Sicilian Fig Cookies
Who’s Clara? She’s a home cook I came across on Youtube. When I saw her recipe for Cucidati I knew it was one I wanted to try. Problem was a recipe that yielded 100’s of cookies was just too much for my family … even if Cucidati keep for a month in an airtight container. Clara is right … her fig cookies are the best. And Clara, the suggested whiskey is a perfect touch. Here is Clara in action in 2008 at 93 years young. I have taken her recipe and made it manageable … yielding 50+ one-two inch cookies. Make this your holiday tradition. Absolutely the best! Thanks Clara!
Love love pecan season. First up is a big batch of Spiced Candied Pecans. Great snacking but more often added to richen recipes. They’re the main ingredient in these deliciously rich scones. Make a great coffee or tea accompaniment. We like them with soup too.
Rich creamy vegetarian soup for the cold winter meal. Spice it up with red pepper flakes for more warmth. Tame it down with broth instead of cream. Make the recipe your own or enjoy just this way. And for those that can’t go meatless add crumbled cooked Italian sausage.
Whips up easily! Few ingredients … you have in your pantry. I woke up this morning craving homemade biscuits but wanted to try something that could be a standalone breakfast. Not that this biscuit in smaller form isn’t the perfect appetizer. I love the cheese and green chilies combination, but I found this quick recipe by Sargento that combines cheese and butter. Oh, and black pepper too. Rich, flakey and delicious!
A little different take on pumpkin cake and certainly much easier than the traditional 
Fall is my favorite time of year and with it … all those delicious pumpkin recipes. The pictures above are of recipes that don’t usually come to mind when thinking pumpkin. Savory pumpkin dishes are amazing. Give these a try, 
Have you tasted a chicken salad only to find the chicken apart from the salad dressing has no taste. Here’s a simple way to remedy that! This recipe is large enough for several meals. Use this for tacos, quesadillas, enchiladas, salads or any recipe calling for cooked chicken.
This is a pretty easy recipe … There is no wrong here. A soup with mainly vegetables and just the right amount of linguica (or chourico) to give it that special flavor. Adding stale crusty bread soaks up the liquids and this soup becomes more stew-like. I love it! And when I want to be really decadent I add butter to the chunks of bread before smothering with the soup. Yikes!
Surprised! Haven’t decided about this yet but for now it’s staying. Stenciled hardwood floors … someone really loved loved this storybook home. This is the original floor.
