Farewell #2

Monday- December 22nd-

I'm posting out of order.. I know, but at least I did it right?!?!!?


Anyway, our friends Mark & Shel sent out an invitation for a small gathering in our honor:

Our friends …… Carlo and Sonia are about to depart,

we don’t want them to go, without a good start..

You are invited to ours, for beers and for wines

to catch up and talk about all the fun times…..

We are so grateful for such wonderful friends. We had a great time and will miss everyone very much. These folks are very special to us. They are like family. They are Carlo's friends from work so, most of them are from the UK or Italy. I know we'll see them again someday but it was so hard to leave them. Once the night was over and we said good-bye to our hosts, I started crying once we started walking to our car. I managed to pull myself together to drive home but it really sucked having to say good-bye. Just writing this out is making me cry again, but it's ok.. I'm supposed to do that! We took a group picture but, I don't have it yet. Once I get it, I'll post it.

Thanks for the good times! We love you guys!!

Moving Day #1

Monday- December 29th-

Land Air Express came by to pick up all 41 pieces to ship to Italy. Carlo kept telling me how "cute" I was for taking pictures. He obviously doesn't understand the importance of documenting Moving Day!

Now that those boxes are gone, does it look better??? Does it look like we're ready to leave on Friday??

Last minute visits and tour

Saturday- December 27th

I've been in Dallas for 30 years. Carlo has been in Dallas for 2 years & 7 months. So, now that we're leaving to Italy we FINALLY make time to do some sightseeing in Dallas.

We start by meeting my parents, Mika & Markus and visiting my father's side of the family. We met with some cousins and Aunts to say our good-byes.

Afterwards, we went downtown to Dealy Plaza and to check out the Sixth Floor Museum.

We also stopped by the Old Red Courthouse.

After driving around town, we took a small detour to a carwash.

*Markus is the comedian in our family. He's constantly making funny faces in pictures.

Once 5:00 o'clock arrives, we walk into Pietro's Italian Restaurant. Pietro's is like family to me and Carlo. We had our 1st date, 3rd date, engagement celebration, anniversary, etc..... well, you get the idea. We are regulars!! We had a great time and we able to say good-bye to our friends.

Markus playing with the Crab fingers we had as appetizers.

After stuffing our faces with delicious food, Carlo and I had one last surprise.


We took them to Paciugo! Those who know us, aren't surprised by this. We had Paciugo catered at our wedding so, this has a special place in our hearts and we also know the guy who works there... so, again, we had to say good-bye to this friend as well. We enjoyed our Gelato while walking through Highland Park Village enjoying the Christmas Lights.

We had such a great time. Good company, good food, good fun! My parents made great tour guides. Carlo learned a lot about Dallas but also learned about my family and our history in Dallas.

Crostata.... the recipe

Tradition:1 a: an inherited, established, or customary pattern of thought, action, or behavior (as a religious practice or a social custom) b: a belief or story or a body of beliefs or stories relating to the past that are commonly accepted as historical though not verifiable2: the handing down of information, beliefs, and customs by word of mouth or by example from one generation to another without written instruction3: cultural continuity in social attitudes, customs, and institutions4: characteristic manner, method, or style (Thanks to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary)

Shortly after Carlo and I got engaged, we were at my parents house and my dad had asked him a very important question.... "Why do you want to marry my daughter?"

One of the answers Carlo gave was...."Because she likes to cook, and she does it well" He then explained that Italian women of today, don't know how to cook. They go out to eat. This was hard to believe. How do women.. especially Italian woman not know how to cook??? Well, I can say that yes... that statement is true..sort of. So, it surprises me when Mamma Adelasia is excited that I want to learn about her recipes.

According to Carlo, I have mastered the technique of Crostata making, much more than I have pizza making. So, Ladies... here you go. Keep the tradition alive!!

Crostata (fancy Italian name for an Apple Tart)
recipe is for 2 tarts- 8 inch round cake pan

Ingredients:

2 apples
1 lemon
1 tbsp of lemon rind
2 1/2 tablespoons of sugar
1 lb flour (3 1/3 cups)
1 cup sugar
2 pinches of salt
1 cup margarine (blue bonnet is good)
1 packet of Paneangeli yeast
3 eggs- 1 whole, 1 yolks
breadcrumbs
milk
apricot jam

Peel and thinly slice 2 Apples and sprinkles 2 1/2 tablespoons of sugar.

Wash 1 lemon and grate rind into a large bowl. about 1 tablespoon.

Cut lemon in half and squeeze lemon juice over the apples. Make sure no seeds fall into the apples. Set plate aside

In large bowl, add flour, sugar, salt, yeast*, eggs and margarine.

*Paneangeli yeast- locals can find this at Jimmy's Food Store in Dallas- corner of Bryan and Fitzhugh (thanks to Lizzy for finding this)

Mix all ingredients together and add about 2 teaspoons of Milk-enough to wet just a little.

Flour cutting board and continue to mix by hand on cutting board. Mix and knead until all ingredients are well combined.

Now, preheat oven at 356º. Using a round cake pan, cover bottom and side with margarine and coat with breadcrumbs.

Flour hands and press pieces of dough onto the pan. Don't make press too hard or you'll get a thin crust. It should be a little thick. Continue to to cover bottom and all sides. After, crimp edges with a fork (if you're using a round cake pan)

Add a very thin layer of Apricot Jam.

Add 1 layer of apples.

Roll small amounts of dough to make the lattice for the top.

Depending on the size of pan, will determine the amount of baking time.

30 mins

25 mins

Let it cool completely and enjoy with a nice glass of cold milk!!