Buffalo Style Deviled Eggs

12 hard cooked eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup bleu cheese, crumbled
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 tsp celery salt
1 Tbsp minced parsley
2 ribs finely diced celery
1/2 tsp hot sauce

Mash the yolks with all but the celery.  Add more mayonnaise if it is to dry to your liking.  Spoon or pipe into the whites.  Garnish with the diced celery.  For more heat, sprinkle a little cayenne pepper on top.

Chicken Riggies

Chicken Riggies

4 Tbsp butter

2 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite size pieces

8 oz pkg mushrooms, sliced

1 medium green pepper, chopped

1 medium hot pepper, chopped (optional)

1 medium onion, chopped 2 cups water

2 tsp chicken boulion or 2 cubes

1 cup tomato sauce

1/2 pint heavy cream

1 tsp parsley

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/2 cup black olives - sliced

2 Tbsp cornstarch

1 lb rigatoni, cooked and drained

In a large pot, melt butter and add chicken. Cook over medium heat until tender. Add mushrooms and cook 5 minutes. Add peppers and onions and continue cooking until soft, about 5-7 minutes. Add water, bouillon, sauce, heavy cream and spices. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occassionally. Add olives and simmer 5 minutes more.

In a small bowl, mix cornstarch with 2 Tbsp water until it dissolves. Add to the sauce, stirring continuously until it thickens. When thickened, mix sauce with giratoni together in deep bowl and serve immediatly. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Italian Greens - Georgio's Style

1 cup Yukon gold potatoes cut in 1 inch cubes

1/2 teaspoon dried parsley

1/2 teaspoon each onion and garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 chopped Vadalia onion

2 heads escarole

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

8 ounces chicken broth

4 ounces thinly sliced hard salami

1/2 cup bread crumbs

6 minced garlic cloves

1/2 cup Romano cheese

Freshly chopped Parsley

Potatoes: Toss in Bag with 1/4 cup olive oil, parsley, garlic and onion powder and paprika. Roast for 1/2 hour at 350 degrees. Set aside.

Greens: Saute garlic and onion in 1 tablespoon olive oil; add chopped escarole and cook through. Add chicken broth, julienned salami, crushed red peppper and potatoes. Simmer till stock reduced - about 45 minutes.

Combine bread crumbs with 2 Tablespoons oil. Toast until brown. Mix half with greens.

Add Romano Cheese and place in greased baking pan. Top with remaining crumbs. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Garnish with parsley.

Exciting Changes

Here we are streaming into the middle of March and it always amazes me how life seems to fly by as I grow older. Remembering back to my "kid" years time just seemed to linger and never move along. Gosh I miss the good old days.

It's an exciting time around our house for we made the decision this past fall we were jumping in to the remodeling world and updating our home. Starting with my favorite room in the whole house the kitchen. When we started on this venture I would never of guessed that planning a remodel would take months and lots of homework. I guess I was blind to the real world in this matter and thought it all happened with a snap of ones finger. Oh no was I ever wrong.

Finding a designer / company to work with, what exactly did we want, then the want list had to be streamlined to what exactly the area we had to work with and how to make it all happen. As we went through pages of books, web sites, models in the showroom the fear kept bouncing around inside of my brain "What if I choose something horribly wrong? I'm gonna have to live with this for the rest of my life!!! " I am at the point of announcing there is no turning back on our decisions for everything is ordered Now I'm at the packing up the kitchen stage. Yep that truly started today. #1 goal is if I haven't used it in years and even forgotten about it way back in the cupboard then it must go. Of course all was going well till I found this ancient old bottle opener back in a drawer and asked my husband if it he was cool if I got rid of it. See this was his childhood home so I'm having a feeling I may find a few things tucked back in corners I had missed during the transition of our move in 10 years ago. As you already figured the bottle opener is staying. I hope these 27 new cabinets have plenty of room.

My passion for cooking is the most relaxing thing I do in my life. This new kitchen will be a boost to my cooking spirits. I stumbled over the most amazing cookbook last week on line and without a doubt ordered it. A Taste of Utica from CNYEats.com central New York has it's own unique style of cooking and just flipping through the pages after the book arrived I could taste home. Chicken Riggies, Utica Greens, Tomato Pie, Hemstrought's Bakery Half Moon Cookies, Blueberry Pierogi, Peperoni Soup, Italian Rum Cake, Pizza Dough, Our area sauces. Maybe I'm a little homesick and need to plan my trip back upstate soon. Ya think?

So the countdown begins, cupboards are cleaned out, and the excitement for the arrival of a dishwasher in a home that never had one is more than words can express.

Do you really stop and savor?

Life goes passing by faster than I realize these days. When growing up a week felt like months and months felt like years. Now time just flies and I somehow never know if I'm coming or going. I guess life has a way of keeping us on our toes now doesn't it?

Here it is the end of June 1/2 way through 2010 already. I haven't done many exciting journeys to proclaim. I wish I had. Work ties up alot of time but that's what happens when you choose the hospitality business. I have made a few cook outs with my friends this year that have been truly a treat. Time with friends and family mean the most to me and when I get those moments I grab onto them with both hands. I enjoy the relaxing and laughter that come with these special times.

A few weeks ago I experienced a 1st. It's taken me 44 years but I am finally able to say I have seen the Liberty Bell. My job took me to the Philadelphia area for two weeks. While there I actually had a day off to tour the old city. My love of history grabbed me by storm and off I went. I enjoyed my afternoon wandering around learning about Philly. On the day I was to drive back towards Pittsburgh I saw a billboard to my favorite town Gettysburg. I couldn't resist. It was as if my car was in auto pilot and I had no choice. What an amazing afternoon that was. Re enactors were actually in town that day and I was also able to tour the new visitors center and museum. Yes this was definately a great week to fill me with history at it's best.

While I was away for work I was able to eat at two amazing Restaurants. Redstone Grille and Devons Seafood. Devons is a sister location in the company I work for and that was a "wow" experience for me. The menu and service were out of this world and to be able to sit there and look outside onto this park that was like Philly's version of Central Park was alot of fun. The people & dog watching was endless. And to have food that was not the same as what I eat and serve everyday was truly a treat.

This summer I have made a decision that has altered my summertime cooking. One of the greatest things about summer is cooking outside on the grill with fresh foods and enjoy the beauty of the great outdoors. Ever since I can remember I've owned a gas grill since moving out on my own. This summer I have taken a jump back in time to charcoal grilling where Grilling and Chillin is what it's all about. Many of us like the convienece of the gas grill but once you step back and have an item cooking on a wood/charcoal grill you realize this is how food should really taste.

The more I think about it does one stop and truly think about the food they just bit into? How was the texture? Was the flavor what you were expecting or something totally off the wall? Would you get that again? Life is short, take a moment and think about what it is you are eating and savor the moment and savor the flavor.

Laundry to fold, holiday decorations to pack up, floors to sweep and mop, errands to run. Is a day off truly a day off? Sometimes I really wonder. A friend once told me to do your best to accomplish all your chores on your work days so your days of are truly days off. But for some odd reason I cannot seem to organize that concept in my life. Does anybody?

My biggest excitement for my days off is what am I going to cook for dinner. I so love having a home cooked meal after being in a restaurant all week long. And to be able to flip through pages of a cookbook and create a recipe as if I was taking on a science project of mixing ingredients together and not really knowing the true outcome till we sit down to eat. It truly is an exciting part of my day. Now today my challenge is to figure out what in the world am I in the mood for and how complicated of a cooking project do I want to get into. Decisions decisions.

Work has started off for 2010 with big changes on the positive side of things. We have a new boss that everyone seems rather pleased with. I know I am. We've been handed some projects probably more than we've had in almost two years and it's actually exhilerating and fun to have the passion back to tackle whats been laid before ones self. Funny how when the mind is put to work and not stagnet one feels more alive. Almost like taking your vitamins or going to the gym and getting a big burst of energy. It truly is "A Good Thing."

As for winter weather around here. The snow is pretty but the frigid temps can go. The chilling air has been brutal for the past week. At times I feel like the little boy from A Christmas Story all bundled up and can't put my arms down. If you dare step out not prepared your frozen in seconds. Can't imagine winter life for my Canadian friends brrrrrrrr. I think it's time for a nice hot cup of coffee to not only warm up but to motivate with all these chores to accomplish. Caffine push here I come.

Mothers Wisdoms

Brrrrr..... it's cold outside. I never understood growing up how my mother would sit there and say she didn't like winter and that I would understand as I got older. I would just laugh at her and say she was crazy. I loved winter and always would. Well here I am in my mid 40's and can honestly say I'm not a fan of the winter months anymore. If I'm sitting in the house watching the snow fall and not having to go out in it then I am rather content. But other than that I'm so miserible having to walk along late at night to my car in the freezing chilled air. The thrill and excitement of being out in the wintery conditions just isn't the same. I remember going out snowmobiling and sledding and not even thinking about going inside for hours. Now just reaching out to my mailbox is longer than I need to be out. I guess mothers do know what they are talking about. Sure wish she was still around to give me more of her wisdom. But since she is not the best I can do is remember all the wise things she did say. And especially remember to always make pie crust from scratch and not unroll from a box. Don't worry mom I got the message loud and clear.