Pizza Party Time! Yesterday was my husband‘s birthday so we decided to have a homemade pizza party! OK, so it was just the two of us, but trust me it was a real party! We called it a party and did all the things that we usually do during a pizza party but with a…
Second Course
Broccoli and Mussel Curry
Broccoli and Mussel Curry is a great way to occasionally switch out from my classic Italian style of cooking. I prefer a curry that has a hint of Thai flavors so I like to make mine with coconut milk. I had some fresh mussels and broccoli on hand and decided they would go together beautifully…
Pasta and Bean Soup – Pasta e Fagioli
Pasta and Bean Soup – Pasta e Fagioli I don’t know why I never posted my mother-in-law’s delicious recipe for pasta and bean soup – pasta e fagioli – but there you have it: it slipped through the cracks somehow. It was just when I made it the other day that I realized I had…
Farro, Gorgonzola, Arugula & Tomatoes
Farro, Gorgonzola, Arugula & Tomatoes just happens to be one of the easiest, most delicious and nutritious recipes you can throw together in a flash. Farro is absolutely one of my favorite grains; it has a chewy consistency and almost nutty flavor, and it’s absolutely delicious almost any way you prepare it! I especially love…
Radicchio Ravioli with Chestnut Cream, Sizzled Pork Jowl and Fried Sage
When fall rolls around it’s time to make dishes that bring together some of the season’s best ingredients. Radicchio Ravioli with Chestnut Cream, Sizzled Pork Jowl and Fried Sage is one of those dishes! This recipe was adapted from a La Cucina Italiana recipe. Since these delicious ravioli can be made in advance and frozen they…
Chicken and Apricot Tagine with Prunes and Preserved Lemons
This summer our apricot tree yielded hundreds of apricots. We made the usual jam and froze some, but I decided to experiment with some new ideas. Chutney and apricot gelato were great successes, but my favorite by far was this Chicken and Apricot Tagine with Prunes and Preserved Lemons. Usually dried apricots are used in…
Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemons
One of the most delicious Moroccan dishes is Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemons. It’s wonderful because the tagine cooking technique yields a tender and flavorful chicken, while the preserved lemons add a tangy touch to the dish. To cook with a tagine you place all of the ingredients inside the tagine at the same time, cover…
Chicken with red peppers and tomatoes
Chicken with Red Peppers and Tomatoes Traditionally chicken with red peppers and tomatoes is a summer dish; it’s one of the wonderful ways to use the abundance of red and yellow peppers from the garden. It happens to be great just about anytime of the year…warm & hearty, it falls squarely into the great comfort…
Tomato Ricotta Tart
It’s that delightful time of the year when our vegetable garden is exploding and yielding scrumptious produce in spades. We always plant lots of varieties of tomatoes; it’s the true staple in Italian cuisine and we won’t settle for anything but the best in the tomato department. Our favorite snack is bread, tomato and olive…
Red Snapper Ceviche
Yesterday we spent the day fishing in Belize. Cagey, a local fisherman, took us out for the day on his small boat and we hit all his top fishing spots. I’d really hoped to catch a tuna and we nearly did. We had a barracuda on the line that broke away and even managed to bend…
Linguine with Shrimp, Tomato and Zucchini
One of my favorite dishes that allows me to use the abundance of zucchini from my garden is Linguine with Shrimp, Tomato and Zucchini. It’s simple to make; follow your personal taste and instincts when making it. The potato ricer is a must for preparing this dish. You miss out on lots of flavor…
How to smoke salmon
A wood burning pizza oven is a perfect way to smoke salmon. For two days before the actual smoking process place the salmon under a mixture of two parts salt to one part sugar. Weigh the salmon down using a baking sheet with heavier objects placed on top. Twice a day baste the salmon with…