Veal Marsala Saltimbocca | Italy

Growing up my Italian mother used to make the most basic Veal Scallopine with just flour, salt and pepper. The dish took about five minutes to prepare, but us kids devoured every morsel. That was our Mickey D's. Cheap fast food, sans the drive-thru. Though I still crave the simplicity of that dish, sometimes I like to complicate things with [...]

Continue reading...

Veal & Pork Meatballs

Homemade meatballs are a dinner staple amongst most of my Italian relatives. You don't even want to try to serve us marinara pasta without them; forks will fly. It was one of the first things my grandmother ever taught me how to prepare and to this day my restaurant still uses the same recipe. Though, I have always loved those beefy balls, this blog [...]

Continue reading...

Cognac Whole Grain Mustard

Buying whole grain mustard is expensive, a dinky jar will cost you 5 bucks and last about 5 minutes. So, my husband had the innovative idea of making our own, something I would have never thought of. Surprisingly, I had never seen a cooking show on how to make mustard, which made me wonder if it was so complicated [...]

Continue reading...

Rosemary Focaccia Bread

For those of you who don't know me, my life is all about the new experience. Sometimes those goals are adventurous, sometimes educational and sometimes creative. I am well aware that baking my first loaf of bread doesn't fit into the "so scary I might poop my pants" category. But, it was still something I had [...]

Continue reading...

Nutella Brownies

Who can resist a delicate, moist, gooey brownie? This old classic recipe is revamped by using Nutella, a chocolate hazelnut spread. When I am in Italy every breakfast consists of Nutella spread on crostini…absolutely delicious! For the perfect finish, top your brownies with a vanilla gelato. NUTELLA BROWNIES 1 Stick Butter, Melted 6 Ounces Nutella (Chocolate [...]

Continue reading...

Fresh Pappardelle Pasta

As a small child I would watch my nona almost daily pounding dough balls by hand and forming them into the most delicious dinners. Occasionally, I would lend a hand trying to work the same magic with my tiny fingers. Times have certainly changed, with the many options of  fresh & dry pastas at your local grocers, [...]

Continue reading...

Salmon Cakes

SALMON CAKE 4 Cups Salmon, cubed 1/4 Cup Olive Oil 2 Carrots, diced 2 Celery Stalks, diced 1/2 Yellow Onion, diced 1 Egg 1 Cup Bread Crumbs 1/2 tsp Salt 1/2 tsp Pepper 4 Tbls Mayonnaise 2 Tbls Olive Oil Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake salmon until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Put 1/2 cup [...]

Continue reading...

Curried Couscous with Chickpeas & Cranberries

Couscous is the crushed Semolina of durum wheat that is a staple food of North Africa. Though it is extremely popular in African society, it is also widely used throughout the world. This recipe is a fabulous cultural mix of Italian, Asian & African cooking. It is a perfect dish for a ladies luncheon or bridal shower. [...]

Continue reading...

Pistachio-Crusted Salmon with Red Pepper Agrodolce

Salmon is rich is Omega-3 fatty acids, low in calories and high in protein. Which could made this one of the best fishes for your health. Add this to the antioxidants, vitamins and fiber of Pistachios and we may have just created the best dish ever! PISTACHIO CRUSTED SALMON WITH ROASTED RED PEPPER AGRODOLCE 2 [...]

Continue reading...

Artichoke & Walnut Pesto Bruschetta

Bruschetta dates back to the 15th century and is a toasted bread that can have a variety of savory toppings, most typically, tomatoes, basil and garlic. The name comes from the Italian word bruscare, which means "to roast over coals". The proper pronunciation is broo-skeh-tah, though the more Americanized pronunciation broo-sheh-tah is acceptable too.  This recipe is one [...]

Continue reading...