Author Archives: Maureen and Ron DiGiacomo

Barbecue sauce for wieners —– from our childhood

Posted on May 21, 2014 | Leave a comment

2 T butter
1 med onion grated
1 small green pepper minced
2 T brown sugar
2 T French’s yellow mustard
1 T Worcestershire sauce
Dash salt
3/4 c ketchup

combine and simmer 15 minutes.
Serve with baked potatoes.
One of mom’s best summer meals!

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Posted in Maureen and Ron's Recipes, Sauces

Summer Salad

Posted on March 15, 2014 | Leave a comment

2 T olive oil
1 T balsamic vinegar
3 cloves garlic, crushed
12 oz penne pasta
¼ c Kalamata olives, chopped
2 T capers
3 oz feta cheese, crumbled
2 c spinach, chopped

Combine all ingredients and toss well.

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Posted in Cookbook V2, Maureen and Ron's Recipes, Salads

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Fudge

Posted on March 15, 2014 | Leave a comment

1 jar marshmallow fluff
1 ½ c sugar
2/3 c evaporated skim milk
¼ c butter
¼ t salt
12 oz chocolate chips
½ c chopped nuts
1 t vanilla

Combine marshmallow, sugar, milk, butter, and salt. Bring to a full boil, stirring constantly over moderate heat. Boil five minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add chocolate chips and stir until melted. Stir in the nuts and vanilla. Pour into a greased 8” pan, chill until firm.

Notes: This is the Christmas fudge recipe that Mary Louise always used and I have never found one better.

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Posted in Cookbook V2, Desserts, Maureen and Ron's Recipes

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Pumpkin Bread

Posted on March 15, 2014 | Leave a comment

½ c margarine, softened
1 c sugar
2 eggs, beaten well
1 ¾ c flour
½ t nutmeg
1 t baking soda
¼ t ginger
¼ t ground clove
1 t cinnamon
½ t salt
¾ c canned pumpkin
¾ c chocolate chips
¾ c chopped nuts
½ c powdered sugar
1/8 t cinnamon
1-2 T milk

Beat margarine and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs, beating well. Combine dry ingredients and mix them in alternately with the pumpkin. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Pour into a greased long pan. Bake at 350 for 65 – 75 minutes. When cool, mix powdered sugar, cinnamon, and milk for form icing, then drizzle it over the top.

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Posted in Breads, Breakfast, Cookbook V2, Desserts, Maureen and Ron's Recipes

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Black Bottom Cupcakes

Posted on March 15, 2014 | Leave a comment

3 c flour
2 c sugar
1/2 c cocoa
2 tsp soda
1 tsp salt
2 c water
2/3 c oil
2 T vinegar
2 t vanilla
1 c chocolate chips
8 oz cream cheese
1 egg
1/3 c sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 c chocolate chips

Mix ingredients up to cream cheese well in a bowl. Fill paper-lined cupcake pans half full with the mixture. In a bowl, beat the cream cheese well and add the remaining ingredients. Put about 1 T of the filling on top of the batter in the center of the cupcakes. Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes.

Notes: This easy, incredibly good recipe came from a teacher/friend of the kids’ grade school in the ’70s and we’ve made it a zillion times since. Great for potlucks and treats at work.

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Posted in Cookbook V2, Desserts, Maureen and Ron's Recipes

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Berry Patch Pie

Posted on October 8, 2013 | Leave a comment

Crust: Combine 1 c flour, 3 T sugar, and a pinch of salt. Cut in 6 T margarine. Press crumbs lightly into 0” pie plate, making bottom slightly thicker than sides. Bake 10 minutes at 450. Cool.

Filling and glaze: 1 quart strawberries, cleaned; ½ c water; ¾ c sugar, 2 t lemon juice, 2 T cornstarch, 1 c whipping cream , 1/3 c cottage cheese, few drops almond extract

Combine 1 c berries in saucepan with ½ c water, ½ c sugar, and 2 t lemon juice. Heat to boiling and simmer. Put all in blender and add 2 T cornstarch; whip till smooth. Return to pan and cook tipp boils and thickens, stirring constantly. Cool to room temperature.

Combine 2/3 c whipping cream, 2/3 c cottage cheese, ¼ c sugar and extract in blender. Whip till smooth. Put cheese layer in crust. Top with 1 c of glaze. Mound rest of strawberries, sliced, on top. Cover with rest of glaze. Chill. Garnish with rest of whipping cream, whipped. May be done with raspberries; sieve for glaze.

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Posted in Desserts, Maureen and Ron's Recipes, Original Cookbook

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Soyburgers

Posted on October 8, 2013 | Leave a comment

Saute 2 T chopped green onion in 2 T oil.
Mix into: 1 c cooked soybeans, chopped in blender
1 c cooked brown rice
½ c grated cheese
1 c toasted sesame and/or sunflour seeds, ground in blender
1/3 c whole wheat flour
1 t salt
2 t soy sauce
½ t basil
Form into patties. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Top with cheese. Bake until melted. Serve on buns. Makes 8.

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Posted in Entrees, Maureen and Ron's Recipes, Original Cookbook, Vegetarian

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Tofu

Posted on October 8, 2013 | Leave a comment

Tofu has been a mainstay in the Orient for hundreds of years and a mainstay in our house for several of those. Because we prefer to eat very little meat, we eat a lot of vegetarian dishes like cheese crepes, enchiladas and manicotti, spaghetti marinara and soyburgers—and tofu. Tofu is a soybean curd available in most fresh produce departments. It’s high in protein and low in cholesterol. It should be stored in water and the water changed daily. We use it in broth with vegetables for soup. We use it in stir fry and lasagna. And the kids like it best sliced and breaded in corn meal, lightly fried and doused in soy sauce.

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Posted in Entrees, Maureen and Ron's Recipes, Original Cookbook, Vegetarian

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Moussaka a la Greque

Posted on October 8, 2013 | Leave a comment

Serves 8-10. May be done a day before and cooked, then reheated—improves flavor. May be frozen.

3 medium-sized eggplants
½ c butter
3 large onions, finely chopped
2 pounds ground beef or lamb
3 T tomato paste
½ c red wine
½ c chopped parsley
¼ t cinnamon
Salt and pepper to taste
6 T flour
1 quart milk
4 eggs, beaten
Nutmeg
2 c ricotta or cottage cheese
1 c fine bread crumbs
1 c parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Peel eggplants and slice ½” thick. Broil till brown on both sides; set aside. Brown meat and discard grease. Add onions and cook. Combine tomato paste, wine, parsley, cinnamon, salt, and pepper, and stir into meat until all liquid is absorbed. Set aside. Preheat oven to 375. Make a white sauce by melting margarine and blending in flour. Bring milk to a boil and gradually add to butter and flour. Stir constantly. When thick and smooth, remove from heat. Cool and stir in eggs, nutmeg, and ricotta cheese. Grease an 11×16” pan or large casserole. Sprinkle bottom with bread crumbs. Arrange alternate layers of eggplant and meat sauce, sprinkling each with Parmesan and bread crumbs. Pour ricotta sauce over all and bake one hour. Cool 20-30 minutes before serving.

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Posted in Entrees, Maureen and Ron's Recipes, Original Cookbook

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Burekas

Posted on October 8, 2013 | Leave a comment

Served at Jeanne and Tim’s rehearsal dinner.

Mix ½ pound feta cheese, ½ pound cream cheese, 1 pound small curd cottage cheese, and 2-4 eggs in mixer until well blended. Melt 1/3 – 1/2 pound butter or margarine. Using ½ – 4/5 pound filo (strudel) dough, thawed, lay out whole leaves (2 or 3 at a time) on a greased cookie sheet. Spread with melted butter, then spread thinly with cheese filling. Lay out 3 or 4 more sheets and repeat above with butter and cheese, 6-7 times. Spread top layer with butter. Bake at 325 for 30 minutes.

Watch—when it’s getting brown on top, it’s done.

Use as main dish, side dish, or cut into squares as appetizers. Must be served immediately.

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Posted in Appetizers and Dips, Entrees, Maureen and Ron's Recipes, Original Cookbook, Sides, Vegetarian

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