 This week marks the official start of the college football season and if you live in a football dominated state like I do, you know what a big deal this really is.🏈 Sometimes I feel like my fellow Georgians invest more time and effort into planning tailgates and football themed parties than any other holiday --- with the exception of Christmas.🤣 Let me be clear - I'm not complaining. A season full of nachos, wings, cheesy dips and football themed desserts is something that I can absolutely get behind.🌮 🍗🌯  I'm relatively new to the tailgating game so it was only recently that I learned just how early these festivities can begin. 💤 Apparently, it's not actually uncommon for a pregame party to begin as early as 8 or 9 am so depending on game time. I'm no expert but it seems to me that brunch food would be much more appropriate than a eating sloppy joes first thing in the morning.😅  If you're celebrating the first Saturday of the college football season or if you're like me and you just like to eat like you are - here's a recipe that you can embrace. These Peach Blueberry Streusel Topped muffins are loaded with the freshest fruit of the season.🫐🍑 They're the perfect hand held treat to keep you cheering through halftime.  Peach Blueberry Streusel Topped Muffins 2 cups flour 1/4 cup sugar 1/3 cup brown sugar 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 cup butter, melted 1/4 cup honey 1/2 cup sour cream 1/4 cup whole milk 2 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup diced fresh peaches, plus more for topping 1 cup fresh blueberries, plus more for topping Streusel Topping 2/3 cup flour 1/3 cup brown sugar 1 Tablespoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 4 Tablespoons butter, melted 1/8 teaspoon salt
 Bake 5 minutes at 425. Reduce heat to 350 and bake 15-18 minutes longer.
 Ciao!
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 This is the sweetest time of year in Ohio. I mean that quite literally - Peaches, blueberries and corn are all in season in this month and I got to taste all of it!! 🫐🍑🌽 I'm not saying that we planned our trip around ripe summer produce but... it was an added bonus to the week we spent in our home state.😂 I'm a purist when it comes to fresh peaches. I'm an eat it over the sink while the juice runs down my arm and drips off my elbow and chin kind of peach eater.😅 Simple and delicious.  I will admit that I've been known to get caught up in my excitement over peaches and buy far more than I can possibly eat.🍑 After consuming as many peaches as I can possibly eat - eventually I come the realization that I have to get creative with my superfluous fruit because I can't bear the thought of a perfectly good peach going bad on the counter. A good old fashioned peach cobbler or a few deliciously, sweet grilled peaches are my go to ways to use up extra peaches. If you've never had a grilled peach - you're missing out. They're simple to make and super tasty.  Grilled Peaches 6 fresh, ripe peaches 1/3 cup honey juice and zest from 1 lime 1/2 cup pistachios, toasted and chopped
 Sprinkle with pistachios and enjoy.
Ciao!  How do I spend a rainy afternoon with my 6 month old granddaughter? I take her to a winery of course.☔️🤣 Not to worry - no wine was consumed but the two of us did have a nice stroll around the Montaluce vineyards. (Well, I walked and she napped.😴) Wandering through the streets of the small community and winery felt like we were strolling through vineyards in Tuscany.🍇 Being surrounded by all of the Italian architecture and landscape had me craving pizza by the end of my walk so of course, I stopped by the Trattoria and picked up a pizza for lunch. I mean - I'm pretty sure I burned a whole pies worth of calories on my walk. 🤣🍕 Best carry out pizza in Georgia - hands down.
It's probably a good thing that I don't live closer to the Trattoria because the temptation to order pizza on a regular basis is real.😂 I decided that I would try and recreate the amazing pizza at home - using my Big Green Egg as my make shift pizza oven. This Cooks Illustrated inspired Neapolitan Style Margherita Pizza recipe is about as close as I've been able to get to Montaluce Trattoria pizza. I'm not sure if everyone gets pizza cravings or it's just me but if you do - you will want to save this recipe in your email. It's guaranteed to make you feel like you're dining at a piazza in Italy.  Neapolitan Style Margherita Pizza Flour Paste 1/3 cup water 2 Tablespoons 00 flour Dough 1 1/2 cups + 2 Tablespoons water 2 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 1/4 teaspoon sugar 1/2 teaspoons yeast 4 cups + 2 Tablespoons 00 flour Sauce 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes 1/2 teaspoon salt Pizza 1/3 cup Pecorino Romano cheese 8 ounces fresh mozzarella fresh basil
 Slide pizza onto a heated pizza stone on grill. Bake until pizza is spotty brown.   Ciao!
 I dare you to find a more delicious looking sandwich than this scrumptious, cheesy and seriously satisfying meatball sub. There are sandwiches and then there are meatball subs. Am I right?😄 Tender, juicy meatballs simmered in a rich marinara sauce, tucked inside a toasted sub roll and smothered with loads of melted cheese. One of the messiest - and most satisfying sandwiches out there. I've been know to make meatball subs as a necessity - as a way to use up the leftover meatballs from my freezer. It was more of a convenience food than an indulgence. This recipe for Meatball Subs in Cook's Illustrated has changed my opinion on the delicious sub though. I've started to think differently about meatball subs.  Turns out, making homemade meatball subs is easier than I once believed. A few simple steps and you've got yourself a scrumptious and hearty meal in under 30 minutes. Step 1: Prepare the marinara sauce Step 2: Make and form the meatballs Step 3: Brown meatballs in the sauce Step 4: Assemble the sandwiches Step 5: Cheese! Add lots and lots of cheese - ooey. gooey, melted and browned cheese  Meatball Subs 1/4 cup panko 3 Tablespoons milk 1 Tablespoon olive oil 3 garlic cloves 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes 1 1/4 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1/4 teaspoon sugar 1 pound 85% lean ground beef 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese 1 egg 3/4 teaspoon oregano 1/4 teaspoon pepper 4 Italian Sub rolls 8 thin slices Provolone cheese
 Broil until cheese is melted and tops are slightly browned.  Ciao!
 I'm a big fan of all things pasta. I think "pasta parties" are my new favorite kind of party.🍝 It my way of inviting dinner guests to get involved in the meal prep process and to take some of the work load off of me.😉 I threw a couple of these do-it-yourself parties last December and just in case you want to host one of these partites - this is what I learned: * Make the dough and the sauce ahead of time so you can get right to to task of rolling dough when your guests arrive. * Use a drying rack to dry pasta before cooking so that it doesn't stick together in the boiling water. (I used a drying rack for clothes - it worked great.) * Use at least 2 pasta machines to expedite the rolling process. I borrowed a second machine from a generous friend.
I've been making homemade fettuccini for a while but this year I ventured into the world of homemade ravioli. (This new pasta making hobby is going to detrimental to my waist line.😂) I loved it so much and I got so invested into my ravioli making that I treated myself to in an ELECTRIC pasta maker! Safe to say, I'm taking my love of pasta making to a whole new level.😬 Now that I have the proper equipment, I'll be collecting all of your homemade pasta recipes. Email me.😅 This one was featured in Cook's Illustrated and it's made without the use of a machine but it just looked too good to pass up.  Nidi Di Rondine Pasta 1 3/4 cups (8.75 ounces) flour 2 eggs + 5 egg yolks 5 teaspoons olive oil Besciamella 3 Tablespoons butter 1/4 cup flour 1 1/4 teaspoons salt 1/4 teaspoon pepper 3 cups milk 1/2 cup water Nidi 1 1/2 cups shredded fontina cheese 6 ounces white mushrooms, chopped 6 ounces thinly sliced black forest ham 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
 Cut each roll in half. Arrange rolls, cut side down, in skillet.
 Place pan on baking sheet and bake 1 hour at 375.  Remove from oven and remove foil. Sprinkle with parmesan and place under broiler until browned and crisp.   Ciao!
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