Though it seems somewhat logical to assume the Neapolitans have only given us the wonder of three-flavored ice cream, it is also the pizza that originated in Naples. Considering its popularity, it’s hard to believe that the pizza is barely one-hundred years old, born in 1889 as a dish prepared during the visit of Queen Margherita. This most basic of pizzas, consisting of little more than dough, tomato sauce, mozzarella and basil (a classic Italian combination, symbolizing the colors of the flag and basically all that’s good in the world) started a culinary marvel that would soon span the globe. A Little Slice of Heaven…

2 tablespoons butter
2 chicken breasts, halved
1 cup dry red wine
1 sprig thyme, chopped
1 sprig rosemary, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
6 button mushrooms, quartered
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
2 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
salt and pepper

1. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breast and brown on all sides.
2. Add the wine, thyme, rosemary, garlic, onion and mushrooms. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer, cooking until chicken is tender, about an hour.
3. Melt remaining butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and stir in the flour. Cook for about a minute, then stir in the juices from the skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens.
4. Serve chicken with prepared sauce and garnish with bacon bits and chopped parsley.

Makes 4 servings

4 slices bacon
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved
2 tablespoons butter
3 sprigs thyme, chopped
1 bay leaf, torn
4 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 cup wine
2 tablespoons cream
salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Lay bacon on the bottom of a casserole dish. Combine butter, thyme and bay leaf and spread them on the chicken breasts, then place them on top of the bacon.
3. Bake the chicken in the oven until it is cooked through to the center, about 20 minutes.
4. Keep chicken warm and pour juices from the casserole dish into a saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in mustard, wine and cream and bring to a boil. Reduce to a thick sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour over chicken to serve.

Makes 4 servings

1 cup dried navy beans
4 cups water
2/3 cup chicken broth
2 slices bacon, chopped
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium leek, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
salt and pepper

1. Add beans and water to a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook covered until tender, around an hour.
2. When the beans are cooked, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the bacon, frying until just crisp.
3. Stir in the olive oil and add the leek and garlic, sautéing until tender.
4. Drain remaining liquid from the beans, if necessary, and add them to the skillet, along with the sage and rosemary. Season to taste with salt and pepper and squeeze lemon juice overtop.

Makes 6 servings

2 cups peas
3 slices bacon, chopped
1 cup coconut milk
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper

1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the bacon, frying until crisp.
2. Stir in the peas and coconut milk and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until peas are tender and the coconut milk has slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
3. Remove from heat, stir in the cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Makes 4 servings

3 pounds pork shoulder, trimmed
1 teaspoon dried papaya seeds
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon ground allspice
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons bacon fat
1 medium onion, sliced
1 Scotch bonnet pepper, chopped

1 cup diced tomatoes and tomato juice
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons brown sugar

1. Grind together the dried papaya seeds and peppercorns in a mortar and pestle, then form a paste with the olive oil, allspice, garlic and salt. Rub the pork shoulder with this mixture and marinade overnight.
2. Heat bacon fat with onion in a large pot over medium heat. Continue to cook the onions until they reach a deep brown color, then add in the Scotch bonnet pepper.
3. Move onions and pepper to one side of the pot and add the pork shoulder. Brown on all sides, then add the tomatoes and bay leaf.
4. Bring the mixture to a boil, and then reduce heat to keep a gentle simmer. Cook pork until tender, about an hour , then discard the bay leaf.
5. Remove the pork from the sauce and keep warm. Add the brown sugar to the sauce and bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until it becomes thick.
6. Tear pork into small pieces and return to the sauce. Serve on top of cooked white rice or with pita bread.

Makes 6 servings

4 four ounce boneless pork chops
4 slices bacon
2 sprigs rosemary, finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup chicken broth
salt and pepper

1. Season bacon with plenty of black pepper and wrap a slice around each pork chop, securing with a toothpick.
2. Press rosemary into both sides of the pork flesh, rub with olive oil and season with a sprinkle of salt.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the outside of the pork chops to crisp the bacon, then brown both sides.
4. Add the chicken broth, cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Continue to cook until pork is cooked through to the center, about 20 minutes.

Makes 4 servings

12 ounces linguine
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
6 slices bacon, chopped
1 small onion, sliced
1 cup chicken stock
3 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
1 cup spinach
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
salt and pepper
water

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the linguine. Continue cooking until al dente.
2. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Fry the bacon until just crisp, then add the onions.
3. Sauté the onions until tender, then stir in the chicken stock and sage.
4. Reduce heat to a simmer until linguine is cooked. Add the spinach to the skillet and allow to wilt, then add the linguine.
5. Toss the linguine with the other ingredients, season with salt and pepper to taste and top with parmesan.

Makes 4 servings

3/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup ketchup
1/2 cup sugar

1 pound baby spinach
6 slices bacon, cooked
6 ounces water chestnuts
3 eggs, hard boiled
6 button mushrooms, sliced

1. Combine oil, vinegar, onion, Worcestershire sauce, salt, ketchup and sugar and mix well.
2. Toss together spinach, baby, water chestnuts and mushrooms. Dice 2 of the eggs and combine with the rest of the ingredients.
3. Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat. Garnish with remaining egg.

Makes 6 servings

1 pound pork tenderloin, trimmed
8 slices pork bacon
1 small onion, thinly sliced
8 apricots, pitted and halved
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup apricot jam or plum sauce
salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Season pork with salt and pepper and wrap bacon tightly around it, covering all exposed meat.
3. Place onions in the bottom of an ovenproof dish and lay pork on top. Place apricots halves securely around the sides of the pork.
4. Combine soy sauce and apricot jam together and cover pork and apricots.
5. Bake in the oven until bacon is crisp, apricots soften and pork is cooked through to the center, about 45 minutes.
6. Allow meat to rest before serving.

Makes 4 servings