Last week we didn’t feel like cooking. I know unbelievable, right? But it is true. Some days, just like everyone else in America, I feel like going out for a slice of pizza. We (Roberto especially) have been on a quest for a good slice since we moved to Florida.
We heard that there was another Famous Pronto Pizza opening soon in the Heathbrook Shopping Center (off route 200, Ocala, FL for the Florida locals), so we decided to check it out.

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Since we have all been drooling over the delicious Clams Marinara I had at Sammy’s Restaurant in Ocala, I thought it would be appropriate to post a recipe for clams and tomato sauce so we can all try making it at home! Buon Divertimento!
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We had some wonderful out of town guests visiting us this week, and so we decided to take them to a family favorite:
Sammy’s Italian Restaurant in Ocala, Florida .
It is in a strip mall and looks like a hole in the wall from the outside, but once you go inside, you are greeted with the Sicilian flag, painted murals on the walls and the wafting smells of good home-style Italian food cooking away in the kitchens.
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I am addicted to my new caffettiera, an Italian made stovetop espresso machine.
The is a really great one!
It is just as easy to use as a coffee pot, even more simple. Just fill the lower compartment with water and the filter with coffee grinds, stick it on the stove, and let the heat do the magic.
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These adorable, festive Easter breads have been a tradition in my family for as far back as anyone can remember. My great Aunt Sylvia, who was a Master Baker and originally from Abruzzi, is the one we remember as the inventor of these breads . My Aunt Carol (Her daughter) thinks it must have a connection to traditional Italian Easter Breads that were blessed at church. However the bunnies themselves were always intended for children and were never blessed at church. She is not sure where the recipe came from, but Aunt Sylvia and her sisters always made them, and now, so do we!
They are an event to make, so give yourself an afternoon to make them. They are cute and so memorable! Make them a tradition in your family too!
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This cake recipe will make people think you bought it at a European Bakery. It is beautiful, fresh, festive and delicious. The best part is it is SIMPLE to make!
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This is my favorite book on Italian cookery. It is a guide to all the classics of Italian food. From lasagna to risotto and tiramisu this guide features easy step-by-step directions with pictures for almost all the steps involved in the recipe. I have used this cookbook numerous times and everything always turns out the way it should. I haven’t made one recipe from this book that was not a hit! Read the rest of this entry »

Lasagna is a classic Italian dish. This is a very easy version with spinach as an added ingredient for color and taste. During the process it is all the colors of the Italian flag!
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I love using leftover vegetables and sauces to make delicious healthy pasta dishes. This one is one of my favorites. It is rich in flavor and color, and is perfect to celebrate the coming of spring! Enjoy with a nice glass of wine and crusty bread for dinner. Or bring it to your next picnic served cold. Either way, your family and friends will love it!
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Imagine a beautiful, classic Greek fishing village, right on the water, Greek music coming from all the seaside shops, the smells of Greek food wafting out on the sea breezes. Imagine whitewashed buildings with blue accents….wait, stop, hold on a sec, we aren’t in Greece……we are in Tarpon Springs…..Florida?
That’s right people, you too can experience the flavors, sights and sounds of Greece, here in the United States, in Florida. Roberto and I went to Tarpon Springs last week on a whim and found a wonderful place to get down with our Mediterranean selves!

Tarpon Springs boasts the largest Greek population in the United States, as it makes up about 1/3 of the community. Its inhabitants are the descendents of Greek sponge divers that came to Florida from Greece around the turn of the century. This influence has become the backbone of Tarpon Springs and the art of Sponge Diving still exists today. Read the rest of this entry »