Simple Italian Sauce

Simple Pasta Sauce

(about 3 cups)

Ingredients:

3 cloves Fresh Garlic, minced or pressed

3 tbsp. Tomato Paste

2 ½ cups Tomato Sauce

2 tbsp. Sugar

½ cup Red Wine

1 tsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

To taste Salt and Black Pepper

Directions:

In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, add the tomato paste and garlic.  Cook stirring for 2-3 minutes until starting to brown.  Add the tomato sauce and sugar while stirring and cook about 5 minutes.  To this mixture add the wine and bring to a simmer.  Continue simmering for 10-15 minutes.  Just before service, add the olive oil, mix, taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.  Serve with hot pasta.

Note:               You could cook meatballs or Italian sausage links before starting in a sauté pan.  Then remove from pan and start making sauce in the same pan.  If you do this, add the wine before the tomato sauce to help deglaze the pan.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Homemade Pasta

Homemade Pasta

(about ¼ lb. of pasta or 1 serving)

Ingredients:

¾ cup All Purpose Flour (a light three-quarters cup)

Pinch of Salt

1 large Fresh Egg

Additional flour for kneading

Directions:

In a bowl combine the flour and salt before making a mound with the mixture on your work surface.  Make a well in the center of the flour and crack your egg (eggs-see note) into the center of the well.  Beat the egg with a fork and then start incorporating the flour into it using the inside rim of the well.  Continue this until the egg and flour are completely amalgamated.  Lightly flour the work surface and start to knead the dough using mostly your palms.  Knead the dough for about 10 minutes or until it is smooth, firm and elastic.  Wrap the dough in plastic and let rest refrigerated for about 20 minutes.  Next roll the dough out to a thickness you want for your pasta and cut into shapes desired.  You can cut into lasagna shape, ravioli shape or into long pasta of various widths. (if you have a pasta machine follow the machine’s directions for what you want to make)  Let the cut pasta dry for at least an hour before cooking it.  Fresh pasta takes about 2-3 minutes to cook in boiling salted water.

Note:               To make a larger batch of dough (depends on how many you’re cooking for), just add a light ¾ cup of flour and a pinch of salt to each egg.  Each egg makes about a ¼ pound of fresh pasta.  That’s not the same as dry pasta you buy in the store.

Note:               If you’re short of energy or time, the food processor works too.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Part Two of Italian Cooking

In Part II today, I'm going to talk about pasta.  I'm sure most of you know what it is and have eaten it many times.  What many of you may not know is that pasta doesn't just come in a box as a dry product.  You can buy or easily make fresh pasta too.

Now there is nothing wrong with using the dry pasta out of a box.  It's a great and convenient food.  Depending on where you live, it can be found  in an infinite variety of shapes and sizes.  Especially at an Italian market.  I'll just put my favorite one's link right here for you to check out.  Tenuta's

But you can also buy fresh pasta in the stores.  It is much more limited in shapes and sizes.  One problem is those in smaller markets/stores may not carry fresh pasta.  You will have to check your area for one that does carry it.

A third option is make it yourself.  Now many of you will say but I don't have a pasta machine.  Well you don't need one to make fresh pasta.  You'll be more limited on shapes and sizes but the basic ones are doable.  In fact, tomorrow's recipe is for "Homemade Pasta" so give it a try.

Once you have picked your pasta for the meal, it has to be cooked.  So let's talk about cooking pasta, both the dry kind and fresh pasta.  All pasta basically cooks the same way but different types, shapes, sizes or uses cook for different lengths of time.

For all pasta you need a large pot that can hold a lot of water.  You want about 3-4 quarts of water to every pound of pasta you cook.  Put the pot filled with cold water on the stove at high heat until it comes to a boil. Then add the salt to the water.  I would use about a tablespoon to a gallon of water.  After the salt is in the pot add the pasta.  How you add it depends on the kind you are cooking.  If it is long dry pasta, slowly put one end in the water and as it softens push the remaining pasta into the water and is completely immersed.  For short pastas, just pour them into the water.  Be sure to stir the pasta after it has been in the water about 30 seconds so it doesn't stick to it's self or the pot.  If cooking a filled pasta such as ravioli, carefully place it in the water.

The length of time to cook pasta varies.  For dry pasta follow the directions on the box.  I would suggest cooking it a minute or two less then it calls for so that the pasta is al dente.  This is especially true if you are going to add the pasta to the sauce in the pan and continue cooking a little before serving.

Fresh pasta takes much less time to cook, whether it is homemade or fresh bought.  The usual rule of thumb for pasta is 10-12 minutes for dry pasta, 2-3 minutes for fresh pasta and 8-10 minutes for filled pasta.  The filled pasta will usually float when it is done.  Frozen pasta is also available and most the time is a filled pasta. Again just follow directions on the package.

Once the pasta is cooked, what do you do?  Americans have a tendency to drain the pasta, rinse it and add olive oil to keep it from sticking together.  Only in American would we do such crazy things.  The rinsing removes the starch that helps the sauce to cling.  The oil keeps the sauce from clinging too.

The Italian way is to use a strainer that can be dipped into the pasta water and remove the pasta to the pan with the sauce.  They combine the pasta and sauce in one pan before putting on a serving platter or dish.  Americans usually serve the pasta and sauce in separate dishes.  Americans also use much more sauce to pasta then the Italians.  You decide on which way you will do it but I'll suggest trying the Italian way.

The other advantage of the Italian way is if you need a little liquid in the pan after combining pasta and sauce, you can just dip a little pasta water out and use it.  It adds great flavor without damaging the pasta dish.  Americans don't have any pasta water to use because they put it down the drain.

I hope this helps you with your pasta in the future.  The other recipe this week is for "Simple Pasta Sauce" and will be out there on Thursday.  Have a great week and "Happy Cooking."

Braised Short Ribs

                                            Braised Short Ribs

(4 servings)

Ingredients:

4 pieces (2 ½ - 3 lb.) Bone-in Beef Short Ribs

As needed Salt & Black Pepper

2 tbsp. Canola Oil

1 medium Yellow Onion, chopped

2 large Carrots, chopped

1 large Celery Stalk, chopped

2 tbsp. Tomato Paste

2-3 Fresh Garlic, peeled & smashed

2 cups Red Wine (your choice)

2 Bay Leaves

4 sprigs Fresh Thyme (tie together)

2 cups Beef Broth

To taste Salt & Black Pepper

Directions:

Pat the short ribs dry with a paper towel and then season generously with salt and pepper on all sides.  Heat oil in a Dutch oven or heavy pot/sauté pan with lid on high heat until oil is about to smoke or is shimmering.  Add the short ribs and cook until well brown on all sides (2-4 minutes per side).  Be sure not to over crowd the pan while browning the meat.  Do in batches if necessary and then side aside in a large bowl or pan.  Lower the heat to medium and add the onion, carrot and celery to the pan.  Cook until onions have softened (6-8-minutes) and then add the tomato paste.  Cook the tomato paste stirring continuously until it has browned (2-3 minutes).  Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.  Now add the wine, bay leaves and thyme to the pot.  Using a wooden spoon, stir to loosen anything stuck to the bottom or sides.  Increase the heat to medium-high and reduce liquid by half (about 10 minutes).  Now add the beef broth and mix before returning the short ribs to the pot.  Bring to a simmer, add lid and place in a pre-heated 300 degree oven for 2 ½ to 3 hours.  Short ribs are done when they are tender to the fork and are not falling apart.  Be sure to have moved the oven rack to the lower third of oven before heating.  Remove ribs to a platter (tent with foil) and strain pot mixture through a fine-mesh strainer.  Be sure to use a spatula to help push mixture through strainer.  Let liquid set for 5 minutes and then remove as much fat as possible.  Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.  Pour sauce over the short ribs and serve with mashed potatoes.

Note:               I believe the best wine to use is Cabernet Sauvignon in this dish.  But any red wine will work.

Note:               If sauce is too thin, mix 2 tsp. corn starch with tbsp. water per cup of sauce to create slurry.  Heat the sauce in the pan over medium-high heat and whisk in the corn starch mixture.  Heat sauce to a boil whisking to thicken and then serve over the meat and potatoes.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

(15 servings)

Ingredients:

3 pkgs. (8 oz.) Cream Cheese, room temperature

3 large Fresh Eggs

¾ cup Sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

2 pkgs. (16.5 oz.) Refrigerator Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

Directions:

In a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese, eggs, sugar and vanilla until well incorporated.  Slice each roll of cookie dough into ¼ inch slices.  Arrange half of the dough slices in the bottom of a greased (or sprayed) 9x13 baking dish.  Press the slices together so the bottom of the dish is solid cookie dough.  Now top this with the cream cheese mixture and spread evenly over the cookie dough.  Top this mixture with the remaining cookie dough slices.  Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until it is golden brown and the center is slightly firm.  Remove from the oven and let cool on the counter before covering and placing in the refrigerator to chill.  Refrigerate at least two hours before cutting into serving pieces.  Top with a chocolate or fudge sauce and/or whipped topping.

Note:               Remember to keep the cookie dough refrigerated until ready to slice and assemble.

Ideas for Future Efforts

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What's To Come As The Blog Continues

Next week as I start the second half of my second year doing the "Cabana Boy Cooks" blog, I'll be cutting back to just 3 posts (days) a week.  The blog posts will continue to come out on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday each week.

There may be an occasional Friday blog post if that week warrants a forth.  The Friday blog will always be another recipe for that week.

The reason behind the change in the number of posts I do each week has to do with my time.  I am working on a few other projects that will limit the amount of time I have to work on the blog.  None of these projects have happened or started but I'm getting myself ready for the changes as they will impact my current schedule.

I will let you know, through this blog, what and whee involved in these other things.

As always, I'm continually looking for ideas on where people need help in the kitchen or with their cooking. Please let me know if there is some particular item that you would like covered in my blog.

That call for topics is not limited to just folks in the USA.  I have people from over 20 countries that follow this blog with some regularity.  If you have any questions about regional foods in America or how I can help you with foods in your country, just let me know.  If I don't know the answer, I'll do some research and get an answer for you.

This week I have two recipes.  The first comes from, Monica, a young lady that works in the same area as my wife.  It's a dessert recipe for "Chocolate Chip Cheesecake" and was a big hit at the last office pot luck.  I have not tried it but will take the word of my wife as she is the dessert expert in the family.  I will be trying it soon as there are a few others in the family that seem to enjoy desserts.  That will be Thursday.

Because the weather is suppose to be cooling down as we get into October (even though it hasn't yet in our area).  This Friday's recipe will be for "Braised Short Ribs" which is a great stick to your ribs dish.  Braising is a technique for browning meat and then simmering it until tender.  It was made for short ribs.

Have a great week and enjoy the great month of October.  It is one of my favorite months of the year.

With This Week, The Blog is 1 1/2 Years Old

It's hard to believe that I am writing my 78th week of "Cabana Boy Cooks" blog.  I've been having fun doing this for the last year and a half.  I hope that all of you that are following my blog have enjoyed it too.

My hope has been that this food blog has helped all of you in some way.  Whether it was getting you into the kitchen just to start cooking, opened you to new ideas or different ways of thinking about cooking.

I've heard from many of you during this year and a half.  In a lot of different ways too.  I thank you for all the support, questions and suggestions.  Please keep them coming because that lets me know there really is interest in what I'm trying to provide with the blog.

Over the course of this blog I have already posted more recipes than I have in my cookbook More Than Your First Cookbook.  Including the two recipes this week in the blog the total comes to 140 different recipes so far.  The cookbook only has 125 recipes.

I'm sure most of you have not tried all of them yet.  Looking at the recipe page of the blog, it would be difficult to where to start in trying all the different recipes.  I'm sure that all of you that have tried some recipes have picked a few favorites.  I'm going to mention a few that followers and I have picked as favorites.  To help you out I'm linking all of the mentioned recipes so if you click on it, it will take you straight to the recipe.

One of my friends and her family make my Pan Fried Chicken almost weekly. I've heard nothing but great reviews on my Spicy Cream Corn.  The same holds true for the Harvest Grains Salad (V).  A couple of dessert recipes that have been popular at book signings or other events are Fran’s Bars (V) and Easy Cheesecake Recipe (V).

I know I have some favorites and will share them with you too.  I love soup and my most favorite on the blog is the Chicken Wild Rice Soup.  For salads I'd have to say the most refreshing I think is the
Mandarin Orange Pudding (V).  For sandwiches, I'm a burger man and the Mushroom & Swiss Stuffed Burger is great.  The Butterfly Coconut Shrimp and Crab Casserole (My Favorite) are my top main dishes.  The two side dishes are great holiday items to serve.  They are the potato dish called Beacom Special (V) and another casserole dish named Savory Spinach & Artichoke Stuffing (V).  I'm not huge on dessert (God forgive me) but come holiday time I've got to have My Favorite Thumb Print Cookie (V).  Under my "Odds & Ends" heading, I die for the 

Garlic Bread (V) and Crab Cakes.

Today's blog puts 15 of the most popular recipes at easy hand for you.  If one of your favorites didn't make the list, just let me know and we'll give it a shout-out in a future blog.  Thanks again for all your support and help with a project that I love doing.  Happy Cooking!