Simple goodness

One of the best things I remember about school lunches, was the no-bake chocolate oatmeal cookies. Come on, besides sitting next to Connie and Stephanie (and giggling over Tommy and Allen) and mashed-potatoes and yeast roll day, you know this was your favorite, too! This easy, no-frills, zero complications morsel is forgiving, too. You can…

Perfection and Ravioli

Boy, what a year it’s been! We’ve all had things that challenged us, and if we’re lucky, we didn’t break. Cracked maybe, but like the Japanese art of kintsugi, our “gold-filled resin” will highlight our personal strengths, our forged bonds we’ve made with our neighbors. [Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery. If a…

Un Pranzo Semplice

We took the opportunity to visit our dear cousins, Pietro and Lucia and Lucia’s sister Luisa up north near Trieste, and c.b.m (cousins-by-marriage) Roberta, her family, Fabrizia and her family near Aviano. If you’ve ever heard the stories of our time at Aviano, you’ll quickly know that these kind, generous folks are dear to us….

Very vanilla cupcakes 🧁

Have you been searching for that seemingly elusive, delicate, yet very delicious vanilla cupcake? I certainly have, until now! It’s my brother-in-law’s birthday tomorrow, and I decided to bake a few treats to celebrate how wonderful, kind and generous he is. Happy birthday, Tom! 1 3/4 c AP flour 1 c raw sugar 1/3 tsp…

We bought some cheese…

Well folks, the time has finally arrived! Tony and I have begun the sometimes arduous, but always incredible adventure that we’ve talked and dreamed of for more than 30 years: the Sicily house renovations have begun! I will chronicle our journey as we go, but will start off with a few pictures. First off, Sicily…

Lemon Cream Pie🍋

If you’re looking for a perfect, creamy, tart dessert for your summer cookout, this tart lemon cream pie is not only delicious, but fast and simple, too! Lemon Cream Pie 🥧 2 – 8 oz blocks of cream cheese 1 – 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk 4 T fresh lemon juice 1/2 c…

Everyday Focaccia

I know, I know… I’m evil. I am a bread-eating, carb-loving gal who doesn’t believe that all gluten is bad. For thousands of years, all of our ancestors have been making and eating some type of bread, whether flatbread, crispy, cracker-like breads, crunchy-crusted loaves, water, and ground up grains have shaped how we eat. Read…

Good Old Days and Zucchini Bread

These last three weeks of isolation has brought some serious time for reflection… and some purging, but I’ll save that for later. I realized something during my solitary walk this morning – it was SO quiet! It was almost as though the earth was rejoicing in the peace that the forced human quarantine had brought…

Sweet Pepper Relish

Serve this mouthwatering, addictive condiment on crisp, buttery crackers with goat’s cheese or cream cheese, or use in place of the three standards (ketchup•mayonnaise•must-ard) Sweet Pepper Relish 3 lbs medium hot chilies, mixed 2 lbs yellow and red sweet pepper 1 lbs tomatillo 1 lbs tomatoes 4 lg sweet onion 15 cloves garlic 2 c…

Death of the Cabbage Rose…

I was SO cocky. I was just so sure of myself. “Wait for help!”, they said. “I’ve got this!”, I said. “You’re going to wear yourself out!”, they cried. “It’ll be easy!”, I vehemently assured them. And then, those darned cabbage rose wallpaper demon spirits set out to put me in my place, arms dangling…

Pistachio Au Lait

Oh, Family Mart, what will I do without you? From the friendly greeting upon walking in, to the always delicious fare you offer (honest-to-goodness jammy eggs), not to mention NOT having to take out a loan for bread and milk, as is often the case at the American second cousin, twice removed. The Japanese shops,…