ANTIPASTI SKEWERS FOR THE 4TH OF JULY

GREETINGS FROM CARMELA'S CUCINA,

By this time of year the framer's markets,road-side stands and your own garden should be producing ripe cherry tomatoes and your own garden should be producing ripe cherry tomatoes and fragrant sweet basil. The skewers can be made early in the day and left to marinate while you take in the Fourth of July festivities or relax with a novel in a deck chair on the dock.  These treats are easy to transport, so make a perfect antipasti to take along on a long afternoon boat ride.  Everyone loves these skewers, so plan on at least 2 per person.  After all that fresh air and summer fun, your guests will be hungry.

ANTIPASTI SKEWERS

1 pound package of fresh tri-colored tortellini
1 pint grape tomatoes
1 bunch fresh basil
1 can a quartered artichoke hearts
1 pint fresh bococini mozzarella balls
1 pint pitted olives
1/2 pound salami sliced thin
2 envelopes of Good Seasons Zesty Italian Salad Dressing Mix
Bamboo skewers

Boil the tortellini for about 6 minutes in salted water.  Drain and put the tortellini into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.  Wash the tomatoes and basil and pat dry.  Thread the tortellini, tomatoes, basil leaves, artichoke hearts, mozzarella balls, olives and salami (folded into quarters) onto the skewers.  Using one package of Italian salad dressing mix, make up the dressing by following the directions on the package, and drizzle the dressing over the prepared skewers.  Sprinkle the contents of the second envelope of dry Italian dressing mix over the skewers and marinate for several hours.  Assembled skewers can be stuck into a melon or pineapple half, or laid on a lettuce-lined tray.  SERVES 8

Happy 4th of July.

Buon appetito!

Carmela Tursi Hobbins

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT CARMELA TURSI HOBBINS, HER COOK BOOKS, CULINARY TOURS, COOKING CLASSES, OR TO BOOK CARMELA FOR A SPEAKING ENGAGEMENT GO TO WWW.CARMIESCUCINA.COM

TAX REFUND SALE

Greetings from Carmela's Cucina,

As you may know I have been leading culinary tours to Tuscany and Calabria in Italy for years. These small group fully escorted tours last for a week. We stay in one beautiful villa or hotel in the hills of Italy and our driver comes to pick us up daily so that we can visit places such as Lucca, San Gimingano, Siena and Chianti and much more in Tuscany.

Our visit to Calabria includes a day in the vineyards, visiting the ruins at Sibiari, a trip to the mountains and La Silla national park. Our last few days are spent on the lovely and famous Almafi Coast in a wonderful hotel in Positano with fabulous sea views.

Each tour offers so much more and I would like to suggest that you go to my web site at www.carmiescucina.com for the full itinerary.

Since it is tax time we have decided to hold a TAX REFUND SALE. Between now and April 21, 2012 we are offering a reduction of price for our tours. Each tour for a limited time will be priced at $3,195.00. To make a reservation or to discuss the tours please contact me at bchobbins@comcast.net I will be happy to tell you more about these wonderful tours.

I hope to see you soon at a cooking class, speaking engagement, book signing or in Italy.

Make every day a celebration.

Buon appetito,

Carmela Tursi Hobbins

EASY SPRING PASTA RECIPE

Greetings from Carmela's Cucina,

Are you looking for a really easy spring pasta recipe? The this is the one for you. A classic recipe from Emilia-Romagnia, where cream and butter are commonly used in pasta sauces. Fresh peas are the best for this dish, but frozen are perfectly acceptable and much quicker. Just add a salad some bread and fresh fruit and you have a wonderful but easy spring meal.

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons onion, chopped
1/4 cup cooked ham, diced in 1/4 inch pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound fresh green peas, shelled or 1 (10 ounce) package frozen peas, thawed
1 pound fettuccine
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup finely chopped parsley

Heat the butter and olive oil in a skillet over moderate heat. Add the chopped onion, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until the onion is soft.

Add the chopped ham, salt and pepper to the skillet. Cook for 2 minutes while stirring. Add 1/4 cup of the stock and the peas then simmer for 2 minutes.

Cook the fettuccine in a large pot of salted, boiling water until the pasta is al dente. Just before the fettuccine is done cooking, add the cream to the skillet of sauce and stir until heated through and well blended.

Drain the fettuccine, and spread the pasta out on a flat platter or pasta dish. Pour the ham and pea sauce over it. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and parsley and toss before serving.

This is one of our family favorite dishes, I hope it will become one of yours too.

Buon appetito,

Carmela Tursi Hobbins

GOOD FRIDAY NOVENA

GREETINGS FROM CARMELA'S CUCINA,

It is that time of year again when I post my mother-in-law's, Good Friday Novena. Margaret Hobbins gave me this novena when I was a young bride almost 40 years ago. It is only said on Good Friday, so it is important to remember the prayer on that day.

We have seen dying people recover after this novena has been completed, jobs offered and college bound kids accepted into the college of their choice.

Please say the prayer reverently and with respect on Good Friday. Between the hours of Noon and 3:00p.m., the time which it is said the Savior of the World hung on the cross to redeem us from our sins. The prayer must be repeated 33 times, the number of years Our Lord walked this earth.

BELIEVE, and see what happens. Pass this prayer on to your family and friends like I have. I share it every year and I hope you will too.

Enjoy the Resurrection Day and Easter Season.

Happy Easter! And may God bless you and your family.

Carmela Tursi Hobbins

GOOD FRIDAY NOVENA

OH MY JESUS, I HUMBLY BEG OF THEE, BY THE MERITS OF THY PRECIOUS BLOOD, BY THY DIVINE HEART AND BY THY CRUEL DEATH TO ASSIST ME IN MY NECESSITY (insert your prayer request here)

Say the prayer 33 times between 12:00 noon and 3:00 p.m. on Good Friday.

TASTE OF CHOCOLATE

Greetings from Carmela's Cucina,

I am very excited and pleased to be one of the judges this year for the Bloomington Center for the Arts Chocolate Competition. TASTE OF CHOCOLATE will be held at the center at 1800 Old Shakopee Road from noon until 4:00 p.m. The judging begins at 11:00 and continues until 12:30.

The two categories are The Best Chocolate Dessert and The Best Chocolate Confection. I am honored to be one of the judges and can't wait for the tasting. As an added bonus the public will get to vote for the People's choice awards. That means you get to be a judge too.

When my duties are done, I will be signing copies of my new cookbook, CELEBRATIONS WITH CARMELA'S CUCINA. Stop by and say hi and purchase a copy of the book for yourself or for a gift. With spring just days away, we have all kinds of reasons to celebrate!

If you need a speaker or a judge at any of your up coming events, contact me at www.carmiescucina.com

Hope to see you there.

Make every day a celebration.

Carmela Tursi Hobbins

LIVING LA DOLCE VITA

Want to live, "La Dolce Vita?" Live like the Italians do. Join me for a food and wine tour of this wonderful country in the fall of 2012. Choose a 1 week, small group tour to either Tuscany or Calabria. All tours are fully escorted and the land portion is all-inclusive. We use both English and Italian speaking guides. Our driver has been with us for 8 years, so you don't have to worry about getting to your destination and can even enjoy an extra glass of wine.

Come to the information session of Sat. Feb. 18, 2012 at 9:30 a.m.
Contact me at bchobbins@comcast.net to make a reservation for the session. Deadline to register for these tours is March 31, 2012.

To see the full itinerary for these tours go to www.carmiescucina.com and click on the tours link.

Buon appetito,

Carmela