Mangia Con Elena

Tiramisu  IG: @mangia.con.elena Tiramisu is a traditional Italian cake that  means "pick me up" and it does just that as ingredients of sugar, sweet mascarpone, egg whites, liquor and strong espresso will be sure to give you a jolt.  There are many legends around the history of tiramisu. Some say it was invented in Treviso in the first half of the 1800s by a "maitresse" of a "house of pleasure"  who wanted a dessert to "reinvigorate" the patrons before they returned to their wives. However this decadent dessert came to be does not really matter to me, I am just glad it was created!  My oldest brother is the King of Tiramisu. I don't typically make it because whenever there is a special occasion it is presumed that he will be bringing this dessert. It is delicious and why bother learning how to make it when he does it so perfectly?  My first time making it was for a dessert collaboration on Instagram as I wanted to really give it a go.  When I

Festive Cranberry- Orange Sauce IG; @mangia.con.elena Festive holiday meals are made complete with the addition of delicious and sweet cranberry sauce! I only began hearing about cranberries when I started making my own holiday dinners. Dried or fresh, they are incredibly versatile and delicious and make their way into many salads, meals and baked goods. We enjoy cranberry sauce with our holiday dinners. It compliments chicken, turkey, pork and ham and is fantastic on turkey sandwiches the next day.  I have made it several ways and this one is the best. The citrusy orange and sweet cinnamon are mild and  marry well with the tartness of the cranberries. Perfect for a meat accompaniment . I am not sure why I don't make this more often as it is simple and stores in the fridge for at least a week. But, it does not last that long as it is a favourite around here.  I hope you give this sauce a try, you will love it! Elena 💚 Ingredients 6 cups of fresh cranberries. Washed and drained. 1

Italian Beef and Barley Soup  IG: @mangia.con.elena  I am soup obsessed. Ask anyone who knows me and they will agree wholeheartedly. If you scroll through my blog you will see a variety of soup recipes. Soup in my childhood home was a regular occurrence. It wasn't just for the winter months as often my mother would use all of the veggie leftovers in a soup because in our Italian household nothing ever went to waste. My parents taught us an appreciation of food and gratitude for every meal that graced our table.   My mother made the most delicious soups and never followed a recipe. Her base was always the same- home made chicken, beef or vegetable broth depending on what the ingredients for that night's soup was going to be used. I definitely am the same way when it comes to most of my cooking but especially soup.  When the craving hits for soup, I first go in the freezer to see what meat and broth I have and then into the fridge to see what vegetables will best compliment the c

Amaretti Biscotti/Pasticcini alle Mandorle  IG: @mangia.con.elena Amaretti biscotti have been a part of Italian patisserie for hundreds of years. They are believed to have originated in Venice during the mid 17th Century.   Growing up we had these delicious cookies at every special occasion and holiday. My mother would make them and store them in the freezer but they wouldn't stay there long!  They made an appearance at every Italian wedding's midnight dessert table. It was quite the sight seeing  women running up to the table and loading up their plates. Then they would wrap up their treasures  in a large napkin and stuff them in their purses. On the occasions that I did not attend the wedding, I would jump out of bed when I heard my parents returning, so I could get first dibs on the treats before my brothers ate them all! These cookies are a perfect addition to your Christmas baking, celebrations or just for enjoying with your cup of coffee. I promise you that your friends a

  Lemon Ricotta Cookies IG: @mangia.con.elena Italians love lemons. Scroll through any Italian cookbook and guaranteed  you will see many dishes, sweets and drinks that feature lemons as either the main attraction or a flavourful addition.  My love affair with lemon cookies started as a young child. There was always some type of lemon cookie, crostata, ciambellone or torta in our kitchen and these  lemon ricotta cookies were definitely one of my favourites.  I would sneak these out of the freezer and eat them frozen. Take a look at my  previous posts for her lemon ciambellone and her anginetti cookies. Light and fluffy with a sweet lemony glaze that melts in your mouth.  Give these lemon cookies a try and you will fall in love with lemons as well! To make them more festive for the Christmas season you can dip them in sprinkles right after the icing sugar. Ingredients 2 1/4 cups of flour 1 tsp of baking powder pinch of salt 1/2 cup room temperature butter 8 ounces of fresh ricotta- be s

  Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies IG: @mangia.con.elena Do you love soft, cake like cookies? If the answer is yes then these pumpkin cookies are perfect cookies for you!  These cookies freeze exceptionally well but I am sure they will not make them to the freezer. Incredibly flavourful with a great crunch from the pecans, sweetness from the little morsels of chocolate and warmth from cinnamon and pumpkin. A great fall inspired treat for Thanksgiving or just because. Grab a cup of coffee or hot chocolate and get baking!  This recipe will yield about 24 cookies depending on the size that you prefer! We like them bigger because more to love!😁 Ingredients 🍪 1 cup of pumpkin puree (make sure it is puree and not pie filling) 🍪 1 cup of fine sugar 🍪 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil 🍪 1/2 tsp vanilla 🍪 1 large egg 🍪 2 cups flour 🍪 1.5  tsp of cinnamon  🍪 2 tsp of baking soda 🍪 a pinch of salt 🍪 1 tsp milk (I used almond but any would work) 🍪 1 tsp baking powder 🍪1 cup chocolat

Nonna's Italian Meatballs/Polpettone IG: @mangia.con.elena The other day I made a large batch of meatballs.  I make them very simple with few ingredients,   keeping with my Italian upbringing and the way my mother taught me. I then lay them flat on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper, freeze them, place them in freezer bags and store for when I want to make pasta, lasagna, pasta al forno or this delicious wedding soup. I will always make a large batch of regular sized meatballs and mini ones. As I do, my mind wanders to the hours that I would spend rolling meatballs with my mother at the little kitchen table. What I didn't know then was that I was making memories that I cherish deeply and hopefully pass these traditions on to my children.  Typically, the meat is a combination of ground pork, veal and beef. I prefer to use chicken or turkey instead of the veal but that of course is up to you! Let your taste buds be your guide! The ingredients are just guidelines as this really d