Like Tweet Pin

Hello IFF Friends!

I have just spent much of the last week hibernating on the couch after being hit with a bad case of influenza. Things are looking up though as I am now on antibiotics due to the flu turning into bronchitis, and today I woke up feeling almost human again. Nothing like experiencing a week of the flu to make you appreciate your usual good health!

It is great that I am feeling better, as tomorrow I'm heading to Orlando for 5 days to watch my granddaughter in a soccer tournament and to enjoy a little Disney magic with my family. I haven't been to Disney for a few years and look forward to seeing it again through the eyes of my 6 year old grandson.

Check out the recent additions to Italian Food Forever below! I hope you all have a great week and that the crazy winter storms are finally over for this year.

Creamy Butternut Squash, Pancetta & Sage Pasta
If I had to choose one type of food that I had to eat every day for the rest of my life, it would have to be pasta. Luckily, there are so many types of pasta, both fresh and dried, and when it comes to sauces, your choices are endless. I do believe I could eat pasta every day for the rest of my life and enjoy a new, different dish every day. We love all varieties of winter squash and enjoy it often when it is available. Though I have used squash in many pasta dishes in the past, for this dish I decided to create a creamy sauce using roasted butternut squash, then added crispy pancetta and fresh sage. Get The Recipe......

Featured Ingredient – Winter Squash
One of my favorite winter vegetables has to be the simple squash which has a buttery, sweet flesh that can be cooked and used in an endless variety of recipes. I often roast my squash and then use the tender sweet pulp to stuff pasta, as a side dish, or stirred into soups and stews although it is equally delicious used in baked goods and desserts. Read More......

Cheesy Potato Broccoli Torta
We eat a lot of vegetables in my house, and my usual way to prepare them is by simply roasting the cleaned, diced vegetables in olive oil with seasonings. I do enjoy combining vegetables as well, and love trying out new recipe ideas so when I was planning on cooking up some potatoes and broccoli last week, I decided to create a sort of torta, or baked casserole. I sautéed some diced onions, garlic, and pancetta that I folded into mashed potatoes and broccoli along with grated Parmesan cheese.

After spreading the mixture into a casserole dish, I topped it with seasoned fresh breadcrumbs and baked it until it was crispy and lightly browned creating a rustic vegetable torta of sorts. Get The Recipe......

Kale, Grapefruit, & Avocado Detox Salad
There are days that come along after I have overindulged in my eating, or had a glass or two of wine, that I wake up in the morning and simply crave healthy food. On those days I'll enjoy a green smoothie for breakfast, and eat grilled fish and veggies for dinner. For lunch, I love making a big "detox" salad packed full of healthy ingredients like kale, red grapefruit, barley, pomegranate arils, avocados, and lightly toasted walnuts. All these ingredients nourish my body and best of all, taste delicious too! Get The Recipe......

Apple Olive Oil Cake
I am always on the lookout for new apple recipes that I can serve to our farmhouse guests since our farmhouse is called Il Casale di Mele (Mele meaning "apples"). Since I prefer to use olive oil in my baking rather than butter to keep things a little healthier whenever I can, when I came across an apple cake made with olive oil in Anna Del Conte's Gastronomy of Italy I had to try it. It is a really rustic, very moist cake, chock full of apples, and moistened with olive oil. I love this cake plain sliced alongside my morning cappuccino, but I can also serve it to company after dinner with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream and a sprinkling of cinnamon. Get The Recipe......