Growing Up Jersey Growing up, my mom made so many different foods. She loved to experiment, but she always had her staples — the ones she made over and over again. A big pot of gravy. Pasta e ceci. Giambotta. Italian potatoes, Italian peas and onions. And one of my all-time favorites: hot dogs, string…
Tag: dinner
Pasta e Fagioli — A Jersey Girl’s Soul-Warming Favorite ✨
By Jacqueline Horuzy-Maffucci • JacqFromJersey.com Growing up in North Jersey in an Italian-American household, pasta e fagioli wasn’t just a dish — it was a whole identity. It was cheap, filling, cozy, and on the table at least once a week. And let me be honest with you: as a kid, I hated beans. Absolutely…
🔥 Shrimp Beeps – Bringing Belmont Tavern to the Lowcountry
When you’re living in the Lowcountry and you start craving some good old Jersey Italian, you’ve got two options: get on a plane… or make it yourself. So that’s exactly what I did. I was missing the Belmont Tavern in Belleville, New Jersey — that classic, no-frills spot where the Shrimp Beeps are legendary. Big,…
The Vodka Sauce You’ll Want on Repeat
Vodka sauce is one of those recipes that just feels like home. Creamy, comforting, and always a crowd pleaser, I’ve made it so many different ways over the years. Sometimes with pancetta, sometimes with prosciutto, sometimes with a splash more cream, or a chunkier texture. But this version? This might just be a keeper. It’s…
Jacq’s Lowcountry Chicken Bog
Chicken bog? What you talking about, Willis? Since moving to the Lowcountry, I’ve completely embraced the culture and the cuisine. While I love adding my Jersey twist to things, there are some dishes that are so rooted in tradition that they’re perfect just the way they are. Lowcountry Chicken Bog is one of those. For…
Homemade Semolina Crust Pizza & Mussels Hot – A Perfect Friday Night Meal
Friday nights always bring back memories of my childhood. In my house, it wasn’t just the end of the week—it was pizza and mussels night. My mom would make homemade pizza and a pot of mussels in a fiery red sauce that could burn your tongue off. Yum! Recently, I decided to recreate those flavors…
Creamy Cabbage & Orzo Stew + A Pizza Appy
Fall is in the air—or at least it should be! Even though it was 88° here in South Carolina, I couldn’t resist making a cozy, hearty bowl of Creamy Cabbage & Orzo Stew. This recipe is inspired by Must Love Garlic’s Creamy Cabbage & Orzo Stew 🌿. I made a few little tweaks to fit…
Chickarina Soup and Kalua Pork: Going BIG in the kitchen!
Saturday was one of those days when I just wanted to cook. Even though it’s technically not soup weather here in South Carolina (we’re still hanging out in the 80s and 90s), I couldn’t resist. Growing up in New Jersey, cooler weather always meant soup season—but honestly, I’ll break out the chicken broth anytime the…
A Cozy Day in the Kitchen: Bread Machine Pretzels & Mushroom Ravioli with Pancetta, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, and Spinach
Learn how to make homemade bread machine pretzels and a comforting mushroom ravioli with pancetta, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach. Two wholesome, flavorful recipes perfect for snacking and dinner. Some days are made for cooking, and today was one of those days. I treated myself to a little snack and a cozy dinner—soft bread machine pretzels…
Sheet Pan Giambotta – An Easy Twist on an Italian Classic
Giambotta (pronounced jam-BOAT-ah – we pronounce it jahm-bawt) is one of those rustic Italian dishes that feels like home to me. Growing up, my mother made it just about every week. Her version was a big pot filled with veal, peppers, zucchini, onions, garlic, and of course, crushed tomatoes. Later, she swapped in hot Italian…
Jacq from Jersey... 