Belle’s Tuscon Potato and Sausage Soup

My cousin Angela Lombardo (“Belle”) and I used to laugh huge belly laughs while swinging on the creaky metal animal swings at the Warren beach. It was wild laughter, a bit sinister. Aunt Mary called it “a dirty laugh”, which made it even better.

Aunt Mary would be quite pleased to know what an excellent chef Angela has turned into, and this dish would certainly get official “Aunt Mary approval”. See below for a delicious recipe. This great photo is by Angela as well!

• Tuscan Potato & Sausage Soup
  
• 
  
• 8 cups chicken stock (homemade if you have it, if not, Kitchen Basics is the yummiest - and its gluten free)
  
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 6 celery stalks, chopped
• 6 links hot Italian sausage (you can use any sausage, but the hot really adds a lot of flavor)
  
• 4 large potatoes, halved and sliced
• 1 bunch fresh spinach, washed and chopped
• 1 cup light cream
• salt and pepper to taste

Chop the sausage and saute til cooked. Set the cooked sausage aside. In the same pot add the onions and celery,season well with salt and pepper, and cook til translucent. (I use the sausage fat to cook them - it adds a ton of flavor) When cooked, add the potatoes and stock, then simmer til the potatoes are cooked through. Add the sausage back to the pot, the spinach and the heavy cream (and if needed more salt and pepper). Simmer for another 5-10 minutes. Serve with crusty bread.

From the lovely Angela

Angela and I grew up together. I have wonderful memories of us riding the animal shaped metallic swings at the Warren beach, watching Muppet movies, diving for "my little ponies" in the pool with Allison and Ashley, making up silly songs about my brother Mark, halloween scavenger hunts, and lots more. Angela is a talented photographer. Check these out:

She is also a wonderful Mom and a great cook. She makes a Risotto that Garrett can't get enough of. Please see below for the recipe and enjoy!

(above photo by Reiley Photography)

Angela's Risotto

5 cups chicken stock (If you don't have homemade, Kitchen Basics is really good, I prefer the low sodium kind)
1 cup white wine
2 oz panchetta
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
4 oz mushrooms, chopped
1-2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
Olive oil
Pepper to taste
Fresh chopped parsley to taste

Warm the stock and keep it simmering. In a large pan saute the panchetta and set aside. Using the same pan add a bit of olive oil, and scrape up the bottom of the pan to get all the good bits of flavor and saute the garlic and veggies, when done - set aside. (Season them with pepper, dried herbs, whatever you prefer. I do not use salt in this recipe as the saltiness of the meats and the parmesan cheese is enough) Using the same pan, add about 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan, when melted add the rice and stir to coat. Add the wine and stir til its evaporated. Add some stock (about a half a cup at a time) and stir til evaporated. Continue til the stock is gone. Add the parmesan cheese and stir til creamy. Add the meat and veggies back to the pan and mix well. Top with parsley and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and serve!

Note - You can add or leave out ANYTHING you want in this recipe, sometimes I use prosciutto, italian sausage, green and yellow squash, asparagus, peas - whatever you like. I also like to saute ship and scallops and top the risotto with them. Leftovers taste amazing and can also be made into little pancakes and fried.

Sheila's Mother's Day Sauce

It takes a lot to get me to cook, and it was a very sweet little boy who inspired this meal tonight. After watching him struggle against sleep so that he could gaze into my eyes and finish his bottle, I felt compelled to make something from the heart.

As you know, the Lombardo Family Cookbook contains all of my "go to" recipes, but tonight I was looking for a meatless sauce. My mother in law had kindly given me an Italian cookbook as an early birthday present, so I pulled it out and tweaked the recipe based on what I had on hand. I threw in some ricotta cheese to make it nice and rich. Here is the recipe, which I'm sure you can improve upon.


Ingredients:
4 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic (though why stop there?)
1 lb tomatoes (I used canned)
1/4 cup Ricotta Cheese
salt and pepper to taste
basil to taste

1. Heat the oil, add the onion, and cook over medium heat until onions are translucent
2. Stir in the garlic and tomatoes with their juice. Add salt, pepper, and basil. Cook for 20-30 minutes
3. Add ricotta cheese, and re-season to taste. Toss with your favorite pasta, and enjoy!

Wine Biscuits from Anne

Our next recipe is courtesy of Anne Marie Lombardo. Anne is always bringing us together. She reminds us to carry forth our special family traditions and she keeps it lighthearted and fun. She can sing, she can act, she can host a fabulous Fourth of July party. She can pick out the perfect pinata, and she's a huge hit with the kids. She gets the Family Spirit Award for sure. See below for Anne's version of this Liberty street staple.



Here's my recipe for wine biscuits. Wine biscuits and pepper biscuits were a staple in the pantry tins at Liberty Street. As a kid, I didn't drink coffee so I didn't appreciate them the way I do now. Dunk one of these in your morning coffee and you'll say "bellissimo"!

I'm always trying to find a healthy spin on the recipes, so I used whole wheat flour. I might use white flour for this one next time. The darker color is not as appealing!

4 cups flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1 cup oil
1 cup wine
1 egg (to brush on before baking)

Mix all ingredients together. Take a small piece and roll into a long strip on a cutting board covered with flour. Twist into ribbon or wreath and place on cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees about 15-17 minutes or until golden brown. Makes about 4 dozen biscuits.

The Coveted Magical Birthday Cake Recipe

This birthday cake is a huge part of my childhood, and this post brings back memories of balloons strung across the clothesline, children gathered in a lump around the pile of presents, barefeet pattering around the grass looking for items on the scavenger hunt list, the regular thump of a bocce ball, and hot dogs and hamburgers in the sun. But at the center of each birthday party were two things: Minka's pizza and my Mom's icecream cake. This post is courtsey of my Mom, Barbara Dobbyn. Thanks Mom, I love you!

Many years ago (about 30 as a matter of fact), my dear neighbor, Paula Cruz, gave me a cookbook entitled "Butterfingers" which was compiled by the Sisterhood of Temple Habonim in Barrington. Most of the pages are still unmarred, but page 282 is covered in chocolate thumbprints, Ritz crumbs and scribbled notes. The recipe is "Fabulous Ice Cream Cake" and it was submitted by Temma Hollander (bless her!).

Every summer I made this cake twice: once for Sheila's birthday and again for Mark's. It was a huge hit. Filling a 10 inch springform pan, it could be wrangled into delectable cubes that seemed to serve a multitude. Many people asked for this recipe, but for some enigmatic reason I completely forgot to include it in the first edition of the Lombardo Family Cookbook.

So here it is, straight from the Jewish tradition to the Italian back yard birthday party, with warm memories and thanks to Paula, who I still miss every day.

Fabulous Ice Cream Cake 10" springform pan

"Good for a crowd." Easy-Do ahead-Freeze

Crust:
22 Ritz crackers, crushed
1/2 cup nuts, crushed
1 cup sugar
3 egg whites
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
Beat the egg whites stiff and fold in remaining ingredients. Pour into greased 10" springform pan and bake at 350* for 30 minutes.

Filling:
2 Half gallons of desired ice cream. Spread the ice cream over cooled crust.

Topping:
1/2 pint whipping cream
12 oz package of milk chocolate bits
Melt chocolate in double boiler. Whip the cream and combine with melted chocolate. Spread over ice cream. Freeze at least 6 hours. May be frozen several weeks.

Tips from Barbara:
I always try to under-cook the crust a little, so it remains pliable and soft. I usually use less ice cream than called for. I innovate with the topping, melting the bits in the micro, and often using an 8 oz. container of Cool Whip (slightly thawed) instead of whipping cream. I try to swirl the chocolate through the cream for effect. It will crystalize a little, but remain delicious. Be sure to take the cake out of the freezer a good half hour before serving and use a sharp knife to get through the chewy crust!

Our First Post, Courtesy of the Lovely Elissa and Baby Maya!

Thank you, Ladies, because this recipe is right up my alley. If a toddler can do it, then surely there is hope for me.......

...and if you are what you eat, then surely these cookies are the cutest and most delectable!

Here is Elissa's recipe:

Maya's Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Cookies
2 Cups Sugar
1 stick of butter
1/2 cup of milk
1 tsp vanilla
4 tbsp cocoa

Bring to a 2 minute boil
Take off the stove and add
2 and 1/2 cups instant oats
1 cup peanut butter

Mix and then drop cookies onto wax paper and cool.