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I am constantly amazed at how animated and talkative people get when you mention food. The mere aroma of certain foods can evoke memories that transport us back to a special place and time. Food can bridge the gap between all ages, races and ethnicities.
Let's face it, the only thing that should ever come between people is a table and some serving bowls.
As with many Italian American children I often enjoyed pasta for breakfast. The breakfast consisted of Pastina (little Pasta), butter, sugar and an egg stirred in. It had to be one of my favorite breakfast treats growing up. Over the years I still use Pastina mainly in soups but here is a recipe that can be used as a comforting dinner or altered a little to become a delicious breakfast that any child or adult would greatly enjoy.
Pastina with Egg and Cheese
1/2 cup Pastina (any brand of tiny soup pasta)
2 eggs
1 tbsp. butter
3 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
Boil water and cook pastina according to directions. Drain and add butter. Beat eggs and pour in. Slowly cook over low heat to cook egg add cheese, stir and serve warm (Can also use egg substitute) makes a great dinner dish.
For breakfast, omit cheese and add milk, may use sugar if you would like to add a little sweetness to your day.
Photo/kendiala/flickr
This was a cold to the bone kind of day. High winds, ice and snow left us all dreaming of anything that would provide some warmth and comfort. The only thing I could think of was something that my parents always made me when I sick with chills and fever and that was a hot toddy. When I was younger they made it on the sweeter side using tea and either blackberry or apricot brandy. I remember how warm and soothing that it felt going down, I always felt better afterwards. I could not wait for the work day to end so I could go home and wrap my cold hands around a steaming hot mug of comfort.
Hot Toddy
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
1 to 2 tablespoons of Honey
2 tablespoons of Whiskey (use any spirit that you like)
1/2 to 3/4’s of a cup of boiling water or may also use hot tea
Add first three ingredients to your steaming mug of liquid, garnish with fruit slice and or cinnamon stick…..sip and enjoy.
My mother liked to cook and I loved just about everything that she made. But there were a few of her recipes that stood out above the rest, one of them being her Beef Stew with Bisquick dumplings. Lots of dumplings steaming in that rich beef and onion gravy, the beef just falling apart it was so tender. I’m salivating now just thinking about it. It’s just one of those dishes that takes you back to your childhood, we all have favorite foods that do just that.
Beef Stew with Bisquick Dumplings
1 lb. stew beef
1 pkg. carrots
4 sm. potatoes
1 can of peas
4 sm. onions
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 pkg. onion soup
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine first 8 ingredients and simmer until vegetables are tender. Add 2 tablespoons of flour mixed with water to stew to thicken.
DUMPLINGS:
2 1/2 cups Bisquick
2/3 cups milk
Combine Bisquick and milk. Drop mixture by spoonfuls onto top of stew. Cook approximately 15 minutes with pot covered.
As with many Italian American children I often enjoyed pasta for breakfast. The breakfast consisted of Pastina (little Pasta), butter, sugar and an egg stirred in. It had to be one of my favorite breakfast treats growing up. Over the years I still use Pastina mainly in soups but here is a recipe that can be used as a comforting dinner or altered a little to become a delicious breakfast that any child or adult would greatly enjoy.
