Some notes to reader/listener: Back in July 2019, Cdbaby told all of us artists that all free submissions were going to be taken offline. This took some time but eventually happened to me. It affected about half my Cds. That's why you don't see all of my titles anymore. Gradually, as I am able, I will put them all back online. It just requires that I pay for standard submission for each one. This Cd - "Over a Slow Flame" is the first one to go back online for the simple reason that I use the recipes in the write-up regularly while I am cooking. It is much easier to look at this web page then rifle through all my scattered recipes that lay about. So it will take some time but I intend to put all of them back online. This has been like a musical memoir of my life and I would like my descendants and anyone else who cares to know about my life, to be able to look back and read the write-ups. And, of course there's the music....

Here is the original text...with a few additions along the way...

This Cd was recorded one weekend in the mid 1990's. It includes some favorite family recipes, and, along the way I added some stories (I, and the world, were much younger then.) The title of this cd comes from the first recipe, Bagna Cauda, which is cooked over a slow flame. This, it seems to me, is a metaphor for life. Quit the frenetic pace and slow things down.

Bagna Cauda (trans. “hot bath”) - My nonno, Daliso Lenci’s New Year’s Eve Italian appetizer

1 head of garlic, cut in small pieces or chopped
1/3 to 1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup olive oil (more if wanted)
2 cans (4 oz) anchovies, salted (may use more)
Italian bread and vegetables to dip

Mix garlic, butter, olive oil and anchovies over a slow flame. Stir often until well done. Garlic should be light brown, butter melted and anchovies completely broken up. For vegetables, almost any vegetables will do. My Nonno used celery sticks, endive, boiled cauliflower, sliced red and green peppers, cabbage. Dunk vegetables and warm Italian bread into the dip. I like to spread this mixture onto warm slices of Italian bread. Serve with wine or hot coffee. This dish will make an anchovy lover out of you!

Sibling Rivalry

My daughter wants me to teach her how to French kiss. She sticks her tongue out as far as it will go and circles the air around her like a deranged frog looking for a mosquito. I tell her I will show her tomorrow. “Always put off until tomorrow what you don't have to do today.” Good advice I think, and hope against hope that she'll forget about it. But I know better. These small people who live here with me are persistent and utterly unforgiving when it comes to remembering promises I've made. No, it shall not be. Sooner or later I will be forced to show her the proper way to French kiss, this I know.
“Megan has already French kissed Mike.”
“Yes, I know that. But she's eleven. You're only six. Heck, before you know it, she’ll be married with kids. You'll be an aunt and I’ll be a grandpa.”
She thinks about this for awhile, probably imagining herself as an aunt. Aunt Rachelle. Six years old. She gets a whimsical, faraway look in her eye, picturing herself in high heels... a handbag flung over her shoulder... her PowerPuff Girls umbrella protecting her and her little nieces and nephews from the sun. Then she comes back to earth with a start. “Dad, I WANT to learn how to French kiss.” The tongue extends out, and she looks like a crazed toad/rock star again. I know it is hopeless to reason with a six-year old hell-bent on French kissing her father. But, I too am not easily persuaded and can be downright stubborn when I have to. “Look, Megan is eleven. She's older than you. She supposed to be French kissing in the bushes. It's the natural order of things. You know...first comes love... then comes marriage...then comes baby in the baby carriage. I'll show you tomorrow.”
The viper lets loose again. I relent a bit and touch the tip of her tongue with the tip of mine.
“Ew,” I say. “Yuck.” She is undaunted, wondering if we have just French kissed. I think I hear the word ‘saliva’, but she is speaking with her tongue out, so it is unclear.

A Favorite Pasta Dish

1 pound of angel hair pasta
¼ cup olive oil (may need a little more)
2 small, fresh zucchini
1 can stewed Italian tomatoes (should contain Italian seasonings: basil, oregano, garlic. I like Del Monte. )
4 cloves garlic
1 small yellow onion

Heat oil in large skillet. Prepare boiling water for pasta. Cut up zucchini into thin slices. Cut garlic into desired size. I prefer to keep garlic chunks fairly large. Cut up onion into wedges. Saute’ zucchini, garlic and onion until fork tender. Season with salt, pepper, oregano, parsley. Add stewed Italian tomatoes. Cook angel hair pasta until al dente’. Drain water. Add pasta directly to pan of vegetables, tomatoes, oil. Stir well, mixing pasta into oil, vegetables and tomatoes. Serve with favorite wine, garlic bread, salad and Parmesan cheese. I love this dish for leftovers!

The Best Day

I was born on Mother's Day. May 10th 1959. Go look it up if you like. In my opinion, the two best days of the year to be born are Mother's Day and Father's Day. Of these two, Mother's Day is first. My birthday. The best day of the year to be born.
Every holiday, when our extended families gather around a table to enjoy a sumptuous feast I go through a small ritual that I find highly rewarding. It goes something like this.
First, I position myself properly, put my head on my mother’s shoulder and say:
“I'm your favorite...I know...You don't have to say it...I know...”
My mother, in her most motherly tone, says, “I don't have any favorites. I love all my children the same.” I know better, and say so.
About this time I hear catcalls begin to come from the peanut gallery.
“Gees. Here he goes again.”
“Oh brother. Not again this year.”
And my personal favorite, from my sister Annette, while shaking her head slightly: “He is one of God's strangest creatures.”
About this time, I begin to point out my siblings to my mother and their respective birthdays. The usual guffaws follow.
“February 4th. An accident for sure.” (The truth is Annette and I were both “unexpected”.)
“September 21st. Not even sure if she made the autumnal equinox. That's September 23rd, isn't it?”
“May 20th. Day late and a dollar short.”
“July 4th. Well, even I must admit that that's a pretty cool birthday. The whole country celebrates your birthday with you. It's number four on the 'best days to be born list', after Valentine's Day.”
This year I believe I'll start including the nephews and nieces into my little game.
“April 30th. Wasn't Hitler born around this time?.”
“January 10th. Well, you got the 10 right. But it's too cold in January. Sorry.”
“July 13th, September 13. Hmmm. Thirteen. Not much else to say.” (The truth is, I have a very real, mystical connection to the number 13.)
“July 23rd. Mistakes abound in this family.” ( I have a story for you...My nephew, Pete and his wife Marcy were born on the same day - July 23rd - at the same hospital, and in the same maternity floor. They met some 30 years later on the Joliet riverboats while gambling with their friends. The chances of that must be a billion to one. )
“January 29th. I have one question. Why would someone want to be born at the end of January?”
“February 19th. Missed it by five days.”
And so on and so on. I recommend this little exercise for next Thanksgiving followed by a nap.

Pasta Shells with Broccoli

3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 stick butter
2 cups half and half or 3 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1 large bunch broccoli, cut up
1 lb. pasta shells
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup dry parsley
1 tsp -1 Tbsp. black pepper (depending on your tolerance for pepper)
1 tsp. salt

Heat butter and oil in large skillet. Add garlic, parsley and broccoli and saute’ until broccoli is fork tender. Boil shells until al dente’. Add cooked shells to broccoli mixture. Add eggs, half and half (or milk), cheese, salt and pepper and cook uncovered over medium heat. Stir constantly for 5 minutes or until entire mixture is thoroughly heated. Serve with wine, garlic bread, salad, grated cheese.

The Shoelace Trinity

When Megan was four she knew everything. Once, at the dinner table she said, “Dad, I know everything except three things: How to tie my shoes, how to drive a car, and how to write a check.” She knew all there was to know in the universe except that small trinity. The shoelace trinity.
“I must go to the university and read the complete works of Dostoevsky, but Daddy could you please help me tie my shoes first”?
“Is this the right foot”?
“I know my right hand from my left because there's a freckle on my right hand”.
Four was the most difficult age for us. The terrible twos were non-existent with her. Three was a bit more challenging. Four has given us reason to send her back to her maker.
“Daddy, could you color with me”?
“I don't have anybody to play with”.
“I'm bored”.
“Can I watch Wizzy”? That's Megan talk for the Wizard of Oz.
“But Megan, you've seen Wizzy close to 20 times”.
“Only until the Lion shows up, pleeeease Daddy”.
“Daddy, could you wrestle with me”?
“Daddy, what does P-H-G-Y-G-F-E-M spell”?
“Nothing Megan. That's not a word.”
“I don't care. What does (slower this time) P-H-G-Y-G-F-E-M spell”?
“Megan, you don't understand. Just because you put letters in a row doesn't mean you can spell a word with them. The letters have to make up a word”.
“Oh Dad. (exasperated) Just forget it”.
“Daddy, what do 'p' begin with?
““P” doesn't begin with anything. It's a letter, not a word”.
“But what do 'p' begin with?”
““P” is a letter. It's the first letter in 'Peter', 'pill', 'Paul'.”
“So do 'troll' begin with 'p'?
“No. Troll begins with 't'.”
“So what do 'p' begin with?”
Yikes. (Later) “What do 'purple forest' begin with?”
“P.”
“I knew it.”
And the funny thing is, I think she finally understood. Looking back at the conversation, however, I can't imagine how.

“Daddy, could we go to MacDonald's and get a happy meal? I want to play on the swing.”
“Megan it's 4 degrees outside. It's too cold for MacDonald's.”
“But Dad, I want to play on the swing.”
“Megan it's the dead of winter. It's freezing outside. No, we cannot go to MacDonald's.”
“Hmmmff. I don't like you.”

(Another day). “Daddy, do snowmen have eight buttons?”
It seems she was looking at the clock on the stove and it was 6:34 pm. How she came up with eight is a mystery. Speaking of snowmen... One winter, years ago, we got a real nice snow. The kind that's just wet enough for building perfect snowmen. So Megan and I built a Mr. and Mrs. Snowman. Rather, I rolled the three large balls and stacked them on top of each other. She helped out by packing an edge around each of the balls to join them together. She wanted the lady snowman to resemble my mom, her Nonna. Later, when we were sitting at dinner she turned to her mother and said, “ Mom we made the mama snowman with big D cups just like Nonna.”

“Daddy, could you play with me?”
I hear they have lots of games on the moon. And MacDonald's too. Perhaps you'd like to play on the Ronald MacDonald swing set there.

“Up until a child is fourteen, place him in a barrel and feed him through a lid in the top. On his fourteenth birthday, nail the lid shut.” - Mark Twain

Johanna's Steak and Bacon Tournedos

1 to 1 1/2 pound beef flank steak
Instant non-seasoned meat tenderizer
1/2 lb. bacon
1 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 Tbsp. snipped or dried parsley
1 pkg. 1 3/4- ounce envelope hollandaise sauce mix
1/4 tsp. tarragon (optional)

Pound flank steak to even thickness. Cover with meat tenderizer according to package directions. Cook bacon until almost done, but not crisp. Sprinkle flank steak with garlic salt and pepper. Score steak diagonally making diamond shaped cuts. Place bacon strips lengthwise on flank steak. Sprinkle with parsley. Roll up jelly-roll fashion. Skewer with wooden picks at 1 inch intervals. Cut in 1-inch slices with serrated knife. Grill over medium coals approximately 15 minutes turning once. Meanwhile, in saucepan, prepare hollandaise sauce mix according to package directions, adding the tarragon to the dry mix. At table, pour sauce over flank steaks. Great summer dish. Serve with french fries, salad. Makes 8 pinwheel servings.

Lovenotes

The following letter was given to me verbatim, by my oldest daughter Megan.

bbbgthy657uujmnhbgvfdftguyjty7duiihoiiu87i8yuiunyihihuuhuuuuhuughhufuuuuy0oiu
4rtyfttyweffytfyrftgtrthhfhgytrhrfyhtip9iutyggydgffdrrfeygtrredyr43rdedaredgghh
789067890 hhhhhhhhhhuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuulllllllllllllllllleeeeeeeeeeeee3333333333333355555555555555yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhfffffffffffffffyyyyyyyyyyyuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiggggggggggggggeeeeeeeeeeeeddddddddddddddgggggggggggggggnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn,mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrttttttjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111144444444555777777777777777888888888889999999900000000000000000000123456678888888

dear daddy
this is for your work
i love y ou daddy
megan s

(As if I wasn't sure which Megan it was from).

Ravioli From Scratch, Geni Bianchi, (my Nonna, of Segrimingo Monte, Tuscany)

Ravioli sauce:

3 pork steaks
1 lb. hamburger
1 medium onion
1 stick celery
1 can peeled tomatoes
2 cans tomato paste
1 can tomato sauce

Fry 3 pork steaks in small amount of oil, fry well. Add 1 lb. hamburger and brown. Add 1 medium chopped onion. Add 1 stick celery chopped. Add 1 can peeled tomatoes, 2 cans tomato paste and 1 can tomato sauce. Add four (small) paste cans of water. Salt and pepper to taste. Simmer 2 hours.



Ravioli filling:

2 loaves hard Italian bread
6 cups water
6 beef bouillon cubes
1 1/2 lb. ground round
2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup parsley
1 Tbsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. oregano
4 eggs
4 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese

Now, the ravioli. First, the filling: Shread two loaves hard Italian bread. Heat 6 cups water and 6 beef bullion cubes. Moisten bread with hot bullion water and mix well. Brown 1 1/2 lbs. ground round in 2 Tbsp. butter. Add 1/2 cup parsley that has been sauteed in 1 Tbsp. butter. Add hamburger-parsley mixture to bread mixture. Season with 1Tbsp. salt, 1/2 tsp. pepper, 1/2 tsp. oregano. Let mixture cool. After cooling, add 4 well-beaten eggs, mix well. Add 4 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese. Taste.




Ravioli dough:

4 cups milk
1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. salt
4 eggs
12 cups flour

Now, the dough. Heat slightly (lukewarm) 4 cups milk and 1 Tbsp. butter. Add 1 tsp. salt to heated milk. Add 4 beaten eggs to milk. Gradually add 11 cups sifted flour to milk egg mixture. Knead mixture in 1 more cup of flour on table about 15 minutes until it doesn’t stick to table or hands. Roll out section 1/8” thick. Drop 1 Tbsp. filling on edge of rolled out dough 1 ½” apart. Fold dough over balls and cut around them forming a square. Press around 3 sides with fork to seal. Makes about 100 raviolis. These ravioli freeze well. Cook frozen ravioli 20-30 minutes. Do not add salt to water. Drop ravioli into boiling water.

The Imaginary List

Here is a list of things I dream about doing before I die. They are in no particular order.

-buy a long lost van Gogh at a garage sale for say, 35 cents. (This might be hard to do because I don't go to garage sales).

-kayak along the Na Pali coast, Kauai.

-live in Italy for a year

-body surf in Newport Beach, California

-see my great-grandchildren

-buy a motorcycle with a sidecar and take my son for rides in it

-go to Monaco

-work at the FBI catching bad guys

-lose twenty pounds

-salmon fish in the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska

-see my son healed of cerebral palsy

-drive the Amalfi coast

-learn to surf

-live long enough to see dinosaurs cloned from old dino bones

-hang glide

-paddle the Gunnison River in Colorado

-live to be 100

-visit Angel Falls, Venezuela

-work part-time, play part-time

-buy a stock at its 52-week low and sell it at its 52-week high

-sail around the world (I don't know how to sail, but I don't get seasick.)

-explore the underwater caves in northern Florida

-live to be 100 and be flash frozen and thawed/revived in 500 years

-kayak the Owyhee River in the high desert of southeastern Oregon

-buy a Bowflex (exercise machine)

-raft the “unraftable” Yarlung Tsangpo canyon. (The Tsangso is the world's deepest river gorge. It originates in the Himalayas in western Tibet and is regarded as the wildest rafting trip in the world.)

-scuba dive for sunken treasure in the Caribbean (I'll have to learn to scuba dive first, I suppose.)

-write a best selling novel

-save someone from drowning

-speak many languages (La quenta, por favor?)

-swim with dolphins

-volunteer at the Covenant House in a third world country

-kayak the Gauley River in West Virginia when the Summersville dam releases its torrent (The law requiring the Summersville dam to open its spigots from Labor day to mid-October makes the Gauley one of the best white water rafting trips in the U.S.)

-work at NASA

-cliff dive in Hawaii (Okay, maybe watch the natives cliff dive in Hawaii.)

-go to western Africa's Skeleton Coast

-snowshoe in Northern California

-buy a house with a built-in swimming pool

-go to Rio De Janeiro

-take the following train rides: Bernina Express along the Swiss-Italy border, Trans-Canada across Canada, Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, Durango, Colorado

-join the Peace Corps. (Remind me to get my shots first.)

-show my grandson(s) how to throw a fast ball (I have no curve ball. They'll have to learn that from their other grandpa.)

-visit Porto, Portugal

-see what my daughters grow up to be

-catch a barracuda off the coast of Cozumel

-spend a year living in the Hawaiian Islands

-take pictures of pretty skies (My wife will have to do this one. I have trouble focusing the camera.)

-go to New Orleans and eat

-buy a house on top of a huge hill so we can go sledding and skiing in the wintertime right out our front door

-visit Bali

-own a house overlooking an ocean

-dive for black pearls in the Caribbean

-go to “Water World” , the largest water park in the U.S. located in Denver


That about covers it. Next, I will write a list of things I will most likely do before I die.


The Reality List

-Make approximately 43,800 more meals (This number assumes I will stop cooking around age 80).

-help my daughters with their homework

-bike ride with my family

-watch helplessly as my 401K plan multiplies and I am too young to draw off of it

-bury my mother someday

-pay off credit card bills (As of this writing they are paid off! Hurray!)

-make love with my wife

-read books (As long as we're on this subject, I believe that your local library should go down as one of mankind's greatest inventions).

-paddle down the DesPlaines River

-cross country ski at West Park near my house

- take my two daughters sledding (As coincidence would have it, we have just experienced one of the snowiest Decembers ever here in the Midwest. The three of us did lots of sledding and it was FUN! FUN! FUN!)

-swim in the rock quarry where I swam as a youngster (Don't tell my wife that I'm planning on sneaking my daughters there soon). Note to reader: We took the plunge on Father’s Day of this year. The girls had a great time and mom wasn’t even mad. An overall success story, methinks.

-channel surf (This way it takes only a few minutes to find out that nothing good is on TV.)

-record Cds

-eat lots of omelets in the summer when my tomatoes ripen

-drink red wine

(Funny how this list is harder to write than the imaginary list above. What does that mean, I wonder?)

-change my son's diapers

-go to Christmas eve parties (I missed it this year. First time for everything, I suppose.)

-wake up more during the night as I get older (This one has been in full swing for some time now and I am weary just thinking about it.)

-give my daughters away at the altar

-record my wife singing (She has a lovely voice.)

-take my wife to Hawaii

-see all the James Bond movies

-gain twenty pounds

-watch other people swim with dolphins at Sea World

-live until my mid 80's if I'm lucky

-work for a long time hence

-take my family to see “Sue” the famous Tyrannosaurus Rex at the Field Museum in Chicago (We went a few months ago and I highly recommend it.)

-roller blade

-watch sunsets

-go to water parks

-visit a third world country

-go to church on Sunday

-drink Starbuck's coffee (Did you know the name ‘Starbucks’ comes from the coffee-loving first mate named “Starbuck” in Melville’s Moby Dick)?

-buy a motorcycle with a sidecar and take my son for rides in it

-plant wildflowers

-secretly plant my tomatoes close together (My wife insists on going by the instructions and planting them farther apart than I deem necessary.)

-buy a house with a swimming pool

-try to talk my wife into supporting me so I can work on the imaginary list


Chili with Fritos

1 lb. lean ground turkey
1 can kidney beans
2 Tbsp. olive or vegetable oil
2 cups onions, diced
3-6 garlic cloves, depending on your love of garlic, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 jar favorite spaghetti sauce
2-4 cups water
1 1/2 Tbsp. - 3 Tbsp. chili powder, depending on taste
1 tsp. cumin
salt and pepper
1 cup chopped celery
1 can corn
Fritos (most important ingredient)

Saute’ onions, garlic and pepper in oil until fork tender. Add turkey and brown. Add kidney beans, celery, spaghetti sauce, water, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Simmer for 30 min. - 1 hour. Add corn, water if needed. Simmer 15 min. Pour fritos on bottom of serving bowl. Pour chili over fritos. Add shredded cheddar cheese to top. Season to taste with salt, pepper, chili powder.

Archie's Airships and Pretty Spanish Ballads

When I was a kid one of my favorite pastimes was reading Archie comics with my sister Annette. They cost 25 cents and were one of the very few luxuries my mom could afford for us. We read each one several times and took delight in reading them each time. They were always stacked in a wicker basket next to the love seat in the family room and Annette and I used to read them quietly while twirling each other's hair. My favorite characters were Betty and Jughead and, of course, Archie. But what I remember most about Archie comics wasn't the stories but the ads. In the back of each comic was an ad for an 'airship'. This was a strange sort of hovercraft that somehow propelled its lucky inhabitants to wherever they desired to fly. I was totally intrigued by this special and mysterious rocket ship and I knew my mom couldn't afford the $29.95 it would cost to buy it, but this only added to the mystique of this strange item. I never even told her or anyone for that matter, about this mysterious airship. As I said, I knew she couldn't afford it and so the adventures I would take on it were solely in my imagination. Looking back now, I think an important and vital lesson remains from the days of Archie's hovercraft. I'm quite certain if somehow I would have saved enough money or begged long enough for this vehicle I would have gotten it but lost something far more precious. In understanding the limitations of such a vehicle I would have gotten quickly disenchanted and would have scoffed at the exotic adventures I had planned in my mind. These, after all, were what airships were made for. The carefree adventures of little poor boys.
Possibly the most beautiful piece of guitar music I have ever heard is a piece composed by Frederico Moreno-Torroba for his famous friend Andres Segovia. The piece is called 'Burgelesa' and is played in F sharp major. It's slow, lilting passages were written to describe the rugged, simple beauty of Spain's countryside. When I first heard it, I determined within myself to learn it. And so I did. Every note, every difficult chord I played to perfection. I memorized each dramatic pause, every accentuated note. When I played Burgelesa, only a trained ear could distinguish between my arrangement and Andres Segovia's. But I lost something in understanding the song so completely. I lost the mystique of wondering any longer. Now the mood change half way through the song was not a change of seasons or scenery along Spain's ruggedly beautiful coastline, but rather, a change of key from F sharp major to D. Something beautiful and romantic was forever lost. I don't play Burgelesa anymore. I don't even listen to it.
I'm not poor anymore. I can afford that airship in the back of an Archie comic book. But I wonder whether or not I would gain more or lose more with such a purchase.

Grandpa John’s Beef/Venison Stew

4 lbs. sirloin tip roast or venison
salt and pepper
1 large yellow onion
2 lbs. carrots
4 stalks celery
1 cup parsnip
1 cup turnip
6 potatoes
1 large can tomatoes
1 cup seasoned flour
cooking oil

Cut up the tip roast or venison into stew size pieces. Salt and pepper meat. Put 1 cup flour in plastic bag along with meat. Shake to coat meat. Brown meat in hot pan with cooking oil. Cut up onion and put onion and browned meat into large stew pot. Cover with two inches hot water. Bring to a boil. Turn gas down to a slow flame. Simmer for
1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add hot water as needed. Cover pot. After simmering stew meat, add 2 lbs. cut up carrots, 4 stalks celery and leaves, 1 cup parsnip and turnip. May have to add hot water to keep this liquid easily stirred. Cook this for 15 minutes, then add potatoes - enough for each person eating. Add large can of tomatoes with juice and continue to cook for 30 minutes.

-To thicken stew, blend 1 cup seasoned flour. Grandpa saves the flour from the plastic bag he coats the meat with. Slowly add enough water to get a creamy texture. Slowly stir into stew. Add more or less to your thickness liking.

-Cook’s choice: Taste gravy to see if it needs more salt and pepper seasoning. Also, 1 Tbsp. of beef seasoning can be added, stirring thoroughly. Serve with favorite bread, or corn bread. Don’t forget to throw another log on the fire and pour yourself another glass of wine. Good winter meal - this one sticks to your ribs.

The Worry Wart

When I was small I worried about everything. At least that's what I've been told. I, being the youngest, am not allowed the luxury of seeing things clearly so I have to rely on the more ‘accurate interpretation’ of events given by elders in the family. They claim the following: I used to worry that if I grew old and went bald, would my eyebrows fall out too? Something tells me I saw that on a cartoon. Or, I wondered if the hair on my body kept growing, would I turn into a gorilla? Or - my personal favorite - if I ever had to go into the army, what if I ran out of bullets? (I bet you never worried about that one.) Those girls... every time we're together it's the same old story: “What if you run out of bullets, Mark, are you still worried about that?” You'd think they could get some new material. Besides, I'm too old to join the Army. And I still have some hair left and both of my eyebrows. But come to think of it, the hair on my back has been getting longer.

Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

Enough Ham to feed table
6 medium potatoes
¼ cup finely chopped onion
3 Tbsp. flour (flour can be sifted)
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
¼ cup butter
2 ½ cups milk

Mix ingredients (except milk) in a casserole dish. Heat milk and pour over casserole. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake another 60 minutes. Serve piping hot.


Marinated Mushrooms

1 ½ lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced
¼ lb. (1 stick) butter
2-4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 Tbsp. pepper
2 tsp. salt
1 ½ Tbsp. Worchestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. Reallemon or juice from 1 lemon
1 cup white wine
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. dry parsley

Melt butter and oil. Saute’ garlic and onion until fork tender. Add remaining ingredients. Cover and cook until mushrooms are tender. Serve warm.

London Broil

2-4 ribeyes
4 potatoes
1 tsp. garlic salt
pepper to taste
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 green pepper, sliced

Slice potatoes into ¼ inch slices. Microwave potatoes 6 –10 minutes until tender. Pound ribeye to soften (may use meat tenderizer also) and cut into thin slices. Heat olive oil over high heat. Season ribeye with garlic salt and pepper. Toss into oil and cook over high heat, turning often. Brown thoroughly and remove meat. Put potato slices and green pepper into pan. Add oil if necessary and saute’ potato and green pepper slices until fork tender. Add meat and toss together. Season with salt and pepper at table. Great with a salad and favorite beer.

Avocado Dip

2 ripe avocados
1 Tbsp. minced onion
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. chili powder
1/3 cup mayonnaise

Mix ingredients and smooth out in a bowl. Spread top with 1/3 cup mayonnaise making sure to seal spread completely. Chill. Mayonnaise will keep spread from turning dark. When ready to serve, mix in mayonnaise.

Marinated Steak

Marinade:

4 ribeyes or filets
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 ½ cups red wine
½ cup olive oil
1 Tbsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
2 oz. lemon juice
2 dashes red wine vinegar

Pierce each side of steaks with knife. Put garlic into slits. Place steaks in roasting pan. Add marinade and coat with spices. Marinate for 1 hour at room temperature. If cooking outdoors, place steaks on white hot coals. If frying, place steaks in frying pan with small amount of marinade. Baste often. Serve with potato, fries, salad, wine, beer or favorite beverage.


Gourmet Mushroom Risotto

6 cups chicken broth
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 package portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 package white mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 shallots, diced
1 ½ cups Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine (I use Riesling white wine)
Sea salt to taste
Black pepper
3 tablespoons chopped chives
4 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup parmesan cheese

In a saucepan, warm the broth over a slow flame. Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the mushrooms, and cook about 3 minutes. Remove mushrooms and their liquid and set aside.

Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the skillet and stir in the shallots. Cook 1 minute. Add rice, stirring to coat with oil, about 2 minutes. When the rice has taken on a pale, golden color, pour in wine, stirring until the wine is fully absorbed. Add ½ cup broth to the rice and stir until the broth is absorbed. Continue adding broth ½ cup at a time stirring frequently until the broth is absorbed. Continue adding broth ½ cup at a time, stirring continuously, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is al dente, about 15-20 minutes.

Remove from heat, and stir in the mushrooms with their liquid, butter, chives and parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Rachelle's Three Bean Salad

1 15 oz. can of pinto beans
1 15 oz. can of kidney beans
1 15 oz. can of cannellini beans
½ red onion
Parsley

Dressing ingredients:
¼ cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Juice from 1 lemon
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon maple syrup
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Simple Beef Pot Roast

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 ½ pounds beef chuck pot roast
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced onion
¼ cup butter
1 teaspoon dried rosemary

Preheat oven to 275 degrees (135 degrees C). Pour vegetable oil into large oven-safe pot over medium high heat. Season the pot roast with salt and pepper. Brown the meat on both sides in the hot oil, and transfer to a plate.

Stir carrots, celery and onion into the pot, and cook and stir until vegetables start to release their juices, about 3 minutes. Add butter and cook until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Then sprinkle in rosemary, stir the vegetables and return the roast to the pot. Cover the pot with a lid. Roast in the preheated oven until the pot roast is tender, about 2 ½ to 3 hours. Season vegetables with additional salt and pepper if desired.

Hearty Ham and White Bean Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion
1 ½ teaspoons Italian seasoning
2 large carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise and sliced thin
½ cabbage, cored and cut into bite size shreds
12 oz. ham steak, diced into small pieces
1 quart chicken broth
1 14.5 oz can Italian style tomotoes
2 cans white beans
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Heat the oil over medium high heat in a soup kettle. Add the onion, saute until soft, and golden, about 5 minutes. Add the Italian seasoning and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the remaining ingredients, then bring to a full simmer, skimming any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce heat to low, simmer gently (partially covered) until the vegetables are just cooked and flavors blended, about 15 minutes. Stir in the parsley, cover and let stand 5 minutes. Enjoy!

Garlic and Potato Wedges

4 medium potatoes, scrubbed and rinsed
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon dried rosemary
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Cut each potato into wedges. Add the wedges into a large mixing bowl with the rest of the ingredients. Toss to coat the potatoes evenly.

Line sheet pan with foil. Place the wedges skin side down, on the foil. Space them evenly. Bake for 35 minutes or until desired doneness. Enjoy! My wife always asks for these.

Roasted Butternut Squash

1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch cubes
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Toss butternut squash with olive oil and garlic in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange coated squash on a baking sheet. Roast about 25-30 minutes.

Italian Sausage Rigatoni

1 package Italian mild sausage links, grilled and coin sliced
1 package rigatoni pasta
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large red pepper, sautéed
1 jar pasta sauce
2 tablespoons parsley

Cook sausage according to directions. Keep warm. Cook rigatoni according to package directions. In a large pan, place olive oil and garlic, saute lightly. Add peppers and cook until crisp-tender. Combine cooked sausage and pasta sauce with peppers and heat until warm. Mix with the cooked rigatoni. Top with fresh parsley.

Pasta Bean Toss

1 pound whole-grain penne pasta
2 medium red onions, thinly sliced
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
5 carrots, cut
2 cups raw broccoli
12 plum tomatoes, diced if desired
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
4 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
1 15 oz. can red kidney beans
1 15 oz. can white beans
½ Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package. While pasta cooks, in a large frying pan saute onions and garlic in oil until tender (few minutes). Add remaining vegetables, tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and basil. Simmer for 4 minutes. Add beans and simmer for 2 minutes or until veggies are tender. Add pasta and cheese and toss. I made this for my mom once.

Grilled Salmon with Lentil Tabouli

1 cup green lentils
3 cups water
¼ cup olive oil
½ cup lemon juice
1 garlic clove
4 scallions (or few slices of yellow onion)
1 cup flat leaf parsley
½ seedless cucumber, peeled, diced
½ pint grape tomatoes, quartered
2 teaspoons salt

For the salmon..(enough to feed table)
Olive oil
Lemon juice
Minced garlic
Barbecue sauce (if desired)

Turn on broiler. Place lentils and water in small pot. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook, covered about 15 minutes. In a bowl, toss together olive oil, lemon, garlic, scallion, parsley, cucumber, tomatoes and salt. When lentils are finished, drain, rinse with warm water, add to bowl and toss. After broiler has warmed up, drizzle olive oil on salmon. Drizzle lemon juice, paint on barbeque sauce. Turn over and do the same. Mince enough garlic to feed table. Put side 1 under broiler 5 minutes. Remove and add barbeque sauce. Flip and put back into broiler for 3 minutes. Remove and add the minced garlic. Put under broiler and additional 2 minutes. Enjoy!

Daliso Lenci’s Minestrone Soup

2 lbs. salt pork
1 large yellow onion
1 small cabbage
¾ lb. carrots
4-5 stalks celery
1 can (42-45 oz) tomatoes (petite)
2 ½ teaspoons pepper (usually doesn’t need salt because of the salt pork)
2 (14 oz) cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 lb. ditalini (thimble) pasta

Slice and chop the pork fairly fine, then fry slowly. Chop onion, cabbage, carrots, and celery. Once pork is fried, add vegetables and 5 quarts hot water along with tomatoes and pepper. Cook 2 ½ hours then add canned kidney beans and ditalini pasta and cook for an additional 30 minutes. This is my grandfather’s Daliso Lenci’s recipe from Segromingo Monte, Tuscany, Italy.

Italian Herb Frittata

8 eggs
2 tablespoons water
3 slices good bacon, chopped and fried
1 cup mozzarella cheese
3 tablespoons Italian herb seasoning

Beat eggs and water. Stir in cooked bacon, ½ cup cheese and Italian herb seasoning. Pour in greased 9 inch pie plate. Sprinkle with remaining cheese of top. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.

Garlic Mashed Red Potatoes

8 medium red potatoes, quartered
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup milk, warmed
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup Parmesan cheese

Place potatoes in large saucepan, cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until done. Drain well. Put in mixer with remaining ingredients. Mix until smooth. Nice dish!

Oven Roasted Vegetables

2 sweet potatoes, cubed
3 potatoes, cubed
1 red onion, quartered
2 zucchini, sliced thick
2 summer squash, sliced thick
1 bag baby carrots
8 oz. mushrooms, stems removed
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
1 teaspoon dried basil
2 cloves garlic, cut
Balsamic vinegar to taste
Salt and pepper to taste

Chop all vegetables as specified. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Mix thyme, rosemary, basil, garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper together in a bowl. Set aside. Put the chopped vegetables in a large bowl, then pour the oil/vinegar mixture over the vegetables. Stir and coat vegetables.

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spread the vegetables evenly on the pan. Roast for 40 minutes, rotating half way through.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

1 ½ pound brussel sprouts
3 tablespoons olive oil
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Mix brussel sprouts in a bowl with all ingredients. Roast for 35 minutes. Add salt at end, if desired.

Pete’s Red Sauce

1 medium onion
3 cloves garlic
18 oz. tomato paste
3-4 cups water
1-2 tablespoons sugar
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1-2 teaspoons pepper
2-3 tablespoons parsley
3 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons basil
2 lbs. canned tomatoes

Saute garlic and onion until tender. Add remaining ingredients, mix and simmer for 30 minutes. Love to serve this sauce with polenta and salamines!

Egg Salad

8 eggs
½ cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon mustard
¼ cup chopped onion
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ teaspoon paprika

Place eggs in pan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Cover and let eggs stand in hot water for 10-12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool and mash together with mayonnaise, mustard, onion. Season with salt, pepper and paprika. Love this for breakfast or anytime of day.

Marian’s Italian Rice

Garlic Vinegarette
In a small bowl, whisk together ½ cup canola oil, 1/3 cup fresh Italian Parsley, ¼ cup white wine vinegar, 3 tablespoons fresh dill, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, 1 teaspoon fresh basil, 1 teaspoon fresh oregano and 2 cloves minced garlic. (You must use fresh herbs. It doesn’t taste the same with dried.)

3 cups cooked basmati rice
1 cup chopped red, green or orange sweet pepper
1 6 oz jar marinated artichokes (drained)
1/3 cup chopped red onion
¼ cup raisins
2 tablespoons drained capers

In a large bowl combine rice, sweet pepper, artichokes, red onion, raisins and capers. Stir vinegarette and drizzle over rice mixture. Toss gently to mix.

Lentil Soup

1 lb. lentils
4 cups chicken broth
3 cups water
2 Tbls. olive oil
2-4 garlic cloves
4 large carrots
1 small onion
2 handfuls pasta – about 2 inches long
Bunch of spinach

In a large pot bring lentils, broth and water to a boil and simmer for 1 hour 15 minutes (approx..)
Saute garlic and onion until golden brown. Add to cooking lentils with carrots. Add spinach. In a separate pot, cook pasta according to directions. Drain and add to cooking lentils. Serve with parmesan cheese and warm Italian bread. Enjoy!


Some updates on our girls…Megan has grown into a lovely, sensitive mother of little Lenci Aria. She is 29 now and has her own household with her partner, Mike. Lenci Aria is the apple of Megan’s eye and a delightful little girl. She has pretty, deep blue-green eyes which turn turquoise in the bright sun. She has strawberry blond hair like her mother (and father) and is crawling around and likes to stand. She is teething, so she has to taste everything. I see Megan and Lenci about once a week and every Thursday, Nancy, Megan and Lenci drive to get Lenci’s raw milk, cream and other things from a farmer’s cooperative. Megan is very health-conscience and has inherited my sensitivity and her mother’s bravery. She has also inherited my propensity for all things musical.

Rachelle, our baby, lives in Helena, Montana. She works for the state of Montana working with poor people and teaches them how to advocate for themselves. She wrote the job description herself and loves the outdoors (like me). She is a world traveler and has lived in South Africa for a semester of school while residing in Ithaca, New York where she got her degree in Public Health. She is a top athlete and runs daily and competes in marathons and other events. She too, is a musician (piano and drums) but would deny it if asked. One day, she will get back to teaching piano, I am sure. Our cd, entitled “Long Way Home” is about her month long trip across the country. It is a favorite of mine and I play it often. Rachelle and I have a very unique father-daughter relationship and she would tell anyone who asks that she had a wonderful, happy childhood and a great life. She, also has inherited her mother's bravery. We love you, Rachie Roo and always look forward to seeing you. I am planning on visiting Montana in September 2019. Rachelle and I will go to Glacier National Park (the most beautiful place she’s ever seen) which is on the Montana-Canadian border.

Lemon Chicken with Barley

2 tablespoons olive oil
1lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite sized pieces, salt and peppered, if you like
1 tablespoon flour
2 cups water
1 cup sliced carrots
Lemon juice to taste
Enough barley to feed table
1 package baby spinach leaves

Heat olive oil over medium high heat. Toss in chicken coated with flour about 4 minutes until browned. Add water, carrots and barley and lemon juice. Cover and turn down the heat to medium low and simmer 23 minutes or until barley is tender. Place spinach on top of the barley mixture and cover. Stir in spinach until wilted and well blended.

Fried Eggplant

2 eggplants
4 eggs
1/3 cup milk
½ cup Romano cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 to 1 ½ cup vegetable oil
2-3 cups Italian bread crumbs

Cut eggplant into ½ inch thick round slices. Mix eggs, cheese, salt, parsley thoroughly in a bowl. Put bread crumbs in a separate bowl. Dip eggplant into egg mixture and coat thoroughly. Heat oil in large frying pan on medium high heat. Fry eggplants 5 minutes or so on medium heat, until brown, turning once. Drain on paper towel. Enjoy!

Parsley Potatoes

2 lbs. small red potatoes
1 stick butter
1 cup Italian parsley, shopped fine
Salt and pepper to taste

Wash potatoes, leaving skin on, cut in half. Boil salted water and cook potatoes until done. Test with fork. Drain and fry potatoes and fry in butter, and perhaps a little olive oil. Brown and enjoy!

Turkey Burgers

1 lb ground turkey
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 dashes worcestershire sauce
1 small onion
½ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried parsley
Juice of 1 lemon

Combine all ingredients. Fry up and enjoy!

Mark's Stir Fry

Cooked cauliflower (boiled, al dente)
Ditalini pasta (a few handfuls, cooked)
Chicken or ham or lean meat (cut up)
Green onion
Chickpeas (important ingredient)
Breakfast sausage (cooked and cut up)
Vegetable medley (carrots, peas, corn)
Soy sauce (to taste)
Olive oil (drizzle, use plenty)

Mix all ingredients and saute in pan with generous amounts of olive oil. Stumbled upon this while making my client lunch one day.

Mushroom Barley Soup with Swai

1 small onion (sauteed)
bacon drippings (optional)
4-8 cups beef broth
1-2 cups barley
1 lb. mushrooms, sliced, (sauteed)
1 Tbls. lemon juice
1 cup cream or milk
3 egg yolks
Handful of baby leaf spinach
2-4 fillets swai (seasoned and broiled and sliced up)

Broil swai fillets separately - about 4-5 minutes per side. ( I drizzle them with olive oil and lemon juice (both sides) and salt and pepper each side before broiling.
Saute onion in bacon drippings (optional) or olive oil and a little butter (if desired), until tender. Stir in beef broth. Add barley. Saute mushrooms in olive oil and butter (if desired) until tender. Add mushrooms and lemon juice to beef broth, onion and barley. Cook slowly for about 45 minutes. Add milk and egg yolks and slowly stir into soup. Add broiled, seasoned swai - (cut up) into soup. Stir and mix for a few minutes. Should take about 45-50 minutes total.

Frozen Strawberry Daiquiris

1 (6 oz.) can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed and undiluted
2/3 to 1 cup rum
2 tablespoons powered sugar
2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
1 cup frozen whipped topping
ice cubes
Garnish: mint leaves

Combine half each of the first 5 ingredients in electric blender. Blend mixture 30 seconds. Gradually add enough ice cubes to bring mixture to 4-cup level. Blend until smooth. Repeat procedure with remaining half of ingredients. Garnish each serving, if desired. Note: Strawberry Daiquiris may be prepared ahead of time and frozen. Let thaw until mixture becomes slushy (about 20 minutes). Blend 15 seconds and serve. Having these for New Year's Eve!

Here are a few quotes I like:

"Happiness comes when I view everything as a privilege", MJS

"A man's work is never done", Grandpa Pete Ventsias

"Eating well is the best revenge." Paul Newman

"It's a long road and a little wheel and it takes a lotta turns to get there." Charlie Daniels

"Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end." John Lennon

And finally, a little humor:

Here is what happens when a Jewish and Italian parent sends their child off to school in the morning:

Jewish parent to child: "Do you have your books?"
Italian parent to child: "Do you have your lunch?"

A special thanks to my friend, Patricia Shaw for the use of her painting entitled "cala lily". Lovely, isn't it?