Finishing a long, put-off task, The Family Recipe Book

Have you ever had something on your mind for a while...you write it down, forget it, and then remember what you needed to do at the most inappropriate time, like when you are in the middle of traffic? Well, what you see is my little project that has been haunting me for months and months. Both of my sons asked me ages ago to take all of my recipes and those of both their grandmother's to make a book for them. I kept putting it off because I knew it would be a monumental task, one that would take maybe a whole morning. I guess there are some things that we aren't supposed to know because just the scanning took me from about 10 in the morning until just after the local news around 6:30 that evening.

I had plenty of assistance, as you can see, from my kitty Camille Suzanne. She would sit on the scanner to keep it warmed up for my use. Camille would also play with recipe cards and those tiny snippets that I cut out eons ago from the Lifestyle section of my local paper. I can't imagine doing the job without her able and encouraging expertise.

So, the scanning is finished. I am happy. Camille is taking a nap. After all she worked all day long so she needs her beauty sleep. Tomorrow I'll pull up each scan page (8.5" by 11") on my computer to add dialogue to some of the recipes so the boys will have a little history to go along with the various dishes. ("This was grandma's favorite recipe for onion soup", that kind of stuff.

There are several plastic sleeve protectors hanging around this house, probably in my office, that I'll use for the pages of recipes, which as it stands, appear to be about 50 double-sided per book with maybe 5-8 recipes each side. I still need to go shopping for the notebooks. I have something in mind and hope I'm able to locate what is rattling around in my head as "the perfect book".

My project is well on its way. The scanning is complete as far as I can tell. If anything was missed all I'll have to do is make another page that Jeff and Dave can add to the recipe books on their own. I can see now why they wanted me to do this for them because a lot of what is in my personal recipe supply I had gathered since they married. There would be no personal history for them to recall and no relevance to them. There was a request that I just scan leaving the originator's handwriting and side notes. Where did I get two son's that are so nostalgic?

My next project for the boys is to begin the genealogy searches that they've been wanting me to do, so they'll have their family history to show their children and their grandchildren. I've got the program for the task but like these books, I just keep shoving it aside. Shame on me, spring is just around the corner, so I'd better get on the ball and take that task to hand as well. Because once the weather warms, I'm not in the house much. You'll find me sitting on the ground, playing in dirt, happy as all get-out, because I'll be spending time with my friends the flowers!

Here's one of my favorites. I adored Tirimisu from the moment it hit my lips...YUM!

CHOCOLATE TIRAMISU

• 6 ounces container mascarpone cheese
• 2/3 cup whipping cream
• 1/2 cup sugar
• Chocolate Zabaglione, recipe follows
• 2 1/2 cups espresso coffee, warmed
• 24 crisp ladyfinger cookies (recommended: Savoiardi)
• Unsweetened cocoa powder, for garnish
• Dark chocolate shavings, for garnish

Place the mascarpone cheese in a large bowl and set aside. With an electric mixer, beat the cream and 1/4 cup of the sugar in a medium bowl until soft peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone. Then fold in the chilled Chocolate Zabaglione. Cover and refrigerate.

Whisk the warmed espresso and the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar in another medium bowl until blended. Line a 9 1/4 by 5 by 2 3/4-inch metal loaf pan with plastic wrap, allowing the plastic to extend over the sides. Working with 1 cookie at a time, dip 8 cookies into the espresso, and arrange in a single layer side by side over the bottom of the prepared pan.

Spoon 1/3 of the mascarpone mixture over the cookies to cover. Repeat dipping 8 of the cookies in the espresso and layering the cookies and remaining mascarpone mixture 2 more times. Dip the remaining 8 cookies in the espresso and arrange side by side atop the tiramisu. Press lightly to compact slightly (the last layer will extend above the pan sides). Cover the tiramisu with plastic and refrigerate at least 6 hours.

Unwrap the plastic from atop the tiramisu. Invert the tiramisu onto a platter. Remove the plastic. Sift the cocoa over the tiramisu, and with a vegetable peeler or sharp knife, make dark chocolate shavings and sprinkle over top.

Chocolate Zabaglione

2 tablespoons whipping cream, or heavy cream

1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

4 large egg yolks

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup dry Marsala

Pinch salt

Add cream and chocolate to a heavy small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the chocolate chips are melted and smooth. Set aside and keep warm.

Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, Marsala, and salt in a large glass bowl until blended. Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, but do not allow the bottom of the bowl to touch the water. Whisk the egg mixture over the simmering water until it is thick and creamy, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Using a large rubber spatula, fold the melted chocolate mixture into the egg mixture. Cover and refrigerate to chill completely.