copyright 2012 Art of Living, PrimaMedia,Inc/Maria Liberati

Too many festivals to celebrate  in one day..today.. Carnevale  and  Mardi Gras ….

(photo credit: www.carnevale-venezia.net)

Brilliant colors and costumes are the choice  for many and Pizza Fritte (Fried Pizza) is the food of choice to celebrate!

The French Mardi Gras Saying is “Laissez les bon temps rouler” which literally translates to “ Let the good times roll”

Pizza Fritte

(photo credits: www.gustareitalia.it)

2 lbs flour

1 envelope powdered yeast

warm milk

water

olive oil

plum tomatoes-crushed

fresh basil leaves

Oil for frying

Sift flour and yeast together in a bowl. Add in 1/4 cup warm milk, water and a drizzle of olive oil. Add in enough water to make a smooth but not too soft dough..

Make one large ball with dough and let stand for 30 minutes covered with towel. Then divide dough into small little pizzas-about 3 inches in diameter. Place pizzas on a cookie sheet and cover wit ha towel to let rise.for 2 hours.

Heat oil in deep frying pan. Cover a large plate or cookie sheet with paper towels. When oil is boiling, fry pizzas 1 at a time till golden brown. Remove with slotted spoon. Place on paper towel. Top with tomatoes already sauteed with garlic olive oil and some fresh basil leaves  Serve hot.

Happy Mardi Gras, Carnevale & Fastnacht Day!

For more recipes get your copy of The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition  here or in ebook exclusively on Kindle

Guest post of the week by Val Flores

My husband got a Kindle for Christmas and now he spends about an hour each night reading. I think it is great because he loves to read. I like the way an actual book feels in my hands, but I can understand how it is so convenient to have all of your books in one place and not have to carry them around. Before my husband got his Kindle, he would spend hours online looking at books that he wanted to buy. He would order the books on amazon.com and then after he read them, he would resell them on amazon.com. He told me that he was so glad when we decided to get faster internet with 4g internet honolulu because it allowed him to look at all the books he wanted to buy. There are a few books that I really want to read, and I think I will ask him if I can download them onto his Kindle. It would be cheaper than buying the books, although I don’t know if I will be able to find a spare moment to actually read the books. I also don’t know if he would be willing to give up his Kindle for a few days so I could read the books. Maybe I just need to get a Kindle for myself.

(Blog text copyright 2012 Art of Living, PrimaMedia,Inc/Maria Liberati)

Music is food for the heart &  soul just as pasta is food for  the stomach…

When I need a pick me up..food is great..but sometimes my ears become jealous of my stomach..so I need to give my ears something exquisite to satisfy..and beautiful music like this does the job

And so that your stomach does not become jealous of your ears..here is something yummy for an easy weekend lunch or dinner..you can even  use leftover spaghetti..if you have some for this one….

Spaghetti Stuffed Peppers

(photo from www.yumsugar.com)

(excerpted from The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition)

1 lb of spaghetti

4 fresh red peppers

16 ounces canned tomatoes

2 garlic cloves-chopped

1 handful of fresh basil

¼ lb of fresh mozzarella- cut into small cubes

5 tblsps of freshly grated Parmigiana-Reggiano cheese

4 ounces of breadcrumbs

6 ounces of extra virgin olive oil

1 cup of broth- can be vegetable or meat

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large shallow pan place 3 tbsps of olive oil and chopped garlic. Add in tomatoes, ½ of fresh basil and pinch of salt.. Cook over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring every few minutes or until most of the juice has evaporated.

Begin to boil water and cook spaghetti till al dente. Drain spaghetti. Remove sauce from heat and add in spaghetti and freshly grated Parmigiana-Reggiano and toss.

Wash peppers cut them in half vertically and remove seeds. Drizzle about two tablespoons of the olive oil on shallow baking dish and place in peppers (cut side up). Fill with spaghetti mixture and top with some cubes of fresh mozzarella cheese. Ladle the broth over the tomatoes. Sprinkle peppers with breadcrumbs and remaining basil. Drizzle remaining olive oil over peppers (about 2 tblsps). Cover casserole with baking paper or aluminum foil and bake in oven preheated to 375 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove baking paper and cook for another 5 minutes. Place on broil for last minute to brown. Serve immediately

With flying all over the US to so many cities sometimes within a few days, being able to comfortably bring baggage with me is one of the most important factors I look at. The $120 or so fare saved for checked on baggage can be used for other things. If you are on vacation that means some extra spending cash to have a delightful trip once you’ve arrived.. If you’re traveling for business that means traveling within budget and helping to keep business costs down.

With Southwest Airline, no throwing away money for baggage, because up to 2 checked bags are free!  This is truly a rarity. Truthfully I am not sure that any other airline offers this.

Then there are also the ‘hard to resist’ discounts from Southwest Airlines. They have gotten me to many places within budget and on time. And there are always specific cities that receive a discount on a ticket price. You need to be sure to know that you may need a Southwest Airlines coupon to take advantage of the discount. But it is a great incentive if you are traveling to a specific city, or it may even be enough of a discount to sway your vacation destination choice. Another way to have more money to enjoy when you arrive at your destination.

The other way that you get discount from Southwest Airlines is NOT paying any penalty fee for changing your ticket. If you have to make last minute changes to your ticket, as I so often have experienced or even if you miss a flight, there is no penalty fee. So just think of it as extra spending money you have saved upon. No worrying or anxiety also knowing that you may have top ay an unexpected penalty if you don’t get that flight!

Another great way to save money when flying with Southwest Airlines is by earning points for flights flown. Get a Southwest Airlines credit card and you will earn points and free flight tickets for flights purchased. So not only do you get a a flight but also may get a free hotel to make the trip even more enjoyable.

Take a look at Southwest Airlines website to keep track of all the discounts promotions offered. They make flying more enjoyable. No anxiety about having to figure out how to squeeze everything in one bag, to save money. No anxiety for missed flights or changing schedule on short notice fees. So not only do you get discounts but rewards for flying with Southwest, as if free baggage and discounted tickets weren’t enough.

How do you celebrate a Holiday or Special Occasion without chocolates? And St Patrick’s Day is no exception. Quality Chocolate, to celebrate the day, whatever it is your celebrating,  makes it that much more special.

I’m not sure if a Holiday makes the chocolate special or is it the chocolate that makes the Holiday or Day into  a Special Occasion! I guess it depends on the chocolate!

Chocolate is that ingredient that seems to make anything so exciting. It brightens up a recipe, a day and even your mood (as studies have proven). Whatever your plans, include a bit of chocolate into any special day or include it  to make it a special day!. And always remember “a chocolate a day, keeps the doctor away” ( or I would like to hope).

Text copyright 2012 Art of Living, PrimaMedia,Inc/Maria Liberati

A romantic Valentine’s Day and even though I was not far away from the kitchen I could not help but pause every so often to catch  a glimpse of my favorite romantic flicks from Italy…and take a tour of Italy from home…they present Italy in it’s former glory..from  Summertime with Katharine Hepburn in Venice

and Two Women with Sophia Loren filmed in Sora

to Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow with Sophia and Marcello Mastroianni in Naples and Rome,, (they go together like peanut butter and jelly or should I say pasta and Parmigiana) what a tour…

.ahh!! they have to stop putting so many of these wonderful flicks on in one day…it is like overeating a Holiday lasagna or a great big pizza…you just can’t stop… the scenery, the talented actors and cinematographers,beautiful music and sights and  the romance Italian style…

But alas all good things come to an end..here is one of today’s favorite recipes and one of my favorite recipes for V Day..

Risotto with Strawberries & Champagne

(photo credits: www.comefare.com)

copyright 2011 Art of Living,PrimaMedia,Inc/Maria Liberati

(From the Gourmand World Cookbook Award Winning Book: The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2^nd edition

*4 cups vegetable broth

3* tablespoons olive oil

*2 leeks chopped finely

*1 cup arborio or carnaroli rice

*1 tablespoon butter (unsalted)

*pinch of salt

*1 cup Prosecco, Spumante or sparkling,dry, white wine

*10 ounces fresh strawberries, washed and cut in half

Heat vegetable broth till boiling. Place olive oil in large saute pan. Place in chopped leeks and saute till leeks are just about golden. Place in rice and toast till rice is coated with oil and all liquid is evaporated. Add in Champagne or Sparkling wine first.. Stir till all liquid is evaporated. Place in ½ cup of vegetable broth and stir till all liquid is evaporated and repeat placing in ½ cup liquid til evaporated till rice is al dente (approximately 15 minutes).

Puree strawberries. When rice is almost done, place in strawberry puree. Stir in well. Remove from heat. Let stand for 2 minutes. Place 1 tablespoon of butter on top and stir till melted. Serve and donlt forget to top with grated parmigiana-reggiano cheese. Decorate plates with strawberry garnish.

Get your copy of The Basic Art of Italian Cooking Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition here or an ebook version available exclusively on KIndle

Editor : Chris Manganaro

copyright 2012 Art of Living, PrimaMedia,Inc

Have you ever tasted dandelion greens? Growing up, my grandfather got me hooked on the dandelion soup he used to make with his freshly harvested dandelion greens . Dandelions are extremely healthy for you. They are even more nutritious than broccoli or spinach and contain all sorts of vitamins and minerals. So, why not eat dandelions? Apparently we should.

In Deirdre M. Capone’s book, Uncle Al Capone, there is a chapter named after the unique dish that is dandelion soup. She would help her family prepare this soup by collecting and cleaning the dandelions. Fortunately for us, she decided to share this recipe along with some very interesting family memorabilia in her latest book.

Dandelion Soup

(photo credit: http:// www.kcrw.com)

2 pounds dandelion greens

½ cup olive oil

3 cloves minced garlic

1 medium onion minced

4 cups chicken stock

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp fresh ground pepper

½ cup freshly grated Romano cheese

Aside from the use of dandelion greens, it would seem to be a very basic soup recipe. And that is because it is. This recipe’s simplicity is one of the reasons that it is so inviting. For the author, the recipe holds memories, just as the other recipes in the book. What makes this recipe and all the recipes even more tantalizing is the fact that they are authentically Italian recipes that were made in the Capone family.

This is just one of the many recipes included in the book. Being able to cook recipes that Al Capone used to eat is fun and definitely worth a try. The inclusion of these recipes in the book not only help to make a point, but add just a little bit more value by creating another facet to this part of history,

There is more to the dandelion than the annoyingness of their weedy abundance or the ability to make children smile when blowing their seedy white fluff all around. Similar to Al Capone, there is more to them than people think. Next time you look outside and scowl at the overabundance of dandelions, just think of a delicious pot of dandelion soup simmering on your stove!

For more recipes get your copy of the latest The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: DaVinci Style here or get your ebook version exclusively at Kindle

French and Italian combinations work marvelously in food-just think of beschamel sauce, onion soup, crepes. recipes created in the kitchens of Caterina DeMedici  with her private chefs,while living in France-

and in art- Amedeo Modigliani an Italian artist born in Livorno Italy who moved to Paris to pursue his art…

(by Amedeo Modigliani)

So a salad combining the French artisan Roquefort cheese, and extra virgin Italian made olive oil with Tuscan Picnic flavor

Walnut, Pomegranate ,Roquefort Salad

*4 handfuls mixed salad greens (arugula, romaine,baby spinach)

*1 lb Roquefort cheese, crumbled

*2 hard boiled eggs

*3 tblsps extra virgin oilve oil

*4 tblsps shelled walnuts

*2 tsps Sempre Sapori spice blend (Tuscan Picnic flavor)

*2 tblsps pomegranate seeds

Wash, dry salad greeens. Crumble cheese into dish and set aside.  Boil eggs for 8 minutes, peel and chop.  Fold cheese, eggs, walnuts,pomegranate seeds into salad in a large bowl.

In small bowl whisk together lemon juice, 3 tblsps extra virgin olive oil, Sempre  Sapori. Pour over salad, toss and serve.

*Get Sempre Spaori  Tuscan Spice Blend here

Get more recipes in The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: DaVinci style

*March 24th-see you at the Virginia Festival of the Book in Charlottesville, Virginia..For more info email: events@marialiberati.com

copyright 2012 Art of Living. PrimaMedia,Inc/Maria Liberati

The very first cookbooks on record were once mainly lists of recipes that were either an author’s favorite recipes or a book of what we  would consider haute cuisine and were used to instruct chefs for banquets and elegant affairs. Once of the first cookbooks on record printed in Italian was written by  Bartolomeo  Platina called On Right Pleasure and Good Health (De honesta voluptate et valetudine).

These recipes could be used today:

Platina’s Red Chickpea Soup from On Right Pleasure and Good Health

(photo credits: www.myseveralworlds.com)

Wash a pound or more of chickpeas in warm water. When they are washed and put in a pot without water, where they will simmer, mix in, with your hands, half an ounce of groats, a little oil and salt, up to twenty crushed peppercorns, and a little ground cinnamon. Then put on the hearth and add nearly a gallon of water, with sage and rosemary added, and parsley roots chopped fine. Let it boil until it is reduced to eight cups. When it has been almost cooked, drop in a bit of oil.

Platina’s Sicilian Macaroni from On Right Pleasure and Good Health

Beat a well-sifted white flour with egg whites and rose water and plain water. When it is mixed, draw out into thin strips of dough in the manner of straw half a foot long. Hollow them out with a very thin iron rod—when you pull out the iron, you will leave them hollow. When dried in the sun, pasta of this sort will last two to three years, especially if it was under the waning moon of August. If it is cooked in rich broth and poured into serving dishes, it should be sprinkled with fresh butter and sweet spices.

For more recipes get your copy of The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: DaVinci Style here or in ebook version exclusively at Kindle

Join me in May 2012 for a luxury Italian cruise

Join me at the Virginia Festival of the Book on March 24th in Charlottesville Virginia,email: events@marialiberati.com for more info

A delicious word I learned for  ordering dessert…for when a taste of one just won’t do…’tris’..

A table of 15..dinner in the seaside resort of Pescara..for an evening of local flavors..from the bottles of olive oil produced in the nearby town of Loreto-Aprutino,the bread from a local forno in Pescara, the lentils for the  soup and broccoli rabe grown in towns nearby, the Pecorino cheese (a specialty in Abruzzo and my favorite version of this old world cheese) made in a town in  the National Park of Abruzzo..(Parco Nazionale D’Abruzzo).

But now the crowning glory of the entire meal was about to arrive and the choices presented were a locally made torrone,  a locally made specialty known as Parozzo (chocolate almond cake), and a ricotta pudding made from locally produced ricotta  cheese. … After 5 minutes of major debating..(food is not an easy subject to make any decisions on when in Italy) ‘tris’ everyone exclaimed…’tris’??

‘

(Parozzo)

Tris’..explained to me..literally means 3 sample sizes of 3 desserts…and tris was the easiest solution to ending the  (what was now becoming) 30 minute decision making process..no need for anyone to make a decision or eliminate one luscious choice over the other…so “tris” it was…

(freshly made ricotta)

Ricotta Pudding

(photo credit: pianetadonna.it)

(from The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions-2nd edition)

• 1 lemon peel
• ½ cup brandy
• 2 tablespoons candied dried fruit
• 1 tablespoon butter
• ½ cup fresh fruit in season

Serves 6.

• 2 cups ricotta cheese
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 5 eggs
• Pinch of cinnamon
• ¹⁄³ cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Pass the ricotta cheese through a sieve to get a creamy texture. In a bowl, place the ricotta, 1 tablespoon flour, 2 whole eggs and 3 egg yolks (save egg whites for later use), pinch of cinnamon, powdered sugar, lemon peel, candied dried fruit, and brandy. Blend all together.

In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites until peaks form. Fold gently into the ricotta mixture. Butter a glass baking pan, dust with remaining flour, and place in mixture. Bake for 30 minutes or until firm.

When finished, remove from oven and let cool. When cool, take out of pan and place in serving dish. Serve with sliced fresh fruit on top.

For more great recipes get your copy of The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions here or in ebook version exclusively at Kindle

*May 3, 2012-Join me in Italy for a Luxury Cruise throughout the Mediterranean. GO here for more info

*March 24th see you in Charlottesville Virginia for the Festival of the Book-book signings and Cooking demos..Stay tuned for more info or email: events@marialiberati.com for exact schedule of events. The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: DaVinci Style will be a featured book