Category: Family Tradition

Posted in Baking, Bread, Easter, Family Tradition, Foodie

Family Recipes Basic Breads and Easter Bread

Posted on by ChronicallyGratefulDebla

Both of my grandmothers were great cooks and bakers. My mother and my aunts were as well, so I am grateful I had the chance to learn from a long line of good cooks.

My grandmother Thelma who I was lucky enough to have grown up with made everything and I mean everything great. I remember most the smell of her breads and buns baking  . I tried early on about 18 years old to make fresh bread and it looked fantastic…. however you could re-sole a shoe with it. Apparently I kneaded it far too long and my grandmother told me a story about her when she first married my grandfather Khale. She was learning to make bread and it also looked beautiful but she said you could nail it on the wall haha. Well she kept at it and she mastered it for sure. She never had a written recipe so one day long ago I had wrote down some of her recipes.

 

My grandmother Ana came from Croatia at age 17 and I never had the privilege to know her as she passed away before I was born but she also brought recipes from home with her and I made sure I learned them, my dad would say how great she cooked and baked and my aunt Rose was also great at all the above so she would make recipes from her mom my grandma and so I wrote them down and cherished them for decades.

 

The other day I was shocked and a bit taken back by a woman who insisted that I remove  one of my grandmother Ana’s recipes and I was so sad and angry because these were recipes I made for  over 35 years and was just sharing them with you. She claimed I stole her Easter bread recipe and I wrote her back explaining I had these for decades and often many people from around the same village may have similar recipes.

You know at first she frightened me because I am all new to this blogging stuff, I write about about my bone issues and health and I do add family recipes and some I just throw together now that I eat cleaner more plant based. But still cherish old family history and recipes. So I removed it and explained to her I had this recipe for decades and sorry if she was offended by it. But the more I thought about it the more frustrated I got  because this was from my family and I have the right to post it. Especially when I posted it originally over a year ago. 

So I am reposting my family’s recipes and whatever happens so be it.

 

Grandma Thelma’s Homemade Buns

Ingredients

1 cup water 110F

1 cup whole milk 110F

2/3 cup sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/4 cup mild vegetable oil — coconut oil works really well here!

5-1/2 to 6-1/2 cups bread flour

2 tablespoons melted butter

Conventional Method

Dissolve the sugar in the warm water and milk in a large bowl.

Whisk in the yeast.

Set aside for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the yeast mixture gets foamy.

Whisk in the salt and oil.

With the mixer running add the flour, one cup at a time, until the dough pulls away from the bowl.

If you are hand kneading mix in the flour until you have a sticky dough, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic – adding flour as needed.

Oil a large bowl and place the ball of dough in it.

Oil the top of the dough and then cover with a damp cloth.

Allow it to rise until it has doubled in bulk. This will take about an hour.

Punch the dough down.

Knead for 2 minutes  and divide in half.

Let rest for five to 10  minutes.

Shape into loaves and then place in greased 9×5-inch loaf pans.

Brush the tops with the melted butter.

Let rise for 30 minutes, or until the dough has risen an inch or so above the pans.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes, or until loaves sound hollow when tapped.

For a soft crust butter the tops  about 10 minutes after removing from oven. Let them cool for about 5 more minutes and then take them out of the pans to finish cooling, covering them back up with the tea towel.

 

 

Hot Cross Buns

BUNS

1/4 cup apple juice or rum I use apple juice

1/2 cup raisins or dried currants

1 1/4 cups milk, room temperature

2 large eggs, plus 1 egg yolk (save the white for the topping)

6 tablespoons butter, room temperature

2 teaspoons instant yeast

1/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed

1 ½  teaspoon  ground cinnamon

1/4   teaspoon ground cloves or allspice

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1   teaspoons salt

1 tablespoon baking powder

4 1/2 cups AP flour – I use King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

TOPPING

1 large egg white, reserved from above

1 tablespoon milk

ICING

1 cup + 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

pinch of salt

4 teaspoons milk, or enough to make a thick, pipeable icing

Instructions

Lightly grease a 10″ square pan .

Mix the rum, or apple juice with the dried fruit and raisins, cover with a bowl or lid , and microwave briefly, like 20 seconds tops just till the fruit and liquid are very warm,

Set aside to cool to room temperature. When the fruit is cool, mix together all of the dough ingredients (including the eggs and the egg yolk from the separated egg); hold out the fruit for the time being. Knead the mixture, using an electric mixer or bread machine, until the dough is soft and elastic. Mix in the fruit and any liquid not absorbed.

Let the dough rise for 1 hour, covered. It should become puffy, though may not double in bulk.

Divide the dough into billiard ball-sized pieces, about 3 3/4 ounces each. A heaped muffin scoop (about 1/3 cup) makes about the right portion. You’ll make 12 to 14 buns. Use your greased hands to round them into balls. Arrange them in the prepared pan.

Cover the pan, and let the buns rise for 1 hour, or until they’ve puffed up and are touching one another. While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 360°F.

Whisk together the reserved egg white and milk, and brush it over the buns.

Bake the buns for 20 to 25 minutes, until they’re golden brown. Remove from the oven, carefully turn the buns out of the pan (they should come out in one large piece), and transfer them to a rack to cool.

Mix together the icing ingredients, and when the buns are completely cool, pipe it in a cross shape atop each bun.

 

Grandma Ana’s – Croatian Easter Bread

A popular, sweet yeast bread made by Croatians at Easter time, this is often placed in the Easter food basket to be blessed on Holy Saturday and eaten Easter morning

Ingredients

For the dough

26.4 oz  AP Flour I use King Arthur all-purpose flour

2 seven oz packets dry yeast

4 oz sugar

pinch of salt

2 tablespoon  vanilla sugar

2.6 oz  butter

2.6 oz  lard

½  cups (150 ml) warm milk

4  oz  sour cream

3 eggs

1 egg yolk

2¾ tbsp   plum brandy aka slivovitz or I use apple juice

3 oz   raisins

1.5 oz  mixed  candied fruit

Finely grated zest of 1 orange

Finely grated zest of  1 lemon

Egg wash

1 egg

Pinch of sugar

Instructions

Soak raisins in brandy or juice

Sift flour into a bowl. Add salt, sugar and vanilla sugar.

Dissolve yeast in warm milk and add to the flour mixture.

Add your eggs, yolk, sour cream and citrus zest. Then add candied fruit and raisins together with rum. Knead until soft dough forms. Make sure to knead it for about 10 minutes. Cover with clean kitchen towel and let rise in warm place until doubled in size (about 1 hour).

Punch the dough and knead it again, adding melted and cooled butter and lard.

Cover with clean kitchen towel and let rise in warm place until again doubled in size.

Shape the dough into 4 round loafs  and place them onto baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Let them rest for 20-30 minutes. Using kitchen scissors  cut a cross into the surface of each bun. Brush the surface with whisked egg and let stand for 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Bake for 30-35 minutes. While  warn not hot, brush lightly with butter and sprinkle  with sugar optional

Grandma Ana’s Peasant Bread

4 cups unbleached All-Purpose Flour

2 teaspoons kosher salt or 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt

2 teaspoons sugar

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry or instant yeast

2 cups lukewarm water

Instructions

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, sugar, and yeast. Add the water and mix until the water is absorbed and the dough comes together in a sticky ball.

Cover the bowl and set aside in a warm spot to rise for 1 to 1 1/ 2 hours, until the dough has doubled in bulk.

Place a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat it to 425°F. Use the butter to generously grease two 1-quart oven-safe bowls or a 3-quart casserole dish (for one large loaf).

Use two forks to deflate the dough by releasing it from the side of the bowl and pulling it toward the center. Rotate the bowl as you deflate, turning the mass into a rough ball. To make a single large loaf, pick up the mixing bowl, turn it over, and plop the dough into the larger casserole dish.

To make two small loaves, use your forks to separate the dough down the center, dividing it into two equal pieces. Use the forks to lift each half of the dough into the prepared bowls. If the dough is wet and hard to handle, try lightly greasing your hands and transfer each half to a bowl by hand.

Don’t cover the dough. Let it rise on the countertop in a warm spot for 10 to 20 minutes, until the top of the dough just crests the rims of the small bowls, or is almost doubled in the larger casserole dish.

Bake the bread for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375°F and bake for 17 to 20 minutes more for smaller loaves, or 25 to 30 minutes more for a single large loaf. When golden brown all over, remove from the oven and turn the bread out onto a cooling rack.

Store, well wrapped, at room temperature for several days; freeze for longer storage.

My Oatmeal Bread

3/4 cup lukewarm water

1 3/4 cups “quick” rolled oats

1 tablespoon active dry yeast

2 tablespoons raw honey

1 tablespoon brown sugar

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1  teaspoons salt

1/2 cup instant mashed potato flakes

2 1/4 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

1 tablespoons oats, to sprinkle on top

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees fnht

Combine the 3/4 cup water and oats, and let rest for 20 minutes. This gives the oats a chance to absorb the water and soften up.

If you’re using active or dry yeast, dissolve it in 2 tablespoons of the lukewarm water with a pinch of sugar. It should start to bubble as the oats and water rest.

Add the remaining ingredients to the oats (including the yeast/water/sugar mixture, if you’re using active dry yeast), and mix and knead by hand until the dough feels springy; it will be stiff.

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, and allow it to rise, covered, for 2 hours.

Gently punch the dough, and shape it into an 9 inch  log. Place it in a lightly greased 9×5 loaf pan. Cover the pan loosely with lightly greased plastic wrap.

Allow the dough to rise at room temperature for 1 1/2  to  2 hours, until it’s  about 1 inch over the rim of the pan.

Brush the top of the loaf with milk, and sprinkle with oats.

Bake the bread for 20 to 25  minutes  then tent  it loosely with aluminum foil, and bake for an additional 20 to 30 minutes. When the bread is done, it’ll be golden brown. Remove the bread from the oven, wait 5 minutes, then turn it out of the pan onto a rack to cool. Cool completely before slicing.

Store wrapped at room temperature.

 

Pogaca

Ingredients

1 cup milk

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

1 package active dry yeast

2 tablespoons sugar

5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (plus additional for shaping)

1 cup sour cream

1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil

1 large egg (slightly beaten)

1 teaspoon salt

This is optional I don’t always fill them. But when I do here is ingredients for filling:

½ handful of parsley

1 cup feta cheese

1 tablespoon honey

Directions

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add salt, sugar and oil and stir until completely mixed.

Add flour and mix until a cohesive dough forms. Knead until smooth. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled.

Heat oven to 300 degrees

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a flat round. Transfer to a sheet pan that has been lined with parchment paper.

Prick loaf all over with a fork. Rub top of bread with oil.

Let stand  uncovered, 20 minutes in a warm place.

Bake 30 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack before you cut into it

*when or if you fill them you add a small amount and close it well so filling doesn’t ooze out.

Zlevanka Sweet Corn Bread

Simple easy and delicious. This recipe I simplified from the old school method of lard.

Ingredients

3 whole eggs

10 Tbs sugar

2 cups corn flour

1/2 cup cooked corn

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 cup sour cream

2/3 cup canola oil

1 cup milk

12 oz cottage cheese

2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Mix together eggs and sugar.

Add corn flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, sour cream, oil, milk, cottage cheese and vanilla.

Pour into a large oiled baking tray.

Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit

breas

Posted in Bread, Family Tradition, Food, Foodie, Recipe

Povitica Croatian Walnut Sweet Bread

Posted on by ChronicallyGratefulDebla

I loved hearing stories about my my grandmother Anna Radenic Briglovich.

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She and my grandfather Frank (Franjo Brigljevic) Briglovich came to this country as married young teenagers from Velika Gorica Croatia. My father was the youngest of 13 children.

 

My father used to talk about how good of a cook his mom was, how sometimes the pot on the stove looked almost as tall as she was, and how particular she was in the kitchen. She would pin and net her hair , make sure everything was spotless before starting to cook or bake.

He said that when she made Povitica it was a real Croatian treat.

I have always loved to cook and bake and I am a very good cook. From Ol school recipes to new ones. But this one is going to be a real challenge.

 

I never met my grandmother Briglovich unfortunately and I am making this for Easter this year and it will be a few trial runs for me.

I have never made this before and who knows I may never make it again haha.

I always cheated and just bought it from StrawberryHill they are fabulous and oh my the flavors they have….

 

God Bless my grandmother for always cooking from scratch for her family it is very time consuming,.

 

The main most important things to remember is Roll it out big and thin.

 

And make sure you bake it low temp and for the time specified otherwise the middle will be undercooked and not edible.

 

Since my grandmother didn’t have a recipe for this I am using the one from the Great British Bake Off

Povitica. Pov-e-Tee-z

 

Equipment Needed

Equipment and preparation: for this recipe you will need a clean, flat single bed sheet and a 1kg/2lb loaf tin.

A chopper

A large area to work on

Ingredients

Ingredients

For the dough

300g/10½oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting

40g/1½oz caster sugar

7g salt

10g/⅓oz fast-action yeast

30g/1oz unsalted butter, melted

1 large free-range egg, beaten

½ vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped out

150ml/5½fl oz whole milk, warmed

For the filling

60g/2¼oz unsalted butter

4 tbsp whole milk

280g/10oz walnut pieces

½ vanilla pod, split and seeds scraped out

100g/3½oz caster sugar

2 tbsp cocoa powder

1 free-range egg yolk, beaten

To assemble

15g/½oz butter, melted

1 free-range egg white, beaten

100g/3½oz icing sugar

 

Method

1 For the dough, tip the flour and sugar into the bowl of a freestanding mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the salt into one side of the bowl and the yeast to the other. Add the melted butter, egg, vanilla seeds and warm milk and begin mixing on a slow speed. When the dough starts to come together, mix for a further 5-8 minutes on a medium speed until the dough is soft, smooth and stretchy.

2 Tip the dough into a lightly oiled mixing bowl, cover with cling film and leave to rise until at least doubled in size – about one hour. Butter a 1kg/2lb loaf tin.

3 For the filling, place the butter and milk in a small pan and heat gently until the butter has melted. Remove from the heat.

4 Place the walnuts, vanilla seeds, sugar and cocoa powder into the bowl of a food processor and blend to a sandy powder. Add the egg yolk, milk and butter mixture and pulse to combine. Set aside.

5 To assemble, spread a clean bed sheet over a kitchen table and dust with flour. Turn the risen dough out onto the sheet and roll out the dough into a large 50x30cm/20x12in rectangle. Brush the surface with 15g/½oz melted butter.

6 Dust your hands with flour and ease them underneath the dough. Using the backs of your hands, stretch the dough out from the centre until very thin and translucent (you should be able to see the sheet through the dough). The rectangle should measure approximately 1metrex60cm/40x24in.

7 Taking care not to tear the dough, spread the filling over the dough until evenly covered. If the filling has been standing for a long time and is too thick, add a little warm milk to loosen it.

8 Starting at the long edge of the dough, lift the sheet and gently roll the dough up tightly, like a Swiss roll.

9 Carefully lift the dough and place one end in the bottom corner of the greased loaf tin. Ease the roll into the base of the tin to form a long ‘U’ shape, then double back laying the roll over the first ‘U’ shape to form a second ‘U’ shape on top.

10 Place the loaf tin inside a clean plastic bag and leave to rise for one hour.

11 Preheat the oven to 180C/160C(fan)/ 350F/Gas 4.

12 Brush the dough with beaten egg white and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 150C/130C(fan)/300F/Gas 3 and bake for a further 45 minutes, or until golden-brown. Cover with foil if the top begins to darken too much.

13 Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 30 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

14 Mix the icing sugar with a few drops of cold water to make a runny icing and drizzle it over the povitica. Slice and enjoy.

 

I got the recipe from PBS Recipe Povitica The Great British Bake Off

Tips

Using a bed sheet makes it easier to roll the very thin dough. Clean the sheet well before use or use a large piece of cotton.

Allow enough time to bake do not cut time short or middle could be doughy…yuck

Thankfully I finally saw the method on The Great British Bake Off show on PBS which explains why my first one didn’t turn out well at all.

It was rolled out way to thick….and it looked nothing like it should have ….

Here is a link of their recipe and a video on their end results and how it should look.

The Great British Bake Off – PBS

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/povitica_92623/amp

You Tube

Posted in Delicious, Family Tradition, Recipes

Cheese Balls Even A Recipe for A Vegan Cheeseball…

Posted on by ChronicallyGratefulDebla

There are a lot of cheese ball recipes out there but these Quick and Delicious Cheese Ball Recipes are my favorite ones.

When I was growing up I always remember the cheese balls.

But they were never homemade like the cookies. They came from Hickory Farms. And all the ones premade have so many things we don’t need like tons of sodium.

Well I started making my own and they are quick easy and delicious.

When my granddaughter was little we’d make this. And serve with a veggie tray and a few crackers.

I call this GaGa’s traditional

Cheese Ball

8 ounces cream cheese

4 ounces sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 Tablespoon lemon juice (I used 1/2 a lemon)

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (be sure to use vegetarian if you’re feeding vegetarians)

1 Teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 red bell pepper, minced

2 scallions, minced

1/6cup asparagus chopped fine optional

3 Tablespoons Of chopped chives

1/3 cup pecans, chopped fine.

veggies or crackers for serving

Prepare all ingredients, This is easiest to make if you let your cream cheese come to room temperature before you start. It’ll make the mixing easier, but you should be able to mix it no matter what.

Combine your cheeses in a medium bowl.

Make sure to mince the veggies finely so there aren’t any huge chunks.

Toss those into the mix.

Next, add all the spices! Remember that Worcestershire sauce isn’t vegetarian.

It has anchovies in it!

So if you have vegetarian guests you can use the veggie version which tastes almost identical in my opinion.

Stir this all together really well.

Rolling the ball

If you’re lazy, you could just use the dip like this and spread it onto crackers right out of the bowl, but if you like a good presentation then chop a couple handfuls of pecans and roll the cheese ball out in the pecans so it forms a tight round ball.

I think it tastes best if you let it sit in the fridge for an hour or two to set up but it’s definitely not essential. And it’s still delicious

If you eat it right away.

Makes 1 cheeseball.

Mexican Cheese Ball

Servings: 12

Ingredients

2 (8-oz) packages cream cheese, softened

1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend

1 (4-oz) can of Old El Paso diced green chiles, drained

1 (1-oz) package Old El Paso taco seasoning

1/4 cup sliced green onions (about 2 green onions)

1 small half handful cilantro chopped optional

1 teaspoon lime juice or lemon if you don’t like lime

1 cup crushed tortilla chips (about 3 cups whole)

Tortillas chips and sliced red and green bell pepper for serving

Instructions

In a bowl or a food processor, add the cream cheese, shredded cheese, diced green chilies, taco seasoning, green onions, and lime juice.

Mix well until ingredients are completely combined.

Line a bowl with plastic wrap. Spoon the mixture on top of the plastic wrap and wrap completely forming a ball.

Chill in the fridge (or the freezer for faster chilling) for at least an hour until ball is firm.

In a food processor, crush chips until fine. Or place in a plastic bag and crush them if you don’t have a food processor

Unroll ball from plastic wrap and roll in the crushed chips.

Cut slices with a knife and serve with chips and bell peppers.

Recipe Notes

This can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge or freezer.

How to make a Show Stopper antipasto cheese ball christmas tree or wreath

1. To mould the tree out of your cream cheese dip, you’ll need to place a piece of plastic wrap down on your bench top first, then scoop out the prepared dip onto the plastic wrap.

2. Place another piece of plastic wrap over it to cover it and mould it with your hands until it forms a tree. Depending on the width of your plastic wrap, you may need a second piece to completely cover it so you don’t get dip all over your hands.

3. The cream cheese is more stable in a wider tree shape rather than a tall, thin tree. The taller tree folds over and collapses.

4. If you find your cream cheese has softened too much and won’t hold its shape, refrigerate it until it thickens again.

After you’ve moulded it, use a cake spatula or knife to smooth it out.

Then cover it completely wth antipasto ingredients! I used mixed olives and sun dried tomatoes for mine, and used a yellow bell pepper to cut out a star for the top! 

THEN, for added flavour, brush over the olives with some sun dried tomato oil from the jar!

YUM!

Ingredients

For The Dip:

•4 cups cream cheese, softened

•1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

•1/2 cup red bell peppers diced

•1/3 cup dill pickles, finely diced

•1/4 cup chives, chopped

•1/3 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped

•1 tablespoon onion powder

•2 teaspoons garlic powder

•Salt, to taste (if desired) I never use salt

For The Decorations:

1 1/2 – 2 cups pitted mixed olives (I use a variety of black, green and Kalamata olives) — dried with paper towel

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped (dried with paper towel)

Rosemary leaves/sprigs to decorate

Ritz, water crackers or pretzels for serving

Salami ,pepperoni,prosciutto sliced very thin for serving.

Instructions

1. In a bowl combine all the ingredients for the dip and mix until the ingredients are well combined.

2. Place a piece of non-stick plastic wrap on a clean bench top or work surface. Scoop the cream cheese mixture out onto the plastic wrap and completely cover with another piece of wrap (you may need two pieces to cover it).

3. Use your hands to mould the cream cheese into a tree shape. Then, carefully pick up the tree with one hand and peel off the plastic wrap on the bottom of the tree with your other hand. Place the tree straight onto a serving plate.

4. Use a cake spatula to smooth the edges. Decorate with olives, sun-dried tomatoes and rosemary leaves/sprigs, lightly pressing each element into the cream cheese to ensure they stay on. Brush with some sun dried tomato oil from the jar (optional but adds even more flavour)!

5. Top with a star cut out of a yellow or orange bell pepper or a thick slice of cheese.

6. Serve with crackers of your choice, salami and prosciutto slices rolled up!
ENJOY!

Recipe Notes

1. The cream cheese is more stable in a wider tree shape rather than a tall, thin tree. The taller tree folds over and collapses.

2. If you find your cream cheese has softened too much and won’t hold its shape, refrigerate it until it thickens again (about 20 minutes).

3. Pat dry each olive and sun dried tomato on a sheet of paper towel before decorating your tree to make sure they stay on, or they may slide off if covered in oil from the jar.

Sweet Cheese Balls

Sweet and Savory Pineapple Cheese Ball

Ingredients

• 2 packages (8 ounces each) reduced-fat cream cheese

• 1 can (20 ounces) crushed pineapple, well drained

• 3 cups finely chopped pecans, divided

• 1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper

• 1 tablespoon finely chopped onion

• 1 teaspoon seasoned salt

• Assorted crackers

Directions

1 In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Stir in pineapple, 1-1/2 cups pecans, green pepper, onion and seasoned salt. Shape into two balls. Wrap in plastic; refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

2 Place remaining pecans in a small shallow bowl; roll cheese balls in pecans to coat evenly. Serve with crackers. You can also serve with ham

Yield: 2 cheese balls (2 cups each).

S’more Cheese Ball

 

Marshmallows, chocolate and graham crackers combine to make one delicious sweet cheese ball. It is everything you love about s’mores wrapped up into on tasty dessert appetizer!

Ingredients

• 16 ounces cream cheese, softened

• ½ cup powdered sugar

• 1 cup mini marshmallows

• ½ cup marshmallow crème

• 1 cup mini chocolate chips

OUTER COATING

• ½ cup graham cracker crumbs

• ¼ mini chocolate chips

• ¼ cup marshmallow bits

Instructions

1 In medium bowl combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, mini marshmallows, marshmallow creme and 1 cup mini chocolate chips. Beat until well combined.

2 Form soft ball and place in a container for 10 minutes in the freezer.

3 While cheese ball is setting, combine graham crackers, chocolate chips and marshmallow bits on a large plate and mix.

4 Remove cheese ball and roll in graham cracker mixture.

5 Refrigerate for it least ½ hour and server with graham crackers.

Vegan CheeseBall

Sharp Cheddar Vegan Cheeseball

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cups raw cashews, soaked in purified water for 4-6 hours

• 2 packed tablespoons dry pack sun dried tomatoes, snipped into small pieces with kitchen scissors then soaked in the purified water with the cashews

• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast

• 1 tablespoon dry sherry (optional)

• 1 heaped tablespoon mellow white miso (use chickpea miso if you are sensitive to soy)

• 1 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar

• 1 teaspoon sea salt

• 1 teaspoon onion powder

• 1/2 teaspoon dry ground mustard powder

• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric

• dash cayenne

• 1/2 cup organic unrefined coconut oil

PREPARATION

1 Pour the soaking water off the cashews and sun-dried tomatoes and then rinse them with fresh purified water.

2 Drain well. Place the cashews and the tomatoes in a food processor or high powered blender and pulse until they start to form a paste, scraping down the sides as necessary.

3 Add all of the seasonings and pulse until thoroughly combined. Add the coconut oil. Blend or process until the mixture is completely smooth, scraping down the sides occasionally. This process takes up to 10 minutes in a food processor and a few minutes in a power blender. Scrape the soft cheese into a container.

4 Cover and refrigerate for 4-6 hours or until the cheese is quite firm.

5 Scrape the cheese out of the container and place onto a clean surface. With your hands, form the cheese into a ball. See note below for topping/variation ideas.

The organic unrefined coconut oil does leave a very slight coconut flavor in the finished product. If you prefer, you can use refined coconut oil for no coconut aftertaste.

The cheese ball can be served as is or rolled in any variety of chopped nuts and or herbs. I used sliced almonds, but walnut pieces or pecan pieces with some fresh minced parsley, thyme or sage would be amazing.

The cheese ball gets softer as it reaches room temperature, so it’s best if it’s kept chilled until immediately before use.

Posted in Candy, Desserts, Family Tradition

Stained Glass Window Fudge

Posted on by ChronicallyGratefulDebla

Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips or 12 ounces best quality dark chocolate, finely chopped

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 bag (10.5 ounces) colored mini marshmallows

Directions

1.

In a large bowl combine butter and chocolate. Microwave on high for approximately 45 seconds. Stir then repeat at 20 second intervals until the mixture is fully melted and smooth. Stir in vanilla until thoroughly combined.

2.

Let chocolate cool for a few minutes until it is cool to the touch, but hasn’t hardened. Fold in the marshmallows and stir to completely coat the marshmallows in chocolate.

3.

Spoon the mixture in the shape of a log down the center of a sheet of wax paper about 24 inches in length. Roll up sides of waxed paper and twist the ends to seal. Refrigerate for at least two hours to set. Cut in 1/3 inch slices and serve. Keep in the refrigerator, covered.

Posted in Ancestry, Arthritis, Avascular Necrosis, Awareness, Bone Health, Delicious, Family Tradition, Food, Foodie, Soup, Healthy, Delicious, Uncategorized, Vegetables

Moms Stove Top Pot Roast

Posted on by ChronicallyGratefulDebla

My mother made the best Pot Roast. I can smell and taste it now.

On the rare occasion I eat beef I make this.

Especially now that it’s cold out.

Stove Top Pot Roast

Ingredients

•1 boneless beef chuck roast (3 to 4 pounds)

•2 to 3 garlic cloves, sliced

•2 tablespoons olive oil

•1 large onion, cut into 1/2-inch slices

•3 celery ribs, cut into 1/2-inch slices

•2 medium turnips, peeled and cut into chunks

•4 cups water

•2 teaspoons beef bouillon granules or 1 pack onions soup mix

•4 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered

•1 pound carrots, cut into chunks

•1/2 pound fresh green beans, trimmed

•1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms

•1 small can diced tomatoes

•3 tablespoons cornstarch

•1/3 cup cold water

Directions

1. Cut slits in roast; insert garlic slices. In a Dutch oven, brown roast in oil on all sides. Remove roast; add the onion, celery and turnips to skillet. Place roast over vegetables; add water and bouillon. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 2 hours.

2. Add the tomatoes,potatoes, carrots and beans; cover and cook for 45 minutes. Add mushrooms; cover and cook 15 minutes longer or until meat and vegetables are tender. Remove to a serving platter and keep warm.

3. Skim fat from cooking juices. Combine cornstarch and cold water until smooth; stir into pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve with roast and vegetables. Yield: 8-10 servings.

Posted in Ahlbacks Disease, Arthritis, Blessed, Bone Health, Cardiovascular, Delicious, Eat Healthy, Family Tradition, Food, Food Is Thy Medicine, Foodie, Inflammation, Lemon, Life, Parsley, Pasta, Recipes, Uncategorized, Vegetables

Pasta and Chimichurri Sauce

Posted on by ChronicallyGratefulDebla

I love to cook. But sometimes when your not feeling up to par I like something healthy and fast without ordering take out.

This dish is on the table in no time.

Enjoy

Pasta and Chimichurri

•16oz angel hair pasta

Sauce

•1 1/2 cup parsley

•2 fresh basil leaves

•4 cloves garlic

•Juice of half a lemon (1-2 tbsp)

•1 cup olive oil

•2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

•½ tsp ground black pepper

•Salt to taste

•Parmesan for topping (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large pot of salted water, cook pasta 1 minute less than package instructions

2. Drain pasta

3. In a food processor, combine parsley, basil,, garlic, lemon juice, red pepper flakes and olive oil until a pesto-like sauce forms.

4. Put pasta back in (slightly cooled) pot and pour 1/4 cup sauce over the pasta. Toss with tongs until evenly coated.Add more if required.

5. Add salt and pepper to taste and toss.

6. Top with parmesan, if desired.

Store any unused sauce in frig in airtight mason jar. Store up to 2 weeks

Sauce can also be used on chicken, turkey ,beef,fish or shrimp as a marinade.

I also make my sauce the day before so flavors get in the oil.

Tip when I would use on steak or chicken with a twist I also would add 1 roasted jalapeño and also add 1 handful of cilantro to above mixture.

Posted in Awareness, Bone Health, Chicken, Dinner , Food, Delicious, Eat Healthy, Family Tradition, Recipes, Soup, Healthy, Delicious, Uncategorized, Vegetables

Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Soup & Vegan Mushroom Soup

Posted on by ChronicallyGratefulDebla

My grandmother Thelma made fabulous everything.

But she never or rarely used recipes.

So by trial and error I have this soup pretty spot on.

It’s warming and cozy.

I hope you enjoy.

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon olive oil and a teaspoon of butter

8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch chunks or 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts cubed.

Pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 cloves garlic, minced

8-10 ounces cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced

1 onion, diced

4 carrots, peeled and diced

3 stalks celery, diced

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

4 -6 cups chicken stock

1 bay leaf

1/2 cup half and half, or more, as needed

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

1 sprig rosemary

DIRECTIONS:

•Heat olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper, to taste. Add chicken to the stockpot and cook until golden, about 3 – 4 minutes; set aside.

•Melt butter in the stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic, mushrooms, onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in thyme until fragrant, about 1 minute.

•Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1-2 minutes. Whisk in chicken stock, and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 4-5 minutes. Now add chicken and bay leaf.

Cook 25-30 minutes on medium low.

•Remove bay leaf.

•Stir in half and half until heated through, about 1-2 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste. If the soup is too thick, add more half and half as needed until desired consistency is reached.

•Serve immediately, garnished with parsley and rosemary, if desired.

Store in refrigerator up to 2 days.

Do not freeze.

Creamy Vegan Mushroom Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil

•1 1/2 -2 pounds cremini mushrooms, diced

• 1/2 pound porcini mushrooms

•Handful of shiitake mushrooms

•3/4 cup yellow (or other) onions, diced

•2 garlic cloves, minced

•1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

•2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped

•1 carrot-1 stalk celery diced

•4 cups vegetable stock

•1/4 each of salt and pepper to taste

1 cup veggie stock.

•1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

•Optional: chopped mushrooms for garnish

Heat olive oil on medium-high heat in a large pot.

2. Add in the mushrooms, stir to coat with the olive oil. Cook the mushrooms on medium-high heat until they are lightly browned and have released most of their water.

3. Reduce heat to medium. Add veggie stock, minced onions, garlic, salt, pepper dried tarragon,

4. Increase the heat to medium-high; bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

5. Using a hand immersion blender, purée the sauce until smooth and then return to the pot. (If the sauce is too thick add some water or a little more more stock to thin the sauce to the desired level of thickness.)

Posted in Ahlbacks Disease, Arthritis, AtomicBlonde, Avascular Necrosis, Awareness, Baking, Blessed, Bone Health, Breakthrough Crew, BreakThroughCrew, Candy, Cardiovascular, Chronic Pain, Clinical Trials, Croatian Family, Delicious, Desserts, Diagnosed, Disclaimer, Eat Healthy, Endocrinologist, Factor V Leiden, Family Tradition, Opinions, Thoughts, Uncategorized

Blogs

Posted on by ChronicallyGratefulDebla

I think I will be starting a new blog just for recipes

Opinions? I really want your opinions

Since I am a health leader and advocate who lives with several chronic conditions

Should I focus on just that or have a mix

Posted in Bone Health, Delicious, Eat Healthy, Family Tradition, Gluten Free, Hacks, Uncategorized, Vegetables

Eggplant Pomodoro Pasta.

Posted on by ChronicallyGratefulDebla

If you are an eggplant lover, this dish is for you! If you are on the fence about eggplant this will make you a lover for sure.

Eggplant and tomato sauce flavored with capers and green olives and mixed with quinoa spaghetti, fresh parsley, and Parmesan cheese.

This Eggplant Pomodoro Pasta is a 30-minute vegetarian and gluten-free dish that you can make on any night.

But this is what’s for dinner tonight.

The summer is officially over. Our AC is turned off, most days , windows are open,I am loving the fresh breeze.

I hate to see Summer end. But I love fall veggies

Personally, if I had my way I would spend all day outside.

I keep finding excuses to go outside even though I should be home cleaning etc…. I am sure you know the feeling.

Having a bone disease I know I will be stuck indoors more than I would like because my bones can’t deal with the cold.

So any day above 65 is a blessing for me.

Today’s recipe, Eggplant Pomodoro Pasta, is a summer dish but I will.

Soon I will be having Squash and quinoa pasta but not today.

If you have ever cooked eggplants before, you would know, sometimes, especially if it is an older eggplant, its brown seeds might cause it taste bitter. To get rid of the bitterness, my mother used to put sliced eggplants in a bowl of water with a generous amount of salt. Letting it sit in salty water for 10-15 minutes would improve the taste of the flesh and get rid of the bitterness. Alternatively, you can also sprinkle your eggplant with salt and let is sit on the counter for 20-30 minutes. In both methods, it is imperative to pat dry them with paper towels and make sure they are as dry as possible.

I love quinoa spaghetti as I think it is healthier than regular spaghetti.

Plus it is gluten-free, but you can always use regular semolina flour pasta.

INGREDIENTS

•1 pound quinoa or brown rice pasta,

•2 medium eggplant or 5 small (1 pound), cut into 1-inch small cubes no need to peel but I stipe peel mine.

•1 tbspn salt is what is usually used

• I use less say a large teaspoon total and then I season into cooking a bit more.

•2 tablespoons olive oil

•4 cloves of garlic

•1 tablespoon tomato paste

•8 medium sized Roma tomatoes, cut into small cubes

•1 cup colorful cherry tomatoes, sliced

•3-4 tablespoons capers, drained and rinsed

•½ cup green olives, pitted and sliced

•2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

•salt and pepper *

•4 scallions, chopped both green and white parts

•½ cup Italian Parsley, rinsed and chopped thinly

•1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

•½ cup lightly roasted pine nuts (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Reserve one cup of the pasta liquid. Set aside.

2. As the pasta is cooking, make the eggplant pomodoro sauce: Fill a bowl with 4 cups of cold tab water. Add a tablespoon of salt. Place the eggplant cubes into the salty water. Let it sit for 10 minutes in water. Rinse and place on a sheet of paper towels to dry.

3. Heat olive oil in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet (or any heavy bottom pan) and add in the eggplant. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5-6 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.

4. Stir in the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.

5. Add in the Roma tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, capers, and green olives. Season with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper. Pour the balsamic vinegar into the sauce. Give everything a gentle stir and let it cook for 10-15 minutes in medium heat. Taste for seasoning and add if necessary.

6. Place the cooked pasta into the sauce (alternatively you can place everything in a large bowl). Sprinkle it with scallions, parsley, Parmesan cheese, and pine nuts (if using). If the pasta feels dry, use some of the reserved pasta liquid. Give it a toss to distribute the sauce evenly.

7. Serve with more Parmesan cheese parsley on the side.

Posted in Bone Health, Delicious, Eat Healthy, Family Tradition, Food, Foodie, Uncategorized, Vegetables

Beans and Greens

Posted on by ChronicallyGratefulDebla

White Beans and Escarole with Fresh Herbs and Lemon

Ingredients:

• 1 medium onion, finely diced

• 3 large cloves garlic, minced

• 15-ounce can white beans, rinsed and drained

• 2 cups (or so) of escarole, roughly chopped

• 1 cup chicken broth

• 1/4cup (or so) mixed herbs (I used flat leaf parsley, sage, and rosemary), chopped

• 1/2 tomato, finely diced

• juice of half a lemon

• sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

• pecorino romano for sprinkling

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil until tender. Add the escarole and wilt. Add the white beans and white wine and simmer for about five minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the herbs, tomato and lemon juice. Season. Sprinkle with pecorino romano or parmesan cheese just before serving.

Posted in Bone Health, Chicken, Dinner , Food, Delicious, Eat Healthy, Family Tradition, Food, Foodie, Lemon, Uncategorized

Francese and Piccata

Posted on by ChronicallyGratefulDebla

Francese and piccata are very similar. The difference between the two is for

Francese, the chicken breast is first dipped in flour then into a beaten egg mixture, before being cooked.

For piccata, the chicken is first dipped in egg and then in flour.

Both are simmered in a lemony butter sauce, but the piccata sauce includes capers.”

When you think of making a delicious Italian chicken piccata recipe, or francese you might imagine a kitchen with tons of dirty pots and pans. Not so with these recipes.

These easy Italian recipes uses one skillet to create the crispy, crunchy dish that will quickly become part of your weeknight meals. Elegant as can be, this chicken recipe is perfect for a Sunday dinner with the family but is easy enough to make for dinner after a long day at work. You can easily serve this with a green salad and or pasta for a dinner that’s both hearty and satisfying. You’ll love the light and tangy taste of the recipe’s sauce, too!

Pounded thin and lightly breaded, this chicken is a cinch to cook seared for a mere three to four minutes on each side, then simmered just three more in a bright sauce of lemon, wine, and butter.

Ingredients

About 2/3 cup all-purpose flour

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons water

Salt and pepper

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut horizontally to form 8 flat fillets then pounded to even 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick

4 tablespoons butter, divided

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 cup reduced-sodium chicken stock

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 lemon, 1/2 thinly sliced and seeded, 1/2 juiced

2 tablespoons drained capers if you making it piccata.

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Posted in Baking, Bone Health, Delicious, Desserts, Family Tradition, Food, Foodie, Lemon, Life, Recipes, Uncategorized

Lemon Desserts

Posted on by ChronicallyGratefulDebla

Lemon-lovers rejoice!

This limoncello cake offers a decadent flavor and texture that’s hard to beat.

Incorporate lemon and limoncello liquor into the cake batter, and then indulge in the mascarpone cheese icing that blends lemon curd and mascarpone cheese with whipped cream.

The lady fingers are soaked in lemon syrup spiked with Limoncello and there’s a layer of strawberries and cream in the middle.

Ingredients

For the Lemon Syrup

1 1/2 cup (120ml) water

1 1/2 cup (300g) sugar

2 large lemons, peeled with a sharp vegetable peeler to avoid the white pith (about 10 strips)

3/4 cup (180ml) fresh lemon juice (juice of 2 large lemons)

2 tablespoons (30ml) Limoncello (optional)

For the Mascarpone Filling:

3 tablespoons (45ml) water

2 tablespoons (25g) sugar

4 large egg yolks

16 ounces (2 cups, 340g) mascarpone cheese, cold

3/4 cup (100g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted if lumpy

1 cup (250ml) heavy cream, cold

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 quarts (about 2.5 lbs) fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced (or other berry of your choice)

1 1/2 packages of ladyfingers (about 36 cookies)

Borage flowers or other edible flowers, optional as well.

Method

Make the lemon syrup: Add water, sugar and lemon peel to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Simmer for 1 minute, or until the sugar dissolves.

Remove from the heat, stir in lemon juice and Limoncello, if using, and set aside. Allow to cool and remove peels.

Make the cream: Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Bring to a boil and simmer until sugar dissolves, 1 minute. Place egg yolks in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, and whisk on medium-low.

With the mixer running, slowly and very carefully drizzle in the hot sugar syrup. Increase the mixer’s speed to medium-high and beat until the bowl is no longer hot to the touch and the mixture has tripled in size, about 5 minutes.

Turn mixer to medium speed and add mascarpone in a few large dollops, letting each incorporate before adding the next. Add confectioners sugar and beat until just combined and smooth.

In a separate clean and chilled bowl, beat cream and vanilla to stiff peaks. Using a spatula, gently fold whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture until fully incorporated. Set aside.

Pour lemon syrup into a shallow bowl and dip ladyfingers, turning once to coat for a few seconds, allowing them to absorb some of the syrup. Line the bottom of the 9×13 baking dish with a single layer of the ladyfingers.

If you have a lot more than half the syrup left, drizzle an extra two or three tablespoons syrup over the ladyfingers in the dish.

Top ladyfingers with half of the mascarpone mixture and smooth the surface with an offset spatula or butter knife. Place a layer of sliced strawberries all over the mascarpone mixture, reserving the remaining strawberries for the top.

Repeat with the second layer of dipped ladyfingers, and top with the remaining mascarpone mixture. Smooth the top.

Decorate the top with the remaining strawberries. For a flower pattern, work from the center-out and angle the strawberries slices, continuing around the dish until you have a flower-like pattern.

Refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours and up to 1 day.

Top with a sprinkle of edible flowers, if desired, then slice and serve.

You can also make this without the

The finished product looks like this , but also below it it’s shown without strawberries.

I love it both ways.

Here are 2 different recipes and a recipe for lemon cake.

I make these year round.

Recipe 2

Now a not so fancy or complicated but delicious lemon

Ingredients :

1/2 Cup Limoncello Liqueur

1 Cup Water

1/2 Cup Sugar

3/4 Cup Lemon Juice

40 Savoiardi or Lady Finger Cookies (2 Packages)

FOR THE MASCARPONE CREAM:

1 1/2 Cups Heavy Cream

1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar

16 Ounces Mascarpone Cream, Room Temperature

1 (10 Ounce) Jar Lemon Curd, divided

GARNISH:

Remaining Lemon Curd

Lightly Toasted Sliced Almonds

In a small pan, heat the limoncello, water, sugar and lemon juice to a boil over medium high heat, then reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring often, until the sugar has completely disolved.

Set the syrup aside to cool to room temperature.

In one bowl beat the cream with an electric mixer on high until soft peaks form.

Begin to add 1/2 cup of the sugar until blended.

In a separate bowl, beat the mascarpone with 3/4 of the jar of lemon curd until smooth, reserving the rest of the curd for the garnish.

Fold the cream mixture into the mascarpone mixture until blended.

Pour the syrup into a shallow bowl, and quickly dip each of the cookies into the mixture and lay them side by side in a 13 x 9 inch casserole dish.

If necessary, cut the cookies to fill in any spaces.

Once you have one layer of cookies completed, spoon over half the mascarpone mixture.

Make another layer of dipped savoiardi cookies on top of the mascarpone cream layer, then finish by topping this layer with the rest of the cream mixture.

Use a knife to smooth the top of the cream, and garnish with the toasted almonds.

Mix the remaining lemon curd with a spoon, then drizzle it across the top of the tiramisu.

Refrigerate for at least 6 hours, or overnight.

Recipe 3 Lemon Cake

Ingredients

CAKE:

2½ cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup butter, softened

1½ cups sugar

3 eggs

½ cup buttermilk

½ cup limoncello (lemon-flavored) liqueur

Zest and juice of one lemon

Optional: white chocolate shavings

FROSTING:

16 ounces mascarpone cheese

1¼ cups lemon curd

2 cups chilled whipping or heavy cream

⅔ cups powdered sugar

Ingredients

CAKE:

2½ cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup butter, softened

1½ cups sugar

3 eggs

½ cup buttermilk

½ cup limoncello (lemon-flavored) liqueur

Zest and juice of one lemon

Optional: white chocolate shavings

FROSTING:

16 ounces mascarpone cheese

1¼ cups lemon curd

2 cups chilled whipping or heavy cream

⅔ cups powdered sugar

Directions

CAKE:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease 2 (9-inch) round cake pans and line with parchment paper. Grease and flour the parchment paper.

In a bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, and salt until well combined and set aside. Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Add flour alternately with buttermilk and limoncello mixed with lemon juice.

Bake cakes for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool completely in pans. Once cool, remove from pans.

Place 1st layer on serving plate. Frost top with 1/3 frosting. Place 2nd layer on top. Frost with half of frosting. Use remaining frosting to frost sides of cake and decorate top with optional white chocolate shavings.

FROSTING:

Cream together mascarpone cheese and lemon curd. Whip cream. Slowly adding powdered sugar until it’s all added. Fold cheese mixture into whipped cream and mix until completely combined.

Posted in Ancestry, Blessed, Croatian Family, family, Family Tradition, Family Tree, Geneology, History, Life, Music

I Love History and I Did Ancestry DNA

Posted on by ChronicallyGratefulDebla

I love history and I have been researching both sides of my family tree. 
I found some interesting information from my fathers side. 

Some information I have found. And I cannot wait to see what else I uncover.

I may start a geneology blog so I can keep all that information in one area. 

Any tips from others would be greatly appreciated

Is it time that I put my family history research on a blog of its own? Maybe.  
I been doing research for months and in some areas years and I have a lot of wonderful information I’d like to share. 
And  a place to record my  research progress and keep better track of what I’m working on? So I will start a  new blog to get organized, share my  research with family, or bring it to fellow researchers across the world?

A story. We all have a story…..

Antun Mihanović (10 June 1796 – 14 November 1861) was a notable Croatian poet and lyricist, most famous for writing the national anthem of Croatia, which was put to music by Josif Runjanin and adopted in 1891. Klanjec, his birthplace, holds a monument to him and a gallery of his works.
Mihanović studied law and worked as a military judge. After engaging in diplomacy, he was the Austrian consul in Belgrade, Thessaloniki, Smyrna, Istanbul and Bucharest. He retired in 1858 as a minister counselor, and lived in Novi Dvori until his death.
The poem which would become the Croatian anthem was Horvatska domovina. It was first published in the cultural magazine Danica ilirska, No. 10, edited by Ljudevit Gaj, in 1835. The anthem itself would become known as Lijepa naša (Our Beautiful), since those are the first two words of the poem.

Mihanović also wrote a small but important book, Rěč domovini o hasnovitosti pisanja vu domorodnom jeziku (A Word to the Homeland about the Benefits from Writing in Mother Tongue), published in Vienna in 1815. The ideas in this book became one of the foundations of the Illyrian Movement.

His Sister  Marija Justina Veronika Mihanović married a great great great uncle of mine Josip Brigljevic . 

Maria Mihanovich was the youngest sister of Antun Mihanovich who wrote the lyrics for Croatian national anthem “Lijepa naša domovino”. No other siblings had survived other than two of them. She married a lawyer Joseph Brigljevich Kurilovečki (de Kurilovec). 

He was from a rich family of lawyers originating from Kurilovec-Velika Gorica area, but living in Zagreb. I was not able to find a specific connection to Brigleviches living in Velika Gorica. 

Joseph’s parents had three sons christened with name Joseph. The youngest one was christened in year 1810. I am assuming that the first two sons named Joseph did not survive, and that the third Joseph is the husband of Maria. It is interesting that the youngest Joseph was born after his father’s death and initially declared illegitimate. That decision was reversed. 

Joseph Brigljevich was a successful lawyer, until he ended up on the wrong side of the history. In 1848 there was a culmination of a conflict between between two Croatian parties, one supporting the union with Hungary and the other with Austria. He was supporting the loosing side (supporting the union with Hungarians), against the future ban of Croatia Josip Jelachich. 

Joseph Brigljevich tried to run, but was caught and put in prison, but eventually released folowing an intervention of his brother-in-law Antun Mihanovich, who was supporting the winning side. 

Antun Mihanovich has spent his last days living in the manor owned by Joseph (maybe as a pay off for saving his life). That manor is now called dvor Mihanović in honor of his most famous inhabitant.

Photo of Antun Mihanovic


Information also found in here 😀

Links
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Anthem_of_the_Kingdom_of_Yugoslavia

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antun_Mihanovi%C4%87

http://ihjj.hr/iz-povijesti/antun-mihanovic-rec-domovini-od-hasnovitosti-pisanja-vu-domorodnom-jeziku/29/

https://narod.hr/kultura/10-lipnja-1796-roden-antun-mihanovic
Josip Brigljevic 

http://www.thebestincroatia.info/ideje/antun-mihanovic-1128.html