A sweet and healthy treat to start the new year right

Wednesday, 11 January 2012 00:00

“It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day, its a new life and we are feelin’ fine.”

We cannot stop singing that song — Happy New Year, everyone.

With a brand new year ahead of us, people strive hard to have a good beginning, and eating healthy is always a great start.

The hustle and bustle of the holiday season is finally over, and for most people so is the overindulging of just about everything. We have been testing recipes and eating everything since Nov. 1.

Bringing out the magic of Christmas Eve

Wednesday, 21 December 2011 00:00

Remember Christmas Eve when you were a child? The anticipation of the next morning, wondering if you will hear Santa on the roof?

It was just so magical. I suppose we still enjoy it, differently though, and through the eyes of our children.

We would have a special Christmas Eve dinner at Gramma Izzo’s. On the ride over, Mom and Dad would play their favorite Sinatra Christmas songs on the 8-track player, and the three of us would be singing away in the back seat of the blue Pontiac stationwagon. Almost all houses were decorated with colorful lights that looked like a Christmas wonderland.

Cupcakes are my passion, chocolate is my addiction

Wednesday, 30 November 2011 00:00

With the Thanksgiving holiday behind us, our thoughts of cookie baking and planning the upcoming holiday meals are shouting at us all. Judy is completely exhausted from hosting Thanksgiving, but likes to bake the traditional holiday cookies.

But, as you all know by now, cupcakes are my passion and chocolate is my addiction. When Judy and I host a party or a dinner, our guests say that we intoxicate them with desserts.

There is  something about that little moist cake that draws me right in. I think it’s the serving size also, its just enough. It is easy to eat with  its colorful wrapping and then the crown jewel of the swirled rich icing. I find myself always trying to put my favorite flavors or desserts into a cupcake shape ... and I just did it again!

We’re not lyin,’ we are fryin’ our turkey

Wednesday, 16 November 2011 00:00

Yes! For the past few years we have been frying our holiday bird.

Hi everyone, it’s Judy writing this time. We usually celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday at my home. My oldest son Jimmy is in charge of this project, which has become a new tradition for all of us. All the men in the family take part, and each have their own job to do.

My nephew, known as “little Jimmy,” has a special rub that he created, so it is his job to prepare the turkey. One sets up the fryer, one pours the oil, etc.

Autumn is apple time

Written by Joy Paoletti and Judy Vig
Wednesday, 19 October 2011 12:35

It is finally fall, and Joy and I can’t seem to get enough of the crunching of leaves under our feet or the smell of the fireplaces burning as we walk through our neighborhood chatting away about all the delicious recipes we want to try.

The autumn air is so crisp and refreshing it reminds us of football season and cheerleading when we were kids, pumpkin picking and our papa crunching his apple.

Every year as soon as apple picking season starts we remember how Nana would lovingly remind him about eating and crunching his apple like a horse. Oh, those memories...

A little bit of love in every spoonful

Written by Joy Paoletti and Judy Vig
Tuesday, 20 September 2011 23:00

dAs always, we meet a few times during the week with our mom to talk about recipes for our Web site and the stories behind them, and there is always a story.

Mom begins the lunch with an update on all the family gossip, and then the more important family business — cousin Dottie feels better, her husband Frank looks good for his age, and Auntie Lou wants to have everybody over.

We love it when mom tells us about how her family and friends, all those years ago, celebrated a holiday or prepared a meal; many little tips and sayings that go along with each recipe.

Back to school time for parents and kids

Written by Joy Paoletti and Judy Vig
Wednesday, 31 August 2011 14:10

OK, so the kids are going back to school next week, which means most moms are very busy getting everything together. With all the shopping going on there is little time or energy left for preparing dinner or even thinking about it.

This week you have to do easy meals and something quick. After running all day, the troops are hungry. So how about fish? Any way you prepare it is delicious and quick, and most fish can be cooked in under 15 minutes. You can grill it, broil it, bake it or fry it; it is your choice.

Every time we mention fish to our mom she always giggles and tells the story about cousin Armand. He loved to fish from his beautiful red boat and took us on many fishing trips on the Connecticut shoreline.

An evening get-together with friends

Tuesday, 09 August 2011 23:00

Hi everyone, it’s Judy. Joy is off and running with her kids, preparing for college and high school all at the same time. We decided to take a few days off, which gives me a chance to have a little get together with my friends and plan a perfect evening chock full of gossip, scrumptious food and cocktails.

Nana always said ‘Don’t forget to eat your fruit!'

Written by Joy Paoletti and Judy Vig
Tuesday, 26 July 2011 23:00

“Don’t forget to eat your fruit!” We can remember our Nana saying this over and over again on our weekend trips to her home in West Hartford. I guess the saying, “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” really is true. We now hear ourselves telling our children the same thing.

Nana always served peaches, mostly canned peaches. They seemed to be her favorite. Now that we think of it, she used a lot of canned fruit, served as a snack, in a small dish, or more lavish as a baked goodie.

A summertime dessert that’s truly unforgettable

Written by Joy Paoletti and Judy Vig
Tuesday, 12 July 2011 23:00

Caramelized peaches and white chocolate cakes make a delicious dessert, especally with gelato and raspberry drizzle.

Perfect Peach Melba

6 ripe peaches

1/4-1/2 cup vanilla sugar

White cake

Raspberry sauce

Raspberry gelato

Fresh raspberries for garnish