Thatsa Italian!

How to Speak Italian (well, a little)

So,  we’ve  had a great week in Italy.  We ate some good food, learned a little about a great man and painted a masterpiece.  We should probably have learned a little of the language first, right?  Well, I’ll try to do that next week but I was just so excited to get to the food J.   So let’s learn some basic phrases in Italian – you’ll need to clear the space around you and make sure your hands are empty so you can use big gestures!  If I offended any Italians, I’m sorry,  but I think that is a pretty accurate stereotype (with a few exceptions, I’m sure).  Ok, ready?

Hi – ciao        welcome – benvenuto      thank you – grazie     goodbye – arrivederci

Good luck – buona fortuna        (and my favorite)      I Love You – ti amo  

1 – uno        2- due       3- tre       4 – quattro        5- cinque

6 – sei          7 – sette      8 – otto      9- nove       10 – dieci

There, now you are that much closer to speaking Italian!!! 

 Arrivederci!  The family and I are going camping for the weekend- hope you have something fun planned as well  - Jenny

P.S.  I'll leave you a clue about next week - there's a big volcano and the singer Bjork is from there (she's the only person I can think of right now) 

The Leaning Tower of Pisa Experiments

The Leaning (oops) Tower of Pisa

I think almost everyone has seen the picture of the Leaning Tower of Pisa.  Did you ever know why it was leaning?  No?  Good I’ll tell you.  The tower is actually the campanile (bell tower) of the cathedral for the city of Pisa.  They started construction on the tower in 1173 and it was going just fine until they got to the second floor.  Oops, it seems the foundation was not strong enough to hold all the marble they were using and the ground was too soft on one side.  Bet somebody got fired for that one!  Anyway, they  had some battles to fight so they stopped construction for almost 100 years.  While they were waging war, the ground settled and firmed up so they decided to keep going and try to compensate for the tilt by building the upper floors taller on one side!!  So the tower is not only tilted but curved as well J  Guess the building inspectors in 1272 were pretty lenient.   Another round of battles meant construction was again halted until 1319, when a new architect was brought in.  Finally, in 1372, the bell chamber was added and the tower was complete.  Not bad, it only took a couple of hundred years to build a totally lopsided, tilting tower J

Can You Build It??

We thought it would be fun to try to build our own Leaning Towers.  We wanted to see how tall we could build on a tilted foundation, so we got out the blocks….

They each got a box top with a crayon under one end to simulate the tilted ground.  Then the race was on to see who could build it the highest before it tipped!

Steady as you go, it's harder
than it looks!

Depending on how you judge, the winner was my son for longest lasting structure

OR my daughter for tallest tower!  This tall one fell a few seconds after I took the picture!!

One thing we learned though :

the FOUNDATION makes all the difference!!

Bonus Recipes from Italy!!

2 Bonus Recipes for You

You are so lucky :)  Because I love you all for looking at my blog and well, just being supportive, I am giving you even more yummy Italian recipes!!  The reason I even have a blog is because of my friend and neighbor - Stephanie O'Dea.  A few years back she decided to embark on an adventure/new year's resolution where she used her slow-cooker EVERYDAY FOR A YEAR.  Really, she did.  Her blog, A Year of Slow Cooking , became super popular and led to cookbook offers and now she is starring in the Ninja Cooking System infomercials :)  Cool, huh?  Anyway, she did all this and more (click on her link to see all her other accomplishments) while raising her 3 kids and being a great mom.  So, I am using her as my model to be a working stay-at-home mom AND stealing one of the recipes from her website to cook for you.  Actually, I changed an ingredient or two and I bet mine is even better :)  Should we have a crock-pot cookoff challenge?!

Pasta Fagioli - Slow-Cooker style

For the recipe you will need:

• 1 lb. mild italian sausage.  Ours were in casings but I cut them off and chopped up the sausages
• 1/2 large onion - chopped
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 2 celery stalks - chopped
• 2 cans (14.5 oz) of diced tomatoes in juice or one box of Pomi Italian tomatoes- never tried them before but Italian tomatoes are supposed to be more flavorful
• 1 can kidney beans - drained and rinsed
• 1 can white beans - drained and rinsed
• 4 cups beef broth - I used 3 cups beef and one vegetable cuz that's what I had
• 1 jar (gasp) pasta sauce or a few cups of homemade sauce. I'm really not a sauce snob - I'm just kidding :)
• 2 tsp oregano
• 1 or 2 cloves garlic - minced
• 1 T Tabasco sauce
• 1/2 tsp salt or more if you used sodium free broth like I did
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 c dry pasta - I think I used more and it was a bit thick but still super delicious!

1.  I have a small crockpot (4 qt) so I divided the ingredients and froze half for another meal.  Stephanie suggests 6 qt or larger.
2. Brown the sausage on the stovetop (or if you get that new Ninja cooker from the infomercial you can do it in the same pan)
3. Chop up carrots, onion, celery and put in crock.  Same with the beans, tomatoes,.....actually everything except the pasta goes in the crock!

4.  Cover and cook on low for 8 hrs or high for 4.  About 40 mins before you want to eat it add the pasta - I started mine at 9 am and we ate it at 4 (because it smelled so good and we had an ice-cream social at the school at 6) 

Everyone (except my daughter who doesn't eat red sauce) really enjoyed it - especially with some parmesan cheese on top and some crusty bread on the side!!  Thanks Stephanie for the delicious recipe!

Bonus #2 - Panna Cotta with Berries
This recipe is all over the websites so I'm not crediting any one person with it.  It is very creamy and delicious and was super easy to make! You will need:

• 1/3 cup fat-free milk (I'd have to imagine 1 or 2% would be fine also)
• 1 packet unflavored gelatin (.25 ounce)
• 2 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 granulated sugar or sugar substitute if you're diabetic
• 1 1/2 t vanilla extract

1. Pour milk in small bowl, add gelatin and let sit for a few minutes
2. In saucepan, put cream and sugar and bring to boil - stir to dissolve sugar. 
3. When boiling, pour gelatin/milk mixture into cream and stir completely and constantly for one minute. 
4. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
5. Pour into 6 individual ramekins or one large one (I don't have six ramekins) and let cool uncovered on the counter. 
6. When cool, cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge for at least 4 hours. 
7.  Decorate with fresh berries.  Hand everyone a spoon and ENJOY!!!!!

 My son doing an excellent job decorating it (he only ate HALF the bowl of berries)

  

   Isn't it beautiful!!! Can you see where I hid the bite I took with a berry?

I was afraid we would eat the whole thing so I asked the neighbors to try it...guess they liked it :)

Mangia! Some Authentic Italian Food

mmmmmm, Italian Food!!

Close your eyes and think of your favorite Italian food.  It wasn't hard to come up with one was it?  That's because Italian foods like spaghetti, pizza, and lasagne seem almost as American as apple pie. But as a true Italian (which I am not) would tell you - jarred pasta sauce is not REAL pasta sauce.  Not like Mama would make :)  So we will get a recipe for an authentic, homemade pasta sauce AND, since my daughter doesn't like red sauce, we will make a Carbonara!  You are so lucky to be reading this!  Quick, tell everybody you know!! 

But first, a little history on Pasta.  I had always heard that pasta was brought to Italy by the explorer Marco Polo on his journeys to China - WRONG!  Apparently that was a myth.  Pasta has been mentioned in writings from Italy since the 1st century AD, and the dried version we know today has been around since the 8th century.  The dried version seems to have been introduced by the Arabs to Sicily during one of its many invasions and quickly became an Italian staple since the climate is perfect for growing the durum wheat used in pasta.  Now the tomato is a different story.  They WERE brought to Italy by explorers.  Not Marco Polo from China but Christopher Columbus (or someone on his crew) from the New World.  But alas, they were still not eaten until much later because they were thought to be poisonous, the plant is a member of the deadly Nightshade variety.  It wasn't until around 1839 that the first mention of pasta with tomatoes was documented.  Wonder who was brave enough to try it first?  Tomatoes soon became very popular and the rest, as they say, is history..........

Cooking Project: Tomato Sauce and Pasta Carbonara

As I mentioned before, my daughter won't eat red sauce (even though for the first 3 years of her life she LOVED it - but that's another story we won't go into here), so I found a great website called Real- Italian - Recipes. com where you can go and find some very delicious sounding sauces.  I especially thought the Italian Tomato Sauce with Tiny Meatballs  sounded delicious.  Please give it a look if you are in the mood for sauce like Mama (again, not my Mama- we aren't Italian) used to make.

We ARE going to make the Pasta Carbonara recipe I found on the site though- because it has Pancetta, which is like bacon, and my family loves BACON!

 For the recipe you will need:

• A few tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 lb. thick cut Pancetta - cut in chunks  OR thick cut bacon
• 4 eggs
• Grated Pecorino or Parmesan (we're using Parmesan)
• Black pepper to taste
• Pasta (spaghetti or rigatoni) we cooked the whole bag and it was perfect amount for 4 people.

1. Heat oil to medium heat in large frying pan and add Pancetta - don't let it burn - should be pink with golden edges- or it tastes bitter.  Once done, turn off heat and let cool.

2. Start you pasta to cook in lots of rapidly boiling salted water. The directions are on the label for cooking times.
3. Mix eggs in bowl and add cheese and a pinch of salt.
4. When pasta is cooked add to pan with pancetta.  Add raw egg and mix it all together on low heat for 3 to 5 minutes- just until egg is cooked and coating pasta. 
5. Give it a dash of pepper and some more cheese and ENJOY!!!!!!

A real kid-pleaser!!!

Leonardo da Vinci - A Man of Many Talents

The First Renaissance Man

The art and architecture of Italy is world famous.  Who has never seen the Mona Lisa, or the Leaning Tower of Pisa? There have been many artists, during many periods of art, that have come from Italy, but one man stands alone - Leonardo da Vinci.

 Born in 1452, in Vinci, Italy (hence his name - Leonardo of "Vinci"), he was a just a boy of 15 when he was apprenticed to a painter in Florence.  His talents quickly became apparent and he soon created his own style of painting using very subtle hues and shadows.  But painting was just one of his talents, he was also a mathematician, scientist, anatomist, sculptor, musician, writer, engineer, and inventor!! Some of his inventions were flying machines, bicycles, and weapons that no one believed could actually ever exist.  Many of his inventions were never built and, in fact, he was so easily distracted by his many different interests that he had trouble completing many of his projects.  His curiousity and intellect led him to discover many talents and become the example of what is known as a "renaissance man" - someone who is good at many different things. 

We took a look at one of his most famous paintings - the Mona Lisa.

Started in 1502, the painting was commissioned by Francesco del Giocondo, who wanted a portrait of his wife Lisa to celebrate the birth of their third child.  The word "Mona" was used in those times as a short form of Madonna, or my lady.  Leonardo da Vinci never actually gave the painting to the Giocondos and kept fiddling with it for the rest of his life.  Ours was done in about 30 minutes but, as you can tell, we left out a bit of the wonderful detail and up to 30 layers of paint that make the original so special. 

Art Project: Mona Lisa (kinda)

For the project you will need:

• paints (I highly recommend washable)
• canvas or white cardboard or paper
• variety of brushes
• artist pallette or plate to mix colors
• picture of the Mona Lisa (I got a sample set of different paintings a few years ago - one of those free gifts and then you join the club to get more.  I never joined but if you are interested go to www.thehistoryexplorer.com)

We studied the picture for awhile and decided the important parts were the lady, especially the eyes and hands, and the background.  My daughter drew it first in pencil and then painted it- mixing her own colors and coming up with her own ideas.  I think she did a great job and SHE thinks she can sell her painting for a lot of money - gosh I sure hope so!!

A Masterpiece!!!

Week 9: Let's take a tour of Italy!!

Buongiorno from Italy!

Ahhh Italy, I can see myself now, frolicking in the waves of the Mediterranean or roaming around the ancient ruins of Rome...yeah, I wish.  My reality is loads of laundry waiting to be done and kids wanting my attention 24/7 - and I LOVE it but wouldn't it be wonderful to have a nice little Italian vacation?!  I think Italy is probably the easiest country to find on the map - it looks like a leg with the foot kicking a rock!  Fun.  Nicknamed "Bel Paese" or beautiful country, Italy is always on the top of the list for tourists.  You can visit buildings built in ancient times and museums that hold countless priceless works of art.  You can see the destruction that Mt. Vesuvius caused to the city of Pompeii or see why a strong foundation is the most important part of a building (the Leaning Tower of Pisa). 

You can ski in the mountains or swim in the sea - it's up to you in Italy.  Rome, the capital, was founded in 753 BC! Here in America, where the "old" buildings are about 300 years old, I cannot even comprehend how exciting it must be to LIVE with that much history all around you.  To find Rome on our latitude/longitude maps the coordinates are 41.54º N/ 12.29ºE.  Rome is one of  20 different regions in Italy, others I'm sure you've heard of - Veneto, Sicily, Tuscany, and Umbria to name a few.  Each region has its own attractions and food specialities so to really visit Italy you need to explore.  And exploring is another thing Italy is famous for.  Christopher Columbus, who, of course, "discovered" America  is from Italy and Marco Polo, who brought the treasures of China back to Europe.  Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Botticelli - just a few of the wonderful artists that Italy has produced.  This will be a busy week.  Let's get going!!!