SPAGHETTI THE RIGHT WAY

Ingredients:

2 lbs Italian sausage, casings removed (mild or hot)

1 small onion, chopped (optional)

3 -4 garlic cloves, minced

1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes

2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste

2 (15 ounce) cans tomato sauce

2 cups water (for a long period of simmering for flavors to meld. If you don't want to simmer it as long, add less)

3 teaspoons basil

2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes

1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/4-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon fresh coarse ground black pepper

1/4 cup red wine (a good Cabernet!)

1 lb thin spaghetti

parmesan cheese

Directions:

1 In large, heavy stockpot, brown Italian sausage, breaking up as you stir.

2 Add onions and continue to cook, stirring occasionally until onions are softened.

3 Add garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce and water.

4 Add basil, parsley, brown sugar, salt, crushed red pepper, and black pepper.

5 Stir well and barely bring to a boil.

6 Stir in red wine.

7 Simmer on low, stirring frequently for at least an hour. A longer simmer makes for a better sauce, just be careful not to let it burn!

8 Cook spaghetti according to package directions.

9 Spoon sauce over drained spaghetti noodles and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

SWEET & SOUR PORK CHOPS

SWEET  &  SOUR  PORK  CHOPS

As originally written, the Maiale in Agrodolce recipe calls for cooking Frenched pork chops (i.e. with the fat trimmed from the bone) on a barbecue while basting them with the sweet and sour glaze. Since it’s not quite barbecue season here—and we don’t have a barbecue yet anyway—I cook the chops in a frying pan and it works just fine. Also, instead of making the glaze separately, I whip it up in the frying pan I’ve used to cook the chops. That way you get to scrape up the yummy brown bits from the pan and you don’t have as many pots to wash. Also, don’t worry about the “Frenched” bit; a little fat on the bone never hurt anyone.

For two people, you’ll need:

• 2 big bone-in pork chops (Frenched or not)
• extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 2 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 2 tablespoons butter

Rub the chops with olive oil and season them well with salt and pepper. Heat a heavy frying pan over medium-high heat and cook the chops until they are nicely browned on the outside and every so slightly pink on the inside (it will probably take about 15 minutes total).

Remove the chops from the frying pan and keep them warm while you make the agrodolce sauce. Lower the heat to medium, then add the vinegar, honey and rosemary to the pan. Simmer this mixture until it is reduced slightly—and don’t lean over the pan to take a big sniff of the sauce unless you want boiling vinegar fumes to sear your sinuses (I speak from experience). Whisk in the butter and watch the glaze turn thick and glossy—it’s like magic!

Finally, pour any juices from the resting pork chops back into the glaze, remove the sprig of rosemary, and drizzle the agrodolce over your waiting pork chops. With a side of stewed sweet peppers and maybe some spicy, garlicky broccoli, you’ll have a simple but impressive meal to remember.

Southwest Grilled Chicken and Avocado Melts

Top grilled chicken with avocado slices, a poblano chile and shredded jack cheese for a hearty entrée.

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  Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
• 4 Anaheim or poblano chiles
• 4 boned, skinned chicken breast halves (about 8 oz. each) 
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Lime wedges
• 1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and sliced
• 1 cup shredded jack cheese

Preparation

1. 1. Prepare a grill for high heat (450° to 550°; you can hold your hand 5 in. above cooking grate only 2 to 4 seconds). Rub 1 tbsp. oil over chiles. Cook chiles, turning often, until skins are browned. Put chiles in a bowl, cover, and let cool. Seed chiles and rub off skins.
2. 2. Meanwhile, rub remaining 1 tbsp. oil over chicken. Combine cumin, cayenne, and salt and sprinkle evenly over each breast. Grill chicken, turning once, until browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes total.
3. 3. Squeeze a little lime over chicken, then top each breast with a few avocado slices, a reserved chile, and about 1/4 cup cheese. Grill, covered, until cheese melts, about 4 minutes.
4. Serve and yum yum :)

BISCUITS AND SAUSAGE GRAVY

I make this every other weekend. It is packed with calories so i try to limit how often I make these.

1 pound bulk sausage, as lean as possible
2 tablespoons finely minced onion
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 quart milk
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
Dash of Tobasco

Baking powder biscuits, recipe of your choice

Break up the sausage into a large saucepan and saute over medium-low heat.  Do not allow the meat to brown or to get crisp.  When the sausage is about three-quarters cooked, add the onion, and cook until the onion is transparent. 

Drain of all but 2 tablespoons of the meat drippings (you don't have to be too precise about this). Stir in the flour with a whisk and cover over medium-low heat for about 6 to 7 minutes, or until the flour turns golden and bubbles up.

Pour in the milk all at once and add the seasonings.  Cook and whisk until the mixture thickens (about 5 minutes or so). Taste for salt and pepper and re-season of necessary.   Split open a nice hot biscuit and top with sausage gravy.

Salmon Recipe

Salmon Recipe 

Salmon is a relatively firm flesh fish which makes it a candidate for a good grilling salmon recipe. There is something about cooking over an open flame that brings out the wholesome flavor of the fish. Of course, there is something to be said for pan searing a salmon fillet to retain the entire fish flavor as well as seal in the juices for moisture.

You might find a salmon recipe or two that requires boiling this fish. Boiling does not retain the flavor as much as baking or broiling and is typically done just to cook the fish so that it can be flaked or shredded for seafood salads or even croquettes.

Because there are a number of varieties of salmon out in the oceans, your salmon recipe will dictate what cut of fish you are planning to cook. Fillets generally will have the skin still intact on one side. This makes for easy smoking, grilling and baking. Steaks are firmer and more substantial against an open flame in the barbecue pit.

A Basic Baked Salmon Recipe

When it comes to baked salmon, choose your favorite cut of fish. Prepare a shallow baking pan and line it with foil, then lightly grease with a cooking spray or vegetable shortening. Don’t forget to pre-heat your oven to 425˚F.

Ingredients

Olive oil

Seasonings (choose from a particular cuisine like Mexican or Italian)

Minced Onion

Minced Garlic

In a small bowl, pour enough olive oil to adequately coat the fish on both sides. Mix in with the olive oil your favorite spices. Choose basil, oregano, marjoram and minced garlic for an Italian flair of this salmon recipe. For a Mexican flair, add a little freshly chopped cilantro along with a little oregano along with chipolte pepper, comino and minced garlic.

Once all of the spices and the olive oil have been mixed together, you will want to place your salmon in the baking pan. Spread the olive oil mixture on the top of the fish and bake for approximately 30 minutes, depending on the thickness of the filet. Your salmon recipe is done if you can easily flake the fish with a fork.

Meatloaf

Ingredients

• 6 ounces garlic-flavored croutons
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 onion, roughly chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled and broken
• 3 whole cloves garlic
• 1/2 red bell pepper
• 18 ounces ground chuck
• 18 ounces ground sirloin
• 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 egg

For the glaze:

• 1/2 cup catsup
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Dash Worcestershire sauce
• Dash hot pepper sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey

Directions

Heat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a food processor bowl, combine croutons, black pepper, cayenne pepper, chili powder, and thyme. Pulse until the mixture is of a fine texture. Place this mixture into a large bowl. Combine the onion, carrot, garlic, and red pepper in the food processor bowl. Pulse until the mixture is finely chopped, but not pureed. Combine the vegetable mixture, ground sirloin, and ground chuck with the bread crumb mixture. Season the meat mixture with the kosher salt. Add the egg and combine thoroughly, but avoid squeezing the meat.

Pack this mixture into a 10-inch loaf pan to mold the shape of the meatloaf. Onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, turn the meatloaf out of the pan onto the center of the tray. Insert a temperature probe at a 45 degree angle into the top of the meatloaf. Avoid touching the bottom of the tray with the probe. Set the probe for 155 degrees.

Combine the catsup, cumin, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce and honey. Brush the glaze onto the meatloaf after it has been cooking for about 10 minutes.