Today it’s called pasta.  Macaroni or maccheroni, to me, is what we always called it.  Unless it was spaghetti. This is a fast, fresh pasta sauce with lemon and wine and all the cooking takes barely 5 minutes – less time than cooking the maccheroni.  I chose farfalle for this dish, but it would be…

This inspiration came from Lynn over at Happier than a Pig in Mud who is a big fan of small-batch canning.  When I saw her post this morning, she gave me the inspiration to use up 4 plums and one pear to make 3 blushing jars of Pear-Plum jam. 4 plums chopped w/skin 1 pear,…

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, homemade chicken stock is a must for my stuffing and gravy.  It’s easy to make on a day when you’re around the house; you throw the ingredients in a big stockpot and just let them simmer away for four hours. 2 (3-4 lbs.) roasting chickens 2 large yellow onions,…

Did you know that the first pies were often made from pastry that was intentionally barely edible?  Pastry was used as a method of keeping meats and fillings moist during cooking and also to seal the filling to keep it from spoiling. YUM.   Many believe the term “pie” has its beginnings from “magpie”, a bird…

Frittatas like this one are a popular main-course in the southern Italian region of Calabria. In America, ricotta is usually made from cow’s milk. I have never had the fresh ricotta of Italy which is made from sheep’s milk. I have made fresh ricotta and it’s super simple to make! Homemade Ricotta. Season with more…

I fell in love with porcini mushrooms when I first made Giada’s Mushroom Risotto with Peas .  They add such a beefy richness to any dish.  This meat loaf includes a delicious surprise.  Cubes of mozzarella cheese are blended into the meat mixture and shredded cheese is combined with bread crumbs and herbs to create…

You can eat pizza your whole life, and somehow never get tired of it.  Pizza Sfincione is a soft, Sicilian-style pizza, almost like focaccia, traditionally served on New Year’s Eve with a layer of crunchy bread crumbs on top.  Yes, we all need ANOTHER pizza recipe!  Although I love my thin-crust St. Louis Style Pizza…

I have been waiting to make this recipe ever since I visited Felidia’s in NYC for my birthday in June.  We ordered a family style “tasting menu” and this was one of the pasta courses.  We were teased with only two of these delicious ravioli simply served in a butter sauce.  As soon as we…

This chili could not be easier to make!  Cook up a batch for your next football game or just a casual dinner with friends.  Just add a salad and some cornbread for a quick weeknight meal!  This recipe makes a large batch, so you’ll have plenty to freeze.  4-1/2 lbs. ground lean beef (or turkey)…

I have been waiting to make this recipe ever since I visited Felidia’s in NYC for my birthday in June.  We ordered a family style “tasting menu” and this was one of the pasta courses.  We were teased with only two of these delicious ravioli simply served in a butter sauce.  As soon as we…

Did you know? The natural salt in food accounts for about 10 percent of total intake, on average according to the FDA.  The salt we add at the table or while cooking adds another 5 to 10 percent.  About 75 percent of our total salt intake comes from salt added to processed foods by manufacturers…

I haven’t had Apple Butter in ages!  Now that Fall is officially here, our tastes change to cook and bake with all the warm spices of Autumn.  Here in Jersey, there is only one – just one Cracker Barrel Restaurant where you can get an Apple Butter fix any time of the day.  The restaurant…

These are my “famous” “Patti’s Meatballs”!  Everytime we have a party or a get-together, I am asked to bring these along.  I have been making this recipe for years and we still never tire of them.  I bought a Pillsbury paperback cookbook, “Winter Food for Friends” and have used several recipes from that book for…

This month for the Secret Recipe Club , I was paired with Bean of Without Adornment  and her Gluten-Free kitchen.  Bean has a lovely philosophy on life, and beautiful photography which shines through on her blog!  I am not familiar with gluten free cooking, and don’t have many of the ingredients for her recipes, but…