Our Italian Kitchen

Friday, February 25, 2011

I'm Back to Blogging!

Hello Readers! I'm back! I apologize for the brief hiatus here. I still love my blog and readers, and I will continue to update it as much as possible. Sometimes life can be full of unexpected occurrences and you never know when they will arise. My grandmother was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year. It was a big surprise, not the good kind unfortunately, but we all have high hopes for her recovery and are doing our best to help her through this time. I appreciate any and all thoughts and prayers for my Grandma.

No worries though, I'm still cooking and baking when I get the chance and have a few overdue recipes to share with you. Please excuse the forthcoming posts with events and recipes from earlier months and occasions. Just a quick update about the past month or so. My hubby and I are hoping and praying to own a home in the near future! I can't wait to be have more space and a larger kitchen wouldn't be upsetting either. We are waiting to see what happens and will be sure to share info with you all once everything is finalized! My grandma finished her first round of radiation and we are waiting on some scans to verify how effective the treatment was. She's anxious about the further treatments and we hope the scans will bear good news. My wonderful hubby and I celebrated our two year anniversary quite recently as well. He's so good to me! He brought me home daffodils to plant at our new home (fingers crossed) and gorgeous lilies! I made him pappardelle topped with alfredo sauce and grilled chicken and followed that with waffles for dessert topped with ice cream, sauces, and berries. And I'm thankful for having readers enjoy my ramblings and recipes for one year via this blog! I'm hoping to have belated blogiversary post in the next month with a favorite family recipe I've been excited to share. More posts soon to come!

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Hello, 2011! I resolve to....

As a new year comes and an old one goes, it's time to look forward to what will be in 2011. The age-old tradition of making resolutions coincides with the changing of years. In fitting with this tradition, I'd like to make a New Year's resolution to try to cook/bake new things in the kitchen. This year I will be turning 25, a quarter of a century old! And for my resolution/bucket list of 2011, I will be making a 25 by 25 Bucketlist Challenge. Time to get started on building my cooking repertoire.

1. Creative Homemade Pasta (ravioli, tortellini, trottole)
2. Sfogliatelle and Lobster Tails
3. Cannoli
4. Rustic Semolina Bread
5. Chocolate Torte
6. How to properly temper chocolate
7. Homemade chewy caramels
8. Spumoni Ice Cream (at request of Hubby)
9. Biscuits
10. Cinnamon Rolls
11. 3 Tier decorated cake
12. Soft Pretzels
13. Potato Gnocchi
14. Sweet and Sour Chicken
15. Bagels
16. Napoleons
17. S'Mores Milkshake
18. Tiramisu Cheesecake
19. Herbed Butter
20. Molten Lava Chocolate Cakes
21. Rissoto and Polenta dishes
22. Panna Cotta and Zabaglione
23. Tartufo (attempted once and failed :( must try again)
24. Doughnuts (Fried and Baked)
25. Crostada

Other Goals for 2011:
1. Own a home
2. Continue working with decorating cookies, cakes, etc
3. Spend time with family and friends
4. Improve photography
5. Learn to sew and knit
6. Travel More

These cooking and baking goals are hopefully going to be accomplished by my 25th birthday! If not, at least during my 25th year... Here's to much learning and new challenges in the new year!

Here's a free printable year calendar for 2011 to help organize you in the upcoming year. Courtesy of Julia's Poppies Design

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Monkey Bread

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Another great breakfast that is so fun and easy; Great for New Year's Morning! Monkey Bread is one of my husband's favorites. I mean, how it could it not be? Sugar and cinnamon caramelized in the oven is a great way to start the day, especially a day off of work!

2 large cans (16.3 ounces) refrigerated biscuits
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1/2 cup pecan halves (I omitted the pecans)

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Grease a bundt pan or tube pan with non-stick spray.

2. In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.

3. Cut the biscuits into quarters. Dip each piece in butter, roll it in cinnamon sugar, and place it in the pan. Sprinkle pecans onto the biscuit pieces at random. Pour any remaining butter evenly over the biscuit pieces in the pan.

4. Bake for about 40 minutes or until the top springs back when touched. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Invert onto a plate, and serve immediately. I also made a cream cheese icing to have on the side for dipping!

Recipe taken from: Ezra Pound Cake

Friday, December 31, 2010

Poppin' Strawberry Bellini

A dynamite way to ring in the New Year with this drink in hand! My husband loves Pop Rocks, so he was trying to decide how to incorporate them into a New Year's food and here's what we came up with. Happy New Year!

1 part strawberry vodka

1 part strawberry daiquiri mix
2 parts prosecco or champagne

fresh strawberries

a few pkgs of strawberry Pop Rocks

1. Start with your strawberry in the glass (martini or champagne flutes work well)

2. Add prosecco first.

3. Pour in the vodka.

4. Slowly drizzle in the daiquiri mix.

5. Now here's the fun part! Sprinkle in about half a pack of Pop Rocks and watch them fizzle!

6. Your drink will continue you popping in your mouth for the next 10 or 20 minuets so enjoy while watching the fireworks! The strawberry itself even pops towards the end!

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Top 10 in 2010

2010 is already over?! I can't believe how fast it felt. With this year coming to a close, I like to look back on all that has already past. My hubby and I are on our second year of being happily married (almost 2 full years!), two best friends of mine married their sweethearts, one of very best friends had a beautiful baby girl, many fun nights with my family, holidays together, and lots of fun. All these wonderful events, remind me of something that happened in the kitchen, because that is where much living happens and hope that next year will bring even more wonderful events! Here's to a blessed year filled with much joy! Thank you to all those who have read my ramblings and recipes! A very Happy and Healthy New Year in 2011!

Here are my Top Ten Posts in 2010 :

10. Red, White, and Blue Berries