Farm to Table Family

Lemon gelato is one of my favorite deserts for reasons more than just its taste. When my sister and I were traveling in Italy, we found the most amazing lemon gelato and ended up eating it every day! Lots of fond memories come to mind when I think of that time but none perhaps as sweet as that gelato. Tart but sweet, creamy and always refreshing -- it was bliss.

Making your own fresh pasta dough is a lot easier than you think. All it takes are three ingredients and the willingness to get your hands a little dirty! It's also a great recipe because the dough will store well, making opening your freezer the only thing standing in the way of you and Italy. Bellissima!

Lasagna with fresh tomatoes and basil is healthy but still substantial enough to feed the family. Using homemade lasagna noodles will make each bite taste fresh, silky, and smooth. It's perfect for even my littlest one! But never fear, dried lasagna noodles will work perfectly well too!

Black Sesame and Orange Zest Shortbread Cookies may sound fancy and even a little complicated, but I promise, they aren't! Shortbread dough is a basic recipe that lends itself to all kinds of delicious mix ins. For this recipe, I chose to add black sesame seeds and orange zest for a burst of flavor. My favorite part about this recipe though is that your kids can help you with it!

Quiche is a dish that can be prepared in advance using basic ingredients and any veggies that you have on hand. In the spirit of the holidays, one afternoon I recently tried a combination of sweet apples and earthy brussels sprouts. Surrounded by a creamy egg filling, it was, honestly, delicious.

This simple yet delicious vegetable dish is a perfect side dish for poultry, beef or fish. It is simply prepared with fresh lemon peel, garlic and chicken broth. Although the ingredients are simple, the flavor is anything but! You can prepare any green vegetable in the same exact way, and remember to taste as you're cooking to make sure the flavors and texture are perfect.

Made naturally with honey, these caramel apples are not cloying. They have a beautiful light honey flavor that pairs really well with a tart granny smith apple. Top it off with some sprinkles, nuts, or your favorite toppings for an extra special treat!

This pumpkin soup baked in a pumpkin, is tasty, simple and perfect for the holidays coming up! Ever since we received the book "Pumpkin Soup" in our preschool book club, I've been wanting to make this perfect fall soup for the kids. We went to a real pumpkin patch to pick out the Cinderella pumpkin for the soup and the boys got to see how pumpkins grow.

I learned how to make this simple but amazingly tasty apple pie from Chef Susan Loomis in Paris. I'll never forget how excited I was when I was making it and then even more excited when I tasted it! You can use all kinds of seasonal fruit like plums, cherries, peaches, apricots, nectarines. The crust is flaky, buttery, and it's made in 10 seconds in a food processor!

Green Eggs & Ham was my favorite story growing up and now it's one of my son's favorites. He gets pretty excited when we make this for breakfast together and will sometimes say a few lines as he's smearing on the sauce! In the mornings, I need to keep things simple and quick, so for me it's all about the pesto here. Some fresh eggs and a good breakfast ham and you're done! AND it's fun!

My kids love cheese and dipping things! Whipped ricotta is an easy way to make a beautiful snack or appetizer for the entire family. Inspired by a recent family trip to New York City and a visit to Locanda Verde restaurant, the kids and I gobbled up this dish and wanted more. I wanted to recreate it at home and found that it was not only simple but also gorgeous. Pair it with some garlic toast.

Homemade granola is the BEST! We go through so much granola in my house. We love it for breakfast with yogurt and fruit, and the kids eat it as a snack regularly. After I started making it myself, I have to say that no store bought granola can compare with this crunchy chunky deliciousness. My kids will find it in the cupboard and eat it right out of the jar. It's so good.