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Growing up with family friends of Italian culture always is a warm feeling when at family style Italian restaurants. It is my all time fave to go get takeout from a traditional Italian place… white table cloths, wine glasses, traditional seating, all the spices and seasonings on your table, the Parmesan cheese topper, and more… My fave part as a teenager was watching the server let us hand pick which freshly baked roll to take out of the bread basket… and then top it off with warm butter or olive oil… yum!

Today, in this crazy world, I cannot even explain this global time period we are living in. Sometimes, the wholesome and family-ness, and homey-ness feeling of a traditional Italian dinner makes everything better on a cold night!

A few pieces of chicken marinated in balsamic vinegar and honey and a bit of sugar to make the glaze with oregano is a great way to start your Italian night. Quickly pan searing the chicken to get the flavor and then baking in the oven really enriches the juices of your meal. Chicken fillet or paillard pieces work best as it takes less time than thicker breast pieces (and less filling after dinner!)!

Slices of large red tomatoes with mini cherry tomatoes alternating with mozzarella wedges and oregano seasoning give the traditional look of Italian caprese.

Bon appetite! 🇮🇹