Gina Leeber is the author of two children's books, An Adoption Story and Journey Mousearello: The Little Church Mouse. She is an accomplished chef who started cooking at the age of four in her father's restaurant, the famous Ciro's in New York City. She has made numerous appearances on Fox 4 TV, sharing and cooking her family recipes. Gina and her husband, Anthony, live in Fort Myers, Florida, surrounded by their six children and twenty-two grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They are the owners of Leopardi's Italian Restaurant in Fort Myers, Florida, where many of the recipes in this book are served.

The recipes are longtime family favorites. Gina has enjoyed her travels through northern and southern Italy, where she has combined both styles of cooking for you to enjoy in this book. Her mother's house always smelled of great cooking, and she wanted her house to smell like that when she grew up. Fifty-two years of cooking for her family have added to her experience as well as her love to experiment in the kitchen. You, too, will love the warm feeling of togetherness cooking can bring, whether two or twenty-the smell from a kitchen is heartwarming. Feel free to experiment or copy, and always remember: it's your kitchen, your way