Marisa Musto of Malverne

A recent college graduate, Marisa Musto lives in Malverne. She works as a food manager at A La Carte, a culinary school in Lynbrook. She has a food blog - cooksbookblog.com.

Does the blog help your cooking? I'm always thinking of new types of recipes that I can create and different dishes that I would like to try. I've never cooked at home so much as I have since starting this blog.

How did you get interested in cooking? Basically because I grew up around people who weren't into cooking. It helped spark my curiosity about what food can be.

You attended the Culinary Institute of America. How was that? I graduated from there after two years with an associate degree. It was really intense, but that's what you need to see if that's what you want to do. You're in the kitchen all the time, and you learn the science behind cooking.

Do you have a favorite cuisine? My favorites are Italian and Mexican, but I just love being in the kitchen. I like to put something on the table that I worked hard making.

How do you see the difference between restaurant and home cooking? Restaurant cooking is very fast-paced, while at home you can take your time, and you're not under so much pressure. You don't have to worry so much about making a mistake.

White Bean and Escarole Soup with Chorizo Sausage and Parmigiano Croutons:

For the soup:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, sliced

4 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped

3 plum tomatoes, diced

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 pound escarole, chopped

1/2 cup white wine

Freshly squeezed juice of one lemon

1 quart chicken stock (store-bought is fine)

2 15.5-ounce cans cannellini beans

1 cup chorizo sausage (cured smoked pork sausage), casing removed, sliced in half length-wise and cut into half- moon shapes.

Leaves stripped from 2 sprigs of thyme

Salt and pepper to taste

For the croutons:

1/2 loaf Italian, French or other crusty bread sliced into 1/2-inch cubes

1/2 cup grated parmigiano reggiano cheese, plus more sliced with a vegetable peeler into thin strips for optional garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. In a large pot over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add onions and cook until translucent.

3. Add garlic, tomatoes, and red pepper flakes, and sauté until garlic becomes fragrant, about one minute.

4. Add escarole and cook for about two minutes, or until wilted.

5. Add wine; after it comes to a boil, add lemon juice, chicken stock, beans and chorizo. Bring to a boil; then, reduce to simmer.

6. Add thyme leaves and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Cook 20-30 minutes, allowing liquide to reduce slightly.

7. While soup cooks, put bread cubes on a cookie sheet and bake in preheated oven, watching them carefully. When bread is lightly toasted, remove from oven and sprinkle each cube with cheese. Return to oven and continue baking until bread is golden and crispy and cheese is melted.

8. To serve, ladle warm soup into bowlsa and garnish with parmesan strips (if using) and croutons.

9. Serves 6-8