Ricotta and Endive Appetizer
If you’re looking for a healthy appetizer you’ll love this super simple endive recipe. What exactly is endive? “Endive is a member of the chicory family, which includes radicchio, escarole and curly endive. It is often called the queen of vegetables and is prized the world over. It has a crisp texture and a sweet, nutty flavor with a pleasantly mild bitterness — great served raw or cooked.” And did you know that endive is ALWAYS in season. So you can make this and other endive recipes all year round.
read moreRoast Pork Loin {Arista al Forno}
To say we’re pretty fond of the pig is an understatement. The pig gives us so many fantastically delicious cuts from: Bacon, to Pork Tenderloin, to Pork Shoulder to well I could go on and on, so it’s only fitting that the pig should be a big deal, right? ; )
Burgundy Butter {Burro alla Bourguignonne}
There’s something about butter, and bacon for that matter, that make everything taste so much better. I think it’s safe to say that I’m pretty smitten with butter, or buttah as we affectionately refer to it around here. For me I prefer it unsalted. I like to control the amount of salt. And more than that it needs to be a good quality butter.
Lemon Marinade {Marinata al Limone}
This post brought to you by Carapelli. All opinions are 100% mine.
Something I ALWAYS have in my pantry is a good quality olive oil. I don’t think there is a day that goes by that I don’t cook/use my olive oil. Do you know that there is actually a right way to taste olive oils? Well there is and I learned all about it recently.
read moreButternut Squash Soup {Crema di Zucca}
Crema di Zucca {Cream of Pumpkin Soup} is a simple, wonderful oh so creamy and velvety fall/winter soup. So much so, you won’t believe how incredibly easy it is to pull together. A little peeling, a little chopping a little simmering, a whirl in the blender and Voila! You’ll be dunking your spoon at warp speed into this bowl of bliss. So next time you see those gorgeous gourds in the market be sure to pick them up so you can make this!
Pomodori Ripieni di Riso {Tomatoes Stuffed with Rice}
I’m a big fan of making something new and creative out of leftovers. A take two meal if you will. This is one of those recipes. I use leftover rice or risotto and after infusing it just a bit with fresh herbs it’s then stuffed into beefy flavorful tomatoes. Simple and scrumptious with just about 10 minutes of prep time. And no worries if you want to make this but don’t have any leftover rice, just whip up a quick batch. This is a vegetarian version but you could easily “beef” it up with your favorite ground meat.
Cinnamon Poached Pears {Pere alla Cannella}
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.
Sorbetto di Melone {Cantaloupe Sorbet}
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}
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}
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.
Affogato al Caffe {Affogato}
If you like espresso and you like gelato {or ice cream} then this dessert is for you. Affogato means “drowned” in Italian, which is exactly what you are doing to the gelato/ice cream with the hot and steamy espresso. I never know whether to eat it with a spoon or a straw so I use both ; ) I even like to up the ante by adding a shot of Amaretto {and the only Amaretto for me is Amaretto di Saronno}
Salsa di Pomodoro {Tomato Sauce}
There is something so beautiful about a simple plate of pasta. One of the simplest is when it’s dressed with a basic tomato sauce. This 5 ingredient sauce easily comes together in less than 30 minutes and can be used for a variety of dishes. The key to a simple dish is always using the freshest quality ingredients possible.
Insalata Caprese {Caprese Salad Skewers}
One of my favorite things I look forward to eating in the spring and summer is Caprese Salad. There’s something magical about a fresh from the vine, juicy red tomato, paired with creamy fresh mozzarella, basil and golden extra virgin olive oil. It’s positively swoon-worthy.
Mele nel Cartoccio {Baked Apples in Parchment Garnished with Strawberries}
Continuing on with my infatuation with parchment paper cooking, I give you a dessert selection cooked in what else… PARCHMENT ; ) I am in LURVE with my current La Cucina Italiana magazine and their section full of mouth watering recipes that are cooked in parchment paper. I think I might actually have to make all of them. I’m especially loving this quick and easy {and pretty good for you, at least in my opinion} dessert.
Fusi di Pollo al Limone nel Cartoccio {Chicken w/Lemon in Parchment}
This year I treated myself to La Cucina Italiana magazine for Christmas. My first issue arrived a week or so ago. I literally turned off the computer {shocking} and immersed myself into the pages ignoring all else. I think I’ve mentioned to you before my long love affair with this magazine and my constant “borrowing” of my mother’s subscription much to her dismay ; )
Bistecche Piccanti {Spicy Steak}
Sometimes I just want a piece of steak. I’m going to tell you a little secret though, I’m not the best grill master in the world. GASP. There I said it, whew. I feel better. So the idea of going outside and firing up the grill pretty much isn’t high on my list. What do I do in those cases? Wait for Mr. Bell’alimento to come home to grill. He is the grill master in our casa. And I’m okay with that ; )
Nutella Milk
Got milk? Got Nutella Milk, you can now ; ) This is a great way to use up the last bit of Nutella from your jar. There is NO wasting of Nutella in our house, otherwise you risk getting your hand slapped {just kidding, well kind of LOL}
Carote con Funghi {Carrots and Mushrooms}
Happy New Year! Was one of your resolutions to eat more Veggies? Well this year I tried not to make any resolutions but adding more vegetables to your diet is always a good idea. Besides, when they’re bright and happy like this carrot and mushroom dish, they’re hard to resist!
Gluten Free Pumpkin Roll with Mascarpone and Nutella Filling
The holidays are HERE! *squeeeeee* Yes, it’s that time again! Thanksgiving will be here in less than TWO weeks! Okay, now I’m slightly freaked out LOL. With that comes family gatherings and of course FOOD! Lots of food. Lots of delicious glutenous foods {yes I eat gluten no shocker there, but guess what my son can’t} I know I’ve mentioned before that our middle son is, as of this year, gluten free.
Brasato {Braised Short Ribs with Vegetables and Herbs}
Who doesn’t love braised short ribs? Not only are they incredibly flavorful because of the sheer amount of time they spend bubbling away in their own special little jacuzzi, they’re so tender they fall off the bone. And if that wasn’t enough it’s pretty much pot to table! Hey, what can I say, I like to cook but detest doing dishes…sigh
read more
Welcome to my cucina! To see what we're cooking up in the Family Kitchen click HERE |
    
 |
|
|
Featured Links
Free Updates:
