Fusilli freddi alle verdure

One could say I'm easily amused but there are many things that I see and learn everyday living under the Tuscan sun that make my heart sing. The grey doves that travel in pairs and chirp a beautiful song together. The wild poppies growing alongside an abandoned villa. The group of men who sit outside the cafe every evening looking out to the road together. The elderly lady who lives across the way who is outside feeding her chickens or hanging her sheets outside to dry. The brightly painted door in the alleyway. Of course I can't forget to mention the fields of bright, beautiful, golden sunflowers that begin to bloom at the end of July. It seems as though I'm living in a picture book at times.




Today I'm planning on visiting my two friends, California and Gianco (and by friends I mean horse friends) We have some plums left in the kitchen that are too soft for our liking, but I'm sure the horses and donkeys won't mind. I often visit them, as the villa is down the street from our house. The donkeys start to wale if I'm giving the horses too much attention. Don't worry, I save enough treats for the donkeys too. I love them all so much and it brings me so much joy when I see them.




I'm trying to empty our fridge out before we leave on our trip this Friday. For lunch I prepared a cold pasta dish using whole wheat fusilli with kale, sun dried tomatoes, artichokes, grilled eggplant dressed in a olive oil and balsamic vinegar topped with grated ricotta salata. Perfect picnic lunch meal.




Fusilli freddi alle verdure 

(fusilli cold with vegetables)

serving; four

4 oz whole wheat fusilli 

half a bunch of kale 

6 sun dried tomatoes 

5 artichoke hearts (canned in olive oil)

1 medium eggplant 

ricotta salata 

olive oil 

balsamic vinegar 

salt and pepper


While you boil the water for your pasta, take the kale and cut out the stem and slice the leaves into two inch pieces. Dice up the sun dried tomatoes, the artichoke hearts and set aside. Heat a grill pan and cut the eggplant into thin slices. Grill the eggplant on both sides until they have beautiful black grill marks. After cooled, dice them in pieces as well. Once the water is boiled, add your salt followed by the fusilli and the kale pieces. Cooking times vary but my pasta box said 9 minutes until cooked. Strain the pasta with the kale and place in a bowl followed by all the ingredients. Dress with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Once cooled, sprinkle with the ricotta salata. 




All you need is love .... and frittatas

Sitting here listening to the Beatles having an espresso after lunch and I'm feeling really guilty I haven't posted on here in months. I have no excuse except for the fact I can sometimes be a perfectionist and pick at all the things I think I should fix until I just don't do it anymore. This ends today! I have been making several delicious meals and I promise they will make their way on here.

It's the end of July and a lot has been going on since April. My aunt came to visit here in Tuscany and we had a wonderful time going all over Italy. Florence, Siena, Rome, Milan, E's vineyards and around here in town. It was such a great time being able to share my life here with someone from my family, we had a fabulous time! After she departed, E and I took a four day trip together to Venice. It was so dreamy and in our opinion, the most romantic city we have ever gone to. Paris, eat your heart out! We got lost on the streets, explored the shops, and took a gondola ride. There is certainly a reason they call it the city of lovers. Three weeks ago I took a solo visit to Portland to visit my family and friends since I haven't seen anyone in nine months. Had a great two week stay spending time with all my family and friends. All was good when I cam back home until my luggage was lost for seven miserable days. The downside of traveling internationally. Although, all I really have needed lately is my bikini as it is officially beach season!





It feels as if the town is alive with all the people hanging at the beach. Tourists from Germany, Netherlands, Britain and more are flooding the area to take in the Tuscan seaside beauty for holiday. E's parents and friends have a private beach membership so I go there from time to time during the week. Weekends, E and I usually go to the beach or our villa nearby to relax, sunbath, swim or play tennis. The best time of the year for me is when it's hot and sunny out. I try to be out enjoying it as much as possible.

We are getting ready to leave for vacation at the end of the week to Portland for a few days and then Mexico. We are over the moon excited! E needs a good long vacation. It's bikini season so I have been making light meals and one thing I love to do when I don't know what to make for dinner is look what's left in the fridge and make a frittata. What is a frittata you ask? I guess I could describe it as an open faced thin omelet. It's very popular here in Italy. I remember the first time my dad made our family a frittata for brunch many years ago. We all were impressed by the fancy name and it soon became one of our favorite brunch meals. My dad is an amazing cook and I think of him often when cooking because I learned a lot of skills from him unintentionally. Thanks, dad! Here's my recipe for a quick frittata that will be sure to impress.






Heirloom Tomato & Basil Frittata with Roquefort

Serving size; two

4 cage-free eggs 

1/4 cup milk 

1-2 heirloom tomatoes

1/2 cup of Roquefort cheese 

small bunch of fresh basil 

salt and pepper 


In a large mixing bowl put your eggs, milk and salt and pepper and whisk well. Finely chop some fresh basil and and sprinkle it in your egg mixture along with a couple of small crumbles of Roquefort. Slice your heirloom tomatoes and set aside. Take your 10" pan and wipe with olive oil so your egg mixture won't stick to the pan. On medium heat pour the mixture in the pan for about 5 minutes until the very bottom is cooked a bit. Don't touch it! Let it rest. Then place your heirloom tomatoes slowly on top of the frittata. The reason I did this is so that the tomatoes remain on top so you can see the beautiful colors. Another 5 minutes until fully cooked. If your frittata seems as if the top is not cooking well, I put it under the broiler in the oven for a few minutes. To serve, top with a few sprinkles of Roquefort and some fresh basil. I like to accompany the frittata with a fresh green salad for a complete meal.