By Maria Filice • May 22, 2011  
Here’s a quick and easy dessert!
Fresh fruit salad: a medly of fresh strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, mango and pineapple.
fruit dressing: squeeze one of each fresh lemon and lime and 4 mint leaves chopped.
In a bowl, add a small tub of mascarpone cheese (Italian triple-cream cheese), lemon rind of one lemon, juice of 1/2 lemon and add 3 tablespoons of honey. Mix and add a dallup (healthy tablespoon) to the fresh fruit salad.
Tip: Here’s another option to the marscarpone. Add a splash of orange liqueur, orange rind, juice of 1/2 orange, shavings of dark chocolate. You may want to add a couple of dallups! !
Vanilla Ice cream is good too. I can go on and on and on ! !
a presto,
maria !
By Maria Filice • May 19, 2011 
A quick and easy dessert. I dipped fresh strawberries in white and dark chocolate and served with my amaretti cookies. The perfect combination with some espresso after dinner with friends and family!
When I brought the platter to the dinner table, it reminded me of an episode of the famous cartoon “The Flintstones”. An episoide when Wilma was the chef on “The Happy Housewife” TV Show. She would sing a jingle when she carried her platters on the set.
For those Flintstone fans, I found the lyrics to the jingle…
Hit it Wilma:
MAKE YOUR HOBBY, HUBBY / KEEP YOUR HUBBY HAPPY / WHEN HE’S A LITTLE CHUBBY / HE’S THE HAPPY PAPPY / WITH ROCKENSCHPEEL!
a presto,
Maria
By Maria Filice • May 4, 2011 
Do you sometimes start cooking and end up with something totally different? As a rule breaking-ologist, here’s a simple lentil soup that turned into a lentil minestra (peas, chicken, roasted red onions, sausage and arborio rice).
I kept adding layers:
When I started to the boil the lentils in a medium pot, I decided to add a container of chicken broth (from my freezer). I drained the lentils (after a minute on the stove), and added the chicken broth to a large pot.
The fresh chicken in the refrigerator ended up in the pot too! I simmered for an hour and then turned off the heat. I removed the chicken from the pot (to de-bone and add back to the minestra).
On my way home from running a few errands, I stopped at my favorite Italian deli (Russo’s) and bought fresh crusty Italian bread, a piece of parmigiano cheese and fresh Italian sausage.
I roasted the Italian sausage (make sure you poke them with a fork) and added two red onions (cut in slices) for thirty minutes. I added the roasted onions and sausage(cut into chunks) to the pot. I prepared arborio rice (al dente) and added to the pot. Not to mention, I also added a bag of frozen peas!
I sauteed for additional 5-7 minutes and it was ready to serve. I added freshly grated parmigiano cheese, black pepper and a few pinches of red chili flakes (optional). The finishing touches of fresh crusty Italian bread and red wine to our rustic dinner with friends.
a presto,
maria
By Maria Filice • May 2, 2011 
Not sure why the song “Wooly Bully” came to mind when I was preparing this salad but …. here’s a quick lunch that is not hard to prepare. The lyrics to this song on the other hand are hard to understand but a classic rock tune from Sam the Sham and the Paraohs in 1965 (well before my classic rock listening days) …..
I prepared a fresh salad (use your favorite greens) and added fresh mozzarella topped with sun dried tomatoes and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. I served with fresh crusty Italian bread and a great brainstorm session with one of my interns, Janie thereafter!
a presto,
maria
By Maria Filice • May 2, 2011 
I attended a lovely Ladies Lunch over the weekend. It was nice not to cook (for a change). My contribution to the lunch was a fresh batch of my amaretti cookies and a chilled bottle of Prosecco. They also loved my styling (another foodista passion of mine).
I love Prosecco, an Italian sparkling white wine from Northern Italy — this bottle is from the Friuli region. (my sister in law Daniela is from this region – I toasted her – she’s one of my best friends)!
Toasts are also good for the soul! I’ll drink to that!
a presto,
Maria
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