Eggplant Parmesan Stacks

    I like many different vegetables, but one that I really love, is eggplant.  It's so versatile!  You can stuff it, roll up filled slices of it, layer it with cheese and herbs, make a relish with it, bread it, bake it, broil it, or do like my dad used to do with zucchini ..... fry it up and have it in a sandwich!  DELICIOUS!!
    Eggplant Parmesan is probably one of the most popular ways to eat eggplant.  Although I love it, I haven't loved all the steps needed to put it together.  As I mentioned in my post about apple fritters, I don't like the smell of things frying in a lot of oil and, typically, to make eggplant parmesan, you dredge the slices of eggplant in flour, dip them in egg, then in breadcrumbs, before you fry them in lots of oil!  Some time ago I saw this recipe on the show Mad Hungry with Lucinda Scala Quinn that really caught my attention. 

Apple Cream Tart

    Here's a really good apple dessert, served warm with softly whipped cream or ice cream or even at room temperature.  I LOVE apple pie, so apple tarts and other variations are welcome at my house!  I've never actually had an apple cream tart before but, after seeing recipes in a couple of my Italian cookbooks, I thought I'd give it a try.  This one is slightly adapted from Ciao Italia Pronto by Mary Ann Esposito.   I added a couple egg yolks to the crust and changed the arranging of the apples....other than that....as written. 

Sweet Potato Gnocchi in Sage and Brown Butter Sauce

    Ok, contrary to what you're thinking....I do not eat pasta every day!  It's just that, as I mentioned in an earlier post, this is National Pasta Month and today, specifically, is designated World Pasta Day!  I just had to make another pasta recipe for you! 
    Raise your hand if you've never had gnocchi.  Ok, let me explain what they are.  They are like little pasta dumplings.  Instead of just using  flour, eggs, water, and seasonings, etc. you add potatoes and, in this case, also some sweet potatoes (perfect for the fall season).  I think they're a little heavier than other pasta, but delicious in their own right.

Pasta and Peas in Honor of Gramma

    Well, here's another dish to celebrate National Pasta Month.......Pasta and Peas!  While trying to decide which  pasta recipe to share this time, I pretty quickly thought of this one.  It's a dish I remember having many times as a little girl while at my grandparents' house.  I loved being with them and considered it a treat when I could spend the night.  Now, breakfast at gramma's ..... not my favorite. It usually included a soft-boiled egg somewhere and, as a little girl,  I just couldn't deal with that runny yolk.  On the other hand, the pineapple juice was delicious and seemed rather special served in her sweet little juice glasses with the painted oranges around the outside.  After a morning of playing, having a little visit with their beagle,  Queenie, and "helping" grandpa in the garden, gramma would call us in for lunch.  Then the three of us would sit down at their tiny kitchen table to a nice bowl of pasta and peas.  It was so good!

Spiced and Iced Pumpkin Cookies

   Well, we're into the middle of October already!  Can you believe it?  The holidays will be here before you know it.  I've pretty much decided that fall is my favorite season.  I love the beautiful colored leaves, the crispness in the air, and the fruits and vegetables that start showing up at farmer's markets and in the grocery store.  My taste buds start wanting  foods that are a little earthier, a little heartier, and  those that have the spicy tastes of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, etc... foods  that hint of the holidays to come.  Apples and pumpkins and pears, Oh my!! ( Did I mention that I love fall? )

Zucchini, Asiago, and Tarragon Stuffed Chicken Breasts

   
    I discovered this recipe for stuffed chicken breasts years ago in a cookbook called Italian Family Cooking ... Like Mama Used To Make by Anne Casale.  The combination of Asiago cheese and tarragon give the stuffing a little different flavor .... one that I love!  This makes a very nice dish when company's coming, but I've also put this on the table for just the family.  After all, they deserve something special once in awhile, right? 

Rustic Lentil Soup

    Today was a rather dreary day weather-wise.  It was overcast and rainy....the perfect kind of day to cook up a big pot of soup or stew.  I would say that this recipe falls somewhere between the two.  It's hearty and definitely warms the tummy.
    In Italy lentils hold a special significance, especially on New Year's Eve/Day, where they're a required part of the menu.  They symbolize wealth (their shape being reminiscent of tiny coins) and are eaten in hopes that the new year will be a prosperous one.  That has never been a part of our family tradition....I just enjoy them because they're really good and are a great source of protein, iron, and fiber. Try making this on a cold day and see if it doesn't warm you right up.

Macaroni with Broccoli

   
    Hey guys, October is National Pasta Month!  Did you know that?  While researching on the net I came across some interesting information about it.  Well, interesting to a pasta loving Italian-American like me.  The first commercial pasta plant in the U.S. was founded in Brooklyn, New York in 1848.  By the turn of the century the industry had grown to the point that a large number of members got together to discuss issues concerning manufacturing and marketing.  As a result, the National Macaroni Manufacturer's Association was established.  It wasn't until 1981 that the name was changed to the National Pasta Association.  Now, that makes sense to me because, as a child growing up, I never remember hearing my parents or especially my Italian grandparents, use the word "pasta".  It was always "maccheroni".

Italian Espresso, Chocolate, and Cinnamon Brownies with Creamy Espresso Frosting

   
    I know, I know, another chocolate recipe .... and so soon.  Well, I might as well be honest.  Chocolate and I go way back ..... I mean, waaaaaay back.  And, as far as I can tell, the relationship isn't goin' south any time soon.  I think it will be making somewhat of a regular appearance on my little blog.  All in favor say "aye".  (can't imagine there would be any "nays".)
    These brownies are really decadent!  They're nice and thick and fudgey and are topped with a creamy espresso frosting.  The crunchy hazelnuts add a nice contrast of texture.  I just wouldn't eat these right before going to bed.  Between the chocolate and the espresso these pack a bit of a caffeine punch.  Maybe better for breakfast, huh? ( I probably shouldn't have said that, but I know a few family members that might like that idea.)

One Little Tree.....Two recipes

    When I was a little girl I spent a lot of time with my Italian grandparents (my dad's parents).  They had a small house but a yard and garden area that seemed to go on forever....at least that's what it seemed like at the time.  They grew all sorts of vegetables and had several fruit trees like cherry, pear, fig, and mulberry.  My grandmother would sell flowers that she had grown.  I remember sitting outside with her, waiting for people to come and buy the plants.  They had a long, narrow hallway at one side of the house that I always thought of as a sun porch because it was lined with windows and was filled with african violets and various other plants.  My grandmother had the greenest thumb I've ever seen.  She even had a miniature orange tree in the dining room!

Italian Sausage, Broccoli, and Provolone Quiche

     Quiche may not be in vogue anymore and I know it's not an "Italian thing", but I still think it's a great option  for a mid-week supper or a brunch on the weekend.  This has an Italian twist (are you surprised?) with the addition of sharp provolone (an aged Italian cheese), roasted red peppers, and Italian sausage.  I've also added a toasted breadcrumb topping for a little crunch.  A Little warning ....this is not light on the calories but quite yummy.

Fudge-Glazed Creamy Peanut Butter Cake

    Today's cake......not an Italian recipe......but sometimes a girl just has to have her chocolate, Italian or not! Throw some peanut butter in there and I'm a happy camper!  A chocolate cake with a creamy peanut butter filling, chocolate ganache topping, and salted peanuts......I mean, come on......really.  This is scrumptious!  Did I mention that chocolate and peanut butter is one of my family's favorite combinations?  (As I type I'm actually munching on a chocolate and peanut butter protein bar.) 
    Anyway, I have so many recipes that have peanut butter and chocolate in them, but this is one I had cut out of an issue of the King Arthur Flour Baker's Catalogue forever ago and hadn't tried yet.  As I was frantically searching for something to make that would quiet the chocolate cravings I came across this recipe and thought....Yes, this should do it!  So, here it is! I hope you'll try it. A big  little splurge now and then won't hurt, right?

Braised Country-Style Pork Ribs Meet Oven-Baked Creamy Polenta

   
     Here are two dishes just made for each other!  And talk about comfort food!  The ribs will have a bit of a spicy kick and will be pretty much falling off the bone when they're done. The polenta is nice and creamy and cheesy.  If you've never tried polenta, now's the time.  This is a popular food in northern Italy and, when done right, it's silky and smooth and the perfect thing to soak up all the great juices from the meat.  Just think of it as a variation on mashed potatoes.  Polenta is usually made on top of the stove and needs to be stirred a lot.  The great thing about this recipe is that you mix the ingredients in a baking dish, throw it in the oven, stir once, halfway through the cooking time (all of 30 minutes), and you're done!  How easy is that?