Eating my way through Italy

Italy was amazing. It was warm, beautiful, and intriguing. We explored Rome, Sorrento, Pompei, and Capri. Capri was by far my favorite place. I just loved the stone walkways throughout the whole city. Sometimes we would just follow them until we figured out where we were. This also resulted in us walking down the mountain only to have to walk back up…. The history and ancient ruins that we saw were breathtaking. The Colosseum and Pompeii were particularly amazing.

Now, the food. I have to be honest, I was not impressed by our meals in Rome. I think that we must have been in the wrong places. This was our first time to the city, so naturally we wanted to see all the tourist attractions which led us to make some bad restaurant choices. However, my favorite pizza (pictured below) was served in Rome right beside the Collesium, so I guess you never really know what you’re going to get!

The pizzas are smaller than what we are used to but perfect to share for lunch. The crust was crispy and the cheese was gooey and the sauce was perfect. It really was the best pizza.

Now, the pasta…oooh the pasta. The pasta is served more al dente than I was used to; however, that did not bother me. There was homemade pasta everywhere! Below is a picture of Scialatielli with Lobster in a White Wine, Garlic, and Fresh Tomato sauce. This.Was.Delicious. It’s an absolute must to soak up that sauce with a slice of bread. We paired this dish with a glass of their local white wine, which was also delicious. Semi-sweet and crisp with fruity undertones.

Finally, the Eggplant Parmesan. This was probably Susan’s favorite appetizer to order. I do not love Eggplant Parmesan, as it’s a classic dish that is prepared the same way at each restaurant. I prefer to try new dishes. The presentation was adorable and while it wasn’t my favorite, it was still delicious.

My favorite restaurant ended up being the Panorama. It was just outside of Sorrento. We shared a delicious quattro formaggi (four cheese) pizza to start and then split an amazing scialatielli pasta with fresh vegetables, garlic, and white wine. We also split a local fish entree that was outstanding. The restaurant was a small “mom & pop shop” and didn’t look like anything special. The owner was our waiter and he basically made these dishes just for us. It made the experience very special. We also shared a bottle of their own white wine. I unfortunately only took a picture of the pizza because I couldn’t help myself from digging right in to the other 2 dishes!

This was a once in a lifetime trip. I am so fortunate to have been able to spend this time with my sister. I will never forget it.

I have a travel bug and have already thought about my next trip…Ireland and Scotland are calling my name!

Until next time…

Freezer Friendly: Easy Baked Ziti

I leave for Italy tomorrow. I’m so excited I can hardly contain myself. My sister and I will spend a full week gallivanting around Rome, Sorrento, and Capri. I’m most excited about Capri and luckily we get three days there. I’m also thrilled to be spending the week with my sister. We live and work so close to each other, yet we don’t see one another nearly enough. I love my sister dearly. I feel supported and loved by her everyday. It’s very rare to know, really know, that another person has your back no matter what. She has given me the amazing gift of Italy and I will not soon forget it.

I leave you with one of my favorite freezer dinners. I have been all over the freezer dinners lately. Our lives have been so chaotic lately that I have relied on cooking dinner for the week over the weekend. I also love my slow cooker….

Easy Baked Ziti

Ingredients:
1 lb of whole wheat pasta (penne or ziti)
1 lb of ground organic sirloin
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 clove of garlic, minced
2 cups of shredded mozzarella and parmesan
2 jars of store bought pasta sauce (we used organic)
salt and pepper
Olive oil spray

Directions:
Pre heat oven to 375 degrees. Cook pasta to package directions, omitting extra salt & oil. Brown sirloin in a large sauce pan. You can use a couple sprays of olive oil if it’s sticking to the pan, but it should be fine. Drain the fat and add the onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add sauce to the pan and cook for an additional 10 minutes to let the flavors come together. Toss pasta with the sauce.

Spray a large casserole dish with olive oil and pour part of the mixture into the dish. Top with shredded cheese. Continue this way until you are out of pasta/sauce and cheese, being sure to end with a layer of cheese on top. Pop the dish in the oven uncovered for 20 minutes until the top layer of cheese is bubbly and browned slightly. Let it cool for several minutes before serving.

This freezes beautifully! Simply re-heat your oven to 375 degrees and cook for 1 – 1.5 hours. I like to cut it into pieces and put 2 servings per freezer bag. That way we have a perfect portion size.

Enjoy!

My next blog will be in a couple weeks when I return. I can’t wait to share my beautiful photos and experiences with you all 🙂 !