Polpette {Meatballs}
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What is it about a meatball that is so endearing? People LOVE meatballs. People go crazy for meatballs. I don’t know that I’ve ever met anyone that didn’t like a meatball {well okay perhaps my veggietarian friends but you know what I mean}. What’s not to love. They’re round, they’re packed full of flavor and then they’re soaked in sauce! They’re little spheres of scrumptiousness.
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Braciole alla Panna {Pork Chops in Cream Sauce}
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Are you tired of your same old go to meals? Your quick fixes? Well then I’d love to introduce you to this saucy little number. It’s a dish you can whip up in a flash and will quickly make it into your must make often file. I mean why not, it’s boneless pork chops that have been sauteed to a golden perfection in a shallow buttery bath. And then, in comes THE SAUCE…
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Sweet & Spicy Bacon Coated with Nutella
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It’s that time again, one of my favorite days of the year, WORLD NUTELLA DAY! WND is the brainchild of Sara & Michelle who ask Nutella lovers to unite every February 5 creating a world blanket of Nutella love. How awesome it that ; ) To celebrate I’ve created a doozy of a Nutella recipe. Yes, I did. I covered bacon in Nutella. And guess what? It’s off the charts AMAZING. I know it might be a stretch for some, but if you take that leap of faith and try it, you just might find you like it. I’ll even go as far as say that you’ll LURVE it.
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Conchigliette con Piselli {Small Shells with Peas}
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I never ever get tired of eating pasta. EVER. First of all, there are so many different varieties of pastas: long, short, homemade, flavored. And then you have an insane amount of different shapes of pastas, which of course have diverse textures. And then you figure in the sauce choices….exhale…well boredom is simply not possible ; ) The combination of possibilities are mind boggling. Mind boggling! And I LOVE that about pasta dishes!
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Lenticchie e Lonza {Lentils and Bacon}
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Beans and bacon. A perfect marriage right ; ) Although Lenticchie e Lonza sounds so much more fancy schmancy this is just a down home stick to your ribs warm up from head to toe big pot of comfort food.
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A SPECIAL OFFER from Creminelli Fine Meats
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I love it when I can share amazing products and companies with you. Creminelli Fine Meats is one of those gems. I’m THRILLED at the warm welcome you gave to Creminelli through the GIVEAWAY last week. I was literally GIDDY with excitement when I found out that I could now FINALLY have authentic Italian artisan salami here in the states.
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Mussels with Spicy Sausage and Tomato
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Mamma Mia how I adore MUSSELS! I could eat two dozen of them by myself and not blink an eye, and then take the remainder of the crusty bread and finish sopping up the saucy goodness. And yes, I will slap your hand if you try to take my bowl before I’m done…fair warning LOL! Totally not my fault though, they’re just so stinking GOOD!
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Creminelli Fine Meats: Salami {GIVEAWAY}
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{pictured above: Salame Musica}
Sono davvero emozionata! Have you ever tasted Italian Salame? REAL Italian Salame? I’m not talking about something you might run across at the mall, oh no, I’m talking about handcrafted artisan salame. Aka the good stuff, that up until last week I had NOT tasted outside of Italy. Yes, because of those pesky little custom laws I could NEVER bring any salame back with me {because let’s just say if you try they’ll confiscate it, just trust me, don’t ask me how I know…moving on LOL}. So you can imagine my level of giddyness when a brown box full of scrumptious salumi arrived on my door from Creminelli Fine Meats…I was salivating with anticipation before I even opened the butcher paper.
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Pappardelle alla Salsiccia {Pappardelle with Johnsonville Sausage}
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{Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post. The opinions expressed, however, are my own. Always have been, always will be ; ) }
You all know we love sausage. You’ve heard me mention a gazillion times how much we especially enjoy Johnsonville Sausages {Here are just a few of the recipes we’ve featured using those scrumptious sausages: Stuffed Turkey Breast w/Pomegranate Glaze, Sausage Kebabs glazed w/balsamic and fig preserves, Ultimate Spaghetti Sauce…I could literally go on and on because, hello it’s sausage…told you we LOVE them and USE them all the time}
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Torta Rustica {Rustic Savory Pie}
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You all know how much I love my sweets. So much so you would think I’d be a natural at baking but I’m really not. Baking is quite challenging for me. It doesn’t come natural like cooking. Cooking I can do with my eyes closed. Okay maybe not, but you know what I mean. BUT a savory pie, that baking I can do ; ) Torta Rustica is Italian for Rustic Pie. It’s a savory delight that will fill you from head to toe.
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Sausage Kebabs Glazed with Balsamic and Fig Preserves
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It’s grilling season! And it’s in high gear here at our house. There is something about the smell of the meat {or veggies} wafting off of the grill! You always know when someone is grilling {that can be a good or a bad thing LOL} And who doesn’t love food on sticks? I mean really, you put anything on a stick and voila instant hit! These spiedini {which is Italian for kebabs} are no exception!
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Prosciutto e Melone {Melon wrapped in Prosciutto}
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This is the quintessential Italian appetizer to me. It’s just amazing and I never tire of it. I always get a little giddy when melon season is upon us because I KNOW it’s time for Prosciutto e Melone! The sweet cantaloupe, the sexy and salty Prosciutto, the tang of the mint and then the balsamic. Mamma Mia!
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Salsicce All’Erbe {Sausages w/Herbs}
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Okay first off let me say that SAUSAGES are incredibly hard to photograph! Seriously, I almost didn’t post this because the foto does in no way shape or form convey the deliciousness of this dish! So let’s go with the don’t judge a book by it’s cover motto, shall we…These Sausages would be equally fantabulous over a bed of polenta. Matter of fact, I would have put it over polenta had I had any in the pantry. But alas no such luck so the potato was the next best option (& well let’s face it, it was in the pantry). The Italian Sausages are full of flavor. Be sure to pierce them before you cook them or else they’ll explode like a water balloon & who wants to have a mess of sausage in the pan, just sayin.
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Lasagne alla Bolognese
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Who’s ready for some LASAGNE? Me, me me! As soon as the weather turns frightful (& well, hello … old man winter has indeed arrived) I feel the urge for Lasagne!
Well to be completely up front with you, this is not a quick Lasagne Recipe. So if you’re looking for QUICK, you’re going to be disappointed. You’ll be better off going & picking up a box of Lasagne from the freezer section of your grocery. Oh it’s not going to be very good, but it will be quick.
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Crostata ai Funghi {Mushroom Tart}
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If you follow me on Twitter you might have heard #Plateswap mentioned in the past weeks. (And if you’re not following me, run & do that right now before I notice & don’t speak to you ever again tee hee.) Plateswap was the brainchild of Cheryl of A Tiger in the Kitchen & Ellise from Cowgirl Chef.
You may notice that I end up photographing on the same old, same old plates. Well seems I’m not the only one in the foodie world who does this. This was THE reason behind Plateswap. So naturally when I heard about this I was all in! An excuse to shop, Hell-O!
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Braciola di Maiale con Rosmarino {Rosemary Pork Chops}
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Braciola di Maiale con Rosmarino pronounced Bra-chi-o-la d my-all-ay cone Rose-Mar-ine-o. See, that’s so not tough! And, well you know that I think everything sounds so much better in Italian! It’s simply Pork Chops w/Rosemary.
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Eat on $30 Project – Day 2 {Pulled Pork BBQ Sammies w/Carrot Slaw & Baked Sweet Potato Chips}
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Eat on $30 Project – Day 2 {Monday}
It’s day 2! Here is the link to the Introductory Post to the Eat on $30. Read this if you haven’t so you can catch up on the who, what where & why of things. PLUS there is a list of all of the other fab foodie participants & you should naturally check them out as well & see what they’ve been cooking up!
Okay a few observations thus far…This is much harder than I thought it would be. Perhaps it’s that I’m putting too much thinking into it, but I really don’t think so (LOL). I find that YOU HAVE to think about everything 10 x’s more. I have to weigh, “Do I NEED this, do I WANT this, can I AFFORD this?”
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Eat on $30 Project – Day 1 {Pulled Pork Nachos w/Corn, Avocado, Tomato & Black Bean Salsa}
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Sunday Day 1….Eat on $30 project!
Pork, Pork & more Pork…Hope you like pork : ) If you didn’t read the introductory Eat on $30 post click here & it will let you know all about it. Otherwise, you’re going to be wondering WHY I’m breaking down EVERY single thing we drank & ate! Just sayin’!
I started this challenge a little out of sorts today. My plans for the day were already out of whack straight out of the shoot….Which leads me to Observation #1. Things are not always going to go according to your Budget Plan. You’ll read all about that below.
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Bucatini al Prosciutto {Bucatini with Prosciutto}
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Okay before the pasta police come after me, I didn’t actually use Bucatini when I made this recipe to photograph it, but that’s what is supposed to be used. I didn’t have any in my pantry & ever since my little specialty store closed, they’re extremely hard to find. So, I used Trenette pasta instead. It’s a fab pasta that has a little texture on the outside which helps this creamy-licious sauce stick to it! So if you can’t find any bucatini you can use any long type pasta you have on hand.
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Il Pane Casatiello
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Week 5. Well, we’re moving right along through the The Bread Baker’s Apprentice – Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread,
Okay, back to bread…I must admit I was quite terrified when I started this challenge. I am NOT a baker. So the thought of all of this measuring and being at the mercy of yeast just frightened me. As you may know I’m a by sight & taste kind of cook. I put in my ingredients, taste & adjust. Cooking is very forgiving. Baking on the other hand, not so much. But I do find myself enjoying this immensely. Hoping my book makes it through this challenge. Already after week 5 it’s looking very worn with it’s buttery fingerprints & oil stained pages. LOL
I was particularly excited this week to be making an Italian bread. Evviva (hooray!) Okay, everyone knows by now that I’m crazy about all things Italian. So, suffice it to say I was jazzed. So before I got started on this bread I did a little research so I could give you some background.
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