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Gather Together and Give Thanks

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This is the time of year that we think about family and friends, who make holiday celebrations special, serving our favorite family recipes, sharing funny stories, and playing silly games. Those treasured recipes are almost magical bringing the spirit of past generations to be with us again. Today we are grateful to share the day with caring people that are with us or far away.

Here are 3 ideas to make your day brighter:

1. Make one recipe that was prepared by a loving grandma, grandpa, mom, dad, or friend.
   It will bring magic into your life.

2. Make at least one new recipe to continue to build traditions and memories.
   It can change someone’s life because it becomes part of their book of memories

3. Make a special effort to laugh, smile, share, and give some hugs.
   This will make you feel wonderful.

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In a spirit of sharing: 

We are giving you some new recipes.
And a fun recipe to use all of those dinner leftovers –

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Turkey Thanksgiving Pizza
Use leftovers to make a deconstructed Thanksgiving pizza

About the Recipe: Imagine a hot melting cheese covered pizza crust smothered with tender roasted turkey and gravy. It’s topped with a deconstructed apple bacon stuffing, sprinkled with crunchy walnuts and crunchy crouton crumbs. Chilled tart sweet cranberry sauce and fresh bits of parsley garnish the top, resulting in a delicious turkey supper made with Thanksgiving leftovers.

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Mini Stuffed Sweet Pepper Appetizers
Savory cheese and bread stuffing create a trendy new appetizer  

About the Recipe: Many times, roasted stuffed peppers are filled with heavy sausages and pasty stuffing, covered with thick sauces.  This recipe delights the eye with its bright sweet pepper colors and are filled with a light cheese bread stuffing.  Chunks of tomatoes with juice bring fresh flavor to the dish. Imagine serving these colorful mini sweet peppers as appetizers or a first course. They are simply amazing!

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Mashed Creamy Cauliflower Potatoes
Here’s a new easy side dish to try for the holiday

About the Recipe:  Creamy tender cauliflower whips into a mashed potato texture that is flavored like a baked potato with cream and onion. The sweet potato adds a colorful swirl and sweet touch to the dish. Delicious!

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Early Experiences with Family and Friends create Great Chefs

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Chef Stephen Lee

Did you ever wonder what makes a great chef?  Most of them prepare delicious food but some even donate their services to many charities and causes. I knew Chef Stephen Lee would be high on that list.  He is a person who shares his expertise with his community, neighbors, and any one needing a helping hand, He has spent many years as an executive chef for the Catholic Archdiocese of Louisville’s Cathedral Free Lunch Program, that serves the homeless homestyle lunches every day. He creatively prepared nutritious meals from the daily donations that appeared at the door.

As a Herbmeister, author, and cooking instructor, his background reveals that he trained in many places and was even tutored by Master Chef Harvey Colgin, the last pupil of French Master Chef Auguste Escoffier.

I couldn’t help but wonder what he experienced while growing up that led him to want to be so supportive to others.  Talking to him, I discovered the traditions from his family were his driving force. The herb garden of his country-cooking grandmother, his melon and strawberry growing grandfather who loved fresh vegetables, his mother’s southern-cooking. and even experiences from the Germanic neighborhood bakery made Chef Lee the man he is today.

When we recently chatted with him, I asked Steve to share some of his early food memories and personal holiday stories with us.

Interview

         I hoped that Chef Lee would also reveal some of his secret recipes, that would open the world of spices and herbs along the Danube River. It is an area that’s rich in delicious food heritage. After sampling some of his Eastern European dishes, I felt like I was taken on a real taste journey. So now Chef Lee invites you to enjoy a culinary adventure along the Danube River.

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Company Styled Stuffed Cabbage
A great comfort dish to elegantly serve your special guests

About the Recipe: There is nothing more comforting than serving an ethnic classic favorite.  Cabbage rolls can be prepared with any meat or vegetable filling and use different kinds of broth and/or tomatoes. Our recipe reflects its European background using beef and pork. Every Grandmother had their own special touches. Give it a try and add your own magic.

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Bulgarian Roasted Beet Salad
Tender marinated beets and turnips are served with beet greens

About the Recipe: The best thing about the cold weather is that it’s the perfect time to roast all of those delicious root vegetables. These roasted tender beets, turnips, and garlic marinate in a sweet-sour red wine vinegar and are served over torn beet leaves.

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German Cucumber and Potato Soup
Creamy potato soup brings the herb garden right to your table

About the Recipe: This delightful soup brings the herb garden right to your table. Tender potatoes combine with crisp bits of cucumber in a creamy dill flavored soup, topped with oven crisp croutons.

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Pass on Lessons and Love to the Next Generation

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Debi Catenacci – Cookbook Author

I was very fortunate to find Debi Catenacci, who found a creative way to share the spirit of her family’s traditions. She self-published a cookbook, “Divine Biscotti”, highlighting her family’s biscotti recipes and even added her own little gourmet touches.  She managed to reach across the generational table, showcasing her grandmother Josephine, who nurtured Debi’s love of baking as a young child.

I talked to Debi at The Spice House in Chicago, where she served samples of her biscotti and asked her to share her experiences with you.

Debi Catenacci Interview

Link to Order Debi’s Book from Amazon

Like a story handed down through time, each generation makes its mark on family recipes. In Debi’s case, she took her grandmother’s recipes and added some contemporary elegance. The result? Delicate morsels that you’ll enjoy baking—and everyone will love eating.

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Pumpkin-Spice Biscotti with Pumpkin Glaze
A double dose of pumpkin spice makes these cookies extra special

About the Recipe: These Italian cookies explode with autumn pumpkin spice flavor. Sprinkling the cookies with gold or white sparkling sanding or decorating sugar adds that special holiday touch. They are easy to prepare and perfect to serve on those cool mornings with a cup of coffee or tea.

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True-Love Biscotti
Rich Italian vanilla flavored cookies are gifts from the heart

About the Recipe: The Italian inspired crisp cookie is filled with vanilla flavor and glistens with sparkling sugar. It’s perfect to serve with those special frosty desserts or with glasses of sparkling wine.

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Celebrate the Season; with These Recipes

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Polish Golabki Cabbage Roll Stew  (from leftovers)
Use the leftovers ingredients from making cabbage rolls

About the Recipe: I love the little 1 cup oven dishes that look just like Dutch Oven containers.  Using the leftover ingredients from cabbage rolls, you can easily prepare these quick little pots of stew or soup. They are easy to make and taste delicious.  You might even find that other leftovers can be created into mini soups and stew.  Such fun!

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Bohemian Fluffy Potato Finger Dumplings
Finger dumplings are always served for special occasions

About the Recipe:  Most finger dumplings use mashed potatoes and flour but this one uses cream of wheat, which adds a fluffy coating to the dumplings. They are tossed with melted butter and green chives, adding a savory aroma.  Crushed toasted crumbs and poppyseeds add a nice crunch and another layer of flavor.

Kids really love this side dish.

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Bohemian Yeast Dinner Dumplings with Turkey
Make dinner special! Serve fluffy dumplings with creamy turkey gravy.

About the Recipe: These dumplings are very different from other types.  They are yeast raised like a yeast bread and filled with tiny holes that welcome spooned-on gravy.  They can be frozen and easily steam heated to serve with dinner.  They were a dumpling of choice for our holiday dinners.

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Chef Fabio Vivani

What makes Fabio Vivlani a Great Chef and a celebrated celebrity?

It is well known that Fabio knows all about good Italian recipes and dishes.   He often announces that the delicious sauce was a favorite of his grandmother and those donuts called Bomboloni will have you asking for an order to take home with you.  So delish!  But it is his thoughtfulness, caring, and supporting of others that truly make him an outstanding person.
We recently attended Fabio Live! 2018 at Siena Tavern in Chicago, where every ticket was sold.  He was joined on stage by Miranda Rae Mayo and Marina Squerciati and presented a fun food demonstration based on a Three Course dinner and dessert.  They were supporting local causes and groups.  Three cheers for Fabio Live! 2018.

Recipe Link to: Bomboloni (Doughnuts) by Chef Fabio Viviani

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Pumpkin Pie Spiced Cornbread
Add autumn country flavor with sweet spices and pumpkin

About the Recipe: Warm cornbread brings memories of get-together parties with lots of chili and stews. This recipe combines the sweet spices of autumn and harvest pumpkin puree with the texture of rich cornmeal.  The delicious honey butter melts into the bread, adding a touch of sweetness and sprinkle the top with green pumpkin seeds for that perfect crunch.

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Healthy Holiday Cranberry Apple Pie Cookies
No dairy, butter, or flour – perfect sweet treat for everyone

About the Recipe: This healthy cookie is a perfect sweet treat to have for the holidays. They can be prepared chewy or crisp and are full of delightful sweet spices and walnuts. Serve them plain or drizzle a little cranberry glaze over them.

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Cranberry Pear Cobbler Cake
Biscuit-like crust reveals light custard kissed pears and cranberries

About the Recipe:  This dessert is a combination cake and cobbler.  Under the biscuit-like cake are chunks of juicy pears and sweet cranberries coated with a light sauce with a touch of ginger. It’s not too sweet and makes a perfect dessert for a comfort style dinner.

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