One of my very favorite ways to have chicken is stewed in tomatoes! It is so simple and so amazingly delicious! No vegetables are in it except tomatoes, so it does not taste like a cacciatore. But stewing the chicken in tomatoes gives it a whole new tender texture and great taste throughout the meat! This is one of my old-world recipes I just love! My great-aunt…
Here is my version of Italian Bakery-style Fig Squares or Raisin Squares. I use MIXED DRIED FRUIT with a hint of orange. My filling mixture here was raisins, prunes, and dates. For the fruit filling you can be traditional and use just figs, or use a combination of figs, apricots, mangos, peaches. Use any dried fruit combination you like! I just love all dried fruit!…
If you are a fan of the 7-Layer Mexican Dip, or any other baked dip, you will love this Italian one! You can substitute ground beef or turkey for the sausage, and change-up the layers to your own taste. Other veggies like mushrooms, onions, or broccoli would be great! Add whatever YOU like in the layers and it will still be outrageous! This is…
This biscotti is special for Christmas with the red and green from the dried cranberries and pistachios, but I love the taste so much I make these year round! For the second bake time, I make a change from the usual way to do biscotti. I keep the second oven time short and do not twice bake each side. Instead, I put the sliced biscotti…
STRUFFOLI, also known as HONEY BALLS, has to appear in our house sometime during the Christmas holiday, or someone will complain! These little fried nuggets of dough, sweetened with honey are in many bakeries in December. But we don’t like the bakery kind! LOL Our family’s homemade version has a sweetened dough, the honey mixture is softer, and the little nugget balls are made smaller compared to…
I will choose a FRITTATA over an omelet or a quiche any day! They are easy to make, you just have to master the technique of sliding and turning them over. The end result looks pretty impressive in a serving dish! I think if you put potatoes in a frittata and you are guaranteed superb results! This is a favorite potato frittata of mine, simple and delicious and it pleases even…
A FAST, EASY VEGETABLE AND GROUND BEEF SOUP favorite recipe of so many people! It is also called VENUS DE MILO SOUP because it originated from the famous Venus de Milo Restaurant, Banquet and Wedding facility in Swansea, Massachusetts in the 1960’s. This delicious soup is so EASY to make! Everyone loves it! It looks hard, but it isn’t! The restaurant owners happily gave out…
Servings: 8 Makes: 4 cups Cook Time: 10 minutes POLENTA , a yellow cornmeal made CHEF ALTON BROWN’S WAY is unusual and foolproof to get it soft and creamy the way I like it! I had never seen it done his way! It guarantees me a perfectly soft texture without any clumps! Cornmeal tends to clump more than cream of…
Ricotta Cookies are so good!!! One bite of these and you go, mmmm! They are a much sweeter cookie in comparison to the egg biscuits they resemble. The ricotta cheese gives it a soft texture. This is a favorite cookie of mine. I love the texture and the strong vanilla in them. I make them every Christmas. See more pictures in the slideshow…
This is my version of my mom’s spinach pies. I added sugar and eliminated oil. Sometimes my mom would add sliced black olives. That is good too! I like Italian Spinach Pie this way because of the touch of sweetness from the little bit of sugar in the filling and the raisins. She put a little oil in the filling, but I eliminate it…
Homemade pizza with crumbled ground beef…. delicious! This is with a homemade dough, but you can use store-bought dough to make it easier. Enjoy!
Chicken Cacciatore is a great dish to make! It is chicken and vegetables merged in a tomato sauce with your favorite pasta. It is so-o GOOD! We have this often! It is LOW-CALORIE too! Use whatever vegetables you like or have on hand. Use any pasta you like! Enjoy!
This is my nod to an Italian Easter tradition I grew up with….Rice pies! Families had their own variations of the Easter rice pie, and I have tasted many! This is my favorite, with ricotta cheese. I got this recipe from my Aunt Gloria, who was an excellent cook and baker! It is really smooth and delicious! It is a very easy pie to make!…
