Fall Tasty Tips from Tina
October 27, 2009
When I was growing up I have great memories of visiting the relatives around the holidays. You would never go empty handed. You knew that on Thanksgiving you were going to get a container of lupines from Uncle Vince. Not until I got older did it finally dawn on me that my family really didn’t like lupines but because Uncle Vince did, he brought them. Lupines come in a clear jar. They look like a large yellow kidney bean but harder and have a clear skin over them. You would take a couple of lupines, pop them out of the skin, salt the bean and eat them. The best part of eating a lupine was popping it out of its shell. The worst part of eating a lupine.. was eating a lupine, but heaven forbid the grownups would let you enjoy yourself and shoot the little buggers at your cousins. I also remember my Grandmother’s bracciole. Bracciole is, for lack of a better term, stuffed steak. Awesome! You know how most normal grandma’s make banana bread and share it, not my Italian grandma. Angeline would make bracciole and bring it to people. There was the Justice of the Peace, Mr. Jappalucci and of course, Mr. Graziano, the funeral director. She pretty much had an “in” with some of the more “influential” people in the community. No wonder. Her braccioli was something special.
Bracciole
1 1/2 lbs top round steak
2 tblsp. parsley
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 loaf Italian bread hardened and soaked [run under water then squeeze the water out] [pull into little pieces]
2 tblsp. parmesan cheese
1 lb bacon diced
1 tsp. salt
1 tblsp. course ground pepper
3 tblsp. olive oil
3 tblsp. butter
2 cans tomato sauce
Cut steak into 4 to 6 pieces. Pound the steak thinly to about 1/4 in thick and rub with pepper. Mix the parsley, garlic, cheese and diced bacon. Add the bread. Mix well. Spread bread mixture evenly on meat. Roll up meat and tie with string. In a large skillet heat oil and butter. Brown meat for about 10 minutes. Add tomato sauce, cover and cook on med/low heat for about 45 minutes to an hour until tender.
Italian Green Beans
Fresh or frozen beans
1/2 stick butter
2 cloves garlic minced
Parmesan cheese
In medium skillet melt butter and add garlic. Add the green beans and cook until tender. Remove and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Serve hot.
What to do with all the delicious apples?
Cheddar-Apple Bundles
Ingredients:
½ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup chopped pecans
2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups white shredded cheddar cheese
1 Tbsp granulated sugar
½ cup butter, cut up
6-8 Tbsp. cold water
2 medium Granny Smith or Jonathan apples
(Peeled, cored & chopped)
2 Tbsp. apricot preserves
Prep:
1. Combine brown sugar & pecans, set aside. In processor combine flour, ½ cup of the cheese, granulated sugar and ¼ teaspoon salt; cover & process with several on/offs turns until size of small peas. With processor running slowly add water to make dough come together in a ball. Gently knead until smooth.
2. 2. Preheat oven to 400º. Divide dough in 8 pieces. For each bundle, (on floured surface) roll dough in 8-inch circle. Place 3 tablespoons cheese & ¼ cup apple in center. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon nut mixture. Bring dough edged and press together to seal; sealed sides up. Place on parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake 20-25 minutes or until pastry is golden. Spoon preserve on each bundle. Cool 20 minutes. Serve warm (From: Betty Crocker prize fall recipe)
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