Bucatini with Vodka Cream Sauce Makes 4 servings 1 pound bucatini pasta 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil ½ medium onion, chopped 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 cup vodka 1 (28-ounces) can crushed tomatoes 1 tablespoon butter 1 tablespoon […]
With summer winding down, now is the time to use up all that seasonal zucchini readily available. Whether from the market, local farm stand or, my neighbor’s back yard, zucchini is my favorite vegetable for stuffing. Filling fresh produce with […]
As the mother of two teenage boys, I feel like I live in the grocery store. All they do is eat. Sometimes groceries don’t even make it home. My darling children can devour an entire shopping bag of food before […]
This past week, I’ve been listening to Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes, and my desire to visit Italy has been reignited. (SPOILER ALERT: The memoir is nothing like the movie, so there’s no sexy Italian guy whisking anyone off to […]
Sometimes it seems like I make the same thing for dinner every week. Roast chicken, tacos, spaghetti and meatballs, and pizza always seem to be in the weekly rotation. The only time there’s a real change-up in the menu is […]
For New Years Eve, we had a few friends and their kids over for dinner and Spades. It had been a while since we were all together, and I thought good food and spirited competition would be fun. When I […]
A crostata is an Italian baked tart. It’s a rustic dessert made with seasonal fruit wrapped in a simple pastry dough. It’s also an uncomplicated dessert that doesn’t require special baking technique or training. A crostata is an easy way […]
I was born and raised in South Jersey. And whenever I feel nostalgic for my home state, I crave Italian food. Cheesy, saucy, Nona-inspired Italian food. No chain restaurants, please. I’m talking a mom and pop corner trattoria, where the […]
I learned how to make marinara sauce back in high school. I was studying at a friend’s house, and his mother invited me to stay for dinner. As a teenager with good home training, I offered my help in whatever […]
I made baked spaghetti the other night, and it was so good that I just had to share. I typically make baked spaghetti when we have leftover spaghetti. I love leftovers, and my motto is cook once and eat twice. […]
This week really got away from me. I am currently in the process of writing my second novel and my first cookbook. On top of that I do cooking demonstrations on a few local news and entertainment programs in Charlotte. […]
When I think about a romantic dinner for two, my mind immediately drifts to that famous Bella Notte scene in Lady and the Tramp. I just love how those two infatuated pooches interact with each other. She flutters her eyes at […]
Fra diavolo translates to “brother devil.” It’s an old-school Italian sauce that didn’t originate in Italy. It was actually created at a restaurant in Little Italy, New York in the early 20th century. Lobster was the seafood of choice for […]
