Bruschetta with Balsamic Burst Tomatoes & White Beans
Tuscan white beans, also known as Cannellini beans or simply white beans, fall in the category of complex carbohydrates. Not only do they offer a good dose of fiber, but…
Italian
Potato Gnocchi with Gorgonzola Cream Sauce
Gnocchi (pronounced nyok-ee) go way back to Roman times. They were made from semolina dough, mixed with eggs. Roman legions spread the dish throughout the European region where they have…
lemon Pesto Pasta
I love lemons! They are little powerhouses of flavor. Behind his (or her) bright yellow jacket, awaits an assertive little fruit just bursting to be squeezed or zest. This simple,…
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…
Pasta with Truffle Mascarpone Cream Sauce
Italian truffles, worth their weight in culinary gold, are highly coveted and sought out to take an ordinary recipe to superb new heights. Tartufo, as they are called in Italy,…
40 Days
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40 days—the duration of Lent—is one of the most symbolically significant periods of time in the Bible. Lent, the special season that precedes Easter, is an English word and…
Mediterranean Grain Bowl
After I was married, the first house my husband and I bought was only a couple of miles away from my mother. Quite often I would stop by for a…
Strawberry Crostata
To me, Spring just screams strawberries! I serve them fresh with a splash of balsamic vinegar, toss them into salads, add them to my fruit pizza, and strawberry bruschette. And…
Pasta with Creamy Provolone Sauce
Provolone is an Italian cheese made from cow’s milk. The flavors can range from mild and sweet to sharp, based on the amount of time it ages. This sturdy cheese…
Lemon Risotto
Prior to the beginning of the 20th century, most lemons consumed in America were of the Italian variety and imported from Messina, Sicily, Siracusa, Sicily, and Sorrento, Campania. The Mediterranean…
Parmesan Wafers with Tomato & Bread Soup
A few crumbles of a good quality Parmesan is a delight to savor. I have taken this Italian treasure of a cheese and turned it into wafers that are a…
Parmigiano Reggiano
Parmigiano Reggiano, is one of Italy’s gifts to the world of food and is an essential staple in many kitchens around the globe, including mine. It’s unmistakable aroma, milky taste…
Vanilla Pecan Biscotti
Vanilla has a recognizable, pleasant aroma and scent and is understandably the world’s most popular flavor. Last February I had the opportunity to visit a family-owned vanilla farm in Hilo,…
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…
Marinated Baby Artichokes
Native to the western and central Mediterranean, the artichoke is a domesticated variety of the wild cardoon. Cardone, in Italian, is a thistle and looks like large stocks of…
Easter Monday
Easter Monday, known as la Pasquetta in Italy, literally means little Easter. It is also known as ‘Lunedì dell’Angelo‘ (‘Monday of the Angel’) – the day to remember the…
Double Cauliflower with Chard and Onions
Inexpensive and readily available, cauliflower is a nutritional powerhouse. It is high in vitamins C and K, potassium, manganese, folate, fiber and cancer-preventing glucosinolates. If you are (currently) not…
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…
Sardinian Spice Cookies
Papassini are traditional Sardinian spice cookies and without a doubt, the best spice cookie I have ever eaten! The combination of citrus, raisins and spices, produces a depth of…
Ossi di Morti Biscotti
In the Roman Catholic Church, All Soul’s Day, which was established by Pope Boniface IV, specifically commemorates the departed faithful who have not yet been purified and have reached…