POPPY SEED BREAD WITH ORANGE GLAZE

POPPY SEED BREAD WITH ORANGE GLAZE

Note: This wonderful bread is especially good served warm and is great for your Thanksgiving breakfast or even on the menu. The almond orange glaze is amazing, and coupled with the buttery bread, this is a keeper recipe. I used mild olive oil instead of vegetable oil for a great taste and moistness.

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 ¼ cups granulated sugar

1 ½ tablespoons poppy seeds

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

1 ½ teaspoons salt

 

3 eggs

1 ½ cups milk

1 cup mild olive oil

1/½ teaspoons vanilla extract

1 ½ teaspoons almond extract

1 ½ teaspoons butter extract

GLAZE

¾ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup orange juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon butter extract

1. Preheat oven to 350-degrees. In large bowl combine flour, sugar, poppy seeds, baking powder, and salt; mix together and set aside.

2. In smaller bowl, combine eggs, milk, oil, butter, vanilla extract, almond extract and butter extract. Beat mixture until well blended and add to the dry flour mixture. Stir both dry and wet ingredients together until blended and smooth. Butter and dust with flour 2 (9-inch by 5-inch) loaf pans or 6 mini loaf pans. Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until bread springs back when touched.

3. While loaves are baking, prepare glaze. In small saucepan, combine sugar, orange juice, vanilla extract, almond extract and butter extract. Bring mixture to boil and remove pan. As soon as loaves come out of oven, poke holes in bread with a fork and pour prepared glaze evenly over both loaves of bread. Cool for 5 to 10 minutes, then run a butter knife along edges and gently loosen sides and bottom. Remove bread to wooden board or platter and slice while still warm. Serves 12 per loaf.

 

THANKSGIVING AND MAMA'S DRESSING

THANKSGIVING AND MAMA'S DRESSING

Buon giorno and Good Day!

In just a few days Americans will again celebrate one of their most beloved holidays, Thanksgiving.

A time when family, friends, and even the grudge-filled enemies put down their axe to grind and join around someone's large table to remember the "good things" God has bestowed on them and to acknowledge the privilege to live in the greatest country in the world, America. It may be the only day in which some actually pray a prayer, but statistics state that most families do join in a prayer and may even hold hands. Imagine that!

To really appreciate the Thanksgiving Day we have to go back to 1621 when in a place called Plymouth Plantation, a tradition was started by the Pilgrims to hold a Harvest Festival and thank God for the great bounty of vegetables received from the past year. Indians were also involved in the harvest celebration and actually supplied the Pilgrims with food. This tradition was kept year after year until finally in 1863, President Abe Lincoln declared Thanksgiving Day to be a national holiday.

Since that day, Americans have celebrated the biggest, richest, and most elaborate feasts they could possibly imagine. With the centerpiece being a large roasted Turkey, the table cannot usually hold all the side dishes of creamed corn, mashed potatoes and giblet gravy, candied sweet potatoes, cranberry salad, date-nut pudding, sweet yeast rolls, pumpkin and pecan pies, and last but not least ….Mama's dressing!

Yes, it seems that no matter who I talk to, the main coveted dish of the entire Thanksgiving Dinner is Mama's dressing. So, in putting together my *Rosalie Serving Country Cookbook*, I knew I wanted to have the best Southern Turkey Dressing I could find. If only I could find that "Mama! " But then that would be impossible because she is everybody's Mama.

So, I set out to practice making dressing. In the last 2 weeks, I have made Cornbread dressing, White bread dressing, and Wheat bread dressing. I have been inspired to add celery, onions, green peppers, apples, pecans, chestnuts, cranberries, oysters, sausage, sage, poultry seasoning, nutmeg, eggs, chicken broth, beef broth, bouillon cubes, the kitchen sink and the back door. Again, I say, where is that Mama? I even put off sending out my Weekly Newsletter in hopes that I could perfect this "special dressing" that somehow would appeal to all, so that I could include the recipe in the Weekly Recipe.

And perfect it, I did. It wasn't until last evening when I made the last batch of many, many, dressings that this "Southern Cornbread Creation "seem to excite the palate of my faithful taste-testers; my co-worker nurses. I also had the Pastor of our church try it, since it was church night. I knew they would be truthful, so I promptly drove the big pan of dressing up to the church and the hospital. I had two types, one strictly cornbread, the other a mixture of cornbread and white bread. The vote was finally unanimous; "yes", they said, "The dressings are delicious, and good enough for your country cookbook.

So, for all you faithful fans who may want to try my "Southern Cornbread Dressing", just look for it in this week's recipe that follows this newsletter. I hope it taste a little like your Mama's. God bless, and have a blessed Thanksgiving.

Look for me this Saturday, November 22, at Miss Aimee-B's Tea House for a book signing. It is located at 837 First Capitol Drive, St. Charles, MO. See you there!

Buona sera and Good Evening!

Rosalie

SOUTHERN CORNBREAD DRESSING

SOUTHERN CORNBREAD DRESSING

Note: This dressing is a mixture of white bread and cornbread combined, and is delicious used either in or out of the turkey. If using in the turkey use only a portion and the rest in a baking pan. A very moist dressing, it is great for the holidays, or anytime. Use your preference of sweet or regular cornbread, (I used Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix) and toasted bread, or your choice of herbed bread cubes. Also, I have been told that putting the uncooked dressing in the refrigerator for an hour or overnight enhances the flavor. Either way, I'm sure you will love it.

1 (1-pound) loaf white bread, toasted and crumbled

or 1 (16-ounce) bag herbed bread cubes

3 cups prepared cornbread, crumbled

1 ½ sticks butter

2 ½ cups celery, diced

2 cups onions, diced

1 ½ teaspoons poultry seasoning

1 teaspoon sage, more for your taste

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Butter for greasing baking pan

Turkey drippings from turkey, if available

or additional chicken stock

1. Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Toast bread in oven or toaster and cool until hard. Crumble the bread into very small pieces and place in large bowl. Prepare cornbread; set aside until cooled. Crumble cornbread completely and add to bread cubes; set aside.

2. In large skillet, add butter and sauté onion and celery until translucent, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add poultry seasoning, sage, salt and pepper and stir in well; add to bread cube mixture.

3. In medium bowl, add the beaten eggs, and chicken stock, mixing well. Add liquid to the dressing and toss together until vegetable mixture and liquid are thoroughly combined. Taste dressing and add any additional seasonings if desired.

4. Butter a 13-inch by 9-inch baking pan and spoon in dressing. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and baste with about ½ cup turkey drippings or chicken stock and continue to bake another 8 to 10 minutes for a golden crust on top. Serves 12.

ROSALIE'S ITALIAN CREAM CAKE

ROSALIE'S ITALIAN CREAM CAKE

NOTE:  You may already have this recipe, especially if you have my
book, *Rosalie Serving Italian*.  But just in case you don't, you will
love to make it for the Thanksgiving holiday.  It is not only
scrumptious, but positively delicious!

1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda

½ cup butter
2 cups sugar
½ cup mild olive oil
5 egg yolks
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla

2 cups all purpose flour

5 egg whites
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup chopped pecan or walnut pieces

Butter for greasing pans
Flour for dusting pans

Cream Cheese Frosting
1 stick butter
2 (8-ounce) packages Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla

½ cup toasted coconut ( toast in dry skillet, stirring constantly
about 1 minute)

Sugar Glazed Pecans
½ cup whole pecans
1 to 2 teaspoons sugar
1 small skillet

1.  Preheat oven to 325-degrees.  Combine buttermilk and baking soda
in a two-cup measure to allow room for mixture to foam up; set aside.
Beat butter and sugar until creamy.  Add olive oil slowly until
blended.  Continue to beat until mixture is smooth and shiny.  Add egg
yolks one at a time and beat well after each addition; stir in
vanilla.  Add buttermilk mixture and flour, alternately a little at a
time, begining and ending with flour.

2.  Clean beaters and beat egg whites until stiff.  Fold egg whites
gently into batter.  Stir in coconut and pecans.  Pour into three 9-
inch cake pans, greased with butter and dusted with flour.  Bake for
30 minutes, or until cake springs back when touched.  Cool cakes on
racks.

3.  Place cake on cake stand. Frost each layer with Cream Cheese Frosting 
including sides and top of cake.

4.  Put pecans in skillet and sprinkle with the sugar.  Turn heat to
medium and begin stirring pecans; sugar will begin to melt.  Continue
stirring until a glaze forms on pecans and they become slightly
browned.  Remove from heat and place on waxed paper to cool.

5. Garnish cake with Sugar Glazed Pecans and Toasted Coconut;  add a
maraschino cherry in the middle.  Makes 16 slices.

FESTA ITALIANO

 FESTA ITALIANO

Buon giorno and Good Day!

Doing a book signing yesterday at Viviano's Festa Italiano Food Market, the atmosphere was just as the name applied, a Party! Celebrating their 5 year anniversary, the owner Michael Viviano and his lovely wife Beth, decided to live up to their name… Festa Italiano, and throw an Italian party for all their faithful customers, as well as try to win new ones.

The store, located at 62 Fenton Plaza in Fenton MO, is a nice drive from almost anywhere in the Metropolitan St. Louis, MO and surrounding areas; and definitely worth every minute to experience a little bit of Italy. Just walking into the atmosphere and hearing the Italian music sets everyone in a pleasant mood, especially hearing Dean Martin's old classic, "That's Amore." Remember the words… "When the moon hits your eye like a big-a pizza pie, that's amore, and when the stars make you drool like the pasta fazool, that's Amore." It doesn't take long to ditch the blues, especially when people you hardly know start hugging and kissing you on the cheek like you were their long lost cugina (cousin).

On entering the front door, green, white and red balloons greeted everyone as they drifted on the ceiling, while the entire store took on the sights, sounds and aromas of Italy. The appetizers handed out were samples of the store's specialties such as Italian roast beef on Italian bread, an array of wonderful cheeses; Fontina, is one of my favorite, and olives of all sorts. There were Italian creamed dips for shrimp, fried cheeses and vegetables, not forgetting the Italian cookies that lined the deli counter.

Then there were the invited guests to show off their Italian contributions. I was sandwiched in between *Volpi,* a company that makes some of the finest salamis, prosciutto and Italian deli meats, and my friend Mike Lombardo who specializes in *Kreta Reserve Extra Virgin Olive Oil.* He claims it is the best and purest olive oil made. I, of course, was giving samples of Italian Cream Cake, which I like to think is one of the signature desserts in my cookbook *Rosalie Serving Italian. Our tables were all lined up in a row, and by the time the people got down to the last table to sample the bread-soaked olive oil, they had enough food to start a buffet.

While I was trying hard to sell my cookbook, the Volpi people were pushing the salami, and the Olive Oil man was making us all feel guilty if we didn't look out for our arteries. I knew people had a limited amount of money, so when I handed them the cake all frosted with the wonderful cream cheese topping, I only asked one favor; "save the cake for last." This must have worked because the next thing I knew, most everyone returned with one question, "Is this recipe in your book?"

"Oh, I'm so glad you asked," I said.  I then went on to tell them that all of my cakes are made with *Bertoli, 100% mild Olive Oil,* and that eating this cake was most healthful, give or take a few fat calories. While most everyone laughed at my comparison, they had to admit that the cake was so delicious; they would just have to have a book. Of course I would oblige them, and to make it authentic, I would even sign their copy.

While I received hearty hugs, and had my picture taken with many of them, I must admit it was more fun for me then for them. Being able to share with people the making of the book, and my passion for cooking gives me great joy. And I guess the idea of them savoring their sample cake till last must have paid off.

After the crowd finally died down, and I realized I had sold 47 books, Volpi people and Olive Oil man noticed a big part of the books were gone. "Wow, you really sold some books," they said, and of course I added, "It must have been due to the fine products on either side of me." We all had a hearty laugh, and with all due respect they too had a prosperous day.

So, looking for something fun to do? Take your spouse, son or daughter, and head down to Viviano's on a Friday night or Saturday afternoon, and just enjoy the sights, sounds and aromas of Italy. Enjoy a sit down meal at the tables they have in their café area. and enjoy their Pasta con Broccoli along with a deli sandwich, or one of the many items they make fresh right on the spot. Then shop around, and get all the items you need to cook a great recipe right out of *Rosalie Serving Italian.* You're sure to have a great time, and tell Michael I sent you.

Be sure to click on my website and check out the upcoming events near you. I will be at  Dierberg's School of Cooking November 10, demonstrating my "Favorite Christmas Dinner.* Hope to see you there or at a cooking class near you.

Email me any time at

Rosalie@rosalieservingitalian.com

Bona sera and Good Evening!

Rosalie

FESTA ITALIANO

Buon giorno and Good Day!

Doing a book signing yesterday at Viviano's Festa Italiano Food Market, the atmosphere was just as the name applied, a Party! Celebrating their 5 year anniversary, the owner Michael Viviano and his lovely wife Beth, decided to live up to their name… Festa Italiano, and throw an Italian party for all their faithful customers, as well as try to win new ones.

The store, located at 62 Fenton Plaza in Fenton MO, is a nice drive from almost anywhere in the Metropolitan St. Louis, MO and surrounding areas; and definitely worth every minute to experience a little bit of Italy. Just walking into the atmosphere and hearing the Italian music sets everyone in a pleasant mood, especially hearing Dean Martin's old classic, "That's Amore." Remember the words… "When the moon hits your eye like a big-a pizza pie, that's amore, and when the stars make you drool like the pasta fazool, that's Amore." It doesn't take long to ditch the blues, especially when people you hardly know start hugging and kissing you on the cheek like you were their long lost cugina (cousin).

On entering the front door, green, white and red balloons greeted everyone as they drifted on the ceiling, while the entire store took on the sights, sounds and aromas of Italy. The appetizers handed out were samples of the store's specialties such as Italian roast beef on Italian bread, an array of wonderful cheeses; Fontina, is one of my favorite, and olives of all sorts. There were Italian creamed dips for shrimp, fried cheeses and vegetables, not forgetting the Italian cookies that lined the deli counter.

Then there were the invited guests to show off their Italian contributions. I was sandwiched in between *Volpi,* a company that makes some of the finest salamis, prosciutto and Italian deli meats, and my friend Mike Lombardo who specializes in *Kreta Reserve Extra Virgin Olive Oil.* He claims it is the best and purest olive oil made. I, of course, was giving samples of Italian Cream Cake, which I like to think is one of the signature desserts in my cookbook *Rosalie Serving Italian. Our tables were all lined up in a row, and by the time the people got down to the last table to sample the bread-soaked olive oil, they had enough food to start a buffet.

While I was trying hard to sell my cookbook, the Volpi people were pushing the salami, and the Olive Oil man was making us all feel guilty if we didn't look out for our arteries. I knew people had a limited amount of money, so when I handed them the cake all frosted with the wonderful cream cheese topping, I only asked one favor; "save the cake for last." This must have worked because the next thing I knew, most everyone returned with one question, "Is this recipe in your book?"

"Oh, I'm so glad you asked," I said. I then went on to tell them that all of my cakes are made with *Bertoli, 100% mild Olive Oil,* and that eating this cake was most healthful, give or take a few fat calories. While most everyone laughed at my comparison, they had to admit that the cake was so delicious; they would just have to have a book. Of course I would oblige them, and to make it authentic, I would even sign their copy.

While I received hearty hugs, and had my picture taken with many of them, I must admit it was more fun for me then for them. Being able to share with people the making of the book, and my passion for cooking gives me great joy. And I guess the idea of them savoring their sample cake till last must have paid off.

After the crowd finally died down, and I realized I had sold 47 books, Volpi people and Olive Oil man noticed a big part of the books were gone. "Wow, you really sold some books," they said, and of course I added, "It must have been due to the fine products on either side of me." We all had a hearty laugh, and with all due respect they too had a prosperous day.

So, looking for something fun to do? Take your spouse, son or daughter, and head down to Viviano's on a Friday night or Saturday afternoon, and just enjoy the sights, sounds and aromas of Italy. Enjoy a sit down meal at the tables they have in their café area. and enjoy their Pasta con Broccoli along with a deli sandwich, or one of the many items they make fresh right on the spot. Then shop around, and get all the items you need to cook a great recipe right out of *Rosalie Serving Italian.* You're sure to have a great time, and tell Michael I sent you.

Be sure to click on my website and check out the upcoming events near you. I will be a Dierberg's School of Cooking November 10, demonstrating my "Favorite Christmas Dinner.* Hope to see you there or at a cooking class near you.

Email me any time at

Rosalie@rosalieservingitalian.com

Bonasera and Good Evening!

Rosalie

STUFFED PORK CHOPS

WHOPS...Left out part of step 3.

 

3.  In medium saucepan, place butter, onion  and celery.  Saute over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes.  Add the apples, apple pie spice, thyme and parsley.  Continue to saute for another 2 to 3 minutes.