Fresh Blueberry Crostata
The thing I enjoy most about Summer is the fresh fruits and vegetables that are not only available during the warmer months, but you can buy or pick them at…
Breakfast & Brunch Recipes
Zuppa di Colazione (Breakfast Soup)
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Soup for breakfast might sound a bit strange to you, but this is really very good. In the Lombardy region of Italy, there is a very old city called…
Ricotta Quiche with Balsamic Burst Tomatoes
Once a month after First Friday Mass, our women’s club meets, and we share a meal prior to the start of our meeting. I volunteered to prepare our lunch for…
No Kid Hungry
As the first day of Autumn draws near, children everywhere will be settling into the new school year, but tragically, many children will go to school without the most important…
Roasted Red Pepper & Asparagus Mini Frittate
If you have eggs in the frig and just about any vegetable, you can make a frittata. This recipe is easy to prepare and makes the perfect small bite. Baked…
Lavender Scones
After visiting Capay Lavender Farm, I knew the first thing I was going to make with lavender was going to be scones. It was a bit of a no-brainer as…
Blackberry Breakfast Bruschetta
Bruschette are the perfect small bites (merenda) and are great anytime of the day. These nourishing small meals are defined by the season and what’s in my pantry. They…
Vegetable Panini
When it comes to making panini, (Italian for sandwiches), it begins and ends with the bread! I prefer using Ciabatta, an Italian rustic looking bread that is available in loaves…
Apple Bacon & Pecan Salad with Creamy Provolone Dressing
I love a good salad! And I am not talking about a plate of iceberg lettuce with bottled dressing! There are a multitude of easy-to-find ingredients that add flavor,…
New Orleans Beignets
The Crescent City is known for many “sweet” things, such as, King Cakes, a brioche-type pastry, which is a huge part of Mardi-Gras traditions, Sfinci, creamy ricotta-filled puffs of…
Caramelized Pear & Pecan Salad w/Gorgonzola
One of my favorite ways to enjoy pears is the simplest, fresh off the tree with a handful of walnuts. Now, add crumbles of Gorgonzola and a drizzle of…
Ricotta Omelet with Cherry Tomato Vinaigrette
Frittata is the Italian word for omelette. I often use the words frittata and omelette interchangeably but, technically they are different. A frittata is flat with the ingredients (usually)…
Fresh Tomato & Cheese Tart
This savory summertime tart is a terrific choice to utilize the season’s bounty of fresh flavorful tomatoes. The flaky buttery crust compliments the luscious ricotta and Parmesan cheese filling.…
Citrus & Cheese Butter Toast with Fried Egg and Asparagus
“The Incredible, Edible Egg” is a marketing slogan that was created for the American Egg Board in 1976. I believe that this slogan is so spot on because eggs…
Burro di agrumi e formaggio
If you’ve ever used a compound butter, a mixture of fresh herbs and softened butter, you know that it adds inimitable flavor and moisture as it melts on beef,…
Granita alla Fragola
History tells us flavored ices date back to ancient China, but the first frozen dessert in Italy actually came from Sicily. Arabs brought an icy treat of frozen water,…
Ricotta “Cake Mix” Cake
Over the years, I have made various types of cakes with ricotta (even pancakes), such as, almond ricotta cake, blueberry breakfast cake and lemon ricotta cheesecake. This cake is…
Potato & Onion Frittata
Growing up, I remember my mother making a frittata of potatoes and onions. It was never served for breakfast or a fancy brunch, rather it was our evening meal.…
Asparagus Tart
Asparagus is my favorite spring vegetable! When tossed with ravioli it becomes a lovely light lunch and combined with lemony chickpeas creates a perfect picnic salad. If I’m in…
Handmade Cappuccino
In Italy, coffee is more than a beverage, it’s an important part of every day life, a social phenomenon, a religious experience and one more reason Italy is suffering…