You’ll love this creamy Italian Mac and Cheese with cheddar, Parmesan, a hint of garlic and fresh basil! A delicious, stovetop meal ready in 25 minutes! Plus, a ridiculous story to go with it. As of this week, I’ve been married to my hubby for exactly half of my life. That’s 24 years of marriage,…
Homemade Manicotti
Every Italian food lover needs a great recipe for homemade manicotti! Make your crepes from scratch (it’s not hard!) and load them with a four-cheese and spinach filling. Guess what? This is my first post for Food Fanatic, where I’ll be a regular contributor! I’ll be the Italian Food Fanatic, in case my homemade manicotti…
Linguine with Creamy Walnut Sauce
We love this easy Linguine with Creamy Walnut Sauce, based on a dish we ate near Genoa. Just throw the mascarpone and other sauce ingredients in the food processor or blender and give them a whirl! Once upon a time, my family and I ate the most heavenly linguine with creamy walnut sauce while on…
Mom’s Pesto with Pecorino Romano
Mom’s Pesto with Pecorino Romano is the best! It’ll become your go-to recipe for basil pesto sauce! My family’s been eating pesto since 1982…long before it was cool to eat pesto in America. And, while it seems every grocery store, food blog and Italian restaurant features basil pesto nowadays, I have to say I’ve never…
Pasta Carbonara with Shallots
Pasta Carbonara with Shallots can be on your table in under 25 minutes! Eggs, bacon, Parmesan, Romano and shallots combine to make a delicious, creamy sauce for linguine, spaghetti or fettuccine. My recipe has no bacon grease; instead, a little olive oil and butter provide fantastic flavor! Ahhh, all is right again on my blog,…
Pasta e Piselli (Peas)
Pasta is my life. I publish other recipes to keep everyone interested, but I secretly wonder, “Can I post another pasta dish now?” I vote yes. So, behold, Pasta e Piselli (Peas), one of my all-time favorite meals. This is a one-pot wonder from Naples that can be on your table in under 30 minutes….
Pasta al Forno with Smoked Mozzarella
Is it safe to post about food again? Are we all recovered from overeating on Thanksgiving? I think that was mostly a “yes,” so I have to share this pasta al forno with smoked mozzarella. A quick Italian lesson: Forno is pronounced “forrno,” and simply means “oven.” So, this is a cheesy baked pasta. But…
Our Favorite Pasta Salad
Our favorite pasta salad was love at first bite. Since we tried this a few years ago, there’s been no reason to even consider trying another version. Hello, sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan, black olives and more tomatoes, combined with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic and fresh basil. Yum! For the record, I’ve never been a fan…
Easy Spinach-Walnut Pesto
Someday, I’ll have to share Mom’s basil pesto with you, and the story that goes with it. Of course, that will require lots of fresh basil, which I don’t have. (Hello, herd of deer that traipses through my yard munching on every green thing. Plus, my specialty is growing weeds.) But this easy spinach-walnut pesto…
Bucatini with Clams and White Wine
I’m pulling out the good dishes, folks. On this day, 25 years ago, I met the man who would become my husband. (Yes, there’s a story coming.) So, I made bucatini with clams and white wine, which works well as a delicious weeknight meal, even without the fancy china. In the time it takes to…
