Red Velvet Cupcakes

 

After going almost two months without posting, I'm finally back!  I've been very busy these past few months as most of you know.  I moved to Oregon for Pharmacy School and since school has started I've had no free time at all.  But after passing my first exam, I finally found some time to get back in the kitchen and bake just in time for a friends birthday.  I decided to make these yummy red velvet cupcakes for her and they definitely did not disappoint!

Macedonia (Fruit Salad)

Here is a refreshing recipe just in time for your 4th of July weekend!  This is a very simple recipe and you can really put anything you want in it (I decided to stick with red, white, and blue fruit).  When I was in Italy one of my cousins made it the same way I did here but also added kiwi and raspberries.  No matter what way you decide to make it, it is sure to be a hit!

Frittelle di Mele (Apple Fritters)

Its hard to believe that four weeks have already gone by and tomorrow I will be back in the United States!  In an effort to procrastinate packing my suitcase I am going to leave you with one last recipe from Italy, and I have definitely saved the best for last (I will be posting more once I get back home, so keep checking back).  I came to Italy with only one request from my dad, "have Elda teach you how to make apple fritters".  So this one is for you dad, as a thank you for funding not one, but all six of my trips to Italy! 

Portofino and the Cinque Terre

This last week has been pretty busy and I want to apologize for not putting up any new posts!  I had a friend from the United States who was in Italy come and stay with me for a few days, so we were busy enjoying the beach, shopping, and visiting different cities together.

Portofino

The first place we went and visited was Portofino.  Portofino, which is located a little more than a mile away from Santa Margherita used to be a small fishing town but is now where all the wealthy people come to vacation with their huge yachts, and I mean HUGE!!!

Tiramisu

Tiramisu, which literally means "pick me up" in Italian, is one of my favorite Italian deserts.  It is a simple cake that is made from savoiardi, a type of lady finger, dipped in coffee and topped with a sweet mascarpone cheese mixture.  My aunt serves hers in a single layer at her restaurant, but you can make your tiramisu as many layers high as you would like following this same recipe.