LA CASA E IL GIARDINO

Pork Liver Sausages (Salsicce di Fegato di Maiale)

2026-05-10T19:57:00.000-07:00

Pork liver sausages are for those who truly can appreciate the taste of old dishes, strong, tough, but absolutely delicious.

It's an Abruzzese tradition that goes back in time. They consist of a combination of pork flavors - pork belly and liver together with minced garlic, minced orange peel, bay leaf, hot pepper powder, salt and pepper.

Ingredients

2 lb. of pork meat (pork belly)

2 lb. of pork liver

Salt

Black pepper

2 Orange peel

1 chopped garlic

4 tablespoons of hot pepper powder

3 or 4 bay leaves

Pork casings

Preparation

The liver is finely chopped by hand with a knife. The pork belly fat is ground using a meat grinder. Add the fat to the pork liver. Add orange peel, garlic hot pepper and bay leaves, salt and pepper.

The meat mixture is left to flavor overnight and then stuffed in pork casings.

They are hung to dry for 3 to 5 days. At this point, they are ready to be grilled or cooked in the oven.

PORK LIVER IN "VEIL" - Fegato di maiale nel velo

2026-05-09T19:58:00.000-07:00

Pork liver wrapped in veil is a dish of great tradition and exceptional flavor. It is a dish rich in taste consisting of slices of pork liver wrapped in a delicate veil and scented with bay leaves.

Ingredients for 4 persons:

1 lb. pork liver

1/2 lb. pork veil or caul
Bay leaves
salt and pepper

Cut the liver into strips about 3” in length; wrap (together with a bay leaf) in a piece of veil, add salt and pepper, and secure with a large toothpick. Then grill over hot coals for a few minutes on each side.

No fireplace, no grill, not a problem. You can cook them in a frying pan with a thread of olive oil.

Enjoy your meal!

EASTER MENU (PRANZO DI PASQUA)

2026-04-03T10:26:00.000-07:00

I start preparing holiday meals a few days in advance to save time on the day of celebration.

I consider making these dishes ahead of time to streamline the meal prep process.

Appetizers:

Shrimp and clams ready to be baked for few minutes before dinner.

Stuffed and fried different mushrooms and fried peppers also ready to be baked minutes before dinner.

MAIN DINNER:

Make sauce the day before

Stuffed pasta shells stuffed with ricotta and cheese. Baked for an hour or so before dinner.

Cut lamb chops. To be marinated with a mix of olive oil, garlic, rosemary and lemon juice. To be grilled few minutes before dinner.

Potatoes and onions to be baked

Salad

Leg of Lamb ready to be baked

WISHING YOU ALL AN ENJOYABLE EASTER DINNER!

FOOD TO EAT DURING LENT

2026-03-28T20:21:00.000-07:00

From the ashes of Ash Wednesday to the light of Easter, the Church encourages spiritual growth, and practice self-discipline with allowances for fish and other non-flesh foods to maintain nourishment while observing penance.

"Eating lean" does not mean eating too little, nor does it mean eating poorly. It means making a choice. Red meats, poultry, and their by-products are excluded, while foods such as fish, eggs, dairy products, legumes, grains, vegetables, and fruit remain permissible.

Here are some Italian dishes during Lent.

FISH DISHES

Baked baccala' with escarole

Baked salmon with risotto

Stuffed calamari over peas

Risotto with shrimp and spinach

Baccala' and potatoes

Baked fresh cod with potatoes

Whiting over rice

PASTA DISHES

Linguini with clams

Fettuccini with shrimp

Tagliatelle with mushrooms

Rigatoni with eggplant

VEGETABLE DISHES

Stuffed artichokes

Broccoli di rape

Fava beans and artichokes

EGG DISHES

Eggs with cipollata

Eggs with broccoli

and many, many more!

CAVATELLI MURGIANI AL FORNO (BAKED)

2025-11-30T20:23:00.000-08:00

Came across these Cavatelli Murgiani at the local Farmers Market. Purchased them for the first time and decided to bake them with ricotta and mozzarella.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 lb. Cavatelli Murgiani

1/4 cup of olive oil

1/2 onion chopped

2 cups of crushed tomatoes

Fresh parsley

Couple of basil leaves

Salt and pepper

1 cup of ricotta

1 egg

4 oz. mozzarella (grated)

1/4 cup of grated cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain; set aside.
In a large skillet add olive oil and onion. Cook onion until golden, add tomatoes, parsley, basil leaves and salt and pepper. Cook sauce for half hour.
Beat the egg slightly, add ricotta and mozzarella. Mix slightly.
In a baking casserole, add a little sauce. Add the cooked pasta. Then add the ricotta and mozzarella mixture. Stir gently to combine. Add the remaining sauce.
Bake covered in a 375-degree oven for 30 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with grated cheese.
Bake for 5 more minutes.

PINTO BEANS WITH CAVATELLI PASTA

2025-11-18T16:26:00.000-08:00

Cavatelli with beans is a truly delicious first course, and this particular pasta shape is perfect for accompanying beans, making everything creamier and more inviting.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups of pinto beans (already boiled)

1/2 lb. of cavatelli

1/4 cup olive oil

3 cloves of garlic (chopped)

1 cup tomato puree

Salt and black pepper

PREPERATION:

Chop cloves of garlic and sauté it in oil for a few minutes. Add the tomato puree, salt, and cooked beans. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes over low heat. Turn off the heat and let rest.

Meanwhile, boil the cavatelli and drain them when very al dente, reserving a ladle of the cooking water. Then, add them to the pot with the bean sauce and toss to combine. Add the reserved cooking water and continue cooking for about 5 more minutes.

This dish is going to warm you up in a most delicious and comforting way during the cold season.

Enjoy!

Blue Tuna with Basil Tomato Sauce and Capers (Tonno fresco con pomodorini e capperi).

2025-10-11T20:22:00.000-07:00

Fresh tuna with tomatoes and capers is a simple, quick and tasty recipe for a Mediterranean-flavored main course.

The fresh tuna steaks are accompanied by a delicious sauce of cherry tomatoes, onions and capers.

Ingredients

3 tuna steaks about 1-inch thick

1/4 cup of olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, cut

One red onion, cut

Few leaves of basil

1 lb. cherry tomatoes

2 tablespoons of capers

Tuna steaks

Cherry tomatoes in pan

directions

Heat 3 tbs. oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add the onions and sauté about 5 minutes until soft.

Add the garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes, then add in the tomatoes, basil and capers, stirring well to combine.

Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.

In another pan heat the remaining 3 tbs. of oil over medium heat.

Salt and pepper fish to taste, then place in the pan when oil is hot.

Cook fish about 3 minutes per side (fish should be light brown at edges but still pink inside).

Place the fish in the pan with sauce and simmer for about 5 minutes.

Serve immediately!

CANNING CHERRY TOMATOES (Conservare i pomodorini)

2025-10-11T19:54:00.000-07:00

The most classic way to preserve cherry tomatoes is to make a tomato puree by boiling the tomatoes. And making a fresh cherry tomato sauce is an explosion of authentic flavors, perfect for enhancing many dishes.

Procedure:

Simply wash and cut the tomatoes in half.

Place them in a pot, add some salt and cook for 10 minutes over medium heat.

Then place the tomatoes in a food mill and rotate to remove skin.

Place the puree in a jar and add few basil leaves.

Cap the jar and boil for 20 minutes.

BAKED SEA BREAM WITH POTATOES (ORATA AL FORNO CON PATATE)

2025-09-08T20:20:00.000-07:00

Baked sea bream, along with sea bass, is one of the most popular fish-based main courses thanks to its simplicity. It's incredibly easy to make; all you have to do is season the fish with aromatic herbs and arrange it on a baking sheet with the potatoes... the oven will do the rest.

Ingredients

2 whole orate (sea bream)

1 pound of potatoes

3 tablespoons of olive oil

3 sprigs parsley

3 cloves garlic

2 tsp salt

2 tsp black pepper crushed

Instructions

Peel the potatoes, wash them, pat them dry, and cut them. Take a baking dish and put 3 tablespoons of olive oil in it. Spread the potatoes in an even layer and add some salt and pepper.

Continue with the fish. I usually buy the whole fish already cleaned and gutted, head on. Salt the fish inside and out and then add parsley and 3 garlic cloves cut in half to the fish cavity.

Place the gilthead on top of the potatoes, add 2 more tablespoon of oil and pepper.

Bake at 450°F (230C°) for 40 minutes. Take it out of the oven, remove head and tails, and serve it with the side of potatoes.

Orata al Forno calls for a white wine to accompany it.

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On occasion, I also make orate with crabs.

EGGPLANT PARMIGIANA (PARMIGIANA DI MELANZANE)

2025-08-17T20:24:00.000-07:00

Eggplant Parmigiana is a rich and hearty one-dish meal, typical of Italian cuisine. It's made with fried eggplant, then layered in a pan with mozzarella, tomato sauce, and basil. Delicious in flavor and mouthwatering!

Ingredients

2 lbs. eggplants
2 eggs
Fresh tomatoes for sauce
1 mozzarella
1/2 cup of parmigiano
1 cup of breadcrumbs
1/2 white onion
Basil
Salt
1 cup of vegetable oil to fry eggplants

Cut the eggplants

Arrange the eggplant slices in layers on a colander and sprinkle generously all over with kosher salt. Set aside to let the bitter juices weep from the eggplant, about 1 or so.

Rinse the eggplants under cold running water and then blot dry with paper towels.

In a large bowl, whisk together the salt, breadcrumbs, grated cheese, and season with pepper. In a bowl whisk the egg. Dip the eggplant slice in the egg and then dredge it in the breadcrumb mixture. Transfer the eggplant to a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining eggplants.

In a large straight-sided skillet, pour the oil to a depth of 1/2 inch. Heat the oil over medium heat. Fry the eggplant slices, turning once, until golden brown.

Transfer to a paper towel-lined dish.

Then prepare the tomato sauce. Chop the onion and sauté in 3 tablespoons of oil, then add the fresh tomatoes, parsley, basil and one sliced pepper (if you like) and cook covered for about 20 minutes. Then season with salt and black pepper.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place some marinara sauce in baking dish and arrange some of the eggplant over the sauce. Cover the eggplant with more sauce. Scatter half of the mozzarella over the sauced eggplant. Repeat with eggplant, sauce, and mozzarella.

Bake until hot and brown about 40 minutes.

Serve immediately.

SAUTEED SLICED PORK LOIN RIB END

2025-08-08T12:54:00.000-07:00

Despite being less familiar to some, pork rib ends have gained popularity for their rich taste and versatility in various cooking methods. I prefer this method.

Sauteed pork loin rib end slices with fried peppers

Ingredients

1 tablespoon oil

1 boneless rib end pork loin roast

Salt and ground black pepper

Few hot banana peppers

Large skillet

Directions:

Cut the pork loin into 1/2-inch thin chops, each chop pressed lightly with tenderizer to flatten.

Thinly sliced pork loin

Fry the hot banana peppers and set aside.

Heat the oil in skillet over medium-high heat. While the pan is heating, sprinkle the chops on both sides with salt and pepper.

Place few slices of pork loin at a time. Cook turning only once until they reach a golden-brown, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from the skillet.

Serve with a fresh tomato salad.

CHICKEN BREAST WITH FRIED PEPPERS (Petto di pollo con peperoni fritti)

2025-04-24T20:39:00.000-07:00

A dish does not have a soul....it's up to the chef (in this case me) to give to it.

A sample dish: Chicken with fried peppers

Ingredients

1 lb. chicken breast (bone-in)

4 Italian frying peppers (2 red 2 green)

1/2 cup vegetable oil for frying peppers

3 tbs. olive oil to sauté chicken breast

1 clove of garlic

Salt and pepper

Procedure

Cut the chicken in pieces and marinate with lemon and rosemary for an hour.

Remove the seeds from the peppers and slice.

Add the vegetable oil in the pan. Add salt and pepper to peppers and fry.

Set the peppers aside.

Start with medium-high heat and add oil in skillet. Add the clove of garlic.

Place the chicken skin side down. Cook for about 5 minutes until the skin is crispy and browned.

Turn the chicken over, turn the heat to medium-low and cover skillet.

Cook for 25 to 30 minutes, flipping halfway through for even cooking.

Transfer the fried peppers into the chicken pan and mix to combine.

If preferred, you may add some cured olives in the pan.

You're going to love it!

HOME-MADE PASTA and CHICKPEAS - Pasta e Ceci

2025-04-12T20:08:00.000-07:00

This is a traditional old-fashion dish.

While many uses canned chickpeas with small pasta shells, I prefer home-made pasta and home cooked chickpeas.

Recipe for home cooked chickpeas.

Ingredients

1 lb. bag of dry chickpeas

Water

DON'T ADD SALT TO THE WATER

Procedure

In a large pot place the washed chickpeas, add water (3 times the amount of the chickpeas), bring to a boil and then cover and simmer gently. About 1 1/2 to 2 hours.

Homemade Pasta

Pasta Dough

 1 1/2 cups of unbleached flour
 1 tsp salt

 1 tsp olive oil

Prepare the dough by placing the flour on a cutting board and make a well.
Add 1 tsp olive oil and salt into the well. Keep stirring this way until you have formed a sticky dough ball. Dump the dough ball onto a floured surface and knead, incorporating more flour into the dough as needed, until the dough is smooth, elastic, even in color and no longer sticky.
To knead the dough, push down on the ball with the heel of your hand, then give the dough a quarter turn, fold it over onto itself and push away from you again with the heel of your hand. Keep turning and pushing until you achieve the desired consistency. Once you have finished kneading, cover with a dish and let rest at room temperature for 60 minutes or more. Once the dough has rested, divide into balls. At this point, you may flatten each ball using a rolling pin or a pasta machine.

Rolling pin

Pasta machine

Then roll each dough sheet with a rolling pin and with a knife cut

into rectangles.

SAUCE (SUGO)
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 lb. ripe tomatoes finally chopped or canned tomatoes
Few fresh basil leaves
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat the oil in saucepan over moderate heat, add the onion and brown for 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt and basil and simmer over low heat for half hour. Add the cooked chickpeas and simmer for few minutes.

In the meantime, cook the pasta in boiling salted water and drain. Mix the pasta with the chickpeas.

PASTA WITH SWORDFISH TAIL (PASTA CON LA CODA DI PESCE SPADA)

2025-03-24T20:26:00.000-07:00

Recently, as I shopped at the grocery store, I saw and bought some swordfish tail.

I have been purchasing swordfish steaks for quite a while as we enjoy the rich flavor and texture. While the swordfish steaks take center stage and expensive, I found that portions of the swordfish tail are very inexpensive.

Decided to make swordfish tail with tomato sauce over pasta.

Pasta with swordfish tail

Portion of swordfish tail

Ingredients:

1 lb. of swordfish tail

2 cloves of garlic

1/4 cup of olive oil

1/2 can of whole tomatoes (chopped)

1 green pepper (sliced)

Salt and black pepper

Preparation:

Rinse the tail with cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Cut into chunks and season with salt and pepper.

Heat skillet with the olive oil and chopped garlic until the garlic is gold. Add the chunks of swordfish tail and simmer for 15 minutes until golden brown.

Remove the chunks of fish.

Add chopped tomatoes to the pan and sliced pepper.

Cook sauce for 15 minutes and then add the fish tail.

Cook for another 10 minutes.

In the meantime, cook pasta. Add sauce with swordfish over pasta and serve.

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Many times, I pan-fried swordfish steaks with lemon and garlic. This method creates a crispy exterior and a tender interior. Give it a sprinkle of salt and ground black pepper on both sides.

Raw swordfish steak

Pan-fried swordfish steak with garlic and lemon

Let me tell you that I have found that the swordfish tails are more flavorful. They contain more collagen and fat which break down during cooking, resulting in a rich broth or sauce.

Embracing swordfish tails is a culinary exploration!

BAKED SALMON

2025-03-08T11:33:00.000-08:00

Baked salmon is a dish easy enough for a weeknight but boasts layers of flavor.

Baked salmon with risotto

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs. skin-on salmon fillet

3 cloves of garlic (chopped)

3 or 4 sprig of parsley (chopped)

1 lemon juice

1/2 cup olive oil

Salt and black pepper

Keep the salmon skin on. Yes, you can eat salmon skin.

Directions

Preheat oven at 400 degrees

Mix the chopped parsley, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil and salt and black pepper in a small bowl.

Place a little olive oil on the baking dish.

Place the salmon skin-side down on the baking dish.

Spread the surface with the mixture of parsley, etc. and place in oven.

Bake until the salmon is firm and flakes easily when pressed.

Depending on the size and weight of your fish, baked salmon cooks at 400 degrees and will be ready after 20 to 25 minutes.

One of my favorite things about this baked salmon dish is its versatility. It pairs well with rice, salad or roasted potatoes. We enjoy it with risotto with spinach.

Torroni "Croccanti" di Mandorle

2024-12-22T16:30:00.000-08:00

Christmas is an excellent opportunity to prepare traditional Italian desserts and serve old recipes but, despite the passing years, still remains a favorite by everyone, young and old. Here is one of my favorite Christmas treats.

Torroni di Mandorle

Ingredients

Blanched Almonds

1 lb. toasted almonds

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup honey
Zest of one orange

Blanching Almonds

Pour boiling water to barely cover almonds.

Let the almonds sit for 1 minute and no longer.

Drain and slip the skins off.

Toasting Almonds

Place almonds in a heavy, ungreased skillet.
Stir often over medium heat until golden brown.
Oven method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Toasted Almonds

Spread nuts in one layer on ungreased shallow baking pan.
Bake for 20 to 30, stirring occasionally, until golden brown.

Preparation
Melt sugar and honey in a pot over medium heat, add the almonds and turn constantly with a wooden spoon (about 30 minutes) until a firm consistency. Add orange zest in final minute.

Put the mixture on a wet, work surface and spread with a cutting board until you reach a thickness of 1 inch.

Cut into rectangles of 2 inches.

These torroni or croccanti may be kept in a closed container for a long time.

LAMB'S LIVER WITH ONIONS (Fegato d'agnello con cipolla)

2024-12-08T20:07:00.000-08:00

I know that liver is not a food that everyone likes, but it's an extremely valuable food from a nutritional point of view as it is very rich in proteins. It's not only nutritive but simple to prepare. The liver together with onions acquires a special flavor.

Try it, it will win you over.

Ingredients

1 lb. liver

3 red onions

1/4 cup olive oil

Few leaves of salvia and rosemary

Salt and pepper

Preparation

Rinse the liver under running water, dry it with kitchen paper and cut into pieces.

To add flavor and tenderize the liver, you can marinate it for at least 30 minutes in a mixture of olive oil, minced garlic herbs (salvia, rosemary), salt and pepper.

Put the oil in a large pan, add the onions, lightly salt (this prevents it from burning) and brown it lightly over a low flame, stirring with a wooden spoon.

As soon as the onions are golden, add two spoons of hot water and cook it over a very low flame for a few minutes. Remove the onions from the pan and add the liver.

Cook them over a medium-low flame, turning them over as soon as the first side is cooked, season lightly with salt, add a pinch of pepper and finish cooking. Serve immediately.

Liver with side dish of broccoli

Enjoy your meal!

OUR TYPICAL THANKSGIVING DINNER

2024-11-08T18:16:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving dinner that my family enjoys yearly.

Lot of time and work, but simply worth it.

Antipasto: Shrimps and stuffed clams

Fried Calamari

Vegetable tray with stuffed mushrooms, fried mushrooms and peppers

Home made ravioli

Ravioli with sage and butter

Ricotta ravioli with sauce

Turkey stuffing

Stuffed turkey

Roasted potatoes

Fresh Romano Beans with Tomatoes (Fagioli a Corallo in Umido)

2024-09-10T17:46:00.000-07:00

Romano beans, also known as flat beans, are like the cool cousins of green beans. Inside, you’ll find small, juicy beans that are both crisp and sweet. These Italian-born beans thrive during the summer months, stretching from June through September.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup of. extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves of garlic
1/2 lb. very ripe fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced, or 1 small can of plum tomatoes, chopped.
1 small red chili (optional)
1 lb. Romano beans, ends trimmed
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 Tbs. finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (optional)

Romano beans ends trimmed

Directions:

Snap off the stem ends and boil beans until tender-crisp and set aside.

In a saucepan warm the olive oil. Add the garlic and cook until translucent.

Add the tomatoes, chili, salt and pepper and simmer.

After 30 minutes, stir in the beans for a few minutes and serve.

Great dish to eat mixed with pasta.

Also great as a side dish.

Flat green beans with grilled tuna

RIGATONI WITH EGGPLANTS (Rigatoni con Melanzane)

2024-08-18T08:33:00.000-07:00

Rigatoni with eggplant is a delicious pasta dish.

The eggplants I use are Japanese or Chinese eggplants. I use this kind of eggplants because they get very soft and creamy when cooked and have an almost melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Japanese eggplants from our vegetable garden

Ingredients:

One pound of Rigatoni

4 long eggplants

1/2 cup of olive oil

5 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped

1 small onion

Salt and black pepper

Fresh basil leaves and parsley for sauce

Some chopped parsley for decor

Some grated Parmigiano cheese

Sauce with fresh tomatoes

Directions:

Wash and cut the eggplant into 1 inch or so cubes.

Eggplants cut into cubes

Heat a pan and add half of the olive oil.

When it shimmers, add the eggplant and sauté until soft. Drain and set aside.

Heat the pan again and add the remaining olive oil.

Add the chopped onion and cook until golden.

Add the tomatoes, salt and black pepper. Add basil leaves and parsley.

Cook for one-half hour, stirring often.

Start heating up the water for pasta.

Add the eggplant in the sauce pan and cook for few minutes.

Cook the pasta, drain, reserving a cup of the water just in case sauce seems too thick.

Place the pasta into a plate, add the sauce on top of the pasta.

Sprinkle with grated cheese and chopped parsley for decor.

PASTA WITH SNAKE BEANS (PASTA CON FAGIOLI SERPENTI)

2024-07-30T19:27:00.000-07:00

Snake beans with pasta is a home-made dish with a delicious flavor, very simple and quick to prepare in the months of July and August.

While many cook snake beans stewed with fresh tomatoes, I prefer them with pasta mista and garlic.

Pasta Mista is a type of pasta that combines various pasta shapes.

Snake beans are much longer and thinner than normal beans.

Snake beans hanging in our vegetable garden

Ingredients

1 lb. snake beans (cut into 2" pieces)

1/2 lb. pasta mista

1/2 cup olive oil

3 cloves of garlic (minced)

1 tsp. red pepper

Salt and pepper

Cook the Beans: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the beans and cook until tender. Drain and set aside.

Cook the Pasta: In the meantime, in another pot of salted water cook the pasta until al dente.

Sauté the Garlic: In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant. Add the red pepper.

Combine and Season: In a large dish combine the pasta with the beans and add the garlic sauce. Toss everything together until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve warm, topped with grated cheese, if desired.

Buon Appetito!

A Flowering Dogwood in my Mother's Memory

2024-07-01T20:35:00.000-07:00

This week the dogwood tree in my garden bloomed. Every year it blooms around Mother's Day. Although it brings great beauty to my garden for all seasons, it also brings sadness. Twenty years ago, when my mother died, I planted this tree to keep her memory alive. It brought me great comfort to know that a new life was being set into the earth to mark her departure.

Flowering Dogwood (Cornus florida) in May

Perhaps that's because a tree is a living thing. Consider its life cycle:

In the winter, the bare branches of this deciduous tree speak of endurance bracing against the weight of the snow and ice.

Dogwood after a snow fall

Late fall ice storm

Miraculously, in late March you see the buds forming on twigs, a lesson of hope and renewal. Then in May its floral display gives us beauty.

First leaves appear in early spring

In the summer, its blossoms give way to light green leaves providing a welcoming shade. Many times I sit on the concrete bench and reflect upon those who are no longer with us.

Concrete bench under dogwood

In early fall, the foliage turns a stunning deep red and bright red berries ripen, a favorite of migrating birds.

bright red berries of a flowering dogwood define fall

Then, by late November there comes the falling of the leaves, a symbol of vanishing vitality, reminding us how little time we have left and that the end is inevitable.

Year after year, the dogwood reminds me of my own mortality.

ANNUALS THAT THRIVE IN SUMMER HEAT (Annuali che Prosperano nel Caldo Estivo)

2024-05-16T19:01:00.000-07:00

As a gardening enthusiast, I choose plants that can not only survive but thrive during those scorching hot summer months.

Here are some perfect annuals to add a touch of brilliance in my garden.

LANTANA

COSMOS

MARIGOLDS

GERANIUM

ZINNIAS

CAPUZZELLO (TESTINA) DI AGNELLO AL FORNO (OVEN ROASTED LAMB'S HEAD)

2024-04-02T10:51:00.000-07:00

Lamb's head is a traditional delicacy, often associated with the Easter holidays. Although it may seem unusual, its flavor and tenderness can surprise you. It can be cooked braised and oven baked. We prefer the oven baked because it's crispier.

Oven baked lamb's head with potatoes.

Ingredients:

1 lamb's head cut in half

1 lb. red potatoes

1/2 cup of breadcrumbs

2 cloves garlic chopped

2 sprigs of fresh parsley

1/2 cup of vinegar

1/2 cup of olive oil

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon of peperoncino

Salt and pepper

Instructions:

Wash the head under fresh water.

Fill a bowl with fresh water, add the vinegar and the lamb's head. Let it sit for few hours.

In the meantime, place the breadcrumbs in a bowl and add chopped garlic and parsley.

Scrub potatoes (do not peel them) and dice.

Preheat the oven to 400F.

Wash the head once again with fresh water and tap dry it.

Sprinkle both sides with salt and black pepper.

Take the seasoned breadcrumbs and place over the lamb's head brain area.

Place the lamb's head in a large baking plan with potatoes and bay leaves.

Add salt and black pepper over potatoes and peperoncino.

Drizzle with olive oil and bake.

Ready to be baked.

This dish might seem unusual, but its rich flavor and Mediterranean aromas make it a unique and unforgettable culinary experience.

Baked with mixed potatoes. Love the crispiness of those brains.

Absolutely worth trying!

ROLLED PIZZA (STROMBOLI ) FILLED WITH SAUSAGES AND PEPPERS

2024-03-05T19:26:00.000-08:00

Being that I make my own pizza dough, I make many varieties of pizza.

This particular pizza is filled with cooked sausages and peppers. Another rolled pizza that we enjoy eating is filled with roasted peppers.

1 pound pizza dough (using my recipe or storebought)

1/2 pound of pork sausages

3 or 4 red bell peppers

1/4 cup of olive oil

Salt and black pepper

Heat oven at 400 degrees. Place a skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and add cut sausages. Cook for 15 minutes then add sliced bell peppers. Add salt and black pepper. Sauté for 10 minutes or until the peppers are slightly wilted. Do not overcook the sausages and peppers because they will still cook in the oven. Remove the skillet and set aside. Drain and discard any remaining oil from the skillet. Remove the mixture from the pan and set aside.

Take a 14-inch round pizza pan. Add a drop of oil and spread throughout the pan. Spread the pizza dough over the pan to about 1/4-inch thick. Add the sausage and peppers,

Take one end of the circle and roll the dough up into a cylinder, gently folding in the ends. Brush the dough with olive oil and season with salt and black pepper.
Place the dough on pizza pan and bake for 25 minutes until the top is golden brown.

- Allow the pizza to cool for 10 minutes. Cut the pizza and serve.
- Rolled pizza with roasted peppers