Think of this tart as a giant cookie made with a simple shortbread dough that is used for both the crust and the strudel topping . It is made in no time,  and perfect for the beginning baker. 

I am having a real problem with time lately—it is simply going by too fast. Summer has gone  and fall is here. Another year has just gone flying by. Twenty years ago, which feels like yesterday, my husband and I had a wonderful time visiting Venice and the Veneto. It was such a fun trip. We drove with friends from Munich to Venice, where we stayed for several days. It was  February, between Carnival and spring and Venice was not overrun with tourists. After Venice, our friends dropped us off in the Veneto and continued on their trip to Switzerland, while we stayed there and enjoyed this beautiful area without many tourists. We took the train to the Cinque Terre and hiked through all the villages. It was wonderful. We had no reservations until we got to Florence. What I remember most about this trip was hanging out with the locals and hiking until we got tired. I remember on one of these hikes, we ran into an older Italian man resting under a tree on a Sunday morning, drinking wine and pointing at our water bottle. He was shaking his head and saying, “agua bad, vino good.”

This year, I was invited to a beautiful wedding of a charming couple. Although the groom is Italian (from the Veneto), he is now living in San Francisco with his American bride. Unfortunately, I couldn't go. I just hope that one day I can visit this gorgeous area again. In honor of the wedding and the Veneto, I post this wonderfully easy, yet so delicious and tasty, cake. It is really like a giant cookie that even a non-baker can do in no time. The original fregolotta was created by Pasticceria Zizzola, who lives near Treviso.  My version is a nutty, lightly sweet and crunchy cake tasting like a cookie. Trust me, you will nibble on this delicious morsel until it is gone. There are seldom any leftovers when I make it for my friends. It is great with an espresso coffee or tea. Buon appetito my friends.

These savory little mini-quiches are just right for my new life as a student. There are easy to carry with you and make a great healthy snack. They taste good, even when they are cold. You can customize them to your own liking and add only those veggies you or your loved ones enjoy. ​

 I would love to make them with young children and have them choose as what vegetables they would like to put in them—a great way to introduce kids to new veggies. I think the potatoes are a necessity, but you could try sweet potatoes. I put in mushrooms because I like them and I had some leftover cooked kale. I think spinach would be just as good, if not better. I added some zucchini and that tasted good too. I would like to experiment with little pieces of ham or bacon to make it like a Quiche Lorraine without the crust. As you see, the possibilities are endless.

Yes, I enrolled in our local junior college to take a class in digital photography. The junior college gives people the opportunity to go to college and prepare for a job or a four-year university education. It gives people like me a chance to be a life-long learner. I can wholeheartedly support such worthy institutions. When I came to this country many moons ago, a different junior college gave me a chance to get an education, for which I'm forever grateful. 

It's apple season and time to make my Apple Strudel Cake.