Pumpkin Gorgonzola Risotto is the perfect blend of flavors for a creamy and delicious risotto! I love just about all cheeses but if I had to pick one as my favorite it would be Gorgonzola. Gorgonzola has a long history dating back to around 880 A.D. Its exact origin isn't certain and there are many theories...
Vegetarian
Creamy Asparagus Soup with Poached Eggs
There's nothing better than a one dish meal and this soup certainly satisfies everything you'd look for: fabulous taste, protein, vegetables, and warm creaminess. I first made this recipe with a group of culinary aficionados who get together twice yearly to experiment with new recipes. Originally the recipe appeared in an Oregon-based newspaper, the Oregonian,...
Pioppino mushroom soup with pancetta, spring peas, and green onions
So often what I make for lunch evolves right then and there with ingredients I have on hand and from the garden. Today was one of those days. It's starting to feel just a tad on the chilly side, the sky is gray and rain for the next week is in the forecast so I'm...
Sautéed Purple Cabbage with Fresh Coriander
Sautéed Purple Cabbage with Fresh Coriander What I love most about this dish is that it's downright beautiful. Pantone has established that purple, and all its tonalities, are the food color for 2018 and I concur wholeheartedly. There are so many wonderful purple foods from purple cabbage to beets to eggplant and each one is...
Green onion and tomato fettuccine
The recipe for green onion and tomato fettuccine came about on a whim at the last minute. We went for our morning walk much later than expected, just before lunchtime. On the way home we stopped by our garden to see what, if anything, was left of last summer's produce. Oddly enough the long red...
Potato Leek Soup
Potato Leek Soup is tasty, nutritious and a fabulous comfort food in the winter months. Soups in the wintertime are unbeatable; on a day like today that's gray and dreary, with a constant drizzle of rain, nothing warms the soul more than a cup of hot soup. It's our go to dinner all winter long,...
Roman Style Stuffed Artichokes
Roman Style Stuffed Artichokes are delicious served with a few slices of lemon and some calamint leaves. All winter long the market is full of globe, or Roman, artichokes. There are so many delicious ways to prepare them, but the best way is Roman style stuffed artichokes, or Carciofi alla Romana.I usually buy artichokes that...
Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with Grated Parmesan Cheese and Toasted Walnuts
Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad with Grated Parmesan Cheese & Toasted Walnuts is a delightful winter salad and a great way to serve this winter vegetable! I hadn't thought of using brussels sprouts raw in a salad but it's one of the easiest and tastiest ways to use them. Brussels sprouts are an odd vegetable. Their...
Broccoli Rabe Gnocchi with a Gorgonzola Sage Sauce
Have you ever tried to convince children to eat leafy green vegetables? It's no simple task and honestly I'm not a champion of forcing children to eat anything against their will no matter how nutritious the food is. It's a sure fire way to turn children against the pleasure and passion of eating. The trick is to incorporate...
Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts
It's winter vegetable season again and Oven Roadted Brussels sprouts are one of my favorites! There are many wonderful ways to prepare them but they all stem around some variety of roasting which gives them their nutty, delicious flavor. Boiling and steaming are a no-no as this brings out a metallic, unpleasant flavor. Stick with...
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...
Radiatori Pasta with Zucchini, Cherry Tomatoes, Ricotta & Fresh Mint
Radiatori Pasta with Ricotta, Zucchini, Tomatoes & Mint We’re moving into late spring and pasta dishes are already starting to take on a light and fresh twist. Not too terribly far south of Rome there are already some luscious tomatoes and tender zucchini available. And our mint plants are exploding with leaves, just begging to...
