FEAST OF THE 7 FISHES COOKED BY GRANPA

My Christmas Eve seafood dishes actually occurred December 22 to accomodate my daughters. Both were committed to Christmas Eve meals elsewhere. Barb and I decided last year to have the Italian seafood meal whenever we all can be together. Despite the horrendous ice storm we had power and I cooked the meal. Homemade fettucine and meat sauce were prepared a day previously. Some of my guests do not love the clam sauce on their fettucine so I serve  meat sauce for them too. Two of my guests will only eat fish if it is breaded. So breaded haddock, fish sticks and breaded calamari were added to the other dishes of shrimps, large and small scallops and baccala. A variety of vegetables and fresh buns complement the meal.

No meal is ever complete in my family without a dessert table of goodies.

This Merry Christmas cake was just of the many goodies brought by my daughter Natasha to the feast of the 7 fishes. Tradition is great but just having all the family together whenever we can is more important.
#Christmasevefishdinner#sevenfishes#baccala#shrimps#ovenbakedshrimps#friedfish#Italiansloveseafood

A GRANDDAUGTER'S SIP AND SEE

From an non-alcoholic cranberry punch-

To

a delightful sweet table of goodies.

To

pink cupcakes, our new little addition to the family was the centre of a lively family and friends' day. The sip and see holiday party was a fun time. A table full of appetizers, veggies and dip, cheese and crackers and hot pizza gave the guests lots to eat! Granpa did not have to cook and enjoyed the day very much!

ITALIANS LOVE CHRISTMAS SAYS GRANPA

Italians love Christmas and there are so many goodies to have. I am preparing for the days ahead where I will make my Seafood dinner. It is a Christmas Eve feast with over 7 dishes of seafood. Last year I wrote about the dishes. My Christmas seafood appetizer continues to get lots of pageviews every week. Perhaps I should write about it again. You can read it on my blog under my December 2012 posts. So from red wine to panetone to chocolates there are lots of items to have around the house to indulge your cravings.
#italiansandChristmas#Italiantreats#Bacichocolates#Amaretto#redwine#panetone

GRANPA COOKS FOR A BIRTHDAY DINNER

As everyone knows that reads this blog, I love to cook. So given an opportunity like a birthday get together for my oldest daughter Natasha, I did most of the cooking. The family had a discussion about which of granpa's pasta dishes- lasagna, gnocchi or spaghetti- I was to prepare. The consensus was homemade spaghetti or as I have posted previously the egg noodle. It is easier to make and actually is my favourite pasta dish.

Lots of meat for the ragu sauce for the pasta. As it simmers, I remove as much of the oil and fat as possible. The thick meat sauce clings to the pasta better. It gives a hardy meat portion to a meal.  I made oven roasted chicken thighs and leg along with potato wedges. Again draining off excess fat! Salt, pepper and rosemary added the needed flavour. Peas made with onions simmered on the stove top added another dish to the meal. The pasta was cooked and prepared. I took along extra sauce in case someone wanted more on their portions Taken to Natasha's in travelling tin foil containers made the job easy.

A Greek salad prepared right before dinner rounded out the meal. The kitchen mess stayed home for Barb to clean up later. I do the cooking but my cook's assistant cleans the pots! Overall it was a good birthday meal enjoyed by all!
#granpalovestocook#chichenandpeas#chickenandpotatoes#salad#homemadeeggnoodle#lotsofgoodfoodforabirhdaydinner

ZUPPA DI BACCALA/SALTED COD SOUP

BACCALA SOUP/ZUPPA

As the weather turns cool outside, a pot of soup simmering on the stove warms the house and the stomach.

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons/30 ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil-EVOO

1 large onion-chopped

2 carrots-chopped

3 celery stalks-chopped

2 medium potatoes-diced

2 garlic cloves- finely diced

1/2 cup/125 ml fresh parsley -chopped

1 lb/454gm presoaked salted cod/baccala

4 plum tomatoes-crushed. Can use fresh, frozen or canned.

1/2 cup/125 ml raisins

3 cups/750ml chicken or fish stock

DIRECTIONS

Cover bottom of medium sized pot with olive oil.

Over medium heat add onions, garlic, celery and sautee 3-5 minutes until soft.

Add carrots and potatoes-stir.

Cook for  a further 5 minutes.

Add parsley and tomatoes and mix well.

Add the stock and bring to boil.

Simmer for approximately 30 minutes.

Add the cod/baccala and raisins.

Let simmer for a further 30 minutes.

It should be noted the raisins in the soup was my mother's touch. A little family secret for the baccala soup. People often asked why her cooking was so good. It was these little "touches " that made the difference.

With some crunchy Italian bread or your choice, it is a good meal all on its own. Baccala does mean cod. But it can also mean dummy! So if someone calls you a baccala, it is not a compliment.
#zuppadibaccala#granpalovestocook#usingraisinsinthesoupmama'ssecret#lotsofflavourinthesoup#agoodishforChristmasEvesevenfishesdishes

GRANPA MAKES HOMEMADE PASTA FOR THE FAMILY

I like to help my daughters with food items. So yesterday, I made a hardy ragu sauce and homemade egg noodle-homemade pasta to some. The pasta can be eaten fresh or frozen for a quick meal. I gave my daughter Sonya two containers of the sauce to help her with her current situation- expecting baby number 3!
Of course Barb and I had a nice plate of the pasta and sauce along with a big salad for Saturday night dinner.
The picture shows a good platter of pasta-fettucine and meat balls/ragu sauce. In the background is a bowl of fresh pasta with a hearty seafood sauce. This was part of a Christmas Eve meal 2011.
Homemade is best!
#homemadepasta#noodlesbyhand#helpingthedaughterscook#fettucineandmeatballs#pastaagoodpartofthemeal

A THANKSGIVING DESSERT TABLE 2013

After a Thanksgiving dinner that Barb made that included-are you ready- a large turkey stuffed with bread stuffing, Italian sausages, mashed potatoes, brussel sprouts, broccoli, carrots, 2 types of squash-butternut and acorn, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, roasted red peppers, anise and turkey gravy to put on your items of choice along with dinner rolls and butter as well as white or red wine or another bottle of beer or water or diet pepsi for drinks came the Dessert table!

My girls made some of the desserts-Natasha made these delightful squares.

Sonya and her boys made these carrot cupcakes decorated with candies. The table was rounded off with the traditional pumpkin pie and whipped cream, apple pie, candies and a platter of fruit which included pineapple, cantaloupe, pomegrante, red and green grapes.
The kitchen table had fresh whole macintosh apples for anyone who was interested. Coffee and tea were offered along with a dessert wine from Caroline Cellars in Niagara saved from one of our summer trips for this occasion.
Like many Canadians celebrating Thanksgiving weekend there will be lots of leftovers for the next week! Back to my diet!