Sometimes my mind works in very strange ways. Take Rome and the Vatican for example. We eat a lot of Italian inspired suppers during Lent because meatless pastas are so darn easy, their seafood dishes are swimming in awesomeness and everything is super delicious. So, is the Vatican in the heart of Rome for the food, or is Italian meatless dishes so doggone good because of all those Catholic Cooks in Italy? I know, it’s a silly thought. The Vatican’s location has nothing to do with the food, but just maybe all those Catholics puttering about in the kitchen has something to do with the food. Just saying . . .
Author: Rosemarie's Kitchen
I'm a wife, mother, grandmother and avid home cook.I believe in eating healthy whenever possible, while still managing to indulge in life's pleasures.
Finding a Rainbow
Did you know that today is National Find a Rainbow Day and National Walking Day? Wouldn’t it be lovely to take a stroll after those April Showers and be greeted by a beautiful rainbow? But then again, there’s no promise of finding a rainbow in the sky as you stroll along after the rain. So how about this idea instead – take a walk, then come home to a beautiful Rainbow Fruit Platter. Depending upon when you take your stroll, this could be an afternoon delight or the evening’s dessert.
Spicy Salmon Burgers with Lemon Chive Mayonnaise
Growing up in a Catholic Household, we ate a lot of tuna fish sandwiches and fish sticks. It was always a welcome treat to visit my Aunt, who would change things up a bit with her Salmon Patties. When I began serving Salmon Patties in my kitchen, it was usually with a good Newburg Sauce. Still, the salmon patties were formed from canned salmon.
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French Vanilla Peanut Butter and Jelly Cake
April 2 is National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day. This food holiday is a classic favorite of many, and for good reason. The average American will eat over 2,000 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches by the time they graduate from high school. Hum, that’s a lot of sandwiches. Guess Hubby’s not the average American because he’s never eaten a Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich even once. Strange man eats Peanut Butter and Butter Sandwiches.
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Seafood Enchiladas in a Green Sauce
It’s Tuesday – as in Taco Tuesday. I’m not sure where this whole tacos on Tuesday craze first started. Doing a little digging, and it seems that Taco Johns has Taco Tuesday as a registered trademark since 1989. While Taco Johns were not the first to utter the phrase, they were business-savvy enough to trademark the expression.
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Confession time – this recipe comes straight from William Sonoma. I have not tried it yet. I’m sharing it now because today is April 1st – APRIL FOOL’S DAY and a dessert called Berry Fool just seemed so appropriate, don’t you think? We are going to make this very soon. Some of our neighboring smaller, family run strawberry farms are beginning to sell baskets of little berries. Hubby and I are already making plans for a drive in the country (which means about a 10 minute drive from our home!) to get some fresh picked berries in the very near future. We just need to get our butts in gear for some of those early morning dew-kissed berries. Yum!
Meatless Chili in Sourdough Bread Bowls
Good Morning World! Today is one of my favorite days. It’s National Sourdough Bread Day. Keep in mind, to this day one of my most beloved cities to visit is San Francisco. I grew up in the sixties, and San Francisco was the place to be. To this day, I love to go down to the wharf, buy a container of cold crab salad, a loaf of sourdough bread and a bottle of wine, then have a picnic on the beach and watch the seagulls.
It’s National Tater Day – Can you Dig It?
As many of you know, I write a lot of my posts weeks or even months in advance of actually posting. That means when I say “last night” while it may been last night as far as writing is concerned, the reality could be weeks ago as far as posting is concerned. Take today’s post for example. It’s mid February as far as real time is concerned, but it will be the end of March before posting. Why? In the case of this recipe, the last day of March is National Tater Day. I spend the better part of any afternoon reading recipes for Taters. Could be mashed, or baked or fried. What I was craving were cheesy, spicy taters. Hubby is a big fan of Tater-Tots. It’s only in the last year that I have come to embrace the Tater-Tot in the same way he does.
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Family Traditions and The Sunday Roast
Today is the 4th Sunday of the Lenten Season. So why are we talking about a big, beautiful Roast Beef smack dab in the middle of Lent? Two reasons. First, it’s Sunday! Sundays are traditionally a time for family, for celebration and a day for reconnecting. Even during the abstinence of Lent, Sundays are a reason to rejoice. Secondly, it’s Sunday! Once upon a time, Sunday’s Roast was a part of family life. Now, not so much.
Cajun Shrimp Macaroni and Cheese
It’s coming to an end – all this talk of Lenten Season. Three Sundays from today and we’ll be wearing our Easter Bonnets! (Oh how I miss those days when we really did prance about in our Sunday Best complete with a beautiful new hat. Hum, I wonder – is that why I am fond of wearing hats? A new hat and new shoes were a part of Easter when I was young).
The Mardi Gras Picnic Muffuletta is Awesome Anytime
Did you know that Muffuletta is not only a sandwich, it’s also a type of round Sicilian Sesame Bread? I didn’t know that. Did you know that the Muffuletta Sandwich as we know it today was actually created in for the public in a Grocery Market on Decatur Street in New Orleans in 1906. The bread itself has been around for centuries, and is commonly eaten on the Day of the Dead, November 2. However; in America this Sicilian sandwich is a big deal at Mardi Gras. Whatever the reason, whatever the celebration or excuse, this is a great sandwich to offer up to a hungry group of people strolling through the park on a beautiful spring afternoon.
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Pack a Picnic and Take a Walk in the Park
Today is National Take a Walk in the Park Day. The day was intended to be a way to relax after a long and busy day. Walking in the part is said to be calming and therapeutic, an excellent way to clear one’s mind from the stress of the day. While all of that is great, and we should spend more time visiting our local parks, one of the things I love is to pack a light lunch to take on my stroll. I like to take my camera and a note pad, too. Spending time with nature gets my creative juices flowing. It’s nice to have the notepad for jotting down thoughts or moments that I don’t want to forget. Strolling through the park always brings new discoveries. And the most amazing discovery of all are those we make about ourselves when let our souls be still for a moment.
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Orange Chiffon Cake with Citrus Buttercream Frosting and Edible Flowers
Today is National Chiffon Cake Day. Silly me, in preparation for today’s yummy post, I went in search of a recipe that we could test drive and tweak. I was searching for something delicious, pretty, and not too difficult. Something the men in my life could master. That’s when the lights came on, and I realized I already had the perfect recipe, complete with a few pictures.
A few years back, my guys baked a beautiful Chiffon Cake for Mother’s Day. Perfect for today’s share. If these guys can turn out a delicious cake completely from scratch, I know it’s gotta be easy.
Happy Chiffon Cake Day to Everyone! Hope you enjoy the day.
Orange Chiffon Cake with Citrus Buttercream Frosting
Chiffon Cake
2 1/2 cups Cake Flour, sifted
1 1/3 cups Sugar
1 tablespoon Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
5 large Eggs, separated
3/4 cup fresh Orange Juice
3 tablespoons Orange Zest
1/2 teaspoon Cream of Tartar
Citrus Buttercream Frosting
1 (32-oz.) package powdered sugar
1 cup butter, softened
3 tablespoons orange zest
1 tablespoon lemon zest
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
5 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon additional fresh orange juice, if needed
Optional:
Edible Flowers and Kumquats For Garnish
To Make the Chiffon Cake:
Heat oven to 350. Lightly grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans and set aside.
Sift the cake flower into the bowl of a heavy-duty electric stand mixer. Add the sugar, baking powder and salt.
Make a well in center of flour mixture; add oil, egg yolks, and orange juice. Beat at medium-high speed 3 to 4 minutes or until smooth. Stir in zest.
In a separate bowl using a hand-held mixer, beat egg whites and cream of tartar at medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into flour mixture.
Spoon batter into the prepared cake pans.
Bake in the heated oven for 17 to 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely (about 1 hour).
To Make the Buttercream Frosting:
Sift the powdered sugar into a large bowl. Set aside until ready to use.
Cream butter, orange zest, and lemon zest at medium speed with an electric mixer 1 to 2 minutes or until creamy.
Gradually add powdered sugar alternately with lemon juice and 5 tablespoons fresh orange juice, beating at low-speed until blended after each addition.
Add up to 1 tablespoon additional fresh orange juice, 1 teaspoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached.
To assemble cake:
Place one layer of the cooled cake on a serving platter. Spread about one-quarter of the frosting over the top. Place second layer of cake on top of the first, coat with frosting, and repeat with final third layer.
Frost the top and sides of the cake. Garnish finished cake with edible flowers as desired.
When serving, place a flower and a few kumquats as desired for a whimsical presentation.
Not My Mother’s Friday Night Fish Sticks
Today is day twenty-one of the Lenten Season, the forth Friday of Lent. I cannot think of Lenten Fridays without remembering those torturous Friday nights of my youth.
From the Darkest Depth of German Liqueur
If you check the date, in addition to being “something on a stick day”, today is Weed Appreciation Day and Black Forest Cake Day. Now I know what you are thinking – it’s a good thing today involves cake cause we gotta do something to satisfy the munchies on weed appreciation day. Right? Uh, wrong. Today is a day for appreciating a different kind of weed, as in the stuff we are always trying to keep out of our gardens.
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