Saturday, March 27, 2010

FAITH ANN





MY COUSIN FAITH ANN CAME TO VISIT TODAY.
IT WAS THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE EVER MET.
SHE IS WONDERFUL AND SO MUCH FUN.
IT WAS A FANTATSIC DAY.

1970 1/2 FIREBIRD







CHATEAUBRIAND

CAPTAIN GOODY'S CHATEAUBRIAND

CHATEAUBRIAND

CEASAR SALAD WITH LUMP CRAB MEAT

Saturday, March 20, 2010

St.Joseph's Day Dinner

Greg
Harold

Becky
Roy
Dinner
Genoa Salami, Prosciutto, Provolone,
Pickled garlic,Squash,Sage derby,Cherry peppers

Shrine to St.Joseph
Lilies for St.Joseph
Fruit platter
Italian Easter Bread and Almond Biscotti

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

St.Joseph's Day March 19,2010


St. Joseph, by Guido Reni, 1635

The feast day of St. Joseph is celebrated on March 19 every year.
St. Joseph's Day is a Roman Catholic feast day commemorating the life of St. Joseph, the foster-father of Jesus and husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary. People with very strong religious association, often those of southern Italian descent, typically celebrate St. Joseph's Day. March 19 is said to be St. Joseph's birthday.
During a famine in Sicily, when food was scarce and many people were starving, the poor people had only their faith to rely on. St. Joseph was known as the protector of the Holy Family and Italians had strong family relationships, so they prayed for St. Joseph to intercede for them so they could have successful crops. Their prayers were answered, and the famine came to an end. In gratitude, people promised to make annual offerings of their most precious possession – food – in St. Joseph's honor.
Today, the faithful erect "St. Joseph Tables," which are set to honor St. Joseph. They are filled with beautiful and often elaborate foods, including meatless dishes such as stuffed artichokes, pasta and fish, as well as breads, cookies, pastries, cakes and other delicacies. Each table is blessed by a priest and presided over by a statue of St. Joseph. A stalk of lily blossoms, votive candles and a lace tablecloth are other typical items used to decorate the feast table.
When you visit a St. Joseph's table, you often receive gifts of fava beans and breads. Fava beans play an integral part of the celebration because this was the food that saved the Sicilians from starvation. The bean is said to bring good luck, and it is believed that if the St. Joseph's bread is kept in the home,
the family will never starve.
My family tradition also states that during a storm you break a piece of St.Joseph's Day Bread into 3 pieces and cast it to the winds. It is said to protect you and your family.

Saint Joseph and the Child Jesus

In New Orleans, Louisiana, which was a major port of entry for Sicilian immigrants during the late 19th century, the Feast of St. Joseph is a city-wide event. Both public and private St. Joseph's altars are traditionally built. The altars are usually open to any visitor who wishes to pay homage. The food is generally distributed to charity after the altar is dismantled. From family lore, I was told that my family came over and worked on farms in Louisiana when they first came to this country. The story says a storm came and it flooded terribly, the entire family had to seek refuge in the rafters of a barm. The father prayed and asked St. Joseph to protect the family. All were saved. My Aunt Lee (Elizabeth Josephine) was born on St.Joseph's Day and faithfully made an altar for him every year of her life.The family name was "Imbrugaglio". They later migrated to Dickinson, Texas. My Grandmother was Katie Termini Herrin. She died before I was born.My family, my Grandmother, Father and Mother have always lived on Galveston Island.

This is me only 3 weeks old at my first St. Joseph's Day

March 19,1969

In Sicily, where St. Joseph is regarded by many as their Patron Saint, and many Italian-American communities, thanks are given to St. Joseph ("San Giuseppe" in Italian) for preventing a famine in Sicily during the Middle Ages. According to legend, there was a severe drought at the time, and the people prayed for their patron saint to bring them rain. They promised that if he answered their prayers, they would prepare a large feast to honor him. The rain did come, and the people of Sicily prepared a large banquet for their patron saint. The fava bean was the crop which saved the population from starvation, and is a traditional part of St. Joseph's Day altars and traditions. Giving food to the needy is a St. Joseph's Day custom. In some communities it is traditional to wear red clothing and eat a Sicilian pastry known as a Zeppole on St. Joseph's Day.

Upon a typical St. Joseph's Day altar, people place flowers, limes, candles, wine, fava beans, specially prepared cakes, breads, and cookies (as well as other meatless dishes), and zeppole. Foods are traditionally served containing bread crumbs to represent saw dust since St. Joseph was a carpenter. Because the feast occurs during Lent, traditionally no meat was allowed on the celebration table. The altar usually has three tiers, to represent the trinity.

Some villages like Belmonte Mezzagno use to burn wood and logs in squares on the day before St.Joseph, as thanksgiving to the Saint. This is called "'A Vampa di San Giuseppe"(the Saint Joseph's bonfire).


How to Celebrate St. Joseph's Day

St. Joseph's Day, a Roman Catholic holiday, celebrates the birth of St. Joseph, the Blessed Virgin Mary's husband and the foster father of Jesus. During a famine in Sicily, Catholics prayed for St. Joseph to intercede and bring them food and when their prayers were answered La Festa di San Giuseppe ("The Feast of St. Joseph") became a yearly event, taking place on March 19th, St. Joseph's birthday.

Difficulty: Easy
Instructions
Things You'll Need:
Fava beans
Zeppole pastry
Red clothing
Altar
Step 1
Abstain from
eating meat. Although avoiding meat isn't forbidden by the church, many Catholic families still observe this tradition. Fava beans, pasta, fish and stuffed artichokes replace meat at dinner tables on St. Joseph's Day. Many families consider giving food to the homeless and needy on this holiday.
Step 2
Wear red. Italians and Sicilians break out the red clothing on St. Joseph's Day, just like the Irish do on St. Patrick's Day.
Step 3
Erect an altar to St. Joseph. A tradition started in Italy and Sicily, many families offer
flowers, cakes, cookies and limes to St. Joseph. Catholics place a pastry called Zeppole on altars in some Italian and Italian-American communities. Formal St. Joseph altars, such as those placed in churches, contain three tiers to signify the Trinity.
Step 4
Attend a St. Joseph's Day parade. In the United States, the Italian residents of New Orleans conduct St. Joseph's parades and build altars to the Saint, publicly and privately. Chicago, Boston and New York City also sponsor official St. Joseph's Day parades and celebrations.
Step 5
Go to church. Celebrate St. Joseph's Day by attending mass and saying the Novena to St. Joseph. Known as the Patron Saint of workers, parishioners may also honor St. Joseph's memory on May 1st, or May Day.


Fava Beans
1 lb. dried fava beans
1 bunch green onions
1 medium onion
4 cloves garlic
3 bay leaves
chopped parsley
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Cook dried fava beans in boiling
water until tender,
adding more water as needed.
Sauté seasonings in olive oil 'til tender,
then add to beans.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve in soup bowls.


When the altar is bessed by the Priest,

This is the prayer he read:
'O, glorious St. Joseph, we stand before this Altar with joyful and grateful hearts. We lovingly present to you the labor of our hands and the dedication of our hearts that have fashioned this Altar in your honor. We again place ourselves under your powerful protection. Help us follow your example of complete trust and faith in Divine Providence. Open our minds and hearts to love and serve the poor, the suffering and those rejected or ignored by society. As a family, teach us to love and honor each member of our families with the love and reverence you had for Jesus and Mary. As a nation, inspire in us the will and the way to live in peace with all nations of the world that in our day we can experience the fulfillment of the prayer of Jesus. Peace be to you.
Remember, O most pure spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, our sweet protector, St. Joseph, that no one ever had recourse to your protection or implored your aid without obtaining relief.
Lord Jesus, bless this Altar, all this food, the candles, those who prepared it and all those who visit it. We ask this in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.'
At this time, I invite you to join with me in remembering our loved ones who are no longer with us and whom we miss very much. Through them we experienced this and other traditions, which we hope future generations will perpetuate.
Now, the ritual, in Sicilian:
St. Joseph holds up two fingers of Jesus' right handSt. Joseph says and Jesus repeats (3 times):
Benedette la CenaBenedette MaddalenaBenedette tutte quando.Patri, Figli, e Spiritu SantuQuando, Quando, Che Angele Sante.Patri, Figli, Spiritu Santu
(Bless this meal, Bless Maddalena, Bless everyone, Father, Son and Holy Spirit When, when, what Sainted Angels. Father, Son and Holy Spirit)


Thursday, March 11, 2010

I won! Green Works® Kids Gear Swap House Party

Each party package will include:*
Green Works® Natural Laundry Detergent samples*
Green Works® Natural Compostable Cleaning Wipes samples*
Kashi® TLC® cereal bar samples*
Kashi® TLC® product coupons*
Bear Naked® cereal or granola coupons*
Brita® coupons*
Horizon® Dairy coupons*
Silk® Soymilk coupons*
A Hidden Valley® The Original Ranch® Dip Mix*
A Nalgene® bottle* Sierra Club® note card packs*
A Sierra Club® window sticker*
A Lowe’s® / WebMD® Healthy Home Guide

Sunday, March 7, 2010

KATHY'S CIOPPINO RECIPE

KATHY'S CIOPPINO RECIPE


INGREDIENTS:
1 RED ONION DICED
3-4 GARLIC CLOVES MINCED
1 BELL PEPPER DICED
2 RIBS OF CELERY DICED
2 CARROTS PEELED AND DICED
12 OZ WINE
1-12 OZ CAN DICED TOMATOES
1-12 OZ CAN PUREED TOMATOES
2-28 OZ CANS SEAFOOD STOCK
1-12 OZ CAN PITTED BLACK OLIVES
1 LEMON ZESTED
1 TB BASIL
1 TSP THYME
1 TSP ROSEMARY
1 TSP OREGANO
16 OZ FROZEN MIXED SEAFOOD
(SQUID,CUTTLEFISH,MUSSELS,SHRIMP)
SALT AND PEPPER
DIRECTIONS:
BASICALLY THROW IT ALL IN THE POT
AND COOK ON MEDIUM HEAT TIL DONE
ABOUT 45 MINS


SERVES 6-8

FRITTO MISTO DE MARE RECIPE


Fritto Misto de Mare

Ingredients
Vegetable oil, for frying
16 ounces mixed seafood
(shrimp, squid,cuttlefish,mussels)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp Tony Chacheres creole spice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch fresh curly parsley
Maldon or other sea salt
Lemon wedges, for plating



Directions:
Heat the oil for frying in a deep-fat fryer to about 400 degrees F.
Put the seafood and the seasoned flour into a plastic bag, and toss everything around to coat the fish.Shake the excess flour by turning out the whole bag into a metal sieve, and then plunge the seafood into the oil. Cook for about 3 minutes or until they look crispy and tempting - though I can see that for a squeamish generation, the idea of eating various seafood, might not tempt. How wrong they are, if that's the case.Turn them out onto paper towels, and while the seafood is losing any excess oil (we want desirable crunch) throw in a small handful of parsley leaves to deep-fry; watch out, it will spit. (A splatter guard is useful. Not charming, but useful.) When they have turned a very dark green, drain and serve with the whitebait, well sprinkled with sea salt and surrounded with lemon wedges.

Saturday, March 6, 2010

FRESH MILK AND EGGS FROM THE FARM


My sister found this great little farm right down the road
that sells organic raw milk and eggs.
I love that they sell the milk in cool glass jars
and write the name of the cow the milk came from
and when she was milked right on the jar.
My milk came from 2 cows
one named Sally and the other called Delite.
We did a taste test and Delite's milk
had the creamiest flavor.
All the milk had a fantastic rich flavor .
The milk will stay fresh in a cold fridge for 3 weeks.
The eggs come in various shades and sizes
as they have a variety of different kinds of chickens.

Santa Fe : Healthy Way Dairy,small farm offering raw milk from pasture fed cows with no antibiotics or hormones.E-mail for availability at
cowsplus@verizon.net

Cleaning House Today..........



No big plans for the weekend. Just staying home trying to get over the last of this flu. Cleaning house, doing laundry and cooking up a few things to have on hand.
It might get interesting my sister just called
and is bringing me gallon of raw milk.
My cooks mind is thinking of all
sorts of things I can try.

KATHY ON THE R/V DAVIDSON IN ALASKA

This is me on my husbands ship in Alaska ,
with the baby Hallibut I caught

Friday, March 5, 2010

IT'S SPRING...ONION TIME


I am longing for spring. Warmer weather, the smell of fresh cut grass and budding flowers, seedlings all the things that symbolize renewal and make me happy.

TOMATO AND ONION QUICHE RECIPE



BISQUICK QUICHE

*Whisk*
1 c. Bisquick
2 c. milk
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. butter, melted
*
1 small onion sliced (sauteed)
1/4 c. red bell pepper diced
1/4 c celery leaves
1/2 pint chery tomatoes
Pour into greased deep dish pie pan, small casserole or 10 inch quiche dish;
Bake at 375 degrees, 25 to 30 minutes, until golden on top edges. If desired, remove from oven a couple minutes early and sprinkle with grated Colby or Cheddar cheese . Then return to oven for couple minutes.

CUCUMBER SOUP RECIPE


2- 12 OZ CANS CHICKEN BROTH
1- CUCUMBER (PEELED,SEEDED AND DICED)
4- GREEN ONIONS SNIPPED
2 TSP SESAME OIL
2 TSP RICE WINE VINEGAR
10 DROPS FISH SAUCE
BRING BROTH TO A BOIL
ADD CUCUMBER AND GREEN ONIONS
COOK TIL CUCUMBERS ARE TENDER
ADD SESAME OIL ,VINEGAR AND FISH SAUCE
JUST BEFORE SERVING
SERVE HOT
* ITS A VERY FLAVORFUL SOUP FOR THE SMALL AMOUNT OF INGREDIENTS. VERY LIGHT.