NEW YEAR, NEW RECIPES

Happy 2013! Hard to believe another year has passed by. I am looking forward to creating more Italian desserts, and looking for new recipes to try and make my own.

Recently, I came across another Giada recipe:

RASPBERRY POUNDCAKE WITH VIN SANTO CREAM

Ingredients:

Pound cake
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the loaf pan
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons orange zest (from 1 medium orange)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/3 cups sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature,
plus more for greasing pan
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (10-ounce) bag sweetened, frozen raspberries, thawed
and drained


Cream

1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons powdered sugar
3 tablespoons Vin Santo wine or Moscato wine

To make the Raspberry Pound Cake:

Set an oven rack in the lower 1/3 of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9 by 5 by3-inch loaf pan.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, orange zest, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk to combine. In a separate bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together the sugar and butter until blended, about 30 seconds. With the machine running, add the eggs 1 at a time. Add the vanilla extract. Add the dry ingredients, a small amount at a time, until just incorporated. Using a rubber spatula, fold the drained raspberries evenly into the batter.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 55 to 60 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. (Cake may deflate in the center during cooling)

To make the Vin Santo Cream:

In a large bowl, beat the cream until it holds soft peaks.

Add the vanilla extract, powdered sugar, and Vin Santo. Continue to beat mixture until cream holds stiff peaks.

Transfer the pound cake to a serving platter. Slice and serve with the Vin Santo Cream.


I used fresh raspberries and did not make the cream - too many calories consumed during the holidays prevented me from adding it!

I am going to do a trifle and add a mascarpone whipped cream layer and fresh raspberries - perfect to serve in a mini dessert cup for an upcoming event!

This pound cake is very moist and delicious - even without the Vin Santo cream!






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WHERE THIS BLOG HAS TAKEN ME?

Four and a half years ago I started this blog. I was excited and inspired by traveling to Italy and finding a stronger passion for cooking and baking. I spent a lot of time looking at other blogs, making connections and finding like minded souls along the way. Then in 2010 I decided to start the business of Cucina Cara Mia, selling Italian desserts, as well as some savory products at my local Farmer's Market. It was great exposure, I enjoyed meeting and chatting with people about my products, and giving out samples, but I knew it was not quite the right market, yet I hung in there for over a year and a half. This past spring I decided to follow a new path...dessert catering. I have been a vendor at several large events in San Diego and it has definitely been a learning experience. Someone said your business will evolve, and I didn't quite understand what that meant, but now I do. If you had told me five years ago that I would be catering Italian Inspired Desserts, I would have said, "No way". Just last week, I FINALLY had a website designed and it really looks great. I would love for you to check it out...cucinacaramia.com

So where has this blog taken me....to a place of creativity, pride, confidence.wonder and anticipation of what is yet to come.

Another gluten free success story (well, almost!)

Finally accepting that I have to come up with more gluten free products, I discovered this Lemon Polenta Cake -one of Nigella Lawson's recipes. The only ingredient I hadn't used before was almond meal/flour...Down to Sprouts I drove and purchased Bob's Red Mill Almond Meal/Flour, naturally Gluten-Free. It was $9.99 for a one pound bag..now I know why they charge so much for gluten free baked goods.

Ingredients
Cake:

1 3/4 sticks (14 tablespoons) soft unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
1 cup superfine sugar
2 cups almond meal/flour
3/4 cup fine polenta/cornmeal
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder (gluten-free if required)
3 eggs
Zest 2 lemons (save the juice for the syrup)

Syrup:

Juice 2 lemons (see above)
Heaping 1 cup confectioners' sugar
Special Equipment: 1 (9-inch) springform pan

For the cake: Line the base of your cake pan with parchment paper and grease its sides lightly with butter. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Beat the butter and sugar till pale and whipped, either by hand in a bowl with a wooden spoon, or using a freestanding mixer.

Mix together the almond meal, polenta and baking powder, and beat some of this into the butter-sugar mixture, followed by 1 egg, then alternate dry ingredients and eggs, beating all the while.

Finally, beat in the lemon zest and pour, spoon or scrape the mixture into your prepared pan and bake in the oven for about 40 minutes. It may seem wibbly but, if the cake is cooked, a cake tester should come out cleanish and, most significantly, the edges of the cake will have begun to shrink away from the sides of the pan. Remove from the oven to a wire cooling rack, but leave in its pan.

For the syrup: Make the syrup by boiling together the lemon juice and confectioners' sugar in a smallish saucepan. Once the confectioners' sugar has dissolved into the juice, you're done. Prick the top of the cake all over with a cake tester (a skewer would be too destructive), pour the warm syrup over the cake, and leave to cool before taking it out of its pan.

Make Ahead Note: The cake can be baked up to 3 days ahead and stored in airtight container in a cool place. Will keep for total of 5 to 6 days.

Freeze Note: The cake can be frozen on its lining paper as soon as cooled, wrapped in double layer of plastic wrap and a layer of foil, for up to 1 month. Thaw for 3 to 4 hours at room temperature.

I decided to make mini cakes and used my favorite fluted silicone pans...and they were delicious except I probably should have purchased finely ground Polenta--so they came out a little gritty, but buttery and lemony!

It's a perfect little bite to have with tea or a cappuccino!

"A THING OF BEAUTY IS A JOY FOREVER" (Keats)

And sometimes that thing is pizza, well, I think so....so many colors, so many choices of toppings..Recently, I bought a new pizza pan at Crate & Barrel - a round metal crisping pan with holes on the bottom...after I broke 3, yes THREE pizza stones, I thought I better try metal for a safer pizza experience. It actually worked very well the first time, the crust was thinner and crispier...This one is just cherry tomatoes, arugula, Pecorino, and mozzarella..

When you think baking....you think Dorie Greenspan

And according to the award winning author of 10 cookbooks, she burned her parents kitchen down at the age of 13!! She didn't really start baking until she got married...She is a part time resident of Paris and has a wonderful blog "In the Kitchen and On the Road with Dorie"!

Always searching for new cookie recipe I stumbled upon her Chocolate Chip Espresso Shortbread. Her many fans rave they have never had a bad result from any of her recipes...and this cookie is amazing!!




So here's the recipe from her cookbook: "Baking from My Home to Yours"
Makes 42 cookies:

I decided to use round cookie cutters so I didn't follow it exactly...

1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
1 tablespoon boiling water
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate (plain, or a toffee variety), finely chopped, or 3/4 cup store-bought mini chocolate chips
Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting (optional)

1. Dissolve the espresso in the boiling water, and set aside to cool to tepid.

2. Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter and confectioners’ sugar together on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until the mixture is very smooth. Beat in the vanilla and espresso, then reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour, mixing only until it disappears into the dough. Don’t work the dough much once the flour is incorporated. Fold in the chopped chocolate with a sturdy rubber spatula.

3. Using the spatula, transfer the soft, sticky dough to a gallon-size zipper-lock plastic bag. Put the bag on a flat surface, leaving the top open, and roll the dough into a 9 x 10 1/2 inch rectangle that’s 1/4 inch thick. As you roll, turn the bag occasionally and lift the plastic from the dough so it doesn’t cause creases. When you get the right size and thickness, seal the bag, pressing out as much air as possible, and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours, or for up to 2 days.

4. Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

5. Put the plastic bag on a cutting board and slit it open. Turn the firm dough out onto the board (discard the bag) and, using a ruler as a guide and a sharp knife, cut the dough into 1 1/2-inch squares. Transfer the squares to the baking sheets and carefully prick each one twice with a fork, gently pushing the tines through the cookies until they hit the sheet.

6. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back at the midway point. The shortbreads will be very pale–they shouldn’t take on much color. Transfer the cookies to a rack.

7. If you’d like, dust the cookies with confectioners’ sugar while they are still hot. Cool the cookies to room temperature before serving.

I promise you, you will LOVE this one!! Enjoy....

OK...I admit it...I'm addicted to Nutella!

Looking for a fun dessert to serve at our Mother's Day brunch, I found this recipe on rockrecipes.blogspot.com, a Canadian food blog...

Nutella Crumb Bars:

In a bowl toss together
2 t. baking powder
2 cups rolled oats (large)
2 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar

Using your hands, rub thoroughly through the dry ingredients:

1 ½ cups butter, cut in small cubes.

This mixture should hold together when squeezed in your fist.

Divide crumble mixture in half and press half into the bottom of a 9x13 inch greased or parchment lined baking pan. Spread fudge filling mixture over the base. Top with remaining crumb mixture, breaking it into small pieces with your fingers. Bake for 40 minutes at 350 degrees F or until golden brown.

Nutella Fudge Filling

In a double boiler melt together until smooth:

1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup whipping cream (or evaporated milk)
1 cup Nutella

Don't let this mixture get too hot, as soon as the chocolate is melted, take it off the heat. Add

1 cup icing sugar ( i.e. powdered sugar, confectioners sugar)

Blend in until smooth,

It's crunchy nutella heaven!! What's your food addiction?

THE PERFECT CAKE FOR ANY OCCASION.....OR JUST BECAUSE!

I had a request to make a cake to celebrate a client's great aunt's 90th birthday last week. He wanted something with lots of coconut and a lemon curd filling. Not usually a maker of traditional style cakes, I went on the hunt for a recipe incorporating those ingredients....as usual Ina Garten's (The Barefoot Contessa) recipe seemed to be the perfect fit for this special lady.

Ingredients:

3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for
greasing the pans
2 cups sugar
5 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting the pans
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup milk
4 ounces sweetened shredded coconut

For the frosting:

1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 pound confectioners' sugar, sifted
6 ounces sweetened shredded coconut

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 2 (9-inch) round cake pans, then line them parchment paper. Grease them again and dust lightly with flour.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 3 to 5 minutes, until light yellow and fluffy. Crack the eggs into a small bowl. With the mixer on medium speed, add the eggs 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl once during mixing. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well. The mixture might look curdled; don't be concerned.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the dry ingredients and the milk to the batter in 3 parts, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Fold in the 4 ounces of coconut with a rubber spatula.

Pour the batter evenly into the 2 pans and smooth the top with a knife. Bake in the center of the oven for 45 to 55 minutes, until the tops are browned and a cake tester comes out clean. Cool on a baking rack for 30 minutes, then turn the cakes out onto a baking rack to finish cooling.

For the frosting, in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese, butter, vanilla and almond extract on low speed. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix until just smooth (don't whip!).

To assemble, place 1 layer on a flat serving plate, top side down, and spread with frosting. Place the second layer on top, top side up, and frost the top and sides. **I added lemon curd in between the layers to give it a little more lemon flavor. To decorate, sprinkle the top with coconut and lightly press more coconut onto the sides. Serve at room temperature.


The cake looked wonderful, and I anxiously awaited a call from him hoping to hear she liked it...his text said it was a hit, and they had it for breakfast the following day...so this cake would be a great wedding cake, baby shower cake, bridal shower cake, or a "just because" cake...embellished with fresh flowers or lemon slices..

REMEMBERING PARADISE

Last week, I returned from a week on the island of Moorea in French Polynesia- celebrating my 25th anniversary with my husband in a place that is truly paradise...it has been on my "bucket list" for a while, and now I can say it is in a place where wonderful memories live forever...

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A WORTHY CAUSE

The more you blog the more you know....recently in checking out some local food blogs I came upon a post for a great idea.....a San Diego Food Bloggers Bake Sale....to take place at Great News Discount Cookware and Cooking School in Pacific Beach (great-news.com) on Saturday April 28th from 10AM-2PM...all proceeds go to the Share Our Strength Foundation to stop childhood hunger..

There will be an amazing array of baked goods, all locally made, and Cucina Cara Mia is happy to participate...with our delicious nutella brownies and other Italian treats...come down and get your sweets and help stop childhood hunger!

Great News is located at 1788 Garnet Avenue.

Finally.....a gluten free recipe!!

I have been fighting the whole "gluten-free" bandwagon since I started my business 2 years ago. I thought, how could you make a really good dessert without flour, eggs, or butter? There were many times when customers asked if I could make a gluten free cheesecake or did I have any vegan items on the menu...the answer was always, sorry, no I don't.

We were invited to a wine tasting dinner party tonight, and I volunteered to make a dessert. Looking for something decadent and chocolate I found this recipe on seriouseats.com...no flour, a little sugar, but eggs and dairy.

Still it is "Gluten-Free"...and hopefully with a little Gelato, delicious!

Flourless Nutella Chocolate Torte:

3/4 cup skinned hazelnuts, lightly toasted
9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
9 ounces milk chocolate, finely chopped
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing pan
1 1/4 cups Nutella
6 large eggs
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup heavy cream, cold

1.

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350° F. Coat bottom and sides of 9-inch springform pan with butter. Place bottom of pan over large sheet of foil and fold foil up sides to create a waterproof seal.

2.

Place hazelnuts in food processor and process until finely ground, 15 to 30 seconds; set aside. Place bittersweet chocolate, milk chocolate, and butter in heatproof bowl set over saucepan of barely simmering water. Heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture is melted. Remove from heat and stir in Nutella and chopped hazelnuts until combined.

3.

In bowl of standing mixer fitted with whip attachment, Beat eggs with sugar and salt on medium-high speed until doubled in volume, 3 to 4 minutes. Fold 1/3 eggs into chocolate mixture to lighten. Gently fold in remaining eggs until no streaks remain.

4.

In the unwashed mixer bowl, whip cream on medium-high speed to soft peak, about 30 seconds. Fold into chocolate mixture just until no streaks remain. Pour into prepared pan.

5.

Place pan in roasting pan and fill pan with 1-inch hot water. Bake until center is just set and torte doesn't jiggle when shaken, 60 to 70 minutes. Remove springform pan from roasting pan and place on cooling rack to cool about 30 minutes. Chill until completely set, 2 to 3 hours.

WORLD NUTELLA DAY 2012

My love affair with Nutella continues...and in honor of World Nutella Day I found this recipe on the Food and Wine website... Hazelnut Nutella Sandwich Cookies 2/3 cup roasted hazelnuts 2-1/2 c. all purpose flour 1/2 t. baking soda1/2 t. salt 2 sticks (8 oz.) unsalted butter, softened 1-1/4 c. sugar 1 large egg yolk 1 t. vanilla extract Nutella Directions: 1. In a food processor, finely grind hazelnuts. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the ground nuts, baking soda and salt. In a standard electric mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter with the sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the egg yolk, and vanilla, scraping the side and bottom of the bowl. Beat in the dry ingredients at medium low speed. Divide the dough in half. Pat each half into a round, wrap them in plastic and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes. 2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Position the racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each piece of dough, 1/8 inch thick. Using a 2 inch biscuit cutter, stamp out rounds as close together as possible. Arrange the rounds on large baking sheets, about 1 inch apart, Gather the scraps and reroll, cutting out more cookies. 3. Bake cookies in batches for about 10 minutes, until golden, shift the pans from top to bottom and front to back halfway through baking. Let the cookies cool on the sheets for 5 minutes, and then transfer to racks to cool completely. 4. Sandwich the cooled cookies with Nutella..

They are super crunchy, light and heavenly!

IT PAYS TO HAVE A WINEMAKER IN THE FAMILY

I was in the mood for a one pot meal tonight, and started thumbing through some of the Barefoot Contessa's cookbooks and came upon her Coq au Vin. I am not usually one to make a french recipe, but her Beef Bourguignon recipe came out amazing, so I decided to go for it - got all the ingredients, came home and started slicing carrots...and realized I forgot to buy a bottle of wine, ie: Burgundy...some Zinfandel in the house and a few bottles that are just too good for a stew...but there in the wine rack was a bottle of MY HUSBAND'S WINE....DUH!! Steve took a wine making class last spring and made 36 bottles of Cabernet Franc--some he gave out as Christmas gifts, and some are sitting in our wine rack.. Thanks Steve for saving the day!! Here is Ina's Recipe: 4 ounces good bacon or pancetta, diced 1 (3 to 4-pound) chicken, cut in 8ths Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1/2 pound carrots, cut diagonally in 1-inch pieces 1 yellow onion, sliced 1 teaspoon chopped garlic 1/4 cup Cognac or good brandy 1/2 bottle (375 ml) good dry red wine such as Burgundy 1 cup good chicken stock, preferably homemade 10 fresh thyme sprigs 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1/2 pound frozen small whole onions 1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, stems removed and thickly sliced Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Add the bacon and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove the bacon to a plate with a slotted spoon. Meanwhile, lay the chicken out on paper towels and pat dry. Liberally sprinkle the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. When the bacon is removed, brown the chicken pieces in batches in a single layer for about 5 minutes, turning to brown evenly. Remove the chicken to the plate with the bacon and continue to brown until all the chicken is done. Set aside. Add the carrots, onions, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper to the pan and cook over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the Cognac and put the bacon, chicken, and any juices that collected on the plate into the pot. Add the wine, chicken stock, and thyme and bring to a simmer. Cover the pot with a tight fitting lid and place in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is just not pink. Remove from the oven and place on top of the stove. Mash 1 tablespoon of butter and the flour together and stir into the stew. Add the frozen onions. In a medium saute pan, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and cook the mushrooms over medium-low heat for 5 to 10 minutes, until browned. Add to the stew. Bring the stew to a simmer and cook for another 10 minutes. Season to taste. Serve hot.

A FESTIVE HOLIDAY DESSERT

I am part of a Bunco group that has been together for almost 16 years and we always have a Christmas Bunco party-sometimes its at a restaurant, and some years one of the Bunco Babes offers to host. This year, my friend Ruth hosted, and it was catered by a local Italian restaurant. I was asked to make the dessert...well, everyone has already had my limoncello cheesecake, so I decided to make Tiramisu in martini glasses....the recipe I used follows...

Triple Chocolate Tiramisu - Serves 12


Ingredients

2 3 ounce package ladyfingers, split
1/4 cup brewed espresso or strong coffee
1 8 ounce carton mascarpone cheese
1 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup chocolate liqueur
1 ounce white chocolate baking squares or white baking bars, grated
1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, grated
Unsweetened cocoa powder
Chopped chocolate-covered coffee beans (optional)

Directions

1. Line the bottom of an 8x8x2-inch baking pan with some of the ladyfingers, cutting to fit as necessary. Drizzle half of the espresso over ladyfingers; set aside.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, beat together the mascarpone cheese, whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer just until stiff peaks form. Beat in the chocolate liqueur until just combined. Spoon half of the mascarpone mixture over ladyfingers, spreading evenly. Sprinkle white chocolate and bittersweet chocolate over the mascarpone mixture. Top with another layer of ladyfingers (reserve any remaining ladyfingers for another use). Layer with remaining espresso and mascarpone cheese mixture.

3. Cover and chill for 6 to 24 hours. Sift cocoa powder over top of dessert. If desired, garnish with cocoa beans.

I did break up the lady fingers to fit them into the martini glasses, other than that
it is the same, and I substituted Kahlua for the chocolate liqueur.

Hope you have a sweet and festival Holiday!

BERNARDO WINERY FARMERS MARKET

There is an expression - timing is everything, and I think that applies to my experience at the Bernardo Winery Farmers Market. I have been selling at this new location for 3 weeks and it has been very positive so far. If you are not familiar with the Bernardo Winery - it is the oldest winery in Southern California, established in 1889. It is not just a winery, but a lovely and charming destination, with shops, a restaurant, Cafe Merlot, a picnic area, a venue for weddings, and a tasting room. With 5 wine tastings for only $8.00, it would be a great place to spend a weekend afternoon. The farmers market takes place on Fridays from 9am-noon, Stop by and sample some of our locally crafted Italian fare --including rosemary focaccia, polenta vegetable lasagna, nutella brownies, orange ricotta poundcake and Limoncello cheesecake.

A big thanks to my friend Katie who has been helping me out at the new market. AND she also is passing the word around to her friends who live in the area.

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LIMONCELLO, LIMONCELLO, LIMONCELLO-LET ME COUNT THE WAYS

...It can be used in a recipe.....I found a new one to incorporate the lovely lemon liqueur...Limoncello Madeleine's...now we all know that a Madeleine is not an Italian cookie, it's a tea cake, from northeastern France, but as soon as you add an Italian ingredient, it becomes Italian...

The first problem is I don't have a Madeleine pan, so I searched for one locally, and luckily, Bed Bath and Beyond carries them. The recipe is really very simple to make.

Limoncello Madeleines Recipe

1 1/2 cups Cake flour
2 tsp Baking powder
5 Large eggs
1 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Butter, melted
1 Tbsp Limoncello Liqueur
Zest of 1 lemon

Powdered sugar, optional
Chocolate, optional

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°F). Generously grease Madeleine pan with shortening. Sift flour and baking powder together into a bowl, set aside.

Combine eggs and sugar, beat until very pale yellow. Add butter, liqueur, and lemon zest, mix until well combined. Add dry ingredients to mixing bowl of wet ingredients, stir until well incorporated and smooth.

Spoon 1 Tbsp (15 ml) of batter into each prepared Madeleine mold cavity. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden. Turn Madeleines out onto a clean dishtowel, cool.

To serve, dust Madeleines with a little powdered sugar, or dip 1 end/side of each shell into melted chocolate.

I am off to discover new ways to incorporate Limoncello into something delicious and Italian that I can offer at the Leucadia Farmers Market next time.

Feel free to send me your suggestions...

Keeping your Cool!

Growing I up in New York, I was accustomed to hot, humid, summers, but San Diego is usually not muggy...except for the last few days...I started scouring old magazine issues to find a cool, easy salad...and found this one, featured in August 2009 Sunset Magazine! I changed it up by adding 6 oz. cooked pasta, omitted the chives and added chopped fresh basil and more lemon juice!

Tomato Bruschetta with Tuna and Cannellini

Serves 4

5 T. extra virgin olive oil
Finely shredded zest of 1 lemon
3 T. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
3 tsp. chopped chives
1/4 cup chopped flat leaved parsley
1 15 oz. can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 cans tuna
3 green onions, sliced
4 to 8 slices large tomatoes

In a medium, bowl whisk together oil, lemon zest and lemon juice, salt, pepper and chives. Add parsley, beans, tuna and onions and stir until coated.

Arrange tomato slices and spoon tuna mixture on top.

I also recommend a cold glass of Pinot Grigio to keep you really cool!

What is on David Rocco's Mind?

Have you seen his show on the cooking channel, "Dolce Vita" yet? It is addicting and I have a new food crush - David Rocco is a Canadian chef who films a show in various parts of Italy. He is so likable and, if I must admit, really cute, and he whips up easy Italian recipes either on the stove of his kitchen in Florence, or literally on a rock near a Sicilian beach,..it's a cooking/travel/lifestyle show and I love every episode shot in the beautiful countryside of Tuscany, the crowded streets of Florence, or along the Sicilian or Amalfi coasts..along side him is him is his wife Nina, and in the last two seasons, his adorable twin daughters.... Yesterday his Facebook post was "Had these Nutella Fritelle" last night, and the craving lingers, How do you like your Nutella?" - he received 77 comments on that post...of course I had to chime in...

My friend Janie sent me this recipe the other day courtesy of The Moonlight Baker, and it sounds like the next perfect way to include Nutella in a delicious cheesecake....

Nutella Cheesecake Layer Bars

- 8 Chocolate Graham Crackers

- ½ Stick Unsalted Butter, melted

- 16 oz. Cream Cheese, at room temperature

- 2 eggs, at room temperature

- ½ C. Granulated Sugar

- ¼ + 1 Tbsp. Heavy Cream

- 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

- ¼ C. Nutella

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Butter an 8 x 8 baking pan and line with parchment paper, making sure that the parchment is well pressed in the corners. Set aside.

In a food processor, pulse chocolate graham crackers until they become crumbs (like bread crumbs). Add in melted butter and pulse until moistened. Press graham cracker mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Bake crust in the center of the oven until set, about 12 minutes. Set aside and cool.

Clean out the food processor. Add cream cheese, eggs, sugar, ¼ C. heavy cream, and vanilla extract. Pulse until smooth. Put 2/3 of the cream cheese mixture in a bowl and set aside. Add Nutella and 1 Tbsp. of heavy cream to remaining 1/3 of the cream cheese mixture in the processor. Pulse until smooth.

To assemble, spread the vanilla cheesecake mixture over the cooled graham cracker base, being careful not to disturb the crust. Pour Nutella cheesecake layer on top of vanilla layer and spread evenly. Bake on the center rack of the oven for about 35 minutes, or until the center jiggles slightly. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a cooling rack. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

When ready to serve, lift bars out of the pan by lifting up the parchment paper (it should release easily). Slice into 16 squares and serve.

Yields 16 Squares

My repertoire of nutella recipes includes nutella brownies, nutella banana bread, nutella pumpkin cheesecake and nutella pumpkin bread to name a few...

This weekend I am featuring zucchini nutella bread at the Leucadia farmers market.

As David Rocco said "so I think its probably safe to say that Nutella would taste good on a shoe"..."

WHAT IS A CROSTATA?

According to wikipedia - it's an Italian baked dessert, tart, and a form of pie, its rustic, its kind of messy and its DELICIOUS!

Flour, sugar, butter, berries - that is about all you need to make this heavenly dessert...Summer has arrived and a multitude of berries are in season...I love a simple dessert and a mixed berry crostata is the perfect one for a warm summer night-of course it isn't complete without a little vanilla gelato! Ciao Bella makes a tahitian vanila that is a pretty good substitute for the real stuff in Italy!

Mixed Berry Crostata (adapted from justcooks.com)

Dough:

1-1/2 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup cake flour
3 T. granulated sugar
Dash of salt
3/4 cup cold butter (cut into cubes)
2 T. ice water
1 T. vanilla extract

Mixed Berries:

3 cup mixture of strawberries, blueberries, raspberries or blackberries
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. cornstarch

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees, in bowl of electric mixer, combine flour, cake flour, sugar and salt. Distribute the butter over the top and mix until the butter is thoroughly incorporated and mixture resembles moist cornmeal.
2. Combine the ice water and vanilla and sprinkle over the top of the dough. Mix until dough comes together and pulls cleanly away the sides of the bowl.
3. Remove the dough and flatten into a disk, then wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate.
4. In a medium bowl, toss berries, sugar and cornstarch stirring gently until well coated. Set aside.

Assembly:

5. On a lightly floured surface, roll the crostata dough out to a 16 inch diameter circle. Leave it a little thick, the added texture is better. Transfer dough to a cookie sheet, then place the fruit mixture in the center, and distribute in a low mound, leaving a 2 inch border.
6. Fold the edges of the dough over the fruit to form a 6 sided tart, with the fruit showing in the center. Fold one edge over, pleating the dough if necessary and pressing firmly on the pleat.
7. Lightly brush the surface with a little water and sprinkle with course sugar. Bake until the crust is browned and the fruit is soft and thickened, about 30 minutes. Rotate crostata halfway.

Serve warm!

MOTHER'S DAY AT THE MARKET

I will be at the Farmers Market this Mother's Day...work on Mother's Day? Why not...the weather is usually lovely and I haven't been in a month because of various events taking place in my life! Besides the usual fare, I am offering dark chocolate dipped espresso shortbread cookies-great little gift to give to your Mom.

Of course, when I return home I do expect someone else to cook dinner!

* FOR THE COOKIES:
* ½ pounds Unsalted Butter, Cold And Cubed 1/4 Inch
* ½ cups White Granulated Sugar
* ½ teaspoons Salt, Fine Ground
* 2-¼ cups All Purpose Flour, Unbleached
* 1 teaspoon Vanilla
* 2 Tablespoons Espresso, Finely Ground
* _____
* FOR THE CHOCOLATE GLAZE:
* 9 ounces, weight Bittersweet Or Semisweet Chocolate, Chopped Or Chips
* 1 Tablespoon Vegetable Shortening Or Oil

Preparation Instructions

To make the cookies, place the butter, sugar and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer (this much easier than using a hand mixer; if you do use a hand mixer, use a large bowl). Mix on low speed until combined. You should still be able to see sugar granules in the butter. Add the flour, vanilla and finely ground espresso beans. Mix until it comes together. This will take a few minutes. When the dough just pulls away from the bowl (like a pie dough) and pulls together, stop mixing. Do not over mix.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface about 1/4 inch thick. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters or cut squares or rectangles/bars with a knife. Place the cookies on parchment paper on top of a cookie pan and chill for about 20 minutes in the fridge.

While the cookies are chilling, preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

Place in the oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cookies look dry on top and are a shade darker. Remove from the oven and let cool.

To melt chocolate and dip the cookies, place the semisweet or bittersweet chocolate in a double boiler (I used a glass bowl over a small saucepan with gently simmering water). Add the vegetable shortening or oil (I used canola) and stir until it is melted and glossy. Take each cookie and dip it halfway into the chocolate and set on waxed paper until set, approximately 2 hours.



Recipe adapted from Fine Cooking Issue #23, Chocolate-Dipped Espresso Shortbread


Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful Moms out there! You are amazing and inspiring...and hopefully very appreciated by all of those who love you.

AT THE LEUCADIA MARKET THIS PAST SUNDAY I OFFERED

Strawberry mascarpone tarts with nutella..Can it get anymore decadent than that??

I was looking for a recipe with an Italian twist for the strawberries that are so bountiful right now in San Diego, and here it is. -I found it on
SimplyRecipes.com. I used a traditional sweet pastry crust and for more deliciousness, I spread nutella on the crust, then added the mascarpone cheese mixture on top of that!


* 1 recipe pie dough
OR

* 1 sheet of puff pastry, thawed
* 1 egg, whisked


Filling and Glaze

* 2 lbs strawberries, stemmed and quartered
* 1/2 cup granulated sugar
* 1 Tbsp orange zest, divided
* 1 teaspoon lemon juice
* 12 ounces mascarpone cheese (can also use 8 ounces mascarpone mixed in with 4 ounces of ricotta or 4 ounces of whipped cream)
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
* 1/3 cup confectioner's sugar (powdered sugar)
* 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar (substitute a teaspoon of lemon juice if you don't have balsamic)

Method

1a Using Pie Dough Roll out the pie dough and line a 10-inch tart pan with the dough. Prick the bottom of the shell all over with the tines of a fork. Freeze for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line the tart shell with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Fill at least two-thirds with pie weights - dried beans, rice, or ceramic or metal pie weights. Bake initially for 15 minutes, then remove from oven, let cool enough to handle, and remove the aluminum foil or parchment paper and pie weights. Return to oven and cook until lightly browned at the edges, about 20 more minutes. Let cool completely.

1b Using Puff Pastry Roll out puff pastry sheet to 15x5 inches or 12x12 inches. Place on a baking sheet. Fold the edges over to form a border. Prick bottom of pasty with tines of a fork. Chill for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 400°F. Use a pastry brush to brush on egg wash over exposed surfaces. Place in hot oven and cook until nicely browned all over, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven to a rack, let cool completely.

2 Gently combine strawberries, half of the orange zest, and the granulated sugar in large bowl so that the strawberries are coated with sugar. Let sit to macerate for 30 minutes.

3 Mix together the mascarpone cheese, confectioner's sugar, the remaining orange zest, lemon juice and the vanilla in a medium bowl until well combined. Refrigerate until needed.

4 After the strawberries have macerated for 30 minutes, place a sieve over a bowl and drain the liquid out of the strawberry mixture into the bowl. Take that strawberry liquid and put it in a small saucepan. Add a tablespoon of balsamic vinegar to the saucepan, and bring to a boil on medium high heat. Boil until the liquid has reduced to the consistency of syrup, remove from heat and let cool.

5 Assemble the tart. Spread the mascarpone mixture over the bottom of the tart shell. Arrange the strawberries on top of the mascarpone mixture. Use a pastry brush to brush on the balsamic glaze.

Serves 6 to 8.