Going South of the Border March 22, 2011

So, I was reading this article on Top Ten Food Trends for 2011 and number 10 was “Eating for Sex and Other Things”.  Really? We are a nation of people looking for energy, vitality and increased sex drive all in one little dose.  I mean think of the pomegranate, acia berry and now the maqui berry.  These magic foods are metabolism-boosting, appetite-suppressing, cleansing and detoxifying!  Not to mention claims about increasing your sex drive.  And, did you know, that nutmeg is the new female aphrodisiac?

I got to thinking, what other foods are there that are libido enhancing plus other health benefits?  Well, here is a short and sweet list for your viewing pleasure:

• Avocado The avocado tree was called a “testicle tree” by the Aztecs because its fruit hangs in pairs, resembling the male …well, you know . Its aphrodisiac value is based on this resemblance. ( Hey- I didn’t make this stuff up- researched it on Discovery Health!)  I hope my mother, Big Bad Bev, is not reading this…
• Bananas Bananas are stuffed with potassium and B vitamins, which are required for sex-hormone production.  Plus the shape of the banana…you might never look at a banana the same way again…
• Basil (sweet basil)  Basil promotes proper  circulation ( I need this because I am always cold).  For many centuries, people have said that basil boosts fertility and stimulates the sex drive and just makes you feel good!  Don’t you feel good when you smell basil?  And the experts say that the scent of basil will drive men wild.  Honey, bring me the Wegman’s Hydroplant, please!
• Chili peppers You know when you eat a chili pepper it makes you sweat and increases your heart rate?  Well, these responses are similar to those experienced when having sex. The peppers are also good pain relievers.  Who knew?
• Fish Fish has lots of nutrients and vitamins and it contains sensory triggers that make it an aphrodisiac. Many types of fish contain these libido-enhancing nutrients, with certain types having more than others.  The color of fish, the smell and the taste can all be linked to sex and sexual areas (duh!), triggering hormones and turning on sexual appetite.
• Chocolate Chocolate contains phenylethylamine and serotonin, which are both “feel good” chemicals.  Chocolate may also have substances that have the same effect on the brain as marijuana!  The substance is a neurotransmitter called anandamide.   Not sure if it increases your libido, but if you are “feeling good”; you might give anything a try!

Since I can’t eat chocolate right now because of my diet, I came up with a recipe for flounder to trigger your hormones and increase your sex drive.  “South of the Border” Flounder is chock full of fishy vitamins and nutrients and the black beans give you lots of iron and protein.  Relatively easy and short on time, “South of the Border” Flounder will have you eating and doing whatever you are into in a jiffy!  Mangia!

Nina

South of the Border Flounder

Ingredients

• 1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
• 20 Grape tomatoes, sliced in half
• 2 limes, sliced thin
• 4 flounder filets (or any mild white fish like Tilapia or Swai)
• Cumin
• Adobo (Goya Brand)
• Dried cilantro
• 4 sheets of  parchment paper to wrap fish in

Preparation

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Lay four sheets of parchment paper on a smooth surface.
• Spoon 4 oz of bean into the center of each paper.
• Lightly sprinkle one side of fish with adobo and the other side with cumin.  Place on top of beans.
• Sprinkle ¼ tsp of cilantro on top of each piece of fish.
• Lay three lime slices on top of fish.
• Divide tomatoes evenly among the fish.
• Take the edges of the parchment paper and fold them over so they meet in the middle.
• Grab each end of the packet and fold it over tightly. Pinch the folded edges down and roll them toward the center just until they are secure enough to stay closed on their own.
• Transfer packets onto a baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes.

“Between the optimist and the pessimist, the difference is droll. The optimist sees the doughnut; the pessimist the hole!”   -Oscar Wilde

The Original Dinner Bella March 20, 2011

You may be wondering where I went, and I am here to tell you that Dinner Bella is still around!  Well, while by business may be in a coma, I am still alive….  Here’s the quick and dirty:

I had an interesting spring and summer (2010) busy with catering jobs (weddings, bat mitzvahs, cocktail parties) and then business almost completely dried up with just a few jobs trickling in.  Then by some stroke of luck, I was commissioned by this Scottish family to cook breakfast and dinner for 6 weeks starting in July!  Holy Cow!  Turns out it was too good to be true; I was involved in an international money laundering scam.  After talking with the internal revenue service, FBI and CIA, I was feeling a little bruised and defeated.  I was questioning whether Dinner Bella should stay in business, all the while still continuing to do personal chef jobs…

One of my last personal chefs gigs was cooking an anniversary dinner and they chose Smore Brownies for dessert.  Chatting away with my client, while the the smore brownies were broiling, they set on fire!! I have never set anything on fire in my whole life- especially while preparing a meal for a client!!!  Luckily we were able to laugh it off and recover- but again I felt defeated…is this a sign that I should throw in the towel??  

Finally, I took a good look at my license plate: DNRBELLA.    DNRBELLA??????  Do not resuscitate Bella????  Can someone please tell me what I was thinking when I got these plates???   For Pete’s sake!!

Anyway, I decided to close up shop and go back to recruiting after a short stint at Martial Arts America (love and miss you guys!)  As I always say, “When life hands you lemons, make limoncello!”  That’s just what I’ve done, put the business on hold until I am ready to resume. I am still cooking though and I will always be The Original Dinner Bella!  The business is just…in a coma…

Lately, I have been brimming with ideas and I wanted to tell you about them.  I have been experimenting with Low Glycemic index recipes that are very satisfying and are in fact helping me to lose weight (9-14 lbs, depending on when I weigh myself).  Capt Willy, my new partner in crime, has lost 12 lbs!  Basically, my new way of eating doesn’t let me fall into a food coma…overeating then starving which then results in more overeating.

So in light of my new way of eating and my new fabulous life, I present you with Phoenix Stuffed Portobellos.  No, we are not eating Phoenix- but my new life like the fabled Phoenix, is rising anew to live again.   Mangia!

Phoenix Stuffed Portobello

Ingredients

• 2/3  cup  chopped plum tomato
• 1 lb of 99% fat free ground turkey, browned
• 1/4  cup  (1 ounce) shredded reduced fat Italian four cheese blend (like Sargento’s)
• 1  teaspoon  olive oil, divided
• 1/4  teaspoon  coarsely ground black pepper
• 4  (5-inch) Portobello mushroom caps
• 2  tablespoons  fresh lemon juice
• 2  teaspoons liquid aminos (found in the organic section) or  low-sodium soy sauce
• 2  teaspoons  minced fresh parsley
• Cooking spray

Preparation

Prepare grill ( I use the George Forman).  Brown the turkey using just a little cooking spray.

Combine the tomato, cheese, 1/2 teaspoon oil, pepper and parsley in a small bowl.

Remove brown gills from the undersides of mushroom caps using a spoon, and discard gills. Remove stems; discard. Combine 1/2 teaspoon oil, juice, and liquid amino in a small bowl; brush over both sides of mushroom caps. Place the mushroom caps, stem sides down, on grill rack coated with cooking spray, and grill for 5 minutes on each side or until soft.

Spoon  tomato mixture into each mushroom cap. Cover and grill 3 minutes or until cheese is melted..

Notes: I had leftover tomato mixture and used it to stuff peppers with- Yum city!

Nina, The Original Dinner Bella

“Between the optimist and the pessimist, the difference is droll. The optimist sees the doughnut; the pessimist the hole!”   -Oscar Wilde

Bella Gone Blarmy June 15, 2010

I think I’ve been watching too much BBC tv lately.  I’ve noticed that British slang is starting to creep into my thought process.  Words and expressions like:

Bloke:  This bloke asked me out on a date and then forgot to show.

Daft: Don’t be daft- of course I want fries with my cheeseburger!

Wanker: Did you see that?  That wanker just cut me off!

Sacked: I was just sacked! Hmmmm….let me open up my own business…..

For F*** sake:  You sent him another text message?  Why would you do that, for f*** sake???

Thank goodness, I just think these things and don’t actually say them.  Most people would think I’m nuts.  Except for the last expression, which I say quite frequently…that I blame on Maureen and her bad Irish influence…  but most people think it’s funny…it usually is…

But I am reminded of this quote:

“Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.”

And I truly believe this.  What ever we are thinking inside seeps out to our exterior persona…negative or positive.  And once it is out it effects our decisions which ultimately results in how people see us.  I think back to a Stephen Covey lesson I learned long ago:  What will people say about you at your 80th birthday party?  I’d like people to say that I was kind, giving and loving and funny.  An influencer…  An inspiration.    I don’t want people to remember me having road rage and calling people wankers!  For F*** sake!

As I was looking for a really cool British recipe to share, I came across this Bonfire Toffee.  This toffee is served up on numerous occasions in the UK, but noteably St. John’s Eve (June 23rd) in Ireland.  Apparently they have a bonfire…and with GDP season coming up, I thought I might make up a batch of this for my friends.  And it calls for Treacle, which I love ( I dated this Scottish guy and his mom used it all the time)!   So, while you are thinking of what not to say to embarrass yourself, make some Bonfire Toffee and impress your hens and blokes!

Mangia!

Nina

Bonfire Toffee

Ingredients:

1lb dark brown sugar

¼ pint water

¼ level tsp cream of tartar

½cup black treacle/molasses

½cup golden syrup/corn syrup

Preparation:

Butter a 9×9 square dish.

In a heavy based 4-pint sauce pan dissolve the sugar and water over a low heat. Add all the remaining ingredients and bring to the boil. Using a candy thermometer boil to 270°/140°C (soft crack). If you do not have a candy thermometer – when you drop a bit of the syrup into cold water, it will solidify into threads that, when removed from the water, are flexible, not brittle. The toffee strands will bend slightly before breaking.

Once this stage is reached (about 10 minutes maximum) pour the toffee into the prepared tin and leave to cool.

Once the toffee is cold remove it from the tin and break with a toffee hammer or solid sharp object, and the toffee will crack into pieces.

Store in an airtight tin if you can resist it long enough!

M. Nina Piccini is the owner of Dinner Bella, Personal Chef Service and Catering.

www.dinnerbella.com

http://thedinnerbella.wordpress.com

Tuscan Tales Part I June 7, 2010

So, I’ve been dreaming of a hiking tour of Italy for the past 7 years.  I mean, what better way to see the country than to walk it.  The one I want to do is about $5k and you stay in wonderful chalets and eat at a smörgåsbord of fabulous food.  Needless to say, this is not a “typical” tour”.   Of course, my protective parents were always nagging, “Don’t go alone!”

In 2005, I decided to bite the bullet and go,  no matter what the cost.  My neighbor, Laura, decided she wanted to go with me.  (My parents were ecstatic!)  Now this came as a surprise to me because Laura can’t even hike around the block. I remind her that this is 5-7 hours a day of walking and hiking…she still wanted to come.  Laura starts asking about the van support.  ”There is van support, right? ”  Yes, but the point is to walk …all of a sudden, Laura starts checking out other tours.  Less expensive tours…under 35 year old tours…you can see where this might be going.   Somehow, I was conned into ditching my beloved hiking trip and going on some under 35 tour.  (Again, my parents were selfishly thrilled because I would not be traipsing around the Italian countryside alone…)

It was a disaster from the beginning.  Our room wasn’t ready when we got there, and when we finally did meet  with our group (of course they were all between 18-26 years old- Laura and I were the oldest on the tour), our dinner was turkey roll, gravy and cubed potatoes, sauce and rigs and tiramisu!  Really?  Did I just fly all this way to have turkey roll?  They probably thought that “kids” wouldn’t notice and would appreciate the experience.  Oh for cripes sake!  I remember some of these kids commenting on how good the food was…. I could have died.  Then the tour made us purchase meals from selected restaurants telling us that many of places would not be open…Thankfully, Laura and I only purchased three meals with the tour.  They had turkey roll three nights in a row!

Just want to say that I knew this tour was a bust when all of the 20 somethings were getting trashed on juice boxes of wine….Seriously, the tour promised us all the wine we could drink….little did we know it was out of juice boxes…I am not even kidding you when I tell you that I lost 5 lbs! In Italy!

Short story long, the Tuscan countryside is beautiful and I need to get back there.  Our tour’s home base was Siena which was gorgeous and I cried when I got to Orvieto. There are two hikes I want to do in Italy- Another Tuscan tour and Italy’s lake district (Como, Lugano and Orta). Definitely need to train as it is between 3-6 hours a day of moderate trails.  This time I am not telling anyone I am going; I will just call when I get there.  This way no on can con me out of my beloved hike….

Lesson Learned?  Go with your gut instinct….enough said….

Laura and I did have a couple of good meals and one of them was Ribolitta, a hearty Tuscan soup.   Basically, this is a bread thickened, vegetable soup.  Ribolitta means reboiled- It’s awesome and great for cold, rainy weekends when you need something comforting…even if it is the middle of summer.   Bite the bullet and try this recipe!  You’ll be glad you did.

Mangia!

Nina

Ribolitta

INGREDIENTS

1 cup cannellini beans, uncooked

1 large red onion, sliced

2 carrots, diced

1 celery stalk, diced

4 potatoes, diced

10 zucchini, diced

1 1/2 cups swiss chard, shredded

1 leek

1 bunch escarole shredded

salt and pepper

2-3 tablespoons tomato paste

2 days old stale Tuscan white bread

Soak the beans overnight and then cook over low heat. It will take approximately 1 to 1 1/2 hours for them to cook.

In a pan, gently fry the onion. Add the other vegetables, escarole and beans which are added at a later point. When the vegetables have sweated out their juice, cover with hot water. Cover and simmer for an hour over medium heat.

Add the cooked beans (some of them whole and some puréed), salt and pepper. Leave to simmer for another 20 minutes, stirring frequently because the beans tend to stick to the bottom of the pan. Add the tomato paste.

Slice the stale bread and, in an earthenware casserole, alternate layers of bread with the soup until the bread is soaked. Let rest for one day.

To serve, remove the desired quantity from the casserole and reheat it, or “re-boil” it, as the name in Italian suggests.

M. Nina Piccini is the owner of Dinner Bella,Personal Chef Service and Catering in Rochester, NY.

www.dinnerbella.com

TLC and Me June 2, 2010

Ok, so my back yard is a work in progress.  When I first moved in, it was all overgrown and in severe need of some TLC.  For the past 6 years, I have been working to get it cleaned up, but the weeds have a mind of their own.  Three summers ago, my brother Kevin and parents took a stab at clearing it.  Poison Oak ensued.  Sometimes, I look forward to that first frost, just so I don’t have to look at them.  When I had a corporate job, I was able to control them.  Now that I work for myself, I’m afraid I can’t contain them.  Once I make my first million, I am hiring a gardener….

I love to entertain and have parties for my friends.  6 years ago, embarrassed of my back yard, I moved the party to the driveway.  Then I thought, “wow, this is really ghetto.”  (you know those houses where everyone hangs out in front with old ratty couches and armchairs? This is the vision I got.  I mean, what’s the deal with hanging out in the front of the house? I’ll tell you what the deal is- its fun!)  And so, the driveway parties began…and they were a hit!  They are affectionately called GDPs now and all my friends look forward to them.  We sample new creations, eat chips out of the bag, drink copious amounts of wine and have a camp fire.  I even have a plastic half mannequin (used to sell clothes on eBay) named Mona and sometimes she makes an appearance. It’s cheesy fun all in my driveway. Truly a site to behold.

The driveway parties usually start in April and yet we have not had one  in 2010!  Like my weeds, my new “portfolio career” has taken on a mind of its own.  I am always doing some sort of work, if it’s not for me, then for someone else.   And what I realized this weekend, is that I rarely take time for me…sharpen the saw, if you will.  I find strength and peace from having driveway parties or hiking and kayaking.   The things we do to sharpen the saw have a positive impact on other areas of our lives and if we don’t take time to do the things we like to do, then other parts of our lives suffer.

Dag Hammarskjold, past Secretary-General of the United Nations, said, “He who wants to keep his garden tidy doesn’t reserve a plot for weeds.”  In other words, we reap what we sow…no more, no less.  So, be proactive and take some time to participate in activities that renew your spirit.  Your work and weeds will be there tomorrow!  I know that mine will be!  :)

If you haven’t sprayed your weeds yet, specifically your dandelions, try this yummy dandelion salad.  It has lots of vitamins and minerals and the leaves are a great source of calcium.  Who knew?  Plus my salad has pancetta and gorgonzola giving you some of that TLC that you deserve.

Mangia!

Nina

Dandelion Green Salad with Pancetta

Salad:
* 4 thin slices of pancetta
* 6 cups chopped dandelion greens
* 1 cup chopped basil
* ¼ c  crumbled gorgonzola

Heat oven to 350.  Bake the pancetta until crisp- about 10 minutes (make sure to start checking after 5). Remove to a paper towel to drain and cool.   Crumble the pancetta and mix in a medium bowl with the greens and basil. Set aside while you make the dressing.

Dressing:

* 1/2 fresh lemon, juiced
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
* pinch of sea salt

Mix all dressing ingredients in a small bowl and then pour over the salad. Top salad with gorgonzola and serve!

M. Nina Piccini is the owner of Dinner Bella, Personal Chef Service and Catering in Rochester, NY.

www.dinnerbella.com

http://thedinnerbella.wordpress.com

Long Putt Goes A Long Way May 26, 2010

So, KL (my lovely but crabby friend) and I just joined another golf league.  We swore last year that we would not do the league thing again…alas, here we are.  It was about March when the notices for last year’s league started a coming out…16 weeks?  Just can’t do it.  I can’t devote the time.  Plus, I don’t play well or at least I didn’t last year.  I mean, 15 strokes per hole??? Between KL’s crankiness (nothing beer won’t fix to be sure) and my poor playing, I am surprised they even invited us back!

Anyway, KL and I started searching for a new league.  I heard about a “networking” league where you mingle for a half hour before, play and then mingle some more.   Then there was this wine league where you tasted a new wine before every game…guaranteed to improve your shot!  We finally settled in on the beginner (aka Hacker) league at Champion Hills.  6 week league…whoo hoo!  The best of both worlds…

At orientation last night, they tell us because it is a brand new course, 7th hole is currently under construction and there is no liquor license.  I can feel KL squirming in her seat.  “Ok, but what about the beer carts that drive around the course?” KL asks the pro.  Pro says they don’t have beer carts and don’t bother bringing your own because you could get fined.  I think KL wanted to throw the complimentary pitchers of coke and sprite at the pro.  So much for our new league…

But then we got on the course and I played unexpectedly well!  I had some really good shots, especially this one putt- probably about 9 or 10 yards!  Holy crap…without any beer or BBQ Fritos?  Who needs Eagle Vale and their fancy carts?  I am going to make my name here at Champion Hills with no 7th hole and Bud Light Lime!!!  It was a very Zen moment…

You know, it’s weird; I am so glad I did not take my own advice and swear off golf.  And that putt…oh that putt…that putt will keep me coming back for a long time…of this I am sure.    And don’t you worry about KL.   The beer cart girls will start in two weeks and all will be good….I mean there will be some putts I don’t make and I will need some Bud Light Lime to lessen the sting!

OK- no beer in this recipe but chocolate and marshmallows.  Eat enough of these and you will forget about all your bad shots.  May I present you with Golf Balls!

Mangia!

Nina

GOLF BALLS

Ingredients:

1 pkg. caramels
1/4 c. butter
1 can evaporated milk
1 pkg. marshmallows

1 box of chocolate krispie cereal

Directions:

Melt caramels, butter and milk over medium heat. Dip marshmallows into melted caramel mixture until coated, roll in chocolate krispie cereal until covered then chill. Yummy if frozen too!

M. Nina Piccini is the owner of Dinner Bella, Rochester, NY.  www.dinnerbella.com

Chicken Wing Hairs May 17, 2010

Sometimes I feel that my blog is more about relationships than food.  And I promise one day I will write a blog specifically for relationships, but for now I need to combine the two.  After all, I am still looking for my Pizza Pie Guy….so, in my quest to find this masterpiece, I’ve had to go on some dates with a couple of real chicken wings.

Many moons ago, when Gretchen and I first started dating again, we would both get so frustrated with the process.  The on-line dating process, that is.   It is a cyber meat market where people select each other based on an outdated photo and a short paragraph with misspelled words and bad grammar.  And forever the optimists, hopeful that Mr. Right was just around the corner, we went on several dates with these yahoos, always giving them the benefit of the doubt.  No matter what happened, no matter how horrible the date was though, I always made the best out the situation and tried to find the good out of it.  Usually it was a good story and plenty of entertainment for my hens ( or it was men with Napoleon complexes, anger management issues and have weapons in their bedroom to chase off the boogey man)  Oh….I could tell you some stories.  I could tell you Gretch’s too, although she won’t appreciate it.  So, like I said, I will save that for another blog.

But I have to tell you about my epiphany this evening…My date and I are chatting about everything and nothing (I am not really present but thinking about what I am going to wear tomorrow) and he asks me about chicken wings.  I start in with this long dissertation about how I don’t eat chicken wings and they have to be about the nastiest food on earth.  I talked about how I had to make them for a client’s dinner party last week and I was grossed out the entire time (thankfully, the client thought they were delicious even though she had too much wine and left them under the broiler too long).   And as he was talking, I was thinking about when and where my chicken wing repulsion started.  Think, think, think…is it how messy they are and all that sauce gets all over your face and embedded in your fingernails? No….is it that gnarly cartilage knuckle that people like to knaw on? No…..memories of being a teenager eating chicken wings…Pontillos- good…Country Sweet- good…Salvatores- good…Sal’s Birdland- chicken wing hairs!!! AHHHH!  Chicken wing hairs!  The memories are flooding now and I must have had some Kramer look on my face because my date, now aware that I had not heard anything he just said, asks me what’s wrong.  I blurt out, “Chicken Wing hairs!”  I have been forever scarred by Sal’s inadequacy to remove the chicken wing hairs.  I mean, not just one wing with one hair, but many hairs!! Oh my god- will you ever be able to look at a chicken wing the same way again?

I hope so because I have a kick butt chicken wing recipe for you to try.  But first let me finish up with this: In every situation there is good.  Find the pearl of wisdom and make each moment count.  Though we will never see each other again, I am eternally grateful to my date tonight.  He helped me discover why I don’t eat chicken wings and when faced with the frequent question, “You aren’t eating any chicken wings?”, I can proudly and honestly tell them why.   Guess what?  MORE FOR YOU!

And here’s that kick butt recipe for you to try- My client loved it!!!

Mangia!

Nina

Baked Chinese Chicken Wings Recipe

Ingredients:
2 pounds chicken wing drumettes
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup oil
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup sherry
1 Clove garlic — minced
1 tablespoon ground ginger

Directions:

Combine sugar, soy sauce, oil, honey, sherry, garlic and ginger in a large zipper lock bag. Add chicken to bag, seal and shake bag to coat wings. Let wings marinate for 3-4 hours or overnight.

Arrange wings in a baking dish. Bake at 350F for 30 minutes, basting as needed with marinade.

M. Nina Piccini is the owner of Dinner Bella, Personal Chef Service and Catering in Rochester, NY.

www.dinnerbella.com

Paperback Writer May 11, 2010

Everyday something interesting happens and I say,” I should blog about that.”  And so I have all these ideas to write about, but when I actually sit down to write they seemingly disappear.  Uhm….where did they go?  Should I have another cup of coffee to get the juices working? No, I just have to start jotting down ideas…old age is settling in….

Did I ever tell you that I love to write?  Honestly, if I could write all day and  get paid for it (I ghost write for two local companies), I would totally do it.  I love, love, love it…always have…When I was a kid, I would write these “novels”.  Basically they were 10-12 page short stories.  Two that stick out in my mind are (oh- gosh, I don’t even remember the titles) Jesus in modern times and Laura Ingalls comes to the 20th century.  Now you may be thinking I was a kooky kid, but my concepts were very innovative.  And way before their time!  I mean, we are talking 1981-1983, here.

You want to talk visionary? Let me tell you about Jesus in modern times: (By the way, those of you that know the story, please feel free to chime in here…)  Mary and Joseph were hippies and met at Woodstock.  They fell in love and wanted to get married.  But then the rock star angel Gabriel, wearing tie die and peace symbols (also a hippie) appeared to Mary and said she was going to have a kid.  Mary said this was impossible because she and Joseph never…well, you know…and then Gabriel, with an electric guitar riff and bright spotlights, says you are having the Son of God….WHAT???? I am certain at that point,  Mary exclaimed that she was not even religious.   ( I shutter to think what people must of thought about this chubby, Catholic, Italian girl writing that someone did not believe in organized religion…blasphemous!  Especially in 1981…)   As I think back now, my plan was to have Jesus be my age and I was going to be a main character, most likely a disciple or something…Anyway, I think it’s been done.  Just for the record, I wrote it first.  At least I didn’t forget it.  Maybe when we start clearing out my parent’s house, I will find the actual story and share.

Now, if I could just remember why I started this blog…Oh Yea!  Writing!  As if I don’t have enough to do, I have expressed interest in writing a Rochester Food Blog.  Imagine getting paid to eat, take pictures of food and eat some more…oh yea, doggie….life is good.

In tribute to remembering what you started out to do, great food, trying new things and feeding the masses, try Jesus’s 60 Minute Chicken Tamales.  A tasty recipe that uses  instant masa flour, prepared salsa and a purchased rotisserie chicken.  Now, if I can just remember what masa flour is….

Mangia!

Nina

Jesus’s 60 Minute Chicken Tamales

Ingredients

6 cups Maseca Corn Masa mix for tamales
6 cups Chicken broth
1 cup corn or other vegetable oil (corn will enhance the flavor)
2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 large rotisserie chicken
2 1/2 12 oz jars green tomatillo sauce
1 bag corn husks
Instructions

Soak; the corn husks in warm water until soft.

Blend; Using an electric mixer, blend the masa flour (Maseca for Tamales), corn oil, salt, baking powder and the chicken broth to obtain a consistent mixture.

Shred; the chicken and marinate in the green salsa or tomatillo sauce.

Spread; masa evenly over corn husks, and spread a spoonful of marinated chicken on top of the masa.

Fold; the sides of the corn husk to center over the masa so that they overlap to make along package.Fold the empty part of the husk under so that it rest against the side of the tamale with a seam.

Place the tamales in a steamer and cook tamales for 35-40 minutes. Check every 20 minutes.The tamale is cooked when it separates easily from the corn husk

M. Nina Piccini is the owner of Dinner Bella, Personal Chef Service and Catering in Rochester, NY.

www.dinnerbella.com

When Life Hands You Lemons…. April 28, 2010

Ok, so everyone has heard when life hands you lemons, make lemonade.  But I posted this out to my facebook friends, here are some of the creative answers I got back…

• When life hands you lemons, Throw them up in the air and juggle them!
• When life hands you lemons, Throw them back and ask for limes!
• When life hands you lemons, Cut them up and enjoy them in a few Corona
• When life hands you lemons, build a lemonade stand!
• When life hands you lemons, squeeze them and hope the juice lands in the eye of your nemesis.
• When life hands you lemons, Make Lemon Infused Olive Oil…. (shameless plug from PJ Cosmano)
• When life hands you lemons, garnish the martini.
• When life hands you lemons, line up the tequila.
• When life hands you lemons, Have a nice tall long island ice tea as my wife would say!!!

And here are a few extra fun ones…

• When life hands you lemons, squeeze them in someone’s eye and haul a**.
• When life provides you with lemons, get your lemon groove on.
• When life hand you lemons don’t make lemonade, squirt them on lobsters.
• When life hands you lemons, throw them back and yell “I WANTED CHOCOLATE!”

As you can see from the facebook answers, most of my friends have their mind on drinking.  I like that idea… I always say, When Life hands you lemons, make limoncello.  But how about Limoncello icecream???  That’s just what my friend Carmen did… Check out his funny video and I’m sure you will be inspired to do something creative with your lemons!

Mangia!

Nina

M. Nina Piccini is the owner of Dinner Bella, Personal Chef Service and Catering in Rochester, NY.

www.dinnerbella.com

http://thedinnerbella.wordpress.com

Pizza vs Men April 18, 2010

I was out with Maureen (she gave me the idea for this post) at Hotshots the other night to watch her husband play volley ball.  Always looking after me, Maureen suggests that there will be lots of guys for me to meet at Hotshots.  Just what I need, sweaty men with white sneakers…Anyway, I agreed to go because 1) we had a cupcake sampling at Sugar Mountain Bakery to attend and 2) our weekly meeting was at Old Toad this week and I needed to get my fix of fish and chips with healthy dose of malt vinegar.  Obviously the next logical step is to go to Hotshots and try to meet men…Come on, People!

So I meet this guy (we’ll call him EggHead) and we begin chatting.  During the course of the conversation, EggHead tells me three times how poor he is and that he doesn’t have any money.  Ok- so I can empathize as I was recently in a similar situation and can relate.   But to hear him talk so negatively, was a real turn off  (Note to self: what ever happens in my life, I need to resist negativity and be positive. And NEVER talk to strangers about my financial status!)  And then to boot, EggHead tells me a story with a racial slam…I have NO tolerance for this…I left.

For the love of Pete, if this is the pool I have choose from, I will stick with food!  Food I know.  Men, not so much.  In the past six months, my dating history has been bland.  Here is the short and sweet version:

1. I started off with the Smashed Potato.  Everyone loves mashed potatoes, but smashed potatoes? They are all the rage!  Smashed Potato was large and chunky and had lots of garlic, butter, chives and bacon.  In other words, lots of texture and character.  But then I realized that all those flavors are just a fancy way to temporarily dress up a potato.  A potato doesn’t have much ambition or backbone to be anything more than a potato and I had to leave.
2. Next was Moussaka.  At first I thought Moussaka would be a hearty dish with all of his layers of eggplant, ground lamb cooked with onion, garlic, chopped tomatoes, herbs, and spices.  What I discovered is that all those layers can make a person very complicated and troubled. And since he already had exotic flavors and spices, he just wanted someone bland and with very little risk of  getting heartburn. Two things I learned about Moussaka: has an eggy custard over the top and it is served luke warm…need I say more?
3. A few words about The English Muffin Pizza. The E.M. Pizza was 70% of what I am looking for in a man ( you can’t have perfection) but was delivered at the wrong time.  My business was in a state of flux, I was very negative (see EggHead above) and was still hung up on Moussaka.  With so much chaos in my life, it was not a good time to date.  And he didn’t really understand the whole entrepreneurship thing which made me feel like I was always justifying my business.   Anyway, The E.M. Pizza is engaged now.  Like I said, delivered at the wrong time.
4. Multiple dates with Bugel.  Bugel is the Yiddish name for bagel and it is fun to say.  Bugel was attractive, very smart, very musical ( he has his own band that tours around the country) and was soooo funny.  I am still laughing about the stories he told me and songs he would sing…. Alas, he acted and looked identical to my brother Kevin.  Creepy and weird, I know.  Done.

But not done with dating.  I think I will keep an eye out for my Pizza Pie Guy (minimum of 80%- not the dumbed down English Muffin version).  He will have a wheat crust (nutty yet sweet with health benefits) rolled out perfectly- not too thin or too thick, a drizzle of olive oil (smooth, mellow and successful), a thin layer of hummus (popular and delicious), another layer of olive tapenade (lots of personality to mix with many different types of people), grilled chicken (stable and mildly predictable), fire roasted red peppers (colorful) and finally slices of fresh mozzarella (kid and family friendly and because who doesn’t love fresh mozz?)    This sounds like an Italian pizza, but my Pizza Pie Guy doesn’t have to be Italian.  Just has to be comfortable with loud, large families.  If you use a 2 lb dough ball, this pizza will feed a large family.

You should try my Pizza Pie Guy Pizza and let me know what you think and I will keep you posted on how it’s going looking for him…

Mangia!

Nina

M. Nina Piccini is the owner of Dinner Bella in Rochester, NY.

www.dinnerbella.com

http://thedinnerbella.wordpress.com

PS- Thanks to Ms. Maureen for the idea around this blog….I have big plans for this idea!