At this time of year, as we approach Thanksgiving and Christmas, it’s handy to know how to make a Spinach Ricotta Pie. This Northern Italian specialty makes a great appetizer, side dish, or entree for family and friends who follow a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet.
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Northern Italian cuisine is often described as cucina povera—as opposed to a high cuisine—because it relies on fresh local ingredients from the surrounding mountains that are prepared in a simple yet tasty way. And most importantly, nothing goes to waste.
But as traditional cooks, we are blessed to know how to make these simple yet tasty dishes right in our own kitchens—our own cucina poveras! The most important thing to note about this style of cooking—no matter where you live—is that it’s all about making delicious food with simple ingredients that are readily available. And this Spinach Ricotta Pie recipe “fits the bill” perfectly!
In this newsletter, I'll show you how to make this Spinach Ricotta Pie, as well as some Thanksgiving recipes you can make ahead of time. I also share with you a personal remembrance on this Veterans Day.
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Northern Italian Spinach Ricotta Pie
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What makes Spinach Ricotta Pie so versatile is that you can serve it as an appetizer, a side dish, or a main dish. It’s perfect as your main meal or as an accompaniment to your holiday recipes.
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Make Ahead Thanksgiving Recipes
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Here are some Thanksgiving recipes you can make ahead of time so you can enjoy the holidays by spending more time with family and friends.
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If you've already ordered my book, thank you! And if you can leave me a book review, that would help others learn about traditional foods and techniques for their home kitchens. Thanks so much!
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Special In-Person Event: Do you live in Central Texas? If so, please join me at the Barnes and Noble at Sunset Valley in Austin, Texas, for a book signing on Saturday, November 18, 2023, from 2-4 pm CST. I'd love to meet you in person!
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Thank you for Being a Sweet Friend
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On this Veteran’s Day, I want to send my heartfelt THANK YOU to all those who have served or are presently serving in the US military! I have the greatest respect for those who put their life on the line every day to protect us and our freedoms so that we may live with the assurance that you are looking out for our safety in an ever-changing and more dangerous world.
My father was too young to serve in World War 2, but he signed up for military service as soon as he was eligible. Before the Korean War broke out, he served in the US Army as a young man as a bodyguard for South Korean President Syngman Rhee.
After that tour of duty was up, the Army offered him two options: An assignment in Europe or Hawaii. This poor kid from Jersey City jumped at the chance to go to Hawaii, where he was stationed at Schofield Barracks Army Base on the island of Oahu. If you have seen the movie From Here to Eternity, you may be familiar with the base. Parts of that classic movie were filmed at Schofield Barracks.
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Unfortunately, the Korean War broke out, and my dad was shipped back to Korea as a member of the reactivated 5th Regimental Combat Team (RCT). I highly recommend reading The Hills of Sacrifice: The 5th RCT in Korea by Michael P. Slater to learn more about this combat team and their role in history. (The 5th RCT has a rich history dating back to the early 1800s!)
Eventually, my dad was promoted to Sergeant First Class but sadly was seriously wounded in combat during the Korean War. He was transferred to a MASH unit and then airlifted to Tokyo General, where he shared with me that he received outstanding care.
My dad loved serving in the military and was heartbroken when his combat wounds found him having to recuperate stateside for almost two years at Valley Forge military hospital.
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Eventually, once he recovered and received an honorable discharge from the armed forces, he decided to return to high school. He often shared many funny stories with me as to what it was like to be a grown man attending high school. It wasn’t always easy for him. But his tenacity saw him through, and he made some nice friends. He even dated his French teacher! 😉
Once he finished high school, he was blessed to meet my mom at a New Year’s Eve Party. He was immediately smitten and proposed marriage a few months later. Within six months of meeting, my parents were married. My dad worked during the day but also decided to attend night school on the GI Bill to obtain his college degree. My mom worked as a secretary at the college so that when my dad would come to class in the evening, she would get to see him before she headed home. She always greeted him with a kiss and a paper bag filled with something to eat.
Three years later, I was born, and I was the one who was blessed with wonderful parents. Life wasn’t always easy, but my parents always pulled together and weathered whatever difficult times came our way. My mom and dad were happily married for 61 years until my dad was called to his eternal home in 2016.
So, on this Veteran’s Day, I honor my father for his military service, but most of all, I’ll be glancing up to Heaven to thank him for being my dad. 😊
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Love and God Bless,
Mary ♥
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Subscribe to Mary's Nest YouTube Channel
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If you haven't already done so, don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to my YouTube Channel—and click the notification bell so you'll learn about new videos. This way, you won't miss a thing!
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And have you visited my Mary's Nest YouTube Community? I frequently share pictures of the recipes and projects that I'm working on. You can share your comments too, so come join me in our YouTube Community.
Thanks so much for being a subscriber and viewer! 😊
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Promotion Codes and Discounts
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Lehman's 15% Discount Code: In today's recipe video, I show you some of the products I use from Lehman's. They sell wonderful items to help us live a simpler life, especially with products made in the USA. (Note: This was not a sponsored video. I bought all the items myself.)
If you haven't tried Lehman's before, I encourage you to browse their catalog for a Christmas gift for yourself, your family, and your friends. Best of all, they've offered my sweet friends a special 15% off orders!
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Discount Codes: Check out the latest discount codes on my shopping guide page for up to 15% off products from US Wellness Meats and more for Mary's Nest viewers.
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In addition to discounts from the School of Botanical Arts and Sciences, you'll also find discount codes from Masontops, Cultures for Health, GreenStalk, Redmond Real Salt, Farmhouse Teas, Plan to Eat, and more. So find the products and services you need for your Traditional Foods Kitchen and save money at the same time.
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Download Your Free eBooks
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As a Mary's Nest newsletter subscriber, you have access to free eBooks to help you learn more about traditional foods, create warm and cozy meals, and stock your kitchen pantry.
If you haven't already done so, be sure to download the following eBooks and add them to your traditional foods library.
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Join the Traditional Foods Kitchen Academy
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If you're looking for more in-depth videos and live streams about traditional foods, I encourage you to join my Traditional Foods Kitchen Academy on YouTube. (We call members of my academy Kitchen Pioneers.) I publish member-only videos and live streams in addition to my public videos. Our live streams are a lot of fun, and I enjoy getting to know more about you, my wonderful Kitchen Pioneers. 😊
Be sure to bring your questions for me to our live streams. (You are always welcome to leave your questions on my channel videos too.) You can also chat with the other members in our Kitchen Pioneers community. You'll find a lot of fellow Kitchen Pioneers who are working on traditional foods recipes just like you!
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If you've not had a chance to join our Traditional Foods Kitchen Academy, please consider doing so.
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The following members-only video is part one of my How to Boost Your Immunity series.
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The Traditional Foods Kitchen Academy membership community is optional. But don't worry if you can't join the community right now. I'm still publishing detailed instructional cooking and conversational videos on my public YouTube channel that you can watch for free, including my How to Transition a Sourdough Starter and More video. (Thanks so much for being a Sweet Friend and subscriber!)
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