La Cronaca – Upcoming Events, Fundraisers & Italian Fun!
OCT - DEC 2025
Dear Sisters and Brothers,
Let’s Celebrate La Cronaca: Flavors, Sounds, and Solidarity!
A story of Italian taste, joyful events, and fundraising.
Here’s what’s going on in our lively Italian American community:
🎉 Upcoming Events
📅Oct 25 – Chicago Heights Dinner Dance
🎓 Chicago Heights Scholarship Banquet – Saturday, October 25th
📍 Balagio Ristorante, Homewood, IL
📧 Email: gmancin1@att.net
🍽 Don’t miss this unforgettable dinner!
Cultural Note: Italian banquets are a celebration of life, filled with food, music, and heartfelt toasts.
📅Nov 2 – Americo Vespucci Spaghetti dinner
📅Nov 4 – Chicago Heights Meeting
📅Nov 10- Americo Vespucci Meeting
📅 Nov 15 – Leone D'Oro Cookie exchange and gift donations drive
📅 Nov 15 –Filippo Mazzei meeting
📅 Nov 19 – Cookie Exchange & Gift Drive Leone D'Oro at the American Legion Tinley Park, IL
📅 Dec 2 –Chicago Heights Meeting
📅 Dec 7 –Christmas Dinner Dance - Leone D'Oro Orland Château
📅Dec 8 –Americo Vespucci Meeting
📅 Dec 17 –Filippo Mazzei meeting
🍝 Recipe of the Month – Nonna’s Pasta alla Gricia 🍝
This is one of the oldest Roman pasta recipes — a delicious, minimalist dish that highlights the rich flavor of guanciale.
🧄 Ingredients (Serves 2–3)
200g pasta (rigatoni or tonnarelli work great)
100g guanciale (pork cheek), cut into strips
50g Pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt (for pasta water)
🍳 Instructions
Boil the Pasta
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
Cook the Guanciale
In a large skillet (no oil needed), cook the guanciale over medium heat until crispy and golden, about 5–7 minutes. Remove from heat.
Combine:
Add the drained pasta to the skillet with guanciale. Toss well to coat in the rendered fat.
Add a splash of reserved pasta water and stir vigorously.
Finish with Cheese & Pepper
Off the heat, add grated Pecorino Romano and a generous amount of black pepper.
Stir until creamy, adding more pasta water if needed to create a silky sauce.
🍷 Serving Tip
Serve immediately with extra Pecorino and a glass of red wine like Montepulciano or Chianti.
Would you like a variation with tomato (Amatriciana) or egg (Carbonara) next?
Provide your feedback on BizChat
🏆 Bocce D’Oro – The Team is Assembled!
"La Bocce D'oros"
Thanks to Lori Ortiz for organizing!
📧 Look out for her email with game nights and times
Let’s bring home the gold!
📌 Reminders
🌐 Facebook & Website: osia.uno
🎲 Squares for Sale – win up to $125 at meetings@ Leone D'oro meetings every third Wednesday of the month at the American Legion in Tinley Park ,IL.
📧 Lodge Emails:
Reach out to our local lodges, where the heart and heritage of our community beat stronger than a double espresso on a Monday morning!
OSDIA 1430: gmancin1@att.net
OSDIA 1722: osdia.kankakee@gmail.com
OSDIA 1730: bdtodaro0110@gmail.com
OSDIA 2763: raymond.rutz@gmail.com
OSDIA 2700: osdia2700@gmail.com
OSDIA 2558: osiasouthwest@hotmail.com
From <https://www.osia.uno/calendar>
🙏 Preghiera e comunità – Sempre insieme!
(Prayer and community – always together)
Editor and writer: Mario D'Antonio
OSDIA President Leone D'Oro #2700
OSDIA Grand Lodge of Illinois and Wisconsin Historian
Website: www.osia.uno
MarioDAntonio@MDWorks72.onmicrosoft.com