Pumpkin Risotto

I am so excited to share this authentic Italian recipe that I received from an Italian friend! While living in Italy we participated in the Amici program which matches American families with Italian families who share similar interests and whose kids are the same gender or close in age. We were matched with a wonderful family, the Lorenzos.  Despite the language barrier we had great times together. The dad, Enzo, and the boys, Riccardo and Federico, speak pretty good English. The mom, Giusi (pronounced Juicy), didn't speak any English, and I do not speak Italian so communication was a challenge. We wished that we could talk to each other more, but were able to find common ground through shopping and cooking. This is a picture of our families a few days before leaving Italy.

The front row: Federico, Giusi, me, Graham, Riccardo
The back row: Enzo, Collin, Brandon

We spent Christmas Eve 2011 at the Lorenzo's home. Giusi is a fantastic cook! She served this Pumpkin Risotto as well as about 6 other delicious dishes.

Risotto is a very popular rice dish in Italy.  The rice is cooked in either meat or vegetable broth and usually includes butter, parmesan cheese, and onions.


According to the World Encyclopedia of Cooking Ingredients, the most popular variety of risotto is Arborio, Vialone Nano, and Carnaroli. Arborio is the best-known Italian risotto; Vialone has a plump grain and a firm inner starch, so that risottos made using this rice tend to have slightly more bite; Carnaroli is a premium rice and has a firm bite.

Risotto Rice

When cooking Risotto it must be constantly tended to and cannot be left to simmer like typical rice.  Broth is added gradually and must be stirred occasionally until absorbed. This is repeated until the rice is done. This is not a fix-it and forget-it dish, but the results are truly worth the effort.

The original recipe calls for sausage. I didn't add sausage. Instead I chopped one piece of bacon and added it to the onions for flavor. The results were awesome. I have included the original recipe with my changes in parentheses.

This Pumpkin Risotto is so flavorful and beautiful making it perfect for a special occasion or entertaining.

Buon Appetito!

Pumpkin Risotto

yields: 4 servings 

with sausage

calories: 781

fat: 41

without sausage

calories: 594

fat: 25.8

400 grams pumpkin 

300 grams risotto rice (Arborio or Carnaroli)

3 Italian sausages (I used 1 piece of bacon instead)

1/2 onion

1/2 glass of white wine

About 1/4 cup olive oil 

1 liter chicken or veggie broth

1- 1 1/2 cups parmesan cheese (I love the robust flavor of parmigiano reggiano, but it is quite expensive.)

1-2 Tbsp butter (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Chives

1. Peel pumpkin and cut into small pieces (approximately 1/4 inch cubes).
2. Peel and cut onion into thin strips.
3. Saute onions in olive oil until browned. 
4. Remove casing from sausage and crush with fork and add to onion (I added the bacon instead).
5. Saute the meat and add the white wine and let it evaporate.
6. Add pumpkin letting it cook for about 10 minutes over low heat. 
7. Add the rice and let it toast.
8. Pour in broth gradually stirring often. 
9. You can mash the pumpkin with fork if it is not fully cooked and allow it to fully cook. 
10. When rice is cooked add butter if desired, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper, and chives to taste. 

After rice is cooked, taste test to determine how much butter, cheese, salt, pepper, and chives need to be added. 

Grain-Free Chorizo Stuffed Peppers

Don't you just love chain emails?  You know the ones. They instruct you to share an email with 10 people if you are not ashamed of Jesus, or share an email with 10 friends and you will have good luck, but if you don't share BEWARE!! I usually don't participate in chain emails. I really think they are stupid, a waste of time, and downright annoying. That is, unless it is a recipe chain email. I am always looking for new recipes so the prospect of receiving ones that are tried and true was enticing, and I fell victim to the possibilities. I really wasn't sure if anyone would participate, but I sent out emails to 20 of my closest peeps who were supposed to email 20 of their closest peeps who were supposed to email me recipes. Confused yet? I was surprised by the response and actually received several good recipes. This "Stuffed peppers" recipe was one of them. It came from a fitness trainer on our base in Italy. Funny thing is I didn't even know her but had seen her picture around base advertising her services. She shares her Italian experiences on a blog that you can see here. 

At the time, I was fasting from grains as I was praying through an issue, so this grain-free recipe came at the perfect time. Typical stuffed pepper recipes call for rice, but this recipe uses cauliflower "rice" instead, so out of curiosity decided to give it a try. Chopping the cauliflower very finely in a food processor gives it the consistency of rice. I actually think I now prefer using it in stuff peppers instead of rice. The cauliflower is light and doesn't lead to bloating or the heavy feeling that can result from rice. I enjoyed this dish so much that I ate it for leftovers for about 3 days until it was gone. 

This recipe calls for Chorizo which is a spicy Spanish pork sausage. If you don't want to use sausage you could use lean ground beef or turkey instead.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! 

Buon Appetito!

Grain-Free Chorizo Stuffed Peppers

source: Erin Work, http://www.mi-scusi-italia.blogspot.com/

yield: 6 servings 

nutritional facts calculated using sausage, 1/2 cup of cheese, and no sour cream 

calories: 461

fat grams: 30.3

3 or 4 large bell peppers (I like to use red)
Small head of cauliflower
1lb (or 1.5lb depending on the package) chorizo sausage
Small onion, chopped
1-2 Tbsp Olive oil
14.5 oz can crushed tomatoes
salt pepper
Cheese (optional)
sour cream (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 450.
2. In a food processor, chop the cauliflower to a "rice" consistency (or chop the heck out of it using a knife and cutting board).
3. Wash and cut the tops off the peppers, removing seeds and inner membranes.
4. Heat a large skillet to medium-high heat, add 1-2 Tbsp olive oil, and begin to sauté the onions. 
5. Add chorizo to the skillet and stir until meat is browned.
6. Add the cauliflower "rice" and crushed tomatoes to the skillet, cooking at an aggressive simmer for 10 minutes or until cauliflower is cooked.
7. Add salt and pepper to taste.
8. Place the hollowed bell peppers on a foil-lined baking sheet, and scoop chorizo mixture into the peppers.
9. Bake for 30 minutes, sprinkling with cheese for the last 5 minutes if desired. 
10. Serve with cheese and sour cream.

Smothered Hamburger Steaks and Onions

Hamburger steak is a typical southern recipe. Dressed up hamburger patties with gravy makes for some delicious comfort food, and since ground beef is inexpensive you don't have to worry about busting your grocery budget. I know you all have a grocery budget, right? This dish is low carb making it a perfect choice if you are trying to limit carb consumption.

I first came across this recipe several years ago when I was doing a lot of freezer cooking.  It has become one of our favorite family recipes. For those that don't care for onions, the onions are sliced and can be easily picked out.

Buon Appetito!

Smothered Hamburger Steaks and Onions

yield: 6 servings

calories: 336

fat gram: 10

2 pounds lean ground beef

2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 cup cold water

1/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs

1 large onion, sliced

Beef gravy (bottled, canned, or mix) I like to use 2 packages of McCormick brown gravy mix following directions on package. 

Mix all ingredients except onions and gravy. Shape into patties (I like to make 4 oz. patties) and brown in greased skillet. Turn; add onions. Add gravy; cover and simmer 30 minutes. Serve with rice or mashed potatoes. 

To freeze, prepare patties. Place a sheet of wax paper between patties. Place in a freezer bag and store in freezer for up to 6 months. You can also freeze leftovers in a freezer bag. If freezing raw meat, when ready to cook simply thaw and cook per recipe instructions. If freezing leftovers, simply thaw and reheat in microwave or on stove.

Roasted Tomato-and-Feta Shrimp

This recipe is so versatile and can be served as an appetizer, salad, or main dish. The beauty of the fresh ingredients make for a gorgeous presentation. All these are good reasons to make this recipe, but the best reason is because it is delicious!

I think it is awesome and I think you will love it too :)

Buon Appetito!

Roasted Tomato - and - Feta Shrimp

source: Southern Living December 2010

6 servings

prep: 10 minutes

bake: 25-30 minutes

calories per serving: 233

fat grams per serving: 12.3
nutritional info does not include French bread

• 2 pt. grape tomatoes
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds peeled and deveined, medium-size raw shrimp (31/40 count)
• 1/2 cup chopped jarred roasted red bell peppers
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 (4-oz.) package crumbled feta cheese
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Crusty French bread, sliced

1. Preheat oven to 450°. Place tomatoes and next 4 ingredients in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish, tossing gently to coat. Bake 15 minutes. Stir in shrimp and peppers. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink. Toss with parsley, feta cheese, and lemon juice. Serve immediately with crusty French bread.

Cheesy Beef and Tomato Lasagna Roll-Ups

In my last post I mentioned that some ingredients are not easy to come by here in Italy. Case in point, the original version of this recipe calls for manicotti noodles. I couldn't find manicotti or even cannelloni noodles at the Commissary. I live in the pasta capital of the world, but really didn't feel like braving the Italian traffic to hunt down some manicotti. Recently, I have seen several recipes for lasagna roll-ups so I decided to try lasagna instead. I simply boiled 12 noodles, drained and blotted dry then spread the filling on each noodle and rolled them.

It was so much easier than trying to stuff cooked manicotti.  The recipe also calls for a can of diced tomatoes and green chilies with garlic, oregano, and basil of which I couldn't find.  Instead, I used a can of Rotel (for a little kick) and simply added some fresh basil, dried oregano and fresh garlic.  It can be frustrating to not be able to find needed ingredients, but there is usually a similar ingredient that can be substituted.

Many of you know that I often alter recipes to make them a little more figure friendly.  This recipe calls for Italian sausage which is very tasty, but also very fattening.  A healthier option is to use lean ground beef and add Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and fennel seeds.  I calculated the calories and fat grams for each version and was amazed at the difference made by simply altering a few ingredients.

I was so pleased with how this recipe turned out using lasagna noodles and low fat ingredients that I will make it like this from now on.

These are generous serving sizes. I typically eat 1/2 of a serving (one lasagna roll-up) with a salad or side veggie and a slice of bread for a well-balanced delicious meal.

Cheesy Sausage and Tomato Manicotti ~ Original Version 

Southern Living

Yield: 6 servings

Calories 801 per serving

Fat grams 52

Ingredients 

• 1 (8-ounce) package uncooked manicotti noodles
• 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chilies with garlic, oregano, and basil
• 1 pound Italian pork sausage
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 4 cups (16 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Preparation

1. Cook pasta according to package directions; rinse with cold water. Drain.
2. Process tomato sauce and diced tomatoes in a blender 20 seconds or until smooth. Set aside.
3. Remove casings from sausage, and discard. Cook sausage in large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring until meat crumbles and is no longer pink. Stir in cream cheese, ricotta cheese, and 2 cups mozzarella cheese. Spoon into manicotti shells; arrange stuffed shells in lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.
4. Pour tomato mixture over shells; sprinkle with remaining 2 cups mozzarella cheese.
5. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Let casserole stand 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle top with chopped fresh parsley, if desired.
6. Note: Casserole may be assembled and frozen up to 1 month. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight; bake, covered, at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 more minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. If you prefer a smaller casserole, use 2 (11- x 7-inch) baking dishes. Proceed as directed.

Cheesy Beef and Tomato Lasagna Roll-Ups ~ Figure Friendly

6 servings

adapted from Southern Living

Calories 587

Fat grams 23

Ingredients

• 12 uncooked lasagna noodles
• 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
• 1 (10-ounce) can diced Rotel added approximately 2 cloves garlic, 1 tsp. dried oregano, and 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves or 1 tsp. dried basil
• 1 pound 94% lean ground beef
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 (8-ounce) 1/3 less fat package cream cheese
• 1 cup low fat ricotta cheese
• 4 cups (16 ounces) reduced fat shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Preparation

1. Cook pasta according to package directions; rinse with cold water. Drain and pat dry.
2. Process tomato sauce and diced tomatoes in a blender 20 seconds or until smooth. Set aside.
3. Cook ground beef in large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring until meat crumbles and is no longer pink. Stir in cream cheese, ricotta cheese, and 2 cups mozzarella cheese. Spread mixture on cooked shells and roll. Place in lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.
4. Pour tomato mixture over shells; sprinkle with remaining 2 cups mozzarella cheese.
5. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Let casserole stand 10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle top with chopped fresh parsley, if desired.
6. Note: Casserole may be assembled and frozen up to 1 month. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight; bake, covered, at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 more minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. If you prefer a smaller casserole, use 2 (11- x 7-inch) baking dishes. Proceed as directed.

Buon Appetito!

Easy Lasagna

This easy no-boil lasagna was a favorite family recipe when I was growing up and is now a favorite with my family. It is so delicious, and I can honestly say it is the best lasagna I have ever eaten. Even the lasagna in Italy doesn't compare to this dish. I have cooked this recipe many times over the years as you can tell by my well-worn cookbook.

Since I like a saucier lasagna, I typically make 1 1/2 times the amount of meat sauce the recipe calls for. I don't think you will be disappointed with this Italian family favorite.

Easy Lasagna

1 lb. ground beef

3 1/2 cups spaghetti sauce (I use canned spaghetti sauce. It is tasty and inexpensive.)

1/2 cup water

2 cups cottage cheese

3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

2 eggs

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

8 oz. lasagna noodles, uncooked

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Brown meat in skillet and drain. Add sauce and water to meat and simmer for 10 minutes. In a separate bowl, combine next 7 ingredients.

Layer meat sauce

Layer noodles

 Layer cheese mixture

 repeat ending with meat sauce and cheese

Cover with foil.

Bake 45-60 minutes.
Remove foil the last 5 minutes to allow the top to lightly brown.

Buon Appetito!

Spigola al Sale (Sea Bass in Salt)

Yesterday I posted on facebook that I was having serious blogging withdrawals. BTW- you can check out my new facebook cooking page here.  It is a simple and quick way to share cooking information and tips. I love the interaction that facebook offers. Sometimes I feel like I am all alone talking to myself in blog land . I am only 2 clicks away from 200 "likes" on my page. I may be a nerd, but that totally excites me.

Ok, back to what I was saying about having blogging withdrawals. It has been about 1 1/2 weeks since my last post. I have been super busy with my volunteer job, schoolwork, and taking care of my family while attempting to keep my house from becoming a pigsty that I haven't had time to blog. I find it rather ironic that I have such a strong desire to write. This is from someone who absolutely can't stand, hates, loathes to write. I have always found it to be so laborious. I don't even like to email, which my friends and family can attest to since I often send short emails and replies. In high school I was supposed to do a research paper, but calculated that I would still get a C without doing the paper so I didn't do it. I am glad that my boys don't read my blog :) Funny how things change! I still don't enjoy writing in general, but I do enjoy cooking and sharing so I guess that overrides the dislike of writing.

I am really excited to share this Spigola al Sale or Sea Bass in Salt recipe with you. I first learned about this technique for cooking fish at the Italian cooking school. We cooked a huge whole Sea Bass stuffed with spices, incased in salt, and then baked. It was super moist and absolutely delicious. You might think it would be salty, but it wasn't at all. The skin keeps the salt away from the meat so there is no salty taste.  I even tried this technique with a whole chicken and it turned out great too!

A few weeks ago I decided to make it at home. This recipe is not an exact science so I will just share with you how I made it.

Spigola al Sale
(Sea Bass in Salt)

3 whole Sea Bass, gutted and rinsed- (Size doesn't matter, but you may need to adjust cooking time for a smaller fish. I think these fish were about 1 1/2 pounds)

3 lb. box of kosher salt or sea salt

 4 egg whites

lemon slices

garlic cloves

spices- I used dried spices for fish. You could use rosemary, parsley, thyme (fresh is best)

Prepare fish by placing whole garlic, lemon slices and spices inside the fish. Not sure if it is necessary, but I used toothpicks to keep the fish closed so the salt wouldn't get inside.

Beat egg whites with either a stand or hand mixer on high speed using a whisk attachment until stiff peaks form. Fold egg whites into the salt until thoroughly mixed and the salt is wet. Spread salt on a baking sheet or dish about 1/2 inch deep.

Lay fish on the salt. 

Completely cover fish with salt.

Bake the fish at 375-400 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for about 10 minutes.

Crack salt and place on serving dish for a great presentation before breaking open the salt.

Remove salt before eating.

We were so excited to try it that we forgot to take any pictures of the meat. I can assure you that it was absolutely amazing! This is the best way to bake fish in my opinion. You can do this technique with Red Snapper, Grouper, Bream, or I venture to say any other whole fish.

Here's the chicken version. The meat is succulent and very aromatic.

Simply put the spices into the cavity of the chicken or under the skin. Cover bottom of a casserole dish or roasting pan with salt mixture then cover chicken with salt. Bake at 450 for 90 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes.

Crack open salt.

Unlike this picture, the chicken should be place in the pan breast up. It might not look too pretty, but it tasted mighty fine!

Buon Appetito!

Comfy in the Kitchen: Crispy Orange Beef With Broccoli

photo source:comfyinthekitchen.com

I have decided to occasionally feature other blogs' recipes that I have tried and enjoyed. The blogs I choose to feature will be ones that I enjoy reading, offer great recipes or cooking information, and share similar personal values. I would also like to begin featuring recipes from friends or followers, so if you would like to be featured on my blog, please leave a comment or "like" my facebook page and leave a comment.

Many of you may be familiar with Comfy in the Kitchen blog especially if you follow the blog Women Living Well. WLW is a christian blog written with the intent of encouraging women as they are raising their families. Courtney at WLW has a huge following and was even featured on the Rachel Ray Show. Courtney often features her friend Janelle's cooking blog, Comfy in the Kitchen.  Janelle shares everyday cooking recipes that are simple and family friendly. Although I enjoy her recipes, that is not what continues to draw me to her site. Her heart for the Lord and ministering to others using her love of food keeps me coming back. I love that she has a meal ministry to share the love of Christ.

Tuesday evening I cooked Crispy Orange Beef With Broccoli.  I saw this on Janelle's blog and thought the combination of crispy, orange, and beef sounded really good. I know crispy is not a flavor, but texture is often just as important. It was delicious! I enjoyed it so much that I ate it for leftovers 3 days in a row. Unfortunately, my hubby was out of town and didn't get to try it. I will be honest and tell you that my boys didn't care for it. I think the combination of sirloin and orange zest just didn't do it for them. I am also not sure they really liked the ginger flavor either. I don't cook a lot of dishes with fresh ginger and it may have been a little too strong for them.

Before slicing, I put the meat in the freezer for about 30 minutes to get it extremely cold then thinly sliced it in my food processor. It made for faster frying and the meat was really tender and easy to eat.  Serve this dish with rice and a side of broccoli and you have a complete meal. I took some to a friend whose wife is out of the country and he gave it rave reviews.

Click on the recipe title to see Janelle's full post with lots of pics.

Crispy Orange Beef with Broccoli

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 25 mins

Total time: 45 mins

Serves: 6

Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds beef top sirloin, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar (white vinegar will do)
• 2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons orange zest
• 3 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 8 broccoli florets, lightly steamed or blanched
• 1-1 1/2 cups oil for frying- use 1/4 cup at a time in batches

Instructions

1. Drain beef strips in a single layer on dish lined with paper towels.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the sugar, vinegar, orange juice concentrate, and soy sauce. Set aside.
3. Start making your rice per package directions.
4. Heat oil in a wok over medium-high heat.
5. Toss dried beef in cornstarch to coat.
6. Fry in the hot oil in small batches until crispy and golden brown; set aside.
7. Drain all of the oil from the wok except about 1 tablespoon.
8. Add orange zest, ginger and garlic to the remaining oil, and cook briefly.
9. Add the soy sauce mixture to the wok, bring to a boil, and cook until thick and syrupy, about 5 minutes.
10. Add beef, and heat through, stirring to coat.
11. Serve immediately over steamed rice, and garnish with broccoli.

Buon Appetito!

Pistachio Pasta

photo from www.wikipedia.com

The pistachio nut is not a food that I was very familiar with before moving to Italy.  My only experience with pistachio flavor was pudding from a box.  While growing up my mom would make a layered dessert with pistachio pudding for my dad on special occasions.  I couldn't stand that stuff. It really turned me off to anything pistachio. Soon after moving to Sicily I discovered pistachio gelato (ice cream). The gelato was super delicious and opened up a whole new world of green nutty goodness. Pistachio is one of Italy's most popular flavors and they pride themselves in the plethora of foods that contain the delectable nut.  In the voice of Bubba Gump, "Dey's uh pistachio gelato, pistachio pasta, pistachio cakes, pistachio candy (torrone), pistachio pesto, pistachio creme, pistachio crepes, pistachio cannoli, pistachio liquor, pistachio arancini (rice balls) pistachio salami. That, that's about it."  I am sure there is more that I am leaving out.

Italians dedicate entire festivals to particular foods including strawberry, artichoke, lemon, almond, gelato, ricotta, onion, wine, olives, and more. In October of every year, Bronte, Sicily hosts a pistachio festival. It is one of the largest food festivals in Sicily. In 2010 we enjoyed the festival with some of our Italian friends. This past October we attempted to go with my in-laws, but after sitting in traffic for about 3 hours we turned around and went home. Although we didn't make it to the festival, we enjoyed some quality family time in the car :)

Here are some pics from the 2010 festival.

Merchant making torrone which is similar to peanut brittle, but made with pistachios

Torrone before being cut

Torrone - This stuff is addictive!

Italians even have pistachio jeans ;)

Salami and Jello Pistachio

The white sign says, "eggplant with pistachio pesto". The yellow sign says, "horsemeat sandwich"!

 The recipe that I would like to share with you is for Pistachio Pasta. This recipe comes from the Italian cooking school I attended two years ago. It is super simple to make and so delicious. I cooked this for my in-laws when they were here in the fall and they really enjoyed it.

Pistachio Pasta

400 grams or about 1 pound penne pasta 

100 grams or 1/2 cup finely chopped pistachios

50 grams or 1/4 cup chopped onions

200 grams panna or about 7 ounces heavy cream

Salt and pepper to taste

30 grams or 2 tablespoons butter

20 grams or 1.5 tablespoons olive oil

Parmesan

Finely chop the onion and sauté in olive oil and butter in a saucepan. Add the chopped pistachios, salt and pepper, and cream. Heat, but do not allow to boil. Meanwhile cook pasta in boiling salted water, allow it to cook until it is al dente. Drain then mix with pistachio sauce. Stir in parmesan to taste.

As an option you can add some pancetta (Italian bacon).

photo from umamitopia.com

Fry it in the pan prior to sautéing onions. Remove pancetta and sauté onions in pancetta grease, oil, and butter then follow the recipe as written adding the pancetta back in with the pistachios. It adds a nice flavor and satisfies the carnivores in the family.

Buon Appetito!