Easiest Weeknight Dinner Ever

A filling, hot, GOOD Dinner in 20 minutes? Are you kidding? Nope! Here it is!

Capellini Florentine Balsamico

One Half Package Capellini (Angel Hair) Pasta
One Package Frozen Creamed Spinach
Grated Parmesan / Romano Cheese (1/4 Cup-ish)
Aged Balsamic Vinegar, to Drizzle. (REALLY good quality is important here. Thick, real aged stuff. The "Glaze" sold in supermarkets CAN be substituted in a pinch, but if you don't have the real stuff, I'd skip it. Liquidy Salad Vinegar just won't work here. I use 18 year Aged from Santa Fe Olive Oil Company.)

Prepare Spinach to package directions. Meanwhile, boil water and cook Capellini. (6 minutes or less!)
Drain pasta well.
In a medium-sized bowl, toss drained pasta with Grated Cheese until well mixed.
Add Hot Creamed Spinach, and mix until all pasta is well coated.

Divide into serving bowls and drizzle with Balsamic Vinegar.

Done!

(Serve with a quick Caesar Salad, and if you had time to plan, some hot Garlic Knots or Rolls.)

Buttermilk Chicken... NOMS!

Buttermilk Chicken (Adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

Marinade:
2 cups buttermilk
5 garlic cloves smashed
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika (Hungarian Sweet is my favorite)
Fresh Black Pepper
2 1/2 to 3 pounds chicken parts (I used Legs and Thighs.)

For Roasting:
Drizzle of olive oil
Sea Salt
Paprika


Marinating:
Mix buttermilk, salt, garlic, sugar, paprika and black pepper in a large Ziploc Bag (Gallon Freezer Heavy Duty). Add Chicken to bag and swish around to cover with marinade. Place Closed bag in a bowl (Just in case of spills!) and refrigerate for at least 6 but preferably 24 and up to 48 hours.

Roasting:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Remove chicken from marinade and arrange in a Foil-Lined baking dish. Season with salt and paprika to taste, and drizzle olive over the chicken. Roast for about 35 to 40 minutes, until chicken has browned nicely and formed a nice crust.

I served mine with freshly made rolls (okay, thawed Rhodes Texas Rolls brushed with melted butter and garlic powder), roasted broccoli, and risotto-style rice.

Noms!

"Soul Food"

"Soul Food"... "Southern Cooking" ... "Comfort Food"...

For my money, if it brings you mentally back to a calmer, safer, easier place, it's one of these categories.

The above meal, from Tom's Home Cooking in Five Points, Denver Colorado, is a perfect example of all those categories. Fresh, Cornmeal-Crusted Fried Catfish that somehow escapes that 'greasy' catfish flavor and texture and is just crisp, clean, and amazing. Macaroni and Cheese, that classic Comfort Food, so velvety and rich. And the Collard Greens. Collards that, somehow, without the addition of smoked ham or bacon, are some of the best I've ever eaten. Accented with my favorite Tobasco Vinegar... This meal took me back to childhood (When, it should be noted, I'd never heard of most of these foods) and just a simple time when food was about love (hence the "Soul Food" moniker) and the preparation that went into it. The community and the safety of easier times.

All that with Collard Greens. Maybe there's hope for the world, after all. Until then, there's Macaroni and Cheese.

Capellini "Risotto" with Wild Mushrooms and Marsala

Quite possibly one of the easiest, yummiest, Comfort Foods ever.

You know Risotto? That stuff in my last post that you stir for 45 minutes or more, over a steaming stove?

It's delicious. But forget that. This is the Working (wo)Man's Comfort Food.

Ingredients:

Capellini (Angel Hair) Pasta
Mushrooms (This time I used Button, Crimini, and Porcini.)
Butter
Chicken Stock (Low Sodium, Organic, or Homemade.)
Marsala Wine.
Salt
Pepper
Fresh Parmesan Cheese.

You'll notice that there are no quantities. I told you this is low-maintenance. Do whatcha want!

Basically:

Slice and saute the mushrooms. Deglaze with some Marsala wine and set aside.

Melt some butter in a medium-heated pan. (How much depends on how much pasta you are making. I made half a box with 2 tablespoons of butter.)
Break the Capellini in half (I know, I know, Blasphemy.) and toss in the pan to coat with the butter. "Saute" the pasta in the butter until it begins to turn toasty and brown. Now comes the "Risotto" part:
Add in 1/2 cup of Marsala Wine, and stir until it's absorbed by the pasta. Then add in the same amount of Chicken Stock, and Stir again until Pasta is nearly dry. (You will notice that famous "Risotto" creaminess start to form.)
Repeat, adding (For half a pound of pasta) a total of 1.5 Cups of Chicken Stock and 1 Cup of Marsala. Ish. It's all "Add, Stir, Repeat."

When the Pasta is nearly cooked through to your liking (Taste it. It should be Al Dente, and this should take 7 Minutes-ish.) In the last "Add, Stir" session, add the sauteed Mushrooms, stir, and season with Salt and Pepper to taste.

Remove the Pasta from heat, and add in Parmesan Cheese (I used about 1/4 cup Freshly Shaved) and stir until it's completely melted and incorporated.

Voila. "Capellini Risotto"

Nobody will ever guess it only took you 10 minutes!

Wild Mushroom Risotto

The 40 minutes of constant stirring over the stove are always well worth it when you taste the resulting risotto. Wild Mushrooms are one of my favorite foods, being so earthy, with their depth of flavor, and power to infuse other foods.

Risotto is best stirred with a wooden, paddle style spoon.

Ingredients

1/2 Onion, diced
Dried Porcini Mushrooms, reconstituted in a hot sherry/water mixture (Drain and Chop Porcini and Reserve liquid for risotto)
Shiitake Mushrooms, diced. (I used about 8 ounces.)
Butter
Olive Oil
2 Cups Rice (Short-Grain Arborio works best. I use whatever i have on hand. It always comes out good.)
1 Quart Good-Quality Chicken Stock.
Salt
Pepper


In large saucepan, melt 1 teaspoon each of butter and olive oil. Add onions and saute on medium until translucent. Add diced Shiitake and add more olive oil if necessary to saute until par-cooked. Add 2 cups of rice, drizzle with olive oil and stir to coat. Saute over medium heat 3-4 minutes, toasting the rice lightly, until mixture dries out. Add Porcini and stir.
Add reserved porcini liquid, stirring quickly with a wooden spoon or paddle. (Be cautions: Liquid will bubble, boil, and steam.) Continue stirring until most liquid is absorbed. In small batches, add Chicken Stock (1/2 Cup at a time. Ish.) Keep stirring the entire time, adding more Stock as the liquid is absorbed. You will do this for at least 25 minutes. At that point, taste the rice for done-ness and add salt and pepper to season to taste. (The rice will probably still be too al-dente.)
If the rice is still al-dente, add more of the stock, stirring, stirring, stirring *It's a great workout* until the rice is the consistency you'd like.

I prefer mine still a LIIIIITLE firm, but not crunchy. The liquid starts to "creamify" as time goes on, making a "sticky" texture that is the key of Risotto.

When the Risotto is the texture you'd like, remove from heat source.

You can finish with fresh, chopped parsley, if you like. It compliments the risotto quite nicely.

The Comforts of Fall

Today was a Macaroni and Cheese kind of day. Not just the blustery weather, with a few snowflakes floating in the wind, and the grey, overcast skies, but the kind of day where you just *CRAVE* comfort food. And a warm hoodie to snuggle in. I paired this rich, creamy Mac 'n Cheese with Oven-Roasted Brussels Sprouts, because they're deliciously in season, and tossed in some mushrooms, because I had them in the fridge. Voila. Dinner.

I started out with a block of Medium Sharp Cheddar, a block of Swiss, and a Block Grater. Yep, I shred my own cheese, because that's how I roll. Like a Rockstar! Start working! (That'll give your water time to start boiling, anyway!)




Once there are piles of freshly shredded cheese on my countertop, and the rest of the ingredients are assembled, I get kickin'. The pasta should be par-boiled and drained, and the Cheese Sauce making shall commence. Melt the butter in the saucepan, whisk it with the flour to make a light roux, and don't forget add spices at this point to allow the heat to help them release their full flavors. Whisk in the warm milk and stir until the sauce has thickened to coat the back of a spoon. At this point, turn the heat to low and incorporate all the cheeses, one handful at a time. When you've got that creamy, rich sauce, you're in heaven. Just stir in the par-boiled pasta, and get that whole deal in a buttered casserole dish (Or individual ramekins.) For the last 10 minutes of baking, I uncover the dish, just to get a lil of that deeeelish "Pasta Crust" going, too. Adding to that crunch for this recipe is the Parmesan-Panko Crust, just barely broiled to a toasty, crispy goodness.




The accompanying Fall Veggies couldn't be simpler.

Remove the outer leaves of the brussels sprouts and halve them. Cut the mushrooms in to similarly-sized pieces. Toss in a bowl with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Kosher Salt. Arrange the sprouts on a cookie sheet cut-side down, with the mushrooms throughout. Roast at 375 for 10-15 minutes (Just until the Sprouts begin to brown... that roasted, charcoal-y flavor is heaven.) That's it!





Recipe:

8 Ounces of Pasta (Shells, Elbow, Rotini, Whatever.)
3 Tablespoons of Butter
2.5 Tablespoons of Flour
Salt
Pepper
Cayenne (Optional)
Grated Nutmeg
3 Cups Warm Milk (No less than 2% for this.)
2 Cups Shredded Cheddar
1.5 Cups Shredded Swiss
1/4 Cup Grated Parmesan
1/4 Cup Velveeta. yes, Velveeta. Trust Me.

For Pamresan-Panko Crust:
3 Tablespoons Butter
Panko Breadcrumbs
Grated Parmesan.

(Melt Butter and Toast Panko, Sprinkle over the top of the Macaroni and Cheese with Parmesan Cheese, then Broil until Browned.)

Xiao Long Bao

Xiao Long Bao, or Shanghai Soup Dumplings, are one of the many delectable little dumplings traditionally served steaming in a bamboo basket ("xiaolong" translates literally as "Small Steaming Basket") They are native of Eastern China (Shanghai.) In English, Xiao Long Bao usually refers to pork dumplings with soup inside the skin. They are eaten with Rice Vinegar and strips of fresh, raw ginger. They can be found at may Dim Sum houses for Yum Cha (Tea Drinking with Dim Sum) as well as at many Asian Noodle Houses. They can also be purchased in the freezer section of many Asian Markets, and steamed to sweet and savory perfection at home, on top of Napa Cabbage leaves.

The McRib Experience (AkA the McSponge)

Well, there has been quite a bit of hype about the return of the McRib. Or, as I call it, the Re-Return of the McHype, since this has got to be the best advertising scheme ever in existence. It's got some sort of magnetic, nostalgic, extra-terrestrial draw that keeps addicts jonesing for it and salivating over its return every year.

I myself had never tried one. I mean, it's McPork. How could it be good? But let's face it, it's been around since 1981, and a "recurring" holiday item since 1985. That's nearly 30 years of history, people. So this year... I don't know if the hype was more intense than usual or if I was just thrilled to see a commercial that WASN'T an angry Political Ad... but I decided that this year, 2010, was the year for ME to taste a McRib. I wanted to see what the Big Deal was. I mean, people literally devote fan clubs to this thing. I personally know people who sneak out of their homes AFTER DINNER to eat one... or two... for "Dessert." So, I've gotta try this thing, right?

Don't get me wrong. I wasn't expecting to enjoy it. I didn't suffer from some delusion that I would take one bite and stalk, Zombie-like, to every McDonald's that I passed until the McRib's "Limited Time" was up.

And I was correct.

The McRib.


A "Formed Pork Patty" roughly in the shape of a (smallish) Pork Rib. But no bones. So, basically, it's mechanically separated pork, formed into a "Riblet" shape. Ok. I can see how people would like that. People love Chicken McNuggets. I myself have never had one of those either, but I understand that most people don't have issues with the "Chopped Formed Meat" phenomenon.
The BBQ Sauce. It's a dark, sweet sauce. It's not awful, it's not fabulous.
Pickles and Onions. Typical McD's pickles here but the onions are not the mini-chopped ones I'm used to here. They're "sliced"... sort of. They're largeish chunks of onion. And they're paired with BBQ sauce and Pickles. That's a classic combination. It works.
The Bun. The bun impressed me. I expected something dry, hard, and flavorless. This one was actually soft, yeasty, and fresh-ish. Am I clamoring to the store to try and buy its equal? No. But it was better than expected.

So, then. Back to the "Pork Patty." The essence of the McRib? It was more like a McSponge. Seriously. It rather closely resembled that sponge you remember from your Junior High School cafeteria tables. (Again, I realize that a lot of people don't mind the "Chopped Formed" food phenom, but... for me... Uck.)

The Wrap Up: While the flavor combination of Oink, BBQ Sauce, Pickles and Onions is classic and good... it's still McDonald's. I won't be rushing back for another one (I barely finished my half of this one) nor will I be eagerly anticipating its next "Limited Time" arrival. But, hey, for those of you who love this thing, Yeehaw. It's back.

(For a Limited Time.)

Turkey Salad

Simple. Basic. Old-School.

Ingredients:

1/2 Pound Smoked Turkey, Thinly Sliced
Mayonnaise

Cuisinart

Directions:

Pulse Turkey in Food Processor until uniform. Add Mayonnaise to taste. Pulse until salad is smooth.

Serve with Crackers.

Sour Cream Pancakes

Ingredients

1 cup sour cream
7 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/ 2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat skillet or frying pan over medium heat. Sift Flour, Sugar, Baking Soda, & Salt in a large bowl.

Add Sour Cream to Flour Mixture

In separate bowl, beat the eggs and vanilla together Pour egg mixture into sour cream/flour mixture.

Stir gently until all ingredients are mixed well. Do NOT OVER MIX!

Grease or Butter your skillet. Pour about 1/4 cup of batter per pancake onto hot skillet. Cook the pancake until the edges start to brown and the center begins to bubble. Flip and cook on reverse side 2 minutes-ish. Serve with Butter and Real Maple Syrup. **Preferrably Grade B**

(Recipe inspired by SmittenKitchen adapted from Edna Mae's Sour Cream Pancakes.)

Dark Chocolate Toffee

Ingredients:

Crushed Club Crackers (I Pulverize Mine in a Cuisinart)
1.5 Sticks Unsalted Butter
1 Cup Sugar
8 oz Semi Sweet Mini Chocolate Chips
1 small metal cake-icing spatula (Works best for spreading chocolate)

Preheat Oven to 400F
Line small cookie sheet with Aluminum Foil (Jelly Roll size pan)
Spread Cracker Crumbs evenly over foil

In saucepan: Melt butter over medium heat. Stir in Sugar and cook 3-4 minutes, stirring.

Pour evenly over Cracker Crumbs.

Bake in 400 Degree Oven for 4-5 minutes (Check so it doesn't burn)

Remove and immediately sprinkle Chocolate Chips over the Toffee. Place back in oven for 30 seconds to soften chips.

Remove and spread the chocolate evenly over the toffee with the Metal Icing Spatula.

You can top with Chopped Nuts or Sprinkles if you like.

Refrigerate 5 hours to overnight until solid.

Break into bite-size pieces.

Acorn Squash Stuffed with Macaroni and Cheese

Les Ingredients:
2 Acorn Squash, Split
4 Thick Cut Strips of Bacon
2 Tablespoons of Butter
2.5 Tablespoons of Flour
3 Cups Milk
Freshly Grated Nutmeg
Cayenne Pepper
Kosher Salt
2.5 Cups Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Shredded (Additional for Sprinkling)
1/2 Cup Parmesan Cheese
8 Ounces Pasta. (Shells, Elbows, Penne. Whatever.)

Preheat oven to 350.

Halve the Acorn Squash and remove the seeds. Place in Pyrex Baking Dish cut side up. Add water to bottom of pan (Maybe half an inch). Salt the top of the halved squash. Cover with Tin Foil and Bake for 45-60 minutes.

Meanwhile...

Boil 8 ounces of Pasta 1-2 minutes less than package directions. Drain well.
In large saucepan over medium-low heat, render fat from and cook 4 thick strips of bacon.
Remove bacon when cooked to paper towels.
Add 2 Tablespoons of Butter and melt.
Whisk in 2.5 Tablespoons of flour to make a roux.
Stir the roux over medium heat 2-3 minutes
(At this point I add some flavoring. Freshly Grated Nutmeg and a pinch of Cayenne Pepper are my favorite)
Slowly Whisk in 3 cups of Milk. Continue whisking until it's incorporated. Stir until sauce thickens (5 minutes usually does it)
This is where I add my Kosher Salt. Coupla Pinches.
Add 2.5 Cups Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese, a little at a time, stirring to incorporate each handful.
Add 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese and stir to incorporate.
Sauce should be thick but not stiff.
Return Par-Boiled Pasta to Cheese Saucepan and Mix Well.
Crumble Bacon into smaller pieces, sprinkle them over the Macaroni and Cheese and Mix to Incorporate.
***The Cheese Sauce will look like it's "Too Much" for the Pasta. It isn't. That's the key to this dish. The pasta should look "over sauced" at this point!***
Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes, in casserole or Pyrex dish. (I usually put it beside the squash for the last half of cooking)
Remove Baked Macaroni from oven and set on cooktop.
Remove Squash from oven, drain water and return to Pyrex.
Top each half with generous, heaping portion of Macaroni and Cheese.
Sprinkle with Cheddar and return to oven for 10 minutes, to meld and melt.

Yum. (No, seriously. YUM. This stuff ROCKS!)

Summer Pesto Pasta

...got bored. Felt like cooking.

Homemade Pesto Sauce:
Fresh Basil and Parsley
Pine Nuts
Garlic Cloves
Salt
Pepper
Olive Oil
In a food processor, blend everything except the oil until incorporated.
Drizzle in Extra Virgin Olive Oil while blending until flavor and consistency is as you'd like.

Veggies:
Yellow Squash
Zucchini
Garlic
Eggplant
Tomatoes
Dice uniformly and drizzle with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Allow to mellow in the bowl. Preheat oven to 325. Arrange veggies in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake till just softening.

Pasta: Orichette. Cook and drain.

Fresh Mozzarella Ovoline.

Toss pasta with Pesto Sauce. Add in mozzarella Ovoline, roasted veggies, and toss.

Yum.

OMG She's Actually Updating!

Yep. It's true.

So today, I had a craving for burgers. And I had time to plan, and go to the store, and whip up a little dinner.

Et... Voila!



Sliders a'la Jady.
Served with homemade creamed garlic spinach.

Here's how it goes.

Ground Chuck 1 lb
Salt N Pep.
Crushed Garlic
Soft Rolls. Whichever ones you like. Itty Bitty ones.
Grey Poupon
Mayo
Ketch.
Half an onion, sliced thin
Coupla Shrooms. Sliced thin.
Buttah.
Flour
Milk
Nutmeg
Cayenne Pep
Spinach, fresh, roughly chopped.

Take your pound of ground chuck.
Sprinkle in some salt and pepper, and crush in a bit of garlic for that ooomph.
Mix but don't meatloaf, and shape into little pattys. I did square. -ish.
Heat 2 big skillets. One on medium for the pattys, one on medium for the spinach.
Also a small one, for caramelizing onions.

Melt some buttah in the small skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and stir to coat with butter. Saute until they begin to transluce. I don't know if that's a word but it should be. If the cooking is done slow enough, and the onions are stirred enough, they will caramelize (eventually) and turn golden brown, sweet goodness. When this happens, remove them from the pan, and saute the shroomys with a little more butter in the same pan.

Melt some buttah in the spinach skillet. Lotsa buttah, actually, we're making a light roux here. Add some crushed garlic. However much you can stand. Saute a bit to cook some of the sting out of it. Making sure you have excess butter, sprinkle or sift in some flour, stir to combine and cook the floury taste out of it. (4-5 minutes... or more. Whatever. Don't let it get dark.) Pour in milk. This part works better if the milk is warmed. I used about a cup of milk to 4 tablespoons of butter and flour. Do what works for you. Stir or whisk the milk in, lower the heat, add salt, pepper, nutmeg, and cayenne pepper. Stir to combine and let the mixture thicken.

Add the burger pattys to the skillet and let them brown on one side.

Keep an eye on the Spinach Sauce, stirring as necessary. When the sauce has thickened, add the coarsely chopped spinach. I used a pre-washed package of baby spinach, and I didn't use all of it. Stir to coat the spinach with the cream sauce and allow the spinach to wilt.

Flip the burgers. (duh.)

Cook the spinach on low to wilt and then keep warm while the burgers finish cooking to your liking. (also add cheese and let it melt if you want cheese. This ain't rocket science.)

Add some mushrooms to the spinach, if you like, and also if you're serving the Sliders with grey poupon, a spoonful of that in the spinach certainly wouldn't hurt.

Cut your slider rolls in half, slather the bottom half with mustard 'n mayo (I mix it together in a sort of dijon aioli, 2 to one Dijon to Mayo)
Put some of the caramelized onions on each bottom bun.
Add one burger patty per bun, and top each with a coupla the sauteed shroomys.

Top with the top half of the bun slightly askew, so ketchup can be added if necessary.

I hollow out the bottoms and tops of my buns, 'cause I find them to be overwhelming with all that bread, but again, do whatcha like.

Serve the spinach either on the side or in individual bowls if you don't like runoff.

Yummers.

St Patrick's Day After...

Corned Beef Hash with Eggs and Cheesey

Leftover Corned Beef and Potatoes, Diced.
Half an Onion, TinyDiced
3-4 Eggs (However many you and your peeps will eat)
Cheese
Paprika
Dry Mustard
Salt and Pepper

Preheat Broiler

In oven-proof skillet, saute onions in butter, browning them. Sprinkle with paprika and mustard while cooking. Add salt and pepper. Add more butter and potatoes, browning the potatoes (Slightly crunchy on the outsides).
Add corned beef and warm through.
Sprinkle cheese on top. Allow to melt slightly

Crack eggs on top of the Corned Beef Hash.
Cover and allow to set.
Place under broiler for 2 minutes, carefully monitoring the yolks so they do not cook through. They should be "Over Medium" in consistency.

Plate and Serve with Deli Mustard.

YUM :)

So, Sam Made a Fritatta The Other Night...

...And it looked REALLY Good. So I, being both inspired and hungry this morning, made my own version. (I didn't have all of her ingredients in the house) This is what I got.

I call it....

It's Sam's Fault Fritatta

This be what I did:
4 eggs
2 English Muffins, sliced, then cubed, then baked to dry/toast
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
1/4 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese
Salt
Pepper
Dry Mustard
Paprika
Half a small onion, TinyDiced (TinyDiced... Think onions on a white castle burger.)

Preheat oven to 350.
On a foil lined cookie sheet, bake 6 slices bacon for about 15 minutes. Lay on paper towel to drain.
Also toast the English Muffin Cubes and set aside to cool.

While bacon is baking, beat eggs, milk, both cheeses, salt, pepper, and dry mustard. Stir in English Muffin Cubes and allow to sit while bacon cooks.

Preheat an oven-proof saute pan, add some bacon grease and the TinyDiced onions. Cook until translucent, sprinkling with a dash of salt. Pour the egg mixture into the saute pan and let the bottom set (Thanks, Sam! That caramelization with the eggs on the onions was freaking AWESOME!)
Tear /crumble the bacon slices into smallish chunky pieces. Sprinkle over the top of the eggs. Sprinkle with paprika, and put the entire thing into the oven. Bake until the eggs are set and there are ooey gooey melty cheesey bubbles on top.

Slice and serve. If you're trashy like me, you can totally put ketchup on the table. It was also great with sliced fruit.

Freakin YUM!

So Much For Low Carb Cooking...

Pork Cutlet Marsala

Preheat Oven to 350.

Ingredient Type Stuff
Sauce:
4 Tablespoons Butter
4 Tablespoons Flour (I use Wondra Flour for Sauces.)
Half onion, thinly sliced.
Salt
Marsala Wine (As much as you want, simmer and reduce to thicken. I used 3/4 of a bottle.)
1 Cup Hot Water or Chicken Stock

Melt half the butter and sautee the onions till transluscent.
Add the rest of the butter and melt.
Stir in the flour and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until flour turns golden. Increase heat to medium high, and add the Marsala Wine, stirring constantly. Bring to simmer, and add hot Water or Stock. Reduce heat to low simmer as you cook the pork.

Pork-y Parts
Thin-Sliced pork chops (Enough to feed whomever you're feeding)
Flour Dusting (Wondra Flour, Paprika, Salt, Garlic/Seasoned Pepper)
Olive Oil for Sauteeing
Pat of Butter for Sauteeing (Butter helps brown the chops)
16 Ounces of Mushrooms, Sliced.
1/2 cup Marsala Wine

Heat large Saute Pan over medium heat.
Rinse pork chops and pat dry.
Dust in four.
Swirl pan with oil and add half pat of butter.
Cook the pork chops until browned, flip and brown other side. Cook 3 at a time, leaving plenty of room in the pan. As they are done, just plop them over into the simmering marsala sauce. Add more oil and butter as needed.
When all the pork chops have been browned and are in the simmering sauce (Adjust temp to keep sauce simmering)... add the sliced mushrooms to the saute pan. If needed, swirl extra olive oil over them, and fry over medium high heat till mushrooms are browned on both sides. Deglaze pan with 1/2 cup of marsala wine, and cook down till it's almost syrupy.
Add the mushrooms to the simmering sauce and pork chops and stir to mix in.

For the Fixins'
Angel Hair/Capellini Pasta (Enough to serve the peeps you be feeding. Duh.)
Brussels Sprouts.

Put Salted Water on to boil.


Halve and trim Brussels Sprouts.
Coat with Olive Oil and Kosher Salt.
Place cut-side-down on foil lined cookie sheet.
Roast in oven for 10-15 minutes, until edges and top start to brown/char.

Remove from oven and tent Foil till serving.

When water boils, add angel hair/capellini (DO NOT OVERCOOK. Two minutes is all it needs.) Drain well.

~*Le Presentation*~
Swirl a serving of pasta on the side of a large plate. Place 2-3 Pork Cutlets per person (Depending on the person. Or rather, their appetite) on the plate next to the pasta. Top both pasta and chops with Marsala Mushroom Sauce. Add a serving of brussels sprouts and Voila.

The Infamous Lasagna

So, it's pretty much world famous. Well. U.S. Famous. Well. All my family and friends love it. So that's pretty close...

Lots N Lots of Ingredients
Sauce
Sausage, Out of Casings, Sweet or Hot (Your Preference)
Ground Beef One Pound (Chuck)
1 Onion, diced
Crushed Garlic (2-3 cloves)
Red Wine (I use Cabernet. Half a bottle or more.)
Crushed, strained tomatoes (I like Pomi Brand. In a carton in the Tomato Aisle.)
Oregano
Basil
Salt
Pepper
Sugar

Preheat large saucepan over medium high heat. Add sausage, break up with wooden spoon, and brown on one side. Turn to brown other side and break up more. Add ground beef and brown on one side, crumbling together with sausage. Add onions and brown in the meat drippings. Season with salt and pepper. Add garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes more. Add half bottle of red wine (or more) and simmer over medium heat till reduced and thickened. (The point here is to infuse the meats with the red wine. If it looks too dry, add more wine.) Add crushed strained tomatoes and stir. Add dried spices here. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, covered but vented. Stir often, tomatoes will scald and stick to bottom of pan. The sauce should simmer gently, adjust your stove accordingly. Simmer for at least 3 hours and up to all day. (all day on low, keep it barely simmering)

Pasta
Lasagne Noodles. 12 of them, plus one or two extra in case any break.
Par-Boil as directed on Box. Toss with small amount of Olive Oil to prevent sticking.

Cheesey Goodness Filling
16 ounces ricotta
1/3 cup grated parmesan-reggianato cheese
1/3 cup shredded mozzarella
salt
pepper
freshly grated nutmeg (to highlight flavor, a pinch.)
1 egg, beaten.
In medium bowl, mix ricotta, parmesan, salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste. Add shredded mozzarella and then mix beaten egg into the cheese mixture.

Extras
Shredded Mozzarella for 1 layer of sprinkling and for topping
Preheat oven to 350 Faerenheit. (I know I spelled that wrong. I don't care.)

Assembly
In a 9x13 Pyrex dish, spread a small amount of sauce on the bottom to prevent noodles from sticking. Line pan with 3 lasagna noodles, and spread half the ricotta mixture evenly over them. Top with 3 more noodles. Add a layer of the meat sauce. Sprinkle sauce layer with shredded mozarella. Top with 3 more noodles, an then the remaining ricotta mixture, evenly. Top with last 3 noodles, pushing down to evenly distribute ricotta mixture. Top with more of the meat sauce, covering noodles completely. Cover Pyrex with tin foil, and bake at 350 for 50 minutes. Remove tin foil, and sprinkle top of lasagna with shredded mozzarella. Turn oven to broil and allow to slightly brown cheese as it melts. WATCH CAREFULLY! Don't burn the cheese!!
When cheese is bubbly and light brown, remove lasagna from oven. Allow to sit for 20 minutes. (If you skip this step, the cheesey goodness will ooze and schmooze. And that's not Good Eats. Oh wait, I'm not Alton Brown.)

After 20 minutes, slice lasagna into manageable sized pieces, and serve with some garlic bread yumminess, and some mixed greens with balsamic or a nice caesar salad. Or just chow down, baby. Your call.

This stuff's GOOOOOOOD!

♥♥ Happy Valentine's Day ♥♥

2 Eggs
4 slices bacon (2 crumbled)
2 slices 'Fake Cheese' (Velveeta Style)
Diced Onion
Sliced Grape Tomatoes
Bacon Grease
Salt & Pepper
English Muffin

Cook Onions in Bacon Grease.
Scramble eggs and 1 slice cheese together.
Add Tomatoes to Onions.
Add crumbled bacon to eggs.
Pour egg mix over onions and tomatoes.
Cook like an omelet.
Layer on toasted muffin with additional bacon and cheese. Yum.

What to Do With the Leftovers...

So um yeah, that makes a rather big batch of meatballs. So here's a twist on Eggplant Parmigiana for the leftovers. (I froze the meatballs and thawed and reheated them with a little extra red wine)

1 Eggplant, Sliced Thick, Salted and Patted Dry. (I salt the slices for at least an hour)
Portobello Mushroom Caps (4)
Grape Tomatoes, Halved.
Mozzarella Cheese, sliced thick rounds.
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper

Preheat Oven to 350

Toss Veggies in Olive Oil, Salt, and Pepper.

Arrange Eggplant and Mushrooms on cookie sheet. Roast till soft. (about 40 minutes-ish) Add tomatoes and roast them for the last 20 minutes.

Layer in Pyrex Dish: Portobello Cap, Slice of Roasted Eggplant, Mozzarella Cheese Round, 3 Meatballs, and top with Tomato Sauce.

Bake at 350 for 20 more minutes.

Serve topped with the additional roasted grape tomatoes.

Serve with a mixed green salad with balsamic vinegar. Not that I'm particular, or anything like that.

You could also make Garlic Bread, a side of pasta, or a ton of other things. Get creative. Do I look like Martha Stewart??