Tag: lifestyle
A table set for a feast. Wishing you all a Merry Christmas!
How I love my window treatments!
A mix of old and new.
A splash of orange.
We just installed this little girl’s room today. Bold and fearless just like her – success!
Wallpaper from Osborne and Little. Chair from Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams with Duralee fabric.
Pasta e Fagioli
Simple and hearty, this true peasant dish will definitely warm you up.
This is a great dish to make on a cold winter’s night. Simple and hearty, this true peasant dish will definitely warm you up. Pasta e fagioli translates to beans and pasta; it is often pronounced “pasta fazool” in the United States after the pronunciation of the word beans in the Neapolitan language.
The recipe for this soup varies based on the region or town in which it is prepared. The consistency of the dish can also vary, with some versions being soupy while others are much thicker. Some variations do not include tomatoes at all but are made from a broth, and some use a pancetta in the base of the sauce.
The recipe I had was pretty basic, so after looking through a few of my cookbooks I decided to go with my recipe but add a few ingredients. As always, my measurements are estimated and you may need to adjust them.
Most recipes use dried beans, which need to be soaked as directed. If time is a factor, canned beans can be used. I use pancetta, but some recipes use bacon. Both can be optional, although I feel that the pancetta gives the pasta e fagioli that extra flavor. If you want a lighter soup, use half of the tomatoes to start with and add the rest if needed. I also take a rind of the Parmesan cheese and add it to the mixture while cooking, a tip I learned years ago from my favorite Italian deli in the Bronx.
Ingredients:
½ lb pancetta
1 large onion
1 carrot
1 rib celery
1 glove garlic, optional
1 14 oz. can cannelloni beans, or dried beans
1 14 oz can garbanzo beans, or dried beans
8 oz of vegetable or chicken stock
2 cups of water
1 28 oz can of San Marzano tomatoes
1/2 cup olive oil
1 Bay leaf
2 Sprigs of rosemary
2 Sprigs of thyme
1/4 cup basil, chopped
¼ cup parsley, chopped
1/2 tsp coarse black pepper
Salt and Pepper to taste
Rind of Parmesan cheese
1 lb ditalini pasta
Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
1 loaf of crusty bread
Serves 4 to 6
Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven. In a food processor, chop the pancetta, add it to the olive oil, and brown until golden. Add the coarse black pepper at this time. Chop the garlic, onion, carrot, and celery and add to the pancetta. Sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the vegetable or chicken stock and 2 cups of water. Crush the tomatoes by hand and add to mixture, then bring to a slow boil. Drain and rinse the beans and add to the pot.
Wrap the thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf in a piece of cheese cloth. Secure with kitchen twine and add to the mixture along with the chopped parsley and basil. Season with salt and pepper. Add the rind of the parmesan cheese and let the mixture simmer.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the pasta. Cook until al dente and drain the pasta, reserving some of the liquid. Remove the sachet of herbs and rind of cheese from the soup. Add the pasta and some of the reserved cooking liquid to reach the desired consistency. Check the seasoning; I usually add extra parsley and basil prior to serving. Let mixture simmer for a few minute to give the flavors a chance to blend.
Ladle into soup dishes and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Serve with a warm crusty loaf of Italian bread and, of course, your favorite salad.
Enjoy!
Granny’s Meatballs
Of all of my childhood memories, one of the most vivid was being at my great grandmother’s house on a Sunday and eating her delicious meatballs.
Of all of my childhood memories, one of the most vivid was being at my great grandmother’s house on a Sunday and eating her delicious meatballs. They would be piled high in a bowl and she would have them in the oven to stay warm. I think every one of us will tell you Granny’s meatballs were the best!
Her recipe has been handed down through the generations, and while I know the recipe has changed over time, what is most important is that it represents a tradition that has remained in my family to this day.
As a child, every Wednesday we had macaroni and meatballs, which I continued when I had my own family. To this day, I will keep a dish of meatballs in the oven after I cook them. It is the first place everyone looks when it is pasta night at our house!
I learned how to cook these morsels at a very young age and I have never measured any of the ingredients! I have done my best to give you estimates in measuring the ingredients.
I have also included my recipe for a marinara sauce that I use for pasta. I start my sauce with sausage, which gives it a great flavor. Whenever possible, use fresh ingredients.
Ingredients for Sauce:
1lb of Hot Italian sausage, cut into 2 inch pieces
1lb of Sweet Italian sausage, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 large onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 35 oz can of crushed tomatoes
2 6 oz cans of tomato paste
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1 cup fresh basil, chopped
½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
¼ cup fresh oregano, chopped
½ cup of water
Olive oil
1lb of dried pasta
In a large, heavy sauce pan or Dutch oven, heat olive oil. Place sausage in pan and brown on all sides. Add chopped onion and garlic and cook for a few minutes till translucent. Add water to pan with tomatoes and tomato paste. Fill one of the small and the large can with water, scraping any tomatoes from the can and add to pot, less water will give you a thicker sauce. Add the salt, pepper, basil, parsley and oregano. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Ingredients for Meatballs:
1 ½ lb of ground beef, veal, and pork (ground beef can be used alone if preferred)
2 eggs
½ cup grated Locatelli Romano cheese (adjust if needed)
4 to 5 slices white bread or Italian bread, ground in a food processor (do not pulse into crumbs I like to keep them a little coarse)
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
1 clove of garlic, or to taste
1 cup fresh parsley
½ cup fresh basil
¼ cup of water (or less)
Crisco oil
Place the ground meat mixture and eggs in a bowl. Chop the parsley, basil, and garlic in a food processor and add to mixture. Grind the bread in food processor and place in bowl. Add the Romano cheese and season mixture with salt and pepper. Add some of the water and mix together; if needed, you can add more bread. You do not want the mixture to get too soft or it will be hard to roll into meatballs.
In a large frying pan, add enough Crisco oil to cover the bottom of the pan. If you like, you can use olive oil, though I feel olive oil makes the meatballs get too soggy. Make sure the oil is hot as this will make a difference in how they cook. Roll the meatballs with your hands, and place into hot oil. Cook the meatballs until they are crusty, then turn. If you do not want them to be crusty on the outside, you can turn them earlier. Cook the meatballs until they browned all over and cooked through.
With a slotted spoon remove the meatballs from the frying pan. If you want to, place a few meatballs in a bowl to keep warm in the oven until ready to serve. Place the remaining meatballs in the marinara sauce until ready to serve.
Just before serving, cook your favorite pasta as directed and drain. Use a slotted spoon to remove the sausage and meatballs from the sauce and place in a separate bowl to serve. Ladle some of the marinara sauce into the bottom of a large pasta bowl, add the pasta and additional marinara sauce, and toss the pasta to coat. Serve with the meatballs, sausage, grated Locatelli Romano cheese, crusty Italian bread, and a salad.
I hope you enjoy this meal as much as we have throughout the years!
The Well Appointed House
The Well Appointed House blog covers home decor news, trends, DIY projects, as well as lifestyle topics such us travel, parenthood, shopping, gardening, fashion, and living well.
Melissa Hawks of Greenwich, CT, founded The Well Appointed House, a luxury home retail site, in 2002. Specializing in furniture, gifts, and decorative accessories, the online store was created with the goal of bringing the kind of home decor finds which are abundant in Manhattan to a more widespread audience. Since its launch, The Well Appointed House has grown to include over 10,000 items and has been featured by The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, CNBC, In Style, Harper’s Bazaar, House and Garden, and many others. The company offers items for every room in the house, including the patio and garden. There are so many different styles available, it’s possible to find just the right piece for any decor in a wide range of price points. The Well Appointed House is also great source for unique and beautiful gift ideas.
In 2010, Melissa created The Well Appointed House Blog as an extension of her retail brand. The blog covers home decor news, trends, DIY projects, as well as lifestyle topics such us travel, parenthood, shopping, gardening, fashion, and living well. With weekly updates, the blog is always a good source of inspiration. You can read about events in and around Greenwich, examine reviews of various products, and stay up to date on new fabrics, trends, and popular styles. Between the blog and the retail site, there is so much here to love!
In addition to the blog and retail site, you can find The Well Appointed House on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.
Quintessence Lifestyle Blog
Written by Stacey Bewkes, Quintessence focuses on “those special discoveries that make life just that much better.”
Quintessence is a lifestyle blog I really enjoy. Written by Stacey Bewkes, Quintessence focuses on “those special discoveries that make life just that much better.” After working as an art director in NYC for 17 years, Stacey left that world to raise her four children in Connecticut. She then created Quintessence to continue to say involved in every aspect of the world of design and fashion. Stacey attends design, lifestyle, and fashion events, and then blogs about them to bring the experience to her readers. She also shares content on topics from art to movies and food to books, meaning you’ll always find something new and interesting at Quintessence.
Quintessence appeals to me because it is very cultured. Stacey is worldly and involved and is always current on what’s happening. She really does her homework and is clearly knowledgeable. Her posts are interesting and relevant. Having had the opportunity to meet Stacey, I know she is a lovely lady, very passionate and direct!
I like the segment of Stacey’s blog called Behind the Q, which is a monthly post showcasing an individual stylemaker. I want more of it! Stacey really creates an intimate behind the scenes look of people such as Thom Felicia and Miles Redd. Her videos combined with the writing and several stunning photos is a clever new approach. I can’t wait for the next installment!
One of my favorite Quintessence posts was about NIBA rugs. It jogged my memory of a source I had seen before but hadn’t logged into my mental catalog of go-to rugs. I am so excited to incorporate some of these rugs into my interiors!
Since I was not able to make it to this year’s Southampton Showhouse, Stacey’s blogs about many of the spaces allowed me to think that I was there in person. I love the dining room, with the large drum fixture and dining room chairs. The combination is whimsical. Thanks, Stacey for great observations and attention to detail in every room you visited at the Southampton Showhouse!
Another fascinating blog post focused on Stacey’s visit to Tramshed during the London Design Festival. Although her visit to Tramshed was quick, Stacey still managed to take plenty of photos of incredible products from a variety of vendors. Sharing this kind of experience with readers is part of what makes Quintessence such a fascinating blog.
I love that I can use Quintessence as a catalog of great thoughts and a resource to turn to for inspiration! I hope you visit Quintessence soon; you can also find them on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest!