The DeGeorge Family

Recipe Book

Recipes by: Rose DeGeorge

Created by: Antoinette DeGeorge

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Dedication………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..3Opening...…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…….. 4 Why Cook?................................................................................................................................................. 5 Qualifications………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 6 List of Ingredients and Cookware…………………………………………………….………………….. 7 Definitions of Terms, Ingredients, and Cookware……………………………………………….8 Know Before You Go, Cooking Tips……………………………………………………………………. 9 Herbs and Spices………………………………………………………………....………………………….……. 10 Cheeses and Wine………………………………………………………………..……………………………….. 11 Safety First! Food Safety Hints…………………………………………….…….……………………….12 Time Management, Create 3 Courses with Ease………………….…….……………………… 13 Fresh Green Salad and Vinaigrette Dressing.……………………………….………………….. 14 Marinara Sauce……………………………………………………………………...........................................15 Meatballs…………………………………………………………………………..………….………………………. 16 Garlic Bread and Perfect Aldente Past……………………………………….……………………... 17 Pie Crust…………………………………………………………………………..………………………………….... 18 Ricotta Pie Filling…………………………………………………………………………………………………19 Troubleshooting…………………………………………………………………………………………………… 20

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Dedication This manual along with my love is dedicated to my Grandma, Rose DeGeorge.

Without her wisdom and guidance throughout the years, I would have never

become the cook I am today. Everything I’ve learned I have learned from her,

whether directly or with just a push in the right direction. I can remember back

to about six years old when she showed me how to make the first of her many

famous dishes, her homemade pancakes. She brought the bowl to my level and

let me stir the batter so I could feel what the right consistency was for next time

when I tried it on my own. Since then I have been hooked, always asking

questions, wanting her to teach me something new in every visit. I love you so

much Grandma and I will be cooking everything you’ve taught for the rest of

my life…maybe when I am a Grandma someday.

This is also dedicated to the rest of my family. Times we’ve all spent gathered

around a table of wonderful food in wonderful company are memories I will

never forget. I love you all and wish I could see you more.

Finally, this is dedicated to the memory of my Grandpa, Tony DeGeorge. He

never could help Grandma in the kitchen much, but he always brought a spirit

to the table that brought a smile to everyone’s face. Gone from this earth, but

forever in our hearts! I love you Grandpa!

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If you are a home cook, with or without experience, looking for a flavorful spin

on an easy dish you’re reading the right manual! I know as a full time student,

dancer, and teacher myself it’s hard to find the time to cook an extravagant

meal. So how do you satisfy a five-star appetite with a packed schedule? With

my construction of spaghetti and meatballs in the classic Italian way! My

recipes, handed down through the years, use authentic flavors and employ

ingredients used three generations back, by members of my family in Italy.

Spaghetti and Meatballs is something everyone can enjoy, so take the next step

and wow yourself and your family tonight. Once you try it in a truly authentic

form you will never want it any other way!

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So, Why Cook?

Cooking can be useful and beneficial to your life in numerous ways. The act of

cooking itself can help to be a relaxing, even meditative process with a useful

end result. In my mind, nothing beats some good home cooking; and by teaching

yourself a few basic techniques required to put together a meal you are creating

a nutritious, satisfying, award at the end of your long day. Techniques that I

will show you in this manual are lessons you can keep for the rest of your life

and later pass them on to your loved ones. That has always been the DeGeorge

family tradition, which I now pass on to you and yours. Enjoy!

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My Qualifications

Now, some of you may look at me and wonder why this 20 year old student has the credentials to show you the way around the kitchen, to which I have one response, Rose DeGeorge. This is my beautiful Grandma in her kitchen, next to a sign I’ve been looking at since birth (even though I can only remember back to about 3). Since I was old enough to stand in front of the stove, she has been teaching me her ways; letting me stir the sauce or add ingredients so I could see what it was supposed to look, feel, and taste like. Once I tasted her cooking, I knew no other Italian dish would be the same. She has brought me lessons that I will never forget and I love her more than words can say. So, now with the aid of this manual I pass the secrets on to you! Cook with PATIENCE, cook for FAMILY, and cook with LOVE!

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Ingredients and Supplies

Needed for All Dishes Ingredients: Lettuce Variety of Vegetables Olive Oil Vinegar Eggs Ground Beef Ground Pork Ground Veal Bread Crumbs Romano Cheese Canned Tomatoes Red Wine Parsley Salt Black Ground Pepper Ricotta Cheese Sugar Lemons Cinnamon Clove Nutmeg

Vanilla Extract Anise Anisette Liqueur Brandy Baking Powder Butter Onion Garlic Basil Supplies: 2 Large Pots Blender Food Processor Ladle Measuring Spoons Measuring Cups Rolling Pin Knives Cookie Sheet Strainer/Colander Cheese Grater

Cooking Terms Sauté – The method of rapidly cooking or browning food in a small amount of fat or oil in a sauté pan. The food is constantly stirred, turned, or tossed to keep it from sticking or burning. The objective is to brown the food on the

outside in the time needed to cook the interior. This requires medium to high heat. Brown- The method of cooking food quickly until the surface is brown. This gives the food an appetizing appearance and adds flavor and aroma. Dice- To cut food into small, uniform, square pieces. A diced piece of food can range in size from 1/8 to ½ of an inch. Mince- To cut food, such as onions and garlic into very fine pieces.

Puree- To mash or strain a soft or cooked food until it has smooth consistency. This can be done with a food processor, sieve, blender, or food mill. For best results, the food must be naturally soft, such as raspberries or ripe pears, or cooked until it is completely tender. Purred foods are used as sauces and as ingredients in sweet or savory dishes. The term also refers to

the foods that result from the process. Simmer- The method of cooking a liquid or a food

in a liquid, with gentle heat just below the boiling point. Simmering is indicated by small bubbles slowly rising to the surface of the liquid.

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Know Before You Go,

Cooking Tips

Always read the entire recipe

before you begin to ensure you have the necessary ingredients and utensils.

Measure the ingredients accurately and assemble them in the order they are listed on the recipe.

Oven temperatures can very significantly depending on the oven model and manufacturer, so watch carefully to determine doneness.

Always remove butter or margarine from the refrigerator to soften prior to use.

For even baking and browning bake everything in the center of the oven. If the heat distribution in your oven is uneven, turn the backing sheet halfway through the baking time.

Preheat oven to the desired temperature about 15 minutes before beginning to bake. Allow at least 2 inches of space between the baking sheet and the wall of the oven for proper air circulation.

Never turn your range on high heat to bring your pan to the desired temperature more quickly. Use medium heat and wait 10 minutes before adding ingredients.

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Herbs are the aromatic leaves of herbaceous

plants—those with stems that are soft rather than woody. They are mainly used in the kitchen because of their natural aromatic oils, which accent and enhance the flavor of foods. Herbs can sometimes be the primary ingredient in a recipe such as basil in pest sauce. Herbs can also be used as fragrances, medicines, cosmetics, teas, dyes, and ornaments. Basil is a member of the mint family and be used fresh or dried. Basil is most commonly used in Italian dishes such as pesto’s, sauces, soups, and salads. Oregano is a member of the mint family. It has a strong, pungent flavor and aroma. Used in its fresh and dried forms, oregano has both a Mexican and an Italian variety. Parsley is a widely used herb. Used fresh or dried, parsley has a mild flavor that works well with egg, meat and fish dishes, sauces, and salads.

Spices come from the seeds, bark, roots, fruit, or flowers of plants. They add flavor and color to both sweet and savory

dishes. Spices are also used in fragrances and medicines. When purchasing fresh herbs, look for brightly colored, fresh-looking leaves without any brown spots. If a fresh herb is not available, substitute 1 teaspoon of its dried counterpart for 1 tablespoon of fresh herb. Storing herbs and spices properly is important for future use. Buy fresh herbs in small quantities. For short-term storage, place the stems in water. Cover leaves loosely with a plastic bag and store in the refrigerator. They will last two to five days. After buying dried herbs and spices, write the purchase date on the container and discard after six months. Heat and moisture will cause their flavor to deteriorate more quickly. Buy them in small quantities and store in a cool dry place.

Black Pepper comes from peppercorns that are grown as berries on a pepper plant. The black peppercorn is harvested when the berry is not quite ripe. The berry is dried which causes the skin to darken and shrive. The skin is removed, and then the berry is dried. Pepper is sold in both whole and ground forms.

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Ground Red Pepper, also called cayenne pepper, is made from various tropical dried chilies. It is used to

add heat and spiciness to vegetables, meats, eggs, and sauces.

Cheeses and WineParmesan cheese is an

Italian hard cheese usually aged to a dry,

crumbly texture. Parmesan is pleasantly sharp with a salty flavor. It is excellent for grating over pasta sauce or salads. Ricotta cheese is a soft, fresh white Italian cheese with a sweet, mellow taste. It is often baked in cheesecakes, lasagna, and manicotti. Mozzarella cheese is a mild, stringy cheese made from cow’s milk. Factory-produced mozzarella is semi soft and chewy with a mild flavor, while the fresh

variety has a soft texture and a sweet, mild flavor. It is commonly used on pizzas and in lasagna.

Wine Storing Wine should be stored in a cool place with a consistent temperature between 45˚and 65˚F (55˚ is ideal). Store it away from light and vibration. Do

not turn or move stored wine. To prevent corks from drying out and air from entering bottles, store wine on its side. Do not store wine for long periods of time at room temperature. The higher the

storage temperature, the faster the wine ages. Cooking with Wine Wines of all sorts are used in cooking. Special cooking wines available in supermarkets are not recommended because they are often inferior in quality and contain salt. However, there is no need to use fine vintages for cooking, as it is not economical. Leftover wine that is no longer good for drinking can be used in most recipes that call for wine, although adjustments in the amount of liquid may be required.

Serving Besides pairing wine with the perfect dish, it is important to serve the wine at the appropriate temperature. White wine is best served at 50˚ to 55˚F. Place it in the refrigerator for two hours before serving. Store red wine in a cool (65˚F) place or chill it for about 15 minutes prior to serving. Red wines often benefit from being opened 10 to 15 minutes before serving. This allows them to ―breathe.‖ Tradition suggests special types of glasses for different wines. Red-wine glasses generally are larger than white-wine glasses to allow room for the more aromatic red wines to be swirled.

Safety First! Food Safety

Hints

1. Wash hands with hot, soapy

water before handling and

preparing food. Rewash them

after touching your nose or

mouth or caring for children. Do

not cough or sneeze on food

during preparation.

To avoid contaminating other

foods, always rewash hands

after handling raw poultry,

meat, seafood, or eggs.

2. Thoroughly wash any cutting

surfaces and utensils with hot,

soapy water if they’ve been in

contact with raw poultry, meat,

seafood, or eggs. This reduces

the risk of being exposed to

bacteria in raw foods. Salmonella

and E. coli are killed during

cooking.

3. Keep raw meat and poultry

packages away from other food

items, especially produce and

unwrapped items. The juices

from the raw foods can drip and

contaminate the other foods.

Do not ever use the same platter

for both raw and cooked foods.

Use clean, un-cracked, grade-A

eggs, and be sure to cook

anything with the eggs all the

way through.

4. Thaw foods in the refrigerator

rather than on the counter at

room temperature. Organisms

that cause food-borne illness

thrive at temperatures between

40˚ and 140˚F.

Do not let cooked foods stand

longer than two hours. Any

cooked food that has remained

un-refrigerated for more than two

hours must be discarded. In hot

weather, food should never sit for

more than one hour.

5. Chill leftovers quickly. Do not

transfer a large pot of food

directly from the range to the

refrigerator. Divide it into several

smaller containers so it chills

quickly.

Time Management

Steps to easily and effectively create a 3 course meal

Prepare as much as you can before hand! The more prep-work done in advance the easier your meal will become.

1. If possible, make the pie

crust the day before. If not,

steps for the crust should be

followed first.

2. Start the sauce before

anything. Get the first 2-4

steps done before beginning

the other dishes, the sauce

takes the longest.

3. As the sauce simmers mix

all ingredients in the Ricotta

pie and follow the baking

instructions.

4. When the pie is in the oven

begin prepping the meatballs.

5. Boil your pot of water for

cooking the pasta.

6. Slice and follow instructions

for the garlic bread.

7. Add uncooked pasta to the

boiling water.

8. Finally, begin slicing,

dicing, and tearing for your

fresh green salad.

9. Mix the vinaigrette last, but

do not pour over the salad until

you are ready to serve dinner.

This prevents a soggy dinner

salad!

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Ingredients:

1 Head of Romaine Lettuce

2 Diced Fresh Tomatoes

1 Diced Green/Red/Yellow

Pepper

1 Sliced Cucumber

Any other fresh veggies you

enjoy!

Instructions:

1. Clean and rip the lettuce

and place in a large bowl

2. Slice and Dice all the

veggies.

3. Toss lettuce and

vegetables until

everything is thoroughly

integrated

4. Pour in your fresh

vinaigrette dressing.

After your dressing is mixed, keep it in a separate container until you are ready to serve dinner to avoid a

soggy salad!

Ingredients

2 Cups Olive Oil

1 Cup Vinegar

1 Tbs. Black Pepper

1 Tbs. Salt

Instructions

1. Whisk olive oil and

vinegar together

2. Salt and Pepper to taste.

Fresh Green Salad and

Vinaigrette Dressing

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Ingredients needed: 3 can large tomatoes

1 ½ cups red wine

½ cup fresh Italian parsley

1 large onion

1 tablespoon garlic

Olive oil

Black pepper

My version of Grandma’s classic!

4. Add the tomatoes to the pot.

5. Add the parsley and sprinkle with

pepper.

6. Let the sauce simmer uncovered

for as long as time allows (shoot for

4-6 hours!)

The longer the sauce simmers, the more it will be infused with flavor!

**My grandmother always

taught me that a good cook

always puts there own spin on

a dish. Be creative and try

adding spices like oregano,

basil, or red pepper, to spice it

up!

Instructions:

1. Finely chop the onion and

garlic. Sautee in a large pot in

a healthy serving of olive oil

(about 3-4 tablespoons).

*Sautee until onions are clear

2. Add the wine and simmer for

about 30 minutes on medium

heat.

3. Puree the tomatoes in a

blender until

they are

your desired

consistency

(some prefer

chunks of

tomatoes in the final sauce).

A giant place of Grandma’s pasta, made and eaten by my brother

Marinara Sauce

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Ingredients:

1 lb Ground Beef

1 lb Ground Veal

1 lb Ground Pork

3 Eggs

1 ½ Cups Romano Cheese

1 ½ Cups Bread Crumbs

1 Tbs. Garlic

1 Tbs. Parsley

1 Tbs. Basil

1 Tsp. Pepper

Quantity was always made to suit my incredibly large Italian family, so please reduce measurements

evenly with each other, as needed to suit your home!

Fresh parsley is a crucial ingredient

in many Italian dishes, and is definitely not left out of my

Grandma’s homemade sauce and meatballs!

Be sure to wash your hands

before and after mixing

the meatballs!

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350˚.

2. Combine the three

pounds of meat into a

large mixing bowl.

3. Mix in the eggs, Romano

cheese, and bread

crumbs.

4. Add the garlic, parsley,

basil, and pepper.

5. Form your desired size of

meatballs when all

ingredients are well

integrated into the

mixture.

6. Place on a cookie sheet

and bake for 10 minutes

on each side.

I prefer baking my meatballs to cook out excess fat. But, fat has flavor! You can also brown

them on the range, and then let them cook internally in the sauce if time permits.

Grandma’s Meatballs

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Ingredients:

Fresh loaf of French or Italian bread

Spreadable Butter

Garlic Powder

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350˚.

2. Slice the bread horizontally

into your preferred thickness.

3. Spread the butter over each

piece of bread and sprinkle

with the Garlic Powder.

4. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until

the butter is melted and the

bread is toasted.

Sprinkle with herbs or cheeses for a little added flavor!

Instructions:

1. Boil the water on the range top in

a large pot.

2. Sprinkle with about 1 Tbs. of

Salt.

Salt adds flavor and acts as a catalyst so the water will boil faster!

3. Add the pasta and continue

boiling for 12-14 minutes. Stir

continuously to keep the noodles

from sticking together.

4. When the pasta is

finished cooking,

remove it from the

range and drain it in

the sink.

5. Transfer the drained pasta into a

serving dish.

Garlic Bread and the Perfect

Aldente Pasta

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Ingredients:

4 ½ Cups of Flour

2 Tbs. Sugar

2 Tsp. Baking Powder

1 Tsp. Salt

2 Cups COLD Chopped Butter

1 Egg

¼ Cup Cold Water

1 Tbs. Lemon Juice

Makes 4 Pie Crusts

The contrast of the cold, finely chopped butter is what creates your flaky pie crust!

Instructions:

1. In a food processor, mix the

flour, sugar, baking powder,

salt, and butter.

If you don’t own a food

processor, see the last

page for

troubleshooting!

2. In a separate bowl mix in the

egg, cold water, and lemon

juice.

3. Add the liquid mixture to the

dry mixture.

4. Form pie crusts by using a

rolling pin or smashing down

with your hands.

Make sure and use extra flower to avoid sticking!

5. Set the rolled dough in between

wax paper in your pie pan.

6. Refrigerate the crust for 20-30

minutes.

Pie Crust

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Ingredients:

4 Eggs

1 lb. Ricotta Cheese

1 ¼ Cup of Sugar

1 Whole Lemon(Zest and Juice)

1 Tsp. Cinnamon

¼ Tsp. Clove

½ Tsp. Nutmeg

1 Tsp. Vanilla

2 Tsp. Anise Flavoring(Dried or liquid

form both work)

2 Tbs. Anisette Liqueur

2 Tsp. Brandy (Both important for the

consistency of the pie!)

Mixing Instructions:

1. Empty the Ricotta Cheese into

a large mixing bowl.

2. Slowly beat in the eggs and

spices.

3. Pour in the squeezed lemon

juice, Anisette liqueur, and

Brandy.

4. Stir the mixture thoroughly and

add it into the set pie crust.

Be sure your pies are centered evenly in the oven for symmetrical

cooking!

The final pie should be solidified and

evenly browned on all the sides.

Baking Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350˚

2. Put the pie in the oven and bake

for 1 hour.

3. After 1 hour, turn the oven off

and let the pie sit in the oven

until it is cool.

4. Remove the pie and place it in

the refrigerator for 3 hours.

Do NOT refrigerate

anything before it has cooled to

room temperature to avoid illness!

Ricotta Pie Filling

Troubleshooting

Problem

Solution

No Food Processor

Use a blender and mix only small amounts at a time to keep such a dry mixture working. Finish mixing with your hands. Don’t be afraid to get down and dirty!

Soggy Salad

Mix your dressing in a measuring cup, but do not mix into your greens until everything else is cooked and you are ready to eat.

No Fresh Ingredients

Substitute 1 Tbs. of the ingredients dried equivalent if fresh herbs aren’t available to you.