You can’t visit Italy’s seaside without stopping into a waterfront restaurant and ordering a plate of Fried Calamari to be enjoyed with a squeeze of lemon and a view.
Fried Calamari
“No Knead” Crusty Bread
Our biggest complaint used to be “I never have enough time”. Now, during this global pandemic, we all have nothing but time and absolutely no where to go, while in quarantine. It’s time to do all of the things we always wanted to do, things we always wanted to master but didn’t have the time.
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Savory Fig & Feta Tart with Caramelized Onions
As you know from my last post, my fig tree is busting with fruit so in a attempt to keep up with its bounty I have been making this Savory Fig & Feta Tart. I serve it as the antipasta course alongside an Arugula salad. It is an elegant dish made with a pie crust or puff pastry as its base topped with fig jam and caramelized onions that are finished in balsamic vinegar. Then it is sprinkled with crumbled feta cheese and fresh sliced figs. It was beautiful and a big hit!
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Zucchini Fritters
It’s hard to believe but just one month after planting the garden, it is already spewing zucchini! How do they grow so fast?!? It must be all of those hours of daylight, the sun rises here at 5:30 and sets at 8:30 pm. Perfect for aiding and abetting zucchini! So what do I do with all of these zucchini? Of course I have made the sautéd zucchini and zucchini bread but I’m already looking for other ways to prepare it. I remembered these delicious little fritters from a cookbook a friend gave to me years ago so I gave them a whirl and they came out delicious. A nice change from the norm. You can also zest them up with a little curry powder and minced jalopino if you like it exotic!
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Keto Chili Relleno Casserole
I made this dish during my teenage years, long before I knew how to make real Chili Rellenos (click on the link to get the Authentic Version). Since I learned the real ones, I have neglected this recipe and it fell into disuse, way in the back of of my mind with all of the dusty memories of old.
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California Style Grilled Artichokes
Grilled artichokes is a family favorite, even the pickiest of my nieces and nephews love the prickly thistle when it’s steamed, marinated and grilled. I can never take the drive to our coastline in Monterey without stopping in Castro Valley for some artichokes. They even have Italy beat in their pricing. Most of the year you can find 10 artichokes for a dollar at the Castro Valley roadside stands. I love the bargain as much as I love eating them!
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Carrot Ginger Soup
Carrot Ginger Soup has always been the soup I make when I am aiming to impress! I first sampled this soup 27 years ago when I was still a teenager. I was invited to a “fancy” luncheon at a friends house and I will never forget her star studded menu of Carrot Ginger Soup and Chicken Cordon Bleu.
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Portabella Mushroom Pizza’s (Keto Approved)
This is a great quick and easy recipe for a Keto lunch or light dinner. High in fiber and flavorful with tasty pesto, it will cure your pizza cravings! You can also change it up with a red tomato sauce and typical pizza toppings like pepperoni, black olives, bell peppers or sun dried tomatoes!
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Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers (Keto Approved!)
The first time we tried these Cheese-Stuffed-Bacon-Wrapped-Spicy-Wonders-of-the-Appetizer-World was about 13 years ago in Hawaii. We were visiting friends on the island and they whipped up a BBQ extravaganza including Bacon Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers! I’m not sure if it was the friends, the beach scene of the Jalapeño Poppers but we never forgot them and promptly made them part of our cooking repertoire.
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Pear Gorgonzola Salad with grapes and walnuts
Seasons are changing and here in Italy fall is in the air. The mornings have that cool crisp feeling and we are starting our day a little later as even the sun wants to stay in bed longer. This slight change is bridging that gap between two seasons: the waning of Summer and the start of Autumn.
