Mangia Vita

Author: Andrea DeCaro

  • Homemade Chili

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    Andrea DeCaro
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    First I chopped the onion and sauteed it in a bit of olive oil. (I seasoned with salt and pepper after every major ingredient went in.) Then I added all of the peppers and seasonings to toast in the oil. Then I added the garlic and tomato paste to concentrate the flavors. Next I added half of…

  • Homemade Cornbread

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    Andrea DeCaro
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    Ingredients: I love making cornbread in my cast iron skillet. I heat the skillet up in the oven, melt the butter in the pan and add it to the bowl of ingredients so the skillet is well greased, then you pour the batter in the hot skillet. Only takes about 20 minutes to cook at…

  • Spicy Sausage Pasta

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    Andrea DeCaro
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    Brown the sausage in the pan until cooked through. Remove excess fat if needed, but a little helps coat the pasta. Make a little “hot spot” and brown the tomato paste a little on the bottom of the pan, then mix into the meat. Let the meat start to caramelize. Add in the garlic clove…

  • Poppy Seed and Walnut Rolls

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    Andrea DeCaro
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    My Aunt Mary used to make these and I loved them. In the last few years, I have tried out recipes and I think this is the winner. Dough Proof the yeast in the warm water with the sugar. Mix the flour and salt, then mix in the butter until the mixture is sandy (I do…

  • Un-scotti

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    Andrea DeCaro
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    I am sure you’ve heard of biscotti, which means “twice baked”. We call these Un-scotti, since you only bake them once and get a cross between a soft cookie/muffin-y thing. They are delish. Thanks to Diane for this wonderful recipe. Mix together: Then add: Mix together quickly and form 2 long loaves on an ungreased…

  • Tomato Soup

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    Andrea DeCaro
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    Here is my recipe for tomato soup, which started out as someone else’s recipe for tomato bisque, which I love, but I found it didn’t need quite that much cream, especially if you are serving with grilled cheese, yum! Here goes: Saute the onions and garlic in the pot with the melted butter until they…

  • Pulled Pork

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    Andrea DeCaro
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    Measurements are approximate because that’s how I cook, almost all of the time…haha! You will need a “pork butt” cut of meat, it may also be called pork shoulder or Boston Butt. It can be bone-in or boneless and they come in a great range of sizes which will affect your cooking time in the…

  • Homemade Red Enchilada Sauce

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    Andrea DeCaro
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    Ingredients Saute the onion in the olive oil, add the garlic once the onion has softened, then add the chili powder and saute for a couple of minutes. Mix in the tomato sauce, tomato paste, sugar, salt and water (you can add more or less water depending on the consistency you desire). Salt the mixture…