Italian Pumpkin Strata

    Hi all!  Well, the countdown's begun.  Only 5 more days until Thanksgiving!!  How are you doing with all of your preparations?  Here, at my house, things are moving along pretty well......I guess.  I'm finishing up my Thanksgiving dinner menu, so that I can go to the supermarket early Monday morning. The turkey is in the garage refrigerator, thawing.  At least, I hope it's thawing.  That fridge always acts a little strange when the weather gets really cold.  Nothing could be more frustrating than to go to retrieve the main part of the Thanksgiving meal, only to find a solid turkeysicle sitting there!  You can bet I'll be checking that bird daily to make sure that doesn't happen!


    This will most likely be my last post until after Turkey Day, so let me wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday with family and friends!  I know things aren't always easy these days, but I, for one, have so many things to be thankful for....a wonderful husband and six children that I love very much, a warm and comfortable home, a loving, supportive mother (you're never too old to need your mom!), five great brothers and sisters and their families (who I really miss), as well as my husband's family, some good friends (you know who you are), and, well, I could go on for awhile, but I guess you probably stopped by to check out the recipe, so I'll sum up my thoughts by saying.....God has provided for me, been faithful to me, and blessed me above and beyond what I really deserve!  And, I'm so thankful!

     Now, onto the recipe....

Roasted Fennel and Carrots with Pecorino Cheese

    What can you make with a couple of root vegetables, some garlic, fresh thyme, cheese, and olive oil?  A delicious roasted vegetable side dish, that's what!  If I haven't mentioned it before, I love roasted vegetables! Roasting just brings out their natural sweetness and develops such a depth of flavor!  As the days are getting colder, this is a great side dish to go along with a meatloaf or roasted beef or chicken. So, what are you waiting for?  Grab those veggies and get roasting!  

Sweet Pumpkin Fritters

    Well, it seems that fall will soon turn into winter, as evidenced by our first real snowfall of the season.  That's right.  We woke up to a lovely covering of snow this morning......so pretty!  But, snow means cold and cold means we all want hearty, comforting foods.....Things like soups and stews, roasted meats and winter vegetables, like sturdy greens and squash.  And......let's not forget about pumpkin!  You'll find pumpkins around my house, used as part of my fall decorating, and I love to make the usual pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies (remember this recipe?) and pumpkin pie.  But, this recipe was a bit of a revelation!  I've shared a delicious version of apple fritters with you, but hadn't thought of using pumpkin as a main ingredient instead of apples.  Well, now I know....Sweet Pumpkin Fritters.....a great idea!

Delicious Kale Salad

    I know, I know....... it's the very last day of October and you've yet to find any recipes from The Italian Next Door in your inbox or when you've visited the blog this month.  Well, life got a little overwhelming in October.  We were away visiting family for a bit, my oldest son visited us for about a week after that (all the way from Seattle), and there were some family birthday celebrations to prepare for.  Now, don't get me wrong.....I love visiting and celebrating with family......I just found myself a little worn out.  But, I'm feeling better now so, to get the wheels turning again, I thought I'd share a quick and delicious recipe I saw Daphne Oz (of The Chew) make awhile back.  With the addition of dried currants, toasted pine nuts, and Romano cheese, it has the perfect combination of sweet, salty, and crunchy!  I LOVE this salad and have no problem eating large amounts of it, which is o.k. because it is sooo good for you!  I mean, everybody's talking about kale these days, right?  It's like a nutrition powerhouse!  If you don't believe me, visit here to read a list of The Top 10 Health Benefits of Eating Kale.  Now, onto the recipe.........

Sweet Basil Smoothie

    O.k. all you berry lovin' people, don't hit the "close" or "delete" button yet.  I know this doesn't sound like your usual smoothie, but it's yummy!  AND.......it's a great way to use some of  that basil you've been growing all summer.  Keep some simple syrup in your fridge and you can whip this up in no time!  Enjoy it as a mid-afternoon snack or, like me, as a quick and light breakfast.  It's delicious and a bit more sophisticated than the typical strawberry/banana combo!

Sweet Basil Smoothie      4 (6 oz.) servings
(recipe from Giada at Home by Giada De Laurentiis)

1 1/4 cups plain yogurt
1 packed cup fresh basil leaves
Lemon Zest Syrup (recipes follows)
1 cup ice

    Combine everything together in a blender until smooth and frothy.  Serve immediately.  ENJOY!

Lemon Zest Syrup

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 1/2 tsp. lemon zest

    Combine everything in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Bring it to a boil; then reduce the heat.  Simmer the mixture for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved.  Take off the heat and cool about 20 minutes.  Strain into a small pitcher and use immediately or store in refrigerator for later.

For printable recipe, click here.

Cassata Cake for My One Year Blog Anniversary!!

    This is a special post for me...........It's the one year anniversary of the start of "The Italian Next Door"  food blog!  (Well, technically, it was yesterday, but let's not get too picky.)  Yes, it was just one year ago that I decided to launch out on "A New Adventure" ; an adventure that would allow me to indulge my love of cooking and baking in a whole new way......an adventure that would encourage me to be creative in new areas.  I have to say that, over the past year, my computer and I have developed quite a close relationship.  Yes, there have been bumps along the road, but, any relationship that means anything to you will require a high level of commitment and willingness to work it out, no matter what, right?

      Last, but not least, this adventure has been a way to connect to all of you!  I've made some new friends in the blogging world and have really appreciated their help and encouragement.  I've loved sharing some family memories and a little bit of who I am with all of you that read and follow "The Italian Next Door".  I'm looking forward to sharing more recipes, stories, etc. in the coming year but, for now, let's just celebrate with an Italian Cassata Cake!!

Fettuccine with Mascarpone, Toasted Walnuts, and Basil

    O.k. friends......time for some carbohydrates.  This is a rich and delicious pasta dish that goes well with a light salad.  I love the combination of crunchy, toasted walnuts with the creamy mascarpone cheese and the fresh basil!  And.....it's really quick and easy, with only 5 ingredients plus salt and pepper!