21 Oct 2015

Strawberry Walnut Salad

by Eva M | posted in: Cooking, Salad, Strawberry Walnut Salad | 0

What a refreshing salad this is. The fresh strawberries give it delicious flavor while the sugared walnuts give it a great sweetness. The poppy seed dressing ties everything together.

Ingredients

Salad
9 Cups Greens – combination of Baby Spinach and bite sized pieces of Romaine Lettuce
6-8 Strawberries
1 Cup Walnuts

Poppy Seed Dressing
¼ Cup Sugar
2/3 Cup Vegetable Oil
¼ Cup Vinegar
2 tsp Poppy Seeds
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Prepared Mustard

Sugared Walnuts
1 Cup Walnuts
6 TBSP Sugar
2 TBSP Water

Instructions
Poppy Seed Dressing
Put all the ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid and shake until combined. Refrigerate until needed.

Sugared Walnuts
In a small sauce-pan, heat the sugar and water. Add the walnuts and toss, making sure they are thoroughly coated. Continue simmering them on the stove, over low heat until all the liquid is absorbed. Then lay them flat in a dish and let them cool. Just before they are completely cool, loosen them from the dish and let them continue to cool.

Assembling the Salad
Cover the bottom of a flat-bottomed bowl or a platter with the greens. Slice the strawberries and arrange on top of the greens. Sprinkle the walnuts on top. Serve.

13 Oct 2015

Sweets

by Eva M | posted in: Sweets | 0

11 Oct 2015

Meatloaf

by Eva M | posted in: Meat | 0

Meatloaf is one of those things that doesn’t sound exciting, but when it is good….it is really good. Not only is it good the first time, it is truly an amazing sandwich on day two. This meatloaf is tender and full of flavor.

It doesn’t get any easier than this. Put the meat, cheese, bread crumbs, parsley, milk, eggs (they aren’t in the picture…sorry), salt and pepper in a bowl and mix it together. Don’t over mix. When everything is combined, then stop mixing.

Shape it into a loaf and bake for 1 hour.

Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients

2 Lbs Chopped Meat – This can be all beef or a combination of beef, pork and veal or any combination you want.

2 Eggs

1/3 Cup Bread Crumbs

1/2 Cup Milk

1/4 Cup Fresh Parsley – chopped

1 Cup Parmesan Cheese

1/2 tsp Pepper

2 tsp Salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350º. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix until just combined. Don’t over mix. Shape into a loaf and place in baking pan. Bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until the internal temperature is 160º.

6 Oct 2015

Cooking

by Eva M | posted in: Cooking | 0

Food has always taken center stage in my family. As soon as the plans are made to get together, the first order of business is the menu. What is the theme for the day, who is bringing what and what time is dinner. It’s great. We all contribute to the outing, then share the recipes with each other while we eat.

Our heritage is Italian. My mother’s family is predominantly from Naples and my father’s family is from Sicily. Given that, there is always something on the menu that is Italian. Let’s face it, there is always a way to fit a bowl of pasta into every menu.

We come from a long line of really good cooks starting with my great-grandmother and making its way through many generations. My sister and brother also share the same passion for food that I do and at this point, I really enjoy seeing all of our children starting to embrace cooking, barbecuing and baking.
What I hope to accomplish on these pages is to share with you my family’s cookbook. All the staple recipes that I have used as go-to meals for years. I also want to help you make ends meet. Everything is expensive these days and everyone I speak to is looking for any help with their food budget. I will look at what is on sale every week and give you suggestions on how to cook it that is healthy and low cost.
I try to stick with fresh food, not processed. But, lets face it, from time to time I do take a short cut.
Thanks for stopping by and I hope you try some of the great recipes at The Rustic Heart.