THE BLAH BLAH BLOG Ask Me! Tell Me! I'm Listing (And Listening!)

What percentage of people looking to buy a home start their search online?

a. 25%

b. 12%

c.97%

c. 77%

Want to know the answer stop by after 3pm EST.  Knowing this answer can help you effectively market your home.  

These are favorites of my family, friends and guests.  I share them with you my virtual world.  Perhaps they will add a new twist to your holiday menu!  They always get rave reviews so I pass them along to you!  Happy Holidays!  Please share some of your best right on back with me I love to cook!  Not much of a baker as I like to create things on my own rather than measure and follow directions!!!! LOL  Tis the Season for Giving!

Spanekopeta (greek appetizer)

(recipe from my cousin Karina, he in-laws made for years)

Preheat oven 350 degrees

Makes 2-3 rolls

Ingredients:

1 stick butter

¼ cup chopped yellow onion

½ cup ricotta

1 large egg slightly beaten

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1 package phyllo dough (sold at wegman's_

1 pkg frozen chopped spinach (let thaw, squeeze excess water from spinach)

1/8 tsp pepper

1 cup unflavored bread crumbs

½ cup feta cheese

In a medium skillet over medium heat melt 1 tbsp butter add onions saute few minutes, add spinach and cook stirring frequently until spinach is dryish (about 5 minutes).  Remove from heat stir in cheese, egg and seasonings set aside.

Grease cookie sheet or cook on parchment paper.

Melt remaining butter.

Place 2 phyllo sheets lenghtwise on counter, lightly and gently brush phyllo sheets with butter, then lightly sprinkle breadcrumbs atop sheets, repeat this process 3 more times.

Spread 1/3 of the filling (about ¾ of a cup) lengthwise along the phyllo's edge closest to you.  You want to spread the mixture about 3 inches wide and the entire length leaving about one inch with no filling on each side.  Now with both hands roll the phyllo  dough over the mixture and continue rolling until phyllo completely rolled.  Press the ends down to seal the roll.  Place it seam side down on cookie sheet. Careful when picking it up to get on cookie sheet.  Brush top with butter. 

Now in one inch straight cuts, cut half way down thru the loaf.  (Must do this or it will be mush) You will repeat this until you've made 2-3 rolls...You can bake all 3 rolls on the same cookie sheet.    Bake 20 minutes or until the top is golden brown.  Remove place on cutting board cut all the way thru and serve.  Or roll it in wax paper then foil once cooled and freeze. 

To reheat, let thaw overnight in fridge or on counter 2-3 hours.  Then place in oven on 350 degrees for about 10 minutes or until center is hot to touch. 

Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Capicola, Roasted Peppers and Provolone

By Kathy Casarin

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts pounded thin

4 roasted peppers (or 1 jar packed in olive oil)

12 slices capicola

8 slices bacon (thick sliced hickory smoked works well)

8 slices mild provolone

4 tbsps minced garlic

1 tsp each dried sage, thyme

pepper to taste

½ cup olive oil

pine nuts 1 cup

1 cup locatelli pecorino romano cheese

2 bags baby spinach

DIRECTIONS:

Spice mixture:  mix dried sage, thyme, garlic olive oil, pine nuts (whole), locatelli and pepper together set aside.

Lay flat 2 slices bacon lengthwise, lay chicken breast smooth side down over edges of bacon, spread thin layer of spice mixture over chicken breast, then layer 3 slices capicola over each breast, then layer roasted peppers, provolone, finally then layer of baby spinach, roll tightly.  Repeat 3 times.

You can secure rolled stuffed breasts with bamboo skewers. Add a bit more of seasoning mixture over breasts...Place breasts in roasting pan,...bake in over on 375 until they reach 160-165...serve breast atop a bed of baby spinach...drizzle some pan drippings over spinach to help wilt.

Portabella Chicken Lasagna

2 boxes barilla lasagna no bake

4 pounds mushrooms sliced (baby bella)

Asiago shreded

8 oz Mozzerella shrredded

Provolone mild sliced

1 pt heavy cream

4 Shallots minced

1 bulb garlic minced

Nutmeg, marjoram, rosemary, pepper, parsley, italian spices

Locatelli grated

15 oz Whole milk ricotta

1 tsp Lemon juice

4 eggs

2 pounds chicken breasts boneless skinless

1 cup sherry dry

1 cup chicken stock

1 package frozen chopped spinach thawed

1/2 stick butter

Take chicken breasts and drop in boiling water for 20minutes cover...leave flame on medium. After 20minutes remove from water set aside.

Take ricotta, 4 eggs, heavy cream, spinach, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, pepper, 1/4 cup locatelli 1 tsp marjoram mix, lemon juice together set aside.

Take shallots, garlic (leave 1 tsp shallots and 1/2 tsp garlic for chicken)  toss in saute pan with butter saute until translucent, add sliced mushrooms saute, add sherry then chicken stock, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp rosemary, 1/4 tsp marjoram, 1/4 tsp italian spices let cook down about 15 minutes on low stirring occasionally. 

Pull cooled chicken with a fork across the grain to get it stringy, add 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp rosemary, 1/8 tsp italian spices, pepper

Layer lasagna then layer of juice from mushroom mixsture, then 4 barilla noodles overlapped, chciken mixture, more pasta, 4 slices provolone, mushrooms some asiago, 4 more pasta noodles...keep repeating....then top layer give some mushrooms and cover with mozzerella and provolone. Bake 30 minutes 375. Covered with foil.

Sundried Tomato Chicken

Florentine Alfredo

Created by Kathy Casarin and cousin Ann Marie Schaefer in Denver Colorado

serves 4-6

1-2 cups chicken stock

2 pounds chicken breast tenders 

1 16 oz jar California Sun-dry tomatoes packed in  herbs and olive oil (purchase at Wegman's)

2 bags baby spinach loosely chop

1 pt heavy cream

locatelli cheese

3 tbsps garlic minced

1 pound homemade fettucine (Constantini's works great)

In a 10-12 inch sauté pan brown chicken with olive oil garlic some of the sun dried tomato oil and locatelli.  Remove browned chicken cover place in oven on warm.  To sauté pan add garlic, sundried tomatoes, chicken stock cook down about 10-15 minutes on medium heat... add spinach cover 5 minutes to wilt/cook but not overcook spinach...remove lid, let simmer add heavy cream and cheese.... Mix chicken into cream sauce and serve over homemade fettucine.  

Wild Mushroom Soup

By Kathy Casarin

Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS:

1 stick butter

2 tbsps garlic minced

3 shallots minced

8 oz of each type of mushroom whole or sliced (do not chop)

  porcini, shitake, oyster, portabella, white

6 sprigs fresh thyme pull leaves off stems

1 pt heavy cream

3 celery stalks chopped fine

1 -1 1/2 cups dry sherry

4 tbsps locatelli pecorino romano cheese

1 cup chicken stock

Italian toast and chopped chives for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

Saute butter, shallots, garlic, celery for a few minutes  then add sherry, chicken stock, thyme, mushrooms.  Cover on medium heat about 45 minutes, stir occasionally.  Uncover and either use a hand blender or take soup and put in blender until mushrooms are coarsely chopped.  Place back in pot.  Take about 2 cups of soup and finely chop add back to pot.  (You want to have most of the mixture coarsely chopped so you can taste and chew the mushrooms.)  Leave uncovered add heavy cream, cheese and let simmer. 

SERVE:

Place in soup bowl, serve with one piece of Italian toast in center of bowl and top with chives.    

Let's have some fun!  Below are some movie titles to get you started!  Tell me!  What movie title would describe you or your business and why!  Come on! You've got to have a few titles brewing in that head of yours!  I'd love to know!

What movie title would describe you, your style, your business or interactions with clients as a Realtor?  To get you started here are several movie titles.  Think about it.  Just for fun but we could all use a laugh now and then right! 

Top Gun           The Negotiator        Sahara          The Omen             The Terminator           Mission Impossible         Easy Rider                             The Day After Tomorrow                      Close Encounters             Fame                                   Saturday Night Fever         Matchstick Men           Pushing Tin           Playing God          Gentlemen Prefer Blonds      The 7 Year Itch                                  Cheaper by the dozen           The CanonBall Run                                  Pulp Fiction         Barfly           The Island             Treasure Island          Bonnie and Cylde         For a Few Dollars More                  ScarFace         GoodFellas            The Sure Thing                Oceans 11                      Pretty Woman                Working Girl                                                 The Wizard OF Oz                       Sin City                                     Looking For Mr. Goodbar                 A Clockwork Orange                Rounders                  Analyze This                   Wall Street                   The Good The Bad And the Ugly                                                         The Beguiled                                       The Titanic                         Return of the Jedi                         Superman                                 Wonder Woman                        Live and Let Die Silver Streak                    The Boost                     Conspiracy Theory                 U-Turn              Saw                           Basic Instinct                         King Kong               Rocky                                                                                                The Money Pit                                  Easy Money                                   A Fist Full Of Dollars             The Fantastic Four                 Casino                 Risky Business        Playing God        Working  Girl

American Beauty               American Pie            Foul Play                        Its A Wonderful Life       Goldfinger                                                 Charlie and The Chocolate Factory              SWAT            Miami Vice   Office Space         Pirates of the Caribbean      Curious George 

My answer is my mom's!

What is your recipe or favorite dish for Thanksgiving?  I wish everyone a happy Healthful upcoming Thanksgiving! Take time to enjoy the company of family, friends and loved ones.  All around alot of turkey and leftovers!

www.readytorealestate.com of course!  And not just to win money, check out the content of this site and you'll be a winner for sure in the market of real estate!  My site is updated daily with the latest tips and trends the market has to offer.  You can't afford not to visit!  Logon today! 

Contact me via direct cell phone 570-351-1444, toll free 1-877-488-5008, office 570-585-1500, email KathyCasarin@yahoo.com.  Visit my website and contact me live via online chat or my blog session.  You will see Kathy Casarin is always available and easily accessible for everything Real Estate!  Don't wait contact me today!

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