About the Author: Passionate about her love for all things Italian, Lauren Scibelli Mullin has inherited a passion for cooking and enjoying great tasting food, more specifically Italian food. Lauren Scibelli Mullin tells us her personal story and her experiences, growing up in and around her family's Restaurant, Ciro's. Who could argue that Italian Food is one, if not the most popular of all foods to most everyone? Lauren, a native of Springfield Massachusetts, spent most of her young years, living in the Hungry Hill neighborhood, but grew up in the South End, which once was known as, Springfield's 'Little Italy". She learned from childhood, the importance of family, as most Italian- Americans would agree. She attended Our Lady of Mt. Carmel grammar school, Cathedral High School, and Our Lady of the Elms College, all Catholic institutions, that most Italians can relate to. She associates food with family, love, pride and believes that family should always come first. Lauren was handed down the many recipes from the Matriarch of her family, "Nonie". These recipes are cherished and priceless to Lauren, but she feels the need to share them within this book to you! Like the generations before her, Lauren has not been classically trained as a chef. She cooks from her heart, and from the many years watching and being taught by her elders. Her desire to pursue her dream, beginning with writing this book, has brought her into a field; she has always had a desire for. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Biology, and is a certified Histologist, but her passion lies within her Polish/Italian roots, wanting to cook, make everyone she comes in contact with feel like family, be generous and share teaching, just like her Nonie did.