Mothers Day Desserts!

Mothers Day is here again! It’s that beautiful time of year when we honor the ladies in our lives who proudly carry the title of MOM to their names. It’s also probably one of the busiest days of the year to got out to eat. Understandably, there are many fellas out there who prefer a nice meal at a restaurant for the ladies, as opposed to giving a home cooked meal a shot. And that’s perfectly fine. The key is to make sure that the Moms get the day off, one way or another, right? But even if you aren’t the most skilled person in the kitchen, there are still a few ways that you can impress the ladies at the table, specifically for dessert. I’ll sum it up for you in two simple words: Pound Cake.

Now I am not saying that you have to attempt making a home-made pound cake (although that would be one helluva nice surprise). Instead, by using a store bought pound cake as the back bone for a simple dessert, you will be sure to please. Below are a few suggestions on quick desserts using pound cake.

POUND CAKE WITH FRESH BERRIES AND CREAM
 one is very simple and quick. Simply place a slice of of pound cake on a dish, spray some whipped cream, top with fresh cut berries. If you want to get fancy, you can add more whipped cream and some chocolate drizzle to the plate for decoration. You can also get the kids involved with plating this dessert. My kids love any opportunity to spray whipped cream. Having the chance to actually assemble a dessert for Mommy is both fun and memorable for them!

POUND CAKE WITH ICE CREAM AND CARAMEL DRIZZLE
Same basic idea as the fresh berries and whipped cream, except you place a nice scoop of ice cream on the cake, then top with some whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce (or hot fudge sauce if you prefer). Don’t go too cheap on the ice cream, either. Get yourself a good brand, or even try an exotic fruit gelato. It is Mothers Day, after all!

For the caramel sauce, you don’t have to go too far to add a little extra love. Simply place some caramel sauce from a bottle or jar into a microwave-safe bowl, heat for 15 seconds and drizzle with a spoon. For a little extra loving kick, try adding a capful of spiced rum before heating. Stir it in and you’re good to go! Just make sure to leave the rum caramel sauce out of reach from the kids!!!

RICOTTA FILLED POUND CAKE WITH NUTELLA ICING
This trick came to me from my friend, Jessica, who is not only a great Mom herself, but also a lover of all things ricotta. She sent this idea to me a few months back, when I wrote about making your own ricotta. Of course, you don’t have to make your own for this. But if you are ambitious, give the home made recipe a shot.

You take a whole poundcake and slice it length-wise (as if your were slicing open a sandwich roll). You can slice it once or twice, depending on how many layers you want to make. Spread thee ricotta filling* in between each layer, then reassemble the pound cake. Ice the cake with Nutella..and enjoy every bite!

*Ricotta Filling
This is a basic ricotta filling that is used for cannoli. You can either use store bought, or you can make your own ricotta.

1lb ricotta
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tspn vanilla extract

Drain excess water from ricotta, then place into a bowl. Mix with sugar and vanilla. YOu can also add chocolate chips or dried fruit to the mixture if you wish.

For more Mothers Day meals, please check out my recipes for:

Apple Cinnamon French Toast 

Asian Pot Stickers

Italian-style Quesadillas

Whether you are enjoying a traditional Mexican meal at home or at a family-friendly restaurant, you are sure to find quesadillas on the table at some point. The popular and tasty dish, made up of a flour or  corn tortilla stuffed with cheeses, vegetables, meats and beans is perfect dish to either share as an appetizer with friends, or (as in my case) enjoyed on its own as a main course. This week, to help celebrate Cinco de Mayo, I am going to put an Italian spin on this Mexican favorite.

First, let’s start off with the filling. Instead of the traditional quesadilla filling, I will be using some of my favorite go-to Italian vegetables. You will need:

1 green zucchini, chopped
1 yellow squash, chopped
1 medium eggplant, chopped
1 small jar artichoke hearts
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
salt and pepper (to taste)

Mix all of the above in a bowl. Add some olive oil and stir together until well-mixed. Refrigerate for 30-60 minutes to allow all of the flavors to come together. Pour in a baking dish, bake at 350˚ for about 20 minutes. Remove from oven, set aside.

If you want to add some meat to the filling, traditional chicken or shrimp would work well. Or for a little more Italian spice, try adding some cooked ground sausage!

Next, we’re going to add some cheese. While quesadillas usually use cheddar, colby or monterey jack cheese, we’re going with shredded mozzarella and some parmesan.

Assembling the Italian quesadillas is the same as the traditional version. You start by heating up a pan over medium heat, lightly coated with butter or oil. Place a tortilla shell into the pan, let heat for about 15 seconds. Add some of the filling to one half of the tortilla, topped with the cheeses and some fresh herbs (fresh chopped basil is my choice here!). Fold the shell in half to make a half moon shape. Carefully flip the quesadilla so that it even cooks on both sides. Remove from pan, cut into three equal triangles. You may need to add more butter or oil to the pan before each additional quesadilla. Serve with a side of marinara sauce or bruschetta for dipping (in place of traditional salsa).

In the Kitchen with Dom: The video!

One of the genuine pleasures of writing a blog is making contacts with others who share a similar passion. I have been fortunate enough to make several meaningful relationships over the years with other bloggers and foodies (all of whom you can find links to here at Cucina Domenico). Recently, my friend Dan Putkowski, author of several books including Bonk’s Bar and An Island Away, contacted me about capturing a little of what I do in the kitchen on video. Dan also has his own successful blog, The Bent Page, which is comprised of many great photos and videos of travel, literature, food and product review. Dan’s motto is “It’s a small world, but big enough for me.” His blog is a perfect representation of that!

Just this past weekend, Dan and his wife Heather (who is a good friend of mine for many years), visited our house and filmed a very nice video of myself in the kitchen, preparing a typical Sunday afternoon Italian-American dinner. Not only was the video a blast to make, but it was also yet another excuse to sit around the table on a Sunday afternoon with good friends.

I am very proud and honored to be featured on one of Dan’s videos. I hope you enjoy it. And please be sure to check out Dan’s blog, The Bent Page. You will definitely have a good time there!

Valpolicello Ripasso: Affordable Wine with High-end Taste!

I am a firm believer in not having to spend too much money for a good bottle of wine. I have found that $10-$12 can often get you a very enjoyable bottle. I am also one that still appreciates the charm of the old fashioned bottle of Italian wine that is encased in the wicker basket. While many consider it cliché nowadays, I still find it nostalgic seeing the old wicker bottle on the table on a Sunday afternoon with a plate of meatballs and pasta.

With that said, I have also had the opportunity to enjoy higher priced wines at various dinner parties or events, my favorite being Amarone. And yes, there is a difference in taste with higher end wine. The complex, silky smooth texture is one that you can quickly identify with a better bottle. Even if you are not well versed in wine etiquette (which I am not, by the way), your tastebuds just know that something different, something special is happening right at the first sip. But for many (myself included), spending a large amount on a good bottle of wine is just not feasible. Amarone will run you anywhere from $45 up to $120 dollars.

Just recently I came across an interesting article in La Cucina Italiana that offers a practical solution if you are looking to enjoy the taste of a higher end wine, specifically Amarone. Because the grapes used for Amarone wine are so concentrated and full of flavor,  you are able to extract flavor from the grapes a second time around. Not enough flavor to produce an entire new round of wine, but when combined with Valpolicello, a fruity and less complex – and much more reasonably priced – Italian wine, you get what is called Valpolicello Ripasso (ripasso meaning repassed or refermented). While this is more of a one off of a true Amarone, there is enough flavor and texture that is carried through, which gives the traditional Valoplicello a more complex and interesting taste. Valpolicello Ripasso is also a fraction of the cost of Amarone, available for about $25 a bottle.

While this may also be out of the budget for many for an everyday bottle, it is a reasonable price for a nice birthday, anniversary or house warming gift. It is also an affordable option to take along to a BYO. Nowadays you can easily drop $25 on a bar bill for what I call entry-level house wine. With Valpolicello Ripasso, you spend the same amount as you would  for a few glasses of house, but you get a much more enjoyable, and better quality wine!

* You can find the La Cucina Italiana article Amarone con Amore, by Anthony Giglio, by clicking here.

My $10.99 Pick: Casillero del Diablo Carmenere

Whenever I make a trip to the Wine & Spirits shop, I always make sure to grab a bottle of my ‘go-to-wine’, Casillero del Diablo Carmenere. It’s a Chilean red wine whose taste, according to wikipedia, falls anywhere between cherry-like, slightly smokey and spicy, earthy, with a hint of dark chocolate. I, personally, give it a perfect three on the ‘easy’ chart: easy to find; easy to afford; and easy to drink. I’ve brought it to many dinner parties and have often given it out as a gift, and am always told by everyone how much they enjoy it. For $10.99 a bottle (occasionally on sale for $8.99), you can’t go wrong!

For more info on Casillero del Diablo, click here.