Grilled Eggplant and Tomato Pizza – hello wordpress!

I’ve been ‘meaning’ to switch from blogger to wordpress for ages and finally I decided to take the leap!  I’m not technically inclined – I think that logical side of me is buried deep within.  I don’t, though, hesitate to take on new projects except when it comes to computers and software.  There’s something far…

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Fennel Risotto with Lamb Sausage

fennel risotto with lamb

Fennel is one of those vegetables you can use alone or as a spice, garnish or herb.  Its subtle anise flavor pairs well with apple and cheese; shellfish (lobster or crab); asparagus and garlic; orange and mint; potatoes and onions and so forth.  It’s deliciously light served as a salad, in a pasta, or in…

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Bresaola with Shaved Artichoke

Bresaola is one of those Italian specialty meats that’s difficult to find on a regular basis so when I saw it at Eataly I grabbed a package – strike will the iron is hot.  In the past I’ve come across recipes calling for bresaola but never had the chance to make and now that I…

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Conchiglie with Braised Pork Belly and Radicchio

Bacon lovers take heed as this dish will knock your socks off!  Braised anything in my books is a good thing with mouth-watering aromas filling the kitchen as the food is cooking.  Braising the pork belly means fork tender deliciousness.  What’s the difference between pork belly, bacon and pancetta?  Bacon and pancetta are made from…

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Swordfish Ravioli (ravioli di pesce spada)

Swordfish Ravioli (ravioli di pesce spada)

John and I were in Europe on a cruise last summer with John and Anne, good friends of ours.  Whenever we book a holiday I always do the research on places to visit, things to do and of course where to eat!  We had planned to meet J&A during our second night in Venice.  I…

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Salsa di Parmigiano

When I think of salsa, two things immediately come to mind:  salsa the dance – olé! – and salsa used in Spanish sauces.   It usually refers to a tomato-based sauce but if you dig further, you’ll find that salsa (Spanish for sauce) is not restricted to Latin American countries and can include France, Italy…

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Handmade Ricotta Cavatelli Pasta

Last month we were cruising the Adriatic and one of the ports of call was Bari, Italy.  I had done my obligatory research on ‘top things to do’ list for each port and Bari was no exception.  There is, however, something to be said when you communicate with the locals – no matter how limited…

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Panzanella Salad – too hot for cooking!

It’s been so hot out lately and with my husband away dinner needed to be simple and quick.  Originally I thought I would make a pasta primavera using the fresh veggies I bought from Lieb’s organic patch but I eyed the leftover focaccia bread on the counter and changed my mind.  I would make a…

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Stuffed Zucchini Flowers (Fiori di Zucca Ripieni)

Ciao, pronto, prego, il conto, mi scusi, buon giorno, arrivederci, grazie – some useful words we used when we visited Italy earlier this month – it seems a distant memory now!  Don’t ask me to string a sentence together but I can get by with simple words and hand gesticulations.  John, on the other hand,…

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