Cucino, or at least, I try to cook

I have had students over to cook and bake about seven times this semester, and it has been so much fun. The students do not have access to kitchens in their pensioni, and so they enjoy the normalcy of baking cookies, and I enjoy the company (and also, obviously, the cookie dough). It has been really interesting learning how to adapt to baking cookies in Italy. Baking powder doesn't seem to exist, and baking soda is sold in the soda section of the grocery store, so it took a couple times to actually find it!  They also don't have real vanilla and I haven't yet found chocolate chips. But it has always been fun, and has always turned out something delicious . . . even if it took some trial and error!  Here are some cookie pictures:

Elaina and Jayne at the first attempt

Don't they look pretty?

Uh Oh! Something definitely went wrong

The next batch went better

Laura, Mariah and Amanda at another baking attempt

By this time I had a better idea of what to do, these came out much better!

The school does Glee watching nights, every other week, and we try to make snack for those events. I have successfully made chocolate chunk cookies, peppermint bark, and tiramisu (which was a big success). Although I must say it's a workout whipping egg whites for the tiramisu - I miss my hand mixer!

We did a Thanksgiving dinner for ten people and I made a green bean casserole (of sorts, it turned out more "gourmet" than I planned as there's no mushroom soup or French's onions, so I made the mushroom cream sauce with fresh mushrooms and the onions on top ended up being shallots. 

Federica (Assistant Director), Christina B, Christina I and Mary

Mo and McCall

Shelley and Linda

The Thanksgiving Table (from left to right: brussel sprouts, potatoes au gratin, the turkey, stuffing, garlic mashed potatoes, green bean casserole and fresh baked bread)

My green bean casserole

My brussel sprouts with pancetta and chestnuts

An up close shot of the turkey

Carving the turkey!

Mary, Mo, Christina, James and McCall are ready to eat

The dessert table (I made the apple cake on the right)

Last night I made a delcious chicken stuffed with prosciutto, basil and a pepperjack/pecorino cheese - turned out surprisingly well considering I didn't have a recipe!  I also had a salad - it's crazy how much I miss salads!  I need to start making them more frequently!

Tonight I think I might try eggplant caprese and a rosemary garlic chicken - hopefully this all turns out good too! A couple of students who don't leave just yet are coming over for dinner.