When Life Gives You Lemons...

...you make lemony goodness! 

Nothing says summer more than lemon. That deliriously citrus flavor is both mouthwatering and satisfying- especially during the warmer months. Lemons are clean, crisp and smell like sunshine. Why else would household cleaners be lemon scented? Though there's nothing like the large lemons in Amalfi, anything with lemon will surely lighten up my day. 

I love lemons so much that I even baked one inside a pie crust once and it was unbelievably good. Pucker up folks, here are some of my lemony favorites that will brighten anyone's day.

Big nod to Nonna Romana for the Lemon Ricotta Cake- it's so light and lemony. I like to make two smaller cakes or mini bundt cakes with this recipe. And who makes cookies better than Martha Stewart? Maybe me. These lemon glazed cookies are like a breath of fresh air. I've kicked it up by topping them with a drizzle of dark chocolate. The Absolutely Lemonade is from the old Bennigan's restaurant, years ago, when they were actually good. Ok, I had to literally bribe the bartender for the recipe, but it was worth it! And who doesn't like homemade Limoncello? Keep it in the freezer and you'll have an ice cold lemony treat this summer.

Lemon Ricotta Cake

Lemon Ricotta Cake
3 large eggs 

1 c. sugar

3 lemons, zest only

1 lemon, juice only

1 c. whole milk ricotta

2 T. full fat yogurt

1 1/4 c. flour

1/2 t. salt

1 T. baking powder

1 t. vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9 inch springform pan with baking spray. In large mixing bowl, combine oil, sugar and lemon zest. Using an electric mixer, beat ingredients on medium speed until combined. Add in the eggs one at a time and beat until fluffy and pale yellow. Add in the ricotta and yogurt and beat until combined. Then add in the flour and salt and finally the baking powder. Beat until dry ingredients are just fully incorporated Do not over mix! Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 35 - 45 minutes or until the cake is set in the middle and golden brown. Cool for an hour and decorate with lemon slices and dust with confectioners' sugar.

Lemon Glazed Cookies

Lemon Glazed Cookies
2 c. flour

1/2 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

1 T. finely gated lemon zest + 2 T. fresh lemon juice

1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 c. sugar

1 large egg

1 t. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt and lemon zest. In large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg, vanilla and lemon juice and beat until combined. With mixer on low, beat in flour mixture.  

Drop dough by heaping tablespoons, 1 inch apart onto two baking sheets. Bake until edges are golden, 15 - 20 minutes. Let cool 2 minutes on sheets then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely  Spread cookies with Lemon Glaze and let set for 1 hour.  Lemon Glaze:2 c. confectioners' sugar, 2 T. lemon zest and 1/3 c. fresh lemon juice.

Absolutely Lemonade
10 Lemons, squeezed

1 qt. Sprite

1 qt. Seltzer

1 qt, warm water

1 lb. superfine sugar

1 qt. sour mix

1/5 Absolute Citron Vodka

• c

Navigating Social Distancing Gatherings During COVID-19

Social Distance Gatherings Can Work During COVID19

The call for social distancing means a lot of canceled plans -- from big events like parties, weddings or vacations, to smaller gatherings like religious services, brunch with friends or workout classes. But as quickly as social distancing has become the norm, Americans are adapting and not letting it prevent them from having fun and enjoying everyday life. Just take a clue from Italy, who has been in lock down the longest, yet found unique ways to socialize in order to stay sane!

Who we gather with and how we gather depends on what we think of as normal or abnormal; recognizing that this is different for all of us. It affects and shapes our sense of identity and our sense of who we are. It’s pretty fundamental when you think about it. Increased social fragmentation and loneliness have created what has been coined as "Quarantine Fatigue" and has affected our sense of well-being. 

Individual Mini Bundt Cakes

I’ve been wondering about how we’ll think about parties after this passes. We may be like, “We missed social interaction so much, let’s have a party for literally everything!”  We’ll re-imagine what we can do to make warmth and meaning even when we’re not physically together. I think one of the biggest opportunities is to find other ways to create warmth across distances. I think when all this is over, we’ll be running toward each other and being very deeply grateful for and not taking for granted the way we gather. One of the things that ends up happening when you can’t actually get together is you don’t take it for granted.

Individual Apps in Coffee Cups

Meantime, I've been thinking of ways to hold gatherings now that the warmer weather is here, where we can socially distance outdoors and maintain the connections that are so meaningful to us. Here are just a few ideas:

• Set chairs apart 6 ft. in groups of 2 (per couple)
• Have individual bottles of water and adult beverages with plastic glasses set up on a bar for easy access
• Food should be individually wrapped in plastic bags, coffee cups or plastic plates for each couple or group so there is no cross contamination and include wrapped plasticware
• Relax and enjoy the fact that you can reconnect by socially distancing

Interested in knowing more about how to stay sane during these uncertain times of COVID-19? I'll be a guest of Omena's At a Night At the Round Table to discuss Staying Sane During COVID-19 Quarantine to discuss this very topic, among others.  Please tune in at 10 PM on Thursday, May 21st and join me in the discussion:

A Night At The Roundtable

https://bbsradio.com/anightattheroundtable  

LISTEN BY PHONE
STATION 2
701-719-3600
or 515-605-5809

CALL-IN TO THE SHOW
only during live shows
Skype: BBSRadioPR
STATION 2
888-429-5471
Direct 323-744-4841

The Romance of Italy and its Delectable Cuisine

Cacio de Peppe in Rome

Italians are incredibly proud of their heritage and their food traditions.This was ever so apparent to me as last fall when I was on a tour of northern Italy with the First Congregational Church of Stratford, Connecticut. I had been to Italy three times prior, but was even more mesmerized by it's grandeur this time. Most likely due to the incredible tour guides who delighted us with relevant anecdotes about Italy's rich history and architecture,.

Luckily for us, the tour was only a few weeks prior to the catastrophic flood in Venice, and the subsequent outbreak of the Corona virus. My heart broke for the wonderful people of Italy, and now what we are all facing in the world as of today.

Twenty-one of us toured the very best of Venice, Florence,

Pantheon, Roman Temple in the Piazza della Rotonda

Tuscany and Rome. From its rich history to its awe inspiring, ancient architecture to its simple, yet elegant cuisine, it was definitely one of my most incredible trips.  I could go on and on all day about the fascinating history and jaw dropping architecture, but I'm here to tell you about the food. It's all about seasonal ingredients prepared in a simple way. There's nothing fussy or fancy about Italian food, it is very fresh, yet elegant. Coupled with that amazing Tuscan wine... need I say more? Bounissimo!!

Michaelangelo's David

You can't go wrong with fresh pasta and any one of the amazing sauces.  The homemade

Ponte Vecchio, Florence

pastas were fabulous and truly works of art. Native Italians are not real meat eaters- rather, they prefer more fresh fish and pasta. However, they touted Florentine Steak which we highly anticipated after admiring the sunset from one of the bridges overlooking Ponte Vecchio. It wasn't as spectacular as the sunset I captured when I was there in 1985, but still very memorable. The steak dinner didn't live up to the hype, but Michaelangelo's David did! Standing two stories tall, he is truly magnificent! We also made a trip on our free day to Osteria All'antico Vinaio, the infamous sandwich shop in Florence. The long line was well worth the wait. We enjoyed them with some Chianti at the Piazza de Michaelangelo which overlooks the city of Florence. It was breathtaking.

View from our hotel in Venice

The stop at Harry's Bar in Venice for a Prosecco before our gondola ride was worth every Euro- small and quaint with impeccable service. The gondaleers are highly adept at navigating the narrow canals and we were very lucky to be serenaded with the song Volare by Gondaleer. The pasta in Rome was absolutely to die for and just as memorable as seeing the Pope give his message during our Papal visit to St. Peter's Square.

Italians are proud of their land, and they all share their joy and delight in a place that speaks of what they are and of their flavors in the simplest of ways. Here are two of my favorites:


Cacio de Peppe

6 oz. spaghetti
3 T. butter, cubed
1 t. freshly ground black pepper
3/4 c. freshly grated Parmesan
1/3 c. freshly grated Pecorino Romano

Bring 3 quarts water to a boil. Season generously with salt and cook pasta until it is al dente.

Cacio de Peppe

 Reserve 3/4 c pasta water and drain pasta. Melt 2 T butter in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add pepper and cook, swirling pan until toasted, about 1 minute.  Add 1/2 c pasta water and bring to a simmer. Add pasta and remaining water. Reduce heat to low and add cheeses, stirring and tossing with tongs until cheese melts and coats pasta. Add more pasta water if pasta seems too dry. Garnish with grated cheese and fresh basil leaves.


Ragu alla Bolognese

1 lb. meatloaf mix

Ragu alla Bolognese 

1 lb. tomato puree (could be either fresh or canned)
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, smashed
1 c dry wine (either red or white will do)
salt and pepper
olive oil

In a large saucepan, add about 2 T olive oil and gently fry celery, carrot, onion and garlic until aromatic- about 10 minutes over medium heat. Add ground meat and season with salt and pepper. Stir well and when cooked, pour in the wine, taking a sip for yourself. Cook until wine evaporates and then add in puree. You can also add just a pinch of thyme and/or red chili pepper flakes at this point if you desire. Reduce heat and simmer 1 1/2 hours. If sauce is too thick, you can thin it with chicken or vegetable broth. Toss with fresh pasta and top with freshly grated cheese. 

This recipe is from Fattoria il Poggio, a vineyard in Tuscany, where we enjoyed a tour, lunch and wine tasting.

Boun Appetito!!