I have been a long time fan of the blog EyeSwoon, a food and entertaining blog by Athena Calderone.  The blog is filled with fabulous recipes and entertaining ideas and the photography is amazing.  When Athena came out with her first cookbook, Cook Beautiful, I knew it would be amazing and it did not disappoint.  The book is divided into 4 sections, Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter with a section at the end called Sauces and Extras.  I had such hard time deciding which recipe to make first, although I purposely chose something from the winter section.  I decided on this pasta dish, Mezzi Rigatoni with Radicchio and Guanciale (cured pork jowl).  It came together quickly, and is a delicious, sophisticated pasta dish that still has a comfort food feel.  If you're wondering about Guanciale, it's similar to pancetta or bacon, although it's worth ordering or finding at a local butcher.  (I've included a link to order below.)

Recipe

I wanted to serve this meal in dishes that were as sophisticated as the pasta, so I choose handmade bowls, made by my daughter, Rebecca Leigh Smith.  I would serve this easy to make, beautiful dish to guests.

I'm including links to some of my favorite essential kitchen tools including a knife by Shun that every cook needs.  You can also check out more recipes here and see tutorials on my YouTube channel!  My Pinterest boards are also full of great ideas for dinner!

Guanciale, Pecorino Romano, Aleppo Pepper

Thanks so much for reading!  Happy Cooking!

Today, I'm linking with Miss Molly Moon!