Giving out Recipes

[Irishmom2]

Eliza, I have used that recipe for Cucidati and it is very good!

I love Clara in the second link, but her recipe seems more labor intensive somehow, and may scare people away from making them.

 

[Kay_Cee]

I admit to being somewhat embarrassed when, at a party, two friends asked for my German potato salad recipe. Here’s what I finally gave them:

Ingredients:

Car keys
Can opener

Directions:

Using car keys, drive to grocery store. Purchase can of German potato salad. Drive home. Using can opener, open can. Warm contents in microwave and serve.

 

[Bonnie]

I admit to being somewhat embarrassed when, at a party, two friends asked for my German potato salad recipe. Here’s what I finally gave them:

Ingredients:

Car keys
Can opener

Directions:

Using car keys, drive to grocery store. Purchase can of German potato salad. Drive home. Using can opener, open can. Warm contents in microwave and serve.

That’s what happened when I asked my sis-in-law for her wonderful vegetable recipe. She gave me the Jolly Green Giant bag.

 

[Irishmom2]

I admit to being somewhat embarrassed when, at a party, two friends asked for my German potato salad recipe. Here’s what I finally gave them:

Ingredients:

Car keys
Can opener

Directions:

Using car keys, drive to grocery store. Purchase can of German potato salad. Drive home. Using can opener, open can. Warm contents in microwave and serve.

My friend said her husband told her to get my pie crust recipe. I toolk her in the kitchen and said sure, I use the store brand roll out crust, not the famous brand name one. Lol, she was very relieved. Told her just don’t tell him.

 

[Mary_Gail_36]

My next door neighbors, some time ago, back about the time of the phone call I just mentioned , make those fig Cucidati Cookies - I never knew the name before - every year. Its a tradition I miss now, getting that nice plate of pretty and unusually delicious cookies at Christmas time from their hard work in the kitchen. She had made them in her family for a long time, and I know they were a bit of work to make. They looked just like this recipe I looked up under that name: browneyedbaker.com/cucidati-italian-fig-cookies/

Love this video of grandma teaching how to make them! Blue-eyed lady, you will appreciate this!
youtube.com/watch?v=c5tXODF4of0&feature=channel

Clara’s is similar to my mom’s. My mom used the meat grinder. No whisky, but Marsala wine. Also my mom’s were shaped like an empanada

 

[Katherine438]

What’s your philosophy on sharing family recipes?

Personally, I don’t. If I found something online or in a cookbook, that’s one thing. But giving out the recipes for the things passed down from at least my great grandma to me? Nope. I learned how to make these things directly from my family, not by reading a recipe. I don’t think they could be accurately translated into writing, nor am I particularly inclined to teach others how to replicate my family’s food. I really look forward to passing food traditions onto my kids and grandkids the same way I learned.

But, in the age of Pinterest, people think I’m crazy when they ask for my chicken and noodles recipe and I say ‘no’. Your experiences?

I wrote a book with all our family recipes (I’m Italian from grandparents who came off the boat from Italy) … I wrote the book to initially give it to my daughter … tried to make that handful of this and a pinch of that into something she could understand … since then have given a lot of copies of that book out … most of her friends have had my cooking and all of them wanted a copy … I understand people that don’t want to give out those cherished recipes … but I also feel that sharing is a good thing.

 

[Katherine438]

The “base” is ground meat, breadcrumbs, and spices. Sometimes an egg depending on how well it sticks together. Sometimes I add diced bell pepper and onion. You can add a squirt of ketchup or barbeque sauce, or a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce. Bacon on top is delightful too.

Some people will top with a sauce or cheese to bake. 350 or 375 (even 400 for a smaller loaf) for 45 minutes to an hour.

We don’t make it often because even ground meat can be really expensive these days, but it’s very easy and tends to hold up well. I go by look and feel of the mixture, but it’s not always the same and it still turns out good.

I have two meatloaf recipes … by the time my Italian hands got through with them, you couldn’t call it meatloaf anymore.

 

[Irishmom2]

I have two meatloaf recipes … by the time my Italian hands got through with them, you couldn’t call it meatloaf anymore.

Katherine, I think you need to start The Recpe thread!
Bet your meatloaf is delicious!

 

[pnewton]

I share all recipes when asked, except for the ones that use roadkill or kittens, as that puts people off. As I see it, I lose nothing and someone may gain. I love to cook for people that appreciate good food and sharing a recipe is a way of sharing my life with others. But then, being a guy, I do not have the family attachments some people have to such family traditions.

And just kidding about the kittens.

 

[pnewton]

We have had a recipe thread or two, if anyone wants some ideas. I put my CFS and cream gravy on it. I have tweaked it a little since then. I now use less salt an a little bullion.

 

[Katherine438]

Katherine, I think you need to start The Recpe thread!
Bet your meatloaf is delicious!

One is made with mozzarella among other ingredients with a mushroom gravy.

The other one is made with red peppers and other ingredients with a Pizza Sauce.

People laugh at me when they eat them and I tell them it’s meatloaf.

 

[Irishmom2]

One is made with mozzarella among other ingredients with a mushroom gravy.

The other one is made with red peppers and other ingredients with a Pizza Sauce.

People laugh at me when they eat them and I tell them it’s meatloaf.

Ooh, they both sound wonderful!