By Maria Filice • November 5, 2013 
A little of this and that for a perfect fall salad. Try adding roasted butternut squash and roasted garlic to a classic steak salad or any green salad. The perfect kiss of sweetness without adding artificial flavoring. Drizzle the arugula, cherry tomatoes, butternut squash, shaving of red onion with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Add the grilled steak (you can substitute with grilled chicken, fish or tofu).
If you serving for guests, add a platter of your favorite cheeses, fresh crust bread, apples, grapes and roasted nuts to a lovely brunch, lunch or dinner!
For dessert, serve my tasty Mammaretti!
A presto,
Maria
By Maria Filice • March 21, 2013 Hi Everybody,
I had a blast with Bob Cowan at my CHCH TV Morning Live segment to welcome Spring! Bob helped toss my easy Tuscan Bread Salad. My table display also compliments the vibrant Spring colors and wanted to kick start with fun on a cold, snowy day! In Italian, “Marzo Pazzo” means mad March! One day, it sunny and mild and the next, snow and cold. My easy Mediterranean recipes will always bring sunshine in your cucina!
Tuscan Bread Salad (with Maria’s Rule Breaking Suggestions)!
5 cups of day old bread (use crusty bread or your favorite)
2 cups diced tomatoes (Greenhouse)
1 medium red onion (finely chopped)
1 cup (green/black olives)
1/2 cup capers
1/2 cup roasted garlic
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes
salt/pepper to taste
Toss everything in the bowl and drizzle with your favorite extra virgin olive oil. I featured one of my favorites (premium and fresh) available at www.oliveoilemporium.com.
You can have so much fun by making this as a main meal or a side. Be creative, have fun and enjoy these Spring ideas with friends and family.
Here’s the link to the segment from CHCHTV 11. http://www.chch.com/morning-live-blog/item/12075-maria-filice
a presto,
Maria
By Maria Filice • April 14, 2011 
I made a bean salad a few days ago and had enough to serve at my dinner party last night. I served it in my edible Radicchio cups. I also serve my seafood salad in radicchio cups in my book “Breaking Bread in L’Aquila”. Perfect plating in martini glasses or your favorite antipasto plate! I served the bean salad with prosciutto wrapped in sesame bread sticks.
Maria’s Bean Salad:
1 can (14 oz) each: (use your favorite)!
red kidney, black-eyed, garbanzo and cannellini beans, drain, rinsd
1 red onion, finely chopped
3 carrots, finely chopped
4 celery stalks, (finely chopped) – what was left in the refrigerator ….
1 cup of sun dried tomatoes, rough chop
1 cup of Kalamata olives, pitted, use your favorite
black pepper (to taste)
red chili flakes (optional)
2 tbsp. dried oregano
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt (to taste)
Radicchio, 4 leaves (they shape into cups)
Parmigiano cheese (shavings)
Mix everything in a large bowl and ready to serve! I served a scoop of bean salad in the radicchio cups, shaving of parmiagiano cheese.
a presto,
Maria
By Maria Filice • August 12, 2010 
I was inspired to make this salad after the TRAIN concert … “Hey Soul Sister” made a tasty California Salad.
The perfect salad medly of mesclun (a mixture of young salad greens or….use your favorite greens), thin slices of red onion, cherry tomatoes, sliced mushrooms, olives (love’em). Add slices of fresh strawberries, drizzle extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and fresh black pepper and voila; the perfect salad. Adding the strawberries brings out sweetness and a nice change for salad lovers!
Serve with your favorite wine! Include fresh crusty bread, cheese (now we’re talking)!
a presto,
maria
By Maria Filice • July 5, 2010 
The perfect garnish, the perfect salad!
In my book, Breaking Bread in L’Aquila, my proscuitto with melon is garnished with my “lettuce ruffles”, the perfect garnish and edible too!
Tonight in this 95 degree heat, I am preparing a simple lettuce salad with grape tomatoes, red onion, cucumber and Italian Tuna (Sicilian) packed in the glass jar.
Take advantage of the fresh, local vegetables that are in season. The perfect dinner with a glass of white wine !
ciao,
maria
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