Stuffed tomatoes

Roman Stuffed Tomatoes

Roman Stuffed Tomatoes excerpted from Pasta Grannies: Comfort Cooking: Traditional Family Recipes From Italy’s Best Home Cooks by Vicky Bennison. Copyright photography © Lizzie Mayson.

Pasta Grannies: Comfort Cooking: Traditional Family Recipes From Italy’s Best Home Cooks

Spending time with our family and friends has never felt so important—and so often this means cooking for the ones you love.

Who better to take inspiration from than Pasta Grannies who have spent their lifetimes plating up comfort and connection? Vicky Bennison, the author of the bestselling Pasta Grannies cookbook, brings more heart-warming recipes and stories from our favourite Italian grandmothers in this easy-to-follow, crowd-pleasing recipe book shows you how to make authentic Italian food that everyone will enjoy.

Discover 91-year-old Pina’s chestnut gnocchi with walnut pesto, lovingly made with ingredients she grows around her home in Liguria; or 99-year-old Marietta’s special tagliatelle recipe, which is not really a recipe at all but a reflection of her vegetable garden, the Calabrian countryside and the changing seasons. As well as meat, seafood and vegetable pasta recipes, chapters cover pizzas, pastries and pies, rice and pulses, dairy and herbs, nuts and spices. (more…)

Greek Rice-Stuffed Tomatoes

Greek Rice-Stuffed Tomatoes, Big Night In: Delicious themed menus to cook & eat at home by Katherine Bebo. Photography by Jenny Linford.

Big Night In: Delicious themed menus to cook & eat at home by Katherine Bebo

If you shudder at the thought of arriving home late with a greasy take-out in hand, turn the tables on the “awesome” Big Night Out and celebrate the arrival of the Big Night In. No longer is staying in the boring, vanilla, or lacking-in-fun choice but, with this creative collection of mouth-watering menus, you can turn your home into the perfect night-in venue for hosting family and friends.

Fill your table with tasty Baba Ghanoush, Rice-Stuffed Tomatoes, and Spinach & Feta Pastries for an evening of Moreish Mezze. Whatever the summer weather, host a bumper Family Cook In with Chorizo & Bean Burgers, springtime Apple Slaw, and Homemade Root Beer.

For the plant-based eaters in your life, create a Vegan Celebration with a Buffalo Cauliflower & Chickpea Bowl, Creamy Chipotle Dip, and a fruity Aquafaba Pavlova. Whoever your guest and whatever their taste, these are just some of the delicious recipes you’re sure to delight and impress them with.

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"Birthday Month" – My dinner with Humphrey

My uncle is a fascinating guy. Apart from being an admirable person, he loves Paris the way I love Boston. Hard to imagine, I know. He spends oodles of time in France hanging out with his friends. He fences (with a sword!) He’s a wine aficionado and a proficient chef. He has the ultimate green thumb. He’s a skilled photographer. He’s kind to my mom (his sister), to me (his godson) and he’s a supportive father to his two great kids. And if that wasn’t enough, he has the raddest dog on the block, Humphrey.

I always enjoy spending time with my uncle and I was happy to snag an invite to his groovy abode. Not much to report but suffice it to say that it was a nice evening, with some fine wine, some good food and a cool dog. Sometimes, that’s all that matters. Enjoy the pics below.