As I’ve said in the past, eating out/ordering in is a colossal waste of money and beyond the occasional breakdown or special night out I tend not to reach for the Chinese take out menu or make reservations at our local restaurant very often.  My other rationale for not eating out is that I simply will not get the same […]

Good Life and Food Most people live beyond their means because they want to feel and be perceived as being wealthy.  A Coach handbag or Mercedes-Benz  sedan screams, “hey, look at me I can spend money and feel good about it!”  Feeling good about buying stuff or leading a “high-end” lifestyle is not inherently a bad thing, afterall we all […]

Guide to Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Eight Extra Virgin Olive Oil Basics Italians consume olive oil like it’s water and our grandparents, for example, used olive oil for cooking, shining shoes, preserving food, lubricating machinery (including various shotguns), and curing various ailments (including stomach ulcers).  I wouldn’t recommend you use olive oil to lubricate your shotgun, but we’d […]

Maria Laurino of the NY Times recently published an article on the Italian-American tradition of serving seven fishes during the holiday season (the feast of the seven fishes) and here’s her explanation on on why many Italian-Americans prepare fish on Christmas Eve: “The significance of seven types of fish has yielded numerous theories, including a correspondence to the number of […]

If you’re looking for a hardy salad to satisfy your hunger during the winter months, look no further than my all time favorite snow-month salad: Fennel, Honey Crisp Apple, and arugula Salad.   Lets start with the ingredients: – 1 medium sized fennel (you should be able to find this vegetable at most markets; here on the East coast it’s […]

I’m often asked what my favorite meals or recipes are and folks are shocked or confused when I say something like Sautéed Escarole with Garlic or baked broccoli or that I treasure a ripe organic pear over a well marbled sirloin steak.  However, it’s true, I like my food simple and fresh (preferring fish over red meat, raw nuts over processed […]

(photo: cooking onions at home) According to an Indiana Business Review article, individuals in the United States between the ages of 25-54 spend an average of $2833.00 each year on eating out (this is according to 2004 data).  While the number is not surprising, it did get me thinking about personal finance and daily eating habits.  Given the current economy, […]

I like using our oven as often as possible during the winter months because not only do roasted vegetables, meats, etc. taste great but your oven adds a little bit of heat to your kitchen. One oven recipe I turn to often is roasted winter vegetables.  Here is what you’ll need: –    1 large red onion–    2 medium sized sweet […]

Along with making our own wine and sun dried tomatoes,  my family also cans fresh plum tomatoes every August for use throughout the year.  The canned tomatoes are used mostly for making tomatoe sauce.  Canning your tomatoes produces a better tasting tomato sauce and, of course, saves you money over the long term (especially after you’ve owned the canning equipment for several years). Tomato […]

If you ever feel like there is nothing in the house to cook for dinner, but you have a few eggs in the refrigerator, then a frittata might be what you’re looking for. It is a simple meal that gives you the protein that you need to help you feel satisfied at dinner. Here is a recipe for an easy […]