Baked Spaghetti or Spaghetti Lasagna

This is an easy dinner that you can make from left overs and is delicious!!!!
Here is what you need.

Ingredients:
1 Lbs Angel Hair Pasta or Spaghetti
16 Oz Ricotta
1/2 Lbs grated Parmesan
1 Cup Heavy Cream or Half and Half

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Start by mixing the pasta and the sauce in a large mixing bowl.  Generously butter 3 quart baking dish.  Layer 1/3 of the spaghetti mixture in the baking dish then 1/3 of the ricotta and parmesan.  Then again and again.  Pour the cream or half and half over the top.  Take a knife and poke holes to let the cream move down through the layers.  Bake for 1 1/2 hours.  You want it to be bubbling and a nice crust to form.  Spoon out to serve.

Sauce Ingredients:

1 Lbs Ground Turkey

1 Medium Yellow Onion chopped

2 Tbs of Olive Oil

1 tsp of each of the following seasonings

- Basil

- Oregano

- Parsley flakes

- Thyme

- Salt

1/2 tsp of Rosemary and black pepper

1 cup of Red Wine

1 29 oz can of Diced Tomatoes

1 29 oz can of Tomato Puree (I love working with tomato puree!)

In a skillet brown the ground turkey and set aside.  

Heat up you Staub pot with the oil and saute the onions and mushrooms with all the seasonings.  When the onions are clear and the mushrooms are soft add the red wine to deglaze the pot.  This brings up all the flavor.  Add the tomato puree and diced tomatoes and stir.  Add the ground turkey and simmer for about 30 minutes longer.

Shrimp and Mushroom Risotto

Risottos are delicious and pretty easy to make.  It just rice cooked in broth with stuff.  They are a savory comfort food.  What makes a good risotto is starting with the right kind of rice.  You can't make risotto with any old kind of rice.  You must get "Arborio" rice.  You can find this in most grocery stores most likely in the gourmet section or specialty food section.  If you are lucky to have an italian specialty store you can go to you will find many brands.  

Risotto Ingredients:

2 Cups Arborio Rice

6 Tbs Unsalted Butter

2 Shallot or clove of Garlic Chopped

1/2 Large Red Onion

1/2 Lbs Mushrooms

1 Cup White Wine

32 Oz Chicken Broth

1 Lbs Medium/Large Shrimp

(Deveined and Shells removed)

2 tsp Fresh Chopped Basil

1 tsp Fresh Chopped Parsley

Pinch Fresh Chopped Dill

Salt and Pepper to Taste

In a skillet melt 2 tablespoons of the butter and saute the 1/2 of the chopped shallots.  Saute for 1 to 2 minutes and add the mushrooms and red onion.  Salt and pepper.  If you like a little smokey flavor you can try smoked salt.  It's a great way to add a little bit of smokiness to anything you cook.  

Smoked salt can be purchased at a specialty cooking store like Williams-Sonoma or Sur La Table.  Some high end grocery stores will carry it as well.  

Saute until the onions and mushrooms until they are soft and starting to brown around the edges.  Set them aside.

In the same skillet melt 2 more tablespoons of butter.  When the butter starts to bubble add the rest of the shallots or garlic and saute for 1 to 2 minutes.  Add the Shrimp.  Salt and pepper and sprinkle with the fresh dill.  Only cook the shrimp until it turns pink.  Don't overcook the shrimp.  Remove the shrimp from the skillet and reserve the liquids and set aside.

(The shrimp is done when it looks like this.)

In a heavy 2.5 or 3 quart enameled cast iron pot (Staub makes the best) melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter over a medium high flame.  Once the butter is melted and starts to bubble add the rice.  Saute the rice for about 5 minutes.  Add in the onion mushroom mixture and stir.  Pour in the wine and enough chicken broth to cover the rice.  Reduce the heat to medium low.  Everytime the liquid looks like it's starting to dry out stir the risotto and add enough chicken broth to just cover it.  When you are out of broth add the liquid from the shrimp and the shrimp.  Stir and cook for about 5 minutes longer.  Serve immediately.

(Risotto just after adding chicken broth)

Chocolate Souffle with Vanilla Sauce

I just go a beautiful Revol french porcelian souffle dish and couldn't wait to make a souffle in it.  Souffles are just so light and fluffy.  I love them and will be making many more.  The first one is a chocolate souffle.  I used a recipe from "bon appetit desserts" book.  Here are the ingredients and the steps to creating a perfect souffle.

Ingredients:
5 Oz of bittersweet chocolate chopped
1 Tbls unsalted butter
1/4 cup sugar
3 Tbls sugar
2 Tbls flour
1 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup whole milk
1/4 Vanilla extract
4 Large Egg yolks
5 Large Egg Whites at room temperature
1/4 tsp kosher salt

Set the butter and bitterseet chocolate aside in a large bowl.  Whisk together the 1/4 cup of sugar, flour and cocoa in a small bowl and set aside.

In a small sauce pan bring the milk with vanilla to a boil.  Pour the hot milk and vanilla into the sugar mixture.  Whisk together and return to the sauce pan.  Heat over medium heat stir constantly until the mixture thickens.  This take just a couple of minutes.

Pour this mixture into the chocolate and butter and whisk together then add the egg yokes.  Whisk together until smooth and creamy.

Butter the 2 quart souffle dish.  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Whisk the egg whites with a stand mixer.  As the whites start to turn white and froth gradually add the 3 tablespoons of sugar and then the salt.  Whip until soft peaks form.

Fold about 1/3 of the mixture into the chocolate mixture until completely folded in.  Add the remaining egg whites and fold into the mixture.  Don't overfold.  There may still be some white streaks.  Scrape into the souffle dish.

Put in the preheated oven and immediately turn the heat down to 375 degrees.  Bake for 35 minutes.  The top should form cracks.

Spoon into small bowls and ladle the vanilla sauce over the top and serve.

Vanilla Sauce Ingredients:
1 Cup Whole milk
1 Cup Heavy Cream
1/2 Cup Sugar,  Divided in half
1/2 tsp of Vanilla Extract
4 Egg Yolka

In a small sauce pan bring the milk, cream and one half the sugar to a boil.  Mix the other half of the sugar and the egg yolks together in a medium bowl.  Once the milk and cream mixture boils very slowly whisk into the egg yolk mixture.  Return to the sauce pan and low heat.  Stir constantly until the mixture thickens.  Do not let the mixture boil.  The sauce will start to separate and curdle. (form lumps)  If there is only a small amount of separation you can pour through a sieve to get rid of the lumps.

Enjoy!

Brie and Olive Bread for Dinner

I just got home from work and didn't get a chance to take a break all day long.  I'm too tired to cook tonight so here is my solution.  I just bought some brie cheese and there is a wonderfully delicious loaf of kalamati olive bread.  I lightly toasted the bread so the brie softens up becomes creamy.  That with glass of nice white wine and dinner is served.  Yum!

I'm cooking a beef tri-tip roast tonight.  I will talk about it tomorrow night.

Italian sausage Penne

OMG!!! This was delicous!!!  It's an easy all pasta dish dinner.  Tasty and satisfying!

Ingredients:
1 Lbs of Sweet Italian Sausage (Casing removed)
1/2 Lbs of Sliced Button Mushrooms
1/2 Lbs of Cherry Tomatoes
1 Meduium Onion Diced
3 Oz of Italian Sweet Salami Chubed
2 Fennel Bulbs
1/2 Lbs of Penne Pasta
4 Tbs of Unsalted Butter
Salt and Pepper to taste

In a small enameled cast iron covered pot roast the fennel in butter with salt and pepper for 30 minutes or until soft.  Set aside when done.

Boil the penne in salted water to your personal taste.  Some people like their pasta el dente and some like it totally soft.  Set aside.

Saute the mushrooms in 1 1/2 Tbs of butter and set aside.

Cook and brown the Italian sausage over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook until the onions are soft.  Drain the oil off and set aside.

Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet and saute the tomatoes over medium heat.  Once the tomatoes have started to cook down a little (about 5 minutes) add the cubes of italian salami and continue to cook and lightly brown.

In a large stockpot combine all the ingredients and heat through.  Serve at once.  Salt and pepper to taste as always.

Enjoy!!!!!

Pepper Cheese Bread

I'm so excited!!!! I found a recipe that I loved and lost.  This is the best cheese pepper bread ever!   It's so easy to make, too.  You will need two one pound coffee cans.  Yes, coffee cans.  I'm sure you can use one pound loaf pans although I have only use the coffee cans.  I think that is part of the charm of the bread is that it is a round loaf.  Here is how to make this bread.

Ingredients:
1 pkg Active Dry Yeast
1/4 Cup hottest Tap Water
2 1/3 Cups Flour
2 Tbs of Sugar
1 tsp of Salt
1/4 tps of Baking Soda
1 Cup Sour Cream
1 Egg
1 Cup shredded Cheddar Cheese
1/2 tsp of Course Ground Black Pepper

Grease the coffee cans.  In a large mixing bowl dissolve the yeast in the hot water.  Add 1 1/3 cup of the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, sour cream and the egg.

Mix on low speed, and beat for 2 minutes on high.  Stir in the remaining flour, cheddar cheese and pepper.  Mix in thoroughly.

Divide the dough into the two greased cans and let rise for 50 minutes.  The dough will not be double and that is fine.  Put in a preheated oven at 350 degrees and bake for 40 minutes.

Remove from the can immediately and let cool before cooking.  You will want to eat the entire loaf.  It is really good.

Enjoy!!!!!

Dry BBQ Rubbed Baby Back Ribs

If you like baby back ribs with a little bit of heat you will love these!  The meat is flavorful and falls off the bone.  They are a treat!

Ingredients:
1 Rack of Baby Back Ribs.  (About 12 Ribs to a Rack)

The Rub:
1 1/2 tsp of Onion Powder
1/2 tsp of Red Pepper Flakes
1/2 tsp of Paprika
1 tsp of Ground Black Pepper
1 tsp of Mustard Powder
2 tsp of Salt
1 Tbs of Brown sugar
(Use one batch for each Rack of Ribs)

I like to put the rub in a cheese shaker to sprinkle the rub on the ribs.

Cut the rack into four segments of 3 ribs in each segment.  Put each segment into an aluminum foil square and generously sprinkle with the rub.  Add a tablespoon of water and fold and seal the foil around the ribs.  Place all the foil packages on a baking sheet and put in a preheated oven at 325 degrees on the center rack.  Cook for 2 1/2 hours.  The aroma will fill the kitchen.  Take out of the oven and serve with cole slaw and mashed potatoes.  Yum!  Enjoy!