A Man She Couldn't Forget January 2009 ISBN-10: 0373715382 ISBN-13: 978-0373715381 Claire Boneli doesn't remember the two men in her life, her best friend, Brady Langston and the guy she dates, Jonathan Harris. But both know her, and are there when she wakes up in the hospital with amnesia.  In the weeks to come, Claire begins to regain her memory, and what she's finding out makes her see both men in a new light.  The problem is, can she trust either one of them? Check out Kathryn's Virtual Book Tour! Here's a book excerpt!

Dear Readers,

I’m happy to share with you some of my family recipes that were used in A MAN SHE COULDN’T FORGET. I’ve also included some that weren’t, but are our favorites. Many of these meals can be traced back to Calabria, Italy, where the real Grandma Boneli lived, some were improvised from directions given to me by the real Aunt Rosie who never worked with cup or tablespoon measurements, others were contributed by my oldest sister, Joanie, to whom the book is dedicated. And last, some were based on other recipes made our own by testing, tasting and revising. Many of these great dishes have found their way into my book, and I hope they all find their way into your heart.

Mange,
Kathryn Shay, descendent of the Boneli, Ruocco and now Schaefer/Shay families

Note: TBLS-tablespoon, tsp-teaspoon, lb-pound, oz-ounce

Main Courses

Boneli Spaghetti Sauce

This is the coveted Boneli family spaghetti sauce and meat, passed down through generations to me. It cooks a long time, scents the house and tastes great! Below is the recipe for 1 batch. I usually make three and freeze in containers enough for one dinner.

1-32 oz. can of tomato juice
1-28 oz. can of tomato puree
1-6 oz. can of tomato paste

1 TBLS oregano
1 TBLS parsley
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
½ tsp sugar

Combine tomato products in a 12 quart pan. Add spices. Stir. When heated through, add meat (see below). Simmer on stove for at least 4hours, stirring occasionally. (Note: the length of time seems long, but this is the Grandma Boneli’s way and is well worth it.)

Meat to add:
**braciole, recipe below
**meatballs, recipe below
**1 stick of pepperoni per batch, boiled for 10 minutes
**1 lb. of chuck roast or sirloin browned

Meatballs

1 lb. ground beef
1 egg
1 TBLS parsley
1 TBLS oregano
1 TBLS garlic powder
1 tsp salt
½ tsp of pepper

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Roll in balls. Brown in skillet until completely done.

Braciole
This was always a big treat in our house when I was growing up.

2 lb. steak, round, flank, or sirloin (find thin cuts)
1/3 cup Italian flavored bread crumbs
2 TLB. fresh parsley, chopped
3 TBLS Romano or Parmesan cheese grated
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
2 TBLS wine
2 TBLS olive oil

Pound meat to thinnest possible. Rub with wine and oil.

Make paste with remaining ingredients. Place a thin layer of mixture on each piece of steak. Roll up each piece. Tie each or secure with toothpicks so it won’t unroll. Brown.

Place in Grandma Boneli’s spaghetti sauce or serve as is. Don’t use in lasagna.

Lasagna Boneli

1 lb. lasagna noodles
1 lb. ricotta cheese
1 egg
1 TBLS parsley
1 cup freshly grated Romano or Parmesan cheese (I often use the store bought kind.)

Boil noodles until al dente (I use the kind you cook, but uncooked works well too.)

Mix ricotta, egg, parsley, cheese.

In a rectangular 13x9 pan, cover bottom with a layer of sauce, then strands of noodles. Cover noodles with sauce. Alternate ricotta mixture and meat (meatballs, pepperoni, steak—not braciole) next to each other on the noodles. When the layer is filled, cover with sauce. Repeat process until with another layer you reach the top of the pan. Cover top with sauce.

Cook at 350F for one hour.

Let sit for at least 15 minutes (or it will come out soupy).
Cut into squares and serve.

Joanie’s Minestrone
My sister Joanie tried 19 recipes for this soup before she was satisfied with her own unique list of ingredients. I also double this and freeze for later.

¼- ½ cup olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 large onions, sliced
4 medium potatoes, cubed
2 TBLS parsley
1 ½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1-28 oz. can of tomato puree
1-28 oz. can of tomatoes, crushed with wooden spoon

12 cups cold water
2 cups green beans, cut into 1 inch lengths
2 cups sliced carrots
2 cups sliced celery
1 head escarole, torn into small pieces
1-15 oz. can of kidney beans
1 ½ cups of ditalini (macaroni)

Clean and prepare all vegetables.

Sauté onions, garlic and potatoes in oil on medium heat until brown (about 10 minutes). Add tomatoes (crushed with spoon) and juice, salt, pepper, parsley. Cover and simmer slowly for 15 minutes.

In separate pot, boil water. Add carrots and green beans. Cook 5 minutes. Add celery and escarole. Cook 5 more minutes. Add kidney beans, including liquid.

Add all vegetables in frying pan to pot and cook 15 minutes, stirring often.

In separate pan, cook ditalini al dente. Add to soup.
Serve with grated cheese and crusty Italian bread.

Homemade Pizza
We all love this pizza and make it frequently. The recipe is enough for two large pizzas. Again, I often freeze the sauce..

1 clove garlic, minced
1 TBLS parsley
1 TBLS oregano
½ cup red wine
1 small onion, chopped
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 tsp sugar

2-28 oz. cans of crushed tomatoes
1-12 oz. can of tomato paste

2 loaves of frozen bread dough

Following directions on dough, thaw, let rise. (I usually thaw dough the night before in the refrigerator, roll it out and spread it in a sprayed pizza pan or pizza stone and let it rise for an afternoon.)

For sauce: combine garlic, onion, parsley, oregano, salt, pepper, sugar and wine. Cook over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Add tomatoes and paste and simmer for ½ hour.

Cover dough with a generous amount of sauce and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Add your favorite toppings.

Bake at 350F for 30 minutes.

Baked Ziti Boneli

1 lb. dry ziti pasta
1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. ground sausage
4-6 cups spaghetti sauce (see earlier recipe for Grandma Boneli’s sauce)
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Prepare pasta according to package directions; drain. Cook beef and sausage in large skillet over medium-heat until browned and crumbled, stirring frequently; drain. Stir in 1-2 cups of spaghetti sauce. Blend well.
Cover bottom of 13x9 baking dish with cooking spray. Spoon 1 cup meat sauce into bottom. Top with 1-2 cups of pasta, more sauce, and ¾ cup cheese. Repeat layers, starting with pasta and ending with cheese.

Bake at 350F uncovered, 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve immediately.


Zucchini Boneli

4 large zucchini
½ cut butter
1 lb. mild or hot Italian sausage
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp finely chopped rosemary
½ cup heavy cream, or half-and-half
6 TBLS of finely chopped parsley
1 cup homemade bread crumbs
2/3 cup Parmesan cheese
2 eggs slightly beaten
1 cup tomato sauce

Trim off and discard the ends of the zucchini. Split in halves. Using a melon ball cutter, scoop out and reserve the center pulp of each half, leaving a shell for stuffing.

Heat half the butter in a saucepan and cook the scooped out pulp until wilted.

Meanwhile, cook the sausage, crumbling with a spoon until done. Pour off excess fat.

Add the sausage to the pulp. Add the garlic, rosemary, parsley, cream, breadcrumbs and half the cheese. Stir in the egg and salt and pepper to taste. When blended, use the mixture to fill the zucchini halves. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and dot with the remaining butter.

Pour tomato sauce on the bottom of a baking dish and place stuffed halves in it. Bake twenty minutes or until zucchini are tender and the filling golden brown.

Chicken Rosie

1 lb. boneless breast chicken, cut up
1-28 oz. can of tomatoes
1 small onion, chopped
1 can of artichoke hearts, cut up
½ small head of broccoli, cut up
12 black olives, cut up
½ cup goat cheese

Brown chicken (not too much because it will cook more).

Add onions, olives, artichokes and broccoli to the mixture.
Crush canned tomatoes with a spoon and add tomatoes to mixture.
Add cheese.

Cook about 20 minutes.

Serve over noodles with more grated cheese.

Chicken Cordon Blue

¼ cup chicken broth
2 TBLS butter
1 garlic clove
1 TBLS Parmesan cheese
1 tsp paprika
¼ salt
¼ oregano
¼ ground pepper
½ cup breadcrumbs
4 boneless chicken breasts
4 slices prosciutto
1 ½ ounces mozzarella cheese

Place broth in a bowl; microwave on high 15 seconds or until warm. Stir in butter and garlic. Combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese and paprika in a bowl; set aside.
Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap, and pound each to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with salt, oregano, and pepper. Top each breast half with 1 slice of prosciutto and 1 tablespoon mozzarella. Roll up each breast jelly-roll fashion. Dip each roll in chicken broth mixture; dredge in breadcrumb mixture. Place rolls, seam side down, in an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Pour remaining broth mixture over chicken. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until juices run clear and tops are golden.


Grandpa Boneli’s Frittata

1 lb. of ground sausage
4 potatoes, cut into squares
2 green peppers, sliced
1 large sweet onion, sliced
6 eggs, lightly beaten

Cook sausage until done. Drain. Remove from skillet.

Brown potatoes, peppers and onions in same skillet. Add sausage back into the mixture. Heat through until hot. Add eggs, stir until scrambled.

Serve with crusty Italian bread.

Spanish Rice
This was comfort food as I was growing up and then for my own children, too.

1 lb. of ground beef
2 cups rice
1-28 oz. can of tomatoes, with juice
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
(If you want it spicy, add hot red pepper.)

Brown ground beef.

Cook rice and add to mixture.

Add tomatoes, crushed with a spoon.

Cover and cook at 350F for 45 minutes.

Fried Chicken

1 lb. chicken breasts and legs
½ cup flour
1 TBLS paprika
½ tsp pepper
½ cup margarine or butter or Crisco

Melt butter in 13x9 pan in oven.

Combine flour, paprika and pepper in plastic bag. Add chicken and coat lightly.

Put chicken in butter filled pan.

Bake at 425F for 45 minutes, then turn chicken over and bake another 15 minutes.

Beef Burgundy
Joanie’s recipe, given to me when I was first married.

3 lbs. beef cut into 2 inch cubes
½ cup flour
2 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper
3 TBLS oil
3 TBLS butter
¼ cup warm cognac

2 slices bacon, diced
2 cups onions, diced
¾ cup grated carrots
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups dry red wine
3 TBLS minced parsley
1 bay leaf
½ tsp thyme
12 small white onions
3 cups of mushroom, sliced, sautéed

Roll beef in mixture of flour, salt and pepper. Heat oil and butter in a skillet; brown meat very well on all sides. Transfer to casserole. Pour the warm cognac over mixture and set it aflame.

Lightly brown the bacon in the same skillet. Pour off most of the fat. Add onions, carrots and garlic. Cook 5 minute, stirring frequently. Add mixture to the meat. Add wine, parsley, bay leaf and thyme.

Cover. Bake at 350F for two hours. Add onions and mushrooms. Recover and bake ½ hour longer.

Serve over noodles.

Turkey Noodle Soup
This is a specialty of my own personal hero, my husband, and great for cold winter nights.

Cook turkey (have it for dinner first). Cut off extra meat and save.
3 bay leaves
1 large onion chopped
½ tsp thyme
1 tsp salt
½ pepper
2 cups celery
2 cups carrots
1 lb. noodles

Bring to a boil turkey carcass with bay leaves, onion, thyme, salt, pepper. Cover and simmer on low for 3 hours. Let it cool overnight. Skim fat using a paper towel. Remove carcass and stray bones from liquid.

Remove meat from carcass and set aside.

Boil liquid again. Add new turkey meat. Cook on medium setting for one hour.

Add carrots. Cook ten minutes. Add celery. Cook ten minutes. Add rest of meat. Simmer for 15 minutes. Let cool.

Boil noodles until al dente. Rinse in cold water. Add to soup. Reheat as needed.

Serve with crusty Italian bread.

Desserts

4 egg yokes (Separate whites and yokes before you start.)
¼ cup sugar
½ tsp vanilla
Beat yokes until thick and lemon colored. Gradually add in sugar and vanilla.

4 egg whites
½ cup of sugar
Beat until soft peaks form in whites. Gradually add sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form. (Sometimes they don't get stiff. It's okay.)

Blend together:
¾ cup flour
½ cup powdered cocoa
1½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt

Also needed:
¼ cup powdered sugar
Chocolate frosting, canned or homemade

Fold yolks into whites.

Fold flour mixture into egg mixture.

Spray and flour small cookie or jelly roll pan. Spread mixture in this. (It will be very thin.) Bake at 375F for 10 minutes.

Sprinkle dish towel with powdered sugar. Loosen cake from pan and turn out on towel. Do this carefully with spatula. It will come out! Roll cake and towel. Let cool.

Unroll, dispose of towel, fill cake with ice cream, re-roll, wrap in aluminum foil and freeze for several hours. (I usually make this the day before I serve it.)

Frost just before serving.

Anise Toast
Aunt Rosie’s recipe, given to me in terms of “a sack of flour, half a sack of sugar, etc.” I had to determine the exact amounts!

5 eggs
1¼ cups sugar
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup oil
1 TBLS anise

Mix together dry ingredients and make a well. Add eggs, oil, anise. Mix well.
Bake in lightly sprayed 9x13 pan at 350F for 30 min.

Remove from oven. Cool slightly. Cut into 3 long vertical strips, then cut diagonally into smaller strips.

Remove from the pan and place on unsprayed cookie sheet, separating strips as much as possible.

Bake at 400F for 10 min. Make sure bottoms don’t burn.
Cool on rack.

Apple Cake

Mix then put aside:
4-6 large apples, peeled.
½ cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

Combine dry ingredients:
3 cups flour
2 ½ cups sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

Combine wet ingredients:
1 cup oil
½ cup orange juice
1 TBLS vanilla
4 eggs

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Beat batter 3-4 minutes.

Lightly spray and flour a 9x13 pan. Pour ½ batter into pan. Spread ½ apples on top. Pour rest of batter in pan. Spread rest of apples on top. Bake at 350F for 1 hour. Check doneness.

Banana Bread
My Mom’s recipe: you must use ripe bananas or bread is sour.

1 cup sugar
½ cup shortening
2 eggs

3 large ripe bananas, mashed

Sift together:
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt

3 TBLS sour milk (to sour, add 1 tsp of white vinegar)
1 cup nuts

Cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs; beat well. Add bananas. Add sifted ingredients alternately with milk, mixing in between.

Bake in lightly sprayed loaf pan, 1 hour at 350F.

Chocolate Pudding
I actually did do “pudding painting” with my kids, as described in the book, though I confess I often didn’t make it from scratch.

¾ cup sugar
2 TLBS cornstarch
½ tsp salt
2 cups milk
2 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 slightly beaten eggs
2 TBLS butter or margarine
1 tsp vanilla

In saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch and salt. Stir in milk and chocolate. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Remove the saucepan from heat.

Gradually stir 1 cup of the hot mixture into the beaten egg. Return the egg mixture to the chocolate mixture in the saucepan. Cook and stir over low heat for 1-2 minutes more. Do not boil. Remove the saucepan from heat. Add butter or margarine and vanilla. Stir until the butter is melted.

Pour the pudding into a 1 quart bowl. Cover the surface with clear plastic wrap. Chill in refrigerator, without stirring, about 3 hours. To serve, spoon the pudding into individual dishes. Makes 4 servings.

Butterscotch Brownies

2 ½ cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 cup margarine or butter softened
1 ¾ cups packed brown sugar
1 ½ TBLS vanilla
2 eggs
1 ¾ cups butterscotch morsels
¾ cup nuts

Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. Beat butter, sugar and vanilla in a separate bowl until creamy. Beat in eggs. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in 1 cup morsels and nuts. Spread into sprayed 13x9-inch baking pan. Sprinkle with remaining morsels.
Bake at 350F for 30 to 40 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack.

Elephant Ear Cookies
I used to make this with my children when they were little ones!

¼ cup butter or margarine
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 TBLS of sugar
½ tsp of baking powder
½ tsp of salt
1/3 cup milk
4 TBLS sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ cup sugar

Heat the oven to 425F.

Heat margarine until melted; set aside. Stir flour, 2 tablespoons of sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Stir in milk and 3 tablespoons of the melted margarine until dough forms.

Sprinkle a surface lightly with flour; turn dough onto surface. Knead 15 times. Roll dough with a rolling pin or pat with hands into a rectangle, 9x5 inches. Brush with remaining melted margarine using a pastry brush. Then sprinkle with mixture of 3 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon.

Roll dough up tightly, beginning at narrow end. Pinch edge of dough into roll to seal. Cut into 4 equal pieces with sharp knife. Place cut sides up on cookie sheet; pat each into 6-inch circle. Sprinkle with more sugar.

Bake until golden brown, 9 to 10 minutes. Immediately remove from cookies sheet with a spatula. Cool on wire rack.