7. Remove the foil and let stand 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Tessie’s Cabbage Rolls
(In the style of Tessie Shevechuck, Carolina, West Virginia)
Sauce:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, diced
1 1/2 quarts crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
Salt and pepper
Filling and Cabbage:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
1 large egg
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 cups cooked rice, cooled
Salt and pepper
1 large head green cabbage or enough for 18-20 leaves
1. To make the sauce: Add the olive oil to a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
2. Add the vinegar and sugar and simmer, until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and remove from the heat.
3. To make the filling: Add the olive oil to a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onion and garlic until soft, about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in the tomato paste plus 1/2 cup of the prepared sauce. Mix to incorporate, then take it off the heat.
5. In a large mixing bowl, combine the beef and pork. Add the egg, parsley, rice, and the onion mixture. Toss with your hands to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Core the cabbage and place the cored side up in a deep bowl or saucepan. Cover with boiling water and let stand for 5 minutes to soften and loosen the leaves. Drain. Remove the largest 18-20 leaves and reserve. Place the remaining cabbage on a cutting board and slice. Place the sliced cabbage in the bottom of a buttered or sprayed baking 13" x 9" pan.
7. To assemble and bake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
8. Carefully cut out the center vein from the reserved cabbage leaves so they will be easier to roll up. Put about 1/2 cup of the filling in the center of the cabbage and, starting at what was the stem end, fold the sides in and roll up the cabbage to enclose the filling. Place the cabbage rolls, seam side down, side by side in rows on top of the sliced cabbage in the baking pan.
9. Pour the remaining sauce over the cabbage rolls. Cover the pan with foil.
10. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil, then bake for an additional 15 minutes, until the meat is cooked.
What’s Shakin’ Bacon Fried Rice
1/2 pound bacon, cut in large dice
1 small onion, diced
3-4 cups cooked rice, cooled
1-2 cups frozen peas (amount is according to taste)
3 eggs, beaten
1. In a wok or a pan large enough to accommodate a lot of stirring during cooking, brown the bacon thoroughly over medium-high heat. Move bacon to the side of the pan and drain all but 1/2 cup of the grease.
2. Turn the heat to high. Add the onion and sauté briefly.
3. Add the rice to bacon and onions and stir to combine.
4. Add the peas and stir to combine.
5. Make a hole in the center of the rice mixture by pushing the mixture to the side.
6. Add the eggs in the center and cook, scrambling until mostly done. Mix the eggs into the rice mixture as it finishes cooking.
7. Remove from the heat and serve.
(Note: This is also good with bamboo shoots or leftover vegetables. If using, add immediately after sautéing the onions. If desired, use a frozen peas-carrots mix instead of just peas.)
Darby’s Chicken Salad
2 cups chopped apples
2 cups sliced red globe grapes
2 cups chicken cubes or shreds
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
About 1 cup Greek yogurt
About 1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
About 1 tablespoon chicken fajita seasoning mix
In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients, adjusting the yogurt, sour cream, and seasonings to taste. Refrigerate for a minimum of 1 to 2 hours for best flavor.
Aunt Lydia’s Cheesecake
Crust:
1 1/2 cups finely ground graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup sugar
Filling:
4 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, well-softened
2 cups sugar
7 eggs
Juice from 1 large lemon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (or substitute almond extract)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 pint heavy whipping cream (don’t substitute half-and-half)
1. To make the crust: In a large bowl, mix the graham cracker crumbs, butter, and sugar thoroughly. Press onto the bottom of a 9” springform pan.
2. To make the filling: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Add the cream cheese to the bowl of a mixer and cream on medium speed. Add the sugar, a little at a time.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, keeping the mixer on medium speed.
5. Add the lemon juice, vanilla, and flour.
6. Add whipping cream, mixing until just combined.
7. Pour over the graham cracker crust. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 1 hour. Turn the oven off and, leaving the oven door closed, keep the cheesecake in the oven for another hour.
8. Remove from the oven and refrigerate. This is best if made one day before serving.
Deluxe Lemon Bars
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
4 large eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup bottled lemon juice (Important! Use bottled, not fresh)
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Mix the flour and 1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl.
3. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles small peas. (The mixture should be dry and crumbly.)
4. Press into the bottom of an ungreased 9” square baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes, or until lightly golden.
5. Meanwhile, beat the eggs with a mixer for about 3 minutes, until pale and thickened.
6. Gradually add the granulated sugar and continue beating for 1 minute longer until the mixture is thick. Stir in the lemon juice.
7. Pour onto the hot crust. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden and a pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
8. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar. Cool the pan on a rack. Cut into 16 bars.
Promenade Brownies
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2/3 cup cooking oil
1/2 cup boiling water (measure accurately)
2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon seedless raspberry jam
1/4 teaspoon salt
Confectioners’ sugar
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 13" x 9" pan or two 8" square pans.
2. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the cocoa and baking powder. Blend in 1/3 cup of the oil. Add the boiling water and stir until the mixture thickens.
3. Add the granulated sugar, eggs, and the remaining oil and stir until smooth.
4. Add the flour, vanilla, jam, and salt and blend thoroughly.
5. Pour into the prepared baking pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes for the 13" x 9" pan, or 30-32 minutes for the 8" pans.
6. Cool. Dust with confectioners’ sugar before cutting into squares.
Chicago Dogs
(In honor of Wade, Nancy, and Andrew)
&n
bsp; Cooked wiener
Bun (preferably poppy seed)
Mustard
Relish
Chopped onion
2 tomato wedges
1 dill pickle spear
2 sport peppers
Celery salt
The Chicago Dog is a Windy City classic. The ingredients must be piled onto the bun in the correct order. And whatever you do, don’t ruin it with ketchup!
To assemble: Place the dog in the bun. Squirt mustard down the center. Add a dollop of relish and a spoon of onion. Put the tomato wedges between dog and bun on one side and the pickle spear between dog and bun on the other. Add the sport peppers and a generous dash of celery salt.
West Virginia Dog
(In honor of my home state)
Bun
Cooked wiener
Sauce (see recipe below)
Mustard (optional)
Onions (optional)
Slaw (optional, if you are from the southern part of the state)
Hot Dog Sauce
2 pounds ground beef
4 tablespoons chili powder
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt or garlic powder
1 tablespoon cayenne (more if you like it hot!)
1 can (12 ounces) tomato paste
2 teaspoons salt
1. Place the beef in a large pot and add enough water to cover the beef. Bring to a boil. The color will be gray at this point, but this is right. It’s important to not brown the beef.
2. After the water begins to boil, add the remaining ingredients. Turn down the heat and simmer for at least 1 hour.
Note: West Virginia hot dog sauce should never be confused with chili! It is simply “sauce,” and many hot dog joints in the mountain state are known for their sauce. If you are traveling in northern West Virginia, put these hot dog eateries on your list: T&L, Hometown Hot Dogs, Lupo’s, and the king of the hot dog, Yann’s. Also, ketchup is NEVER an option.
Chicken Vesuvio a la Alexandria
Olive oil, for browning
2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into lengthwise wedges
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, cut into 1” pieces
4 pounds bone-in chicken (mix of thighs, breasts, legs, as desired), or 1 chicken cut into 14 pieces
Salt
5 tablespoons olive oil
6 cloves garlic, crushed
1 medium onion, peeled and rough-chopped in large pieces
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock
2 red or green bell peppers, cut into thick slices
16 ounces frozen peas, thawed
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Coat a skillet with olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add the potatoes and sausage and brown on all sides, about 8 minutes. When browned, transfer the mixture to a large roasting pan.
3. Season the chicken all over with salt. In the same skillet, brown the chicken on all sides in batches, about 8 to 10 minutes per batch, transferring to the roasting pan as completed.
4. Add 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, the crushed garlic, and onions to the skillet.
5. Once the garlic begins to sizzle, deglaze with the wine. When the wine has reduced by half, add the chicken stock. Return to a boil, and then pour all the skillet contents into the roasting pan.
6. Add the bell pepper to the roasting pan. Sprinkle everything with salt, stir to mix, and drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil.
7. Place in the oven and roast for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and scatter the peas over the mixture. Stir and return to the oven. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes longer, stirring occasionally.
Serves 6 to 8
Author’s Note
Regal Cruise Lines and the ship Ocean’s Essence are a composite of any number of cruise lines and cruise ships that I have had the privilege of traveling on during many wonderful seagoing vacations. Any passing resemblance should be interpreted as a general cruise experience on most ships and not on any specific ship or itinerary. Some experiences were completely fabricated because they were necessary for the story and should not be interpreted as typical of cruising or of staff interaction.
About the author
Award-winning author Barbara Oliverio is the daughter of Italian immigrants and grew up with a love of books and a passion for learning. She and her husband keep their luggage readily available in their suburban Denver home for their own travel adventures by land, air and sea. This is her second novel.
For book club appearances or bulk purchases please contact Barbara Oliverio directly at
[email protected]
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Love on the Lido Deck Page 24