Once upon a time, my niece Ris’ birthday fell on Shrove Tuesday –i.e. the height of Mardi Gras! Ever since, her birthday – regardless of when that celebratory day fell – has been an excuse to find our “inner Cajun”! Mom decks out the house with masques and beads… Papa makes red beans and rice with anduille sausage. I usually make a chicken dish – this year I’m trying Dennis’ Chicken Creole; Jeff & Anita are bringing a seafood dish, Patty & John provide some fresh fruit and Rick & Stacey always bring a wonderful King's Cake (or two). It’s a fun buffet, and the kids (even the boys) enjoy wearing a few pounds of glittering beads. For years, we made sure that Ris got the baby in the King’s Cake (tradition says that whoever receives it hosts the next party) – the first year she was actually thoughtful, as well as fretful – “I’m not sure I can throw a party like this?!”; Papa reassured her, saying that she could just be the host. That first year I made her a “Winnie the Pooh” quilt; this year I bought her books about love-lorn vampires! Oh, they grow up so fast…

Recently I went to lunch, invited by a work associate from a few states away (actually, my BOSS) whom I had never met in person before! She was in the area to check in with the local site, and four gals had a truly enjoyable time. In conversation, one of the big events in our area was mentioned – The Spiedie Fest! And faces went blank. I guess that I take this delicacy for granted… I hear you wondering as well. A Spiedie (it MUST be capitalized) is a local treasure. In its most basic and to my mind most perfect form, it is marinated meat, flame grilled on a skewer, and then wrapped – or rather, caressed by a slice of Italian bread. It has been embellished over the years – rolls, veggies, cheese – but the original is the best. To those not yet enjoying these sublime delights (pronounced “speedy”), it’s like a kabob, but it’s different; similar to a gyro, but much simpler than the ones I’ve had… They originally were made with lamb, but are now available with chicken, pork, and occasionally beef. Home cooks report making them with venison as well. The festival held each August (2009 being its 25th year) is just that - highlighting hot air balloons, celebrity appearances, music, games, crafts… but at its heart is the contest for the best professional and amateur recipes for our adored Spiedie. I do not have my own recipe – it is SO easy in this area to just go to a local restaurant or even the grocery store. If you want to get a “hint” of what I’m talking about, try a bottle of Italian dressing (the vinaigrette style) and marinate your chosen cubed meat for at least two days; there are a few award winning commercial brands available online to ship (Google “spiedie marinades” – I won’t take sides here [okay, Salamida’s or Lupo’s!!]) which would be much preferable. I have friends who have left the area that still order religiously! Philly has its Cheese Steak; Chicago has its Pizza; Buffalo has its Wings… But WE have the Spiedie!!!! Enjoy! I do.

My hometown has been elected the “Pierogy Pocket Capital” of the US by a national contest sponsored by Mrs. T’s - two years running, working on our third! St. Michael’s, a local church with scores of volunteers, makes thousands each year to sell by the dozen to the public during Lent. They can make a meal in themselves, or a great side dish. “What IS a pieroghi?” I hear many of you ask (oh, and BTW, it can be spelled many different ways - the title is the way I grew up with)… It’s a delightful pocket of dough stuffed with potato and or cabbage – it’s Eastern Europe’s version of ravioli, or even a wonton or potsticker. For a few years now, my family has gotten together sometime during Lent, and as a group we’ve made several dozen – some for each household to take home, and a few dozen to serve on Easter Sunday with our traditional ham. The day starts with Papa peeling and boiling five to ten pounds of potatoes (Bless you, Papa!). We make two versions: the “adult”, rich with farmer’s cheese, black pepper, sautéed onion and a hint of garlic; and the “kid”, with simply butter, a little sautéed onion, and American cheese. Just mash the potatoes with the desired extra flavorings, mixing well, and let cool until you can handle it. I’m hoping this year we’ll try some cabbage as well. It’s great getting the kids involved. The dough is simple with a food processor (see my favorite recipe for Polish Pieroghi Dough), and we just keep making batches, as we need them. With kids, it’s hard to judge just how far it will go! The dough is very forgiving, and can be rolled at least twice, sometimes more depending on how much flour was on the board (or kid!). If you have a pasta machine, that works, too. (But not as much fun) My favorite tool to cut the circles is a wide-mouth drinking glass; add a little stuffing, fold into a half-moon shape, then cut again to make sure all the edges are clean – but we also use large circular cookie cutters– some with a straight edge, some with scalloped… Some even use those crimper tools for ravioli… in the end, you can pretty much look at each tray and know who made which ones Lay them out on baking sheets (preferably lined with parchment paper) and freeze until solid, then repackage in freezer bags. To serve, drop frozen or fresh pieroghi’s into boiling water – the rest is optional, but I highly recommend it. Sauté sliced onion in butter. Once the pieroghi’s float to the surface, transfer to the saute pan and lightly crisp on each side. Serve with the onions in butter, with sour cream on the side, and a little more black pepper. YUMMMMM!!!!!!!

I have had the good fortune of knowing two people with ties to Asia – a dear friend who spent many years in Taiwan, and an International student from Macao who was an active part of our family for a while (Hi Albert!).

While I’ve always enjoyed “Chinese” restaurants, I have learned that REAL Chinese cooking is very different – and better! The same great flavors, but a much simpler and healthier meal.

It can be daunting the first time you try a recipe – especially for the wallet. While the majority of the primary ingredients are actually quite inexpensive, if you don’t have all the sauces and seasoning, they do add up. Don’t despair! Over time, I have built up what I refer to as my “Asian pantry” – and you can do the same.

Soy sauce (both light and dark), Mirin, Rice Wine vinegar, 5 Spice Powder, Sesame oil, dried mushrooms, Soba and Rice noodles – these are some of the bare essentials. At a few bucks a piece, I can understand your reluctance to get started. Don’t despair - most recipes only use a little of each. If properly stored, they will keep for quite some time. Items like fresh ginger root are cheap; just save the unused portion in the freezer for future access.

Explore what my grocer refers to as the “Ethnic” aisle, and just pick up one or two items that appeal to you every once in a while – and once you’ve had some success, check out your local Asian markets. Soon you’ll be able to make your own, inexpensive Asian wonders, on a whim.

My wonderful nephew has the misfortune of having been born on January 3rd. Not only is everyone “partied-out”, they are also “shopped-out”. To add to the post holiday exhaustion, the mail was still trying to catch up with the Christmas rush. As a December baby myself, I remember a time or two feeling like my birthday got lumped in with everything else… so when Anthony's presents that I had ordered weeks before hadn’t shown up by his big day, I suggested a second birthday party. As happens with active tweens, it took a while to set the date. We just got together this past weekend! I prepped Cook’s Country’s Italian Sunday Gravy, and gave all the ingredients to have Jeff & Anita slowly simmer; they were hosting, and that way their house would have the delightful aromas as a warm welcome. Some whole grain Penne as well as some “real” spaghetti, a tossed salad, garlic knots… The meat and tomato sauce was very rich, and astoundingly easy (maybe a little tedious shredding all that meat at the end – Thanks, Jeff!) and very different! As I had promised Anthony a chocolate cake, I went back to Cook’s Country and prepared their “Chocolate Blackout Cake”; Marisa and Papa assembled and frosted with the rich pudding/icing and then coated with cake crumbles on-site - beautiful, and delicious! With dark chocolate, buttermilk and strong coffee as primary ingredients, that one couldn’t go wrong! Cook’s Country is an affiliate of America’s Test Kitchen, and have the same policies: you can view anything from the current season simply by registering with the site; there is a fee to view all prior recipes, but it is really worthwhile. This is a not-for-profit organization that provides some wonderful information and is not biased by advertising – check it out! This meal was delightful. Oh, and Ant didn’t seem to mind the wait – I got gold stars for the belated packages and the extra party

I always have a few “ready to nuke” lunches in the freezer – my “day job” is as a substitute, and I don’t always have time or even the right ingredients to prep something when I get a call at 6:15am! Most of the places I go have access to a microwave; so if this is a real choice for you, listen up! I’ll admit that once in a while I buy something pre-packaged, or even splurge by eating out - but there are many cost saving options. For example, did you know that if you use milk instead of water in homemade pizza dough, it makes it much softer in texture once baked? SO… if you have some leftover stew, a Chinese dinner or even a casserole, you can make your own “pocket” meals. Or by all means, use cold cuts and veggies and whatever you desire! Keep the desired filling from being too “saucy” – thicken if need be with my preference of cheese (or even instant potato flakes), and then spoon or layer onto pieces of dough. Seal the edges well, cut a slit or two to let steam escape, and then bake at high heat until golden brown. Cool thoroughly, and then wrap each one well in plastic. Freeze (if desired), and you have a ready to go lunch (it’ll usually thaw by the time you reheat, but since it’s frozen, you don’t need special storage containers) – it’ll be hot and fresh in an average of 90 seconds depending on the filling and the microwave. Another option which I just saw on Rachael Ray - Chicken IN a Biscuit. She mixes a ton of veggies, cheese, and cooked chicken into a simple baking mix – no rolling of pizza dough required! I’m sure the same technique would work with leftovers as well, so give it some thought! If you like a hot sandwich on a budget, either technique works well – with a little preparation. Efforts one afternoon for ease the rest of the next week or two - Hmmm…..

Gal or Guy –married or single - why do we feel so much stress about this single day?!?! But, as a previous article stated, “Chocolate is the Answer!” Found this recipe, which I made today (okay, a little ahead, but I HAD to test it out, right?), and you’ve GOT to try it! From Recipe Thing, here’s Bittersweet Chocolate-Raspberry Truffle Cupcakes. Sounds good already, doesn’t it? Truly decadent. I used frozen raspberries (since it’s February), which worked quite well - JUST raspberries, not the ones with a sugar sauce! The recipe suggests a frosting if desired, but that is literally gilding the lily – maybe a little whipped cream and a few more berries on the side p.s. if you truly want to make an intimate dinner for two, might I suggest R.W McQuarter’s (yes, the football star’s) Grilled Salmon with Honey-Soy Glaze and Grilled Asparagus. Overall, it looks fast, fairly easy, and elegant in presentation. The flavor combination in the sauce can’t miss.

How could I forget?!? It wasn’t until I saw Rachael Rays’ Welsh Rarebit Fondue that I remembered one of my favorite meals as a kid! Now, her (Rachael's) idea was great for entertaining, but in MY mind, the perfect Welsh Rarebit is simply a piece of white toast, layered with bacon and a slice or two of tomato - smothered in a spicy cheese sauce! It’s not exactly “heart healthy”, but it IS a truly enjoyable decadence once in (in my case a few decades) a while! Rachael mixed it up with some good vegetables, so that makes it better, right? As Rachael would say, “That’s what’s for dinner tonight”!

I didn’t check this one out until after Super Bowl Sunday, but I must suggest, it looks good for any weekend. Once again, Guy Fieri presented a fun original idea on “Regis & Kelly”. How does Italian Nachos sound? It’s kind of hard to describe. Substitute toasted baguettes for chips, moz and ricotta for cheddar, a fresh tomato sauce that includes capers and peppadews… that's your salsa and spice! Oh, and don’t forget the Italian sausage and salami! The same idea as what we all think of as nachos – do ahead finger food – just with a different flavor element. This version is much more balanced than the basic chips and cheese, and would definitely make a meal. Watching old movies at home on the couch some snowy weekend comes to mind…

They say that during difficult times, we cling to the basics, and “comfort foods” certainly come to mind. I’ve seen a lot of meatloaf being made lately – both at friends’ and on TV. Here are a few of the ones I thought were most interesting. Nick Stellino on PBS had a few great tips for making your meatloaf a little more elegant. The site has been unavailable for this particular episode (?), so I’ll summarize, and hopefully post the link down the road. He made a fairly classic meatloaf using ground beef, veal and pork, but then he took a turn I hadn’t seen before, at least not with meatloaf. Half of the meat mixture was patted into a loaf pan, and then he placed hard-boiled eggs down the center. On top of that, he added a layer of chopped spicy salami! Top with the rest of the meat and bake. Pretty to serve, with a little extra (cheap) protein. Now we’ve all had meatloaf topped with ketchup – he made a paste of ketchup and Romano cheese to top the loaf. Again, this tip adds a little extra flavor, and a really pretty crust. (Don’t add until the loaf is almost done, though – just might burn!) Giuliano Hazen had a neat trick as shown on The Today show - Pizza di Carne, or an Italian Meat Pie. Baking a basic meatloaf in a circular pie plate, topped with traditional pizza staples (moz, tomatoes, basil…) this idea combined TWO comfort foods into one! Definitely looks like a kid friendly treat. If you want to skip the beef entirely, try Rachael Ray’s Turkey and Stuffing Meatloaf. Instead of bread or crumbs, this recipe uses a “turkey stuffing”, adding the flavors of turkey day to a meatloaf! I’ve made this one a couple times, and if like me your favorite part of the meal is the dressing, you won’t be disappointed! So have fun experimenting, even with traditions. Hope I’ve given you some ideas you’ll want to try soon.