Chocolate layer Cake with bananas

This cake was my Dads favorite.

 Chocolate layer cake with bananas.I fudged it using a one box Devils food cake mix.( mom would make her scratch cake).  I’m good to myself taking less steps if I can and truly it’s always delicious..

2 - 9”round cake pans. Spray bottom generously .Follow recipe on box for cake.

Make a small amount of butter cream icing to separate the layers and hold the banana. Powered sugar , tablespoon or two of milk and a little softened butter.  Best well.  Make it on the thick side. 

Use one thinly sliced banana .  If you use too many bananas it may tip the cake so be careful of placement of bananas.

Whipped cream topping 1pint heavy whipping cream, 1 tsp. Pure vanilla extract and 4 tablespoons powdered sugar. Best until

Thick and not watery. Spread evenly on cake and garnish with baking cocoa if desired.

Refrigerate until ready to serve and refrigerate leftovers(if there are any) DELICIOUS!

While hubby was watching Penn State football.  I was busy making fresh Sunday sauce and a chocolate layer cake with sliced bananas in the center.  ( I put a little vanilla cream icing on the cake before I add the bananas)Nothing but the best on top freshly whipped cream.  

Our son is coming over tomorrow to help us a bit so his reward is this meal with a super nice summer salad.

Hope you are all

enjoying the day!

Baked Sausage and Peppers

If you are looking for a really good holiday recipe that involves your oven or your grill you have come to the right place.  I either make sausage in the oven or on the grill.  Since you can't predict the weather sometimes it's best to play it safe with some baked yummy sausage, peppers and onions....YUMMY!

A family favorite any time of the year is baked sausage and peppers.  I grew up eating either my mom's homemade sausage or Uncle John's.  Uncle John  had a fresh meat market when hubby and I were growing up.

I met Uncle John when hubby and I were first dating; a perky, feisty Italian who was a master of seasoning meat for sausage.  People came from all over for his sausage and I am totally serious.  They'd even bring coolers if they lived far away.

Unfortunately Uncle John passed away many years ago and so did his recipe.  Today I still buy the freshest and best quality sausage I can find and below is how I make it easily in the oven.  Enjoy!

Baked Sausage, peppers and onions.
1lb.+ mild or hot Italian sausage
1 large sweet onion, sliced thin
1 large red and green pepper, sliced thin

In a medium to large baking dish place several Tablespoons oil.   Place sausage (I remove casing) in dish along with onions and peppers. Add salt, pepper and slight amount of onion and garlic powder. Cover and place in 350 degree oven approx. 3/4 hour or more.

Remove cover toss and place in oven and bake until peppers and onions are soft but crispy about another ten minutes or so.

 Serve with fresh bread or rolls. YUM

7/27/14

2/24/16

11/12/14

9/2016

Meat sauce with Polenta

Fresh sauce with fine ground beef, pork and veal meat.

6/24/24

10/22/23

This is the Polenta I used.

Our family knows polenta as a traditional Italian meal. It's been around for generations..

Today I'm making it and although it's hot outside we don't care because I (we)are craving it.
 It's going to be awesome! 

I know I've said this many times and I am aware that family budgets are tight but check for sales and try hard to buy the best quality of meat that you can afford.  I truly believe quality meat for this sauce makes a remarkable difference it the taste.

Here is today's recipe:

1 lb. ground beef (85%)
1 lb. ground pork (90%)
2 cubes of basil, garlic and olive oil pesto or several cloves minced garlic and about 1 tsp.dried basil

Note:  I make my own blend with my garlic, basil and olive oil and freeze it by tablespoons in ice cube trays but feel free to either buy a good pesto blend(I do not have any nuts in mine) and use a little of it when you cook your meat.

Salt and pepper according to your taste
1 large can Hunts crushed tomatoes
1 large can Hunts tomato sauce
1 small can organic tomato paste
1 small can water
1 15 oz. can organic tomato sauce
1 carrot cleaned and cut into 3 pieces



In a Dutch place a little olive oil on medium heat.  Add ground meats and cook while breaking meat apart into small to medium pieces.  Once meat has started to brown slightly and there is no longer any pink add garlic/basil pesto , salt and pepper.  Keep stirring until incorporated.  Add small can tomato paste and small can water.  Cook and stir until all starts to bubble slightly.  Add mixture to crockpot that is set on high that you have placed crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce and carrot. Stir well, cover and cook two hours on high and then lower heat to low and cook for an additional two hours. Delicious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Instant Polenta..........It's really good and cooks in 3 minutes.  Polenta is an acquired taste...Most Italians love it. All it is is thickened corn meal.

You can find a box of Polenta at most grocery stores.  The brand I used was was DeLallo
The box has instructions on it and it serves 3  similar to the portion below comfortably.

FYI:  Just a little note from me.  This was the first year I had so much fresh basil so I decided to try using my food processor(you can use a blender too) and using the basil, fresh garlic and olive oil and after blending it all I froze individual tablespoons in ice cube containers.  I had done this before but varied using pine nuts and cheese.  This year with basil so abundant I am good thru next summer.

You may want to next year grow your own basil.  Containers do well and make your own pesto that have so many uses.  You can add more olive oil when making pasta along with a few of these pesto cubes and top with a little grated cheese and you have an easy meal.

From my kitchen to yours,

Original April 2016

Mama's Chicken Parmesean!

Today chicken Parmigian. 8/28/2023

Same recipe just new photos.  Will top with some mozzarella.

I will serve tonight with scalloped potatoes and not sure of our side.  Probably a small salad.  Ummm

Golden chicken encrusted with light bread crumbs gently fried in olive oil.  That's how I remember it. Olive oil was a staple in Mom's (under the counter cupboard) as I was known to call it. Huge and I mean huge Tin of olive oil was the only oil she would use for everything.  From salad to chicken or pasta sauce she would begin with her favorite ingredient which she said was the golden gift to all Italians, Pure Olive oil!   

Mom would dip her chicken breasts in beaten egg (which had been lightly salt and peppered) and then either use her fresh breadcrumbs or yes store bought to coat the chicken thoroughly.  Then place the chicken into hot olive oil.  Quick fry until golden brown on each side and then she'd turn down the stove to low, cover, and cook until tender.  She didn't use the oven at all.  She did her pork chops the same way and they were always tender.

When I make my chicken cutlets I also do it Mom's way(gently frying them in olive oil) , placing them in a baking dish adding some of my warm red sauce; either marinara or plain, topping with some shredded mozzarella and serving.  You can bake if desired (350)until cheese melts or is bubbly.  Approx. 10 minutes.

Note:  Most times my sauce is hot so the cheese starts to melt (I use shredded mozzarella) without having to bake. I have found that if you bake in the oven sometimes cheese melts too much.  Just sayin!

Happy Cooking from my kitchen to yours,

M.J.

Ingredients:

2 to 4  chicken breast cutlets (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds total) 
Salt and pepper  to taste (1/2 to 3/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper)
1 to  2 eggs beaten
1 cup breadcrumbs ) (Panko works great)
* 1/2  cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese 
1/4 cup olive oil 
2 Tbsp parsley 
* 4 to 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded(light cheese or lots of cheese) you decide
Cooked pasta

Beat egg with salt and pepper.  Dip chicken breasts into breadcrumb/parsley mix).  Heat oil to medium heat.  Place breaded chicken into oil.  Fry until golden brown and crispy, turn over and do the same on the other side.  Lower heat, cover chicken(if necessary add 1 to 1 T. water).  Cook on low heat approx. 10 minutes more.  Transfer chicken to plate top with hot pasta sauce, sprinkle with both cheeses. Add your favorite cooked pasta on the side and top that as well with pasta sauce top with cheese and serve immediately.  Note:   If your prefer transfer chicken to baking dish.  Place in 350 degree oven after topping with red sauce  Red Sauce

and both *cheeses.  

 Note:  If desired you can use your favorite jarred sauce.

2/10/2013 original 

Strawberry/ Blueberry Cobbler like Mom would make!

Recipe From the archives. This post has been viewed almost 5,000 times  Enjoy!

Today I am making the cobbler with Blueberries . Yum

This berry cobbler has been one of the if not the most viewed post on my blog.  Thank you!



  You can do this with any berries that you may like.  I have lots of frozen berries (strawberries, blueberries and raspberries so I am going to follow this recipe below and use all that I have to make something light(just might hit the spot and add some vanilla ice cream to warmed cobbler if you desire).

  I am going to thaw my berries before I mix them.  I have seen frozen peaches, blueberries and strawberries etc. in the frozen food section of the grocery store so if you can't find fresh  use thawed frozen berries...Yum 

Follow the below instructions.  

****To Date the most popular blog post!!!

Patriotic to the RED, WHITE and BLUE!

While browsing through my People Magazine I came across a recipe similar to Mom's and decided to give it a try.  Mom's recipes are in a huge wooden recipe holder and she gives me recipes in dribs and drabs (that's how she would refer to items of personal interest) to find hers.  Today I opted to make a Cobbler instead of strawberry shortcake. She would make fresh Baking Powder Biscuits and crush fresh strawberries to put on top.  Of course Real Whipped Cream in a huge scoop on top.. Super easy recipe and I used fresh strawberries and blueberries. A nice dessert either served warm or room temperature.

Slightly spray bottom of a 9 x13” baking dish.  Place sugared blueberries in dish.  Add cobbler to top.  (Large heaping tablespoons ).

Before

After

Strawberry/Blueberry Cobbler   (Sue Zemanick’s)

2 pints strawberries hulled and quartered

1 pint blueberries

1 cup sugar divided

1 tablespoon cornstarch

¾ cup flour

1 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

1 egg

¼ cup milk

½ tsp. vanilla extract

6 tablespoons butter, melted

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

In a bowl, combine all berries, 1/3 cup  plus 2 tsp. sugar and 1 T cornstarch. ****(Don’t forget the cornstarch)Let sit for 10 minutes.

In another bowl, mix flour, ½ cup sugar, baking powder and salt.  In a 3^rd bowl, stir egg, milk, vanilla and butter.  Add dry ingredients.  Stir well.

Place six, 6 oz. ramekins on a baking sheet.  Divide fruit evenly and top each with a few spoonfuls of batter.  Bake 25 to 30 minutes until tops are golden brown.  Cool 5 minutes and serve.

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7/2/12 
6/25/13 
7/13/13 
12/19/13

Italian style stuffed meatoaf(shortcut)

This is a great recipe that I have made for many years.  I make it with homemade bread stuffing but my mom made it with Stovetop stuffing.  Both methods are delicious.

1 lb. Ground Beef

2 eggs beaten

1/2 cup breadcrumbs 

1 small onion grated 

1tsp. Parsley 

1/2 cup milk

I tsp. Salt

1/2 tsp. Pepper

****1 package stove top stuffing made according to directions.( great shortcut method)

1 jar Rao jar marinara sauce

****Italian blend cheese for topping

Mix boxed stuffing gently until all stuffing is moistened. Set  aside.

Mix ground beef  with eggs, parsley ,breadcrumbs, onion, salt, pepper and milk.

Lightly spray a 9”x13” pan. Spread stuffing evenly in pan.  Place beef mixture on top of stuffing in pan .

Cover with sauce , then top with cheese.  Bake 350 ° approximately 45 minutes to 1 hour uncovered.

Serve with a side of spaghetti or to cut back on carbohydrates a green salad.

Potato Gnocchi, My way!!

Recipe rewind!

One of my favorite blog posts.


 FYI:  One of my Italian favorite recipes is Gnocchi.  I'm proud to be Italian 50% Italian.  Ha ha it's true.  I'm a blend of two 100% Italian grandfathers and a 100 % Slovak grandmother and 100% English grandmother.  A good combination!

  I spent a great deal of  time with my grandparents so I am blessed to combine a lot of my recipes using what I remember they used and am able to create really delicious meals. 

Note:  I have included a few of my pictures of my grandparents.  

One of Dad's favorite dishes.

  8/4/14 I shared this post for the first time. 

From my kitchen to yours,

Grandma and Grandpa

Nana and my daughter

My mom and my m-i-l put their potatoes through a ricer to make gnocchi but I’m decided to give it a whirl and try my mixer to mash the potatoes to see how light they’d be.  Took a taste test on a few to make sure the combination was what I was looking for and they turned out delightful.. I want to share my recipe and pictures with you…

Ingredients:

8 medium russet potatoes (baking potatoes, peeled and cut in medium cubes)

1 tablespoon salt

1 large egg

3 + cups Pillsbury Pre Sifted Flour

Put potatoes in large pot and salt water.. Boil until tender (fork will go right through center)

Take off heat and drain thoroughly in large colander

Mash potatoes with hand held potato masher until potatoes are breaking down.  Next Using electric mixer beat on medium and then high speed until all potatoes are mashed thoroughly.    Do this while potatoes are still hot.  (You could use food processor but I used mixer just to see if it would accomplish the task).  It worked fine..

 Transfer potatoes to large bowl and cool potatoes completely after mashing..(I cover slightly while cooling).  When cooled add 1 egg and slowly while working with your hands add 1 cup at a time of flour at a time until a large ball forms..(I have picture examples on blog).

Cover large ball of dough( Set aside) Slice in sections to make a long tootsie roll like piece of dough.. Add a little flour if needed to  have dough not stick to cutting board.. Cut in pieces and score with fork..(Picture will demonstrate..)  Cook immediately in large pot of boiling water until gnocchi comes to surface.  Stirring now and then to make sure they don’t stick to bottom of pot…

Using a medium strainer ..scoop gnocchi out and place on a platter that has some sauce on it.   Add gnocchi and top with sauce.  Serve with Red or white sauce.. 

I use Red Sauce and top with grated Pecorino Romano Cheese.. 

 9-4-2011
11/2/13 
6/7/14

1/23/24