No Crust Apple Pie

How about a dessert that you can easily whip up with ingredients you have on hand?
You know, for those times when you need something in a hurry for a drop in guest or when you are just in the mood for something sweet.  Sound good?  Yes?  You will find this recipe quick and easy.  I acquired it from a cooking class during last year's trip to Italy.

Recently, a good friend and I have had some fun debating whether this recipe is a pie or a cake.  You see, the name in the recipe is pie and it is made in a pie plate, implying that it is a pie.  However, it doesn't have a crust, which for me is essential for pie and the texture is more cake like, so I say it is a cake.

The result of our  cake vs. pie debate?  We  agreed on one key point....  It is Delicious!!
I'll leave it to you to decide for yourself!

Pesto Lasagna

As promised in an earlier post, here is the Pesto Lasagna recipe.  This recipe was given to me by my friend Daniella.  Last May during a two week trip to Italy, which started in the Cinque Terre, a friend and I spent the day with a stranger who soon became a friend.  Daniella graciously welcomed us into her home and taught us how to make some of the local specialties.  We had a wonderful day and left fully stuffed with wonderful food.  We had a great time with during our "girls" afternoon in the kitchen, which by the way was a terrace kitchen with a view to die for!

If you are considering an Italian vacation and are planning on spending time in Cinque Terre, carve out a day to spend in Monterosso and take a day's worth of cooking lessons with Daniella.  You will have a fabulous time.  Contact me if you are interested in her cooking class and/or dinner and I will gladly put you in touch.

This post continues my walk down memory lane. Dinner tonight will include Lasagna al Pesto, or Pesto Lasagna.   Here is my adaptation of Daniella's recipe.

Pesto Two Ways

Red and Basil Pesto

 Woza!  I can't believe that I totally missed April with a blog post.  My life has just been really busy and with

all the craziness, the blog entries suffered.

Well today I'm back in the kitchen!

This week has been full of memories of last year's vacation to Italy.  My friend Wanda and I have been reading journals and sharing quotes.  We recalled and laughed about funny moments that merited subsequent pinky swears that we'd carry those stories to our graves!  That's what best friends are for? Right?  It was an amazing trip and we made wonderful new friends that we hope to get to see again someday.

One of the highlights during the first week of the trip was a wonderful experience we had visiting Monterosso and the day we spent with Daniella.  So in tribute to that memory, today I made pesto!

Fortunately fresh basil is available in my local grocery so I can   enjoy it anytime I am inclined (which is pretty often).  I'll follow with a couple of additional blog entries soon (I promise) for incorporating the pesto into other recipes.  In the meantime, just plain good for slathering on toasted bread or as dippers from fresh veggies!

Recently I brought home some old dishes that I found stored away that belonged to both of my grandmothers.  The small bowls with stripes were used at my grandma Helen's restaurant as well as a couple of crockery bowls, one being grandma Helen's and the other grandma Mary's.  You'll see these heirlooms in the photographs.  As I was cleaning up, I couldn't help but think that these two women would have never ever thought of making anything like pesto nor believed any any such concoction would be served in these bowls.  I also best they would be surprised, and hopefully proud, that their bowls are still around and being used in their granddaughter's kitchen.