Cucina Fresca: 2011

We challenged ourselves to do more recipe creation in 2011, and more importantly, to document our results. Improvisational cooking has never been a challenge for us, but writing recipes that can be shared and recreated was not our strong suit. So we made a list of goals — ways in which we wanted to learn and grow in the kitchen — and challenged ourselves to 3 new recipes per month.

We named it the Cucina Fresca Challenge of 2011. That’s Italian for “fresh kitchen” for those of you keeping track of our fake Italian-isms. With only two months to go, we’re (mostly) on track, and writing our own recipes has been a boon for our kitchens, our tummies, and our taste testers. There have been a few missteps, of course, and a lot of creative scheduling.

As the blog went bi-coastal in the summer of 2011, our recipe planning, and even some of our cooking, became an activity accomplished largely through the power of video chat and other technologies. Still, we roll with the punches, and we think you’ll be pleased with the results.

Cucina Fresca: Indian Celery Potato Stew

Cucina Fresca was all about highlighting our favorite foods and our favorite ways to cook them. Since next year’s challenge will be about expanding our horizons and getting out of our comfort zone, I jumped at the chance to make …

CF: Anginette Cookies

Another one of the cookies you’d normally find in the Palluzzi house at the holidays in Anginette cookies. They’re not too sweet, and just right with a cup of tea or a glass of milk. They are easy to over …

CF: Italian Spice Cookies

When I was home for the holidays, I made my first cheesecake (which was delicious, by the way, and I don’t even really like cheesecake), along with four kinds of holiday cookies with my mom and sister. We always make …

Cucina Fresca: Spice Roasted Brussels Sprouts

We just couldn’t let the fall season pass us by without cooking our favorite fall vegetable. There are a million delicious ways to prepare Brussels sprouts, but this recipe is my favorite because it uses my favorite flavors –cumin and …

A Cucina Fresca Thanksgiving: GF Cornbread Sausage Stuffing

Happy Day After Thanksgiving, everyone! Here at the Garlic, My Soul headquarters we’re still basking in our Thanksgiving glow…

Brunch, quiche, and also: Go buy a Springform

Brunch is my favorite meal. Any excuse to have brunch or make brunch is an opportunity I will NOT miss. A while back, the LA family was hosting a brunch. It might have been in honor of a visitor. It …

Cucina Fresca: Pumpkin Gingerbread

This month, we wanted to focus on what’s readily available to us – pumpkin, of course! We wanted an easy way to incorporate pumpkin into not just dessert – although this would certainly be a sweet dessert, it can also …