Oops, ............ Blushing.
picky, pickyCinnamon Swirl Egg Bread, the sequel
.....shuffling away, kickin a can

2 1/4 ounce packages active dry yeast
1/3 cup warm water -- (110 to 115 degrees)
1 cup warm milk -- (110 to 115 degrees)
2 eggs -- lightly beaten
1 cup sugar -- divided
6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened, (I hate to admit it, I really prefer margarine in this recipe)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
6 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon (optional, of course.... LOLOL)

1) In a mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in water.
2) Add milk, eggs, 1/2 cup sugar, butter, salt, and 2 1/2 cups flour; beat until smooth.
3) Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
4) Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 - 8 minutes.
5) Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top.
6) Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
7) Punch dough down; divide in half. Roll each half into an 18 x 8-inch rectangle.
8) Combine cinnamon and remaining sugar; sprinkle over the dough.
9) Roll up each rectangle from a short side; pinch seam to seal. Place seam side down in 2 greased 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pans.
10) Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.
11) Bake at 350 degrees for 30 - 35 minutes or until golden brown.
12) Remove from pans and cool on wire racks.
Yield: 2 Loaves

Just for you Foxy

Chocolate Torte with Buttercream Frosting

1/3 cup butter (do NOT substitute margarine)
1 cup sugar
1/2 t salt
5 eggs separated
1 whole egg
3 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
3/4 cup ground almonds
3/4 cup apricot jam
2 cups whipped cream

Combine butter, sugar and salt and cream until light. Stir in 5 egg
yolks and 1 whole egg, mixing well. Melt chocolate and combine with
almonds. Add to egg mixture and beat well. Beat 7 (seven) egg whites
until stiff but not dry. Fold into chocolate mixture. Pour into 3 round
eight-inch layer pans lined on bottom with paper and greased. Bake at
350 degrees for about 20 minutes. Cool on rack for 25 minutes before
carefully removing from pans.
Filling: Fold apricot jam into whipped cream and spread between
layers and over top of torte.

Buttercream Frosting:

1/4 cup butter, softened
1/8 t. salt
1/2 cup confectioners sugar
2 egg yolks, unbeaten
2 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted & cooled
1/2 t. vanilla

Cream butter and salt . Gradually add sugar, beating well. Add
egg yolks, beating well after each. Add cooled chocolate, beating
well. Add vanilla. Spread on sides of torte.
Chill about 2 hours or overnight before serving. About 12 servings.

Lasagna, alla a House Of CarloIngredients:

1 box lasagna noodles
1 ½ lbs of hamburger
16 oz ricotta cheese
8 oz Mozzarella cheese - grated
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
14 oz of your favorite marinara sauce(* This is mine)
1 onion - diced
4 cloves garlic - chopped up very small
4 sliced fresh mushrooms
2 eggs
1 tablespoon parsley
dash pepper
dash basil

Instructions:
In a large pot, set water to boil. Meanwhile, brown burger, onion, mushrooms and garlic. Add marinara and set aside.
Mix cheeses and eggs in a separate bowl with parsley and spices. Save back about ¼ of the Mozzarella for the top.
When water in pot is boiling add the lasagna noodles. You typically do not need to wait until the noodles are edible because they will be cooked in the oven as well. When noodles are ready (8 minutes or so) begin layering the various mixtures in a 9X13 pan. Start with the burger mixture; then add the cheese, then the noodles. Keep layering until you run out of ingredients. Add the reserved Mozzarella last.
Cover dish with foil and pop into oven at 375 degrees for an hour or so. If you want to harden off the top, pull off the foil for the last 15 minutes.

*Quick MUSHROOM PASTA SAUCE

Ingredients:

1/2 a medium sized onion, chopped
1/3 cup dried porcini mushrooms that have been soaking in about 1/2 cup lukewarm water
1 cup regular white mushrooms, chopped but not too finely
1/2 cup cream
2 tblsp butter
1/4 cup tomato paste
salt to taste
marsala to taste (optional)

Instructions:
Soak porcini mushrooms in water for about 1/2 hour until rehydrated. Remove from water and chop them. SAVE the water they soaked in and runi it through a filter to filter out dirt or other "foreign" object that may have been stuck on the porcinis. Melt butter in pan and saute onion until transluscent. Add regular and porcini mushrooms and saute with onion. Add porcini water and cream and simmer until sauce begins to thicken a bit. Add salt. About 5 minutes before it's done, add tomato
paste. Also, now's the time to add the marsala if you want it, but the sauce will need to simmer a bit longer to boil away the extra liquid.

GREEN GODDESS SALAD DRESSING(4 servings)
Rub the salad bowl with a garlic clove, then add

2 cups of freshly made mayonnaise
4 minced anchovy fillets
1 green onion, chopped
2 teaspoons chopped flat Italian parsley
2 teaspoons chopped chives
1 Tablespoon tarragon vinegar (or to taste)
1/4 teaspoon dried OR 1 teaspoon cut, fresh tarragon

Stir well and pour over salad greens, watercress, or seafood salad.

Broccoli LasagnaThis is the home version of our family restaurant recipe... really creamy, and a wonderful change if you have never had a vegetarian lasagna.

12 oz lasagna noodles -- (wide)
2 Tbls salad oil
1 1/2 ts salt
1/4 ts pepper
20 oz frozen broccoli, or spinach
2-3 c tomato sauce
16 oz ricotta cheese
1/2 Tbls fresh parsley, chopped, or 1/4 dry
1/4 c sour cream
12 oz mozzarella cheese, grated

Cook noodles according to directions on package. Drain, then toss with oil, salt and pepper until well coated. Cook broccoli according to package directions. Drain. Combine ricotta cheese, parsley and sour cream. Arrange half of the noodles in a 12 x 8 baking dish. Cover with half of broccoli and sauce, then a layer of cheese. Add another layer of noodles, topped with broccoli, sauce and cheese., then add all of the cottage cheese mixture. Top with remaining noodles and add sauce to cover. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and refrigerate. About 30 minutes before serving, heat oven to 350 F and bake for 30 minutes or until cheese melts and is golden on top.

Serve this after our victorious election, between the salad and entree, with your typical Republican dinner!

Raspberry Champagne Sorbet

1 c water; divided
3/4 c sugar
2 c fresh raspberries
2 c champagne; chilled

Combine 3/4 cup water and sugar in a small saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring until sugar melts. Remove from heat, and cool completely.
Using a food processor bowl; add raspberries and remaining 1/4 cup water. Process until smooth. Strain and discard seeds. Combine sugar water mixture, raspberry puree, and champagne. Pour mixture into the freezer can of an ice-cream freezer, and freeze according to the manufacturer's directions. Spoon into a freezer safe container; cover and freeze (ripen) 1 hour.
(serving size: 1/2 cup).
Yield: 4 cups

I'll see your Bump, and raise you a Gnocchi;

Gnocchi alla Italiana

2 1/2 c. mashed potatoes (or use a ricer), I like using baked potatoes
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 c. flour
1 recipe tomato sauce
1/4 lb of butter
1 c. Parmesan cheese

Place potatoes, eggs, and salt in a mixing bowl and mix thoroughly. Add 1 1/2 c. flour. Place dough on floured board and add rest of flour. Knead dough for 3 to 4 minutes until all flour is mixed in. If dough is too sticky, sprinkle with more flour.
Cut dough into 6 pieces. Roll dough into long sausage like strips and cut into pieces 2/3 to 1 inch long. Sprinkle dumplings lightly with flour. You can roll each dumpling across a floured dinner fork to make crinkle marks if desired.
Have ready a large pan with 4 qts of boiling water to which 1 T. salt has been added. Place gnocchi in water and remove with a strainer when they come to the top.
Place in a hot serving bowl. Add sauce to gnocchi and 2/3 of cheese, mix well. Sprinkle rest of cheese on top.
Serves 4 to 6.
Variation sauce: Heat butter to browning stage and add 1/2 cup of cream. Pour over gnocchi and add Parmesan cheese.

Italian Doughnuts

15 ounces ricotta cheese
4 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
cooking oil for frying
sifted powdered sugar or granulated sugar or cinnamon/sugar

In a large bowl beat ricotta cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until combined. Add flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat on low speed until just combined. Let batter stand for 30 minutes.
Drop batter by well-rounded teaspoonfuls, four or five at a time, into deep hot fat (365 degrees). Cook 2 1/2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown, turning once. Remove doughnuts with slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Repeat with remaining batter. Cool completely.
Shake doughnuts in a bag with powdered sugar, granulated sugar, or cinnamon/sugar mixture.
Yield: "3 dozen"

Sicilian Beef Braciole

1 lb piece of beef flank steak or slices of thin cut round steak
1 batch of traditional stuffing mix, (see below)
1 Tbls. olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Place the meat between 2 pieces of waxed paper or plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet until it is 1/8 inch thick and roughly rectangular in shape.
Stuff the braciole. Lightly brush the meat with olive oil. Season it lightly with salt and pepper. Spread the batch of traditional stuffing mix evenly over the surface of the meat. Leave 1/2 inch around the perimeter open. Tightly roll up the braciole long ways. Tie both ends with a small piece of coarse kitchen string. Make several more ties every 3 inches over the length of the braciole.
Cook the braciole. Lightly brown the braciole in the sauce pot when you start the red sauce, or brown lightly in a sauté pan and then add to red sauce. Stew for the 3 hours it takes to complete the sauce. When done, gently remove the cooked braciole and place on a cutting board. Remove the kitchen strings and slice on the diagonal. Serve with pasta.

Stuffing for Braciole

3 large eggs
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 Tbls. finely chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup, more or less, seasoned bread crumbs
Salt and pepper to taste

Place the eggs in a small bowl and beat lightly. Add minced garlic, grated parmesan cheese, and chopped fresh parsley. Mix well.
Slowly drizzle in the seasoned bread crumbs while mixing constantly. Use only enough bread crumbs to bring the mixture to a soft, spreadable paste. Add salt and pepper to taste. Be careful with the salt because of the amount of parmesan cheese that is already in the stuffing.

Eggnog chilled cream

SEMIFREDDO ALLO ZABAGLIONE

Ingredients:
8 egg yolks ,
1 cup sugar ,
ladyfinger ,
1 pint whipped cream ,
10 oz.. dry Marsala,
Sprinkle with nutmeg

Beat the egg yolks with the sugar in a bowl. Add the Marsala, a tablespoon at a time. Place the saucepan over a very low heat or in a bain-marie (placing a pan of food in another pan of boiling water),and continue beating until the mixture becomes foamy. Pour it in a bowl and let cool. Fold in the whipped cream and pour the mixture into a mold lined with ladyfingers which have been moistened with Marsala. Freeze for at least 5 hours and serve

Creamy Sauce Pesto with Eggplant Manicotti

1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
1/2 cup spinach leaves
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/4 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup tub-style fat-free cream cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (15-ounce) container fat-free ricotta cheese
2 garlic clove
1 (1-1/2-pound) eggplant, cut lengthwise into 20 (1/8-inch-thick) slices
Cooking spray
2 cups spaghetti sauce, divided

1) Combine 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese and next 9 ingredients (mozzarella cheese through garlic) in a food processor, and process until smooth. Set pesto mixture aside.
2) Arrange half the eggplant slices in a single layer on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Broil 5 minutes or until lightly browned and very tender. Repeat procedure with remaining eggplant.
3) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
4) Spread 1 cup spaghetti sauce in bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Place eggplant slices, browned sides down, on a smooth surface; spoon about 2 tablespoons pesto mixture in center of each slice (the amount will vary from 1 to 3 tablespoons depending on size of eggplant slices). Roll up, starting at short ends; place eggplant rolls, seam sides down,over sauce. Repeat procedure with remaining eggplant and pesto mixture. Pour 1 cup spaghetti sauce over eggplant rolls.
5) Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Top with 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese; bake an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is lightly browned.
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 5 rolls with sauce).
Note: Any leftover pesto mixture can be used as a topping for tomato slices or tossed with pasta.

Angel Hair with Tomatoes, Basil & Garlic

1 pound Angel Hair or Capellini uncooked
2 Tbsp. real 100% olive oil (virgin anything is overrated)
1 Tbsp. minced garlic
5 cups tomatoes diced
1/2 tsp. basil
3/4 cup chicken broth ( homemade is so simple, if not ....gulp, canned)
5 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese ( fresh if possible, and always freshly grated)
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Prepare pasta according to package directions; drain.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
Add garlic and cook for one minute. (do not brown, or burn as it will turn bitter)
Add tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper.
Cook for 3 minutes.
Add hot pasta to skillet; toss well.
Add chicken broth and stir.
Toss with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

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