Cooking Secrets from Stresa
Beautiful Day in Stresa Italy with my oldest!
And look what I brought back. Wine has just arrived too!
You too can have these items from Italy. Information to follow but first I’m going to tell you how easy it is to prepare an easy feast on a hot day with my selection of goodies above.
-Add the Bruschetta spices (above) to bread for sandwiches, sprinkle on roasted or mashed potatoes, on meat or fish and of course, on your pasta sauce. This combination of spices is wonderfully fresh. Place a jar on your table for sprinkling on just about everything. To preserve properly add a handful of black peppercorns to the mix.
-The dried mushrooms can be whirled in your food processor until they form a powder to be used as a condiment on just about anything you are cooking.
-The balsamic vinegar here (one is 10 years old and the other 30 years). Use your 10 year balsamic for this recipe below.
Balsamic Pate
1 T cream
8 Ounces cream cheese-room temperature (start with 4 ounces and add to taste)
2 T balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 t Spices (above) optional
Mix and let set for an hour or so.
Serve on toasted bread or crackers.
-What can I say about the Truffle Sauce. 2 T of truffle sauce to a bit of cream in a skillet. Heat through. Add freshly cooked drained pasta to the skillet and sauté. So delicious! Or simply add a bit of truffle sauce to freshly cooked eggs for an extra special breakfast.
All these recipes and products are thanks to this little shop in Stresa Italy. Amazing products and super amazing Italian wines. All is shipped at a reasonable price.
When you have the flu and someone brings a care basket with salami, cheese & pasta you wait until you’re better and you fix this! (Thanks Will for all the goodies!)
When you’ve a house full of hungry guests (and creating more meals than expected) … here’s a way to put together a quick soup they’ll love. If you just made Italian gravy so much the better but a jar sauce with a few other ingredients will do in a pinch. Some sauce ideas, 
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.
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, 
Cutting back can still involve pasta. At least that’s what we think! When weight starts to hang on it’s time for action, but there’s no giving up Pasta Sunday’s.
What a simple lasagna dish with an amazing taste! Dress it up or down. It’s up to you. This one is vegetarian and so deliciously simple. Make your own sauce or use the best jar sauce you can find. Needn’t feel guilty about jar sauce … even chefs use it! This is one of those 30 minute meals too. We loved it!
This simple recipe makes up beautifully. I’ve plated two Marsala Sauce Dinners to reveal the diversity of this recipe. Change two ingredients and it becomes Chicken Marsala. This recipe is one to put to memory.
Soups are my favorite! Yep, no matter the weather. But this foggy day has brought out one of best! Complete nutrition in one bowl. Delicious? You bet! Rustic crusty bread adds to the simple recipe. Use your favorite greens! Add a few shavings of Parmesan and voila!
