JOURNAL OF STORIES

JOURNAL OF STORIES

 

Buon giorno, and Good Day!

Getting ready to write the Weekly Newsletter, I noticed that today is the last day of April. Now, I don’t know about you, but wasn’t it just last week when we celebrated Christmas? What is it with these days? At this rate, it will be 2010 next month. Looking at my Calendar Book, I noticed at least 4 book signings crammed into this weekend, and all for the sake of Mother’s Day. Yes, here we are again for another big Holiday! But, of course this one is dear to our hearts and to the commercial world as well.

What should we get our Mother’s for Mother’s Day? This will be the big question. If you ask me, I say “a cookbook, of course.” Don’t you know every woman loves cookbooks, and *Rosalie Serving Italian* is just the book. At least this is what I will be suggesting for the next few days.

Actually, I thought of giving my three grown children a gift from me. It would be a *JOURNAL OF STORIES* reflecting their childhood, and how thankful they should be to still be living here on this earth, considering their dare-devil tricks and other antics. Why should the moms get the gifts? We ought to be so thankful we are not in jail serving life sentences, for not being able to watch over them every minute of the day.

Like the day I went to church and the dear brother approached me with the famous words, “Rosalie, I just wanted to let you know…. The other day traffic was backed up on Chambers Road at the school crossing (a major four-lane road in North St. Louis, MO), and I noticed your two boys, Scott and Jeff. They were hiding behind a bush and then running out to the Stop Light for the crosswalk and pushing the button to cause traffic to stop both directions They were so fast that no one seemed to notice, but I happened to recognize them, and since you live right down the block from there, I’m sure they were just having fun. I just thought you should know.”

Or the infamous day of my life when Jeff, my 8-month old son got up one morning and crawled into the bathroom taking hold of the toilet paper in one hand and continued crawling through the house. By the time I noticed, there was toilet paper in every room. As I was retrieving the toilet paper and trying to save it, he crawled into the kitchen and pulled all the pots and pans out of the lower cabinet. He then found a cleaning agent called Janitor in a Drum, and unscrewed the lid spilling it all over the kitchen floor. Just then the phone rang and as I was running to get it, I slipped on the solution, sending me on my back from the kitchen to the Family Room. He of course was laughing. Later that day he climbed onto the kitchen table and promptly emptied all the salt and pepper shakers all over the place. That evening when my husband came home, I was so furious that I had locked all the doors. When he rang the door bell, I opened with a scowl. He innocently said. ‘Hi, I’m Bill Harpole, have you seen my wife?” I started laughing, and eventually let him in and telling him of the horrors.

And then last, but not least, little Dana Beth. She was eight years old when she came to me with a question, “Mom, I’m lonely, can you get me a baby sister?” I answered, “Dana, I don’t think that would be possible”. “Oh, she said, “well, is the part that makes babies broke?” “Well, actually, Dana that’s true.” “Oh, that’s easy; when you go to church tonight, just have the preacher and dad pray for you. I’m sure God can fix the parts that are broken.” We got her a cat instead.

All in all, Mother’s Day is upon us and it is fun to reminisce about all those fun-filled days. Break out your *Journal of Stories*, and let them cook you an Italian dinner from *Rosalie Serving Italian* cookbook.

Click on my website,

www.rosalieservingitalian.com for upcoming events near you.

God Bless and Happy Mother’s Day,

Rosalie

　

　

　

Red Velvet Cake Supreme

Red Velvet Cake Supreme

NOTE: This grand beauty is the top of the line for Red Velvet Cakes. From the rich chocolate cake to the coconut cream-filled layers, all topped off with the sugar coated pecans; goodness just oozes out all over the place. So beautiful and stately, you could use it for any special occasion! A great cake for Mother’s Day.

10 tablespoons real butter

2/3 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 (1-ounce) bottle red liquid food coloring

1 square Baker’s semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted

2¼ cups sifted cake flour

¼ cup Hershey’s cocoa

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk

2 teaspoons white vinegar

2 tablespoons vanilla

2 egg whites

White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese

1 stick real butter

4 cups confectioners’ powdered sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

\3 squares Baker’s white chocolate baking chocolate

Filling & Topping Garnish

1 cup soft shredded coconut

1 cup sugar-glazed pecans, left whole

3 large maraschino cherries

pressurized canned whipped cream for fluting edges

1. Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Butter three 9-inch round cake pans, and dust with Ghirardelli sweet ground cocoa, or Hershey’s dark unsweetened cocoa. In mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, and continue to beat until smooth.

2. Add the food coloring, and melted chocolate (melt slowly in microwave); beat on low until well blended.

3. In medium bowl, combine cake flour, cocoa, salt, and baking soda; mix well. In a 2 cup measuring bowl, combine buttermilk and vinegar. Alternately beat dry ingredients and buttermilk mixture into creamed mixture until smooth. End with dry mixture.

4. Stir in vanilla. Beat egg whites in a small bowl until stiff peaks form; fold into batter. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 25 to 28 minutes until cake bounces back when touched, and is set.

5. Cool cakes in pans for about 10 minutes, and then turn onto wire rack to cool completely, about 30 minutes.

For Frosting

1. Mix cream cheese with butter in mixing bowl until smooth; add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time and continue beating until mixture is satin-smooth. Add vanilla and white chocolate that has been melted slowly in microwave, and mix together until thoroughly blended.

2. Place first layer of cake on cake stand, and cover with liberal amount of frosting. Sprinkle layer with 1/4 cup coconut. Place second layer over coconut and repeat frosting, topped with coconut. Place third layer over coconut and frost top and sides of cake, using all the frosting. Use remainder coconut on top and sides of cake. Use more coconut if needed.

For Topping

1.

Toast pecans in skillet over medium heat sprinkled with 1 tablespoon sugar about 3 to 4 minutes. Sugar will melt and pecans will become fragrant and toasted. Remove to waxed paper to cool.

2. Spread the pecans over the coconut on top layer. In middle of top layer, place 3 maraschino cherries with stems if possible. Flute the whipped around the bottom and top of cake. Serves 12.

　

　

　

　

　

THE HAM BONE

THE HAM BONE - APRIL 20, 2009

Buon giorno and Good Day!

Greetings to all you spring cleaning fanatics and furniture-changing marvels! April, it is said, is the month of change. It is that in-between time of the year when no one really knows what to wear, especially when all the "winter" items have been tucked away and the "summer" items are now hanging in our closets. I have been one of the "confused" ones, getting the sweaters back out that I just packed up two weeks ago, and since today is cold, windy and overcast, I am walking around with two sweaters on trying to stay warm.

But I do thank God for His beautiful day, even though it is a bit interesting. One thing never changes, however, and no matter what the weather, there is a very familiar question that lingers on our lips… "What should I cook for supper tonight?" This question comes up almost every day, either at work, school or just anywhere women and men alike are gathered. With tough times upon us, many are resorting to actually cooking at home more than caving to the high cost of "picking something up" for dinner.

Our old Pastor, Rev. Walter S. Guinn, used to tell the story of the "Ham Bone". He would tell us that during the Great Depression, times were so tough that one family would buy a partial ham. They would bake it; serve it to their family and save the ham bone. A few weeks later they would make "Ham & Beans." They then would pass the bone to their neighbors, and they too would make "Ham & Beans." This process would repeat itself until after 4 to 5 passings of the "Ham Bone," it would then be out of "flavor" and the passing finally came to a stop. Pity the last people; I hope they had a lot of seasonings.

Now no one wants to see another Great Depression, but it would be nice to see our neighbors more often, and I daresay we throw away more food that we "pass on." It just so happens that with the last ham I baked, I did save the "Ham Bone." With the wind howling outside and the cold air blowing, I believe I will take that ham bone out and make a great big pot of "Ham & Beans." If anyone out there would like to have it tomorrow, please email me and I'll be glad to run it right over.

So, you all take care, and weather it be Italian or Country cuisine, make a big pot of soup or stew tonight and take comfort from the crazy weather. Enjoy each other and take pride in cooking your own food tonight, and don't forget the cornbread! Serve it hot with butter and crumble that cornbread right over the beans. You many even want to serve your Ham & Beans with some chopped onions. Ummm…can't you just taste it now? If you don't have a good recipe, I'll be sure to post mine from *Rosalie Serving Country* on my Weekly Recipe list. Just click on my site

www.rosalieservingitalian.com and sign up for a free Weekly Newsletter. God bless all of you and don't forget to pass the "Ham Bone."

Buona sera, and Good Evening

Rosalie

FIRST PRIZE HAM & BEAN SOUP

FIRST PRIZE HAM & BEAN SOUP

NOTE: The fresh picnic ham with bone makes the difference in this long-time comfort food. Cooked up with a savory broth of celery, potatoes, and onions, you may experience a little bit of heaven. Serve with your favorite cornbread.

1 large 8-quart pot

2 (16-ounce) packages of Great Northern beans, washed and picked over

12 cups water,

½ portion of a 3-pound fresh picnic ham with bone, fat trimmed

 

2 large onions, chopped into small quarters

1 large tender celery stalk, chopped into 1-inch pieces

2 medium potatoes, unpeeled and small quartered

 

2 teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

 

1 small onion, finely chopped for garnish

salt and pepper

1. Place beans, ham with bone, and water in a large heavy pot. Start with 12 cups water and add additional water later if needed. Bring liquid to rolling boil and skim off any foam that may rise to top of broth. Turn heat down to medium-low and cover partially. Cook, stirring occasionally until beans begin to tender, about 1 hour.

2. Add the onions, celery and potatoes. Cook beans about another 45 minutes to 1 hour. Meat should be very tender and fall off the bone. Beans should be completely cooked and soft, but not mushy.

3. Remove from heat and discard bones, skin or fat. Chop meat into small chunks and return to pot. Taste test and add salt and pepper as desired. Ladle beans into soup bowls and garnish with 1 tablespoon onions. Serve with warm cornbread and butter. Serves 6 to 8.

SPRING BREAK

 SPRING BREAK

Buon giorno and Good Day!

Greetings to all the moms, dads, grandmothers and grandfathers who may be experiencing "Spring Break" with your beloved children. It turns out that in Terre Haute, Indiana, it is Spring Break for all the school children, where my sons, Scott, Jeff, their wives, Jenn and Tami, and their eight children live.

About 3 months ago, I got the bright idea to suggest that 5 of these grandchildren spend their Spring Break with Grandma, Rosalie Harpole. The suggestion flew to the top of the chart, especially with their parents. The children, who had been counting the days ever since it was decided, were all packed and on their way days before their Grandpa picked them up.

The children arrived last Saturday evening, April 4, and will leave to go back home this Saturday, April 11^th. They are: Roman Anthony 8, Grant Nehemiah Carleton 8, Max Geoffrey 7, Reagan Brack 5, and the only girl in the bunch, Alexandra Von, 4.

Did I mention they have been here a full 6 days, 144 hours, 8,640 minutes and 518,400 seconds?They have asked at least 437 questions per day and have eaten every 10 minutes for 12 consecutive hours each day. They have leaped over tall buildings, swung off my ceiling lamps and gone through 3 tubes of triple antibiotic ointment.

Since the first full day they were here was Sunday, and Church Day, it so happened that I had to work that day. When my husband brings all of the children to the hospital so that I can inspect their clothes and comb Allie's hair, they suddenly become the stars of the floor, visiting the patients and reciting their Bible Verses. One dear patient forgot that she needed pain medicine and began crying for joy to see the little darlings. Her husband had to comfort her.

The next day on Monday evening, since I had a previous ladies group coming, my husband thought it would be nice to take them to a place we have in St. Charles, MO, called Chucky Cheeses; a huge game room complete with tokens, tickets, and prizes. They played, he said for 3 hours and were about to go home, when one of the boys, Max, starting finding lost tickets and tokens under people's tables. This turned into a 5-kid man-hunt, with all of them finding enough tokens to stay an additional hour. The manager was grateful because he said he didn't have to sweep that evening.

The following days included "The Magic House," The St. Louis Zoo," and yesterday, "The City Museum," which unfortunately, or maybe blissfully, I missed because I again was the nurse working. The children informed me last evening at the supper table that the "City Museum" was the greatest fun ever! Loaded with giant tunnel mazes and 3-story slides, they said the fun never ended.

Today is Easter Basket day, and Grandma is boiling eggs as I write. Each child will have their own egg dying kit and can color eggs complete with stickers, crayons and sparkles. I have had my husband to line the entire kitchen with plastic and duct tape including the ceiling, walls, and floor, so I really don't care if they dye the eggs, themselves, or the dog. On second thought, I haven't see Cappuccino (my Shih Tzu) in 4 days. Oh, yes he is in the back closet pretending he is a stuffed animal.

All in all, it has been great fun, especially if you know that "this too will pass." The house may need carpet cleaning, walls painted, furniture repaired, and Grandma and Grandpa revived with Cardio Electric Shock Waves. Have I mentioned that I have 26-plus hours to go? God Save Grandma!

The two older boys, Roman and Grant, asked if they each could have their own signed copy of *Rosalie Serving Italian* cookbook. They wanted to look at their pictures in the book and some day "remember Grandma and "SPRING BREAK"! As for me and Grandpa- WE WILL NEVER FORGET!

Look for me tomorrow, April 11, 2009, at John Viviano's and Sons, down on "The Hill" for Book Signing and a taste of "Italian Cream Cake." By the way, you can see our grandchildren…they will be with Grandpa at the "Science Center. "

Love to all,

Rosalie

COUNTRY FRIED STEAK

Country Fried Steak

NOTE:

It wouldn't be a country table without country-fried steak. This ever popular meal is on almost every restaurant menu and is still considered a "comfort food". With the rich peppery gravy served with mashed potatoes, this could be the perfect meal after a hard day.

4 (4-ounce) cube steaks

Lawry's coarse garlic salt with parsley

Pepper to sprinkle steaks

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon paprika

2 eggs, lightly beaten

Canola oil

1/2 cup Kitchen Basics low-sodium beef stock

¼ cup flour used from dredge

1 to 1 ½ cups milk

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Sprinkle steaks with garlic salt and lightly with pepper. In shallow dish, combine the flour, salt, pepper and paprika. Place the beaten eggs in another shallow dish. Dredge each steak in the flour mixture, then dip in the egg, and then dredge the steaks back into the flour; pat well to seal flour.

2. Pour oil to the depth of 1-inch in the bottom of a large cast iron or heavy skillet. Heat the oil over medium high heat and fry the steaks 3 to 4 minutes on each side until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

3. Pour off all but ¼ cup of the oil in skillet, leaving any browned bits from the bottom. Heat oil over medium heat, and using the remainder dredge flour, sprinkle ¼ cup flour over the oil. Stir the flour into the oil and cook for about 1 minute. Add the beef stock and stir into flour. Gradually add the milk and stir gravy about 3 to 4 minutes until gravy becomes thick and bubbly. Taste gravy and add any additional seasonings if desired. Place steaks on platter and pour gravy over top. Serves 4.