Because our Sunday dinners are usually packed with pasta, sausage and meatballs, and desserts, a healthy Meatless Monday is always welcomed by all. Very often it comes in the form of Mexican cuisine.
Beans, vegetables, quinoa or rice, seasoned, cooked, and wrapped in a small tortilla. The tortilla is portion control at its finest. The ingredients are a healthy start to the week ahead.
The Quinoa and BlackEyed pea tacos can be filled with black beans, a rice, or any of your favorite taco veggies. Experiment! Use the recipe as a guide and make a healthy and delicious meal! Enjoy!
Quinoa and BlackEyed Pea Tacos
Makes 10 tacos
Ingredients:
1/2 cup uncooked rinsed quinoa
1 cup water
1 tbsp. Olive oil
2 cloves garlic, pressed
1 small onion finely chopped
1 cup corn
1 cup blackeyed peas
2 tbsp. Taco seasoning
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 cup curly kale, chopped
Salt/ Pepper to taste
Sriracha (optional)
10 tortilla shells
Directions:
Warm oil in a medium deep frying pan.
Add garlic and onions and cook until softened.
Meanwhile add 1/2 cup quinoa and 1 cup water to a saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook on low until water is absorbed.
Add all ingredients to frying pan except kale and tomato and stir.
Don’t you just love all of the colors! Add bell peppers, jalapeños, habaneros, black beans, or any of your favorites!
Cook until heated through approximately 5 minutes.
Add tomatoes and kale and stir.
Serve in warmed tortilla shells. For a spicy kick add Sriracha!
Meet Vince Isoldi. Godfather of Pittsburgh. Photo courtesy of a AENetworks
“People think I’m a gangster, but I just do what has to be done.”
–Vince Isoldi
For Vince Isoldi, life is about family. Creating a better life than he had, helping those who find themselves in trouble, and cultivating businesses that will help his family flourish for years to come. Sounds like the description of a typical Italian American businessman willing to stop at nothing to provide for those he loves. Unless they cross him…
Well, that is the question- How far does Vince go?
The new A&E series Godfather of Pittsburgh follows Vince, his wife, Carla, and their sons Enzo, Adolfo, and Romeo. While showing their family life and relationships, the series also focuses on Vince’s balance with his businesses.
Meet Carla Isoldi, the Isoldi family matriarch. Photo courtesy of AENetworks.
In my recent interview with Carla, she described her family’s portrayal in the series as a busy family trying to raise their boys with the knowledge of right and wrong in this chaotic world.
Like a typical Italian American family, the Isoldi family cherishes Sunday dinners! Carla explained that Sundays bring the whole family together. No matter what happened that week with the businesses, Sundays are special. Her most requested dish?
“My meatballs,” says Carla. “They are the family favorite. The boys love eating them as an after school snack.”
Sunday dinner with the Isoldi family is not complete without Carla’s meatballs!
Thank you Carla for sharing your recipe with us!
Isoldi Family Meatballs
Serves 6 prep time 30 mins.
Ingredients:
1 lb. ground chuck meat
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp. of onion salt
1 slice of white bread broken up into small pieces
1/2 cup of plain breadcrumbs
1/3 cup Parmesan Cheese
1/3 cup Pecorino Romano cheese
1/2 cup vegetab;e oil
Directions:
Combine and hand mix the first 10 ingredients.
Form small meatballs.
Heat 1/2 cup of oil in a skillet.
Place meatballs in the skillet and cover with a lid.
Turn over when bottoms are golden brown.
Cook through.
Salt lightly when cooling and sprinkle with Parmesan
Carla’s biggest cooking influence is her father, “Junior” Williams, also feature on the show. Junior was recently released from prison on racketeering charges.
Carla Isoldi’s father Junior Williams. Photo courtesy of AENetworks.
Carla’s father was a big game hunter and she would help him prepare the pheasant, deer, elk with lots of marinating techniques and red wine. “Some of the wild game would even have he BBs still in the meat. Being a girl it was hard for me to deal with that,” Carla explained.
Carla and Vince’s favorite date night spot in Pittsburgh is Il Pizzaiolo. With a second location in Market Square, The Mt. Lebanon Italian eatery owned by Pittsburgh native Ron Molinero, serves traditional Neapolitan pizza, fresh pizza and pasta, fresh fish, and decadent desserts. A perfect date night spot with outdoor seating!
Carla and Vince on their wedding day! Photo courtesy of the Isoldi family.
I must say the Isoldi’s seem like a normal, busy, successful American family, so is Vince really a gangster?
Watch the eight episode series Godfather of Pittsburgh premiering Monday November 10th at 10pm and find out!
A&E has just posted two of the recipes Carla shared for this interview on the Godfather of Pittsburgh homepage under Exclusives! In addition to the meatball recipe, Romeo’s favorite Sunday Dinner Lasagna recipe is also featured!
Daylight savings should be call fall back into a dark, cold tundra here in Pittsburgh.
This was 5:05pm yesterday!
So what do we do? We eat comfort foods, fill our bellies, and hibernate on the couch until bed. Hearty chilis, stews, and pastas filled with pumpkin, squash, and potatoes hit our menus. The food is a welcomed change! The weather is totally not! The holidays will get us through!
Here is one of our favorite comfort food dinners:
Homestyle Chicken and Biscuits
Serves 12 (Lots of Leftovers!)
Ingredients:
1 32oz. Fat free sodium free chicken stock
3/4 cup flour
6 boneless skinless whole chicken breasts – cubed or whole for shredding
4 carrots, chopped
4 celery stalks, chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 tbsp. chopped parsley
1 tbsp. chopped rosemary
Salt/pepper to taste
Add peas, corn, asparagus, or any of your favorite vegetables!
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a stock pot on medium -high heat combine garlic, chicken stock, carrot, celery, onion, and spices.
Stir every 10-15 minutes for a few minutes and don’t be afraid to let it boil. It will help the thickening process of the flour.
Meanwhile, rub chicken breasts with olive oil and salt and pepper.
Bake chicken for 35-45 minutes or until juices run clear and a meat thermometer reads 165 degrees.
Let chicken stand and cool for 10 mins.
Dice chicken to desired size or shred with a fork.
Add to stockpot and stir.
Cook an additional 20 minutes.
(If the gravy is not as thick as you would like, temper some flour or cornstarch and water. Add the mixture to the pot while stirring. Let it cook to thicken.)
Serve over your favorite biscuits or waffles!
I bought a tray of Pillsbury biscuits at SAMs Club! They are delicious!
Diners, Drive- Ins and Dives has a fabulous biscuit recipe from The Counter Cafe in Austin, TX. If you are feeling adventurous here it is!
Should I mention I brewed some pumpkin coffee? I’m obsessed, I know!
If you are a coffee addict, chances are you are also a cookie dunker. My favorite dunk? Biscotti, of course! So delicious!
In Italy, biscotti are usually served after dinner with wine and are “dunked” in a wine called Vin Santo. Vino Santo, or holy wine, is a dessert wine usually white, but often made into a rosé when using Sangiovese grapes.
I dunk my anise biscotti in red wine, but I prefer coffee for flavored biscotti.
Here is the recipe for the pumpkin spice version of my anise biscotti. I also added honey roasted pecans, but you can totally leave them out!
Pumpkin Spice Biscotti
(Makes 24 biscotti)
Ingredients:
4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 cup sugar
1-1/2 tbsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice (OR 2tsp. Cinnamon, 2 tsp. ground ginger, 2 tsp. nutmeg, 1 tsp. all spice, 1 tsp. ground cloves)
2 eggs
1-1/2 cup pumpkin
1 tbsp. Vanilla
1/3 cup crushed honey roasted pecans
Directions:
Preheat oven 350 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and pumpkin pie spice in a large mixing bowl and stir.
Using a whisk, combine pumpkin, eggs, and vanilla.
Sometimes I just love a “no mixer required” afternoon of baking! Less cleaning more eating, maybe?
Add wet pumpkin mixture to dry flour mixture.
Note: Mix dry ingredients in a slightly larger mixing bowl! This makes adding the wet ingredients much easier to combine!
Fold in pecans.
Dough will be dry- No worries! It will be great after kneading.
Wash hands and knead dough until a beautiful dough forms.
Form a log that will fit on your baking sheet- the length of your baking sheet and 3-4 inches wide.
Bake 25-35 mins. or until center is firm and the bottom is lightly browned.
Lower the oven temperature to 300 degrees. Let log cool for 10 minutes.
Slice into 1 inch wide pieces with a serrated knife.
Slice horizontally in half and then on a diagonal into 1 inch wide cookies.
Lay them cut side up and bake 8 -10 mins. on each side or until crisp!
Zillow, America’s most popular real estate site, is casting a spotlight on Pittsburgh in an upcoming city roundup!
The boats in the water, the fountain, the bridges!!! Pittsburgh from Mount WashingtonHow about living a short walk from downtown Pittsburgh’s sexy new rooftop bar Il Tetto! Or go down one floor for pizza or down one more floor for meatballs! Neighboring Seviche, Sonoma Grille, Nine on Nine, Meat and Potatoes, Six Penn Kitchen, Butcher and the Rye- all amazing, fantastic, and fun! Welcome to Pittsburgh!
The city roundups help Zillow readers make informed moving decisions! The city’s arts, sports, entertainment and dining options all factor into relocation decisions. Yes, the food! That’s where I come in!
My pick for Pittsburgh’s Best Kept Secret is our amazing food! Young professionals would love living in revitalized Lawrenceville or the new condo communities in the Strip! Just a walk to Luke Wholey’s Wild Alaskan Grille where fresh oysters are shucked on the sidewalk!How incredible would it be to walk to Matteo’s on Butler St. in Lawrenceville for dinner!
Maybe one day…
Here is Zillow’s Helpful Post for us on Kitchen Organiztion Ideas!!
10 Organizational Ideas For Your Kitchen!!
By Tali Wee of Zillow
Source: Michelle Workman
Residents and houseguests naturally gravitate toward the kitchen, making it one of the highest-traffic living spaces in homes. As the heart of the home, the kitchen needs welcoming design but also requires a significant amount of organization for functionality.
Here are 10 simple ways to declutter kitchens, free up workspace and install systematic organization for easier, more organized food preparation.
1. Containers Purchase inexpensive mason jars to store prepackaged foods, reducing bulkiness and transitioning into aesthetically-pleasing, consistently-sized containers. Mason jars are fashion-forward, timeless and seal freshness. If jars aren’t preferred, opt for containers with wide, easy-to-clean openings. Additionally, contain colorful fruits and veggies in a single basket for tidy countertop display.
2. Stackable Kitchenware Invest in a single brand of kitchenware designed to nest graduating sizes to save space. Stack mixing bowls, casserole dishes, plates, mugs and measuring cups/spoons. Always buy one brand of disposable travel containers for simple stacking and quick lid matching.
3. Kitchen Islands Splurge on a kitchen island to increase workspace and additional storage. Some islands include open shelving for fruit baskets, pots and trays. Alternatively, islands with cabinets create discrete space for lesser-used kitchen necessities such as a stand mixer, food processor and mandolin.
4. Hooks Use available vertical space by adding hooks for dish towels, aprons, gloves, cooking spoons, spatulas and tongs. Install an accessible rack with numerous S-hooks for handy utensils and reduced clutter in drawers. Screw in smaller hooks to the underside of cabinets and shelves to hag mugs, optimizing cupboard and counter space.
5. Dividers Purchase drawer dividers to keep kitchen tools separated, especially in deep drawers where untensils tangle. Dividers are ideal for orderly spices and silverware. When premade dividers don’t fit, build wood sorters into drawers. Create vertical dividers in kitchen cabinets for storing cookie sheets, griddles, cutting boards and pot lids with ease and minimal space usage.
6. Pull-Out Shelving
Deep cabinets are great for surplus storage but tough to access. Replace fixed shelves with sliding, pull-out shelves to reach the items in the back without shuffling the organization in front. Beyond shelves, squeeze pull-out cabinets into tight kitchen spaces where traditional cabinets do not fit. Narrow pull-outs are perfect for spice displays and vertical storage. Blind corner cabinets with revolving shelves or pull-outs make great use of vacant space.
7. Wall and Door Mounts Clear counters by mounting racks on walls and the backs of panty doors. Suggested racks include can shelving, snack pockets and pot lid organizers. Install magnetic strips to forgo bulky knife blocks and hanging racks for paper towels.
8. Pot Racks Hanging pot racks were popular years ago, but clutter preferably open layouts. Instead, mount a pot rack or rod on an accessible wall and hook pots with S-hooks. Pot racks on walls are less cluttered and more organized.
9. Trays Avoid disorderly counters and cabinets by sorting loose items on trays. Include countertop trays of cooking oils and common seasonings in fashionable containers. Create a tray for tea, sugar, honey and mixing spoons just inside the cabinet. Add a sturdy tray under the sink for cleansers, gloves and dishwashing liquid.
10. Digital Cookbooks Lastly, purchase electronic cookbooks and transfer favorite recipes onto tablets or mobile devices. Attach a tablet mount to the wall or inside a cabinet at eye level, keeping electronics distant from liquids but easily legible. Haul cookbooks out of the limited kitchen space and display on a book cabinet elsewhere, or store in water-safe containers in the attic or garage.
Kitchens are typically the most expensive rooms to remodel, due to costly appliances, cabinets, countertops and chic finishes. Whether making upgrades for personal use or increased resale values, focus on these 10 tips for improved kitchen functionality and greater home shopper appeal when compared to other Pittsburgh homes on the market.
http://www.zillow.com/pittsburgh-pa/
I would never change my cookbook stash!!! I love a real cookbook in my hands!
Follow Zillow and watch for the Pittsburgh feature! I will share it, too!
Fall is definitely the season of comfort. All we need is good food to warm the belly, a cozy sweater to warm the heart, and a fireplace to warm the toes. My menus start including more creamy potatoes, hot soups, chilis, and of course pasta dishes!
Happy Fall!
I include seasonal fruits and vegetables like apples, pumpkin, and squash whenever possible in my fall recipes. Dress a plain meatloaf for Fall by adding an apple onion glaze and gravy.
Apple Onion meatloaf with fresh whipped potatoes and a side of apple onion gravy.
Here is the recipe:
Apple Onion Meatloaf
Ingredients:
1-1/2 lbs. ground beef, veal or meatloaf mixture
1 egg
1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
2 cloves garlic, pressed
2 small onions, chopped
1 apple, chopped
1 tbsp. Worchesterschire sauce
1 tbsp. Paprika
Salt and Pepper
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray a loaf pan with Pam.
In a frying pan, add 1 chopped onion, 1 chopped apple, 1 clove garlic pressed and cook on low to medium heat covered until tender.
Once tender, I mashed the apples down with a potato masher to create a glaze- like texture.
Wash hands well.
Mix 1-1/2lbs. meat, egg, breadcrumbs, 1 chopped onion, 1 garlic cloves pressed, worchesterschire sauce, paprika, salt and pepper with your hands in a mixing bowl.
Form a rounded rectangular loaf with meat and place inside loaf pan.
Spoon 3/4 of the apple onion mixture on top of meatloaf to coat.
Spoon apple onion mixture on top of the meatloaf.
Bake 45minutes or until internal meat temperature reaches 165 degrees and juices run clear when poked.
Sometimes we need a seasonal change! Our wardrobes, decor, and our food!
For the gravy:
Add the rest of the apple onion mixture to a small saucepan. Pour the drippings from the meatloaf pan in the pan and bring to a boil.
Thicken with tempered corn starch if necessary.
Fall Comfort! Served with whipped potatoes and gravy!
A spinoff of cake pops, cake ball cookies can be dipped in chocolate and truffled or rolled in powdered sugar and donuted. My most recent topping is a light chocolate drizzle and fun Halloween sprinkles! Wilton makes a 6-mix assortment which includes Halloween shapes and colorful sugars!
The perfect bite sized dessert!
Cake balls are made by baking a cake, crumbling the cake in a mixing bowl, adding an icing, rolling the mixture into balls, and decorating for any occasion!
Gingerbread Cake Balls #Halloween
makes 24 balls
Ingredients:
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 stick butter,melted
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 cup molasses
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Sift flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and set aside.
Cream butter and sugar in mixer until light and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs one at a time.
Add the brown sugar, molasses, and spices, mixing on low speed.
Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, mixing well until smooth.
I always grease my cake pans with a tsp. of crisco and coat with flour. Shake off excess flour.
Pour batter into 9X13 pan.
Bake 25-30 minutes and set and a toothpick comes clean.
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!
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!
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!
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.”
Ranallo tells me they have used this presser for 10 years.Grape Juice straight out of the presser!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.
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 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 …Sisters cooking…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!
A big thank you to the Ranallo family for your time and hospitality! I can’t wait to come back for the tasting!
“The Mac & Gold Truck” sounds like plain old mac and cheese served through a window in a city that bleeds black and gold, right?
Mac & Gold in the Black & Gold!
Tim Tassone’s Mac & Gold truck is anything but traditional and Pittsburghers can’t get enough. What makes Tassone’s mac different? Well, everything!
Simple Truck, Simple Idea, with an unexpected twist. When I visited Tim and Athena at a Greentree office park, I never expected a made-to-order fresh mac and cheese for every order. Sounds like a ton of work!
I totally expected to see rows of pre- made mac covered in foil. Not a guy, a pan, and some pasta!
Tassone says it’s all in the name of delivering a phenomenal product to his customers with minimal waste, of course.
A mortgage industry casualty turned chef, Tim Tassone entered the food truck boom with an appetite for success and a unique enough menu to acheive it. The Mac and Gold truck’s most popular menu item is the lobster mac. Often requested by event staff and customers, Tassone uses real lobster claw meat and tops it with his signature brown butter breadcrumbs. The creamy, light cheese is a farmer’s cheese blend and the succulent bites of lobster keep you searching for more.
The very popular Lobster Mac!
The rosemary garlic fries…incredibly addicting and absolutely necessary. I forgot to take a photo and ate the entire serving in minutes!
Create your own mac with add- ins and toppings! Check out this menu!
Bacon, chicken, pork, asparagus, prosciutto, pea, jalapeño, smoky BBQ seitan with carmelized onions!!! Ever think of adding these to your mac? Tim Tessone’s originality and creativity is unmatched!I tried a prosciutto, spinach, and shiitake mushrooms- wow!
Can we discuss food truck functionality? If you are worried about messy mac and doing a balancing act, you are wrong! Everything is in one perfect box with a lid!
Look for The Mac & Gold Truck! Tell Tim and Athena I sent you!
Enjoy!
“Leave the gun. Take the cannoli.” Peter Clemenza says this to Rocco who just killed Paulie in the 1972 movie The Godfather. A tubular pastry shell filled with a chilled ricotta, mascarpone cheese, or custard filling, the cannoli has been a popular Italian dessert originating in Polermo.
These beautiful cannoli are from Colanglo’s Bakery in Pittsburgh’s Strip District are filled and dipped in chocolate shavings. A typical plain cannoli is filled with ricotta and is dipped in crushed pistachios. Cannoli are now made with various flavors and toppings.
A twist on traditional cannoli, the sweet chilled cannoli filling can be used in other dessert favorites.
I found this cannoli cupcake at Little Italy Days in Bloomfield neighborhood of Pittsburgh.Look at the creamy delicious cannoli filling- Made by Patti’s Pastries in Aliquippa, PA.
2 sticks butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp. Vanilla extract
2 cups All Purpose flour (or substitute 1 cup oat flour and 1 cup All Purpose flour)
2 tbsp. Baking soda
1-1/2 tbsp. Cocoa powder
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
