Sicilian Girl

Tweet So, you have an eggplant, half a box of spaghetti, a pound of ground beef and need to make something that will feed six hearty appetites. This eggplant and spaghetti pie will do the trick and is just the thing to get the conversation started. Your family and dinner guests will smile at this [...]

Tweet It’s smart to plan ahead if you’re thinking about making this slightly sweet brisket. Although it takes 4-5 hours to cook, it basically cooks itself as it makes it’s own sauce. All you have to do is combine the  ingredients, pour over the brisket and shove it in the oven. Perfect for a potluck [...]

Tweet This stew is the equivalent of the basic “little black dress,”  the essential recipe to have in your repertoire that you can serve anytime. You can dress her up for company or keep her simple and rustic depending on the occasion. The ingredients are accessible and affordable creating a richly flavored dish that is [...]

Tweet Last weekend, my girlfriend and I attended a fundraiser, Taste for Nourish, a non-profit dedicated to providing family and community support for children with feeding challenges. These children are unable to eat a nutritious diet by mouth due to medical problems, autism spectrum disorders or sensory challenges. For more information or to make a [...]

Tweet Each year in late October, when the weather is just about perfect, our neighborhood throws a block party. The streets are partitioned off, tables are set up and it’s BYOC (bring your own chair), with plenty of room left for dancing in the street. We’ve enjoyed everything from October Fest fare (German sausages, kraut [...]

Tweet A sandwich of Italian sausage, onions and peppers is typical street food of my beloved Sicily. I have served and eaten it on many occasions, from various local and regional Italian Festas (festivals) to football parties and BBQ’s. Herein lies the dilemma, what to do when this is the main event at your gathering [...]

Tweet I have made various types of meatloaf and I have made meat rolls using flank steak (braciolone), but I have never made rolled meatloaf before now. Polpettone con Ricotta (Stuffed Italian Meat Loaf) is a recipe I modified from an old cookbook of my mother’s, which she purchased at a church fundraiser. The Italian [...]

Tweet Meatballs with lemon are lighter than my traditional meatballs with red sauce. By making them smaller (about the size of a walnut) they are just the right size to enjoy as Merende (Small Bites), add to a Mediterranean Salad or serve with Lemon Spaghetti. I prepare a double recipe to have on hand because [...]

Tweet This slowly braised, melts-in-your-mouth tender and falls off the bone with very little persuasion dish, is one of my favorites. The original version was seasoned with cinnamon, allspice and bay and garnished with Gremolada, (a mixture of lemon zest, garlic and parsley). The modern version incorporates tomatoes, giving the dish a richer flavor. Ossibuchi [...]

Tweet Much of the nation’s supply of brisket is made into corned-beef, pastrami or pot roast. Corned-beef brisket is a brisket that has been preserved with salt and flavorings (corned). That is not the kind to use for this recipe. Brisket contains very little fat, leaving the muscle fibers quite tough which is why it [...]