Ciro

Children believe in gods. To children their parents are perfect benevolent beings from which all goodness springs. When parents abuse their children, children naturally asume that they did something wrong, that they deserved it somehow. It's not possible for a child to recognize that her parents are flawed, let along malevolent at times.

Kavin your above statement is too generalized, Children are much smarter than that! I know that!

On the other hand, when some born-again comes up to me and asks, "Do you accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour?" I say, "You bet! I need all the friends I can get!" It really stumps'em!

This is great! thank you.

Ciro

ASPARAGUS, ARTICHOKE AND LOBSTER SALAD.

Preparation time 1 hour plus chilling

total cooking time 35 minutes

serves 4

Ingredients

Court Bouillon

1 large carrot, thinly sliced

2 onions thinly sliced

2 stalks celery, thinly sliced

1 leek, white part only, thinly sliced

3 spring of fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

10 black peppercorn

2 cups white wine

¼ cup salt

3 uncooked lobster tails

24 spears asparagus

1/3 cup salt, extra

Dressing

¼ cup sherry vinegar

1 shallot, finely chopped

¼ cup walnut oil

½ cup vegetable oil

1 table spoon chopped fresh chervil or chives

4 large artichoke hearts, from a jar

some chervil to garnish.

One) to make the court bouillon , place all the vegetables with the thyme,bay leaf, peppercorn and wine in a large stock pot and bring to boil.

Cook for 5 minutes on high heat.

Add the salt 4 quarts of water and bring to boil again, add the lobster tails bring to a boil and cook for 12 minutes. Remove the stockpot from the heat and allowing the lobster to cool.

Two) When the lobster is cool enough to handle, remove it form the bouillon.

Discard the bouillon. Remove the lobster meat in a entire piece.

Removing lobster tail meat

This technique makes it easy to present the lobster tail meat in neat, elegant portion.

Turn the lobster on its tail.

Using kitchen scissors , cut lengthwise down each side of the belly.

Pull the soft under shell back, exposing the meat.

Pull the meat from the shell, keeping it in a single portion.

Cover and refrigerate.

Three) Cook the asparagus , tie the spears in a bundles of six and cook in 4 quarters of salted water

when soft to the touch place the asparagus in a bowl with ice water to stop the cooking process.

Four) For the dressing , whisk together the shallot and the vinegar. Gradually whisk in the oils, then the chives. Season set aside. Rinse the artichokes well, toss them in the dressing and set aside, do the same with the asparagus and set aside.

Arrange the lobster tails on a fancy serving plate with the artichoke, the asparagus .

Sprinkle with the remaining dressing and serve at once.

lolololololol KAAAAAAAAAAAT? about doing this salad? come on! try it!

Hummm! I love when people challenge me!:-)

Kat, be prepared for some new elaborated recipes

They won't be as simple as pesto.

My next recipe will be Asparagus, artichoke and lobster salad.

This is an elegant salad for a special occasion.

It is made with court bouillon and dressing.

Ciao.

Merry Christmas, Jody, to you and your beautiful wife.

Ciro!

In Italy,we make these cookies especially around Christmas' time.

During these holidays people like to share cookies as symbol of friendship. The cantucci, are my favorite cookies.

I love to dip them in the cappuccino for breakfast.

Here is the recipes.

Pine nut biscotti are lightly flavored with lemon, allowing the subtle sweetness of the pignoli or pine nuts to shine through. Definitely a round the clock snack!

:Makes 48

1 Cup Pine Nuts

2 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour

1 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Powder

1/8 Teaspoon Salt

1/2 Cup Butter, Softened

1 Cup of Sugar

3 Medium Eggs

2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice

2 Tablespoons Finely Chopped Lemon Zest

Toast the pine nuts in a 350 degree F. oven for about 8 minutes, or until golden. Reduce the heat to 325 degrees. Mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, then the lemon juice and zest. Add the dry ingredients and continue mixing until well blended.

Fold in the pine nuts. On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough in half, and form two loaves about 14 inches long and 2 inches wide and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake for about 30 minutes in a preheated 325 degree F. oven or until they are set and golden in color. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then using a serrated knife cut into 3/4 inch slices. Place these slices back on the baking sheet, and cook an additional 10-15 minutes turning over once half way, or until the cookies cooked through and crisp. Cool, and store in an airtight container.

Note: If the dough seems too sticky to form into logs, refrigerate for one hour first

Cantucci

Almond Biscotti ~ These little crispy almond cookies are often dipped in a sweet wine called Vin Santo for a light, tasty dessert.

:Makes 2 Dozen

Pre-toasting the almonds enhances the flavor.

1 Cup Whole, Raw Almonds

2 Cups All-Purpose Flour

1 ½ Teaspoons Baking Powder

1/8 Teaspoons Salt

½ Teaspoons Cinnamon

6 Tablespoons Butter Softened

2/3 Cup of Confectioners Sugar

2 Large Eggs

1 Tbs. Almond Extract

Place the almonds in a preheated 325-degree F. oven and toast the almonds just until they begin to take on color. Cool, and coarsely chop. Mix together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat together the butter and powdered sugar. Add the almonds, the eggs and extract. Add the dry ingredients and continue mixing until well blended.

On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough in half, and form two loaves about 9 inches long and 2 1/2 inches wide and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake for about 35 minutes or until they are slightly golden brown. Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then using a serrated knife cut into ½ inch slices. Place these slices back on the baking sheet, and cook an additional 5-10 minutes or until the cookies are golden in color and dry. Cool, and store in an airtight container.

Ciao.

Cherry Mistmas to you, Barbara!

I hate cooking -- I hate it, I tell you, hate it, hate it, hate it!

I believe you, Barbara!

The reason I like it, is because at sixteen years old,

I found myself in a far away land,

with no education, no money,

and away from home.

I found myself standing in the mud

facing this huge immense wall.

I was scared, cold, I tried to go around it,

but, there was no way around it.

I asked people to help,

never , for help, they were not interested to have a quality of life but just to live their life, but how? somehow they said!

When I asked; why are we facing this wall? What have we done?

in their bovine eyes no answer I found.

But then, I found an exit through a kitchen,

I took it, and put all my heart and soul to learn, and to stay there.

It was warm,

the food smelled and tasted good.

And now, after 30 years,

I found myself rich,

with a beautiful family,

and being a friend of Barbara Branden!

What else do I want!

Cherry Mistmas, Barbara!

Ciro D'Agostino.

Kat, love you too!

Marry Christmas, to you, your children, and of course to MSK!

Ciao amici, voglio farvi gli auguri anche in Italiano.

Buon Natale, la vita vale! godiamocela con serenita e amore!

CD.

Thought I'd share my favorite Christmas cookie recipe .. enjoy!

Favorite Christmas Cookies

1 cup of water

2 tsp baking soda

1 cup of sugar

1 tsp salt

1 cup of brown sugar

Lemon juice

4 large eggs

1 cup nuts

2 cups of dried fruit

1 bottle Jose Cuervo Tequila

Sample the Cuervo to check for quality.

Take a large bowl, check the Cuervo again, to be sure it is of the highest

quality, pour 1 level cup and drink.

Turn on the electric mixer. Beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl.

Add one teaspoon of sugar. Beat again.

At this point it's best to make sure the Cuervo is still OK ... try another

cup ... just in case.

Turn off the mixerer thingy. Break 2 leggs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit.

Pick the friggin fruit off the floor. Mix on the turner.

If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaterers just pry it loose with a

drewscriver.

Sample the Cuervo to check for tonsisticity.

Next, sift two cups of salt, or something. Who giveshz a sheet.

Check the Jose Cuervo.

Now shift the lemon juice and strain your nuts.

Add one table. Add a spoon of sugar, or some fink. Whatever you can find.

Greash the oven.

Turn the cake tin 360 degrees and try not to fall over.

Don't forget to beat off the truner.

Finally, throw the bowl through the window, finish the Cose Juervo and make sure to put the stove in the dishwasher.

CHERRY MISTMAS!!!

Yes, kat you can choose any sponge no sugar bread, or anything that doesn't have sugar.

Remember though, if you chose a soft biscott or sponge bread

don't dip it in the coffee, just make a layer and brush it with coffee.

If you mess up let me know.

I will make a little dimostrative video and send it to you?

Ciao.

Kat, first let me wish you happy birthday.

We celebrate bithdays, but I never understood why?

I wish one day, someone would give me a valid reason for doing that . lol

BTW. How can I substitute sugar with honey in recipes?

You can substitute honey for equal amounts of sugar in many liquid recipes. In baked goods, substitute honey for up to half the amount of sugar and make the following adjustments. Reduce the amount of liquid in the recipe by 1/4 cup for each cup of honey used. Add 1/2 tsp. baking soda for each cup of honey used, because honey is heavier than sugar and therefore the recipe needs extra levitation help. Reduce oven temperature by 25F (because honey will brown baking goods more than sugar). In liquid recipes such as salad dressings, drinks, shakes etc. you may replace sugar with the same or lesser amount of honey. Keep in mind that honey is sweeter than sugar! Tiramisu' doesn't need to be baked so you shoudn't have any problems.

To measure honey for a recipe, spray measuring cup with vegetable oil first, then pour honey into greased measuring cup.

Ciao Kat,happy birthday to you!

Is Michael at church? lol

Barbara, your spirit has always inspired me.

Thank you for your kind words!

Ciao.

Ciro.

It's hard to find people of talent in abundance who proclaim themselves to be Objectivists or Randians (or however they define themselves according to that particular nitpick). There are isolated beacons in an unending night, but the darkness is greater. I know that my vision is only that of one who has entered this culture recently, but I can't help but look at the world around me and ask, "Where are the best-sellers, the blockbuster movies, the CD's and videoclips and show tours, the plays, you know, where are the people of talent in this philosophy?"

This is what I wanted people to understand on another forum,

but unfortunately they thought, who is he to know!

They thought I was rotten, or believed in God, who knows what.

But with your article here you nailed on the head just what I wanted them to understand.

A tree is considered a good tree by the quantity of fruits it carries.

Thank you for this nice article Michael.

5 atlas points!!!

5 atlas points!!!

just big ugly red bugs! Ick!

lol, Kat, I love your young spirit as well.

You are right though that lobsters look like huge bugs. lol

Mascarpone cheese is very similar to philadelphia cream cheese,

just a little more sweet.

daymmmm I wish you were closer to virginia, I would cook all this nice food for you.

Ciao Kat, stay well!

Ciro

Hey, everybody, come on, let's start some cooking here

Ellen, Roger, come on, you are great writers but you must eat too?

Your comments about my recipes are important.

Ellen, if I remember well, you and your husband, had a favourite restaurant you used to go many years ago, and also you were very good friend with the owner? Yes?

What was so special about that restaurant? I would like to know.

Daymnnnn, Michael, I bought a book written for people who cannot eat sugar I am trying to create recipes that you can enjoy.

I want to pay something back for what you give me.

Ellen, I can feel so much peace and love in your writing.

Let me cook something for you.

Ciao

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic

1 medium red onion, cut into thin strips

1 pound lobster tail, cut into 6 pieces

salt to taste

freshly ground black pepper to taste

3 table spoons white wine

2 fresh plum tomatoes, peeled and diced

10 leaves fresh basil, chopped

1 box (16 ounces) Angel Hair

BRING a large pot of water to a boil.

HEAT olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and onion; saute 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

ADD lobster meat to skillet and continue cooking 8 to 10 minutes or until cooked through, turning occasionally.

ADD salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Add wine and tomatoes; continue cooking for 2 minutes. Stir in basil.

COOK pasta for 1 minute less than package directions. Drain, reserving 1/3 cup of pasta cooking water.

ADD hot past and reserved cooking water to sauce mixture and mix well.

TRANSFER to a serving platter or bowl and serve. Drizzle with additional olive oil if desired.

Chef's tips; while the sauce is cooking add one table spoon of pesto sauce and then instead of ten basil leaves use only 3.

If you have a good fish stock 2 oz added to the sauce makes it even more deliscious.

My friend I wish you enjoy these great dishe.

Un Saluto Ciao.

PESTO VINAIGRETTE 1 quart

4 OZ Pesto (recipe follows)

1 tsp salt

pepper as needed

8 oz red wine vinegar

24oz olive oil or vegetable oil

1)Combine the pesto,salt,pepper, and vinegar.

2)Gradually incorporate the oil in a thin stream, mixing thoroughly.Adjust the seasoning

with salt and pepper.

3) Serve immediately or refrigerate for later use.

PESTO makes 8oz

Learn ,and practice how to make this sauce.

I will show you, with future posts how to make succulent dishes with pesto.

This recipe is from the region of Liguria.

2oz basil leaves

3tbsp pine nuts

1/4oz garlic paste

1/4 salt

2 to 4 oz olive oil

2 oz parmigiano cheese

1) Rinse the basil,dry, and chop coarsley.

Transfer to a food processor or to a mortar or pastle.

Grind the basil,pine nuts,garlic,and salt together,adding oil gradually,to

form a thick paste as a sauce like consistency.

2) Adjust with the parmigiano and salt.

AIOLI makes 1 quart

2 egg yolks

1/4oz garlic mashed to paste

1oz white wine vinegar

1/2oz water

1tsp mustard

1 pint vegetable oil

10oz extra vergin olive oil

salt, pepper as needed, lemon juice as needed.

1)Combine the yolks,garlic,vinegar,water and mustard in a bowl.

Mix well until the mixure is slightly foamy.

2)Gradually add the vegetable oil,the olive oil in a thin stream, constantly beating with the whip

until the are incorporated and the mayonnaise is thick.

3) Adjust the flavor with salt,pepper,and lemon juice.

Refrigerate as fast as possible.

Ciao a tutti.

Ciro D'Agostino

You can substitute pork with veal or chicken.

Or sliced fresh mozzarella.

In Naples,Italy, we call it mozzarella in carrozza

Ciao

Today we are going to cook some Costolette di maiale panate

Breaded pork chops.

This is the same sort of recipe as veal Milanese.

Thin pork chops dipped in beaten eggs, breaded and fried.

Served with lemon. A nice side salad goes well with pork chop panate.

I will give you the doses for 5, you can eventually do some math and figure out how much of ingredients you will need based on the number of the pork chops you want to cook.

5 , ½ inch thick pork chops

2 cups unseasoned bread crumbs

3 large eggs

2 table spoon parmigiano cheese

1 tablespoon whipping heavy cream

1 teaspoon salt or to taste

½ to 1 cup oil. Vegetable oil.

2 lemons cut in wedges

1 cup flour

Cut off the excess fat around the hedges, pound them to make them even thinner.

Put the brand crumbs on a big plate,

Beat the eggs in a shallow bowl, adding the salt , cream and some black pepper.

At this point you should have 4 shallow bowls in front of you one for the flour , one for the eggs,

One for the breading, and one for the fried chops with some paper to absorb the oil.

I suggest here to use the so called two hands technique

First, in a large skillet put the oil and wait a minute or two until the oil is very hot

Then with your right hand coat the chop in the flour then in the eggs, put it in the plate with the bread crumbs, at this point start using only your left hand to work and coat the chop with the bread

Finally fry the pork chop on each side. Take them out when the color is a golden brown,’

Put them on the plate with the paper, let the flavors to be absorbed in the meat, put all the pork chops on

A serving plate with the lemon wedges and a small simple salad with Boston or masculine lettuce,dressed with some balsamic vinegar some olive oil and salt. Buon Appetito.

Ciro

Ps I hope my friend Michael can eat some of this delicious pork chops.

I hope you are not a Muslim ? Muslims don’t eat pork Michael, Daymnnnnnnnn

We are damn pigs!

Ok, Ok, sorry kat, I am sorry for being late.

There was too much traffic on the beltway.

Let's see what can I cook today for my good friends.

Ok,... I got it, Spaghetti with anchovies....what....no? ok...

thennnnnnnnnn, we change it to pesto ok? ok.

Here we go;

1 1/3 basil leaves

1 cup sheredded parmigiano cheese

2 cloves garlic

1/3 cup pine nuts

1/3cup olive oil

spaghetti, to serve please it is spaghetttttti end not pascheri!

Wash the basil leaves and dry.

Process the parmigiano in a food processor until it resemble fine bread crumbs.

Add the garlic and pinenuts and process coarsely combine the ingredients.

Add the basil at this point and process to combine.

What the hell! this word process sound like we are making an atomic bomb here shishhh!

While the machine is still "Prosessing" slowly add the olive oil until

a paste is formed.

Season to taste with salt and black pepper, then continue to add the oil

until it reaches a thick consistency.

Bring to boil a sauce pot with water, add one tablespoon salt to the water,

cook the pasta, drain it, put it back to the sauce pot add some pesto sauce, stir with a long fork , put everithing on a serving plate add some more pesto, sprinkle with parmigiano cheese and serve at once.

I hope you will enjoy this dish.

Life is good.

Ciro D'Agostino

Daymnmmmmmm Michael, I don't know how you do it!

Everything has sugar!

What do you eat tell me!

I can come up with some good recipes if you have a special diet to follow

Kat, you can easily eliminate the liquor, and substitute the processed sugar with any organic type of sugar.

Ciao

Kat, thank you for inviting me to run the kitchen here.

I will try my best to post recipes which people can prepare in the shortest time possibile, and also are easy to make. I remember when I first started as food leader on solohq, you asked me the Tiramisu' recipe. For that reason I will start posting my recipes here right with the Tiramisu. I changed the recipe a little from the old recipe, so it could be perfect perfect to name this recipe Kat's Tiramisu'.

Kat's Tiramisu'

Serves 4-6

Dish size 10x 12 or 14 inch-oval

Ingredients

3 egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup mascarpone cheese

1 1/4 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup kahlua 1/4 cup irish cream

2 cups strong coffee, cooled

36-40 lady fingers

cocoa powder for dusting

ONE: Beat 3 egg yolks with 1/2 cup sugar until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is light. Add the mascarpone and mix well. Beat 1 1/4 whipping cream into stiff peaks and gently fold into the mascarpone mixture, then spread a thin layer of the mascarpone cream over the bottom of a deep dish, a 12-inch oval dish would be perfect. The bottom layer should be about 1/4 of inch thick.

TWO: Add 1/4 cup Kahula and 1/4 cup Irish cream, into 2 cups of strong coffee. Dip the ladyfingers into the coffee, soaking them well. Depending on the freshness of the ladyfingers, they may require more or less soaking, but be careful not to over soak. Arrange a layer of ladyfingers close together in the dish, you may need to break them to fit the shape of your dish. Cover with another layer of mascarpone cream, to cover the first layer of the ladyfingers use 1/2 of the cream in your working container, then another layer of ladyfingers and finish with the mascarpone cream. Smooth the top and keep chilled until ready to serve. Generously dust with cocoa powder just before serving. Tiramisu is best made several hours in advance so that the flavors have time to blend before serving.

Ciao a tutti Ciro.

ps.

Folks, we have a lots more coming up.

Roger , there is a book published already, with all NB quotes,

called Selfesteem every day? or something like that.

Ciao.

Michael, this is what you needed.

I am very happy for you. I will be a regular costumer.

Ciao, amico carissimo.

Kat, if Michael were a woman He wanted to be like you. lolololol

Keep dreaming Michael! lol

Ciao.