All posts filed under: Italian Cooking

comfort food – lasagna with caramelized onions

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Eating healthy is a challenge during the colder months of the year, and although I maintain a pretty regimented meal plan on a weekly basis, once in a while I crave the greasiest, the fattiest meal and no matter how much I fight the crave, I give in to it, once a week. Here is a recipe I found, as usual from my favorite site here, which I cannot wait to try over the weekend and of course share with everyone, who is very loyal to my blog. Let me know what you think? Ground Beef, Caramelized Onion, and Spinach Lasagna: Recipe and photos by For the Love of Cooking.net 1 tbsp olive oil, more if needed 2 sweet yellow onions, sliced thickly 1 pound of lean ground beef (I used 93/7) 1 tsp dried basil 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 tsp dried oregano 1/4 tsp onion powder 1 pinch of red pepper flakes Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste 5 cloves garlic, minced 1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese 1 egg 1 …

villa in tuscany if only for a week

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I just can’t snap out of it, I know I have said this before, but it really is difficult to go to Europe, even for two week, then come back to the states and adjust to the every day norm. While I was in Tuscany, the day tour I took drove through some of the most beautiful landscapes in that part of the world and the guide pointed out numerous villas perched up on the hillside. Of course, every woman on the bus awed and oohed, while the husbands rolled their eyes or laughed at us for fantasizing  about owning one. Now, I for one, have always dreamed of moving to Paris some day but in addition to my fantasy of living in Paris, I wouldn’t mind owning a Tuscan villa just for the summer months :).  So, to make my day less gloomy, I found my villa of choice from here.  Happy Monday.

a day trip to venice, italy from florence

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Since I had been to Venice several times over the last 2 decades, I decided this time around to take just a day trip  from Florence, via train and walk about the streets “outside the high tourist season” being that it is mid October  Well I was wrong, Venice, from the looks of things, probably has no down time from tourism, so walking the small streets from the train station to San Marco Square was, once again, very challenging to say the least and took more time then I expected it to. However, putting that aside, Venice is one of the most photogenic , if I may use the term, travel destination for any photographer. I can’t imagine anyone returning from Venice with bad photographs. Anyway, although I entered a few stores to appreciate the Moreno glass neatly displayed everywhere, I spend the majority of my time taking photographs. I even wrote the boat taxis up and down the canal just to get photos of every nook and krany of this marvelous city. Here are …

burlingame avenue, burlingame, ca: a road trip from san francisco

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A quick escape from San Francisco “summer time” dreary weather is Burlingame, CA, about 20 or so miles south of the city. There are many ways of getting there,  by car, by train and by bus. The best day to be on Burlingame Avenue is Saturday after 10a.m., when all the locals, dressed in their casual attire, gather their babies, dogs and elderly parents and walk about the area just to have a family outing. Of course I  go to Burlingame Avenue in Burlingame once a month during the summer months,  and after having an extended breakfast early in the morning  at Crepevine or Stacks, I do some shopping throughout most of the day and then either eat an early dinner or have a light snack before I return to my foggy and cold city. This past weekend,  I discovered a really great eatery, called Urban Bistro, while I was walking towards Crepevine for a brunch get together with some friends. I called everyone and asked them to join me at Urban Bistro just to …

healthy eating: eggplant parmesan revamped

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One of the things I dread the most, is today’s over the top health conscious society. The fact that if you order (in a restaurant) or shop for fatty foods, everyone around you become judgemental and you, as a result, feel guilty for even considering the option. Well, I happen to  I love eggplant parmesan but haven’t made it or even ordered it in a restaurant for over a year or so.  While commuting home, I  decided to search online for a healthy version of the recipe so that I could actually serve it up without feeling guilty about it. Check  out below or click  here for the recipe I came across and can’t wait to try this weekend: OLD WAY OF MAKING E.P. 1,053 calories per serving 30.4 grams saturated fat 1,965 milligrams sodium Deep-fried eggplant Breadcrumbs 4+ pounds cheese HEALTHY WAY  318 calories per serving 8.2 grams saturated fat 655 milligrams sodium Baked breaded eggplant Whole-wheat panko 1 3/4 pounds cheese Panko Breading Technique: Step 1 Give the eggplant slices a quick dip in …

trim your waste healthy recipe: eggs italiano

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The older I get the more I watch what I eat. Nothing new to anyone over the age of 40. But what I find really challenging is incorporating healthy cooking techniques to my favorite fatty food intake. Despite the fact I totally love eggs benedict, I only  eat it once every three months for the sake of keeping a healthy eating habit. However,  since I found the perfect recipe here to eat what I love and still keep it healthy (plus trim my wasteline), I have added eggs benedict to my bi-monthly sunday brunch. Check it out. INGREDIENTS 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 shallot, minced 1 clove garlic, minced 1 pound zucchini, (about 2 medium), diced 12 ounces plum tomatoes, (3-4), diced 3 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil, divided 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 1/2 teaspoon salt Freshly ground pepper, to taste 8 large eggs 4 whole-wheat English muffins, split and toasted 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese PREPARATION Fill a large, straight-sided skillet or Dutch oven with 2 inches …

travel recommend: cinque terre, italy

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This weekend marks the beginning of my official travel recommends.  As I stated before I get the travel itch sometime in March, but it doesn’t really flare up until about mid May when I discover my circle of acquaintances are planning their trips. In light of the fact, my first recommend is what is known as Cinque Terre in Italy. Located along the western coats of Italy, this area consists of five small villages which literally cling to the Ligurian cliffs. The villages are small  and close enough that you can actually walk from own village to the next within a matter of hours. The first time I discovered the area was actually when I coordinated travel plans for college students. I heard a group of them talking about buying a railpass and finding their way to the area.  That same year, I decided to take a trip to Italy and after locating Cinque Terre on the map, I chartered my course on how to incorporate Cinque Terre into my trip. To make it easier …

mediterranean diet staple foods bring a smile to my face

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My background is from a semi-mediterranean culture.  I say this because we share the same recipes and cultural views. The reason I smiled when I saw the article here, is because when I first immigrated to the U.S., my Mother prepared my lunch for school. She often times included an eggplant sandwich, Hummus and pita bread, falafal and other things which the America kids at school made fun of at the time.  Now, Mediterranean food is much appreciated and considered fine cuisine around the metropolitan cities throughout the states and those kids who made fun of my lunch are now frequent diners at mediterranean eateries. Funny thing isn’t it? Anyway, according to the article the following are the staple of Mediterranean diet and one we may want to consider when eating or trying to eat healthy.