chicken-proscuitto-pear-gouda panini

This one is fairly self explanatory.

I used chicken breast cutlets and then pounded them mercilessly with my spiky kitchen hammer thing.  (you don't necessarily have to do that too, but it's fun!)

Serve with a sweet mustard.

Use olive oil on the bread instead of butter if you want it to get crisp.

mozzarella rice balls

In honor of the upcoming holiday feasting, I wanted to share a family favorite recipe.  No, we don't eat this for Thanksgiving, but it has been contributing to our collective weight gain for many years.



1. Cook 2 c white rice. Cool slightly.

2. Fold in 4 beaten egg yolks and 1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese.  Mix thoroughly.

3. cut one 8oz package of mozzarella cheese into about two dozen cubes.

4. shape about 1/4 cup rice into a ball around each cheese cube.  Squeeze balls to make sure rice completely covers cheese.

5.  beat egg whites in shallow dish.  gently roll each ball in egg white and then in italian breadcrumbs.

6. place on baking sheet so they are not touching.

7. Refrigerate one hour.  Firmness matters!

8.  bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  Watch for blowouts! If cheese leaks out, they are done.

9. White Sauce:  Melt 1/4 c. butter or margarine over low heat in medium saucepan.

10. Stir in 1/4 c. flour, 1 tsp salt, 1/8 tsp pepper.

11. Cook on medium high, stirring constantly, until it bubbles.  Lumps will disappear when at the right temperature.

12. Remove from heat. Stir in 1/2 c. parmesan cheese. 

13. serve while hot.

14. don't blame me for the number you will see on your scale

Crockpot Pulled Pork!

I absolutely LOVE pulled pork sandwiches.

LOVE them.

New England winters are too cold to grill meat at the right temperature, but I can't possibly go 6 months without pulled pork...

What to do?


Trusty crock pot to the rescue!!

 For a better finished texture, use a pork butt roast instead of a loin cut.

Throw entire roast into crockpot.

Add one large bottle of your favorite bbq sauce and one can of cola.

Cook on low at least 6 hours.  I start it when I leave for work and it is ready to shred when I get home.

Remove roast from liquid.  Discard liquid - it will have blobs and floaty things and isn't good to use.

Shred meat, removing bones and stretchy bits.

Stir in enough fresh bbq sauce to make the meat sticky enough for sandwiches.

Serve with hamburger rolls and cheese.

The 'What Can I Put Into A Pie' Series: Shepherds Pie in a Pie

The origin of the pie series began with the discovery of pre-made refrigerated pie crusts.  (thank you Pillsbury dough boy!)

Once I realized how easy they are to work with and how much better they taste than the frozen ones, the light of inspiration dawned.  "What else can go in here", I wondered.

It turns out that you can put lots of things into pie crust!  These trials of Shepherd's Pie In A Pie were very well received by the testing group, and there will be more winning recipes to come.


These proportions are suitable for a 9" pie plate.

Cook and drain 1 lb. ground beef.

Spices are optional, but the addition of garlic powder and black pepper was popular.

Press one crust into pie plate, fill with cooked beef.

Top with one 10oz package of frozen corn with butter sauce, prepared according to package directions.


As you can see from the photos, I tried two different approaches to the potatoes: 

The first one has one large potato, diced and microwaved with a tablespoon of water for 5 minutes.  You can also use a drained can of diced potatoes.

The second pie has a top layer of prepared instant mashed potato.  This version was preferred by the testing group.


Either way, once the potato has been added, you are ready to place the top crust.  Pinch along edges to seal, and cut a vent hole in the center.

Bake 20 minutes at 350.  Cover edges with foil, bake 15 more minutes.  Serve while hot.