My father grew up in the midst of the Great Depression, he was also the youngest boy of twelve children, born to Italian Immigrant parents, he was the first generation born in this country, and his father passed away shortly after the birth of my aunt, his sister. This left my Grandmother Lena with the…
Category: Breakfast and Brunch
Mediterranean Orzo Salad
This recipe is full of flavor, healthy and a great alternative to typical BBQ sides. I have been making this salad for quite a while. It is similar the Italian rice salad my grandmother use to make but she didn’t use the feta cheese or smoked mozzarella and hers was made with a mix of…
Fig and Goat Cheese Flatbread with Bacon
I love fresh figs. Growing up we had these all the time as they were an Italian staple. One of my favorite ways to enjoy figs are to have them sliced with fresh Homemade Italian Style Ricotta Cheese with a drizzle of honey atop some fresh crostini. I could make a meal out of this alone…
Lazy Day Ricotta Pancakes with Mixed Berry Compote
The weekends are big in our household. It is a day for our family to reconnect and come together for a meal, since, unless it’s wrestling season, or my fireman isn’t protecting our town from fires, we are home lingering. Breakfasts become a big deal to us, and my kidlets look forward to waking up…
Blood Orange & Poppy Seed Muffins with Blood Orange Glaze
Blood oranges are one of those fruits that I naturally equate with my Italian roots. Growing up I spent some of my summers staying with my Grandmother in Jersey City, and back in the 70’s there was a Peddler who would peddle his fruits and vegetables by cart around the Italian neighborhood my Grandma lived…
Savory Carrot Pancakes
Now before you say anything, keep any open mind. This recipe was created with a healthy consciousness that is emerging in me. I have to be honest pancakes are not my go to breakfast choice and never have been. It’s not that I don’t like them, it’s just that I need protein in my breakfast,…
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
One of my favorite breads to make is banana bread. My teens have been inhaling this bread since the time they were toddlers. It is the prefect Saturday morning accompaniment to a warm plate of eggs and bacon, or as an afternoon snack with a cup of tea! Or a sneaky late night snack that…
Lavender & Lemon Shortbread
I love the taste of lemon and lavender. They just seem to have an infinity for one another, at least I think so. I wanted to make a nice light dessert for the kids, since I have been bombarding them with rich heavy desserts lately. I think this is the perfect dessert for a luncheon, with…
Smoky Eggplant “Bacon”
Recently a friend posted a recipe for Eggplant Bacon. Now being the bacon snob that I am, my initial reaction was yeah right, nothing could take the place of heavenly pork bacon, not even turkey bacon which I begrudgingly eat from time to time, to be healthyish! Lets face it, some things you just cannot replicate…
Spiced French Toast
Ever since I was a little girl this recipe has been my very most favorite French Toast recipe. I have only slightly deviated from this recipe, in that I add in orange zest instead of orange juice like Daddy, and I use fresh grated nutmeg instead of ground. I have been making this since I was…
