In the voice of Bob Sheppard, “Now cooking for Michele, number 99 – Kim Riemann.” Okay – don’t know who Bob Sheppard is? Well, then that reference is lost on you (the rest of you get it right?) – basically, … Continue reading →
I love cannellini. So I expected to enjoy this simple soup. For the last five weeks, Marcella’s less-is-more recipes have proven to be delightful. I’ve been repeatedly surprised at the flavor coaxed from simple ingredients and a little salt and … Continue reading →
When I hear the word lentil my mind immediately thinks of the Mediterranean. I have visions of sunny skies, blue horizons and life of all forms. Emotion sweeps over me. The reaction is the same if I run across the … Continue reading →
Michael has certainly been looking forward to this soup. It is another one that his Zia made for him when he was little. I wish she had been alive when Michael and I were married, because I would have loved … Continue reading →
I do believe that the soup section of ‘Essentials’ has surprised me the most so far. When I think of soups and Italian foods two things come to mind – Minestrone and Pasta Fagioli. Who knew that there was such … Continue reading →
If you saw me post earlier in the week, y’all saw my big goof. I made the wrong soup! As a part of the Pomodori e Vino Challenge we have divided the cookbook, Essentials of Italian Cooking, into 7 different … Continue reading →
I love soups. They can be very filling and are wonderful for the cold climate I live in. When I saw this recipe I was to make, Potato Soup with Smothered Onions, I was really looking forward to it. I … Continue reading →
When Deborah, our Queen Bee organizer, asked if someone was willing to pick up an extra soup to make I jumped at the opportunity. After a warm March things had turned decidedly cool again and I was craving a ‘bone-warming’ … Continue reading →
Over the years, as I leafed through Essentials looking for inspiration, I was never tempted by page 94. This was because the main ingredient, Smothered Cabbage, appealed to me not at all. It seemed to be nothing more than oily … Continue reading →
April 25 is the Feast Day for the patron saint of Venice, St. Mark. As a forward to the recipe, Marcella mentions how this soup was enjoyed on this day of celebration. The anniversary of the 1945 fall of Mussolini’s … Continue reading →
This soup really surprised me. I had eaten escarole in soups before, but never as the main ingredient. I didn’t anticipate the amount of flavor that these simple ingredients could impart. When I was reading the recipe I was wondering … Continue reading →
I found two BEAUTIFUL large bunches of fresh spinach for this simple soup. I love spinach in salads, slightly sauteed with garlic, or cooked, but have never made a soup where spinach was the main ingredient. This couldn’t be easier. … Continue reading →
This is a very simple soup. There are just three main ingredients: potatoes, peas and artichokes. I was lucky to see fresh, local, sweet green peas at our farmer’s market but there are no artichokes grown anywhere near here so … Continue reading →
It’s Cindy again, and this week I’ve moved on to soups. And what a very nice soup to start with -Summer Vegetable Soup with Rice and Basil, Milan Style. I love Marcella’s description of this soup. She says that during … Continue reading →
Michele is on a brief sabbatical, so the rest of us are picking up the next three weeks for her. Fortunately for me (Deborah), I get to make Minestrone. Is there any smell more comforting and inviting than a pot … Continue reading →
