Uno spuntino —Italian meaning snack
Made with three types of salami: Italian dry salami with burgundy wine, peppered salami, and Calabrese salami, with fontina cheese and other nibbling foods.
Again With The Pasta e Piselli
“Pasta e Piselli” (Pasta with Peas).
Because this dish is an easy peasy and delicious meal, I made it again.
Not too long ago, I made this dish using homemade orecchiette pasta — this time I used the dried orecchiette combined with thick applewood bacon, instead of pancetta.
Delizioso!
Butternut Hummus
Thursday, I cooked a pot of garbanzo beans / chickpeas / cece.
On Friday, I roasted butternut squash.
Yesterday, with the leftover chickpeas and squash, I made a ‘Butternut Hummus’.
Most recipes call for a clove of garlic. Rather than use raw garlic, I roasted a couple of large cloves until soft to make my hummus.
Crespelle in Brodo
Fast, easy and delicious!
This soup was put together using chicken stock, olive oil, diced onions, garlic, celery, carrots, bay leaf, parm. rind, broken vermicelli and petite diced tomatoes.
To put into the soup, I made Parmigiano-Reggiano “Crespelle” (crepes).
Who knew the hardest part of being an adult is figuring out what to cook for dinner every single night for the rest of your life. — Unknown
Italian Sausage & Puff Pastry
‘Italian Sausage Puff Pastry’ for supper.
Filling: Italian Sausage, green peppers, onions, garlic, hot pepper flakes and cream cheese.
Turkey Soup
After Thanksgiving I always make a, hearty, turkey soup.
I make this soup the day before we are going to eat. It, undoubtedly, taste better the next day.
I always yield more than 3 quarts of rich, delicious, turkey gravy when I cook a turkey, and have more than enough leftover to add a large portion of the gravy to the strained broth.
Instead of using store-bought egg noodles, as I usually do, we made fresh angel hair pasta.
I never add the noodles / pasta to the pan of turkey soup. The pasta will absorb too much of the liquid and get too soft. Add the pasta to the bowls before ladling the hot soup over the pasta.
This soup freezes well.
Cranberry & Orange Bread
Homemade “Harvest Cranberry & Orange with Pecans” bread.
Where the recipe called for water, I used apple juice instead. The juice added a touch of sweetness to the bread.
It was delicious with left-over turkey after Thanksgiving!
Maple Granola
Instead of purchasing granola, I make this recipe. I add about 1/4 cup (or more) of granola to a cup of low-fat, vanilla yogurt for breakfast or a snack. Delicious!
Maple Granola
Preheat oven 250°
3 cups Old-fashioned Quaker Oats
1 cup sliced almonds or pecans
3/4 cup shredded coconut
1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon maple extract/flavoring (optional)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
In a large bowl, combine oats, nuts, coconut, and brown sugar. Combine together.
In a separate small bowl, combine maple syrup, oil, maple extract and salt.
Gently, but evenly, combine both mixtures together. Put combined mixture onto 2 sheet pans (cover with parchment paper if desired). Bake for 1 to 1 hour and 15 minutes, flipping and stirring (with a spatula), every 15 minutes to achieve even color.
Remove from oven (see *note below). Cool and store in containers.
*Note: Raisins or other dried fruits can be added after removing from oven. Mix evenly to distribute.
Savory Scones
Smoked applewood bacon, smoked cheddar, and chive scones.
I modified the recipe by using, Applewood Smoked Bacon and Beechwood Wisconsin Smoked Cheddar Cheese
Recipe: Bacon-Cheddar-Chive Scones
Italian Ciabatta Sandwiches
Homemade Ciabatta for Italian-Style Sandwiches.
We made one large sandwich and frozen one loaf for later use.
With this type of bread, there is no sogginess that is normally caused by the (homemade) sandwich oil/dressing or from the moisture in the veggies.
Before eating, I tightly wrap the sandwich in plastic wrap then refrigerate it for about an hour before cutting it into portion sizes.
Chicken & Ravioli Soup
Homemade “Chicken Soup”.
I served each soup bowl with little, fresh, homemade ravioli stuffed with ricotta cheese mixed with Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Italian Fig Cookies
Memories of childhood prompted me to make “Cucidati” (Italian Fig Cookies) for the Christmas holiday.
The “Cuccidati” were stuffed with chopped figs and dates, orange juice, candied orange peel, cinnamon, along with a few other ingredients.
Although I never acquired the family recipe for these cookies, these cookies tasted like I remembered from childhood.
The recipe can be found at: Saving Room for Dessert.
Grazie Saving Room for Dessert for sharing your delicious recipe.
Blood Orange Jelly
When blood oranges were in season, I made “Blood Orange (jelly-like) Marmalade” with a hint of vanilla.
Although the outcome was acceptable, it was more jelly-like and not thick with fruit and rind like a true marmalade.
An Arugula Salad
I put together this Arugula Salad with both dried cranberries and cherries. I dressed this salad with a “Maple Syrup Vinaigrette”. Each serving was topped with shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano.
A delicious and light meal starter!
Frittata
“Potato Crusted Frittata”
Frittata is an egg-based Italian dish similar to an omelette or crustless quiche or scrambled eggs. A fritatta is enriched with additional ingredients such as meats, cheeses or vegetables.
This was a small, 4 egg, frittata.
Hazelnut, Espresso and Orange Cookies
“Chocolate Drizzled Hazelnut, Espresso & Orange Cookies”
The recipe yielded about 12-14 cookies and was the perfect amount for two people.
I intensified the flavor of these cookies by adding orange peel, orange extract and a 1/2 teaspoon more of espresso powder. Also, with a medium open star tip, I piped the cookie dough into swirled rounds (not rosettes) ending in the center.
Delicious!
Original recipe found at :A Beautiful Plate.
Carrot Cake Waffles
Carrot cake waffles.
Served with bacon and maple syrup.
So good!
Lemon Glazed Taralli
Homemade (sweet) “Taralli” with a Lemon Glaze.
Many, many, years ago, Stella D’oro, discontinued, their egg biscuits. They were shaped like a large flower. I used to love them and I had been missing them.
Having never made “Taralli” or watched anyone make “Taralli”, I got it in my head to try my hand at making a batch. Last Saturday, I found a recipe online and got busy making some. They were a total disaster! They were hard as a rock and they didn’t open or rise. I added too much flour for the amount of eggs that I used.
This morning, I got back online and found a couple of recipes and combined the two – a little more this and a little less of that and made them.
This batch came out somewhat like the Stella D’oro egg biscuits that I remember.
Sweet Potato Ravioli
Homemade “Sweet Potato Ravioli”.
The filling was a mixture of sweet potato, ricotta, Parmigiano-Reggiano and nutmeg.
Before serving, they were tossed with brown butter and sage.
Holiday Treats
For the holidays —
Chocolate Patties
Small batch of “Nuts-n-Nolts” (chex mix) without the pretzels. I added cashews instead of mixed nuts.
This was my parents’ recipe from the early 1960’s. My parents’ recipe calls for stick pretzels and mixed nuts.
Crisps & Crackers
Last holiday season, I baked these crisp and crackers.
“Homemade Fig & Walnut Raincoast Crisps”.
“Spicy Cheddar & Cheese Crackers”.
“Pecan & Cheddar Crackers”.
I must say, they all were delicious.
Butternut Squash & Sage Risotto
A comforting Autumnal meal.
Always looking for something different for supper, I cooked “Butternut Squash & Sage Risotto”.
Delicious!
Recipe here.
Dutch Baby Pancake With Pears
A late brunch to chase away the winter blues.
*Dutch Baby Pancake (with a light almond flavor) topped with Caramelized Pears.
Because I made a half a recipe, I used my small, cast-iron frying pan to bake this.
*For a half of recipe, along with the vanilla, I added a ¼ teaspoon of almond extract to the batter.
I made this dish last winter.
Dried Fruit Burfi
This past holiday season, I made a Dried Fruit Burfi.
I had never eaten or heard of Burfi / Barfi / Mithai before I happen upon this recipe (I may even have the names wrong). This sweet confection sounded delicious and I did have all the ingredients at hand. So, I got busy and made a batch.
The only time-consuming part to making this recipe was making the ghee / clarified butter (I soon learned that you can buy ghee / clarified butter at the grocery store).
It was delicious!
Pasta e Piselli
This past Sunday, I cooked “Pasta e Piselli” (pasta with peas) for my dinner.
My plan was to make fresh orecchiette, but never having formed orecchiette, I failed miserably.
Rather than giving in to defeat, I made (what I am calling) ridged orecchiette 😉 using my garganelli and gnocchi board instead.
Although they were much thicker than orecchiete, they were nontheless delicious.
There was more than enough leftover for last night’s supper.
Tourtière (Pork Pie)
Our New Years Eve tradition – Tourtière (Pork Pie)
I serve this pie with fried potatoes and Boston baked beans.
Many times, I have made this pie for our supper. However, I prefer to make it in the cooler months.
Orange-Almond Snack Cake
I found a recipe for a Lemon-Almond Snack cake on David Lebovitz‘s website.
Since I love the taste of almond and orange together, and with ingredients I had at hand, I changed the original recipe just a bit by using an orange in place of the lemon and adding almond extract for a more almond flavor. Also, instead of using a nut-flavored liqueur to sprinkle on top of the cooked cake, I used Triple Sec.
This cake was very moist and so good!
If you like baking with almond flour, try a French Financier.
Arancini di Riso Con Piselli
From “Risotto and Peas” (Risi e Bisi) to “Arancini di riso con piselli”.
My “Arancini di riso con piselli” (rice balls with peas) recipe.
Serve as an “aperitivo”.
Olive & Thyme Focaccia
My “Olive & Thyme Focaccia”
As an option, you can serve with dip bowls of olive oil or marinara sauce.
Savory Ricotta Cheese Pie
A family tradition — past holidays
Since it is just the two of us, I baked a (6-inch) savory Torta di Ricotta/Ricotta Cheese Pie (with pepperoni) for Easter…
and one for Christmas.
I also made a half a recipe of anise “Pizzelle“.
Say Very Sweet Things 