Italian Chocolate Cream Cake

Sunday, July 31, 2016
This is an Italian Cream Cake but this is a chocolate version and not the traditional vanilla cake.

We also love toasted almonds instead of the classic pecans, but you have those options of adapting this how you prefer your flavors!

This is a delicious cake made from scratch with a cream cheese frosting covered in toasted almonds.

We've adapted the vanilla-style version into a chocolaty piece of heaven on a plate!

Scroll through this recipe and read the instructions and gather ingredients.


Italian chocolate cream cake in a 13 x 9 glass baking dish


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Beef Pot Pie Recipe

Saturday, July 30, 2016
This Beef Pot Pie Recipe is pure comfort food.


The recipe is very old and mom made this with leftover pot roast for another meal.


You can use any kind of fresh leftover meat using this basic pot pie recipe..


The pot pie can have any kinds of vegetables you like in it and has layers of pastry crust with a delicious creamy gravy that are the characteristics.


The kids absolutely love this meal when I make it and it can also feed a large family inexpensively.


What's a better way to use up leftover roast beef other than making a beef pot pie for dinner its, the perfect way for repurposing leftovers.


If you love comfort foods, do try our Salisbury Steak Marsala and our Chicken and Dumplings recipes.


Scroll Down to the printable recipe card for this recipe.





this is a homemade beef pot pie with a top and bottom crust







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Plain Stir Fried Easy Rice

Thursday, July 28, 2016
Here is an easy delicious side dish, plain stir fried rice. Asian style. The taste is amazing and it's an easy recipe to make.



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Italian Fried Meatballs

Tuesday, July 26, 2016
One of any Italian home's pride and joy recipes is Italian Meatballs.


This was a tradition in our home every Sunday morning, you would wake up to the smell.


Mom would make meatballs that made your heart sing and thank God every day you were born in an Italian household.


Just like Italian Sunday Traditional Sauce, no two were ever alike in taste.


Mom showed tons of folks how to make them, hers were always the best ever etched in anyone's mind.


Even today after making them over 30 plus years, I still come close but as they say no cigar.


Some have thought they tasted like mom's, but there was something more than ingredients you can't replace her love.


As addicting as this tradition is every Sunday, meatballs are a must make and it's not Sunday morning without them.


Mom's recipe is the best in our eyes, but what makes them the best is her making them, her memory, and the fabulous years we spent with her in the kitchen.


Nothing replaces that, never will plus with modern technology we included air fried, and baked mom in 1940s only fried them that was tradition and we still do.


Here is her recipe below, enjoy what is written down tried and true, but no two again are alike.



Italian fried meatballs golden brown in a glass plate with flora and mutti tomatoes in the background


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Grilled Steak and Chicken Bites

Grilled Steak and Chicken Bites are boneless marinated chicken cubes made on the grill or in the oven baked, perfect for hosting parties or feeding a large family.

By cutting the meat into cubes, the chicken or steak can be served so many ways, on rice, in fajita wraps, topping salads, or used as a shish kabob.

Because chicken and steak have different cooking times, when cooking them all in one pan  an instant-read thermometer will be a good tool to have to ensure the meat is cooked to your preference.

Our recipe is a marinade to ensure the meat is perfectly tender and makes this super easy placing all the ingredients into ziplock bags.

Come rain or shine you will have that delicious backyard grilled or indoor picnic with a delicious meal.

Perfect for gameday appetizers, at-home weddings, showers, baby reveal parties and so much more.

We added some suggestions in our recipe card for skewers and sides for all planning purposes.

Scroll down to the bottom and hit print on the recipe card



chicken kabobs


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Peach Bellini Popsicle Recipe

Monday, July 25, 2016

One of those refreshing drinks that bursts with summer flavors. Peaches are in abundance right now. Make these with or without alcohol for the perfect way to cool off in the warmer weather. If you love Peach Bellini drinks you are in for a treat.



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Creamy Shrimp Tomato Risotto

Friday, July 22, 2016
This Creamy Shrimp Tomato Risotto is packed with creamy herb and garlic tomato flavors.

Topped with some fresh basil and grated cheese is makes the perfect light summer weeknight meal that's all in one pan.

This tomato-based creamy risotto has herbs, spices, and a few vegetables chopped to give this its unique flavors.

During the summer we love this light meal, and of course, if you're not a seafood lover feel free to use any other meat you prefer, steak, lamb, chicken, or even another seafood that will work.

This cream sauce is very basic using cream cheese, tomato puree, tomato paste, and chicken broth, so it's very versatile.

Scroll down to the bottom and there is a printable recipe card with the exact measurements needed.


shrimp topped tomato arborio rice


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Peach Sorbet Recipe

Friday, July 15, 2016
This is a refreshing peach sorbet made with peach puree and simple syrup and super easy and delicious.

If you love slushy ice this one is perfect for using an ice cream machine.

Hand stirred it will be a little icier however if you add a little peach schnapps the liquor will make it freeze softer.



peach sorbet


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Wagon Wheels Chicken Pasta Fazool Recipe

Tuesday, July 12, 2016

Wagon wheels are a great childhood memory of a fun pasta to eat. This pasta fagioli is just another version of a great Italian comfort meal. Adding meat makes it a great meal all in one!


Wagon Wheels Chicken Pasta Fazool Recipe


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Italian Broccoli Rabe Sausage Roll

Sunday, July 10, 2016
Italian Broccoli Rabe Sausage Roll is a gourmet sausage roll in my eyes.


Broccoli rabe is a delicious style green found in many Italian households usually used in sandwiches, pasta and as a side dish for any kind of meal.


This is a great combination inside pizza dough that gives this a whole meal in itself using the sausage and greens together.


It can also be used as an appetizer before a big meal.


Broccoli rabe is pretty unique in flavor and you can find more information about this green vegetable here.


If you love sausage rolls, this is a wonderful change with broccoli in it, you may also want to try my antipasto roll.


This has all the taste of a great sandwich of these greens with homemade sausage, cheeses, garlic, and extra virgin olive oil flavors.


Of course, you can leave the meat out if your vegetarian, not a problem at all, still perfectly delicious!


Scroll down to the recipe card to print off this awesome recipe if you are a lover of broccoli rabe, this will be your new favorite!





This is a homemade pizza dough stuffed with an Italian green called broccoli rabe with added cooked Italian sausage then added to that filling shredded whole milk mozzarella cheese. It is rolled up and baked into this golden crust then sliced like a sandwich with the filling in the middle.





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Italian Style Steamed Vegetables

Saturday, July 9, 2016
Everything tastes better with garlic don't you agree when it comes to steamed vegetables, that's the most loved added ingredient in our Italian kitchen!

Southern Italian cooking uses a simple rustic blend of seasonings and home cooking, and the results are perfect.

Steaming is easy and healthy using vegetables, salt, olive oil, garlic, and black pepper, and perfect served over cooked basmati,  arborio rice, or cooked pasta.

This simple Italian-style vegetable recipe can be used to prepare and serve a variety of vegetables including leafy green vegetables like kale, spinach, and broccoli rabe.

If you're watching your weight or carbs try and stay away from the sugary sweet vegetables like too many carrots or corn, so moderation is key to a healthy diet.


italian seasoned and steamed vegetables


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Meatball Mashed Potato Casserole

Friday, July 8, 2016
Whether you use leftover mashed potatoes and meatballs (or store-bought) this casserole combination is a perfect one-pan comfort food baked together.

If you've tried mashed potatoes with tomato sauce (a good homemade old-fashioned dish of Gnocchi pasta), then you will love this easy casserole taste as it's similar in flavor to meat sauce with taters.

Pasta is the usual ingredient in this type of casserole, and the mashed potato meatball combination is fantastic with all that melted cheese on top.

It really is pure comfort food and is very filling so it's perfect for a hungry crowd and super easy to make.

This recipe is so easy and comes together with just a few ingredients if you buy all store-bought, this is the perfect weeknight meal, especially after a long day tedious day!

We love Italian meatballs, meatballs on pizza, and even meatball appetizers in a delicious glazed sauce for game day and events!

Of course, if you love meatballs you must also try our recipe for Porcupine Meatballs made with rice in them, they're so delicious!

Scroll down to the recipe to print this super easy casserole recipe made in less than 30 minutes!



meatballs layered with mashed potato and sauce


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Quick Easy Pasta Caprese Salad

Tuesday, July 5, 2016
If you want an easy pasta salad packed with flavor, this tomato, pasta fresh mozzarella, with a simple homemade dressing is the quick perfect side dish!

This pasta salad recipe is so easy to make and flexible since you can turn it into a hot or cold salad with many addin suggestions below.

Whether you are a pasta lover, meat-lover or vegetable lover, this easy homemade dressing can be adapted to the easiest most flavor pasta salad side dish on the planet, it's the best ever!

Just check out all your options below and build your own salad bar for a fun outdoor barbecue for those picky folks, this is always a big hit at every gathering.




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Old Fashioned Chocolate Pudding Icebox Cake

Monday, July 4, 2016
This Old Fashioned Chocolate Icebox Cake is one of the fondest dessert memory from my childhood.

Mom always let me have the spoon from the cooked cooled chocolate pudding,  that I burned my tongue on many occasions because I couldn't wait to sneak some while still hot.

Cooked pudding, graham crackers, or chocolate wafer cookies, layered with whipped cream what could be easier other than using an instant pudding or canned pudding already made, well then nothing right?

Of course, the homemade from scratch cooked chocolate pudding was the ultimate homemade memory for me in this dessert but still simple, it really doesn't take that much more time plus mom always used real whipped heavy cream in our layers.

I love no-bake desserts also so don't be skeptical when in a hurry to use all store-bought products, it will still be a big hit dessert in a quick pinch.

It's really your preference on all homemade or if you use all the quicker versions but even if you don't make it from scratch and all from a box, you'll soon get a very simple tasty dessert.

Check out our other suggestions for pudding combinations if you're not a diehard chocolate fan.

We often use this same recipe to build a large trifle with layers of different pudding, cream, and cookies, so if you want to change the recipe use some shortbread cookies, you'll love it.

Just scroll down to the printable recipe card and check this out.





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Banana Split Cake

Sunday, July 3, 2016
When I was a little girl mom would take all the fresh fruits of summer and make banana splits for dessert and that's how I got the idea to make this into a banana split cake on a hot summer's day to enjoy at all the parties we hosted.

The cake was so much easier to serve and I didn't have to worry about melting ice cream for birthdays and holiday celebrations.

Plus I could include all the topping swirled on topping lightly with freshly sliced bananas and whipped cream to give that cake the perfect flavors.

The cake is all homemade from scratch into marble which is chocolate and vanilla when it's cut open so the cake is the best of both worlds to satisfy everyone.

I can't tell you how many times I have been asked to make this cake to take to a backyard get-together or family reunion picnic through the years but it's more than 100!

If you're a banana split lover like we are or have someone in your home that loves them, surprise them on their next birthday with this cake, you will be very much loved along with this cake.

If you scroll all the way down you can bypass the tips and hit print on the recipe card.

The cake of course can be made with a marble cake mix if you're in a hurry or just banana my (homemade Banana Cake recipe) plus check out all my suggestions below for toppings and cake ideas!

this is a marble cake with banana split toppings


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Best Tempura Batter Ever

This is the Best Tempura Batter Ever.

In case you weren't sure what tempura batter is, it's a light crisp batter that is perfect to coat fish, chicken or any other meat or vegetable you like.


After it's fried then saturate them by using a favorite dip or sauce of your choice.


Tempura is the best coating for fish, chicken, vegetables and whatever else needs a coating deep-fried.


This is the best ever recipe.


If you're looking for a light crisp batter, look no more.


This tempura batter would be the one you're looking for!


Scroll down to the recipe card to get these great dipping recipes and tempura batter recipe.


Tempura is a Japanese dish usually consisting of seafood or vegetables but you can use it for chicken and other meats as well.


Tempura is a very popular Japanese dish, the mixture is a very light and airy batter that is fried to perfection.


It's served at Japanese restaurants worldwide but also is a common dish made in home kitchens.


In Japan, you'll often find specialty restaurants that only serve tempura.


The dish was influenced by fritter-cooking techniques introduced by Portuguese residing in Nagasaki in the 16th century, and the name "tempura" relates to that origin.





this is deep fried shrimp coated with tempura batter in a cast iron skillet with oil


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