RESURRECTION COOKIES

I really wish I would have stumbled upon this recipe earlier, like before Easter!!!!

Oh well, there is always next year.

To be made the evening before Easter. You need: 1c. whole pecans, 1 tsp. vinegar, 3 egg whites, pinch salt, 1c. sugar, zipper baggie, wooden spoon, tape, Bible. Preheat oven to 300 BEFORE BEGINNING.

Place pecans in zipper baggie and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested He was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 19:1-3. Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp. vinegar into mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross he was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30. Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life. Read John 10:10-11. Sprinkle a little salt into each child’s hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus’ followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23:27. So far the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 c. sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know this and how to belong to Him. Read Ps. 34:8 and John 3:16. Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God’s eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3. Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus’ body was laid. Read Matt. 27:57-60. Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus’ tomb was sealed. Read Matt.27:65-66. GO TO BED! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight Jesus’ followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 and 22. On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Easter Jesus’ followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty! Read Matt. 28:1-9 Tell your friends about this treat. Re

FAMILY MEALS, REVISITED

I’ve gone through a number of old photos for my book and came across picture after picture of our family sitting around the dinner table.  What memories!!  I honestly could recreate the sights, sounds and smells (really!) just by gazing at those photos.

If it wern’t for me feeling a little under the weather with a sore throat and head cold,  I’d be in my kitchen making something with tomato sauce, I just don’t have the desire nor the inclination at this time.

So I’ll just go through these old photos, peering back into my childhood with a very happy heart and hear my Nana calling us all to the table saying, “Mangia, sta bono!”  Eat and be healthy.

FLANK STEAK VS. HAM

Let me start my post with this proclamation: HE IS RISEN, INDEED!!!

This Easter at the Russotto House, there was no baked ham to be found.

I decided to make a stuffed flank steak, thanks to Bobby Flay’s persuading and mouth watering episode one day last week.

Consesus was….a unanimous “compiments to the chef”.

I believe this was the first year ever that porky the pig did not make an appearence on Easter Sunday. This flank steak, that I marinated the night before and then stuffed in the morning took all of 20 minutes on the grill. I’m sure it will make numerous reappearances in the future.

HERE IS THE RECIPE:

One 3 pound flank steak, butterflied. It’s best to let the butcher do this for you.

Marinate steak in 1 cup cabernet wine, 1/4 cup olive oil and 2 or 3 shallots, sliced. Add salt and pepper to taste. Marinate at least 4 hours.

Open up steak, like a book and layer with thinly sliced ham of your choice, I used proscuitto, sliced provolone cheese, roasted red peppers, and baby spinach leaves. Close with top layer of steak and secure with tooth pics. Brush both sides of steak with olive oil.

Place on hot grill and cook 10 minutes on each side, being careful when flipping. Take off grill and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing it against the grain in two inch slices.

We served this delectible entree with oven roastd cauliflower, a side of fettuccine cabonara, and a salad of mixed greens, oranges, sliced red onion and fennel. Dessert was our traditional sweet ricotta pie.

Can’t wait till next Easter!!

Where Have I Been?

Blogs are work!!! I probably should’ve waited to start my blog…..but patience is not one of my virtues!

I’m in the last stages of getting my book ready for publication. That, my friends, is also work, but a most rewarding kind of job. I spend a good deal of my waking hours preparing, meeting with my editor, who by the way is a gem, going over the photos, revamping the cover…it goes on and on. Just when you think you’re done, yet another issue to resolve, change, omit or submit. Don’t get me wrong, for the most part this journey has been priceless.

I can’t wait for it to be finished!!

As I mentioned, patience…not part of my make up.

So, one more meeting this week, a few more phone calls and then some more agonizing waiting, and finally, I’ll birth this three and a half year old baby… Oh, by the way, her name will be Always on Sunday.

Foodies Unite

Just joined a new community in the blogoshere for lovers of food (I really am not fond of the moniker “foodie”).

You can visit it here and see what you think.  I know I’ll be spending a great amount of time visiting and sharing thoughts on all things related to food.  Check it out.

High School Revisited

I was sitting at Borders today enjoying my Vanilla Latte ( i could drink those all day!!) and I see a man approaching me with a vaguely familiar face gazing at me with a look like he’s ready to say something. So I keep looking at him and the closer he gets I recognize him as a guy I use to hang out with in high school. “John!”, I exclaim….”Marcia!”, he exclaimed. Then a half hour walk down memory lane, complete with laughing,.. Oh My!,.. Your kidding!,.. No way!,.. ending with “Did you hear that “so and so” died and also” so and so” ensued.

We both became very depressed at how the conversation had turned to how we are dealing with these dreaded birthdays that just keep coming at us at lightening speed. We ended by exchanging numbers, e-mail adrresses and vowing that we would do our best to get in touch with some of our other old friends and plan a gathering of our small clique from St. Mary’s High School.

I must say that talking with John made me feel both young again and old at the same time.

Even though I’m fifty something, ahem, I’ll always be twenty something in my mind.