Our furry friends deserve home cooked treats, just like we humans do. Forget those tasteless dog bones. Here is a 5-ingredient recipe that your fur baby will LOVE! The recipe below will typically yield 2 dozen meatballs that can be frozen once cooked. I usually double or triple the recipe and thaw a few at a time. These cooked treats also hide pills very well too. I break one in half and mush the halves back together. 

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet.

1-lb ground turkey

1/2 cup pumpkin puree (found canned in the grocery store)

1/4 cup of flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1/4 cup of ground oats or oat flour

1 egg

Mix all the above ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.

Roll the meatballs into approximately 2-inch size.

Bake for 15 minutes, then turn them over and bake for a final 5 minutes (20 minutes total).

Your furry friends will look like this while waiting for them to cool! :) 

Max hopes your pets enjoy them as much as he does. Our cats also LOVE these treats. 

More recipes for humans and their furry companions to come.....

Xoxo -Lisa.

Celebrating one of our favorite desserts that just happens to have its own National day!! 

It appears the origins of the bombe desserts are found in the United Kingdom, with the earliest mentions having been in the early 1900s. An iced cream base with many variations, the raspberry bombe is a classic. 

Here is a simple recipe for a raspberry bombe:

Ingredients:

Every Year I ask myself the same question, "What the heck do I do with ALL of these leftover decorated hard-boiled Easter eggs?"  Even though this kiddo in the picture below is 15 years old now, we STILL enjoy the creativity of dying Easter eggs every year. 

Maggie (age 3)

2023 Easter Eggs

In the past I would make egg-salad, add them to a traditional salad, or just eat them plain for extra protein. This year I decided to get a little more creative. Here are some ideas I have come up with:

Elevated Deviled Eggs

You can't go wrong with deviled eggs. They are super easy to make and can be so beautiful to look at. Above (left) pictured are my famous creme-fraiche, caviar, and dill eggs. Click the link for the recipe: Elevate Your Deviled Egg | The Working Mom

Ramen Noodle Dish

Ramen noodles are delicious any time of year, but especially when it's still cold outside.  Just pour some chicken broth into a pot (1 Qt broth), add some pieces of a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken or some pre-cooked shrimp, add some ramen noodles (8 oz), sliced green onions, a dash of sesame seed oil (it's strong, you don't need more than a tablespoon per quart of broth), and soy sauce to taste. Top with some sliced eggs and you have a homemade ramen noodle dish. 

Elevate any Salad with Sliced or Chopped Eggs.

Traditional Egg Salad on Soft or Toasted Bread.

Ingredients:

In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Add the chopped eggs, celery, scallions, and parsley. Using a rubber spatula, fold to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Serve or refrigerate until ready to use. 

Avocado Toast

Elevate your traditional avocado toast with some egg slices. Make some toast, spread some softened avacado on top of the toast, then layer with sliced hard-boiled eggs. Top with your seasonings of choice, such as "Everything Bagel Seasoning", salt, pepper, or parsley. 

Below is another rendition of avocado toast. I added sliced avocado, tomatoes, and egg, with a pinch of sea salt and a sprig of rosemary. You could easily add a thin slice of fresh mozzarella cheese to this as well as a drizzle of aged balsamic vinegar.

Hopefully now you won't be stuck with boring eggs after the holiday weekend! 

Buon Appetito!

Xoxo -Lisa

The history of crepes dates back to 13th century Brittany, France. It seems a housewife there accidentally dribbled some thin porridge onto a hot, flat cooktop. Since people back then weren’t inclined to waste even their smallest cooking mistakes, she ate it. The rest, as they say, is history. 

Since then, these delicate treats have been crafted by the finest French restaurants and by local street vendors for centuries. Although they may seem intimidating to make, I created a fast, no-fail way to make these in your own kitchen. All the ingredients go into a blender and are then poured onto a pre-heated pan. I use a 12-inch round griddle pan, but any large round pan will work.   

Ingredients needed: This makes 6 crepes, but you can double the recipe to make more. 

*1 tablespoon butter (melted) plus extra to coat the hot pan.

*1 cup milk (1%, 2%, or whole)

*1 large egg

*3/4 cup All-Purpose flour

*1/2 tablespoon (or 1.5 teaspoons) granulated sugar

*1/4 teaspoon baking powder

*1/4 teaspoon salt

*Powdered sugar for dusting

Fillings: Anything you wish........ Popular combinations are jams, Nutella +/- banana or fresh berries, cream cheese and strawberry preserves, brie and fig jam, or savory tastes like sauteed spinach and garlic, spinach and feta, or apple, honey, and prosciutto. 

Pre-heat your stove top griddle pan over medium to medium-high heat. Add about 1/2 tablespoon butter to coat the bottom of the pan evenly.

Combine the melted butter, milk, eggs, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into a blender. I use my small Nutribullet blender, but any blender will work. Blend briefly, scrape the inside of the mixer with a spatula to ensure no dry ingredients are left behind. Pulse the blender for 1-2 more seconds until smooth, and you are ready.

Pour about 1/3 of a cup of batter onto the heated pan. Tilt and swirl the pan to coat the bottom evenly. Gently lift a corner after 1-2 minutes. If the bottom is starting to become golden brown you are ready to flip it. The trick for flipping is to take your spatula and slide it under the center of the crepe, lift it up to gently flip it. It will lay down folded and when the uncooked side is down, you can unfold the rest to fill the pan. 

Once the crepe is flipped, add your filling of choice. Then once the other side has cooked for approximately 1-2 minutes, you can either roll your crepes or fold them. In the picture just below, I used Nutella and sliced banana filling. I folded the crepe in half, then in half again. It is dusted with powdered sugar and decorated with a sliced strawberry. 

Apple, Brie, and Caramelized Walnut Crepes

Spinach and Feta Crepes

In an effort to overhaul my current diet I have been doing some research on healthier options for breakfast and snacks throughout the day. I'm just not a "shake" person. Purely liquid diets do nothing for me personally and I'm not actually looking to diet... I'm just looking to eat in a healthier way (and hopefully the benefits of that will result in a healthier body, especially when added to a more consistent exercise regimen).

It's a known fact that fiber does many things.... Fiber swells in your stomach like a sponge, which increases feelings of fullness and promotes weight loss. It also significantly lowers the risk for developing coronary artery disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and certain gastrointestinal diseases, as documented from a paper published by Nutrition Review. Health benefits of dietary fiber - PubMed (nih.gov)

Chia seeds (which we all know from the early 80s with our "Cha-Cha-Cha Chia" Pets, are an incredible source of dietary fiber. 

25-grams fiber/day for women and 35-grams fiber/day for men is the optimal amount of fiber intake per the Mayo Clinic.

2 tablespoons of Chia seeds have approx.:

 140 calories

 4 grams of protein

 9 grams of unsaturated fat (loaded with omega-3 fatty acids)

 12-grams of carbohydrates

 11-grams of fiber.

More Chia facts:

*They are gluten-free

*Rich in antioxidants

*Contain anti-aging effects mimicking collagen (healthier hair, skin, and nails)

*Chia gel (3 tablespoons of seeds left overnight in 1 cup of water) can replace butter when baking.

*They have no flavor BUT they magnify the taste of what they are added to.

*15x more magnesium than broccoli

*7x more vitamin C than oranges

*5x more calcium than milk

*Balances blood sugar

(Healthy fats, protein, and fiber.... all in a tiny seed....)

The word "Chia" actually translates to the word "Strength" from the Ancient Mayan language. Even they knew the powerful properties this tiny nutrient holds.

I will add 2 tablespoons of dry chia seeds to a cup of yogurt. I love the crunch. Just make sure you smile into a mirror before Facetiming with your boss or friends. "Chia-teeth" is not an attractive look.

Each Chia seed eventually swells to 13x its original size when mixed with a liquid. This explains why these seeds are so filling. They take up a ton of space in your stomach, thus reducing hunger. 

Chia pudding (or "overnight Chia" it is also referred to as) is absolutely delicious and super easy to make. Combine 3 tablespoons of seeds per 1 cup of your favorite liquid. I prefer oat or almond milk, but any liquid (including water or juice) will work. The sky is the limit with the variations of flavor. 

Mix the seeds, the liquid of your choice, plus any other flavor ingredients you choose, then shake or stir well, and store overnight in the refrigerator. In the morning you will have a soft, super nutritious and filling pudding. It has the same consistency of a tapioca pudding. 

Look, I am no health nut. I'm an Italian mother whose favorite foods include pasta, pizza, and red wine, but as I am getting older, it has become increasingly obvious how important it is to reel in those giant gluttonous meals. Our metabolisms are slowing down, and we either need to expend more energy or consume less calories to maintain both a healthy weight and cardiovascular system. I won't give anything up that I love. I will just eat them less and try to make smarter choices along the way. Although I don't feel like I'm making any kind of sacrifice here because I love the way these seeds can create so many delicious snacks. 

My favorite combinations of Chia are below...

3 tablespoons of Chia seeds and 1 cup of oat or almond milk refrigerated overnight. Spoon into a bowl and top with raspberry yogurt and some sliced almonds (see above).

3 tablespoons of Chia seeds, 1 cup of oat or almond milk, and 1 tablespoon of Hershy's chocolate syrup, mixed and refrigerated overnight. It tastes like chocolate pudding. (See above)

3 tablespoons of Chia seeds, 1 cup of oat or almond milk, 1 teaspoon of honey, and 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract (or just the honey alone is wonderful), mixed well then refrigerated overnight. (see above).

3 tablespoons of Chia seeds, 1 cup of oat or almond milk, and 1 teaspoon of real maple syrup and refrigerated overnight. Once in a bowl, top with a tiny bit of maple syrup and some sliced almonds.

As you can see, the variations are endless.... use your imagination....

Chia soaked in cranberry juice topped with pomegranate seeds and vanilla yogurt with edible flowers (see above)

Chia soaked in a mixed berry juice, served with strawberries and raspberries (see above)

And for those like me that enjoy the savory side..... Chia pudding with avocado and marinated tomatoes (see above)

Xoxo -Lisa

Happy Labor Day today and cheers to all those celebrating with cook-outs and BBQs. I'm a true sucker for a perfect deviled egg and was flattered by a friend who holds the bar high for these appetizers, so I thought I would share the recipe. 

For the basic deviled egg,  I use 4 ingredients.....eggs, mayonnaise, French Dijon mustard, and celery salt. I love the celery salt because it gives that grassy and spicy pop to the dish.  Lightly sprinkled on top of the finished deviled eggs, it also looks beautiful (like paprika, but with a more complex flavor- I don't personally care for paprika...).

Cover the eggs with 2-3 inches of cold water in a pot and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, turn off the heat and place the lid on the pot. Let them sit for 25 minutes. Next, drain the water and cool them down with cold water to stop them from cooking. Let them cool for 5-10 minutes, then peel them. 

For this recipe, I boiled 6 eggs (which will yield 12 deviled eggs). Slice them in half (longways) carefully and gently remove the cooked yolks and place in a separate bowl. Using a fork, mash all of the yolks into a powder. This is the tricky part..... I don't really use measurements here. Add mayonnaise (approximately 2-3 tablespoons for 6 cooked egg yolks) and whip until light and creamy. Taste it along the way to make sure you like the texture and taste. I then add a dollop of the Dijon mustard and a sprinkle of celery salt (Careful with the celery salt, it is very strong and can overpower the filling with salt if too much is used. Better to add a little at a time and taste it along the way to make sure it's to your liking.

Finally, I whip the mixture together and scoop it into the corner of a small ziplock bag. Cut the corner of the bag to use it for piping the filling decoratively into the egg white cups that have been placed onto a decorative dish.

If you prefer to eat them plain.... just pipe the filling and top with a sprinkle of the celery salt. OR.... you can elevate them to an entirely different level. Be creative. For the pictures shown, I made 2 variations. The first, I cooked bacon until extra crispy, then crumbled it. I placed a dollop of crème fraiche on top of the basic deviled egg, then sprinkled them with bacon crumbles. For the second, and to further satisfy my salt cravings, I topped them with crème fraiche and caviar with a tiny sprig of fresh dill. But the sky's the limit here, use your imagination. Anything from crushed macadamia nuts or pistachios to crab meat and Old Bay seasoning can turn these simple appetizers into a personal masterpiece. 

Mangia!!!

Xoxo -Lisa. 

It's Wednesday.....What to eat when you know your picky child won't be home and you still want to have a quick but delicious meal you crave and know that they won't be missing.... I'm Italian, so pasta it is!!!! Here is a linguine alla carbonara. I won't bore you with details on the origins.... I'll just get right to the recipe, because it's 7:00 and I'm starving......

Ingredients

*1 pound of linguine (I prefer fresh as it cooks quicker, but dried works too)

*1 cup of grated Parmesan cheese

*2 whole eggs

*2 egg yolks

*8 ounces of pancetta (I used thinly sliced then shredded, but cubed is perfectly fine too if you have thicker pieces)

*1/4 cup of finely chopped Italian parsley

*Salt to season pasta water

Boil water, add salt, then start cooking the pasta according to your preferred texture. 

Add the pancetta to a sauté pan and cook until it is crispy, then remove from the heat.

In a separate bowl, beat all the eggs and egg yolks together with the Parmesan cheese until it is smooth then add 1/2 cup of the hot pasta water to the egg mixture for tempering.

When the pasta is finished cooking, reserve 1 cup of the pasta water. Add the drained pasta directly to the sauté pan with the crispy pancetta. Top that with the tempered egg mixture, followed by the Italian parsley. Mix well. The pasta dish may be to your liking at this point. I prefer mine to be a little more saucy, so I will add 1/4 of a cup of the reserved pasta water at a time until it is a consistency I like. 

Plate the pasta and top with extra Italian parsley or Parmesan cheese per your preference. 

This pairs well with a dry white varietal such as Chardonnay or a light red such as Pinot Noir.

Mangia!

Xoxo -Lisa!

*Don't forget to help us out and share if you like the recipes!! 

As we approach our Nation’s Independence day, I thought it would be great to make a dessert that reflects the theme of the holiday. The Stars and Stripes are close to my heart, and now they are in my stomach too! Haha. Here is an extremely easy to follow recipe. It is simple, delicious, and you can easily substitute other fruits for different creations. I hope everyone has a safe, happy, and healthy holiday weekend! Happy Independence Day America!! 

Mixed Berry Galette 

*1 box of Pillsbury pie crust (2 crusts per box)

*1 cup strawberries, hulled and cut into eighths

*1 cup blueberries

2 tablespoons white sugar divided, plus a bit more for sprinkling

*1 tablespoon flour, divided

*2 tablespoons lemon juice, divided

*1 egg (for egg wash)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Prepare your berries in two separate mixing bowls - one with strawberries, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1/2 tablespoon flour and 1 tablespoon lemon juice and the other with blueberries, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1/2 tablespoon flour and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Mix to combine.

Place one pie crust on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Beat your egg lightly, and brush around the edge of the pie crust, leaving a 2" border. Then, arrange your berries in a 'stripe pattern' in the center of the pie crust (you should be able to get 2 stripes of each type of berry). Fold the edges of the pie crust over the berries.

With the other pie crust, cut out 2-3 stars (depending on the size of your star - if smaller, you can fit more, if larger you may 2-3 should do it) and gently place them on top of the berries. Brush the stars and the edge of the galette with the egg wash. Sprinkle the edge of the galette with sugar.

Bake galette in your preheated oven for 35 - 40 minutes until the crust starts to brown and the juices in your berries start to bubble. If you feel like your crust is browning and your berries aren't quite done yet, just throw a piece of foil around the edge of the galette to cover the crust. 

You can also make smaller individual-sized pastries as seen below. The cooking time may be less with these, so just keep an eye on the fruit and use foil to cover the outer portion of the crust if it's starting to look overdone. 

Mangia!

Xoxo -Lisa

I'm pretty sure the way to my heart is through a perfect pot roast and a glass of red wine. My mom used to make the BEST pot roast. I have funny memories of us going to the Rain Forest Café and her ordering their "Paradise Pot Roast" (she was a sucker for this meal too). There is something just comforting about it.... This recipe I have tweaked a bit over the years. It is now completely fool proof. I have had dishes where the meat was too overcooked and the gravy was under seasoned. I think I got this one right. So, grab yourself a nice bottle of something full-bodied like a Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, or my personal favorite, an Aglianico, and get ready for a simple one pot meal. This serves 6-8 people. I usually make this much anyway, because the leftovers heat up perfectly.

Ingredients

*3-5 pound chuck roast

*2 teaspoons salt

*1 teaspoon pepper

*2 tablespoons vegetable oil

*6 cloves of garlic (minced)

*2 cups full-bodied red wine (I used a Malbec)

*2 cups of beef broth (I used College Inn brand)

*2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

*2 medium-sized white onions (cut into 2-3 inch chucks)

*1-pound bag of pre-sliced and washed baby carrots

*1 pound of bite-sized potatoes (any type you prefer, washed)

*2 sprigs of rosemary

*2 tablespoons cornstarch if you prefer a thicker gravy

• Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Place a Dutch oven pan on the stove and heat the vegetable oil on medium-high heat. 
• Sear each side of the pot roast for 1-2 minutes to seal in the juices. 
• Remove the roast from the pan and set it aside. 
• Add the garlic to the juices left in the pan and stir for 30 seconds over the heat. 
• Next add the wine and beef broth to deglaze the pan. 
• Place the roast back into the pan.
• Pour the Worcestershire over the roast, and add the onions, carrots, and potatoes. 
• Stir lightly then add the rosemary on top. 
• Place the lid on top and now place the pan into the pre-heated oven. Cook the contents for 3 hours, or until the meat shreds easily with a fork or is close to 200 degrees Fahrenheit internal temperature. (At 3 hours, this roast typically is perfect, and shreds like butter).
• If you want the juice a little thicker you can mix 2 tablespoons of corn starch into 1/4 cup of COLD water. Stir well. Then you can whisk that mixture a little at a time into the pan to make a thicker gravy. Note: Don't add powdered cornstarch or flour directly to the hot liquid, it will clump. 

*A variation of this recipe that I prefer is to omit the chunk potatoes altogether and add the roast, carrots, onions, and gravy overtop homemade mashed potatoes. 

Mangia! I hope you enjoy this recipe! 

Xoxo -Lisa