Caldo De Pollo Elsa's Special Chicken Matzo Ball Soup w/ Cilantro

 

Anybody who's ever read any Chicken Soup for the Soul, and I think that's quite a few people, can relate to this post in one way or another. My sister Karen is one of the sweetest, strongest, and the absolute busiest person I know. I admire her in every way, and yesterday she proved my point yet again, she asked her beloved nanny Elsa who is my friend and hers, to make a batch of her Special Chicken Soup for a sick neighbor who has cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy.
As it happened, the day before I had given a cooking lesson to my niece who is a newlywed and has a ton of kitchen gadgets to figure out. As it was her first lesson with me I started with a few basic principles and cutting techniques, and a simple stock pot on the back burner, to show her how easy it was, after cleaning a chicken, to make "Chicken Salad Melts" on her new Panini Press, and to use the bones and veggies left over to make a great soup base at the same time. So voilá -- Elsa already had  freshly made base for her Special Chicken Soup. Add the chicken and veggies and matzo balls (from the mix) and cilantro, and you've got yourself a beautiful pot of "Chicken Soup for the Soul".
I don't even know the neighbor's name, but what I do know is that I've lost not only my beautiful mother, Louise, to cancer but many a friend and other relatives as well. I don't like to do serious posts (as you all may have gathered) but felt this one was warranted because a random act of kindness, spontaneously shared by so many people's efforts, seemed to come together so effortlessly. Wouldn't it be great to encourage this type of behavior in all my readers and friends and family who read this post, and follow the blog? The act of making the soup was easy, but the thought doesn't always cross our minds, with our busy day-to-day lives and our own problems to deal with. Maybe Karen's thoughtfulness will spread to all who read this. Do something kind for someone -- anyone -- it can be a friend or someone you barely know, as that part really doesn't matter. This is the way I was raised so it comes naturally to me and even I forget, with my busy busy, rush rush life, the very basic meaningfulness of "Random Acts of Kindness", and "Pay it Forward", so stop every once in a while and look around you, and just appreciate what you have. You'll be happy you did it, I know I was. Thank you, Karen: we can all take a lesson from this.


Caldo De Pollo:
1 package Matzo Ball Mix prepare as according to package directions, set aside
Have ready a big stock pot, and bring to a boil, then simmer after adding
3-4 quarts chicken stock homemade is best for this one!!!
1 1/2 whole Chicken skinned and fat removed and cut up into separate pieces leg, thigh, etc., cut the breast in half twice.
Simmer ten minutes and add:
4-5 large Carrots cut in 1/2" diagonal slices
4-5 large ribs Celery in 1/2" diagonal slices
1 large onion chopped
3 cloves garlic whole
simmer ten more minutes, and add Matzo balls and
3 med Zucchinis in 1/2" diagonal slices
simmer as long as it takes Matzo balls to cook and add
1 bunch Cilantro cleaned of dirt and stems and roughly torn apart
Salt and Pepper to taste
Turn off and allow to sit for a few minutes before serving.

And as always, Enjoy!!!
LIVE, LOVE, LAUGH, COOK!!!
© Jennifer green Alger 2010

Restaurant Report: Picco Restaurant, Larkspur,CA, - Dinner With the NoCal Greens

As you all know I recently went to Marin County to visit the NoCal branch of my family, the Greens. I love them so much and had the time of my life!!! So when my SoCal sister Karen suggested my NoCal bro Bill and his wife Sharon take me to one of their favorite eateries, Picco Restaurant in Larkspur, I just grabbed the camera Sharon had just given me!!! (Yes, given me -- thank you, Sharon for being my sister -- heck with that "-in-law" stuff!!!) Also joining us were my darling niece Chelsea and my nephew Tyler, whom I adore, and his beautiful bride Nadja -- what a catch! Every time I see her she's nicer and sweeter than the time before!

The one word which comes to mind when I think about this restaurant is "Fantastic!!!" I am a huge fan of family-style eating, especially featuring "tapas." The waiter at Picco was extremely helpful and informative (regrettably a rarity in this day and age). Our wonderful little group was tucked into a cozy booth. Sharon ordered for all of us and the eating began with Sweetwater Oysters on the half shell with a chile cilantro mignonette(which went so fast I didn't get a pic!) and Tuna Tatare with Asian pear, shiso, sesame, soy and sticky rice cakes. The latter was my favorite: The tuna was extremely fresh and each of the many flavors delicately extended easily into the next -- delightful!!!

Moving through the courses the waiters and bussers were extremely attentive in the removal and replacement plates, and in keeping drinks and water glasses full. No mistake, this makes all the difference in the world to a restaurant person like myself. The next course to arrive was Broccoli Au Gratin with caramelized onions with sharp cheddar cheese and breadcrumbs, broiled to a bubbly, unsurpassed delectable-ness. I actually have the recipe for this one and it's well worth making. A dish of the risotto of the day (made every half hour) and Pappardelle with duck confit, escarole, sage, crispy parsnips, complemented superbly with red wine. Then a dish of brussels sprouts with kimchee, Thai basil and crisp panchetta, which was absolutely awesome.

The foods kept coming: The Pacific seabass with sunchokes (Jerusalem artichokes), Sicilian green and black olives,parsley and olive oil deftly played the sweet flesh of the very light fish against the savory olive tapenade -- extraordinary! And finally the Creekstone New York Steak "Tuscan Style" with arugula, grana cheese and Fiordolio (a very special olive oil) was a phenomenal finale to a magnificent meal. That, however, does not include dessert!!!

We laughed and talked and took pics, and ordered some decaf coffee (which instead of mediocre "eating out decaf" was a delicious decaffeinated French Roast), and two desserts: Butterscotch Bread Pudding with dates and cinnamon cream and Quince Paste, and Soft Center Chocolate Madeleines with baby hazelnut chocolate milkshakes!!! OMG!!! Excuse me, I kind of lost my mind after this, as I don't usually eat this much at one sitting, let alone this many spectacularly tasty combinations of food. Not that my own fare is nothing to write home about -- I write to you folks about it all the time!! -- but I was inspired by the sheer amount of creativity that went into the planning of these dishes (not to mention the expert way Sharon ordered them).

Picco's chefs Bruce Hill and Chris Whatley are proud supporters of sustainable producers such as Mariquita Farm, County Line Harvest and a long list of others. I'm thrilled we had the pleasure of dining there!!! Anyone interested in the Cauliflower Au Gratin recipe, let me know and I'll post it. It was out of this world and the reason Picco was recommended to us in the first place.

I hereby give Picco my highest stamp of approval, and our meal was wonderful and truly enjoyed by all!!!
LIVE, LOVE, LAUGH, EAT!!!
© Jennifer Green Alger 2010

Red Devil Cupcakes w/ White Chocolate & Cream Cheese Frosting

I spent my Valentine's Day by myself this year in my sister Karen's kitchen listening to XM Satellite Radio--"The 70's" of course, what else would this hippie chick be groovin' to? I felt that this day was going to have to be a turning point for me, as I have been making some very important life decisions lately. I was feeling the stress of it all when these tiny little cakes popped into my ever-vivid mind's eye . . . ooooh, just the extremely happy feeling they immediately evoked was fabulous.

What in the world was better than a cupcake, and having a cake all to yourself and even better, no sharesies, no "Save Me a Bite," a game my brother Bill and I played when we were very young. We'd share an item until the the person taking a bite had to stop when the other said quickly "SAVE ME A BITE!", until the item at hand was so small, it was just not share-able anymore and whoever took that last tiny bite was declared the winner. We had a game for everything, traveling in a hippie van all over the country. Commune to commune, mile after mile and state after state, we had to make up stuff to occupy our little minds. We were very creative even back then!

So after having been through just about everything one could experience on Valentine's Day, including car accidents, an arrest, several bad break-ups and even a marriage, on this most recent V-Day I could only think "How cool is this! Baking in my sister's beautiful kitchen, stocked with anything a baker like me could possibly need. I'm serenaded by cool tunes, in the company of my own amusing self, plus the captive audience of Karen's two dogs, Abigail Puggle and Kona the cocker spaniel asleep in their comfy little beds!" And to add to my delight the project at hand was these little tiny baby cakes, so cute and delish only an ogre could refuse one! None of the pressures of this insidious holiday, just me and my favorite things: Good music, good company (ahem ahem) and a batch of fun baking.

I used a very simple "One Bowl Red Devil Chocolate Cake" recipe though of course I modified it to suit my needs: More chocolate--this need is top priority!--and adding red food coloring to both the cake (along with a hint of white vinegar) and to the frosting, just 'cause it's pretty!!! And for those of you opposed to using food coloring, well, be that way, and just don't!!!

(I'll never know unless you tell me!!!) Enjoy!!!

One Bowl Red Devil Chocolate Cupcakes:

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Have ready a muffin tin lined with paper liners and spray lightly with Pam.

Sift together,

1 3/4 cup cake flour

1/2 cup cocoa

1 1/2 cup sugar

1 1/4 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

Add:

1/2 cup unsalted butter softened

2/3 cup milk at room temp.

Beat with a electric beater on med for 2 minutes.

Add:

1/3 cup milk (i.e., your overall total is one cup)

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. red food coloring

1 tsp. white vinegar

Beat on medium two more minutes.

Fill cups of muffin tin 2/3 to 3/4 full

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until they spring back when gently pressed.

Cool on a rack and repeat with remaining cupcake mixture. This makes 16 to 18 cupcakes depending how you fill the cups. I like them to have a little mushroom top so mine are 3/4 full!!!

White Chocolate and Cream Cheese Frosting:

Melt together and mix well,

6 oz. cream cheese

3/4 stick unsalted butter

5 oz. white chocolate chips

Remove from heat or microwave and mix well.

Add,

1 tsp. vanilla

2 tsp. red food coloring

1 box or 3 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar

Mix well with a electric mixer on medium low.

Frost cooled cupcakes and put one white chocolate chip on each little cake!!!

And as always, Enjoy!!!

LIVE, LOVE, LAUGH, COOK!!!

© Jennifer Green Alger 2010

Baked Blackened Salmon w/ Warm Peach Sesame Dressing over Baby Spinach

    
        My Farmville crops have completely withered, and I've lost track of "Lost," "Fringe," "Bones" virtually all the other shows and games I used to play and watch prior to this absolute absorption in Jenni's Dish--I can't remember what life was like before this fabulous world I catapulted myself into. Except, that is, for some of my jobs in the restaurant biz that really got me really excited. One example is Abolonetti's on the Fisherman's Wharf in Monterey, owned (then) by the brilliant John Pisto.

When I started there, in my early 30's, I was the only female server on staff (they did later hire two female friends of mine). Prizes for top sellers included a wine sales contest whose winner got a trip to a really nice Vineyard, depending on who sponsored the contest!!! There was nothing more exciting than selling the heck out of the extensive reserve wine list and our menu with high-end dishes including abalone at $40.00 a plate and live lobster, and crab (both pricey also). Knowing your product was mandatory!!! The combination of maintaining an immaculate station, table settings, silverware polished everything in its place, knowing the specials forwards and backwards, and all the while maintaining a bubbly yet drily witty persona made me money hand over fist.

When I get to any restaurant, the key for me is checking my bags at the door. It's an acting job and I am the star of the show, lines memorized, marks down pat, reaching out to my audience and pulling them into my world of fine cuisine, wine, and what I consider to be my "own dining room" or home away from home. People out to have a good time recognize this and are instantly made comfortable by my presence. Being able to read a customer is so important: Some are easy-going chatty types and want lots of attention/interaction: others just want to be left to themselves but also to be (wordlessly) checked-on a million times during their meals, possessing a keen eye for what you do (and do not do) -- like spotters, spies who report back to the big boss. I've mentioned the restaurant I will someday open and would like to make some of these rules and regulations a part of that, although maybe not quite so stringent as Pisto's. Still, this is conceptually a great way to keep things consistent and uniform. Impeccable grooming was mandatory at this restaurant which is one of my pet peeves anyway -- who wants a sloppy "Joe Shmoe" waiting on them? Certainly not me! I learn from everyplace I've worked and this job taught me the most about casual fine dining I could ever need to know. Plus, I worked with a staff of people who were outstanding!!! I have felt from the first day I perfected this dish it would be Abalonetti's- and Pisto-worthy, and therefore Jenni's Dish-worthy!!!

The Warm Peach Sesame Dressing:

Depending on how many you are serving,
1 heaping TBLS. Peach Preserves per serving, I was serving 5 so five TBLS.
1-2 TBLS Rice Vinegar (Seasoned is best to use in this as it adds a little salt)
1 tsp Toasted Sesame Oil
1 tsp Chile Paste (optional) if you like that sweet hot taste!!!
Mix well, set aside.

The Salad:

8 oz. Sliced Almonds Toasted
8 oz Dried Cranberries, tossed w/ a little dressing, set aside
5 Tangelos, Tangerines, or Navel Oranges peeled and cut into 1/3" rounds
20 Cherry or Grape Tomato's cut in half
4-5 Scallions cut thin on the diagonal (optional), some people don't do onions so I leave them out and ask first!!!
1 package Baby Greens, 
1 package Baby Spinach
Assemble all ingredients in a line like a restaurant, keeping the Tangelos and Greens very cold until ready to serve.

Baked Blackened Salmon:

Preheat oven to 400ºF Line a large cookie sheet with Foil and spray well with Pam,

1 whole filet of good quality Salmon with the skin on
Pam Olive Oil Cooking spray
Squeeze over the Salmon:
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Juice of 1/2 orange
Adobo seasoning (light sprinkle)
Any good quality Blackening spice eg; Paul Prudhomme, Emeril's, etc.(light spinkle)
Fresh Ground Black Pepper to taste
Paprika for extra color

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until fish flakes easily and is just slightly under done, allow to rest on top of stove for a few minutes while finishing the "Plate up", in this order, put Dressing in Microwave for 1 minute, and 30 second intervals after until warm-hot.
Place Greens all over plate, Spinach piled in center, Tangelos in a circle around plate as well as Tomato's,
Place a piece of Salmon on top of Spinach, sprinkle w/ Toasted Almonds, and Cranberries, and Spoon Dressing over Entire Salad, leaving some pieces of  preserved peach from the bottom of dressing on the Salmon. Serve!!!

And as always, Enjoy!!!
LIVE, LOVE, LAUGH, COOK!!!
© Jennifer Green Alger 2010

Lowfat Orange Cherry Muffins

So . . . after the great Biscuit and Gravy Event I put Cali Jenni on a slow boat to Catalina Island for some sight-seeing (she's so easily amused). Oddly enough, Cali Jenni did a bang-up job on the post and the recipe, and I may even keep her on staff if she'll behave!!!

Anyway, I love to figure out ways to satisfy my ridiculous sweet tooth without gaining weight, so now it's time for lower-fat, figure-friendly treats. Part of the inspiration for this was that the other day I took a walk to Westwood Village for a little retail therapy. A shop I go to every time I'm here, J & M Fashion, run by a very nice woman named Sarah, and is at 947 Westwood Blvd., has remainders of LF and similar clothing lines which run mostly on the small size, so I can fit into more of it now that I've hit the I-lost-40-lbs mark (thank you very much!)!!! And most of the clothes there are in the $5-$20 range!! Check it out!!! Talk about successful (retail) therapy - that day I saved literally BIG dollars on a blouse!!! Fabu!!!

So, in keeping with that spirit of slimming, I thought this would be a good run-out-the-door breakfast, namely a cup of coffee and one of these muffins. One was plenty for me - I brought most of them to my hairdressers at the Batia & Aleeza Salon in Beverly Hills, to thank them for the beautiful job they did on my hair last week!!!

Lowfat Orange Cherry Muffins:


Have sour cream and egg at room temp, grease or line a muffin tin with baking cups.
Preheat oven to 375ºF
Sift together,
1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder 
1/2 tsp. salt
Add and mix till combined,
1/2 cup Wheat Bran
1/3 cup Splenda Brown Sugar Blend
set aside.
In a measuring cup,
1/4 cup juice of orange
zest of 1 orange
fill to 1 cup w/
1/2 fat free sour cream and 1/2 lowfat or skim milk
1 tsp Vanilla
1 egg
Mix into dry ingredients with
1/4 cup melted unsalted butter or canola oil
3/4 cup Dried Cherries chopped rough
Do not over mix, batter should be just moistened, not beaten, as muffins will be tough.
Fill muffin cups 2/3-3/4 full and bake for 25 minutes, they are done when a tooth pick comes out clean,
Cool on a rack and drizzle with,
Powdered Sugar Glaze:
1/2 cup Powdered Sugar or (1/4 cup Powdered Sugar +1/4 cup Splenda)
1 tsp or less skim milk or orange juice.

And as always, Enjoy!!!
LIVE, LOVE, LAUGH, COOK!!!
© Jennifer Green Alger 2010

Like Totally Awesome Southern Biscuits & Gravy

       I'm trying to not lose it but, "OH MY GOD," Southern Jenni has totally checked out and left me, Cali Jenni, in charge, and I'm so freaking out 'cause these showbizzle.com dudes I work with are sayin' "Hey, dudette, how 'bout some Southern Biscuits and Gravy? Pleeeeeeease??"
       I came all the way from Suwanee, Frickin' GEORGIA to SoCal and they want me to make this dish that is so SOUTHERN!  OK, but now I'm totally in Cali mode, and I gotta channel Southern Jenni for this. Maybe I need a spirit guide--or possibly a therapist!!! Let's see: Focus . . . center . . . OK, that's really not working; Cali Jenni has the concentration of, like, a rug, or . . .  like, what was I talking about? See, that's TOTALLY what I'm talkin' 'bout.
       Wait--I know how to get in touch with my other self! My sister Karen just got me a totally awesome Blackberry, so I could BBM Southern Jenni! Surely I'll answer my own BBM--Cowabunga!--even if I'm totally ignoring all my other BBMs. But how does this thing work?? Oh Man.... this is like rocket science....okay S.J. Please phone home....okay send!
       Well, in the meantime, at least we share like all the same cooking skills so I can just do the recipe--but having Southern Jenni, check out and leave me stranded like this is, like, totally annoying!!

Preheat oven to 425ºF, have ready a lightly greased cookie sheet.
Biscuits: 
Sift together
2 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp salt
Cut in with a pastry cutter:
1/3 cup vegetable shortening,  until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Mix with a fork:
2/3 cup whole milk
Turn out on a well-floured surface and knead. To knead is pull and stretch the dough over itself and press it in half. For these biscuits, repeat about 25 times.
Roll with a rolling pin until 1/2 inch thick and cut with a cookie/biscuit cutter or a glass or anything round really. Put on cookie sheet and bake 11-14 minutes.

Southern Style Gravy:
In a large pan, over medium high heat, cook:
1 lb bacon until done, then remove to plate
Leave 6 tbs. grease in pan and add over med heat,
6 tbs gravy flour 
Whisking constantly for 2-3 minutes
Then add 2 cups whole milk
Salt and fresh ground pepper
A pinch of nutmeg
A pinch of cayenne
Whisk over low heat for another 2-3 minutes.
Serve with eggs, any style and bacon, and lots of Fresh Ground Pepper!

And as always, Enjoy!!!
LIVE, LOVE, LAUGH, COOK!!!
© Jennifer Green Alger 2010

Jenni's Luscious Raspberry Tiramisu

          I've really loosened up since beginning this venture, this wonderful world of Jenni's Dish (formerly Jen's Dish)...It has become a place for ideas and creations beyond my imaginings the day I sat down and wrote my first post. I've taken to being really open to new and creative subliminal ideas planted by an array of fine chefs and I read every cookbook I can get my paws on. I search the web for dishes that I think up off the top of my head, things I may recall having had once in a restaurant, maybe triggered by a small detail I see, hear, touch, or smell. 

          This Tiramisu was absolutely a five-star experience for the tastebuds. I adapted a recipe I found, and of course adjusted it to make it my own, adding a few twists particularly to appeal to people who don't like tiramasu generally because of that taste of alcohol which can overwhelm the sweetness. Yet the liquor can add its non-alcoholic flavor to this dessert, so this recipe explains how to reduce the alcohol by bringing it to a low boil, (and you can do this with any alcohol).

          Tiramisu is a tricky game to play as the combos need to be simple and elegant, much like myself... ha ha!!! Hippie chick gets simple and elegant....Film at 11!!! 

          And while I'm digressing: Who would've thought a girl from such humble beginnings, a hippie kid running around the wilds of Big Sur and Hawaii--who sang the blues, did live theatre, worked in the restaurant biz, bartended (and happened to be a hell of a natural cook--years later would end up writing a blog on the Internet, a medium she knew nothing about until 5 years ago?  

          Until last October (2009), while sitting in a movie theatre watching "Julie and Julia", I had no idea what blogging really was all about. I find that they are very much about life -- your life, my life, doesn't matter. For me, it's about stories and recipes, and the sweetest sort of inspiration, from a movie where I learned that Julia Child started her "working life" in her 40's -- and saw clearly that it wasn't too late for me to do anything I set my mind to. It literally came over me like a wave, not just Julia's story, but the story of Julie as well, realizing her potential as a cook and a writer. My father was a writer and a very good one I might add, with many credits to his name, having started in radio and moved to television comedy-variety- shows like Milton Berle, Perry Como, and Andy Williams,  and of course "Make Me Laugh". I wish he were around today to see my work, as I feel he would kvell* over it!!! And speaking of kvelling, that is how I feel about this creation.

Raspberry Tiramisu:

Have ready a deep glass bowl, or a 13x9x2"pan

3 cups Fresh Raspberries

1 cup seedless raspberry jam

2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp lemon juice

8 TBLS. Grand Marnier or Cointreau brought to a low simmer for 2 minutes, taking out the alcohol, leaving only the flavor behind ( even though I don't drink, I still never liked the taste of raw alcohol in this dessert) This will leave you with about 6 TBLS.  [If you do want to taste it, skip this step.]

1 lb. Marscapone Cheese at room temperature

1 cup heavy cream 

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 packages ladyfinger cookies, about 48 cookies

Mix together, in small bowl

Jam

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp lemon juice

3 TBLS. Liquor

In a large bowl combine

1 lb. Marscapone Cheese, and the other

3 TBLS. Liquor, until smooth.

In a large mixing bowl put

1 cup heavy cream 

1 tsp. vanilla

and sugar

Beat on medium high to high, until soft peaks form.

Add 1/4 of the whipped cream to the marscapone and mix to lighten, then fold in the rest of the whipped cream.

Now to assemble:

Line the bottom of your dish with 1/3 ladyfingers or to cover bottom of dish.

Spread with 1/3 of jam mixture,

then a layer of 1/3 marscapone and

1/3 of fresh raspberries.

Repeat until all gone and make the top pretty with the best of the raspberries, atop the last layer of Marscapone!!!

This dessert is better left overnight in the fridge, so it should be made at least a day in advance. It gets better the longer it sits!!!

*To kvell is to be gushing with pride over a child's or family member's accomplishment!

And as always, Enjoy!!!

LIVE,LOVE,LAUGH,COOK!!!

© Jennifer Green Alger 2010 

Rao's Las Vegas/Maxine's 21st Birthday Celebration

     They say what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas, but this meal was worth a thousand kept secrets! This was not something one should keep to themselves.  This was a "shout it from the roof tops" experience, worthy of a kiss and tell!                                                                                    

     So, from what I hear through the grapevine, the original Rao's in NY City is like a mob joint with a standing reservation list.  If your name is on the list you're either very cool, rich, famous, infamous, or just plain well connected. Rumor has it, you can give your spot to someone if you're not going that week, but anyone else trying to get a reservation "forget about it!" So getting a table at Rao's in Las Vegas, while there to celebrate my niece Maxine's 21st B-Day was awesome.  The food ingested at Rao's was by and far some of the best Italian food that has ever passed this girls lips.  I was overwhelmed with the magnificent tastes, the old world ambiance and the service was impeccable.  Did is say the food, OMG....

     Earlier in the day I received an email from one of my dearest friends, who is a foodie and a half.  My friend told me that if there was one place I had to go... Rao's was it.  I quickly responded that it was already set in stone.

     Upon arriving at Rao's, we all went to the bar, as we had a very large party and the table was still being set up.  Everyone had cocktails ranging from my club soda, an excellent wine, to some really fine 18 year old McCallam Scotch Whiskey that was certainly not wasted on my family's discerning palate.

     The first course was a traditional Antipasto della Casa, with Proscuitto, roasted red bell pepper, a "caprese" done with gorgeous yellow tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, some olives, more cheeses and pepperoncini.  Of course, there was a beautiful selection of breads already waiting for us.  There were some flat crispy breads, some breads that tasted of parmesan, olive and sourdough bread and some herbed breads.  The array, served with Extra Virgin Olive Oil, was phenomenal.

     Then came the Fritto Misto de Mare, a fantastic selection of seafood atop some shredded fried zucchini, and the Vongole Oreganate (tender clams with a delicious oregano bread crumb mixture) broiled to perfection.  We went on to have, Gnocchi Bolonese, Uncle Vincent's Lemon Chicken, Vittelo alla Parmesan, which was actually sliced thinly right off the "veal chop" and Bistecca alla Pizziola.  Each dish was just as incredible as the last and there were a few others that I didn't even get the name of.  One of those unidentified dishes was my favorite, a sweet and savory Tortellini, with pears and cranberries, that was out of this world!!!  I'll be investigating this one, because I simply must know the recipe, it was  that delish!!! Speaking of which, Rao's has a Cookbook, or if you want one of these recipes, I can post it for you!!!

     It was more than a meal.  It was an experience that I will not soon forget.  I even asked for a menu as a souvenir for my dear friend who had earlier encouraged me to go to this wondrous place and to do this post.  And now I know why.   I enjoyed this dining experience immensely and will be reminded of this very special evening and why I was there every time I think about my niece Maxine's 21st B-Day.

   Molto bello!!!  Now I truly must go to Rao's in NY City, as it's intrigue is calling my name. Anyone know a guy, who knows a guy, who knows a wise guy? Send him to me, if he says "Who's askin'?" tell him "Jen-Jen da Dish" sent cha!!!

Maxine, the Birthday Girl and her Uncle Bill

Maxine's B-Day Party Vegas Baby!

We Enjoyed!!!

LIVE,LOVE,LAUGH,COOK!!!

© Jennifer Green Alger 2010