Category: Drinks


Jan
2016

Spiced Grapefruit Tea!

categories: Breakfast, Drinks, Healthy Living, Healthy Snacks, Recipes

A stuffy head, sore throat, and 10 degrees high temperature calls for some tea! I am typically not a tea drinker, but I was looking for relief coupled with enjoyable flavors. The grapefruit component adds a sense of being full. Perfect for someone looking to curb extra snacking while being stuck indoors. I added some coconut oil because it has wonderful antibacterial, antifungal, and anitmicrobial properties. We don’t have time to get sick!
It is 9am or I would totally add a shot of bourbon to this amazingly delicious, flavorful warmup!

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Here is the recipe…

Spiced Hot Grapefruit Tea
Ingregients:
1 cup water
1 grapefruit juice, freshly squeezed
2 cinnamon sticks
A Pinch of cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. coconut oil
4 cloves
(honey, sliced grapefruit, cinnamon stick for garnish)

Directions:

Heat water and grapefruit juice with cinnamon sticks, cayenne pepper, and cloves.
Submerge teabag or your favorite loose leaf tea preparation and let steep for 4 minutes.
Add honey to taste, coconut oil, sliced grapefruit and a cinnamon stick for garnish.
Feel like a Hot Toddy? Add a shot of bourbon!
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Enjoy!
Ciao!


Jul
2015

Vegetarian Mexican Manicotti!

categories: Drinks, Healthy Living, Recipes

Most nights, dinner at our house is an unplanned fridge raid pantry raid mashup. Sometimes I’m missing an ingredient that I want to use and dinner morphs into something a little different. So the day I didn’t have tortillas, but I did have manicotti shells? Yep, Mexican Manicotti… and it is totally delish!

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By making a sweet but spicy pineapple jalapeño salsa base, the stuffed manicotti shells can actually be cooked right in a large saucepan. No need to turn on the oven, this light, vegetarian, perfect-for-summer meal is sure to be a family favorite! The dish even looks beautiful. The colors create an amazing presentation!

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Shhhhhhhh! Packed with powerful vitamins and protein, Mexican Manicotti is super healthy, too!!

Vegetarian Mexican Manicotti
(makes 12)

Ingredients:
1 8oz.box (12) of your favorite manicotti shells- boiled until al dente
1 can San Marzano tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup crushed pineapple
1 medium jalapeño pepper , chopped
1/2 cup black beans- soaked and boiled or canned beans, drained
1-1/2 cup shredded cheese- monterey jack and cheddar blend (1/2 filling 1/2 topping)
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 tbsp. chopped cilantro (1/2 filling 1/2 topping)
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tbsp. chopped green onions
salt/pepper to taste

Directions:

Drain manicotti and let dry on a cookie sheet drizzled with olive oil to keep them from sticking.

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In a large saucepan, combine canned tomatoes, garlic, crushed pineapple, and chopped jalapeños.

Simmer.

In a mixing bowl, combine black beans, shredded cheese, tomatoes, onion, cilantro, chili powder and cumin. Gently stir to mix well.

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Carefully fill manicotti shells with black bean mixture.

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Place filled manicotti shells in sauce pan – 1 inch apart.

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Cover with pineapple salsa from bottom of pan.

Cook 8-10 mins. until bubbly.

Cover with cheese and cook an additional 5 mins. until melted.

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Sprinkle with green onions, cilantro and serve!

This recipe is soooooo great you probably won’t have leftovers…We never do!!

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Enjoy!
Ciao!


Oct
2014

Homemade Winemaking : Grapes, Family, Tradition

categories: Around Pittsburgh, Drinks, Learn From An Expert

From the families who have made their own wine for years to the newest generation of winemakers, Pittsburgh delivers the grapes! The areas most popular vendors are Pennsylvania Macaroni Company, Premier Produce, and Consumers Fresh Produce all located in the Strip District.

The Winemakers sign at Consumers Fresh Produce! Love it!
The Winemakers sign at Consumers Fresh Produce! Love it!

Ron Casertano, Enologist with Consumer Fresh Produce for 27 years, tells me the grape harvest was early this year with California grapes arriving in early September. The season usually ends on Columbus Day, but with high supply and demand, the fall grape season will run through the end of October.

Plenty of grapes!
Plenty of grapes!

Loyal CFP Winemaking customers Rudy Ranallo, along with his friends and family, let me spend the day as they pressed their grapes, filled their jugs with juice, and ate a beautiful pasta dinner!

 

De-stemmed and crushed grapes are left in barrels for one week, stirring daily.
As the fermentation process begins, De-stemmed and crushed grapes are left in barrels for one week and stirred daily.

Ranallo says his process is, “The same as my dad’s [process]. Let the grapes ferment for 7 days, stirring them everyday. Press the grapes and bottle the juice. After six weeks, the Saturday before Thanksgiving, we remove the sediment, and let the fermenting continue until Easter.”

Rudy tells me they have used this presser for 10 years.
Ranallo tells me they have used this presser for 10 years.
Grape Juice straight out of the presser!
Grape Juice straight out of the presser!
Rudy showed me the grape sediment and skins collected from the presser to make wine vinegar. Last years crop made 4 1/2 gallons!
The grape sediment and skins collected from the presser are used to make wine vinegar. Last year’s crop made 4 1/2 gallons!

No preservatives, no fancy measuring gadgets, just tradition and instinct.

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The guys juiced 200 gallons into carboys on one Sunday afternoon.

This year the family streamlined their process buy purchasing a de-stemmer machine.

See the old wooden de-stemmer left and the bright and shiny new and large stainless de-stemmer.
See the old wooden de-stemmer left and the shiny new stainless de-stemmer.

As was my experience with the Ranallo family, Casertano described the why behind homemade winemaking, “People like to get together and have fun making wine. They eat, laugh, and enjoy! It is an event.”

It sure was and we had a blast!

Family and Friends ...
Family and Friends …
Sisters cooking...
Sisters cooking…
From left: Brian Sauro, Clem Gigliotti, Rudy Ranallo, Jay DeLeonibus, and Anthony Sansonetti
From left:
Brian Sauro, Clem Gigliotti, Rudy Ranallo, Jay DeLeonibus, and Anthony Sansonetti

Because of Pittsburgh’s big interest and little winemaking knowledge, Casertano says there is definitely a market for a how- to class. Wine classes will be offered at Consumers Fresh Produce in the Spring for round 2- South American grapes season in the Spring!

You still have a week or two to buy some juice.

See Ron! Tell him I sent you!
See Ron! Tell him I sent you!

A big thank you to the Ranallo family for your time and hospitality! I can’t wait to come back for the tasting!

Salute!
Ciao!


Aug
2014

Cool Off With Infused Water!

categories: Drinks, Healthy Living, Recipes
May I offer you a glass of water?
May I offer you a glass of water?

Fruit and vegetable infused water hydrates in the heat while adding a flavor burst. Water is essential, but so so boring!! Why not jazz it up? As a healthy alternative to sugary drinks, fruit and veggie infused water has found itself at the top of diet plans and cleanses. It’s sexy, it’s “in.” Well, for right now!

Serve this to your guests as a non-alcoholic beverage! They will be wowed!
Serve this to your guests as a non-alcoholic beverage! Add a beautiful garnish and they will be wowed!

With combinations like carrot-ginger and pear-cucumber-mint, anything goes! Try different flavor combinations or do what I did and use what you have in the refrigerator!

Some fruit floats and some will sink! Chill overnight to ensure infusion.
Some fruit floats and some will sink! Chill overnight to ensure infusion.

Here is the recipe:

Peach Raspberry Mint Infused Water

Ingredients:
2 quarts of water
3 peaches sliced
1/2 cup of raspberries
1/4 cup mint

Directions:
Chill for at least 8 hours!

Enjoy! Experiment! Please share your favorite flavor combinations!

Ciao!