Hazelnut gelato, or gelato alla nocciola, is one of the most common ice cream flavors in Italy. The creamy texture of the gelato coupled with the nutty earthy flavors of hazelnuts and this will quickly become a common treat in your house too! Read the rest of this entry »

I have been tagged by the last IT girl, Susan
from The Well-Seasoned Cook to participate in my second meme – 7 Random Facts about me. As Susan did, I am sticking to Foodie Facts to keep up with the theme of this blog! So thanks Susan! I’ll get’cha back when you least expect it!

I challenge all my Foodie Friends on The Foodie Blogroll to participate, by writing 7 Random things about yourself on your blog and then coming over here to tell us about it, so we can see for ourselves!

So here are mine!

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Chocolate, that deep dark, silky voice that speaks to us when we open our pantries or walk through the grocery store. For many people, their chocolate addiction is a carefully guarded secret hidden so deep inside them, it is a constant battle to keep the craving, the need under control! Well I am here to say it doesn’t have to be that way! Chocolate is GOOD for you- no not those Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups or M&M’s or Hershey Bars. I am talking about the REAL stuff the 75% Cocoa content or higher stuff- the bitter potent antioxidant. In this recipe, I slather luscious, ripe, red strawberries, full of antioxidants themselves, with deep, dark, powerful 80% Cocoa Chocolate. Get ready for some serious dessert that is good for you-seriously!
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Here is my recipe for this months Heart of the Matter for which the theme this month is pasta! You can find out about The Heart of the Matter here, or visit Ilva over at Lucullian Delights for more information! Be healthy not just for your heart but for your whole well-being. Eating does not have to be bad for you!

I love using leftover vegetables and sauces to make delicious healthy pasta dishes. This one is one of my favorites. It is rich in flavor and color, and is perfect to celebrate the coming of spring! You can use any seasonal vegetables or frozen vegetables you have and if you don’t want to use basil pesto, you can use sundried tomatoes and olive oil for a twist!

Enjoy with a nice glass of wine and crusty bread for dinner. Or bring it to your next picnic served cold. Either way, your family and friends will love it! Read the rest of this entry »

Speaking of Tunisian CousCous, you can now purchase your own Tunisian Fancy Couscous (6.7 Ounce) by igourmet.com through Amazon. Amazon has a wide variety of wonderful gourmet and imported food products. Many of which I have available through my store. I will be featuring a variety of products through these product reviews on a regular basis, so stay tuned!

The national dish of Tunisia is in fact CousCous. CousCous is a small pasta that is made from semolina. Tunisian Cuisine is a complex mixture of Middle Eastern, Berber and European foods.

The Mediterranean Recipe of the Week this week is Tunisian Style Cous Cous. This is also by a guest cook this week, David, another one of my Travel blog buddies. David and Lucy have traveled all over the Mediterranean and Middle East and their extensive travels have inspired many creative dishes. You should definitely check out David’s Images of Islam Blog
Now for the Recipe!
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1) Olive Oil – For me this is a must. As you can see from the last post, olive oil can be used from cooking, to baking to frying. It can be used in salad dressings, marinades or drizzled on a piece of bread. It is so versatile and there are so many kinds to try, you could have a whole pantry full of liquid gold!

2) Balsamic Vinegar – What is Olive Oil without its counterpart, Balsamic Vinegar? Again it is so versatile and there are so many kinds, you can spend years getting to know them all and their subtle flavors.

3) Sun Dried Tomatoes – Sun Dried Tomatoes just make everything taste a little better. They can perk up the blandest of dishes. I have not found a single savory item that does not go with sun dried tomatoes. Everything from bread, to omelets to pastas and salads, you cannot go wrong. Just make sure after you re-hydrate them, put them in Olive Oil – then you can use the delicious flavored oil later!

4) Spices – This is a no-brainer. No dish would be complete without spices. Keep as many as you like on hand, but be sure to keep them no longer than 2 years because by then, they will certainly have lost their flavor!

5) Pasta or Rice – Really this is up to personal preference, it is always important to have some kind of grain in your pantry at all times. Just boil some pasta, drizzle some olive oil and vinegar, mix in sun dried tomatoes and spices and you have got a delicious meal!

I have some really good news!

There is a very unique and wonderful gourmet food and cooking supply store that just opened up here in Ocala, FL called Bakers and Cooks the fine folks over there are also building a beautiful state-of-the art cooking school there called The Culinaria Food Arts Studio I am going to be co-teaching a summer cooking camp for kids there starting towards the end of May. I have also been asked to teach a cooking class for adults based on the principles from my LeftOverQueen site!

Both of these projects sound like tons of fun! I hope it will be a good way to start getting more involved in my new hometown as well! Wish me Luck!

If you live in the Ocala area and love food I highly recommend checking these places out and enrolling your child, neice, nephew, cousin, etc. in the summer camp! It is going to be lots of fun! And the kids will really learn how to move around in the kitchen and make delicious food – OUT OF THE BOX!