From Nonna's Kitchen: Once Upon A Tajine (A Lovely Trip to Morocco)

My Heirloom Kitchen has taught me so much more than culinary school ever did. Old world methods, recipes you many not think will work, but definitely do. In fact, you see how a few simple ingredients can be transformed into a dish families have (and will) enjoy for generations.

The most recent stop on my global tour was Morocco. A charming woman, Safoi, introduced me to North African cuisine, a type of food I hadn’t yet explored. Most importantly, she explained the benefits and infinite uses of a tajine, a cooking vessel used in so many Moroccan recipes. It is perfect for slow-cooked foods.

Safoi's chicken tagine is simple and delicious. The carrots are sweet and create a delicious base. The result is a hearty dish. If you already own a slow cooker, you don’t have to buy a tajine. However, honestly, now when I place my tajine on the stove and fire it up, I feel like I’ve already arrived in Morocco.

Morocco, From Nonna's Kitchen, North AfricaAnna GassDecember 8, 2016nonna's kitchen, tajine, Slow Cook Meals, Stew, Chicken Tajine

Sunday Supper (Fall Favorites): Lasagna Bolognese

My favorite aspect of Fall is how we all begin to crave some down-home cooking. Summer is for eating light and grilling everything. However, once the leaves begin to turn color and scatter, we break out the slow cooker, baked recipes and enjoy our Nonna recipes that keep us sated and warm, inside and out.

I’ve said in past posts how my mother’s brodo (tomato sauce) pops up in many of her recipes so I always have it on hand. First, I make a big batch of brodo on Saturday, divvy it up into Tupperware and store it in the freezer. Then, when I want to make a recipe, like Pasta Bolognese, I get fresh ground meat, pancetta frying up in the pan and add my brodo for a killer pasta sauce.

If I want to make an extra special dinner, I take it one step further, I make besciamella and roll out fresh lasagna sheets. These components come together for a truly stand out dish, Lasagna Bolognese.

Italy, From Nonna's KitchenAnna GassOctober 23, 2016Sunday Supper, Lasagna Bolognese, Sunday Sauce, Fall Favorites

From Nonna's Kitchen: A Trip to Mumbai

Recently, I had the immense pleasure of cooking with Khurshid Mehta, a lovely Indian woman who immigrated to the U.S. in the 80’s with her husband and two young boys. She was born and raised in Bombay (now Mumbai) India. She is a proud Parsi woman and shared many stories of Parsi traditions and food culture. An example of immigrant work ethic and perseverance, Khurshid would work all day and would come home to cook delicious food for her family.

Khurshid taught me an immense amount about Indian cooking in our short time together. One of the delicious recipes I learned in my Heirloom Kitchen while cooking with her was for these turkey kebabs (little meatballs.) They make for a great appetizer or as a snack with your favorite beer.

From Nonna's Kitchen: Grandma Harriet's Matzo Brei

Before Passover ends, I wanted to feature another recipe from my husband’s wonderful grandmother Harriet. I asked her if she had a matzo brei recipe and she quickly responded with her beloved mother Jeanne’s recipe. Every Passover, this matzo brei was served to Harriet as a young girl. She and her sister considered it quite a treat. The best part? This matzo brei is slathered with apricot jam before you give it a quick broil in the oven.

Sweet Tooth Friday: Pass-Over Some Mandel Bread

Tonight starts the beginning of Passover, so I asked JoAnn Elice (a previous Heirloom featured 'Nonna') to share one of her favorite Passover desserts. Always so generous, ‘Mimi’ Jo immediately obliged with her delicious Chocolate Chip Mandel Bread.

‘Mandelbrot’ known today as Mandel Bread, originates in Eastern European, and simply means almond bread because it included ground almond flour; an acceptable flour for Passover. Just like biscotti, it is cooked twice but is much softer due to the high fat content. They are perfect for dunking!

From Nonna's Kitchen: Omi Anke's German Potato Salad

When Anke Jacobs Gelbin left the hustle and bustle of downtown Berlin to come to the U.S., she thought it would be a quick, one-year stay. However, American life in New Jersey agreed with her family and one year turned into 26 and counting.

I was lucky that Anke decided to move to Connecticut many years ago and was willing to pack up her sharp German knives, a pressure cooker, bags full of ingredients and drive to my house on a rainy Saturday morning. I was taken by her delicious food, incredibly sharp wit and generous heart. She quickly got to work as we simultaneously made goulash and German potato salad.

I was intrigued by this salad because if you Google German Potato Salad, there are about 500 versions. As Anke explained, each German home has its own version. Even her grandmother’s was a bit different. Her grandmother used fresh cucumbers and parsley. This version belongs to Anke’s mother Uda and it’s delicious.

Italian Easter Bread

Just like the Irish have their soda bread for Saint Patrick’s Day, Italians have a special bread made once a year for Easter. Italian Easter bread is a slightly sweet, braided bread adorned with hard boiled eggs and sprinkles. Some Italians will even dye the eggs before placing them in the bread but we do not. My mom doesn’t use sprinkles either. Her bread looks similar to a challah, lightly scented with anise seed.

This year, my mom and I decided to make the bread together. I have never made my own before so I decided to make some additions like sprinkles, lemon zest, a bit of sugar and almond extract to my mom’s recipe for a sweeter, more colorful bread. Also, I made mine into a wreath like I have seen in Italian bakeries. She stuck to her tried and true Calabrese recipe. Both came out wonderfully and I’m so happy I finally learned to make it.

From Nonna's Kitchen: A Quick Jaunt to Poland

When it was time to create a website for my Nonna project, I knew I needed a great photographer to help me make it look professional. I only made one call, to my dear friend Monika Satur-Szydlowski. Monika is not only an amazing person and friend; she is the best photographer I know.

Once my website was launched, I called on Monika for one more favor. As a Polish immigrant and a talented home cook, I knew she would be able to provide me with a recipe for the most delicious, authentic Polish pierogies I have ever tasted.

Sweet Tooth Friday: Tiramisu (Valentine's Edition!)

As I mentioned on Tuesday, this year, I decided to throw a Cupid’s Cocktail Party in honor of the ‘Day of Love’. I needed an excuse for a get together and it seemed like the perfect time to invite my friends for a night of cocktails, yummy bites and of course, dessert.

I have asked my guests to bring a dessert they love to the festivities and I decided to do the same. I went with a favorite, an old stand by, Tiramisu. Just like any great love, it never disappoints and everyone digs in. Layers of delicious lady fingers and creamy mascarpone cheese and of course, lots and lots of espresso. When it’s made right, it’s a dream on a plate.

How-To Tuesday: Throwing A Smashing Cocktail Party

Not to toot my own horn but I know how to throw a successful party. Phil and I share a love for entertaining, so we try to throw at least three to four parties annually.

Having an entertaining party isn’t difficult, but a little planning can make your party better and stress-free. After all you want to be able to mingle, laugh with friends and enjoy the fruits of your labor, right? Read on for a few tips on throwing an A+ affair along with a killer recipe for my mother's stuffed mushrooms - perfectly bite-sized and guaranteed to impress your guests!

From Nonna's Kitchen: Rocío's Peruvian Artichoke Tart

I must admit, before my Nonna project, Peruvian food was not on my radar. I had never been to a Peruvian restaurant and I hadn’t had the pleasure of making any Peruvian friends. So, when the opportunity arose to learn some traditional dishes from Perú, from Rocío Quispe-Agnoli, a friend of my father, I was excited to get on board.

Rocío came to North America as a young student and before leaving home, she had the foresight to copy her mother’s cherished recipe book. As she taught me the recipe for her mother’s delicious Pastel de alcachofas (artichoke tart or cake,) I was instantly transported to the warm comforts of her mother’s kitchen. Delicious and decadent, this dish is worthy of any formal occasion or, quite honestly, it’s perfect on a weeknight too.

Sunday Supper: Beef Stew

One ‘American’ dish my mother made for us growing up was beef stew. I’m not even sure when she picked up the recipe for it or why it became a winter dish in our home, but I remember coming home from school and finding a large pot of it on the stove.

Once the cold weather rolls in, I always make beef stew served on top of some buttery noodles or even on its own. It's the ultimate stick to your ribs, warm you up kind of food and, best of all, it’s a ‘one pot wonder.’

From Nonna's Kitchen: Nonna Gina’s Rice Balls

Growing up in an Italian home, I didn’t eat a lot of rice. We preferred pasta and my mother served it regularly as our staple carbohydrate. Once and a while, however, my mom would whip up a risotto and I would pout through dinner, pushing it to the edges of my plate hoping my father would think I had some.

Truth be told, I hate risotto. It just doesn’t do it for me. If I am going to eat something creamy and full of carbs, hand me a dish of cheesy polenta and I’m a happy girl. The one positive to hating risotto though, is that my mother had plenty leftover to make rice balls with for us the next day. Golden brown and crispy on the outside and creamy, cheesy inside make for a killer combination.

From Nonna's Kitchen: Irene's Sambousek

When I was researching different food cultures and traditions, I knew I needed to include some dishes from the Middle East. So, I emailed my friend Mike and asked if he would volunteer is mom for my Nonna project. I knew Mike grew up as a first generation kid like me so it would be perfect. I soon received a call from his wonderful mom Irene Sankari. She was happy to help and came up with a number of dishes we could make together.

Irene came to the US from Beirut, Lebanon at the age of seven with her parents and settled in Buffalo, New York. We did a lot of cooking in Irene’s beautiful Long Island home so I want to share the recipes here in Nonna’s Kitchen. This recipe is for a lovely appetizer called Sambousek. Sambousek is a Lebanese pastry filled with meat or cheese. Many come fried but Irene bakes hers and they are delicious. I love how easy they are to make and how you can freeze them and pop them in the oven whenever you have some last minute guests.

Five Days of Christmas Cookies (DAY 5): Nonna Gina’s Pie Crust Cookies

The next time you realize you totally forgot about the cookie swap you need to go to tonight, make these and everyone will be asking you for the recipe. So easy, so good and they come together in minutes - these cookies are awesome! All you have to do is roll out some pie dough, sprinkle some really good filling, roll it back up and bake. That’s it! It's all the good toppings of a quality ice cream sundae rolled up in a pie crust.

heirloom kitchen blog & recipes

media inquiries:

connect: