 | Good cooks know, you can't create a dish that is robust and flavorful without the addition of herbs and spices. Though many cooks prefer fresh herbs, there is a place in every kitchen for dried herbs as well. Here are a few tips for using dried herbs and a few favorites to purchase or grow in your very own Italian herb garden. |
 | Minestrone, or "Big Soup," is another favorite Italian recipe that can be found on most Italian-American restaurant menus. It is as common as pasta in Italy, and every region, village and family has its own recipe. |
 | Arrabbiata sauce translated means "angry," and this delicious spicy sauce needs a strong pasta to hold on to. That's why penne is often seen on Italian-American menus with this sauce. The ridges of the pasta hold the assertiveness of the sauce very well. |
 | Lentils are small dried pea-sized legumes that are cousins to the bean. They can be found in many colors from reddish brown, green, orange and black to the most common one used in the United States, the brown lentil. |
 | When sun-ripened tomatoes are at their peak, I make this fresh tasting tomato basil soup. Not only is it quick to make, it holds and freezes well. |
