Mom’s Classic Muffin Recipe: Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins

 

We recently ate an amazing Sunday Dinner at my Mom’s, and then she treated us to tea and an old-fashioned recipe from our past… Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins. I grew up enjoying these muffins, so I indulged in a huge muffin (a little gluten-cheat treat for me on this particular day, I couldn’t pass it up!) This recipe has been shared and published for many years. We also recently enjoyed them at a small bakery countertop located at Jordan’s Furniture in Avon, MA .

Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins (Recipe compliments of Jordan Marsh)

Ingredients: 1/2 cups softened butter, 1 1/4 cups sugar plus 3 tsp sugar,  2 eggs, 1 tsp vanilla, 2 cups flour, 1/2 salt, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 cup milk, 2 cups blueberry (washed and drained),

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line muffin pan with liners.
2. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
3. Add the eggs one at a time.
4. Beat in the baking powder, salt, and vanilla.
5. Add the flour alternately with the milk, beating gently. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl.
6. Mash 1/2 cup of the blueberries. Add the mashed and whole berries to the batter, stirring just to combine and distribute.
7. Scoop the batter into muffin pan.
8. Sprinkle extra sugar on each muffin.
9. Bake the muffins for about 20-30 minutes, until light golden brown on top.

Here’s a photo from my mom’s recipe book collection.

Comfort Food Recipes for a Winter Day

Here in New England, we have had a pretty mild winter, with only a couple of snowy days. We seem to have had more cold, rainy days than I care to share. Whether it is snowing or raining, I always crave a homecooked meal…especially comfort food! Here are a few of my favorite dinners, most passed down by my Mom, that I have prepared for my family, especially during these winter months. Hope they inspire you to try one soon!

Homemade Winter Comfort Meals 

Veal Stew: A classic veal and potatoes stew recipe compliments of my Mom!  Recipe Family Recipes: Inspired by Mom – Veal Stew with Potatoes

Chicken Soup: A simple chicken soup recipe that is my family’s favorite whether they are sick with a cold or just tired of it being so cold! Recipe Warm Up This Winter: A Classic Chicken Soup Recipe

Pasta e Fagioli (Pasta and Beans): An Italian classic recipe inspired by my Mom! Recipe Traditional Italian Recipes: Pasta e Fagioli

Pasta with Homemade Tomato Sauce: Another classic Italian speciality compliments of my Mom’s kitchen!  Recipe Traditional Italian Recipes : Pasta Sauce and Meatballs

Tomatoes…tomatoes…tomatoes…What do you do with all of those garden tomatoes?

As the summer comes to an end, so do the fresh vegetables from my father’s garden! I recently received a basket of tomatoes and made a few great recipes. I wanted to share them on my blog in case you find yourself digging for recipes to use up all of those ripe garden tomatoes! Three recipes were previously posted on my blog, and I am sharing two new recipes today (compliments of growing up with my Mom’s Italian cooking!)

Tomato Eggplant Ravioli (or with pasta of your choice):

https://homesweetmamamia.wordpress.com/2015/05/14/eggplant-tomato-ravioli/

Tomato Cucumber Salad: 

https://homesweetmamamia.wordpress.com/2015/07/13/summer-salads-tomato-cucumber-salad/

Prosciutto, Mozzarella, Tomato and Arugula Panini:

https://homesweetmamamia.wordpress.com/2015/07/22/proscuitto-mozzarella-tomato-and-arugula-panini/

And my favorite, two simplest tomato recipes of all…

Caprese Salad 

Ingredients : fresh tomatoes, fresh mozzarella balls, fresh basil, salt and pepper (to taste), olive oil, balsamic glaze (optional)

Directions: Cut tomato and mozzarella into thick round slices. On a long platter, arrange the Caprese Salad as follows : tomato slice, then mozzarella slice, then whole basil leaf. Repeat into rows. Sprinkle completed platter with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil (and balsamic glaze, optional). Serve cold along side crunchy Italian bread.

Pasta al Marinara (Pasta with Fresh Tomato Sauce)

Ingredients: tomatoes, olive oil, minced garlic, fresh basil, salt snd pepper(to taste), pasta (of choice)

Directions: In a small pot, boil pasta (of choice) per box instructions. In a sauté pan, heat olive oil and add minced garlic. After about 1 minute, add fresh tomato chunks. Sauté for about 3-5 minutes. Add fresh basil (chopped or sliced). Set aside. Once pasta is done, drain and add pasta to fresh tomato sauce. Serve immediately with Italian Bread.

Zucchini Recipes: Inspired by Mom – Baked Zucchini

Summertime vegetable gardens tend to grow more zucchini than we know what to do with. Fortunately for me, my Dad plants a huge vegetable and flower garden every year. We get to reap the benefits of it, it’s my personal farmer’s market. So, when the zucchini plants start to take over, I try to remember my zucchini recipes that I use every summer. Today’s recipe is a family recipe, passed down from my Nonna, who taught my Mom how to make them… Baked Zucchini. A wonderful side dish (if they last that long before dinner is served! My sister, brother and I would practically finish the dish before my Mom served them with dinner!) Here are other zucchini recipes I have shared in the past in my blog, enjoy zucchini season!

Baked Zucchini 

Ingredients : zucchini, olive oil, Canola oil, flour, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper

Directions :

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Slice zucchini into coins.
3. Coat cookie sheet with canola oil. (Optional step: Preheat oven and add oiled pan in oven for about 3-5 minutes to heat up oil.)
4. Add salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder to taste in flour.
5. Coat the zucchini coins in the flour mix and add to oiled cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil.
6. Bake for 30 minutes (or until golden brown on both sides), flipping zucchini over after 15 minutes.

For other Zucchini Recipes, click recipe links below:

Zucchini Recipes: Pasta Primavera

Zucchini Recipes: Zucchini Pizza

Zucchini Recipes: A Summer Squash Medley

 

Family Recipes: Inspired by Mom – Chocolate or Vanilla Cream Pie

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and school (and, if you were lucky, work) break! The Christmas decorations are all put away! Everyone in my family is back to their normal routine, school and work, activities and homework. I want to thank everyone for continuing to follow me on my blog in 2015! I am almost approaching my 1 year anniversary for Home Sweet Mama Mia! In 2016, I will continue to share family recipes, simple recipes I find in books and online and use often, crafts and activities with my kids, some of my daughter’s baking and craft ideas and, of course, simple ways to get more organized in your busy life!

This week, I wanted to share a recipe I brought to our cousin’s house for a Christmas Day dessert. It is a recipe that I learned from my Mom many years ago. She made this recipe for many birthdays and special gatherings in our family. She actually found this recipe in the cookbook her old blender came with…a Waring brand blender she received as a wedding shower present almost 42 years ago! She does not have the Waring blender anymore, but she still makes this awesome recipe for Chocolate OR Vanilla Cream Pie. Over the years, we have both simplified the recipe by using store bought graham cracker pie crust and whipped cream topping (we all love short cuts!)…but we have never been able to replace the creaminess of the middle … the made-from-scratch pudding center! So here is a recipe passed on by my Mom, which I am sure both of my children will be saving… A true fan favorite!

Chocolate OR Vanilla Cream Pie Recipe  (Inspired by my Mom and her old Waring blender’s cookbook- that she still has!)

Ingredients: 2 tbsp flour, 2 tbsp corn starch, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 cup sugar, 3 egg yolks, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tbsp butter (melted), 2 cups hot milk, 1/4 cup cocoa (Use ONLY for the Chocolate Cream Pie Recipe), a graham cracker pie crust*, and whipped cream* (*Use your own homemade crust and whipped topping recipes. I use Keebler’s Ready Crust Graham Pie Shell and Cool Whip.)

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients except for the hot milk in a blender. (Add cocoa at this time if you want to make a Chocolate Cream Pie, for the Vanilla Cream Pie, omit this ingredient.)
2. Pour hot milk into blender after about 15 seconds of blending other ingredients. Blend again.
3. When all of the ingredients are blended together, pour into a saucepan on the stovetop. Stir on low heat for about 5 minutes or until thickened.
4. Pour into crust and cover with plastic wrap.
5. Let cool and refrigerate for about 2 hours.
6. Top with whipped topping. Serve cold. Tip: Top with mini chocolate chips, fruit, or graham cracker or cookie crumbles.

           

Traditional Italian Recipes: Almond Biscotti

Almond Biscotti Recipe

Check out my guest blog post which posted on December  22, 2014 on ModMommy.com during the 2014 Holiday Season. Click here to learn how to make Almond Biscotti, a Italian family recipe inspired by my Mom, and soon to be making its way to your own holiday cookie tray!

Click here for recipe:

http://www.modmommy.com/recipe-almond-biscotti-for-Christmas/

Traditional Italian Recipes: Pasta e Fagioli

To continue on with Traditional Italian Recipes, here’ s a recipe for Pasta e Fagioli…also known as a “Pasta and Beans”. It is a traditional Italian soup served in many restaurants and in many homes. It is a great dish to make for a cold evening dinner. I included my mom’s recipe below, along with some of my time saving tips.

Pasta e Fagioli

Ingredients: 1 can of Cannellini beans (I use Goya’s Small White Beans, as I prefer smaller sized beans),  1/2 lb of pasta of your choice ( I use Ditalini, but traditionally it is made with a variety of pastas combined into one dish), olive oil, small can of tomato sauce ( I used Nature’s Promise Organic Tomato Sauce or leftover homemade Tomato Sauce, see my blog post for recipe https://homesweetmamamia.wordpress.com/2015/11/10/traditional-italian-recipes-pasta-sauce-and-meatballs/), water or broth, salt, pepper and basil to taste

Directions:

1. In a small sauce pot, add 1 turn of olive oil to the pan and heat. Add tomato sauce from can and season with salt, pepper and basil. Add 1 can of water or broth and let simmer.
2. In a separate pot, boil the pasta.
3. Drain and rinse the can of beans and add to the sauce. Let simmer.
4. After pasta is cooked, drain and add to the beans and sauce. Simmer.
5. Serve hot with crispy Italian bread.

Traditional Italian Recipes: Nonna’s Panettone

Panettone is an Italian sponge cake, usually served at Christmas time . Here’s my Nonna’s (Italian for “Grandmother”) version,  a sweet and simple cake to make for any occasion. Perfect with a cup of tea or coffee on a chilly Fall or Winter afternoon. Enjoy!

Ingredients: To make a large bundt or tube pan Panettone – 6 eggs, 1 1/2-2 cups of sugar (depending how sweet you want it to be), 1 1/3 cup vegetable oil,  1 1/3 cup milk, 5 tsp baking powder, 5 cups flour, 2 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (325 degrees F for dark coated pans) and grease and flour bundt or tube pan.
2. Combine eggs and sugar with mixer.
3. Add milk and mix.
4. Add oil and mix.
5. Add vanilla and mix.
6. Combine flour and baking powder. Gradually mix into batter.
7. Bake for approximately 60-80 minutes, depending on oven and pan.

Tips: Serve plain, or other options include sprinkled with powdered sugar, or serve along side cut fresh strawberries and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. This recipe can be cut in half and baked in a small round cake pan, which was the original recipe passed down by my Nonna, decrease cooking time to 15 minutes. My mom has also substituted orange juice for the milk in the recipe.

Family Recipes: Inspired by Mom – Twice Baked Potatoes

With colder nights approaching, we are grilling outside less and less, so I am using my kitchen oven to prepare our dinner meals more often. Over the next two blog posts, I will share two potato sides that I bake in my oven. Everyone in my family enjoys them…and asks for seconds! They are Twice Baked Potatoes and Roasted Potatoes. Two recipes that are great for larger gatherings or even just for your family dinners each night.

Twice Baked Potatoes (Thanks to my Mom who would always make these for me as a kid!)

Ingredients: red bliss, yellow or russet baking potatoes, butter, salt, shredded mozzarella cheese, milk, bacon (optional)

Instructions:

1. Prepare the potatoes as you would normally prepare your “baked potatoes”. (Note: I cheat and bake potatoes in my microwave, which has a “potato” button!)
2. Once potatoes have been baked, cut the potatoes in half, scoop out the inside of the potatoes, and add it to a bowl. Set aside the remaining potato “skins”.
3. Add butter, milk, salt to the potato mixture (Approximately 1/4 tbsp butter, 1 tbsp milk and pinch of salt per potato). Mash together with a fork (as if you were making mashed potatoes). Add shredded mozzarella cheese. Mix together.
4. Scoop potato mixture into the skins until full and top with shredded mozzarella cheese. (Optional Tip: sprinkle bacon on top of potato mixture before the cheese.)
5. Add stuffed potatoes to a baking sheet or baking dish. Bake for approximately 8 minutes or until cheese begins to brown.

Coming Soon on my blog…Roasted Potatoes Recipe

Egg Biscuits Recipe

Egg Biscuits is a classic cookie recipe that we serve at most of our celebrations and holiday gatherings!  This recipe is compliments of combined recipes shared by my mom, cousin and friend! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

For Biscuits: 6 cups Flour, 1 cup Sugar, 1 cup Milk, 4 eggs, 3 tbsp Baking Powder, 1 cup Canola or Vegetable Oil, ½ oz (or approx. ½ of 1 oz bottle)and  Lemon Extract

For Frosting: Approx. 2 1/2 cups Confectioners’ Sugar, Approx. 3-4 tbsp Milk or Water, Approx. ½ oz Lemon Extract, and Nonpareils (for decoration)

Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

To make biscuits: Combine milk, sugar, eggs, lemon extract and oil. Gradually, add flour and baking powder until all mixed.  Scoop out 1 tbsp of batter and roll into a ball. (Tip: Use a cookie scooper. Also, in a separate bowl, add water and use to wet one of your hands while rolling the batter into a ball. It becomes less sticky.) Place on parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Bake for 11 minutes. Cool completely.

To make frosting: Add water or milk to confectioner’s sugar until it is the right consistency for a glazed frosting. Add lemon extract. Stir until smooth. Dip top of biscuit into frosting. Place it on drying rack to have excess frosting drip off (place the parchment paper under the drying rack to catch the drippings.) Immediately decorate with nonpareils or décor of your choosing. Let dry completely. Store in air tight metal cookie tin for best taste.

Makes approximately 4 dozen.

Family Recipes: Inspired by Mom – Veal Stew with Potatoes

 

When I was a child, my mom would often make Veal Stew with Potatoes for dinner. Now, 23 years later, I have added it to my own family dinner recipes and make it for my husband and I (my kids haven’t added it to their menu yet!). My mom was born in Italy and has always cooked traditional Italian recipes. She makes many of her recipes by memory or the recipes are written in Italian, so once I got married, I have been trying to make them with her and writing the recipe down or translating them to English. This is my version of her Veal Stew with Potatoes! Enjoy!

Veal Stew with Potatoes

Ingredients: 1 lb cubed veal stew meat, olive oil (2 turns in pot), 1 tsp chopped garlic, 2 tsp. chopped yellow onion, 1 small can of tomato sauce (unseasoned), stock (vegetable, chicken or beef) or  white wine, white potatoes (peeled, cubed and boiled), a pinch of parsley, salt and pepper (to taste).

Directions: First, peel and cube potatoes. In a medium pot, boil potatoes until a fork can push through. Meanwhile, in a larger pot, add 2 turns of olive oil on medium heat. Add chopped onions. Add veal and garlic and sauté for approx. 3-5 minutes. Add can of tomatoes and 1 can of water (use tomato can to measure amount). Let boil. Add stock or wine. After 20 min, add potatoes (when finished boiling). Simmer for another 10 minutes. Tip: To make this a quicker recipe, I boil my potatoes in a separate pot (while cooking the veal part of the recipe). Then, I add them to the veal pot when they are finished as listed in the directions above. If you prefer a one pot recipe (such as my mom), you can add the uncooked peeled and cubed potatoes to the larger pot with the veal after 20 minutes and then simmer for an additional 40 -50 minutes.