Again, inspired by Mark Bittman, I made my own baked ziti recipe, this one deliciously rich with the use of dried porcini mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, and a three-cheese blend with tomato sauce. The picture looks this way because I was having too much fun after midnight in Photoshop, attempting to make this photo look old. It’s […]
Archive for the 'Italian' Category
Apr19
Mama Cucina
Mama Cucina is located at 4028 Cox Rd in Glen Allen, VA in the “Shoppes of Innsbrook.” I’ve probably been there now 7-9 times, and my last trip pretty-much summed up my experience with them over the years. Each visit has been surprisingly consistent. MC seems like a place you might dress-up for, but it is […]
Filed in: Italian Restaurant Review
Apr4
Little Venice
Located in Richmond’s far west end in the Food Lion shopping center along Ridgefield Parkway you will find Little Venice, an Italian restaurant that comes across as a “nice place” to eat. I’ve never been when it hasn’t been busy, and sometimes when I’ve called for a quick reservation, they’re full. That’s a good sign: […]
Filed in: Italian Restaurant Review
Feb28
Tuscan Soup & Salad
Ina Garten’s cookbooks are often filled with simple dishes with enough variety to pique the interest of almost anyone. Tonight, the MessyChef tried her tuscan white bean soup, and then I made a salad to complete the meal. White beans combine with rosemary to a simple soup base of onions, garlic, and homemade chicken broth. Rough […]
Filed in: In the Kitchen Italian
Jan18
Ziti with Spicy Sauce
Tonight I made ziti, by request, but avoided the typical “baked” variety with lots of cheese and a heavy tomato sauce. Instead, we went into “puttanesca” territory by adding spicy chile flakes, capers, and Italian sausage alongside the diced tomatoes. Details of making this dish can be found in this PDF document.
Filed in: In the Kitchen Italian