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

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

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

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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 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

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

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…
Picnic

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

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

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

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

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…