THEY DON’T REALLY DO TAKE-OUT IN ITALY. They definitely don’t do a lot of ethnic food either. And even if they did, stir-fry is one of those dishes that’s so easy to make at home, plus a million times healthier, why not just whip it up? The preparation becomes easier when an air fryer is…
Oven roasted carrots
WE’RE ON A CARROT KICK these days and since it seems you can never go wrong with roasting veggies, I thought I’d try it out. And…it’s true. Roasted [fill in the blank] is always good. Carrots included.
Tuna nicoise potato salad, Italian style
I KNOW WHAT YOU’RE THINKING. What kids eat salad? For dinner? If serving a fresh potato salad isn’t in the cards for your crew, consider using the same ingredients to create a plate that works for everyone, without a lot of extra effort on your part. (Also, French kids eat salad. Really!)
Sausage & spinach with raisins, pine nuts & rice
THIS ONE STARTED WITH BUDDY. Do you know the Cake Boss? I’m sure you do but I didn’t. In Rome, we have a bit of American TV but it’s a small selection and always a bit behind. Anyway, it appears that in the time I’ve been away from the States, one Buddy Valastro has become…
Banana oat muffins
WE WERE GOING ON VACATION just as the first opportunity to volunteer at our church came my way. We go to Rome Baptist Church here in Italy not because we’re necessarily Baptists (though my husband grew up in the Baptist church) but because the sermon is in English. And they’re nice folks. Anyway, it seems…
Sausage & sour cream pasta with peas…a Stroganoff-ish dinner idea
We’re on “vacation” this week, on the southern coast of Italy. It’s our first trip with all three rascals so I’m out of the kitchen. So far, I’d say everything is gorgeous and exhausting, sometimes both at once. Meanwhile, I saved up a couple of fresh ideas to post while we’re gone. Be back soon…trust…
Recipes from “French Kids Eat Everything”, carrot salad and stuffed tomatoes
AS THE FRENCH WOULD SAY, these were magnifique. As Phoebe would say, they were magical.
Grilled lemon chicken with buttered green beans
THIS WAS A CHILDHOOD FAVORITE OF MINE. Sort of. The 1980s version involved a bottle of lemon juice and a skillet, and I loved it. Now I use the grill pan and a real lemon, but the idea is the same. Marinated chicken is juicy and flavorful, just as perfect for a fresh summer dinner…
No-cook dinner: shrimp couscous with feta, tomatoes and zucchini
IT’S HOT, MAMA. I have two temperature-related rules when the needle hits 90: we’re not going to the playground in the afternoon (especially not with Baby G in the super sweaty Bjorn) and I’m not cooking unless I have to. Enter couscous. The ultimate ingredient for a kid-friendly fast dinner.
carrot cake pancakes
LAST NIGHT I PANICKED. It was nearly time to pick up the girls from nursery school, George was set on nursing until the cows came home (almost literally in this case) and no dinner was made. The 90 something degree heat didn’t help. But Pinterest did. I’d become obsessed with seen a recipe for Carrot…
Pork & pineapple skewers with fresh green beans
IF YOU’RE FROM THE WEST COAST, YOU EAT HAWAIIAN PIZZA. If you’re not, you think it’s weird. Happily, I fall into the former category. In the small town where I grew up in Washington state, we had one pizza place, Rome Pizza. And the only pie my family ever ordered was Canadian bacon and pineapple….
Peanut butter chocolate chip pie
FOR PAUL’S BIRTHDAY I made a decadent dessert inspired by Dorie Greenspan’s Chocolate Peanut Butter Torte. But because I didn’t have quite everything on her shopping list available in Italy, I adapted it to suit my supermarket. The result was delicious and if I wasn’t trying to transform myself from a formerly pregnant person into…
Slow Cooker Shredded Chicken Tex-Mex
WHEN IT’S HOT, HOT, HOT outside, the last thing I want is to be inside cooking dinner beside an even hotter stove. Enter the slow cooker. I used to hate this thing, mostly because I could never find a recipe that worked without a package of onion soup mix. But this chicken recipe turned out to…
no-cook dinner: antipasto with ham, cheese, breadsticks, melon and more…
IT’S BEEN OVER 90 DEGREES EVERY DAY in Rome for weeks. This is a normal summer in Italy but that doesn’t mean we’re not melting! Particularly those of us from the Pacific Northwest where it simply doesn’t do this. Ever. My Floridian husband, however, is soaking up the sun, humidity and all the heat for…
Snap, crackle, fun! 3 last-minute food ideas for the 4th of July
4th of July Layered Drinks from In Katrina’s Kitchen EVEN THOUGH WE’RE IN ITALY where the 4th of July only means George’s first month birthday (and that’s only at our house), I couldn’t resist showing off some of these buy valtrex online it no prescription adorable Independence Day ideas from my favorite blogs. Here’s to…
Poached eggs with hash brown potatoes and peppers
BREAKFAST FOR DINNER is one of our go-to techniques for dinner in a hurry. Now that we’ve got a third Foodlet on-hand, make that in-arms, cooking can be a little more complicated. As in, how can I make dinner and look after the toddler, preschooler and newborn baby without anyone accidentally getting grilled in the…
Carmelized onion dip for Father’s Day
IT’S FATHER’S DAY and though he doesn’t have much of a sweet tooth, I can think of one treat that will definitely please Paul…onion dip. In fact, he loves it so much that every time someone comes to visit from the US, this is his big request. Lipton’s Onion Soup Mix,please. They don’t even sell…
Fresh strawberry milk
While I enjoy my mini-maternity leave, I’m thrilled to present a guest post from fellow mom and former colleague, Marie Facini. The genius in this drink is threefold: it’s exceedingly simple to prepare, it’s a great way to pack the all-important calcium punch, and it puts spring’s bounty of strawberries to good use.
strawberry banana frozen yogurt pops
WITH THE ARRIVAL OF OUR NEWEST FOODLET this week, we haven’t been cooking much. But that doesn’t mean that things aren’t delicious, and fun! Enter the tastiest way to celebrate sweet baby George, summer and all the fun to come…homemade frozen yogurt pops!
Sausage rolls…pigs in a blanket all grown up
I MAKE THESE EVERY TIME I HAVE A PARTY. Everyone loves them. So, when I saw Jamie Oliver make something similar for his family, I broke out one of my favorite Barefoot Contessa recipes. Trying to make it a little healthier, this is sausage with puff pastry after all, I added protein-rich white beans that…