Sunday Sauce- A Family Tradition by Kristine Morfino

Kristine Morfino is a 24 year old who grew up with a very large Italian family. When she is not working or busy with her school work, she enjoys trying out new recipes, and spending time with her family. Her favorite hobby is spending time with her nieces and nephew, and playing with her dog. Her tight knit family enjoys gathering around the dinner table every Sunday for a nice dish of Sunday Sauce and Meatballs that is so deliciously prepared by her mother. Her goal is to learn her mothers recipe of Sunday Sauce, so she can continue the traditional dish for her family in the future. 


   Growing up in an Italian household, the best day of the week was always Sunday. Sunday mornings the aroma of onions, and garlic simmering only meant one thing; mom was cooking her famous Sunday sauce.  Walking downstairs to the smell of the sauce still makes my mouth water. Sunday’s also meant that the entire family would be over, and dinner would be served as early as two o’clock in the afternoon.

 At an early age my mom had to begin cooking because she grew up in a household where her mother was ill. Her mother taught her several dishes, but she also learned many recipes from my father’s mother. Both set of grandparents were very Italian, so Italian dishes were always her specialty. Because she was taught so early how to prepare so many dishes, it is hard to think of just one that makes my mouth water. Sunday Sauce is one of my top favorites, because Italian food and macaroni is my favorite food, I can never have enough!

 Growing up, my parents always learned that Sunday’s were for the family. This was a day that the entire family would spend their afternoons gathered around the dinner table, eating until they couldn’t move and catching up with family about their past week. This is something that they have passed on to my brother’s and I and Sunday’s is still a day where we known it is Sunday sauce for dinner.

  When eating the sauce it is always filled with tons of flavor, which always makes the house smell so delicious. However, time is a very important factor in this recipe. The first step to the sauce is to simmer the chopped garlic and chopped onions together with a little olive oil until the onions start to brown. This fills the sauce with tons of flavor.  After the garlic and onions have browned you then add cans of tomato puree, and tomato paste. I come from a fairly large family, so when my mom prepares the sauce she tends to use three large cans of the puree, and two cans of the tomato paste, just to help the sauce thicken.  Before the sauce is left alone, chopped fresh basil, salt, pepper and oregano are also added.  The sauce is then left on the stove to simmer, and with the delicious aroma’s filling your house, it is hard not to sample any with a piece of fresh Italian bread, or alone in a bowl.

  When you think of Sunday sauce, you think of all the meats that can be found.  My mom always prepared Sunday sauce with Italian sausage, sweet and hot, and her delicious meatballs. After she prepared the sauce and let it simmer, she always let me help prepare the meatballs, which was one of my favorite activities to do together. To prepare the meatballs, in a large bowl she combined lean ground meat, grated cheese, fresh basil, chopped onions, garlic, salt and pepper, eggs and breadcrumbs. Getting to stir this mixture with my hands was always one of my favorite parts as a child, because of the cold, gooey feeling.  After this mixture was combined, it is rolled into a ball shape, and placed on a pan with oil that has been heating in the oven. They are then placed side by side on this pan, and put in the oven at 400 degrees, until they are crispy, turning them once while cooking. After about an hour of cooking the meatballs will be ready to take out of the oven. It is important that you let the cool completely before picking them up. Not only will they be very hot, but they will also fall apart. Once they have cooled, they are free to sample and put into the Sunday sauce.

  Because there are so many meats that are found in Sunday sauce, that can be a meal in itself. However, my family always has it accompanied by some sort of pasta. Whether it be penne, raviolis, lasagna, chicken parm, or eggplant parm there is always enough food to have leftovers for the week. Although I love Italian food and the sauce, my favorite thing about this meal is the history it has within my family. I always felt Sunday’s my family was brought closer together, and we were able to fill each other in on our lives, over this meal. Not to mention it is great comfort food for the cold winter months.

Now that I am older, I like to spend my time helping my mom in the kitchen, and this is now a meal I am able to prepare on my own. I hope to one day be able to pass it onto my children, and prepare it with them just as I use to help my mom in the kitchen.

Enjoyed Class

I want to say to my classmates and professor that I've learned so, such in this class.  I enjoyed it to the fullest, learned how to use the writing skills more, which I have and my peers as well seen a difference in how I write.  Learning to incorporate food or memories about food into writing is even more special.  Thank u all.  Enjoy the summer.  Hopefully I will have the pleasure again in another class.

It’s all in the Presentation by Sherry Sawyer

Sherry Sawyer presently resides in New Jersey, she’s a wife and proud mother of two children.  She has enjoyed cooking and entertaining guests for years and the best part of entertaining for her has been food presentation the spectacular way dishes can be transformed and served in the most unexpected ways.   In addition to working 9 to5 being a student at FDU Sherry keeps busy cooking and coming up with ways to showcase food presentations.  A creative presentation of food can make a mediocre dining experience an outstanding memorable one if done right.  Sherry wants to take you along on “ It’s All in The Presentation” a  family reunion memory. 


I have always enjoyed spending time cooking and creating dishes to share with family and friends hoping that somehow our time spent together would be filled with good memories in my opinion good memories always included a richness of relationship, laughter and good food.  Every year our family enjoys both aspects of these at our family reunion and one of the most important components of the reunion is the food presentations.

It’s a lovely Saturday morning and the sun hits the walls of the banquet room which at the present moment is stalk bare the room feels hollow and beckons for decorating just something to turn the room into a festive place.  The tall ceilings and plain walls make the room void of excitement it feels more like a gymnasium than a place where we’ll  host our family reunion event.  Everyone is coming together as we always do each year to enjoy the culinary specialties of our grandmothers, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends to be with family and remember our ancestral heritage.  The presentation of food at our family reunion is a family tradition that’s just as important as the family members themselves.

Remembering in previous years how elaborate the food presentations  where and how great tasting the food was makes coming together that much more special.   There’s grandmothers stuffed cabbage, which consist of cabbage stuffed with seasoned beef, rice, tomatoes, onions and green peppers.  The meat is usually cooked in grandma’s old cast iron skillet with finely chopped onions, peppers, coupled with her special seasonings that have such a good flavor.  Grandmother has shared this recipe with all my aunts in hopes that it would be passed on to the next generation of cooks in the family.

There are other great recipes and dishes from all the family members that get displayed in a massive presentation that resembles the last feast.   The presentation of the food in my family is important because it allows us to visualize the various meals that have been prepared with love each dish represents a part of a greater experience so for the family it’s all in the presentation.  People eat with all their senses  my mom would tell me it’s not enough to make good tasting food you also need to present your dish so that people will want to eat it.   “The visual sensation of a dish is just as important as its flavor.”

With time winding down there’s a need to get the hall decorated so I start the task of draping the tables with linens, placing floral arrangements, the family portraits of past reunions are strategically placed around the room and hung on the walls.  The hall is starting to get some character a family festive feel.  The colors of the linens for the event consist of rich deep hues of burgundy, gold, and caramel similar to the foods that are prepared.  We have the golden color of grandmas old fashion lemon butter pound cake who can resist the decadent chocolate layer cake aunt Louise always makes and of course the deliciously burgundy hued glistening colored barbeque ribs that my granddaddy grills for hours on his barbeque pit which was built by hand with the help of my uncles.

Yes our family reunion is filled with good food that deserves a wonderful presentation.  Time is moving quickly the food table needs to be finished the presentation of each dish at the table is important because every dish is like the person who cooks it.  Grandma who makes the best potatoe salad and chicken dumplings in the world (at least that’s my granddaddy’s opinion along with the rest of the family who also agree), there’s my auntie’s mouth watering stuffed shells and many different dishes all of them need to be a part of the presentation.  Our family eats with their eyes first  so if the food is not presented in an appetizing way trust me the dish in question won’t be eaten.  Most of the food tastes good although in past years we had a not so good dish experience, like the time my auntie Cheryl made what she thought was a good pan of mac and cheese however the dished looked more like a watery pan of noddles that where over cooked and  no one touched it!   My relatives won’t eat food that doesn’t look good, they will claim that they’re stuffed and can’t eat another bite but in reality they don’t see the dish as being appealing enough to venture out and taste it because of the presentation and the way it looked.  In my family most folks know each other’s specialty and look forward to partaking in the wonderful tasty family reunion dishes so if grandma decides not to make her potatoe salad we’re going to be disappointed.   Family and friends of all ages share their favorite dishes as well as their spirit and love for one another. This kind of attention to detail is important when serving food to guests it indicates that you value your guests enough to go through the trouble to try and achieve something beyond the mundane – it’s part of the gift you’re giving them.

This year’s family event is filled with excitement and color and  a feeling of richness like the chocolate layer cake and deep green colored vegetables that fill platters on a large oblong table the sizzling of seared beef served on a hot platter on top of the cast iron hot plate is surrounded with whole peppers in an array of colors, red, yellow, orange, green  the side dishes keep coming as people arrive, I’ve got to find more room on this banquet table.  There are long platters of ribs stacked high slathered with a spicy bbq sauce round bowls filled with all types of salads, and the pies, cake and bread pudding look delectable.  The table resembles the likes of the last feast, there are peaks and valleys of food on the table which spans about 18 feet long, I’ve draped the table with layers of fabric and created an illusion of  depth as I try to find another space on the table for the condiments that accompany the dishes.

Laughter begins to feel the room as relatives continue to arrive for the festivities.  My aunt comments on how exquisite the banquet table looks with the draping and gasps at the multitude of dishes, desserts, meats, salads hot and cold entrees food selections are endless and presented in a pleasing way folks are ready to devour the food.  This presentation beckons to everyone to eat and we can’t wait to hear the grace completed by granddaddy so we can start heading toward the table to eat.

The walls are now decorated and brought to life by the colorful bounty of both decorations and presentation of food, the ceilings now seem to wrap themselves around the room like a warm cozy cloud the enticingly rich aroma of  family dishes both from young and old generations make for a beautiful collage of color texture and aromas, this is an awesome presentation of both people and scrumptious dishes.  I know that really good food is made with the best ingredients and presented in exquisite forms to enjoy with the palate and eyes because it’s all in the Presentation.

Sunday Lunch and Dinner: A Smith Family Tradition by Tasha Wright

Tasha Wright is a single mother of two. She holds her family traditions near and dear to her heart, including food traditions. Tasha’s most cherished memories are the ones over a hot meal. Whether it’s a birthday celebration, Thanksgiving, or Christmas the Smith family always has an extensive spread. As a mother herself, Tasha tries to mimic and keep her family traditions going. On Sunday mornings she prepares her a huge family style breakfast, much like the ones she had when she was a child. Although her boys are still young she hopes that as they grow older they understand the significance of this tradition; it’s about more then food but just spending time together as a family.

As a child there was always one thing I could look forward to: Sunday breakfast and dinner at Nana’s house. For as long as I can remember my mother was a single parent and she raised 3 girls by herself. She worked so most nights our dinners consisted of something relatively easy like spaghetti, hotdogs, or Chef Boyardee; something to fill our bellies. One thing that was a constant was breakfast and dinner at Nana’s house.

As I’ve mentioned before, my family’s style of cooking is what I like to call “old school”. Being the oldest girl, my grandmother took on the role as the chef very early on due to her mother’s sickness. During those times there really weren’t “boxed” items so most things she prepared were from scratch. At a very young age my grandmother learned how to prepare meals for 13 people and her technique stuck with her throughout her entire life.

In 1994 my grandfather became sick with brain cancer, so Nana spent more time with him and less time with preparing meals. In 1995 my grandfather passed and so did an era of Sunday breakfast and dinners. Every now and then my mother will prepare breakfast and dinner on Sunday, but it’s never the same and it never will be.

The Jewel of Rittenhouse by Joe Kern

Joe Kern is a 37 year old part time student, full time New Jersey National Guardsman who is trying to finally finish his BA after 10 years. He enjoys spending time with his ever growing family, hitting the gym so he can drink and eat more and is a die-hard Philadelphia Phillies fan. Interestingly, his wife and he got married on home plate at Citizen’s Bank Park. He has been championing the restaurant scene in Philadelphia for years, despite being from Jersey. And his review of a local café, Tria, shows that love.


This past weekend, my wife and I headed out to Tria Café in the Rittenhouse Square neighborhood of Philadelphia.  Located on the corner of 18th and Samson Street, this was one of two locations in Philadelphia. Tria specializes in the pairings of delightful wines, delicious food, cheeses and craft beers. They have received numerous awards plus several accommodations including six Best of Philly Awards from Philadelphia Magazine.

In addition, on-line resources such as Ratebeer.com, Imbibe and Draft Magazines have called them one of the best places to get a beer in the city. Oh, did I mention the three James Beard Nominations for Best Wine Service, as well? Quite an accomplishment for a café that is smaller than most corner bars.

Tria does not accept reservation; having to wait for a table for a large party is not uncommon. There was a small area for street-side dining; maybe when it gets warmer. While very small, Tria does have some standing room only space, but it may be too close for comfort for some.

If it was too busy, we could of opted for the number of other dining options in close proximity that offered a range of cuisines, such as The Dandelion, a newly opened Stephan Star gastro pub that would of looked at home in downtown London. However, it is not that busy tonight and the friendly hostess seated us in a comfortable booth, which was appreciated by my very pregnant wife.

Tria’s décor was very modern; complete with wood floors and funky light fixtures. The window-lined walls allowed us to people-watch while dining. The music was modern with a speaker system that kept the music flowing but not to the point that we could not enjoy a casual conversation. The “kitchen” was in full view, albeit, not a traditional one.  In Tria, the “kitchen”, is a minimalistic prep and cooking area that is based upon convenience and simplicity.

The kitchen was a voyeuristic setting containing an expansive cheese station, salad station, two Panini presses, a toaster oven, and everything was organized to perfection. Then there was the bread station, where loaves of wholesome goods and crostinis were meticulously inspected and hand selected for each item being prepped. The entire restaurant looked like one big galley kitchen with tables and padded benches near the front and high top tables closer to the back of the restaurant where the food prep was also part of the experience.

Aside from the voyeuristic vibe, the atmosphere is what the restaurant calls, “blue jeans casual,” with a really diverse crowd unlike most spots in Philadelphia; it definitely does not have the stuffy feel we have experienced at typical wine bars. The crowd ranged from cozy couples in there twenties, to local hipsters dining with their parents, to an older refined crowd that clearly resided in the affluent Rittenhouse neighborhood.

Given the mixed crowd, the servers were well equipped with both friendly personalities and knowledge about the specialty beers, wines, and cheeses. They were happy to help us make the perfect selection but were also are not pushy in their salesmanship. The beers were available both on draught and in bottles or cans ranging from local breweries such as Victory (Downingtown, PA), Dog Fish Head (Milton, DE), Yards (Philadelphia, PA), and Trӧegs (Hershey, PA) to imports from Gӧthenburg, Sweden and Berkel-Enschot, The Netherlands, to name a few (Tria Cafe ). Be sure to check often as the selection changes depending on the season.

Sarah is not much of a beer drinker, so the wine selection is where her attention would be, if not pregnant. It had no less than 36 different varietals from all over the world and the West Coast of the United States. One of my wife’s now favorite white wines is a 2010 A to Z Pinot Gris from Dundee, Oregon, which was first discovered at Tria. I prefer the full-bodied reds and they have a 2009 Syrah from Truchard Vineyards in Caneros, CA that does the trick.

Tria’s menu was Italian themed but reminiscence of Tapas style portions that go perfectly with the varied beer and wine choices. The menu was not broken down by the usual appetizer, entrée, and dessert categories but instead was organized based upon the food type.  It lists an assortment of delicious snack, bruschetta, salads, sandwiches, and sweets, all of which were encouraged to be shared dining and perfect for us to experiment with new flavors without a huge commitment. They encourage an order-as-we-go-feel, which was perfect for us as who have a tendency to fall prey to the old “eyes are bigger than our stomachs” trap.

We start off with several of our favorites, the Warm Tuscan White Bean spread with Paprika Toast, the Truffled Egg Toast with Fontina and, for the wife, Rosemary and Fennel Marinated Olives. These were priced at $5, $6.50 and $4 respectively and portioned to share. I order the Allagash White Ale while Sarah, being pregnant, gets a seltzer and cranberry.

The Tuscan Bean spread, served in a ramekin dish, had a creamy hummus texture but was neither too salty nor oily. The paprika on the perfectly crunchy toast added a bit a kick to the combination. We waste no time polishing them off and the server was quick to bring us extra crustini without even a formal request.

The waitress, who was very attentive, next brought us the Fontina Egg Toast. This was easily my favorite item on the menu. The Texas style toast was blanketed in a thick layer of melted Fontina cheese with a perfect egg. The whole thing was drizzled with truffle oil. I used the fork to cut through the toast making sure to get all the ingredients in one shot. The thick toast soaked up the egg perfectly while the fontina cheese added a bit of sharpness. It too, goes quickly leading us to contemplate what we should order next.

I finish my Allagash White and order an Anderson valley Winter Solstice. At 6.9% ABV, it definitely warmed me up on this particularly cold evening. For Sarah, another seltzer and cranberry while she stared longingly at the wine selection. Our waitress brought out the Olives and I must say, I am not a huge fan of olives unless Grey Goose accompanies them in a martini glass.  However, I’ll try anything for research and I was pleasantly surprised. The olives were a combination of Spanish-style olives; perfectly ripe and dense. The rosemary and fennel added the perfect amount of spice to the saltiness of the olives and complemented by beer perfectly.

As I considered another beverage, the Smoked Chicken with Arugala, Roasted Grapes, Candied Walnuts, Asiago with Balsamic dressing salad arrived. The chicken was drizzled in the dressing and sprinkled liberally with the candied walnuts and grapes, which added sweetness and texture to the salad.  The chicken was cooked perfectly and complimented the saltiness of the dressing. The arugula, with its peppery taste, brought it all together as we devoured it like it was our last meal. One more beer was in the books and I was feeling like a million bucks.

Next up was a Victory Red Thunder, a Baltic porter aged in a once used red-wine barrel. Luckily, they offered a 10 oz version of this 8.5 % ABV as the 25.4oz would have made the walk to the PATCO train station a staggering debacle. For dessert, Sarah ordered a decaf-cappuccino and I nursed my beer reflecting on the meal. I like this place, really like this place. We stop here before baseball games, for date night and whenever we are visiting Sarah’s old stomping ground. The music had a melodic mixture of hipster and alternative classics, all sourced from an iMac near the end of the bar.

Tria takes the wine, cheese and beer business seriously. They offer classes on fermentation and wine and cheese pairings. The website has a calendar of all upcoming events but sign up fast as the classes fill up quickly, as an FYI. It was getting to be time to head home.

As we stroll back to the PATCO station, en route to our house in suburban South Jersey, we realized how different our world could be with just a $6.00 round-trip ticket. Rittenhouse Square has so much to offer and is easily accessible by public transportation. It was worth it to spend the $6 to indulge and explore one of the last truly excellent areas of Philadelphia and to visit one of my favorite places to eat, Tria Café.

Caribbean Macaroni Pie by Stephan Moonesar

Stephan Moonesar is a finance student that attends Fairleigh Dickinson University. Doesn't seem like a typical food writer you think? Well, with a lot of experience in the working field, he travels all around the country flying from east coast to west coasts very often. Stephan has  a lot of exposure to different type of foods. Born and raised in a Trinidad family, ethnic food is very important to him, especially when it involves spicy food. Stephan boasts about how much he loves food and trying new dishes. Him and his girlfriend Zaira have made visiting and rating restaurants a hobby of theirs, trying all different types of food ranging from Chinese to Polish. Naturally with his fascination in food, upon exiting Fairleigh Dickinson University, Stephan decided to take a course he has always wanted to take, a food course! Now he prides himself in writing about food and critiquing the food he tries. Whether the review is good or bad, Stephan does not hold back and is brutally honest about the dish put out in front of him. Although Stephan is a financial professional for Merrill Lynch during the day, he has goals of publishing a food blog of his own comprised of his weekend journeys to restaurants all over New Jersey. If you are in New Jersey and want some great local reviews ranging from North Jersey to South Jersey restaurants, I would follow Stephan's blog right here on this website!

There is literally nothing else like it. You think I am joking, well then I advise you to challenge that first statement I made. You may have had macaroni and cheese before, most likely several times in your life time. When you think of macaroni what comes to mind? Most likely you describe it as the simple meal that everyone loves. Well this is different! It is most common in the Caribbean and is a form of macaroni and cheese that is baked together and cut into squares, divided evenly and precisely.

Ever since I was a child I remember always, especially during family events, eating and craving some of the most wonderful macaroni pie. I was born in Trinidad and that is where my family is from. So naturally, we brought over some of our favorite and most traditional dishes to the United States. In my household in particular, macaroni pie is made every other week or so, as common as the American hoagie! Must get old eventually you think? Absolutely not, because of how unique and custom you can make this dish.

Now I know you have been waiting, so let’s cut to the chase and let you know how you go about making macaroni pie. The ingredients that are required to prepare this dish is the following: Your choice of pasta (this part is all up to you) and cheese. In addition you’re going to need onion, garlic, scallion, and green peppers to add a little taste and flavor to the dish. As always you also have to have milk, eggs, and butter. But, this secret and important ingredient is the hot pepper that will be put in a blender mixed with a little bit of milk. Sounds a bit awkward right? Well, maybe, but without this mixture the macaroni pie would simply just be a baked version of macaroni and cheese. Nothing special in my opinion don’t you agree?

Time to cook! Grease a casserole dish large enough for how large you want the pie to be. Also, don’t forget to heat the oven to about 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Now mix the macaroni in a large bowl with the butter and add your choice of cheese. Feel free if you love a particular type of cheese to add it in here, craft it to your liking! While you mix the macaroni start slowly adding all of the seasoning mixture, eggs, and milk until the cheese starts to melt. After you have mixed it thoroughly and completely, pour the mixture into the baking dish and top off the dish with another layer of cheese. Bake this for about 40-50 minutes until you can see the cheese on top begin to look golden and crusty. After you think it is done, pull it out, let it cool off for about 20 minutes or so and then serve this piece of perfection to your lucky audience!

Literally from the first bite, to the very last bite, the taste never gets old. Now where the addictiveness kicks in is your choice of spices and herbs. The spicier it is the more satisfying and enjoyable it is in my opinion. Not a huge fan of spices? That is fine, because the melted cheese mixed in with the hot moist pasta is just as satisfying. I can assure you this will be a meal you will be delivering to your family every Thanksgiving!

Sweet, Sweet apple pie: the crazy cravenness by Diana Rendon

Diana Rendon is a 36 years old woman who has been married for fourteen years and is a mother of four wonderful children. Despite her busy and crazy life, Diana is a part time student at Fairleigh Dickinson University accomplishing  a Bachelors Degree in Individualized Studies. In her "free time" she enjoys telling her children stories about her own experiences and family traditions. Family is very important to her. She found out that cooking with her children helps to bring them closer and is a good way to keep her heritage alive. She hopes that all she's teaching them can be pass on into future generations.

Many people describe it as bitter, messy, but sweet dessert. It is considered a delicious, sweet sensation that will make your heart melt, something that will warm your insides, even if it doesn’t come out the right way at the end. It is certainly what an apple pie makes her feel. One of her favorite deserts that posses an incredible aroma of cinnamon that brings a warm feeling to the house making, impossible to forget about it. Apple pie can light up anybody’s life at any occasion. And being pregnant certainly is an exceptional occasion. That is her story. She had a crazy cravenness for apple pie while pregnant for the first time.

While being pregnant can bring many different symptoms, craving is one of the most popular. All women in one way or another can relate to it. They all experience this crazy, undesirable, yet unforgettable symptom. Thinking about the crunchy crust, and the sweet apple filling made her mind go crazy and her stomach rumble yelling for a piece of this incredible dessert, while her taste buds asked for this dessert even more.

After so much research for the right recipe, she found out an article written by Diana Rattray where she says: “Apple pies come in all kinds of shapes, sizes, and flavors, including free-form, standard two-crust, caramel apple pie, French apple pie, apple crumb pie, sour cream apple pie, and many, many more.” Any kind, any form, will have an especial touch to any occasion. She couldn’t agree more.

Not only thinking about it made her made her mind go crazy, the aroma of the cinnamon and the sugary caramel was the best of all. For her apple pie is not only a dessert; it is a warm, happily, passion dessert filled of good memories, at least for her.

In the search for the best apple pie, her husband found a bakery in town. He didn’t hesitate and brought home apple pie form there. “Swiss Chalet” it’s the  name. The name couldn’t be better than that. As he arrived with the pie, she could smell the cinnamon that covered the pie as soon as he opened the door. She was waiting on the living room with the spoon already on one hand accompanied by a cup of a double scoop of vanilla ice cream. She enjoyed every single piece of the dessert she put on her mouth. The ice cream melting combining with the sweet, rich delicious apples going down her throat, slowly making their way down to her stomach which at the same time would send a happy feeling sensation to her brain. All these feeling not only made her happy but her baby happy. They both enjoyed it over and over again.

Since the first time, apple pie became an essential dessert at her house. She didn’t bake it that much, but she would make sure to always have it for every occasion. Apple pie is just the perfect dessert to share with her family. Not only during holidays as Christmas and Thanksgiving but birthdays, mother's day, and father's day, anytime any day. Now she eats it with her four children that also love it. From all the desserts her family enjoy together, the sweet, crunchy flavor of the apples cover with the slimy caramel, and the cinnamon on top of it, is what makes their tastes buds go crazy to taste a delicious apple pie. It sounded like they all have something in common. It is incredible how things like this can bring people so close. It perfectly explained how the crazy cravenness of apple pie during her pregnancies let a little bit of it on each of them and that is the reason why all of them love this dessert. It was on her blood, brain, and deep inside her body.

The Raw food Cleanse a Boost of Energy for an Energetic Week! by Nisa Clark

Nisa Clark is a graduating senior on the move! Nisa will be graduating from Fairleigh Dickinson University with a B.A in broadcasting communications, this spring of 2013. With an extremely busy schedule that consist two jobs, an internship in the city with BET, and the completion of her final semester, her eating habits is one that consist of lots of unhealthy processed foods that leave her more drained, and prone to sickness. Getting your body back on track, and practicing good eating habits can be something that is hard to do when you have an extremely busy schedule. So with the suggested high in protein detox diet, this blog can help you figure out what foods are best to eat when on the go. How can you eat good meals and make sure you are getting the nutrients you need, in order to have lots of energy for your constant busy schedule.


I heard about that Raw food cleanse from a fellow coworker at work. She said the cleanse is more of a Raw food challenge than a cleanse, but it was worth it. It’s really not as bad as you may imagine. The Cleanse is a 7 day challenge, that doesn’t consist of eating raw meats, but uncooked vegetables and solid fruits. Unfortunately it is something that requires a little time out of your busy schedule. You need a set free day to shop and plan for your 7 day plan.

The word Diet seems to have a negative stigma to it, but if you really think about whether it’s planned or unplanned, whatever our daily eating habits are is generally our “diet”. Most of us are on a high processed one cupcake away from heart attack diet, and we don’t even realize it, we consume tons of processed foods that are dangerously high in trans-fat, sugar, salt and artificial ingredients. So truly if you’re going to diet then why not make it a healthy one.

Prepare for your raw food cleanse by stocking up on fresh, organic fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and sea vegetables. Cold-pressed olive oil and fresh lemon juice is a simple and delicious salad dressing. Fresh organic herbs not only help add flavor, as many of them also aid digestion and help support your immune system. For example, parsley and mint help freshen breath as well as flavor foods.

It is preferred that you stay away from any sort of cooked foods, hence the name “Raw Food Diet”, but If you want to add solids, then you can eat any fresh, non-fatty fruit, or the leaves, stem or roots of a plant. No cooking, of course. Your only interest in food recipes should be to increase the variety of salads you can produce. Aim to eat at least a pound of green vegetables a day, which will give you a broader range of vitamins and minerals than just eating fruit would.

Detox cleanses, or challenges are basically diets, just your non-conventional diet. Like with any diet sometimes it works sometimes it doesn’t, it all depends on you, how your body responds to change, and how disciplined you can be to sticking to something, without any short cuts.

Special Bacon, Egg and Cheese Sandwich by Alex Ghossein

Alex Ghossein is a competitive power lifter from New Rochelle, New York that always has eating on his mind.  He is constantly hungry all the time and always trying to make himself happy by preparing his favorite dishes of food.  He has found the types of food that make him the most happy.  This man is a huge fanatic of a special bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich that he makes himself.  He is going to show you the way of the world and how to create his masterpiece.

Have you ever woken up in the morning and had a craving for something delicious?  I wake up every morning and always am looking to fill my stomach because I am starving.  Waking up for work at 6:30 a.m every morning doesn’t leave me any time to make my delicious dish Monday through Friday.  However, Saturday and Sunday morning I always wake up eager to make my favorite meal.  Some people would not be astonished by what I am about to say, but the food that I love is universally known.  Many people love it like I do.  Waking up at 8:00 a.m after a nice sleep, all I crave is a bacon egg and cheese sandwich.  I never want to get it from the deli, because I make it the way I love.  It can be the most delicious dish in the world if you just prepare it the right way. 

People have been making bacon egg and cheese sandwiches for a long time.  There are all types of different ways of doing, but I have perfected it.  Some people like scrambled eggs with crispy bacon, while other people like eggs sunny side up with soft bacon.  There are so many different combinations of bacon egg and cheese sandwiches out there with all sorts of different breads.  In my general opinion I feel that there is no other breakfast dish out there that can hit the spot like this one, especially when it is done right.  I feel as if I have a commitment to cooking this meal every weekend.  I owe it to myself to make it, and then eat every last bit of it, and whoever who would like to take part in this feast every weekend is more than welcome to do so.  I would love nothing more than to share this secret with everyone. 

In order to make a delicious dish you have to understand what goes into it, the time, the thought, and the flavors.  It is not the same as just throwing things into a pan and turning on the stove.  You have to have knowledge about what you are doing in order to prepare a dish that people will enjoy.  The bacon has to be the perfect, the bread has to be just right, the cheese needs to be melted to perfection, and the eggs of course need to be spot on.  

When any kind of chef seeks out different flavors and recipes to prepare a new dish, they must research what they are doing.  They have to understand what goes well together, what temperatures to prepare the food, and how to make the perfect dish that leaves people wanting more.  That is not only what makes a perfect dish, but those are the fundamentals that can make a good restaurant a phenomenal restaurant.    

After five long days of work at my job in New Jersey I look forward to my nice little treat every weekend morning to appease my taste buds.  I roll out of bed tired but eager to start my bountiful meal.  As I walk downstairs I prepare all the things I need to make a delicious meal.  First, I take the bacon out of the freezer and let it defrost for a while.  It always ends up taking way too long, which is why I always put it in the microwave for 30 seconds.  Then, I just grab the biggest pan I have, and put it on the stove.  I like to use a combination of canola oil and butter to grease the pan.  Being very meticulous about spreading all the butter and oil on every inch of the pan, I begin to get excited.  I slowly place every strip of bacon on the pan, as it sizzles I start to smell such a delicious aroma. 

Now, the bread and butter of the bacon are what you put on it.  The bacon is currently sizzling in the pan soaking in the butter and canola oil.  What I like to do is add a little bit of barbeque sauce and paprika to give the bacon that little extra taste.  My brother likes to put salt on his, but I find that the bacon itself tastes salty enough; therefore you do not need to add it.  My preference is that the bacon feels a little bit softer, but packed with flavor.  I want the bacon to taste like small slices of steak as I bite into the sandwich.  

The bacon must be packed with a taste that gives the sandwich an important kick.  I sit at the counter top flipping piece by piece, spreading all the flavors around, usually getting small burns from the sizzling oil.  Now, this is where you need to watch the bacon carefully.  When the pan gets too hot and the oil begins to splatter, you have to lower the temperature.  It usually doesn’t bother me, but most people would not appreciate being burned by little droplets of hot oil.  I am so into the dish by this point that the hot splatters of oil really do not bother me much. 

After I feel that the bacon has been cooked thoroughly I place all the pieces, one by one, onto a dish.  This dish has a paper towel over it, so that it can soak the grease up.  However, I leave the leftover grease in the pan so I can cook my eggs in it.  Yes, I said it.  I cook the eggs in a mixture of canola oil, butter, paprika, and barbeque sauce.  It tastes delicious to every last bit, and I do it every weekend.  Anybody else would tell me off and say that I didn’t know what I was doing.  Oh, on the contrary, I know exactly what I am doing.  Now, a lot of people like scrambled eggs, but I love them sunny side up.  It is your preference, whatever you like.  I have had both, but I love the tasty yolk part of the egg when it is cooked sunny side up.  Six eggs seem to suffice for two sandwiches.  This might seem like a lot, but I’m a bigger man so this is just what fills me up.  Becoming a master at the one hand egg crack took me years of practice, but I have finally perfected it.  I crack each egg with one hand right on the pan, and then dump it in the sizzling mix.  It’s going take the average egg cracker about a year of cracking before they can easily crack six eggs perfectly with one hand, but when you finally master it, it feels great. 

It’s a bad feeling when one of the eggs spills out, leaving a feeling of sadness throughout my whole body like I have let everyone down.  For those who have mastered egg cracking, once you have fully cracked six perfect eggs, now you have to add your own special seasoning to them.  I am and always will be a huge fan of salt and pepper on eggs.  Some disagree and some agree, again, it all comes down to preference. But, it just wouldn’t be the same if I did not do that.  The eggs do not take too long tocook in the oil.  

Maybe three to five minutes tops, after that, you will probably just be burning them.  You do have to make sure that there is no “goo” around the egg yolk because this could be very unhealthy.  It might actually end in salmonella poisoning if not cooked thoroughly.  If the eggs still have a slight green aura, let them stay on the burner.  All you should see is white and yellow for the yolk. Once you make sure that the eggs are cooked, you just place one piece of American cheese on each egg.   I would not even take them off the pan until they are perfectly cooked, because a runny egg could ruin the whole dish.  Have you ever taken a bite out of egg that looked delicious, but all you taste is a gooey jelly like texture?  Yeah, it is not a good thing, and I am sure you agree, that can absolutely ruin your dish.  It can also diminish your appetite all together.  So do yourself a favor, and cook the eggs as thoroughly as possible.  Just like everything in life, doing too much of something will get you nowhere, and doing too little just isn’t enough.  You have to cook it for the perfect amount of time if you want a delicious tasting egg. 

Now that the eggs and bacon are cooked to perfection, and we’ve place them on our dish, it is time to toast the bread.  I prefer Ezekiel Bread because it is a very good source of protein and whole grain.  I throw it in the toaster for about three to five minutes and watch it meticulously so that it does not burn.  The eggs and bacon taste so delicious that I can hardly wait for the toaster to pop.  When it finally is done, I take butter and jelly and spread it onto the bread.  On one side, I spread butter on, and the other side I spread jelly.  So now, I am staring at a big plate of six eggs, a load of bacon, 2 pieces of Ezekiel bread with butter spread on it, and 2 slices of Ezekiel bread with jelly spread on it.  I am ready to transform this dish into a sandwich.  The rule of thumb is that the jelly is always on the top.  There is something about tasting the jelly on the roof of your mouth that is just very appealing to me, so that slice is always on top.  I lay the buttered pieces of bread flat on the table.  I place 1 egg on each piece, then 3 slices of bacon over it.  Then I place one more egg over the bacon, and then another three slices over the next egg.  After this, I place the last and final egg over the three strips of bacon.  Then I add the rest of the bacon right over the last egg on the sandwich.  I finally put the jelly side of the bread right over the last bits of bacon turning it into a sandwich, in fact two sandwiches and they stand tall.  Each one of my sandwiches is about 4 inches high, and looks absolutely phenomenal.  As soon I squash the top part of the bread on the sandwich, the perfectly cooked eggs explode, and the yolk spills down the side of the sandwich.  I bring the feast to my breakfast table, and dig in. 

The first bite melts in my mouth.  I taste the barbeque sauce from the bacon, the cheese, the jelly, the butter, paprika, and all in the perfect texture.  There is a little bit of everything in every bite, and it could not be blended together any better.  The egg yolk is messy, but fantastic and the contrast of flavors make me want to shove down the two sandwiches in no time at all.  In fact, that is what I do.  It may take me an hour to cook, but it only takes about 5 minutes to devour every last bit of it.  After my last bite, I make sure I taste every last bit of egg yolk, bread crumb, or bacon bit.  The plate appears spotless within minutes, and my stomach is stuffed.  Yet another weekend of delicious eats it has been for me, and I enjoyed every last minute of preparing and eating it.  What a success! Now it’s time to vegetate on the couch and digest.  This meal is always much needed.