Our home for the week, located in the town of Peggy’s Cove, has a year-round population of thirty people. The large white rental house hosted a big back porch situated on a sleepy inlet, surrounded by giant green fir trees. Kathy and I picked from the wildflowers that grew abundantly in the garden to decorate our table
I read a book called “The Summer of My Greek Taverna.” I believe that Tom Stone, the author, wrote this book to chronicle his experiences living abroad in Greece for one year. As the book description reads, it’s the story of a man in love with a place, a woman, and a dream of living in a foreign land, with recipes!
My husband was away on a business trip when my son suggested that he and I go out and have dinner. As many mothers of sons know, an opportunity to spend one on one time with your beloved boy feels like a lottery win.
I first tasted Tiramisu during the 1980s when this creamy confection burst onto dessert menus all over New York. We “met” for the first time in a famous Italian eatery, and yes, we began a love affair. Please, don’t judge, I grew up as an Italian-American in a New York neighborhood where more Italians resided than lived in all of Italy, and I didn’t know “Tiramisu.”
Read MoreThe influence of cultures that contribute to what constitutes Moroccan food is diverse and exotic. Most of the dishes prepared rely heavily on spices, some of the most popular being coriander, cumin, sweet
paprika, cinnamon, black pepper, and saffron, to name a few.
It was an unseasonably warm late March afternoon when I decided to poke around in my garden. Crouching down, sans gardening gloves, I began clearing the residual dried leaves from fall. The usual cast of reliable herbs: rosemary, thyme, and mint, pulled through the mild winter.
Pasta, when cooked in salted water till al dente, plays so nicely with meat sauces, seafood, vegetables, eggs, and cheeses. There is always a meal when there is a box of pasta in the house. For those who are gluten intolerant, thank goodness there are options. My family looks forward to our once per week pasta night. There a lot more food and drink that are worse offenders! Do you want to live a life without pasta?
Read MoreWhile window-shopping in the small country town near Asheville, North Carolina, my husband and I stumbled upon The Blowing Rock Tea & Spice Exchange. Upon entering the store, we were greeted by a friendly and energetic salesperson who offered to help familiarize us with the shop and its concept. I kindly dismissed her offer to assist, thinking, “what kind of help do I need? The shop should be self-explanatory,” I proceeded to explore on my own.
Read MoreThe use of “ riced cauliflower “ in this recipe as a substitute for actual rice does not compromise the integrity of this Asian favorite. The ingredients are loyal to traditional fried rice and, with the addition of shrimp, add protein and flavor. The introduction of peanuts substitutes the “chew” that assists the cauliflower into “believable” rice.
This recipe is a quick and easy way to make tomato sauce for pasta. The addition of meatballs creates a tasty Sunday sauce over pasta. Use this sauce for preparing eggplant or chicken parmigiana. The options are endless.
At first bite, my cousin's daughter Melissa exclaimed: “these polpette taste just like Nonna Flavia’s.” The ultimate compliment , at that moment, I felt crowned as “The Meatball Queen”.
Overnight guests? Prepare this casserole the night before and in the morning, pop in the oven for a breakfast feast. Serve with cornbread and fresh fruit. Your guests might want to stay for another night!
Read MoreThis particular recipe has become a family favorite that graces my holiday table each year. There are many combinations of ingredients that play nicely with Agaricus bisporous, also known as the white button mushroom. The use of cheese and the technique of finely grinding the sausage produces a meaty, cheesy stuffed mushroom that oozes with deliciousness.
Read MoreThis dip is a party favorite and imparts all the flavors and ingredients used in making Clams Oreganata, minus the clamshells. Bake in an earthenware crock and serve with thin slices of baguette. Be prepared to be asked for the recipe and enjoy a few minutes of party “fame.”
Read MoreI made this Polenta and Sausage bowl for Sunday dinner. Prepared polenta is a creamy cornmeal that can accompany most meats, seafood, and vegetables without competition. It is warm and comforting when prepared with butter and also with grated parmesan cheese. A staple in the North of Italy, polenta can be an alternative to pasta.
Read MorePersimmons are the orange-reddish fruit that most people overlook because they don’t know what to do with them. I created this pairing of smoked mozzarella and persimmon to replace the Mozzarella Caprese that frequently shows up for an encore at gatherings and holidays.
Read MoreBolognese is a thick, full-bodied meat sauce, also described in Italy as a Ragu. There are many recipes for Bolognese, and this particular version I have adapted, adjusting the proportions to achieve a deeply flavorful ragu. Each of the three types of meat used, beef, pork, and veal become the proverbial “Three Tenors” of Bolognese.
Read MoreUpon reflection, investigation, and research, I have come up with a foolproof way of making awesome whipped potatoes. Yes, I have sacrificed some calories during testing, but you, my faithful readers, are worth it.
Read MoreOnce the temperature drops and the leaves begin to fall, I enjoy returning to recipes that evoke a sense of warmth and spice. In the late afternoon, with daylight savings time nudging me into premature darkness, I tend to begin my dinner preparation earlier than I do in summer. Somehow, the scent of pork roasting in the oven feels and smells like autumn.
Read MoreShuffling through my cookbook cabinet and looking for some holiday inspiration, I happened upon my mother's recipe file. Although I knew every entry inside, I had to open it. It wasn’t the recipes that struck a chord; it was seeing my mother's handwriting. I recognized the scripted imprint that was distinctly her own.
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