Name: Chicken Broth with Ricotta-Parmesan Cubes aka "Minestrina di Cubetti"
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 8 -10 servings
Ingredients: 1/2 pound ricotta cheese (room temperature); 1 whole egg; 1 egg yolk; 1 teaspoon salt; grating of nutmeg; 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese (freshly grated); 2-3 quarts chicken broth; parsley (minced)

Cookbooks and the Beginning of a Paint-Splattered Blue-Sky October

October 2, 2017 by Julie Wallace 1 Comment

This photo shows where I’m at right now.

The hardwood floor is two different colors. There are blobs of paint here and there as if major projects are underway. Looking closer, there are indentations, scuffs, and scrapes. One color is light, the other dark. The mood is somber, hopeful, reminiscent, and regretful all at the same time.

It is the paint-splattered floor of an artist’s studio. It is the middle of a renovation when you pull up the carpet and realize there’s a lot more here than you thought there was. It has great scope. It has infinitesimal movement.

It is the sadness of autumn, the brilliant blue sky, and the promise that next summer will come, but not soon enough. I’d prefer to skip winter entirely, and am thankful I made it to October without turning on the heat.

I’m working on a book, finishing up life coaching certification requirements, plotting the future of this blog, and slowly completing the patio project. But with me, all of these things take two, three, or five times as long as projected because I work in spirals.

That means non-linear. It means I start at step 6 of a project, and proceed to steps 1, 2, and then 4. Or I drop the project all together and return to it ten years later – that’s how the whole “working on a book” thing appeared. Then there’s a completely different recipe-based website I’m contemplating, and the fact that, when the patio itself is completed, somebody has to also sculpt and mulch in the surrounding area…before winter strikes.

Which is all to say that I went to a great Estate Sale yesterday, and got a Marley Hodgson Ghurka No. 16 Bag for $15. If it was in perfect condition, it might resale at more than $100. This one is not in perfect condition, so I’ll spend time cleaning it up. Another non-linear project to accomplish.

And cookbooks.

In an effort to declutter, I got rid of some cookbooks. And then, in the frenzy of searching at three estate sales on Saturday, I got some more.

Of course the yellow background and black polka dot cover caught my eye. And then what caught my eye was this: Culinary Arts Institute Encyclopedic Cookbook, 1950. And then the heft of the book meant I had to bring it home.

It’s 975 pages long and covers just about everything you’ve ever wanted to know about food preparation and storage up to and including how to build an underground cellar. Best of all, it’s in excellent condition.

Likewise, the 1949 edition of The Good Housekeeping Cook Book comes in at 937 pages. No underground cellar instructions here.

The spiral-bound Kauai Cookbook from the Kekaha Parent-Teachers’ Assocation is an intriguing find, especially because this is the second edition from 1959. It includes foods from the peoples who populated the Hawaiian Islands, plus a brief introduction to their various cultures.

The chapter on Japanese food, for example, begins by explaining that many of the Japanese people who came to Hawaii arrived from Niigata, Kumamoto, Yamaguchi, and Hiroshima ken or prefectures and that many came from Ryuku or Okinawa. The introduction also discusses typical foods and terms used in food preparation.

Finally, my sentimental favorite: The Queen’s Book from Queen of Angels Women’s Retreat League, Saginaw, Michigan. This is the 1968 third printing. Pages are dog-eared, and the cover is starting to pull off the binding. The cookbook is 522 pages long and there is no index. Mom has a copy of this cookbook, and I can remember making some of the cookies. I’m happy to have my own copy.

So there you have cookbooks, paint-splattering, and the blue skies of October. How is your life going these days?

Chicken Broth with Ricotta-Parmesan Cubes aka “Minestrina di Cubetti”

May 1, 2017 by Julie Wallace Leave a Comment

Minestrina di Cubetti comes from a divine cookbook called A Private Collection published by the Junior League of Palo Alto, California in 1980. Essentially, it’s a chicken broth with cubes of ricotta-parmesan cheese. And it’s hard to get a good picture of the stuff. A picture of the cookbook, however, is much easier to get.

The recipe for Minestrina di Cubetti is from the first Private Collection cookbooks which was originally published in 1980. My copy is the 7th edition from 1986. It is a hardback book with dustjacket in good condition; the dustjacket is showing signs of normal wear especially at the corners.

Search for these cookbooks online and you’ll run into rave reviews. I’ve tried a handful of recipes and have to say that I’m not blown away. And despite this recipe having an interesting ricotta-parmesan combination, it still let me down.

This tries to be an elegant soup. In fact, the cookbook says “It may be served at a formal dinner of many courses or at the beginning of an elegant luncheon.” I have never hosted an elegant luncheon. Ever. Frankly, there is nothing ‘elegant’ about this – it’s a standard chicken broth with a little something interesting added.

Now, don’t let that dissuade you.

These little cubes are a fabulous way to use up leftover ricotta cheese. Say, for example, if you make lasagna that’s a total success (or failure, as was my case.) Mix the half pound of ricotta with an egg, an egg yolk, salt, nutmeg, and Parmesan cheese. Pour it into a prepared pan.

Then treat it like a cheesecake and bake it in a water bath.

Cool, cut, and you’ve got your ricotta-parmesan cubes, err, cubetti.

The recipe called for serving these in a chicken broth. It was interesting, let’s say. Not gonna make it again.

But, why let that stop you?

These little cubes might be fabulous in a salad. Replace your boring and traditional croutons with ricotta-parmesan cubes.

Oh, and they little babies freeze well, too. Just let them come to room temperature before adding to your salad or soup.

While the little cubes were intriguing in a bowl of clear broth, I think they’d be a better additional to a hearty minestrone.

Cheese squares, hearty soup. Could be good, right?

Chicken Broth with Ricotta-Parmesan Cubes aka "Minestrina di Cubetti"

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

45 mins

Total Time

1 hr

From the cookbook "A Private Collection" by the Junior League of Palo Alto, page 13.

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: 8 -10 servings

Ingredients

1/2 pound ricotta cheese room temperature
1 whole egg
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon salt
grating of nutmeg
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
2-3 quarts chicken broth
parsley minced

Instructions

Preheat oven to 300.
Beat the ricotta for several minutes for a more refined texture. Add the egg, egg yolk, salt, nutmeg, and Parmesan cheese. Blend well with a rubber spatula and spread in a buttered, 8x8 inch glass baking dish.
Place the baking dish, uncovered, in a larger pan filled with 1" hot water. Bake until firm, about 45 minutes.
Cool the ricotta completely, then cut into very small cubes; the smaller the cubes, the more elegant the soup. This may be prepared several days in advance, keeping the cubes covered and refrigerated. When ready to use, the cubes should be at room temperature.
To serve, fill a warmed tureen with piping-hot chicken broth and add the cheese cubes. Sprinkle with a little minced parsley on top.

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My Great Recipes Card Collection 1980

August 16, 2016 by Julie Wallace 83 Comments

UPDATE – February 2018:

This blog is no longer being updated.

I honor requests for recipes – but only if the request is through mygreatrecipescollection.com

My other website is www.julieawallace.com.

Thank you for stopping by!

This, my friends, is amazing: a complete set of My Great Recipes card collection from 1980.

UPDATE: It’s actually from 1981…and I’ve published a new blog post about this collection with several requested recipes. Read it now!

Back in June, I told you about an amazing collection of 1970s drinks and appetizers that I’d scored at the local thrift store. Though lightening rarely strikes twice, the cookbook collecting gods and goddesses were by my side during a recent return trip.

I think that’s what it’s called. I’ve found similar on Ebay, but (so far) not the exact collection.

Based on the musty smell that wafts from each card, this was stored in a basement.

Some cards stick together, but it’s easy to gently pulled them apart.

I haven’t counted all of the cards – maybe there are a hundred?

There’s a tempting recipe for Quesadillas, except in 1980 you’d make make the flour tortillas yourself.

And it weighs a ton. Or more like 10 pounds.

A heavy, see-through, smoky-brown plastic case protects the cards.

The case was damaged, but not destroyed. Maybe it was dropped, or something heavy landed on top of the case.

Still, at $1.99, this is an amazing find for a mid-century food lover. Did I mention the brown separator cards?

Membership Services

This is how you might get new recipes before the interwebs. You’d buy the starter kit with say 100 recipes, then additional recipes arrived each month; eventually you’d acquire the entire collection. Not so different from Bon Recipe (that I received for a few months in 2016; then they shut their doors,) or from the voluminous food blog choices today.

You’re encouraged to write and ask questions, or give advice, or share your favorite recipe. And they promise to help you with whatever cooking problems you might have.

And the “Cardmark” card is functional. When you remove a card to prepare the meal, you insert the Cardmark. That way, when you’re done cooking, it’s easy to find where to replace the recipe card.

Appropriate to the times, the collection is heavy on meats, cheeses, and creamy sauces. I was surprised to find a vegetarian section – also laden with cheese and cream. But also a Vegetable Curry that looks pretty easy to whip up.

—–

Remember,

This blog is no longer being updated.

I honor requests for recipes – but only if the request is through mygreatrecipescollection.com

My other website is www.julieawallace.com.

Thank you for stopping by!

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