Anisette Cookies

A delicious cookie that is easy to make. It is a staple on Italian cookie trays!

Anisette Cookies

Ingredients 
1cup butter, softened
3/4 cups sugar

1 teaspoon anise extract

1 teaspoon lemon extract

3 cups flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 egg

Glaze Ingredients
1 cup powdered sugar milk

colored sprinkles


Directions
Pre-heat oven to 350F. Beat together butter and sugar until creamy.  Add anise & lemon extracts, beat some more until fully incorporated.  Add the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Mix until almost powdery.  add the egg and mix on low until a nice dough forms on the paddle.  Form into 1" balls and place on un-greased cookie sheet about 1" apart.  Bake for 15 minutes. Let cool for about 15 minutes then glaze.

Italian Greyhound Attitude

Sunday Dinner a Pictoral

I'm getting closer to becoming Italian

OK, after nearly 4 years of marriage I finally changed my  last name at the begging of my husband. So I now have an ending in an "O" Italian last name. I don't have my new signature figured out (my old one was world renown as the best, unable to be duplicated signature ever) but in due time.

Ciao!

Figgy the Italian Fairy

Figgy the Italian Fairy

The Fairy Figgy loves all the trees

but her favorite of all has big sweet fig leaves.

She sings and dances and glows with much love.

She even talks to the figs in their own native tongue.

Figgy speaks Italian,

a language so sweet.

Another fairy who speaks it

she has yet to meet.

The Fairy Queen one day had a sorrowful job.

One lonely fig tree, she had heard it sob.

"This cannot be, all trees must be sprite

I'm sending Figgy to tend, immediately tonight."

Figgy was sent to an area unknown.

She didn't know the fairies,

she didn't know the gnomes.

Figgy was scared when she arrived late that night,

she ran to her tree and sang "It'll be alright".

She looked at the house and in the window she saw

a fairy like human a couple feet tall.

Figgy grew happy, she knew she'd be fine

she had her own fig tree and a little human divine.

One day her humans were out in the sun

her little human divine was having much fun.

The language they spoke made the fig stand with pride,

Figgy's ears perked to listen and her heart happily cried,

"I found more like me, this was the Queen's plan

She sent me to live where they speak Italian."

-Kimberly Demetrio

Figgy the Italian Fairy copyright 2012

B is in Italian school. She understands the language quite well, yet, doesn't use it much on her own. To encourage her to speak more of the language I made this wool fairy to hang in our window, looking out at our fig tree. I wrote the story to go along as a reference. B loved the story and the fairy. She still doesn't like to speak Italian much, but I have caught her using her new language skills whispering to Figgy in the window. My plan is working!

You say Gravy, I say Sauce. Let’s Call it Ragu!

You say Gravy, I say Sauce. Let’s Call it Ragu!

In many an Italian home on Sunday morning a big pot of Ragu is simmering to be ready for Sunday dinner. It is the simplest of recipes, quite economical, and can feed you for a week! Here’s how we make it in our home.

Demetrio Ragu

2.5lb Boston Roast: cut up in big chunks

7 cloves Garlic: smashed

1 large onion: chopped

EVOO to coat the bottom of your BIG POT

Splash of white wine (optional)

¼ can tomato paste

6lb tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes

Salt/Pepper to taste

Sautee onions in EVOO until they are soft, add garlic and meat. Brown the meat, let the juices cook off a bit to avoid greasy gravy. Add your splash of white wine. Stir. Add tomato sauce & paste. Stir over medium heat for about 15 minutes. Add Salt & Pepper and other herbs here if you’d like. You can never go wrong with a bit of oregano!

Turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for 3-5 hours. If it gets too thick for your liking add water. Here’s a little secret, when putting the lid on the pot, rest the wooden spoon on the rim so the steam escapes and doesn’t turn the ragu into a watery mess.

Don't you just love our Vintage Pot?

Turn the gravy every 15 minutes or so, SCRAPE THE BOTTOM of the pot so nothing sticks or burns.

When done, traditionally the meat is removed and plated separately from the pasta and gravy. Top your pasta of choice with the Ragu, grate some cheese on it, and enjoy!

Flag Day Feast?

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