The Magic of Christmas Eve
Remember Christmas Eve when you were a child? The anticipation of the next morning, wondering if you will hear Santa on the roof? Will I get all I asked him for? It was just so magical. I suppose we still enjoy it, differently though, and through the eyes of our children.
We would have a special Christmas Eve dinner at Gramma Izzo’s .On the ride over Mom and Dad would play their favorite Sinatra Christmas songs on the 8 track player and the three of us would be singing away in the back seat of the blue pontiac station wagon. We just loved how the snow glistened under the street lights. Almost all of the houses were decorated with colorful lights back then. It looked like a Christmas wonderland!!
Gramma’s house was decorated beautifully with colored lights too and a painted wooden Santa in his sleigh on the roof. As soon as the front door opened the aroma of garlic, cheese and a roasted something was so overwhelming and welcoming at the same time. The house was extremely small and our family is quite large with lots of cousins, aunts and uncles. It was impossible to walk around and the dinner table because it was so long you just had to take your seat.
The presents were everywhere and so many of them. They were always stacked up against the wall, all around the room. Each family member had a pile of presents with their name on it. Each of us took our turn opening their presents as everyone waited impatiently for thier turn. Its is such a special time to be with loved ones….it is not only about presents but more about the special gifts we give each and every day to our friends, family and maybe even a stranger……..Happy Holidays to all of you and best wishes for the new year.
Please visit us @TwiceBakedTwins.com for all your holiday recipes and feel free to share a recipe or two with us @TwiceBakedTwins@aol.com
‘Slim and Trim’ With the Twice Baked Twins
Our “Slim & Trim” is a collection of recipes that are healthy and lower in calories. The recipes are simple, easy to prepare, and packed with great flavors.
Whether we are doing our segments on TV or hosting an event, the first thing people say to us is, “You’re so thin? Do you eat the food you make?” Of course we do, but always in moderation, and that’s how Slim & Trim came to be.
During the week, we eat “clean.” This means choosing recipes that do not have heavy sauces, and are not fried or loaded with cheese — just food in its simpler, more natural state. On the weekends we take a break, indulge a bit more, try some new recipes and make our good ol’ favorites for the family and friends.
We love to try new things and use our Sunday get togethers for testing new ideas (the boys are painfully honest). Last week we tried Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah). a protein full of rich amino acids. It is considered a grain that is slightly crunchy, kind of “popping” when you chew them, yet creamy and sort of fluffy.
You can make it as you would rice, by cooking one part quinoa to two parts liquid for about 15 minutes. The quinoa absorbs the liquid and increases in size several times over. When quinoa is done cooking, the edge of the seed is translucent. Anything at all can be added, so add what your family enjoys. Served hot or cold, it was a big hit for us.
Join us on Facebook, on our new recipe app for more Slim & Trim recipes. Enjoy, and lets get healthy.
Quinoa
1 cup quinoa
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 cup black beans
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup raisins
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions
Place the quinoa in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until toasted, about two minutes. Add two cups water (or use low-sodium chicken broth) and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until the liquid is absorbed, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit, covered, about two minutes.
Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts in a skillet over medium-high heat, stirring, until golden, about three minutes; transfer to a plate. Add the olive oil and garlic to the skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring, until golden, about two minutes. Transfer the garlic to the plate, reserving the oil.
Fluff the quinoa with a fork. Add the pine nuts, black beans, garlic, reserved oil, parsley, raisins and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper, and toss.
Watch us on WFSB Channel 3 Better Connecticut as we show you just how easy it is to make this treat. Feel free to contact us at TwiceBakedTwins@aol, and visit our website TwiceBaked Twins.com.
‘Slim and Trim’ With us, and Our New Healthy Recipes!
For those of you who have followed us through the years, you know we have grown up with grocery stores on both sides of our family. Our grandfather, a great butcher, took his skills very seriously and with great pride, would always bring home the finest cuts of meat that were available that week. His famous “triple grind” ground beef used for his special hamburgers were amazing and the texture of the beef was like velvet. It was like eating the most tender juiciest filet mignon on a bun!
We just cant give you a recipe for a healthier beef burger; because If we did it would be full of delicious-ness, loaded with melted gooey cheese and crispy fried onions and that first bite… so juicy, it would be running down our faces! Wait!! That would be wrong. We are supposed to be sticking to our New Years resolutions and making healthier choices!
We wanted to share another recipe from our new “Slim&Trim“, with the TwiceBakedTwins and decided to test out a few healthier burger recipes. The hamburger is pretty hard to make low fat even if you use the leanest ground beef. So by completely staying away from a beef type patty the oversized cap, from a portobello mushroom, was perfect !The mushroom caps can be as meaty as a burger, a perfect alternative to red meat and when paired with a great whole grain chiabatta roll it is a combination that pleases both non-meat and meat eaters alike. It makes a great vegetarian alternative as well. Below we have chosen our favorites to top our burger but use whatever you like, you cant ruin it!
Please join us on Facebook, our new “like” page : http://www.facebook.com/TwiceBakedTwins
Portobello Burgers topped with Roasted Tomato Bruschetta
whole wheat buns/chiabatta rolls
2 portobello mushroom caps
2 tablespoons olive oil
kosher salt
pepper
1 small bunch arugula
Tomato Brushetta
1 pound tomatoes, any kind, quartered
1-2 large shallots, quartered
2-3 cloves garlic
3-4 turns of good olive oil
1-2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Preheat oven 375F. Toss tomatoes, shallots and garlic cloves in olive oil, sprinkle generously with salt & pepper. Roast for about 35-45 minutes until soft and charred. There will be juices left in the pan. DONOT throw them away, they are delicious. Dip bun/roll halves into juices before topping with mushroom caps.
If using a grill pan, brush grill and caps with olive oil.** and sprinkle with salt & pepper, we call it S’wepper*. Grill each side about 10 minutes until grill marks appear and mushroom is slightly soft. Set on top of chiabatta roll and top with roasted tomatoe mixture and some great peppery arugula, YUM!
*S’wepper – A TwiceBakedTwin favorite, mix one part pepper to 2 parts salt
** Oven method: Place mushrooms on a parchment lined cookie sheet. – Sprinkle with s’wepper – Cover loosely with foil and place in oven. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until soft and cooked through.
Yes, Pizza Can Be Healthy!
We are still creating healthy recipes for our “Slim&Trim” recipe collection.Again we are asked all the time, “do you eat the food you make? Your both so thin?” Yes! We do but not everyday. These questions prompted us to move forward with “Slim&Trim with the TwiceBakedTwins. Remember, just because a recipe is lower in fat and healthier doesn’t mean you can eat more of it. You still have to count calories and watch your portions. And boy did we learn that first hand....we each gained 5 pounds with all this testing!!
Did you know that 94 % of Americans eat pizza regularly? And eat 350 slices of pizza per second? And that Super bowl Sunday is # 1, in the top 5, of pizza sale days?
Our grandmother would always make homemade pizza on Friday nights. When we were teenagers and constantly watching our weight, we would always say,” Nana just a small piece, please not so big,”. She would always respond the same way, “No no, it won’t make you fat”. She would tell us that bread was the staff of life…”eat , eat.. its good for you”. And you know what, pizza can really be good for you. On the original pie the tomato sauce is rich in the anti oxidant lynchpin, the cheese has calcium and the bread…well you know that already. We decided that with a few changes we could make better choices and still have great flavor and textures going on.We decided to try a whole wheat crust we found in the NY Times, well….we loved it! It is simple to prepare and the flavor was crazy good, almost nutty, earthy. The toppings can be anything your family enjoys. The recipe below has always been a favorite for us. Enjoy!
4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups grated part-skim mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
1 bunch broccoli rabe cooked and chopped into 1 inch pieces
1 large shallot, chopped
1/2 cup pignoli nuts, toasted
Whole wheat crust, recipe below
red pepper oil, for drizzling, optional*
Whole Wheat Crust
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus additional for brushing the pizza crusts
1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus additional if necessary for kneading
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
. Combine the yeast and water in a 2-cup Pyrex measuring cup. Add the sugar, and stir together. Let sit two or three minutes, until the water is cloudy. Stir in the olive oil. Combine the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour and salt in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse to blend 2-3 times. Then, with the machine running, pour in the yeast mixture. Process until the dough forms a ball on the blades. DO NOT OVER PROCESS, dough will be tough. Remove from the processor (the dough will be a little tacky; flour or moisten your hands so it won’t stick), and knead on a lightly floured surface for a couple of minutes, adding flour as necessary for a smooth dough. Shape the dough into a ball, pinched at bottom and rounded at top. Transfer the dough to a clean, lightly oiled bowl, rounded side down first, then rounded side up. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and leave it in a warm spot to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. When it is ready, the dough will stretch when it is gently pulled. Divide the dough into two equal balls.
Prepare broccoli rabe: by either sauteing or boiling, whichever you prefer. When cool, chop into 1 inch pieces. In a dry skillet, toast pignoli nuts until lightly browned, set aside (keep watch as they burn easily). Add 2 teaspoons more olive oil and saute shallot until soft. Season with salt & pepper.
For assembling the pizza: Preheat oven to 400 degrees . Stretch and/or roll each piece of dough until very thin and place each on a piece of lightly floured parchment paper that is the same size as the baking sheets. The dough can be any shape you prefer. Brush each piece of dough with 1 teaspoon of the oil, sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper and carefully transfer to the hot baking sheets. Remove from the oven and evenly top each pizza crust, keeping about 1/2 inch from the edge, with the softened shallots, cooked broccoli rabe , mozzarella and parmesan. Place in the oven and continue to bake until the crust is crisp and the cheese has melted and is browned in spots, 6 to 8 minutes, rotating the pans if necessary.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle with more salt & fresh pepper if need and the the toasted nuts. Drizzle with red pepper oil if using.
*Red Pepper Oil
2 cups good quality olive oil
3 -4 teaspoons crushed red pepper
Combine the oil and crushed red pepper flakes in a heavy small saucepan. Cook over low heat about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Cool to room temperature, about 2 hours. Transfer the oil and pepper flakes to a bottle. Seal the lid. Refrigerate up to 1 month.
Spring is finally here….bring on the warmer weather!! Warm balmy nights, outdoor dining and trendy new cocktails are awaiting us!
We can begin to enjoy all of the wonderful produce popping up and we are thinking artichokes. Even though they are available year- round now, they are still best in the spring.
Artichokes are delicate to store. Two weeks is stretching it, and after that time, they lose their best flavor. Any darkening at the tips of the artichoke is an indicator of a less than fresh artichoke, and look for a bright green color and a fir stem.
Joy’s father-in-law, we call him ”Big Fred”, always made the most wonderful tender stuffed artichokes. The stuffing, sinfully rich with oil and parmesan, pungent with garlicky crumbs and fragrant herbs are to die for. A splash of wine in the pan steams and softens the fibers while infusing a delicate bouquet right at the tender heart. A crisp white wine is always chilling along with a perfect red pairing for us to enjoy. This is a perfect starter to any meal. So get out the patio furniture, light a few candles and lets enjoy the outdoors!!
Preparing the artichoke is pretty easy so don’t shy away…..it is worth the time effort! Enjoy.
Please join us on Facebook, TwiceBakedTwins, or send us an email to share your favorite recipes with us
TwiceBakedTwins@aol.com
Sinfully Stuffed Artichokes
4 large artichokes
1-2 lemons in half
2 1/4 cups plain bread crumbs
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
8 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
1/2 cup dry white wine.
Use a heavy, sharp knife to cut top 1 1/2 inches off an artichoke. Pull out pale inner leaves from center. At the bottom, where leaves were, is a furry bed, the choke. Use a spoon (a grapefruit spoon works wonderfully) to scoop out choke. Next, using kitchen shears or a pair of scissors, trim pointy ends from outer leaves of artichoke. As you work, rub lemon half over cut parts of artichoke. Repeat with remaining artichokes. Place into a deep pan large enough to hold four artichokes (like your large sauce pot).
Squeeze remaining lemon juice over top of artichokes.
To prepare stuffing, in a large bowl combine, bread crumbs, Parmesan, chopped parsley and garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss and taste crumbs. Re-season if necessary.. Holding artichokes over stuffing bowl, stuff choke cavity and in between the leaves with bread crumb mixture. Stand stuffed artichokes upright in pan and generously drizzle olive oil over center of each artichoke. Add water to just about 1/4 way up the artichokes. At this point you can throw in more peeled coves of garlic to flavor even more. Add wine and more salt and pepper to water.
.Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium and cover pan. Cook artichokes 40-60 minutes, depending on size. They are done when tested with a knife right threw the heart and it slides right in. Be careful, the water can evaporate and the bottoms will burn. Add a bit more water if you need additional time until the hearts are tender.
