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The MM Blog
Let's live deliciously! Here you'll find the very best recipes, travel guides, podcasts, videos, and wellness tips to create a healthy, beautiful joyful life.
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Here’s my must-have list of kitchen essentials. Gizmos + gadgets, appliances, pots and pans, cookware, knives, and tabletop faves. For decades I’ve collected all your questions! The ones I get on social media, in DMs, emails and texts, from the blog, when I meet you or in our Secret Facebook Group. So I’ve decided to […]
Most people think of Monday as the first day of the week. But if we look at the story of creation … day 1, aka ground zero for Him was Sunday. Just like a tree needs strong roots to rise up and grow, I need a rock solid game plan to ensure the week ahead […]
I’ve spent a lot of time in the air and living out of suitcases. Nothing brings me more joy than visiting a foreign country and exploring new and exciting places and trying delicious food. But no matter where I go in the world…There are a few items you will always find in my luggage. Here’s […]
Over the years I have hosted small dinners and events that feed hundreds. I’ve cooked for Oscar winners, billionaires, Hollywood studios, friends and family. But no matter the size of the guest list, a successful party comes down to planning. I’m sharing the exact strategy I use every time I host. And I’m confident that […]
“You may have the Universe if I can have Italy” – Giuseppe Verdi Italy is the most gorgeous country in the world to travel to. I guess that is why I decided I wanted to retire there. And over the past decade, I have crisscrossed this country eating my weight in pizza. And I still […]
I have often seen parents who have a poor relationship with food and body image, pass this onto their kids. This is not the relationship with food we want to create for our children.
Feast your eyes and tastebuds on this everything but the kitchen sink grapefruit, peach, and fennel salad. If you’re going to eat a salad today, it should definitely be this beautiful. When the markets and stores are overflowing with fresh produce, there is no meal quite as beautiful to look at, or as deliciously tasty, […]
Nothing is easier or more of a crowd-pleaser than an ice-cream sundae. Am I right? I love how you can make all the components ahead of time. Then you or your guests just assemble them when it’s time for dessert. These ones are brilliant. The crispy, crunchy ginger snaps work so well with the creamy […]
What’s not to love about drinking fruity-infused sangria?! When I was in Spain a few years ago I couldn’t start a meal without a big jug of gorgeous sangria. Whether it is red or white sangria and whether they use pears, nectarines, berries, oranges or apples they have truly mastered this cocktail. I’ve created a […]
Ready to spice up your chicken game? This chicken recipe is a guanrteed winner. Chicken thighs coated in harissa chile paste, garlic, onion, and a few warm spices. Savory, smoky, with a little spicy kick! Harissa is a hot chilli pepper paste made of roasted red peppers, hot chilli peppers, garlic, coriander, and caraway seeds. […]
I love do-ahead veggie dishes. That way I can enjoy my guests. This dish is inspired by Spanish Romesco. It’s a sauce sort of like a pesto, but it’s made with roasted tomatoes, garlic, and nuts. I have paired it with blistered red and yellow cherry tomatoes and sautéed haricot verts. The colors are simply […]
Cause there is always room for Dolce. Heres’s a chewy loaded meringue! I have been making meringues and pavlovas as my go-to dessert for years but this one is a little different. I’ve filled it with Israeli halva, figs, dates, hazelnuts, and fresh whipped cream. The nuts give it a crunch, the dates & figs […]
Roasted carrots, fennel, and onions with cumin, coriander, and fennel seeds for the win! I absolutely love the way the sugars come to the surface when you roast veggies. They get all golden and caramelized. You can experiment by using different veggies, but by roasting them on high heat you will ensure a yummy and […]
I'm Melissa, your host & tour guide.
A Food Network chef, author, mamma, eternal optimist, wannabe-mermaid, spice mixologist, and “dough therapist” (yep, it’s a thing)—
I'm also the founder of Susina Cucina, the gorgeous, Italian cooking school I manifested into my reality. I’m obsessed with Aperol spritzes, travel, and mouthwatering food… especially pizza and pasta.
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In Italy, they add work and life on to food and wine.
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Bellissima (Italian, adj.): to be more than pretty, a state so breathtakingly spectacular, the attracted party gets weak in the knees.
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The Magic of Italy
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Food Netwok Chef, Melissa is dishing up delicious food and a once-in-a-lifetime experience for your soul.
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The Magic of Italy
without the planning
Explore
Food Netwok Chef, Melissa is dishing up delicious food and a once-in-a-lifetime experience for your soul.
find out more →
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Wanna know the tried and tested go-tos a globetrotter and chef can’t live without? Here’s my must-have gizmos, gadgets, and essentials—all my favorite things I swear by. Plus, what I’m reading, wearing, and packing for my next trip.
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