Let It Snow!

FEBRUARY 19, 2010 - LET IT SNOW9

Winter Greetings to all the wonderful friends and fans of Rosalie
Serving Cookbooks. As you can tell from the title of this newsletter,
I just may have snow on the mind. And why not? With record-breaking
snow falls in New York, New Jersey, Washington, and even in the
southern states, snow has definitely been in the forecast almost on a
daily basis somewhere here in these United States.

Lake Erie has officially frozen over, and ice storms have been as
thick as 5" in unlikely places such as Texas, South Carolina, and even
Georgia. Even the Winter Olympics have abundant new snowfall for the
events.

Temperatures are lower everywhere, as reported from my daughter, Dana,
who lives in Naples, Florida, with a cool 55-degrees today. It reminds
me of the classic song..."Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow"!
"Oh, the weather outside is frightful.....But the fire is so
delightful...And since we've no place to go....Let it Snow! Let it
Snow! Let it Snow"!

Here in Troy Missouri, we too have had more snowfall since January 1,
than usual. Even if we do have places to go, we somehow find a way to
cancel the event or just plain give in to staying home. Isn't Mother
Nature powerful? She sends the beautiful stuff, lays it at our
doorstep, shuts everyone in, and says, "Hey...make the best of it"!

I think we can all remember as children running out with a big bowl to
scoop up the fresh snow so that mom could make snow ice cream. My mom
would whip up the ice cream by just adding heavy cream, some sugar and
vanilla to the snow and beating it till it got thick. While the bread
was rising, cookies went into the oven and before long a big pot of
chicken soup was on the stove. My dad would build a big fire in the
fireplace, and the kids would get down the monopoly game, and eat and
play with hearts content.

I say, let's revisit those days and get down the cookbooks. Make the
warm cookies, put on a pot of my Creamy Potato Soup, and make a big
salad, right out of my Rosalie Serving Country, or Rosalie Serving
Italian cookbooks. It beats driving out and ending up in the ditch.

So, when the next big snowfall comes, and we find we're all penned up
together, take some time, enjoy family, enjoy the day, have a big meal
together, and then tell Snowmen jokes...here are a few:

*What do you call a Snowman on rollerblades? A Snowmobile
*Where do Snowmen go to dance? To the Snowball
*What do Snowmen eat for lunch? Ice Bergers.

Have fun, and keep warm,

Rosalie

Creamy Potato Soup - February 19, 2010

Creamy Potato Soup (45 minutes)

NOTE: This soup is a favorite on a cold night and comforts the heart
and soul of the recipient. It is an old-fashioned simple recipe that
is creamy and delicious. A must-have recipe to add to your soup
collection.

8 medium or 3 large baking potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
2 medium yellow onions, chopped small
1 teaspoon salt
water to cover potatoes, about 5 cups

4 to 6 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon snipped fresh parsley, optional

½ to 1 cup half-and-half, plus more if desired
parsley sprigs

1. Place the potatoes, onions, and salt in a large 8-quart heavy pot,.
Add the water and cook about 25 to 30 minutes, or until very tender.

2. Mash potatoes with a potato masher, leaving some potatoes in small
chunks. Continue to soft boil potatoes for a few more minutes, letting
the soup thicken and stirring often to avoid burning. Add the butter,
salt, pepper, and parsley.

3. Add the half-and-half ½ cup at a time, stirring until the soup is
smooth and reaches desired consistency. Taste soup and add a little
more salt or pepper if desired. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with
parsley sprigs. Serve warm with your favorite salad and crackers.
Serves 6.

GROUNDHOG DAY - February 15, 2010

FEBRUARY 14, 2010 - GROUNDHOG DAY

Greetings to all the wonderful fans of Rosalie Serving Italian and
Country Cookbooks. Without you, a big part of my life would be
missing, and since I need all my parts, I say thanks.
In case you haven't noticed, February is here with all its glory, and
with it, one exciting event after another. It is a fun month full of
surprises, twists, dreadful weather, and of course, romance. The
holidays are many, including Black History Month, Groundhog Day, Super
Bowl Sunday, Boy Scout Day, Valentine's Day, President's Day, Winter
Olympics, Mardi Gras, Leap Year, and even Family Day in Canada.
After looking at all of these holidays, one day reminded me of the
comedy movie "Groundhog Day." This was about a weather man, Phil
Connors (Bill Murray), who has to show up in Punxsutawney,
Pennsylvania and cover the story of Punxsutawney Phil, the groundhog.
Phil Connors grudgingly gives his report and attempts to return to
Pittsburgh when a blizzard (which he predicted would miss the area)
shuts down the main roads. Phil and his TV team are forced to stay in
town an extra day.
Phil wakes up to find that he is reliving February 2. At first he is
confused, but day after day, he realizes that every day will be
February 2. The day plays out exactly as it did before, with no one
else aware of the time loop, and only Phil aware of the past events.
Every day is the same... February 2. This man, who starts out
egocentric, rude, condescending, and selfish, must live every day over
and over until he gets it right.
While the movie is hilariously funny, with Phil Connors trying
everything from giving ridiculous and offensive reports on the
festival, abusing residents, and even trying to kill himself and the
groundhog, he always wakes up the next morning fully alive and facing
February 2.
He finally realizes that life is just not worth living every day being
the person he has become. He finally begins to befriend almost
everyone he meets during the day, using his experiences to save lives,
help townspeople and be kinder to his friend Rita (Andie MacDowell).
After mending his ways, he wakes up one morning and the time loop is
broken; it is now February 3 and his friend Rita is still with him and
they happily fall in love and decide to stay in Punxsutawney together.
Well, don't you wish we could live some days over? Maybe we would
reconsider the words we say, be kinder to our family members, and
avoid the pot holes of life instead of hitting every one. But since
those days are a teacher for better tomorrows, we are blessed if we
realize that "today is the first day of the rest of my life." As long
as we "wake up," we can make it better for ourselves and others. We
may have to humble ourselves and occasionally say "I'm sorry," or
"Will you forgive me?" Anyone can learn from mistakes, and be better
for it.
In 2006, the film, Groundhog Day was added to the United States
National Film Registry as being deemed "culturally, historically, or
aesthetically significant." It speaks to the beauty that can be found
in human frailty.
So, thank God for your blessings, love on your family, and cherish
friends... and by all means get out your Rosalie Serving cookbooks,
and cook up a pot of love. How about a hot bowl of comfort, like
Italian Beef Soup, with Meatballs, right out of Rosalie Serving
Italian on page 50 and 51? Phil the Groundhog saw his shadow last week
and with 6 more weeks of winter, I say...bring on the soup!

God Bless, Rosalie

ITALIAN BEEF SOUP with ITALIAN MEATBALLS

Italian Beef Soup (1 hour and 30 minutes)

NOTE: This soup is bubbling with goodness. It has Lean stew meat,
tiny Italian meatballs and fresh chopped vegetables all cooked up in
savory beef broth.

6 cups Kitchen Basics beef stock
2 cups water
1/2 pound stew meat
salt and pepper
1/4 cup olive oil

1 pound ground chuck
1/4 cup plain bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
2 tablespoons fresh curly parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 cups celery with leaves, sliced 1/2-inch
1 cup carrot, sliced 1/4-inch
1 small onion, chopped
1 medium potato, unpeeled, quarted small
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, juice included

1/2 pound acini di pepe pasta
salt
coarse ground black pepper
freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Using an 8-quart pot, add the beef broth and water to make 8 cups
liquid, and bring to soft boil. Salt and pepper stew meat and brown
in olive oil about 15 minutes. Drain oil. Place meat in soup stock.

2. Combine ground chuck, bread crumbs, onion, eggs, parsley, and salt
and pepper. Mix together well. Form into small meatballs and drop
into boiling broth. Skim foam from meatballs as it rises to the top.

3. Add celery, carrot, onion, potato, and tomatoes. Cover pot and
simmer on medium heat about 45 minutes, or until vegetables are
tender.

4. Add acini di pepe directly to the soup; simmer an additional 10
to 12 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour into soup bowls.
Garnish with Parmesan cheese. Serves 4 to 6.

SUPER BOWL MANIA - February 7,2010

FEBRUARY 7, 2010 - SUPER BOWL MANIA

Greetings Cookbook Fans!

I do hope you all enjoy reading these newsletters as much as I enjoy
writing them. And since we are a nation that is constantly on the go
with one major event happening after another, it seems there is always
plenty of material to choose from. One of which is the annual SUPER
BOWL, the ultimate football playoff to celebrate the World Champs.

This coming week millions of fans will root for their respective
teams, the New Orleans Saints or the Indianapolis Colts. Everyone and
everybody will try to capitalize on this event, especially the food
industry. Just look in your community newspaper and you will see,
Super Bowl Appetizers, Super Bowl Snacks, Super Bowl Subs, and Super
Bowl Cakes, just to name a few.

So, what do you think Rosalie Serving Country or Rosalie Serving
Italian cookbooks can come up with for this year's Super Bowl
contribution? Well, after thinking about all the great dishes I could
make, including Baked Lasagna, Farmer's Cabbage, or even Chicken &
Dumplings, I decided I couldn't improve on last year's choice.

With family, friends, and neighbors all gathered around the game,
either before, during or after, I wanted to feature a dish that would
please everyone. A dish that could withstand every offense, stomach
the fumbles, hit the sidelines, catch the flavor, devour the coaches,
lift the spirits and even burn up the Astroturf. Yes, I thought, it
must again be CHILI…SUPER BOWL CHILI!

It has to feature a good grade of beef, chili hot beans, rich tomato
gravy, and loaded with an array of chili flavors all put together to
score a touchdown. My chili recipe will be the star of the evening!
Just picture a huge pot of simmering chili on the stove where guests
can come and fill their bowls with the magic of cure-all jitters.
Topped with a big spoonful of cheddar cheese, sour cream and chopped
green onions, accompanied with Frito Lays for the crunch, they won't
care which teams wins. After two, three or even four bowls, I figure
the smoke alarms will go off and detract even the most die-hard fan,
where everyone will jump for joy and no one will suffer defeat…Yes,
SUPER BOWL CHILI it must be!

So, there you have it folks, forget your troubles for awhile and root
for your team. If you are not a football fan, have fun with your
family anyway and celebrate the one's you love. Remember, I always
say and do believe, "Food is a bridge to relationships." Do something
different, and invite your family, long lost friend, or neglected
neighbor over, and why not have some chili? Look for my recipe, Super
Bowl Chili, also known as Rosalie's Five Star Chili, in my Country
cookbook and join in the "Super Bowl Mania"!

So long, and God Bless!
Rosalie

Super Bowl Chili

SUPER BOWL CHILI - February 7, 2010

NOTE: Chili can be basic or extravagant. This chili is very basic
and can be made to your liking by adding more or less spices. A great
chili, with lots of savory flavor, it is very easy to cook up. Garnish
with mild or cheddar cheese and serve with Sweet Southern Cornbread
recipe found on page 107 of Rosalie Serving Country Cookbook.

1 ½ pounds lean ground beef
2 tablespoons mild olive oil
Lawry's coarse garlic salt with dried parsley

1 small onion, chopped
1 (15-ounce) can whole or diced tomatoes, juice included
2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 bay leaves

2 cans Brooks Chili Beans, mild or hot
1 cup water
1 (1.25-ounce) packet McCormick's Original Chili seasoning mix
or seasoning mix of your choice

salt and pepper
shredded cheddar cheese

2 cups cooked small shells, optional
shredded cheddar cheese
dollop of sour cream, optional

1. In large skillet, sauté ground beef in oil until no longer pink;
drain oil from meat. Place meat in an 8-quart pot and sprinkle
liberally with garlic salt.

2. Add chopped onion and cook for 5 minutes, until onion becomes
limp. Add diced tomatoes, sauce, sugar, pepper, and bay leaves. Let
mixture come to a soft boil.

3. Add the chili beans, water, and chili seasoning mix. Cover and
let simmer for about 35 minutes. Add a little water if too thick.
Stir chili occasionally and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve in
soup bowls over small shells and garnish with shredded cheddar cheese.
Serve with cornbread. Serves 6.

THE GREAT ESCAPE

JANUARY 29 - 2009 - THE GREAT ESCAPE

Greetings to all the wonderful fans of Rosalie Serving Italian and
Rosalie Serving Country cookbooks, I love connecting with each and
every one of you through means of this newsletter.

Most all of you know that I have three children, Scott, Jeff, and
Dana, and that all of them, along with their families, live miles from
me. Both of the boys live in Terre Haute, Indiana, which is a much
closer distance than Dana, who lives in beautiful Naples, Florida.

Since Dana's birthday was January 23, my husband and I thought we
would like to be with her; take her to dinner, buy her some flowers,
and just let her know that we cared enough to make the trip. So for
the last 9 days we were on family visit; no Disney in Orlando, no
sunning at the beach, no shoe shopping, no sightseeing, just strictly
enjoying one another. Fixing meals at home most evenings; talking,
sharing, listening, and watching some of Dana's favorite episodes, one
of which was last year's complete season of the Biggest Loser, was so
much fun. Dad and son-in-law had other ideas, they played video race
games, while Elijah and baby Sebastian had to mostly entertain
themselves.

Now to some, this would seem to be very boring. What? Go to Florida
and not take advantage of all the many wonderful attractions? And, I
must say in times past, we have done just that. But this trip would
be different, and looking back, it was just what we needed, a time to
just be with each other… a "Great Escape," if you would.

Because we didn't schedule every day with a list of places we had to
be, at a certain time that cost more money than we had to spend, we
had plenty of time to be with each other. Dana and I enjoyed Spa day
with each other, going to lunch, and visiting her place of work, while
Grandpa watched and played with the boys. In keeping with my daily
workout, walking around the lovely subdivision daily with Dana was
also fun.

The "Great Escape" to many may mean getting away for a weekend to a
festive city, or staying in a cabin on the lake. Others like to
antique shop, or go on a motorcycle trip, and all of these are great
fun times, and they certainly have their place. But, maybe, just for
once, you may consider actually visiting with your loved ones; resting
without running and going at your own pace rather than meeting the
demands of others. It is actually very restful.

Because we have other relatives in Naples, we were also able to visit
with them and I was able to make some of Dana's favorite dishes like
Baked Lasagna and Chicken Florentine over Penne Pasta

Another highlight of the trip was a TV interview I was able to do for
Fox 4 News, Morning Show, in Cape Coral. I displayed two of the
signature dishes from Rosalie Serving Country, Farmer's Cabbage, and
Cream of Coconut Cake. I'm assuming because the food looked so good
on TV, I was able to sell a lot of cookbooks that evening at the book
signing at Barnes & Nobel in Naples.

So, my friends, have your own "Great Escape," and let it be your time,
not everyone else's. Enjoy it any way you wish, but be sure to slow
down and "smell the roses," especially with those you love.

Enjoy the upcoming Super Bowl, and by all means make my wonderful
Fried Ravioli, straight from my cookbook, Rosalie Serving Italian, for
the best appetizer at the party!
God Bless, Rosalie

WEEKLY RECIPE - JANUARY 29, 2010

JANUARY 29, 2010 -FRIED RAVIOLI ( 20 Minutes)

NOTE: Serve as an appetizer with you favorite marinara sauce or just
plain sprinkled with Parmesan cheese for one of the most popular
appetizers ever!

1/2 pound frozen beef or cheese ravioli
1 tablespoon salt
3 beaten eggs

2/3 cup plain bread crumbs
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup fresh curly parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 cup olive oil

1. Boil 4 quarts water and add the salt. Drop in the ravioli and
boil until the ravioli are "al dente" (tender, but not mushy). Drain
gently. Beat the eggs in a large bowl and add about half the ravioli
to the egg mixture.

2. In a shallow bowl, mix the bread crumbs, cheese, garlic, parsley,
and salt and pepper. With a slotted spoon, lift the ravioli one at at
time out of the egg mixture and coat well in the bread crumbs.
Continue until all are breaded.

3. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil until hot. Add several
coated ravioli to the hot olive oil and fry until golden brown on both
sides, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove to paper towel to drain.

4. Transfer to a large platter with a bowl of marinara sauce in the
middle for dipping, or just sprinkle with cheese and serve warm.
Makes a large platter.

SUPER BOWL MANIA - February 7, 2010

SUPER BOWL MANIA - February 7, 2010

Greetings Cookbook Fans!

I do hope you all enjoy reading these newsletters as much as I enjoy
writing them. And since we are a nation that is constantly on the go
with one major event happening after another, it seems there is always
plenty of material to choose from. One of which is the annual SUPER
BOWL, the ultimate football playoff to celebrate the World Champs.

This coming week millions of fans will root for their respective
teams, the New Orleans Saints or the Indianapolis Colts. Everyone and
everybody will try to capitalize on this event, especially the food
industry. Just look in your community newspaper and you will see,
Super Bowl Appetizers, Super Bowl Snacks, Super Bowl Subs, and Super
Bowl Cakes, just to name a few.

So, what do you think Rosalie Serving Country or Rosalie Serving
Italian cookbooks can come up with for this year's Super Bowl
contribution? Well, after thinking about all the great dishes I could
make, including Baked Lasagna, Farmer's Cabbage, or even Chicken &
Dumplings, I decided I couldn't improve on last year's choice.

With family, friends, and neighbors all gathered around the game,
either before, during or after, I wanted to feature a dish that would
please everyone. A dish that could withstand every offense, stomach
the fumbles, hit the sidelines, catch the flavor, devour the coaches,
lift the spirits and even burn up the Astroturf. Yes, I thought, it
must again be CHILI…SUPER BOWL CHILI!

It has to feature a good grade of beef, chili hot beans, rich tomato
gravy, and loaded with an array of chili flavors all put together to
score a touchdown. My chili recipe will be the star of the evening!
Just picture a huge pot of simmering chili on the stove where guests
can come and fill their bowls with the magic of cure-all jitters.
Topped with a big spoonful of cheddar cheese, sour cream and chopped
green onions, accompanied with Frito Lays for the crunch, they won't
care which teams wins. After two, three or even four bowls, I figure
the smoke alarms will go off and detract even the most die-hard fan,
where everyone will jump for joy and no one will suffer defeat…Yes,
SUPER BOWL CHILI it must be!

So, there you have it folks, forget your troubles for awhile and root
for your team. If you are not a football fan, have fun with your
family anyway and celebrate the one's you love. Remember, I always
say and do believe, "Food is a bridge to relationships." Do something
different, and invite your family, long lost friend, or neglected
neighbor over, and why not have some chili? Look for my recipe, Super
Bowl Chili, also known as Rosalie's Five Star Chili, in my Country
cookbook and join in the "Super Bowl Mania"!

So long, and God Bless!
Rosalie

WEEKLY RECIPE - February 5, 2010

SUPER BOWL CHILI (45 minutes)

NOTE: This chili is rich in lean ground beef, chili beans, and a
savory gravy. Everyone will want seconds!
1 ½ pounds lean ground beef
2 tablespoons mild olive oil
Lawry's coarse garlic salt with dried parsley
1 small onion, chopped

1 (15-ounce) can whole or diced tomatoes, juice included
2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 bay leaves (optional)

2 cans Brooks Chili Beans, mild or hot
1 cup water
1 (1.25-ounce) packet McCormick's Original Chili seasoning mix

or seasoning mix of your choice
salt and pepper
shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups cooked small shells, optional
shredded cheddar cheese
dollop of sour cream, optional
1. In large skillet, sauté ground beef in oil until no longer pink;
drain oil from meat. Place meat in an 8-quart pot and sprinkle
liberally with garlic salt.
2. Add chopped onion and cook for 5 minutes, until onion becomes limp.
Add diced tomatoes, sauce, sugar, pepper, and bay leaves. Let mixture
come to a soft boil.
3. Add the chili beans, water, and chili seasoning mix. Cover and let
simmer for about 35 minutes. Add a little water if too thick. Stir
chili occasionally and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve in soup
bowls over small shells and garnish with shredded cheddar cheese, and
sour cream if desired. Serve with cornbread. Serves 6.
Rosalie Serving Country Cookbook