Carmela Soprano's Vegetarian Baked Ziti

Mushrooms are often on sale.

When they are, pick up a few extra packages.

Along with being great as an appetizer, they can also add oomph to casseroles.





Janice's Sunday Dinner chapter in Artie's The Sopranos Family Cookbook, 

has another mushroom recipe.

It's for her Vegetarian Baked Ziti.

No, I don't think Livia made this.

It was probably from Janice's hippy days.

Yeah, there's an

Carmela Soprano's Rigatoni with Broccoli

The holiday season does bring back lots of memories of the past.

Including memories of family dinners from long ago.



Most dinners immigrant families remember weren't very fancy.

At least not on a regular basis.

Oh, there might be a roast on Sunday.

And a wonderful meal on holidays was always done.

But the only way a family could afford that was by eating simply during the week.

Carmela Soprano's Fried Mushrooms (hot appetizer)

Mushrooms are handy to have during the holidays.

They can add a classy touch to any leftover, including turkey.

They can perk up a bowl of peas or a salad.

And they're good for you!





Janice Soprano may have anger issues, but she knows the value of mushrooms.

In her Sunday Dinner chapter in Artie's The Sopranos Family Cookbook, Janice included a recipe for Livia's Fried Mushrooms.

This is

Canadian Christmas Memories by Margaret Ullrich

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas full of peace, health, joy and love.

And, of course, favourite foods.

Let's not forget television specials and Christmas music.



For those who don't know the story, the Christmas carol Silent Night was written in the nineteenth century because of a problem.      

In a small Austrian church the organ was broken and couldn't be repaired in time for the

Carmela Soprano's Pears al Vino Bianco / Pears in White Wine

Christmas parties are fun.

Full of good cheer and calories.

Yes, Christmas calories are the gifts that stay with you.



Back to Jennifer's chapter Rage, Guilt, Loneliness, and Food in 

Artie's The Sopranos Family Cookbook.

Leave it to Doctor Melfi to have a classy, lower calorie dessert.





Don't make an extra trip to the store.

A teaspoon of lemon extract and a tablespoon of vanilla

Carmela Soprano's Tiramisu / Ladyfingers and Nillas

What would Artie's The Sopranos Family Cookbook be without a chapter from

the teddy bear, Bobby Bacala?

Oh, Bobby, Bobby, Bobby…



At the start of Bobby's chapter he remembers what was important in his youth.

"Being happy meant a loving and supportive family,

a loving and supportive community and plenty of food on the table."



That's the way it was in my childhood, too.

Well, times

Lady Baltimore Cake or Cupcakes (with and without rum) - Margaret Ullrich

This time of year makes people yearn for tastes from the past.

I got an e mail from a reader asking for the frosting for a Lady Baltimore Cake.

Happy to help.



If you've never tried it, it's basically a 2-layer white cake with a fancy frosting.
It's similar to Lane Cake.

If you're in a rush, a cake mix will be fine, too.

Nobody will notice the cake with this frosting on it.





I've got

Carmela Soprano's Roast Pork Shoulder

There's another roast recipe in Janice Soprano's Sunday Dinner chapter in 

Artie's The Sopranos Family Cookbook.

Roast Pork Shoulder.

No picture.

No problem.



Okay… this could be a regular Sunday dinner.

Or a special occasion dinner.

Especially if you went overboard on the Christmas gifts.





Most of us remember sitting down to overcooked pork.

Janice said Johnny Soprano called it "

Carmela Soprano's Standing Rib Roast

Some folks have serious food traditions.

The meat and potato kind of traditions.

Fish on a holiday or holyday just won't cut it.

No problem.


There's a special meat recipe in Janice Soprano's Sunday Dinner chapter in 

Artie's The Sopranos Family Cookbook.

Standing Rib Roast.

There's even a picture of the roast all by itself.  No veggies need apply.

Yes, it's that special.





According

Carmela Soprano's Lobster Fra Diavolo / Jumbo Shrimp Fra Diavolo - Seafood in Spicy Tomato Sauce

Cards sent…  

You know there'll be a surprise card on December 23 from somebody you barely know.

House clean… It's good enough.  Just allow visitors at night and use candles.

Gifts bought… Well, most of them.
On to step 2: shop the house.



It's time to think of the big day's main course.

Twelve days to the holy feast of Christmas.

Peace on earth, good will toward men.

Yeah, right...

Carmela Soprano's Zabaglione - Marsala Wine Dessert

Got a reminder from a reader.

Not everybody's Christmas involves inviting a whole crowd.

You're right.

That doesn't mean that a smaller Christmas celebration isn't a special time.

Or that it doesn't deserve a memorable dessert.





Adriana's chapter Cibo D'Amore in Artie's The Sopranos Family Cookbook

has wonderful recipes for more intimate special events. 



Even if you're having the

Links for Manitoba Food Processors by Margaret Ullrich

About the companies who were at that Christmas party hosted by the
Manitoba Food Processors Association (MFPA) …



There were old Winnipeg favourites, like Jeanne's Bakery.

There were tasty novel food products from NuEats.



There was a wide assortment of delicious food.

Something for every taste.

And you can enjoy their products year 'round!




Please click on the links for these

Anna Sultana's Imbuljuta (Maltese Holiday Chestnut Dessert)

It's also been quite a while since I posted one of Ma's recipes.

Well, here's one of her Christmas recipes.



Imbuljuta is the traditional Maltese dessert served after Midnight Mass 

or on New Year’s Eve. 

It has an aroma of spicy chocolate and citrus.

How great is that?



We always made a trip to Corona to get a few pounds of chestnuts.

Chestnuts weren't easy to find in College Point.

So

Buying Fresh Manitoba Produce in Season - Margaret Ullrich

I recently attended a Christmas party hosted by the MB Food Processors Association (MFPA).  Of course, the food was delicious.

It was interesting to learn a bit more about the food industry in Manitoba.



I mentioned that I wanted to know when produce is in season here.

The app at the bottom of this page, which has info from Minnesota, isn't totally accurate for us.

I wanted to provide

Carmela Soprano's Struffoli (Christmas Honey Balls / Doughnuts)

Another surprise in the Cooking The Neapolitan Way chapter!

Struffoli!!

I guess it is a chapter for odds and ends in Artie's The Sopranos Family Cookbook.



Struffoli is a traditional part of an Italian Christmas.

My Sicilian Aunt Betty served it every year.

It wouldn't have been Christmas dinner without Struffoli. 





If you don't have a deep-fry thermometer test the oil:

a small bit

Carmela Soprano's Lasagne / Anna Sultana's Lasagne, Maltese Style

I was a little surprised to find this recipe in the Cooking The Neapolitan Way chapter.

I mean, I don't think Neapolitans invented Lasagne.

Then again, maybe they did.

And the recipe is a bit different from the way my Ma made Lasagne.





This Lasagne isn't something you can throw together at the last minute.

For one thing there's Carmela's Tomato Sauce.

Yes, it's better to make the sauce

Carmela Soprano's Mussels in Spicy Tomato Sauce - Zuppa di Cozze

December.

The holidays.

The family.



Time to visit the shrink, Dr. Jennifer Melfi, M.D., M.A., M.F.T.

And just as stressed out as the rest of us.





Jennifer's chapter Rage, Guilt, Loneliness, and Food has a piece about a research paper.  It covers:

Why do Italian-Americans care so much about food?

Is it a sign of some deep-seated cultural neurosis?

Guilty Eaters, Angry Eaters and

Carmela Soprano's Fettuccine Primavera - Fettuccine and Vegetables in a Cream Sauce / Wine Tips and Lacrima Christi

Artie has something similar to Carmela's Rigatoni with Sweet Sausage recipe.

In his Mia Cucina chapter in The Sopranos Family Cookbook

there's a recipe for Fettuccine Primavera.

Primavera means Spring.



No, wait, this can be made in winter, too.

The only Spring thing in it is asparagus tips.

And some folks don't like asparagus.

So, go a little heavier on the other veggies.

So, there.