Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Pasta Sauce That's Going to BLOW YOUR FACE OFF
The title is just a warning. So, on with the recipe.
Things you'll need to gather:
2 lbs of tomatoes (We had small romas from our garden)
28 0z. can Whole tomatoes with juices
14.5 oz. can Stewed tomatoes (pick one with some of the zesty seasonings!)
1 med Onion chopped
Tons of garlic minced
1 T hot sauce (or more)
1 T crushed red pepper (or more)
EVOO
1 T EACH of oregano, basil, thyme, and sage
1 sprig of Rosemary
S&P to taste
1. First you need to blanch (not like the golden girls) your two lbs of fresh tomatoes. To do that, wash your maters and cut a small x on the bottom of each so they won't burst on ya. Then boil a pot of water and lower them each in. Keep them in there for about 2 min and then remove, transferring to a bowl of iced water. Blanching is simply just to peel them, not cook them.
When they cool, peel them, discarding their skins. Then crush them, with your hands, into a bowl (making sure their juices go in the bowl as well).
2. While your tomatoes sit on the side, mince up all your herbs (removing all the stems of course).
Like so:
3. Then saute your onion in some EVOO on medium heat. When they are tender add the minced garlic and cook for about 1 min. Then add the herbs. Cook for another minute. Keep stirring this around so nothing burns on you.
4. After everything in the pan has mingled, add everything except the tomatoes (hot sauce, red pepper, S&P to taste...)
5. Now here comes the messy fun part! Add your already crushed tomatoes from before. Open up your two cans of tomatoes and, with your hands, crush those into the pot and add their juices.
6. It may look a little soupy at this point, that's okay! In about 30 min time it will all cook down to a nice sauce. So, for the first 15 min, keep the heat on about med/med-low and stir. For the last 15 (or so) min. put the lid on, lower the heat a bit and only stir occasionally.
7. Finally, pair up with whatever cooked pasta that you'd like. This kind worked really well because it kept some of the sauce inside.
For this first time of making pasta sauce (that will hopefully blow your face off) I didn't want to mask any of the herb flavors by adding meat (ground beef, ground italian sausage, etc.) because it was the last "hurrah" of our fresh herbs from the garden. Next time, I think I might get carnivorous! Enjoy.
Things you'll need to gather:
2 lbs of tomatoes (We had small romas from our garden)
28 0z. can Whole tomatoes with juices
14.5 oz. can Stewed tomatoes (pick one with some of the zesty seasonings!)
1 med Onion chopped
Tons of garlic minced
1 T hot sauce (or more)
1 T crushed red pepper (or more)
EVOO
1 T EACH of oregano, basil, thyme, and sage
1 sprig of Rosemary
S&P to taste
1. First you need to blanch (not like the golden girls) your two lbs of fresh tomatoes. To do that, wash your maters and cut a small x on the bottom of each so they won't burst on ya. Then boil a pot of water and lower them each in. Keep them in there for about 2 min and then remove, transferring to a bowl of iced water. Blanching is simply just to peel them, not cook them.
When they cool, peel them, discarding their skins. Then crush them, with your hands, into a bowl (making sure their juices go in the bowl as well).
2. While your tomatoes sit on the side, mince up all your herbs (removing all the stems of course).
Like so:
3. Then saute your onion in some EVOO on medium heat. When they are tender add the minced garlic and cook for about 1 min. Then add the herbs. Cook for another minute. Keep stirring this around so nothing burns on you.
4. After everything in the pan has mingled, add everything except the tomatoes (hot sauce, red pepper, S&P to taste...)
5. Now here comes the messy fun part! Add your already crushed tomatoes from before. Open up your two cans of tomatoes and, with your hands, crush those into the pot and add their juices.
6. It may look a little soupy at this point, that's okay! In about 30 min time it will all cook down to a nice sauce. So, for the first 15 min, keep the heat on about med/med-low and stir. For the last 15 (or so) min. put the lid on, lower the heat a bit and only stir occasionally.
7. Finally, pair up with whatever cooked pasta that you'd like. This kind worked really well because it kept some of the sauce inside.
For this first time of making pasta sauce (that will hopefully blow your face off) I didn't want to mask any of the herb flavors by adding meat (ground beef, ground italian sausage, etc.) because it was the last "hurrah" of our fresh herbs from the garden. Next time, I think I might get carnivorous! Enjoy.
Homemade Vienna Bread Pizzah
Things you'll need:
~Olive oil
~Pizzah sauce
~Vienna bread loaf (juuuuust like french bread just fatter)
~Small tub of sliced mushrooms
~Small can drained, sliced mushrooms
~Some butter
(Not pictured but obv needed...mozzarella cheese)
1. Melt about 2 T of butter in a pan (make sure you don't scorch it). Then add allllll of the mushrooms. Keep stirring or flipping them to cook even until they are tender. If I were to guess, it was like 10ish min. You'll have to use your judgment. Then, so they don't just sit in the butter and get soggy and so on...I transferred them to a plate with 3 paper towels on it. Cover.
2. Cut the bread in half and lengthwise. (reserve half of the loaf for another time) Place two quarters on a baking sheet. Take out some of the breading. Eat it. Mmmmm, snack for the cook. Put a small amount of EVOO on the bread and pop it in the oven at 400* just until lightly toasted. You will again have to use your judgment and KEEP AN EYE ON IT because this is just so your pizzah is not mushy later....you do not want the bottoms to burn because you will be baking it for a bit longer in a minute. Take it out of the oven.
3. Fun part! Arranging the toppings:
I put a fairly large amount of sauce 'cause IIIIII like it that way and I knew this bread could hold it. Sprinkle a SMALL amount of the shredded cheese to be the "glue". Evenly distribute all of the mushrooms amongst the two quarters; it should be a WALL of mushrooms. Woooha ha ha haaaa. Add as much cheese as you like!
4. Bake in the oven again at 300* until cheese has melted. Mayyyyyyyybe almost 20 min. KEEP YOUR EYE ON IT. Especially the bottom of the bread. You can always turn down or up the heat to accommodate your feeding needs. And that's it! You can even pick it up....it's manageable.
Now of couuuurse you can play around and add/take away anything you want, it's pizzah! I just wanted to post it because when I think of "french bread pizzahhhh" I go.....hmmmm, now why didn't I think of that for dinner?! "It's so simple, a baby could make it". Now watch, you're going to burn it! Don't blame me. Baby. hahahahhahaha
~Olive oil
~Pizzah sauce
~Vienna bread loaf (juuuuust like french bread just fatter)
~Small tub of sliced mushrooms
~Small can drained, sliced mushrooms
~Some butter
(Not pictured but obv needed...mozzarella cheese)
1. Melt about 2 T of butter in a pan (make sure you don't scorch it). Then add allllll of the mushrooms. Keep stirring or flipping them to cook even until they are tender. If I were to guess, it was like 10ish min. You'll have to use your judgment. Then, so they don't just sit in the butter and get soggy and so on...I transferred them to a plate with 3 paper towels on it. Cover.
2. Cut the bread in half and lengthwise. (reserve half of the loaf for another time) Place two quarters on a baking sheet. Take out some of the breading. Eat it. Mmmmm, snack for the cook. Put a small amount of EVOO on the bread and pop it in the oven at 400* just until lightly toasted. You will again have to use your judgment and KEEP AN EYE ON IT because this is just so your pizzah is not mushy later....you do not want the bottoms to burn because you will be baking it for a bit longer in a minute. Take it out of the oven.
3. Fun part! Arranging the toppings:
I put a fairly large amount of sauce 'cause IIIIII like it that way and I knew this bread could hold it. Sprinkle a SMALL amount of the shredded cheese to be the "glue". Evenly distribute all of the mushrooms amongst the two quarters; it should be a WALL of mushrooms. Woooha ha ha haaaa. Add as much cheese as you like!
4. Bake in the oven again at 300* until cheese has melted. Mayyyyyyyybe almost 20 min. KEEP YOUR EYE ON IT. Especially the bottom of the bread. You can always turn down or up the heat to accommodate your feeding needs. And that's it! You can even pick it up....it's manageable.
Now of couuuurse you can play around and add/take away anything you want, it's pizzah! I just wanted to post it because when I think of "french bread pizzahhhh" I go.....hmmmm, now why didn't I think of that for dinner?! "It's so simple, a baby could make it". Now watch, you're going to burn it! Don't blame me. Baby. hahahahhahaha
Monday, September 14, 2009
Friday, September 4, 2009
Italian-Schmalian Soup
So, I got a great cookbook about Italian Soups from the library. I can't wait to try one. This soup, however, was more of a "what's-left-in-the-fridge" soup. Super simple.
Just add some Extra Virgin Olive Oil to a dutch oven and warm over medium heat.
Chop in some onion, and let it get all deliciously clear. Add some chopped cabbage and a little garlic, and let the cabbage get a little golden (without burning the garlic.)
Turn the heat down and add some more vegetables. We used zucchini and a few portabello mushrooms, because that's what we had. Season and let steam a bit.
Then, add canned tomatoes, seasonings, water, cooked and diced chicken,cooked pasta...whatever. And spice it up. Don't add fresh herbs until the end. Let simmer. Serve with hot crusty bread, or you are a fool.
The first of many soup posts! Maybe.
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