We met at school, first week in,
A lifelong friendship would begin.

Thinking back on days before,
When we lived right by the shore.

Boyfriends, parties, trips away,
Always finding time to play.

What care-free days we would spend,
Time an easy thing to lend.

Girls to women, boys to men,
Blink and years would pass by ten.

We stood at each other’s side,
On the days our knots were tied.

Life would start to get so harried,
With work and duty we’d be buried.

Decade two brought babies four,
Our lives are not ours anymore.

Now months may pass before we connect,
But never will this our friendship affect.

Joy and laughter, fears and tears,
Shared together for twenty-five years.

This weekend really did the trick,
My friend you’ll be through thin and thick!

Love You, Gina! I had a blast cooking with you.

Parmesean Basket Ingredients

6 ounces Parmesean-Reggiano, shredded
1/2 tsp of either paprika or cayenne, optional

Note: to make the necessary basket  form you will need mini-cup cake pans or another small item on which to form the basket.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheet with either a silpat or parchment paper.

Pour 1 tablespoon increments of Parmesean cheese onto lined cookie sheet and flatten into a circular shape. If desired add optional seasoning.

Bake on middle rack of oven until golden brown, approximately 7 – 10 minutes. Immediately after removing from the oven, carefully transfer cheese discs with a spatula and place onto an upside down mini-cup cake pan. It is important to work quickly to form the basket shape around the outside of the mini-cup cake pan before the cheese begins to harden.

Baskets may be made two days in advance and placed on parchment paper in an airtight container at room temperature. Each recipe fills approximately 12-14 baskets.

Crab Ceviche Ingredients

1 Cup Fresh Crab

1 T orange bell pepper

1 T yellow bell pepper

1/2 tsp. serrano chili pepper

2 T white onion, finely chopped

2 T cilantro, finely chopped

2 limes, juiced

1 1/2 T olive oil

1/8 tsp. coarse salt

English Cucumber, sliced thinly

Cucumber aside, place all other ingredients in a mixing bowl and gently toss to mix. Place one heaping tablespoon into the basket and wedge in a cucumber slice. Add a sprig of cilantro for garnish.

Caprese Ingredients

1 Container Cherry Tomatoes, halved or quartered

1/2 cup marinated mozzarella bocconcini, quartered

2 T fresh basil, chopped

1/8 cup creme fraiche

1/8 cup pesto

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp.

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, salt and pepper and gently mix. Place one heaping tablespoon into the basket and top with a dollop of creme fraiche and another dollop of pesto on top of the creme fraiche.

Steak and Potato Ingredients

2 cups mashed potatoes made with gruyere cheese

3/4 cup thinly sliced steak, cooked medium-rare

1/8 cup red bell peppers in olive oil, slivered

1/8 cup horseradish

2 T chives, chopped

Place one heaping tablespoon of mashed potatoes in the basket. Add one slice of steak and one slivered bell pepper. Add one dollop of horseradish on top and gently place chopped chives into the horseradish.

Try these other fantastic fillings by @ginavon at Bowllicker.
Panzanella with Olives, Bread Crumbs, Tomatoes and Capers
Pear, Manchego & Bacon
Prosciutto and Marmalade

I do believe I am the queen,
Of that thing they call the bean.

Not legumes with rice you eat,
But the beans you grind and heat.

One thing you should know ’bout me,
I live for super strong coffee.

Espresso, latte, three shot, four,
I’ll go back for even more.

Some might call it muddy rot-gut,
To this I must strongly re-but.

Not only does it taste supreme,
It gives me energy extreme.

Chocolate is my treasured love,
There is no food I love above.

White or milk or bitter-sweet,
My meal is never quite complete,

Without a chocolate bite to nibble.
(Alright. Devour – let’s not quibble.)

Now marry chocolate with the bean,
And things will start to get obscene.

I baked a shortbread cocoa treat,
With espresso bought from Peet.

If you try to take a bite,
With me you will have to fight.

This combo I don’t like to share,
It’s truly my own love affair.

But try this simple recipe,
And I know you will agree.

This coffee-chocolate combination,
Is quite the epicurean sensation.

I love this cookie recipe! It is easy, delicious and a new family favorite.  This recipe is adapted from Dorie Greenspan’s cookbook, “Baking – From my home to yours.” If you enjoy baking, this is an excellent book to have on hand. I have made a few minor changes to the original recipe – I used salted instead of unsalted butter and, instead of instant espresso, I used fresh brewed espresso.

RECIPE

1 T. espresso

2 sticks butter (room temperature)

2/3 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate or 3/4 cup chocolate chips (preferably mini)

Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)

Make sure espresso is room temperature. Set aside.

In a mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium for about 3 minutes, until the mixture is smooth. Beat in the vanilla and espresso. With the mixer on low, add the flour and beat only until the flour disappears into the dough. This dough should not be over-worked. Fold in the chocolate with a spatula.

Transfer the dough to a gallon-size zip lock plastic bag. Lay the bag on a flat surface and with the top open, roll the dough out until it is about 1/4′ thick. Try not to let the plastic crease the dough. Press out all of the air from the bag, zip the top and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Position the oven racks so that the oven is divided into thirds.

Place the plastic bag of dough on a cutting board and slice or cut it with scissors so that only the dough remains. Cut even squares and set them on your lined cookie sheet. With the tines of a fork, prick each cookie all the way through two times.

Bake for 18-20 minutes rotating the sheet from top to bottom rack and front to back at the midway point. The cookie should not have much color. Transfer to a rack to cool. Dust with powdered sugar. Dorie’s recipe makes about 32 cookies but mine never does. I may cut them a little too wide but they are still delicious!

Ginny Flaherty, once Giuffre,
Like old times, came over to play.

She and I and Tricia Dunn,
In the kitchen, so much fun!

Grammar school our old playground,
Through the years new interests found.

Ginny’s a handsome farmer’s wife,
Who really knows how to wield her knife.

Though you could not call her tall,
Short on brains? No, not at all!

Loves to dance and wear tights,
And drink her wine with evening bites.

Do not dare to offer milk,
Her people are not of that ilk.

Sicilian pride her blood contains,
Love of food runs through her veins.

Fruit and veggie close at hand,
Grown abundant on her land.

So that day she came to cook,
She brought along a tattered book.

Pages marked with yellowed card,
She held in very high regard.

A gift from Carlo, so very dear,
“From Papa to Ginny,” he’ll always be near.

The smells in my kitchen a potpourri,
As she deftly prepared Papa’s Manicotti.

Sauce Pomodoro, spicy and rich,
Whipped it up without a glitch.

Creamy filling of spinach and cheese,
She made it seem like such a breeze.

No traditional pasta plate,
A delicate crepe she must create.

This fragile shell stuffed and sauced,
Into the oven it was tossed.

I took one bite and oh what flavor!
This recipe truly one to savour.

Papa would be so impressed,
To this fact I could attest.

Not only is she friend so fine,
Ginny is a cook divine!

POMODORO SAUCE

5 cloves garlic, pressed

3 12 oz. can diced or chopped Roma tomatoes

2 cups basil, chopped                        

32 oz. chicken broth

2 cups red wine, preferably cabernet

2 carrots

sea salt to taste

coarse ground pepper to taste

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

Sautee pressed garlic in olive oil to soften, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, chicken broth, wine, salt and pepper. Add carrots, cut in half to soak up acid of tomatoes. Bring to a boil and continue boiling for 1 minutes. Reduce heat to simmer and cook uncovered for 2 hours. If carrots still intact, remove them when done cooking sauce.

MANICOTTI FILLING

1 cup Ricotta

1 cup spinach, cooked

1/2 cup fresh paesley

2 egg yolks

1 cup Parmesan cheese

1/2 lb. shredded Mozzarella cheese (processed, not fresh)

handful basil

pinch nutmeg

sea salt to taste

coarse ground pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Set aside. This is one dish where processed Mozzarella works better than fresh.

CREPES

2 cups flour

3 eggs

2 1/2 cups milk

2 T. oil

pinch of regular salt

In a mixer, add eggs, milk, oil and salt. Blend together while slowly adding flour. Chill for 2 hours.

Using a napkin or towel dipped in olive oil, lightly coat the bottom of a small crepe pan. Fill a 1/8 measuring cup with crepe batter and drop it in the center of the crepe pan, gently swirling it until it stops running. Let cook for about a minute, then check the edges with the tines of a fork. When they lift off the sides of the pan easily, and the center of the crepe looks dry, gently lift the crepe out of the pan. Makes about 20 small crepes.

Stuffing and Baking the Crepe Manicotti

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Stuff each crepe with 1 heaping T. of the filling, flattening it out on the crepe. Gently roll them so the fold is at the bottom. In 2 13×9 baking trays, ladle 1/2 inch layer of tomato sauce. Line filled crepes on top of the sauce, fold side down. Ladle more sauce over the crepes. About 10 crepes per tray. Place in oven and cook for 15-20 minutes. Take out and let set for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve.