Pasta once a week is a staple at our house.   We love the endless possibilities pasta presents.  With over 50 distinct types—even more when you add in the different sizes– that number goes even higher.  Today’s recipe is a riff on one in this…

We love Chowder and this is a great one. Chowder is very basic and cooked simply. Today’s recipe consists of the basic elements of potatoes and onions, pork, milk, and cream.  It follows the recipe that has made New England famous for its chowders. But…

The Bolognese Revelation from Stanley Tucci’s Searching for Italy – An Authentic Twist You Need to Know When it comes to Bolognese, we’ve all been in the habit of letting it simmer for hours, haven’t we? That slow-cooked, rich, meaty flavor developing bit by bit,…

I don’t think I ever cooked a stuffed shell until I saw this recipe. This wonderful vegetarian dish is made up of a host of ingredients.  Boursin Cheese and Cannellini beans give the filling of these shells their creaminess. The subtle heat comes from Calabrian…

Stanley Tucci’s 6-part series for CNN is an Italophile’s dream. For one hour a week, its viewers are immersed in the food of a single region of Italy.  For lovers of the Italian language, there’s a surprising amount of it spoken here. Subtitles are provided…

Turn Store-Bought Tortellini into a rich Creamy Soup in no time. As easy as it is, Creamy Tortellini Soup delivers a wonderfully creamy-rich soup packed with cheese tortellini and fresh spinach and carrots. I’d be tempted to call it a stew.  The secret to its…

 Ina Garten has done it again. Her 12th cookbook in 20 years is considered to be her best ever. Titled “Modern Comfort Food: A Barefoot Contessa cookbook”, the new book arrived in October of last year.  As Katherine Gillen of PureWow.com wrote, “Maybe it’s because…

Ina Garten is one of those Food Mavens who can do no wrong. The Barefoot Contessa has by far the most popular posts on Chewing The Fat. Three of her recipes are in the Top Ten.  And they’re never the same three—varying by the season. …

Of all the foods we miss, simple Mexican food is high on our list. We are spoiled in the city living just a block from a Tacqueria that turns out Mexican favorites so good and so inexpensive, I seldom bother making them at home.  But…

A Vegetarian Pasta kicks off Asparagus Season with a twist. The first asparagus of the season is something we can’t wait for.  Asparagus has become a virtually year-round staple, imported off-season from South America. But nothing compares to the home-grown variety. We love asparagus so…

A transformative dish that takes me to a much happier place. I think it will do the same for you. These days dinner means more than mere sustenance. While we all ‘shelter in place’, it’s a mighty punctuation point to our day. Dinner is a…

Beloved Italy is beset with a healthcare crisis like no other. You would have to be living in outer space not to be following the story of the Covid-19 Virus. And if you have an affinity for Italy, I am sure your heart, like mine,…

Is there anything better than a bowl of Tomato Soup? Why yes! When you serve it with a great Grilled Cheese Sandwich.             I can never make soup without thinking of my Mother. She was simply incredulous that anyone would go to the trouble when,…

How much dry pasta makes a great bowl of pasta and sauce? We love a great bowl of pasta. It’s one of our most favorite comfort foods, especially on a cold winter night. I am particularly fond of Orecchiette, the little “ears” — the exact…