To help make Mother's Day a great event, I have asked Chef Owen Tilley, Executive Chef & Director of Culinary, High Liner Foods, www.SeaCuisine.com to share some of his tips with my many subscribers for a fun and delicious Mother's Day. Here is what Chef Owen suggests:
This Mother’s Day avoid the crowds at restaurants and set aside time to spend with the people that matter most to you. Whether you’re planning festivities for your own mother or honoring your wife this Mother’s Day, planning a family meal at home can offer a welcome respite to eating out. Mother’s Day is the perfect time to gather with friends and family, and cooking a meal at home will allow you to be the perfect host or hostess without overextending your wallet.
To help make this process as simple as possible, I’ve outlined a few tips and ideas to make a wonderful meal for a memorable Mother’s Day.
1.Remember, today is her day. For many moms out there, preparing dinner is a daily routine. While you are in the kitchen getting things ready, encourage the mothers in your life to take a few moments to relax in preparation of a great dinner. Make your mother or wife the focus this Mother's day
2.Preparing Mother’s Day dinner doesn’t have to take up your entire day. Plan ahead by buying your groceries the day before. Chop the vegetables in the morning, so it is quick and easy to sauté them in pan with a little olive oil
3.Create atmosphere. Dust off your best dishes and set them on your table with your finest silverware. Pick a few fresh flowers from your garden or buy a bouquet at the store for the center of your table. Encourage your kids to help pick out their favorite flowers for Mom
4.Make the meal a family affair. By doing so, you’re not only spending quality time together, but your children are encouraged to widen their taste preferences. Making the meal interactive allows children to feel as though they’ve truly contributed to the success of dinner, and makes the experience even more special for Mom
5.Go fresh. To give your dinner the best flavor, always try to use real ingredients instead of lower cal substitutes. Believe me, it offers much more taste, flavor and is far healthier to use a bit of real butter versus a butter substitute. Buy fresh vegetables over canned ones to give your mom the restaurant-quality dinner she deserves
By implementing these simple tips, you’ll be able to show the mothers in your life how much you appreciate all they’ve done!
About Chef Owen Tilley, Executive Chef and Director of Culinary, High Liner Foods
Owen’s experience includes tenures working with Robert del Grande of Café Anne in Houston, Dean Ferrin at Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas, and Chris Schlesinger of the East Coast Grill in Boston. Between 2005 and 2006, Owen served as the executive chef of Tremont 647, a noted culinary hot spot in Boston. Owen then went on to join the Back Bay Restaurant Group to lead the development of Bouchee Urban Brasserie, another hot Boston concept.
Not only is Owen an accomplished chef, but he is also a successful entrepreneur. Owen has owned either full or partial stake in restaurants such as “Auggie Joes” in Kansas City and two restaurants in Vieques, Puerto Rico.
May 15 & 16th-Join me at a Fashion & Food Event at the Stylish Bethesda Row in Bethesda, Maryland. I will be sharing stories from my best selling book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking and doing a cooking demo at the Bella Italia retail store.
On Friday, hours are 5-8 and Saturday 1-4. For more info email events@marialiberati.com or go to www.bethesdarow.com
June 4th- The Basic Art of Italian Cooking School takes me to Foster's Gourmet housewares in Philadlephia for a class on creating a Tuscan Picnic. Join me for a cooking demo, book signing, sampling and more $55 fee includes all materials. registration required. Call 215-204-6946 or online at http://www.temple.edu/tucc
Showing posts with label dinner. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dinner. Show all posts
Friday, May 8, 2009
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Buona San Valentino..
Happy San Valentino! Keep the spirit of this day alive by celebrating love..for everyone..
If you'd like to make a special dinner,here is my suggestion for a luscious seafood risotto with Orvieto classico
http://www.marialiberati.com/blog2
For a simple dessert-a scoop of chocolate or vanilla gelato or ice cream in a glass of champagne or Spumante..
See Valentine's Day around the world
Dark chocolate..(not milk chocolate)with at least 70% cocoa gives you the healthy benefits of eating chocolate -a delicious aphrodisiac.
Keep the dinner Simple & Sweet!!
Join me for two The Basic Art of Italian Cooking by Maria Liberati tm Cooking school events at Whole Foods in Marlton, NJ on February 18th at 6 PM for a class on pasta nd their sauces and a book signing and/or Whole Foods in Philadelphia on February 19th at 6 PM for a book signing and cooking class on 'Cooking on A Budget" the Basic Art of Italian Cooking way..
If you'd like to hone your cooking skills in Italy stay at our villa in Umbria for 7 days, cook with me, visit local vineyards, artisan producing food purveyors, sightsee, and enjoy La Dolce Vita in the hills of Umbria! For more info email us at :
events@marialiberati.com to register or for more info.Dates are Sept 23-Oct 6th.Only 12 spots are available so hurry and reserve your place!!
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Passionate Red...
The color of Love -Red- is a must for any Valentine's Dinner Table. For a romantic dinner the color red...always wins! Red tinted glass, red handles on silverware,red place settings..and don't forget the red wine and red candles....
For more on wines of Venice: http://www.marialiberati.com/blog2
Join Me Sunday, Feb 8th, 2 PM at the Whole Foods in Jenkintown,Pa for a book signing and Valentine's Day dinner cooking class. To register call the store at 215-481-0707 or email us at events@marialiberati.com
For your copy of the best selling book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking go to http://www.marialiberati.com
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Special Life, Special Times, Special Recipe...
It wasn’t a life that would impress kings or queens or heads of state but it was a beautiful simple one- filled with children and a husband and grandchildren and food and cooking and lots of it!! I would like to dedicate this blog to a special aunt who passed away yesterday.
She was an inspiration to all of us. At 90 yrs old she was still cooking the Christmas Eve dinner on her own- all 7 fishes. The day before she died she had all her supplies ready to make the ‘calzones’ for a special day that is approaching on March 19th-St Joseph’s Day.
These are a special sweet calzone made with the paste of chickpeas, honey and cinnamon. Each year,my aunt made them with tender loving care-peeling the chickpeas first then mashing them in the food processor. Then mixing, mixing and then comes the dough and the frying and all the time to make these delights.
They were sort of like her recipe for life-simple but yet special and long in the making.
And if she left one special memory on this earth-other than her children and grandchildren- it will be those calzones. Something the family is sure to remember and sorely miss year after year.
Unfortunately, we won’t have any calzones for St. Joseph’s Day this year in my family but in memory of her wonderful life I would like to post the recipe. Hopefully right now St Joseph is thanking her for all the wonderful calzones she made in his honor..
http://www.roangelo.net/valente/stjoseph.html
Calzone di San Giuseppe
Dough:
1 lb flour
3 eggs
water if dough needs more moisture
Filling:
1/2 cup honey
1 lb of chick peas (pureed)
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon oil
Oil for frying
Make dough like pasta dough & roll out with rolling pin or in a pasta machine. Place chick pease in processor and puree. Then add in cinnamon oil, sugar, honey. Proceed as usual for preparing calzoni. Cut dough into circles using a the rim of a water glass. Place a teaspoon of filling in the center, fold circle in half. And crimp edges with fork. Fry in hot oil till brown. Remove and dust with powdered sugar.
She was an inspiration to all of us. At 90 yrs old she was still cooking the Christmas Eve dinner on her own- all 7 fishes. The day before she died she had all her supplies ready to make the ‘calzones’ for a special day that is approaching on March 19th-St Joseph’s Day.
These are a special sweet calzone made with the paste of chickpeas, honey and cinnamon. Each year,my aunt made them with tender loving care-peeling the chickpeas first then mashing them in the food processor. Then mixing, mixing and then comes the dough and the frying and all the time to make these delights.
They were sort of like her recipe for life-simple but yet special and long in the making.
And if she left one special memory on this earth-other than her children and grandchildren- it will be those calzones. Something the family is sure to remember and sorely miss year after year.
Unfortunately, we won’t have any calzones for St. Joseph’s Day this year in my family but in memory of her wonderful life I would like to post the recipe. Hopefully right now St Joseph is thanking her for all the wonderful calzones she made in his honor..
http://www.roangelo.net/valente/stjoseph.html
Calzone di San Giuseppe
Dough:
1 lb flour
3 eggs
water if dough needs more moisture
Filling:
1/2 cup honey
1 lb of chick peas (pureed)
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon oil
Oil for frying
Make dough like pasta dough & roll out with rolling pin or in a pasta machine. Place chick pease in processor and puree. Then add in cinnamon oil, sugar, honey. Proceed as usual for preparing calzoni. Cut dough into circles using a the rim of a water glass. Place a teaspoon of filling in the center, fold circle in half. And crimp edges with fork. Fry in hot oil till brown. Remove and dust with powdered sugar.
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Buona La Befana!
And the Holidays continue here (in Italy) we are now coming to our last Holiday of the Christmas season- the Epiphany or La Befana..
La Befana, the good Christmas witch will fill your stockings with candies and fruits and little presents but if you have been bad she is more likely to fill your stocking with 'carbone' or coal.
As I have been continuing with excerpts from my upcoming book
The Basic Art of Italian Cooking-Holidays & Special Occasions (to be released in 2008)
Here is the chapter on La Befana;
I have had an unbelievable holiday season at my grandfather's vineyard in Italy. While in the USA, the Holiday Season is over. We can remain basking in the glow of the Holiday spirit for one last day.
I still have one more holiday to celebrate- La Befana.
“La Befana e propria brava” ( roughly translated means: “the Befana is a wonderful person) said Sofia as all listened intently. We had just finished a sumptuous afternoon Holiday dinner. It all began with a traditional Italian wedding soup, followed by homemade ravioli filled with fresh ricotta and spinach mixture topped with a homemade tomato sugo (sauce). And as if that wasn’t enough..next came roasted chicken with roasted potatoes, insalata russa (similar to an American potato salad- potatoes, peas, chopped carrots, mayonnaise) then came the cheese plate with locally made bread, then the fresh fruit and nut plate then dessert-oh did I forget to mention the sparkling white Prosecco.
Sofia continued recounting the story about how she had grown up overnight because La Befana came in the middle of the night to her room and took her pacifier and left her a stocking full of gifts-as it is customary to do for the Epiphany or La Befana Sofia is 3 ½ yrs old and her mother has been thinking of a way to get her to stop using her pacifier.
This holiday had come with perfect timing. Sofia was happy because she had a delightful story to tell at dinner and had gotten a stocking full of gifts. She knew that mamma and nonna were happy that she would no longer be with pacifier as well
La Befana, (The Christmas Witch) or The Epiphany is celebrated in Italy and throughout Europeon January 6th. La Befana rides through the night sky on her broom carrying presents and sweets for children
Her name is derived from the celebration of The Epiphany, which is the "climax of the Christmas season and the Twelve Days of Christmas...usually counted from December 25th through January 5th," culminating in a feast and celebration on January 6th.
Being a fine housekeeper, and having a broom with which to ride, some say she will sweep the floor before she leaves. The family, in anticipation of her arrival, typically sets out a small glass of wine and few morsels of food for their Christmas Witch.
La Befana is typically portrayed as a witch, only she is smiling and has a bag full of candy and gifts for good girls and boys. And like Santa Claus, she leaves behind "coal" for those who are bad. Except often, it's a piece of hard rock candy instead!
There is a poem about La Befana, which is well-known throughout Italy:
La Befana vien di notte (La Befana comes at night)Con le scarpe (With the broken shoes)Tutte rotte vien vestita (She comes dressed in)Alla romana (Peasant Roman style)Viva, Viva La Befana! (Long live La Befana!)
The Basic Art of Italian Cooking also makes a great gift for La Befana or any Holiday..
You can still get a $5 discount off retail price and free shipping and handling if you order at http://www.marialiberati.com/ A portion of your purchase price goes to Gilda's
La Befana, the good Christmas witch will fill your stockings with candies and fruits and little presents but if you have been bad she is more likely to fill your stocking with 'carbone' or coal.
As I have been continuing with excerpts from my upcoming book
The Basic Art of Italian Cooking-Holidays & Special Occasions (to be released in 2008)
Here is the chapter on La Befana;
I have had an unbelievable holiday season at my grandfather's vineyard in Italy. While in the USA, the Holiday Season is over. We can remain basking in the glow of the Holiday spirit for one last day.
I still have one more holiday to celebrate- La Befana.
“La Befana e propria brava” ( roughly translated means: “the Befana is a wonderful person) said Sofia as all listened intently. We had just finished a sumptuous afternoon Holiday dinner. It all began with a traditional Italian wedding soup, followed by homemade ravioli filled with fresh ricotta and spinach mixture topped with a homemade tomato sugo (sauce). And as if that wasn’t enough..next came roasted chicken with roasted potatoes, insalata russa (similar to an American potato salad- potatoes, peas, chopped carrots, mayonnaise) then came the cheese plate with locally made bread, then the fresh fruit and nut plate then dessert-oh did I forget to mention the sparkling white Prosecco.
Sofia continued recounting the story about how she had grown up overnight because La Befana came in the middle of the night to her room and took her pacifier and left her a stocking full of gifts-as it is customary to do for the Epiphany or La Befana Sofia is 3 ½ yrs old and her mother has been thinking of a way to get her to stop using her pacifier.
This holiday had come with perfect timing. Sofia was happy because she had a delightful story to tell at dinner and had gotten a stocking full of gifts. She knew that mamma and nonna were happy that she would no longer be with pacifier as well
La Befana, (The Christmas Witch) or The Epiphany is celebrated in Italy and throughout Europeon January 6th. La Befana rides through the night sky on her broom carrying presents and sweets for children
Her name is derived from the celebration of The Epiphany, which is the "climax of the Christmas season and the Twelve Days of Christmas...usually counted from December 25th through January 5th," culminating in a feast and celebration on January 6th.
Being a fine housekeeper, and having a broom with which to ride, some say she will sweep the floor before she leaves. The family, in anticipation of her arrival, typically sets out a small glass of wine and few morsels of food for their Christmas Witch.
La Befana is typically portrayed as a witch, only she is smiling and has a bag full of candy and gifts for good girls and boys. And like Santa Claus, she leaves behind "coal" for those who are bad. Except often, it's a piece of hard rock candy instead!
There is a poem about La Befana, which is well-known throughout Italy:
La Befana vien di notte (La Befana comes at night)Con le scarpe (With the broken shoes)Tutte rotte vien vestita (She comes dressed in)Alla romana (Peasant Roman style)Viva, Viva La Befana! (Long live La Befana!)
The Basic Art of Italian Cooking also makes a great gift for La Befana or any Holiday..
You can still get a $5 discount off retail price and free shipping and handling if you order at http://www.marialiberati.com/ A portion of your purchase price goes to Gilda's
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