There’s nothing like classic Italian dishes for lunch or dinner! I have quite a collection here on the blog, but highly recommend my Bolognese Sauce, Spaghetti alla Carbonara and Eggplant Caponata! Panzanella: A Tuscan bread and tomato salad Boring salad eaters, this recipe is not for you! Now, if your heart flutters at the sound of bread and juicy, summer tomatoes, then hi! Welcome to the best panzanella salad you will ever make....

(This post is sponsored by Hass Avocado Board in partnership with American Heart Association through Kitchen PLAY.) Let me start this post by getting something out of the way: I am pregnant! Woohoo! The truth is I’ve been planning an announcement post soon, so if you’re reading this post you are one of the first to know. ? I am blaming it on my lack of blogging organization, where sometimes I write posts in a certain order and they end up getting published at different dates....

If you know any Brazilians, chances are you know how crazy we are about our Requeijão. You probably heard us complain about American cream cheese and how thick it is. You see, our Requeijão – which I’m taking the liberty to call “Brazilian Cream Cheese” – is creamy and smooth with a consistency similar to that of condensed milk. We use it in pretty much everything you can think of: on bread, pasta, crepe, pão de queijo, coxinhas, pastel (Brazilian empanadas), enroladinhos, casseroles, with dulce de leche, with guava and, of course, on pizza....

I have some friends coming over for dinner at the new apartment, so I decided to test some drink recipes. This Sparkling Mint Limeade knocked the ball out of the park and what was going to be a non-alcoholic option for whoever doesn’t drink booze is now going to be the star of the show. I might casually display a bottle of vodka or rum for whoever wants to spike their limeades and/or make a Mojito!...

It’s about time I shared my grandma’s apple cake here on the blog! It’s so simple but the whole family is crazy about it. The only thing I do different than my grandmother is baking it in a bundt pan. I just love the touch of elegance that it gives this otherwise quite ordinary looking cake! And yes, I know I’m a little late in the apple season, but since apples are available year-round, you can make this cake whenever you feel like it!...

Ask any Brazilian what is their favorite cake and you will always get the same answer: brigadeiro cake. Absolutely nothing compares to this rich, fudgy, moist chocolate cake! If you love brigadeiro, this is a must-try! Be still my heart! The cake I’ve been craving for the longest time is finally here. ❤️ I had dreams about brigadeiro cake throughout my whole pregnancy, but couldn’t have it because of my diet restrictions....

This version is made with speculoos cookies, but you can substitute any cookie you’d like. It works great with oreos, gingersnap, chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter cookies and even shortbread! An easy cookie butter recipe to make at home! Have you ever bought a jar of cookie butter and, after a few trips to the kitchen for a taste or two, discovered that you ate the whole thing in less than a day?...

(This post is sponsored by my friends at Carolina® Rice. All opinions are my own.) Looking for more refreshing summer drinks? I recommend you also check out my Mango Lassi, Pineapple Mint Juice, Dulce de Leche Frappuccino and Brazilian Lemonade. Oh, Horchata, where have you been all my life? It was only after moving to the U.S. that I tried it for the first time, as it is not popular in Brazil....

Who doesn’t love gnocchi? These delicious soft potato dumplings that go with pretty much any sauce you can think of. When made right, it is like biting into little pillows of heaven. But wait a second… “When made right”? That right there is the reason most people are intimidated by making gnocchi – or any homemade pasta, really – at home. Of course, some knowledge and technique go a long way and help you make pretty decent gnocchi, but the whole “making gnocchi at home is difficult” state of mind drives me nuts!...

Happy Tuesday, friends! I would like to start by thanking you all for all the love and support. It really inspires me to keep going and learn more about this whole photography and blogging thing so I can share all my culinary adventures with you.This year, my home country of Brazil is hosting the World Cup. And even though I’m not too crazy about the idea of the World Cup being hosted in a country that needs to use its money in lots of other more important things, I decided to join the party and create a series of recipes based in the countries that are playing the World Cup....

(A big thanks for my friends at Mionetto Prosecco for sponsoring today’s post!) I’m in full-on summer mode! ☀️ As in: I was browsing membership prices for our neighborhood swimming pool just now. Not sure if we are going to do it, though. Not only it’s a bit pricey but there’s something about sharing a pool with strangers that freak me out a tiny little bit. Do you guys have a communal pool membership?...

(This post is sponsored by SweeTango, but all opinions are my own!) Tomorrow I fly back to NY after a month in Italy. I’m feeling all kinds of emotions, as I am missing home (and Tim and Lola) but also very grateful for this amazing journey. Italy will be forever in my heart and I cannot wait to come back! But guess what? I’m a restless soul and am already planning the next adventure!...

Happy Labor Day, friends! The unofficial end of summer is finally here. Can you believe it? How do you feel about that? Sad, mopey and already missing the ice cream season? Or maybe excited for autumn, all things pumpkin and electricity bills that don’t cost the price of a weekend getaway? I think I’m right there in the middle. I am excited for fall, since it’s my favorite season, but I will definitely miss picnicking, walking barefoot on the grass and all the beautiful summer produce....

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Forgot to plan a snack menu for this Super Bowl Sunday? Don’t fret! You still have time to pull off something amazing. One thing I have learned in adulthood, is to always have a few life saving ingredients in my fridge, just in case we end up hosting unexpected guests. Crescent dough is one of them, as there are so many different dishes I can make with it! The other is cheese....

This is not your grandma’s chicken pot pie, with all due respect. This is Brazilian Chicken Pot Pie (or Empadão de Frango), aka Best Chicken Pie In The Whole World. And it is really different than a regular pot pie. As in, I don’t even know why I named it “Brazilian Chicken Pot Pie”. Translating things sometimes is a challenge for me…? But titles won’t matter once you bite into this savory piece of heaven....

Looking to make the most of fresh corn season? Don’t forget to also check out my Brazilian Sweet Corn Cake, Sweet Corn Risotto and Curau (Brazilian Corn Pudding). I’ve been wanting to post this recipe for a few years now! But every time I made elotes, they vanished within seconds without time to snap photos. I had my first elote in NYC, shortly after moving there, when I went out drinking with some friends....

Today we are taking a break from all the healthy recipes to talk about cheese. And not any cheese – the best kind – fried cheese! Okay, okay. My last Cauliflower Gratin post was full of cream, cheese and bacon, so not exactly what some people would consider healthy. But it had cauliflower, which we already established as the new trend in the healthy world! So that counts, right? But this time I can’t even defend the indulgence of these fried cheese curds....