The Family Tree Of Food

While digging through my endless collection of recipes from relatives spanning generations. I came across a recipe that belonged to my great grandmother Mama Rose that was passed down to my grandmother Caroline (Meema) and now it lovingly rests in my possession (granddaughter Julie). All these recipes over time become the family tree of food, a glorious tree whose roots are deeply planted with the love and memories of all the people who loved and fed us throughout the years.
This particular recipe is one I know that I will be sharing and passing along to those that I love and cherish. This recipe is a combination of two desserts that are loved by many; comforting rice pudding and lemon meringue pie. Without giving up its homey nature this dessert can rise to the stature of being elegant, worthy of serving at any type of gathering.

Lemon Rice Pudding with Meringue Topping

1 cup of cold cooked white rice
1 pint of cold milk (16 ounces)
3 eggs, separated
Grated rind of 1 lemon
1 1/2 to 2 tbsp. butter
2 cups of sugar
Juice of 1 lemon

Combine rice and milk and 1/2 cup of sugar; add egg yolks, lemon rind and butter. Mix well pour into 9" by 13" bake dish and Bake at 350 degrees for 1-1/2 hours.
Beat egg whites until stiff; add remaining 1 and 1/2 cups of sugar along with the juice of one lemon half way into beating. Spread meringue onto cooled pudding and bake at 350 degrees for 10 -15 minutes, just until meringue is browned.

2008 Meet 2009

Sometimes the best way to embrace the new is by recognizing and respecting all the old things that have played a part in getting us to where we are at this very moment. Even the bad things that happen to us have there place in forming who we are and what we can become. Every person, each experience, every moment creates the bridge on which we cross to reach the next chapter of our lives. So instead of doing away with the old let us instead embrace it and find a way to blend it with the new to create possibilities.
I look at the New Year as life’s rear view mirror, always watchful of the things behind us while carefully maneuvering through all of life’s twists and turns to better reach our destination.

Seafood Lasagna

8 tbsp. butter
8 tbsp. all purpose flour
1 c. cream
1 c. milk
1 c. chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste
Pinch of nutmeg
1 lb. lasagna, "no boil type"
10 oz. frozen spinach, thaw and drain on paper towels
16 oz. ricotta cheese
8 oz. mozzarella cheese
8 oz. provolone cheese
1 can sliced mushrooms or saute 1 cup of fresh mushrooms
2 sliced onions
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
1 tomato, cut and peeled
1 1/2 lb. seafood (shrimp, crabmeat)
Parsley and rosemary to taste

To make sauce, melt butter and add flour. Take it off the burner, add cream, milk and broth. Put back on burner. Stir constantly. When everything is mixed, take it off the fire. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg. To make lasagna, saute onions and mushrooms in butter and oil. Add spinach, tomato, parsley and rosemary. Add seafood. In a greased lasagna pan, pour some sauce, place some lasagna, seafood, mozzarella, ricotta sauce, provolone, and press it down before you begin second layer. Follow same order as first layer, ending with lasagna strips and sauce. Be sure to generously cover with sauce. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 - 40 minutes.

Photo/PaulaVB/Flickr

"1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 Schlameel, Schlamaazal Hassenpepper Incorporated"

I came across this recipe for chocolate Pepsi it immediately transported me back to one of my favorite shows; Laverne and Shirley. Laverne’s favorite drink was milk and Pepsi she use to say that the milk took some of the fizz out of the Pepsi and the Pepsi took some of the “ick” (throaty sound?) out of the milk.
Laverne’s version used plain whole milk, this version uses chocolate. I must admit as much as I was curious about the drink when watching the show I never quite got up the nerve to try it. Then the more I thought about it, it dawned on me how silly, most of us have had coke floats or root beer floats at some point in our lives. When the vanilla ice cream melted in the float we still drank the soda, so it would stand to reason that the milk in the Pepsi would give it that same kind of melted ice cream taste. I guess there is only one way to truly find out…… this may take a while!

Chocolate Pepsi

8 oz. Pepsi, very cold
8 oz. chocolate milk, very cold
3 ice cubes

Put 3 ice cubes into very large glass. Add Pepsi and wait until fizz goes down. Slowly add cold chocolate milk. Stir gently, add straw don’t let this sit too long, best when ice cold!