copyright 2010, Maria Liberati

I think we should make the ‘Day after Valentine’s Day’ a  Day to celebrate!! … boxes of chocolates are still there to be enjoyed.. half opened bottle of  Prosecco still in the fridge waiting to be finished..so there… you have  some of the makings for one special meal-Prosecco and chocolates.

So celebrate..the “Day after Valentines’ Day” ..as a special Occasion.. Tonight’s meal is Farfalle with Gorgonzola cheese served  with Prosecco (left over from last night’s dinner) and chocolates for dessert..and to keep things warm..and light- chocolate truffle coffee for an after dinner drink.

Farfalle (bow tie pasta) in Gorgonzola

Copyright 2009-2010 from The Basic Art of Italian Cooking: Holidays & Special Occasions winner of the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards

4 ounces Gorgonzola cheese

1 tablespoon +  ½  tblsp butter

3 tablespoons cold milk

1 lb of farfalle (bow tie) pasta

4 tblsps of  pasta cooking water

Place gorgonzola in saucepan with butter and milk, melt over low to medium heat. Add in pasta cooking water to thin sauce. Cook farfalle till al dente. Toss pasta  in Gorgonzola sauce. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley. Serve with a glass of  Santa Margherita Prosecco.

For more recipes and menus to make any day a Special Occasions

visit me at OpenSky

Mangia Bene, Vivi Bene,

Maria

.

copyright 2009, Maria Liberati

Holidays are almost here and at The Basic Art of Italian Cooking Kitchen we are up to ‘our ears’ in new and interesting and great product submissions for our Holiday Guft Guide..coming soon in the next The Basic Art of Italian Cooking byMaria Liberati tm ezine  that  you will recieve in late November/early December and here on the blog.  It is really a lot of work but my staff is great in helping me select from 100’s of great products. This year’s selected products will get to display a seal showing that they were specially selected or voted best of the Holiday Gift Guide.

Stay tuned for more on some great products you may want to consider as a unique gift for that special foodie or traveler or all around bon vivant in your life.

Here is a Holiday recipe from my latest book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking:Holidays &Special Occasions  SEE  BELOW

Wild Mushroom Risotto

(for 2 people)

*1 cup rice for risotto

*1 cup dry Prosecco

*4 cups chicken or vegetable broth

*1 slice onion-chopped

*2 tblsps extra virgin oilve oil

*2 tsps butter

*4 tsps grated parmigiana-reggiano cheese

*2 ounces dried wild mushrooms

Place mushrooms in small dish, pour in ½ cup warm water, soak for 15 minutes. Heat broth till hot. In saute pan, place in olive oil and chopped onion, place in rice and toast for 30 seconds, then pour in Prosecco. When liquid is absorbed, pour in ¾ cup broth, stir, and when liquid is absorbed repeat ,place in mushrooms with their water and stir, then repeat with broth and stirring till al dente. Remove from heat. Top with butter and grated parmigiano cheese, stir and serve hot.

 Hope to see you for  a  Holiday  Book Signing    on:

November 14th at Warren Twp Library, Warren, NJ

December 12th at Franklin Twp Library in Somerset NJ

Mangia Bene ,Vivi Bene,

Maria

copyright 2009, Maria Liberati

Life seems to be broken up into chapters that could be described in tastes–sweet, salty, bitter..think of all the experiences in your life that can be described  per  these tastes..

Now that you have had some food for thought..here are the recipes I promised from some of the cooking programs and book signings in the past  few weeks.

Insalata di riso con rucola e pomodori

2 cups of short grain brown rice

8 red, ripe plum tomatoes-chopped with seeds removed

4 ounces arugula chopped

1/4 cup shelled pistachios chopped

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 tsps balsamic vinegar

4 ounces parmigiano-reggiano cheese, shaved

Place chopped tomatoes, chopped arugula, olive oil, balsamic vinegar in bowl and let marinate for 30 minutes.

Boil rice till al dente as directed on package. Add to tomato mixture. Add in pistahchios, shaved parmigiano-reggiano cheese. Stir serve.

Tuna & Beans Tuscan Style

1 6 oz can albacore or yellow fin tuna packed in water

1 can  cannelini beans drained, rinsed or 1/2 cup dry cannelini beans soaked over night, cooked till tender

1 fresh lemon

4 tblsps olive oil-extra virgin, cold pressed

2 slices of red onion finely chopped

Drain tuna and place in bowl, flake with fork and drizzle approx 2 tsps on top and blend in. Add in cannelini beans, chopped onion and remaining olive oil, Squeeze fresh lemon juice on top. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve.

Ricotta e Frutta

3/4 cup freshly made ricotta

3 tblsps sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

3 tablespoons dark semi sweet chocoalt e chipps or shaved chocolate

1 lb fresh strawberries hulled ,washed and quartered

8 ozs fresh blueberries  washed

Place fruit in bowl, sprinkle 1 tblsp sugar on top, stir gently. Place ricotta in bowl. Place in remaining sugar, cinnamon. Divide fruit into 8 serving dishes, top with a dollop of ricotta cream and 1 tblsp chocolate chips or shaved chocolate and serve .

June 15th  Willngboro Library, Willingboro, NJ 7 PM- Cooking on a Budget with The Basic Art of Italian cooking. Join me for a fun book signing and cooking demo. Open to the public. Call library for info or email events@marialiberati.com

Get a copy of the best selling book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking at www.marialiberati.com

Mangai Bene, Vivi Bene,

Maria

http://twitter.com/marialiberati

copyright 2009, Maria Liberati

Life seems to be broken up into chapters that could be described in tastes–sweet, salty, bitter..think of all the experiences in your life that can be described  per  these tastes..

Now that you have had some food for thought..here are the recipes I promised from some of the cooking programs and book signings in the past  few weeks.

Insalata di riso con rucola e pomodori

2 cups of short grain brown rice

8 red, ripe plum tomatoes-chopped with seeds removed

4 ounces arugula chopped

1/4 cup shelled pistachios chopped

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 tsps balsamic vinegar

4 ounces parmigiano-reggiano cheese, shaved

Place chopped tomatoes, chopped arugula, olive oil, balsamic vinegar in bowl and let marinate for 30 minutes.

Boil rice till al dente as directed on package. Add to tomato mixture. Add in pistahchios, shaved parmigiano-reggiano cheese. Stir serve.

Tuna & Beans Tuscan Style

1 6 oz can albacore or yellow fin tuna packed in water

1 can  cannelini beans drained, rinsed or 1/2 cup dry cannelini beans soaked over night, cooked till tender

1 fresh lemon

4 tblsps olive oil-extra virgin, cold pressed

2 slices of red onion finely chopped

Drain tuna and place in bowl, flake with fork and drizzle approx 2 tsps on top and blend in. Add in cannelini beans, chopped onion and remaining olive oil, Squeeze fresh lemon juice on top. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve.

Ricotta e Frutta

3/4 cup freshly made ricotta

3 tblsps sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

3 tablespoons dark semi sweet chocoalt e chipps or shaved chocolate

1 lb fresh strawberries hulled ,washed and quartered

8 ozs fresh blueberries  washed

Place fruit in bowl, sprinkle 1 tblsp sugar on top, stir gently. Place ricotta in bowl. Place in remaining sugar, cinnamon. Divide fruit into 8 serving dishes, top with a dollop of ricotta cream and 1 tblsp chocolate chips or shaved chocolate and serve .

June 15th  Willngboro Library, Willingboro, NJ 7 PM- Cooking on a Budget with The Basic Art of Italian cooking. Join me for a fun book signing and cooking demo. Open to the public. Call library for info or email events@marialiberati.com

Get a copy of the best selling book The Basic Art of Italian Cooking at www.marialiberati.com

Mangia Bene, Vivi Bene,

Maria

http://twitter.com/marialiberati