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Our local food store, ShopRite, has on special again this week, wild, live caught lobsters (1 to 1-1/4 pounds) for $8.99/lb., or $6.99/lb. if you have a PricePlus card. I purchased these lobsters a few weeks ago and made lobster mac’n cheese. This time, I wanted to try making a lobster roll. The only lobster roll I’ve ever had was made by Luke’s Lobster when my daughter brought me to their first shop in the East Village of New York. Luke’s Lobster works with the lobstermen bringing the highest quality seafood they find to their seafood company and then shipping directly to their “shacks.”
 
I just so happened to be doing an internet search for Luke’s recipe. I found the recipe on the Today Show, Oprah and Martha Stewart websites. I was so happy I was able to find it. Luke’s is different as the lobster meat isn’t mixed with mayonnaise, which makes it light and delicious.
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While straightening out my freezer, I came across a piece of pork tenderloin that I purchased a month or two ago. This was a good start for dinner. I also had two yams that were in my basement for a couple of weeks so they too needed to be eaten.
 
I searched the Williams-Sonoma website’s recipe link for the ingredients I had. I found one for molasses-glazed pork roast and sweet potatoes. Fortunate for me, I keep molasses, red pepper flakes, Dijon mustard, olive oil, shallots and Williams-Sonoma concentrate chicken stock in the house. I also needed fresh rosemary, which is in my garden. 
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I would have never thought of it, but poultry and pork work nicely together. I was at a loss as to what to prepare for supper last night. I wasn’t getting any inspiration from the weekly circulars, so I did an internet research for chicken recipes. I found recipes for roasted chicken, chicken Parmesan and a recipe for chicken and sausage bites with apple cider vinegar sauce. Hmm, the last one sounded interesting. A visit to my local Pastosa and a chat with Giovanni, where I picked up some boneless, skinless chicken breasts and Italian pork sausage links with fennel. Also, needed for the recipe was garlic, onion, extra-virgin olive oil, red pepper flakes and, of course, apple cider vinegar. I had only a small amount left, but I love De Nigris Premium Aged Apple Vinegar from Modena. It’s so smooth tasting. 
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It’s been just over a week since my last blog post. I’ve cooked two new dishes and prepared some old favorites. First I prepared a delicious fish entree using locally caught striped bass that a neighbor shared with me. Using my Lidia’s Italian-American Kitchen cookbook I prepared Lidia’s Fillet of Fresh Cod with Lemon-Parsley Sauce, swapping out the cod for striped bass. Next, my son-law-law makes a mean Lobster Mac’n Cheese using a recipe from Ina Garten. Last week and again this week, my local ShopRite has wild caught live lobsters on sale for $10.99/lb., or with a Price Plus card, $6.99/lb. I couldn’t resist not trying the recipe myself. And finally, I also made seared sea scallops. The price of local sea scallops is remaining low at $14.99/lb. My son alerted me to a one day special on Memorial Day at Wegmans where the scallops were just $9.99/lb.! Lucky for me I was headed there. ​
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I find cooking relaxing and I love to share the food I prepare with my family.  I am really enjoying Lidia’s Italian-American Kitchen cookbook. Lidia Bastianich wrote this book back in 2001. I have now prepared several chicken recipes from this book and they were all wonderful.
 
The recipes from this book are a bit lighter on the palate and not as heavy as some other Italian dishes. Chicken Breast Valdostano has simple, but delicious ingredients and is quite easy to prepare. Besides the chicken breast you’ll need extra virgin olive oil, 1/3 cup of dry white wine (Pinot Grigio is suggested), chicken stock, 1/2 cup of seeded and crushed canned Italian tomatoes (San Marzano suggested), Italian prosciutto, Italian fontina cheese and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. 
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​My mother has been gone for almost 28 years and one of the things I remember about her were her sayings. One in particular is, “questo o niente,” this or nothing. Meaning, this is what I’m serving or this is what I have, take it or leave it.  When my children were little, I made them try everything, just a little. One time we made our son sit at the dinner table until he ate five string beans. He sat there a good long time and finally ate them. He learned his lesson, they taste better hot. Fortunately for them, they have acquired quite a discerning palate and try a variety of different foods.
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My apologies for the delay in posting the accompanying blog to my Instragram/Facebook pages on the delicious Ahi tuna that my husband and I had the other evening. Let me first say, if you are an Amazon prime member run to Whole Foods right now and pick up a piece of Sustainable Wild Caught Fresh Ahi Tuna Steaks that are $14.99/lb. The special runs until Tuesday, May 14th.
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A friend told me that it has rained 20 out of the past 22 days. It’s dreary and damp and you need a nice comforting meal on a day like today. This morning I pulled out Lidia’s Italian American Kitchen cookbook for some inspiration for tonight’s supper. I came across her recipe for Meat-Stuffed Peppers. This recipe is different from both my mother and mother-in-law’s as it calls for cubanella or banana peppers and meat filling using a combination of beef, veal and pork. It sounded delicious.
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Most of the time when I watch Lidia Bastianich on public television, the recipes she prepares makes me want to go out and try them. This happened again last weekend when Lidia was making Chicken with Pomegranate. Unfortunately, my online search for her recipe didn’t yield any results. However, I was able to find the video episode and by stopping and starting, I was able to come close to the exact measurements she used to produce the sauce for this dish.


​meet donna

A former teacher, shop-a-holic, empty-nester redefining quick, family approved dinners.

​If you have questions or comments, click on the envelope icon above to contact me directly. 

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