Harvest Festival. It was a bit crowded in the parking lot upon our arrival.  We walked around the store for a bit, because we did not see Sandra Lee.  There were several vendors with tables talking about their businesses.  There was even a  vendor selling meat, which I felt was quite odd at a pet store.  A woman from the Le Fontane Ristorante was there representing her restaurant and handing out samples of one of their dishes.  I tried the pasta with Butternut Squash and walnuts.  It was pretty tasty.  The pasta was cooked to Al dente, the squash was slightly sweet, the walnuts gave it a nutty finish and also helped the texture of the baked dish.  It would be something I would eat again. Maybe we will make it and blog about it!

After waiting for a bit, Sandra Lee appeared from nowhere at the front of the store.  We went in line and waited patiently for our turn.  Luckily we didn’t have to wait very long.   She was very gracious and shook our hands.  She signed our cookbook and took pictures with each of us.  She is very nice.  We had a very different experience at the Alton Brown book signing in NYC at Union Square’s Barnes and Noble.   Maybe it was Alton, maybe it was the city vibe, not sure.  But this time it felt very relaxed and Sandra Lee was very down to earth and very concerned about the welfare of the animals. Had a great time!

AIMEE:  Here’s the story behind this!   My boss at the Yorktown Pennysaver asked Rachael & I (Supergirls!) to research some local Events to form a lead list for our Classified department to call for our special Holiday Events Directory.  Rachael was busy doing something else so I said I’d get a start on it.  I went to a local radio stations website that’s known for having a What’s Going On page where a lot of people post about their events, fundraisers, holiday sales, etc.  I printed out a list of them and while I was reading I saw that someone posted about the Animal Kingdom USA in Brewster having a Harvest Festival fundraiser to benefit the their Wildlife Rehabilitation program and that Sandra Lee would be there doing a Q&A and book signing.  I was excited because it is not often television stars come and hang out locally.  So after a short time, Rachael took one of the lists I printed out and the Harvest Festival happened to be on hers. She called and talked to a woman named ‘Lisa’ who I think was in charge of setting up the event. Lisa told Rachael that Sandra Lee is a bird-lover and she must’ve brought one of her birds in to Animal Kingdom and needed some help with it. Well, apparently they did a great job because from what I understand – Sandra wanted to repay Animal Kingdom for their kindness and so she said she’d come and help them out with the fundraiser.


Kevin & I watch Sandra Lee often on the Food Network and because I’m not in any way a professional chef (not to mention really lazy)  I love the idea behind her semi-homemade creations and entertaining!  I told Kevin about it and we were excited to attend, but more than anything, I thought it would make fantastic coverage for our blog – I really wanted to bring something to the table that was not only fun to read but full of great photos as well.  We saw some incredible looking owls while we were there.  The larger of the two (shown with Lisa) is the sister and the smaller is the brother.

As Kev said up above, Sandra Lee was so laid back and down to earth.  She was all smiles and talking to everyone.  You could tell she has an unconditional love for animals (as well as food).  She was working the room with such ease, getting people to purchase raffle tickets with all funds benefiting the Wildlife foundation.  We were 3rd or 4th in line to step up and meet Sandra.  The woman in line in front of me had a very young daughter in her arms who was fussing a bit and when Sandra laid eyes on the baby, she was giddy.  Mother and baby took photos with Sandra and it was completely endearing to see her interacting with other young children in line.  She even had a lengthy conversation with a young teen about the best way to make a sauce.  When it was our turn, I introduced both Kevin and I and it all happened so fast and we were both a little star struck. I think I mentioned the blog but to be honest, I don’t remember!  She saw I was holding one of her books to be signed and she whispered to me that the book I held (Weeknight Wonders) was one of the two best books she put out. The second one being Semi-Homemade Cooking 2.  She happily signed our book “To Aimee & Kevin. Enjoy!”  with her signature kind of scribbled beneath. 

Okay, yeah, I was definitely star struck ..hahaha!   After both of our photos were taken with her we stepped aside to let the next person speak to her and we went to purchase 15 raffle tickets for the CAT BASKET they were raffling off.  She must’ve over heard that we were buying so many because she put her hand on my arm as we were leaving to say a big thank you for purchasing so many.   It was really a very successful visit for Kevin and I and I’m quite proud that we went out and accomplished what we set out to do for personal wants but also for the good of the blog.


I’m hoping to submit an additional guest blog about our visit with Sandra Lee on lohud.com – I’ll let you all know how that pans out!
That’s all for now guys and gals!  We hope you enjoyed this latest installment of Eats and Treats.  It was definitely an amazing TREAT to see Sandra Lee today!  Please don’t forget to LIKE us on Facebook and follow us on Pinterest and Twitter (links below and to the right)
As always, we thank you for sticking with us and hope you will share our blog with your friends and family!
XOXO!

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Meatballs: Round 2 & Hurricane Update

KEVIN: Just wanted to give a small update on Aimee and myself.  We are doing well after Superstorm Sandy and the Nor’easter that passed through.  We were without power for 4 days and all we lost was all of the food in the fridge, which is fortunate, it needed cleaning out anyway, lol!  Through the kindness of friends and family, we made it through fine.  To all that gave us assistance, thank you from the bottom of our hearts!  We know that there are many people that need our help now to recover all they have lost, so at the end of the blog, we will post a few links so you can find ways to help those in need.

Now this past Wednesday, the day of the dreaded Nor’easter, or as Weather Channel calls it: Winter Storm Athena (really?) I decided to make my famous meatballs for Aimee.  I followed the recipe I made and then realized I forgot a crucial ingredient that I used last time.  Here is the recipe in its entirety:

Kevin’s Meatballs:

2 lbs of ground beef (80/20 preferred)

1 small or 1/2 medium sweet onion

3 cloves of garlic

1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs

3 Tbs milk

1 egg, slightly beaten

3 Tbs Italian seasoning

1/3 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated

salt and pepper to taste.

Puree onion and garlic in blender or food processor.  Place ground beef in mixing bowl, along with rest of ingredients.  At this point, I suggest making a tiny test patty and cooking it in a pan and tasting it to check seasoning.  You won’t get another chance later. Mix well and form into golf ball sized meatballs.

At this point you can bake your meatballs until fully cooked, but I usually fry my meatballs in a mix of light olive oil and vegetable oil. (We like a crusty exterior). . Use any sauce you like.

 

I discovered this after eating the test patty.  It is was missing something. I started thinking and I remembered that I forgot the Romano cheese.  I was out and snow was coming down pretty fast, so I did without.  The final product was good, but not great.  It wasn’t a total loss.  Aimee still loved it, but not as much, because I noticed she did not eat any leftovers.  That was an indicator of a less than stellar meal.  I will avenge my failure!!

AIMEE:  Oh honey   They were good, but you’re right, they weren’t as awesome as they were the previous time when you had managed to completely and accurately (FINALLY!) recreate my grandmother’s meatballs.  And that’s okay!  Having a food blog and cooking and trying new things means we will run into snafu’s now and then.  Glad you were honest with the audience and admitted your booboo.  I think the readers out there will appreciate your honesty and be sure not to make the same mistake!

All is fair in love & meatballs

 

Below is a link to a lohud.com article with some info on who, what and where to donate for Hurricane Sandy relief.  Hope you can help!

http://www.lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2012311100065

 

Ciao for now!

Easy lunch or dinner: under $10!

My Aunt made these for a party ages ago and they were a huge hit!  She called them Thanksgiving rollups because they are like Thanks giving all rolled up into a little bundle of deliciousness.

Here is what you will need:

10-12 slices of store brand (or whatever brand you like) deli turkey, sliced a little on the thicker side.

1 jar of Heinz turkey gravy

1 small can of cranberry sauce

1 box of stovetop chicken/turkey stuffing

Butter (required for stuffing mix)

Hot water

Cookie sheet

Non-stick spray

This recipe could not be simpler and its even something your children would enjoy helping to make!

 

Directions:

Make stuffing according to box directions (about 5-7 min. Cooking time).

Now is a good time to preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

While your stuffing finishes cooking, spray your cookie sheet with the non stick spray & set nearby. Then you are ready to begin laying each slice of turkey out on a paper plate (or directly on sheet if you want). Using a fork or spoon, scoop some cranberry sauce on to the turkey and spread in a thin, even layer.  When stuffing is finished, scoop some of that into the center of each turkey slice (about 2 tbsp of stuffing per rollup should suffice).  Then roll the left & right sides of your turkey up & gently lay fold-side down onto sprayed cookie sheet. Repeat until you have made desired amount of rollups. These are pretty filling,
so we usually make enough for 2 per person with a few leftover.

Once that part is finished, its time for the gravy. Deli turkey can dry up quickly in the oven, so you want to be sure you cover each rollup.  If you are making this for a large group, be sure you buy enough gravy & cranberry sauce to go around.

If your stuffing was just made & still warm bake the rollups in the oven for about 12 minutes. If you are using leftover stuffing that was refrigerated (because this recipe is a fantastic way to give leftovers a facelift!) Then you will need at least 15-17 min in oven.

 

I hope you enjoy this cheap, easy, & very tasty tribute to Thanksgiving :)\

 

xoxo,

Aimee