Midnight Pasta

A dish that is very common in my home town of Mola Di Bari, Italy... and probably in most towns throughout Italy, this dish is delicious, quick and easy to make.  So fast in fact,  that if you find yourself hungry at midnight, (or any time),  you can be eating this in the time it takes to boil the pasta. This is why we call this Midnight Pasta, although it is often referred to as, pasta with garlic, oil and pepper, and tomato.  Or, Aglio Olio e pepperoncino e pomodoro. Yield: 2-4 Author: Mary Palumbo Print With Image Without Image Midnight Pasta prep time: 5 M cook time: total time: 5 M A quick and delicious Pasta ingredients: Pasta Spaghetti or Linguine 1/4 cup Extra Virgin  Olive Oil 3 large cloves of garlic, chopped 3 canned peeled San Marzano Tomatos or fresh if high quality and very ripe Several sprigs of Fresh Italian parsley, chopped and or Fresh Basil Salt and Pepper to taste Pinch of red pepper flakes (opti...

Linguine con Gamberi or Linguine with Shrimp

Yield: 2 to 4 Author: Mary Palumbo Print With Image Without Image Linguine with Shrimp ...Linguine con Gamberi prep time: 10 M cook time: 20 M total time: 30 M ingredients: Pasta 2 Tbl Chopped fresh garlic red pepper flakes QB  about 12 large shrimp EVOO Ripe tomatos on the vine or cherry tomatos ,chopped  fresh italian parsley  fresh basil salt & pepper QB instructions: How to cook Linguine with Shrimp ...Linguine con Gamberi Peel and devein shrimp, wash and dry. Warm EVOO , add garlic saute til golden , add red pepper flakes add shrimp to pan stirring over medium high heat quickly til just turning pink  remove shrimp from pan,  set aside, add tomatos to pan cook about 5 minutes Meanwhile, cook pasta( Linguine or other long pasta) return shrimp to pan season with salt and pepper to taste add wine cook about 2 minutes ,  toss with cooked pasta, drizzle with more olive oil , top with herbs NOTES: Y...

Stacked Apple Salad

Stacked Apple Salad with Arugula Avocado Goat Cheese and Red Onion. Sometimes it’s just fun to change up the presentation, slicing the Apple thinly and adding the ingredients between the slices then dressing the whole thing with a bit of a simple olive oil vinaigrette. I like doing this with different colored apples and it’s especially great in the fall... Yield: Varies Author: Mary Palumbo Print With Image Without Image Stacked Apple Salad prep time: 15 M cook time: total time: 15 M A beautiful and different way to serve salad ingredients: Apple and Arugula Salad with Goat Cheese Apples  Arugula Goat Cheese Red Onion, thinly sliced Avocado, cut into 1 inch dice Balsamic Vinaigrette , recipe below Balsamic Vinaigrette Extra Virgin Olive Oil Balsamic Vinegar Garlic clove 1 large, smashed In a jar add 1/3 cup of the vinegar, 2/3 cup of the oil, and the garlic clove. Put the lid on the jar and shake vigorously until the mixture is emulsif...

Dinner Table For Six

Dinner Table For Six...As is my usual method around here, when it comes to a dinner party or just a simple dinner for a few friends, I enjoy using what I have. Mixing and matching things that I own, maybe adding a new piece here and there but always changing it up and making things look a little different each time.  Using things in ways different than what they might be intended for... lace curtains from Italy as a table runner, or a decorative brandy snifter as a water glass anything different.  Of course fresh flowers are always in order. I especially like simple, uncontrived arrangements. I often use decanters as vases, running down the length of the table, or a single arrangement if I’m setting a round table. Always keeping the season in mind and adding seasonal touches....

A Beautiful Boule

I t’s hard to beat the aroma of fresh bread baking in the oven. I don’t care that it’s 90° outside I’m still going to turn my oven on and bake some bread, and I do several times a week. I love how so few ingredients can come together to make something so delicious. Flour, Yeast, sugar, salt, and water, A little time, and some love is all it takes. The good thing is that my garage is so hot in this weather that it becomes my proofing room..  I made this particular loaf using one of the many recipe for rustic breads that can be found on the internet.              

Easter Table

Using a mix and match theme is my favorite way of setting a pretty table. Using things that I own in different combinations is always a fun challenge.  Choose something to inspire you.  It may be a particular dish design or flowers from your garden, or from the flower market.  A new tablecloth,  or of course,  the season or holiday.  Anything you love can be turned into a special table setting without spending a lot of money.  If you do choose  to buy something new to use,  try to keep in mind what you may already have on hand to build on.  I rarely set a table the same way twice,  changing things just a little can be so fun...Inspiration is all around us, all we have to do is be open to it. Using a mix and match theme is my favorite way of setting a pretty table. Using things that I own in different combinations is always a fun challenge.  Choose something to inspire you.  It may be a particu...

My Easter Eggs

I thoroughly enjoyed coloring my Easter Eggs this year.  I like using brown eggs to get darker hues while simply using the old school egg dyes.  Mixing colors along with using the brown eggs gave me hues that were different than the usual, although beautiful, pastels so typical of Easter time. For the decorations I went out to my garden and snipped a few leaves from my herbs and flowers. Using a gold acrylic paint , I brushed the egg and then placed the leaves on the egg and painted over them. It is a quick and easy process.  Ive done these for a few years because I love how they look.  I also used them on my Italian Easter Bread.