Italian Spritz Aperitivo

Kick off the holiday weekend with one of this fizzy and refreshing Italian Spritz aperitif #21andup

Raise your hand if you are ready for warmer weather and flip-flops, sunshine and one glass (or two!) of this refreshing Italian aperitivo... poolside of course! Everything tastes better in a bikini and with toes dipped in water, don't you think?!? 

Mini Peppers Crustless Quiches with Alove Yogurt

 Irresistibly soft and fluffy mini crustless quiche made with Alove aloe vera yogurt.

How can you say no to something that looks this good?!?

This post is sponsored by Alove in collaboration with Dent Agency. All opinions are mine alone.

As summer parties and picnic lunches are right around the corner, having some fun ideas for scrumptious but easy-to-make finger-food to add to the usual spread is simply essential. 

So how about one of these pillow-y soft and fluffy two-bites crustless quiches filled with colorful and sweet peppers?!? These egg creations are not your typical baked frittata. Oh no! For this recipe I'm stepping away from the usual and diving head first into something fun. 

Cooking and baking after all is about experimenting, right?! Experimenting to find new and delicious combinations of texture and flavor.

Eggplant Parmesan Bites

Let's give the traditional eggplant parmesan a new shape with these scrumptious and irresistible mouthwatering bites

This post is brought to you in collaboration with Millesima-USA. 
All opinions are mine alone.

If you like eggplant parmesan you are going to enjoy what I've created for you today. This dish combines the same ingredients and flavors of the traditional Italian melanzane alla parmigiana but in a fun and party-friendly format that I'm sure you are going to love. 

And what's not to love about extra crispy-on-the-outside eggplant slices, filled with melty Italian cheese, and fried until perfectly golden?!? When still smoking-hot, make sure to dip these in your favorite tomato sauce for a knock-your-socks-off kind of experience ;)

Before we go into how you can craft these mouthwatering bites in your own kitchen, let's talk wine for a minute. After all, no dinner party is complete without one (or several) good bottles of wine to complement your meal. 

Where do you normally look for that amazing bottle of wine that will perfectly match your dinner, bringing out the best flavor of your dish?!?

Here is my suggestion for you today. Next time you are shopping for wine take a look at Millesima.

How to Make Risotto with Shrimps and Asparagus

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Knorr^®. The opinions and text are all mine.

Here is an easy way to make dinner...like Italians do! With this creamy and scrumptious risotto with seared shrimp and asparagus.

Italian risotto makes the perfect one-dish entrée that is fancy and elegant enough for a special occasion (your Mom would certainly love it this weekend!).  But it's also easy and quick enough to make any weeknight dinner special.

This creamy and mouthwatering risotto combines the fresh and earthly flavor of asparagus, and the sweet and delicate taste of shrimp seared to perfection in just a few minutes. This dish is made even more flavorful and luxurious thanks to Cubos de Knorr^Ò Selects Caldo de Vegetales (vegetable bouillon). Take a look! Wouldn’t you like to take this bite?!? 

Berry and Cream Meringue Cups

Bring a taste of summer to your table with these crispy meringue cups

filled with sweet berries and velvety rich whipped cream

Heavenly!

If you ask me, this is what heaven must taste like. 
Just like a perfect mingle of sunshine sweet berries and silky whipped cream. Served up in a cloud-resembling dessert, perfectly crispy on the outside and dangerously soft on the inside. 

And if you ask my kids, they'd tell you this is the best dessert they've ever eaten. 
Their words, not mine 😊
Technically though, it's not the first time they've said that. But still, I'm pretty sure this dessert makes it to their top five. And for very good reasons!
This luscious piece of heaven (that's what it really should be called) has naturally sweet berries, rich and fluffy whipped cream, and a light and airy homemade meringue on the bottom which truly melts in your mouth when hitting your tastebuds.

Tagliatelle Pasta with Ragu' alla Bolognese

Try this hearty and traditional Italian bolognese sauce over your favorite pasta

This post is brought to you in collaboration with Eattiamo. All opinions are mine!

🎉It's GIVEAWAY Time🎉
I'm so excited to share this post with you. Today I've teamed up with Eattiamo.com to give TWO lucky winners one of their amazing subscription boxes! Check out my Instagram post here, to find out how to enter.

If you are not familiar with this company and what it offers, you should really check it out. Especially if you are anything like me: an always-craving-Italian foodie who is in constant search for authentic and top quality Italian products in the US. 

Daisy Cookie Cups with Custard Cream

Beautiful and delicious flower-shaped cookie cups filled with lemony custard cream

Maybe it's the #superbloom and the amazing explosion of wild flowers everywhere around to inspire me. Or maybe it's my constant craving for custard cream AND sugar cookies. Either way, these daisy-shaped cookie cups filled with lemony and rich custard cream are just want I need. 
Two of my favorites sweets, all in the same picture-perfect, spring-inspired dessert. 

Strawberry Rose Tartlets

Edible roses, made with fresh strawberries on top of a buttery, pastry crust filled with rich custard cream. 

Handcrafted, fresh and beautifully delicious!

Easter and Mother's Day are right around the corner. What's better than celebrating with these amazing strawberry-cream tartlets?!? And I'm not talking about those regular, same-old fruit little tarts. You know, the one with a sad-looking piece of half strawberry on top. Oh no! I'm talking about a handcrafted, perfectly crumbly tartlet, filled with velvety pastry cream, topped with a few slices of kiwis and an individually carved, rose-shaped strawberry.

These picture-perfect, edible flowers are a sure way to impress your guests.

Chocolate-Hazelnut No-Bake Mini Cheesecakes with Philadelphia Cream Cheese

This post is sponsored by PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese.  As always, all opinions are mine.

Make it a holiday to remember with these no-bake mini cheesecakes

As Easter is just around the corner, learning how to craft an easy, quick, lick-your-plate delicious dessert to add to your Sunday menu is simply essential. 

And I'm not just talking about the usual apple pie or carrot cake. Oh no! Let's step away from the ordinary and time-consuming recipes and dive headfirst into something fun, irresistible and so creamy you will feel the urge to grab a blender and whip it up right away.

How about something that looks like this?!?

How to Make Italian Panzerotti

I bet you want to try one of these Italian panzerotti

Tell me, have you ever tasted one of these panzerotti?!? If not. Seriously. What is wrong with YOU?!? Haha, just kidding. What I meant to say is ... seriously, you've got to try one as soon as possible! Because I bet you'd love them as much as I do.
And what's not to love about homemade pizza dough filled with melty fresh mozzarella and flavorful tomatoes, a hint of oregano or fresh basil, all fried until steamy hot and perfectly golden?!?
Take a look. Don't you really want to take a bite NOW?!?

Orange Cake Roll

Ultra spongy and extra moist orange flavored cake, spread with apricot preserve

and rolled up in the perfect tea time dessert

It's tea time! And I've got an amazing cake for you, infused with the sweet and slightly tangy aroma of oranges, and stuffed with delicate apricot preserve.
Perfect for breakfast, mid-morning break, afternoon snack, or after-dinner guilty pleasure. There's really no wrong time to indulge in a steamy-hot cup of tea or coffee next to a thick slice of this incredibly soft and moist dessert. It will warm your heart and brighten your day.  
And yes! It is as delicious as it looks. 

Spring Recipes Inspiration

Happy first day of Spring! 
Bring on the sunshine and warmer weather ... and some fun and berry-licious recipes. Which of these will you try first?!?

  

Traditional Pasta with Pesto, Potatoes and Green Beans

This traditional pasta with green beans, potatoes and pesto sauce is the perfectly delicious one-pot, one-dish dinner that’s ready in about 20 minutes





This is a sponsored post written by me in collaboration with Alessi Foods. Opinions, recipe and text are all mine.

Here is one of my all-time favorites, easy and quick dinner recipes. It's a flavorful and hearty pasta mingled with tender green beans and wholesome potatoes. All coated in a creamy and aromatic pesto sauce. A drizzle of flavorful olive oil, a touch of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and a sprinkle of pine nuts (optional but highly recommended!).
This dish never fails to satisfy my pasta cravings, and make my mind travel back to last summer and those magical evenings spent dining al fresco on a terrace in Cinque Terre. Overlooking the Ligurian Sea while sipping a refreshing glass of wine and enjoying this truly Italian traditional dish.
Can't taste and aromas also transport you back to some special and unforgettable memories?!? 

Blueberry Crumble Bars

Every bite of these mouth-watering and easy-to-make bars is bursting with healthy, sweet and juicy blueberries

wrapped in perfectly crunchy and crumbly pastry

I truly love blueberries, with their super-healthy antioxidants and nutrients content, packed in sweet and juicy little cute berries.
So versatile in the kitchen: perfect to eat right out of the box, or in a salad, smoothie, muffins, cake, tart ... There is an infinite amount of choices, but this time (and for good reasons) I decided on these crumble bars. Take a look!

These bars are sooo delicious, with a sweet, slightly tart and lemony flavor, mixed with a shortbread-buttery taste. Perfectly crumbly, with just the right amount of crunchiness, from the rolled oats mixed in the pastry. And the right amount of gooey-ness, from the blueberries exploding in the oven and releasing all their juiciness.  These blueberries bars brought a taste of summer right in my kitchen :)

Italian Zeppole with Ricotta

Let's celebrate the last day of Carnival with these soft and perfectly sweet Italian fried doughnuts made with ricotta cheese and infused with hint of orange aroma

Just in time for Mardi Gras! I present you with these Italian zeppole - golden and delicate doughnuts made with ricotta cheese and a dash of orange zest. 
This is one of the many ways Italians celebrate Carnival, in addition to baking fritelle, chiacchere, and castagnole (just to name a few of the typical desserts), dressing up in colorful costumes, and partying all night. 
This year I will not be wearing my Venetian mask (I would definitely be one of a kind here in Los Angeles). But I will surely indulge in one (... or a few) of these zeppole and let my taste buds have a little party :)

How to Make Italian Piadina (Flat bread)

Nothing like a soft and scrumptious piadina bread filled with Italian prosciutto, creamy burrata cheese and more fresh ingredients to make it a lunch to remember 

This post is written in collaboration with Tuxton Home. All opinions are mine alone.

What's wrong with me that I've never shared this recipe before?! It's really unbelievable given that I make piadine from scratch a lot of times at home. All the times that I'm looking for a fun, scrumptious and quick lunch or dinner idea that my family loves. And all those times that I miss home. Yes, this is one of those recipes that makes my mind fly 10,000 km across the ocean and reminds me of Italy. 

Piadine are originally from Emilia Romagna, but are very common all over Italy. If you haven't had piadina bread before, it's something in between a flour tortilla and a flat bread, and it can be filled with all kind of ingredients. You just have to let your imagination go wild here. Savory but also sweet ingredients work well ... Are you thinking what I'm thinking?!? Nutella and banana slices will go in there next time!

Citrus Salad with Arugula and Quinoa

A fresh and super healthy winter pick-me-up!

This post is sponsored by Milk and Eggs. All opinions are mine.

Here is something for all the times you feel like you need an healthy break and all the vitamins you can pack in a plate to help you fight the winter germs... I know, this year it's been a tough one!

This salad has it all. The peppery green (baby arugula) and the nutrient-rich grain (quinoa is high in protein, fiber, anti-oxidants, magnesium, vitamin B, iron ... and so much more). It has juicy orange slices, tangy cranberries and crunchy almonds. All in one heavenly bowl.

Vegan Tofu Banana Bread

This vegan tofu banana bread is so moist and soft that you wouldn't even guess that it's made with no eggs nor dairy

This post is sponsored by Mori-Nu Tofu in collaboration with Dent Agency. All opinions are mine alone

Take a look at what I baked over the weekend. You might say this looks just like your usual, perfectly dense and moist banana bread loaded with crunchy walnuts. But noooo. Today I've got a special recipe for you. Even though this looks (and tastes) just the same, it's a VEGAN tofu banana bread. Oh yeah, you heard me right. There are no eggs, no milk, no yogurt in this baby. What I used is a whole box of Soft Mori-Nu Silken Tofu and three extra large and extra ripe bananas to make this extra moist and extra tender sweet bread. 
Sorry, I just cannot stop myself from using this word. I'm just EXTRA excited after experimenting  with tofu in a dessert for the first time, and tasting how good this turned out. 

Valentine's Day Desserts Recipe Ideas

Impress your Valentine with something as sweet as (s)he is

Valentine's Day is in two days. Have you figured out your plans and how you will impress your sweetheart?
If you ask me, nothing says love like simple but thoughtful gestures. Like a warm breakfast in bed, a cozy and scrumptious candle-light dinner, or a delicious dessert made with love to share together. 
So if you need some inspiration, here are simple-to-make, cute recipes that will surly impress your Valentine.

Make sure to check out my Valentine's Day Recipe Board on Pinterest. You'll find lots more ideas there.

Yes, I love you TOO!  

Heart-Shaped Raspberry French Macarons

How about these beautiful, hot pink and sparkly, raspberry heart-shaped macarons to celebrate your favorite person this Valentine's Day?!?

Love is in the air! Can you feel it too?!?
I'm all excited about this coming Valentine's Day... Maybe because it gives me one more excuse to bake (and eat!!) a delicious dessert and not feel guilty about it. But who really needs excuses when we are dealing with French macarons?!? There's nothing more perfect than this elegant, delicate and exquisite cookie. Especially if it comes in a pink and sparkly, heart shape and raspberry flavor.
So pretty, right?!?