Simply Italian

Including My pantry pasta recipes

Simply Italian

Just loving all things Italian! I was fortunate enough to be able to take a trip to Italy some years ago. And while there took a class in Italian cooking, specific to the region.

Marignolle was a farm house in Florence made over into a lovely hotel. The class held there was for a dinner meal, start to finish. The simplicity of this recipe, their recipe, doesn’t take away from the elegance of this dish … Beautiful presentation, light but not in taste … And pairing with a nice Chianti … It just doesn’t get any better.

I’ve included here some recipes of my own, too. My family, specifically Will, likes to call these Pantry Pasta Recipes because almost all ingredients are in the pantry. These recipes, too, are simple, quick and delicious. I hope you will try mine or branch out and invent some of your own.

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Grandma Rose’s Baked Beans

 

 

Grandmother’s Lowell Massachusetts Baked Beans were often served as a side with vinho d’ alhos. An amazingly rich Baked Bean recipe!

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almond cluster chocolate Chip cookie

These Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies are crisp around the edges with just enough shortening to give them a little lift in the middle … making for a chewy center. The almonds add the crunch. Milk chocolate chips as well as raw almonds get lost in this cookie. So, I’ve added salted roasted almonds, and half semi-sweet and half milk chocolate chips instead. This cookie is my creation. I’ve been a lover of chocolate chip cookies and chocolate covered almonds for years. This is my attempt to bring the two together.

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A No fail muffin A Perfect Vegan Muffin

Perfect Vegan Muffin

Although no longer a vegan my daughter continues with many recipes she created along the way. This muffin recipe is adapted from Tanya Bernard’s and Sarah Kramer’s Anything Goes recipe from their book How it all Vegan!

Missy like many young adults finds her time is very limited. These muffins can be whipped up and in the oven in less than ten minutes. We hope you will try this healthy rich tasting muffin recipe. The recipe follows.

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Sun Giant Cookies

Over 30 years ago I purchased these smiley face cookie cutters … different sizes with eight cookie recipes. All came attached to my Sun Giant box of raisins. Or, was it dates, or almonds? (Can’t remember exactly. Oops!) This recipe is my favorite of the eight. Be prepared, these Smiley Cookies will bring smiles to your family’s and friends’ faces.

This recipe was initially for my two oldest sons, 10 and 8 at the time. But this cookie became my favorite instead. The texture is similar to a biscuit or shortbread. It is mildly sweet, and packed with dates, raisins and almonds. It is great with coffee! So, anytime I need to bake myself happy I reach for this recipe. The Sun Giant can’t help but make me smile.

I hope you enjoy this cookie too.

 

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A Friendly recipe for the young chef

Four Layer dinner

 

This recipe holds up after all these years. It’s tasty, healthy, economical, and fast & easy. What is the origin of this Four Layer Dinner? See Reddy Kilowatt at the end of this recipe.

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Happy Birthday Julia CHILD! You are 101!

Celebrating Julia Child

Last night was Julia Child’s birthday celebration at Jack & Charlie’s in Visalia. The fourth of the now annual event. This was one of the five courses. Rich and buttery. All courses had a very nice presentation. I don’t need an excuse to eat here. Food is always good. Love the service! Last night was just about fun.

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Portuguese Butter Sponge Cake

Five senses overload best described Aunt Alice’s kitchen … Bleach cleaned and brightly lighted; smelling of smoked meats and sweet cakes; crowded with grown-ups who were loud with laughter, full of unfamiliar words, and giving toothy smiles and hugs as unconsciously as breathing. This was a pleasantly scary place to be for a three year old. I wish I could literally time travel to experience this again. And again.

As for this Portuguese Butter Sponge Cake … Having backyard chickens with extra eggs, and a memory boost from a friend, thank you Margaret, and thoughts of the grown-ups in my great aunt’s kitchen revived this family favorite. This cake was eaten straight from the oven for the intensified buttery taste, more noticeable when warm.  Margaret had eaten it just this way at our house and remembered it after all these years as a favorite.

There’s something about great food and memories. I have to laugh about our old family photos. It seems from these we did nothing else, but eat. Continue reading