A look back:  2014 Christmas

My Roman Holiday was spent with my oldest daughter who is teaching overseas.  We decided to meet in Italy along with a friend of hers and her mom.  Although we did not cook while we were there, we certainly ate!  Now that is my kind of a palatable adventure!!

I love Mexican food.  I eat it every week, whether at one of my favorite Mexican restaurants or at home.  I didn’t think I could do it, but I went 12 days without any Mexican food…and I survived!  I not only survived, I discovered I really love Italian food.

As most of our menus were in Italian, we trusted our waiters and tried anything recommended to us.  From pizza to pasta, bruschetta  to bread sticks and other specialties that we could not pronounce, it was all delectable and we were never disappointed. We had to stop each evening before returning to our rooms for three scoops of gelato. What a way to end each day!

It was on this trip that I determined, once again, that I was going to learn to cook. Italian food would be my specialty, and I have a few cookbooks to prove it.  But once I came home, other ideas and responsibilities took precedence to my new way of cooking and I could see this was going to be cupcakes and gardening gone bad all over again.  That is one of the reasons I started this blog.   My thinking is if I put this out there for others see, tell my family and friends, I will have to finish what I have started.  I am proud that I have now made bruschetta a few times, baked ziti with my girls and enjoyed a glass of wine with my husband over spaghetti. I may not be the Italian cook I set out to be in Rome, but I do love the food and will continue to learn ways to cook meals that my family enjoys. I have added a few pictures of my trip to Rome, just some of the sights and food we tasted.  Enjoy.

The architecture and atmosphere alone were breathtaking and my daughter and I enjoyed every minute we were in Rome.

Roman Colosseum

Trevi Fountain-sadly it was under construction

Vittoriano at Piazza Venezia

St Peter’s Basilica

Inside Vatican Museum

Roman Forum

I desire to eat healthy and watch what I eat.  But when in Rome….

Yummy bruschetta at almost every meal

Lunch

Fries

Pizza Pizza

Pizza again

a hidden restaurant recommended by our tour guide at the colosseum…delizioso