Baked Gnocchi with Two Cheeses

Posted by Paula in All Recipes, Giveaway, Main Course | 473 comments

While I know it’s the middle of summer, BUT sometimes you just need a little comfort food even if it needs to go into the oven for you to enjoy it ; ) I just turn the air down a bit more that day. Gnocchi falls into that category. They’re little pillows of perfection to me. Darling delicious dumplings that are irresistible. They’re big on flavor and fill you up quickly. This baked version is no exception!

Sgroppino al Limone {Lemon Sgroppino}

Posted by Paula in All Recipes, Drinks, Vegetarian | 18 comments

What is a Sgroppino you ask? Well it’s pretty much a boozy Italian smoothie! This Sgroppino al Limone {Lemon Sgroppino} is as it’s name suggests incredibly lemony. It’s a refreshing chilled cocktail that’s perfect to sip during these warm okay who am I kidding HOT HOT HOT summer months. 

Cinnamon Poached Pears {Pere alla Cannella}

Posted by Paula in All Recipes, Desserts, Gluten Free, Vegetarian | 19 comments

It’s futile for me to even try to resist dessert. It’s not my fault you see, I have a wicked sweet tooth that I’ve inherited from my Mother {so wicked you’d think I’d have a gazillion cavities but nope not a one}. While I do love my decadent desserts this time of year fruits and sorbets are higher on my dessert list.  This is an incredibly simple and elegant dessert that you can make in less than 30 minutes. The hardest part will be peeling and coring the pears {and well that’s not so hard now is it}. Then we’ll poach  the beautiful Anjou pears in white wine and cinnamon. Don’t fret, poaching is a just a fancy schmancy word for gentle cooking {simmering} in a bath of liquid, in today’s case it’s wine.  It’s simple, seasonal and oh so satisfying.

Cook for the Cure: Fresh Beet Pasta

Posted by Paula in All Recipes, Pasta, Vegetarian | 239 comments

Those that know me, know I love PINK. And if it’s pink and sparkly ding ding ding. Love it even more. And if it’s pink and for a great cause. Swoon! Well today we’re going pink and it’s definitely for a great cause. I’m honored to help spread the word about COOK FOR THE CURE.  If you’re not familiar, “Cook For The Cure, it’s a program that gives people with the passion for cooking a way to support the fight against breast cancer. Through culinary based fundraising, events, auctions and the sale of pink products, the partnership between Susan G. Komen for the Cure and KitchenAid has raised $8 MILLION in the past decade.”

Gioia {Joy} Campo dei Fiori

Posted by Paula in All Recipes | 0 comments

Photo: Campo  dei Fiori

I find joy in a lot of  things. For instance: when my kids ask for seconds on something they didn’t think they’d like. When they say thank you and please without being prodded. When they hug and kiss me for no apparent reason. When I bite into that first spoonful of  a fresh jar of  Nutella. And I’m practically giddy when I make a trip to to the farmer’s market. It’s one of my most favorite past times. I could literally spend hours looking around at all of the fresh fruits and vegetables. Their colors, their smells literally send me into a daydreaming tizzy where recipes immediately start to whirl through my head.  Yes I just can’t help it. I am a food person.

Penne all’Arrabbiata {Spicy Penne Pasta}

Posted by Paula in All Recipes, Pasta, Vegetarian | 27 comments

Arrabbiata sauce is simply a spicy tomato sauce. You can pair it with just about any pasta you like. I happened to have Voiello’s le Penne Lisce in my pantry and so Penne all’Arrabbiata it was. Arrabbiata means angry/mad in Italian. With the sauce it refers to it’s spicy “hot” side.  

Sorbetto di Melone {Cantaloupe Sorbet}

Posted by Paula in All Recipes, Desserts, Gluten Free, Vegetarian | 18 comments

Dessert  in the summer time should be quick and refreshing. Nothing complicated {we don’t need another excuse to heat up our kitchen do we ; ) }. With so many fresh fruits in season the possibilities for ideas are endless. For me, Sorbets are my go to summer time dessert. It’s obvious how much I adore them  {you’ve seen our GRAPE, POMEGRANATE, CHERRY, and WATERMELON} Sorbets use just a handful of ingredients and take minutes to prepare. You could even have the machine running while you’re eating dinner and it will be ready by the time you are! Easy peasy.

Marmellata d’Arance {Orange Marmalade}

Posted by Paula in All Recipes, Gluten Free, Vegetarian | 16 comments

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Sunkist Growers. All opinions are 100% mine.

Want to know a secret? Last summer I caught the canning bug. I thought it was something incredibly difficult and not for me. Was I ever wrong! Yes I admit it’s a little time consuming but it couldn’t be easier and you reap the benefits all year long. You already know we can our tomatoes, but we loves jellies, jams and marmalades too.

Sorbetto di Uva {Grape Sorbet}

Posted by Paula in All Recipes, Desserts, Gluten Free, Vegetarian | 14 comments

If you want a super simple and scrumptious summer treat then sorbets are your answer {wow that’s a mouthful ; ) }. You can make a sorbet from just about any fruit or combination of fruits. We recently shared a POMEGRANATE SORBET and a CHERRY SORBET. And we can’t forget about the  WATERMELON & LIME SORBET that made it’s debut last summer. Now we have a robust red grape sorbet to tempt your taste buds.