SPRING IN JERSEY - STRAWBERRY CREAM CHEESE SHORTCAKE

SPRING IN JERSEY - STRAWBERRY CREAM CHEESE SHORTCAKE  

I love strawberry time of year here in Jersey because the temperatures are so nice on most days, and it hasn't gotten very humid yet. Not too hot, mostly sunny days, and the evenings are just beautiful. Great porch rocking weather. 

Spring always brings back great childhood memories. I can remember playing outside as a child, this time of the year, on the front lawn with my siblings, usually catching lightning bugs and turning their tails into rings on our fingers, storing them in jars, or doing the hokey pokey, while my mom and dad sat on the steps watching us play. Such great memories. 

Strawberries are the first fruits to ripen each spring in New Jersey. The best way to buy them is in season and local. If berries come from far away, they have to be picked before they are ripe, which means less flavor. Look for bright red color, as color is more important than size. If there is white around the stem, that means it was picked before being fully ripe. The best way to store them is in a paper bag, in the refrigerator, but not for long after they have been picked. 

 I haven't picked a lot of strawberries, but I sure have eaten a lot of them. And one of my favorite ways to eat them, of course is in the beloved strawberry shortcake. A lot of people today, probably because of lack of time, buy those packaged little cakes, then cut up some strawberries, throw them on, and then pile on whipped cream. But believe me, that is no way to make or eat strawberry shortcake. My absolute favorite type of strawberry shortcake, is the drier kind, that really soaks up that luscious strawberry syrup that you get after cutting up those beauties, and putting on some sugar, and then letting them set while they make their own syrup. I guarantee once you try this Strawberry Shortcake, you will never want those little store bought cakes again. This cake is beautiful and oh so delicious!

Strawberry Cream Cheese Shortcake: 

You will need: 3 cups of original Bisquick baking mix - 1 cup of sugar - 1/4 cup of butter, softened - 1 cup of Organic Valley whole milk (or any whole milk, this is just my preference)  - 2 teaspoons of McCormick (my preference for brand) pure vanilla extract - 2 eggs - all at room temperature. Topping: 1 cup of Organic Valley heavy cream - 1 (8 oz.) package of Philadelphia cream cheese, regular (not light) softened - 1/3 cup of powdered sugar - 1 teaspoon of McCormick pure vanilla extract - 6 cups of fresh strawberries, sliced, and added sugar to them

Directions: Heat oven to 350* degrees. Grease bottom and sides of a 13x9x2 " pan, and then lightly flour. In a large bowl, beat cake ingredients with electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into pan and bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until pick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour. In chilled small bowl, beat whipping cream on high speed until soft peaks form; set aside. In medium bowl, beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla on medium speed until well blended. Fold in whipped cream. Frost top of cake with whipped cream mixture. Cut into squares and top each serving with strawberries. Makes 15 servings. 

                                                
             

                                                  

SPRING IN JERSEY - ASPARAGUS BRUSCHETTA

   SPRING IN JERSEY - ASPARAGUS BRUSCHETTA 

When you think of bruschetta, you probably don't think of asparagus. But I will tell you, asparagus adds a touch of elegance to the bruschetta, besides being an epic taste! Also, this is a wonderful appetizer if you are throwing a small dinner party. If you are having guests over for dinner,  it is best to have an appetizer and cocktails ready when your guests arrive, so they can get comfortable while you finish up last minute dinner details. It will buy you some time for sure, if you are running behind. And even if you aren't, it just starts the evening off right. One of the best ways to do this, is to serve something that you can make up ahead of time, looks pretty, and is easy to eat. That is where this dish, asparagus bruschetta comes in. It is easy to prepare, easy to eat, and beautiful to look at. Served up on rustic Italian bread slices, it is sure to be a winner with your dinner guests. I guarantee it. The prep time is only 25 minutes. Cook time is only 5 minutes. This recipe is good for about 6 servings. 

ASPARAGUS BRUSCHETTA:

What you will need: 3 cups of water - 2 cups of grape tomatoes - 1/2 pound of fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces - 1/4 cup of minced fresh basil - 3 green onions, chopped - 3 Tbsps. of lime juice - 1 Tbsp. of olive oil - 3 garlic cloves, minced - 1 1/2 tsps. of grated lime peel - 1/4 tsp. of salt - 1/4 tsp. of pepper - 12 slices of rustic Italian bread, toasted - 1/2 cup of crumbled blue cheese

To Prepare: In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add the asparagus; cover and boil for 2 to 4 minutes. Drain and immediately place asparagus in ice water. Drain and pat dry. In a bowl, combine the asparagus, tomatoes, basil, onions, lime juice, oil, garlic, lime peel, salt and pepper. Using a slotted spoon, spoon the asparagus mixture onto the toasted bread. Sprinkle with blue cheese. Enjoy. This pairs well with a glass of chardonnay. Salute' my friends. 

   

SPRING IN JERSEY - AGRICULTURE

SPRING IN JERSEY - AGRICULTURE 

If you ask people to think of states that they associate with agriculture, most will think of the nation's heartland. Big wheat fields, big corn fields, etc... But they should also be thinking of New Jersey. That's right, Jersey. Actually, agriculture is New Jersey's third largest industry, which generates about 65 billion dollars a year! That's a lot of money for such a small state. There are more than 9,000 farms that lay claim to Jersey as home, covering over 715,000 acres of farmland. 

Like this beautiful farm in Hopewell, NJ (below)

Our tiny state produces an abundance of corn, potatoes, hay, soybeans, tomatoes, strawberries, apples, and nursery stock. We also rank 5th in the nation for blueberry production, 4th in the nation for peach production, and 3rd in spinach, bell peppers, and cranberry production. Also, New Jersey has a grading system in place to ensure that all of its fresh fruits and vegetables are of the highest quality. That is what I love so much about my home state. The beautiful farms and the abundance of fresh produce available from spring through fall, and the many, many roadside produce stands, where I can hop out of the car, and grab everything I need for a home cooked, farm to table meal. I wouldn't have it any other way. 

SPRING IN JERSEY - ASPARAGUS AND CREAM PASTA

SPRING IN JERSEY - ASPARAGUS AND CREAM PASTA

When you purchase asparagus, look for bright green or violet-tinged spears, with firm (not limp) stems. Make sure the tips are compact and closed. To store your asparagus and make them last as long as possible before using them, stand the asparagus up in a container with about an inch or two of water, making sure all of the ends are sitting in the water. Then, loosely cover the asparagus with a plastic bag and store in the refrigerator for up to a week. One of the best places I know to buy asparagus in south Jersey is at Walker Brothers Farm in Pittsgrove. They have been growing this delicious, spring vegetable for many years, and when buying, you can be assured it is fresh. 

A great way to enjoy asparagus, besides roasted fresh, is with pasta. Asparagus and pasta go together, well as good as peanut butter and jelly. You have the chewy, woody texture of the asparagus, mixed in with the soft pasta, and it just makes for a great combo. My maternal grandparents were completely Italian, whose parents came to America from Italy, which makes me a full-fledged Italian food lover!  My grandmother, who made and canned her own sauce, also canned such favorites as pickled eggplant, Caponata, and stewed tomatoes. Of course her homemade meatballs and sauce were to die for! She would make pizzelles and biscotti for my siblings and me, and would deliver these delicacies to us on Saturday mornings, when we would pick her up at her house to take her grocery shopping. Saturday mornings were great back then. We always got to watch cartoons and one of our favorite shows, the Gene London Show, before heading out to pick up our nonna for our weekly grocery trip. We went to the Acme back then, and one of us was always assigned to walk around with my grandmother, because she couldn't see the prices, (yes, back then, sticker prices were put on the groceries themselves, lol) and so we had to tell her how much each item was. I remember always having people stare because we were shouting the price to my grandmother, because her hearing was going as well. (They probably thought we were being mean to her and shouting at her) But we loved her dearly, she was the sweetest woman that I ever knew. 

my beloved grandmother, Anna Papiano

I am an Italian food lover today because of her wonderful cooking skills, and because of her generosity in proudly sharing her love of the foods that she grew up eating with the grandchildren that she loved.  With that being said, the recipe that I want to share with you, is a very simple asparagus and pasta dish, with a creamy sauce. And a simple tip I would like to share with you, is that whenever you make a vegetable and pasta dish, if you are cooking your vegetable separate from the pasta, never throw out the water. You can cook your pasta in the vegetable water to give it more flavor.  And always remember, no matter how you like your pasta cooked, whether it be al-dente, or tender, do not start the timer until you have not only added the pasta to the cooking water, but also have brought the water back to a boil after adding it. And do not forget to salt your water before adding the pasta. And last but not least, do not rinse the pasta when it is finished cooking. 

The dish I usually choose to make when combining asparagus and pasta is Asparagus and Cream Pasta. It is a very simple dish, but simple is usually better.

What you will need: 1 cup Organic Valley half and half (or any brand of half and half that you like, this is just my preference) - 1/4 cup of Organic Valley heavy cream (again, use this or your brand, my preference)  - 1 1/2 tsps. salt - 1 clove of garlic, peeled and minced - 1 pound of fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into thirds - 1/4 tsp. ground white pepper - 1/3 cup dry white wine (I like to use Chardonnay) - 1 pound of dry pasta (I usually use penne, but you can use anything you want) - 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano

To Prepare: Start by taking out your half and half and heavy cream. Bring to room temperature. Clean and cut your asparagus. Then cook the asparagus in boiling salted water, over medium-high heat, uncovered, until tender, about 4 minutes. Remove the asparagus, but save the water to cook your pasta in. In a separate pan, saute' your garlic in 4 Tbsps. of unsalted butter, over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes. (When the edges are starting to brown, that's when it's done.) Add the cooked asparagus and pepper. Increase heat to high, and pour in the wine. Stir for 1 minute, then reduce heat to medium. Pour the half and half and cream over the asparagus mixture and simmer for 2 minutes. Season with salt. Keep warm while boiling the pasta. Prepare your pasta in the asparagus water. Drain and return to the pot. Combine asparagus sauce with the pasta, stirring over low heat. Add the Parmigiano, stirring until it melts. Transfer to a platter. Enjoy. This meal pairs well with a nice, cool and crisp Chardonnay. I hope you enjoy this dish as much as I do. Salute' my friends.  
                                                                           

  

                      

SPRING IN JERSEY - ROASTED ASPARAGUS

SPRING IN JERSEY - ROASTED ASPARAGUS

Spring is the time to start planting and thinking of warmer days ahead. Although the first day of spring is in March, sometimes here in Jersey, the weather is still quite cold. As my father would always say, don't plan to turn your heat off too soon, because sometimes you need heat all the way up into June! So even though the days could be quite chilly, when I see one of my favorite spring time crops arrive, I am excited because I know warm days are just around the corner. Spring in the garden state brings two of my favorite crops, asparagus and strawberries. The strawberries come out a little later than the asparagus, usually around the month of May. Asparagus comes out in the cooler weather, usually the month of March, and in time for Easter dinners. The crisp, green stalks are one of my favorite vegetables. 

Speaking of spring and Easter, I so miss those by gone days when as a little girl, my mom and dad would buy me a new dress, shoes, purse and gloves, and I would get all dressed up in my Easter finest and attend Sunday School. I felt so proud about my gloves and pocket book. I can still see them in my mind's eye right now. My father used to drive what was called "the Sunday School bus", and my siblings and I would ride the bus as he drove, going around picking up all of the kids who didn't have parents to bring them to church. And then after church, we would head home for our Easter dinner of delicious ham, steamed asparagus oozing with butter, mashed potatoes, and other sides and dessert. My mouth is watering right now just thinking back to it. And of course, always the Saturday night before Easter Sunday, my mom would dye eggs with us. Oh, how excited we would get looking at the hot, colored water in our coffee mugs, waiting to put in our stark white eggs to see the color transformation. We would all be yelling, "look at my blue egg, or look at my yellow egg!" and my mom saying, "oh, so pretty." And at the time, nothing seemed to be better to us,  than getting up in the morning and eating our colored hard boiled eggs, of course right after we devoured quite a bit of candy from our Easter baskets. 

Well, now getting back to the asparagus. 

The best way I know to enjoy this delicious vegetable, is just to roast it with a little bit of olive oil. Use about 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil, to 1 pound of asparagus, tough stems removed. Salt and pepper to your liking, and if you like garlic, use 1 Tbsp. minced garlic. Begin by preheating your oven to 400 degrees. You can use a cookie sheet or any other shallow pan. Rinse the asparagus, dry, and place on the cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, tossing well and sprinkle on salt and pepper. Add the garlic if you are using, and put in the oven. Roast for about 15 minutes, or until tender. Then enjoy the delicious taste of this wonderful, woody vegetable. This recipe makes about 4 servings.