Sunday Gravy With Pasta

This, of course is the holy grail of all Italian food, the one Italian families eat the most, every Sunday for sure.  In my family we had pasta with gravy every Sunday and then again on Wednesday.  We make a large pot then save what is left for Wednesday. My two favorite days of the week, nothing smells better then a pot of gravy simmering on the stove.  Be sure to have fresh sliced bread, I always spoon some of the simmering gravy on top, great snack before the real deal!  Make an extra large pot and freeze it for another time, so easy to pull out of the freezer, heat and serve over pasta.  No excuses for bottled sauce!

The great debate: Is it sauce or gravy?  If your name ends in a vowel, it's gravy, and you won't convince me other wise.  We also "put the pot up"which is putting the pot on the stove to boil the pasta.

Seek out the best sausage you can find, we are lucky to have Serra's sausage and they make the best!  Some Italian markets have homemade as well, it will make the difference in the flavor of your gravy.  I also put up my own tomatoes, since I live in New Jersey, what is better then Jersey plum tomatoes.  If you don't have fresh tomatoes, canned are fine, San Marzano are the best.  I love an assortment of meat, use what you love.  I will add chicken, beef cubes, venison cubes, whatever I happen to have.  The staple for me is sausage and country ribs and meatballs.  Then I add whatever else I want to that. Meatball recipe is listed in an earlier post, check the labels.

1/2 Pound Italian Mild Sausage, cut into one inch pieces
1/2 Pound Italian Hot Sausage, cut into one inch pieces
1 Pound Country Spare Ribs, bone in
Meatballs, 2 per person
2 - 28 or 32 Ounce Can Italian Style Whole Tomatoes with Basil, Mashed
2 - 8 Ounce Can Tomato Sauce
1 - 6 Ounce Can Tomato Paste
1/2 Cup Olive Oil, enough to cover bottom of pot
5 Cloves Fresh Garlic, Chopped
1 Small Onion, Chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste
Favorite Pasta
Grated Cheese for serving

Heat oil in a large sauce pot over medium high heat.  Add the onions and cook until translucent.  Add the garlic and cook for one minute, adjusting the heat if necessary.  Add the sausage and spareribs until brown on all sides, does not have to be cooked through, if will finish cooking in the sauce.

Add the mashed tomatoes, tomato sauce and paste.  Still well and add salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for 2 to 3 hours.  Stir occasionally so it does not burn, if you feel burn spots on bottom of pot, do not scrape up, or you will have a burnt flavor to your gravy.  When the gravy is finished, put the pot up for pasta, cook until al dente.

Pour over your favorite pasta with a fresh garden salad, crusty Italian bread and grated cheese, Mangia!

Breaded Chicken Cutlet Topped With Fresh Arugula Drizzled With Sweet Balsamic Glaze

Question:  What happens when my only child leaves the house for a week to stay at her grandmother's beach house, and I decide to surprise my husband with a brand new meal featuring two of his favorite ingredients?

Answer:  He smiles and says, I don't think this is going to be so bad after all.

I knew from the moment we left our daughter at the shore to come home, I was going to need to kick it up a notch, (thank you Emeril for the catchy phrase) and show my hubby that it might not be so bad having an empty nest.  He was totally depressed, (daddy's little girl) and I was.....slightly looking forward it, ok.... a lot looking forward to it.  I mean, I would actually be able to shower longer, blow dry my hair until it was totally dry, put my make up on in the bathroom mirror, (I usually do it in the parking lot at work), crazy, right?  Needless to say, mornings are very hectic.  The best part, I can make recipes she hates and we love without any complaints, yippee!

Why should I worry, my daughter is with my mother-in-law, the one who raised 4 children, and they are all ok.  My mom was there too, and my brother and I are also ok.  Alana is in good hands, and making wonderful, summer memories!  There, I feel better about being happy.

Day one:  Chicken Cutlet(his favorite) topped with arugula(his other favorite), talk about a win, win situation.  I am going to make him want to marry me all over again and on a Monday, I call that determination.  I tried this recipe at a local restaurant and knew I could recreate it, so simple.

Needless to say, day one was a huge success.  When I came home from work, I made his favorite drink, and served it to him outside under the clear blue summer sky, he was swinging on the hammock smiling at me.  We chat for a bit, I am also sipping my favorite drink.  It's going well so far.  I start walking (maybe sashay, wink and smile) a way, dinner will be ready soon I say, and proceed to my favorite spot, my kitchen.  My hair looking pretty good, I might add.  Maybe that is why he is smiling, hmmmm.

Here is the recipe and trust me it worked....it more then worked.....it was fabulous!  He continued to smile, I had the feeling he would be driving home a little faster each night.  The very next day he said he could eat that meal again, two days in a row, WOW!  Now that is what I call success, but I had other food ideas up my sleeve.

We met with Alana after our wonderful week of fun food and reconnection, then stayed another week with her for a family vacation.  She was perfectly fine and happy.  I must admit, I missed her terribly; it was time to return to family life, I am blessed.

The stars of the show:

2 Eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 Cup Milk
2 Cups Seasoned Breadcrumbs
Boneless Chicken Breast, rinsed and patted dry, give it a good pounding
Light & Mild Olive oil, Peanut Oil, or Canola Oil for Frying
1 Tablespoon Butter
Fresh Baby Arugula, rinsed well and spin dry, salad spinner works great
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Block of Parmigiano Reggiano
Balsamic Glaze, found in the vinegar aisle
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

Add the light oil and butter to the bottom of the pan in a large skillet over medium high heat.

Set up your dredging stations:  One rimmed plate (pie plate works great) for eggs and milk, mix well and season with salt and pepper.  One rimmed plate for the bread crumbs.  Using a fork, coat your chicken pieces first in the egg mixture then in the crumbs, pressing the chicken into the crumbs to throughly coat.

Fry each breast in the oil/butter until brown about 5 minutes per side.  Remove and drain the chicken onto a paper-towel-lined dinner plate.  Once drained, if you have more chicken to fry, then add the cooked chicken to a baking sheet with the oven set on 250, place in oven to keep warm until ready to serve.

In a separate bowl, add the arugula, toss with extra virgin olive oil to just coat, sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Arrange the arugula on top of the breast, shave on the parmagiano Reggiano, a veggie pealer works great for this, and drizzle the balsamic glaze over all.

I served this with tomato and mozzarella salad(his other favorite) with a nice loaf of Italian bread.  This is all you need for a fast, fabulous, midweek meal that is sure to please!

Pappardelle Pasta with Mild Sausage, Tomato & Fresh Cream

Pappardelle is a wide ribbon pasta which works very well with hearty sauces like this.  Any pasta will work, but I love this for a change to our every day pasta choices.  I have in the past used broccoli rabe sausage usually found in speciality Italian markets.  This will take it to a whole new level.   Have a nice bottle of wine ready, and a loaf of crunchy Italian bread.  I promise you won't be disappointed, it is bursting with flavor!

Ingredients:

1 28 Ounce Can of San Marzano Tomatoes, Crushed
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1/2 Cup Finely Diced Onion
4 Cloves Garlic, Chopped
4 Italian Sausage Links, Removed From The Casings or Buy Bulk
1 Cup Light Cream or Heavy
1/2 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
Salt and Pepper to Taste
1/2 Teaspoon Red Chili Flakes
1/3 Cup Fresh Parsley
1 Pound of Pasta
To Serve:
Grated Pecorino Cheese

Directions:

Heat a pot of water to boil for the pasta.

In a heavy bottomed saucepan, heat the olive oil and then cook the onions until tender.
Add the sausage meat and cook until lightly browned, breaking up the meat as it cooks.
Next add the garlic and cook another minute until fragrant.
Add the tomato, oregano, salt, pepper, red pepper and cook for 10 minutes on low heat.
Add the pasta to the boiling water along with salt and cook until pasta is "al dente".
While the pasta is cooking, our the cream into the tomato sauce and stir well, then cook over low heat until thickened.  Add the chopped parsley.  When pasta is finished, toss with the sauce and sprinkle on grated cheese.  Serve Immediately.

Sopapilla Cheesecake Pie

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

This will melt in your mouth, it is so good!  Bring it to your next party and watch it disappear!  It is so easy to make, smells so good while it's baking and tastes wonderful.

Ingredients:

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 Cup white sugar
1 tsp Mexican vanilla extract, can use regular
2 (8 ounce) cans refrigerated crescent rolls
3/4 Cup white sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/4 cup honey (optional)

Directions:
Preheat and oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Beat the cream cheese with 1 cup of sugar and the vanilla extract in a bowl until smooth.

Unroll the cans of crescent roll dough, and use a rolling pin to shape each piece into 9 x13 rectangles.  Press one piece into the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish.  Evenly spread the cream cheese mixture into the dish then cover with the remaining piece of crescent dough.  Stir together 3/4 cup of sugar, cinnamon, and butter.  Dot the mixture over the top of the cheese cake.

Bake in the preheated oven until the crescent dough has puffed and turned golden brown, about 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and drizzle with honey.  Cool completely in the pan before cutting into 12 squares.

Tender, Juicy Porterhouse Steaks Smothered with Mushrooms and Onions

It is grilling season and I love a good Porterhouse.  This is a great recipe since it has a few ingredients and the results are amazing.  This meat is so tender and full of flavor.

I asked my daughter Alana to describe it after she ate it since steak is her favorite food, she said, "it was so good, it was juicy, it taste like heaven above".  Now that is a great steak!

Delicious steak and grilled asparagus

Dinner Time!

Here's what you need:

Porterhouse steaks

Montreal Steak Seasoning

Olive Oil

Cracked Black Pepper

Salt to taste

1 Large Onion, Sliced

Pinch of Sugar

1 Container Sliced Button Mushrooms

2 Garlic Cloves Chopped

1 Tablespoon of Butter

Parsley

Italian Seasoning

In a frying fan on medium heat add olive oil to just cover bottom of the pan.  Add the onions, season with salt, pepper and sugar. Saute for about 20 minutes.  Add the garlic and saute for 2 minutes more.  Add the mushrooms and season to taste with italian seasoning, parsley, salt and pepper.  Reduce heat to low and simmer until mushrooms are tender.  Mix mushrooms and onions well.  Serve hot, layer over steak.

Directions:

Marinate the steaks with the olive oil and sprinkle on Montreal Steak Seasoning to taste.  Heat the grill on high.  Add the steaks, reduce heat to medium high and grill for 4 minutes, turn a quarter turn for another 3 minutes, flip over and grill another 4 to 6 minutes for medium temperature.  Allow to rest for 5 minutes.

Serve with grilled asparagus and Roasted Potatoes.

Broccoli Rabe with Linguini

At 16 years old I had my first summer job at a restaurant.  I had the breakfast and lunch shift so I had to be at work by 6:00 am.  I lived 45 minutes away so my Aunt Sandy and Uncle Sam let me stay at their home  for a closer commute, they lived 5 minutes away.

She made this one night for dinner and I was in love, I've been making it ever since.  Of course as the years went by I made my own special changes to enhance the flavor.  The best part about this recipe, it is a one pot meal, you literally add the pasta to the same pot you cooked the broccoli rabe.

Thank you Aunt Sandy for the great recipe and for allowing me to sleep a little later in the morning during the summer months I worked in your town.  Aunt Sandy is my grandmother's baby sister, there are 14 siblings between them, my grandmother being the oldest.  Yes, my great-grandmother had 16 children in all, God bless her.  By the way, she lived to be 104, as they say, hard work will never hurt you.

Here's what you need to serve 4:

2 Large Heads Broccoli Rabe - Washed Thoroughly, large stems removed, cut in half
1 Small Red Onion, Chopped
1 Full Head of Garlic, Chopped
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Large Can Chicken Broth
Red Pepper Seed, to taste
Handful of Pignoli Nuts, Optional
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/4 - 1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese
1 1/2 Pounds of Linguini Fini or Favorite Pasta

In a large pasta pot pour enough oil in pan about an inch from the bottom over medium heat.  Add the chopped onion and saute for 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and saute for a minute more.  Add the broccoli, salt, pepper, nuts, red pepper, stir well until wilted.  Add the chicken broth and enough water to cook the pasta, about 3 cups since you will be cooking the pasta right in this pot.

Once all the ingredients come to a slow boil, add the pasta in the pot increasing the heat to medium high in order the keep the pot boiling.  This will give the pasta an incredible flavor.  When pasta is almost tender, check for seasoning, may need to add salt at this time.

When pasta is finished, scoop out the pasta into a pasta bowl, pour over the broth and broccoli, top with parmesan cheese and stir well.  Serve immediately with warm, crusty Italian bread.

Delicious Dungeness Crabs Bathed in Garlic Butter Sauce over Linguini

These are to die for!  You just want to keep eating them, the meat is so sweet and large.  One of my favorite meals.  Put the newspaper down on the table, grab a roll of paper towels, have your crackers ready to break open the crabs, pour yourself an ice cold beer and you are set to go, now dig in!

YUMMY

The finished product!

The crabs bathing in the garlic butter.

Here is what you need:

Dungeness Crab - Legs and Bodies
Bunch of Fresh Italian Parsley, Chopped
2 Whole Bulbs Garlic, (yes bulbs, not cloves), Chopped
12 oz Can Chicken Broth
1 Can of Beer
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 Stick of Butter
Old Bay Seasoning

Directions:

Put a large pot of water on the stove and bring to a boil for pasta.

Wash crabs well.  In a large pot add enough olive oil to cover bottom of pan over medium high heat.  When oil is heated, add the garlic and saute for one minute.

Add the butter and mix well until butter is melted.  Add the crabs and coat well with the butter, garlic mixture.  Add half of the parsley and stir until well incorporated.  Shake on old bay seasoning and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the chicken broth and beer, adding more old bay and the remaining parsley.  Stir well, once sauce starts to boil reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add a generous amount of salt to the pasta water then add the pasta.  Once the pasta is finished, drain well and add to a pasta bowl, ladle the crab sauce over the pasta and mix well.  Top with the crabs and serve immediately.