A lot of us know what I am talking about in this post. The scarf you got last year for Christmas is just not your taste and maybe a bit off, color-wise. What to do? Re-gift! We are all guilty of this, and I am a chief offender when it comes to florist glass vases. How ma…
Cooking for the holidays requires a lot of time in the kitchen. Not only are we preparing for holiday get-togethers but we have to think about what we are going to make for daily meals as well. My answer is this delicious and make and forget oven roasted pork spare rib di…
Like all of us, I love Thanksgiving. But, of course, there is no such holiday as Thanksgiving in Italy. They celebrate food all year long! Here at home we celebrate food in a big way on one day, and it can be stressful for many because the expectation is an extravaganza.…
Start your busy Thanksgiving Day off right with my mom's cinnamon rolls recipe, which is reproduced here from my new book, Ciao Italia Family Classics. Mom’s Cinnamon Rolls with Lemon Icing Makes 18 Dough 4 1/2 to 5 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour1/2 cup sugar…
Thanksgiving is still a week and a half away, and for most people I know it's just now popping up on the radar screen. And truth be told, that Norman Rockwell painting of grandma smiling with the perfectly bronzed turkey while the whole family sits around the dining room …
The days are growing ever shorter and that means thinking of really satisfying and warming food. How about an easy to make fish stew? Nothing could be easier or tastier. Fish Stew Serves 6 2 tbsp. olive oil1 carrot, minced1 celery stalk, minced1 small onion, minced1 1/…
Thanksgiving is some three weeks away and most people I know don’t even have it on their radar yet. And truth be told, that Norman Rockwell painting of grandma smiling with the bronzed to perfection turkey while the whole family sits around the dining room table and…
Gingersnaps Makes 3 dozen 3/4 cup unsalted softened butter 1 cup sugar 1 large egg, well beaten 1/4 cup molasses 2 cups sifted flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 teaspoons ground ginger 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg 1…
Striano, Italy may not be a destination for many but for me it was a trip of a lifetime to see how San Marzano plum DOP tomatoes are processed for sale. Striano is in the province of Naples. I visited the Strianese Conserve s.r.l to get a better understanding of why thes…
I went overboard with basil plants this year and now I am inundated with it and there is only so much pesto and caprese salads one can make. I freeze a lot of the leaves, whole to use in winter soups and stews and came up with a really nice refreshing use for it for grill…