Carnevale! Italy's Mardi Gras!

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Carnevale, which is Italy's version of Mardi Gras, begins February 6th, 2010! This is a two-week period of festivities before Ash Wednesday and the beginning of the spiritual renewal period of Lent, the 40 days before the Holy Day of Easter. The name Carnevale means to 'remove meat' -- carne levare, which is the Lenten tradition. This is because Carnevale used to take place only on the night before Ash Wednesday, but it slowly extended to two weeks in duration.

In Venice, Italy, an historical and traditional festival begins next week, the first week of February. This very old tradition, dating back to 1296, is a celebration of winter transitioning into springtime.
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In Northern Italy where my relatives still live, it is quite cold, especially up in the mountains. The cold winds blow down from the Alps and Appenine mountains. Similar to our northern American winters, there is very little sunshine during the often times frozen temperatures. Br-r-r-r-, it just sounds way too cold for me. If I every move to Italy, I'll have to be seaside after getting used to living in southern USA! So in combination with celebrating prior to the Lenten fast, Italians, who are known for their intense and passionate love of life, have CARNEVALE!
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Anyone can participate in the festivities, no matter what his or her background is, in which elaborate masks and costumes are worn in the public squares, parties and balls. Daily and nightly events take place and include all types of merriment: street performances everywhere, along with extravagant costume balls, masquerades, parties, sumptuous dinners, parades with spectacular floats, music, gondola parades, and games for children. Beautiful fireworks conclude the festivities on the final evening.
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There are Carnevale celebrations THROUGHOUT Italy, however, the largest and most elaborate of all the festivals take place in Venice, Verona (the oldest), Viareggio, and Cento.
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So during this festive time of year in Italy, I felt it most appropriate to focus on and share some very traditional Italian recipes that are prepared, enjoyed, and passed down from generation to generation. As an American-Italian, I'll also include recipes associated with the American Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Louisiana, that has the same (but not quite as elaborate) focus on celebrations prior to Lent.

Of those recipes, Lasagna recipes of all varieties are served, especially La Grande Lasagna di Carnevale from Naples, and Calzone . . . all the way to simple but delicious pastries such as Cenci from Tuscany that are very fun to eat. Now I do have a very favorite version of lasagna that I developed, but to remain true to tradition, I am going to prepare the recipe(s) associated with Carnevale.
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Thanks For The Happiness Award To Whom I'll Pass On To . . .

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There's someone that I'd like to introduce to you! Her name is Anne and she is the author of a a wonderful blog, Annie Bakes . She extended the Happy 101 blog award to me and I'm very grateful for her kindness. This is a special one, because I love making people, even if it is just one person, happy when they read my blog. Now Anne gave me a few award rules, that I'm also passing along:
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Lemon Garlic Salmon

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Lately, there has been a lot of discussion about the "super foods" that are recommended for us to increase in our daily lives. You know the oldies, but goldies of super foods: olive oil, garlic, almonds, tomatoes, avocados, blueberries, spinach, salmon, just to name a few. This year, there seems to be more chatter about Greek yogurt and several others. Well, it just so happens that my niece gave me one of Ina Gartner's Barefoot Contessa cookbooks (Back To Basics) for Christmas, in which she shared a creamy topping for baked potatoes using Greek yogurt. Hmmmm, I'd never thought of that and so I tried her recipe.

In Ina's recipe, she combines Greek yogurt with sour cream and chives in order to lighten it up. Sounds good to me, since I'm still trying to lose weight while eating delicious food. This is quite a challenge for me to achieve.
But what to prepare alongside the creamy topped potatoes? Well, don't forget . . . salmon is also on that super food list! So salmon baked in a lemony, garlic, olive oil sauce sang out to my heart to pair with Ina's potatoes. And it was both light, yummy, and oh so incredibly easy!
First, I want you to know that I went to Whole Foods to the fresh fish case and picked out the most gorgeous Wild Atlantic red salmon. The nutritionists have said that its best to use the 'wild' variety of salmon. Just look at these salmon fillets . . . unbelievable, intense color! They almost looks like ahi tuna!


Now this isn't a recipe that I found anywhere, I've been making this for years now from ingredients that I always keep in my pantry and frig: olive oil, lemons, garlic powder, butter, and lemon pepper. That's it!

Lemon-Garlic Salmon
What you need to prepare the salmon:
juice from 1/4 lemon
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. lemon pepper
Several shakes of Mrs. Dash Table Blend (no salt)
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 salmon fillets

What you need to do to make the salmon:
Melt the butter and blend with the olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic powder.

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Gently drizzle the mixture over the salmon fillets. Sprinkle the lemon pepper and Mrs. Dash Table Blend spices over the fillets.

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Cut up a few slices of lemon and lay them on top of the fillets.

Such beautiful color and contrast!

Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 15 - 20 minutes or until your preferred level of done-ness.


And now to make Barefoot Contessa's baked potatoes:

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What you need to have and do for the potatoes:

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1/2 cup Greek yogurt (low fat)

1/2 cup sour cream (I used regular, but you can also use low fat if you like)

2 Tbsp. chopped chives

salt and pepper

2 - 4 Idaho potatoes, scrubbed clean

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Bake the potatoes for 45 minutes to an hour in a 400 degree oven or until soft.

Blend the yogurt, sour cream and chives together.

Add salt and pepper to your desired level and blend well

Top the potatoes with this mixture.

That's it!

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Enjoy this really easy, tasty, flavorful, yet healthy entree and side dish!

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