Demolish me ~

Uno non può pensare bene, amare bene, dormire bene, se non ha mangiato bene. Mrs D has asked for my assistance translating another FANTASTIC recipe!  Wow ~ what a flavor explosion! The only thing I did differently, was add 1/4 c of almond flour to the cake flour… I knew it was already going to…

Scotch-Krispie Cookies

Tis the season of ~ mixing and tasting ~ baking and sharing… Here are today’s offerings… I only wish I could share the yummy smells permeating throughout my entire house. ~ Bath & Body would have a new best seller! Scotch-Krispie Cookies 1 c crisco 1 1/2 c packed brown sugar 3 T buttermilk 1 T vanilla…

Salad ~ the Italian way!

Nothing would be more tiresome than eating and drinking if God had not made them a pleasure as well as a necessity. – Voltaire Once you try insalatina di petto di pollo e verdure con guanciale all’aceto balsamico, you may never go back to what you knew salad to be ~ no, really!  It is…

Happy Birthday!

Today is my son Andre‘s birthday!  It is tradition for me to make (go figure) a meal and dessert, aka birthday cake, as per the birthday celebrant’s request.  Over the years it may have been pasta and jello (12th birthday, Wichita Falls), or beef tenderloin with horseradish butter and German Chocolate Cake (this year).  As I…

Cooking with Val

This summer was full of change, challenges and more importantly, blessings in abundance. Our daughter graduated from college, our son was an ROTC Field Training selectee, we drove through 4 states (love Arches Nat’l Park in Utah!) to our 11th assignment, we spent some amazing quality time together and with friends and family. Arches National…

Risotto ~ unravelled

It always amazes me how many lovers of risotto who won’t attempt making the delectable, versatile, creamy dish… I hope you’ll take 20 minutes to make it for your family ~ to make it for yourself! History of Risotto The history of risotto is naturally tied to the history of rice in Italy. While there…

AFAD & Corn Shucking ~

It’s small town Americana at its best!  Parades, fun-runs, friends gathered in the park at dusk; shucking corn for the free town feed in the park ~ This is all part of festivities of Air Force Appreciation Day(s) here in Mountain Home, Idaho. We are blessed to be part of an organization that is appreciated…

luscious apples ~

stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples; for I am sick of love. the Song of Solomon, 2:5 There is such a flood of emotion that comes from apples ~ from the beginning, sweet blossoms, to the fragrant baked dessert it ends up in, and every crisp bite in between… it speaks of home,…

Berries, bread, blessings

We recently went to Ohio to visit family and… well, family. The DaBramo family has been in my husband’s life for a long time – with Christine being the loving, caring chauffeur, cook, confidant, counselor to a group of kids who at one time or another, needed at least one of these services! When Tony…

Celebrations ~

                It’s coming down to the wire folks!  The packers will be arriving in 2 days, thus starting the Lombardo family’s next big adventure: Mt Home Air Force Base, Idaho! This weekend, as we prepped the patio furniture and pizza oven, I stopped so I could keep a…