The Nocciolata Nonna Made

A nonna's recipes are always treasured - and tasty. This is true with Rigoni di Asiago's Nocciolata, a creamy , delicious spread, redolent of chocolate and hazelnuts.It is the perfect spread for anything from strawberries to croissants.A small scoop adds a big impact of flavor.

The company that makes it . Rigoni di Asiago is known for its' variety of different homemade spreads, from its'  organic honey to various organic jams to the delicious chocolate spread.The nocciolata is one hundred percent organic, artesanally made and GMO free. The hazelnuts have been selected by the Rigoni family and they use top quality cocoa and cocoa butter. The other ingredients are low fat powdered milk, cold pressed sunflower oil and natural vanilla extract.Organic cane sugar is blended in to give it the right amount of sweetness  That  other hazelnut spread isn't even this pure , thanks to added artificial flavoring. Moms can feel safe and secure when they serve Nocciolata There are no extra preservatives or chemicals. It does have 190 calories and 100 fat calories a serving so  serve it  as a special dessert  or breakfast if you are worried about the sugar intake.However   is a better alternative to any candy bar or even chocolate syrup if you or the kids are craving a chocolate-y snack..

I should love the other spread. After all it was created in the same province, Piedmonte where my great grandparents came from however Nocciolata has captured my heart. It is a smooth, creamy blend of  cocoa and hazelnut.each flavor perfectly married to the other. It is yummy on sliced strawberries, tasty on sliced bananas. Since I'm on a microwave bread pudding kick right now I a going to  add a couple of dollops to the recipe or drizzle it over the finished dish. Nocciolata is also good on pancakes  and waffles and makes a great addition to any brunch. A perfect breakfast , though is a well made croissant split and thickly  slathered with it.Rigoni Asiago recommends making a cake roll with it or a mug cake (another recipe on my must bake list)it would also make a  yummy filling for homemade shortbread or orange shortbread sandwich cookies too.

Rigoni di Asiago Nocciolata is the perfect spread.It  adds to anything, from fruits to croissants. Try it and taste the perfect blend of hazelnuts married to chocolate. It truly is a harmonious blend of flavors.

QVC's Kitchen King - David Venable

If you haven't heard of  David Venable, then you're not a foodie or a QVC fan. This dynamo is responsible for selling tons of anything kitchen , from cookbooks to pots and pans to even foods. He's become something of a cult hero, bringing the fun and exciting cooking world to the home shopping hungry masses.

Mr. Venable was interviewed by regular contributor , Kim Severson in yesterday's New York Times Food section.He is one of the powerhouse hosts that makes QVC one of the biggest businesses in America. He cheerleads and dances , hawking some of the most popular cookware , such as La Creuset and Rachel Ray Kitchenware.His segments also features famous chefs too, callers can chat with Gordon Ramsey or Ina Garten  as they place their orders. doing this helps to increase sales. Rachel Ray moved four million in cookware overnight. Any chef hawking his or her cookbook can  expect to have a quick sell out in minutes. Molly Gilbert, a low key cook who wrote "Sheet Pan Suppers" was dazzled by just how quick her book sold. To be honest QVC is a foodie paradise.It  sells almost anything , from juicers to mixers to zesters and knives. There is also  all sorts of foods such as lobster and steak and flavorings you can buy any time as well..

However the company would be nothing with out Mr. Venable. A native of Charlotte, North Carolina and helped his single mother with cooking.His stage presence came from his college years singing in an a cappella group. Clef Hangers. These two factors have created a presence that hooks people.He dances , with his zany sidekick, Mary DeAngelis, He listens to the lonely foodie He sells home chefs and home bakers dream cook and bakeware..The most important facet is that he connects with people. Sometimes he's all they have..The popularity has paid off . He has written a cookbook himself, entitled In The Kitchen with David:QVC's Resident Foodie Presents Comfort Foods That Take You Home (Random House) three years go and hosts a dinner "In The Kitchen with David' at QVC's campus near Philadelphia. Mr. Venable has a huge number of fans who also just watch to hear his favorite catchphrases like "Swine is divine" or "I do not want to live in a world without potatoes." For a a guest to do a happy dance,  his signature jig after tasting something yummy is the height of Venable fandom.He gives the wares and cookbook recipes resonance, making them important to have .Foodies think nothing of spending $339 dollars for a La Creuset pot  after he gives a passionate spiel about it.

David Venable may not be the next Epicurus or Escoffier. He is a man who know what foodies want , because he is one himself. Thanks to this he has made QVC not only rich but also the leader in cookbook, food and kitchen gear/

The Sweetness of Cherry Season

One of the first fruit harvests of late Spring and early summer are cherries. They are  abundant right now, in  all their ruby red glory. What is so great about them is that they can be made into a variety of  different desserts. The first stone fruits of the season are perfect for everything and  anything , from ice cream to tarts.

David Tanis thought so and featured them in his column , A City Kitchen , in today's New York Times Food section.On their own, the first  harvests are a proper dessert in themselves. They're both deliciously tart and sweet, without any embellishments.. However he provides three cherry-centric desserts that highlight their flavor  and brightness.Best of all they're easy  to make- a boon in this hot weather. Some of the recipes can be split into two days so prep time is leisurely and relaxed. One of the easiest looks hard to execute but if made  in two days , an easy dessert. It is cherry ice cream sandwiches  rolled in coconut flakes. Make the ice cream the first day, it's simple custard recipe with stewed and pureed cherries added later. The cookies can be made a day later ,leaving the filling to firm up overnight. These are a simple shortbread although if you don't feel like heating up your oven, buy a good shortbread like Walker's  and use those instead.

The other desserts are both elegant ad easy as well.One is a cherry frangipane tart that can be stretched into two days of making too. Start with the tart shell, again relatively easy to whip up.There are only five ingredients with butter being the main one. The filling is classic frangipane,  using cream and almond flavoring. Cherries and slivered almonds are then pressed into the batter .They not only provide decoaration but an extra burst of sweet tartness to cut the pastry's sweetness. Mr. Tanis also puts the fruits of the seaon in one of the most elegant desserts ever - iles flottante. This sophisticated French sweet is basically fluffy meringue clouds  over a crème anglaise base. The traditional recipe calls for a drizzle of caramel but Mr. Tanis adds a sweet-sour cherry compote to give it a spike of color and a punch of flavor.A pound of pitted cherries is cooked  with a cup of sugar. Rose water is added for delicacy and for  scent as well. Pistachios are also sprinkled on top for added color and texture.

Take advantage of the first cherry harvests of June. Yes, they're good, just freshly washed and on their own but they're pure heaven in any dessert. Try them in a fun ice cream sandwich, or an elegant tart or iles flottante.

Neilsen Massey Vanilla Pure Flavor

Vanilla extract is a wonderful addition to any kitchen,It's what gives vanilla cakes and puddings their lovely homey flavor, reminiscent of Granny's baking and cooking.Neilsen & Massey knows this ad has created the perfect extract. This is a vanilla that is redolent of the orchid (yes an orchid ) that produces it.

Nielsen -Massey has been creating extracts since 1902 and is now  run  by the third generation of the  family,Craig Matt and Beth in first Sterling Illinois and now , Waukegan. They not only sell vanilla to various chefs and restaurants but also almond, chocolate and the more exotic flavors of rose water and neroli oil.Their vanilla is from all over the world, starting with  Madagascar  being bought from fair trade merchants. This includes  certification and verification organization and, responsibility for certifying their beans. Fairtrade certified vanilla ensures that small-scale farmers in developing countries receive a fair price and use sustainable farming practices along , stabilizing vanilla-producing communities and protecting the environment. It also ensures a consistent supply of ingredients to customers.  The Fairtrade certified vanilla is grown in the shade, integrated with other crops, which in turn helps protect against erosion and deforestation. Neilsen Massey  is nt only providing flavor to the world but helping it to become a better place.

What I love about Neilsen-Massey is that their extract  is pure , without any alcohol added .It doesn't have that aftertaste either. I used it in a microwave version of bread pudding (see recipe and pic below) and it was perfect for it. Again there was no usual aftertaste or overpowering  vanilla alcohol flavor overpowering the other ingredients.www.cooks.com and tweaked it a bit. It serves 8=10.

. It was excellent. It can be used in some savory dishes  It is actually best paired with pork or duck because it works well with their  intense flavors. However I am a purist. Vanilla should go into yummy sweet desserts hence my bread pudding. I got the recipe from

Half a loaf of stale French or Italian bread
2 cups milk.
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 eggs beaten
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 /2 teaspoon cinnamon
 1- 2 teaspoons vanilla

Slice the bread and cut into one inch cubes. Put to the side.Heat milk and butter on high in a 4 cup measuring cup. Stir a small amount of hot milk into the beaten eggs to temper the eggs. Return eggs to milk. Add sugar, salt cinnamon and vanilla. Pour mixture over bread and cook for 7-10 minutes , or longer if the center is not firm.
Serve hot or cold with caramel, sauce, cream or whipped cream.

A Fresh , Clean Summer Kitchen

The summer sometimes is the hardest season on kitchens. The fridge is stuffed with all sorts of produce. The freezer is packed with every ice and ice cream treat. Ants are crawling all over as is the occasional cockroach  Treat it right with proper disposal and cleaning. It'll make for easy cooking and easy living.

We all know the importance of baking soda Most of us have it year round however it pays to double and even triple (depending on your kitchen's size) the amount. Remember to replace it every three months If you're worried about the powder spilling then go to The Container Store and get their Baking Soda Stay Fresh Container at only $4.99. It can also work in the freezer too. The fridge  should also be cleaned after every spatter and splatter., especially if it involves those raw meat juices.After all it will be barbecue season for the next three to four months, so this will be quite common. Wash the interior of your fridge with a clean sponge and warm soapy water (I like using Dawn dish cleanser for this). Have a clean dry towel to also dry everything off.. Remember to clean the racks and handles. Keep the freezer relatively empty too. Get rid of last year's dried herbs ad ice cream or last season' s leftovers.Also  clean counter tops and cutting boards too. Salmonella thrives in hot weather  and this comes from the usual suspects : eggs  barbecue meats and fish but also all that fresh fruit and veggies you 're getting from the farm and garden..

For the rest of the kitchen , clean up after you spill anything sticky and sweet. Any syrupy drip is an ant magnet. They go after proteins too, so any meat that's left out is a target too.Deter them by using all natural remedies such as lemon juice, vinegar and even powdered chalk. Peppermint leaves or oil of peppermint works too.  As for those other kitchen pests, roaches, the best way is by keeping a very clean kitchen. However this can be impossible if you live in an apartment or condo complex. One of the best deterrents is surprisingly Listerine or any mouth wash;Mix equal parts it with water and a few drops of dishwashing liquid and spray in corners and where floors and walls meet. Of course take advantage of the hot weather to clean your oven. This is the time when it's used the least. You can use those chemical laden cleaners or an all natural cleanser made from baking soda, water and salt. Do it on a rainy day instead of sacrificing a beach day.. Remember to also clean burners to get rid of that burnt coffee or soup smell. Ants will even go for the burnt sweet stuff so keep the oven top scrupulously clean too.

A summer kitchen should be a clean kitchen. It should be free of smells , pests and any other warm weather problems. Keep it fresh during the hot sticky months ahead.

The Surprise of Surprise Cakes

Cake is a treat in itself, however when it's a surprise cake, it turns into a celebration. There's nothing more exciting than slicing into a layered beauty and discovering a picture . They are a sweet, yummy way of celebrating everything, from the impending birth of a child to a birthday to a special event. Surprisingly even home bakers can create this  fun dessert.

One of the first surprise cakes  was the king cake form New Orleans where a porcelain baby or ring was hidden inside. It originally  came from France  but is also still made in other Catholic countries like Spain and Belgium and is served during Epiphany. Our modern day surprise cakes are made a little differently  with  a picture being baked into the dough instead of a trinket. The outside is very sparsely decorated as to not take away from the cake itself .Surprise cakes are big at baby showers with the moms to be finding out about their babies upon slicing into their shower cakes. However the cakes  can also be made for fun holiday parties like Easter, Halloween , Christmas and even the Fourth of July. Easter surprise cakes open up to reveal brightly colored eggs, chicks or bunnies. Halloween has everything from spiders to ghosts to pumpkins while Christmas has snowmen and Christmas trees bursting fourth from loaves.and traditional layers. Now is the time to think of a flag Day or Fourth of July surprise cake with a flag or red white and blue cake under demure white icing. Birthday cakes also can have surprises , such as having the birthday boy or girl's age baked into the cake Pinterest has some interesting ideas as well as recipes you can follow.

Of course bakeries, especially the boutique ones, can create amazing variations of this. Home bakers can also try as well. Keep in mind that there are several different ways  to make surprise cakes. There is the deconstruction method  - that is taking the cake apart and putting it back together either with cake mixture, filling or icing. Another way is baked cake in batter. This is simply taking a cake that is already baked and  then baking again. Often the cake you're baking a second time is usually in designs and shapes. Batter manipulation is the third method. This is taking batter and creating a design in the baking pan.There is also  deconstruction where the inside is taken out and candy and treats are inserted.If you're a neophyte home baker you may want to start with something simple such as a cake with ombre layers. This can be fun, especially done in shades of pink or blue for a little girl  or boy's birthday party. Many recipes require baking two cakes and then double baking. I'd recommend having help for this , however it can be done alone. Many surprise cake bakers swear by  Betty Crocker brand cake mix because the batter produces the least amount of bubbles. You want an all over even crumb. Icing can be homemade buttercream or store bought. and keep the outer decorations to a minimum as to not detract from the cake's interior.

Surprise cakes are a great way of celebrating any event or holiday. Try your hand at them to create a sweet and exciting treat for family and friends.They'll be enjoyed on so many levels from visual to taste.

Friday Night Mash Ups

Friday means the end of the busy work week. Some celebrate by going out with friends and co workers, others order in pizza or Chinese. However there are the stalwart home chefs who still want to cook. Yet what's there to make? A week of leftovers can provide chefs with some interesting new creations.The best part is that they're easy to make , even better it's a home cooked meal, enjoyed with family.

If you have left over meat, whether chicken or steak, cut it up into bite sized pieces and make it the protein in chopped salad. This is an easy mix of leftovers and canned veggies Add already chopped fresh salad along with some sesame seeds and croutons for crunch and texture. It's also a great way of getting rid of eggs. Hard boil them and then slice them. Eggs can also be made into egg salad for sandwiches. Amp them up by serving them on croissants bought from the local Dunkin Donuts.Ham  and chicken salad are also easy to make , especially if you use devilled ham or chicken and mayo.You could also make this with any leftover roasts too. What about those cold cuts used for brown bag lunches? Heroes! Create a truly great one with all those salami, cappicola and prosciutto slices. Add tomatoes , along with different cheeses for a simple yet fun dinner.A chef 's salad is another way of getting rid of those uneaten slices.

A lot of sides can also be repurposed into main meals .Mashed potatoes can be turned into mouth watering croquettes Take spoonfuls of mashed potatoes and mix with beaten eggs (use one egg for every cup of mash) , and parsley. Roll into balls and them roll into breadcrumbs. Using your palm, smash them lightly and fry in oil or margarine. Serve with dipping sauces. Leftover rice can be repurposed this way too, in the form of arancini or little oranges in Italian. As with the potatoes, mix in egg and bread crumbs and fry until crisp. You can put ham or mozzarella in he center for more flavor. This is a great recipe for getting rid of leftover risotto. Leftover corn can be made into a yummy chowder along with being turned into a cold salad. All those veggie sides can be cooked together to create a vegan stew. Just add tomato paste to stretch it and give it more flavor.  serve it with crusty French or Italian bread for dipping.

It's Friday! Time to get creative with all those leftovers from the week past. Make a fun salad or spread or a tasty stew everyone will love!