January is probably my least-favorite month. For the productivity freak inside me, it’s great because I’m full of ideas, lists, and empty notebooks. But for the animal being inside, I’m longing for sun, and not gray, or rain, or even snow. Since I moved to Milan, I have grown to dread January – all of [...]

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I wrote on my healthy living site, Food Blogger on a Diet, about how much I’ve come back to eat (and let myself enjoy) nut butters recently. I probably have some every day, and now I make my own!

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Panzanella is a very simple, moist and fresh bread salad from Tuscany. Panzanella is a great summer recipe because you don’t have to turn on the oven – no cooking is required.  Crunchiness doesn’t come from the bread but from the cucumbers and onions. Its fresh ingredients (and a little water) rejuvenate day-old bread, while [...]

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This past weekend was Labor Day in the U.S., and while Italy, like the rest of Europe celebrates Labor Day on May 1st, I was thinking about the multiple barbecues and party food eaten this weekend. One of the ultimate party foods is the (Mexican) 7-layer dip with refried beans, guacamole, sour cream, cheese, olives, [...]

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Since I got back from France, I have been dreaming and obsessing over French Onion soup. I ate it quite a bit in France and put it on my list to re-create. When I sat down to make it, I decided I didn’t want to make it exactly as the French do, and adjusted it [...]

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