The Italians can be very creative with simple ingredients. A little flat bread, some cheese, and vegetables from the garden could describe the beginnings of several popular Italian restaurant foods. Here’s one for panzanella, a dish reminiscent of pizza but with a different result.
Every cook occasionally has to deal with unexpected vegetable leftovers. At the moment, I have several stalks of celery, half a yellow onion, and carrots. All I have to do is add in a can of beans and perhaps tomato sauce, cook about 30 minutes and I can serve minestrone soup, a staple of the Italian kitchen since the time of the Romans.
Delicious oven fried sesame chicken is sure to be a crowd pleaser. A healthier version of traditional fried chicken with lots of yummy herbs to give it a delicious bite.
Before California became part of the United States, it was part of the territory of Spain that included parts of Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Mexico. At that time, the lovely coastal town of Monterey was the regional capital. It is easy to imagine this stew being made by the Spanish friars at the local mission.
During the time of the great cattle drives in the Southwest, cowboys would spend weeks in the wilderness, where their only hot food was made in a frying pan or a Dutch oven, as shown above. A skilled cook could work magic in these humble lidded pots, throwing together...
About Ann McCormick
I Believe
Books I Like