Beet & Arugula Salad

If you're looking for a beautiful, easy salad to serve at Christmas, look no further!!

This stunning beet and arugula salad is incredible!

I absolutely love beets! I love everything about them! The flavor, the texture and the color.

I like to pair them with creamy goat cheese, nuts, peppery arugula and my AMAZING orange-dijon dressing!

INGREDIENTS FOR 4-6 PEOPLE

-1.5 Lbs beets (golden, ruby or candy cane if you're lucky enough to find them!)

-2-3 cups of arugula

-3 Tbsp chopped toasted pistachio nuts

- Juice and zest of one orange

-1/2 cup of flavorless oil (sunflower, grape seed, or a light olive oil)

-1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

-1/2 tsp salt

-Thyme (optional)

METHOD

1. Cut off the ends of the beets, coat them in EVOO and salt, wrap hem tightly in foil and roast them at 400F° between 45-60 minutes depending on the size

2. To check if they are cooked, insert a thin knife in the beets and if it goes in and out easily, they are ready, remember, they will continue cooking as they sit, so a little underdone is better

3. Once cooked, let them cool, peel them and slice them in wedges

4. Arrange them on a bed of arugula, sprinkle with goat cheese and pistacchio, and drizzle with the dressing! Buon Appetito Amici!

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Linguine Alle Vongole

This pasta dish transports me to my beloved Napoli, every time I make it.

I remember my nonno Pasquale coming home on Sundays, with bags full of fresh fish, that he bought 'al mercato'.

He would plop them on the table, and say:" Adriá vir c'aggia accattat!" That's Neapolitan dialect for:"Adriana look what I bought!" And my nonna would be so happy!

My job was always to clean the calamari or to gut the little fish, even at 6 years old!

I wasn't very fond of the job, but I loved being part of the cooking process! So much love, so much skill and passion involved in preparing the simple, yet spectacular feasts!

Plus I was always recognized for my small, yet important contribution.

"Brava Rosy" everyone would say. I felt such pride. You see, how could I not become who I am today? It is in my DNA! I am a lover of food, family, culture and tradition, so today I want to share one of my favorite recipes with you.

I really hope you give it a try!

INGREDIENTS FOR 2 SERVINGS

-1 kg clams, the smaller the better

-200 gr bronze die pasta

-1/2 cup EVOO

-1 cup halved ripe grape/cherry tomatoes

-2 garlic cloves

-1/2 cup white wine

-Lots of fresh Italian parsley

-Chili pepper optional, but absolutely recommend

-Salt to taste

METHOD

1. Rinse clams multiple times and keep them in cold salted water in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight so they purge

2. When ready to use, rinse them again until water is clear

3. Turn the heat on the pasta pot on high. Use a smaller pot so water is starchier.

4. Heat halt the oil in a wide pan. Add a few parsley stems, a small chili and a smashed garlic clove

5. Add the clams, cover with a lid and once in a while shake the pan to move the clams around

6.Once the clams start opening, remove them from the pan, one at a time. If some do not open, discard them

7. Strain the juice left in the pan through a wet and squeezed coffee filter or paper towel and reserve

8. In the same pan, add the other half of the oil, the tomatoes, garlic and chili, and cover

9. Start cooking the pasta. Add the wine, and reserved clam juice to the pan.

10. Try the sauce and season with salt if necessary.

11. Once pasta is half cooked, add it to the pan with a ladel of pasta water and stir

12. Keep stirring and adding pasta water as necessary

13. Once pasta is al dente, add the shelled clams, minced parsley and stir for a few seconds.

14. Turn heat off and plate!

15. Garnish with a few reserved clams in the shell, more parlsey and a drizzle of EVOO.

Buon Appetito!

Suasage & Butternut Gnocchi

Another delicious gnocchi dish: Butternut Squash & Sausage Gnocchi.

Such delicious fall flavors!

Perfect balance of sweet and savory, try it!

INGREDIENTS FOR 2-3 SERVINGS

-2 Italian sausages (casing removed)

-1 cup diced butternut squash

-1 shallot

-1lbs gnocchi

-3 tbsp EVOO

-2 tbs butter

-1/4 cup water 1/4 cup white wine

-Sage

-Parsley

-Salt to taste

-Nutmeg

-A shower of Parmigiano Reggiano

METHOD

1. While the pasta water is coming to a boil, cook the sausage on medium heat, in a wide pan

2. Add the sliced shallot, a pinch of salt, the water and cover with a lid

3.When the shallot has softened, add the white wine, the butternut, the sage and cover

4. Cook until the squash is tender, and add a pinch of nutmeg

5. Once the gnocchi are cooked, add them to the pan, add the butter and a ladle of pasta water

6. Cook for a couple of minutes while stirring and serve with lots of Parmigiano Reggiano!

Buon appetito!