My first crop of kale finally came in (from the Red Russian plant) and while I had anticipated making something summery, like the Kale and Ricotta Salata Salad, it’s been so cool and rainy here that I decided to instead do a favorite that I never got around to this past winter (has winter really passed given that it’s been 60 and rainy?). I stumbled upon this recipe for Braised Lacitano Kale with Tomato and Anchovy Soffritto in the A16 cookbook, and it was the first way I ever made kale. I fell in love and didn’t branch out trying other recipes for quite a while.

This is the perfect meal for a chilly night. It feels somewhat healthy, but it’s hearty at the same time and will be sure to fill you up. (more…)

Filed under:
Comfort food, Dinner, Gluten free, In the Garden, Italian, Vegan, Vegetarian, Wine pairings by Courtney

Between last week’s champagne bar and this week’s warm weather, I’m starting to develop a craving for strawberries. Last year I planted around 4 plants, which yielded my husband and I around 2 miniature strawberries every couple of weeks. While the sweet taste is worth it, I’m going to need a bit more than that to make one of my favorite desserts, Strawberries with Zabaione. This dessert isn’t too sweet, and the zabaione and balsamic complement the strawberries flavor without overwhelming it. It’s the perfect way to enjoy flavorful strawberries from the farmer’s market or your backyard when they start appearing. (more…)

Filed under:
Dairy free, Dessert, Gluten free, In the Garden, Italian, Vegetarian by Courtney

A few years ago, I would have never guessed at my love for tinned tuna. It smelled to me like something a cat would eat. Then one day in Florence, my husband and I ducked into a little shop to grab a bite to eat. We speak no Italian, so I’m not quite sure what I thought the woman offered me, but I nodded. Tonno it was!

She warmed up my sandwich, and we were back out the door, eating as we walked toward the Duomo. “I’m not sure what this is, but it’s good!” A few more bites and I realized it was tuna, with a bit of tomato sauce, a hint of cheese, and some onion. It was like the Tonno Cippolle from La Pizzeria, only on a sandwich bun (and now one of my favorite pizzas). So that’s the story of how I came to love canned tuna, packed in olive oil.

The salad, however, is something I recently tried at Cafe Campbell, and I decided it would make a great lunch to take to work. Creamy cannellini beans mix with the tuna and onion and a sweet balsamic vinaigrette. Sweet, tangy, salty, delicious! (more…)

Filed under:
Dairy free, Gluten free, Italian, Lunch, Salad by Courtney

Caesar salad is the salad that turned me onto eating salads. The first time I visited La Pizzeria in Campbell (our local pizza joint), for some reason I thought, “What the heck! It’s a sunny day. Let’s eat some leaves with my pizza!”. So I did, and I liked it. Loved it, even! Couldn’t get enough. Something about the crispness of the leaves, the creamy yet minimal dressing, and the saltiness of the anchovies and parmesan really worked for me that day.

Fast forward a couple of years, and for some reason the restaurant decided to mess with my perfected salad. It tastes like they’ve taken the anchovies out of the dressing. At first I was sad, but then I took it as a challenge to recreate my favorite salad at home, which turned out to be very easy. When you add this to a homemade pizza, you’ll feel like you’re at the pizzeria! (more…)

Filed under:
Dairy free, Gluten free, Italian, Salad by Courtney

When my husband and I were in Venice on our honeymoon, we stopped into a small restaurant for lunch just off Piazza San Marco. We were the first people in the door for lunch, and we were the last to leave, with the waiters sweeping up around us after closing up until dinner. We enjoyed many great foods that day, but the wine was what really stuck out in our head. We enjoyed a bottle of La Fiorita Brunello di Montalcino that day, and when I was at a loss for what to buy my husband for his birthday this year, I decided to stock up on this memorable wine. (more…)

Filed under:
Dinner, Gourmet, Italian, Sunday Suppers, Wine pairings by Courtney