Hi everyone,
Hope you’re having a great week! Doug and I just got back from Sicily and absolutely loved it. We ate so much incredible food, and of course, the pasta was a highlight. One thing I love about Italy is that the pasta is always cooked to al dente perfection. Even if a particular sauce isn’t my favorite, I can count on the pasta itself being excellent.
Today, I thought I’d tell you all about our trip, including the cities we explored, where we stayed, and, of course, our favorite meals along the way.
First, here’s a recipe for creamy chicken and broccoli pasta my mom and I recently made. It comes together in just 30 minutes and is perfect for busy school nights when you need something easy and delicious that the whole family will love. The luscious sauce is made with whole milk, broccoli, and shredded chicken. The leftovers reheat like a dream, so make a big batch and enjoy it for days to come.
As always, my cookbook Maxi’s Kitchen is now available for purchase at your local bookstore or online:
Thank you so much for your support 🤍
What I Cooked Last Week! ↓
Creamy Chicken and Broccoli Pasta
This pasta comes together in just 30 minutes and is the perfect easy dinner for a busy school night. Make sure to save any leftovers, as they reheat like a dream.
You can download the PDF recipe above and watch the video here :)
Crispy Avocado Tostadas
Creamy, tangy, and fresh, with the perfect crunch in every bite. It’s like chips and guac, but all dressed up on a tostada.
Shrimp and Chive Noodles
My mom and I reimagined the shrimp-and-chive dumpling as a noodle dish. The chubby rice noodles get so much flavor from the Chinese chives and marinated shrimp.
A Week in Sicily: All of Our Favorite Spots
Sicily is a pretty big island with two major airports: one is in Palermo, the capital, in the northwest, and the other in Catania, the second-largest city, on the eastern coast. Since we wanted to explore a few different parts of the island, we decided to fly into Palermo, drive across to Catania with a stop along the way, and fly home from there.
Palermo
We only spent one night in Palermo. We were surprised by how big and bustling the city was, with beautiful architecture that reminded me of Paris.
On the day we landed, we lounged by the pool at our hotel, and then in the evening, we headed into the city for an aperitivo at dal Barone, a really cute wine bar. It had such a nice vibe, with everyone seated outside along the sidewalk. I love how in Europe people are always spilling out onto the streets, eating and drinking.
Doug ordered a glass of wine, and it was so delicious that I ended up getting one too, even though I don’t usually drink. We also shared a toast with burrata and anchovy.
Then we headed to dinner at Aja Mola, a seafood restaurant, where we ordered an appetizer, two pastas, and a sea bass. Both pastas were fantastic and perfectly al dente.
Even though we only spent 24 hours in Palermo, we loved it. The big-city feel was a cool contrast to the rest of the island, where we mostly stayed in smaller cities along the coast.
Cefalù
The next day, we made our way to Cefalù, a small city on the northern coast of Sicily, about midway between Palermo and our last destination, Noto.