You have never had lasagna until you’ve had this lasagna! Made with layers of spinach pasta coated in a meaty ragú, creamy beschimella/béchamel sauce and just a sprinkle of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. There are no copious amounts of ricotta, mozzarella or tomato sauce. This lasagna has a dense mouth feel, but light, yet so satisfying in the stomach. It is in my opinion a culinary master piece.!! I took classes in Bologna and learned from ladies that shared with me their secrets and, if I do say so, I think I did a good job in replicating it here at home. I’m sure this will soon be a family favorite. In fact, it is now a “required” stock item in our family refrigerator!

I must admit, when Elena and I were making this dish, I was struck at how easy it came together….and it took so little time too! The fact that it is so good and satisfying makes this a new “go to” recipe for all occasions. The pork tenderloin is “butterfly” cut and then pounded thin. ( you can have the butcher do this!) Layer slices of the Prosciutto d’ Parma on the pork then top with beautiful sautéed spinach and a sprinkle of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. The pork is rolled, trussed, and roasted. Carving reveals the beautiful filling inside. Topped with a simple pan sauce, it is a show stopping main dish that looks very impressive and it seems like it took a long time to prepare, but actually it’s quite easy and can be prepared ahead and just cooked at the last moment!

This is my take on a barbecue sauce. It’s tangy, but not too sweet, with just a touch of heat as it finishes. It tastes like it’s complicated and has been simmering for hours, but comes together very quickly and can last in your fridge for weeks. It’s super on chicken, but equally good on pork or beef. Our BBQ chicken is a 2-step process. We first grill the chicken to add that nice smoky flavor to the meat, also rendering out the fat and making the skin crispy and beautifully caramelized. The second step is to slather it with our BBQ sauce then finish cooking it in the oven. It’s the best of both worlds with its smoky flavor from the grill, but the barbecue sauce is not burnt. Also, the chicken is perfectly moist and juicy. It’s sure to be a summer hit!

Top sirloin and beautiful gulf shrimp are tossed in a wonderful spice mixture of coriander, cumin, garlic, and other spices to create this flavorful summer showcase. The avocado tzatziki sauce is to die for and is fantastic sauce to go with our grilled beef and shrimp. It can also be used as an excellent appetizer served with pita chips or crudités or added to a sandwich to make it taste super!

We’re going to marinate a boneless leg of lamb with garlic and fresh herbs which is going to adds tons of flavor and really complement the mild taste of the lamb. Lamb has really gotten a bad rap as being a very gamy tasting meat. It’s not. The meat is very mild tasting, and after being perfectly roasted we will serve it with a mint salsa verde. Today we are are adding mint along with a little lemon, which compliments the lamb so beautifully.

Is there anything better than potatoes with roasted meat? I love Yukon Gold potatoes! They are so versatile because they bake and smash equally well. Top with Parmesano Reggiano and breadcrumbs then cooked until golden brown – the perfect compliment to roasted meat.

Making polenta is usually a labor of love that requires a lot of time stirring. This method has you stirring for just a few minutes and finishing it in the oven. You still end up with a creamy and delectable cheese dish with not as much work.

Braising is one of the most useful cooking techniques to learn. Once mastered, it turns tougher cuts of meat and vegetables into a hearty meal that warms your stomach and your heart. Also, it makes your casa smell fantastic. Braised dishes are always a crowd pleaser and perfect for entertaining, as they can be made a day in advance. In fact, I try to always cook mine a day ahead because it allows the flavor to enhance and deepen. What could possibly make this dish any better? To serve it on top of creamy, cheesy polenta.

This is such an impressive piece of meat! Just looking at it makes you want to get your merry on. It’s a decadent dish, with the rich flavor provided by all the yummy fat, and also because it’s a bit pricey (so make sure you read all my tips and tricks to not overcook it). We serve it with a pan-dripping au jus, an awesome spicy horseradish cream sauce, and, of course, Yorkshire pudding to sop it all up!

It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without the star of the show: a perfectly roasted turkey! It’s seasoned with salt, pepper, and sage then perfectly roasted to a golden brown (but still moist and delicious).

This sauce of fresh tomatoes, sundried tomatoes, shallots, and garlic with a pinch of vinegar is super colorful and SO flavorful! It’s the perfect topper for this perfectly sautéed chicken, all on a bed of arugula. You’ll love the fresh balance of sweet, savory, bitter, and salty.

Nothing makes your house smell more fantastic than roasting a chicken. There is something so comfortable and cozy about coming home and smelling that aroma coming from the kitchen. As the weather starts to cool down a bit, I can turn on the oven again without fear of heating up the whole house, and this dish is a perfect way to end summer and can easily be made into the fall months ahead. The chicken is seasoned with fennel seed, which adds a savory subtle anise flavor. The addition of the onions, olives, and wine lends a slight salty sweet pan sauce, making this one of the most flavorful roasted chicken dishes I have prepared. I know you will love it.

Nothing says summer like a steak on the grill! These beautiful New York steaks are perfectly grilled, then topped with bleu cheese butter that, once it is placed on top of the hot steaks, melts and creates this beautiful, cheesy buttery sauce. The combination of the bleu cheese and the grilled meat is just heavenly. The butter can be made ahead and kept at the ready and can be used on a variety of other dishes. Slice a piece and put it on top of the chicken, fish, or in a baked potato. It freezes well too.

There’s nothing better than grilling in the summer. The smoky charred flavor that the grill imparted on food is just wonderful, and nothing says summer like grilling. You get to be outside, and your kitchen is free from the heat and the mess. This simple, tangy, and herby marinade adds a fantastic punch to the perfectly grilled chicken and is sure to be a hit at your summer dinner party. This recipe calls for boneless chicken thighs, which I think definitely have more flavor than the breast meat. They are also more forgiving when cooking since they have a little more fat than breast meat, but not so much that you don’t have to feel guilty. And of course, you’ll still have room for dessert!

When thinking of summer grilling, a boneless leg of lamb is probably not usually what comes first to mind.  Lamb has somehow gotten a bad rap of having a very strong flavor and taste. This recipe I believe will change the minds of even the biggest lamb skeptics out there. The boneless leg of lamb is “ butterflied” which is a culinary term to cut a thick piece of meat into a thinner thickness. The lamb is marinated and then perfectly grilled. Smoky charred on the outside, juicy on the inside and, served with a simple fresh herb pistou sauce, this just may make it to the top of your outdoor grilling repertoire!

“Saltimbocca” translates into “jump in the mouth”. This classic dish is traditionally made with meat, such as veal or pork, but I thought it would be fun to try with fish. The fish is topped with sage leaves and wrapped in prosciutto. The whole dish came together in 15 minutes, quick and easy for a weeknight meal, but a great dish for entertaining because the fish-wraps can be prepared in advance and just popped into the oven before serving. 

Torta Pasqualina. “Torta” means cake in Italian, but this is really a savory Italian pie traditionally served for Easter brunch.  It’s so wonderfully satisfying that I bet that you will want to make it so much more often than just one time a year. This savory dish is positively addictive and so easy to cut and serve, making it portable and an ideal lunch, picnic, or snack dish.

Ducks are fowl, but the strange thing is the breast meat has the texture more of red meat. So, for this recipe we marinated the meat in soy, orange juice, and vinegar and then sauté it, rendering out the fat to produce a crispy skin and cook it to medium rare, similar to cooking a piece of steak. We finish the dish with a beautiful pan sauce flavored with Moscato wine and garnish with orange sections. This dish is very elegant and sophisticated.

Translated literally it means “rooster in wine”.  This is a classic braised dish that uses a whole chicken but I prefer to use chicken thighs with are scrumptious and easier to serve. Traditionalists use a red Burgundy, but any full-bodied red wine will do. Served over mashed potatoes, this is true French “comfort food”!

Our main plate is a fillet of beef topped with sautéed spinach, Mushroom Duxelles, and bleu cheese….all perfectly wrapped with filo dough into an adorable present for each guest to open on their plate!  These gems can be prepared hours in advance so that as cocktail hour begins to wind down, you just pop them into the oven to warm before serving.  The perfect present for you the party giver and the party goers!