“Stars and Stripes” Dessert … And “Over 21” Independence Day Jello-Shots**

“Stars and Stripes” Dessert … And “Over 21” Independence Day Jello-Shots**. Continue reading →

2012 in review Sweet Fortune Cookie!

Thank you dear readers. May 2013 be filled with love, prosperity, good health and joy! The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog. Here’s an excerpt: 4,329 films were submitted to the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. This blog had 51,000 views in 2012. If each view were a film, this … Continue reading →

Struffoli Balls Not From the Bakery For Anthony

This Strufolli recipe is for Anthony. Anthony commented on my Struffoi recipe…and gave me a great laugh. I ordered the Struffoli balls and didn’t make them… for Easter. Now it’s Christmas and time to make them again. Anthony’s Comment: “They look wonderful, but there’s no recipe! Go to an Italian bakery and BUY them? That’s … Continue reading →

RASPBERRY RHUBARB CROSTATA WITH RASPBERRY VINEGAR GLAZE

After my last year’s flop at making a Rhubarb Gallette…once again I could not resist the staunch scarlet stalks at the Green City Farmers Market. There was a recipe in the Italy Issue of Bon Appétit for “Rhubarb and Raspberry Crostata” by Karen DeMasco. I was ready, a year had passed since my last foray … Continue reading →

Struffoli Italian Confetti Honey Balls

Struffoli, strufoli, struffoli—Italian Honey Balls! A Neapolitan dessert my Grandma Micaletti brought to every Easter Sunday family celebration I can remember—since I was a little girl. Grandma Micaletti, my dad’s mom, didn’t cook. She was a bakery girl. There never was a Struffoli recipe handed down in our family. My mom’s family was from Abruzzi. … Continue reading →

Not So “Easy” But Delicious “Lemon Squares”

Call it my Italian Spring thing. It begins with forsythia’s bright yellow star-shaped flowers, then childhood’s marshmallow “peeps” everywhere and before I know it I’m heading to the bakery for a Lemon Slice aka Lemon Square, Lemon bar— the same bright yellow shimmying pastry —but I’ve been using the wrong name. And I just got … Continue reading →

“Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence.” Calvin Coolidge

Two more days. As some of you know through email, I entered the PAM Cooking Tips Contest. I’m a contender. In the top 19 this morning. I used the tip of using PAM to spray the pan and ice cube trays for easy release of the stars. From my blog: Stars and Stripes Desserts and … Continue reading →

Santa’s Sweet And Spicy Nuts!

I have thought about guest bloggers…I know so many good cooks. I finally took action and asked Craig Boroughf. Craig has shared his recipes before, French Breakfast Radishes and Carmen’s Prize Winning Meatballs…thank you Craig for being my first guest blogger. The words and photography that follow are a gift from one of my favorite … Continue reading →

Four Tiny Star Cookies…

The Lion roars. A time for reflection. Release the past… through the looking glass. And forgive everyone. Trim and star and keep it simple. Dear Santa, I can explain. Continue reading →

Salzburger Nockerl: Mountains of Meringue With Gratitude and Awe.

Austria.  A journey of beauty, music, food and craftsmanship. Salzburger Nockerl  is a meringue and raspberry dessert soufflé, in three peaks, inspired by the three mountains that border Salzburg. The same mountains Maria and the Sound of Music family climbed in their escape—  truth be known, they took a train to Italy! Salzberg Nockerl reminds … Continue reading →