Buddah's Hand Citron...

Happy Tuesday!

Guess what this is???? Look close. It is called Buddah's Hand. it is in the lemon family. There is no doubt in my mind when you want a lot of zest that this is the very best way to go.. You know how I told you that I did a lemon zest for Thanksgiving Turkey? Well, this is the best most incredible was to get "zest". Hard to find, but try the more upscale stores.. and if they don't have it ask them to get it.. really great stuff..

Thanks all for now! I am going to go dream up a recipe to use this Buddah's Hand....

Tracey

After Thanksgiving Memories...

Well, how did your Turkey Day go??

Ours was spectacular, truly wonderful. We cooked most of everything Wednesday.. Mary Joan chopped and stirred and gave a rousing moral support effort. When iI thought I was too tired to do the final item on our list, (splaying the turkey) she cheered me on and said "if you do it now all will be done then we can go to dinner at Don Pepe's and someone can serve you and when you get home we can watch a movie". That was all I needed so we attacked the turkey. Splayed, then rubbed with lemon juice and olive oil and covered in lemon zest, lots of fresh thyme ( from my garden), salt and pepper then wrapped tight and off to bed in the fridge.

Thursday morning we watched Macy's Parade and relaxed, walked the dogs and delivered pumpkin bread to the neighbors. All that was left was to reheat the potatoes, sweet and mashed, steam the broccoli, make the cranberry sauce, with apples and orange zest. And of course cook the turkey and make the stuffing and gravy. Well, the stuffing we did early, since it wasn't going into the bird, therefore we could wrap in foil and keep warm, the gravy takes time but, since I had made the stock the day before all I had to do was saute the oyster mushrooms and then go at making the gravy with, wondra, 1/2 & 1/2, salt pepper and a dash of chervil.

NOW THE FUN PART! The 18lb turkey was huge and looked even more so since it was splayed. So I cut off the legs and put them in a grill basket, and placed on the grill. The breast, and it was the biggest, plumpest, turkey breast I have ever seen, I just placed on the grill bone side down. Daddy was manning the grill (yeah Dad!) the first side was perfect. 15 minutes and gorgeous.. So, Daddy flipped the legs and I came out to help and flipped the breast, lid on grill.

And we came back in the house.. a couple minutes later I looked outside and the webber kettle was smoking like crazy. "DAAAAAAADDDDDY we have a fire", I called out.. He rushes out takes the lid on and yep... FIRE. Then he takes the legs off and I run out with 2 forks and stab the breasts and lift off and it is a ball of fire! We are all standing around blowing, swearing and waving and praying that too much damages hasn't been done.. So right into the house we go.. I wipe off the charcoal residue and it wasn't too bad.. actually it was all the fresh thyme stems burning and not the actual bird, so we places legs and breast on a deep baking pan and into the oven at 325.

well 90 minutes later.. we pulled out the best looking and definitely the best tasting Turkey I have ever made. I was moist and had a wonderful grill/smoked flavor. truly great.

Other than the Turkey adventure the rest of the meal was smooth sailing and easy and turned out just like I wanted..

Hope yours did too..

I attempted to take some photos of the food just before everyone "dug" in.. At least you get the ideas of what it looked like before we took our plates to my beautiful table...

Remember: IF YOU WANT RECIPES, WRITE TO ME! you can do it on comments.. Love, Tracey

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!!!

Well, Turkey Day is finally here.. My cousin Mary Joan is here from Pittsburgh, and Daddy, of course and our friends Tommy & Kendall will be arriving around 5pm. Now that you have the guest list.... lets get to the menu. Mary Joan requested a more "traditional" menu.. (I usually go for non-traditional).. so,

Turkey

(I cut the back bone out of this 18lb bird, then broke the breastbone, not an easy feat, and then splayed it on its belly so it was flattened. rub the entire bird inside and out with lemon juice, olive oil, lemon zest, salt & pepper and fresh thyme. Wrapped it tightly in plastic wrap and put in fridge to marinate. Will put on grill for 15 min per side then into the oven for 90 min to finish)

Oyster Mushroom Gravy

(made from the stock of the turkey, oyster mushrooms, onions, carrots, celery, salt & pepper)

Mashed Potaotes

(typical except, I use celery root, yellow finnish potatoes, cream cheese, 1/2, salt & pepper)

Mom's Candied Sweet Potatoes

(in a deep skillet, stick of butter and 1 1/2 cup dark brown sugar stirring all the time till bubbling. par boil the sweet potatoes then dry with towel and place gently in butter and sugar, cook till very soft and sticky. DO NOT COVER WHILE COOKING)

Broccoli with Butter

Daddy loves his broccoli steamed with butter and salt and that is all... so that is what we will have)

Crystal's Pumpkin Bread

( many years ago, I worked with a gal named Crystal.. she was great. and one year she made this amazing pumpkin bread and luckily gave me the recipe.. I think I have made it every year since we met and that was .... long ago!)

Stuffing

(it will be plain and simple... sauteed onion, celery and fennel)

1000 pecan pie

(ok so i don't know that it is 1000 pecans.. but you get the idea.. take any pecan pie recipe and add extra pecans, roast them on a cookie sheet first if you have the time and then WOW, yummy)

I will try to post some photos later.. so you can see what I created.. Hope you all have a wonderful day, full of love, family & friends! Tracey

Remember write to me for recipes!

Elle's Birthday Dinner!

Hey... I am back!

I had a dinner party for Elle, well it was her birthday and she created a menu of her favorites that I cook.

MENU...

chopped salad (fresh fennel, celery, sweet onions, feta, tomatoes, mandarin oranges, pine nuts tossed in a honey mustard vinaigrette with wasabi and lemon added)

eggplant towers (pan fry eggplant slices dipped in egg and tossed in panko and flour and garlic salt... stack eggplant then mozzarella , tomato, fresh basil, eggplant, drizzle with a tomato vinaigrette)

poached salmon stacks (garlic mashed potatoes on plate in center then shredded yellow squash lightly pan sauteed in a butter cream sauce, then I cut the poached salmon into squares

and placed a square on top of the squash.. drizzle of the cream sauce and garnished with fresh dill.)

OK<>

Of course I did a cake! One on my wacky towers.. very fun, devils food with a tower of red velvet all iced with cream cheese frosting and accents of dark double fudge..

I believe all 9 of us had fun, ate well and went home a little fattier and happier!

WRITE TO ME FOR RECIPES..... Love, Tracey

Remember Me????

Well, I know it has been awhile.. but... things have been crazy. After My sweet Todd died.. I just didn't feel creative.. not that I didn't cook.. I did.. I cooked up a storm.. I don't know how I am going to tell you all about the new recipes I have figured out.. but, I am determined that I will.. PLUS... I started a new business! models actors faces agency.. we help get you started and or get you the tools you need.. photos, comp cards, business cards, books ect.... really fun. I love shooting head shots. and I have a partner "Elle" Hannah. (see photo).. she is in real estate and is a marketing and sales specialist. we have a web site: www.modelsactorsfaces.com take a look.. ANYWAY.........................

JULIA CHILDS IS A GENIUS... did you go to the movie??? well to be honest I never read cookbooks.. I look at ones with pretty pictures and figure out how to make the stuff, or find an ingredient or temp to bake.. but never read a cookbook.. I HAVE CHANGED.. after the movie, which was wonderful.. I ran home got on amazon and ordered every book of Julia's I could find.. 5, yep five... and started reading.. still am.. but her book on life in france and the creating of her first cookbook is so wonderful and inspirational and well (heavy sigh)

it has changed my cooking life. all for the better..

I started off with cornish hens.. cut the back bone out and rib cages and splay.. marinate in lemon juice, lemon zest, salt pepper and lots of fresh thyme and POW! fast easy and so moist and tasty.. throw the splayed hens on the grill for 5 minutes per side, just enough to get some grill flavoe and color. then into the oven in a roasting pan skin side up for 15 minutes at 350.. voila fast, fabulous and thanks to Julia... tastes great.. bon appetite

I have Todd on my mind....

Hello All,
Back on March 9th I wrote about a friend of mine Todd ... He and his brother Jack came for dinner while Mary went away to visit her daughter..  

Well,  I can't believe I am going to say this out loud..  but, He died Tuesday night at 5:40pm.  

Daddy and I went to see him Sunday night..  It broke my heart to see him laboring so to breathe and in so much pain..  and to see the lovely Mary steadfastly standing by his side, holding his hand.. swiping his lips with water, caressing his head..  The love was so apparent..  truly a moment of love , grace and dignity for them both.  I will miss him always.  He was a big part of my life and the very best friend.  He was always there for me.. Thanks Todd.  He is to have a memorial service tomorrow, Saturday at 10am.  Mary called and said.. "help"

and of course I was waiting hoping to be of some help..  so I will help to do the food for the reception..  more about that later..  but for now..  

My letter to Todd.....

Todd, 
Well my dear sweet loving friend.. You have gone and I am missing you. We have been such good friends, family really, for a long time.. Photo shoots, TV shows, dinner parties, music, the pool, Bubba the yard guy..... All the things you loved. You fought so hard this past year and a half against this horrible disease.. I am so desperately sorry that you lost.... but, I will forever be grateful that you left us surrounded by those you love most.. Mary, Alex and you Mom Gretchen. You died a Hero, with elegance and grace and dignity. 
God Bless You, Todd and keep me in your heart as I will forever keep you in mine.. 

Tracey 

FAST FUN AND FLAVORFUL....

WELL,  need a quick dinner and "cheap" ?  Last night Daddy said...  lets do something simple andnot fancy for dinner.  ( I have a tendency to do "dinner") so I looked into the fridge and saw that I had some ground sirloin.  I knew I had a big beautiful sweet onion and in the pantry a big can of tomatoes and a couple small cans of white beans..  Yep...   WHITE BEAN CHILI...  

Of course I did it with my own twist.. I used tomatoes in it..  and.. I decided to serve it over angel hair pasta and top it off with room temperature, shredded,  mild cheddar cheese.  

You know this whole idea of fast and cheap is super... as long as it really tastes good and looks beautiful and appealing and makes a presentation..  I also,  think that if you cook with your spouse and or friends it makes it so much more than just dinner..  A social event..  I romantic gesture, a bonding with a glass of wine and bite of bread..  You get the idea..  so, lets make this WHITE BEAN CHILI ...  more than just dinner..  lets make it part of the day.. a way to communicate with another person....  or if you are alone and want to make it and treat yourself..  then share the experience with a friend on the phone or skype them and show them what you are doing while you are cooking...   or at least "tell" someone about it while you are cooking or at least afterward..  "Hey Mom!  Guess what.  I made the best WHITE BEAN CHILI tonight and had glass of  Vouvray wine with it and the whole thing only cost me $10 bucks.

good idea?????   this is the perfect time to delegate who is to do what.  make it fun.. one can stir... one can chop ..  you open the wine first... pour a glass, "how was your day?" got the idea now??  

WHITE BEAN CHILI  a $10 buck meal.....

recipe for 2

half pound ground sirloin 

half pound angel hair pasta

1 large can tomatoes whole

2 small cans white beans

1 large sweet onion

1/2 cup mild cheddar cheese

1 t olive oil

2 t butter

1 t chili powder

1 t garlic powder

1 t kosher salt

1 vegetable bullion cube

1/2 t crushed red pepper

1/4 t cinnamon

take cheese out and grate (about 1/2 cup cover and let stand to get to room temp)

half pound ground sirloin  (crumble into skillet with 1 teas olive oil 1 teas butter and stir)

slice and chop onion into small bits (place in skillet with meat)

stir meat and onions often 

add all other ingredients when meat "starts" to brown.(make sure to squeeze the tomatoes till they fall apart before you add)

stirring often to crumble meat and blend spices

 

meanwhile put pot of water on for pasta.. 

when boiling remember to time angel hair for "finale" as it only takes 4 minutes.

when meat is brown and smells just right  taste  to see if it needs more salt..  

throw pasta in..    don't forget the oil and salt in the water.  wait 4 minutes (have a glass of wine)

plate pasta, top with chili then sprinkle a generous serving of cheese over it.

cheap and fast... 

for $9 you can add a bottle of Vouvray a semi sweet yet dry white wine.  goes great with spicy besides it is fun to "clink glasses "

remember that this is a mild spicy, Daddy doesn't like it to "hot"  so you can add as you taste.. 

remember also, that crushed red pepper grows in intensity as it cooks.

Ok.....  is your oregano in your garden going crazy???  of course you have planted it by now.. right??  I put in basil, oregano, chives, cilantro, parsley, sage, thyme and tarragon.  typical and Iput them right outside my kitchen this year..  who needs grass.. right...  well, my oregano is growing and spreading like mad and of course here in Virginia it comes back..  so I have lots and lots..  WHAT TO DO WITH ALL THIS OREGANO...  unless you are making pasta sauce for an army of gorgeous hungry Italian men...  or....   I do a roasted potato with oregano just toss with oregano and olive oil, garlic, celtic salt and crushed red pepper.. and to use all this oregano you would be feeding about a thousand.. hummm.. well, here is the solution.. 

make your pasta sauce and potatoes and anything else you can think of but,....... decorate with it..

use unusual urns or vases or glasses or a cup..  a beautiful bowl and fill it full.. it looks wonderful and smells great..   

Sorry it has been awhile since I have shared with you but,  I was sooooooo sick..  uck.  all better now..  Be back soon,   Tracey

ROASTED POTATOES OREGANO

8 yellow finnish potatoes  (chop bite size)

handful of fresh oregano   (dry will do 2 tbls)

4 cloves of garlic chopped 

good sprinkle of celtic salt   (sea salt will work as well)

1 teas of crushed red pepper

1/4 cup of olive oil

in large bowl toss all ingredients

then place on cookie sheet so all touch sheet do not layer on 

top of each other..  heat won't get to them properly..  

place in preheated oven at 400•

40 minutes  (that should do it ... if you like them crispy then let them stay in a bit longer)

I would serve this with leg of lamb or a great filet mignon...

Now ring the dinner bell and watch out for Gorgeous Italian Men who can smell a fabulous meal from miles away...   

Veggie Menu, eggplant towers, risotto, red pepper soup

OK......  NOW BACK TO SATURDAYS MENU.....  

EGGPLANT TOWERS 

RED PEPPER SOUP 

MUSHROOM RISOTTO

EGGPLANT TOWERS...  

one fresh eggplant

bunch fresh basil  (optional)

oregano

mozzarella fresh

panko crumbs

salt pepper

olive oil

v8 juice

good seasons italian dressing in package

*************************************

take a fresh eggplant and remove skin. 

slice into 1/4 round slices 

dip into egg batter  (I like to add salt and pepper to this step)

then into PANKO crumbs   (add a little salt and pepper and oregano)

then 

place into a skillet with olive oil nice and hot ... med high heat 

watch carefully...  flip when golden brown 

then place on newspaper covered with paper towels to drain. 

meanwhile

cut your fresh mozzarella into 1/4 inch round slices

clean the fresh basil (optional)

slice the tomatoes in 1/2 inch round slices

TO BUILD 

place slice of eggplant on plate

then a slice of mozzarella

then a slice of tomato, 2 basil leaves

then eggplant

mozzarella

tomato, 2 basil leaves

then drizzle,  (artfully) the vinnaigrette over tower and plate..  (remember it is fun to make it pretty)

V8 VINNAIGRETTE

Follow the directions on the package but half the oil and add V8 juice to compensate

then add 2 tablespoons of raspberry preserves .  shake really well and use small spoon to drizzle or squeeze bottle (like for mustard and ketchup at a diner)

RED PEPPER SOUP

recipe serves 6 

12 red yellow or orange peppers..  preferable mostly red

3 large sweet onions

vegetable broth  64 oz

vegetable bullion cubes

salt 

crushed red pepper flakes

1 cup 1/2

1/2 cup ranch dressing

****************************

pre heat oven to 425°

gut and clean peppers

then chop and place on greased cookie sheet  (you will probably need 4 cookie sheets)

clean onion then coarsely chop  

place on cookie sheet

pop into oven for 40 minutes

when they come out take them in batches

immediately put onions and peppers in food processor

NOTE.....  

I like to add vegetable broth and a bullion cube into the mix when processing

there should be 4 batches..  so, 4 bullion cubes  and about 4 cups of broth.. 

once that is done slowly add remaining broth to the pot..  if it starts looking to thin.... STOP  

don't add too much broth.. cause you don't want the soup too thin.. it should have a nice creamy texture..  add a couple shakes of crushed red pepper to it..  wait to see hot spicy it is when it is all finished then you can add more if you like....   when it starts to warm add 1/2 and ranch dressing  ( I know wounds crazy but works)

I like to let mine cook on low heat for and hour or 2..  stirring frequently....  

IT IS SOOOOOOOOO DEVINE.....  

MUSHROOM RISOTTO

1 box risotto 

package of button mushrooms   (the type of mushrooms really isn't wildly important cause you cook them a lot) 

handful of oyster mushrooms  (  so you can use only one type of mushroom if you like..)

handful of crimini mushrooms

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese  (please refrain from using the kind in a shake bottle)

stick butter

1/3 cup olive oil

salt pepper (to taste)

heaping tablespoon chives

*************************************

follow directions on box of risotto  (no saffron please)

while doing that cause it is time consuming 

chop mushrooms and place in skillet with butter salt & pepper & chives

saute over med heat

when risotto is done complete with cheese

spoon servings in pasta bowl of risotto

spoon sauteed mushrooms over and add a spring of fresh something..  

hope these work for you.... if not let me know.. love to help..  

GREAT VEGGIE DINNER....  enjoy!

Tracey

Hi.... Happy Monday.. and Happy Day before St. Patrick's Day...  I am IRISH you know....  yep..  

I love that...  knowing that I am Irish..  I even have green eyes..  

anyway, I digress..  

what a rainy wonderful weekend..   we really have needed the rain..  I think I actually saw my lenten roses grow and inch in front of my eyes..  wonderful....

so last week I was pulling out of my driveway on Monday evening on my way to one voice chorus rehearsal ...  anyway... the neighbors on both sides of us, Veejay and Veena and Ashook and Meera,  were at the bottom of the drive.. chatting..  Being spontaneous ..as I am sure you are figuring out..  I stopped and asked if they would like to come to dinner Friday night.  You see we do go back and forth to each others homes for dinner and parties.. (my christmas party) and well..  I feel like i am invited to their homes more frequently than I have them to mine.. soooooo  I took the opportunity and asked..  Well, Yes they all said.. yeah...  and they would get to see Daddy before he leaves for florida at the end of march....  Oh did I tell you that both sets of neighbors are Indian, India , Indian????  Yep.. and they are so wonderful..  I love going to their places for dinner cause I get real Indian food.. so good... so delicious..  I am tempted to learn to cook Indian but, I have them so......  

anyway. 

They are Hindu and subsequently, Vegetarians..   So, it is always a fun challenge to cook for them, cause We are Irish and therefore meat and potatoes kinda people..   I called Ariel, my photographer friend and asked if she would like to come..  She had enjoyed meeting them at my christmas party and thought she would like to share a meal with them and us..  

I go to rehearsal and guess what????   They sprang an extra rehearsal on us... Friday night..  so afterwards I called everyone and apologized profusely about changing the plans but, could they come Saturday night instead????   Veejay and Veena.... yes....  Meera and Ashook .... NO... dratit..  and Ashooks birthday was sunday night and so...  another time..  Ariel ... yes..  so all was a go..  Pallavi, Veejay and Veena's daughter is a really good friend of mine and cohort..  and she could come too..  A DINNER PARTY WAS PLANNED..  

oh....  now to figure out the menu..  hummmm  

well, after writing several hundred ideas down .. (that is how I figure out my menus)  I came up with: 

EGGPLANT TOWERS 

RED PEPPER SOUP 

MUSHROOM RISOTTO

WELL WELL WELL....  

one day it was 11° then it was 74°....  thats Richmond for you..

My friend Todd came to dinner Sat. night with his brother Jack and wife Jackie..  "the 2 Jacks"..

I have been friends with Todd for  at least 20 years..  YIKES!  And we have seen each other thru a lot of ups and downs.....  Well, Todd has been going thru a very rough patch..  in October of 2007 he had several strokes.  They started when he and Mary, his fiancee, got on a plane in Mexico to come home.  They were down there on a romantic jaunt... and he had proposed to her...  Great timing.  Well, they got him home and then to the hospital and the strokes were horrific and so was the news..  he had a melanoma in his neck the size of an egg.  It was wrapped around his carotid artery....  first he had to get strong enough to have surgery which too 3.5 months then they finally did the surgery.  It seems like they got all of it.  GOOD NEWS  then 2 months later they found colon cancer.. BAD NEWS...   Once again he had to go thru radiation and chemo then surgery on it..  seemed like they got it all..  GOOD NEWS...  Then in January he had a routine CAT  scan and they found it again in the colon....  BAD NEWS...  so he is doing the radiation and chemo thing now and will have surgery again later this spring.  NOT GOOD..  

The thing is.. that he is still Todd...  smart funny bright interested and interesting..  his body is just not cooperating..  ANYWAY.... 

years ago Todd and I created a meal after a photo shoot one night..  

SEA BASS SOJOURN.......

It can be made with any white fish....   cod or sea bass are my first choices  Monk fish would be great too or talapia..  

in a skillet

1 cup fish stock or vegetable broth

1 cup white wine

2 tablespoons butter

2 teasp  chives 

1 teasp dill

cook on med heat to reduce down..   (while this is cooking make polenta, creamy)

when reduced by almost half 

add fish

depending on size cook 5 min. on each side if very thick  longer..  it is a dish well served by lots of cooking....  so you really can't over cook.  

there should be lots of broth in the skillet/pan to spoon over fish on bed of polenta 

Polenta..  

I like to do a simple version..  use box polenta follow directions or tube and chop up and place in food processor..  puree then add extra half and half/milk  or ranch dressing to it..  heat in saucepan..... 

TO SERVE:

place couple heaping spoonfulls in bowl

gentle place fish on top

spoon broth over 

garnish with fresh chives or dill

serve with a white wine .... we did champagne.. cause it goes with everything....

fast and simple and DELICIOUS...  its Todds favorite and maybe yours too...  

Ciao.... Tracey

SNOW AT LAKEVIEW..  march 2, 2009

SNOW DAY AFTER THOUGHTS..

WELL IT SNOWED LIKE CRAZY HERE.. REALLY GREAT..WE HAVEN'T HAD A SNOW LIKE THAT IN 5 OR 6 YEARS..   WOW!!! 

Of course all I thought about was what would be the best "snow day food".... 

Soup was of course the perfect solution....  

Tommy and Kendall ,dear friends of ours came over sunday early evening for "dinner and a movie"...  just as they were starting out for our house it started to snow like crazy..  They have an Explorer and so Tommy felt fine driving over.  Also, Daddy is back from Cali, visiting Uncle Dicky & Nancy and family....  SO OF COURSE THEY WANTED TO SEE HIM..  plus i had managed to get a movie that Tommy really wanted to see..  Pandora and the Flying Dutchman, with Ava Gardner.  wonderfully weird movie.. loved it..  

Well, I made Cabbage soup.  Not everyone likes cabbage, but, my recipe seems to entice even the   "doubters".  !

CABBAGE SOUP...

Start with a head of cabbage and chop roughly and put in pot.

add 

1 large sweet onion  chopped rough

add

1 head of celery

add

2 tbls of chives

add

2 tbls of chervil

add

1/4 cup of vegetable bullion  (dry) or 4 bullion cubes

add

1 cup vegetable stock or broth  and let cook on med high heat.  

when you can see the cabbage getting soft add remaining vegetable stock/broth and some water like 4 cups full ....remove from heat and start the process of "cusinarting"  I take it by the mugfuls and process then place in stainless bowl to rest until all is done.  

once it is all smooth and blended pour back into pot and return to heat.  medium 

let cook for and hour or more or simmer for hours if you like..  

serve as is    or    over mashed potatoes in a bowl..  warms the body and soul.....  

We had a great crunchy salad as well..  

1 bulb of fennel raw diced 

1 head of romaine lettuce chopped small bite size

1 small sweet onion diced 

3 stalks of celery heart diced 

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts 

1/2 cup mandarine oranges 

tossed with naturally fresh ranch dressing that I added 1 tbls olive oil and 2 tbls raspberry preserves and 1 teas horseradish.  ( I just put it in the jar and shake it all up together..)

IT WAS A GREAT WAY TO START CELEBRATING THE SNOW.  

Tommy and Kendall got home OK...  after being with us for 3.5 hours while it was snowing.. I think there were at least 3 inches of snow at that point.  But, all was well and we loved sharing

the soup and the snow....  

Once I had a boyfriend named "Claudio... gorgeous, Italian, living in Bogota, Columbia.  I met him at the farm where I kept my horses...  He was here to do some business as a consultant with a major international corporation who had business in Columbia.  Well, whoever got done with the horses first would go up to the house to start dinner, really a fun idea and we would all gather around this huge farm table in the kitchen..  anyway...  There I found Claudio chopping away in the kitchen... and I found out he could really cook...  He taught me how to make a wonderful white clam sauce...  I do my own twist to it..  but, I think you will love it too..  Have a glass of wine, a nice Pinot Grigio, while you are cooking and think of Claudio the beautiful Italian man.

CLAUDIO'S WHITE CLAM SAUCE

in a large deep skillet drizzle olive oil, any  kind about 3 tbls

add

3 extra large sweet onions sliced thin and quartered  (yep 3 onions) 

stir and cook on med high heat till translucent 

add 

4 cloves of garlic chopped thin  or 2 teas of garlic powder 

continue stirring till golden brown

add 3 bottles of clam juice and reduce heat to medium

let it go ...  while this is reducing, open a bottle of your favorite Pinot Grigio and have a glass

AND...don't forget to add a glass to the pot...  

This recipe needs to reduce down quite a bit.. so... this gives you time to set the table...  make a great salad of arugula, goat cheese , chives , toasted pine nuts and balsamic vinaigrette..

cook you favorite pasta...

AND...

 

if you are truly inspired... 

take a glass of white wine and put it in a medium skillet add rosemary and 2 tablespoon of confectioners sugar and reduce... 

when it starts to thicken pull off heat ... wait till after dinner... then throw a hand full of fresh berries into the sauce and stir..  

clear dishes 

scoop vanilla ice  cream into bowls..

top with sauce with berries .... a sprinkle of cinnamon and something green as garnish... 

THE PERFECT SIMPLE ITALIAN DINNER....MANGA!

Cooking Ameristyle with Tracey Lee

Hi.....  My name is Tracey Lee.  There is so much to tell you I barely know where to start.

Ok, here goes.  A few years ago I came up with this idea called Ameristyle..  It is all about the way we live and who we are and what we do with our lives.  (see my website http://ameristyle.com/  ).  Anyway, part of the whole Ameristyle idea was about cooking and decorating and well our heritage.  So, I went to Scripps Howard Corp in Cincinnati, Ohio and talked to the CEO Ken Lowe.  YOU know I gave him the "pitch".  I really believed that what i had was a great idea for HGTV or Food network.  Scripps owns them.  Ken Lowe loved the idea and had a few of the other execs in the office while I showed them what it was all about.  

Anyway, he sent us to Nashville to the headquarters of HGTV and so the next day we (my friend Marion, who was helping me along with a couple of great and talented guys)  went to HGTV,  but , could not get in to see the "big guys" even though Ken Lowe had called and said we were coming..  Oh well..  so we left a pitch book we did and home we drove.  A few weeks later I get a call saying that they would like a "video" sample of me.  

HUmmmmm......  so, the guys start planning a video to do and well we sent it and they said the "idea" was too big.  well, I was discouraged and just gave up on it.  I know  I know..  I shouldn't have given up so quickly but, I felt in over my head and needed someone to just take the idea and run with it..  anyway, I have always had great ideas, it is just getting them to fruition..  

So,  I poured myself into my "real work" producing photo shoots for advertising and stock.  Then I also, started "shooting" myself.  You know its funny, but, a good friend of mine Ariel Skelley, a world class photographer said years and years ago that I should start doing photography myself.  I have a good eye and know models and locations and styling and producing and directing and well, it took a while but I did start.  I love it..  and I started with shooting food.  

I love  LOVE to cook.  and so I thought well, I should try to photograph what I cook. The tables capes I create to serve the food.  Lord knows that I produced enough food shoots and did the cooking and styling for them.  Mark Atkinson and I did the Tidewater of Virginia  Junior League Cookbook, Taste of Tidewater.  I tested the recipes and cooked or prepared what needed to be shot and well it is beautiful.. Mark is soooooo talented and the book and photos are just gorgeous.  I guess that is what got me started on this whole IDEA..    

I want to do a cookbook, with great fun quick recipes and beautiful photos to give the cook an idea of what they should be looking to create and well.... thats the beginning of what I am doing.  Pallavi, a very good friend told me to do a blog.  she got me the info and well,  we shall see right???

you can look for more of my story and for recipes and when I figure how to add photos maybe you will see them too..  bye for now Tracey