Blueberry Muffins and Cappuccino!

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Mondo Blueberry Muffins!

Good morning all! Tired as can be I got my butt out of bed before 6am this morning and in about 10 minutes had giant blueberry muffins in the oven!!!

You know, it is so much easier to start your day in the right direction if you get up early!

So here is what I did….

Really quick, grabbed the whisk and a giant bowl,

• I threw in 2 cups of white flour and 2 cups of whole wheat flour
• about 6 teaspoons of baking powder and 4 pinches of salt
• Add MILA –about 1/2 a cup
• 3/4 to 1 cup of sugar…a regular recipe would call for a cup or more, I usually cut sugar a bit…
• stir up the dry stuff then start adding in 2 cups of liquid–I used 1cup milk and 1 cup water (whenever I have a recipe that calls for milk, I often cut it in half with water…this has two benefits…it’s cheaper and less fattening!)–also since I added the mila which was a 1/2 cup more of dry ingredient which is also very absorbant, I threw in 2 HUGE spoonfuls of cottage cheese and a 1/2 CUP more milk –but you could even add sour cream for moisture if you want!
• 4 eggs —if you have time and really want to make them fluffy, separate the eggs -throw in the yellow and beat the whites separately then fold them in…but dropping them in whole is fine too-which is what I usally do!
• then instead of mixing in regular butter or melted butter which you can do but is more fattening, I used about a tablespoon of olive oil per cup of flour which = 4 tablespoons total ——and still tasty!
• Then a heaping 2 cups of frozen blueberries finishes it up.
• spoon into muffin pans that have been greased and floured (I used the giant muffin pans so I got a total of 12 muffins out of this recipe. This same recipe will make about 24 or more small cupcake size muffins.
• Cook on 350 til tops are just starting to brown around the edges.
• They don’t get that golden on top but I notice that with whole wheat flour…It doesn’t brown the same as white flour.

Anyway…..try them and enjoy!

They are healthy and yummy. AND since we didn’t put butter IN them….you can now feel less guilty when you put butter ON them!!!! WOOHOO!!!

I have to add that while these babies were in the oven, the espresso pot was on the stove top and boy did this house smell good this morning!!!

A little espresso and some frothed milk that I made in my favorite kitchen gadget in the world….my 5 euro milk frother I got in Italy…with a little natural sugar sprinkled on top of the foam, and a nice warm blueberrry muffin…GREAT BREAKFAST!

 
Here is a pic of what my frother looks like…you really should get one…not expensive and OH SO WORTH IT!!!

Peace!

♥Dorina

Honey Mustard for just about everything!

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OK…here is the Honey Mustard Dressing/Sauce Recipe that I promised yesterday…My original recipe has no MILA in it but  I just tried it out and adding about 1/4-1/2 scoop  workds just fine! So  throw some in…that is unless you are using it with the Chicken Fingers that are already MILA infused!!!

SO….When it comes to salad dressing, my favorite is always good old Extra Virgin Olive oil and Balsamic Vinegar with a little garlic and salt and pepper…BUT

My next favorite is HONEY MUSTARD!
The thing about honey mustard dressing is that there are SOOOOO many things you can do with it!
I make

• standard “cold” honey mustard salad dressing
• warm honey mustard salad dressing
• honey mustard “sauce” for chicken and even fish!  good cold or warm!

SO…here’s how to do it…

Honey Mustard Dressing/Sauce

• 1 large spoonful of Dijon mustard
• 1 large spoonful of honey
• about a 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil (regular olive oil is fine too)
• 2 or 3 spoonfuls of red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar or even balsamic vinegar..(each one changes the flavor a bit-the balsamic is more pronounced but all work just fine.  Play with it…it’s fun!)
• Depending on what I am doing with it I will add some salt and pepper to taste so play with this too!

If I am making a cold dressing, I usually put my ingredients into a glass jar with a lid and then just shake it til it’s all mixed up and frothy!!!  Then I just pour over the salad and done!  BUT this can also be done in a bowl with a wisk!!

If I am making a WARM dressing–which is really nice over a “fancy” salad with spinach, tomatoes, walnuts, bacon etc or over any salad for that matter–then I put the ingredients in a small saucepot and whisk over low heat til mixed and bubbly.  Then as above I just pour over the salad…yuuummmmm!

If I am making a sauce for chicken or fish, I treat it more like the warm dressing…I double or triple the ingredients depending how much I need and I tend to lessen the vinegar just a smidge.

This is then really good to “dip” chicken in for the kids or I brush it on chicken breasts or  fish either while cooking or when doing something quick and simple, I will just saute or grill the chicken or fish with a little fresh black pepper and salt and then just cover with the sauce once I plate it.

Last night I made this sauce for some fish.  I made it a little thicker by adding a little more mustard and honey and lessened the vinegar a bit then I cooked it a little longer…I then spread it over some Mahi Mahi fish that I sauteed in just a smidge of olive oil and a splash of white wine with a little fresh ground pepper and a pinch of salt.   It was delicious!!!  At least that’s what Pasquale (my hubby) said!

Even my 9 year old Angelina and 15 year old Tino tried it and liked it!  Woohoo!!!  Just another way to get the kids to eat FISH!!! 

OH…and if you want to try this with fish, watch soon for a fish recipe including this wonderful sauce AND  MILA!!!

So try this Honey Mustard stuff out…it is SO easy and really good!

Enjoy!!!

Peace!

♥Dorina

Gluten Free Chicken Fingers with MiLa!!!

 

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My friend who has 2 gluten free kids asked me to come up with a recipe for gluten free chicken fingers/nuggets since her kids really missed having them and all the gluten free nuggets on the market tasted like “crap’ and were as my kids would say …”uber expensive!”

So I thought about it for a while and came up with what turned out to be a great recipe and they were nice and crispy crunchy on the outside with great flavor.  So they were a big hit in her house and in mine too!

Ingredients

• Chicken Breast
• Eggs
• Oatmeal
• MILA
• Salt and Pepper
• Dash of paprika (optional)
• Canola oil 

OK so start out by taking a nice size pot, filling with the Canola oil and put on HI to heat up….

Now take your whole oatmeal and pulse it in the food processor til it is smaller but not all the way to flour consistency!  I’d say maybe about 1/2 to 1/4 size of original.

Then mix in the MILA, salt,  pepper and a little paprika or other spices that you like.

Beat  your eggs in a bowl.

Take the chicken and cut in strips or whatever shape or size you want.

Dip the chicken in the egg then roll in the oat mixture

Drop chicken in the hot oil…it should sizzle immediately -if it doesn’t then wait a few minutes longer…

Cook til golden brown

When you take it out of the oil either put on paper towels on a plate to drain and cool or on a metal cookie cooling rack with a dish underneath….this way they drain and don’t get soggy.

You can then serve these with ketchup or my honey mustard sauce which I will post next!

EXTRA TIPS—

I don’t fry a lot of foods but when I do, the most important thing to do is make sure the oil is hot enough…the reason for this is that if it is hot enough the oil will seal the food and not have as much time to seep into it.  The cooler the oil, the more will soak into the food before it cooks all the way.

AND of course don’t forget to give the kids a vegetable with the chicken!  Broccoli is good with the chicken since it can also be fixed as a finger food if you don’t over cook it!!!  Just lightly steam it and then it can be dipped in the honey mustard too!!!   The kids will love it and so will everyone else.

This meal is a little more time consuming than a lot of the “family” dishes I post, but it is easy and fun and the kids love it.  I usually get the big family pack of chicken(or two!) and do it all at once, then I “hide” some in the freezer to be used as after school snacks in the toaster oven!  This way I get more out of my time instead of starting the whole process over again and again!

I think you will be surprised at the nice flavor and crispiness of the oats as the “breading”…it’s a little different but not so different that anyone will get fussy over it…IF someone in your family is going to get picky about the oats then just pulse them finer so you can’t tell it was oatmeal.  I personally like the texture of the bigger grind.

This meal especially if used with Gluten Free Oats is completely gluten free…also don’t forget that MILA is Gluten Free so this dish in my neighborhood has made lots of kids happy who couldn’t have chicken fingers anymore!!! 

Peace!

♥Dorina

 

Morning Crunch time!

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OK sometimes it is crazy here in the morning (unlike yesterday morning when i was up early enough to make crumble!!! ) so I need to fix something quick to eat.  No time to cook or do anything elaborate…So…this is what I do…
Mind you, I always have these kinds of ingredients just lying around my fridge and pantry so you might want to get used to doing the same. (this makes a great snack in the afternoon too!)

I start with a small bowl and plop in a spoonful of yogurt…I like vanilla or the banana/vanilla combos some brands have. I occasionally use plain when i am trying to be even MORE healthy but I still add vanilla extract to it! But anyway, you can use whatever you want!
OK…now, just start throwing stuff in…I will layer a little granola, grapenuts cereal (great crunch!) or a pinch of some other healthy cereal, some wheat germ, walnuts or pecans or whatever nuts you like, raisins or craisins, sometimes even a couple of chocolate chips or pinch of coconut. I also like to cut up little teeny chunks of a crisp apple or slice half a banana. Of course don’t forget the scoop of MILA and then I add a little milk and maybe some cinnamon on top. Then I just stir the whole concoction together and VOILA! Its mushy and crunchy and smooth and bumpy but oh so tasty, quick, energizing and healthy!

Make this any way you want with whatever you have on hand. Personalize it with the ingredients you like (for example, not all of my kids like raisins!) and you will always be able to throw something together. Everyone I give this to is always surprised that it tastes so good. I think most people see the cereal and yogurt and think yuck! But believe me when I tell you it is yummy!
The only reason I add a little milk sometimes is because the MILA gets very thick in the yogurt so it lightens it up a bit. You can also use almond, soy or rice milk if you need or like…even chocolate!

Play with it and have fun! It’s kinda like being a kid! Throw it all together and see if “Mikey” likes it!
Heehee!!!

Peace!

♥Dorina

 

Fruit Crumble Breakfast or Dessert!

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Most mornings I am up by 6 and very often by 5:30…when I do get rolling early, one of my favorite breakfasts to make is a fruit crumble.

Fresh fruit is always best and I have used peaches, apples and berries and that is the best! But one of my staples in my freezer is frozen fruit as well. I keep those monster bags of frozen fruit… strawberries, blueberries and sometimes even mango and pineapple.

Well this is one of those breakfasts that my kids LOVE to eat. AND it is just one of the many little ways that I show them how much I LOVE them!!! It really makes the whole house smell good….nothing like putting your family in a good mood first thing in the morning with good smells from the kitchen!!

Start out by getting yourself a big 9×13 or as I use a 10×14 baking dish…and turn on the oven to at least 350-375 degrees.

• fill the baking dish with a nice thick layer of fruit…peaches, apples, frozen strawberries or any mixture you like!

in a separate bowl start mixing the crumble topping….which is part “recipe” and part “whatever you have to throw in!” So don’t stress if you don’t have one of the ingredients. This has been made by me so many varied ways yet it always tastes good and almost always tastes the same too!!

• about 2 cups of oatmeal
• up to a cup of flour (I use whole wheat but you can use any other flour…gluten free or whatever) I don’t always add the flour…I usually do this if I need to stretch the oats or don’t have much else to put in or want the crust a little thicker. When I do add flour I sometimes add a tsp. of baking powder also just to help “fluff it up” a bit, but I have left it out and it is still fine!
• a little bran
• a little wheat germ
• 2-4 scoops of MILA depending on how much you want per serving
• Cinnamon (as much as you want! and you can even add any or all of these..nutmeg, ginger, a pinch of ground cloves)
• some brown sugar (or whatever you have!) up to about 1/2 – 3/4 cup…really the fruit makes the dish sweet so you don’t need too much sugar. It does help bind the topping together tho…along with the
• Butter..you will need one stick of butter but maybe more depending on how much of the dry stuff you put in. If you use all of the above then you may need an extra 1/4-1/2 stick of butter. I always start out with one stick (which is 1/2 cup) and cut it into the dry stuff. I use my hands because there is no better tool out there. I just squish in my fingers and try to spread it all around in the dry ingredients. If I still have powdery dry ingredients left that cannot be worked into the butter, then I add some more.
• DO NOT WORRY …you cannot go wrong with this recipe !!!
• Once all the mixture is completely “moist” with the butter (you have to taste it because it is SO yummy even like this!!!) now just spread it all around on the fruit. Some of it will fall between the fruit and some will sit on top. Some people just sprinkle it and others cover the fruit completely. It is up to you. I personally cover the top completely and since I am kind of heavy handed, I usually have more crumble and I make a second small dish of fruit and cover it also. Of course if you have extra crumble left over, just put it in a baggie or container and freeze it. No problem. Ready for the next time!
• NOTE–This dish is EASILY made GLUTEN FREE by substituting other flours or even just leaving them out, and leaving out any bran or other cereals. The key is the butter that keeps everything together and make it taste GOOOOOD!

NOW…bake it until the top is browned and the fruit is bubbling. There really is no set time to cook this…You may like your fruit really cooked down and you make like your fruit with a little substance left in them. So as long as the topping is cooked together which doesn’t take all that long, you are done.

Let it cool and serve with a big serving spoon. Forget a spatula. This stuff falls apart but thats part of the imperfection that makes this dish perfect!

You can serve this plain-as is…you can serve with some vanilla yogurt…or whatever your creative brain can come up with. You can also substitute or add any bran like cereal if you are short other ingredients etc. It really is all about the oats and the butter…everthing else is “extra” ! And this dish is so healthy but the kids will feel like you are serving them dessert for breakfast and absolutely love it!! OH…and so will the hubby!! (or wife!!! if one of you guys out there is reading this! hee hee!)

AND ANOTHER USE FOR FRUIT CRUMBLE….

DESSERT!!!

Just put in a fancy little cup or dish or parfait glass or margarita glass and add some whipped cream on top and you have a wonderful dessert! Of course if you serve this while it is still hot and put a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top…WHOA!!! Crumble a la mode!!!

♥Dorina

INPUT PLEEEEASE…

 (click on the picture to go to the Mila site)

Hello All

I’m getting ready to go to bed and all I can think about is what recipe I am going to offer you tomorrow…

But I am also wondering what you may want besides what I want to give you…so I am asking that you PLEASE give me feedback on what I am offering you as well as requests for recipes for certain kinds of foods etc.

I also want to point out or remind you if you already know that MILA is GLUTEN FREE.

I was recently asked by a friend of mine to make 3 gluten free meals a week for her and her family. So now I am having a lot of fun creating new dishes or “twisting” old ones.  AND of course I am including MILA.  So if you or anyone you know needs gluten free recipes I will be tagging those meals under the “gluten free” category. I also have a couple of ideas for recipes and uses for the MILA that I am getting ready to try this week in my “test kitchen” and if the MILA works like I think it will then any of you who are gluten free are going to LOVE this!!! (hey if it doesn’t work, then I hope you still like the other recipes I am working on!!!

So…off to bed I go…dreaming of the next MILA infused meal…and waiting to hear from you…

Tomorrow…tomorrow…I love ya …tomorrow…OH OK…I’m going to bed!!!

Good Nite!!!

Peace!

♥Dorina

 

Buttery Biscuits and Biscuit Pie! -With MILA of course!

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I love making biscuits.
For being the “serious Italian” that I am, I love a good ol’ American Butter Biscuit.

So, today I am going to give you two recipes– my biscuits and then a second recipe for one of my favorite dishes I make with my biscuit recipe! — A very simple one dish recipe I made up some years ago.

Buttery Biscuits

2 cups of flour
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1 teaspoon of salt
1 spoonful of sugar
1-3 scoops of MILA (depending on how much of your daily ration you want in the biscuits–see below about possibly adding more liquid…and IF you are using this recipe for the biscuit pie below, then add some MILA here to the crust and some to the filling and it is more easily distributed)
1/3 cup of butter
1/2 cup milk or mix of milk and water (actually use sparingly and just use what you need to make the dough stick together…but since you are adding MILA give it a minute…you may need to add just a bit more liquid since the MILA will soak some up.)
Mix the dry ingredients in a big bowl then cut in the butter ( I usually use my fingers to squeeze the butter and mix in with the flour) then add the milk and make dough.

Then you roll the dough out about 1/2 inch thick and cut out biscuits. I have made these round and I have cut them out square when I can’t find my round cutter! Bake them until just lightly browned in a pre-heated 375-400 degree oven. They are so good in the morning with even more butter and some strawberry jam! Yummy!

NOW….

We will use this biscuit dough to make a nice dinner…..

A nice slice of my biscuit pie!

                                                            

Dorina’s Biscuit Pie

 

Make the above recipe at least double (I sometimes triple or quadruple depending on how many trays I want to make!)

You will need some kind of baking dish…I usually use a 10×14 of course but we are 8! I have also made in round pie dishes or 9×13 or whatever was handy!

You will need

ground beef or ground turkey
refried beans or black beans or any other bean you like
shredded cheese-cheddar or mozzarella
corn
peas
zucchini
red pepper or green peppers or both!
onions
MILA (as much as you want!–which may vary if you put some or all of what you are using for this meal in the biscuit crust.)
(or any mix of veggies you like–all of these are optional I just like to make a nice colorful mix)

biscuit, beef and zucchini layers…In a skillet begin to brown the ground beef in just a smidge of olive oil unless it is 15 or 20% fat gound beef…then I use no oil. (I also always drain the fat off of the meat when it is done) While it is cooking season it with coriander, cumin, paprika and/or cayenne, salt and pepper. Sometimes I will add a little hot sauce depending on who I am making it for. I am not going to say how much spice I use because I don’t know….I put in enough until it smells good.

…with corn and peas layer….***note about spices—I always smell my spices before I use them…then I smell what I am making as I add the spice. The best way to smell food that is cooking is to lean in and “wave the smell” towards you! Yummy!!!

While the meat is cooking…roll out the dough to make a 1/2 inch layer on the bottom of the baking dish.

Next begin to layer all the above components—the meat, beans, veggies, cheese and then a top layer of dough then some more cheese on top.

Bake until the biscuit top is done.

Out of the oven….
Let it cool, slice into squares and serve. You can eat it with a fork or pick it up like a messy sandwich!

Options….you can top with salsa, sour cream or leave it naked.
This is a great dish to personalize however you like.
Just fix and enjoy….

♥Dorina

Happy New Mila Year!!!

Hello All,

I would like to take this moment to wish you all a Happy and Healthy New Year!

I would like to suggest that along with your Resolutions for the year…working out, looking for a new job, watching what you eat….that you ADD something to what you eat.

MILA!!!

Please take the time to read up on MILA… you can find information on www.dorina.lifemax.net  and then just keep reading here for what to do with that MILA once you get your hands on some!!!

MILA…the miracle seed …

There are lots of “miracle” products out there but let me tell you…

MILA is naturally grown seed -a wonderful mixture of Chia seed to be precise… that provides the highest concentration of Omega 3′s to your body ON THE PLANET!

Do yourself a favor and look up Omega 3′s… then TRY a fish oil pill…which is one source of O-3′s  most people are familiar with…then after you are done “tasting” fish all day… you just let me know!  You can get some MILA…get the same (actually better) Omega 3′s and no “before taste” “during taste” or “after taste”!!!  Just GOOD STUFF!

Watch tomorrow for a new MILA recipe!!!

Happy New Year!!!

Peace! <3

Dorina

Turkey Mila Meatloaf

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Everyone I ever talk to likes to try cooking with ground turkey because it is low fat and healthy, but everyone also complains that it doesn’t have much flavor and is often dry.

WELL….I have the BEST turkey meatloaf recipe! (If I do say so myself!)
It is tasty and moist and my kids, husband and anyone else who tries it loves it!  ….AND it is soooo easy to add Mila to and not change its wonderful flavor!

Now before I give you the recipe, one ingredient that you have to get and keep in your fridge at all times is something I have found a lot of people don’t use or even know about!

Please get yourself some WHITE WINE Worcestershire Sauce. Most people are familiar with the regular Worcestershire Sauce but not the one made with white wine!
This stuff is GOOD!!!
I have found it invaluable when making a lot of chicken and turkey dishes. Anyone I have introduced to it now feels the same way!

I am giving you a “loose” recipe because I do often vary it a bit depending what I have on hand!
I will state what items are optional or changeable!

Also…because we are a family of 8 I usually make 2 large meatloaves because we usually eat 1 1/2 for dinner and I have just enought left over for sandwiches the next day! So where I usually use 4 packages (about 4 lbs) of meat I will adjust this for 2 packages so you “normal” size families don’t have to cut it in half!!!

 

 

 

TURKEY MEATLOAF

 

Get a large bowl and start throwing in all these ingredients!
2 lbs ground turkey
2-3 cups of breadcrumbs* (see below about breadcrumbs!)
1 cup of Romano Cheese (you can use Parmigiano cheese but I really prefer Romano)
2 or 3 eggs (In general I use 1 egg per pound and then sometimes add one extra-but you don’t have to!)
Chopped onion (as much as you like but I would use at least 1/2 of a medium/ large onion)
4 good shakes of White Wine Worcestershire Sauce (at least!-but try it out first and see how you like it)
Parsley (fresh chopped if you have it -or dried is fine-just throw in a few shakes/pinches)
Salt and Pepper ( I LOVE using fresh ground pepper whenever I can)
Water (whenever I use breadcrumbs, I always add some water–or other liquid like wine/beer etc –maybe 1/4-1/2 cup…the breadcrumbs hold the water and make everything SO moist!)
MILA- when adding Mila to this recipe you have 2 choices…first, if you pre-make your own breadcrumbs like in my blog post before this one, then you will have breadcrumbs with Mila already in them.  Your other option is to add it to the meat as  you are making it.  Even if you use Mila Breadcrumbs you may want to add more if this will be your Mila for the day.  SO….between the crumbs and the meat I would divide up and make sure that there is at least 1/2 scoop of Mila per serving….so If you are making a meatloaf for 4 people and expecting to finish it then add 2 scoops of Mila to the recipe. Also when adding Mila, add a little extra water to the whole concoction.  (1/4 cup-1/2 cup depending on how moist  you like it)

*Breadcrumb Note: Everyone throws bread away…don’t tell me you don’t! It’s always the ends and maybe the last slice that was originally on the top that everyone dug behind to get the softest slices! So I keep these and if I have enough I make the breadcrumbs right then if not I throw the bag with the 2 or 3 slices in it into the freezer until I have enough. Then I put the slices in the food processor and make my crumbs. These crumbs are moister and fluffier than storebought crumbs that always remind me of sand! In fact those Panko crumbs that are all the rage right now look kind of like MY crumbs that I make at home–and those Panko crumbs are EXPENSIVE for crumbs! You can buy bread in the “yesterdays bread” bin at the store for a dollar and make your own as well as saving your ends! Also I often have whole wheat/grain breads and they make great crumbs that are that much healthier than the plain white bread crumbs!
OK thats my breadcrumb soapbox (that I know I stand on too often!!! Haha!!)

Well anyway, just mix everything together, shape your meatloaf in your baking dish or cookie sheet and bake in the oven for about 45 min to an hour. I usually cover lightly with foil for the first half and then take it off at the end but I have to say that when I made my meatloaf last nite, I didn’t cover it and it still cooked nice and didn’t burn so I guess I have been wasting foil !!!
Oh well, live and learn!

Sometimes I make the meatloaf in a ring and then fill the middle with mashed potatoes! But then it is easier to do when you make as big a meatloaf as I do! Then there is a really nice big well in the middle! Try it sometime though…the kids think it’s “cool”!

Enjoy!!
Please let me know if you try this and like it as with any of my recipes!!!
Thanks!

Peace!

♥Dorina

Nonna’s Breadcrumbs with Mila!

Key breadcrumb ingredients!...(that beautiful parsley is from my garden!)

Whenever my grandparents came over, they always had a cardboard box of  “goodies”…it was usually…no, I take that back …it was ALWAYS food.  Nonna would come in with a dish of breaded meat (aka- veal cutlets), a pot of sauce with meatballs, and very often, there would be a plastic bag full of breadcrumbs sealed with a twisty tie!  I never questioned why my grandmother brought us breadcrumbs…it’s just what she did!

Now you have to understand those breadcrumbs because even though I never questioned, I also didn’t understand the importance of them in our lives until many years later.  Now I look back on those breadcrumbs as a blessing.

Nonna’s breadcrumbs were not JUST breadcrumbs.  First of all…she made her breadcrumbs.  She never bought those dry powdery things pre-packaged at the grocery store.  She bought “yesterday’s bread” and made her breadcrumbs in her blender.  (long before the wonderful food processor which will hold much more bread than the blender used to!)  These breadcrumbs were not as bone dry as the ones you buy…they still had a bit of moisture to them but they were dry enough.  They were not powdery, but had consistency to them. Almost reminds me of those “panko” breadcrumbs everyone is using these days…I have never used them…I just looked at a little jar that was almost 5 dollars and I mean a LITTLE jar (not enough to bread anything I make for dinner for MY family!) and all I could think of was that I could go over to the reduced “yesterdays bread” shelf and get a nice loaf of Italian bread for a dollar and make 5 times as many crumbs!!!

So Nonna would then take her breadcrumbs and “spice” them up.  You see no matter what she used breadcrumbs for, she treated them the same.    It was one of her “signatures”.  This is how she made her breadcrumbs…And of course I have added my own touch to them….MILA!!!                                                                                                       

• breadcrumbs
• chopped fresh parsley
• very finely chopped fresh garlic
• salt and pepper
• grated Romano cheese
• –and only before it went into some dishes…would she add some olive oil to make them “stick together” a bit.
• MILA–(usually I add about 1/2  to 1 whole scoop of mila per cup of breadcrumbs…depending how much I want each person to have in their meal.  In a stuffing, that is mostly breadcrumbs I will usually add a whole scoop because that will give a whole day’s serving in a stuffed pepper or artichoke etc…)

There was no set amount…but figure that you had to be able to SMELL each addition…you had to smell the parsley, you had to smell the garlic and you had to smell the cheese!  She was pretty generous with all these things tho.  You really could smell just the breadcrumbs even before she started cooking.

So now that we have all these breadcrumbs…..here are some ways to use them…

• NUMBER 1!!!  This was the base for Nonna’s FAMOUS meatballs.  (that recipe will be forthcoming as well!)
• to bread her breaded meat or chicken or turkey or veal cutlets.
• as stuffing for artichokes, peppers, zucchini,  etc.
• to sprinkle on top of potatoes to roast in the oven meatloaf
• breaded zucchini, eggplant etc etc
• …and even our Italian style  Thanksgiving turkey stuffing!

I now keep my bag of  breadcrumbs (minus the cheese and oil until I use) in a bag in the freezer.

Whenever I have the ends of the bread that no one wants to eat, or I get a loaf of yesterdays bread, I make up some crumbs in my food processor and have them ready for whenever I need them.  This is definitely one of the “family secrets” that made so many of Nonna’s dishes taste so good…that she passed on to my mother and to me.  ( and of course the rest of the family as well!!!)

Definitely a time saver if you make ahead and keep in the freezer and definitely a money saver.  This is how they made the most of old bread back in the old days…turn them into crumbs and find another use for them!  See?  no waste-and plenty of taste!!!  (hee hee –I love it when it rhymes!)

♥Dorina