Italian Style: Vegan Gluten Free Dishes - Grilled Vegetables & Air Fried Sweet Potatoes

Here's another great couple of dishes I've perfected over the last year while we hunkered down during the pandemic.  I discovered that using an air fryer is actually very convenient and cooks so many meals in no time and in a healthier way.   Here's a great post about the benefits of using an air fryer: (Read here) 

This week I made a grilled vegetable  (zucchini and eggplant) for this I used my trusty old George Foreman grill, which I love.  I slice the vegetables on my cutting board usually in circle shape of the vegetable not long ways to get more onto the grill. I lay them onto the grill and drizzle a tad of olive oil, I only use extra virgin oil btw.  I also lay a few garlic slices across the layer of vegetables to give it an extra great taste, I love garlic. 

For the stuffed mushrooms, I combined my 4C Gluten Free bread crumbs with Kosher salt, garlic salt, dried basil, dried oregano, some slices of fresh garlic.  I then mix that and insert inside my cleaned mushrooms, I remove the stems and save those for an upcoming chicken dish or omelet contents.  I then drizzle olive oil onto the tops put into the air fryer at lower temp and for about 20 minutes.  You can add mozzarella cheese to the tops.  

My sweet potatoes are amazing! Let's just start there. I wash the potatoes first just to get any dirt off.  I think cut them into French fries shape, it took me a while to figure out to cut potatoes so they would be better in the air fryer.  

I then put them all cut into another dish and drizzle olive oil, garlic salt and dried basil.  I cover the dish and shake it making sure everything is coated.  I then put into the air fryer at a low temp for up to 25/ 30 minutes. I flip the potatoes often because I like them golden.   

Once all your dishes are done cooking I plate them and wow! Healthy, quick and very satisfying!  

 

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"Cooking With Nonna" Web Show Teams Up With KitchenAid.

Cooking With Nonna is back for a second season with all new great Italian recipes and new Nonne appearing on the show. Plus, KitchenAid, has joined forces with the Italian niche web show, where they will kick off a "10 Weeks! - 10 Appliances!" giveaway leading up to the holidays.

To be eligible to receive the appliance all you need to do is join the Cooking with Nonna Fan Club and then Join the Giveaway each week for the next 10 weeks. At the end of each week an appliance will be given out to one of our fans chosen at random. Then, to increase your chances of taking home the appliance, all you need to do is Invite Your Friends to join the Giveaway. You receive an extra entry in the Giveaway for that week that your friend joins. (see Official Rules for details).

"Tune in for Ossobuco con Gremolata with Nonna Carmen as she helps me prepare the signature dish from Milano. It is truly delicious and very easy to prepare ."--Rossella

Watch the show on Nonna TV and enjoy.

You can also follow Rossella on TWITTER-- @rossellarago

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Italian Host of Brindiamo TV, Ornella Fado Celebrates Italian Heritage Month With New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg.

Ornella Fado, host of "Brindiamo TV" on PBS, celebrated Italian Heritage Month at Gracie Mansion this past week with New York City Mayor Mike Bloomberg. Here was the Mayor's Intro:

MAYOR INTRO REMARKS:
"One of the best parts of our Italian Heritage Reception is always the food and drink. This year we’ve been fortunate to receive a number of delicious donations from around the city. Here to tell us more about them is a real expert on the subject. She is the host of Brindiamo! – the hit show on NYC-TV about Italian food in New York City.Please welcome Ornella Fado!"

Ornella continues to represent our Italian community with her impressive cultural show airing on PBS/NYC Television every Saturday at 10:30 am and prime time at 9:30 p.m.

Ornella is currently working on the launch of her new magazine. We wish her tanti auguri! Visit Ornella's site for up to date appearances and show schedules.

http://brindiamotv.com/Brindiamo%21/index.html.html

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Rosella Rago- "Cooking With Nonna"

Here's a really fun and great way to connect with your traditional Italian cooking roots. Rosella Rago, is an up and coming new talent, who is working on a web series project that will feature cooking traditions and recipes from nonnas all over the world. She put out a call in the Italian American community for everyone to participate and volunteer their favorite recipes from their Nonna. The project is expected to launch this upcoming year. Support our Italian American talent and visit Rosella's site for updates, new shows and participation.

http://www.cookingwithnonna.com/index.html Tweet

Celebrity Chef, Rocco DiSpirito Gets Real.

Celebrity chef and entrepreneur, Rocco DiSpirito has been busy lately. He had a great run on the hit television show, Dancing with the Stars, where he showed off his dancing and ballroom skills. Now, after coming out of a busy dance schedule, Rocco released his new book, "Rocco Gets Real," a great book for everyday Italian cooking. Not only is Rocco touring the country with his new book release and signings, he's also hosting his own show on A&E, called, "Rocco Gets Real," which airs on Saturday mornings at 10:00 am. Check Rocco's listings for book signings, he maybe in an area near you.

http://www.roccodispirito.com/

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Can Italian American Girls Cook?

You bet your ass we can, or at least some of us can..:) In this every changing world we live in, the roles of women and men have changed dramatically. We no longer expect the women to be slaving over the stove while holding Jr. and taking care of the home. (I know a lot of men would love this scenario--this isn't meant in a negative way.) But the reality of it is, that in today's demanding world and daily life, women are out in the work force kicking some serious ass.

I think the role expectation is completely thrown out the window because let's just face the truth, we all have to work!

Unless you and your hubby or significant other are clearing a nice paycheck, it becomes hard for the middle-class person to stay home and take care of the family or house. We've resorted to nannies, daycare, prepared meals, takeout and all sorts of other un-Godly remedies. But, its not our fault, no one is exempt, our lifestyle is demanding, we are stressed out, we have no time for hobbies or personal development. (which is a whole other topic)

So, getting back to "CAN ITALIAN AMERICAN GIRLS COOK,?" I will say, I can cook, but to speak for the rest of the millions of Italian American women, who are faced with the daily reality of no time, is not practical. Also, are women of Italian descent expected to be good cooks? Is it in the DNA? Maybe, and I hope it is.

Of course, I thought about this today, because here we are again and its Sunday. So, Sunday means dinner with the family. My mother cooked this amazing pasta with fresh sauce and then if you wanted to try another topping, she made fresh, pesto. (to die for!!, she made it from the basil in my father's garden.)

My mother can cook in a heartbeat, with the minimalist of ingredients and for the reason that she is, the food is always just so amazing. Fresh, tasty, authentic...so good. It made me think, I'm blessed that I have family who cook incredibly well, and for me its not always easy to get a traditional or even good dinner together because I too, work long hours.

So, now you ask what is our remedy..? What can we do as Italian American women to improve our cooking skills?

Look, I'm not advocating you go out and cook if thats not your thing, but I see it more of a personal development, growing your traditional skills, tapping into your root thing. ( yeah, thats it.) I think we can learn a lot from each other as women. In my sparetime though, yes of course, I hang out with the master of cooking, my mother. But when I'm not learning from her, I learn from others who are in the mainstream. I see nothing wrong with mainstream Italian chefs, as long as they are truly authentic. So, in sharing my thoughts on this dilemma, here are a few Italian American chefs that I love and think do a great job with cooking authentic, traditional Italian food. In an effort not to lose our traditional Italian ways and natural ability to cook, spend some time creating your own traditional meals. Happy Cooking!

http://www.lidiasitaly.com/

www.foodnetwork.com/everyday-italian/index.html

http://www.mariobatali.com/

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I was in Fritelli hell this summer!!

If you're a true Italian, then you know 'fritelli.' So, being that my mother decided to head over to Italy for the summer to visit family and because my uncle had passed, she was there to console her sister. When my mother is not home here in the states, it means one of us is going to take the fall for keeping up with my father's demands.

My father, God bless him is 78 years old and can out run me. His days are filled with tending to his massive garden and keeping the lawn prestine. In the midst of his daily jobs, he expects everyone to pitch in, whether you live in his house or not. I would come back from work late in the day and stop over where I would find in the kitchen and refrigerator a box of zucchini flowers. This was an everyday thing. Mind you these flowers are extremely hard to find in the grocers and cost a pretty penny.

So, in order not to let them go to waste, I would devote a few hours every other day to making fritelli. Now, fritellis are the most delicious thing you will ever eat. They're simple ingredients combined and fried with the flowers. Growing up my friends would flock to my house and wait for the hot fritellis to come off the stove, they are so good and absolutely addictive.

Because I work a lot, I really don't have a lot of time to grow my cooking skills. If I have to cook its minimal and just enough for me because I am also a health nut so my food is always very particular. Anyway, I couldn't keep up with the fritelli demand this summer and the more I made the more we gave away. My brothers and sister also did their fair share of cooking and reinventing what to do with the zucchini flowers but let me tell you...this little thing we call the fritella is amazing. Here is a simple recipe on how to cook them.

1. Clean a bunch of zucchini flowers (they're are always little garden bugs in them, so be sure to thoroughly clean.)

2. Add flour, salt, pepper, a handful of chopped basil and a really diced, small garlic.

3. Add just enough water to make the entire bowl of ingredients look like pancake mix. (If you make it too watery, they come out like crap so be cheap as you add water.)

4. Then, make sure you have a pan or wok ready to be fired up and the oil has to be super hot.

5. Add scoops of fritelli mix to the pan like you're making pancakes.(same idea)

6. Fry each side till they're golden and then lighly salt.

7. Eat and be merry.

Now, for those of you who need specifics on how much to put in each thing, really there is no such thing, use your eye and periodically taste the mix to make sure its salty enough. Sorry, but this is old school Calabrese style fritelli cooking.

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