September 27, 2013 • Notes from the Kitchen... •

As I mentioned yesterday, I entered the DELVERDE Dish Your Blog Contest.  What I failed to mention was that I have been planning for the contest since July!!   I created three different recipes using the three types of pasta DELVERDE sent me for the contest.  My husband, Frank-John, a/k/a Frankie Boots, a/k/a Frank the Tank was the best home sous chef ever!  (That’s how he fondly refers to himself.)  He sliced, he diced, and yes ladies…he even cleaned!!  In all seriousness, I had a wonderful time creating the recipes for the contest, but I was too connected to each recipe to choose which was the best to submit.  Then, it hit me; do what what comes naturally and host a Sunday dinner.   At the end of the day, the unanimous vote was for the Mezzi Rigatoni w/Pancetta and Roasted Butternut Squash and that’s what I submitted.  The two winners will receive a round-trip to New York City to cook their original recipes live at a LA CUCINA ITALIANA event at the GE showroom this December, and they will be included in Delverde’s advertorial in the December 2013 issue of LA CUCINA ITALIANA magazine.  The results will be announced after October 31st!  Let the waiting begin and keep your fingers crossed!!  In the meantime, check out some pics from our dinner…

This is what I like to refer to as the calm before the storm!! You know what I am talking about.  Before all of the guests arrive, I carefully set the table and envision everything playing out like a movie.  Then, it suddenly hits me…I am NOT a movie star and it’s going to get really loud, really fast!!!

Organization is critical for my dinner parties!! For this one, I planned out each pot for each sauce and had all of the ingredients lined up.  I also had all of the appetizers ready to go, from freshly roasted garlic bulbs to Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, to Prosciutto di San Daniele, and dried figs.  For this party, Frank and I visited our friends, Jimmy and Nino Sunseri in the Strip District of Pittsburgh for most of our goodies.  You can also find DELVERDE pasta there; it’s one of the only places in the city that carrys it!!

Boys will be boys

The girls knew they were being photographed!! Isn’t it crazy that they are ready to pose at 16 months old??

My Yiayia is not going to be happy that I posted her picture, but I just had to share!! I grew up on her food Yiayia, you taught me well!

My son LOVES Pellegrino water and has since he was a tiny tot.  It always makes me laugh when he asks in his little man voice, “Mommy, may I have a Pellegrino water please?”  It’s even funnier to serve it to him in his Sesame Street cup!  Too cute!!

Here, we’re getting a lesson from our in-house fig aficionado

“The prosciutto is the best!”  – – “No, no, it’s the soppressata!!”

“Are you teasing me??? Why I oughta…”

Cheers!!! Salute!! Cin Cin! If you notice, my girlfriend in the blue and white looks on, sans wine; she’s pregnant with her second baby and we are so happy for her and her husband – – they were both in our wedding!!

And it all begins and ends with the kids. xoxo

Great time, great friends, great food.  Keep your fingers crossed for the competition and I will let you know as soon as I know!!

Have a wonderful weekend!!!

Tags: about mediterranean baby, cooking in pittsburgh, family food blogs, family mealtime blog, food blogs in pittsburgh, Mediterranean baby notes, Notes from the Kitchen, Pittsburgh food blogs, pittsburgh mom, recipes for families, recipes for family, special food blogs