Mangia Con Elena

  Arugula and Fennel Winter Salad I can't eat an Italian inspired salad without thinking of my dad.  Salads were a part of every dinner growing up. They were simple and served after the main course and not before as is customary in the North American culture.  In the summer months, when our garden was in full bloom, we had our pick of endive, radicchio, romaine, escarole and leaf lettuce.  My dad loved his garden. He would wake up early and put on his gardening hat and out he went. He would spend all day in the garden. It was his happy place and his refuge when life got tough. He did his best thinking out there. It is where you went if you needed to talk to him because in his garden he was at peace. He had buckets set up all amongst his vegetables so he could sit down and lovingly pick off pesty bugs, prune and water. He would watch them grow. He knew when there were beans missing (because we were known to  sneak in and eat right off the vines) and he knew exactly which plant need

Bistecca alla Pizzaoila It is b elieved that Pizzaoila got its beginnings in the Campania region of Naples. It really has no connection with pizza except that it is a tomato, basil and oregano based sauce. It was created tenderize tougher and more economical cuts of meat by braising it in the sauce. Many Italian households serve this dish but it is not always called pizzaoila. My mother would make this and call it simply "carne con pomodori"- meat with tomatoes. She would cut up the meat into bite sized pieces which I did not do but is certainly an option. You can also add red or yellow peppers to it for extra flavour and colour. This dish can be served with crusty bread for dipping into the sauce or with pasta that sauce gets mixed into. Honestly for me the best way to eat it is with a nice piece of fresh, crusty Italian bread and a salad or greens on the side.  As always with my recipes, please consider your own and your family's taste preferences. Let your taste buds a