Key Lime Pie
Makes 1 9-inch pie

You Need

1 cup graham cracker crumbs ( buy whole or I buy them packages as crumbs)

5 Tbsp melted butter

1/3 cup sugar

3 egg yolks

1 1/2 tsp lime zest

1 14oz can condensed milk

2/3 cup fresh lime juice

Top with whipped cream ( I make my own with heavy cream and a little vanilla) or you can purchase

For the graham cracker crust:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch pie pan. Break up the graham crackers; place in a food processor and process to crumbs. (If you don’t have a food processor, place the crackers in a large plastic bag; seal and then crush the crackers with a rolling pin.) Add the melted butter and sugar and pulse or stir until combined. Press the mixture into the bottom and sides of the pie pan, forming a neat border around the edge. Bake the crust until set and golden, 8 minutes. Set aside on a wire rack; leave the oven on.

For the filing:
Meanwhile, in an electric mixer with the wire whisk attachment, beat the egg yolks and lime zest at high speed until very fluffy, about 5 minutes. Gradually add the condensed milk and continue to beat until thick, 3 or 4 minutes longer. Lower the mixer speed and slowly add the lime juice, mixing just until combined, no longer. Pour the mixture into the crust. Bake for 10 minutes or until the filling has just set. Cool on a wire rack, then refrigerate. Freeze for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

For the topping:
Whip the cream and the vanilla until nearly stiff. Cut the pie in wedges and serve very cold, topping each wedge with a large dollop of whipped cream.

Spring Seasonal Beers are rolling in at rapid pace in King of Prussia!

An egg is an egg is an egg…………..not so fast!

Asher’s Coconut Cream Egg

When I was growing up, on Easter morning, we would rush downstairs to raid our Easter baskets. In the center of the basket was always a large chocolate egg. You know, an egg, made out of chocolate, shaped like an egg. An egg as an ovoid, not simply an ellipsoid. …..impressed? Actually I needed to look those words up! Simply stated, an ovoid is a fully shaped egg and an ellipsoid is an oval, slightly egg shaped, which can be flat in form.

Do you want an egg in your Easter Basket or an ellipsoid?

Today, I have my own children and I, uhh, *cough* the Easter Bunny rather,  has a preferred egg; Asher’s coconut cream. Asher’s chocolates has been making chocolate Easter eggs in Pennsylvania since 1892. Recently however, I noticed a change in the eggs from ovoid to a hockey puck like ellipsoid. It appears that for the mass market, the eggs have been flattened like a Reese’s Peanut Butter Egg. Don’t get me wrong, I love a peanut butter egg, but they are accessories to the basket, usually left in their packaging, not the centerpiece.

The ellipsoid (Flat)  Asher’s Egg

Retailers need to produce as much revenue per square foot as possible, especially in today’s economy. I understand that more than anyone. Flat packaging can pack more inventory into every square foot. It appears, however, that packaging has dictated the product. That is completely counter intuitive to everything I believe in as a former merchant and a current consumer. A flat egg is no longer a centerpiece, but an accessory. Would you want to be the bride or always the bridesmaid?

Thankfully, there is one place I have found where you can buy the original, old fashioned, Asher’s chocolate Easter eggs. That place is The Pennsylvania General Store in The Reading Terminal Market. The Pennsylvania General Store is an eclectic mix of products and specialty foods made in the great state of Pennsylvania. They also have a mail order company which ships Asher’s Easter Eggs, as well as, many other Pennsylvania goodies all over the country. The company has a great story.

Asher’s Egg from The Pennsylvania General Store

The good news is that not only does The Pennsylvania General Store carry ORIGINAL Asher’s eggs, they are also on sale! Check out their online sale here. They are also offering free samples of the eggs in their Reading Terminal Market location on Saturdays between 11AM and 1PM from now until Easter.

Guiness Black Velvet

Everyone knows Guiness is a great Irish beer. We’ve all heard of Black and Tan, but have you heard of the lighter, equally delicious alternative; the Black Velvet? Try it tonight. After all, we are all Irish today!

So easy St. Patty’s Day Cocktail: Black Velvet

3 oz Guiness & 3 oz Champagne (both chilled). Pour Guiness into a chilled flute. Top with Champagne.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

Trattoria Totaro presents:

CHRISTMAS EVE FEAST OF THE SEVEN FISHES

Take out menu

Pick Up December 23,24^th, 2011

GARLIC SHRIMP COCKTAIL

Jumbo shrimp sautéed in olive oil, garlic, butter and basil, served chilled

$8.45 ½ dozen

SCALLOPS WRAPPED WITH BACON

$6.95 ½ dozen

CLAMS CASINO

Stuffed littlenecks topped with bacon…$8.95 ½ dozen

FRIED SMELTS

A tradition! …$9.95 ½ pound

BACALA (CODFISH SALAD)

Finely diced celery, onions and carrots tossed with flaked codfish in olive oil and garlic vinaigrette…$9.95 per pound

STUFFED SHRIMP

Jumbo shrimp stuffed with crab imperial, breaded and fried

$5.95 each

STUFFED CALAMARI YOLANDA

Vince’s mothers recipe – calamari tubes stuffed with sauté of vegetables, bread crumbs, herbs, pistachio nuts and raisins in marinara sauce or aiola sauce

$8.95 ½ pound

FLOUNDER PORTO

Flounder stuffed with lump crabmeat and spinach in a port wine cream sauce

$10.95 each

FRUTA DI MAR

Shrimp, scallops, mussels, clams and calamari tossed with celery and onion with a garlic, olive oil, vinegar and herb dressing

$10.95 pound

PESCATORE

Sauteed shrimp, scallops, mussels, clams and calamari in marinara sauce over pasta. Also available in garlic, olive oil, white wine sauce…$12.95 pound

Dine In Menu

CHRISTMAS EVE FEAST OF THE SEVEN FISHES

Friday December 23 and Saturday December 24, 2011

First Course

Seafood Sampler – A sampling of fried smelts, clams casino, garlic shrimp cocktail and bacala (codfish salad)

Second Course

Fruta di Mar (Cold Seafood Salad)

Shrimp, scallops, mussels, clams and calamari tossed with celery and onion with a garlic, olive oil, vinegar and herb dressing, served over greens

OR

Crab and Seafood Bisque

Third Course

Pescatore – Sauteed shrimp, scallops, mussels, clams and calamari in marinara sauce over home made pasta.

Also available in aiola sauce (garlic, olive oil, white wine sauce)

Flounder Porto – Flounder stuffed with lump crabmeat and spinach in a port wine cream sauce, then baked.

Calalmari Yolanda – Vince’s mothers traditional recipe: calamari tubes stuffed with sauté of vegetables, bread crumbs, herbs, pistachio nuts and raisins in marinara sauce or garlic, olive oil and white wine sauce

Dessert Sampler

Cannolies, Biscotti, Pizzelles and Cookies

$50.00 per person

Trattoria Totaro

639 Spring Mill Avenue

Conshohocken, PA 19428

610-828-7050

The most magical day of the year! Christmas Tea 2010

Do you have a precious holiday memory from your childhood? I have worked diligently to create so many for my children, from the smell of cinnamon and cloves throughout the house from Thanksgiving to New Years, to all of the home baked cookies we make, peppermint bark, decorating with fruits, cutting down our tree (yeah, forget that this year), decorating with fruits and greens, and The Wonderland Tea at The Four Seasons in Philadelphia.

If you have never experienced this event, or have never heard about it, there is a reason: it is the best kept secret in Philadelphia! Nearly impossible to obtain a reservation, throughout the month of December, this is the HOTTEST ticket in town. Wonderland Tea is only available on Saturdays beginning the Saturday after Thanksgiving through December. It is a children’s tea. There is only ONE day to make reservations. It is usually the 2nd Tuesday (don’t quote me) in October. There is a hotline # setup for tea only and the entire month is booked in an hour after the phone lines open. It is a very small window and makes for an exclusive event!

The desserts!

We first attended when my youngest was 3 or 4. She was a little squirmy, although she enjoyed every minute. We felt the next year that we would do something else, so we left the youngest at home and went to The Rittenhouse. As we passed The Four Seasons, my older daughter, probably 6 at the time, sighed, “That’s where I am supposed to be.” The rest is history! The Wonderland Tea has been a tradition ever since.

The day begins with my girls’ favorite; vanilla tea and champagne for the ladies. but of course…

Everyone is dressed to the nines! I am searching as I write this for a picture from their younger years where they were still cute enough to get decked out! Tea sandwiches are served, followed by assorted scones and desserts. Alice in Wonderland roams the room taking pictures with all of the girls. Each girl receives a copy of the photo in a paper frame. After dessert, the Nutcracker Dancers perform. Since we are pros, we know just the perfect time to strategically move the girls into position for the best seat.  The children are enchanted by the performance and when it ends they rush forward with their paper framed picture and pens to gather autographs from the dancers.

Always a treasured gift

Each child receives a wonderful take away. Amongst the gifts have been: A Four Seasons Christmas Bear, A Royal Tea Set, The Nutcracker the book and last year’s gift; an MP3 player engraved with “Four Seasons Philadelphia.”

YAY! I found past pictures:

Enjoying marshmallows

With Alice!

With Mom Mom!

Ready for show!

Getting autographs

A great day! Excited for today!

I use apples and oranges as candle holders on our mantle

My centerpice is apples, with a pineapple top filled in with boxwood greens.

My grandfather made the mold from wood.

I add cloves to oranges for a great look and smell

Sugared Fruits are MY FAVORITE and a great activity with the kids!

Sugared fruits are used with greens and pine cones throughout the house

Sugared Fruits

Egg whites

Sugar

Assorted fruits such as red and green apples

pears

grapes

ornages and clementines

Roll the fruits first in egg white using a basting brush to cover

Then add to a bowl of sugar

Use a spoon to coat and lightly roll in sugar.

Let the fruits dry on wax paper.

Sugared fruits look beautiful in a crystal bowl or scattered amongst greens.

Thank you to Hillary Chybinski for motivating me to finally get this post done by posting her 12 days of Christmas blog.

Merry Christmas!

Peppermint Bark

I made this last night and someone asked for the recipe. It made me realize that I had never shared the recipe! It is so eacy and fun for the whole family!

Peppermint Bark

3 bars of Ghirardelli Semi Sweet Chocolate

3 bars of Ghirardelli White Chocolate

1 pack of peppermint candies or candy canes

Melt chocolate over a double boiler

Take a cookie sheet and line it with parchment paper. Spread chocolate flat across paper until smooth. Stick cookie sheet into fridge to cool and harden.

I have my children open the candies and place them in a ziplock bag. Seal the bag and on floor (our floor is stone, no harm no foul, if your floor is tile, you may want to do this outside), lay down a towel, followed by bag of candies, followed by another towel on top. With a kitchen mallet, have the children slowly smash the candies. The candies shouls be in small pieces and sandy. They love this!

This picture is for effect. Make sure you have a towel under and over candy!

Melt the white chocolate in the same manner and spread over the white chocolate.

Spread melted white chocolate over cooled chocolate VERY quickly as to not melt 1st batch of chocolate. Press scattered candies on top and refrigerate until hardened.

Tear into pieces and serve!

BE PREPARED!!!

THIS POST IS LIFE CHANGING!

Do you make the Thanksgiving Turkey? How is your gravy? Do you struggle with making it smooth, not lumpy? Is your gravy shiny and takes a while to thicken? This trick will change your life and make your gravy better than ever before! Wait for it…wait for it…… SCHMALTZ BALLS!

Schmaltz Balls

I bet schmaltz balls is not something you hear every day. You will do yourself a big favor if these become a staple in your home! So, here’s the story, if you have ever made a turkey or chicken and tried to make gravy, you know it can be difficult to create a perfect consistency. Schmaltz balls change that forever.

First thing you need to do: Before we get any closer to your Thanksgiving turkey, BAKE A CHICKEN!

Schmaltz balls are a combination of flour and chicken fat. So, bake a chicken now so you can make schmaltz balls for Thanksgiving day. Sounds crazy, I know, but seriously, it will change the way you make gravy forever. I am fortunate that I roast a whole chicken every week as a general practice, but for those of you who do not, it is a great practice a few weeks before Thanksgiving. You can do a dry run on a much smaller bird, while also producing the chicken fat you will need for your schmaltz balls. Schmaltz balls are an equal combination of chicken fat and flour.

After you remove your chicken from the pan, set aside the drippings. Once cool, the fat will solidify. Measure the solid chicken fat and add the same amount of flour. Mix together well. Roll the combination into 1 1/2 inch balls. They can be frozen for later use. As a matter of fact, I keep schmaltz balls in my freezer year round.

The theory? When you make gravy by adding in flour directly to the pan, it gets lumpy. If you use cornstarch, gravy appears shiny and unappetizing.  Instead, the schmaltz balls, when added to your turkey’s drippings, will gradually “melt” into the drippings and gradually thicken into a perfectly even and smooth gravy.

Molasses Turkey Gravy

I baste my turkey with molasses, giving the bird a dark beautiful skin and adding tons of flavor to drippings

Strain pan drippings, eliminating as much fat as possible (I use a fat separator)

Return drippings to pan over low heat

Add a little milk

Stir well

Add 1st schmaltz ball and stir until completely dissolved

Continue to add milk and schmaltz balls until desired consistency is achieved

Season as needed (Molasses usually creates a saltiness as it caramelizes in pan)

Other Great Thanksgiving posts:

My Turkey and Chestnut Stuffing Recipes

Turkey Brine

Fun Thanksgiving Ideas

Pumpkin Margaritas

Pumpkin Cheesecake