Avocado Fries
I am crazy about avocados. They’re creamy and dreamy and I could eat my weight in them. Don’t even get me started on guacamole. I could eat that every single day and be happy. One of my other favorite ways to eat avocados are fried. That’s right. Avocado Fries! They’re crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. Add a side of Wasabi Lime mayo and you might not ever want to eat a potato fry again.
read moreHow To Make Fried Cheese {+ Giveaway}
If you’re looking for an appetizer that is sure to please everyone make fried cheese (formaggio fritto). Even those on a diet will gravitate towards these bites of bliss (don’t worry just take the stairs a few extra times). The downside, the platter will disappear faster than you can make them. If you’re having a Super Bowl party this Sunday treat your guests to these. They’ll thank you.
read moreMushroom, Spinach & Red Pepper Wraps
I’m kinda obsessed with wraps lately. Flour tortillas are a great pantry staple. If you need a quick lunch or snack. Boom. Just wrap it up and voila. I made these delicious morsels for the Mushroom Channel! They’re simple satisfying and will be on your plate in less than 5 minutes!
How to Make Ravioli
This month we celebrate THREE years of our little place here on the internet! Three years of: stirring, chopping, boiling, sauteing, simmering, braising, frying, stuffing, baking, cooking and loving every minute of it. Even the ones where we burned something, and yes it happens. Cooking and taking photographs is so therapeutic for me. I can’t imagine NOT doing either. Besides cooking, and shooting what I’ve loved equally is connecting with all of you. Before I get all sappy and need Kleenex we have some exciting things planned this year and one of those is a monthly homemade pasta series. I’m thrilled to be able to get back to my love of homemade pastas. We’re kicking off with ravioli stuffed with a creamy dreamy RICOTTA cheese filling.
Spaghetti with Kale and Tomato Sauce
Did any of you happen to have any extra pounds just jump on you over the holidays? I looked down and all the sudden my pants were tight. GAH! Tight pants are just not fun. I don’t care who tells you they are. They aren’t! So instead of crying over it I decided to do something about it. I started a little juicing thing. I know right who am I? So if I seem a little crabby you’ll know why ; ) I’m not doing a radical juicing (cause I would end up hurting someone without food food) I’m starting out slowly with one glass in the morning and one later in the day when I’m craving sweets. It’s giving me the extra veggies I need and keeping me full in between “chewing” meals.
The Art of Risotto: Artichoke Risotto
I am a sucker for risotto. Plain and simple I could eat the entire pot. Not a good idea but hey I just don’t think clearly when a bowl/plate is placed in front of me. When it comes to food, good food, I am weak. I admit it. Sometimes you just need to take the stairs instead of the elevator so you can enjoy a bowl of goodness from time to time.
How to Make Italian Hot Chocolate
I am revisiting a post I did way back when I ehem was still knee deep learning about this crazy thing we call blogging . I’m calling a mulligan on this one. It’s perhaps my FAVORITE cold weather drink – Ciccolata Calda (aka Italian hot chocolate, the best hot chocolate in the world) and I think once you’ve tasted it, it will be your favorite too. If you’ve been making something from a packet (and it’s okay you just didn’t know any better – we’re here to help) ditch it and make this instead. You’ll never look back. Guaranteed.
How To Make Balsamic Vinaigrette
The new year is almost here (gah!) and with the new year comes resolutions and/or goals. Eating more healthy foods (aka loosing a few pounds from the holidays) seems to top most people’s list. Including mine. Salads immediately come to mind. Typically you won’t find me eating many salads. I’m just not a big salad fan. But on the rare occasion I do have one, it has to be dressed with balsamic vinegar. Period.
read moreHow to Make Norwegian Gravlax
This post brought to you by Norwegian Salmon. All opinions are 100% mine.
Living so close to the coast we are definitely seafood lovers. And being so close to the water, we know good seafood when we taste it. We also know when it comes to finding authentic, superior tasting foods, origin really does matters. Today we’re going to focus on one of my favorite fish – salmon. When it comes to salmon, Norway is on top of it’s game.
Zaletti {Polenta Cookies}
I saw those raised eyebrows ; ) Yes you read correctly that says polenta cookies. But just give them a chance, they’re not corn-y at all ; ) They do however have a gorgeous yellow thanks to the polenta. And there’s also grappa and dried fruit involved. Which makes these a must try in my book.
Fig Tart {Crostata di Fichi}
Isn’t she lovely {yes you’ll be hearing that song all day in your head now…you’re welcome} I made her especially for a brand spankin’ new online food magazine called Foodie Crush. I’m pretty smitten with it and I know you will be too. Heidi, the force behind this gorgeousness put together an incredible collection of recipes, photography and everything you wanted to know about the food bloggers behind them {okay maybe not everything but a lot ; ) }
Scalloped Potatoes {Patate alla Besciamella}
What is it about white foods that I just HAVE to have them. Pasta, rice, bread, POTATOES. You name it, they’re my kryptonite. Perhaps it’s their delicious carby starchy goodness that sucks me in. At one point I foolishly tried to cut out white foods from my diet and guess what, it was UGLY. For the sake of everyone else, of course, I immediately went back to consuming them again.
read moreMushroom and Potato Casserole {Torta di Funghi e Patate}
I have a gazillion leaves falling all over my yard in every color of the fall rainbow. I adore watching them floating in the air until they gently find their way to ground with the other gazillion leaves {that part I don’t love so much because someone has to get those up} What do all these leaves have to do with food you ask? Well leaves mean Fall and fall means comfort food, casseroles and calories. Two out of three ain’t bad right ; ) Okay let’s go with cardigans instead.
Back to Basics: How to Make Bechamel Sauce {Besciamella}
We’ve been making a lot of macaroni and cheese lately. All kinds of versions. The one constant for my macaroni and cheese is the base. Besciamella {or bechamel sauce}. It’s rich, creamy and dreamy and is my secret for making dishes sing.
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 moreEggplant Lasagna {Lasagne con Melanzane}
It’s officially COLD here. Have I ever mentioned that I’m not a cold weather kinda girl? Or a morning person but that’s a whole nother story. When the temperature drops below 60 degrees {I know I’m a light weight but I live in the South and that is COLD to me LOL} It’s time to light the fireplace and fire up the oven. One of the the first things I like to make is Lasagna. When I want something heavy, hearty and filling my go to is my LASAGNE ALLA BOLOGNESE. When we want something on the lighter side we make this fantastic vegetarian eggplant lasagna.
read moreStuffed Zucchini {Zucchine Ripieni}
This is a quick and easy vegetarian option for your zucchini. It only takes about 30 minutes to cook and is extremely versatile. It makes a great light lunch, sliced up into sections it’s a great appetizer or beef it up with a soup and salad for a nice dinner! Or hey, it’s even a great side dish. Any way you serve it it’s good and it’s good for you.
Pumpkin Cake {Torta di Zucca}
Have you noticed an abundance of PUMPKIN recipes floating around the blogosphere? Well I have and I LURVE it. We’re big pumpkin fans in our house and any excuse for me to make something with pumpkin is cause for celebration. I stock up on pumpkin puree in the market when I see it. You can absolutely make your own, and I do, but having a few cans on hand to bake with when the urge hits me is always a good thing.
Butternut 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!
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