Don't Fill Up on the Antipasto

In the Danza family, the men did most of the cooking -- great Italian-American food that has remained the favorite cuisine in American households for more than a century.

Now, actor, television personality, and exuberant cook Tony Danza and his son, Marc (and grandson, Nicholas!), invite you into the kitchen with their huge, at times hilarious, Italian-American clan for 50 top-secret family recipes (the sauce and the lasagna) and never-before-shared stories and photographs.

You'll meet Tony's mom and dad, and Tony's mom's family, the Camisas. You'll meet Marc's family and of course his son, Nicholas. You'll meet the uncles, the aunts, and the cousins, all important people in Tony's and Marc's upbringing. You'll read stories about an Italian immigrant family that grew strong in America and really lived the American dream.

The stories are, for the most part, wrapped around the recipes and the food that was the center of family life: Uncle John's Pasta with Prosciutto Sauce, Mother's Lasagna, Chicken with Lemon and Garlic, Holiday Antipasto, Roasted Chicken and Potatoes, Escarole and Bean Soup, Ricotta Cheesecake, and even Tony and Marc's Quick or Date Sauce, a fabulous tomato sauce that's fast, easy, and sure to help you impress the ladies.

So pull up a chair, pick up a fork, and join Tony and Marc as they cook, eat, and laugh their way through the generations. And remember, "don't fill up on the antipasto."