YUMMY YUM YUM!

So I got busy this morning after returning from school and made Panna Cotta.... yummy!

It's this yummy little dessert they have here in Italy. I would describe it as a creamy type of jell-o (I guess) topped with caramel or fruity syrup.

Anyways, hubby showed me you can buy these handy little kits to make it and tried it out last time he was home. (He made it while I was napping so I couldn't see how easy it was). Anyways, before he left for this last tour, he bought 2 boxes (you think he knows I like dessert?) for me incase I wanted to make it. Well, I know me better and have been looking at these 2 boxes sitting on the shelf for a week now but will power has been strong and I've waited till today to make it since hubby will be home tomorrow afternoon. Man was it ever easy! And the instructions were in Italian too!

So today I made the fruity syrup kind. Of course I had to make sure it tasted ok before hubby comes home and I must say, I need to pat myself on the back for not screwing it up!

So they give you this little cardboard fold out box to put the stuff in but I opted for putting it in individual glasses (so I don't eat the whole damn thing). Mine kind of looks like this.

So you boil 200ml of cream with 300ml of milk then after it's boiled, add the packet and mix well, then boil again for 2 minutes and pour in the mold or glasses. Let cool and put in fridge for like 4 hours. When ready to eat just pour the yummy syup on top and hork out!

This is what it usually looks like in restaurants but I figure mine is pretty nice too. Good enough for hubby and me.... Right now Panna Cotta is running neck-in-neck with Tiramisu for my favorite desserts to order.... hmmmmm wonder if they have a box to make that?

A Day in Vigoleno, Italy

Here's a little teaser of what this place looks like. We got together with some of G's friends he hasn't seen in a while and had lunch.... well, Italians' "lunch on a Sunday" is like a big fancy dinner we'd have back home! Seriously, I thought the food would never stop coming!

We arrived around 10:30-11:00 am and checked out the castle then went in to eat (the restaurant was inside the castle). Started out with water and wine (red and white), starters (sliced meats and vegetables that I would describe as sort of pickled - but not really). Then came the pastas... 3 different kinds to try. After that then came the "secondos" which was like 4 or 5 different kinds of meat like pork, wild boar, German pheasant (I believe) and mushrooms, polenta, potatoes, and apple sauce. Oh no, we aren't finished there.... Then comes dessert (which I definately tried to find room for). Most of us had Tiramisu or else sorbet (but theirs you sip through a straw from a glass). It all finishes off with caffé... and of course the bill. Actually for all that yummy goodness it only came to 65 euros a couple (which I found quite resonable). As you can imagine we didn't finish lunch until like 2 - 2.5 hours later. It was definately worth it though!!!

Here's a cute little fall picture we took... so Italian hey?

We Remember...

Happy November!

So today is the first of November. My how this year has flown by! I can't believe Christmas will be here soon! I just hope the weather holds up and we don't get snow for a while.

Today I was was busy, busy, busy in the kitchen! I decided it's been quite some time since I've had cinnamon buns so I decided to make a batch. MMMM! Yummy! They turned out ok but didn't rise as much as I think they should have. The first pan I did discover that I packed in too much. It didn't really leave room for the buns to expand but the second pan looks better! Now I know for next time.

Well, that's it for today. Just though I should post since it's been a while. Take care!