We’re in Washington packing up our house of 5 years that we sold earlier this summer. It’s been really bitter sweet being back in a place that we love so much where we’ve made so many great memories.

Moving to Italy has been exciting and romantic and so many of the things I imagined it to be, but it’s also required a lot of bravery and putting on my big girl pants to walk away from things that are comfortable and feel like home.

Have you ever had neighbors who feel like family? That’s how our little street in Washington is. We’ve traveled together, done 4th of July fireworks most years, commiserated over parenting woes, volunteered in church together, seen each other through heartache and loss, and belly-laughed over Instagram memes.

Last night we piled paper plates high with summer watermelon, smoked drumsticks, summer panzanella, and s’mores cookies for one last hurrah. It felt like old times, which made me really sad and also really grateful at the same time.

I love these cookies.

Originally developed for a fun collaboration with SportsIsh during the last summer olympics, I made these cookies with the intention to evoke pure feelings of summer in a cookie.

They’re camp-firey, gooey, chocolatey, and so wildly nostalgic.

A Few Notes On This Recipe

• I included milk chocolate chips because to me that screams a true nostalgic s’mores, but of course feel free to swap with semi-sweet or whatever you have on hand.

• These jet-puffed mallow bits are a game changer and worth buying for this cookie alone. While you can make these with traditional marshmallows just fine, the dehydrated bits will prevent your cookies from spreading out unnecessarily while still giving you the stretchy marshmallowyness you need in this cookie. I grabbed mine at the grocery store, and you can get them on Amazon as well.

• I love drizzling the marshmallow fluff/marshmallow creme and chocolate over the top of the cookies at the end, because I really feel like they take this recipe from good to great, but if you’re short on time, they’re absolutely delicious as is, without the chocolate and marshmallow garnishes.

• Don’t be afraid to torch. Using a kitchen torch is so fun, especially for a recipe like this. You won’t use it all the time, but when you need it for recipes like this (or my toasted s’mores pie), you’ll be glad you have one.

Makes 18-21 cookies | Prep Time: 20 min | Bake Time: 10 min | Total Time: 30 min

• Size 16 cookie scoop

• Cookie sheet

• Kitchen torch

• 9 full-sized graham crackers, divided

• 2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, cold, cut into small chunks

• 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed

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If you caught last week’s recipe, you already know about my Summer Sungold Spaghetti O’s. Born out of pure curiosity, I made this for a group of ladies during a team retreat in Park City a couple of weeks ago. It was simple and nostalgic thanks to the Spaghetti O shape (anelletti). I wasn’t sure how the pasta would be received, but the ladies were super complimentary and insisted I keep the sungold tomatoes in the recipe instead of swapping them for a brighter, more visually vibrant alternative.

Still unsure if I should share the recipe or not, I got multiple requests last week after posting the dinner menu I prepared for the group, so here we are.

In true Female Foodie fashion, I kept up with my recurring theme for this summer: name anything and everything with the name “summer” to articulate just how perfect these recipes are for peak summer produce season.

Don’t believe me? Here are all the other recipes I developed this summer with the word “summer” in them:

• The Sicilian Summer Sando

• Three-Bean Summer Salad

• One-Pot Summer Spaghetti with Burrata

• Cold Summer Gazpacho

Now, no one in Italy calls this pasta Spaghetti O’s. Officially known as anelletti, this o-shaped pasta is served most commonly in Sicily. I shared a Grown-Up Spaghetti O’s recipe last winter, which demonstrates the most traditional and delicious way I’ve consumed anelletti, albeit not a very summery dish.

So when I was dreaming up the perfect pasta dish to complement one of my favorite produce items ever (summer sungold tomatoes 😍), this summery Spaghetti O idea came to mind. And the best part was that I nailed the recipe on the first try.

But First: A Few Tips

1. Order the anelletti online ahead of time. The shape of the pasta is half the appeal of this recipe (don’t call them Spaghetti O’s unless they’re Spaghetti O’s #respect). You can easily grab them here on Amazon or sometimes in specialty Italian grocery stores.

2. Follow the recipe instructions. Lots of pasta water, a good amount of olive oil (more than you’re probably used to), and ripe, ready-to-burst summer sungold tomatoes will set you up for success. I used a variety pack of tomatoes for the second round of testing (pictured), and it turned out wonderfully, so don’t be shy to use a combination of sungolds and cherry tomatoes, or really anything ripe and in season.

3. More paramount than perhaps any other piece of advice: salt to taste. While you still want the sweetness of the summer sungolds to shine through, your dish still needs to be salted. Taste as you go and stop when your dish is glossy, saucy, and savory.

This pasta is easy to make, visually appealing, and different than anything else you’ll see on a picnic table this summer. Cheers.

Serves 12 | Prep Time: 5 min | Cook Time: 40 min | Total Time: 45 min

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided

• 1 yellow onion, chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

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The first night of the retreat, I decided to make dinner for the group. It was really special for me to host and prepare dinner for women that have gone to extraordinary measures to make sure our guests feel welcome, at home, and cared for during their time in Italy.

The menu was simple and filled with Italian flair and plenty of summer produce. Here’s what we had:

• Easy, Classic Bruschetta

• Peach Burrata Salad

• Summer Spaghetti O’s with Sungold tomatoes (a brand new recipe—lmk if you want me to write this one up)

• 20-Minute Orange & Olive Oil Salmon

• A giant pot of chocolate mousse with all the accompaniments including flake salt, cookie crumbs, and extra virgin olive oil.

Oh, the mousse.

This mousse recipe originally appeared in my holiday meal plan last year, but I made a few brief modifications for last week and was thrilled with the results. It’s a fantastic make-ahead recipe and perfect for any kind of crowd. I knew it was the right choice when several of the ladies asked me for the recipe, and there were hardly any leftovers.

Serves 8 | Prep Time: 25 mins | Cook Time: 10 mins | Chill Time: 2 hours | Total Time: 2 hours, 35 mins

• stand mixer or hand mixer

• immersion blender (optional but recommended)

• food processor

CHOCOLATE MOUSSE

• 12 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate*, chopped

• 8 cold large eggs, yolks and whites separated**

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Seemingly every Italian I know takes off for several weeks and heads to the beach in the summer. For many of them it’s in August, during Ferragosto, for others it’s the earlier summer months. Being the aspiring Italian family that we are, we decided to do as the Italians do and go down to Sicily for two weeks before flying back to the U.S for August.

As any parent knows, a trip with kids is simply that: a trip, not a vacation.

So while I wouldn’t necessarily describe our time in Sicily as relaxing, we most definitely had lots of fun. I don’t think there’s any vacation in the world better for kids (especially young kids), than the beach. They play all day, exhaust themselves, and love every minute.

And even though I’m constantly scanning for kids in the water and ensuring sand doesn’t get into anything and everything, I also try to do a few small things to turn my trip from good to great.

Here’s my short list:

• Create routine. We found a killer Airbnb and settled into a similar rhythm every day: kids helping tidy up a bit in the morning, and me packing all the essentials for the day from towels to sunscreen to frozen Powerade's to hats & beach toys.

• The Necessities are Necessities. If you’re in the sun at the beach all day, every day, this is not the time to be a penny pincher. Buy good quality sunscreen. Use towels that feel comfortable and actually work. Buy goggles for the kids that won’t leak the first time they use them. And absolutely pay 40 euros a day for two beach chairs and umbrellas right by the water—a true game changer for both adults & kids.

• Eat well. For me, a great beach vacation isn’t complete without excellent food, which thankfully isn’t a hard thing to pull off in Italy. A great lunch on an Italian beach usually means a crispy cold Coke Zero, something crunchy and salty like potato chips, and a brilliantly delicious Italian sandwich.

Oh, the sandwich.

On the first day of our two-week adventure, I got all the kids out the door, headed to the nearest grocery store, and walked straight to the back where the deli was. I’m now on a first-name basis with all of the employees, but that first day I asked my now-friend Nicola to make me something really great. Not only did he make me something really great, but it was so good that I ordered it nearly every day for the rest of our trip.

I tried to break up with this sandwich more than once, but it never worked. I kept going back for more.

This is a super simple recipe, but I’m breaking down every ingredient in depth so you can do your very best to recreate it at home. Perfect for your own beach day, to pack on a hike, or simply to enjoy at home, this Sicilian Summer Sando is a great break from your typical ho-hum ham and Swiss or tuna salad sandwich.

Shall we?

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Serves: 4 | Prep Time: 10 min | Total Time: 10 min

• ½ cup shelled unsalted pistachios

• 3-4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• Kosher salt to taste

• 1 loaf rustic seeded bread

• 8 oz stracciatella

• 1/4 pound mortadella, very thinly sliced

• 1/2 cup green olives or mild giardiniera

1. Make the pistachio pesto. Pesto literally means “crushed” in Italian, and while we tend to think of pesto in the U.S. as the Ligurian, basil-and-pine-nut kind (which is absolutely delicious), pesto can be so many other things. Pesto di pistacchio is about as simple as it gets: crushed pistachios, olive oil, and a little bit of salt. Pulse the shelled pistachios in a food processor a few times, add 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of kosher salt to the food processor, and pulse a few more times. The pesto should have some texture to it and shouldn’t be completely pureed, but you should be able to loosely drizzle it. Taste and add more salt or the remaining tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil if needed, pulse briefly again, and set aside.

2. Prep the bread. Sicilian bread is a thing of beauty: seeded, a touch sweet, soft in the center, crusty on the outside. Do whatever you can to find something similar. Slice the loaf in half lengthwise. If you’re working with a really large or dense loaf, hollow out some of the soft interior from the top, bottom, or both if needed so the sandwich isn’t all bread.

3. Spread the pesto & stracciatella. First, spread the pesto on both cut sides. Next, layer the stracciatella on the bottom half. If you’ve ever cut open a ball of burrata, stracciatella is that: the creamy, almost pourable inside. It’s the dreamiest cousin to mozzarella you’ll ever meet, and it’s ideal here because it adds incredible flavor and a touch of moisture without making the sandwich soggy. Stracciatella is my first pick, but if you can’t find it, buy a ball of burrata, cut it open, and spread the inside around.

4. Add the mortadella. Mortadella is one of the most beloved deli meats in Italy, and it should not be confused with the sad, disrespectful American substance we’ve decided to call bologna. It’s its own beautiful thing- a sausage studded with fat and pistachio, and, when sliced paper-thin, it has the most incredible flavor, whether on pizza, in a sandwich, tossed with pasta, or eaten as is. You can find it at higher-end groceries and European or Italian markets. Trader Joe’s carries it sometimes, too. The key is to ask for it sliced super thin. If you truly can’t track it down, a neutral ham or prosciutto will work, but I’d go to considerable lengths to get the real thing. There’s a magic that happens when mortadella meets stracciatella and pistachio that you simply can’t recreate with anything else.

5. Finish with the olives or giardiniera on top. This is your acidity and crunch, the thing that cuts through an otherwise very rich sandwich. It’s also the most flexible layer. I love nice green olives, but mild giardiniera, banana peppers, gherkins, or really anything bright and briny will do the job.

6. Close it up, press gently, and cut into four pieces. If you’re taking it to the beach (or on a hike), wrap each piece in parchment or foil. Then go find your chair, crack open a crispy Diet Coke, and enjoy.

The Sicilian Sando

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5 Recipes I’m Making This Week

Other beach-able, hike-able, pack-able recipes to finish out the rest of the summer.

• Perfect Breakfast Tacos: Wrap in foil to keep warm and melt the cheese. Highly portable, can’t think of a better breakfast on-the-go.

• Pesto Tortellini Pasta Salad: Even better the next day. Toss in the arugula just before serving.

• Easy Homemade Bagels: Makes any sandwich (breakfast or others) a bit more sturdy for your journey. Also, they’re delicious.

• Three-Bean Summer Salad: Just as good at room temp as it is cold, hearty yet filling, tell me more.

• Brown Butter Blondies: Kids and grown-ups alike love these + they don’t get crumbly after being jostled around in a backpack.

Did you make this recipe and love it? Please leave a comment—I’d love to hear from you!

Last fall we decided to vacation like Italians and go to Sicily as a family for a large part of July.

This might sound crazy (Sicily is quite hot this time of year), but I knew it wasn’t a mistake when we swapped mid-90’s weather in Milan surrounded by buildings and concrete for low-90’s and mid-80’s weather surrounded by waves and the wind.

I don’t do well in extreme heat (just ask my husband), but when I’m in a swimsuit and in and out of the water all day, I find myself quite well.

We spent 7 days in San Vito Lo Capo and 5 days in Cefalu. Both beaches were insanely beautiful (although I was definitely more partial to Cefalu), and for almost every day we did the same thing:

beach, eat, sleep, repeat.

About halfway through our trip, we got brave and scheduled a little excursion to spend the day out on the ocean with our (now) friend Giuseppe, his girlfriend Deborah, and Giuseppe’s dad Luigi.

It was a magical day. We swam in beautiful, crystal clear water in some of the prettiest spots I’ve seen in Sicily (I’m looking at you Tonnara di Scopello), and ate phenomenal food hand-prepared by Giuseppe on the boat.

They were also extremely accommodating to our group (we have four kids ages 8, 5, almost 3, and 0), and made us feel super welcomed the entire time instead of an inconvenience or how many times my kids wanted to go inside the boat and back outside. :)

We were spoiled with typical Sicilian dishes like pane cunzato, sfincione, local meats & cheeses, bruschetta, and delicious crisp summer watermelon.

Giuseppe and Deborah also made us the perfect pasta for our day at sea. It’s called Pasta alla Eoliana-it smelled amazing, tasted amazing, and when Giuseppe generously shared the recipe with me, I couldn’t believe how easy it was.

Olive oil, herbs, tomatoes, and tuna, with a few other ingredients, was all it took. My entire family loved it, and now when I make this recipe at home I’ll think of our magical day at sea where we were first introduced to Pasta alla Eoliana.

Giuseppe’s recipe is written below. I made a few adaptations to quantities so you can use an entire 1-lb. package of pasta. Let me know if you make it, and if you’re headed to Sicily, be sure to hire Giuseppe to take you out on the ocean for one of the most magical days of your life (thanks, Giuseppe!).

Serves: 4 | Prep Time: 5 min | Cook Time: 25 min | Total Time: 30 min

• 500g/1 lb. casarecce or fusilli pasta

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for finishing

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Every one of our tours has its own magic, and I’m so excited to share our most elevated yet: five-star stays, a private day on the lake, villa & garden visits, and a few extra special touches I can't wait for you to see.

Meet our newest tour (and my passion project for the past several months):

The Female Foodie Milan & Lake Como Tour

This brand new tour is limited to 14 guests.

I’m sharing all of the details below with paid subscribers including dates, cost, itinerary, and the ability to directly book a spot.

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It came together after a long, sunny day at the beach. We’ve been staying in Sicily for the past week+, playing in the sand and waves all day, re-applying sunscreen like it’s our job, and eating really good food.

But today I needed something different. Something simple: a handful of veggies (including fresh summer tomatoes), olive oil, some of the dried oregano we’ve been seeing everywhere here in Sicily, and lemon—all in a recipe I could throw together in minutes.

Assembled with a random smorgasbord of “kitchen equipment” (aka a bum knife and pasta pot) found in our Airbnb, this Three-Bean Summer Salad was so easy and so good. If you’re also cooking on vacation or deep in the dog days of summer, I hope it satisfies your summer cravings, too.

Dump everything into one bowl, give it a good toss, and that’s it. No stove, no oven, and it somehow tastes even better after it sits. The hardest part is trimming the ends off the green beans (you can do it!).

This Recipe Makes A Lot (YW)

This Three-Bean Summer Salad recipe makes a big batch, enough for about 12. I’d genuinely encourage you to make the full amount, because it’s such a great make-ahead lunch or side dish, and it holds up beautifully in the fridge for days. If you’re feeding a smaller crowd, you can easily halve everything.

Serves: 12 | Prep Time: 30 min | Total Time: 30 min

For the dressing

• 1 large lemon

• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

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I also never dreamed I’d be developing a one-pot pasta recipe (this is not how pasta is traditionally cooked), but 3 solid months of scorching hot, humid weather in a city where AC is nearly nowhere to be found, and here we are.

It was really fun to develop this recipe, as I had two objectives in mind:

• Having the stove on as minimally as possible. The stove isn’t nearly as hot as the oven, but it still heats up the kitchen, which we’re basically trying to limit as much as possible at this point.

• Perfecting the pasta to water to tomato ratio. A successful one-pot pasta uses just the right amount of water to not only cook the pasta to a spot-on al dente but leaves enough leftover in the pot to create a glossy sauce. This recipe achieves this.

Also, this dish is ideal with peak season tomatoes - they are the main flavor in the dish so they really shine here in their full summertime glory.

Serves: 4 | Prep Time: 5 min | Cook Time: 20-25 min | Total Time: 30 min

• Large pot with lid

• 2 lb grape tomatoes or other small vine tomatoes

• 5 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish

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I love the longer days that draw people outside for eating and entertaining.

I love that my kids are home, and we can pick up and go explore somewhere new without having to worry about schedules.

But let’s be honest: summer is all about the produce. Cherries, tomatoes, apricots, fresh corn, more tomatoes, plums, melons, and peaches. Is there anything better than biting into a perfectly ripe, so-juicy-it-drips-down-your-arms peach? How about paired with rich, creamy ricotta? Then turn it into ice cream? Now that just might do it.

“I Don’t Have An Ice Cream Maker”

This is our favorite frozen bowl ice cream maker (frozen bowl = you literally keep the bowl in the freezer for 24 hours and then use it). If you don’t have an ice cream maker and you don’t want to buy one, ask a friend if you can borrow theirs. And if you don’t have any friends, take the advice that was given to me by Salt & Straw co-founder Tyler Malek and go to your nearest Goodwill to buy one for a whole $5.

This is my free, beginning-of-the-month recipe. If you’d like to receive my best work each week (including a subscriber-only recipe every Monday), be sure to upgrade your account with the button below so you never miss a recipe.

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Serves: 4-6 | Prep Time: 5 min | Churn Time: 25 min | Chill Time: 6 hrs | Total Time: 6 hrs 30 min

• Ice cream maker*

• Immersion blender

• 1¼ cups heavy cream

• 1¼ cups whole milk

• ¾ cup sugar

• ¾ cup whole milk ricotta

• 10-12 oz super ripe fresh peaches, pits removed, skin on

• Pinch of kosher salt

• ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum**

1. In a large bowl, use an immersion blender to blend the heavy cream, whole milk, sugar, ricotta, peaches, and salt until completely smooth and the sugar has dissolved. Add the xanthan gum and blend again briefly.

2. Make the ice cream according to the ice cream maker manufacturer’s instructions. Once the ice cream has reached a soft-serve state, spread the ice cream into a bread pan or container. Cover with plastic wrap or a lid and store in your freezer for six hours or until completely firm.

   

   Peaches & Salted Cream Ice Cream

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*If you are using a frozen bowl ice cream maker, make sure it is completely frozen (usually a full 24 hours in the freezer) prior to making this recipe.

**You can find xanthan gum in most grocery stores in the baking aisle. We love using the xanthan gum made by Bob’s Red Mill.

5 Recipes We’re Making This Week

How we propose using an abundance of summer tomatoes (one of our favorite things about summer!):

• Sungold Tomato Pasta: Didn’t know tomatoes could make this luscious of a sauce with such a short cook time.

• Crispy Lemon Chicken Cutlets with Tomato & Arugula Salad: Love this dish with meh tomatoes, it SINGS with summer tomatoes.

• Heirloom Tomato Salad: Requires exactly as much effort as we want to put into dinner on a steamy summer night.

• Restaurant Style Salsa: Perfect for those tomatoes that maybe aren’t the cutest but still absolutely delicious.

• Chopped Italian Sandwich: Summer tomatoes would completely steal the show in this sandwich.

Questions? Ask below, and I’ll answer ASAP!

Gazpacho is often called a chilled soup, and I’ll be honest: that label has always felt a little misleading to me. Calling something as refreshing as gazpacho a soup doesn’t quite do it justice. I digress.

A harmonious blend of tomatoes, olive oil, cucumber, and onion makes it’s one of the most simple yet truly exceptional summer dishes you’ll ever have.

Just over a week ago, while scouting locations for my brand new Milan and Lake Como tour, I had lunch at the Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni overlooking the lake, and found myself face to face with a gorgeous gazpacho all over again. It was smooth and refined, garnished with small diced vegetables for contrast, and absolutely delicious.

If I’m being completely honest, I’m partial to a smooth gazpacho, just like the one I first had in Spain: simple, completely smooth, and unapologetically tomato-forward.

It’s not very often that I can nail a recipe on the first try, but this was one of those recipes for me. My neighbor from our apartment brought me an entire crate of gorgeous produce from Naples, including several juicy, large summer tomatoes. My mind was going wild thinking of all the possibilities, but I knew that when we were hitting another mid-90 degree day earlier last week, cold Gazpacho would be in the cards.

I kept the recipe super simple and swapped onions for shallots, which is what I had on hand, but I ended up liking the flavor even more.

If you have a summer garden or access to a farmers market with great heirloom, beefsteak, or Roma tomatoes, this is your moment. The quality of your tomatoes is everything, and when you start with great tomatoes, this dish basically makes itself.

Serves: 4 | Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 5 minutes | Chill Time: 2 hours (optional) | Total Time: 10 minutes active time & up to 2 hours with chill time

• blender

• microplane zester

• rimmed baking sheet

• 6-7 medium tomatoes, such as roma, beefsteak, or heirloom*

• 2 shallots, outer layer removed, ends trimmed

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It’s summer, and it’s hot.

Read: really hot.

I’m currently re-experiencing my first real Italian summer in seven years, and I forgot how character-building it is. Italians believe that sudden bursts of cold air can actually make you sick, which explains why the gym has zero air conditioning, why I was sweating bullets at the hairdresser this week, and why my kids’ school feels like a warm hug you didn’t ask for.

My safe havens are officially the grocery store, post office, and specified metro lines (ILY, blue line). It’s amazing what I can accomplish when I don’t feel like I’m going to die.

All of this is to say, my oven is going on as little as possible rn.

This salad was born out of necessity and turned into something I’ll be making all season long—ripe tomatoes, fresh herbs, peaches, and my favorite Italian bread. It’s like your favorite summer produce in salad form.

My family loved this recipe too, including my kids, who could pick and choose what they wanted (no leftovers).

It all comes together in less than 15 minutes and works perfectly as a side dish, appetizer, dinner, or something to bring to a dinner party with girlfriends.

Let’s get into it.

Serves: 4 | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 5 minutes | Total Time: 15 minutes

• Blender or immersion blender

• Large serving platter

For the basil vinaigrette:

• 6 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar

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On my first trip to Portland, I remember being completely blown away by the food scene. Everything was so good. I was with my mom and sister, and we completely tore it up eating everything from:

• Thai food at the iconic Pok Pok

• Pancakes from the Original Pancake House

• Ice cream from the OG Salt & Straw

• Sushi from Bamboo Sushi

Bamboo Sushi is somewhat of a mini chain now, with 12 thriving locations in the Portland area and beyond. It’s still honestly one of my favorite places to eat when I’m in the area - the food is consistently really delicious and reasonably priced. The menu has a variety of interesting offerings from authentic nigiri to maki rolls to more innovative dishes like their burger or miso Caesar.

The roll they’re most famous for, that every Portlander knows about, is the Green Machine roll. This roll is so good. It can be made as a vegetarian roll or with the seafood of your choice, but a few key ingredients are mandatory: the tempura-fried green beans, avocado, and the magical green sauce that’s doused on top of every roll.

This sauce is the stuff dreams are made of and has a cult following. I’m now very far away from Portland and was dreaming about the Green Machine roll the other day. So I decided to make it my personal quest to recreate the sauce from the comforts of my own kitchen here in Italy.

To my absolute delight, the sauce wasn’t too hard to crack. After reading lots of Reddit threads and investigating the menu online, turns out it’s pretty simple to make and only takes a few ingredients: sweet chili sauce, cilantro, a touch of mayo, and rice wine vinegar. It’s literally as simple as that.

As far as the other elements of the bowl go, I combined:

• salmon cooked over high heat for texture

• thinly sliced avocado

• green beans

• and crispy fried shallots for that textural element

I’m so delighted to say that this bowl not only tastes just like the Green Machine Roll itself, but it’s one of the most delightfully satisfying 30-minute meals you’ll make this summer.

Serves: 4 | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes

• Blender

• Large nonstick skillet

• Fish spatula

For the green sauce:

• 2 Tablespoons mayo

• 3/4 cup sweet chili sauce*

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Years ago, I was inspired by the restaurant Republique in Los Angeles after having a dang good kimchi fried rice there. A few months later, during COVID, I recreated that memorable lunch, which, tbh, was pretty dang good. I made excellent fried rice, beautifully cooked short ribs, and a perfectly poached egg.

There’s just one problem—my life looks a lot different today than it did seven years ago when I first went to Republique.

And thanks to four kids, a growing business, and all the hullabaloo that we all deal with, simple is almost always better when it comes to a weeknight dinner.

TL;DR: this kimchi fried rice keeps all the flavors and things that I loved about my original recipe, but simplifies it by swapping the poached egg and short ribs for scrambled eggs and steak. You can use any kind of steak for this recipe, but I’m giving specific instructions for a ribeye or New York strip.

Shall we?

Serves: 4 | Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes

For the steaks:

• 2 large ribeye or New York strip steaks

• Diamond kosher salt

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We’ll be talking about the dos and don’ts of Italian food culture (one of my favorite topics) and I know you’ll love to hear what Laurel has to say—she’s lived in Italy for 22 years!

Join us at this link and we’ll see you here shortly!

I don’t love being hot and sweaty (especially now that I’m living in a country that hardly believes in AC), but it’s a tradeoff I’ll accept for all the things I love about summer:

• being barefoot outside

• popsicles & ice cream on repeat

• taking walks on warm summer nights

• freckles & tan lines

• sitting by the pool or at the beach

• the 4th of July

• less structure, more spontaneity

• and lastly, tomatoes

I’ve loved tomatoes for as long as I can remember—my dad has even called me Brookie Tomato for years. It’s a nickname that’s fitting, considering there are few things that make my heart sing more than strolling the farmer’s market and seeing colorful, juicy, perfectly ripe summer tomatoes.

Being here in Italy for the first summer is really exciting because summer produce is here earlier than I’ve ever experienced in my entire life.

Today I’m sharing a special recipe, developed by my incredibly talented friend, Laurel Evans. Meet Laurel’s Cherry Tomato Tarte Tatin.

Just as delicious as it is beautiful, this easy-to-make tarte tatin should be on everyone’s summer bucket list. Summer tomatoes are gently sautéed in extra virgin olive oil before their juices are reduced with honey & red wine vinegar, and finally covered in simple yet sophisticated puff pastry. You’ll sauté, then bake, and finally (the best part!) invert the tarte onto a plate so you can admire your beautiful summer tomatoes on your new favorite side dish or appetizer.

If you like Laurel’s tarte tatin recipe, you’ll love her Substack, Laurel’s Kitchen, where she shares seasonal dishes and authentic Italian recipes like this tarte tatin. Laurel is a Texan who has lived in Italy for 20+ years and totally understands cooking through the lens of an American and the ingredients, products, and equipment we have to work with back in the U.S.

Make sure to subscribe to her newsletter here for more delicious recipes, travel tips, and behind-the-scenes glimpses from her life in Italy.

A Few Tips For This Recipe

• Your tarte will only taste as good as your tomatoes. Skip those barely ripe grocery store tomatoes for this recipe and opt for delicious, home-grown tomatoes.

• Read the instructions carefully when Laurel instructs you to gently burst the tomatoes, reduce the juices, and leave behind whatever remains when you transfer your sautéed tomatoes back to the pan. Too much liquid from the tomatoes will totally alter the recipe, so follow her instructions step by step, and you’ll be pleased with the result.

• Keep the puff pastry cold. If possible, thaw it in the refrigerator overnight, and make sure your oven is very thoroughly pre-heated before baking your tarte tatin for best results (puff pastry responds best to high, even heat).

Save The Date!

I’m thrilled to be hosting a live conversation (think podcast-style) with Laurel here on Substack this Friday from 12:00-1:00 p.m. MST. We’ll be talking about the dos and don’ts of Italian food culture, and I know it’s a conversation you won’t want to miss! Make sure to save the date at this link.

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Serves 4-6 | Prep Time: 10 Mins | Cook Time: 20 Mins | Total Time: 30 Mins

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 2 pints cherry tomatoes (about 4 cups or 600 grams), preferably a mix of colors

• Salt, to taste

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The perfect meatball has a touch of texture on the outside, is juicy and never overcooked on the inside, and when seasoned and sauced properly is the ultimate comfort food.

A few of my favorite Female Foodie meatball recipes:

• Chicken Satay Meatballs (this one’s a banger)

• Spaghetti with Miniature Meatballs & a Mountain of Parm

• Thai Coconut Curry Meatballs

• Chicken Piccata Meatballs

• 30-Minute Meatballs (my OG meatball recipe and one that never gets old)

This week’s recipe is another ode to meatballs, except this time we’re taking inspiration from one of my favorite Korean dishes: bibimbap. I love the satisfying variety of textures, flavors, and the lingering umami I experience every time I devour a bibimbap bowl, which isn’t often enough.

For this meatball version, I’m taking all the things I love in a bibimbap bowl and converting it into meatballs with a few staple items, so you can simply prepare the meatballs, scoop, and bake before serving with white rice and vegetables.

A Few Tips For This Recipe

1. Don’t over mix. The cardinal sin of meatball making is to over mix the meat. Once you put everything into the bowl, use food handler’s gloves to combine everything gently until just combined. Over mixing the ingredients lends itself to tougher, denser meatballs, which is exactly what we don’t want.

2. Keep it simple. I’ve included several swaps for ingredients in this recipe. Don’t have fresh ginger? Use ground ginger! Don’t have time to julienne your carrots & cucumbers? Use a bag of slaw mix instead.

3. Double up. This is a fantastic recipe to double up on and freeze the extras! The best case scenario would be to freeze the uncooked, prepared meatballs and cook them the day of, but you could definitely cook them and reheat as well (just be careful not to overcook—they’ll cook a touch more when you reheat them).

Serves: 4-6 | Prep time: 15 mins | Cook time: 15 mins | Total time: 30 mins

• Rimmed baking sheet

• Parchment paper

• Size 40 cookie scoop

• Food handler’s gloves

• 2 lb ground beef

• 1 cup panko or breadcrumbs

• 2 large eggs

• 7 1/2 Tablespoons soy sauce, divided

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Three years ago when I was 6 months pregnant and actively building our Tuscany Tour, I was on the hunt for the best cooking class in Florence.

After hours of scouring social media and the internet, I finally stumbled upon Tuscan-born-and-bred Giulia Scarpaleggia—cookbook author, food writer, and podcaster who teaches cooking classes out of her countryside home just an hour drive from Florence.

I booked a spot in one of Giulia’s classes and, needless to say, it was one of the best gastronomic experiences I’ve ever had. In one class, Giulia spontaneously put together a five-course menu on the spot, purchased the produce from her local farmers market (while effortlessly educating us on the local food culture), and taught us how to make everything from her very own kitchen.

My favorite part, of course, was sitting down and eating everything we had prepared together. It was truly so wonderful, and I was over the moon when Giulia agreed to come help teach a cooking class for our upcoming Tuscany Tour.

It’s been three years since I first met Giulia, and since then, both she and her husband, Tomasso, have taught several courses to our Tuscany Tour guests. Unsurprisingly, it’s always one of the major highlights of the week. The menu is always different (based on what’s in season), but here’s what never changes:

• The recipes are practical and approachable

• I learn something new about Italian cuisine every time

• The food is always phenomenal

One of Julia‘s superpowers is to make any vegetable taste delicious, so I was thrilled when she told me about her latest cookbook: Vegetables the Italian Way.

This book is exactly that—a beautiful, informative collection of different ways to prepare vegetables deliciously, just like Italians do. She’ll teach you how to make the dreamiest pasta from roasted carrots, a cake adorned with zucchini that’s worthy of a birthday, or fritters made with cauliflower and olives.

I flipped through every page of this beautiful new book, and here are a few of the recipes I’m most excited to make:

• roasted tomato orzotto

• ricotta & cauliflower stuffed shells

• stuffed cabbage rolls

• fall panzanella with squash, carrots, & fennel

• ricotta & squash cake

Good news—Giulia has generously agreed to share one of my favorite recipes of hers today from the new book: Pasta with Broccoli.

She’s prepared her broccoli for me on more than one occasion, and let’s just say that you’ll never look at it the same after this recipe. The particular methodology of double-cooking the broccoli is simply brilliant, and is only enhanced by the golden and toasty breadcrumbs sprinkled on top.

Before we jump into the recipe, be sure to grab a copy of Giulia’s new book (here’s an Amazon link!), subscribe to her Substack, and be prepared to be introduced to a whole new world of Italian cooking. Iniziamo!

“This dish is a staple in my kitchen, not only because it sneaks in a generous portion of vegetables, but mostly because it’s so good you’ll find yourself stealing spoonfuls of the mushy, garlicky broccoli straight from the pan, even before the pasta goes in.

Whenever I make this dish for my cooking school students, someone always asks, How is it so creamy? Did you add cream? Is there cheese? The answer is no, no, and no. The secret is double-cooking the vegetables so that the broccoli melts into a creamy, garlicky sauce that clings perfectly to the pasta.” - Giulia

Serves 4 to 6

FOR THE PASTA

• Fine sea salt

• 2 pounds/910 g broccoli (about 2 large heads)

• 1/2 cup/120 ml extra-virgin olive oil

• 4 oil-packed anchovy fillets, chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• Red pepper flakes

FOR THE ANCHOVY BREADCRUMBS

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 oil-packed anchovy fillets, chopped

• 2⁄₃ cup/50 g Homemade Breadcrumbs (recipe follows) or panko

TO FINISH

• 14 ounces/400 g short dried pasta, such as penne, fusilli, orecchiette, or rigatoni

1. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and salt it generously. While the water heats, clean the broccoli. Cut off the stems and divide the tops into little florets. Rinse them under running water and transfer the florets to a bowl. For any large stems, peel off the tough outer layer with a vegetable peeler and chop the pale green center. If the stems are thinner, chop them without peeling. Transfer all the stem pieces to a separate bowl.

2. When the water comes to a boil, add the broccoli stems and cook until they are so soft you can easily mash them on the side of the pot with a fork, about 15 minutes. Fish them out with a slotted spoon and return them to their bowl and set aside. Next, plunge the broccoli florets in the boiling water and cook them until you can easily pierce them with the tip of a knife, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove them with a slotted spoon, return them to their bowl, and set aside. Don’t discard the water; you’ll use it to cook the pasta, too. Top it up if needed.

3. Transfer the cooked broccoli stems to the cup of an immersion blender or a food processor, add ¼ cup/60 ml of the olive oil and 1 or 2 tablespoons of their cooking liquid, if too thick to puree. Puree the stems until smooth, then taste and adjust the seasoning with salt, if needed. Set aside. The broccoli puree can be made in advance and kept in an airtight container in the fridge for a couple of days.

4. Pour the remaining ¼ cup/60 ml olive oil into a large saucepan and add the chopped anchovies, garlic, and pepper flakes to taste (your aim is to have a warm heat that won’t overpower the other flavors).

5. Warm the oil over low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring to dissolve the anchovies. When the garlic is golden, add the broccoli florets, toss them in the garlicky oil, and cook them, stirring often, until they start to collapse and become creamy, 10 to 15 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then set aside.

MAKE THE ANCHOVY BREADCRUMBS

1. Pour the olive oil into a medium skillet and add the chopped anchovies. Warm the oil over low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring to dissolve the anchovies, then add the breadcrumbs and toss to coat with the oil. Increase the heat to medium low and fry the breadcrumbs until golden and toasty, about 5 minutes. Transfer the browned breadcrumbs to a bowl and set aside.

TO FINISH

1. Bring the pot of water back to a rolling boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente according to the package directions.

2. While the pasta is cooking, pour the broccoli stem puree into the pan with the broccoli florets and warm through over medium heat.

3. Drain the pasta and add it to the pan. Toss everything together, stirring energetically, so that the broccoli transforms into a creamy dressing and envelops the pasta.

4. Serve straight from the pan, generously sprinkling the anchovy breadcrumbs over each plate.

• The boiled broccoli florets and the stem puree can be cooked in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a couple of days, if you want a quick weeknight pasta dish.

• Homemade breadcrumbs add crunch, texture, and flavor to any dish, and they’re incredibly easy to make. Cut stale bread into chunks and pulse in a food processor until you reach your desired texture, coarse or fine. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

• Recipe excerpted from Vegetables the Italian Way: Turning Simple and Fresh into Extraordinary. © 2026 Giulia Scarpaleggia. Photograph © Tommaso Galli. Reproduced with permission of Artisan Books. All rights reserved.

5 Recipes I’m Making This Week (Memorial Day Edition)

Sharing 5 Memorial-Day inspired recipes that I simply know you’ll love!

• Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad: Our most viral recipe of all time and for good reason.

• J. Dawgs Recipe With Special Sauce: The only hot dogs I eat (I could drink the special sauce).

• White Cheddar Mac & Cheese: Easy peasy mac & cheesy. I’m obsessed with this 25-minute mac & cheese recipe and know that you’ll love it too!

• Berry Icebox Cake: No bake, one bowl, absolutely delicious, EASY, I could keep going, just make it.

• BLT Pasta Salad: Fresh but still creamy, everything I want from a pasta salad.

Have any questions about the recipe? Simply comment below, and I’ll answer ASAP!

He was trying to do a good thing (tidy up the kitchen), but I gasped when I saw them in our little “compostable” bin.

He saw overripe bananas.

I saw these:

Based on the banana bread recipe from Seven Brothers in Hawaii (IYKYK), these banana bread muffins are seriously TDF. (Sidenote: loved having Shem on the podcast, such a cool guy!) They come together quickly, taste incredible, and are perfect for an afternoon snack or an easy breakfast on the go. I make them for my kids all the time, I’ve made them for neighbors and friends, and you should make them too.

A Few Pro Tips

1. One of the keys to perfect banana bread muffins is knowing when to pull them out of the oven. Too long and you’ll regret those extra few minutes in the oven with a dry muffin, too soon and you’ll feel like you’re eating a doughy mess. The key is to check them when you start to smell the muffins. A toothpick inserted into the middle will indicate whether they’re done or not—you’re looking for a few moist crumbs attached to the toothpick, and if the toothpick comes out clean, it’s definitely time to pull them out of the oven.

2. Use room temperature ingredients. The bananas, eggs, and even the Greek yogurt are better off sitting on the counter for 30-60 minutes. Room temp ingredients will result in a more emulsified, well-combined batter, which means more evenly baked, fluffy banana bread muffins. If you’re in a hurry, you can skip this; just know that your muffins won’t be quite as good.

3. When you’re baking these muffins (or really any baked good for that matter), it’s always a good idea to preheat your oven at least 30 minutes before baking. You want your oven nice and warm and thoroughly to temperature once you put the muffins in.

Serves: 12 | Prep time: 10 mins | Cook time: 20-25 mins | Total time: 30-35 mins

• muffin tin

• stand mixer or hand mixer

• 3 large very ripe bananas, peeled*

• ⅓ cup coconut oil, melted

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I won’t host another group until September, which is definitely bittersweet (bitter, because I love what I do, but sweet, because the tours take countless hours and it’s nice to have a little respite).

Since we launched our very first tour in 2022, we’ve now been able to host over 500 women in Italy, all of whom have come from the U.S. or Canada.

We take pride in doing everything we possibly can to make our tour experiences seamless, including helping our guests know how to beat jet lag like a pro.

Whether you’re coming to Europe or headed elsewhere, today I’ll be sharing exactly how I’ve helped our guests tackle jet lag head on, so you can make the most of your time overseas and avoid feeling like garbage.

Side note: our spring 2027 tours are already sold out, but stay tuned for any future tour announcements. Paid subscribers to The Foodletter here on Substack will receive new tour dates and the ability to sign up before anyone else.

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How To Beat Jet Lag Like A Pro

1. Get a good night’s rest the night before your trip. I know this may seem impossible (especially if you’re a mom leaving a spouse and kids back at home), but nothing will give you a better head start than getting a good night’s rest the night before boarding an international flight. Allow plenty of time to pack and get yourself organized so that you can have plenty of rest before trying to sleep upright on a freezing cold airplane.

2. Do everything you can to sleep on the flight over. If you’re headed to Europe, you want to sleep on the flight over and stay awake on the flight back, so you can dive headfirst into the local time zone as soon as possible. Most flights leaving the U.S. and arriving in Europe will depart in the afternoon or evening and arrive in Europe the next calendar day. When you get off the airplane, locals will be waking up and starting their day, and you should be doing the same (read: not checking into your hotel for a five hour nap).

   I’m not a doctor (so take this as a tip from a friend, not bona fide medical advice), but I always take something to help me sleep on my long haul flight. Melatonin is great, but as a doctor once helped me understand, it’s designed to help you to fall asleep, not to stay asleep.

3. Stay up until 8 or 9 p.m. the first night (the later the better). Staying awake until bedtime on the first night is one of the most important things you can do to beat jet lag and adjust your circadian rhythm so you’re going to bed and waking up with the local time zone. I’ve found that going to bed super early around 7 o’clock, usually results in me waking up wide awake and super hungry around 3 a.m.

4. Don’t take a nap on the first day. Because it’ll be the most difficult nap you’ll ever have to wake up from (plus you only further delay that process of adjusting to the local time zone). If you got zero sleep on the plane ride over and you simply can’t function, take a short 30 minute nap and set two alarms on the other side of the room so you don’t sleep through them. You’ll be groggy and dysfunctional, but power through and I promise on the second day you’ll feel so much better.

5. Caffeine is your friend. So is sunshine, fresh air, and lots of movement (walking is my favorite). Do things to keep yourself awake and active, not comfortable and cozy. Don’t be afraid to drink some caffeine to stay energized and awake during the first day or two if needed, just try to be mindful about limiting caffeine after the early afternoon, so you can get a good night’s rest that evening.

6. Stay hydrated. It’s easy to get dehydrated and exhausted when you’re jet lagged. No one likes using a public bathroom, but you absolutely should be drinking plenty of water before and during your travels. Electrolytes are a great idea, too, especially if you’re traveling during those hot summer months.

Tips For Going Home

Going home isn’t terribly different, but the unfortunate thing is that instead of heading to a new, exciting place, you’ll be extra tired from changing time zones twice in a (most likely) condensed period of time, plus being expected to do all the things you take care of at home. #adulting

• Stay awake. If you’re headed back from Europe, the strategy is to stay awake on the flight home so you can go to bed a little earlier than you normally do (try to make it until 8 or 9 p.m.). If you have 2 or 3 flights don’t sweat a small nap here or there, but don’t try to sleep on the flight home—you’re actively trying to stay awake so you can go to bed with everyone else that night. Watch movies, read books, look at pictures from your recent trip, or stare aimlessly out the window, but do your best to stay awake so that when you get home, you can power through until 8 or 9 p.m. and then head to bed. Keep in mind that most flights going from Europe to the U.S. will typically depart and arrive on the same calendar day.

• Book an earlier flight if you can. I’ve arrived back in the U.S. from overseas flights from anywhere from 2 p.m. to midnight and can wholeheartedly reassure you that coming home earlier in the day (and therefore getting to bed earlier) is easier on your body than getting home super late.

• Caffeine is (still) your friend. You’ll probably be even more exhausted going back home, so don’t be afraid to enlist a little extra help to hang in there during those first few days. It typically takes me one full week to get over jet lag and be fully adjusted (or re-adjusted) to a new time zone.

So that’s it. Those are my tried-and-true jet lag tips. Have any questions? Your own personal jet lag tips? I’d love to hear in the comments below.

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