Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Pizzelle

Hi Everyone,

This past weekend we celebrated Nonnina's birthday! It was such a great celebration where all of our family got together at Nonnina's house and she cooked an amazing meal as usual and we sat around the table talking and laughing.  Since Nonnina is very health conscious, I gave her a cook book that includes fruits and vegetables from the garden!  She even got teary eye'd when she read my card!


For her birthday, my family and I got her a new food processor which she desperately needed since the old one broke, so for the next recipe we made we decided to try it out.  
This week we made a cookie thats essential in all Italian households - Pizzelle! 

Enjoy!
























Ingredients
  • 6 eggs
  • 1¼ cups sugar
  • 3 cups of all purpose flour
  • skin of 1 grated lemon
  • 1 cup of canola oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 tbsp of oil to grease the machine
Directions
1.  Add the canola oil to the food processor



















NONNINA'S TIP* If you don't have a food processor with a dough attachment, you can use an electric mixer or your hands

2. Add the sugar and pulse together with the oil.

























3. Add the eggs, and pulse until all combined



















4. Add the vanilla and grated lemon and pulse until combined

5. Add the flour and pulse until you have a batter with a thick consistency.

























6. Plug in the machine and wait for it to heat up.  

7. Using the tablespoon of oil brush it on to the machine.

8. Take a full teaspoon of batter and place it in the centre of the mold

























9. Close the mild tightly for no longer than 1 minute.



















10.  Gently peel the pizzelle off and place them on a flat surface to cool.













NONNINA'S TIP* They must cool on a flat surface or they don't turn out.



















Buon Apetito!
With Love From, Nonnina!

Monday, November 4, 2013

Petite Pecan Tarts

Good Day Fellow Bloggers and Followers!

I sincerely apologize for the VERY late post.  As I mentioned in my last blog post, I was having a computer issue and it is now resolved.

For this next blog post, I had planned on posting this for Thanksgiving however this delicious recipe is perfect for the season and would also be a GREAT tasty treat to add to your Christmas menu this year. These pecan tarts have been passed around Nonnina's family and been adapted from her cousin who spends time with her on occasion to bake these small but tasty treats.

Nonnina and I had so many laughs while making the pecan tarts, it was amazing to see how she works and what was even more amazing about this experience was that we worked together to come up with the best way to make them so that it is fun, fast and easy for all of YOU!  I am so happy that I was able to input my thoughts and be apart of adapting this tradition.

Enjoy!













Ingredients
  • 1 cup Butter
  • 6 oz. Softened Cream Cheese
  • 2 cups All Purpose Flour
  • 3 Eggs
  • 2¼ cups Packed Brown Sugar
  • 3 tbsp Melted Butter
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 2 Cups Chopped Pecans
Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350℉.

2. In a mixer, cream the butter.

























3. Add the cream cheese to the mixer and cream together with the butter on medium speed for about 2 minutes.

4. Add the flour a little bit at a time until combined.  A dough will start to form and it will begin to come off the sides of the bowl.

























5. Collect all the dough and on a flat surface, make it into a ball.



















6. Add a layer of parchment paper to the cookie sheet.

7. Using your hands, tear pieces of dough off, rolling them into 1 inch balls.

















The dough should make 48 balls.



















NONNINA'S TIP* For better results, leave them in the fridge for 2 hours or overnight.



8. Once the dough has been removed from the fridge, place the balls in a tartlet tray. Using a tart tamper, push the dough into the tray.













NONNINA'S TIP* If you do not have a tart tamper you can easily use your fingers.
9. Take the pecans and fill the shells about ¾ full.
















10. In a separate bowl, crack and break the eggs DO NOT beat them.



















11. Add brown sugar and mix together with the eggs.



















12.  Add vanilla extract, melted butter and salt.  Whisk together until smooth.

























13. Using a tablespoon, scoop the filling into the tart shells until it almost reaches the rim.


NONNINA'S TIP* You can choose to roll excess dough inward for a different look.

14. Bake for 30 minutes, or until lightly browned, making sure to turn the tray half way through bake time.

Please stop by Nonnina's Kitchen for new recipes every week!

Buon Apetito!

With Love From, Nonnina!

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Turkey Stuffing

Thanksgiving Special Part 1

Hi Everyone,
I apologize for the late post, my computer had a hard drive failure so it is currently being repaired.  I know that Thanksgiving just past for us Canadians, however for my American viewers, listen closely.  Today I am going to share with you the BEST stuffing you have ever tasted...well at least I have ever tasted.  Once again, I apologize for the Canadians whose Thanksgiving just past but, it's never too late to make stuffing!

Nonnina makes this stuffing every year and the variations always change slightly because it is all from her head!  This year, she worked with me to get a lllllll those delicious ingredients on paper to share with all you out there.  Although for my photos, I stuffed 2 smaller chickens, this stuffing recipe makes enough stuffing to fill a 15lb turkey.


Here's how you make Nonnina's famous stuffing!

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups of finely chopped onions
  • 2 cups of finely chopped celery
  • 2 cups of finely chopped carrots
  • 1 tbsp of grated ginger
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 cloves of finely chopped garlic
  • 4 turkey sausages (meat only) *you can use any kind of meat you want
  • 1lb of ground white veal
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1tbsp oil
  • 1/2 cup of chopped pecans
  • 200g of chopped prosciutto
  • 1 mozzarella ball
  • 1/2 cup of provolone
  • 1 cup of grated parmesan cheese
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 cup of chicken broth
  • 3 quarters of a french baguette
Now I know what you're thinking... this seems like ALOT of ingredients, but I promise it is so worth it!

Directions:

NONNINA'S TIP* It's best to prepare all of your ingredients before you start

1. Finely chop all vegetables.


2. Simmer the onions together with ginger and bay leaves in a pan for about 2 minutes on medium heat, seasoning to taste.

3. Add the garlic to the pan and continue to simmer together.
4. Add the turkey sausage (removed from the case, meat only) to the pan with the onions and brown for about 2 minutes.



5. Season the veal and add it to the pan and let cook until most of the water in the pan evaporates.


6. Add the white wine and cook until it evaporates.


7. Add the carrots and celery to the pan and stir them consistently until the juices are released.
8. Add the dried cranberries.



9. Add the pecans.



NONNINA'S TIP* You do not have to use pecans, you can use any nut you prefer i.e.; walnuts.

10. Stir all the contents of the pan together constantly on high heat for about 5 minutes.
11. Add prosciutto to the pan and let it cook for another minute.



NONNINA'S TIP* You can add Ham or Pancetta in replacement for the proscuitto if you prefer.

12. Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool in a large bowl.  (Remember to remove the bay leaves, those are just to add flavour)
13. Cut 3 quarters of a french baguette into cubes.



NONNINA'S TIP* To cut the baguette into cubes, Nonnina uses scissors instead of a knife, as it makes it easier to cut.

14. Add 2 tbsps of oil and season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. 
15.  Spread the seasoned cubes onto a cookie sheet.


16.  Toast in the oven at convection roast 400℉ for 8-10 minutes or until golden.
17.  Once cooked, add to the meat and stir together until combined.


18. Add all the cheeses to the meat and stir together until combined.


19. In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs with the chicken broth.


20. Making sure all the ingredients fit in the large bowl, add the eggs and broth to the meat and mix it together.


21. Once all the ingredients have been combined, it's time to stuff your turkey!

Tip for Stuffing a Turkey

  • Make sure you stuff all the way to the bottom
  • Fill the turkey enough so that the cavity is full
  • Flip the turkey around and fill from the opposite end to make sure its completely stuffed
  • Sew together the ends with a thread, to make sure that nothing comes out while in the oven






Buon Apetito!
With Love From, Nonnina!

Thursday, October 3, 2013

Butter Cookies

Hey Everyone!

Today at Nonnina's Kitchen, we're serving up some hot and fresh Butter Cookies!  What makes these cookies so easy to make is that their main ingredient is right there in their name!

These cookies are a STAPLE at Nonnina's house.  When I say staple, I mean they are present on every cookie tray that is put out at gatherings or just casually with espresso.  These are the cookies that you will ALWAYS find in the freezer at Nonnina's house.  What makes me laugh when I think about these cookies is that they're so delicious and crumbly because they're made to be one of the most fattening cookies that Nonnina makes HOWEVER, if you read my "About" page you'd know that Nonnina is a complete health nut, so to make a cookie thats almost entirely made of butter means they MUST be good!

But of course, every single person who has tried them can tell you they're to die for!



















Ingredients

  • 1 pound room temperature butter
  • 1 cup Granulated Sugar
  • 6oz table cream (18%)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp Vanilla
  • 4 cups All Purpose Flour
  • 1 tsp Baking Soda
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 pound finely ground Roasted Almonds
Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350℉
2. Put the roasted almonds in a food processor and finely grind them adding 1 tbsp of sugar. Then set them aside, you will need them later.




3. Put room temperature butter into a mixing bowl.
4. In a mixer begin to cream the butter.


5. Add the sugar to the mixer and cream with the butter on medium speed for about 2 minutes stopping periodically to scrape the sides of the bowl.


6. Slowly add the cream to the mixer.


7. Add the 2 large eggs to the mixer one at a time, mixing it well. 
8. Add vanilla and continue to mix until all ingredients are combined.

 

9. Setting aside the butter mixture, In a large bowl measure out 4 cups of flour.


10. Add ground almonds to the flour and mix well.  While mixing add the baking soda and salt.


11. Add the dry mixture to the butter a little bit at a time and mix on low speed until all combined.



NONNINA'S TIP* Once all combined - cover the bowl with Cling Wrap and put it in the fridge for 2 hours, this makes it easier to handle.


NONNINA'S TIP* The dough should not stick to the bowl

12.  On an un-greased cookie sheet, lay down a piece of parchment paper.

13. Take a full tablespoon of dough and roll it with your hands.


14. On the cookie sheet, shape the dough into half moons and place them about an inch apart on.



15. Put the cookies in the oven for 15 minutes, turning the tray half way though bake time. 

16.  Once the cookies have cooled, dust them with icing sugar to finish!



Stop by Nonnina's Kitchen next week for a Carb Free recipe that is guilt free and delicious!

Buon Apetito!

With Love From, Nonnina!