I don't pretend this is either an authentic, or the only way to make guacamole, but as with my other Mexican inspired dishes, it gets GREAT raves.
Take 5 ripe avocados (the skin should be black, and they should be soft to a slight squeeze, but not mushy and there should be no gap between the skin and the fruit), cut them in half, remove the pits, and scoop the fruit out into a bowl.
Add the juice of 2 limes (lemons are an acceptable substitute, but I prefer limes), 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 red onion diced into small pieces, and 1/4 cup of your favorite salsa. With your hands (I'm not kidding about this part -- it's the best way to do this!), start mushing the avocados and mixing in the other ingredients. I prefer my guacamole with some good avocado chunks still in it, but you can mix as much or as little as you like.
If you want it to have a bit of a kick, either use a hot salsa, or add a few shots of Tabasco sauce.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Enchiladas and quesadillas
OK -- a disclaimer first -- I don't pretend that ANY of this is even remotely authentic Mexican food in the least. But these are some great Mexican inspired dishes I make for us on weeknights that we all love, I can cook up ahead of time, and that are really filling.
For my version of enchiladas or quesadillas, you start with the same filling:
1 large onion, diced
1 large red pepper, diced
1 pound of ground chicken or turkey
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of Tastefully Simple Fiesta Party dip mix OR 1 tablespoon each of chili powder and cumin, plus a pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and add the onion, pepper and salt. Saute until the veggies get soft, and a little bit brown to develop the flavors. Once they are done, add the ground meat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon or spatula, and cook until it's well done. Add the remaining seasonings, cook for another minute or two, and remove to a bowl to cool.
For quesadillas, take fajita size tortillas, and spread shredded cheddar, jack, or some preferred blend of cheeses on half. Place about 2 heaping teaspoons of the meat and veggie mixture on top, put more cheese on top of that, fold it over and place on a hot skillet on the stove top. I like to put another skillet on top to weigh them down. Cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side, slice into 4 pieces, and serve with your favorite salsa, guacamole (recipe to follow), and/or sour cream.
For enchiladas, generously cover the bottom of a baking disk with mild green salsa. Then take fajita size tortillas, put about 2-3 heaping teaspoons of the meat mixture in the middle, and roll them up. (You can also spread about a tablespoon of refried beans, straight from a can, on the tortilla before you add the meat). Place them in the baking dish and when it's full, cover with either mild, medium or hot salsa (whatever is your preference), and cover with shredded cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for about 35-40 minutes, until it's all hot and bubbly.
The enchiladas can be made and stored in the fridge days ahead of time. (I often make this on a Sunday and pop it in the oven when I get home). If it goes from the fridge to the oven, it'll take at least 15 minutes more to warm through.
As an equally quick and non-authentic side dish, we're partial to Uncle Ben's Spanish style rice -- in microwavable pouches. As I said, these dishes aren't about authentic -- they're about quick and healthy ways to feed your family on a worknight! Though I will say that I've served the enchiladas for company on many occasions and get real raves about them.
For my version of enchiladas or quesadillas, you start with the same filling:
1 large onion, diced
1 large red pepper, diced
1 pound of ground chicken or turkey
2 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of Tastefully Simple Fiesta Party dip mix OR 1 tablespoon each of chili powder and cumin, plus a pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and add the onion, pepper and salt. Saute until the veggies get soft, and a little bit brown to develop the flavors. Once they are done, add the ground meat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon or spatula, and cook until it's well done. Add the remaining seasonings, cook for another minute or two, and remove to a bowl to cool.
For quesadillas, take fajita size tortillas, and spread shredded cheddar, jack, or some preferred blend of cheeses on half. Place about 2 heaping teaspoons of the meat and veggie mixture on top, put more cheese on top of that, fold it over and place on a hot skillet on the stove top. I like to put another skillet on top to weigh them down. Cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side, slice into 4 pieces, and serve with your favorite salsa, guacamole (recipe to follow), and/or sour cream.
For enchiladas, generously cover the bottom of a baking disk with mild green salsa. Then take fajita size tortillas, put about 2-3 heaping teaspoons of the meat mixture in the middle, and roll them up. (You can also spread about a tablespoon of refried beans, straight from a can, on the tortilla before you add the meat). Place them in the baking dish and when it's full, cover with either mild, medium or hot salsa (whatever is your preference), and cover with shredded cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for about 35-40 minutes, until it's all hot and bubbly.
The enchiladas can be made and stored in the fridge days ahead of time. (I often make this on a Sunday and pop it in the oven when I get home). If it goes from the fridge to the oven, it'll take at least 15 minutes more to warm through.
As an equally quick and non-authentic side dish, we're partial to Uncle Ben's Spanish style rice -- in microwavable pouches. As I said, these dishes aren't about authentic -- they're about quick and healthy ways to feed your family on a worknight! Though I will say that I've served the enchiladas for company on many occasions and get real raves about them.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Antipasti dishes
For holidays, my Grandma Conti always put out a spread of antipasti so big and delicious, that it was amazing we had room for anything else, let alone the three additional courses that were coming! But we started early, paced ourselves, and usually left the table so full we didn't need to eat for days.
There was a great array of cheese and meats, but also lots of other dishes to snack on. Caponata was always at the table, and I posted a recipe earlier, although there are some very good pre-prepared brands of caponata, especially Progresso. Some other ideas follow. All of these dishes are best served at room temperature for maximum flavor. Make them a day ahead of time for the flavors to really soak in, and then remove from the fridge about an hour before serving.
Marinated artichoke hearts:
2 cans of quartered artichoke hearts, packed in water, drained
Juice of one lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon of minced, fresh Italian parsely
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
A pinch of salt
Roasted red peppers:
1 large jar of roasted red pepper, drained and cut into bite-sized slices
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove of garlic, very finely minced
1 tablespoon of red wine or balsamic vinegar
Marinated cannellini beans:
1 can of canellini beans (white kidney beans), drained and rinsed
1/4 red onion, diced finely
1/2 teaspoon of fresh cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar
Other ideas for your spread include pepperoncini (the small, hot Italian peppers) and olives.
There was a great array of cheese and meats, but also lots of other dishes to snack on. Caponata was always at the table, and I posted a recipe earlier, although there are some very good pre-prepared brands of caponata, especially Progresso. Some other ideas follow. All of these dishes are best served at room temperature for maximum flavor. Make them a day ahead of time for the flavors to really soak in, and then remove from the fridge about an hour before serving.
Marinated artichoke hearts:
2 cans of quartered artichoke hearts, packed in water, drained
Juice of one lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon of minced, fresh Italian parsely
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
A pinch of salt
Roasted red peppers:
1 large jar of roasted red pepper, drained and cut into bite-sized slices
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove of garlic, very finely minced
1 tablespoon of red wine or balsamic vinegar
Marinated cannellini beans:
1 can of canellini beans (white kidney beans), drained and rinsed
1/4 red onion, diced finely
1/2 teaspoon of fresh cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar
Other ideas for your spread include pepperoncini (the small, hot Italian peppers) and olives.
Caponata
Caponata is a delicious Sicilian eggplant relish, usually served as part of an antipasti spread. It's sweet and savory, and one of my favorite dishes. It can serve many functions other than antipasto -- I've used it as a pasta sauce, it can be part of a hearty salad, or a delicious side-dish. And it'll keep in the fridge for at least two weeks -- so make a big batch and enjoy it again and again!
1 medium sized eggplant, diced into small cubes (keep the skin on)
2 ribs of celery hearts, chopped
1/2 red onion, diced
3 large cloves of garlic, minced
1/3 cup of green olives, chopped (I prefer the basic cocktail olives with pimentos in them -- you don't need anything fancier or more expensive)
2 tablespoons of capers
3 tablespoons of either red wine or balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon of sugar
16 ounces of crushed tomatoes (San Marzano tomatoes are best)
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Fresh cracked black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon of dried oregano
In a large saute pan, saute the celery, onion and garlic in olive oil -- don't allow them to brown, just "sweat" them until they become translucent. Once they are, add the eggplant and toss together to coat the eggplant with the oil and aromatic veggies. Then add the vinegar and toss quickly so that it distributes throughout the eggplant. Add all the rest of the ingredients, in any order you'd like. Saute on low heat, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes. It should be pretty thick, and not at all runny, when it's done.
As an antipasto or salad, this is best served at room temperature, so if you've chilled it, take it out about an hour before serving.
A few options:
Instead of using sugar, some prefer honey or a few handfuls of raisins to add sweetness.
If you REALLY hate eggplant, you can substitute 2 zucchini for the eggplant.
A friend of mine uses caponata as a sauce for her lasagna -- haven't tried it yet, but I'm sure it's FABULOUS!
1 medium sized eggplant, diced into small cubes (keep the skin on)
2 ribs of celery hearts, chopped
1/2 red onion, diced
3 large cloves of garlic, minced
1/3 cup of green olives, chopped (I prefer the basic cocktail olives with pimentos in them -- you don't need anything fancier or more expensive)
2 tablespoons of capers
3 tablespoons of either red wine or balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon of sugar
16 ounces of crushed tomatoes (San Marzano tomatoes are best)
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Fresh cracked black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon of dried oregano
In a large saute pan, saute the celery, onion and garlic in olive oil -- don't allow them to brown, just "sweat" them until they become translucent. Once they are, add the eggplant and toss together to coat the eggplant with the oil and aromatic veggies. Then add the vinegar and toss quickly so that it distributes throughout the eggplant. Add all the rest of the ingredients, in any order you'd like. Saute on low heat, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes. It should be pretty thick, and not at all runny, when it's done.
As an antipasto or salad, this is best served at room temperature, so if you've chilled it, take it out about an hour before serving.
A few options:
Instead of using sugar, some prefer honey or a few handfuls of raisins to add sweetness.
If you REALLY hate eggplant, you can substitute 2 zucchini for the eggplant.
A friend of mine uses caponata as a sauce for her lasagna -- haven't tried it yet, but I'm sure it's FABULOUS!
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
German-style Turkey Soup
So, it's the weekend after Thanksgiving, you've eaten all the turkey sandwiches and turkey leftovers that you can manage, but you still have a carcass with some meat and don't want to just throw it out. What to do? Take the dregs and make some turkey soup!
My German great-grandmother, Johanna (I took her name when I was confirmed -- she was very special to me), is the genius behind this recipe and method of not just making delicious soup, but cleaning out a lot of your leftovers at the same time!
In a large soup pot, place the following:
The remaining turkey and carcass, including the leftover skin, neck, and anything else remaining
Any leftover stuffing
Any leftover veggies that you would like in your soup, especially things like carrots
Any leftover gravy
If you are missing any of these ingredients, don't despair -- they are optional or you can put in substitutes.
To round out the pot, add the following:
1 large onion, cut into quarters (no need to peel or core it)
5 large garlic cloves, smashed (again, no need to peel)
5 stalks of celery, chopped into quarters (include the leaves on the celery -- they add flavor too!)
3 large carrots, cut in half length-wise, and then cut in half through the middle
2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon of whole black peppercorns
In a piece of cheesecloth, wrap the following:
If using dried herbs:
1 tablespoon rosemary
1 tablespoon thyme
1 tablespoon sage, preferably not ground for it will seep out and muddy your soup
If using fresh herbs:
1 sprig of rosemary
5-6 sprigs of thyme
1 sprig of sage
Pour COLD water over this until it just covers all the carcass and veggies. Turn the burner on medium, and let it go just until the water is thoroughly heated, but not boiling -- should take about 15-20 minutes. Once it's warn, turn it down to low and simmer for 2-3 hours.
Then place a large colander on top of a large bowl and drain out the liquid. Arrange all the meat, bones and veggies in the colander in a large cookie sheet and let it cool.
Let the liquid sit until the grease from the gravy and skin float to the top and skim it off with a large spoon. Then line a fine seive with cheesecloth and strain the broth one more time to get our remaining bits of fat, herbs, veggies, or anything else that mucks it up. NOTE: this broth will not be clear -- it's not intended to be.
Once the veggies and carcass are cool enough to handle, pull off all the edible meat from the bones, shred it into bite sized pieces and add to the soup. If the carrots still look cook, slice them into the broth -- otherwise, get some fresh carrots, peel, slice and add to the broth. You can also add any other veggies you'd like at this point.
Cook the whole thing until any new veggies are soft enough to eat, and serve the soup. I do NOT recommend adding noodles to this soup -- it's going to be very thick because of the stuffing and gravy, and really stands on its own --but if you're crazy about noodles, go ahead -- it's your soup after all!
This can also be frozen quite nicely in case you need a turkey moratorium.
Enjoy!
My German great-grandmother, Johanna (I took her name when I was confirmed -- she was very special to me), is the genius behind this recipe and method of not just making delicious soup, but cleaning out a lot of your leftovers at the same time!
In a large soup pot, place the following:
The remaining turkey and carcass, including the leftover skin, neck, and anything else remaining
Any leftover stuffing
Any leftover veggies that you would like in your soup, especially things like carrots
Any leftover gravy
If you are missing any of these ingredients, don't despair -- they are optional or you can put in substitutes.
To round out the pot, add the following:
1 large onion, cut into quarters (no need to peel or core it)
5 large garlic cloves, smashed (again, no need to peel)
5 stalks of celery, chopped into quarters (include the leaves on the celery -- they add flavor too!)
3 large carrots, cut in half length-wise, and then cut in half through the middle
2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon of whole black peppercorns
In a piece of cheesecloth, wrap the following:
If using dried herbs:
1 tablespoon rosemary
1 tablespoon thyme
1 tablespoon sage, preferably not ground for it will seep out and muddy your soup
If using fresh herbs:
1 sprig of rosemary
5-6 sprigs of thyme
1 sprig of sage
Pour COLD water over this until it just covers all the carcass and veggies. Turn the burner on medium, and let it go just until the water is thoroughly heated, but not boiling -- should take about 15-20 minutes. Once it's warn, turn it down to low and simmer for 2-3 hours.
Then place a large colander on top of a large bowl and drain out the liquid. Arrange all the meat, bones and veggies in the colander in a large cookie sheet and let it cool.
Let the liquid sit until the grease from the gravy and skin float to the top and skim it off with a large spoon. Then line a fine seive with cheesecloth and strain the broth one more time to get our remaining bits of fat, herbs, veggies, or anything else that mucks it up. NOTE: this broth will not be clear -- it's not intended to be.
Once the veggies and carcass are cool enough to handle, pull off all the edible meat from the bones, shred it into bite sized pieces and add to the soup. If the carrots still look cook, slice them into the broth -- otherwise, get some fresh carrots, peel, slice and add to the broth. You can also add any other veggies you'd like at this point.
Cook the whole thing until any new veggies are soft enough to eat, and serve the soup. I do NOT recommend adding noodles to this soup -- it's going to be very thick because of the stuffing and gravy, and really stands on its own --but if you're crazy about noodles, go ahead -- it's your soup after all!
This can also be frozen quite nicely in case you need a turkey moratorium.
Enjoy!
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Venison Roast
So, you may not know it, but my husband is an avid hunter. He just hunts birds (dove, pheasant, goose and duck), but has friends who get us some delicious venison from time to time. I've discovered a great marinade, that I've altered slightly, that helps to tenderize the meat, draw out the gaminess, and leave a great flavor.
Take 1 part red wine, 1 part black coffee, and 1/3 part soy sauce, and mix together. Chop up 3 scallions and smash 4 large cloves of garlic, and add to the liquid.
Marinate the meat for 24 hours, and then roast as you would beef.
If you're "game" to eat game, you'll love this marinade.
Take 1 part red wine, 1 part black coffee, and 1/3 part soy sauce, and mix together. Chop up 3 scallions and smash 4 large cloves of garlic, and add to the liquid.
Marinate the meat for 24 hours, and then roast as you would beef.
If you're "game" to eat game, you'll love this marinade.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
White Pizza
One of my favorite comfort foods . . . and I take a shortcut . . I use pre-made dough. Trader Joe's is fabulous, but if you're in an area with lots of good pizza parlors (ie, NYC), they will often sell you their dough as well.
For the toppings:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
5 cloves of garlic, minced finely
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)
1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
Mix all this together, and slather over the pizza dough.
Then take 4 ounces of ricotta cheese, that you drain in a sieve for about 30 minutes to get rid of extra moisture, and dot it all over the dough.
Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, and then cover with at least 8 ounces of grated mozzarella cheese.
Bake at 450 degrees for 18-20 minutes, cut and serve!
Feel free to add whatever toppings you like to this -- ones I really love are pine nuts, artichoke hearts and broccoli.
For the toppings:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
5 cloves of garlic, minced finely
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)
1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
Mix all this together, and slather over the pizza dough.
Then take 4 ounces of ricotta cheese, that you drain in a sieve for about 30 minutes to get rid of extra moisture, and dot it all over the dough.
Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, and then cover with at least 8 ounces of grated mozzarella cheese.
Bake at 450 degrees for 18-20 minutes, cut and serve!
Feel free to add whatever toppings you like to this -- ones I really love are pine nuts, artichoke hearts and broccoli.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Stuffing
1 large onion, diced
3 large stalks of celery, diced
1 stick of butter
1 16 oz. can of low-sodium chicken broth
2 loaves of potato bread (or whatever your favorite is for making stuffing)
1 tablespoon rosemary
1 tablespoon thyme
1 tablespoon tarragon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
6-8 oz. of roasted chestnuts, chopped into large-ish pieces (optional -- you can buy this at Trader Joes, Williams-Sonoma, or most other gourmet grocery stores).
The night before you want to make your stuffing, tear the bread up into small pieces and spread out in a large baking dish or over a few cookie sheets so that it gets a bit dry and stale.
The next morning, saute the onion, celery, herbs and spices in the stick of butter. Do not let the veggies brown -- just cook them for a good 10 minutes so they're really soft.
Pour the veggie/herb/butter mixture over the bread and mix thoroughly. Add just enough broth to make all the stuffing barely moist to the touch, but not wet or drippy.
Add the chestnuts, if desired.
Stuff as much of this into both cavities of the turkey as you can and put the rest in a lightly greased baking dish to heat in the oven.
If you don't like your stuffing cooked inside the turkey, you can cook it all in a baking dish -- will take about 30 minutes at 350 degrees to fully heat through and get a little crisp on top.
Enjoy!
3 large stalks of celery, diced
1 stick of butter
1 16 oz. can of low-sodium chicken broth
2 loaves of potato bread (or whatever your favorite is for making stuffing)
1 tablespoon rosemary
1 tablespoon thyme
1 tablespoon tarragon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
6-8 oz. of roasted chestnuts, chopped into large-ish pieces (optional -- you can buy this at Trader Joes, Williams-Sonoma, or most other gourmet grocery stores).
The night before you want to make your stuffing, tear the bread up into small pieces and spread out in a large baking dish or over a few cookie sheets so that it gets a bit dry and stale.
The next morning, saute the onion, celery, herbs and spices in the stick of butter. Do not let the veggies brown -- just cook them for a good 10 minutes so they're really soft.
Pour the veggie/herb/butter mixture over the bread and mix thoroughly. Add just enough broth to make all the stuffing barely moist to the touch, but not wet or drippy.
Add the chestnuts, if desired.
Stuff as much of this into both cavities of the turkey as you can and put the rest in a lightly greased baking dish to heat in the oven.
If you don't like your stuffing cooked inside the turkey, you can cook it all in a baking dish -- will take about 30 minutes at 350 degrees to fully heat through and get a little crisp on top.
Enjoy!
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Mashed Turnips
This is a Thanksgiving tradition from the German side of my family (Mom's side) -- I must admit that as a kid, I never tried these but when I finally did, I was SO sad about all the years I missed. I've made these for many people over the years, and while they weren't happy about having to try turnips, they became converts.
Here goes -- this recipe is enough for at least 8 servings:
Get three large turnips -- get the round ones that are light orange and purple-ish on the outside. Peel them, cut in to 1 inch cubes, and put them into a large pot, cover with water (there should be at least 3 inches of water over the top of the turnips, but more is fine too), and throw in 1 tablespoon of salt.
Take 3 medium sized potatoes (I like yukon gold best, but anything is fine), peel them, and throw them into the pot whole.
Bring this up to a boil, and boil on low heat for a full hour.
Drain the turnips and potatoes and shake out as much water as you can.
If you want REALLY smooth turnips, put the mixture through a ricer. If you don't mind a bit of texture, you can use a hand masher, or even better, a stand-mixer.
Add 1/2 stick of butter, 1/2 cup of milk, 1 teaspoon of fresh cracked black pepper, and blend or mash until you are happy with the texture.
Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if needed -- but don't add salt at first -- the turnips and potatoes will have absorbed a good deal from the salted water. You may not need any more.
These can be made a day or two in advance and reheated either in a pot or microwave. If reheating in a pot, add a little bit of milk; if reheating in the microwave, stir after each minute to distribute heat throughout the whole dish.
Enjoy!
Here goes -- this recipe is enough for at least 8 servings:
Get three large turnips -- get the round ones that are light orange and purple-ish on the outside. Peel them, cut in to 1 inch cubes, and put them into a large pot, cover with water (there should be at least 3 inches of water over the top of the turnips, but more is fine too), and throw in 1 tablespoon of salt.
Take 3 medium sized potatoes (I like yukon gold best, but anything is fine), peel them, and throw them into the pot whole.
Bring this up to a boil, and boil on low heat for a full hour.
Drain the turnips and potatoes and shake out as much water as you can.
If you want REALLY smooth turnips, put the mixture through a ricer. If you don't mind a bit of texture, you can use a hand masher, or even better, a stand-mixer.
Add 1/2 stick of butter, 1/2 cup of milk, 1 teaspoon of fresh cracked black pepper, and blend or mash until you are happy with the texture.
Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if needed -- but don't add salt at first -- the turnips and potatoes will have absorbed a good deal from the salted water. You may not need any more.
These can be made a day or two in advance and reheated either in a pot or microwave. If reheating in a pot, add a little bit of milk; if reheating in the microwave, stir after each minute to distribute heat throughout the whole dish.
Enjoy!
How to cook a perfect and juicy turkey
OK -- some purists are going to hate me for this . . . I know there are many who are devoted to fresh, not frozen, turkeys . . . many like to do their own brines . . I get it and there are MANY great ways to make a turkey. But for my money, this way is foolproof and the bird is just delicious! I learned this method from my Aunt Betty, who always does a perfect Thanksgiving feast.
Here goes . . .
Buy a Butterball turkey -- either fresh or previously frozen. Follow the directions exactly.
Viola!!!!
The only other thing I do is to sprinkle the skin with some olive oil, salt, and herbs de provence before cooking.
It never fails . . . .
Here goes . . .
Buy a Butterball turkey -- either fresh or previously frozen. Follow the directions exactly.
Viola!!!!
The only other thing I do is to sprinkle the skin with some olive oil, salt, and herbs de provence before cooking.
It never fails . . . .
Thanksgiving menu
My favorite holiday is fast approaching -- no need to dress up; no need to shop for presents; no need to do anything but cook a great meal, gather wonderful people around your table, and eat until you are so full all you can do is sleep it off :) AND, watch lots of football!! What could be better?
I'm still deciding on what appetizers/antipasto I will serve, but the rest of the meal is set -- here it is:
Roast Turkey
Chestnut stuffing
Garlic mashed potatoes
Mashed turnips
Garlicky green beans
Ginger/garlic carrots
For dessert, apple pie and pumpkin pie!!!!
I'll post recipes one at a time, but trust me, it's a pretty easy dinner to pull together!
I'm still deciding on what appetizers/antipasto I will serve, but the rest of the meal is set -- here it is:
Roast Turkey
Chestnut stuffing
Garlic mashed potatoes
Mashed turnips
Garlicky green beans
Ginger/garlic carrots
For dessert, apple pie and pumpkin pie!!!!
I'll post recipes one at a time, but trust me, it's a pretty easy dinner to pull together!
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Roasted Brussel Sprouts
OK -- I know that a lot of you are thinking that I'm nuts -- a recipe for brussel sprouts -- but trust me, make them this way and even a lot of people who don't like them, will like these! And my toddlers just love them . . . .
First, you MUST use fresh brussel sprouts, never frozen. I can't stress this enough! Serve about 6-7 sprouts per person.
Wash them, trim off the bottoms, pull off withered or dirty leaves on the top, and cut in half.
Arrange on a non-stick baking sheet, with the cut side up.
Drizzle lightly with extra virgin olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Roast them in a 400 degree oven for about 30 minutes, until they get lightly brown on the top and bottom.
They will still be firm on the inside, and slightly carmelized on the outside, making them taste a little sweet and a little nutty.
Go ahead -- give them a try -- you might be surprised!
First, you MUST use fresh brussel sprouts, never frozen. I can't stress this enough! Serve about 6-7 sprouts per person.
Wash them, trim off the bottoms, pull off withered or dirty leaves on the top, and cut in half.
Arrange on a non-stick baking sheet, with the cut side up.
Drizzle lightly with extra virgin olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Roast them in a 400 degree oven for about 30 minutes, until they get lightly brown on the top and bottom.
They will still be firm on the inside, and slightly carmelized on the outside, making them taste a little sweet and a little nutty.
Go ahead -- give them a try -- you might be surprised!
Friday, October 30, 2009
Pasta with Broccoli and Garlic
Trying to put a few more recipes up for my vegetarian friends, but for the carnivores, know that you can easily chop up some left-over grilled or roasted chicken into this recipe and it's every bit as good.
Ingredients:
1 pound of whatever kind of pasta you like. I really like whole wheat pasta for this recipe.
1/4 cup of olive oil
5-6 large cloves of garlic, minced (or if you're in a rush, 2 tablespoons of Tastefully Simple Garlic, Garlic -- see previous post about Items I love). If you're a total garlic fiend, as I am, feel free to add even more!
1 and 1/2 teaspooons salt
1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Approximately 3 cups of broccoli florets, chopped up into fairly small pieces (one bag of pre-cut broccoli florets is perfect).
Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil and add your pasta. When it's 3 minutes away from being al dente, add the broccoli florets to the water and cook them along with the pasta.
Right before you drain the pasta, reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta water for use in the sauce.
After you drain the pasta, add the olive oil to the pot, and when it's hot, add the garlic and seasonings. Keep the heat fairly low and don't let the garlic brown. Once the garlic is translucent, add the pasta and broccoli back into the mix, and stir thoroughly, cooking the flavor of the garlic and seasonings into the pasta.
Add at least 1/4 cup of the pasta water to this mixture, as it will cause the sauce to adhere better to the pasta. If it seems to dry, add the remaining 1/4 cup.
Serve with grated cheese and a glass of good Italian wine!!! If it's white, make sure it's very dry and crisp. Any dry red will also be lovely with this.
This meal would easily serve 4 people, and if any of the diners are light eaters, 5 is possible too.
Mangia!
Ingredients:
1 pound of whatever kind of pasta you like. I really like whole wheat pasta for this recipe.
1/4 cup of olive oil
5-6 large cloves of garlic, minced (or if you're in a rush, 2 tablespoons of Tastefully Simple Garlic, Garlic -- see previous post about Items I love). If you're a total garlic fiend, as I am, feel free to add even more!
1 and 1/2 teaspooons salt
1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Approximately 3 cups of broccoli florets, chopped up into fairly small pieces (one bag of pre-cut broccoli florets is perfect).
Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil and add your pasta. When it's 3 minutes away from being al dente, add the broccoli florets to the water and cook them along with the pasta.
Right before you drain the pasta, reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta water for use in the sauce.
After you drain the pasta, add the olive oil to the pot, and when it's hot, add the garlic and seasonings. Keep the heat fairly low and don't let the garlic brown. Once the garlic is translucent, add the pasta and broccoli back into the mix, and stir thoroughly, cooking the flavor of the garlic and seasonings into the pasta.
Add at least 1/4 cup of the pasta water to this mixture, as it will cause the sauce to adhere better to the pasta. If it seems to dry, add the remaining 1/4 cup.
Serve with grated cheese and a glass of good Italian wine!!! If it's white, make sure it's very dry and crisp. Any dry red will also be lovely with this.
This meal would easily serve 4 people, and if any of the diners are light eaters, 5 is possible too.
Mangia!
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Chili
Keeping with my theme of great meals for cold nights, here's one for chili. The best thing about this dish is that you can make it with a variety of meats, or make it totally vegan as well.
Ingredients:
1 pound of ground meat (beef, turkey, chicken, pork, even lamb would be OK), or ground firm tofu or tempeh
1 red onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 bottle of beer (I prefer something like a pale ale -- too weak and it's just watery, too strong and it overwhelmes the chili)
1 small can of tomato paste
1 large can of crushed tomatoes -- fire roasted ones are particularly good and Muir Glen makes a great organic version
1 can of corn (or 1 cup of frozen or fresh corn kernals)
1 green pepper, diced (optional)
1 can of kidney beans, rinsed. (If you are not a tofu fan, skip it and simply add another can or two of beans)
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons sweet chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1/2 tsp. chipotle chili powder (or more, but only if you like things hot!)
Salt to taste, but you might not need any because the canned ingredients will have plenty already.
Brown the ground meat until cooked through and broken up in to bits. When it's done, add all the veggies except the corn, and saute until they are all soft, but not browned. Then drain off any fat that has accumulated from the meat.
Add the tomato paste and seasonings and mix thoroughly. After this is good and hot, add the beer, and let it come to a rapid boil for at least 2-3 minutes, to burn off the alcohol, but leave all the taste.
Then add the beans, corn, and crushed tomatoes. Stir thoroughly, and once it bubbles, reduce to low heat, cover your pot, and let it simmer for an hour.
By this time it should be nice and thick, but with a bit of "juice" left. Taste for seasoning, and add salt or anything else you think it needs.
Serve with minced raw onion and shredded cheddar or jack cheese.
YUM!
Ingredients:
1 pound of ground meat (beef, turkey, chicken, pork, even lamb would be OK), or ground firm tofu or tempeh
1 red onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 bottle of beer (I prefer something like a pale ale -- too weak and it's just watery, too strong and it overwhelmes the chili)
1 small can of tomato paste
1 large can of crushed tomatoes -- fire roasted ones are particularly good and Muir Glen makes a great organic version
1 can of corn (or 1 cup of frozen or fresh corn kernals)
1 green pepper, diced (optional)
1 can of kidney beans, rinsed. (If you are not a tofu fan, skip it and simply add another can or two of beans)
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons sweet chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1/2 tsp. chipotle chili powder (or more, but only if you like things hot!)
Salt to taste, but you might not need any because the canned ingredients will have plenty already.
Brown the ground meat until cooked through and broken up in to bits. When it's done, add all the veggies except the corn, and saute until they are all soft, but not browned. Then drain off any fat that has accumulated from the meat.
Add the tomato paste and seasonings and mix thoroughly. After this is good and hot, add the beer, and let it come to a rapid boil for at least 2-3 minutes, to burn off the alcohol, but leave all the taste.
Then add the beans, corn, and crushed tomatoes. Stir thoroughly, and once it bubbles, reduce to low heat, cover your pot, and let it simmer for an hour.
By this time it should be nice and thick, but with a bit of "juice" left. Taste for seasoning, and add salt or anything else you think it needs.
Serve with minced raw onion and shredded cheddar or jack cheese.
YUM!
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Sweet Potato Curry Soup
Another easy, hearty, and warming soup for the cold months ahead.
Peel and chop three large sweet potatoes and put into a pot.
Add 32 ounces of chicken or vegetable broth (Swanson's low sodium will not disappoint)
Add one onion, diced and 3 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped.
Bring to a boil and simmer on low until the sweet potatoes are well cooked.
With either an immersion blender or a regular blender, puree the mixture thoroughly.
Then add 1 teaspoon garam masala, 1 tablespoon curry power (sweet or hot, the choice is yours) and 1 tablespoon ground cumin.
Simmer gently for about 10 minutes and then taste for seasoning. You will likely need to add at least a little salt, although there is some in the broth. If you want it a bit more zesty, keep adding some of each of the spices above.
It'll warm you up from the inside out!
Peel and chop three large sweet potatoes and put into a pot.
Add 32 ounces of chicken or vegetable broth (Swanson's low sodium will not disappoint)
Add one onion, diced and 3 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped.
Bring to a boil and simmer on low until the sweet potatoes are well cooked.
With either an immersion blender or a regular blender, puree the mixture thoroughly.
Then add 1 teaspoon garam masala, 1 tablespoon curry power (sweet or hot, the choice is yours) and 1 tablespoon ground cumin.
Simmer gently for about 10 minutes and then taste for seasoning. You will likely need to add at least a little salt, although there is some in the broth. If you want it a bit more zesty, keep adding some of each of the spices above.
It'll warm you up from the inside out!
Friday, October 23, 2009
Dinner Party #1
When I started this blog, I led off with an introduction about the joy of nurturing people with good food, good company and good conversation. As time goes on, I'm going to lay out dinner parties you can throw -- food that is both easy enough for anyone to prepare, as well as a plan for making it happen in the midst of busy weeks and hectic lives. Here is the first one.
Menu --
Antipasto platter
Lasagna (possibly with meatballs and sausage, though this is optional)
Ceasar salad
Dessert
Here's how you make it happen day by day:
Your dinner party is on a Saturday which in this chronology is Day 8.
On Day 1, which is the Saturday before your party, you go food shopping and buy all the ingredients for your sauce (and meatballs and sausages if you choose to go with that sauce), and lasagna.
Day 2 (Sunday) -- make the sauce (and meatballs and sausages if you're not going with marinara or Bolognese sauce).
Day 3 - Day 5 (Monday - Wed) -- you can pretty much take it easy, but if you have a burst of energy, and a dedicated dining room you won't be using until your dinner party, set the table one night so you won't have to do it on the day of your party. On one of those nights, you can also make your salad dressing . . it tastes good when it's got a few days for all the flavors to meld together and for the sharpness of the garlic to mellow just a bit.
Day 6 (Thursday) -- assemble the lasagna (including veggies if you go with that variation), cover tightly with foil, and put into the back of your refrigerator.
Day 7 (Friday) -- on your way home from work, or in a bit of free time that day, go back to the supermarket and pick up ingredients for the salad and your antipasto platter. (More on that later). If you haven't done so yet, set your table.
Day 8 (Saturday) -- in the morning, either make some brownies (using previous recipe), or buy a nice assortment of Italian pastries (assuming you live in part of the country where that's possible), or some other favorite dessert from a bakery. (Of course, you can bake something more ambitious yourself, but this is all about keeping it simple!)
In the early afternoon, arrange your antipasto platter -- this can be as simple as an assortment of Italian meats (prosciutto, salamis, pepperoni, etc.) and cheeses (boccocini of fresh mozzarella, fontina, chunks of parmigiano, etc.), and you can also add various veggies such as olives, marinated artichoke hearts, and roasted red peppers, all of which are available in your grocery store, usually in the same aisle as canned tomotoes or near pickles and condiments. Keep this in the fridge until about 30 minutes before your guests arrive, but take it out a little early to take the extreme chill off, as all the food will taste a little richer if it's not quite so cold.
An hour before your guests are expected to arrive, cut and wash your lettuce, and put it into a salad bowl in the refrigerator to crisp. At the same time, take the lasagna out of the fridge and let it start to come up to room temperature. Don't worry about the cheeses going bad -- it won't happen.
If you are serving meatballs and sausages, put them in a sauce pan and turn the stove burner on as low as it will go. Let them come up to temperature very slowly, stirring every 15 minutes or so. It will not only keep them moist but will perfume the whole house.
When you expect your guests (this is different from the time they actually arrive, for if they're anything like my friends, no one will be on time) pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.
When a critical mass of your guests arrive, put the lasagna in the oven, removing the tin foil and just draping it loosely over the baking dish.
Enjoy the antipasto and some cocktails with your guests.
After the lasagna has been cooking for 30 minutes, remove the foil. In theory, it should cook in about 45 minutes, but the only way to be sure that it's heated all the way through is to poke a finger right into the middle -- if it's so hot that you can't submerge it into the center, then it's done. The outer edges should be bubbling.
When it's done, take it out of the oven, cover tightly with foil, and set on the stove. Put a few toothpicks in the top of it so the foil won't stick to the cheese.
Toss and serve the salad at the table. (A real Italian meal would serve salad AFTER the main course, which is also an option, but most Americans are used to salad first.)
When the salad is done, remove the foil from the lasagna, bring to the table and serve it, along with the meatballs and sausages if you have them (if you don't, don't worry -- the lasgna is enough of a meal!).
After a sufficient respite from dinner, serve your dessert.
At every opportunity, take your guests up on their offers to help clean up, and when they ask what they can bring for dinner, suggest a nice bottle of Chianti or some other Tuscan red wine. You can also get a guest to bring dessert fairly easily and then it's one less thing you have to do!
Remember, your guests will be eager to dine with you -- they would probably be willing to pay for dinner in a restaurant for the pleasure of your company, so don't feel bad about asking them for wine or a dessert for this party, because odds are it's still cheaper than going out to dinner would have been. People love to pitch in -- they're usually just too daunted to throw the dinner party by themself.
So there you have it . .. .a meal everyone will love, and a plan to do it bit by bit, a day at a time.
Enjoy!
Menu --
Antipasto platter
Lasagna (possibly with meatballs and sausage, though this is optional)
Ceasar salad
Dessert
Here's how you make it happen day by day:
Your dinner party is on a Saturday which in this chronology is Day 8.
On Day 1, which is the Saturday before your party, you go food shopping and buy all the ingredients for your sauce (and meatballs and sausages if you choose to go with that sauce), and lasagna.
Day 2 (Sunday) -- make the sauce (and meatballs and sausages if you're not going with marinara or Bolognese sauce).
Day 3 - Day 5 (Monday - Wed) -- you can pretty much take it easy, but if you have a burst of energy, and a dedicated dining room you won't be using until your dinner party, set the table one night so you won't have to do it on the day of your party. On one of those nights, you can also make your salad dressing . . it tastes good when it's got a few days for all the flavors to meld together and for the sharpness of the garlic to mellow just a bit.
Day 6 (Thursday) -- assemble the lasagna (including veggies if you go with that variation), cover tightly with foil, and put into the back of your refrigerator.
Day 7 (Friday) -- on your way home from work, or in a bit of free time that day, go back to the supermarket and pick up ingredients for the salad and your antipasto platter. (More on that later). If you haven't done so yet, set your table.
Day 8 (Saturday) -- in the morning, either make some brownies (using previous recipe), or buy a nice assortment of Italian pastries (assuming you live in part of the country where that's possible), or some other favorite dessert from a bakery. (Of course, you can bake something more ambitious yourself, but this is all about keeping it simple!)
In the early afternoon, arrange your antipasto platter -- this can be as simple as an assortment of Italian meats (prosciutto, salamis, pepperoni, etc.) and cheeses (boccocini of fresh mozzarella, fontina, chunks of parmigiano, etc.), and you can also add various veggies such as olives, marinated artichoke hearts, and roasted red peppers, all of which are available in your grocery store, usually in the same aisle as canned tomotoes or near pickles and condiments. Keep this in the fridge until about 30 minutes before your guests arrive, but take it out a little early to take the extreme chill off, as all the food will taste a little richer if it's not quite so cold.
An hour before your guests are expected to arrive, cut and wash your lettuce, and put it into a salad bowl in the refrigerator to crisp. At the same time, take the lasagna out of the fridge and let it start to come up to room temperature. Don't worry about the cheeses going bad -- it won't happen.
If you are serving meatballs and sausages, put them in a sauce pan and turn the stove burner on as low as it will go. Let them come up to temperature very slowly, stirring every 15 minutes or so. It will not only keep them moist but will perfume the whole house.
When you expect your guests (this is different from the time they actually arrive, for if they're anything like my friends, no one will be on time) pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.
When a critical mass of your guests arrive, put the lasagna in the oven, removing the tin foil and just draping it loosely over the baking dish.
Enjoy the antipasto and some cocktails with your guests.
After the lasagna has been cooking for 30 minutes, remove the foil. In theory, it should cook in about 45 minutes, but the only way to be sure that it's heated all the way through is to poke a finger right into the middle -- if it's so hot that you can't submerge it into the center, then it's done. The outer edges should be bubbling.
When it's done, take it out of the oven, cover tightly with foil, and set on the stove. Put a few toothpicks in the top of it so the foil won't stick to the cheese.
Toss and serve the salad at the table. (A real Italian meal would serve salad AFTER the main course, which is also an option, but most Americans are used to salad first.)
When the salad is done, remove the foil from the lasagna, bring to the table and serve it, along with the meatballs and sausages if you have them (if you don't, don't worry -- the lasgna is enough of a meal!).
After a sufficient respite from dinner, serve your dessert.
At every opportunity, take your guests up on their offers to help clean up, and when they ask what they can bring for dinner, suggest a nice bottle of Chianti or some other Tuscan red wine. You can also get a guest to bring dessert fairly easily and then it's one less thing you have to do!
Remember, your guests will be eager to dine with you -- they would probably be willing to pay for dinner in a restaurant for the pleasure of your company, so don't feel bad about asking them for wine or a dessert for this party, because odds are it's still cheaper than going out to dinner would have been. People love to pitch in -- they're usually just too daunted to throw the dinner party by themself.
So there you have it . .. .a meal everyone will love, and a plan to do it bit by bit, a day at a time.
Enjoy!
Monday, October 19, 2009
Bill Anderson's Ceasar Salad
This recipe came from my dear friend, Bill Anderson. He was a wonderful cook, and particularly, a wonderful baker. I loved having him and his wife Christine Stoneman come to my dinner parties -- not just because they are two of the best people in my life, but also because he always brought the best desserts. We lost Bill a little over three years ago, but I think of him almost daily. And he is responsible for a Ceasar Salad Recipe that the whole gang of our friends loves. And those beyond that circle, credit me for the dressing but he deserves all the credit.
It's delicious, easy to make, and egg free, so no worries about salmonella. Here goes!
In a small food processor or some such device (like an immersion mixer), add 3 large cloves of garlic, 1 heaping teaspoon of Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon of Worchestire sauce, 1 teaspoon of anchovy paste (or 1-2 anchovy filets), the juice of one lemon, 3 tablespoons of plain yogurt, and 1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper. Give this a whir until the garlic is chopped up a bit.
Then drizzle in 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil until the garlic is basically liquified and the mixture is emulsified.
Put this mixture into a bowl and then fold in 1/4 cup of grated parmigiano cheese until well mixed.
Toss with romaine lettuce and croutons and serve. If you want to turn it into a meal, add some grilled chicken, salmon, shrimp, steak, portobellow mushrooms, etc.
It also makes a great dip for veggies, pita chips, and other assorted munchies, or a sandwich spread in place of mayo or mustard.
It's delicious, easy to make, and egg free, so no worries about salmonella. Here goes!
In a small food processor or some such device (like an immersion mixer), add 3 large cloves of garlic, 1 heaping teaspoon of Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon of Worchestire sauce, 1 teaspoon of anchovy paste (or 1-2 anchovy filets), the juice of one lemon, 3 tablespoons of plain yogurt, and 1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper. Give this a whir until the garlic is chopped up a bit.
Then drizzle in 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil until the garlic is basically liquified and the mixture is emulsified.
Put this mixture into a bowl and then fold in 1/4 cup of grated parmigiano cheese until well mixed.
Toss with romaine lettuce and croutons and serve. If you want to turn it into a meal, add some grilled chicken, salmon, shrimp, steak, portobellow mushrooms, etc.
It also makes a great dip for veggies, pita chips, and other assorted munchies, or a sandwich spread in place of mayo or mustard.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Frittatas
Brunch is one of my favorite meals to host -- it's a fun time of the day to get together, and making brunch food ahead of time is so easy. Plus, it's a fairly inexpensive meal to make, which means you can invite more people.
Quiche is usually a very popular brunch dish, and I love a good quiche . . . but I can go you one easier with my version of a frittata, which is a baked Italian omelet. Once you get the basic technique down, you can literally make ENDLESS varieties. If you can scramble an egg, chop ingredients, and throw them into an oven to bake, you can make a frittata.
So first, the basics . . . .
Take 8 eggs, 1/2 cup milk (whole is best, but 2% is OK -- just don't use skim), a pinch of salt and a bit of fresh cracked black pepper, and whisk them all together until they're well incorporated.
Take a pie dish, spray with non-stick cooking spray, and pour the egg mixture into the dish.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 35 - 45 minutes -- until the top is lightly brown and the middle is firm to the touch. Let it rest for a few minutes before you serve, or you can also let it cool to room temperature and serve that way.
That's it -- how easy is that?????
Now -- for some of my favorite varieties, but really, you can add anything you want to this.
The All American -- dice 1 onion and saute until it's translucent. Add that, about 1/2 cup of some chopped ham or bacon or breakfast sausage, 8 ounces of shredded cheddar, and 2 shredded potatoes (squeeze out the excess water), and bake as above.
Carciofi -- mince 3-4 large cloves of garlic, mince 10 fresh basil leaves (or use 1 tbsp. dried basil), chop up 1 small jar of marinated artichoke hearts (about 3 full hearts), 1/4 cup parmigiana cheese, and 8 ounces of shredded smoked fontina (or some such smoked cheese), stir and bake.
Caprese -- remove seeds from 1 large tomato and dice; 10 minced basil leaves (or 1 tsp. dried basil), 8 ounces of shredded mozzarella cheese (don't use fresh mozzarella -- it's too watery); 1/3 cup of parmigiana; stir and bake.
Let your imagination run wild -- great ingredients to use include zucchini, spinach (buy chopped frozen spinach, defrost and squeeze out all the excess water before adding), broccoli, asparagus, roasted red peppers, all sorts of breakfast meats, and cheeses -- there are no limits.
My guest are always FAR too over-impressed with this very easy dish. Make one for every 3-4 people, put out some bagels or other pastry, a fruit salad, and it's a party.
Enjoy!
Quiche is usually a very popular brunch dish, and I love a good quiche . . . but I can go you one easier with my version of a frittata, which is a baked Italian omelet. Once you get the basic technique down, you can literally make ENDLESS varieties. If you can scramble an egg, chop ingredients, and throw them into an oven to bake, you can make a frittata.
So first, the basics . . . .
Take 8 eggs, 1/2 cup milk (whole is best, but 2% is OK -- just don't use skim), a pinch of salt and a bit of fresh cracked black pepper, and whisk them all together until they're well incorporated.
Take a pie dish, spray with non-stick cooking spray, and pour the egg mixture into the dish.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 35 - 45 minutes -- until the top is lightly brown and the middle is firm to the touch. Let it rest for a few minutes before you serve, or you can also let it cool to room temperature and serve that way.
That's it -- how easy is that?????
Now -- for some of my favorite varieties, but really, you can add anything you want to this.
The All American -- dice 1 onion and saute until it's translucent. Add that, about 1/2 cup of some chopped ham or bacon or breakfast sausage, 8 ounces of shredded cheddar, and 2 shredded potatoes (squeeze out the excess water), and bake as above.
Carciofi -- mince 3-4 large cloves of garlic, mince 10 fresh basil leaves (or use 1 tbsp. dried basil), chop up 1 small jar of marinated artichoke hearts (about 3 full hearts), 1/4 cup parmigiana cheese, and 8 ounces of shredded smoked fontina (or some such smoked cheese), stir and bake.
Caprese -- remove seeds from 1 large tomato and dice; 10 minced basil leaves (or 1 tsp. dried basil), 8 ounces of shredded mozzarella cheese (don't use fresh mozzarella -- it's too watery); 1/3 cup of parmigiana; stir and bake.
Let your imagination run wild -- great ingredients to use include zucchini, spinach (buy chopped frozen spinach, defrost and squeeze out all the excess water before adding), broccoli, asparagus, roasted red peppers, all sorts of breakfast meats, and cheeses -- there are no limits.
My guest are always FAR too over-impressed with this very easy dish. Make one for every 3-4 people, put out some bagels or other pastry, a fruit salad, and it's a party.
Enjoy!
Thursday, October 8, 2009
World's Best Chocolate Cake
Buy a can of Hershey's baking cocoa powder (not to be confused with any sort of chocolate drink mix!)
Follow the directions on the back of the can to the letter.
Viola!!!!!
Follow the directions on the back of the can to the letter.
Viola!!!!!
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Lasagna
I've given you all the sauce options you need to make lasagna -- now it's simply time to assemble one. Don't fear -- it's easy!
For a lasagna that will feed 8 people, here's what you need.
Any of the tomato sauces I've previously posted.
1 box of Barilla no-boil lasagna noodles
32 ounces of ricotta cheese -- part skim is fine!
16-32 ounces of shredded mozzarella cheese. You can use the pre-shredded cheese in a bag, but it's not as good as shredding it yourself from the block. If you do use the bagged cheese, don't get the finely shredded -- just the regular shredded. And don't waste the money on fresh mozzarella -- it won't taste any different and will leave the lasagna too watery.
2 eggs
1 tbsp Minced Italian flat leaf parsely -- fresh is best, but you can use dried.
salt and pepper
1/2 cup grated parmigiano cheese
Optional -- chopped spinach, broccoli flowers, thinly sliced zucchini or eggplant
Take your baking dish and spray it thoroughly with non-stick cooking spray.
Spread a generous layer of sauce on the bottom and line the pan with a layer of lasagna noodles.
Mix the ricotta cheese, 3/4 of the mozzarella cheese, the parmigiano, eggs, salt, pepper and parsley together.
Spread 1/3 of this mixture on the noodles, cover with another layer of noodles, and push it down to spreadout the cheese mixture. Add another thin layer of sauce, and repeat twice. The last layer of sauce should be generous. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella on top of the dish.
Bake this in a 300 degree oven for 1 hour. Keep covered with foil for the first 45 minutes.
When it's done, take out, cover with foil again, and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.
If you want to add layers of any of the veggies mentioned above, especially if you're using marinara sauce and want a really rich veggie lasagna, go ahead -- add any or all of them to each layer and cook the same as above.
This can be prepared as far as 3 days ahead of time and put into the over whenever ready. Just be sure to take it out of the fridge an hour in advance so it comes up to room temperature a bit. If it's still cold when you put it in the oven, make sure it's bubbling around the edges and very hot in the middle -- if you try to stick your finger into the middle and instantly recoil, it's done!
For a lasagna that will feed 8 people, here's what you need.
Any of the tomato sauces I've previously posted.
1 box of Barilla no-boil lasagna noodles
32 ounces of ricotta cheese -- part skim is fine!
16-32 ounces of shredded mozzarella cheese. You can use the pre-shredded cheese in a bag, but it's not as good as shredding it yourself from the block. If you do use the bagged cheese, don't get the finely shredded -- just the regular shredded. And don't waste the money on fresh mozzarella -- it won't taste any different and will leave the lasagna too watery.
2 eggs
1 tbsp Minced Italian flat leaf parsely -- fresh is best, but you can use dried.
salt and pepper
1/2 cup grated parmigiano cheese
Optional -- chopped spinach, broccoli flowers, thinly sliced zucchini or eggplant
Take your baking dish and spray it thoroughly with non-stick cooking spray.
Spread a generous layer of sauce on the bottom and line the pan with a layer of lasagna noodles.
Mix the ricotta cheese, 3/4 of the mozzarella cheese, the parmigiano, eggs, salt, pepper and parsley together.
Spread 1/3 of this mixture on the noodles, cover with another layer of noodles, and push it down to spreadout the cheese mixture. Add another thin layer of sauce, and repeat twice. The last layer of sauce should be generous. Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella on top of the dish.
Bake this in a 300 degree oven for 1 hour. Keep covered with foil for the first 45 minutes.
When it's done, take out, cover with foil again, and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.
If you want to add layers of any of the veggies mentioned above, especially if you're using marinara sauce and want a really rich veggie lasagna, go ahead -- add any or all of them to each layer and cook the same as above.
This can be prepared as far as 3 days ahead of time and put into the over whenever ready. Just be sure to take it out of the fridge an hour in advance so it comes up to room temperature a bit. If it's still cold when you put it in the oven, make sure it's bubbling around the edges and very hot in the middle -- if you try to stick your finger into the middle and instantly recoil, it's done!
Bolognese sauce
This is my recipe for meat sauce --it may not be the most authentic version of a Bolognese sauce, but those who have eaten it have raved, so hopefully you'll like it too!
1 lb lean ground beef
1 lb Italian sweet sausage
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion diced
6-8 large garlic cloves, minced
1 small can tomato paste
1/2 cup of dry red wine
3 large cans of Italian crushed tomatoes
2 tbsp. dried oregano
2 tbsp. dried basil
1 tbsp. fresh cracked black pepper
1 tsp. of salt
Brown the beef and sausage (which you should remove from the casings) in olive oil, breaking it up into small pieces with a wooden spoon as you cook it. When it's fully cooked, add the onion, garlic, and all the spices, and continue to saute until the onions and garlic become translucent, but not browned.
At this point, you can drain off the extra fat from the oil and sausage if you want to save some calories. Leaving it in will make the sauce a bit richer, but it will still be delicious without it.
Add the red win and simmer until it's just about fully absorbed by the meat and veggies. Then add the tomato paste, and stir thoroughly through the mixture. Cook this for 2-3 minutes.
Then add the crushed tomatoes, stir through thoroughly, cover the pot, set the flame or burner as low as it will go, and simmer for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Toward the end of the cooking time, taste the sauce and see if you think it needs more of any seasonings -- add to taste. If for some reason, the sauce is a bit bitter or "sharp" add a tablespoon of honey and stir throughout.
NOTE -- if you're REALLY calorie conscious, you could use turkey Italian sweet sausage instead of the other meats -- it'll still be good, but not as good :)
1 lb lean ground beef
1 lb Italian sweet sausage
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion diced
6-8 large garlic cloves, minced
1 small can tomato paste
1/2 cup of dry red wine
3 large cans of Italian crushed tomatoes
2 tbsp. dried oregano
2 tbsp. dried basil
1 tbsp. fresh cracked black pepper
1 tsp. of salt
Brown the beef and sausage (which you should remove from the casings) in olive oil, breaking it up into small pieces with a wooden spoon as you cook it. When it's fully cooked, add the onion, garlic, and all the spices, and continue to saute until the onions and garlic become translucent, but not browned.
At this point, you can drain off the extra fat from the oil and sausage if you want to save some calories. Leaving it in will make the sauce a bit richer, but it will still be delicious without it.
Add the red win and simmer until it's just about fully absorbed by the meat and veggies. Then add the tomato paste, and stir thoroughly through the mixture. Cook this for 2-3 minutes.
Then add the crushed tomatoes, stir through thoroughly, cover the pot, set the flame or burner as low as it will go, and simmer for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Toward the end of the cooking time, taste the sauce and see if you think it needs more of any seasonings -- add to taste. If for some reason, the sauce is a bit bitter or "sharp" add a tablespoon of honey and stir throughout.
NOTE -- if you're REALLY calorie conscious, you could use turkey Italian sweet sausage instead of the other meats -- it'll still be good, but not as good :)
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Sausage, Peppers and Potatoes
Another really easy dish -- about 10 minutes to assemble, 40 minutes to cook, and can be served for a week-night or for company.
Take one pound of sweet or hot Italian sausage and brown them up in a frying pan until the casings get nicely crisp.
While this is happening, cut 2 yellow or red (or a combo of both) onions into chunks, cut some small red potatoes in half or into quarters (big bite sized pieces), and chop up either either 4 frying peppers (the long, sweet, light green ones), or some combo of bell peppers, also into chunks roughly the size of the onions.
Toss 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tbsp. of salt, 1 tsp. of pepper, and 1 tbsp. of fennel seeds with the potatoes, onions and peppers, and place in a baking dish.
When the sausages are done, cut them into large bite sized pieces, and scatter thoughout the veggies in the baking dish.
Put in a 400 degree oven for about 35-40 minutes, stirring once or twice while cooking so that everything browns nicely. If you want it even crisper, put it under the broiler for 3 or 4 minutes before serving.
This reheats beautifully the next day, or if you chop it up into small pieces and mix with some well beaten eggs, it makes for a delicious breakfast scramble.
Take one pound of sweet or hot Italian sausage and brown them up in a frying pan until the casings get nicely crisp.
While this is happening, cut 2 yellow or red (or a combo of both) onions into chunks, cut some small red potatoes in half or into quarters (big bite sized pieces), and chop up either either 4 frying peppers (the long, sweet, light green ones), or some combo of bell peppers, also into chunks roughly the size of the onions.
Toss 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tbsp. of salt, 1 tsp. of pepper, and 1 tbsp. of fennel seeds with the potatoes, onions and peppers, and place in a baking dish.
When the sausages are done, cut them into large bite sized pieces, and scatter thoughout the veggies in the baking dish.
Put in a 400 degree oven for about 35-40 minutes, stirring once or twice while cooking so that everything browns nicely. If you want it even crisper, put it under the broiler for 3 or 4 minutes before serving.
This reheats beautifully the next day, or if you chop it up into small pieces and mix with some well beaten eggs, it makes for a delicious breakfast scramble.
Baked chicken
While this dish will take about 45 minutes to cook, it takes about 4 minutes to assemble and is a crowd pleaser any night of the week, and also a great company dish.
Drizzle a little bit of olive oil on the bottom of a baking dish, no more than to VERY lightly coat the bottom. Line the bottom of the dish with a slices of lemon and slices of onion. Put a pinch of salt over this to draw out the moisture.
Cover with the parts of a full chicken (including the neck, which you can then save for the next time you make broth). Put the wings and the legs in the center and the bigger pieces on the outside. If the breasts are REALLY large, split them in half. Sprinkle a little olive oil and fresh lemon juice on the chicken, some salt, and some herbs de provence.
Bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes. Once or twice after the half way point, baste the chicken with the juices in the pan.
When the chicken is done, put it on a platter and cover with foil -- let it rest for about 5 minutes.
Take the juices and drippings in the pan, put them through a sieve, and heat them over a high flame for about 5 minutes to reduce and thicken. Put that into a gravy boat, strain the fat off the top, and serve as a quick and easy gravy.
Drizzle a little bit of olive oil on the bottom of a baking dish, no more than to VERY lightly coat the bottom. Line the bottom of the dish with a slices of lemon and slices of onion. Put a pinch of salt over this to draw out the moisture.
Cover with the parts of a full chicken (including the neck, which you can then save for the next time you make broth). Put the wings and the legs in the center and the bigger pieces on the outside. If the breasts are REALLY large, split them in half. Sprinkle a little olive oil and fresh lemon juice on the chicken, some salt, and some herbs de provence.
Bake at 400 degrees for 45 minutes. Once or twice after the half way point, baste the chicken with the juices in the pan.
When the chicken is done, put it on a platter and cover with foil -- let it rest for about 5 minutes.
Take the juices and drippings in the pan, put them through a sieve, and heat them over a high flame for about 5 minutes to reduce and thicken. Put that into a gravy boat, strain the fat off the top, and serve as a quick and easy gravy.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Bread pudding/French toast casserole
Remember when I said I hate to bake, so I do desserts that are more about assembly, than actual baking? Here's a good one. And the best part is that it doubles as what I call French Toast Casserole for brunch (in fact, I first made this as a brunch dish, and only recently started serving it as dessert).
1 loaf of bread -- Challah is great; Italian bread too, or something similar, but nothing that's too crusty. A GREAT bread to use is one of Tasetfully Simple's beer breads --either white or whole wheat.
4 eggs (you could substitute egg beaters if you're watching your cholesterol -- you'll barely notice the difference)
2/3 cup milk (whole is best, but any kind will do)
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp real vanilla extract
1/2 cup blueberries (or any berry you like, cut up into blueberry size pieces)
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp. butter (optional)
1 bag frozen berries (mixed, or any one kind of berry is fine)
2 tbsp. honey
Cut up the loaf of bread into bit sized cubes.
Mix the eggs, milk, cinnamon and vanilla extract and add the bread cubes. Toss thoroughly, until the bread absorbs all the liquid.
Put this into a greased baking dish, and toss the berries on top, spreading them around. If fresh berried aren't in season, frozen ones will do fine, but defrost them first and let them drain a little so the pudding doesn't get watery.
Cover with a thin layer of brown sugar. If you want, dot butter over the top for some extra richness, but this is purely optional -- trust me, it's delicious and rich enough without it!
Cover with foil and put in the oven at 350 degrees, and bake for 35-40 minutes, until it's hot all the way through. Take off the foil for the last 10 minutes so the top gets a little crunchy, but the middle doesn't dry out.
While it's baking, put the berries into a sauce pan with the honey. (Don't waste your money on fresh berries -- you really won't notice a difference for the sauce). Simmer this on low until the berries totally break down. Stir frequently, and you can use a potato masher to help spead the process. Put the mixture into a fine, mesh strainer, and push out as much syrup as you can with a spatula or spoon.
Pour a few spoons-ful of this over each serving of the pudding.
Enjoy!!!!!
1 loaf of bread -- Challah is great; Italian bread too, or something similar, but nothing that's too crusty. A GREAT bread to use is one of Tasetfully Simple's beer breads --either white or whole wheat.
4 eggs (you could substitute egg beaters if you're watching your cholesterol -- you'll barely notice the difference)
2/3 cup milk (whole is best, but any kind will do)
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp real vanilla extract
1/2 cup blueberries (or any berry you like, cut up into blueberry size pieces)
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp. butter (optional)
1 bag frozen berries (mixed, or any one kind of berry is fine)
2 tbsp. honey
Cut up the loaf of bread into bit sized cubes.
Mix the eggs, milk, cinnamon and vanilla extract and add the bread cubes. Toss thoroughly, until the bread absorbs all the liquid.
Put this into a greased baking dish, and toss the berries on top, spreading them around. If fresh berried aren't in season, frozen ones will do fine, but defrost them first and let them drain a little so the pudding doesn't get watery.
Cover with a thin layer of brown sugar. If you want, dot butter over the top for some extra richness, but this is purely optional -- trust me, it's delicious and rich enough without it!
Cover with foil and put in the oven at 350 degrees, and bake for 35-40 minutes, until it's hot all the way through. Take off the foil for the last 10 minutes so the top gets a little crunchy, but the middle doesn't dry out.
While it's baking, put the berries into a sauce pan with the honey. (Don't waste your money on fresh berries -- you really won't notice a difference for the sauce). Simmer this on low until the berries totally break down. Stir frequently, and you can use a potato masher to help spead the process. Put the mixture into a fine, mesh strainer, and push out as much syrup as you can with a spatula or spoon.
Pour a few spoons-ful of this over each serving of the pudding.
Enjoy!!!!!
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Broths
So as I posted my soup recipes yesterday, I realized I should have started with broths first. There are wonderful broths you can buy in any store, but if you really want to go home-made, there's nothing like a broth from scratch. And they're easy to make. I'll start with the basic veggie broth, and then give directions for how to add various meats or seafoods. These can be made in huge batches and frozen for long periods of time so you'll always have some ready when you need it.
Basic Vegetable Broth
1 pound of whole, unpeeled carrots
1 pound of celery
1 large yellow onion
1 head of garlic
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. fresh cracked black pepper
Bouquet garnee (details below) of rosemary, thyme and sage
Wash the carrots, slice the bottoms off, cut them in half, and then into chunks.
Slice off the bottom of the celery, wash it, and cut into chunks.
Slice the onion into quarters -- don't bother peeling it
Slice the garlic in half, exposing the middle of as many cloves as possible.
Put all of this into a large soup pot, with the olive oil in the bottom. Saute it on medium heat for about 20 minutes, until everything gets a little browned around the edges.
Cover it with cold water -- the water should just barely cover the veggies -- no more than 1/2 inch over them.
Add the salt and pepper.
To make a bouquet garnee, take fresh or dried thyme, sage and rosemary, and tie them up in a piece of cheesecloth. Add the cheesecloth to the pot.
Bring this all to a low boil and then turn onto low heat and simmer for 2 hours.
Strain everything through a fine sieve and adjust the salt and pepper as desired.
If you want to make meat broths, follow the variations below:
Chicken -- brown 4-6 chicken thighs in the olive oil and then add the veggies to brown some more. Then follow directions above. You could also simply add a chicken carcass from your latest roast chicken. If you're not ready to make broth when you have the roast chicken, you can put it in a ziploc baggie and freeze it for at least amonth or two until you're ready.
Beef -- get a half-pound of beef bones from the butcher or your supermarket, or save them when you buy bone-in steaks. Brown them in the oven for 30 minutes on 400 degree heat before you add them to the stock, and then follow directions above, but omit the sage from the broth.
Fish/Seafood -- add fish carcasses, shrimp shells, crab shells, or lobster shells to the veggie broth recipe, and omit the sage and rosemary. Use parsely instead.
When making any of the broths that are not veggie broth, you'll likely have some fat in the broth. If you want to remove it, wait for the broth to cool and it will all float to the top so you can skim it off. If you boil these broths too fast, you might also get some "scum" in the broth from the marrow in the bones. You can do a second straining, lining your sieve with cheesecloth and most of this will be removed.
Enjoy!
Basic Vegetable Broth
1 pound of whole, unpeeled carrots
1 pound of celery
1 large yellow onion
1 head of garlic
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. fresh cracked black pepper
Bouquet garnee (details below) of rosemary, thyme and sage
Wash the carrots, slice the bottoms off, cut them in half, and then into chunks.
Slice off the bottom of the celery, wash it, and cut into chunks.
Slice the onion into quarters -- don't bother peeling it
Slice the garlic in half, exposing the middle of as many cloves as possible.
Put all of this into a large soup pot, with the olive oil in the bottom. Saute it on medium heat for about 20 minutes, until everything gets a little browned around the edges.
Cover it with cold water -- the water should just barely cover the veggies -- no more than 1/2 inch over them.
Add the salt and pepper.
To make a bouquet garnee, take fresh or dried thyme, sage and rosemary, and tie them up in a piece of cheesecloth. Add the cheesecloth to the pot.
Bring this all to a low boil and then turn onto low heat and simmer for 2 hours.
Strain everything through a fine sieve and adjust the salt and pepper as desired.
If you want to make meat broths, follow the variations below:
Chicken -- brown 4-6 chicken thighs in the olive oil and then add the veggies to brown some more. Then follow directions above. You could also simply add a chicken carcass from your latest roast chicken. If you're not ready to make broth when you have the roast chicken, you can put it in a ziploc baggie and freeze it for at least amonth or two until you're ready.
Beef -- get a half-pound of beef bones from the butcher or your supermarket, or save them when you buy bone-in steaks. Brown them in the oven for 30 minutes on 400 degree heat before you add them to the stock, and then follow directions above, but omit the sage from the broth.
Fish/Seafood -- add fish carcasses, shrimp shells, crab shells, or lobster shells to the veggie broth recipe, and omit the sage and rosemary. Use parsely instead.
When making any of the broths that are not veggie broth, you'll likely have some fat in the broth. If you want to remove it, wait for the broth to cool and it will all float to the top so you can skim it off. If you boil these broths too fast, you might also get some "scum" in the broth from the marrow in the bones. You can do a second straining, lining your sieve with cheesecloth and most of this will be removed.
Enjoy!
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Potato Leek Soup
Another really easy soup recipe -- this one can be ready in 30 minutes -- Rachel Ray, eat your heart out!!!
48 ounces of low-sodium chicken broth (Swanson's is my favorite)
6 large potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
6 large cloves of garlic, peeled
2 large leeks, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon Tastefully Simple Seasoning Salt
1 tablespoon fresh cracked black pepper
1/4 cup cream (optional)
Crumbled bacon and/or shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
Add the potatoes and garlic cloves to the broth, along with the seasoning salt and pepper, and boil gently for about 15 minutes. While that's cooking, dice the leeks and clean and dry them thoroughly ( they can often be sandy and gritty - -a salad spinner works really well), and saute them in the olive oil until they are tender. Once the potatoes are fully cooked, add 1/2 of the leeks and puree the soup. An immersion mixer works perfectly, though you can also use a blender. If you use a blender, only fill it half way, open up the hole in the top, and cover with a towel so steam can escape, but the soup won't. Alternatively, you can use a potato masher if you'd like your soup to be chunkier. Once it's blended, add the rest of the leeks, and the cream if you so desire.
As a final garnish, you can add some crumbled bacon and/or shredded cheese if you want to add a few more flavors.
If you don't have the Tastefully Simple seasoning salt, just use regular salt to taste, but it won't be as good :)
48 ounces of low-sodium chicken broth (Swanson's is my favorite)
6 large potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
6 large cloves of garlic, peeled
2 large leeks, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon Tastefully Simple Seasoning Salt
1 tablespoon fresh cracked black pepper
1/4 cup cream (optional)
Crumbled bacon and/or shredded cheddar cheese (optional)
Add the potatoes and garlic cloves to the broth, along with the seasoning salt and pepper, and boil gently for about 15 minutes. While that's cooking, dice the leeks and clean and dry them thoroughly ( they can often be sandy and gritty - -a salad spinner works really well), and saute them in the olive oil until they are tender. Once the potatoes are fully cooked, add 1/2 of the leeks and puree the soup. An immersion mixer works perfectly, though you can also use a blender. If you use a blender, only fill it half way, open up the hole in the top, and cover with a towel so steam can escape, but the soup won't. Alternatively, you can use a potato masher if you'd like your soup to be chunkier. Once it's blended, add the rest of the leeks, and the cream if you so desire.
As a final garnish, you can add some crumbled bacon and/or shredded cheese if you want to add a few more flavors.
If you don't have the Tastefully Simple seasoning salt, just use regular salt to taste, but it won't be as good :)
Split Pea with Ham soup
Fall is here and that always puts me in the mood to make big pots of soup. Nothing is more comforting to make and eat. I'll add other soup recipes as the months go on, but let me start with this one.
1/3 pound of smoked ham
1 tablespoon each of Tastefully Simple Onion, Onion and Garlic, Garlic seasonings
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 teaspoon of fresh cracked black pepper
1 bag of dried split peas
48 ounces of low-sodium chicken broth (Swanson's is my favorite but use whichever one you like best)
1/4 cup of cream (optional)
Heat up the olive oil over medium heat and when it's warm, add the ham, which should be chopped into fairly small pieces. Let it cook for a while -- till it starts to toast and brown, and leave some yummy brown bits on the bottom of your pan. Once it becomes nicely browned, add the Tastefully Simple seasonings and toast them for a minute (try a taste of them too -- it's delicious!!!), and then add the peas, stirring to coat them all with the oil. Then add the broth and pepper, bring it up to a low boil, cover the pot, and turn it down to a very low simmer. Cook for at least 90 minutes and every half hour, stir the soup until it reaches the texture you like best. If you cook it for 3+ hours, it'll be very smooth, but some folks like it with the peas a bit more in tact. If the soup gets too thick, just add water until it reaches the desired texture. You can also add water when reheating if you need to thin it out. If you'd like the soup to be extra rich, add the cream just before serving, but you won't miss the extra calories if you don't take this last step.
If you don't have the TS spices, see my previous blog post about how to order them. In this soup, the really are better than using real onion and garlic -- trust me, I've done it both ways! BUT, if you want to be a purist, then dice one small onion and 4 cloves of garlic and add them to the ham once it's browned up. Cook until they are also slightly brown and soft, but don't let the garlic get too brown, or it will get bitter.
Enjoy!
1/3 pound of smoked ham
1 tablespoon each of Tastefully Simple Onion, Onion and Garlic, Garlic seasonings
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 teaspoon of fresh cracked black pepper
1 bag of dried split peas
48 ounces of low-sodium chicken broth (Swanson's is my favorite but use whichever one you like best)
1/4 cup of cream (optional)
Heat up the olive oil over medium heat and when it's warm, add the ham, which should be chopped into fairly small pieces. Let it cook for a while -- till it starts to toast and brown, and leave some yummy brown bits on the bottom of your pan. Once it becomes nicely browned, add the Tastefully Simple seasonings and toast them for a minute (try a taste of them too -- it's delicious!!!), and then add the peas, stirring to coat them all with the oil. Then add the broth and pepper, bring it up to a low boil, cover the pot, and turn it down to a very low simmer. Cook for at least 90 minutes and every half hour, stir the soup until it reaches the texture you like best. If you cook it for 3+ hours, it'll be very smooth, but some folks like it with the peas a bit more in tact. If the soup gets too thick, just add water until it reaches the desired texture. You can also add water when reheating if you need to thin it out. If you'd like the soup to be extra rich, add the cream just before serving, but you won't miss the extra calories if you don't take this last step.
If you don't have the TS spices, see my previous blog post about how to order them. In this soup, the really are better than using real onion and garlic -- trust me, I've done it both ways! BUT, if you want to be a purist, then dice one small onion and 4 cloves of garlic and add them to the ham once it's browned up. Cook until they are also slightly brown and soft, but don't let the garlic get too brown, or it will get bitter.
Enjoy!
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Products I love
In the spirit of Oprah, here is a partial list of products that I love -- things that are really delicious and/or make cooking SO much easier!!
1. No boil lasagne noodles -- either Barilla or San Giorgio are great. And I promise you, you'll NEVER know the difference. You can also get fresh lasagne sheets in a lot of grocery stores, but they're much more expensive and, in my humble opinion, don't make any appreciable difference.
2. Herbs de Provence -- a great herb mixture that makes for a catch all seasoning for pork, poultry and lots of seafood -- mix it in with juice of one lemon and twice that amount of olive oil, and you've got a fabulous marinade.
3. Spinach pasta -- toss it with a little bit of olive oil and garlic salt, and it's a fabulous and foolproof side dish any night of the week.
4. Apple cider vinegar -- a truly underappreciated vinegar -- makes for fabulous marinades and salad dressings.
5. Costco -- not a product, but especially in a place like Virginia, where local grocery stores don't carry too many specialty Italian items, Costco has the best assortment of the meats and cheeses necessary for a good antipasto platter.
6. Swanson's low-sodium chicken broth -- great for making so many dishes, and better tasting that even much more expensive brands.
7. Tastefully Simple Garlic, Garlic! and Onion, Onion! See earlier post about Tastefully Simple.
8. Pork tenderloin -- so quick and easy too cook and comes off as a much fancier company dish than it really is. Marinate it in lemon juice, olive il and herbs de provence (as above), throw it on the gril for about 20 minutes, and dinner is ready!
9. Chicken thighs -- by far, the most flavorful piece of the bird. Very under-rated cut of meat. Cooks quickly, especially if boneless, and it's almost impossible to cook them in a way that renders them dry.
1. No boil lasagne noodles -- either Barilla or San Giorgio are great. And I promise you, you'll NEVER know the difference. You can also get fresh lasagne sheets in a lot of grocery stores, but they're much more expensive and, in my humble opinion, don't make any appreciable difference.
2. Herbs de Provence -- a great herb mixture that makes for a catch all seasoning for pork, poultry and lots of seafood -- mix it in with juice of one lemon and twice that amount of olive oil, and you've got a fabulous marinade.
3. Spinach pasta -- toss it with a little bit of olive oil and garlic salt, and it's a fabulous and foolproof side dish any night of the week.
4. Apple cider vinegar -- a truly underappreciated vinegar -- makes for fabulous marinades and salad dressings.
5. Costco -- not a product, but especially in a place like Virginia, where local grocery stores don't carry too many specialty Italian items, Costco has the best assortment of the meats and cheeses necessary for a good antipasto platter.
6. Swanson's low-sodium chicken broth -- great for making so many dishes, and better tasting that even much more expensive brands.
7. Tastefully Simple Garlic, Garlic! and Onion, Onion! See earlier post about Tastefully Simple.
8. Pork tenderloin -- so quick and easy too cook and comes off as a much fancier company dish than it really is. Marinate it in lemon juice, olive il and herbs de provence (as above), throw it on the gril for about 20 minutes, and dinner is ready!
9. Chicken thighs -- by far, the most flavorful piece of the bird. Very under-rated cut of meat. Cooks quickly, especially if boneless, and it's almost impossible to cook them in a way that renders them dry.
Baked Ziti
This is, without doubt, the best dish to make for someone else -- birth in the family, someone in the hospital, friend working long hours . . . whatever the occasion, happy or sad, everyone loves it, it reheats beautifully, and it goes a long way! Where a pound of pasta usually feeds 4-6 people, baked ziti made with a pound of pasta will feed at least 8, if not more.
Boil a pound of ziti, but cook it for about 2 minutes less than the shortest time recommended on the box. (You're going to cook it more in the oven and if the pasta is too well done to begin with, it all will turn to mush.)
Drain the pasta and put it in a large bowl. Let it cool for a few minutes, but do not rinse in cold water to cool it down. Add 1 pound of ricotta cheese, 8 ounces shredded mozzarella (or more if you want it REALLY gooey), and 1/2 cup grated parmigiana cheese. Stir all that together.
Spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and cover the bottom liberally with sauce. You can use marinara or the sauce that was made with the meatballs and sausage in it -- and then serve the meat as a side dish. Some people also like to make theirs with a Bolognese (meat) sauce, and I'll post a recipe for that sauce within a few days, but I prefer baked ziti without all the meat baked in with the ziti and cheese. If you are not feeding vegetarians, the sauce made with the meatballs and sausage is preferred -- it's much richer and more flavorful.
Put about 1/2 your pasta and cheese mixture into the dish and cover liberally with sauce. Then repeat the process with the remaining pasta/cheese mixture. Make sure there's enough sauce that this comes out nice and juicy, but isn't drowning in sauce. Stir it a little gently from the top just to incorporate the sauce a little bit.
Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and put your finger right in the middle of the dish. If it's so hot that your finger immediately recoils, then it's done. If not, cook for continuing 5 minute intervals until it's steaming hot.
Let it sit for about 5 minutes, covered with foil, before serving. And whatever is left over can be reheated in the microwave for days and it just keeps tasting better and better with each passing day.
Boil a pound of ziti, but cook it for about 2 minutes less than the shortest time recommended on the box. (You're going to cook it more in the oven and if the pasta is too well done to begin with, it all will turn to mush.)
Drain the pasta and put it in a large bowl. Let it cool for a few minutes, but do not rinse in cold water to cool it down. Add 1 pound of ricotta cheese, 8 ounces shredded mozzarella (or more if you want it REALLY gooey), and 1/2 cup grated parmigiana cheese. Stir all that together.
Spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and cover the bottom liberally with sauce. You can use marinara or the sauce that was made with the meatballs and sausage in it -- and then serve the meat as a side dish. Some people also like to make theirs with a Bolognese (meat) sauce, and I'll post a recipe for that sauce within a few days, but I prefer baked ziti without all the meat baked in with the ziti and cheese. If you are not feeding vegetarians, the sauce made with the meatballs and sausage is preferred -- it's much richer and more flavorful.
Put about 1/2 your pasta and cheese mixture into the dish and cover liberally with sauce. Then repeat the process with the remaining pasta/cheese mixture. Make sure there's enough sauce that this comes out nice and juicy, but isn't drowning in sauce. Stir it a little gently from the top just to incorporate the sauce a little bit.
Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and put your finger right in the middle of the dish. If it's so hot that your finger immediately recoils, then it's done. If not, cook for continuing 5 minute intervals until it's steaming hot.
Let it sit for about 5 minutes, covered with foil, before serving. And whatever is left over can be reheated in the microwave for days and it just keeps tasting better and better with each passing day.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Tastefully Simple
Normally, I'm not a big proponent of pre-prepared foods and shortcuts. They are necessary on certain weeknights, but generally, I don't like to forego the pleasure (yes, pleasure) of dicing onions and mincing garlic and tasks like that. BUT, in the last year I've discovered Tastefully Simple, a great line of products designed to make entertaining and cooking easy and delicious. My dear and life-long friend, Michelle Coleman Lacey, is a consultant and if you're at all interested in learning about their products and ordering any, here is her website: www.tastefullysimple.com/web/mlacey.
Their cocktail mixes are divine and a sure hit at a party. The dip mixes are addictive (I'm a big fan of Onion, Onion and Garlic, Garlic, both of which are great seasonings too, as well as the Chipotle dip), even people who shy away from spice and flavor in their food love the Seasoning Salt, and the (cream) cheese ball mixes will be a hit at any party. Michelle also has three kids who are picky eaters and they LOVE the stuff.
So, take a look and definitely try some of the products. The garlic and onion mixes are especially good when you are in too much of a rush to cut and dice -- they are of a far superior quality to anything you'll ever find in the supermarket and even this food snob uses them with abandon.
Ciao!
Their cocktail mixes are divine and a sure hit at a party. The dip mixes are addictive (I'm a big fan of Onion, Onion and Garlic, Garlic, both of which are great seasonings too, as well as the Chipotle dip), even people who shy away from spice and flavor in their food love the Seasoning Salt, and the (cream) cheese ball mixes will be a hit at any party. Michelle also has three kids who are picky eaters and they LOVE the stuff.
So, take a look and definitely try some of the products. The garlic and onion mixes are especially good when you are in too much of a rush to cut and dice -- they are of a far superior quality to anything you'll ever find in the supermarket and even this food snob uses them with abandon.
Ciao!
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Sauce with Meatballs and Sausage
Make the basic marinara sauce and bring it up to a simmer.
While it's coming up to temperature, take 1 pound of Italian sausages (sweet or hot, or a little bit of both) and brown them in a skillet. Poke a few holes in the casings to drain a little bit of the fat, but don't worry, they'll still stay plenty moist. Make sure you really let the sausages brown on the outside, just this side of burning. When they're crisp enough, take them out and cut in half (they won't be fully cooked but that's OK). Add them to the sauce. Drain the fat from the skillet and add a little bit of water. Put the skillet back over heat, and with a wooden spoon or a spatula, scrape off all the fond (the carmelized meat and drippings on the bottom of the pan) from the skillet (this process is called deglazing). Pour this into the sauce and stir gently to distribute throughout. It adds a tremendous richness to the sauce.
If you don't like sausage, I recommend getting a small portion of country spare ribs, or some such pork, browning it in a bit of olive oil, and adding that and the deglazed fond to the sauce. A little bit of pork really makes a huge difference in the richness and taste of sauce.
While the sausage is cooking, mix up your meatballs:
1 pound of chopped meat -- you can use anything from plain beef (no more than 10 % fat), to a meatball mixture that contains beef, pork and/or veal. Some even use turkey, and while it can be done, it really doesn't taste the same. (If you do use turkey, you'll need to add a bit more bread crumbs to make sure it holds together).
1 medium onion diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2-3 tbsp. fresh Italian flat leaf parsely, finely chopped (you can substitute dried parsely, but use 1/2 of the amount
1/3 cup seasoned Italian bread crumbs
2-3 single hands full of cold water
1/4 cup grated parmigiana cheese (don't waste your money on the really expensive stuff when you add it to meatballs -- save that for when the taste doesn't get as diluted as this does)
1-2 tsp. fresh cracked black pepper
2 fresh eggs
I don't recommend adding any salt because the cheese and bread crumbs already contain plenty, but if you like your food salty, add just a little bit more.
Mix this all up with your hands (the best cooking tool you have!) just until it's all mixed through. It should still be moist, but able to form a solid ball that won't fall apart on you. If the meatballs feel too "solid" or bready, add a little more water to the mixture.
Form this into approximately 15 smallish meatballs and drop them gently into the simmering sauce. Space them out and gently push them under the surface with a spoon. Then let them sit for about 30 minutes before stirring gently. There is no need to fry or bake these meatballs before you put them in the sauce, and they will be incredibly moist when done.
The sauce and all the meat can be easily frozen for months at a time. Just be sure that you fill whatever container you're freezing in close to the top (leave a little room for it to expand when frozen) so that there's not a lot of room for ice to form on top and freezer burn to happen.
While it's coming up to temperature, take 1 pound of Italian sausages (sweet or hot, or a little bit of both) and brown them in a skillet. Poke a few holes in the casings to drain a little bit of the fat, but don't worry, they'll still stay plenty moist. Make sure you really let the sausages brown on the outside, just this side of burning. When they're crisp enough, take them out and cut in half (they won't be fully cooked but that's OK). Add them to the sauce. Drain the fat from the skillet and add a little bit of water. Put the skillet back over heat, and with a wooden spoon or a spatula, scrape off all the fond (the carmelized meat and drippings on the bottom of the pan) from the skillet (this process is called deglazing). Pour this into the sauce and stir gently to distribute throughout. It adds a tremendous richness to the sauce.
If you don't like sausage, I recommend getting a small portion of country spare ribs, or some such pork, browning it in a bit of olive oil, and adding that and the deglazed fond to the sauce. A little bit of pork really makes a huge difference in the richness and taste of sauce.
While the sausage is cooking, mix up your meatballs:
1 pound of chopped meat -- you can use anything from plain beef (no more than 10 % fat), to a meatball mixture that contains beef, pork and/or veal. Some even use turkey, and while it can be done, it really doesn't taste the same. (If you do use turkey, you'll need to add a bit more bread crumbs to make sure it holds together).
1 medium onion diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2-3 tbsp. fresh Italian flat leaf parsely, finely chopped (you can substitute dried parsely, but use 1/2 of the amount
1/3 cup seasoned Italian bread crumbs
2-3 single hands full of cold water
1/4 cup grated parmigiana cheese (don't waste your money on the really expensive stuff when you add it to meatballs -- save that for when the taste doesn't get as diluted as this does)
1-2 tsp. fresh cracked black pepper
2 fresh eggs
I don't recommend adding any salt because the cheese and bread crumbs already contain plenty, but if you like your food salty, add just a little bit more.
Mix this all up with your hands (the best cooking tool you have!) just until it's all mixed through. It should still be moist, but able to form a solid ball that won't fall apart on you. If the meatballs feel too "solid" or bready, add a little more water to the mixture.
Form this into approximately 15 smallish meatballs and drop them gently into the simmering sauce. Space them out and gently push them under the surface with a spoon. Then let them sit for about 30 minutes before stirring gently. There is no need to fry or bake these meatballs before you put them in the sauce, and they will be incredibly moist when done.
The sauce and all the meat can be easily frozen for months at a time. Just be sure that you fill whatever container you're freezing in close to the top (leave a little room for it to expand when frozen) so that there's not a lot of room for ice to form on top and freezer burn to happen.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Easiest and Best Brownies Ever
I make these ALL the time -- the nephews and nieces in my husband's family worship me for them, and swear that NO ONE ELSE makes them as well as I do, even though their Mom has my secret and did the same thing for them at least once :) I've had party-goers ask if I'd share my secret -- and I giggle because I cheat so badly, but it works!
Make a box of brownie mix, following the recipe for the fudge-y textured brownies (who in their right mind likes cake-like brownies??? If you want cake, eat cake, not a brownie!!!) I generally find Pillsbury and Betty Crocker to be the best brands. Duncan Hines is OK too. Oddly enough, the more high-end brownies don't work as well -- I often find them too crumbly, and the really inexpensive store brands . . . well, they taste like the cost.
Before pouring them into a baking dish, add 1/2 of a bag of Ghiradelli chocholate chips to the mix -- I usually add milk chocolate because that's what my husband and I prefer, but there are many varieties, including white chocolate which is also delicious. There are other brands, and ones that are cheaper, and I've tried them all. Trust me -- none are better than Ghiradelli.
Pour the whole batter into a greased baking dish (cooking sprays work fine!) and then bake just as directed on the box, but set the over 25 degrees lower than suggested, and start checking them at about 5 minutes before the suggested time on the box. They are done the moment a toothpick goes into the middle and comes out mostly clean, with only a few crumbs or smidges of batter. The inside will still keep cooking as they cool so you won't have runny brownies.
There's the secret -- add really high quality chocolate chips, and underbake your brownies just a little bit. I promise, they'll be a hit everywhere you go and will take you less than 10 minutes to prepare and cut once they cool down.
One last little tip -- if you want to save some calories, you can substitute apple sauce for the oil in the brownie recipe and especially with all the chocolate chips in the mix, you'll never know the difference.
Enjoy!
Make a box of brownie mix, following the recipe for the fudge-y textured brownies (who in their right mind likes cake-like brownies??? If you want cake, eat cake, not a brownie!!!) I generally find Pillsbury and Betty Crocker to be the best brands. Duncan Hines is OK too. Oddly enough, the more high-end brownies don't work as well -- I often find them too crumbly, and the really inexpensive store brands . . . well, they taste like the cost.
Before pouring them into a baking dish, add 1/2 of a bag of Ghiradelli chocholate chips to the mix -- I usually add milk chocolate because that's what my husband and I prefer, but there are many varieties, including white chocolate which is also delicious. There are other brands, and ones that are cheaper, and I've tried them all. Trust me -- none are better than Ghiradelli.
Pour the whole batter into a greased baking dish (cooking sprays work fine!) and then bake just as directed on the box, but set the over 25 degrees lower than suggested, and start checking them at about 5 minutes before the suggested time on the box. They are done the moment a toothpick goes into the middle and comes out mostly clean, with only a few crumbs or smidges of batter. The inside will still keep cooking as they cool so you won't have runny brownies.
There's the secret -- add really high quality chocolate chips, and underbake your brownies just a little bit. I promise, they'll be a hit everywhere you go and will take you less than 10 minutes to prepare and cut once they cool down.
One last little tip -- if you want to save some calories, you can substitute apple sauce for the oil in the brownie recipe and especially with all the chocolate chips in the mix, you'll never know the difference.
Enjoy!
Desserts
OK, so as much as I LOVE to cook, I really hate to bake. When I'm cooking, I may read a recipe, but I never follow it exactly. It's a jumping off point for me, but I always add, subtract and edit as I go along. The imprecision is part of what I love for as people who know me well can tell you, I'm not a detail person. But with baking, you have to measure and follow recipes. I know that those who are truly skilled at it start to bake by feel, just like I cook, but I'm not at that point and not likely to ever get there.
So I prefer desserts that can be "arranged" or "assembled" and I'll share those as I go along. I've also found a few baked goodies that are pretty easy, or if not, still worth doing. One I highly recommend is the chocolate cake recipe on the back of the Hershey's Cocoa can. My husband worships chocolate, and chocolate cake in particular, and this is the one his Grandma likely used as the starting place for her own version of the chocolate cake (she could bake by feel, not just by recipe). It's fairly fool-proof and is moist and delicious.
And of course if you live in a place with great Italian bakeries (like Staten Island, NY where I grew up), you don't need to bake -- a platter of pastries is the best dessert you could ever put out. But here in Northern Virginia, the Italian bakeries are few and far between, so I've learned to make do with other ideas.
I'll happily share them as I go along, and for those of you who love to bake, please do share your yummy recipes with the rest of us.
Cheers! Judy
So I prefer desserts that can be "arranged" or "assembled" and I'll share those as I go along. I've also found a few baked goodies that are pretty easy, or if not, still worth doing. One I highly recommend is the chocolate cake recipe on the back of the Hershey's Cocoa can. My husband worships chocolate, and chocolate cake in particular, and this is the one his Grandma likely used as the starting place for her own version of the chocolate cake (she could bake by feel, not just by recipe). It's fairly fool-proof and is moist and delicious.
And of course if you live in a place with great Italian bakeries (like Staten Island, NY where I grew up), you don't need to bake -- a platter of pastries is the best dessert you could ever put out. But here in Northern Virginia, the Italian bakeries are few and far between, so I've learned to make do with other ideas.
I'll happily share them as I go along, and for those of you who love to bake, please do share your yummy recipes with the rest of us.
Cheers! Judy
Thursday, August 20, 2009
A few words about saucing pastas
Ideally, pastas should be cooked in whatever sauce you are serving for just a little bit. It's OK to just dump the sauce on top, but it's so much better when the sauce is absorbed into the pasta. As a general rule, it's a good idea to drain pasta about 30-60 seconds before it's done (and "done" means it's still a wee bit firm -- al dente). Don't rinse the pasta with water -- just pour it back into the pot, and put the sauce on top of it, stirring to coat thoroughly, and cook for that extra minute. And don't over-sauce. You shouldn't have big pools of sauce left when you're done with your pasta -- just enough to coat it, with a little left over for scooping up with Italian bread.
Recipe for Marinara Sauce
This recipe will make enough sauce to dress at least 3 pounds of pasta, likely more. It's so easy to make this in big batches and freeze it up for future meals. Will also keep in the fridge for a week or so, but not much longer.
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
6 large garlic cloves, minced (feel free to use less or more, depending on taste -- I generally think there is no such thing as too much garlic!)
1 tsp. kosher or sea salt -- much better than usual table salt -- less sodium and a finer taste
1 small can of tomato paste (unsalted or low sodium if possible)
1 tsp. fresh cracked black pepper
3 tbsp. dried oregano
3 tbsp. dried basil
4 large cans of crushed tomatos (preferably San Marzano tomatoes -- its a type of tomato, not a brand -- if you can find them. If not, virtually any other brand will do, but the Italian brands tend to never disappoint.)
Heat the olive oil over medium heat. When warm, add the onions and salt and saute until the onions are translucent. Add the rest of the seasonings, rubbing the basil and oregano between your fingers as you put it in to release the oils. Let this toast for a minute or two and then add the garlic and saute for another minute or two, but don't let the garlic brown, or it will become bitter.
Add the tomato paste and work all the onions, garlic and seasonings into it. Cook it for at least 3-4 minutes to cook the rawness out of it, and develop the flavors a bit.
Then add the 4 cans of crushed tomatoes, and once it all comes up to temperature, turn the burner down to low, and simmer for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally. After an hour, taste the sauce to see if it needs more seasoning, or if it's a bit bitter. If it isn't sweet enough, add a tablespoon of honey, or grate one medium carrot into it. (this last trick is a great way to get veggies into your kids without them realizing it -- you could even add more carrot or something like zucchini into the sauce without them ever knowing the difference. Just peel the zucchini first and the color will never change).
If you want to substitute fresh oregano or basil, you'll need to double the amount, and don't add it until about 10-15 minutes before the sauce is done. If cooked too long, it loses all flavor.
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
6 large garlic cloves, minced (feel free to use less or more, depending on taste -- I generally think there is no such thing as too much garlic!)
1 tsp. kosher or sea salt -- much better than usual table salt -- less sodium and a finer taste
1 small can of tomato paste (unsalted or low sodium if possible)
1 tsp. fresh cracked black pepper
3 tbsp. dried oregano
3 tbsp. dried basil
4 large cans of crushed tomatos (preferably San Marzano tomatoes -- its a type of tomato, not a brand -- if you can find them. If not, virtually any other brand will do, but the Italian brands tend to never disappoint.)
Heat the olive oil over medium heat. When warm, add the onions and salt and saute until the onions are translucent. Add the rest of the seasonings, rubbing the basil and oregano between your fingers as you put it in to release the oils. Let this toast for a minute or two and then add the garlic and saute for another minute or two, but don't let the garlic brown, or it will become bitter.
Add the tomato paste and work all the onions, garlic and seasonings into it. Cook it for at least 3-4 minutes to cook the rawness out of it, and develop the flavors a bit.
Then add the 4 cans of crushed tomatoes, and once it all comes up to temperature, turn the burner down to low, and simmer for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally. After an hour, taste the sauce to see if it needs more seasoning, or if it's a bit bitter. If it isn't sweet enough, add a tablespoon of honey, or grate one medium carrot into it. (this last trick is a great way to get veggies into your kids without them realizing it -- you could even add more carrot or something like zucchini into the sauce without them ever knowing the difference. Just peel the zucchini first and the color will never change).
If you want to substitute fresh oregano or basil, you'll need to double the amount, and don't add it until about 10-15 minutes before the sauce is done. If cooked too long, it loses all flavor.
Sauces
I'm going to be posting various recipes for Italian sauces over the next few days . .. all the basics, and a few of my own takes on some of the standards. With very few exceptions (and I'll note those as I go along) all of these sauces can be made in bulk and frozen for LOONNGGG periods of time, so I always recommend making big batches at a time. It doesn't take much longer to make sauce for 20 than it does to make sauce for 2. Plus, then you always have it on hand for a quick weeknight dinner or an impromptu dinner party, and you'll never need to buy jarred sauce again (not that you should have been doing so in the first place!!!) So, read on and cook on . . .
XOXO
Judy
XOXO
Judy
Portion Control
We hear so much today about portion control, almost exclusively in the sense of not eating more than you need to or should. And for the average weeknight meal, this is absolutely correct. 4 ounces of meat, a moderate amount of starch, and some fresh veggies are perfect. BUT, when cooking for guests, the rules all change.
When my Grandma cooked, there were always leftovers. (And she mostly made Italian food -- as anyone who has ever had leftover Italian food knows, it only gets better after sitting for a day or two!) One day I asked her why she always made so much food and she shared with me her version of portion control, one I practice to this day whenever I entertain.
Here was her theory -- you HAD to have leftovers and not just in general, but there had to be leftovers of every single dish you prepared. If not, then it was likely that someone wanted more and, HORROR OF HORRORS, couldn't have it! (There is nothing worse for an Italian woman than not being able to feed people to the point of near gluttony). The only way to ensure that everyone had all that they wanted to eat, was to cook more than enough of everything.
Of course, there is an art and skill to this. While it's great to have a few leftover servings of lasagne and veggies, you don't want so much you get bored with them, and some dishes just don't work well the second time around, so you have to be comfortable with a little bit of waste. I've had dinner parties where I've made literally twice as much food as could ever be consumed, but ideally, I aim to have 2 servings of everything left-over by the time people are done eating.
But remember, when in doubt, cook a little bit more rather than a little bit less. NEVER let a guest leave the table wanting more :)
When my Grandma cooked, there were always leftovers. (And she mostly made Italian food -- as anyone who has ever had leftover Italian food knows, it only gets better after sitting for a day or two!) One day I asked her why she always made so much food and she shared with me her version of portion control, one I practice to this day whenever I entertain.
Here was her theory -- you HAD to have leftovers and not just in general, but there had to be leftovers of every single dish you prepared. If not, then it was likely that someone wanted more and, HORROR OF HORRORS, couldn't have it! (There is nothing worse for an Italian woman than not being able to feed people to the point of near gluttony). The only way to ensure that everyone had all that they wanted to eat, was to cook more than enough of everything.
Of course, there is an art and skill to this. While it's great to have a few leftover servings of lasagne and veggies, you don't want so much you get bored with them, and some dishes just don't work well the second time around, so you have to be comfortable with a little bit of waste. I've had dinner parties where I've made literally twice as much food as could ever be consumed, but ideally, I aim to have 2 servings of everything left-over by the time people are done eating.
But remember, when in doubt, cook a little bit more rather than a little bit less. NEVER let a guest leave the table wanting more :)
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Food is Love
My Sicilian Grandma, Santa Barranco Conti, taught me a lot of lessons, but none more so than this: Food Is Love.
She took pride in making delicious food, and her tables were the stuff of family legend -- ample spreads of antipasti, followed by pasta, roasts and dessert tables that put all the previous courses to shame.
But her pride as a chef was a distant second to her real goal . . . to nurture those she loved and to gather them all together at her dining room table where they would sit for hours . . . . talking, laughing, eating, drinking and loving.
Many of my best memories from childhood are from around her dinner tables . . the endless Christmas feasts where my cousin Sean and I would compete to see who could eat more of her delectable manicotti . . the huge platters of crabs cooked in her tomato sauce, the same sauce that would cover us from head to toe by the time we were done eating . . . and the routine Sunday dinners that were anything but routine as we dined on her sumptuous food.
Of course, the food was memorable, but more memorable are the bonds that we built that neither time nor distance can break.
As I've grown older, I readily embraced the concept of Food is Love and beginning in high school, continuing in my dormitories in college, my first apartment in law school, up through the home where I started my own family, I've enjoyed few things more than dinner parties for family and friends. My hope is that through this blog, I can inspire some to embrace or re-embrace the joy of cooking, whether it's a quick and delicious meal for the weeknight, or a sumptuous dinner party for the extended family. You're never too busy to cook, and it's a skill that everyone can learn. I hope to share recipes, tips and experiences, and reactions to my own culinary experiences.
Believe me, there's no better way to show your love than to feed people well, and create a joyous experience of eating for them and yourself.
This blog is dedicated to my Grandma Santa, who I still miss all these many years after her death. I hope she enjoys reading my posts and any comments that follow from her place in Heaven.
Love, Judy
She took pride in making delicious food, and her tables were the stuff of family legend -- ample spreads of antipasti, followed by pasta, roasts and dessert tables that put all the previous courses to shame.
But her pride as a chef was a distant second to her real goal . . . to nurture those she loved and to gather them all together at her dining room table where they would sit for hours . . . . talking, laughing, eating, drinking and loving.
Many of my best memories from childhood are from around her dinner tables . . the endless Christmas feasts where my cousin Sean and I would compete to see who could eat more of her delectable manicotti . . the huge platters of crabs cooked in her tomato sauce, the same sauce that would cover us from head to toe by the time we were done eating . . . and the routine Sunday dinners that were anything but routine as we dined on her sumptuous food.
Of course, the food was memorable, but more memorable are the bonds that we built that neither time nor distance can break.
As I've grown older, I readily embraced the concept of Food is Love and beginning in high school, continuing in my dormitories in college, my first apartment in law school, up through the home where I started my own family, I've enjoyed few things more than dinner parties for family and friends. My hope is that through this blog, I can inspire some to embrace or re-embrace the joy of cooking, whether it's a quick and delicious meal for the weeknight, or a sumptuous dinner party for the extended family. You're never too busy to cook, and it's a skill that everyone can learn. I hope to share recipes, tips and experiences, and reactions to my own culinary experiences.
Believe me, there's no better way to show your love than to feed people well, and create a joyous experience of eating for them and yourself.
This blog is dedicated to my Grandma Santa, who I still miss all these many years after her death. I hope she enjoys reading my posts and any comments that follow from her place in Heaven.
Love, Judy
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