I can always whip up something good for dinner with these ingredients. If the tomatoes, zucchini and basil come from my garden, all the better, but if not, that’s fine, too. Just be sure to pass me the grated parmigiana, please! Abundanza xo

My go-to recipe for hot summer days. You can literally use anny veggies and pasta you like. Mix everything together and add some oil, vinegar and spices! You can't get it wrong!

Some very messy mac and cheese.

When I was pregnant with my first child, my husband and I were eating at a coastal restaurant in Rhode Island. I suffered from terrible morning sickness day and night. The only thing that looked appealing on the menu was octopus mac ‘n cheese. (It was mac ‘n cheese topped with a hotdog carved into the shape of an octopus.) It was “pregnancy craving at first sight!” But there was one problem, the restaurant wouldn’t allow me to order it since it was on the kids menu. Shame on them, I never returned to the restaurant! However, this story has a happy ending since I’ve since recreated this guilty pleasure meal at home with my kiddos and it’s always a hit!

My happy place to eat my happy meal would be anywhere on the MA or RI coast!

This recipe came from my mother in law and has been a making people happy at least since my husband was a kid. Probably because there's nothing weird in the recipe: no onion powder or bread crumbs or paprika; things a picky kid would be likely to notice and throw an epic tantrum over. It just makes really good classic macaroni and cheese every single time. Leftovers are great, too!

Note: The original recipe as written didn't have measurements, so every time I cook it I don't measure out anything except the cheese, which comes in 8 oz blocks. So I've estimated the other ingredients when writing it down here.

This is my Happy Meal! A few simple ingredients and you have an awesome bowl of goodness! Being with my dog, in my backyard and a glass of wine...perfection!

Thinking about my happy meal, visions of pasta keep appearing... but how could I choose between ramen and spaghetti? So here’s a manifestation of my pasta daydreams 🍜🍝🌟

Collage created with handcolored paper.

Vit-D packed comfort carbs for colder seasons!

I love mac and cheese because it is such a comfort food. Adding broccoli just makes it better.

a simple illustration for a tasty broccoli and chorizo centred pasta bake

An easy to do and very tasty Sicilian pasta recipe.
If you prefer a vegetarian dish just don't add the anchovies. Please try and let me know if you like it!!

A few simple ingredients come together to make a healthy, satisfying, vividly green dish.

A quick easy and fresh pasta dish, great for a midweek dinner.

this is as easy as it gets. I must admit I prefer to obliterate my broccoli, but florets are prettier.