Happy St. Joseph’s Feast Day!
You might recall that last December, I demonstrated how to make quadretti, a small, square-shaped pasta. At some point, I mentioned Mom using this pasta in soup to nurse me back to health but that my Sister remembered differently. She recalled Mom serving broth filled with Acini di Pepe, “sick soup”, whenever she was ill. Well, since Monday was Sis’s birthday, why not share the recipe for her sick soup?
Soup made with Acini di Pepe is not a Bartolini tradition. Oh, sure, it was served plenty of times at the old two-flat but it wasn’t made from a recipe that had been handed down from one generation to the next. It came to us, oddly enough, from the Mother of my 5th grade teacher. Mr. D was from Upstate New York and my class was his first in Detroit. In fact, he arrived in my hometown barely 1 week before school started that September. Mr. D wanted to introduce himself to the parish and to our parents so, once classes started, he visited the home of each of his students. He chose the families alphabetically, making mine the second home he entered. And as was so often the case with newcomers who entered the two-flat, he hung around for a number of years — make that decades — afterwards. (There was a similar phenomenon in our backyard that involved Grandpa, our neighbors, and the Parish priests but I’ll save that for another post.) Eventually, Mr. D migrated upstairs, becoming good friends of Zia and Uncle. At some point, and I do not recall how much time had transpired, his Mother and Aunt came to Detroit for a visit. It wasn’t long before they, too, became ensnared in the two-flat’s web of conviviality. Well, as luck would have it, both women were good cooks and during subsequent visits, recipes were traded. One of the very few recipes to survive is today’s minestra, Acini di Pepe with meatballs. (It took a while but I got us here.)
Acini di Pepe is a small, bead-like pasta that expands during the cooking process, much like couscous. Mom served it to Sis when her tummy was upset, just as she served me quadretti. As was her way, Doctor Mom started with broth only and gradually added increasing amounts of Acini di Pepe to the broth as Sis’s condition improved. The meatballs, polpettine, were never used for medicinal purposes. No, they were served when everyone was well and seated at the dinner table. And did we ever enjoy them. The lemon zest in the polpettine, when mixed with a hint of nutmeg, take this simple soup to an entirely different level. Now, if Acini di Pepe isn’t “your thing,” I strongly suggest you make the polpettine and use them with whatever pastina you prefer. Trust me. You won’t be disappointed.
Oh, yeah. Happy Birthday, Sis!
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Acini di Pepe with Meatballs Recipe
Ingredients
For the polpettine
For the minestra
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Directions
To make polpettine
yield : approx. 100 polpettine, divided, half to be frozen for later use
To make the minestra
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Notes
Polpettine are meant to be relatively small. One polpettino should easily fit upon a soup spoon with plenty of room left for pasta and broth. Although this recipe yields about 100 meatballs, I prefer to use only about half that amount in a 2 quart pot of soup. Of course, you may use more or less depending upon your own preference.
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And Now for the Awards Portion of Today’s Presentation
Over the past few weeks, I’ve been lucky enough to have received a few awards from members within our blogging community. And lest anyone think that I do not appreciate these wonderful gifts, I wanted to make sure that each was acknowledged.
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So, to Marie, of My Little Corner of Rhode Island, I say thank you for generously nominating me for the Kreative Blogger Award.
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To Kathryn, of kiwsparks, and Eva, of Kitchen Inspirations, I say thanks for your thoughtfulness in granting me The (Red) Educational Shoe Award. (And to Greg: You’ll just have to wait before you get to see me in stilettos, be they red or some other color.)
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Finally, to Roger, of Food, Photography, & France, mere words cannot express the depth of emotion that I experienced upon learning you had nominated me for the Sunshine Award.
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OK, I know that I’m supposed to answer a variety of questions or volunteer some facts about myself and I must admit to enjoying reading others’ replies. The truth of the matter is, however, that I’m not all that interesting. I am no onion with many layers to be pulled back revealing inner truths. There is no art in this choke. What you see is what you get — and what you get is pretty boring, at that. Besides, what little there is to tell is fodder for my future posts. If I tell you everything about myself now, whatever will I write about next time or the time after that? And so, to those who truly wish to learn more about me, I say “Stay tuned … “
The next part of any award acceptance is to pass the award along to deserving individuals. Well, there are 3 awards to pass along and I don’t even know how many bloggers, in total, I am to name. I do know, however, that no matter how many good people I nominate, I will surely forget one person and, in all probability, quite a few more. I have been treated kindly by everyone I’ve met here and encouraged in more ways than I could ever enumerate. I’d sooner quit blogging than hurt or offend any of those who have treated me so graciously. So, rather than nominate many, I shall only nominate one.
A relative newcomer, this blogging friend has taught me a great deal. By her example, I’ve learned that less is more. That silence is truly golden. That to just be yourself and the World will be yours to conquer. And so it is that I nominate, for the Kreative Blogger, The (Red) Educational Shoe, and Sunshine awards, none other than …
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FLAT RUTHIE !!!!!
As soon as word of the awards became known, her friends carried her off to an impromptu party at Chicago’s Fondue Stube. Pictured above, Flat Ruthie is seen with one of her dearest of friends, Thing, as they await the arrival of the fondue pots. Oh, what a night!
So, congratulations Flat Ruthie! I for one, cannot wait to read your acceptance speech. (No fair helping her, 3D Ruth.)
And to Marie, Kathryn, Eva, and Roger, all joking aside, I am both honored and grateful for the awards you’ve sent my way. Mille grazie!
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Yes, it’s true. The Bartolini kitchens have moved — for today only.
Recently, a blogger buddy, Jed, asked if I wouldn’t mind stopping by his place, sports-glutton.com, while he was away covering the AT&T Pro Am at Pebble Beach. Well, if there’s one thing you should know about this Bartolini, besides his undying love for pasta and intense hatred for spiders, is his fondness for travel. So, when Jed asked me to come for a visit, I couldn’t say “Yes!” fast enough. And I must say I love being here.
First and foremost, Jed’s is a blog about sports and sporting events. If something is happening within the World of Sports, Jed will take us there, not only reporting the event but explaining its significance in “the big picture.” This would be more than enough to keep most sports bloggers busy but not our Jed. In addition to these reports, Jed shares delicious recipes guaranteed to appeal to the glutton in all of us. Now, Jed understands that there’s more to life besides sports and eating. So, he offers his critiques and ratings of select beers and wines in his Thirsty Thursday series of posts. And, finally, to help us all start our week off on the right foot, Jed serves up a little Monday Morning Humor each and every week.
Sporting news, tasty recipes, expert advice on beverage selection, and a bit of humor, sports-glutton.com has it all. So, please take this link to see my Pastistio Recipe and then take some time to look around and check out sports-glutton.com. You will not be disappointed.
Thanks, Jed, for giving me this opportunity to fill-in for you, even if only for a day. Oh! I almost forgot. It looks like someone broke into your wine cellar last night and stole a few bottles. They must have been real professionals because Max didn’t move all night long. Gotta run.
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I was recently tagged by Mandy, The Complete Cook Book, and given 10 Questions to answer. This is one time where having insomnia pays off. Rather than spend the night grousing about the poor state of overnight broadcast television, I have this assignment to occupy my attention until I’m ready for bed.* * *
1. Describe yourself in seven words.
A pasta lovin’, spider hatin’, dependable friend.
2. What keeps you up at night?
Insomnia.
3. Who would you like to be?
Me. I learned a long time ago that to be happy in this life one has to be happy in one’s own skin.
4. What are you wearing now?
It’s 4:00 AM. I’m wearing sweat pants and an old shirt. (Quite the picture, eh?)
5. What scares you?
Spiders … spiders … spiders … and spiders.
6. What is the best and worst things of blogging?
Sorry to repeat your answer here, Mandy, but you were right on the money. The best thing about blogging is the people one “meets.” I’ve been showered with kindness, encouragement, and assistance. It really is remarkable and I’m very thankful.
And, like Mandy, I find that blogging is becoming more and more time-consuming.
7. What was the last website you looked at?
I read a review of the Absolutely Fabulous 20th Anniversary Special.
8. If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be?
Be a better proof reader. I can re-read my typed comment 5 times and the instant I hit “Post Comment” I’ll notice the error(s). I’ve left typo-ridden comments across all of WordPress and if I’ve not yet left one on your blog, it’s only a matter of time.
9. Slankets, yes or no?
No.
10. Tell us something about the person who tagged you.
Mandy was one of the very first people to look in on, and follow, my blog. Her encouraging words and positive comments meant a great deal to this new-comer to the blogosphere. Visit her blog and you might be rewarded with a tasty suggestion for lunch, a bike tour of her hometown, a restaurant-caliber entrée for dinner, or a passage reprinted from the Woman’s Home Companion Cook Book. And when I say “rewarded” I mean that in the very best sense of the word.
Who are you going to tag to join the quiz?
I hope I’ve not “double-tagged” anyone.
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And by the way, just to be clear, spiders scare me.
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In recent days, among the gifts I received were 2 award nominations from fellow bloggers and I feel honored and fortunate to have received both. In the past, I’ve incorporated awards into some recipe-bearing post. This time around, because I, also, have my own “Thank You!” notes to pen, I thought I’d devote an entire post to the matters at hand.
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Recently, Sharyn of The Kale Chronicles was nominated for the Versatile Blogger Award — and rightly so, I might add. (Do visit the talented Sharyn on her blog. She’s serving up quite a bit more than kale and it’s her very own, beautifully colored watercolors, included in every post, that sets her blog apart from all others that I read.) In turn, Sharyn was kind enough to honor me with a nomination for the same award. Since it wasn’t that long ago that I was nominated for the VBA, I thought I’d just post a link to my previous answers. This doesn’t mean, Sharyn, that I am any less honored nor appreciative of your kindness. Thank you very much.
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Claire, whose Promenade Plantings offers a wonderful mix of recipes and gardening advice, just happens to be shushing about the Alps these days but still she found time to nominate me for the Reader Appreciation Award. Since this award is new to me, I will gratefully accept it, fulfill its obligations, and then pass it along. As I understand them, the rules are fairly simple and these have been copied directly from Claire’s post. (I hope you don’t mind, Claire, but why re-invent the wheel?)
I hope that these nominations aren’t re-nominating anyone that recently won the award but, here goes …
No list of my readers would be complete without mentioning Greg and his Rufus’ Food and Spirit Guide. He was my first commenter and his encouragement meant, and continues to mean, a great deal. With Katherine, their blog is jam-packed with great recipes & tips, a must read every day. Tanya and her Chica Andaluza blog has not only encouraged me but it was her jam recipe that started me headed down Canners’ Row. I’m convinced that Linda of Savoring Every Bite is the “missing” Sister that my Older Brother often said was sold to the circus. We just have to be related since our families’ tales and practices are often one and the same. Mandy daily serves up good, often restaurant-quality dishes from The Complete Cook Book. Living in South Africa, her Summer is just beginning and I’ve promised myself, here in Chicago where Winter is getting underway, not to hold it against her. Next I would like to nominate a blog that features both food and photography. Roger’s Camerahols / Food, Photography & France features some stunning photographs of his surroundings in France. Whether the subject matter is some ingredient, a dish, a glimpse into a room, or the countryside, his photos never fail to catch my eye and capture my imagination. Lastly, but certainly not least, is the Ruth E. Hendricks Photography blog. With her camera always at the ready, Ruth shares photos of her family, each obviously shot with love and care, as well as photos from around Pittsburgh that always depict her city in the best light.
I hope I’ve not offended anyone by not including a name in my list of nominees. Ours is a relatively small blogging community inhabited by some very talented people. If you’re not on my list of nominees, you will surely be on someone else’s within days. Whether nominated here or elsewhere, I am quite thankful for the support this blog receives with every entry I post and to Claire, of course, for giving me this award.
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And Now a Special “Thank You!”
With Christmas just passed, some special thanks are in order. Many of my gifts this year had a condiment theme, thanks to this blogging community. Inspired by Tanya and her Chica Andaluza blog, I made 2 batches of ketchup, 1 spicy and the other “inferno grade”. Inspired by Mandy and The Complete Cook Book, I made 2 kinds of whole grain mustard, 1 with Guinness Stout and another non-alcoholic. I couldn’t ignore Max’s buds so, inspired by Linda’s recipe over at Savoring Every Bite, I made a couple batches of peanut butter dog biscuits for our furry friends. And, to all who encouraged me to attempt canning last Summer, I can tell you that it really did pay off. Along with everything else, everyone received jars of grape jelly and strawberry jam. (Who’da thunk?) Lastly, but certainly not least, I included what will one day be recognized as the Eighth Wonder of the World, a jar of chocolate peanut butter. No, I did not make it but I intend to figure out how to do it! So, to Tanya, Mandy, Linda, my fellow canners, and the good people at Peanut Butter & Co. (this is an unpaid endorsement), I say thank you. In a very real way, you helped to make my Christmas possible.
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Happy Columbus Day everyone! And what better way to celebrate the Holiday than to share one of the Bartolini Clan’s favorite holiday recipes. Say the word “ravioli” to any of the old 2-flat’s former residents and you’re sure to conjure up memories of holidays past, specifically Christmas, New Year’s, and Easter. No matter which of the 2 dinner tables you visited on those evenings, there would be a large platter of ravioli taking center stage. (It was present on Thanksgiving, too, but The Bird was the star of that show.) As a kid, my attention was pretty much focused on that platter of pasta pillows — and dessert, of course — and I think the same would have been said by everyone at the tables, save Mom and Zia. Their perspectives would have been entirely different.
One must remember that in those days, the only freezer available to most households was a small compartment above the fridge. Consequently, if you wanted to serve your family ravioli, you made it the same day it was served. Well, there was absolutely no way that Mom and Zia were going to start making ravioli on a holiday afternoon. That meant that most holiday mornings, they were up at 5:00 am making ravioli for that evening’s holiday dinner. And then there was Christmas. We were allowed to get up during the night to discover what Santa had brought us and to play with our toys. It wasn’t until years later that we learned how our parents no sooner got the gifts wrapped and under the tree when we came charging out of our bedrooms. Mom and Zia were lucky to get a couple of hours of sleep before they started making ravioli. And they weren’t making just a few ravioli. They made enough for everyone at each of the two holiday tables, which often included guests as well as each family. For Mom, that meant ravioli for as many as 12 people. To this day, I don’t know how they did it.
It really is a shame that there are no pictures of these women making pasta and ravioli, for it really was something to see. Mom would make the filling the night before and store it in the fridge. (Woe be the child caught snatching filling from the fridge!) The next day, she would make 8 eggs worth of pasta dough using the “mound” method. (Mound the 
flour on a large pasta board, make a crater in the center, pour the eggs into the center, and use a fork to slowly bring the flour into the egg mass, being careful not to break the flour wall and allow the eggs to spill out.) Once the dough was made, kneaded, and rested, Mom used her 3+ foot long “rolling-pin” to create thin, circular pasta sheets, 3 – 4 feet in diameter. They were laid to dry by hanging them off the edge of the dining room table, the backs of chairs, even on sheets covering a bed, if one was “open.” Once dry enough, the sheet would be hung off the pasta board’s edge, half on the board and half off. The filling balls were then laid out on the pasta half-sheet in a grid, each equidistant from its neighbors. When they were all positioned, maximizing the surface area, the bottom half of the sheet was brought up and over, enclosing the filling-covered top half. The long handle of a spoon or spatula was used to seal the pillows. The ravioli were then cut using a pastry cutter, moved to trays, and the next pasta wheel was moved into place. This continued until all the filling was used. The remaining dough, if any, would be hand-cut to form linguine or quadretti. (More about the latter in another post.) Just about the time she was finished cutting the last of the pasta, we kids would come bounding into the kitchen. “Merry Christmas, Mom! What’s for breakfast?”
The purchase of a pasta machine changed all that. Unable to make the large pasta wheels, Mom turned to ravioli dies to make her ravioli. Pictured just below is my collection. The 2 dies on top are used for ravioli. The one on the top-left makes ravioli that are 2 inches square. That’s just about the size The Sisters were taught to make by hand. The ravioli form on the top-right makes ravioli that are 1.25 inches square. That’s about the size The Sisters made by hand once we kids came into the picture. (Kid-friendly ravioli. Who knew?) The remaining 3 are used for soup ravioli, which Mom called cappelletti, “little hats.” Though normally rounded, some look similar to tortellini, the die Mom used (lower left) was .75 inches square. As a result, the word “cappelletti” in our house wasn’t used to describe the pasta’s shape but its use — and that was in soup. Mom gave me her cappelletti die years ago but it’s too small for me to use in any way. (I’ve tried several times but, being ham-fisted, I cannot make the filling “balls” small enough to fit the die.) So, I bought the die on the lower-right. It makes raviolini that are 1 inch square and I use it to make my cappelletti. In the center is a press that makes traditional-looking cappelletti, each 1.25 inches in diameter. I, also, have 2 more ravioli makers, both not shown, but they don’t work very well. One attaches to my pasta machine and the other to my stand mixer. In both cases, they require that the dough sheets be about twice as thick as I am accustomed to using. The result is ravioli that is a bit more chewy than I prefer. What can I say? Mom spoiled us.
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Tools of the Trade
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When it come to the pasta dough’s final thickness, let your own palate lead the way. Our pasta machines are calibrated from 1 through 10, with 1 being the thickest setting. Zia prefers to roll her dough up to and including the number 6 setting. I will use the same setting for large ravioli but for the smaller ravioli and cappelletti, I’ll roll the dough one more time, using the number 7 setting.
Once you’ve made the filling and pasta dough, creating the ravioli is easy enough, though time-consuming. Here’s Mom’s Pasta Dough recipe and, on Wednesday, I’ll share the recipe for their ravioli filling. (Future posts will share the filling recipes for sausage ravioli and cappelletti, as well as a few others we’ve tried along the way.) The pictures that follow will guide you through the ravioli making process far better than I ever could describe. Of course, it helps that they feature that world-renowned still photo model, “Zia,” in a sequence of never seen before shots taken where she lives, along the fabulous Michigan Riviera. Ah, the life of the octogenarian super-model!
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How to Make Ravioli
Step One: Cut dough strips into die-sized sheets
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Step Two: Cover the die with a dough sheet
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Step Three: Place filling across the die
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Step Four: Use dampened fingers to moisten ravioli “walls.”
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Step Five: Cover filled die with another dough sheet
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Step Six: Use a rolling-pin to seal the ravioli
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Step Seven: Trim the excess dough
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Step Eight: Flip the filled die
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Step Nine: Unmold the ravioli
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Step Ten: Lightly puncture the ravioli, meat-filled only
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To Cook
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Variations
The method I’ve described is by no means the only way to make ravioli at home. Check out the Rufus’ Food and Spirit Guide to see Greg make ravioli completely by hand, similar to the method Mom employed but on a smaller scale. You can also see a slightly more modern approach by going to Sweet Caroline’s Cooking. With Thanksgiving just around the corner, her recipe for butternut squash ravioli couldn’t be better timed. Lastly, in an upcoming post, I’ll show you yet another method for making stuffed pasta.
Notes
You’ll note that Step Ten instructs that only meat-filled ravioli should be lightly punctured. This should be done if you intend to freeze the pasta. Doing so will allow any air sealed within each raviolo to escape during the cooking process. Too much trapped air will cause the raviolo to, in effect, balloon and it may burst before the filling can thaw and cook. We use the tines of a cocktail fork to do this but we don’t puncture cheese-filled ravioli. The cheese filling will often leak through the puncture holes. Try to fill each pillow with as much cheese filling, and as little air, as possible. This “balloon effect” should not be a problem if the ravioli are fresh (not frozen) when cooked.
Although not especially difficult, this is a time-consuming process. I’d recommend that you make enough for a couple of dinners and that you freeze what you won’t be using immediately that day. It’s easy enough. Place your freshly made ravioli in a single layer on lined baking sheets and into your freezer. 2 to 3 hours later, place the now frozen ravioli into bags or containers and return to the freezer. When needed, do not thaw before placing into boiling water, reduce to soft simmer, and cook till done to your liking, normally a few minutes longer than if freshly made.
And for heaven’s sake, keep an eye on Max at all times!
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Maybe I should start my day with tea or juice or something other than coffee. With the WP problems still around, every day I awake to a fresh batch of posts to view, some as much as a day old. This morning, coffee in hand, I learned that Sawsan of Chef in Disguise had passed to me the Versatile Blogger Award. This was every bit as unexpected as was yesterday’s Liebster Award — and certainly no less appreciated. So, thank you Sawsan for this honor and, for the rest of you, if you’ve not checked out Chef in Disguise, this is your opportunity to do so. Beautifully photographed, Sawsan takes even the most complicated recipes and breaks them down into easy to follow, step-by-step instructions that even a novice like myself can follow. Now that’s something!
As for the Award, I believe I’m expected to share 7 little known facts about myself. So, here goes, in no apparent order:
1. I am an I Love Lucy fan and member of the We Love Lucy Fan club. Honestly, what’s not to love?
2. I’ve mentioned Max a few times and Lucy once. Here are their pics. Max-A-Million is a boxer mix, Lucy a female Eclectus Parrot. Max got his name because it was a million to one shot that he’d end up with me. Lucy, well, look at her pic and read No. 1 above. And, yes, Max’s left eye is partly blue.
3. I’m allergic to penicillin, having found out the “hard way.” Luckily, the doctor who administered the shot insisted I wait 20 minutes before leaving for home. He saved my life.
4. Zia and I once led a procession of the faithful to meet John-Paul II after one of his Wednesday public audiences.
5. A life-long smoker, I quit 2 years ago — and this time it’s for good.
6. If you’re lucky enough to wait on my table in a restaurant, don’t bother reciting the dessert options and you can keep the dessert menu. Just bring me cheesecake and I will be one very happy diner.
7. During high school, I worked at a family owned, Italian foods processing plant.
Well, that’s 7 and it’s too bad I’m limited to only 7. I guess I’ll have to wait until next time before I can talk about my years in the French Foreign Legion, my volunteer work on the island of hangnail sufferers, my prison record, and my contributions to nuclear fusion research.
Now comes the hard part, nominating 15 others for this award. I know a few of the bloggers I follow have recently received this award and, so, I’ll try not to double nominate anyone. And, even though I may have nominated a few of you yesterday for the Liebster Award, that doesn’t mean I don’t want to learn more about you. I hope you don’t mind my mentioning you again. And if I’ve missed anyone, please forgive me.
Um … that’s not 15?
8. I can’t count.
And, thank you again, Sawsan.
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Note: I don’t know why there’s no title and cannot get the font back to normal After about a dozen attempts at correcting this — none of which shows up in the drafts — I give up.
No. 9 I’m a quitter!
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I’ve no idea what has been going on with some of my WordPress features. Just this morning my “stats” page seems to have moved residences without leaving so much as a forwarding address. I know it’s here somewhere and I’ll find it sometime during my second cup of coffee. I wish that were the extent of the problems, but NOOOO! For about a week, I didn’t receive any notifications that any of the blogs I followed had posted 
anything. I had to rely upon emails for the notifications — and then they started to go missing. After that, while checking my admin pages, I noticed that I was no longer subscribed to some of you and so I re-subscribed. And repeated the process the next day with a new batch of blogs to which I, for whatever reason, was no longer subscribed. Over the past 2 weeks , or so, things have gotten better — not fully corrected, but better. Notifications of blog posts arrive in groups, usually a few hours after their authors have posted them, And, I guess it’s just for being patient, I now get 2 identical posts every time! So, this morning, with coffee in hand, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I opened my WordPress reader. And there it was, something I would never have expected — and twice!
My blogging friend, Cecelia, of thekitchensgarden nominated me for an award, the Leibster Blog Award. If you’ve not been to her blog, you are missing out on a real treat. Tales from her youth in New Zealand and her life today on a farm here in Illinois are woven together, using recipes as a common thread. Simply wonderful!
Now, back to the Leibster Award. What I love about this Award is that it doesn’t come with any strings attached, meaning no need to examine yourself, your blog, or anything else, for that matter. All I need do is pass the award onto 5 bloggers whose work I read and admire. Well, there’s the rub. I’m certain that I failed to mention some wonderful blogs when I was lucky enough to be given the 7 Links Challenge. It will likely happen again since I can only nominate 5 bloggers here. So, please do not feel slighted if I fail to mention your blog. Ours is a surprisingly small community. If I fail to mention you today, within a week someone else will see to it.
So, with gratitude to Cecilia, I’m going to name these 5 blogs for the Award. All of these are a part of my morning routine. They’re good for a chuckle, a recipe, a bit of knowledge, and, most unfortunately, some first hand accounts of the Summer’s worst weather. I hope anyone who reads this will take a few minutes to check out each of these 5, as well as Cecilia’s. You certainly won’t regret it.
Over the past couple weeks, I’ve had great fun reading my favorite bloggers as they accepted and answered the 7 Links Challenge. It’s an interesting exercise in self-examination, offering us, the readers, a glimpse into how each blogger views her/his 
own work. Not only that but for a relatively newbie like myself, it gives me a shortcut into the “best of” each blog. All around, I found the Challenge to be fascinating — until I was nominated.
Before going any further, I want to thank Mandy from The Complete Cookbook for inviting me to take part. I truly didn’t expect this now and thought that I’d probably take part in a later round. I don’t know why but I envision this type of thing being circulated every now and again. If you’re “missed” this time, you’ll be “found” next time around. Well, Mandy “found” me this time around and, not being one to back away from a challenge that doesn’t involve leaving my desk chair, I’ll accept the challenge. So, let’s get started, shall we?
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Most Popular Post
Surprisingly, at least to me, the Refrigerated Bread & Butter Pickles post has received the most “hits” day after day and week after week, since it was first posted back in June. It’s not a family recipe and it’s definitely not Italian but it certainly has been sought out, shared, and even posted elsewhere.
Most Controversial Post
I just don’t feel there’s anything controversial about any of my posts. Well, some commenters insist upon labeling me a canner because I filled a few jars with fruit. Preposterous! I do not can and you can see for yourself here and here.
Most Helpful Post
Looking back, I think I’d say the Mom’s Pasta Dough entry was probably the most helpful. I’ve subsequently referenced that recipe already several times and will again, repeatedly, in the future. If you’re going to make pasta at home, you’re going to need a good recipe to follow. Mom’s is one such recipe and, best of all, it was adapted to be made in a food processor by a friend of the family from the “Old Country.”
Most Beautiful Post
Having no training in photography whatsoever, the stills that accompany most of my posts are usually what I consider “the best of the lot.” I take a bunch of pics, choose the best one(s), and move on — and I’ve got literally hundreds of rejected photos to prove it. (Note to self: clean up Aperture, Photoshop, and iPhoto files.) . Every now and then I get it right. I happen to think that I “got it right” with the Pasta with Shrimp post.
Most Surprisingly Successful Post
I’d have to say that I’m most surprised by the success of the Steak Pizzaiola recipe. It’s a good dish, easy to prepare, and I thought it would do OK. I just didn’t expect it to do as well as it has, almost as popular as my other surprise, the refrigerator pickles recipe.
Most Under-Rated Post
Perhaps because it was posted so early in my blog’s life, I expected the Home-Made Ricotta recipe to do better than it has. I make a few cheeses here at home and not only is this the easiest to prepare, it is probably the best ricotta I’ve ever had. I’ve not bought nor used any other ricotta since I made my first batch following this recipe. More significantly, neither has Zia.
Most Proud of Post
The post I am most proud of would be My Cherry Amour, Reprise (Bigger, better, badder!) and for a number of reason. Like this whole process, it was fun to write. If I don’t enjoy what I’m doing, why bother? Next, It involved cherries so it had to be good, right? Really, though, it was that cherry pie. I still do not believe that I baked it! Most of my efforts in baking aren’t worthy of being shown to close friends and family, let alone being posted in a blog, unless it’s entitled InedibleMistakes.com. I knew I had hit it out of the park when a couple of friends, and even Zia, asked if I had baked it. That’s a real compliment when people think that what you’ve just baked doesn’t look like anything you’ve ever baked. Emboldened, I may go back to that well and try an apple pie this Fall. Warn the villagers!
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And now to nominate 5 other blogs. This would be easy if most of the blogs I’ve followed for some time hadn’t already accepted and met this challenge. There are a couple of blogs, however, that I’ve only recently started following but I’ve really enjoyed what I’ve read and already consider myself a fan. So, I’ll nominate them as well. It’s a bit of an eclectic group but I’m an insomniac and heaven only knows where my mouse will lead me at 3:00 AM.
And again, thank you, Mandy.
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Having gone green for St. Patrick’s Day, I had to do something colorful to commemorate today, St. Joseph’s Feast Day. So, using pesto and tomato for color, we’re going to make tricolor risotto, a dish that features the green, white, and red of the Italian flag.
At its heart, this is a trio of simple risotto dishes. None of the usual ingredients — mushrooms, saffron, squash, etc. — are used because they would detract from the three colors. (Presentation, presentation, presentation!) You start cooking the rice in one pot and, when the time is right, the contents are split into thirds. Two of the thirds are then colored with either pesto or tomato paste and each pot finishes cooking on its own. It really is that simple and the resultant dish is a conversation starter, to be sure. More importantly, however, behind each of the 3 colors is a delicious dish of risotto.
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Tricolor Risotto Recipe
total time: approx. 45 minutes
Ingredients
diet, vegetable stock may be substituted)Directions
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Variations
The variations for this dish involve substituting freshly chopped parsley and basil — or even cooked chopped spinach — for the pesto. I always opt for pesto because I’m sure to have some in my fridge or freezer. As for the red side of the flag, a little marinara sauce can be used in place of the tomato paste.
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from the Bartolini kitchens 