Sauce Bolognese has a love affair with Pasta - rice and potatoes be jealous!

Oh, please don't be jealous, rice and potatoes! Sauce Bolognese is very forgiving and has no problem mixing it up with each of you. She loves pouring herself over your fluffy grains and Yukon wedges; however, make no mistake about it, her great true love is still with pasta! So get over it!

Bolognese is an absolutely delicious and savory tomato base sauce that has its origins in the city of Bologna, Italy. The sauce can be prepared with or without meat; however, traditionally, it always contains meat. Which ever way you like it, one thing's for sure, you never want to rush its cooking. Allow the sauce to slowly take its time, slowly cooking.

Another important to consider when preparing Bolognese, there's nothing like making it from scratch. From grinding your own meat to seeding and chopping your tomatoes, you'll be amazed at the richness in flavors you can create yourself; furthermore, you'll also be amazed as to how easy it is to do. There's nothing like fresh homemade Sauce Bolognese. Let's get started. This recipe will easily serve a party of 6 and still provide leftovers.

You will need:

1 lb. of beef, cut in 1 inch cubes (not too lean of a cut)
3/4 lb. of pork, cut in 1 inch cubes (I use boneless rib)
10 medium very ripened tomatoes, seeds removed
3 medium bell peppers ( 1 each green, yellow, and red), finely chopped
3 medium yellow onions, finely chopped
4 green onions (scallions), finely chopped
1 medium carrot, grated
1/2 cup of chopped green Spanish olives
1/2 lb. of baby Portabella mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 small can of tomato paste
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 cup of fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/4 cup of fresh basil, finely chopped (or 1 tablespoon of basil paste)
1 tablespoon of dried oregano
6 small anchovy fillets (no salt added)
1/2 cup of olive oil
1 1/2 cup of red wine
2 tablespoons of anise liquor (my little secret)
1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard (another of my little secrets)
2 tablespoons of Marscapone
1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon of butter
salt and black pepper (to taste)
2 one pound packages of linguine pasta (my preference)

Spaghetti and meat balls.... a billion fans and a billion ways, but here's my way

Who doesn't love spaghetti and meat balls please leave the room. This has got to be on the favorites list of most everyone. For you vegans out there, just leave out the meatballs. This recipe for meat balls in a tomato base goes back 50 years in our family and large quantities were always made so that there was a guarantee of leftovers. Otherwise, good luck! We'll first start by preparing the meat balls. These have a wonderful moist texture and are so savory, you might even want to remember the recipe for meat loaf sometime. Here's what you'll need:

1 lb. of lean ground beef
1 lb. of ground sweet Italian sausage
1 cup of Panko bread crumbs
1 whole egg
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon smoked Spanish papika
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon anise seed
1 cup of flour in a bowl
1/4 cup of olive oil

In a large bowl, add the beef and sausage, breaking it in chunks. Next, add the eggs and Worcestershire sauce and with your hands dig in and mix those ingredients well. Make sure the sausage and beef integrate completely. Now add all your remaining ingredients and continue to mix until everything is well mixed and incorporated.

Now wash your hands well, rinse, but do not towel dry them. When you roll your meat mixture into meat balls, having moist hands will keep the meat from sticking to your hands, so keep them wet. Starting with a soup spoon,  spoon enough mixture into your palm to make a ball about 1 1/2 inch in diameter. Begin to roll the meat into a nice round ball using both your palms. Set each one on a sheet of parchment paper. This amount will make approximately 24 meatballs.

Now heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat. While waiting for the oil to heat, start dredging the meat balls in the bowl of flour two at a time. When oil is hot, carefully place the meat balls in the pan, 8 to 10 at a time and saute on each side until browned. This will usually take about 8 minutes per batch. Once each batch is browned, set then on a large plate lined with paper towels. When all meat balls are browned, discard oil and wipe your saute pan of any burned or browned flour. Discard the flour and wash your bowl. Now we will prepare the sauce. For this sauce you will need:

2 large yellow onions, chopped
6 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely sliced
2 stalks of celery, finely chopped
6 medium brown mushrooms, chopped
1 cup of Chianti Wine
1/2 cup beef stock
1 teaspoon of anchovy paste
3 tablespoons of capers
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of ground pepper
1 Italian green pepper finely chopped
1 16 oz can of diced tomatoes
1 6 oz can of tomato paste
4 tablespoons of olive oil
1 teaspoon of oregano (dried)
1 teaspoon of basil (dried)

In  the large pan you used, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When oil is hot, saute the onions until translucent. Next, add the garlic and green peppers. Continue to saute over medium heat for a few minutes and add the celery and carrots. Stir and saute for an additional few minutes or so. Now add the Chianti wine and deglaze your pan. Add the diced tomatoes and the mushrooms, reduce heat to medium low. Next add all the remaining dry ingredients including the oregano, basil, salt and pepper,and stir well. Continue to cook over medium low for about 5 minutes and add the beef stock, anchovy paste, capers, and tomato paste. Dissolve the paste and anchovy, mixing and incorporating everything well. Your sauce should have a nice "puree" consistency now. If it's too thick for you, just add a bit more beef stock.

Continue to cook uncovered for another few minutes and then add the meat balls back into the pan, stiring them in so that they are well coated and incorporated into the sauce. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for an additional 15 minutes. When finished, uncover, shut the heat off, and allow the sauce to settle and develop a nice thick creamy texture.

While the sauce was slow cooking, you should have brought a large pot of water to a boil. Choose your choice of pasta (spaghetti or linguini). Add a generous amount of salt to the water, but leave the oil out. Cook your pasta for about 8 to 10 minutes or until it is al dente. Remove pasta using a large fork or pinchers and add to a large serving bowl. Don't remove pasta by draining and DO NOT RINSE over water! By removing the pasta as instructed you'll take some of the pasta water with you which will keep the pasta from sticking and also add flavoring to the sauce. Once pasta is in the serving bowl, add a small ladle of the sauce to the pasta and stir well so that it is nicely coated with a think layer of the sauce. Add the meat balls over the pasta and transfer the sauce to another serving bowl and voila, dinner is ready. Enjoy with wonderful Italian bread, sprinkling of grated Parm or Gruyere, and finish off with a generous helping of butter lettuce and a mild olive oil and lemon juice dressing. Enjoy !!

Let's Keep It Simple Silly... the rule for Bow Tie Pasta and Broccoli

The simpliest dishes with fewest ingredients are often the best and most satisfying of all. Bow Tie Pasta and Broccoli melange is no exception. In its simplicity, it will satisfy vegetarians and meat eaters alike. Let's not forget the healthy food aspect either, being low in fat and cholesterol, rich in vitamins and minerals, and just about right in calories. Whether presented as a main course sprinkled with grated cheese or a side dish with baked fish or chicken, pasta and broccoli will feel well at home. Begin with the following ingredients for 4 to 6 servings:

16 oz. of dry bow tie pasta
16 oz. of broccoli, cut into flowerettes
4 garlic cloves, peeled and semi crushes
4 tablespoons of olive oil
1 teaspoon of dried basil
salt and pepper to taste

The Perfect Broccoli

There is a fool proof way of cooking broccoli to perfection and it's not boiling or steaming. Both of those methods, which I have used, require that you keep a good eye on the pot, making sure that you don't overdo it, leaving the vegetable just a bit too mushy for this dish. Believe it or not, I use the microwave oven to make the perfect al dente broccoli. In a microwave dish, add the broccoli, 4 tablespoons of water, some salt and pepper, and cover with a wet paper towel. Microwave on high for 3 minutes and leave it in the micro for a few minutes before using. You will have a perfectly cooked broccoli that will not be mushy or water logged, perfect for tossing with pasta.

Garlic Infused Olive Oil

Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium low heat. You don't want it to smoke. Now add the crushed garlic cloves and allow them to slow cook for several minutes. You want to make sure you use fresh garlic cloves for this. Once the garlic has developed a light golden color, remove it from the oil and set the pan aside. Add to the oil, the basil, salt and pepper, and stir well. You will get a lightly infused oil of garlic and basil aromas that you will toss with the bow tie pasta.

...and now the Bow Tie Pasta

In a large pot, add water to the 3/4 level and 1 tablespoon of salt. Bring water to a boil over high heat. Once water boils vigorously, add 16 oz. of pasta and bring back to a boil. Do not add oil because we want the infused olive oil to bind well to the pasta. Allow pasta to boil semi covered for about 8 minutes and then check for doneness. You want it to be al dente so that the bow ties don't break up when tossed. Pasta that is too done is just not right for this (or for any dish for that matter). If not quite done, continue boiling for another minute. Different pastas have various cooking times, i.e., bow tie will cook faster than large penne, angel hair cooks quicker than linguini. Be sure to stir the pasta around while boiling so that nothing sticks to the bottom. When done, drain the pasta, but DO NOT RINSE! Rinsing takes the starch coating off the pasta and will not allow the olive oil to coat or adhere well.

Putting It All Together

In a large bowl, add the pasta, then the broccoli, crushed black pepper, and finally drizzle the infused olive oil over the top. Toss gently and taste for flavor. Add a bit more salt and pepper if you need. If you want, add some grated Parm or Gruyere and toss again. If you like, you may also toss a couple of tablespoons of melted butter for added richness. Serve hot.

A variation of this is to add sauteed mushrooms instead of broccoli. The flavors are wonderful and simply add a whole new element to the flavors. For you meat eaters out there, this variation works incredible with a nice pan fried Filet of Beef or Sirloin. Clense the palette before dessert with a nice tossed salad of mixed baby greens in a light olive oil and rice vinegar dressing.

Why is it called Rattlesnake Penne Pasta?

Well, Rattlesnake Penne Pasta doesn't really have rattlesnake meat in it. It's just a name, but then you all knew that anyway. This dish is always a favorite on restaurant menus and now it can be a favorite dish in the comfort of your dining room. Although it looks complex and full of ingredients, it is quite simple to make, but be forewarned, you had better make enough of it because seconds and thirds are a definite probability with this dish. The quantities mentioned here should suffice for a dinner of four.

1 16 oz box of dry Penne pasta noodles
2 large boneless and skinless chicken breasts, cut in 1 inch cubes
1 1/2 pounds of Mexican or Italian sausage, cut in 1/2 inch thick slices
2 large red or yellow bell peppers, cut in 1 inch cubes
1 large white onion, chopped
6 cloves of garlic, chopped
8 button mushrooms (brown or white), sliced
1/4 cup of chopped parsley
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes (for heat)
1/4 cup of olive oil
2 tablespoons of flour (sifted)
1 cup of heavy cream
1 cup of chicken stock
2 cups of shredded Gruyere or aged Swiss cheese

In a large skillet that is at least 3 inches deep (or you can use a large pot), heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sausage and saute for about 5 minutes until slightly browned. Remove the sausage and set aside.

Next, saute the chicken until it begins to brown. Remove and set aside with the sausage. In the same pan, add the onions and the bell peppers. Saute over medium heat for 5 minutes or so and then add the garlic. Lower heat to medium low and sprinkle the flour to cover the onions. Stir well for about a minute and then add the chicken stock. The stock should begin to thicken pretty fast. Be sure to stir and scrape the bottom of the pan to deglaze. This will add flavor to your dish.

Add the mushrooms, salt, and pepper, along with the pepper flakes and stir well, lowering heat to low. Now add the cream and stirring, blend everything well. Add half of the shredded cheese and stir so that it melts into the sauce. Your sauce should now be a nice thick and creamy texture. Taste for flavor.

In a large pot, bring enough water to a boil to cook the pasta. Add a bit of salt (1 teaspoon) to the water. Cook pasta until it is al dente. It will continue to cook a bit more when you transfer it to the sauce. While the pasta is cooking, add the sausage and chicken back to your pan and stir everything well so that all is incorporated into the sauce. Cover and continue to cook on low or simmer while pasta continues to cook.

After about 8 minutes or so, the pasta should be about ready. Test it for the proper texture. Remove the pasta with a slotted spoon and add it to the sauce and stir everything well. If you need to, add a tiny bit of the pasta water to your dish and stir. Finally, add half of the parsley and stir, cover the pan, and let simmer for a couple of minutes.

Serve on a large deep plate and sprinkle the remainder of the parsley and cheese. This dish is guaranteed to please everyone! You can finish it off with a crisp greens in a simple olive oil vinegrette and a nice bottle of white wine of your choice. Enjoy!

Chorizo Mac n Cheese debuts in winner's circle

The Mac n Cheese is probably one of those dishes that everyone has one or more recipes that has been handed down from generation to generation in every family. There are probably as many recipe versions as there are people in the country. To top that all off, they're probably all great recipes too.

Well, with that said, growing up I can't remember mom ever making a mac n cheese dinner. And until now, I've rarely made it, apart from the box (you know what I mean) kind. So, the other day, I decided to come up with yet another recipe for this staple of the American diet. I think it must be recipe 300,000,001. I will call this, Chorizo Mac n Cheese. Go ahead and try it, it's easy. Let me know what you think. What you will need is:


2 cups of elbow macaroni pasta
3 chorizo links, casing removed (2/3 lb)
3 cups of chicken stock
1 1/2 cups of half n half
2 cups of shredded Mexican blend cheese
2 tablespoons of olive oil
6 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of flour (sifted)
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 large shallot, finely chopped
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of course ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder
1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder

Let's start out by doing our vegetable chopping, getting the chorizo ready, and the cheese grated (if you haven't done like me and just bought the packaged grated cheese). In a medium sized pot, melt one tablespoon of butter with the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, shallots, and chorizo and saute for about 5 or 6 minutes. Make sure you took the casing off the chorizo and cut up the meat into smaller chunks. Before you go to the next step, preheat your oven to 375.

Once the onions and shallots are translucent and beginning to brown, add 2 tablespoons of butter, allow to melt, then add the sifted flour making sure that it covers the onions and chorizo lightly, like new fallen snow. Now mix and stir so that flour is well incorporated and has coated all ingredients. Slowly start adding the chicken stock and stir. You will notice that the liquid will immediately thicken. Just keep adding the stock and make sure to stir (be sure to also scrape the bottom of the pan so it doesn't stick or burn).

Once all the chicken stock has been added, stir in the spices you have assembled EXCEPT for the garlic powder, then slowly add the half n half. At this time, it is good to mention that if you want to reduce the fat content, just use fat free half n half that can be found in most stores. Continue to stir until liquid returns to a simmer.

Now, add your macaroni and stir well. If you need a bit more liquid, just add another quarter cup of stock. Allow to cook for a couple of minutes at a slow boil (simmer), then add the cheese. Stir well so that cheese melts into the liquid and pasta. Be sure to use your spoon to scrape the bottom of the pan.

You now should have everything in the pot except the last 3 tablespoons of butter, the garlic powder, and the Panko bread crumbs. Take a baking dish and use some of the remaining butter to coat the dish. Pour the mac n cheese mixture into the baking dish and spread it out evenly. Transfer to the oven and bake for about 20 minutes uncovered.

While the mac n cheese is baking, melt the remaining butter in a fry pan under medium low heat. Next, add the Panko bread crumbs and coat them with the melted butter evenly. Sprinkle the garlic powder and stir. Once the bread crumbs are well coated and they just beginn to color, remove from heat.

After the mac n cheese has been baking for 20 minutes, take the dish out of the oven and sprinkle the Panko bread crumbs on top, taking care that it completely covers the surface. Return dish to the oven and finish baking at 375 for 10 more minutes. For the final 5 minutes, set the oven on broil so that the bread crumbs nicely brown. Remove dish from oven and let set uncovered for about 5 minutes. Then serve while still hot. Enjoy !!!

Ginger Prawns highlights what marinating can do for flavors

One of the wonderful things that we can do in the kitchen that always enhances the flavors of various foods is to marinate. You can take meats for instance and marinating will take a lesser cut to a whole new level, thus saving you money. Indeed it's a very inexpensive way of elevating the taste barometer. What's so wonderful about this is the sky's the limit when it comes to ingredients to use for your marinating.

In addition to cheaper cuts of meat, marinating works wonders for even the higher end foods such as seafood. Prawns are a perfect candidate for this process and this article will introduce you to the effects that ginger has on bringing out the rich and savory flavors that come from the sea.  Ginger Prawns are the end result of the infusing of the ginger root's flavor into the flesh of the prawn through several hours of marinating in a bath of several ingredients both liquid and dry, for several hours. This is what you will need to do before completing the dish that we will create today. Let's start by getting the following ingredients into a container that you can snap shut:

2 tablespoons of fresh ginger, minced and crushed
1 clove of garlic, minced and crushed
1 small shallots, diced
2 tablespoons of sesame oil
1 tablespoon of soy sauce
2 tablespoons of rice vinegar
Juice from 1 lemon (love the Meyer lemons)
1/4 cup of cold water
dash of salt and pepper

Mix all these ingredients thoroughly and with a fork, mash the ingredients more. Once well mixed, let it set for about 15 minutes to allow all the flavors to infuse. During this time, you can work on deveining and butterflying your prawns.

What does it mean to "butterfly" ?

You have probably heard this term time and time again if you've ever spent time on the internet and surfing the various food sites. Whether it is for beef, chicken, fish, or whatever protein you are preparing, butterflying is simply the process of opening and fanning out. Indulge me for a moment and put the palms of your hands together. Now imagine the line that is made where the two palms connect is a cut made by your knife. Now slowly start opening your palms while keeping the end where your little fingers are, tightly connected. This is called butterflying. This is what you need to do with your prawns.

Let's start out by talking about the prawns to use. Don't go with the smaller ones. Stick to the ones that are 16 count or less. The number 16 indicates how many it takes to make a pound. Ideally, if you can find some with a count of 12 it would work great. It's a bit more expensive per pound; however, you also need fewer prawns that way. Next you want to devein which means to cut into the shell at the top (or the back) of the prawn. There is a dark colored string like vein that you want to remove. Easily done with a sharp knife, be sure to run cold water afterwards. Do not remove the shells at all for this recipe. Once you have made a cut on the back, continue to cut into the flesh until you can fan out or butterfly each half, while still connected. Set each prawn shell side up on a board and with your hands, flatten each one nicely. Once done, add them to the ingredients you used for marinating. Mix all the ingredients and prawns well and cover tightly, set in the refrigerator and leave it for about 3 hours. You should count on 4 prawns per person for a 12 count or 6 prawns for a 16 count.

What has been found to compliment very well with Ginger Prawns is a nice Chinese noodle dish, tossed with sauteed mushrooms, shallots, and other ingredients of your choice. There are a variety of Chinese and Asian noodles out there so it is a matter of personal taste as to which ones you will want to use. For this dish, the popular Chow Mein style is being used. These noodles cook very rapidly, so don't start them until you have completed the marinating process. To accompany your prawns, here's what you'll need:

16 oz package of Chinese noodles
1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 cup of oyster mushrooms, roughly cut with your hands
1/2 cup of either Shitake or Enoki mushrooms, sliced
2 garlic cloves, very finely sliced or slivered
1 shallot, chopped
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon of sesame oil
Pepper, dash of salt

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Remember the marinating ingredients you put together? Remove the prawns and set them aside. Now add the remaining liquid to the pot of water. This will add a very nice flavor to the noodles.

In a large fry pan, add the olive oil and sesame oil and heat over medium high heat. Quickly saute your prawns once oil gets real hot. Saute skin down first for about one minute, then turn them over and saute for another minute or so. Remove them and set aside, covered with foil. Now add the noodles to the boiling water and occasionally stir with a large fork. Now saute your bell pepper, mushrooms, shallot and garlic over medium heat and stir for about 2 minutes. Add 1/2 ladle of the pasta water to the frying pan and stir with a spatula. Remove pan from heat. Continue to boil noodles for about 2 more minutes until they are cooked al dente. Now add the frying pan back to the medium heat and with prongs, add the noodles to the pan and stir for about 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer noodles and mushrooms to a serving platter and garnish with the prawns. Serve while still hot. You will love the combination of flavors and the ginger very mildly comes through both the prawns and the noodles. This dish is definitely worth a try.

Imagine candlelight dinner for two in under 30 minutes ... and less than $3.50 per person!

OK, so now you're intrigued. Is it Burger King or McDonalds. Buzz! Wrong on both accounts. Let's face it, McDonalds and Burger King - and for all you Europeans out there, I include Wimpy's in this list, won't serve you dinner for less than $4.99 per person. Forget about all those fancy restaurants, multiply that by 10. You're probably at home right now, the place where $3.50 will get you an entree and a salad in less than 30 minutes (and you'll even have extra time to light the candles).

It doesn't get much more romantic than to serve your special someone Rock Shrimp Linguine in a light cream sauce and a nice tossed salad of greens, all under candlelight. This is such a simple dish to make and there are probably dozens of versions out there, but this one's my favorite. Needing few ingredients, this dish marries the wonderful textures of fresh linguine with the savory flavors of rock shrimp and garlic, tying it all with a delicate cream sauce that will have you coming back for more. As in France, renew the palate with a refreshing crisp bed of green lettuce drizzled with olive oil. Depending on where you live, this really can be had for between $3.50 and $4.00 per person. The West Coast of the U.S. offers these prices for two:

8 oz. of fresh rock shrimp = $3.50 ($6.99 per pound)
12 oz. of fresh linguine = $1.99
1 medium shallot = $0.20
3 cloves of garlic = $0.15
1/4 cup of parsley = $0.08
1/3 cup of half n half = $0.30
2 tablespoons of olive oil = $0.15
2 tablespoons of butter = $0.30
Salt and pepper to taste = (you've got to be kidding, right?)

Total for the Entree = $6.67 (for two)

3 cups of lettuce = $0.45
2 tablespoons of olive oil = $0.15

TOTAL Cost = $7.27 for two

OK, so I'm over budget by 27 cents, but aren't both of you worth it? Let's get started before we're no long "in the mood". Thinly slice your garlic  and finely chop the shallot and the parsley. Three cups of lettuce is probably equal to about 10 leaves roughly cut by hand. Get all those things prepared.

In a small pot, get about 8 cups of water to a slow boil. In a medium sauce pan, heat the oil over medium high heat. Saute the shallots and garlic for about 1 1/2 minutes. Add the rock shrimp, turning the heat to medium, stir and saute for about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and add the butter; when butter is melted, add the half n half and stir well. While this is happening, add the fresh linguine to the boiling water and turn that heat to high. Back to the rock shrimp, now add the parsley and salt and pepper to taste. After 90 seconds has passed, your pasta is ready. With a set of tongs, take the pasta out of the water and add it to the saute pan. Stir well so that the ingredients are perfectly incorporated. The extra water that was left on the pasta will also help to keep sauce moist and from drying or getting too thick.

Portion out 2 equal parts on dinner plates, light the candles and enjoy this savory dish. If you want, you may sprinkle a bit of grated Parm or Gruyere, but not too much, you want the flavors not to be drowned out.  When finished, soak the lettuce leaves in cold water for a couple of minutes, drain and place in a bowl. Add your salt and pepper as well as the olive oil and toss lightly. Enjoy your romantic evening.

Asian Sesame Noodle Salad.... An inspiration from a friend

I love creating recipes and trying them out on my dinner guests. I do a lot of reading so that I can continue to sharpen my knowledge of the culinary arts and by doing so, I am able to be inspired to come up with new ideas. For the most part, my guests have never been disappointed. My inspiration doesn’t stop at the book cover’s closing, however. People around me have been very inspirational in opening my mind to new ideas, flavors, ingredients, and preparations.

The recipe that we are about to prepare today is an inspiration from a long time friend of mine. She introduced me to Asian style salads more than 20 years ago. Although I have made changes, added this and subtracted that, I would certainly be remiss if I didn’t share the creation of this recipe with her. To this day, this is still one of my all time favorite salads. Thanks Ms. H.T.

I call this recipe pure and simple, Asian Sesame Noodle Salad. There are many versions of noodle salads out there; however, I think you’ll find this one to be absolutely delightful. If you like a bit of hot and a lot of Asian, you will certainly agree. Furthermore, I have found that you can heat this up and serve it as a side dish, making this salad very versatile. Finally, I can safely say in continuing with our theme of simplicity, this recipe is very easy to put together. Here’s what we need:

1 package of Chow Mien Noodles (12 oz.)
2 shallots, finely chopped
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup of green onions, finely chopped
1/2 cup of fresh baby spinach leaves, rolled and julienned
1/4 cup of fresh parsly, finely chopped
1/4 cup of pimientos
1/4 cup of sesame oil
1/8 cup of rice vinegar
1/4 cup of low sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons of dry pepper flakes (for heat)
1/2 teaspoon of garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
1/3 cup of toasted sesame seeds
1 tablespoon of ginger paste
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil

Get all your ingredients together and get all your chopping out of the way. In a large pot, boil water with a tablespoon of vegetable oil and add your noodles. Chow Mien noodles, even though they are dry, tend to cook much faster that regular noodles. With that said, you want to boil them for only about 4 to 5 minutes because you want them to be al dente, not overcooked and mushy. While noodles are cooking, get a bowl of ice water ready. At the 4 minute mark, check the noodles for doneness. If ready, immediately strain them and then transfer them to the ice water. You may need to add more ice to keep the water cold. Set the bowl aside to allow for complete cooling.

Set a small frying pan on a burner set to high. Once heated, add 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil to the pan and quick saute your shallots and garlic for only 30 seconds. Remove and pour into a large mixing bowl. In the mixing bowl, add all the remaining ingredients, EXCEPT THE SESAME SEEDS, and whisk briskly so that ingredients are well blended. Once noodles are cooled, drain liquid through a strainer and rinse noodles with cold running water. Add noodles to mixing bowl with ingredients and toss well so everything is completely blended. Finally, add the sesame seeds and toss gently. Pour salad into a nice serving platter and sprinkle of few more sesame seeds and serve. There you have it. It's that simple. And it tastes so good, your guests won't believe how quick it was to make.

Serve with a nice Saki, chilled prawns with a dipping sauce of of ginger vinegrette and finish with a green tea sorbet. For the dipping sauce, use 1 part sesame oil, 1 part rice vinegar, 1/2 part water, 1 teaspoon of ginger paste, 1 teaspoon of honey, and whisk until well blended. Enjoy.

Acini Di Pepe Chicken Soup -- Mmm Mmm Home Made

I recently discovered Acini Di Pepe pasta and fell in love with these little dots of goodness. I began to experiment with them in my recipes and found they were very versitle. One of those recipes is perfect for those rainy Autumn days and I would like to share it with you. It's called Acini Di Pepe Chicken Soup (oddly enough). OK, I could have come up with a fancier name; however, I'll let these little pasta pebbles speak for themselves.

I want to let you know that this soup is made from scratch, right down to the chicken stock. Don't be scared away, however. There is nothing complicated about this soup. It is simply a hearty and warming soup, perfect if you're fighting a cold; it will surely snap it out of you. This recipe comes in two parts. First, we have to make our chicken stock and second, we proceed with the soup. Let's start with the chicken stock. I will not complicate the making of this stock, as I like to keep it simple. You will need:

One fresh whole chicken (cut up, but don't include the breast)
10 cups of water
2 Bay leaves
1 teaspoon of thyme
1 teaspoon of sage

In a large pot, add the chicken, water, and herbs, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let cook covered for about an hour or until chicken falls off the bone. Remove the chicken and set in a bowl to cool. Using a tightly woven strainer, strain the chicken stock into another pot. Continue to heat on low setting.

Once the chicken has cooled enough for you to handle it, begin to debone, discarding the skin and fat and adding the meat to your stock. Now get your ingredients together for the completion of the soup:

1/4 cup chopped shallots
1/4 cup chopped parsley
3 minced garlic cloves
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1 medium carrot, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups of Acini Di Pepe pasta (can be found in most supermarkets)
1 1/2 cups of peas
1 teaspoon of Dijon style mustard
1/2  teaspoon of tomato paste
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of pepper

Add all the ingredients to the stock, except the pasta. Stir and mix well, then taste for flavor. If you like it a bit saltier, go ahead and add more salt. Cover and slow cook for about 20 minutes. Then add the pasta, stir and cook covered for an additional 15 minutes. Check pasta for doneness, check for flavor and if satisfied, shut heat off and set aside covered for 5 more minutes and serve. I think you will really like this chicken soup. Have it with a nice crusty baguette of French bread and enjoy!

FOR THE VEGANS !! Portabella and Roasted Red Pepper Lasagna

OK my vegetarians, I have not forgotten you and never will. This Lasagna will certainly pass the test for you as well as all those meat eaters out there. But there is not an ounce of meat in this dish. My Portabella and Roasted Red Pepper Lasagna is absolutely wonderful (even if I say so myself). But don't take my word for it, try it at home and you will see!

This Lasagna is not made in the traditional method you may be accustomed to with a tomato base. Since you now know how to make a Bechamel Sauce, you will also learn how to make a Mornay Sauce by simply melting shredded swiss in the sauce. And Mornay is what we are using today instead of tomato sauce. Finally, I want to let you all know that with the exception of the use of butter, all the rest of the dairy products are either no fat, low fat, or skim. But don't worry, flavor has not been sacrificed. OK, here's what we need:

For the Sauce:

5 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 tablespoons flour
7 cups fat free half n half or 2 % milk (cold or room temp)
1 8oz package of baby fresh spinach
1 cup grated low fat swiss cheese
salt and pepper
dash of nutmeg

For the Ricotta mixture:

1 large tub of low fat Ricotta cheese
2 egg yokes
1/4 cup basil, chopped
1/2 cup fat free half n half

...and the rest of the ingredients:

2 packages of Barilla Flat Lasagna pasta (No boiling required, cooks in the oven)
2 1/2 lbs sliced baby Portabella mushrooms
2 8oz packages of low fat shredded Mozzarella
2 8oz packages of low fat shredded Swiss
1/2 cup chopped parsley
8 cloves chopped garlic
6 roasted red peppers sliced lengthwise (or 2 jars of ready roasted peppers)
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and pepper

Now I know what you're thinking about now, that this is going to be quite a complicated task. Please understand this is very easy to make if you just remember to do your prep work first. Chop all the stuff that needs to be chopped and set all aside. Preheat your oven to 375. Have a 9 x 12 or 9 x 13 oven safe Lasagna tray ready. Make sure it's at least 2 inches deep and if you have one that's 3 inches deep that's even better.

The order of preparing each part of this Lasagna is to prepare your Ricotta mixture first, saute mushrooms second, and your sauce third. Fourth is simply assembling your Lasagna in your pan. OK, first add all the Ricotta ingredients together in a large bowl and mix well until everything is incorporated. Set aside.

In a large saute pan (the largest you have), heat 1/2 of the olive oil at medium heat. Add your mushrooms and saute for a couple of minutes. Then drizzle the rest of the olive oil on top and continue to saute until mushrooms begin to brown. Now add your garlic and parsley, stir and continue to saute for another couple of minutes. Never Never salt your mushroom while ccooking. Salt will draw out the moisture and you will get soggy mushrooms. You may pepper however. When mushrooms are nicely browned, remove them from the heat and set aside in a large bowl, salt, and stir.

Now you are ready to make your "Mornay" sauce. In a large sauce pan, melt all the butter at medium heat. Once melted, add the flour and stir until a nice blonde roux is made. Continue to cook at medium for a couple of minutes taking care not to brown the roux. Turn heat down if you need to. Then slowly add your milk about a cup at a time. Stir constantly so that the first part of the liquid nicely absorbs with the roux and makes a smooth thick semi paste. Continue to add the milk, stirring constantly. When all the milk is added, you should have a smooth silky sauce which will thicken as it reaches a slow boil. Reduce heat to medium low and continue to slow boil for about 5 more minutes. Now you can add your cheese and stir as you notice cheese melting. Sauce will be thickened. If you need to, add a bit more milk. Cook for a few more minutes and then start adding the spinach a handful at a time. Finally, add your salt and pepper and taste for flavor. Lower heat to warm.

You are now ready to assemble. We will be layering our ingredients together. Start by ladling some of your sauce at the bottom of your Lasagna pan to coat the entire bottom. This will keep the pasta from sticking and will also aid in cooking. Now add your first set of pasta sheets. Where you can, overlap the sheets about 1/4 inch. Next, take the Ricotta mixture and spread a nice even  coat about 1/4 inch thick over the pasta sheets.It doesn't have to be perfect! Then add a layer of the mushrooms and roasted peppers and cover that with a layer of the two cheeses (you can mix the cheeses ahead of time). Finally, ladle a layer of sauce so as to completely cover the grated cheese. You have just completed the first layer. Now start all over again... pasta, Ricotta, mushrooms and peppers, cheese, sauce. The top layer should be covered with grated cheese.

Tap the Lasagna pan on the counter a couple of times and bake in the oven for 1 hour, checking it at the 45 minute mark. At 1 hour, your Lasagna should be a golden color with some brown peaks. If you want, you can put the oven on broil for the final 3 minutes. When finished, remove from oven and let sit for about 15 minutes before serving. Bon appetit! You and your family will love this. A nice dinner salad of tossed romaine works wonderful following this dish. Serve with a chilled Rose wine or a Chardonnay. For non alcoholic, try a glass of chilled apple cider.

Mung Chicken Curry... The Way You'll Love It

I originally created this dish last year when I introduced myself to the Mung Bean. It was purely by accident that I came across  these cute little army green beans, as I was actually searching for those other cute little army green beans, the lentils. So, without having a clue as to what to do or how to cook them, I grabbed a package and forgot all about the lentils. I had a good feeling that this was either going to end in disaster or fingers crossed, a triumph.

My curiosity got the best of me and as soon as I got home, I got on the internet and decided to research my little find. Reading that the Mung Bean was mainly cultivated in South Asia, I decided to stay in that region of the world and use the combination of ingredients indigenous to the area. And so, I got out my coconut milk, curry powder, and chicken, and proceeded to start my journey down the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Well, I was not disappointed with the result. Out of my experimentation came a wonderful dish of delightful mixes of flavors and textures that I had not previously been exposed to. For its simplicity, I crowned it Mung Chicken Curry.

Now I want to share this wonderful dish with you so that you may partake of the unique flavors that I first experienced last year. Let me introduce the characters in this culinary act:

4 large chicken thighs, fully skinned and all excess "yellow" fat removed
3/4 cup of Mung Beans (make sure to check for little pebbles carefully, as in all small beans)
1 large red onion, diced
1 1/2 cups celery, chopped
1 1/2 cups carrots, chopped diagonally about 1/4 inch thick
6 garlic cloves, cut in halves or left whole
3 green onions, chopped
1 3/4 cups chicken stock
1 can coconut milk (about 14 oz.)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon curry powder (preferably the rust color as opposed to the mustard color)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
16 oz. package of SE Asian noodles (Chow Mein Noodles or the curly type Chow Mein) You may use rice
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil

Spray a large frying pan (10 inches diameter at bottom and at least 3 inches deep) with cooking spray and coat the bottom with all the vegetable oil. Heat on medium high heat. Sautee the chicken thighs until golden, remove and set aside. In the same pan, reducing heat to medium,  add all the fresh vegetables and sautee until onions are translucent. Add the sesame oil and Mung Beans, mix well. Allow to cook a few minutes then add the chicken stock, salt, and pepper. Mix well so all ingredients are well incorporated. Next, add the curry powder and be sure to stir well so that all the powder dissolves completely. Your sauce should be showing a golden rust color. Cook for about 5 minutes. At this time, if you think you need a little more liquid, you may add 1/4 cup more chicken stock; however, I don't think you'll need it. Reduce heat to medium low and continue to cook for 10 more minutes. Now add the coconut milk and blend all ingredients together, bring back to a slow boil.

Finally, add your chicken, turning and coating it, reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for about 30 to 40 minutes, stirring with a spatula every 15 minutes and turning the chicken. Continue to slow cook for about 10 more minutes. Your Mung Beans should be fully cooked. If not, cook for another 10 minutes. Once cooked, shut heat and bring a pot of water to boiling and cook your noodles for about 6 minutes or until cooked al dente (cooked through but still firm). To plate, add a chicken thigh in the center, ladle some sauce and Mung Beans over it, and in a swirling motion, place the noodles all around the edge of the plate. Serve hot and enjoy :)

VEGETARIAN VERSION

For a meatless rendition of this dish, substitute Yukon Gold potatoes for the chicken and the noodles. Use large potatoes and boil with skin on until cooked. Cut them in quarters length wise and place 4 quarters on each plate and ladle the sauce and Mung Beans over them. You will need to increase the amount of Mung Beans to 1 1/2 cups and the chicken stock to 2 1/4 cups. The rest of the ingredients can remain the same.

Linguine Espagnol

Pasta has always been one of my favorite ingredients to use in my cooking. In a nutshell, it really is one of those comfort foods and so easy to prepare. There are countless ways that you can include it in recipes and  numerous types as well. I have used the fresh varieties that usually need only 1 to 2 minutes time to cook as well as the dry varieties that take a bit longer, about 8 minutes or so.

Today, I want to introduce chicken, shrimp, and chorizo to a wonderful cream sauce of onion, green pepper, and button mushroom, in highlighting our linguine pasta. The marriage of flavors is delightful and will certainly satisfy every member of the family. Accented with a touch of sauteed chopped bacon, this dish sits just outside of the Carbonara family, since we will not be using eggs. With the Spanish influence of the chorizo in this dish, I have decided to call it Linguine Espagnol.

OK, you know the drill, let's get all our ingredients together and prepare for cooking. First, a word about chorizo. It is important that we use this saussage as opposed to Italian or Mexican saussage, otherwise I would have to call this dish something else. Chorizo has a distinct flavor, with all the different spices that were used to make it. Trust me, you will enjoy it.








 This recipe will serve a party of 4:

16 oz. package of dry linguine
1 lb. chicken breast, sliced (or fresh chicken breast tenders already sliced for you)
3/4 lb. chorizo in casing (about 4 links), sliced in 3/4 inch pieces
3 strips plain, lean bacon, sliced in 1/2 inch slices
1/2 lb medium size shrimp
1 medium white onion, chopped or sliced
1 small green bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, diced
1 cup sliced button mushrooms
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon crushed pepper
(have salt ready; however, I don't think you'll need any)

In a 10" (bottom diameter) or larger pan, saute the bacon over medium heat for about 3 minutes. Remove and drain on a paper towel. Discard any excess drippings from the pan. Return pan to medium heat and saute the chorizo with 1/2 of the olive oil for about 4 minutes or until browned. With your spatula, move it over to one half of the pan and add your chicken. Keeping the heat at medium, lightly brown the chicken and then stir both meats together so that chicken gets coated with the oils from the chorizo. Continue the saute for a few more minutes and then remove meat and set aside in a bowl.

Continuing over medium heat, add the other half of the olive oil (if you feel you need to) and saute the onions, peppers, and garlic. Cook until onions and pepper nicely soften and then add your mushrooms. Mix all the vegetables well with your spatula. Now sprinkle the flour over all the vegetables and after flour is well incorporated into the vegetables, add your chicken stock and carefully scrape the bottom of the pan so as to deglaze (the color of the sauce should begin to be turning a light rustic beige) and the sauce begins to thicken a bit. As the cooking progresses, if you feel you need to add a little more chicken stock, go ahead and do so. Stir well and add your crushed pepper and continue stirring. Lower your heat to low and cook for about 5 minutes covered and then add all your meats including the bacon  (but not the shrimp) back in the pan. Stir all together well, cover and cook for about 5 to 7  more minutes. Finally, add the shrimp and the cream, stir well, and cook for a few  more minutes covered. Taste sauce for flavor. If you need salt, add a bit, but I don't think you will.

About 10 minutes before serving, have water boiling in a pot and add the dry linguine, along with a teaspoon of salt and some olive oil. Cook the linguine in boiling water (stirring every couple of minutes) for about 8 to 10 minutes for al dente (meaning just done, firm but cooked through, not mushy). Plate by placing the linguine in a circular pattern at the center and carefully spooning  the sauce over the top. Top off with a little bit of chopped fresh basil or parsley and sprinkle grated Swiss or Parm over the top. Serve hot and enjoy!