Author, branding and media expert, and my dear friend, Beth Nydick joins me in the Cucina this week! Beth is all about eating CLEAN - hence her book, Clean Cocktails! She shares a fun and easy spring rolls recipe with peanut sauce! And she threw in a healthy paloma recipe! Beth also shows us how to get clear on our messaging around ourselves and our brands so we can get that message out into the world!
Read MoreVegetarian main dish? Holiday side dish? Weeknight dinner? This Butternut Squash Risotto recipe covers it all! Risotto is a super simple and versatile dish that can be easily tailored to any diet or tastes! Give this seasonal butternut squash version a try!
Read MoreThis incredibly simple recipe is PERFECT for the holidays! You can use it for chicken, turkey - even pork! A handful of ingredients lands you a flavorful roast chicken! Seasonal apples and grapes are balanced with a few strips of bacon to create a really delicious meal - whether for a weeknight or a show-stopper for the holiday table!
Read MoreWhat better way to end the Feast of Seven Fishes than with some zeppole! This is my neighbor's family recipe and they turn out perfect every time! Crisp on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside! This recipe uses a small potato, but I know there's a lot of other versions out there! Like so many Italian Christmas Eve dishes, they're each as unique as the family that makes them!
Read MoreThanksgiving 2020 is going to look a LITTLE different. But that doesn't mean we can't celebrate and enjoy! In this video I share three new recipes for a smaller crowd! Starting with my citrus and sage roast turkey breast. A simple Italian side dish of roasted fennel. And a unique and light dessert idea of cranberry granita! These recipes can help create a delicious dinner experience regardless of who is (or isn't) around the table this year! I hope you'll give them a shot and add them to your traditional fair. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
Read MoreI'm SO excited to be kicking off November with my friends at Groundwork Elizabeth and Urban Griddle! I headed to Urban Griddle to get their recipe for their fan favorite "pig candy" - and to get a sneak peek at the menu for November 7th's Urban Farm Dinner! Owner George Vlahos talks about why Groundwork Elizabeth is so important to him, and to the community! Plus we have a lot of fun!
Read MoreI can’t think of anything more quintessentially Italian Summer than limoncello. And what better way to hold on to these last few days than bottle it up!? My aunt’s been making limoncello for years now and it always turns out great. So I finally got around to asking her for the recipe - it’s amazingly simple, but like all things Italian, it takes time and quality to do right.
Read MoreI couldn't let Summer go by without doing a recipe using Jersey tomatoes and our sweet corn! I actually came up with this dish at the end of last Summer but we were already shooting for Fall, so I wrote it all down and tucked it away for this year! On top of the delicious flavors of fresh produce in this risotto, I like using a Summer beer instead of wine as the first splash of liquid. It's just another fun way to incorporate these late Summer flavors into a delicious dinner!
Read MoreIn my family, we like both! Sangria (like meatballs and sauce/gravy) is a very personal thing. Everyone has their way of doing it. But if you've never tried it before, here's how my family makes it! And to be honest...these recipes are just the basics. We will literally use whatever booze is in the house, whatever we're in the mood for, and usually whoever is making the sangria is drunk by the time it's ready cause they've been tasting as they go! But we always enjoy the results!
Read MoreThis light and fresh Summer salad is quick and easy to make and can be tailored to any diet! Orzo, which are small pasta, cook up in just 4-5 minutes. Tossed with fresh Summer vegetables, extra virgin olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice and you have lunch on the table! Top you salad with grilled shrimp or chicken (thanks to the folks at Traeger Grills for helping us out!), or swap in feta cheese for a vegetarian version. Vegan? Toss on some grilled tofu instead, or just add in beans like ceci. Gluten free? Swap the orzo for rice or quinoa! You get the idea.
Read MoreThis quick and easy parsley based sauce is the perfect Summer condiment! Enjoy it with chicken, steak, fish or veggies! I make mine with shallot, red wine vinegar, LOTS of parsley, some fresh chives (cause they grow in the garden!) and some capers - but feel free to switch things up and swap them out to suit your tastes! Try adding in mint for a lamb dish, or some tarragon with fish - whatever is fresh and easy will work here!
Read MoreThis classic Sicilian dessert (now found all across Italy!) makes the perfect sweet treat to celebrate the good ol'U.S. of A! Granita is special because it's not flavored frozen water, but rather frozen puree of whatever you're looking for! Then it's mixed every 30-45 minutes during the freezing process, giving it its unique texture! In this video I'll show you how to make an easy mint simple syrup to flavor your granita with! Then we'll mix it with watermelon puree to make a beautiful, refreshing dessert - PERFECT for 4th of July weekend - or any time you want a light (healthy!) dessert for a hot Summer's day!
Read MoreWe're celebrating dads with one of MY father's favorite dinners! Pork chops with onions and peppers! This is a delicious one-pan dinner! Pork chops smothered with onions and peppers and finished in the oven! Drizzled with balsamic vinegar these chops have amazing flavor! Serve them with crusty bread, crispy potatoes (OR, toss the potatoes in the pot with the chops!) and a big fresh salad and I think YOUR dad will be as happy as mine is when he sees this come out of the oven!
Read MoreIt's true - there's nothing exceptional about chicken salad...other than, in this case, the memory it brings back for me! My great-grandmother's house in Fort Lee NJ, as a kid, playing on the knee wall in the back of her house, waiting for her and my mother to tell us lunch was ready! And later, after she passed, my mother realizing yet another of her culinary secrets! We could never figure out how she got her chicken salad to have such a great texture...until Mom discovered the meat grinder in her kitchen! She quickly ran through some red onion, celery and poached chicken and discovered that was the trick all along! Mom still has the meat grinder but lucky for the rest of us the food processor works the same way here!
Read MorePossibly my new favorite quarantine activity is reading books ABOUT food, and then recreating dishes I've read about! While reading Andrew Cotto's "Cucina Tipica" I was left salivating by his scene around braised ceci beans. I had never heard of them! But it sounded delicious, and incredibly simple (as cucina tipica usually is!). So I did my best to recreate the dish for dinner that night - and it was SO good! I knew immediately I had to share it with all of you! Rich extra virgin olive oil bathes ceci beans and fresh herbs for a comforting dish that checks ALL the boxes! It's warming, and soothing, delicious and filling while also being INCREDIBLY healthy and immunity boosting (BONUS given the times!). I've been serving it with my focaccia bread and a big fresh salad.
Read MoreWatch how to make this delicious Spring frittata! Using fresh, seasonal ingredients, you can make a simple meal that works anytime of day! Dandelion greens are a great Spring green that are available in stores - or even your own backyard! Yes, THAT dandelion green! Add in some earthy mushrooms and of course, plenty of parmesan cheese! This egg dish can serve for breakfast and brunch - clear through to dinner in a pinch! Plus it makes great leftovers! Serve with a fresh salad, crusty bread, or cooked grains on the side!
Read MoreDark, leafy greens are the #1 thing Americans are missing in their diet! And I get it, not everyone likes their naturally bitter flavor. But this preparation helps soften and sweeten them, making a perfect side dish for rich, roasted meats (Hello Easter!). Sautéed garlic in oil helps reduce the bitter flavor and makes the tough leaves easier to chew and digest! Don't get me wrong, you can absolutely eat them raw, but it's not for everyone! Want more ways to layer in flavor? Try adding dried fruits like raisins or craisins, splash a little balsamic vinegar in with them, use a microplane to add in some lemon zest, and of course, a little grated parmesan doesn't hurt either!
Read MoreWith everyone clamoring over Corona virus - not to mention the time of year in general - I thought I'd bring back Health Coach Hacks and start you off with my 5 Favorite Smoothie Recipes! These easy meals help boost immunity and weight loss! NONE of them have added sugar - all sweetened with fruit by Mother Nature! They all contain healthy, whole foods that will serve your body and allow it to do what it does best - keep you WELL! And as always - feel free to start here and play with the recipes! Try different types of milk (I use almond milk in the video and at home) or even yogurt! Swap in different greens like spinach, kale, or beet greens. Try an apple or pear in place of a banana. And add in different nuts, seeds and nut butters like walnuts, almonds, pecans, sunflowers seeds, chia seeds, flax seeds! The options are endless! Enjoy all of these in good health my friends!
Read MoreMy friend Chef Mike Carrino joins me in the Cucina this week to answer the question - what do Chefs eat at home? Turns out, it's Thai red curry with duck! At least for this Chef! This dish is actually incredibly easy - chopping the vegetables is the only time consuming part! Chef shows us how to perfectly render the fat from the duck breast. And then easily toss the dish together! LOADED with nutrients and anti-inflammatory elements - this dish will keep you healthy, clear through till Spring!
Read MoreThis easy egg dish makes a wonderful savory breakfast OR dinner (eggs for dinner is totally a thing in my house!). My version of eggs in purgatory "cheats" a little. Using leftover sauce (I've done it with marinara or even a Bolognese style sauce!), and baking the eggs instead of poaching them. But the results are still a wonderful Italian inspired egg dish - loaded with flavor that's easy to make at home! Served with some crostini (or even good old fashioned toast!) and you've got a great start to the day!
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