PASTA

I love pasta!!  Now I have a certain flair for the obvious.  Our family, the Ciccolella's, is loaded with a group of great cooks.  I fondly remember my grandmother Christina cooking large meals for her children and grandchildren.  It was always good and it was always a lot of food.  If you ask some of my favorite aunt's (Sandy, Mary Ann and Pauline), they will likely tell you that my mom was one of the best cooks in the family.  Mom passed away in June 2009, and her cooking has surely been missed.  However, it is time to continue the family tradition of cooking good Italian meals.  Over the past several years I have enjoyed my time in the kitchen.  I think I drive my wife and family crazy.  I spend more time researching tomatoes from Italy than I do watching football games.  Go figure.  It must be my mid-life crisis.  Back on track - I am posting some photos of a few of my dishes.  I had to run for the digital camera before I would let Field dive into the pasta.  In January I hosted my first Pasta Fest.  With 25 or so guest, we have a menu of Italian dishes including five or six main courses.  I think it went over well. 

Growing Up Fast

The times they are a changing....Wow, the kids in the Ciccolella family are growing up fast.  The post card from Southern Miss recruiting features non other than my very own son - Charles Alden Bennett III or Alden to us.  Alden is the second from the left with the backpack over his shoulder.  Just like him to sneak his way into a photo shoot - just like his mother.  Anyway, Alden is in his third year at Southern Miss.  In addition our youngest, Joseph Brumfield Bennett, or Field to us, has passed his drivers test and now has a full license to operate a auto.  Wow, has time gone by fast.  I also understand that there is more family news to share; a few babies on the way and a marriage around the corner; and all this from what I call the third line in the family.  The first line are the kids of John and Christina Ciccolella, the second line is the grand children and the third would be the great grand children.