Black and White (Halfmoon) Cupcakes

???????????????
??

Sometimes these have to be the next best thing to the wonderful Halfmoon Cookies my kids love! If your in a hurry, you can even use a mix and canned frosting!

?

Cupcake Recipe

?? 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (do not sift the flour)

?? 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

???? 1 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups milk

Canola oil

1 stick butter (not margarine), softened

1 tablespoon  pure vanilla extract

?? 3 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350�

??

In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt, mixing well. ?? Measure the 1-1/4 cups of milk in a 2 cup glass measuring ? ?cup�.then add enough oil to bring the liquid up to 1-1/3 cups.

?

Add the milk/vegetable oil mixture, butter and vanilla to the flour mixture and beat with an electric mixer on medium to medium-high speed for 2 minutes, scraping sides of bowl as needed.

Add the eggs and continue beating an additional 2 minutes. Fill paper lined cupcake tins.

??????

Bake at 350� for 20 to 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted near center of cake comes out clean, or until cake springs back when touched lightly in the center.

??

 Cool completely.

??

Frosting (you can use recipe below or canned)

??

Cool. Frost half with white frosting and half chocolate frosting .

?? 2 cups confectionery sugar
???? 1 teaspoon of vanilla

add milk a tablespoon at a time until desired thickness enough to spread on cookie.

add 2 tablespoon of butter. This is for the vanilla side

Repeat above ingredients for chocolate, but add 1/4 cup dry cocoa powder and mix until smooth and spreadable.
                                   If you want the real deal here they are!

????????????

Original Upstate NY Utica/ Rome Style Half Moon Cookies

(click on the above link for the recipe?!)

?

Tortino di acciughe con pomodori, patate ed erbe aromatiche

 

 Nella categoria del pesce azzurro rientrano  alcuni dei pesci pi� ricchi in assoluto di omega-tre. Questi grassi, essenziali per il nostro organismo, proteggono cuore, vasi e cervello prevenendo malattie come l'Alzheimer, l'arteriosclerosi e l'infarto.

Gli esperti raccomandano di mangiare pesce azzurro almeno due volte alla settimana in modo da soddisfare il fabbisogno minimo di grassi essenziali. 

Il pesce azzurro � anche ricco di minerali come il calcio, il fosforo, lo iodio ed il selenio, discreto anche il contenuto vitaminico ed in particolare di niacina, vitamina B12, E ed D.

Un alimento quindi non solo economico ma molto sano e gustoso ! Oggi vi propongo un facile tortino, la ricetta potete leggerla qui :

IL BLOG DI CHIARA

Vi aspetto di l� per i commenti.........

Testi ed immagini sono protetti dalla legge sul diritto d'autore n. 633/1941 e successive modifiche. 
Copyright 2010-2011� Chiara Giglio �La Voglia Matta� 

                                       All Rights Reserved

Ricotta and Herb Stuffed Chicken, Grilled Veggie Couscous, and a Fresh Salad from my Garden

With the long weekend ahead of us and the Fourth of July right around the corner you might consider this as one of your meals, Ricotta and Herb Stuffed Chicken. Placing an herby, cheesy and citrusy mixture of creamy ricotta underneath the skin turns a simple chicken into something quite amazing!

I get all my chicken from Whole Foods, I know where they come from and I love how clean and fresh they look and the friendly butcher behind the counter is always happy to do anything I ask so I don't even have to get my hands messy! Lately every chicken I buy I've been asking him to cut the back out for me, better known as spatchcocked or butterflied. I just love how even and fast it cooks up being cut that way.

For this particular recipe you're going to be loosening the skin all around which will make it easier for you to place your ricotta mixture underneath. Just wiggle your fingers carefully under the skin along the top and bottom of the breast, thighs and tops of the legs.

For the ricotta filling mix up 1lb of ricotta with fresh herbs of your choice, I used basil and parsley along with grated parmesan or romano cheese, salt, pepper, lemon zest and chopped sundried tomatoes. In a small pan, saute 1 clove of minced garlic and either sliced green onions or the lighter part of a leek, when soft, toss and stir into the ricotta mixture.

Lift up the skin and stuff your bird wiggling the ricotta mixture down to cover all areas. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil on top. Roast in a 450F oven for 30 minutes with tin foil over the breast part, then remove foil and turn oven down to 400F and continue cooking until internal temperature reaches 180F. Let it rest before cutting into it. (You could grill this but make sure you don't lose your ricotta mixture.)

While the chicken is cooking in the oven you can be outside grilling up some vegetables for this delicious side dish of Grilled Vegetable Couscous, better yet get it done earlier in the day so you can be sipping your favorite drink instead!

Cook your couscous according to the package, I like the large Israeli couscous, toast it first in olive oil then add water, it's usually equal amounts. I had 1 1/3 cups of couscous and the same amount of water. When it cools down to room temperature add your grilled veggies, I used red, yellow, orange and green peppers, Vadalia onions, portobello mushrooms and fresh corn. Add lots of chopped basil, olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper to taste.

I'm excited to share my first romaine salad of the year that my green thumb husband grew for us, he has it growing in pots as well as in the ground.

He won't let me cut the leaves off for fear I might destroy the plant, he's very particular. Look how proud he is!

The leaves were so tender and fresh even the core was delicious, simply dressed with my very best olive oil, fresh squeezed lemon juice and light shavings of Parmigiano Reggiano, simply the best!

Have a great weekend and Buon Appetito!

Italian Ricotta Triple Berry Cheesecake

  Ricotta Cheesecake with mashed blackberry puree poured over the cheesecake...and topped with fresh fruit.
A perfect dessert in color for the respect of our flag and what it stands for, freedom. When lush berries are in abundance it's the perfect dessert  and there's always a great reason for Limoncello to be in anything(smile).

You can serve this plain or dusted with confectionery sugar. A wonderful delicious light cheesecake very different than regular cream cheese.

A water bath makes this extra creamy along with extra beating time for the batter.

Ricotta Whole Milk Cheese 32 oz or 2lb container of homemade Ricotta
2/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
5 eggs
1 tablespoon Limoncello liqueur or 1 teaspoon lemon extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt
Suggested fruit: 2 cups of each Blueberries, Raspberries, Blackberries Strawberries
Prep work:
Preheat oven to 300 degrees . Set rack in the middle of the oven. Butter and flour a 9 1/2 inch spring form pan, and tap out excess flour or if you prefer use a piece of parchment paper cut to fit the bottom. Wrap the entire pan in aluminum foil just around the spring form pan outside, to preserve integrity of the pan..... this is in preparation for the water bath. The water should be no more than 1/4 inch below the top of the foil not above the foil. See above photo.
You must have patience for this recipe as the longer you beat this and make sure its completely smooth as directed the better the results are.

Directions:
Place the 2lbs of ricotta in a large mixing bowl, and beat it as smooth as possible with an industrial mixer, beat with flat beater for 7 to 8 minutes..... on stir mode. If your are doing this by hand using a rubber spatula it will take at least 12 to 15 minutes. Stir the sugar and flour together thoroughly into the ricotta, beat another 3 minutes. Stir in the one egg at a time until each egg is well blended around 1 minute per egg, beating a little faster than a stir mode. Blend in the flavorings, and salt. Pour batter into the prepared pan it will be medium thickness in consistency not runny or thin. Bake in the center of the oven in water bath about 1/4 inch of water (refer to picture) for about 1 to 1 1/4 hours on 300 degrees, until a light golden color. Cook making certain the center is fairly firm, insert a knife in the center to see if the batter is solid. Cool completely. Chill till serving time. Serve with powdered sugar, a dab of whipped cream or a puree sauce over the top ( any fruit puree cant be substituted). Top with fresh fruit medley.
Note: If you prefer a crust. Line bottom of this pan with crushed shortbread cookies add 1/2 stick melted butter, dash of cinnamon and mix. Add to the bottom of lightly greased spring form pan.

Triple Berry Puree Sauce
 1 cup red raspberries
1 cup blackberries
1 cup strawberries or blueberries
 1/2 cup granulated white sugar,  1 Tablespoon Chambord (optional)
 Put berries, sugar, flavoring in food processor pulse puree leaving some chunks, use for topping.

Printable Recipe

Don't Forget to enter my two giveaways !!!!!!! There's still time!

Backyard Giveaway here @What's Cookin Italian Style Cuisine Click Here to Enter and

Blogsgotheart Joy Bauer new released books and check out her buffalo chicken chili! Click Here to enter!

Winner will be posted on July 2nd! Good luck!

La Camargue slovena si chiama Sicciole....

Le saline di Sicci�le , a circa 40 km da Trieste, sono state dichiarate dal 2001 parco naturale della repubblica slovena.Si estendono su un territorio di 6,5 kmq e sono divise in due parti:  quella pi� settentrionale, chiamata Lera  in cui � tuttora  attiva la produzione del sale con metodi antichi di secoli  e  quella settentrionale, chiamata Fontanigge, dismessa  da decenni dove  sono presenti numerose casette abbandonate dei salinai, le vasche ormai secche e un interessante Museo. Le saline di Sicciole sono l'habitat ideale per numerose piante alofite e per  per diverse specie di uccelli. Ecco le foto che ho scattato, alcune sono sfuocate ma non mi � stato possibile avvicinarmi di pi�, lo zoom della mia macchina fotografica non � potentissimo....

                            L'interno del Museo del sale

L'immancabile negozio di souvenirs 

       I cioccolatini al sale (niente si speciale a parte il prezzo !)

                                     Cioccolato al sale

sale tradizionale

  Fior di sale...questo si che l'ho comperato ! (prezzo da urlo      ma � un prodotto unico....)


Da brava foodblogger vi segnalo qualche ristorante della zona dove mangiare piatti tipici ....






Pri Maricki


Al Barone


per farsi un'idea....

Chickpea Avocado Salad and other goodies

This one�s a quick and simple recipe to help you get through the warm summer days when you have no desire to turn on the oven. You just have to remember to buy the avocados a couple of days before you want to use them in order to give them time to ripen, since they�re always so hard on the grocery shelf. It makes a great lunch or side dish for a picnic.

I also wanted to show you a few products I�ve tried recently that you might enjoy at your next picnic, courtesy of the folks at Olio2Go. One of them is this pear and nut jam made by Maida.

It�s more of a savory flavor and can be used in the way a good mostarda is used � on a crostino with some goat cheese or ricotta  -

Or served over a piece of grilled meat.

The other item they sent me was truly addictive � I ate the entire package by myself � they�re called Sugar �Crack� Almonds from Villa Cappelli. Share with friends if you like, but once you open the package and taste them, you may change your mind.

Chickpea Avocado Salad

printable recipe here

1 13-ounce can chickpeas, drained

1 ripe avocado, diced

1 cup grape tomatoes, cut in half

1/4 cup red onion, diced

fresh parsley and fresh thyme, minced

1/4 cup olive oil

4 T. vinegar (I like white balsamic but wine vinegar or sherry vinegar would be great too)

Open the can of chickpeas and rinse well to get off the �goop.� Place in a bowl with the avocado, tomatoes, red onion, salt, pepper and herbs. Whisk the oil and vinegar, pour over the salad and mix everything together.

Technorati Tags: chickpea avocado salad,olio2go,sugar crack almonds,pere e noci jam,maida,villa cappelli

Pappardelle scapricciate agli sgombri

Perch� scapricciate?Semplicemente perch� ho voluto provare un accostamento nuovo, un capriccio che mi sono tolta : accostare il pesce con la panna acida ! Non inorridite, la panna acida insieme al succo di limone ha creato una salsina particolarmente stuzzicante che con lo sgombro ha legato benissimo, a volte osare in cucina (e non solo l�)porta ad allargare i propri orizzonti con grande soddisfazione�Provate anche voi�.La ricetta potete leggerla qui : 

IL BLOG DI CHIARA

Vi aspetto di l� per i commenti.........

Testi ed immagini sono protetti dalla legge sul diritto d'autore n. 633/1941 e successive modifiche. 
Copyright 2010-2011� Chiara Giglio �La Voglia Matta� 

                                       All Rights Reserved

Italian Avocado Fries Recipe

2 large avocados, cut into 6-8 slices lengthwise (for each avocado)
canola oil for frying
2 cups of panko Italian  flavored breadcrumbs
1 egg, beaten
1 cup of flour seasoned with 1/4 teaspoon each, cayenne pepper, black pepper, garlic powder, oregano, basil, parsley, salt and grated parmesan cheese.

Separate flour, egg and  panko Italian breadcrumbs into three bowls.Using a fryer or deep wok style pan,  pour in enough oil for frying and turn  the range to medium heat.

Take one slice of avocado, and coat it in the egg mixture. Then coat it in the flour mixture and then the breadcrumb mixture. it again in the egg, flour and then breadcrumb mixture. Put the avocado piece in once the oil is hot.

Cook avocado until the breadcrumb turns golden brown. These will not take long to cook around 30 seconds on each side, make sure you turn them for even cooking.
Repeat with remaining avocado slices. Serve with fresh salsa to dip in.