Lemon Bundt Cake Recipe ~ Ciambellone recipe

Hello Everyone!!!

I noticed it has been a while since I have shared a recipe on this blog. I cook a lot everyday, of course I need to feed my five children and husband, but I mostly do it because I love it. Yes, I cook lunch and dinner....and "merenda" everyday. Merenda is the Italian word for "snack-time", you know, the little snack children need after school. I usually bake a cake. The one I want to share with you is from a recipe I learned last year from a very good friend. It's called "ciambellone" {pron. CHAM-BELL-OH-NAY}...meaning "big donut". It's absolutely not a donut, it just has the same shape. :) Here it is:

CIAMBELLONE recipe {or LEMON BUNDT CAKE}

Ingredients:

• 1 -1/4 cup of SUGAR
• 3 EGGS
• 1/2 cup of VEGETABLE OIL
• 1 cup MILK
• 1-1/4 cup of  FLOUR
• 1 LEMON (zest + juice)
• 1 tsp BAKING POWDER

1. Mix well the eggs with the sugar until fluffy.
2. Add slowly the oil, the flour, baking powder and milk.
3. Grate the zest of the lemon, then add its juice.
4. Pour the batter in a greased bundt cake mold.
5. Cook in oven at 180 degrees for 30 minutes. 

Please enjoy!!! My family loves it, it's usually all gone quickly. Let me know if you make it and how it comes out!! 

xoxo,

~Banana chocolate-chip muffins~

Hello everyone!!!

today is Sunday and that's when we usually have a little extra time to make something special for our kids, or just for ourselves.. ;) One of the things of everyday life I really enjoy is cooking. I recently found a delicious recipe that is perfect for an afternoon snack or even breakfast. I'm talking about Banana Chocolate-chip muffins! They are perfect especially when you have a couple of bananas getting darker and darker on your kitchen counter... how many times that happens in my house....... well, if that's the case, look for a couple extra ingredients and make these!! You won't be disappointed.

BANANA CHOCOLATE-CHIP MUFFINS 

(ingredients for 12 medium muffins)

• 3 ripe BANANAS, mashed
• 3/4 cup SUGAR
• 1 EGG
• 1/3 cup BUTTER, melted
• 1 1/2 cups self-rising FLOUR
• 1 cup of CHOCOLATE-CHIPS

Mix sugar and egg to the mashed bananas. Add melted butter (you can use margarine if you prefer). Add the flour (if you don't have the self-rising kind, just use the regular flour + 1 tsp of baking powder) and mix well. Add chocolate-chips at last folding them in the batter.

Pour the batter into muffin molds and bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes. I check if they are cooked inserting a tooth-pick in one of the muffins, if it comes out clean it means they are ready!!

I hope you like them!! Enjoy them with a cup of coffee or tea! Let me know what you think.

xoxo,

ShopSmall ~ Handmade Goodness

Here I am back at it!!!! Who would have thought? 

Well, it's true that I often disappear, but I'm always back. I still like to go back and look at my old posts, pictures and recipes, where a tiny slice of time stopped. 

Christmas time is already here, lights are everywhere, trees and ornaments are twinkling in the homes, people are already shopping for gifts... and this is exactly what I want to speak about. You all know that I own a little online shop of handmade goodies and I know many other shops that I would like to promote here. This Christmas it would be very nice if you could #ShopSmall . What does this mean? It's simply a way to encourage and appreciate people who use their hands to create beautiful things. I was inspired by Fundera, a small business loans marketplace, to show my support. You can read more about the importance about small businesses HERE .

But let me show you some of the cutest gifts you could make this Christmas!

Vintage Doll Pencil Pouch

Silk Wrap Bracelet

Camper Stickers

Hands Full Heart Full Tote

Bracelet for the Baker

Hand-embroidered Inspirational Hoop

You can follow all these amazing makers also on Instagram, which is what I do and get a lot of inspiration from them. Just click on their names and it will take you to their IG profiles:

SilentPoetryArts

pebbleandore

eight28designs

athomewithnatalie

raisinguprubies

labellemadeleine

Well, I hope you can show some love during this Christmas Season and buy at leeeeeast one {or two} handmade presents from your list of gifts to give. You are going to make someone's day. 

Love as always. Enjoy the Season!

xoxo,

My Bubbly Lasagna

Hi everyone!!! Remember when I said it’s really hot in California?.. well, it still is… And remember when I said that my oven is always on no matter how hot it’s outside?.. well, it’s on!!

Today I made one of my favorite dishes. I used to ask my Mom to make it for my birthday when I was still living at home. It’s an easy and delicious recipe..  the Traditional Italian Lasagna. Yes, it’s true that with pasta you can put any ingredient you want.. but the original Lasagna dish is very simple, the main ingredients are the so called “Ragu’ Sauce” {homemade meat sauce..not the, according to my taste, disgusting already made sauce in the jar} and the “Bechamelle Sauce”.

For MY RAGU’ you need:

• half onion
• 1 stalk of celery
• 1 carrot
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 lb. of ground beef
• 1 large can of crushed tomatoes
• 1 splash of red wine
• salt

In a large pan, on medium heat, saute’ the onion, celery and carrot (previously minced) with a splash of Olive Oil. Add the meat and a little salt. When the meat turns brown add a splash of wine and let it cook for 2 minutes.

Add the whole can of crushed tomatoes, add another pinch of salt.

Let it cook on medium-low heat for at least 35 minutes.

BECHAMELLE SAUCE:

• 1/2 stick of BUTTER
• 3 spoon-full of FLOUR
• 2 1/2 cups of milk
• 1 pinch of SALT
• grated NUTMEG (if you have it)

Warm up the milk in the microwave. Melt the butter in a saucepan at medium heat. Add the 3 spoons of Flour, always stirring. Add the warm milk little by little {never stop stirring!} until it becomes smooth and creamy. Add a pinch of salt and a pinch of nutmeg.

The Lasagna noodles I use are the NO BOIL BARILLA ones. They are the best!!! Also when I was in Italy, I used to use them all the time. I never met anybody who uses the boil kind (the first time I saw them was when I came to America)..

Grease a lasagna pan with a little butter, alternate the ingredients: a little bechamelle at the bottom, noodles, meat sauce and bechamelle, noodles, meat sauce and bechamelle… the top layer needs to be only meat sauce. Grate a whole bunch of Parmigiano {parmesan cheese}.

Cook in the oven at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

ENJOY!!!!

xoxo,