GRANPA PLANNING EASTER DINNER 2017

The lamb roast is marinating and will be cooked later in the day.

I am making a ragu/meat sauce to use with my homemade egg noodles- spaghetti. A small ham with pineapples spears. Vegetables will include broccoli, mushrooms sauteed in oil with garlic, rosemary potatoes roasted in the oven, red peppers, brussel sprouts, peas and carrots.
Barb makes the appetizers- veggies and dip, olives and pickles, cheese and crackers and fruit platter for the dessert table. The girls bring the remainder of the dessert- cookies and cupcakes.
The little grandchildren have their Easter egg hunt before dinner. Everyone has their favourite beverage.

                                                              Images of past dinners.

A little slice of my Canascione with dessert is a must too. I might just have some for breakfast.
#lamb#canascione#easterdinner#ragusauce#pasta#rosemarypotatoes

GRANPA DINES AT A FRIEND'S HOUSE

Barb has two university friends she has known for over 46 years. Mary and Ben entertained us and our friends Rose and Paul

A nice array of appetizers allowed for friendly chatting until moving to the dining room.

Salad with a slice of Apple for appeal. Oil and Vinegar dressing.

Homemade lasagna by Mary.

Ben barbecued the steak and potatoes. Mary made the seafood platter with vegetables along with beans, asparagus and broccoli.

Red and White wine was served. Some of us just drink water.

Dessert was Zeppoles in honour of St. Giuseppe March 19th.

Tea and Coffee and more chatting, laughing and enjoying the evening. Time to leave came too soon. It's my turn to make dinner for the next get together. Granpa likes to cook but Granpa also likes to taste good food by others especially close friends.
#diningatafriends'shouse#zeppoles#fruitplatter#seafoodplatterswithvegetables#steakandvegetables#appetizertray#funtodineout#granpalovestocook#granpaloveseatingatafriend'shouse

A CANADIAN THANKSGIVING

The start of the long weekend. Time to shop. Already have a frozen turkey in the freezer with extra thighs to have more dark meat. Barb does the dinner while I prepare the vegetables. Most posts coming about the meal. This cook has to shop!!

JULY-COOKING THE FAMILY FAVOURITES

With extra family staying with us the last few months, it was a great challenge for this cook to keep all ages satisfied. Lots of summer salads. Turkey breasts with mashed potatoes, peas and gravy on Thursday. Pizza Fridays with some homemade zucchini pizza along with a store bought one. Chicken parmigiano with spaghetti. Lots of vegetables- beans, rapini, cucumbers were a few. Tomatoes- large and small! Lots of summer fruit for appetizers or after the meal. Veggies and dip to start a meal! Many days of scrambled eggs and bacon! Some barbecues! No homemade pastas due to the humid weather. Gnocchi is just too soft with humidity! So something to start up in the Fall. The cook has had a break from homemade.

Barb is nagging me to go to some markets as time has prevented those jaunts with other community outings like the Pan Am functions on weekends. Now with August here and life changing again, time for some of those trips. I will  gladly be sharing any adventures about eating!

GRANPA'S HAUL FROM THE ST. JACOBS FARMERS' MARKET 2014

Returning to the St. Jacobs market after the fire in August 2013, it was still as lively as ever. The crowds pour in all day.
So what did I buy.

Cauliflower, new little potatoes, large white potatoes, flat green beans, cucumbers, fresh garlic and 2 large bunches of asparagus.

Beef steak tomatoes, peaches, apricots and cherries. I was already munching on my baguette bread as the picture was being taken.
Not a bad haul for a day's trip.! Nothing is better than fresh food from the farm!

With my trek trolley, always able to buy more than the arms can carry!
#stjacob'smarket#haulfromthemarket#trektrolleyhelpswiththefood#granpalovestocook#adolphdimambro

THE GNOCCHI LUNCH WENT WELL

The lunch went well. Something for everyone. Gnocchi was a hit-very little remained. Chicken- cooked in the oven as the meat dish as even the grandkids love it. Lots of vegetables-broccoli, mushrooms, potatoes, roasted red peppers, and a big dish of salad. Birthday cake for the birthday girl!! Even heart jelly beans in pink, red and white. To top off the lunch- a platter of fruit- watermelon slices, pineapple, grapes, strawberries and cantaloupe. Now back to my daily cooking. It did give me something to do at 3am when I was up!!

GRANPA-IL NONNO COOKS FOR JANUARY BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS

With my wife Barb's and son-in-law Domi's birthdays January 22, my daughter Natasha always has a family get together to celebrate. So last Saturday January 18, this cook offered to make most of the meal to help with the preparations. Keeping the mess at my house!! Making chicken legs and breasts sprinked with rosemary-rosmarino, hot and sweet sausage as well as a hearty ground beef red sauce-sugo to fulfill the protein requirements the aroma in the kitchen was great for the senses.

The sauce was added to the tortellini with cheese-formaggio, as the pasta dish for all. Everyone in our family group love vegetables so I made broccoli, mushrooms-funghi, rapini, peas-piselli and roasted potatoes-patate.

Natasha made a large bowl of Greek salad along with boccincini and olives on the table as appetizers. Lots of healthy eating.

Of course no birthday celebration would be complete without a cake or two accompanied by a large platter of fruit!

Happy Birthday Barb and Domi! Buon Compleanno! Now to have another event so this cook can show off his culinary skills!

STUFFED EGGPLANT/MELANZANA ALLA PARMIGIANA

The summer harvest is in the markets. One vegetable that is plentiful is the eggplant/melanzana. You either like the vegetable or you don't. My mother used to fry it in thin slices but it absorbed so much oil, it is not a dish I make anymore. Some Italians like to slice it and put it in jars in oil to eat as an appetizer or on a sandwich throughout the year.

I use it in my veggie mix. However, one of my favourite ways to make it and Barb loves it, is stuffed.

STUFFED EGGPLANT

INGREDIENTS

Eggplant- regular or Sicilian. One eggplant makes two servings.

Garlic- 3 buds or more.

Bread crumbs- 1/2 cup per 1/2 eggplant. Some Italians like to make their own by using stale bread, made into cubes soaked in some water for moisture.

Parmesean/parmigiano cheese. Grated. Have as much as needed for the number of people you are serving.

Can of diced or whole tomatoes. You can use a fresh tomato if you want.

Olive oil.

Parsley.

Orgeano.

Salt, pepper.

DIRECTIONS

1. Wash the eggplant well.

2. Cut off the stem end. Cut the eggplant lengthwise in half. Place in a cassorole dish.

3. Scoop out the belly of the eggplant, leaving some pulp in the shell.

4. Dice the scooped eggplant. Dice the garlic buds, Chop the parsley.

5. Mix the eggplant, garlic, parsley with the bread crumbs and some olive oil-enough to make it moist. Add some oregano, salt and pepper to taste.

6. Put the mixture in the shells.

7. Add a generous portion of diced tomatoes on top. If whole tomatoes, chop into pieces to add on top.

8. Sprinkle with parmesean cheese on top of the tomatoes. Again add as much as you like to eat. Some people would also add mozarella or pecorino cheese. As a diabetic person less cheese is less calories so I do not use additional cheese.

9. Put in a preheated oven at 375 degrees.

10. Bake for about 45 minutes or until the outer shell is tender when poked by a fork.

11. When removed from the oven, let sit for awhile so it sets.

This dish is a good one to make when you are baking or making other oven dishes. Saves on energy.

As you can see the portions are big. Barb usually eats 1/2 of a piece, taking the other half to work for her lunch the next day. So one eggplant could make 4 servings if needed. Yes, it smells good when baking in the house.
#stuffedeggplant#parmigianocheese#bakingintheoven#sicilianeggplant#twokindsofeggplant#regulareggplant#buyingvegetablesatalocalfarm#cookingeggplantItalianstyle

MY CANADIAN VEGETABLE GARDEN-GIARDINO ITALIANO

Good meals come from good fresh food. Italians always use the vegetables and fruit in season to make their meals. I have been busy- digging then planting my summer vegetable garden. So I am Italian and need tomatoes. I planted several different kinds. Lettuce, beans, eggplant, cucumbers and swiss chard are some of the other vegetables in my little plot. My herbs- oregano, rosemary,basil and parsley are in my little pots. Over the next few months I will share my summer recipes with you. It will be fun showing you the fresh vegetable then the dish it will become. For today, I want to rest my sore old muscles from all the gardening activity. Maybe a nap or two! Il bello giardino! Troppo lavoro! Sono stanco!