Carmela Soprano's Fried Veal Cutlets or Chicken Breasts

The Fried Veal Cutlets is the recipe I suggested you serve on Thursday.

Today is Thursday.

Here's the recipe.





Paulie Walnuts didn't cook fancy complicated dishes like Artie did.

His recipe for Fried Veal Cutlets in his chapter My Nucci in Artie's The Sopranos Family Cookbook is easier than Artie's recipe for Veal Piccata with Capers.

But it's just as good.

And, if you didn't buy the

Carmela Soprano's Spiedini - Stuffed Veal or Chicken Rolls l Menu Planning for One or Two

In the old days (okay, when I was a kid) food was packaged on site, as per your order.

You'd look through a glass pane and see a display of meat, of all sizes and shapes.

Ah, there!  You'd see a few chops and point out the exact ones you wanted.

Two, four, six, thin or thick cut, lean or fatty… all according to your choice.



In the twenty-first century meat is usually sold pre-packaged.

Carmela Soprano's Veal Piccata with Capers l Chicken Piccata

A couple of weeks ago I posted the recipe for Carmela Soprano's Swordfish Rolls.

I admitted to using chicken breasts for the Rollatine di Pesce Spada recipe.

You can substitute for some ingredients in a recipe.

And then there are some ingredients you can't substitute.

Usually it's the spices.



The recipe for Rollatine di Pesce Spada called for capers.

I admit capers are not as commonly

The Mall of America, a Tornado and Feng Shui by Margaret Ullrich

Tomorrow is Full Moon number five for 2013.

My first Full Moon since turning 63.

All in all, it's been a very good month.



Paul and I went on a small trip to the National Model Railroaders Association's Convention in Bloomington, a suburb of Minneapolis.

It was nice seeing friends we hadn't seen for a year.

The Convention was held at the Best Western Mall of America, across the street from

Carmela Soprano's Bistecca Florentina - Porterhouse Steak Florentine style

Summer in Manitoba is a very short season.

We're cooped up for most of the year.

No one likes to go out when it's -40º.

Yes, -40º is just as cold in either C or F.

So, when it's summer, we want to get out.



The swordfish recipe I found in Tony's chapter Grilling - Italian Style in Artie's 

The Sopranos Family Cookbook was an education, if not a practical recipe.



But there was a nice

Carmela Soprano's Biscotti d' Anise - Anise Cookies

The three fancy dessert recipes which I posted recently - Torta Caprese, Tortoni, 

and Pear and Grappa Pound Cake - were nice for Mother's Day.

But sometimes you just want a light dessert.

Especially when the thermometer is rising.





Bobby Bacala's chapter If I Couldn't Eat, I'd F**king Die in Artie Bucco's 

The Sopranos Family Cookbook has something for everybody.

Yes, some of his

Carmela Soprano's Rollatine di Pesce Spada - Swordfish or Chicken Breast Rolls / Swordfish, Mackerel, Tuna and Shrimp

The weather here in Manitoba has finally made up its mind.

It's Spring - time for some barbecuing.

Tomorrow's Friday.

Why not fire up the grill for some fish?



I found a recipe for grilled Swordfish rolls - Rollatine di Pesce Spada - in 

Tony's chapter Grilling - Italian Style in Artie's The Sopranos Family Cookbook.





So I went to the butcher/fish monger at my local market.

He usually

Carmela Soprano's Sfinciuni - Sicilian Onion Pizza (for 10 or 50)

About a month ago I posted a pizza recipe from Charmaine Bucco's chapter 

Cooking for the Whole Famiglia in Artie's The Sopranos Family Cookbook.



Charmaine has another pizza recipe: Sfinciuni - Sicilian Onion Pizza.

This recipe is a little different from the other recipe.

It's in her chapter, so here it is.



Most likely Charmaine cooked it when Carmela was feeling a bit low.

It's a

Mother's Day by Margaret Ullrich

     Isn't it great.  Mother Nature has finally realized it's Spring!



     Parents in the wild weren't confused by the crazy weather we've been having.  We live in a cul de sac near farmers' fields in the north end of Winnipeg.  Geese and ducks have been making nests and babies in our local ponds.  We've been watching bush bunnies chase each other like race horses at the track.  Our kitchen

Carmela Soprano's Arancini (Rice Balls) / Saffron Substitute / Testing a deep fryer

Some people really like to pull out all the stops when company is coming.

A few loaves of crusty Italian bread just won't do.

Well, it takes all kinds.





Artie's chapter Mia Cucina in The Sopranos Family Cookbook has quite a few impressive and time-consuming recipes.

His recipe for Arancini - Rice Balls  - takes a bit of effort.

But, if you have an in-law who'll give you grief over being

Carmela Soprano's Pollo Cacciatore al Forno - Baked Chicken Caccitore (for 4 or 50)

The desserts I posted this week - Torta Caprese, Pear and Grappa Pound Cake and

Tortoni are great, both for special and regular meals.

But they aren't really a meal in themselves.

Time to find a main course.





Charmaine Bucco, Artie's better half, has a chapter in Artie's The Sopranos Family Cookbook that has recipes which are perfect for big family meals.

Her recipe for Baked Chicken

A Solar Eclipse Done Told Me by Margaret Ullrich

Okay…  I've been 63 for a week.

All in all, it was a pretty good week.



The snow is gone.

Mother Nature has finally decided to go into her Spring mode.

Yes, we still have to get through a few below-freezing nights.

But we're used to that in the prairies.

I won't plant my garden until after June first.

That's one lesson I, a former easterner, learned the hard way.



Last weekend I enjoyed

Carmela Soprano's Tortoni - Almond Cream Dessert

Carmela's Mom's Pear and Grappa Pound Cake is fine for the adults.

But family get-togethers also often include kiddies.

And you wouldn't believe the trouble an Aunt can get into if a niece or nephew

mentions, during show and tell, that he'd been given some rum.

Not worth the hassle.





Bobby Bacala has a kiddie friendly dessert recipe, Tortoni, in his chapter

If I Couldn't Eat, I'd F**

Carmela Soprano's Mom's Pear and Grappa Pound Cake

Okay… there are families.

And then there are families.

Some families are better faced with a bit of lubrication.

In one form or another.





Carmela's Mom is Sicilian.

So were some of my Aunts.

Some of our family get-togethers were a bit tense.

Nobody pulled out a knife or a piece.

But the bottles of wine and liquor were handy.

Just to keep the family lubricated.





Carmela's chapter

Carmela Soprano's Torta Caprese - Capri Chocolate Almond Cake / How to Separate Eggs

Mother's Day is this Sunday.

Time to make a nice dessert if you've invited Mom to a family dinner.

A dessert that can serve a crowd, if you know what I mean.



Bobby Bacala doesn't have Paulie Walnuts' reputation as a Mama's boy.

But Bobby does have some fantastic dessert recipes in his chapter

If I Couldn't Eat, I'd F**king Die in Artie Bucco's The Sopranos Family Cookbook.





I know