Becoming Italian

Sunday Dinner a Pictoral

2012-02-22T01:13:00.000-08:00

I'm getting closer to becoming Italian

2012-02-21T10:20:00.000-08:00

OK, after nearly 4 years of marriage I finally changed my last name at the begging of my husband. So I now have an ending in an "O" Italian last name. I don't have my new signature figured out (my old one was world renown as the best, unable to be duplicated signature ever) but in due time.

Ciao!

Figgy the Italian Fairy

2012-02-21T10:16:00.001-08:00

Figgy the Italian Fairy

The Fairy Figgy loves all the trees

but her favorite of all has big sweet fig leaves.

She sings and dances and glows with much love.

She even talks to the figs in their own native tongue.

Figgy speaks Italian,

a language so sweet.

Another fairy who speaks it

she has yet to meet.

The Fairy Queen one day had a sorrowful job.

One lonely fig tree, she had heard it sob.

"This cannot be, all trees must be sprite

I'm sending Figgy to tend, immediately tonight."

Figgy was sent to an area unknown.

She didn't know the fairies,

she didn't know the gnomes.

Figgy was scared when she arrived late that night,

she ran to her tree and sang "It'll be alright".

She looked at the house and in the window she saw

a fairy like human a couple feet tall.

Figgy grew happy, she knew she'd be fine

she had her own fig tree and a little human divine.

One day her humans were out in the sun

her little human divine was having much fun.

The language they spoke made the fig stand with pride,

Figgy's ears perked to listen and her heart happily cried,

"I found more like me, this was the Queen's plan

She sent me to live where they speak Italian."

-Kimberly Demetrio

B is in Italian school. She understands the language quite well, yet, doesn't use it much on her own. To encourage her to speak more of the language I made this wool fairy to hang in our window, looking out at our fig tree. I wrote the story to go along as a reference. B loved the story and the fairy. She still doesn't like to speak Italian much, but I have caught her using her new language skills whispering to Figgy in the window. My plan is working!

You say Gravy, I say Sauce. Let’s Call it Ragu!

2011-10-05T13:21:00.000-07:00

You say Gravy, I say Sauce. Let’s Call it Ragu!

In many an Italian home on Sunday morning a big pot of Ragu is simmering to be ready for Sunday dinner. It is the simplest of recipes, quite economical, and can feed you for a week! Here’s how we make it in our home.

Demetrio Ragu

2.5lb Boston Roast: cut up in big chunks

7 cloves Garlic: smashed

1 large onion: chopped

EVOO to coat the bottom of your BIG POT

Splash of white wine (optional)

¼ can tomato paste

6lb tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes

Salt/Pepper to taste

Sautee onions in EVOO until they are soft, add garlic and meat. Brown the meat, let the juices cook off a bit to avoid greasy gravy. Add your splash of white wine. Stir. Add tomato sauce & paste. Stir over medium heat for about 15 minutes. Add Salt & Pepper and other herbs here if you’d like. You can never go wrong with a bit of oregano!

Turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for 3-5 hours. If it gets too thick for your liking add water. Here’s a little secret, when putting the lid on the pot, rest the wooden spoon on the rim so the steam escapes and doesn’t turn the ragu into a watery mess.

Don't you just love our Vintage Pot?

Turn the gravy every 15 minutes or so, SCRAPE THE BOTTOM of the pot so nothing sticks or burns.

When done, traditionally the meat is removed and plated separately from the pasta and gravy. Top your pasta of choice with the Ragu, grate some cheese on it, and enjoy!

Flag Day Feast?

2011-08-05T08:45:00.001-07:00

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel

2011-07-14T07:52:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we attended the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel at the National Italian Parish in the Archdiocese of Chicago.

I am not Catholic. The pomp & circumstance of the religion intrigues me. The devotion, tradition, and rituals are fascinating. The number of saints blows my mind.

This weekend I learned about Our Lady of Mount Carmel. From the church's website, here's the cliff notes version of how this ornately and highly regarded Lady of Mount Carmel came to be.

Mrs. Emanuella De Stefano came to the United States circa 1870 and bought property – farmland – at 25th and North Avenue. In 1894, Mrs. DeStefano’s husband became ill. Her fervent prayers to Our Lady of Mount Carmel spared his life, and in thanksgiving, Emanuella collected funds from her friends and commissioned Neapolitan artist Raffelle della Campa to create a replica of the famous statue of Our Lady of Mount Carmel that was long-venerated in a church in Laurenzana, Provincia Potenza.

The statue arrived at the De Stefano farm, and it was here that the first Feast Mass was held in Melrose Park with the new statue of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on July 16, 1894.

After visiting the statue in the church we feasted on Italian Ice, Fried Dough, and Funnel Cake. We "won" a very expensive dolphin balloon and watched B as she had her 3rd ride ever on a carousel. I also scored some prayer cards with the Statue's image on them AND a blessed scapular. For you non-catholics this is a necklace that if worn when you die may just get you in the VIP part of the pearly gates' line! How awesome is that?

Prayer to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel

Feast Day July 16th

O beautiful flower of Carmel,

most fruitful vine, splendor of

Heaven, holy and singular, who

brought forth the Son of God

still remaining a pure virgin, assist

us in our necessities. O star of

the sea, help and protect us.

Show us that thou art our Mother.

Tiramisu. Pick me up, I'm in love!

2011-07-14T06:17:00.000-07:00

Desserts. I LOVE them! One of my tried and true loves has always been Tiramisu (means "pick me up" in Italian). Buca di Beppo restaurants serve my all time favorite 'su. Its a huge honking bowl of sweet, coffee, liquor, cream cheese deliciousness that is meant to be shared but I dare not!

My in-laws make a killer tiramisu also. Here's the recipe.

3 large eggs

4 tablespoons sugar

8 oz mascarpone cheese

2 cups cold strong black coffee or espresso

5 tablespoons of Frangelico

1 package Savoiardi ladyfinger biscuits

Unsweetened cocoa powder

Separate the eggs in a bowl. Beat the yolks and sugar, until fully combined and creamy. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Add the mascarpone to the yolk mixture, a spoonful at a time. Stir until all is incorporated and mixture is smooth. Slowly fold in the egg whites. Set aside.

Combine the coffee and Frangelico in a shallow dish. Dip half the package of ladyfingers (one at a time) in the liquid, soaking both sides. Don't let them soak too long, they will fall apart! Line a serving dish with the coffee coated ladyfingers. Pour half the mascarpone mixture into the dish to cover the ladyfinger layer. Dip the remaining fingers in the coffee and repeat the layering. Pour the remaining mascarpone mixture on the ladyfingers and smooth the surface.

Cover and chill for at least 2 hours in a refrigerator.The colder the better so if you can, leave it overnight! Before serving coat top with sifted cocoa powder. Serve and enjoy!

Spinach Rigatoni Bake

2011-07-13T09:01:00.000-07:00

Here's an off the cuff recipe I put together with what I had on hand. It turned out GREAT!

Spinach Rigatoni Bake

8 oz sliced mushrooms

1 large onion

4 cloves garlic

8 cups fresh baby spinach

2 large cans tomato sauce

Salt, pepper, oregano to taste

1 pound rigatoni noodles

1/2 cup shredded asiago

1 8 oz brick of fresh mozzarella

Sauté in EVOO the mushrooms, onions, garlic until all are soft. Add spinach, continue to sauté until spinach is soft and reduced. Add tomato sauce. Add seasoning to taste. Turn to a slow simmer.

Cook rigatoni noodles half way. In a deep rectangular baking dish begin layering. Sauce mixture first, rigatoni, sauce, asiago, mozzarella. Repeat until all sauce and noodles are in dish.

Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove foil and bake until top layer of cheese is melted and slightly browned.

Serve hot with fresh bread, a fresh salad, and a glass of Chianti!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Toddler classe di italiano

2011-07-12T19:49:00.000-07:00

Today I registered my daughter for Italian School! She will be attending the classe di italiano one day a week at Language Stars in Hinsdale.

After much searching for a Montessori preschool that offered Italian (Montessori was Italian for heaven's sake) and finding none, the next best option was Language Stars! It's not as pricey as a Montessori school (thank God) but certainly is not as cheap as a public English only preschool (boohoo).

This coming Monday we go to sit in on a class, then August 29th via al divertimento!

Strawberry Italian Ice

2011-07-12T17:33:00.001-07:00

Strawberry Italian Ice~Fragola Ghiaccio

Perfect on a hot summer day!

Yes, we have a Gelato Maker, not an Ice Cream Maker :-)

1 pound fresh Strawberries

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

Juice of 1 lemon

1 egg white

Make a simple syrup. Bring water and sugar to a boil. Remove from heat once sugar is dissolved. Pour in a bowl and place in refrigerator to cool.

Purée the fresh strawberries. Add lemon juice and mix well.

Combine syrup and puree mixture. Cool for at least an hour. When cool, mix in one lightly whisked egg white then put mixture into ice cream maker.

Run ice cream maker per manufacturer instructions. Serve ice immediately or freeze for up to 3 hours.

Buon Appetito!

(Instead of sugar, I used Splenda to save some calories)

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta

2011-07-07T06:03:00.000-07:00

Sun Dried Tomato Pesto Pasta

4 ounces sun-dried tomatoes

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1/4 cup chopped pine nuts (or pistachios)

3 tablespoons chopped onion

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup red wine

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese salt to taste

Place sun-dried tomatoes in a bowl and cover with warm water for 5 minutes, or until tender.

In a food processor combine sun-dried tomatoes, basil, parsley, garlic, pine nuts and onion; process until well blended. Add vinegar and red wine, and process. Stir in olive oil and Parmesan cheese. Season with salt to taste.

Pour on pasta noodles, serve immediately. I like to grate some old asiago on each bowl to add a bit more sharpness.

Tonight's Coffee Ceremony

2011-07-06T18:46:00.001-07:00

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

The Farmers Market is OPEN!

2011-06-06T16:46:00.001-07:00

Tonight is the first night of our local farmers market. Since the season is early the produce available is slim.

We did score some delicious asparagus. We grilled it up and served it with a wonderful Old Asiago! Minimal yet quite satisfying.

Our excitement is growing for the mushroom farmer and pretzel bread baker to set up shop soon too! Let the countdown to next Monday begin.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Quick Spinach Pizza

2011-05-30T06:46:00.000-07:00

The other night we were scavenging through the kitchen for dinner ideas. Fortunately I had pizza dough thawed so whoa-la, Spinach Pizza it was.

Quick Spinach Pizza

1- ball pizza dough

2 tomatoes

1 box thawed spinach (or fresh baby spinach if you have some

1 Fresh Mozzarella ball

Olive Oil

Garlic

Salt & Pepper to taste

The instructions are easy: Build the pizza!
Drizzle olive oil and garlic on the dough. cut the mozzarella into thin slices and place all over the dough. Place the sliced tomatoes on the cheese. If using thawed frozen spinach, dry it as much as possible before adding to pizza and put it on top so the dough doesn't get too soggy. Bake for about 10 minutes on 425.

Portobollo Fungo Caprese

2011-05-29T06:42:00.000-07:00

Perfect for the grilling season, Portobello Mushroom Caprese!

Portobollo Fungo Caprese

1 Good sized portobello mushroom cap, wiped clean

Olive Oil

Garlic Powder

1 oz Mozzarella Cheese

Tomato

Balsamic Vinegar

Basil for garnish

Salt & Pepper for taste

Drizzle olive oil on both sides of the mushroom cap, sprinkle with garlic powder. Let sit for 10 minutes or so.

Fire up the grill! Place the mushroom caps on grill, inside down. Grill for approximately 5 minutes then flip. Put about 1 oz Fresh Mozzarella on the cap. Continue grilling until cheese is melted. Remove from grill, put a couple tomato slices on each cap, a bit of salt and pepper, a sprinkle of balsamic and garnish with basil.

Serve with a nice side salad and cold fruit!

Buonappetito!

Strawberry & Pancake Breakfast Parfait

2011-05-04T09:10:00.000-07:00

OK, this isn't really Mediterranean but gosh darn it was good! (And so easy to make!)

Strawberry & Pancake Breakfast Parfait

2 Silver dollar sized pancakes (from a box mix is fine)

1/4 cup cottage cheese

1/2 cup fresh or frozen strawberries

3 tablespoons Corn Syrup

In a small saucepan put the strawberries, corn syrup, and a splash of water. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, smash the strawberries, let cool.

Make your pancakes while your strawberry syrup is cooling.

In a small bowl (I used a ramekin) put the parfait together.

Break up in pieces one pancake, put in bottom of bowl as first layer. Add cottage cheese as second layer. Take half of the strawberry syrup and use as third layer. Break up second pancake as fourth layers and top with remainder of strawberry syrup. Eat!

Color Your Pasta

2011-04-25T21:19:00.000-07:00

How fun? I came across "Paint the World Super Coloring" that has printable coloring pages of things Italian!

Had to share!

Italy is living in our home!

2011-04-19T11:18:00.000-07:00

Literally.

Last week we brought home a 4 month old Italian Greyhound puppy. Of course we had to name her Italia!

Benvenuti Italia!

Mangiamo! Tastes of a Toddler

2011-04-05T11:12:00.001-07:00

B wanted to have a picnic with me. Her menu request...cheese, crackers, and grapes.

Mangiamo!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

You say Panini, I say Yum!

2011-03-28T08:31:00.000-07:00

We love, love, love our new Panini press! Here's a delicious quickie that will have you imagining yourself eating this at an open cafe in Roma!

Homemade French bread adds to the rustic simplicity

The front so you can see the layers of Yum

Wish I was in Rome Panini

1 chicken breast, grilled

2 slices thick french bread

2 oz Fresh mozzarella

1 Tomato

1 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

1 tbsp EVOO

Fresh Basil & Oregano

1/4 tsp garlic powder

Salt

In a small bowl mix the Balsamic, EVOO, herbs, garlic powder and salt. Brush vinegar mixture on the inside of the slices of bread. Layer the chicken, tomato slices, mozzarella in between the slices. Place on press and grill until cheese is melted and the bread is crunchy.

Alternate version: Leave the chicken out and have a nice Caprese Panini.

Lingua di Gatto

2011-03-27T07:51:00.000-07:00

Another wonderfully delicious recipe from GialloZafferano. Lingua di Gatto (Cat's Tongue) cookies. My daughter just loves these. I have yet to bake them for her, she gets hers fresh from the ovens of her Grande Zia.

If you're wanting to practice your Italian, the recipe can be found here. In the mean time I'll be translating it to post.

Biscotti! Easy as...pie?

2011-03-26T04:20:00.000-07:00

I've learned the key to biscotti is having a great base recipe.

With this you can add any flavor imaginable.

Basic Biscotti

1/2 cup vegetable or olive oil (My preference is EVOO)

1 cup sugar

3 1/4 cups AP Flour

3 eggs

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tbsp anise extract

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. I a medium bowl beat oil, eggs, sugar, extract until well blended. Combine the flower and baking powder, then start adding to the egg mixture. The dough will be thick and sticky. Divide dough into 2 halves and form each half into long logs then press down to flatten to 1/2 inch or so. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes. Cut into 1" thick slices. Put back in over for about 10 more minutes, flipping each piece half way. The biscotti should be a toasted brown.

Flavor & Add in Ideas

Almond extract w/almond slivers

vanilla extract w/dried cranberries

chocolate chips

dip in melted chocolate

Grana Padano-the best cheese ever!

2011-03-25T04:28:00.000-07:00

I love cheese. Soft, hard, aged, fresh, sharp, mild. Cheeses are as intricate and unique as wine.

The best cheese I have ever had is Grana Padano. OMG! This cheese is more a dessert with a fruity sweet hint softening the sharp flavor and grainy texture. I didn't want to drink anything after tasting this cheese for fear of washing away the unbelievable flavor. Of course, you get what you pay for so yep, Grana Padano is not on the cheap side and is well worth the money. A little can go a long way.

This post isn't meant to be an ad for the cheese. The reason I even mention this cheese is because I was enjoying an Old Asiago hard cheese which is very good all its own, but not great like Grana.

I also have in our possession an aged Parma-Romano that is unique as well. This cheese is buttery with a salty ping at the end. Not great for eating plain; following it with a nice sweet red or crumbling it over pasta is ideal.

OK, I'm finished talking about cheese. Until I get more!

Al contadino non far sapere quanto è buono il formaggio con le pere.

“Do not let the peasant know how good cheese is with pears.”

Risotto di Pomodoro e Zucchine

2011-03-24T08:52:00.000-07:00

Risotto, everyone knows is hard to prepare. Or that is what I thought until now! Risotto di pomodoro e zucchine is a pilaf that with just a few minutes and a few ingredients is easy to prepare, inexpensive, and delizioso.

Informazioni di base:
Risotto is a certain type of short grain rice with a softer exterior shell that slowly absorbs liquids and creates a creamy consistency. This creamy consistency is what differentiates risotto from good ole Uncle Ben's.

Tomato & Zuccini Pilaf

1.5 cups vegetable stock

2 cups peeled tomatoes (canned or fresh)

2 cups zuccini chopped

1 sweet white onion chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

2 tablespoons EVOO

1/4 teaspoon ground Cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1.5 cups Risotto or whatever rice you have in your pantry

Salt & Pepper to taste

1/4 cup chopped fresh green herbs. I prefer basil or parsley with tomato & broth based dishes.

Heat the stock on low heat until a simmer. Saute the onion & garlic in the EVOO until soft, maybe 15 minutes. Add the tomatoes, zuccini, cinnamon, and sugar and continue cooking for another 5-8 minutes until all are soft. Add the simmered rice. Stir, cover, cook about 15 minutes until the rice is soft and the liquid has been mostly absorbed. Remove from heat, add salt, pepper, herbs. Serve warm.

St. Joseph's Day Pasta con la Mollica

2011-03-19T12:53:00.000-07:00

March 19th is St. Joseph's Day. Every year my inlaws make Pasta con la Mollica (Pasta with Crumbs: the crumbs represent sawdust in celebration of St. Joseph being a carpenter) for dinner and Zeppole for dessert. I have to admit, the pasta is an acquired taste. Its very rich and filling and unique; most regions have their own variation of the recipe. Here's my FIL's

Pasta con la Mollica

There are no measurements. Everything is to taste.

Reginette Pasta

Anchovy

Walnut

Bread crumbs

Olive Oil

Garlic

Brown minced garlic and chopped anchovy in oil. In seperate bowl combine chopped walnuts and breadcrumbs. Remove oil mixture from heat, add cooked pasta. Stir to coat. Place pasta mixture into bowl and coat with breadcrumb walnut mixture. Serve immediately.

Best husband in the world!

2011-03-07T09:04:00.000-08:00

Yep, I got him! He remembered the Festa della Donna and had flowers sent to me!

Grazie il mio amore!

He called everywhere but Mimosa flowers were not available (many florists hadn't heard of them)

Chicken en Papillote with Vegetables

2010-11-09T11:09:00.000-08:00

Finally back to homemade dinners! This past month our kitchen was in shambles so fast food was our go-to. Tonight to kick off our back to good food November I'm making Chicken en Papillote with Vegetables. I got the recipe from the Sonoma Diet Cookbook, but as I do with just about every recipe, I changed it up!

Here's the recipe that I made:
1 lb chicken breast halves
2 tbsp Olive oil
1 tbsp Fresh oregano
1 tbsp Fresh thyme
1 tsp grated lemon peel
Juice of 1 whole lemon
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 cups fresh broccoli florets
1 cup pea pods

Cut up the chicken into 1" bites. Put in a bowl. Add the oil, oregano, thyme, lemon peel, lemon juice, salt & pepper. Stir to coat the chicken and set bowl aside.

Chop up all your veggies.

Cut 4 big pieces of parchment paper. in the center of each start layering your veggies-except the green onions. I start biggest to smallest. On top of your pile o veggies, put your chicken. Sprinkle with the green onions.

Fold and crimp the parchment to make a pouch. Place on baking sheets. Bake for 20 minutes or until chicken is not pink at 400 degrees.

Enjoy!

Salsiccia fatta in casa

2010-08-30T20:32:00.000-07:00

Homemade Italian Sausage

Saturday as we were preparing the house for friends later that evening we decided to make sausage to serve for dinner stuffed in zucchini. It turned out wonderful and we as a family spent quality time in the kitchen together.

Italian Sausage

2lb ground pork
1 tbls salt
1 tbls ground fennel seed
1.5 tbls sweet paprika
1 tbls finely minced fresh garlic
1 tbls sugar
1 tsp pepper
3 tbls red wine vinegar

Directions: Mix all the ingredients together and cook! It went great in the zucchini covered in homemade marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese.

Insalatona nel pane

2010-08-17T05:42:00.000-07:00

A good way to learn Italian, for me, has been to viewing Italian websites. One recipe site I have fallen in love with is GialloZafferano (Yellow Saffron). We have not made this salad yet, but will be soon!

Insalatona nel pane

L'insalata Nizzarda (Niçoise salad)

2010-08-16T17:34:00.000-07:00

Strong, bold ingredients, reflecting the taste of the sun. Niçoise salad is a provenzale originaria di Nizza made famous in America by Julia Child. There are a number of recipes for this great first dish or main entre salad.

I modified my recipe to reflect what I had in my kitchen...and our tastes. Fortunately my husband and I do not care for anchovy. This recipe makes four good sized salads that keep great in the refrigerator.

L'insalata Nizzarda

Dressing

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon dijon-style mustard

1/4 teaspoon salt

black pepper to taste

Whisk all ingredients until combined,

Salad

4 ounces fresh green beans

5 cups mixed salad greens

1 can chunk white tuna

4 tomato wedges, quartered

2 hard boild eggs, peeled & quartered

1/2 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

3 green onions, cut into 1/2 inch slices

3/4 cup olives

Cook green beans in a small amount of boiling lightly salted water for about 5 minutes. Do not over cook! Drain and place in ice water until chilled; drain well.

Plating the Salad

Divide ingredients into 4's. Line plates with greens. Arrange green beans, tuna, tomatoes, and eggs on the greens. top with parsley , green onions, and olives. Drizzle dressing over all.

"Toujours bon appétit!"

Falafel, Naan, & Parsley Oh My!

2010-08-09T15:50:00.000-07:00

Tonight's frugal feast was just scrumptious! Ok, I admit not very healthy considering the falafel is deep fried in veggie oil and the naan fried with a bit of olive oil...but besides that, good tasting and good for you!

The falafel I haven't a recipe for, I buy the box mix and just add water---much easier than making them totally from scratch. Trust me. The $2.99 you'll pay for the mix is well worth it! You get about 25 falafel balls from one box!

Parsley Dipping Sauce

created by GiuseppeD

Parsley, chopped

Lemon juice-to taste

Chopped tomato

Chopped small onion

A couple drops of hot sauce

Garlic Powder & Salt to taste

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and adjust to your taste.

Naan

tweaked recipe by KimD

4 1/2 cups Flour

1/4 cup Sugar

3 tablespoons Milk

2 teaspoons Salt

.25 ounce Yeast

1 cup Warm water

1 Egg, beaten

Garlic Powder (optional)

2 tablespoons Olive oil

Dissolve the yeast in the water. Let stand about 10 minutes until it gets frothy. Stir in the sugar, milk, egg, salt, and flour. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes, until the surface is smooth. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth and let rise double in size about 1 hour.

Punch down the dough, knead in the garlic if you want. Pinch off small amounts of dough, form in balls about the size of golf balls. Put the dough balls on a tray, cover and let rise until they double in size, about 30 minutes.

In a large skillet put olive oil in it, heat on high. Roll out the balls of dough or just pull and flatten with your hand. Place dough in skillet and fry until each side is lightly brown and puffy.

It's all about the dough

2010-07-31T17:48:00.000-07:00

Onions, olives, cheese, sauce

Sauce & Cheese, Simple & Sinful

But the secret's in the sauce!

Pizza. We have it just as often as we have pasta. As of late, we've been making homemade pizzas and I will admit I don't mind if we never order delivery again!

For a few weeks my in-laws provided us with the premade pizza dough and last week the recipe for it was officially passed on to us!

Here's the recipe, try it for yourself!

1kg Flour

25 gram Salt

15 gram Sugar

40 gram Yeast

50 ml Olive Oil

Wake up the yeast in some warm water then mix all ingredients, knead, let rise. Cut into 4 wedges (Yep this makes 4 good sized pizzas), wrap in plastic wrap and freeze or knead and roll out to use immediately.

Barese sausage, onion, sauce, cheese

Onion, garlic, black olives, feta cheese.

Now you may be thinking, that's a pretty standard dough recipe, what makes it so great? Besides it being homemade, the entire pizza costing maybe $4 at the most, and the recipe passed on from an off-the-boat Italian, it's what goes on it that makes it wow!

My FIL insists on one particular sauce and it's not labeled Pizza Sauce. Nope, its canned Italian Tomato Sauce you find in your pasta aisle. It's a little runny, but well worth licking your fingers for!

Cumin Get Happy! Kousbariya

2010-07-27T17:25:00.000-07:00

Pretty much 90% of the food we cook is of some Mediterranean influence, with about 98% of that being Italian. Well, tonight I pulled out my bible of Med cooking, "The Mediterranean Diet Cookbook" by Nancy Harmon Jenkins and made the most delish meal so far to date!

Seriously, we are adding it to our weekly meal plan, it's that good! Let me share it with you!

Kousbariya-A Lebanese fish baked in a tomato-cilantro sauce

OK, seeing it in a picture makes it look a bit scary, but from my mouth to G_d's ear it is good!

Want to try it yourself?

Here's the recipe (page 259)

2 pounds firm-textured white fish (I used cod)
a little flour for dusting the fish
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, chopped
3 very ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped (I used one 28oz can of diced tomatoes)
1 tablespoon ground Cumin
1 cup minced cilantro
salt and pepper to taste

Cut the fish into serving size pieces about 1 inch thick. Lightly dust the fish pieces with flour. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a heavy saute pan over medium to high heat and, when it is almost smoking, add the pieces of fish. /saute the fish, a few pieces at a time, for 2 or 3 minutes to a side.

When all the fish is done, discard the frying fat, wipe the pan clean. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan and over medium-low heat gently saute the onion and garlic until soft but not brown-about 10-15 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have given off their juices and started to thicken-about 10 minutes. Stir in the cumin and cilantro. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if necessary.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Arrange the fish pieces in a shallow baking or gratin dish and cover them with sauce. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the fish is thoroughly cooked and the sauce is bubbling.

Then dig in!

As a side my husband made Bruschetta on French bread that I baked yesterday. All ingredients from our garden...can't get any fresher!

Frugal Fagioli

2010-07-27T16:49:00.000-07:00

Bean Soup. My go to "meal" when I want something in bulk that I can freeze. Recipe? Really there isn't one. I just add what I have and pray it tastes good when the three hours are up! This time around it did turn out good!

Here's what was in it:
Olive Oil
Onion
Garlic (lots of it)
Baked potatoes with their peels
Diced tomatoes
Chili powder
Basil
Parsley
White navy beans

Add a bowl with a couple pieces of home made french bread and presto!
Buon Appetito!

Garlic: the best smell EVER!

2010-07-07T14:20:00.000-07:00

My daughter was awoken from her nap by the smell of roasting garlic permeating the entire house! What a great smell. If that doesn't scream Mediterranean, I don't know what does!

Tonight it's just me and B for dinner, the hubs is working 2nd shift. So I'm making us roasted garlic bulbs, spaghetti with meatballs (from Nonna!), and my homemade herbed focaccia.

I should put the red & white checkered tablecloth on the table to pull our dinner all together. Hmmm, maybe I'll require us to only speak what little Italiano we know.

Festival of the Woman! Why is this not well known?

2010-06-30T01:00:00.000-07:00

Sunday my inlaws were over and while I sat outside with my FIL he began telling me about a festival that is starting in his hometown back in Italy. It's something to the effect of the Festival of the Madonna of the high seas (he's from a coastal town).

Anywho, I thought about trying to find some 411 on this festival...wait, back note-one of the highlights of this festival is when divers take a plastic Madonna (as in Mary, Jesus's mom-not the Material girl) and at dark they put lights in it and have it slowly rise up from the ocean while the entire town looks on with awe. I found that a bit creepy, thus my interest in finding out more about it. Ok, back to the subject.

While I was searching for this kinda creepy festival I came across one that I've never heard of and obviously neither has Hallmark: Festa Della Donna: The festival of the woman! That's right, March 8 is International Women's Day and in Italy the men (and in recent times women) give their mamas, sisters, girlfriends, wives, etc. etc. a bundle of Mimosa flowers, get this--as a sign of respect for the women!

Here's my rant: We celebrate freakin Ground Hog's Day (my wedding aniversary btw) but NOT Festa Della Donna!

Come on, show a girl a little respect!

[To My Husband: Put March 8th in your iPhone Calendar to get me some Mimosa flowers!-Love You :-)]

Farmers Market Bounty

2010-06-29T08:59:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we went to our town's very small Farmers Market. It was a very European feeling of going to the market to buy the food we will eat the same day.

We did score some good produce at reasonable prices!

For $20 we got:
2 huge portobello mushrooms
2 large roasting bulbs of garlic
6 ears of corn
1/2 pound of beautiful salad greens
1 pint blueberries
1 pint cherries
1/2 pint raspberries

It felt good to know we were supporting local growers while saving money and getting out in our neighborhood.

This "frugal" thing is turning into a paradigm shift to enjoy our lives and appreciate everything we come in contact with.

Now I must get back to appreciating the mounds of dirty laundry that needs washing and cookie orders that need to be finished.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

The Mom Standard: Big Girl Bed Blessing

2010-06-28T12:11:00.000-07:00

The Mom Standard: Big Girl Bed Blessing: "What is this feeling I've got going on? By gollie it's excitement! July 1 is just around the corner and let the challenge begin. This wee..."

Mama Mia il cielo sta cadendo!

2010-06-23T10:53:00.000-07:00

The sky is falling! Nothing chicken little about it, our kitchen ceiling came crumbling down (almost 100 year old home) so my hubby and his brother are up in the attic in the sweltering heat cleaning up all the crud so we can vault the ceiling and be done with it!

While they sweat some weight off I am updating blogs and planning for our Frugal month of July! Started collecting coupons, made a spreadsheet to keep track of grocery prices, determined how much cash we'll need to cover groceries, diapers, gas, and doctors also allotting about $50 extra for a just in case or emergency "we have to get out of the house" fund.

I anticipate lots of pasta, homemade pizzas, and antipasto eating for July! (Oh, and my new found talent at putting together some very delicious Mediterranean dishes!) Now back to planning...

Ciao!

Gift Ideas under $10 at Touch of Europe

Photograph Author

2010-06-16T20:26:00.000-07:00

Today has been a long code filled day. I've gone through and changed the appearance of a few of my blogs (have a couple more yet to do).

See the cafe picture in this post and as the blog background? My cousin-in-law Stephanie took that while in Italy last year! I just love the shot and thought it fit in well with this blog.

Grazie Stephanie!

Becoming Frugal

2010-06-15T19:13:00.000-07:00

July we are doing a "No Spend Challenge". What does this entail? Well, we will decide on a bare bones minimum amount of money we will spend on things other than household expenses (mortgage, bills). I'm excited to get started! I ordered a delivery of the Chicago Tribune Sunday edition for a full year at an 80% discount with the sole purpose of the coupons in there. We are mapping out our monthly needs in food and other items and soon we'll start a list of things to do for free.

How does not spending money fit in with Becoming Italian? I have learned so far in this journey that to Become Italian it takes planning, prioritizing, persistence, and most of all starting close by and working our way towards the bigger goal. With this challenge I hope it draws us closer and we in turn become more focussed in our present and our future.

Stay tuned for progress updates!

Buonanotte!

My World Cup runneth over

2010-06-15T07:35:00.000-07:00

As mentioned in the previous post, I got my WC jersey. I was expecting alot of excitement and hornblowing over this year's cup...I distinctly remember the last one and how we stopped working on our house to watch the 13" tv in the middle of the caos. There's been none of that around here this time. But the jersey sure does look good on me! :-) Back to searching for a toddler jersey....Visit Soccer.com's World Cup Headquarters!

Carina!

2010-06-11T06:17:00.001-07:00

My daughter has begun to speak Eng-Lian: English with some Italian peppered in. Here are two of my favorites:

The other day she went to the door, looked out it and proclaimed "Its raining. Mamma Mia!"

Yesterday she was "helping mommy make cookies" and knowing my disapproval grabbed a chunk of raw cookie dough and shoved it in her mouth before I could even register what was going on. She looked at me and states "mmmmm, buono!" How could I reprimand her after that? Fortunately she didn't get a belly ache!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Gli Azzurri!

2010-06-08T14:34:00.000-07:00

We got our team jerseys! Still waiting for a call from the soccer shop when the toddler sizes come in though. Where we live Mexico is the country to follow and everytime we asked the clerk at the mall when the Italian jerseys were going to be in, he would just say with a grin "Soon." Three months later still none so we headed to the soccer store in Addison where Italy prevails! That color blue sure does look good!

IBM

2010-05-28T23:10:00.001-07:00

Today my husband went on a sandwich run to Stefanelli's and came back with a present for me. Oh, before I forget, nothing has been done with his paperwork and I've quit bringing it up and am saving my hope.

Back to the present. He pulls out a white t-shirt with IBM in large red white and green letters emblazoned across the chest and under it reads "Italian by marriage". How cute. I would really like more to wear a shirt that reads Italian by Citizenship through my Italian husband. I can dream.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

No more cheerleading

2010-05-19T12:05:00.000-07:00

I've thrown in the towel on cheerleading to keep people motivated to getting to our life destination. It's exhausting and causes me to put myself on the backburner. Not fair nor good.

I've been doing the things I need to do, for the most part. Sadly I have recognized that when my energy for keeping the troops rallied is gone that I turn to icky, mind numbing, artery clogging American food. It's a subconscious form of punishment that I vow to stop here and now.

Preparing my lunch today made me smile. Made me feel like I was showin some luv to good ole me. It felt good. It tasted good. It tasted alive and filled my cup back up with the energy I need for my journey.

You're more than welcome to join me, but there will be no more rah, rah, rah. Either do it or don't. It's your journey choice.

Tired and stressed

2010-05-04T15:15:00.001-07:00

It's been a long day of getting nothing on my to-do list done. At noon I threw in the towel, gathered up the kid and headed outside to enjoy the beautiful weather today.

Giuseppe got home from work, the baby fell asleep in her highchair, and we are now enjoying a light dinner salad of hummus, herbed flatbread, feta cheese drizzled with a delish Greek vinegrette. Today has been a great day.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Espresso in slow motion

2010-05-03T06:55:00.000-07:00

Coffee. I refer to it as nectar of the gods. Without it I would not survive. Coffee is not just a beverage, it is a culture. It is communal (coffee klatch), celebratory and somber. It transends all generations, all people, all beliefs. It puts everyone at the same level.

Sadly the American culture has devalued the coffee culture. We are too preoccupied with keeping busy, that to sit and enjoy a coffee is gastly!

When I offer coffee in my home I am not just offering a beverage, I am offering my attention. I am putting aside my to-dos, my lists, my phone, my computer. I am sitting with you at the table, talking, making eye contact, listening, and being love.

I lament over this while sitting in my sun porch, early in the morn, listening to the day begin, and slowly enjoying my day's first cup of love.

Not exact, but that's ok

2010-04-29T14:07:00.000-07:00

Tonight's dinner is a Tunisian Fennel Salad.

I thought it would go perfect with this warm windy day before I attend my Mastermind meeting tonight.

The picture in the mag:

-And my version:

Not to shabby and no dishes to wash when done!

Thank you Organic Gardening Magazine for the recipe and photo!

Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Passport to life

2010-04-25T18:33:00.001-07:00

The momentum is increasing! This week we are heading to the USPS for passports! In order to get an Italian passport we have to have a U.S. Passport.

To keep us motivated we hung artwork today. A beautiful faux painting of a mediterranean countryside in our dining room. It was a perfect backdrop for my bookclub meeting to discuss Eat, Pray, Love. I served pasta and espresso and we had the best discussion of a book so far.

The book and the club have helped re-fire my motivation for determination. For all things in life. Life's a buffet and some people are starving!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Back on track

2010-04-15T09:33:00.001-07:00

Last night was our last hoorah on eating not the way we will in Italy. Though the turkey subs were fabulous, today we go back to uber healthy and delicious real food.

Baby and I are sitting at the dinner table now, all windows open with a beautiful mild breeze stirring the air, the tv off, and lesson two of our Italian program on low in the background. The chickpea and shrimp sauté in a charmoula marinade is finishing off the beautiful start to our afternoon.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Language Learning

2010-04-13T15:02:00.000-07:00

Quick update:
Still working on the paperwork! My FIL showed up with some papers from Italy dated 1937/1938! I am confident Joe's paperwork will be completed by the end of the month and on it's way to be approved!

Our Mediterranean lifestyle is still a focus, though we have veered off course a number of times...like tonight, we are going for Italian--the bad kind: loads of cheese, oil, pasta, bread. You know, the comforting kind.

I am very focussed on our goals and being the cheerleader here to keep Joe on board. Everything we do must somehow contribute to us getting closer to our goals! As luck, law of attraction, God's blessing, whatever, would have it, I spoke with a friend from college who will be in charge of a couple European branches of the new company he is working for! I told him if he needs a sales rep for Italy, just give me a call. Seriously. What's great about this friend is that he will seriously consider me.

What Next?
If I'm running my mouth to everyone taughting our Italian escape one day, I really need to make my feet match my mouth!

On my iPhone now is Pimsleur Language Program: Italian: The Short Course. It is time to learn the language!

Eat, Pray, Love

2010-04-01T10:07:00.000-07:00

My bookclub choice for this month is the great read "Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert. The main reasons I chose this book are 1. it's a great book and 2. I already read it and seeing how I'm trying to channel some calm in the storm of life I figured this is one thing to check off my ever expanding To-do list(s).

A few days after the book was announced to the club I get a text from one of my best friends stating how much she loves the book and that she wants to live in Italy now! I failed to ask her what exactly is drawing her there-is it the description of the food, the people, the inner-peace the author gained, what.

As fate would have it my brother wrote a post titled "Enjoy Life" and this excerpt really hit home

Life's made up of a lot of smaller moments. Learn to enjoy those moments. It's the old adage, "stop and smell the roses". Take time to enjoy the journey. Enjoy the ones on the journey with you-your spouse/significant other, children, parents, etc.

My journey of us becoming Italian is moving right along at a pace that is allowing me the opportunity to do exactly what my brother stated-enjoy the ones on the journey with me.

So why the endpoint Italy?
For a simpler life where my only to-do and goal is to stop and smell the roses...or in this case the oregano.

He did it!

2010-03-31T19:20:00.000-07:00

Even with a broken hand, sick child, and very crabby-need-some-me-time-wife, Giuseppe sat down at the cluttered dinner table and filled out all he could of his paperwork. This weekend we get more 411 from his folks and then on to all the other requirements. Those good-for-us sub sandwicheswe had for dinner must have been the motivation needed! (Oh, and the fact that I put a deadline out here on cyberspace contributed to his gumption.)

Tuna chickpea salad give us strength and motivation!

2010-03-27T14:43:00.000-07:00

To garner some energy for our "get all the paperwork filled out marathon" going to be embarked upon today I came across this recipe Tuna and chickpea salad - MediterrAsian.com. Easy to prepare and I'm sure delicious! Gotta run to the store for some chickpeas and lemons!

We just finished this dish-love it! So fresh and yummy! And EASY! Looks like the passport paperwork will wait until tomorrow.

Status

2010-03-26T19:35:00.000-07:00

As of Friday March 26, 2010 no citizenship paperwork has been completed! I anticipate that after tomorrow and before the 31st it will be done. :-)

Mediterranean Comfort Food

2010-03-25T15:39:00.000-07:00

I'm on a new schedule. The past few weeks I have been "working" nearly all day all night and at the end feeling like I was on a hamster wheel! I realized it is time to reel things in and get a grip!

Enjoy the moment. That is what I have been thinking about this week. Nothing is more important than what is happening right now! Take a stroll, just sit in a comfy chair with an espresso, sit on the floor and enjoy a tea party with my baby, turn off the electronics and talk with my husband.

As I was making dinner tonight it was very calming and joyful. I can't explain it...maybe I can. Maybe I am becoming Italian where it is the most important...from the inside out!

I am now going to sit and enjoy the flavors of my "Mediterranean Comfort Food".

Dinnertime

2010-03-16T17:42:00.001-07:00

Where pizza and fries once prevailed... Our new "fast food carry out" the Mediterranean version!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

From the inside out!

2010-03-13T15:52:00.000-08:00

Six days ago we put ourselves on a "time to get healthy and drop some pounds" food regimen. (I'm avoiding the D word...don't want to jinx us). A few years ago we did the "You on a Diet" program and loved it! We dropped weight, felt healthy, and loved the food. Why we fell into our old ways again I can't even recall. So this time we are going Mediterranean all the way! Why this way? Let me tell you.

I had a horrible visualization of our future. I saw the three of us with our Italian Passports in-hand, walking off the plane in Italy, faces beeming with joy and were not met with the same. Though we were "Italian" we still reeked of "American"...the bad part. In my visualization I heard "tipici americani grassi" from the terminal. Yes, we did everything necessary according to law to become Italian but kept on eating like there was soon to be a shortage of potatoes at McDonalds!

So, after shaking myself out of this bad daydream I decided we have to start enjoying the Mediterranean way of eating so when we walk off the plain we are greeted with smiles and "Ciao Bella, benvenuti nella vostra nuova casa" instead!

I've been known to spout "Dress for the job you want, not the job you have"...I'm changing that up a bit "Eat for the life you want, not the one you have!"

Fino a domani.

She IS Italian!

2010-03-11T21:08:00.000-08:00

The newest thing for my twenty-month old is "I do it".

The other day I take her to the local Italian import store, stop her from eating the plastic grapes used as props in the cheese case, get our ricotta and mozzarella and head home to make lasagna for dinner.

She came to the gate keeping her out of the kitchen and in her cutest voice says "mommy in. Bianca do it."

Seeing that I hate cooking I put her apron around her waist and let her make the lasagna! Dang it was good! She's got Italy truly running through her veins!!!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Blogging under the influence

2010-03-05T18:01:00.000-08:00

Just as the title states, I am typing away on my iPhone keyboard whilst a cocktail of antibiotics and pain pills surge through me. Dental work was performed this morning. I should be good now for a few years!

My MIL came over last night to stay with the baby so Joe could attend to me this morning. This is the second time she's done this for me. Also, my FIL came over later in the morn and both are still here ( it's pushing 8pm and they are not fans of driving in the dark). How nice of them to do this this. It helps that Joe fractured his wrist 2 days ago and really can't take care of the baby either, but even if he weren't hurt I have a feeling I'd be taken care of by the family anyway, the Italian family way.

Grazie!!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Really need to learn the language!

2010-02-26T14:02:00.000-08:00

So it's been VERY slow going with getting my husband's paperwork complete for his citizenship! Today he let his mother know he needs a certified copy of HER birth certificate and marriage certificate. We figure the US wants to verify that they are not married for convenience, even though my FIL is not a US citizen and has been here for oh, 40+ years. In the mean time...

I have a little party favor (cookie party favors) and party planning business (check it out: http://www.shortycake.com/) that I'm trying to turn into a BIG business. After going to a gazillion Italian weddings/birthdays/christenings/funerals/etc./etc. and seeing that at every event a favor is given-specifically referred to as Confetti Bomboniere- I thought adding those niche favors to my product line would be a great fit. (Is that the longest sentance ever??)

Internet research lead me to a company in where else, Italy, that actually has stores that solely sell these Confetti Bombonieres. I emailed for more information about getting the products imported here for resale or even opening a franchise. What do I get back?

A beautiful and quite polite reply ALL IN ITALIAN! Google Translate...not good enough to get the point across to me on what was trying to be said. I printed it out and today handed it to my FIL who then translated it and let me know that someone from the mother country will be phoning me.

I pray he/she speaks English!!!

Italiano agguato

2010-02-16T06:08:00.000-08:00

My husband is home sick today. We caught a nasty bug from my friend's kids last week that just doesn't want to go away! Luckily B hasn't shown any signs of the illness and I'm pumping her full of vitamins to avoid a sick baby!

So, he's home in bed right now but little does he know that when he gets his pounding headache, stuffed nose, non-productive coughing body out of the letto he's gonna get ambushed by me with a stack of papers to fill out for the Italian Consulate!

Maybe I"ll tell him to check out this awesome blog I found about Becoming Italian and he'll get a bit of motivation! And to celebrate his filling out these cumbersome pages I'll make fagiolini e pasta for dinner. We'll see what my motivation is....

Ciao!

What's the hangup?

2010-02-07T22:56:00.000-08:00

Good grief! Can my husband and I procrastinate any more on getting this Italian citizenship thing underway? We talked this weekend that by the end of THIS month he'll have the paperwork done and ready for submission. We will see about that.

I am continuing to have dreams of living abroad. That could be because of the craziness that has enveloped our lives. Here's a quick synopsis: After dealing with oh, let's say, 30 years of a not-so-healthy relationship with my mother I reached my end. Last week she put in writing her delusional craziness which propelled me out of my dysfunctional comfort zone and towards some long needed healing and refocussing. So I made the hard decision to not return to her business that I had been at for the past nine years and am unemployed for the first time in my life!

My husband and in-laws have been quite supportive and are relieved that I finally made the decision. They are relived but can't quite comprehend the whole thing. Italians don't do this type of thing.

So, it's 1am on Monday morning and I'm wide awake-not from stress of dealing with another's mental illness, no, I'm wide awake with excitement of this whole new world that has opened up for me. Ciao!

What is needed

2010-01-05T08:33:00.000-08:00

Giuseppe's dad is an Italian citizen. So, all we need to get the paperwork started is the following (as taken from my new favorite website Italian Citizenship Assistance Program):

1) YOUR FATHER’S BIRTH CERTIFICATE from the “Comune” where your father was born, in “formato internazionale”, or in “estratto per riassunto" showing his parents names.

2) YOUR MOTHER’S BIRTH CERTIFICATE (see above or, if she was born in the U.S.A., request a “certified copy” or a “long form” or a “full form”).

3) YOUR PARENTS’ MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE. If the marriage took place in Italy, the certificate must be obtained by the Comune). If it took place in the U.S.A., you must obtain a “certified copy” of the license and certificate and an “APOSTILLE” from the Secretary of State of the State in which it was issued; TRANSLATED INTO ITALIAN

4) A COPY OF YOUR FATHER’S CERTIFICATE OF NATURALIZATION or his Italian passport and permanent resident card.

5) YOUR CIVIL RECORDS: BIRTH CERTIFICATE, MARRIAGE CERTFICATE, BIRTH CERTFICATES OF CHILDREN UNDER 18; DIVORCE CERTIFICATE IF APPLICABLE. You must obtain a “certified copies” of “full form” or “long form” not abstract, of all certificates, authenticated with an APOSTILLE from the Secretary of State in which they were issued. The Certificates must be TRANSLATED INTO ITALIAN.

6) YOUR FATHER’S DEATH CERTIFICATE, if deceased, certified copy and legalized with APOSTILLE and TRANSLATED INTO ITALIAN.

Could it be this easy?

2010-01-05T08:23:00.000-08:00

Italian Citizenship Assistance Program "Experts in Italian Dual Citizenship"

I'm a research junkie. Here's my choice: do I continue to research how to get our citizenships rolling and try to do it all on my own or do I get a quote from these websites and fork over the dough and let someone else deal with it?

After my dream from last night, I'm thinking of taking the pricey, yet easy way! We'll see.

Foreshadow of things to come?

2010-01-05T08:14:00.000-08:00

Is my distrubing dream from last night a possible forshadowing of things to come? Here it is:

My husband, daughter, and I flew over to Italy with 10 of his family members. We stayed with family at a relative's remote farm far from everything. For some reason there was no transportation to and from so we were stuck. All that was happening was everyone just hanging out around the house and making tomato sauce on the stove in the big pots (gravy as they like to call it-but that's a whole other fight) . I kept trying to find my husband, everytime I called his cell a candle would light instead. His father told me he went to Egypt for the day. I got livid! How dare he go somewhere interesting and leave me here! After voicing my aggitation from watching tomatoes boil, his father proclaims "But these are Italian tomatoes!" And in my german temperment I stormed off proclaiming "a tomato is a tomato!". When my husband got back from his excursion and after he shared his wonderful day I layed into him about leaving me there all day to do nothing.

Then the alarm went off and I woke my husband up for him to go to work...I was a little mad at him though. :-)

2010 The Year of the Passports

2010-01-03T19:01:00.001-08:00

2009 was the year of talk. My husband and I talked all year about applying for Italian citizenship so that one day we can run away and live and work somewhere far away and beautiful.

Well, with my father in law's green card and Italian birth certificate in our possession, the only thing holding us back from dual citizenship is the unclear paperwork path we must now encroach.

By the end of January my goal is to have my husband, Giuseppe's paperwork complete and sent off for approval. Then on to mine and our daughter's! From things I have read it may take me more than two years to get approved, especially since I am an American mutt with not an inkling of Italian lineage anywhere in my branches. The time is not a concern. I know our final goal and intend to fully appreciate, acknowledge, and enjoy the journey to fulfill it.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone