Friday, October 30, 2015

The Best Pizza in Philly??

I must admit....I live in Philadelphia PA. Born and raised here and I've never heard of The Original Tacconelli's Pizzeria.

As of this writing...I'm eating Pizza..I googled "Best Pizza in Philadelphi and this is the information I got-


Please keep in mind we are a one-man, one-oven operation," notes The Original Tacconelli’s website. "Waiting time may vary." Indeed, this is Philadelphia’s pizzeria célèbre, so expect a wait to match. Especially if you haven’t reserved your dough, in which case you may be waiting until the next day (Tacconelli’s advises that the best time to call is between Wednesday and Sunday after 10 a.m.).

It may not always have been this complicated to get a Tacconelli’s pizza (you have to assume times were simpler back in 1946 when it started serving pizza), but most who have had it will tell you it’s worth the effort.

There are four pies listed on the menu: Tomato (no cheese), Regular (a little cheese and sauce), White (salt, pepper, cheese, and garlic), and the Margerita (fresh basil and mozzarella).

These are wide crusts, liberally sauced and topped, and not uniformly presented. You can choose from a list of toppings to customize your pies (spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms, pepperoni, sausage, sweet peppers, anchovies, onions, prosciutto, basil, and extra cheese), just keep in mind that there’s a three-topping max on each pie, and that some have noted that the owner sometimes prefers to limit it to two. The move here may be the "Signature," which may not be listed: white pizza with spinach and chunks of tomato and garlic. Either way, you may want to bring more folks so you can order more pies. Just a thought.

I'm going to find this place and see for myself and then write a follow up to this...Stay tuned!
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Monday, October 19, 2015

Sausage and Pepper Heroes

It's football season and that means Tailgate parties....Nobody gives a tailgate party quite like Philadelphia Eagles Fans...Call me biased....Anyway...My good friend South Philly Johnny gave me this recipe for what he calls Sausage and Pepper Heroes....

You serve these at your next tailgate and you'll be the hero!


Check it out-

INGREDIENTS:
  • Olive oil
  • 6 Spicy sausages
  • 2 Bell peppers, sliced
  • 2 Onions, sliced
  • 6 Ball Park hot dog buns
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
DIRECTIONS:


Coat grill with olive oil or nonstick cooking spray. Place sausages on grill and cook on medium/high heat, turning each sausage once until cooked through, about 12 minutes total. In the meantime, place veggies on grill and cook until soft and slightly charred. If you’re using a griddle, sauté veggies until cooked down.

Toast Ball Park buns and set aside.

Season veggies with salt and pepper and portion into 6 servings. Place each serving into a Ball Park hot dog bun and add a sausage to each bun. Serve with mustard if desired.

See..Simple...

Enjoy!  Eat well my friends....GO_______________________  (Place your team's name on the line!)
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Wednesday, October 7, 2015

Oven Parmesan Chicken with Penne Marinara


Heyyy there...I'm back....Bet you thought I had shut this blog down....No...Was just busy...

Here is a nice romantic Italian meal...Quick Parmesan breaded chicken and a zesty marinara and penne pasta work together for this easy fall dinner.

INGREDIENTS:
1/4cup Italian dressing
1 tablespoon butter, melted
3 tablespoons Progresso™ Italian style bread crumbs
5 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
2 cups uncooked penne pasta (6 oz)
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes with basil, garlic & oregano, undrained
1 can (14.5 oz) fire roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup Progresso™ reduced sodium chicken broth (from 32-oz carton)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
DIRECTIONS:
  • 1.Heat oven to 425°F. Line 15x10x1-inch pan with foil. Brush both sides of chicken with dressing; place in pan. In small bowl, stir melted butter, bread crumbs and 1 tablespoon of the Parmesan cheese until well blended. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon bread crumb mixture on top of each breast. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown and juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut (165°F.)
  • 2. Meanwhile, in 3-quart saucepan, cook pasta as directed on package. Drain; return to saucepan.
  • 3. In 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until tender. Stir in both cans of tomatoes, the broth and 3 tablespoons of the basil. Cook, uncovered, over low heat 15 to 18 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly heated. Add tomato mixture to pasta; toss to coat.
  • 4. Spoon pasta onto serving platter; top with chicken. Garnish with remaining 4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese and 1 tablespoon basil.
Mmmmmmmmmm, doesn't that look good? A Nice Red Wine should be served with it also to compliment the meal...

 Enjoy!  Eat Well My Friends!
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Food Safety Tips
Protect yourself against food-borne illnesses.


1. Use a "refrigerator thermometer" to keep your food stored at a safe temperature (below 40 degrees fahrenheit).

Cold temperatures slow the growth of bacteria. Ensuring that your refrigerator temperature stays at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or colder is one of the most effective ways to reduce your risk of food-borne illness. You can buy a refrigerator/freezer thermometer at appliance stories, home centers (i.e. Home Depot), and kitchen stores including online ones, such as Cooking.com.

2. Defrost food in the refrigerator, the microwave, or in cold water... never on the counter!

Perishable foods should never be thawed on the counter for longer than two hours because, while the center of the food may remain frozen, the outer surface may enter the Danger Zone, the range of temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees fahrenheit, in which bacteria multiply rapidly. If you’re short on time, use the microwave or you can thaw meat and poultry in airtight packaging in cold water. Change the water every half-hour so it stays cold and use the thawed food immediately.

3. Always use separate cutting boards for raw meat/poultry/fish and cooked foods/fresh produce.

Bacteria from uncooked meat, poultry, and fish can contaminate cooked foods and fresh produce. An important way to reduce this risk is to use separate cutting boards for raw meat/poultry/ fish, and cooked foods/fresh produce.

4. Always cook meat to proper temperatures, using a calibrated instant-read thermometer to make sure.

One effective way to prevent illness is to use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of meat, poultry, and egg dishes. The USDA Recommended Safe Minimum Internal Temperatures are as follows:

* Beef, veal, and lamb (steaks and roasts), fish - 145 degrees fahrenheit

* Pork and ground beef - 160 degrees fahrenheit

* Poultry - 165 degrees fahrenheit.

Cook meats like roasts and steaks to lower temperatures, closer to medium-rare, so that they retain their moisture. It is recommended that those who are at high risk for developing food-borne illness (i.e. pregnant women and their unborn babies, newborns, young children, older adults, people with weakened immune systems, or certain chronic illnesses) should follow the USDA guidelines.

5. Avoid unpasteurized/raw milk and cheeses made from unpasteurized milk that are aged less than 60 days.

Raw milk is milk from cows, sheep, or goats that has not been pasteurized (heated to a very high temperature for a specific length of time) to kill harmful bacteria that may be present. These bacteria, which include salmonella, E. coli and listeria, can cause serious illness and sometimes even death. The bacteria in raw milk can be especially dangerous to pregnant women, children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems or chronic illnesses. Raw milk cheeses aged 60 days or longer are okay, since the salt and acidity of the cheese-making process make for a hostile environment to pathogens.

6. Never eat "runny" eggs or foods, such as cookie dough, that contain raw eggs.

Even eggs that have clean, intact shells may be contaminated with salmonella, so it’s important to cook eggs thoroughly until both the yolk and the white are firm. Casseroles and other dishes containing eggs should be cooked to 160 degrees fahrenheit and you can use an instant-read food thermometer to check. Eggs should always be cooked fully and those who are at high risk for developing foodborne illness (pregnant women and their unborn babies, newborns, young children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems or certain chronic illnesses should follow the USDA guidelines. If you can’t resist runny eggs or sampling cookie batter, use pasteurized eggs. They’re found near other eggs in large supermarkets.

7. Always wash your hands in warm soapy water for at least 20 seconds before handling food and after touching raw meat, poultry, or eggs.

You can pick up a lot of bacteria out in the world, so it’s important to always wash your hands before you eat or prepare food. You should also wash your hands after touching any uncooked meat, poultry, fish, or eggs, as the bacteria from these foods can contaminate cooked foods and fresh produce. Use soap and warm water and wash thoroughly for at least 20 seconds.

8. Always heat leftover foods to 165 degrees fahrenheit.

The USDA recommends heating all cooked leftovers to 165 degrees fahrenheit in order to kill all potentially dangerous bacteria.

9. Never eat meat, poultry, eggs, or sliced fresh fruits and vegetables that have been left out for more than two hours or more than one hour in temperatures hotter than 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you leave perishable foods out of the refrigerator or freezer for more than two hours they may enter the Danger Zone—the unsafe temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit, in which bacteria multiply rapidly.

10. Whenever there’s a food recall, check products stored at home to make sure they are safe.

You should discard any food that’s been recalled because it’s associated with the outbreak of a food-borne illness. But, according to a survey conducted by Rutgers University during the fall of 2008, only about 60% of Americans search their homes for foods that have been recalled because of contamination. For more information on food recalls, visit the website Recalls.gov






Cavier & Vodka
Courtesy of The Lady (Bug) of the Household