My Vintage Kitchen

For our Indy Readers

I can not even begin to tell you how overjoyed I am that Maria's Pizza is finally getting ready to reopen....AND I hear it's going to be next to Deano's Vino in Fountain Square. I have not personally confirmed this yet, but I will keep you updated. I could not think of a more perfect place for Maria's and I have to say I have seriously missed them in their absence! As many of you know who read my old blog ( that I recently chucked) I went on and on about what is the greatest pizza in the United States...Sorry NY I don't need a slice of your pie....Chicago, your good...but not even close.  Maybe it's because I grew up with it, maybe it's because EVERYONE I have ever taken there becomes addicted...maybe it's because they are sprinkling mood altering drugs in the sauce...whatever it is all I know is Maria's original recipe is soon going to be back and I will be there to cheer them on in their new home and as I promised I will keep you updated!

I may even write a poem "Ode to Muenster Cheese"...a little birdy ( reader) told me that was what they used and in a miserable effort to recreate a Maria's Pizza in my own kitchen I tried Muenster Cheese and a Beer Crust....Oh it smelled like a Maria's...the beer crust, the cheese....but it was not even close to as tasty....I still haven't cracked the mood altering drugs/pixie dust they are sprinkling on their pizzas.

Stay Tuned!!!

-Shelly

UPDATE: Here is their website  (check it out...thats my photo! haha) OHH and I'm not sure but 1106 Prospect St is not next to Deano's Vino....I think it's on the other side of the Fountain Sq Theater. Corrections anyone??

My Thanksgiving Holiday, by: Robin

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Thanksgiving has come and gone and it was FANTASTIC. Up here in New Jersey, my family went to my cousins husbands parents sisters husbands house and it was phenomenal. They are from India and served many traditional Indian foods as well as the standard turkey, stuffing, green bean casserole fair. I believe they had close to 60 people in attendance and I have never seen anyone throw a Thanksgiving party quite like this one. They played football, had cocktails, and were the most gracious host and hostess I have ever met. Oh, and they had these great spicy ball things. WHAT WERE THOSE WONDERFUL THINGS????? Hats off to the cousins husbands parents sisters husbands family. I am thankful for such a great day with such nice people. Thank you. Now, here is quick tip from the Indiana thanksgiving crowd and Shelly. Instead of pie, make tiny tarts from the previous post because they take up less valuable food stomach space. EVERYONE ate a tart and the pie sat lonely and untouched. Poor Pie.

-Robin

It is Your Turn to Entertain Us

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Well, it's stranger fudge time of year again. The holidays are upon us and we are busier than ever. Instead of me boring you with yet another attempt to be witty, I would love to hear your great stories of the holiday's and the bizarre and funny things that have happened. If you have a delicious recipe to accompany your story throw it our way as we continue to search for the best of the best! Here is a little something we cooked up to hold you over.

Our Great Grandmothers Pumpkin Pie

This is a dark rich pie that is absolute heaven.

1 cup pumpkin

1 1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp  ground cloves

1/2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs

butter ( the size of a walnut)  sorry there is not exact measurement but this is what Grandma wrote down.

Cook in a double boiler the first 7 ingredients till thick. Remove from fire and let stand a few minutes. Then Add eggs & butter to mix. Pour into unbaked pie shell and bake in a hot oven until shiny.  Sorry again grandma did not put specifics and this recipe was handwritten in the front of her cookbook. I cooked it for 10 minutes at 450 then down to 350 for about 25 more minutes.

Also, this made enough to fill some very small tart pans ( nice if your stuffed and just want a bite or two)

So I'm a Snob...It's Just Because I'm Better Than You

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When I was in college I had moments when I could have been a little nicer. This of course, rides on the idea that I could always be a little nicer, but why? Three doors down in my dorm, there were two girls. One of the girls we nicknamed W.T. for her one time stone washed jeans which were now yellow and the very strong possibility that her home had wheels. Her roommate "dresser" was so named for her boxy build.  Dresser and WT lived happily in their own filth as we "clean" girls held our noses and walked past their open door while simultaneously avoiding the grasp of our pervert janitor, which is another story all-together (whoopsidoodle, I didn't realize you were changing. I didn't grab you there, I didn't realize the towel over the curtain and the water running meant you were naked in the shower....you get the picture). Sometimes when I think back I picture what their lives must be like now...10 years later. Has W.T. lived up to the name? Has Dresser blossomed into a fine young armoire? These are things that I would like to get to the bottom of, and now that My Vintage Kitchen is on myspace ( where we found this gem of a photo-pure culinary delight) I'm pretty sure I will!

Check us out at http://www.myspace.com/myvintagekitchen

Either way I have a feeling their wedding cake looked like this.

   

Pull My Finger

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If we food bloggers could name one day per year where the joy of creating can be completely stamped out by those that love us most it is Thanksgiving. Therefore, we girls at My Vintage Kitchen are making some early suggestions so that you may prepare your grocery list accordingly. Sure, certain family traditions must prevail. For instance, I do think it's cute when my mother-in-law comes out with pants tucked neatly into her turkey socks so the "snakes don't get in". I am also sometimes forced to re-think the whole turkey/meat thing as my father in law goes out back and knocks off Ted the live turkey, but people, CRANBERRIES IN A CAN? Sure, when I was a kid you couldn't fight me for the opportunity to open the can and hear the suctioning fart noise that was to follow as I triumphed over helping "make" Thanksgiving dinner. And the memories of the whole "pull my finger game" over football with my uncle will not be forgotten either, but, it is time for a new era. Have we forgotten about the pilgrims? Would they just open a can of cranberries? No! No! and neither should you. So, I implore you, this year make something a little different. Oh, and get yourself an Apron. We are not savages here. We are delicate frickin flowers....ummmm unless you are a guy doing the cooking, then we are masculine strapping men....and if that is you, well, you should probably just wear some nice fitting jeans and a button up shirt, untucked with the sleeves rolled up. That's hot. Thank you.

- Robin

 

Cranberry Chutney

1 bag fresh cranberries

2 med apples diced

1 1/4 cups superfine sugar

1/2 cup water

1 tsp ginger

1 tsp allspice

1 tsp cinnamon

Mix everything in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce and simmer for 20 min. You want to sort of mash the fruit with your spoon a bit so that it thickens. Refrigerate.

Rosemary Spread

Use 1 cup cooked shredded chicken or turkey

1 8oz pkg cream cheese

2 Tablespoons fresh Rosemary chopped.

Soften Cream Cheese and mix in other ingredients. Also salt and pepper to taste.

Spread on toasted bread *I used pumpernickle* or crackers, dot with your chutney and garnish with rosemary.

We have a WINNER!

Congratulations to Nicole P.!!!! You guessed correctly....the top photo had an extra layer of fudge that was not in the bottom photo or the recipe. Nicole, shoot us your address a [email protected] and we will get you your new fancy "cocktail dish towels"!

Thanks again to everyone who played along!

OH and if you are wondering how on earth the top piece had the extra layer of fudge and the bottom one did not. Robin (in New Jersey)  and I (Shelly in Indiana) will often cook the same recipes, we talk about what we would like to try, and post. And sometimes we mix it up a bit, as you can see we both took pics of our creations only to realize that I put an extra layer of fudge. Either way this recipes is amazing and you should give it a go!

Thanks again for playing along and congratulations to Nicole...this one was sort of hard!

It's Contest Time Again!

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You know, sometimes when I wake up I realize I really don't need to wash my hair in Perrier. I also know that sometimes it could be viewed as self indulgent when I kick the maid. She is such a bitch though and I think she is stealing from me. I even think that some people may judge me on the way I use my old Mercedes to politely move pedestrians out of the way so that others can pass. Don't worry, it's the old Mercedes, not the new one. Anyways, I have decided to simplify today. Here is a little throw back to a holiday favorite amongst the kids in our family. Oh, and a shout out to aunt Cindy for the recipe and J-Lo for keeping it real.

-Robin

Easy Chocolate-Eclair Dessert

2/3 box graham crackers
2 small boxes instant french vanilla pudding
4 cups milk
2 (8-ounce) packages Cool Whip
1 container chocolate fudge frosting

Place a layer of graham crackers in a 9-by-13 inch pan. Make pudding following instructions on box using milk. Let stand for 5 minutes. Add Cool Whip,, fold in till completely mixed. Spread 1/2 the mixture on crackers. Place another layer of graham crackers on, followed by the rest of the pudding mixture. Open frosting and heat in microwave on high for about 25 seconds. Place on top of pudding by dropping balls of it all over and then carefully spreading it out. My pudding and chocolate combined a little so I ran a knife up and down the dessert to create a pattern.

CONTEST: ONE OF THESE THINGS IS NOT LIKE THE OTHER

Simply be the first to shoot us an email at [email protected] telling us what is "missing" in this post and you will win 2 of our Cocktail Kitchen Towels! You have till Friday at Midnight Eastern.

Give it a shot, it took us over 24 hours to get the correct answer for the last contest! Remember, don't give it away in the comments! Good Luck!

Halloween Wrap Up

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The other night while I was teaching my son, a skunk, and my daughter, a chicken, a little something about going door to door while begging for candy I realized things have really changed since I was a kid. We live in this little organic town full of organic people with organic mannerisms and huge organic ego's. Basically, our kids little orange pumpkins were filled with granola bars and organic suckers. Now, I'm not judging you ORGANIC people, but, isn't some of the fun of eating horrific amounts of candy in choosing the best color or flavor? I didn't know that organic suckers were brown (no added colors) and marked as "organic", not root beer and the like. (no added flavors). Now, being a woman of science myself I must implore all of you organic people to see it from my point of view. Surely all of those extra delicious pretty additives are intended to prolong the life of the food....to preserve it. Now, perhaps these lovely additives can also preserve us! Just a thought. Oh, and did you know that a Hawaiian blizzard from Dairy Queen can meet the 4 food groups if you break it down just right? Just a another little tidbit from this lady of science. Wink Wink.

-Robin

Dear John Letter to my Grocery Store

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Dear Marsh Supermarket in Greenwood on US Hwy 31 South,

.

You know when people say "It's not you, it's me" well, I feel the need to be honest with you. It IS you. At first I felt you had a charm about you, being with you made me feel like a kid again, probably because you were the Safeway Market of my childhood. Walking through your doors and being greeted by your indoor trees and giant windows made me feel all warm inside. But in recent years you have really let yourself go. For whatever reason time and time again I choose to believe in you and you have done nothing but disappoint me. I really thought we could make this work, but it's time I face the truth. Look I know it's almost as much my fault as it is yours that we have to break up, I should have known better and I was just using you for my own convenience. But the thing is I'm just not getting what I need from the relationship. I want more from you and you just refuse to give. It's not just the fact that your seafood department is 2 ft. square. To be frank, I've been cheating on you and have been getting my seafood somewhere else. But it's the fact that I can't even count on you for the little things. Like fresh herbs...all you give me is curly parsley! What the hell is a girl suppose to do with that? It's like you don't even care what I want! You NEVER have given me even so much as basil! A girl needs some basil sometimes! And I'm not talking about the dry mashed up crap that you tried to pass off on me last Christmas! You act like I've asked you to give me organics or something! God forbid we get anything more exotic than apples and bananas. You've never so much as given me a blood orange, let alone something as precious as a fig! What it comes down to is I need more and I'm going to seek it out, but not with you.

I need someone that can give me cranberry chutney, or Greek yogurt, I need someone that can give me fresh ground turkey from time to time. I NEED fresh Rosemary. I NEED Lindt Chocolate and Lady Fingers. So, in short, since you can't give me what I need....we are finished. I don't ever what to see you again! Jerk!

.

-Shelly

.

Now on to recipe....notice one of the ingredients is parsley. Guess what I had to use.

This recipe came out of Martha Stewart's most recent Everyday Food. They made this little veggie spread that you could schmear on a whole wheat bagel...but for some reason I have a hard time doing veggies in the morning. So, I decided this would make a great "dip". So I put it on some pumpernickel toast points, and piped it in some celery sticks. The only thing I changed was the recipe called for 1 whole red pepper and I just used half. Also the carrots give the cream cheese sort of a salmon color...I have no idea how Martha's crew kept their cream cheese white! Maybe they squeezed all the water out of the carrots or something. 

   

Veggie Spread

1/2 red pepper finely chopped

1 carrot grated

2 Tablespoons fresh parsley finely chopped

1 spring onion finely chopped

8 oz low fat cream cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Just mix everything together...quick, very easy, and this tastes great. It's very fresh, and has a bit of crunch to it.