Candy Apples

 Candy Apples!!
The trick to making Candy Apples is that you have to have a candy thermometer. I remember when I was a little girl, my mother made a few attempts at making Candy Apples, but the candy never was quite right it did not get hard enough.
As an adult I decided to buy a package and try it myself and found that the trick was the candy had to reach the correct temperature. The easiest way to be accurate was a candy thermometer. They are not too expensive and can be used for other things as well. If you want to be the Best Mom, and the Favorite Grama, you have got to make candy apples.





They are a nice treat in the fall around
                                                                      Halloween or Thanksgiving.

 Buy the Candy Apple kit in the store and follow the directions. I know you will be nervous when you see the sugar heating and you will think you should turn off the heat but don't. It must reach 300 degrees to make perfect candy Apples. Who is your favorite Grama?

Cook with Concetta: Chicken Murphy

Cook with Concetta: Chicken Murphy: The first time I had Chicken Murphy was in my Father - law's restaurant The Sanford Lounge, then later changed to Riposta's. It was probabl...

Chicken Murphy

 The first time I had Chicken Murphy was in my Father - law's restaurant The Sanford Lounge, then later changed to Riposta's. It was probably brought to them by one of the cooks they had employed over the years. Now that I think about it, the one Chef who taught us most was Tony Catrabone. I am not sure if that is the correct spelling, but he was good. I recently had a conversation with a friend about Chicken Murphy and I discovered that it might not really be a known recipe, so I looked it up and there is such a dish, seems to be a popular N.J. dish. The couple of recipes I looked at were very different than mine, in that they all had sausage in them and mine just has chicken. Quite frankly I think adding sausage to this dish would be a little too much.

 You start with boneless Chicken Breasts and cut into 1 " cubes.( Don't forget to save the small pieces and scraps for your homemade soup!) dredge the chicken pieces in flour add a little black pepper and salt if you wish. I don't usually cook with salt, but I know some people like to.

 Brown the chicken in a frying pan in a little olive oil. When brown remove from pan and place in bowl to add back later.

 Peel 3 large potatoes and cut into pieces and fry in oil. Set aside.

Cut 3 large Peppers, 3 large onions into 1" pieces about the same size as the chicken pieces. Slice a pound of mushrooms. 2 cloves of garlic chopped. After removing the chicken, from the pan add all of the above. Peppers, onions, mushrooms, garlic and saute' until cooked. Stir often so they don't burn. Add a quarter stick of butter for flavor. Add hot cherry peppers, depending on how hot you like it.

Once the vegetables are cooked to your liking add the potatoes and the chicken. Continue to stir and add 1/4 cup of white wine, a few table spoons of vinegar and or splash of the juice from the hot peppers, and juice of one lemon or lemon juice in a bottle. As this de glaces the pan it will create a nice sauce. once the chicken and potatoes are hot it is done. be careful not to overcook it. If liquid evaporates just keep adding more wine, lemon or a little water. This is what the finished product looks like.  Mangia!!

I am Italian I don't have a recipe..........