Sicilian Girl

Tweet Pasta alla Carbonara is a simple dish of pasta, bacon, cheese, cream and raw eggs. The original Roman version is quite rich and adding the eggs to achieve a creamy sauce with out them curdling is rather tricky. I came up with an easy, full proof method for adding the egg, so no worries [...]

Tweet Hash became notably popular during and after World War II, due to the rationing of fresh meat and for many, it came in a can (Hormel corned beef hash). When I was growing up, we never wasted food and leftovers on one night could easily find their way into breakfast the next morning. Hash [...]

Tweet   Crispy on the outside with a soft crumb inside, these not quite savory, not quite sweet, biscuits are the perfect bite. Particularly tasty with soups and a nice alternative to bread. Leftovers reheated in the oven, (to retain crispness) can be sliced and filled with your favorite jam or scrambled eggs for a [...]

Tweet Every Sicilian I have ever met has a sweet tooth, we love our dolce (dessert), especially those with sweetened ricotta. Sicily’s iconic cannoli with it’s crisp pastry shell, creamy ricotta filling and a dusting of confectioner’s sugar is probably the most well known, followed by the elaborate cassata, a rich layered cake filled with [...]

Tweet A ridiculously quick and easy way to get a perfect frittata (Italian omelet) for one. It seems I always have leftover roasted or grilled veggies of some kind in the refrigerator. So a healthy and satisfying meal is just minutes away. This is also a perfect afternoon snack (Merenda) and can be enjoyed at [...]

Tweet Sometimes I just want a little something sweet! Have you ever made a batch of pancakes on Sunday morning (or any morning) and had a little batter leftover? So, do you save the batter or throw it out? I rarely throw away food, so the next morning (with just enough batter to make a [...]

Tweet What is the difference between a scone and a biscuit? If you are (from the states)  visiting England and ask for a biscuit, you will get a cookie. If you order a muffin, you’ll be served the kind with nooks and crannies to capture lavish amounts of butter and jam and it requires a [...]

Tweet I am always looking for alternatives  to replace breakfast potatoes. When I made Cauliflower Greens Restelli the other day, I had an “Ahah” moment. Now, that dish is delicious on it’s own, but I wanted to use it in an entirely different way as a substitute for country-style potatoes. So … I followed the [...]

Tweet   With the exception of sugar beets, carrots have more sugar than any other vegetable. During the middle Ages, when sweeteners were scarce and expensive, Europeans used carrots to add sweetness to cakes. These cakes were perceived as healthy. (I guess they didn’t have any Cheesecake Factory’s). It’s believed that the origin of  carrot [...]

Tweet Everything’s better with biscuits! These southern specialties have a soft tender crumb with a slight sweet taste and a kiss of cinnamon. These better than cornbread (in my opinion) biscuits will compliment many meals. They are a natural with breakfast, perfect with Jambalaya and a tasty snack stuffed with leftover brisket or baked ham. [...]