Baked Panzanella Caprese

I was about to turn off the TV and I was curious to see what Giada was preparing today – it’s Baked panzanella Caprese what an interesting concept. Hard to believe such few ingredients can taste so good and it makes you feel like you are sitting in one the many cafes in Italy.

Tyler’s Ultimate Chicken Cacciatore

My family loved it especially my niece. There are layers of texture and aromas and when you taste it you can feel all the goodness that’s in there. Instead of roasting peppers I purchased roasted red pepper and it really saved time.

Italian Turkey Soup

What an exceptionally good soup. A tasty and filling soup with turkey stock with leftover turkey. This was a great smelling and flavorful soup.

Pizza – Rocco’s

Driving home I can smell the nice aroma…fresh minced garlic and fresh basil it was so intoxicatingly good that I was tempted to pull over and take a bite.

Roasted Artichoke Salad

Gorgeously scrumptious and whimsically tantalizing. This is an excellent salad, the presentation is beautiful. Nice, simple and elegant. I watched Ina prepare this salad and loved all the ingredients. I don’t understand why I never made my own artichoke salad now it’s no longer an excuse. Well, the family loved it.

Margherita Omelette

Woke up this morning craving for omelet. I wanted to create something that reminds of Italy. I’m taking inventory of what I have in the fridge and it looks like I have tomatoes, green onions, fresh basil, mozzarella cheese, eggs, and heavy cream. Let’s make Margherita omelet. I think it will be good.

Melon Soup on Hot Day!

We have so many varieties of fruits in the fridge from watermelon, cantaloupe, papaya, and grapes I was thinking I can prepare something delicious. I remember the cantaloupe soup my sister and I had when were in NYC last year.

New York Steak, Baby Lamb Chop with Chimichurri and Aioli Sauce

Add ¼ of parsley, ¼ of cilantro, and ¼ of mint; blend until incorporated. Add remaining herbs in 3 more additions, pureeing until almost smooth after each addition. Can be made 1 day ahead, cover and chill.

Mom’s Turkey Meatballs and Tomato Sauce

I always get nervous when Mom announces that she will be making turkey meatballs and tomato sauce. A few minutes later, Mom asked me to do something to the sauce because she said that it was too watery. When I looked at the sauce and tasted it, it had no taste at all. I don’t think she put any salt or seasoning. I immediately started to think of how I can salvage this and not want to hurt her feeling.

Tomato Roasted Peppers Bruschetta

Roast the peppers on a grill or under the broiler until charred on all sides. Turn them as they roast to ensure even cooking. Place charred peppers in a plastic bag and roll up to seal the steam for 15 minutes. During this time the moisture of the pepper will soften the charred skin.

Bike ride – Morucci’s – Newcastle Brown Ale

OMG!!! This was to die for. The tomato, basil, mozzarella marinated in balsamic vinegar tasted so sweet. The sandwich smells so fresh and sweet and the first bite reminds me of Italy…sitting in a café watching people pass by. The mixture of creamy mozzarella, basil, tomato, balsamic vinegar, and slight saltiness of prosciutto definitely compliments each other.

Janette’s Feast – Family Birthday Celebration !!!!

Earlier this week I found out that my sister, Paul and Taylor are coming over for dinner on Friday.
The menu for tonight’s dinner:

Bruschetta with tomatoes, basil, roasted peppers, and mozzarella.
Mixed green salad with pomegranate seeds, mandarin oranges, with champagne dressing.
Sole Almondine with white wine sauce.
Lemon Yukon Gold mashed potatoes (cooked in milk and heavy cream).
Parmesan-Roasted Green Beans.
Chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream frosting.
Wine: Sauvignon Blanc – this will pair well with the fish and mashed potato since it has lemon. The slight acidity will complement the wine and not too over powering. The acids in the lemon will rub a softer, fuller wine like Chardonnay the wrong way. The acids in the Sauvignon Blanc, on the other hand, will help the wine mate with the flavors in the fish.