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: pasta
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…
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…
Spaghetti all’Assassina (Killer Spaghetti): Crispy, Spicy, Burnt-to-Perfection Pasta
Move over, spaghetti and meatballs—this dish is for the bold. Spaghetti all’Assassina (literally “Killer Spaghetti”) hails from Bari in Southern Italy, and it’s nothing like the pasta you grew up with. Instead of boiling pasta in water and finishing it in sauce, this recipe cooks the spaghetti directly in the sauce until it chars on…
Cajun Shrimp & Buttery Garlicky Steamed Clams
A Flavor-Packed Weeknight Feast Straight from My Kitchen There’s something about buttery clams and spicy Cajun shrimp that instantly takes me back to summer nights, sipping wine and cooking with the windows open (but not in the South LOL). This meal is one of my absolute favorites to throw together—it feels indulgent but is surprisingly…
Unexpected Italian Excellence at Radici Italian Chophouse – Bluffton, SC
Tucked quietly into a strip mall in Bluffton, SC, Radici Italian Chophouse is the kind of hidden gem you almost don’t want to tell people about—just so you can keep it to yourself a little longer. From the outside, it’s modest and unassuming. But step inside, and you’re immediately welcomed into a sleek, modern space anchored by a stunning…
Grandma’s Gravy… not sauce!
Gravy is my comfort food. When I talk about gravy, I’m talking about the RED stuff you put on macaroni – not brown gravy. If you’re a North Jersey Italian-American, GRAVY is where it’s at. I was always taught that tomato sauce comes out of a can. What you put into that tomato sauce makes it gravy. I firmly…
Jacq from Jersey... 