I'm back and ready to do this!

I knew I couldn't leave it for too long...

I knew I'd be back...

My inner Paisana won't let me leave this blog...

and...

a ton of people have been visiting it... so I thought I'd write some more in it...

***

Since my last post on here, I've started making meatballs...

LOTS OF MEATBALLS!

I have decided to become the

Meatball Queen.

***

These days, I always have a ziploc bag of meatballs in my fridge... ready to drop into a soup, or sauce or cut up for a sandwich.

***

Last week, I found a food grinder I purchased a couple of years ago, and decided to make

a Chicken/BBQ/ meatball.

And yes... I ground my own chicken.

***

Also since my last post...

I've lost just over 40 lbs.

How?

Well... my family and I decided to live and eat the European way.

We basically just switched our heavy meat to lunch and only eat fruit and salads for our evening meal. I have cut out virtually all dairy and wheat (bread), but the rest of my family still eats those foods...

I bought a book called "Let's Do Lunch" by Roger Troy Wilson, and it has changed our lives...

Bill lost 36 lbs in 2 months, Will is down 20lbs, and Alex and John have become lean, and strong.

We eat truckloads of fruits and veggies...

We always did, but with fattyer foods too... and those fatty foods are gone forever.

***

No wonder everyone in Italy is not fat or even overweight... they eat this way all the time!

So... I'm ready to start contributing to this blog again... as long you are willing to read it...

Ciao!

I have a new... different blog.

I loved reminscing about my heritage on this blog... and I thought it was good, but alas, it is really hard to keep up with such a nitsche blog.

I have started a more user friendly blog, called

Cook Everyday and Stay Sane

www.cookeveryday.blogspot.com

and it is really what I am all about in the kitchen.

Organization, prep time, and eating as a family.

I have enjoyed writing this blog and will print it out for my family for posterity, but I don't think I'll be adding to this one for a long while.

Thank you those of you that visited daily.

Ciao Bella's

Molto Grazie,

Bye Beauties

Much Thanks

Saundra

TAKING A LITTLE BREAK...

I have not been keeping this site up as much as I would like to... SO!...

I am going to take a break for a while, gather some new knowledge, interview some family members and come back refreshed and renewed.

Please check my Italian Mama Gone Crazy site daily...

Ciao for a little bit.

Saundra

MMM...ITALIAN TUNA SALAD (NO MAYO)

Italians don't eat a lot of mayo, but we sure love our olive oil. This is a much more heart healthy version of Tuna Salad and it tastes better the longer it sits. For added crunch add some Romaine lettuce and you have a fantastic main dish salad.

ITALIAN TUNA SALAD

2 6-ounce cans chunk light tuna or albacore
10 cherry tomatoes
1/2 small red onion sliced into very thin slices

1 med cucumber cored and sliced

3 ribs celery cut into "c's"
extra-virgin olive oil to taste
balsamic vinegar to taste
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon celery seed (optional)

Cooking Instructions
Combine tuna, tomatoes, onion, cucumbers oil, vinegar, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Toss gently. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen things to stir into plain pasta.

1. Olive oil and garlic, heated up in a saute pan. YUM!

2. Fried sliced zucchini and olive oil.

3. Sun Dried Tomatoes in Olive oil and a sprinkle of Pecorino Romano.

4. Ricotta cheese and black pepper.

5. Fresh spinach, feta cheese and drizzle of olive oil.

6. A light Tomato sauce and peas (not canned, please)

7. Any kind of pesto.

8. Saute'd Spring veggies and a sprinkle of Italian Seasoning.

9. Seafood and it's natural liquor, sprinkle with cheese.

10. Saute'd cabbage and carmelized onions. (MY KIDS FAVORITE)

11. Butter and black pepper and sprinkle cheese.

12. Thai peanut sauce and peanuts.

13. MMMM...Marinara

SUMMER'S COMING!

SUMMER'S COMING!!!

You know what that means!!! Gardens, fresh produce EVERYWHERE, trees FULL of fruit, everything bursting with flavor!

One of my absolute favorite delicacies is ZUCCHINI FLOWERS. Yes, they are edible and they are FAB-U-LOUS!

Almost every pizza in Italy has at least one zucchini flower in it, if you order the veggie. The flavor is unreal and quite unlike the zucchini. My Papa used to quick fry them in olive oil and we ate them as a side dish all summer long. Oh, how I miss them!

This year, I am going to grow a HUGE patch of zucchini JUST to eat the flowers! Some people stuff them with cheese and such, but I am a purist. I like them lightly saute'd and lightly salted.

If you have never tried them, I invite you to my home to try them if you live close by, but lots of Farmer's Markets sell them. Usually only uppity restaurants use them, but they are a peasants meal in Italy, and peasants meals are my ultimate favorite kind of meal.

They are great as a pizza topping and look lovely too. I don't eat them raw, because they tend to be a little fuzzy raw, but lightly cooking them makes them sing!

If you ever see them at markets, pick up one or two to try at home and let me know what you think. I don't know any flower eating people, and would love to compare notes!

More domani! (tomorrow)

Ciao!

CAPPUCCINO FREEZE

THIS IS MY LAST POST UNTIL MONDAY!!! ENJOY!!!

CAPPUCCINO FREEZE

¼ CUP INSTANT COFFEE GRANULES
1 CAN SWEETENED CONDENSED MILK (NOT EVAPORATED)
2 ½ cups WATER

Microwave ½ cup water until boiling
Dissolve instant coffee
Pour in remaining cold water
Mix in Sweetened Condensed Milk

Pour into three tubs.

Freeze 8 hours or until firm

Shave