When I was growing up, preparations for Easter brought us all together around the kitchen table for the assembly of what we called pizza chiena, or “full pie” (now served in restaurants as Pizza Rustica).
Read more >>
If you're looking to explore your Irish roots, or just wanting to make an easy delicious bread, try throwing together a traditional Irish dish that is good any time of the year, not just St. Patrick’s Day.
Read more >>
For a wonderfully quick and deliciously tasty fish dish that kids—even those who say "I hate fish" —of all ages will enjoy, try the following... Read more >>
If you're ever in need of a quick dish to serve to unannounced guests, here are a few basics that will make you look like a gourmet chef with a lot of time on your hands. Read more >>
When I want quick meals I turn to Italian—usually pasta. For as exotic as some Italian food seems, pasta dishes are quick to fix, satisfying, and flavorful. And your kids can gain a little something by trying food they might not be exposed to otherwise. Read more >>
Greens, or verdure. I find it’s easy to make a meal of greens , especially when I team them with pasta or make them a part of a savory soup main dish. They’re tasty, nutritious, and as leftovers, they add a nice touch to almost any sandwich.
I flavor spinach, escarole, chicory, kale, cabbage, broccoli, even cauliflower in pretty much the same fashion. But I parboil the tougher greens, like escarole, kale, and swiss chard before giving them a bath in warm fragrant oil and strewing them with fruits and nuts. Read more >>
A delicious and yet surprisingly easy dessert to prepare, chocolate soufflé will surely impress your dinner guests and excite their paletes. A little preparation in advance can make will allow you to spend more time to enjoy your guests' company. Read more >>
Nothing is cozier on better on a windy autumn afternoon than to start the oven going, settle the kids around the kitchen table to do their homework, and prepare a savory, meaty entrée. Often the dishes I find most satisfying to cook, and my family finds tastiest to dine on, are old standbys: No. 1 among them is meat loaf. Read more >>
You can almost feel the wind and smell the rosemary-like scent of the trees when you listen to Ottorino Respighi’s work “The Pines of Rome.” The grace and grandeur of the trees enhance the landscape, and while the trees fulfill our desire for beauty, they also serve other purposes. Read more >>
I treat Sunday dinners as great get-together times, filled with antipasto, pasta, a second course, salad, fruit, and cheese. Then, of course, I still serve a light sweet—with milk for the kids and espresso spiked with sambuca or anisette for the grown-ups. Read more >>
Steak au poivre is a classic French bistro dish often served with crispy fries, salad, and a glass of red wine -- a cabernet sauvignon or pinot noir. Choose whatever cut is available at your local butcher shop or supermarket. The New York strip or rib eye steak are favorite cuts for this dish. And you’ll find restaurants often prepare this dish with filet mignon. Read more >>
A pop in your mouth chocolate covered peanut butter treat that is easy to make. Read more >>
If you’re looking for a simple and delicious dessert to throw together at the last minute, these mini cheese tarts are a delicious party treat or a way to satisfy your cheesecake cravings without overindulging. Read more >>