Cantaloupe Salsa

My fabulous, gorgeous, talented, youthful, vibrant, funny, caring and all-around wonderful sister, Cathy, gave RAVE reviews for this recipe, so of course I HAD to have it. I absolutely love fruit salsa variations and I had never had one made with cantaloupe. How deliciously fresh! Thanx Cath!

Joe,
I made this salsa twice in the last week. My friend Merri Griese taught me how to make it when I was at her house for the weekend in Sea Isle. It's sooo yummy and incredibly easy. I personally could have just eaten it with a spoon right out of the bowl, but I tried (somewhat unsuccessfully) to restrain myself and eat it with tortilla chips instead. Thought you might want to put it on the website one of these days.
Talk to you soon!
Sister


1 medium, ripe cantaloupe (or 1/2 of those really large Jersey ones), chopped
1/2 red onion, diced
1 handful cilantro (or to taste), chopped
a few splashes of white wine vinegar (regular white vinegar works too)
a few splashes of canola or vegetable oil
Salt and fresh cracked pepper

Mix together all ingredients. Serve with tortilla chips.
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Tip:
I think this would work really well as a topping for grilled chicken or fish too.

Broccoli Salad

This is another one of my favorite cold salads. I love how the sharpness of the cheddar cheese cuts through the sweetness of the dressing. It's a really nice blend. My fabulous, gorgeous, talented, youthful, vibrant, funny, caring and all-around wonderful sister, Cathy, made it for a family party a few weeks ago and of course, everyone loved it. It's always a big hit! Thanx Cath!

1 c mayonnaise
1/2 c sugar
1/4 c vinegar
2 big bunches broccoli
1 c sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
1/2 lb. (or more) bacon, crisp fried and crumbled
1/2 cup golden raisins
salt and pepper to taste

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sugar, and vinegar. Cut broccoli into florets and add to bowl with cheese, onion, bacon, raisins, salt and pepper. Toss everything together until well coated with dressing. Cover and chill for a few hours or overnight before serving.

Tips:
Cathy told me that some people like to blanch the broccoli, but she just puts it in raw.
These amounts are just guidelines. As I always say, use the Cass Quaile rule of cooking. "If you like a lot of something, add a lot".
You can take a quick shortcut by using a bottle of cole slaw dressing instead of mixing up the mayo, sugar, and vinegar. But like I always say, it's better when you make it!

How To Decorate a Cake

I'm so glad I got to do a video with my sister, Jeanie. She's the most amazing cook and she decorates the most beautiful cakes!!! I asked her if she'd mind showing me a few simple techniques. No, I won't go into the entire process of "this is how you bake the cake, and this is how you make the icing", etc. I figured I'd jump ahead a little and ask Jeanie to show us a basket weave design, and a few borders. Now, I know there are portions of the video where you can't really see what she's doing. That's OK. My goal is to just give you a little intro into the art of cake decorating and hopefully inspire you to dabble a little. That's what I did! I went to a craft store, went over to the cake decorating section and picked up a few of the basic supplies. I honestly had no idea what I was doing. I bought a piping bag and a star tip. Then I came home, made some butter cream icing and practiced making swirls on a plate. Before I knew it I was trying specific techniques and decorating cakes for friends. Like I've said before, I've never had any formal training in cooking and that includes cake decorating. I just like to try things and learn as I go. Jeanie, on the other hand, has taken classes and has become quite good at what she does!



Here is a picture of the finished cake from the video. She made it for Ros's birthday and I think you'll agree that it's BEAUTIFUL! Notice the shell border around the base, the basket weave up the sides, and the reverse shell border around the top. Pretty amazing, huh? With a little practice, you could do this too!

If my video isn't clear enough for you, you can learn more techniques from Wilton.com. They seem to have written the book on cake decorating.

Thanx again to Jeanie and also to Aniell for making this video possible! And Happy Birthday Ros!

Three Bean Pasta Salad

I love taking existing recipes and then switching them up to create new dishes. That's exactly what I did here! I took Bruce's Three Bean Salsa and added pasta to it! It turned out to be the perfect side salad! I used black, red, and white beans, but you can use any that you like. I bet you could even warm it up and serve it as a meatless entree. In that case, I think I'd saute the onions and peppers just until they soften before adding them to the dish. There's really no wrong way to do it. However you decide to serve it, it'll be great!
Thanx again, Bruce!

DelBorrello's Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole

I'm always talking about all the fabulous cooks in my family. My sisters and brothers (and all of their spouses), nieces, nephews, and of course my Mom. Everyone in my family seems to have at least one signature dish.
Tricia's husband, Chris, the newest member of the Quaile family, told me he only knows how to make one thing, Tater Tot Casserole. He made it for everyone when we got together at Jeanie's to watch the closing ceremonies of The Olympics, and everyone loved it. So, when he asked me if I'd like the recipe, I said "Of course!" It's simple, easy and delicious! Thanx Chris! Welcome to the family!



OK Joey, here it is.
There are three really great things about this recipe. First, it is easy to prepare and is great for parties. Second, you can make this dish as healthy (adults) or unhealthy (kids) as you want. Third, since this is a casserole dish, you can play around with and substitute different ingredients according to you and your family's taste. The recipe below is my personal spin and the one I personally love the most!
Thanks,
Chris


Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs of lean ground beef
1 large diced tomato
1 small diced onion
1 can of cream of mushroom (or cream of celery) soup
1 package of shredded cheddar cheese
Salt and Pepper
and of course 1 package of tater tots

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425F
2. Brown beef in skillet (season beef with salt and pepper)
3. Drain and pack beef to bottom of 13 X 9 glass casserole dish
4. Add diced tomatoes and onions evenly throughout pan
5. Add can of cream of mushroom soup evenly
6. Place tater tots neatly across top in nice rows
(cover entire dish so that all you see are tater tots)
7. Place dish in oven for about 1/2 hour to 45 minutes or until tater tots
are fully golden brown and crisp.
8. Add the whole package of shredded cheddar cheese during the last 5 minutes so it melts.
9. Take out and Enjoy!!!


Chris's Tips For a Healthier Dish:
Substitute beef with ground turkey (tastes the same)
Add more veggies such as green beans
Go easy on the tater tots
Use cheese more sparingly

Fresh Orange Salsa

I was in the mood for something fresh and light, and this recipe was just the perfect thing. It also just happens to be fat free and dairy free for those who might be choosing to refrain from using those ingredients in their diets. Make some for your next get together. I'm sure your friends will love it!

1 cup fresh orange segments
2 cups diced tomatoes
2 tbsp. red onions
2 tsp. jalapeno
4 tbs. fresh cilantro leaves
juice from one lime
salt and pepper to taste


Finely chop all ingredients and place in a large bowl. Gently toss to mix thoroughly.
Cover and refrigerate until your guests arrive. Serve with tortilla chips.

Tip:
You can switch this up with any favorite fruits, such as ruby red grapefruit, peaches, mangoes, or even cantaloupe.
Also, try it as a topping for grilled chicken!

Easy Time Squares

Last week, I went to my sister's house to watch the closing ceremonies of the Olympics. Whenever there's a family get together, one only has to tell one person, and then word spreads like wildfire and suddenly my whole family shows up, usually with tons of food. My sister-in-law, Marianne, (who is an amazing cook), made these and I instantly knew I wanted the recipe. They're SO delicious and light and buttery! Thanx Mare!!!


"Hi, Joe, here is the recipe. My girlfriend, Michelle Cullen Fimiani, who I went to grade school and high school with, gave me this recipe. Towards the end of my pregnancy with Kim, I kept waking up around 5:00 am and couldn't fall back to sleep. So I'd bake these and then take them into work (I figured if I was getting fat, everyone else might as well join me!). Today, Michelle does professional baking for private parties and business functions. I'm glad you enjoyed them - sometimes it's good to pull the cobwebs off an oldie!"



2 sticks softened butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 cups sifted flour
1 Tbsp. lemon juice

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time. Add flour and lemon juice. Beat until smooth. Spread into a greased jelly roll pan, approximately 10 1/4 X 15 1/2. (I use Pam for baking to grease the pan).

Section off into approximately 20 - 24 squares (take a knife through the raw batter and draw the squares). Place about a tsp. of preserves or jam or even pie filling in the center of the square. Do Not Press into the center -- the cake will bake around the filling.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until golden brown at the edges.
Remove, place on cooling rack and slice once again where original sections were drawn. When cool, sprinkle with 10X sugar.