Thanksgiving Time

With the days getting shorter, I so enjoy nestling under a blanket, sipping my morning latte and writing about all that I am grateful for.

So much…

    •life, health, my husband John, our doggie Cosi

    •our dear family members and family of friends

    •our home-home and other favorite go-to’s

    •nature, beauty, fun, creativity

    •the “good new”

    •joys, big and little, that add smiles to my face and exclamations to my day

    •and food—but of course!

As Thanksgiving approaches, I am going through my family cookbook and recreating some of the staples of my Italian family’s Thanksgiving meals.  I just made Stuffed Zucchini and Onions. I include the recipe here “just in case” you might want to try something new for this holiday season.

Thank you for continuing to bring joy to my table by following my blog.  May you and those you love have a healthy, happy and yummy Thanksgiving🧡🍁🎈

Stuffed Zucchini and Onions

Serves 6-8

2 medium onions, ends cut off, peeled, and cut in half vertically

4 zucchini, ends cut off

1 tablespoon olive oil

4-6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a 9 by 9-inch pan

Parboil onions and zucchini in salted boiling water until they are cooked slightly but still firm, about 8-10 minutes.  Cool.  Separate the onion layers, creating little cup holders for the filling. Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise, scooping out enough of the fresh to provide space for the filling.  Chop the scooped out zucchini pieces and add to the filling.  The filling recipe I use is a family one—“ping”—and is described below.

Stuff each onion “cup” and zucchini shell with the “ping.”  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.  Bake in the oiled pan for 30 minutes.

“Ping”

I’m not sure what the origin of the word “ping” is—it must be Genovese, since it was a recipe from my maternal nonna who came from near Genoa. 

2 packages frozen chopped spinach

2 small slices of bread, soaked in water

2 tablespoons butter

l large onion, chopped

l/4 bunch Italian parsley, leaves chopped

l-2 garlic cloves, chopped

l egg, beaten

l/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

3 tablespoons breadcrumbs

Salt and pepper

Cook spinach according to package instructions.  Squeeze all the water out of the spinach. Squeeze the water our of the bread as well and break it into small pieces.  Put both the spinach and bread in a food processor and chop.

Heat the butter in a medium skillet.  Add the onions, parsley, and garlic and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes.

Beat the egg in a large bowl.  Add the sautéed onion, chopped spinach and bread, grated Parmesan and breadcrumbs and mix well.  Add salt and pepper.

Buon Appetito 👩‍🍳❣️

“Cooking is at once child’s play and adult joy.  And cooking done

with care is an act of love. “

Craig Claiborne, New York Times Food Columnist, Cookbook Author