Oh, My My, Tomatoes!

My tomato plants are finally producing tomatoes, and I can't wait to pick them.  There is nothing like a fresh tomato that you grew from your very own garden.  I remember growing up, my grandparents grew all kinds of vegetables in their garden, and we would pick fresh tomatoes right from the plant, sprinkle with a little salt and bite right into it, ahhh those were the days.  In my garden I planted beefsteak, big boy, plum, grape and yellow grape tomato plants this year, and I hope I get a bumper crop.  I will need them, since one of the big box stores I go to stopped selling my favorite bruschetta.  Now I have to make my own, so having all the tomatoes will help, I won't have to buy them,  I had to purchase some yesterday, my tomatoes are still green but growing, to make homemade bruschetta.  I could eat this stuff everyday for lunch it's so good!  Recipe below.

To print recipe, click on it, highlight and print.

I started with a box of plum/Roma tomatoes, they are the best I think, very meaty.  Fresh basil and parsley from my garden and a few other ingredients.

 I like using red onion because it gives the bruschetta pretty color.

 My plums or Roma tomatoes as they are called.

 I scoop the seeds with a teaspoon.

 Slice them down and then dice them, so they look like this.

Toss all the ingredients in a bowl.

 Scoop it on top of crostini and it's a meal for me.  If there are any leftovers, I store it in a canning jar.

 Homemade Tomato Bruschetta

Ingredients

12 plum/Roma tomatoes

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 red onion, minced

10 basil leaves, cut chiffonade style (roll leaves up and slice)

1 tablespoon fresh chopped Italian flat leaf parsley

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Slice all the tomatoes in half, then scoop the seeds with a teaspoon and discard them.  Slice the tomatoes lengthwise then dice them. Toss the tomatoes into a medium size bowl, with the remaining ingredients and mix together.  Store in a covered container.  Makes about 2 1/2 cups.

In My Closet

Not cooking much lately, the hubby is traveling, one son working alot and the other has classes later in the day.  Me, I am satisfied with a bowl of cereal for dinner, no muss, no fuss.  So to keep myself busy during the day, I organize things around the house including the closets.  While I was in my closet hanging things up, cleaning things out and organizing, I put together some outfits to wear during the Fall months.  When everything is organized (I organize by color), it is easier to pull things out in no time at all.  All of my tops, blouses, tanks, sweaters, jackets, pants, jeans, scarves, belts, jewelry, shoes and handbags, are set up this way in my closet. I have found that this is the easiest way for me to get ready in a hurry when I have to go out.  When an outfit isn't ready for me to throw on, it takes too much time to figure out what I am going to wear, so I take pictures of the outfits that I put together and at a glance I can dress quickly.

These are some Fall casual outfits for running errands, grabbing a bite to eat or just out and about.

Boyfriend Jeans, Cotton Lace Tank, Soft Red and Blue Flannel Shirt and Brown Boots

Boyfriend Jeans, Silk Plum T-Shirt and Plum Satin Flats with Rhinestone Brooch 

 Gray Knit Leggings, Denim Shirt, Orange Pashmina, Silver Jewelry with Black Riding Boots and Cognac Riding Boots

Father's Day Dinner On The Deck

Last Sunday was Father's Day, and I think anyone can be a father, but it takes someone special to really be called a dad.  We in this family are the lucky ones, we have all of it, a great father, dad and husband.  His treat for Father's Day, crab cakes on the grill.   More than anything else, my husband loves food, loves to eat, and to have his family around the kitchen table sharing it with him.  This father, dad, husband will do anything, anytime for his family.   He works hard in everything he does, his job, the kids (adults really now) the house, the cars, whatever we need he's there.  So here's to you father, dad, husband, 

HAPPY FATHER"S DAY! 

I tried making crab cakes on the grill for the first time and they were fabulous! They came out perfect.

I used a flat grill pan that I had, they didn't even fall apart.  Nice and crispy on the outside and perfectly cooked on the inside, I served them with a choice of tartar and/or cocktail sauce.  Recipe below.

 Then in my grill basket, I grilled fresh asparagus and plum tomatoes.  I tossed them in a little olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic.  Plum tomatoes are meatier than regular tomatoes and tend not to fall apart once they start cooking.  They caramelize in the process and that brings out the sweetness of them.  Look at those beauties!  Asparagus is always great on the grill.

I also made potato packets on the grill with quartered potatoes, bacon, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and olive oil, wrapped in foil.  When they were done I served them with a little sour cream.  Everything was perfectly cooked. Who knew it would tastes so good on the grill? I'll try most anything once and if it doesn't work out, then I call it something else.  I usually cook everything outside in the summer, no sense in dirtying up the kitchen when I have a kitchen outside!

Cucidati (Sicilian Filled Cookies)

My family is passionate about all things food.  We're Italian/Sicilian and Irish - What a combination that is!  Growing up my Sicilian grandmother always had the BIG Sunday dinner - homemade pasta, meatballs and breads.  She made Ricotta Pie, Tomato Pie, Spinach Pie, all of it from scratch.  She taught my mother how to make all things Italian/Sicilian, AND my mother was all Irish - go figure that one out!  My mother was a fantastic cook in her own right, she made food with love.   But, my grandmother made her an even better cook by teaching her how to make Italian/Sicilian food from scratch, and more love!  You would have thought my mother was Italian/Sicilian after eating those homemade meals. One of the other things my mother leaned how to make was Cucidati (Sicilian Filled Cookies).  My mother was a learner, who would stick to something until she mastered it, and she mastered these cookies to a point of perfection.  Unfortunately for me, in her cookbook she did not have measurements for the ingredients just the ingredient itself.  So I had to wing it, and change up some things when I made these for the first time.  The best part about these cookies, they are totally handmade - hand cut and hand filled - so they don't have to be perfect in shape and size.  Recipe is below.

This is the recipe as it appears handwritten in her cookbook.  I mixed everything for the filling in the food processor.

 Cutting the pastry dough and rolling them out.

Filling the dough and rolling.

Rolled and lined up on baking sheets.

 Baked and cooling off.  And yes, some will run out of the ends, don't worry there is more inside!

 Cucidati (Sicilian Filled Cookies)

For the dough:

4 cups of unbleached all purpose flour

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup of Crisco Vegetable Shortening

1 egg

1/2 cup milk, skim is fine

1 Tbsp vanilla extract

(1 egg beaten with 1 tsp water to use for sealing the cookies)

For the filling:

2 - 12 oz cans Solo Prune Plum Filling

1 cup of raisins

1/4 cup semi - sweet chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups slivered almonds

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup apricot jam

1/4 cup apple butter

1 tsp cinnamon

1 Tbsp orange zest

Directions for Dough:

In a large bowl whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together.  Cut the vegetable shortening into cubes, then cut into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or fork, until mixture becomes crumbly.  In another bowl, beat the egg, milk and vanilla together.  Add to the flour and mix with clean hands until the dough forms a ball. Knead it until the dough becomes soft.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 35 - 45 minutes.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper. While the dough is chilling make the filling.

Directions for the Filling:

In a food processor, process the prune filling, raisins, chocolate and almonds.  Next, add the honey, jam, apple butter, cinnamon and orange zest.  The mixture should now be like a thick paste. 

Directions for Making the Cookies: 

On a floured surface, roll out 1/4 of the dough and cut into strips.  Then cut those strips into 1 1/2  x  2 1/2 inch rectangles.  I roll each of my rectangles out before filling so they are on the thin side, not thick.  Fill each cookie with about 1/2 - 3/4  teaspoon of filling.  Brush egg wash on both ends, roll and seal.  Place seam side down on baking sheet, brush each cookie with the egg wash and sprinkle with colored nonpareils. Bake for 20 -25 minutes or lightly browned.  Remove from oven, let cool for a minute or two, then transfer to cooling rack. Some of the filling will run out while baking.  Store in an airtight container.  Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

NOTE 1: Traditional Cucidati have a fig filling, I like figs, but my family does not.  Use 2 cups of dried chopped or canned figs, if you like them, in this recipe instead of the prune filling. 

NOTE 2:  My mothers recipe included a tip - if the filling is too thin add unseasoned breadcrumbs to the mix.  I didn't need to do that, but by all means if you feel it's too thin thicken it with the breadcrumbs.

NOTE 3: Don’t be afraid to change the filling with other fruits you like.  They sell the fruit in cans, ready to use.

The Purples

Purple hued jewelry pieces are very hard to find. Some people do not like wearing the color purple, and generally I only wear this color as an accessory.  I like plum and lavender, I will wear those colors, but not anything full on purple colored.  I have a few pieces of purple hued jewelry, but that is as far as it goes for me.

 Left: Multi color necklace with purple and lavender beads on burnished gold chain with matching earrings.

Right: Lavender and floral glass bead necklace on silver chains with matching earrings. 

Plum, lavender and gunmetal beaded necklace on gunmetal chains with matching chandelier earrings.

Fashion Wednesday!

Brrrrrr! It's getting so cold outside.  I finally broke down and put the heat on and I usually don't do that until the end of November.  It's time to get out the Winter clothes, the hot chocolate and get cozy. You don't have to buy anything new, just open up your closet and let the outfits begin.

LEFT: Dark Wash Skinny Jeans, Black/White Animal Print Blouse, Fuchsia Chiffon Ruffle Trim Sweater, Black Shoeties, Grey/Fuchsia Rhinestone and Pearl Necklace and Multi Colored Stone Bracelet

RIGHT: Dark Wash Skinny Jeans, Long Black/Grey Slub Knit Sweater with Belt, Orange Flats and Jewelry

LEFT: Dark Wash Skinny Jeans, Green Silky Blouse, Silver Opened Toe Pumps, Green and Silver Jewelry.

RIGHT: Same outfit topped with a Grey Knit, Shawl Collar, Wrap Coat

LEFT: Dark Wash Skinny Jeans, Grey Long Sleeve Rhinestone Cowl Neck Top, Silver Opened Toe Pumps, Faceted Glass Bead Necklaces

RIGHT: Plum Skinny Jeans, Plum, Orange, Navy and Oatmeal Cinch Waist Top, Oatmeal Sweater, Stone Color Bow Wedges and Orange Flower Necklace

The Autumn Leaves Are Falling

I know it's still August, but my trees are already starting to shed their leaves.  I am actually excited about that, I love Fall it's my favorite time of year.  Kiddies go back to school, there is more structure and schedule,  noise quiets down outside, it's GRRREAT!  I was looking in my closet to check out what I might need for the season, color wise.  Merlot is hot this fall, as well as, pumpkin, brown, plum and olive green. I only needed a few pieces so I went bargain shopping and this is what I found.

Left -Plum Shrug Tie Sweater - WalMart $13.97

Right  - Dark Brown Skinny Jean - DressBarn $39.90 (got a $15 coupon back to spend later)

Left - Merlot Sweater - Marshall's $19.99 and Shoes - Target $19.99

Right - Brown/Pumpkin Print Chiffon Top With Wood Detail on Neckline - Avenue $19.96

Fashion Friday - Some of the Colors of Fall

It's coming, and fast!  Fall is almost here and it's my favorite time of year.  I love the coolness of the air, the  leaves falling, sitting around the fire pit drinking apple cider and eating s'mores. I could go on and on, but most of all I love that clothing goes from summer to fall/winter wear.  Here are a few more outfits I put together and can't wait to wear this fall. 

I had my eye on this jacket until it went on clearance.  It was originally $60.00!

Green Khaki Jacket - Avenue, $19.96

Pumpkin Peasant Top - Lane Bryant, $24.99

Dark Wash Skinny Jeans - Marshall's, $19.99

Taupe Ankle Boots - Target, $34.99

Necklace - Avenue, $4.96

Left:   Orange/Peach and Black Blouse - Kohl's, $11.60 and Orange Flats- JCP, $34.99

Right:  Blue and Black Crossover Top - Kohl's, $30 and Suede Wedges - Payless, $15.99

Left: Cognac Sweater - Dressbarn, Blouse - Fashion Bug, Open Toe Heels - Payless, Brooch -Jewelbilee

Right:  Same Cognac Sweater, Belted.  Leopard Print Blouse - Lane Bryant, $19.99, Pumpkin Open Toe Wedges - Marshall's, $16.00, Necklace - Gabriel's, $4.99

 Gray, Black and Plum Ruffled Neck Top - Dressbarn, Plum Heathered Wrap Sweater - Marshall's, Black Suede Boots with Rhinestone Medallion, Payless