A Year of Yumminess on La Bella Vita

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2010 brought a lot of 'growth' to this little ol' blog, "la bella vita" in both content and presentation.  My family and friends log on and read it quite often for not only traditional family recipes, but new recipes as well.  My readership grew from 100 followers in 2009 to over 700 in 2010, both through google, email subscriptions, and other blog groups.  I am just amazed at these wonderful people and how they have written about enjoying my recipes, whether my own or adapted from other sources.


So for this annual review, I'm going to start right there:  with some of my best recipe posts.  Here goes!

The most popular recipes of the year that were logged on by both followers and passing-by-visitors were:

Garden Fresh Marinara Sauce

Strawberry Layer Cake with Strawberry Cream Filling and Cream Cheese Frosting 

Sweet Cherry Tomato - Basil Pesto Sauce on Farfalle Pasta

In January, I made several lifestyle changes to live more healthfully, including what foods to include in my nutrition.  I lost 20 pounds from those changes.  Here was one of my favorite healthy recipes:

Terrific Tabouli:  Wheat and Herb Salad

In February, I was thrilled to have my Guacamole recognized as one of the top 2 guacamole recipes on FOODISTA.  Since I'm not much of a self-promoting blogger, I didn't ask others to vote for my recipe, and was pleased to rank as the second best guacamole without a single vote!

Roz's Awesome Guacamole

Also in February, I began to overcome my fear of preparing authentic risotto.  By so doing, this has become one of my Italian cooking pride and joys.  This is food from the foodie gods!

Creamy Risotto with Lemon, Asiago Cheese, and Rosemary

Finally, in February, I was introduced to Nigella Lawson's cooking style and philosophy through the "I Heart Cooking Club" group.  Since I adore trifles, this Italian-Anglo trifle by Nigella was perfect for Valentine's Day!

Very Berry Romantic Anglo-Italian Trifle

In June, I welcomed my new best friend into my life:  my new Canon EOS Rebel Tli camera.  My sister, Kelly, and daughter, Lauren, both have one and highly recommended this camera brand and model, as well as other professional photography bloggers that I follow.  What an incredible camera it has been that has enhanced my photography and inspired me to continue to learn more about beautiful photography, both for my blog and my family's life overall.

My gardens began to bear fruit and vegetables in June as well, including bushels of both green and red tomatoes.  Here was one of our favorite Italian/Southern recipes that impressed everyone:

Fried Green Tomatoes with Fresh Marinara Sauce and Mozzarella

Crusted ‘Ahi Tuna Katsu Pupus, Yellow Curry Sauce and Fresh Mango SalsaIn July, it was off to our annual trip to Hawaii where we always try and dine at one new restaurant that receives rave reviews.  This year we enjoyed Thai cuisine at Singha Thai in Honolulu from which this outstanding appetizer recipe was shared by the chef due to its popularity among fans:

In the grueling heat of August, the "Cake Slice Bakers" group chose to bake a sweet and cool, chilled cake. The traditional Latin cake, Tres Leches Cake, was perfect and delightful, which we will make over and over again! I have always wanted to make this cake and am so glad that this foodie blog group chose it!


Tres Leches Cake

Returning to my Italian favorites, this pasta was simply to die for! Even with a new focus on healthy eating (more often anyway), once in a while one must give in to temptation.  This was my downfall and was worth every calorie and feelings of guilt:

Pasta with Three Cheeses, Prosciutto and Peas

In September, another fabulous cake was selected by the "Cake Slice Bakers" group.  This was simply superb and was baked by several of my blog readers who unanimously agreed on it's sweet perfection for autumn when apples are in season!

Apple Caramel Cake

Because I love Thai food only second to Italian cuisine and continued to try to incorporate more healthy, yet delicious recipes into my lifestyle, I created this magnificently yummy Thai cucumber salad that I could literally eat the entire bowlful!


Roz's Thai Cucumber Salad That Tops Them All

October and autumn compelled me to prepare several traditional Italian recipes with fresh figs and prosciutto.  They were delightful!

Gorgonzola Stuffed Fresh Figs with Honey Drizzle

The chilly days of November inspired my mother, who along with my father are staying with us, to cook up huge pots of our years-old family recipe, of the famous Tuscan soup, Pasta Fagioli (Pasta Fazool) Soup. I never tire of this classic.October and autumn compelled me to prepare several traditional Italian recipes with fresh figs and prosciutto. They were delightful!

Minestra di Pasta e Fagioli (Pasta and Bean Soup)

.To end the year, I shared my family's recipe for Italian Contucci cookies (biscotti) for Christmas.  Just wonderful dipped in your favorite coffee flavor!

Italian Contucci (Biscotti)

For 2011, I know that I'll continue to post with the same theme that I've focused on for the last two years, that being all of the various ways in which we can be inspired to live life more beautifully, whether that be from my cucina (kitchen) to yours, through trips and traveling, or through fresh vegetables and flowers in my gardens!

Felice Anno Nuovo!

(Happy New Year!)

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SC Snowfall, Christmas 2010 ~ ~ Wordless Wednesday (well, not completely wordless)

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The front pasture covered with a perfect white snow under a clear blue winter sky.

Mr. Cardinal entertaining us outside my kitchen window (through a window screen, so a bit blurry).

Snowfall at night brings a completely different photo theme, the white dots are snowflakes.

An old, abandoned, but beautiful cabin just down the road from us.  I just love it!

Front step arrangements dusted with snow (red dogwood branches, berries, and assortment of greenery).

One of the gardens under the blanket of soft, white snow.

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Prime Rib with Au Jus

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It's not every day that we indulge in a prime rib dinner, so this extravagance is reserved once a year for our Christmas day dinner only.  With that said, you can tell that neither my husband or myself are pros at preparing prime rib.  However, my mother has a recipe in our family cookbook that's right on par for the perfect P.R.  It involves several hours of slow cooking on low oven heat, and then standing for an hour or so, all depending upon the size/weight of the rib roast.  Secondly, a rich 'au jus' is a must to pour over (or dip into) the meat.

We enjoy prime rib more on the rare side and others in the family like it cooked a bit more medium-rare. So cut the outer slices for those who want their meat medium-rare, and cut more towards the center for those more rare slices.  This should make everyone happy, happy!

As traditionalists, we always ladle large bowls of homemade tortellini in brodo first before anything else is ever served.  Holidays would never be complete without this pasta soup!  For a side dish beside the prime rib, we kept it simple with baked potatoes (with butter and/or sour cream) alongside a fabulous spinach salad and fresh bread.  Dinner was just perfect, not too much and not too skimpy . . . just right with room left over in our tummies for some sweet desserts!

Prime Rib with Au Jus

Place the prime rib in a large, deep roasting pan with 1/2" of water poured into the pan.
Do not season the meat at all.
Cook for 17 minutes per pound on 350 degrees.
Keep adding water throughout the cooking time.
Let the prime rib sit outside the oven for one hour prior to slicing.
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Au Jus

Boil 1 pound ground beef in hot water (the two combined should equal 3 quarts) for 10 minutes.
Add 4 Tbsp. Kitchen Bouquet
Add 4 Tbsp. beef bouillion (try not to use the cubes, but rather use the moist jarred version).
Add 4 Tbsp. salt and 1/2/ tsp. black pepper
Strain and keep all the liquid.
Add this mixture to 3 quarts of cold water.
Refrigerate.
After chilling, remove all of the fat from the top surface of the au jus.
Bring back to a super HOT temperature on the stove and serve at this very hot temperature over the prime rib.

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.A nice-sized bowl of Tortellini in Brodo with freshly grated Parmigiano cheese sprinkled on the top.

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Lighting the candles on the table (before dinner).

My niece waiting patiently for everyone to come to the table to enjoy!

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