May 22, 2013
Serving the stuffing: Try a pumpkin!
Written by Judy Vig and Joy Paoletti
Thursday, 15 November 2012 11:55
A pumpkin makes a great presentation for serving stuffing.If it didn’t just happen, I would not believe it myself. Joy just emailed me another stuffing idea and recipe. I can’t believe it! She has been testing recipes all week and I just cant eat another bite.
Joy has been coming up with many different ways to serve the stuffing and, quite frankly, I would like to eat it the traditional way — but not her! We have talked about baking the stuffing in a bundt pan (check Twicebakedtwins.com for this one), placing the mixture into small cupcake pans for individual servings and wait — this last idea is a doozy. Joy has placed the stuffing into a hollowed-out cooked pumpkin!
I must admit, it came out fabulous. The presentation was striking. Glistening from the olive oil, the pumpkin was perfectly blistered and moist and when you reached in for the stuffing, a layer of sweet pumpkin was the added surprise.
Many ways to use pumpkins
Written by Judy Vig and Joy Paoletti
Thursday, 18 October 2012 13:05
Penne with pumpkin sauce and roasted pumpkin seeds.With the carving of pumpkins, spicy aromas of roasted pumpkin coffees and a scent of the pies to come, the pumpkin is the shinning star this time of year.
Typically these are the most common ways to use pumpkin…. but not the only ways. Pumpkin can be both savory as well as sweet. It is found in baked goods, hearty soups, fondues and flans. We have simply roasted it with olive oil and even added it to our favorite stew. Check TwiceBakedTwins.com for more great ideas. But have you ever tried pumpkin with pasta?
The delicate sweet sauce coats the pasta perfectly, almost velvet-like in texture and the hint of nutmeg is a comforting reminder that the holidays are approaching! A sprinkle of extra parmesan cheese and a nutty crunch from the roasted seeds makes this dish just perfection.
As soon as the first leaf starts to turn Judy always says, “Let’s make that pumpkin sauce again!” Our families love it and we are sure yours will too. Enjoy!
A fall warm-up with a special twist
Written by by Judy Vig and Joy Paoletti
Thursday, 04 October 2012 14:22
by Judy Vig and Joy Paoletti
A special stew for fall.It is finally fall and Joy and I can’t seem to get enough of the changing leaves or the smell of the fireplaces burning as we walk through our neighborhood chatting away about all the delicious fall recipes we want to try. The crispness in the air is just beginning to creep in and it reminds us of football season and cheerleading for Nortre Dame when we were kids.
Every Sunday we would cheer in 32-degree weather for hours and be completely frozen. Mom always had something ready on the stove for us to dive into. One of our favorites was her beef stew. It was so warm and comforting after cheering and freezing during the game. A big bowl of heaven and some crusty bread to soak up every bit was just what we needed to warm us up from the inside out.
We wanted to experiment just a bit and add a few more of our favorite flavors. Joy’s passion is chocolate, as you all must know by now, and she thought it would be a great seasoning for the stew. I roll my eyes as she drops the shiny dark square of chocolate into the pot, teasing me with a big smile on her face, but I must say it added a velvety richness and a bit of a glossy shine. We threw in a little splash of bourbon...... now it was over the top!
Let’s jam! ‘Tis the season for something different
Written by Judy Vig and Joy Paoletti
Thursday, 20 September 2012 11:03
Did you ever think that you could make a jam without any fruit at all? Well you can, and this is one jam you won’t mind being in!! Joy decided to try making a bacony jam-ish kind of jelly-ish kind of spread and it came out ridiculously delicious!
Just wait until you taste this. It is truly amazing and can be paired with anything from a roasted chicken, holiday turkey, a topping for brie cheese or just a spread for some crusty bread. If you are a bacon lover than your going to die for this. We even topped Mom’s special deviled eggs with it and also made a awesome BLT.
During that last hour of simmering all these crazy ingredients, something magical happens. The flavors meld and it starts to come together. The vinegar calms down and the jam mellows into something wonderfully sticky. By the time it is done simmering and then takes a spin in the food processor, you will definitely have to taste it. And then you’ll lick your spoon... and it will hit you — this is amazing!
Please visit us on Facebook and also at TwiceBakedTwins.com. Enjoy!
Tomato cobbler is a late-summer treat
Written by Sally Sanders
Thursday, 20 September 2012 10:58
A great use for late harvest tomatoes.The temperatures are changing, fall is coming and bringing the cooler weather along for the ride! Our beautiful summer flowers are brown and quite stalky. Actually I am over them and sick of watering everynight. Every time we walk by them it’s hard to believe they were once so gorgeous!
But wait, off in the distance, in the backyard I see bunches of red, big beautiful red balls like Christmas tree ornaments. The tomato plants are flourishing!! What the heck are we going to do with all of them?? Joy mentioned canning them, UGH....not me. If she wants to do that she can do it alone.
However, I will think of making several batches of sauce for Sunday sauce and freeze in dinner size portions for those nights when I come home late. I just love them in any salad combination, a simple spicy bruchetta and my mom’s favorite butter and tomato sandwiches on fresh white bread.
Joy has been perfecting a tomato cobbler all summer and it truly is scrumptious. My garden tomatoes were perfectly and the biscuit topping is crunchy and flavored with fresh herbs. It was such a hit with the family they are requesting we serve it for the holiday dinners to come. We loved it also with a tender beef or pork roast and definitely with the thanksgiving turkey! Enjoy!
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Happy days are here again! A cake for celebrations
Written by by Judy Vig and Joy Paoletti
Thursday, 23 August 2012 11:17
Happy Day Cake with raspberries — a perfect combination.The lazy days of summer are finally leaving us as we move into cool crisp mornings and sunny warm afternoons. The stores are filled with pencils, paper and school glue.....loving this! The kids are going back to school, hooray!
We were counting down the days.
Our mom used to sing a song to us every year as the first day of school came rolling around. It’s called “Happy Days Are Here Again.” She would dance around the kitchen laughing, singing and clapping. The saying “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree” must be true, because we find ourselves singing this same song song to our children!
As we decided what recipe would be right for this story we remembered a cake our Nana used to make. Its been in our family for 75 years now. She called it a “Happy Day Cake.” No one in the family can remember why she chose this name, but we think it would be a perfect choice for our first day of freedom. The batter is lightly vanilla-scented batter and the cake can be used as a base for many dessert choices.
Just peachy: Summertime treat
Written by Judy Vig and Joy Paoletti
Thursday, 09 August 2012 15:20
Vanilla-Roasted Peach Ice CreamAs Joy and I try to survive the summer with her kids (they are driving me crazy too!!), we try to sneak in a little work. The girls always have to be dropped off somewhere, picked up, then out again.... It is just ridiculous.
Anyway, we try to get away early in the morning while they are still sleeping, which gives us enough time to visit the local farmers’ markets. We love to see what fruits and vegetables have been harvested this week and each one inspires us with an idea for a new recipe!
A quick summer meal from the grill
Written by Judy Vig and Joy Paoletti
Thursday, 26 July 2012 11:25
Quickly grilled shrimp served over marinated white beans make a tasty summer meal.Is this heat ever going to let up? It is way too hot to do anything, let alone cook...but our families still want to eat! We need to think easy, easy and more easy.
Our mom keeps telling us this is an “ol’ fashioned summer, just like when I was a kid.” These hot and steamy days are best tolerated with pitchers of fresh icy lemonade, all-day swimming and easy outdoor grilling for meals.
A family treasure, rediscovered: The Sponge Cake
Written by Judy Vig and Joy Paoletti
Friday, 13 July 2012 09:33
Finally after years of talking about this, we found the Sponge Cake recipe!
It is a recipe our mom has been raving about for years. Every time we ask her a question about any cake recipe we write about she always says, “I wish I could find Nana’s recipe. Ohhhh, how she used to whip the eggs and the sugar by hand!”
The Italian sponge cake is the most popular type of cake in Italy. Like the famous Genoise cake from France, this sponge-like cake serves as a foundation for many wonderful and very elaborate desserts, the most popular being the wedding cake.
Eat light, then enjoy the treats
Written by Judy Vig and Joy Paoletti
Thursday, 28 June 2012 11:36
Edamame GuacamoleIt is finally summer and there will be many picnics, parades and beach parties to attend and we all know what that means....consuming lots and lots of roasted hotdogs, thick juicy hamburgers, creamy potato salad and ice cream.
Ugh! How can we wear bathing suits and shorts?
The trick is to pick healthier choices during the week so you can splurge on the weekends. Remember everything in moderation!
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