Yummy Meatballs

My hubby and I made spaghetti and meatballs for dinner tonight. It was a joint effort.

Last night he mixed and formed the balls, covered them with plastic wrap and popped them in the refrigerator. So when dinner time came around today, I just browned and then simmered them in Newman's Own Sockarooni Spaghetti Sauce.

Obviously I love a good homemade sauce but when time does not permit, it's great to have a couple jars of your favorite store-bought sauce in the cupboard.

These are extremely moist and tasty meatballs. Tomorrow we should get some nice crusty rolls and have meatball subs!

Yummy Meatballs 

• 1 pound ground beef, 10 to 15% fat
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp salt 
• 1/2 freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
• 1 cup water
• 3 tbsp olive oil

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine garlic, eggs, cheese, basil, oregano, salt and pepper until well blended. Add beef and pork and combine well.
2. Blend bread crumbs into meat mixture. Slowly add the water 1/2 cup at a time. The mixture should be very moist but still hold its shape when rolled into balls. If it seems moist enough then stop before adding all the water. Shape into meatballs about 2 inches in diameter. Can be left in the fridge overnight covered in plastic wrap. 
3. Heat olive oil in a large non-stick skillet. When oil is glistening, fry meatballs in batches turning them as they brown. Do not overcrowd. When the meatballs are golden brown and slightly crisp, remove from the heat and drain on a plate lined with paper towel. 
4. Add them to your favorite sauce and simmer until cooked through. About ten to fifteen minutes.

Roast Beef, Cucumber and Truffle Butter Sandwich

Life has been a little hectic (in a good way) lately. Being a mom, laughing with my hubby, selling jewelry, hanging out with the most wonderful friends and family. I'm happier than ever.

I've been lagging on my posts though and look forward to being able to focus more time on this blog. I love it so!

So this creation dates back a few weeks ago, on the Royal Wedding day to be exact. I know, I'm so behind. My friend Jane had us over to watch Kate and William get married. In Jane-fashion (she's a chef, mother of two, entertainer extraordinaire and can somehow make anything special), she whipped up some scrumptious scones, hot English tea and other goodies. We were all feeling very regal...even with a bunch of toddlers running around.

When lunch time rolled around that day, I was craving an English cucumber tea sandwich. Here's what I ended up making...

I had some nice panini bread rolls and sliced one in half. Then I spread both sides with some white truffle butter (so glad I keep some in the fridge!). I put down a layer of sliced cucumbers, sprinkled them lightly with sea salt and layered on a bunch of gorgeous roast beef. It was, dare I say, "fit for a king"?

1770 House Meatloaf

My parents are our house guests for a few weeks so I've had to increase the portions in my cooking. Meatloaf is one of those dishes I'll make when I have some extra mouths to feed but not a lot of time to make anything elaborate.

My usual recipe is the glazed meatloaf I've been making for years. It's close to perfect but I am always curious to try other ones. 

I was watching The Barefoot Contessa one afternoon. She had a guest chef on who made her favorite meatloaf from one of his restaurants. It looked too good not to try. 

The results were pretty yummy. Very moist and meaty. Not sure about the sauce though, it was more like a broth than a gravy. But my folks were happy and the kids ate it. You can't ask for much more than that!

1770 House Meatloaf

2011, Kevin Penner, All Rights Reserved

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground veal (preferably naturally raised)
• 1 pound ground pork (preferably naturally raised Berkshire)
• 1 pound ground beef (preferably naturally raised)
• 1 tablespoon chopped, fresh chives, plus 1 teaspoon for the sauce
• 1 tablespoon chopped, fresh thyme leaves, plus 1 teaspoon for the sauce
• 1 tablespoon chopped, fresh Italian parsley, plus 1 teaspoon for the sauce
• 3 large eggs (preferably organic)
• 1 1/3 cups finely ground Panko
• 2/3 cup whole milk (preferably hormone and antibiotic free)
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• Olive oil
• 2 stalks of celery, finely diced
• 1 large Spanish onion, finely diced
• 2 cups chicken or beef stock
• 8 to 10 cloves roasted garlic
• 3 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Place the veal, pork, beef, chives, thyme, parsley, eggs, Panko, milk, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl.
Heat a medium saute pan over medium-high heat and film it with extra-virgin olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the celery and onion to the pan and cook, stirring, until softened. Remove the celery and onion from the pan and let cool. When the mixture is cool, add it to the mixing bowl with the other ingredients.

Using clean hands, mix the ingredients until well combined and everything is evenly distributed. Place a piece of parchment paper on a sheet pan (it should have sides at least 1 1/2 inches high to prevent grease runoff from the pan).

Place the meat on the sheet pan and pat it and punch it down to remove any air pockets. Shape the meat into a loaf (about 14 1/2 inches long by 5 inches wide by 2 inches high). Place the sheet pan in the oven and bake 40 to 50 minutes or until a meat thermometer indicates an internal temperature of 155 to 160 degrees. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, for the sauce, combine the broth, roasted garlic and butter over medium-high heat and simmer for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until lightly thickened. Add 1 teaspoon of each of the chopped thyme, chives and parsley. Slice the meatloaf into serving portions and spoon the hot sauce over the meatloaf and serve.

Beef Short Ribs With Tomatoes, Roasted Poblanos and Herbs

If you read my last post for Homemade Flour Tortillas, you learned that I received a cast iron tortilla press from my girlfriends Angelica and Mai. The second part of their gift was Rick Bayless' book Mexico One Plate At A Time.  I know, I'm a lucky girl!

In it I found a recipe for the most succulent short ribs. I slow cooked them in a cast iron dutch oven. They were heavenly with the homemade flour tortillas!

Beef Short Ribs With Tomatoes, Roasted Poblanos and Herbs

by Rick Bayless

• 5 medium (about 1 pound total) fresh poblano chiles
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• a generous 2 lbs bone-in beef short ribs, trimmed of excess fat
• 1 large white onion, sliced
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 1/2 lbs ripe tomatoes, cored and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces OR one 28 oz can good quality tomatoes packed in juice, drained and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
• Salt
• 1 large sprig fresh epazote, plus an additional sprig (optional) for garnish OR 1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme and /or marjoram, plus a sprig or two (optional) for garnish

1) Roasting the poblanos.
Roast the poblanos directly over a gas flame or on a baking sheet 4 inches below a very hot broiler, turning regularly until the skin has blistered and blackened on all sides, about 5 minutes for an open flame, about 10 minutes for the broiler. Be careful not to char the flesh, only the skin.

Cover with a clean kitchen towel and let stand for five minutes. Rub off the blackened skin, then pull out the stems and seed pods. Tear the chiles open and rinse briefly to remove any extra seeds and bits of skin. Slice in to 1/4 inch strips.

2) Searing the meat.
Heat the oven to 325 degrees F.  In a medium-large (4-6 quart) pot (preferably a Dutch oven or Mexican cazuela), heat the oil over medium-high. Lay in the short ribs in a single, uncrowded layer, working in batches if necessary. When richly browned on one side, about 5 minutes, turn them over and brown the other side, 3 to 5 minutes more. Remove to a plate and tip off all but a generous coating of oil on the bottom of the pot.

3) The flavorings.
Set the pot back o nthe stove and reduce the heat to medium.  Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and stir for another minute, then add the tomatoes. Stir occasionally until the tomatoes have softened and lost their juicy look (about 3 minutes for fresh tomatoes, 3 to 5 minutes for canned). Stir in poblano strips, one teaspoon salt and the herbs.

4) Braising the meat.
Nestle the browned meat into the  tomato mixture, spooning some of it over the top. Cover the pot (a piece of tin foil works for a cazuela) and set in the oven. After 1 1/2 hours, check the meat: it should be fork-tender. If not, re-cover and braise for an extra 15 minutes or so.

5) Serving the dish.
Using a spatula, remove the meat to a warm serving platter. Tip the pot to collect the chunky sauce at one side and spoon off the fat that rises to the top. Taste the sauce and season with additional salt if you think it needs it. Spoon the sauce around the meat. This homey dish doesn't actually need a garnish, but if you have a sprig of epazote, thyme or marjoram, it will look beautiful here.

Working Ahead:
There's a warm hominess to this dish if it's made a day or two ahead and stored in the refrigerator until you are ready to reheat it (this may be done in a covered pot on the stove or in a 325 degree F oven; first discard any solidified fat from the surface). For a just -braised texture (and to ensure that your guests' mouths water from the aromas), you can prepare the dish through Step 3 and cover and refrigerate the two parts separately, then continue within a couple of hours of serving. The dish will hold well for an hour or so in a very low oven.

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Spaghetti Carbonara With Peas

You know the old saying "Everything tastes better with bacon." Okay, maybe there is no such saying but that doesn't make it any less true. Some of you may not eat meat but for those of you who do, you understand the magic that is bacon. It can turn a simple lettuce and tomato sandwich into a little piece of heaven. Heck, I've even heard of cupcakes with bacon in them!

There were only a few pieces of bacon left in our fridge. Not enough to serve to everyone for breakfast. A delicious solution? Spaghetti Carbonara. I added a bunch of peas to mine and some toasted Panko breadcrumbs for a little texture. I also made it less saucy to cut the calories a bit. Not too much though...some things are worth the calories!!!

Spaghetti Carbonara With Peas

• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 ounces of bacon (about 3 pieces), diced or sliced thin
• 2 tsp chopped garlic
• 1 jumbo egg
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs, lightly toasted (optional)
• 1 cup of frozen peas, defrosted and brought to room temperature
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 pound dry spaghetti

Directions

Although this is a relatively easy dish to prepare, it can get a little tricky with timing. It is extremely important that the sauce is ready to go once the pasta is finished cooking. You want the intense heat of the pasta to cook your raw egg mixture.

Start a large pot of water boiling on the stove.

Add the egg, Parmesan, 1/4 tsp of salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper to a small bowl. Mix well until fully combined. Set aside.

Heat a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. When pan is hot add the olive oil and bacon. Cook until bacon is golden brown and crispy, stirring occasionally (be careful, it can burn easily).

Turn off the heat and remove bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate lined with paper towel to soak up the grease.

You should have about two to three tablespoons of bacon grease left in the pan. If there is more than that, remove some of it with a spoon.

When water is boiling, add some salt and the dry pasta. Cook according to package directions for al dente.

Five minutes before your pasta is finished cooking, start heating the bacon grease back up over medium heat. When hot (about 1 minute), add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Turn off the heat, your pasta should be done about now. Reserve 1/2 cup of your pasta water.

Drain the pasta and add directly into the pan with the bacon grease and garlic. Add the egg/Parmesan mixture, peas, bread crumbs and crispy bacon. Use tongs to toss around the pasta until everything is well combined and coated with sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If the pasta seems dry, add some pasta water a tablespoon at a time and continue to toss with tongs.

Serve immediately!


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Beef Short Rib Stroganoff

The weather in L.A. this time of year is insane. Cold and rainy one day, late spring weather the next.


I actually love the balmy fall weather (when we get it). It puts me in the mood to cook up comfort food. Stews, pastas, chilis...

Today, I made Beef Stroganoff. Instead of the regular cubes of chuck roast, I found some boneless beef short ribs. I cooked it like a beef stew and because my meat was very lean, there wasn't a lot of excess oil in the pot that you would usually find when cooking short ribs. Just tender meat and a rich, creamy sauce.


Boy was it good!

Beef Short Rib Stroganoff

• 2 to 2 1/4 lbs lean, boneless beef short ribs (or boneless chuck roast), trimmed of excess fat, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup of flour
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped small
• 2 tsp chopped garlic
• 1 lb cremini mushrooms, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 3/4 cup sherry
• 2 cups of beef broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup sliced carrots (optional, I add them for extra veggies)
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup sour cream (depending on how creamy you like it!)
• 1 lb egg noodles

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F


Add the flour, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper to a Ziploc bag. Shake it around a bit to combine.

Add your beef cubes, zip up the bag and shake everything around until evenly coated.

Heat up one tablespoon of oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat.

When the oil is glistening, add about half the beef cubes. You want them to be spaced apart and not touching. This will allow the meat to brown and not just boil. Cook for about 4 minutes. Flip them over and cook for about 4 minutes on the other side. Set aside in a bowl. Repeat with the second half.

In a now empty pot, add another tablespoon of oil, the onion and mushrooms, saute for about 5 minutes or until softened, scraping the brown bits off the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more, stirring constantly.

Add the sherry, broth and bay leaf; continue to scrape brown bits off the bottom. When it comes to a full boil, cover the pot with its lid and put in the oven. Cook for an hour.

Carefully remove the pot from the oven. Stir in the carrots. Leave lid off and return to the oven. Turn up the heat to 350 degrees. Cook for another hour.

Carefully remove the pot from the oven. (It should be saucy but not extremely watery. Cook longer if there is too much liquid.)

Take out the bay leaves, stir in the sour cream and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve over the egg noodles cooked al dente.

Sloppy Joes With What?!!!

Last night, I was all set to make turkey sloppy joes for dinner. When I went to the fridge I realized I didn't have any celery or green pepper. I did have a medium-sized bunch of kale that I bought to make kale chips.

Yes, I totally put the entire bunch of kale into the sloppy joe mixture and served it to my family. What happened next was pretty crazy.

The kids ate it up and made no mention that it tasted different (which it really didn't, in my opinion). Not the prettiest looking suckers but they were tasty and loaded up with kale.

My son had two servings and told me, "Mom, I'm going to town on them!". And my daughter made up a song about sloppy joes. I would have to say it was an extremely successful dinner.

Sloppy Joes With Kale

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbs. canola or olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped small 
• 1 medium-size bunch of kale; washed, dried, trimmed of tough stalks; use the leafy parts only
• 2 tsp chopped garlic
• 1 1/2 lb. lean ground beef or turkey
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup ketchup-style chili sauce
• 1 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 Tbs. cider vinegar
• 2 Tbs. firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
• 6 buns of your choice (hamburger,kaiser,etc.), split

Directions:

Put your kale into a food processor or mini-chopper. Pulse until chopped fine.

Heat oil in a large non-stick pan over medium heat.

Add the onion and chopped kale. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens, about 5 minutes.

Add the meat and garlic, increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring and breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until it is no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup water, the tomato sauce, chili sauce, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper and bring to a simmer.

Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring frequently, for about 15-20 minutes or until sauce thickens.

Toast the buns. Place the bottom halves of the buns, cut side up, on warmed individual plates and top with the beef mixture, dividing it equally. Cover with the bun tops and serve immediately. Makes 6 sandwiches. Try some sliced cheese on top!

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Build-A-Burger...

Since we've discovered Niman Ranch Burgers, it's been hard to find a better one out there. It has also been hard to stop making them. The burger is pretty perfect with just some lettuce and tomato but that doesn't mean there isn't room for improvement, right?

I'm a HUGE fan of mushrooms, as is my little boy. So tonight we topped the burgers off with sweet carmelized onions, golden brown mushrooms and ooey-gooey American cheese (my hubby's cheese of choice on hamburgers). For the buns we used pan de sal, a Filipino dinner roll that is puffy and soft, yet crisp on the outside. The earthiness of the mushrooms went beautifully with the juicy beef. Phenomenal!

 Sauteed Mushrooms and Onions

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
  
• 10 oz crimini mushrooms; cleaned and sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1 medium sweet onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Heat up a medium pan over medium heat. When pan is very hot add the butter, olive oil, mushrooms and onions. Cook for 7-10 minutes or until onions are softened and turn a rich brown color. Stir occasionally. You want it to cook slowly so turn down the heat a bit if it is starting to brown too quickly. Salt and pepper to taste. Set aside in a bowl until ready to use.

Glazed Meatloaf

My hubby's special request for dinner was meatloaf. I was happy to oblige. It's pretty easy to whip up, everyone seems to be a fan and there's always enough for a second meal.

Here is my go-to recipe. It is originally from The New Best Recipe cookbook but I've altered it throughout the years. Sometimes I use beef, sometimes I use turkey. But I find that adding a bit of ground pork to the mix makes a moister meatloaf.

Hope you liked it, honey!

Glazed Meatloaf


Glaze

• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 4 tbsp cider or white vinegar

Meatloaf

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped fine
• 1 tbsp chopped garlic
• 2 jumbo or large eggs
• 1 tsp of fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried thyme 
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup milk 
• 2 lbs of ground meat (use a mix of turkey, beef, pork; whatever you like best; I like to use 1/4 lb of ground pork plus 1 3/4 lbs. of either beef or turkey)
• 1 1/2 cups of fresh bread crumbs or panko 
• 1/4 cup of minced fresh parsley

Stir together all the ingredients for the glaze in a small saucepan and set aside.

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat oil in a medium non-stick pan and add onions. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Set aside to cool.

Mix the eggs, thyme, salt, pepper, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, parsley, cooled onion/garlic mix and milk in a large bowl. Add the meat mixture and bread crumbs. Combine well with your hands but don't overmix.

Dump mixture onto a baking pan lined with nonstick foil or parchment paper and form into a 9x5 inch loaf (or you could form them into mini-loaves, great for kids). Spread half the glaze over it.

Bake the loaf for about and hour. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for 10 minutes. While it cools, simmer the rest of the glaze for a few minutes, stirring constantly until thickened slightly. Slice your meatloaf and serve with the glaze passed separately.

Grilled Beer Brats

One of the foods that screams "summer" to me is grilled bratwurst. Maybe it's because I can't recall ever making them during any other time of the year. Do they even sell brats during the winter months?

There is also only one way I've ever prepared them and that is boiled in beer, then thrown on the grill. Johnsonville brats have never let me down. The sauteed onions and peppers on top are a must!

Grilled Beer Brats

• 12 oz beer (whatever kind you like to drink)
• 1 cup of water
• 1 1/4 lbs. package of bratwurst (about 5 brats)
• hot dogs buns 
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 medium onion, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1 green bell pepper; cleaned of stem and seeds, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• mustard of your choice

Heat up the beer and water in a medium sized pot or 10 inch pan. If the liquid does not almost cover the brats, add some more water.

When it comes to boil, add the brats and turn down the heat to a medium simmer. Cook for about 5 minutes, turn them over and cook for 5 minutes more. Cut into one of the brats to make sure they are cooked through. Drain and set aside. You can do this hours or even a day before. Just keep them wrapped up in the refrigerator until you are ready to grill them.

Heat up olive oil and butter in a medium-sized pan over medium to medium-high heat. Add onions, peppers and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.

It should sizzle but turn down the heat if things start browning too fast. You want to carmelize slowly, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper if necessary. Set aside in a bowl.

Heat up the grill on high heat. When it is very hot, turn down the heat to medium-high and throw on the brats. Cook until they have nice brown grill marks on them (and are heated up if they came straight from the fridge), about 6-8 minutes. Turning them every few minutes. Serve them on hot dog buns with mustard and the sauteed onions and peppers.

Grilled Rosemary Dijon Lamb Loin Chops

Lamb can be so delicious. It can also cost a fortune! Not something most of us can afford for everyday meals. Sometimes you can find a good deal. Sometimes it's worth the splurge! Lamb chops are probably what most people have heard of and get when they dine out. What I like to use though is lamb loin chops. They are the lamb equivalent to a Porterhouse steak. It's an extremely meaty cut, as well as the most tender.

I like to let my chops sit in a marinade either overnight or all day long. This time around I went for a stronger mustard flavor and a good amount of rosemary from the garden. They were TAST-Y! My son and hubby went crazy for them. I think my daughter is a vegetarian.

Grilled Rosemary Dijon Lamb Loin Chops

Ingredients

2 lbs lamb loin chops (try to get them uniform in size), rinse in cold water and dry very well with paper towels

Marinade

2  tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 tbsp chopped garlic
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

Directions

Put all the marinade ingredients into a small bowl. Mix well to combine.

Place lamb into a large Ziploc bag and spread the marinade over the meat. Zip up the bag, letting most of the air out. Use your hands to work the marinade from the outside of the bag; all over, until each piece is evenly coated.

Let it sit in the refrigerator for several hours. I like to marinate in the morning and cooking it that night. For best results, take the lamb out of the refrigerator a half hour before cooking so that it will come closer to room temperature.

To Grill:

Heat grill up on high. When temperatures reach around 400 degrees F, place your lamb directly on. Cook with the grill's cover down for about 2 1/2 to 3 minutes a side (for medium rare), depending on the thickness of the piece. The meat should feel slightly firm but springy.

Remove from the grill and put on a plate. Wrap completely with foil and let the meat rest for about 5 minutes.

Then cut into the thickest part of one of the chops to check for doneness. Serve immediately if they are cooked to your liking. If they still seem too rare, put them back on the grill for another minute or two.

Penne Alla Vecchia Bettola

Months back, I posted my revised version of Nick And Toni's Penne alla Vecchia Bettola. It's this wonderful penne alla vodka that The Barefoot Contessa featured on her show.

I made it again today. And once again, I messed with the recipe a bit but it's pretty close to Joseph Realmuto's original.

The fresh oregano really took the flavors to a different level. I added sweet Italian sausage to mine but you can totally leave it out to keep it vegetarian. Either way it's DELISH! It was such a hit with my kids that I had to fill up their plates three times.

 

Penne Alla Vecchia Bettola

Revised by Foodism Mom from Joseph Realmuto's original recipe 

Ingredients

nocoupons

• olive oil
• 1 medium Spanish onion, chopped
• 3 cloves of chopped garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano 
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 cup vodka
• 2 (28-ounce) cans peeled plum tomatoes
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper 
• 5 sweet Italian sausage links, removed from casings (you can leave out to make it vegetarian)
• 3/4 pound penne pasta
• 4 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves, chopped
• 3/4 cup heavy cream 
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• Grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large oven pot or dutch oven over medium heat, add the onions and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes until translucent. Add the red pepper flakes and dried oregano and cook for 1 minute more. Add the vodka and continue cooking until the mixture is reduced by half.

Meanwhile, drain the tomatoes through a sieve and crush them directly into the pot with your hands. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and a pinch of black pepper. Cover the pan with a tight fitting lid and place it in the oven for 1 1/2 hours. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes.

While the tomatoes are in the oven, heat up 2 teaspoons of olive oil a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add the sausage meat and while breaking it up with a wooden spoon, saute until cooked through and golden brown. Set aside.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta al dente. Drain and set aside.

Remove bay leaves. Place the tomato mixture in a blender (or if you use an immersion hand blender, you do not need to cool the sauce and you can blend it right in the pot) and puree in batches until the sauce is a smooth consistency. Return to the pan.

Reheat the sauce over medium heat, stir in the fresh oregano, sausage and heavy cream. When it comes back to a boil, simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan and simmer for two more minutes, stirring frequently. Season to taste with salt and pepper if necessary. Put pasta into a large serving bowl, spoon in enough sauce to generously coat the pasta (you may have sauce leftover, great-you'll have lunch for the next day!). Toss until well combined. Serve with a side of Parmesan.

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Now that I had the quiche and onion soup under my belt, I felt warmed up and ready to tackle something more difficult. I knew that my tour de France would not be complete without doing a boeuf bourguignon. When done well, this red wine based stew may be one of the best tasting dishes on the planet.

Although it is a time consuming dish, the results are worth every second in my opinion. For me, it was a joy to make. A real labor of love. Layers of flavors melding together beautifully. The meat was tender, the sauce was rich and slightly sweet from the wine, onions and carrots. C'est magnifique!

Beef Bourguignon

Revised by Foodism Mom from The Barefoot Contessa's recipe

• 1 tablespoon good olive oil
• 4 ounces diced pancetta
• 2 1/2 pounds chuck beef, trimmed of fat and cut into 1-inch cubes
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound carrots, sliced diagonally into 1-inch chunks
• 2 medium yellow onions, sliced
• 2 teaspoons chopped garlic (2 cloves)
• 1 cup sherry
• 1 (750 ml.) bottle of a full-bodied red wine, (I chose Cabernet)
• beef broth or stock (maybe)
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon dried) 
• 1 lb cremini mushrooms, cleaned and sliced 1/3 inch thick
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 
• 1/4 cup flatleaf parsley (optional), chopped fine

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Heat the olive oil in a large oven proof pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the pancetta and turn down the heat to medium-low once it really starts sizzling. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the pancetta is crispy. Remove the pancetta with a slotted spoon and set aside in a small bowl.

Dry the beef cubes well with paper towels and then sprinkle them with salt and pepper.

In batches in single layers, sear the beef in the hot oil for 3 to 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove the seared cubes to a bowl and continue searing until all the beef is browned. Set aside.

Add the carrots, onions, 2 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper in the fat in the pan and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the sherry and cook for two minutes, scraping the brown bits off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Put the meat with its juices and pancetta back into the pot. Add the bottle of wine, tomato paste and thyme. If the level of your liquids doesn't almost cover your meat, then add some beef broth/stock until it almost does. Bring to a simmer, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and place it in the oven. Cook for about 10 minutes at 375 degrees. Then turn down your oven to 325 degrees for about 1 1/2 hours or until the meat and vegetables are very tender when pierced with a fork.

Take the pot out of the oven, remove the lid and keep the stew at a low simmer over medium-low heat.

Saute the mushrooms in one tablespoon of butter for 10 minutes until lightly browned and then add to the stew.

Heat the now empty mushroom pan over medium heat.

When the pan is hot add 2 tablespoons of butter and the flour to the pan and stir continuously for about a minute. Add all of it to the stew. Stir in well and continue to simmer for 5 more minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Turn off the heat and add the parsley.

Serve with crusty bread, garlic bread and/or buttered egg noodles.

Cool Tools:

Pest-o, change-o!

I love Caprese salad (Insalata Caprese (salad in the style of Capri) is a simple salad from the Italian region of Campania, made of sliced fresh buffalo mozzarella, tomatoes and basil; seasoned with salt, pepper and olive oil).

It's a great meal on those hot summer days when you don't feel like eating anything too heavy.

My plan tonight was to make hamburgers but I wanted to do something different with them. I decided to head in an Italian direction and incorporate the Caprese salad into it.

To make these Caprese Burgers, first grill up some Niman Ranch Burger patties (turkey or veggie burger patties would be great too!).

Put a couple pieces of fresh mozzarella (buffalo mozzarella is best) onto your patty during the last minute or two of cooking to melt it a bit. Then spread some store-bought or homemade pesto sauce onto the buns and add a slice or two of tomato. You can lightly salt and pepper your tomatoes if your pesto sauce isn't too salty already.

You can't go wrong if you use high-quality, fresh ingredients!

Grilled lamb pita pockets...

The other night I made some succulent grilled lamb leg steaks. There was one small piece left over so today I used it to make the most delicious lunch.

I took the cold piece of lamb steak and sliced it thin on an angle. Slicing it on an angle gave me much wider pieces than cutting straight down. I then warmed up some whole wheat pita halves in the toaster. I spread a generous amount of tahini sauce into each pocket, then put a layer of thinly sliced cucumbers and finally the lamb.

YUM-mee!!!

*Tahini can be found in a lot of supermarkets these days. I bought mine at Trader Joe's. I believe Whole Foods sells it and of course Middle Eastern specialty stores.