Zuppa di Zucca (Pumpkin Soup)

What You Need:

1 Whole Pumpkin 

1 Yellow Onion or  4 Shallots 

Olive Oil

Truffle Oil 

Salt

Red Pepper

Pumpkin Spice

Shredded Pecorino cheese

Step 1

Preheat oven to 175 Celsius. Cut your pumpkin in half & remove the innards, save the seeds! Then brush the pulp with olive oil, put face down on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Bake for 45 minutes.

Step 2

Take out the pumpkin and let cool 10-15 minutes. (Put seeds on a tray, sprinkle with salt, pumpkin pie spice & olive oil, put in oven until ready to serve)  Meanwhile, cover the bottom of a pot with olive oil, add ½ tsp red pepper (optional), 1 tsp salt and diced onion. Blonde onions. Peel or cut skin off pumpkin, cut into chunks and add to onions. Cook together for 5 minutes.

Step 3

Put everything in the blender, slowly add 1/4 cup of fresh olive oil. Blend on high until smooth. Put back in pot, cover, cook on low for 10 minutes. Ladle into serving bowl, top with pecorino, spicy or normal olive oil, pumpkin seeds (fresh cooked bacon bits are good too😋). Serve & Enjoy!!!

Jalapeño Simple Syrup

For Jalapeño Margaritas! 

What you need: 

3 glass jars with lids

12 oz. jar of sliced jalapeños 

8 limes

Water

Sugar

1. I used the emulsion blender on the jar of jalapeños with jalapeño juice to break them up and release heat. 

2. Juice about 8-10 limes. Don't be lazy here!!! Fresh is best and it's totally worth it! 

3. Depending on your measure of sweetness, half the jar to a full jar of sugar (half was good for me, but you do you!)

4. Add it all to a pot, plus 1/2 - 1 jalapeño jar of water (depends on how much lime juice you squeezed). Bring this to a rolling boil for 3-5 minutes. Then turn off heat and let cool. 

5. Divide into jars. This is good for 1 week in fridge and 6 months frozen. 

Just add a tablespoon or 2 to your favorite margarita and you will never look back!!!! Enjoy! 

Linda's Coconut Cream Cake

What you need:

1 box of butter yellow cake mix or white cake

Almond Extract 

1 can of Carnation sweet milk

1 can of cream of coconut 

Cool Whip Extra Creamy 

Coconut Flakes

1. Cook cake by box directions (add a tsp of almond extract) in a 9x13 pan. Let it cool. 

2. Poke holes with a small end of a wooden spoon.

3. Pour both cans of milk over cake.

4. Cover with cool whip.

5. Toast coconut and sprinkle over the cake. 

6. Cover and cool in fridge. 

Enjoy!!!!!!

Best Rice Krispie Treats... EVER!!!

See those specks of black in there, that's real vanilla and it makes these treats the best you will EVER have!!!!

What you need: 

9 cups Rice Krispie cereal 

16oz bag of miniature marshmallows 

1 2/3 sticks of salted butter 

1/3 cup butter for buttering pan

1/2 vanilla bean

1/4 tsp pink Himalayan salt

1. Put cereal in a large bowl.

2. Butter 13x9in pan

2. Heat 1 2/3 cup butter over low heat, scrape vanilla bean into butter and add salt.

3. Once butter has melted, add marshmallows and stir until smooth.

4. Pour over cereal and stir until well mixed.

5. Pour into pan, smooth, let cool, cut and ENJOY!!!! 

Coconut Pie

1 cup coconut 

3/4 cup honey 

2 cups buttermilk or coconut milk

1 1/2 tsp vanilla 

1/4 cup butter or ghee

1/2 cup gluten free bisquick

4 eggs

Mix everything and pour in a pie pan sprayed with non stick baking spray. Bake at 350F for 50-55 minutes. 

This pie is gluten free and totally delicious! Enjoy!!!!

Paleo Pecan Delights

Day 20 of the Whole 30 paleo challenge and I want a treat! So. This is loosely based off a recipe my dear friend shared with me. But being a South Carolina girl, I needed my pecan fix and well, this is my creation!!!!

What you need:

1 1/2 cup of pecans 

1/2 or 3/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1 cup soft pitted dates

2-3 Tbsp coconut oil

3-4 Tbsp raw almond butter

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp vanilla

1. Put pecans & coconut in your food processor with a S shaped blade. Process until it's crumbley. 

2. Add all other ingredients and pulse until you form a dough. If it's too crumbley, add more coconut oil or almond butter. 

3. Shape your balls and store in fridge for a week or freezer for longer storage. 

Note: If you want to impress, roll in cocoa powder or coconut to serve! 

Speck wrapped Dates

J

What you need:

Thinly sliced speck

Dried dates

Heat the oven to full blast. Wrap your dates in speck, put them on a raised pan &  pop them in the oven for 6-8 minutes. They come out sweet & chewy, sort of caramel like and smell like heaven. 

If you want to step it up, put blue cheese & or an almond in the center of the dates.

Thank goodness for these because I may make it another paleo day! ;)

Speck Wrapped Asparagus

What you need:

Olive oil

Salt

Asparagus

Speck (thinly sliced)

Wash your asparagus and snap off the ends. Put on a cookie sheet and sprinkle with olive oil and salt. Toss it together. Then wrapped each piece with speck. I usually need 2 pieces to completely wrap it. Bake at 500 for 15 minutes. Drizzle with fresh olive oil and serve!!!!

We had it for dinner tonight with some Montasio & pecorino cheese. Perfection.

Tuna on Tomato Antipasta

I had these at an amazing restaurant in Soave, Italy last weekend. As soon as I tasted this, I knew I needed to replicate it!  

What you need:

Tuna in oil

Mayonnaise 

Green or black olives

Roma Tomatoes

Black Pepper

Add a Tbsp of mayo to a can of tuna (do not drain oil). Add black pepper to taste & mix. Rinse and cut your tomatoes into halves. Scoop out the inside so it becomes a bowl. Add your tuna mix & top with olives! 

You can slice your olives, add it whole or mix it into your tuna. Anyway you want to serve it will be great! These are fantastic at dinner parties to serve as a first dish (which is how i had it at the restaurant) or to make for yourself for lunch! Enjoy!!!!

Tomato Tuna Pasta

This is simple, delicious & good for you too! 

What you need:

1kg whole wheat pasta

Punch of sea salt

1 jar of tomato passata

2-3 garlic cloves

Pitted green olives

Red pepper flakes

sea salt

Olive oil

100g of Tuna in Olive Oil

1. Start with covering the bottom of your pan with olive oil, add your olives, red pepper flakes and garlic. Let it simmer, when you smell the garlic, its ready. 

2. Add your tuna, do not drain the oil. Let it simmer for about 3-5 minutes. 

(This is the tuna that I use and the tomato sauce. I know you can get this tomato sauce at the World Market.)

3. Add your tomato sauce and a pinch of sea salt. 

4. Once your pasta is boiled and ready, toss it in the sauce and let it heat together. Plate and serve! 

In this dish I use whole wheat fusilli pasta. 

Download the recipe here.

Rosy's Peppers

The first time I had these I was floored. I really never thought of peppers as a side dish. To be honest, I never thought of peppers as more than something you may or may not put on a philly! Oh boy was I wrong. My friend Rosy is from Naples. She invited my family for dinner one night and served me these and I was hooked! I have been making them ever since. She was so sweet to walk me through the recipe so that I can share it with you all! 

What you need:

1 Red, 1 Yellow & 1 Orange Pepper (just because I love the color combo!)

Sea Salt

Olive Oil

 1. First thing you want to do is put the peppers in a hot oven for about 20 minutes. Remove them from the oven, then place them in a brown bag and close. I let them sit for about 20 more minutes. When you open the bag, the skins will just fall off! (If you are in a hurry and you don't mind the pepper skins, you can completely skip this step. This just makes them butterier tasting and some say, easier to digest)

 2. Once you have the peppers the way you want, open them, clean out the seeds and slice them length wise. I like them thinner, you may like them thicker. Any way you slice it, these are good! ;)

3. Add a hearty pinch of salt and probably around 3 Tbsp of Olive oil. 

(I say probably because I never truly measure this. It really just depends on how much olive oil you like. If I am making these to put on bruschetta, I put more olive oil, less for a side dish.)

4. Turn your stovetop onto a medium/low flame and cover and let them slow fry, be sure to turn them often. 

 5. I know mine are ready when they are slightly browned and super soft. Go ahead and taste one and make sure the texture is what you like! 

6. If you have extra, this is perfect to serve on Italian bread and serve as a side dish or a treat when a friend comes to visit. I also like to use this in an omelet in the morning or on sandwiches. It really doesn't matter, its good on everything and all by itself. I just store mine in a mason jar in the refrigerator. I would probably use them within 3 days. ENJOY!!!

PRINTABLE RECIPE 

Sweet and Spicy Nuts

These are so freaking good... and I warn you... addictive! 

I like them spicy, but you can play with the spices to fit your taste. 

What you need:

1lb of nuts (I like pecans, they are the best in this recipe, but you can use what you want. The photo is a mix of pecans, almonds and hazelnuts)

1 egg white

1 1/2 tsp of sea salt

3/4 cup of sugar in the raw (or honey if you want more paleo-ish)

2 tsp of cayenne pepper

1 1/2 tsp of cinnamon

6 Tbsp of melted and cooled butter

1. Preheat your oven to 325F

2. Beat egg whites and salt until they are foamy

3. Add sugar, cayenne & cinnamon

4. Fold in pecans and butter

5. Spread evenly on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper

6. Bake for 40 minutes, turning every 10 minutes

7. Remove from oven, toss and separate and let them cool until they are crunchy. 

Serve and Enjoy!!!! 

Amoretto Tiramisu

This is the absolute best version of Tiramisu I have ever had!!! I tasted something similar at a restaurant in Piancavallo and decided I had to make one myself! 

What you need:

6 egg yolks (for a lighter flavor, use 4, but I love this to have a rich flavor, so I use 6)

4 Tbsp of sugar in the raw

Amoretti Cookies

Marscapone cream (room temp)

Cold panna (whipping cream)

Amoretto for drizzling or drinking ;)

1/2 cup of cooled espresso coffee

1. Beat your egg yolks and sugar together. You want this to become light and smooth. I probably do it about 3 minutes, but it really varies. 

2. Add the marscapone to the mix and mix it up. 

(If your marscapone is too cold it may appear lumpy. I have found taking out the marscapone an hour before or using fresh is the best bet.)

3. In a separate bowl, beat your panna until it comes to a peak and then fold it into your egg yolk and marscapone mixture. 

4. Go ahead and line your pan or container or whatever your making your dish in (you can even do single servings if your having a dinner party) with the amoretti cookies. Drizzle a couple of spoonfuls of espresso and then drizzle a little amoretto too. (You don't want them to be completely soaked like you would with traditional tiramisu. This really will absorb the moisture of your cream mix.)

5. Spoon the cream mix and then do another layer of cookies with the drizzlings. 

6. Top with crunched up amoretti cookies and chill. 

Serve and Enjoy!!!! 

Easy Flax Meal Waffles

Flax Waffle

What you need:

1/4 cup Flaxmeal

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon 

1 tsp coconut oil

1 egg

1 Tbsp maple syrup

Punch of chocolate chips or blueberries 

Mix all this together. Heat up waffle iron and cook! It's delicious! My kids ate it today & didn't even know it was flax seeds! 

You can play with the spices and additions all you want. The base recipe is just so easy & surprisingly good! My friend Michelle introduced me to a similar version of this recipe but suggested that I put this in a coffee mug and microwave for 1 minute, if you need a quick, healthy muffin... And trust me, it's good!!!

Tzatziki Sauce

What you need:

2 finely diced cucumbers (squeeze out water with paper towel)

Tsp garlic paste (2 garlic cloves puree'd with 1Tbsp of olive oil)

12 oz of fat free Greek yogurt

2 tsp dried dill
1/2 tsp sea salt

Mix it all together, chill it for a bit and enjoy!!!
This is good as a dip, in which case you could use sour cream to thicken it up a bit. Or its good on a sandwich, a salad, a gyro, by the spoonful... however you like to eat it! 

Burro & Salvia

The best finish to a rich pumpkin gnocchi or pumpkin ravioli is a simple combo of butter, melted in a sauce pan, add a few peperoncino flakes. Then add your fresh sage and pan fry it in the butter! 

This is the best compliment to that pumpkin flavor!!!

Italian Auto Grill

A culinary experience you just can't miss!!!

If you're ever in Italy and traveling by car... Don't eat before you leave!!! Stop at the auto grills and try their amazing brioche, paninis and coffee! My suggestion is the Icaro or the Gran Duca.

There is always little groceries there too, it's a great place to get last minute gifts or find regional goodies! But truly, whatever you get will be amazing! 

Here are a few we just saw and I felt inspired to share! 

Heart-Warming Pasta

At least this is what I'm calling it! Seriously, the best fall pasta, ever!!!

What you need:
500g of pasta
2 Tbsp olive oil
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1 sweet onion - diced
1 portion of cubed pancetta affumicato
(if you don't have that. Cut up 6 oz of thick sliced smoked bacon)
2 medium potatoes diced into small cubes
Punch of sea salt

1. Put a pot of water to boil, adding a punch of salt.
2. Put olive oil and red pepper flakes in a pan and turn heat to medium.
3. When oil is hot, add diced onion and blond.
4. Add pancetta to the onion and oil, stir continually until the pancetta is cooked fully. Then turn off heat and set it to the side.
5. Add pasta and potato to the now boiling water and cook it to the time indicated for the type of pasta. When I make this I like to use all the half open pastas I have. Some penne, farfalla, fusili, whatever you have!
6. Drain pasta and potato. Return oil, onion and pancetta to a medium flame, add pasta and potato. Mix it all together, turning good to coat the pasta in potato and oil. You want the potato to fall apart and coat everything.
7. Serve with oil and grated Parmesan (I like spicy oil) and ENJOY!!!
(Serves 4)

Italian Herb Crusted Ribs

I am from South Carolina and I know good ribs, but trying ribs in Italy has shaken up my idea of perfect ribs! My neighbor, Annarita, has given me an herb rub recipe and it is incredible!!!

What you need:
Handful of Fresh Sage leaves
handful of Fresh Rosemary
2 large garlic cloves or 4 small ones
Coarse sea salt
Olive oil
Pork ribs separated
Foil

1. Put your ribs in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and rub down with a small amount of salt. Set aside
2. In a chopper put your sage, rosemary, 2 garlic cloves, pinch of coarse sea salt and a drizzle of olive oil. Grind it all together.
3. Lay out a piece of foil. Rub your herb mix on each piece of rib, front and back and set it on the foil.
4. Sprinkle with a small amount of salt and put it back in the bowl. Add excess herbs and drizzle with olive oil. Mix all pieces by hand.
5. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
6. Heat grill and grill them nice & crispy. Serve and enjoy!!!!

Amazing Finds in Italy.... Lemon Ricotta!

OMG... today by chance, luck, grace, divine cuisine intervention... I stumbled upon a wonderful little creation. Lemon Ricotta. Its so good. Its real Italian ricotta with a bit of lemon. When these things come together, it is seriously a party in your mouth!

Sorry I can't share the recipe, but I can share the photo!!!