MJ's Moderation

Home-Made Spaghetti Sauce

While cleaning out our freezer recently, I came across several packages of frozen tomatoes from last summer's garden.  You can freeze fresh, whole tomatoes in freezer bags and then when they thaw, the skins slip right off.  Romas are best for this recipe because they are meatier and have fewer seeds, but any kind will do. 

Ingredients:
6 cups fresh tomatoes - peeled, seeded & chopped.
2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 cup onion
1/4 cup red wine
1 small can of V-8 juice (5.5 oz.)
3 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 can tomato paste (3 oz.)
1 large grated carrot
2 small stalks of tender celery (with green tops) - finely chopped
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. celery salt
1/2 tsp. regular salt
1/4 black pepper
1 tsp. dried oregano or Italian seasonings
1 tsp. dried parsley
1 T brown sugar (you may need to add a bit more if your tomatoes are very acidic... go by taste.)

OPTIONAL:
3/4 cup cooked Italian sausage or ground beef, crumbled
Shredded or grated Parmesan cheese for topping
* * * * *

Saute garlic and onion in 2 T of olive oil until translucent.  Add tomatoes, V8, carrot, celery, salt, celery salt, pepper, oregano & parsley.  Cook covered over low-medium heat for 20 minutes.  Uncover and cook for an additional 20 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally and watching so bottom does not burn. Remove from heat and cool.

Puree mixture in blender & return to pot. At this point, depending on the type of tomatoes used, you may have to drain excess juice or water from the mixture. Stir in brown sugar, grated cheese and an additional Tbsp. of olive oil & cook over medium heat for another 10 minutes. Taste & adjust seasonings to your liking.  Add crumbled meat if desired and cover and simmer for another 20 minutes.

Ladle over spaghetti or vermicelli pasta and sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese.  Excellent along side a salad of romaine tossed with vinaigrette and slices of crusty Italian bread. Serves 4.

Braised Short Ribs

Suddenly - perhaps due to a faltering economy - comfort food is back in vogue.  This recipe is perfect for that old cast iron dutch oven you have hidden way in the back of your regular pots and pans.  Or maybe you have a beautiful new Le Creuset version.  Either one will work. The photo below shows the ribs after about an hour of cooking.

Ingredients:
3 to 4 lbs. of beef short ribs, bone-in
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup flour
1   carrot, diced
1   large onion, diced
1   stalk celery, diced
1 T. tomato paste
2 c. red wine (Cabernet is ideal)
2 c. beef broth
1 tsp. dried thyme
Zest of one orange
2  bay leaves
1 T. brown sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Season short ribs with salt and pepper and dredge in flour. In a dutch oven (or  heavy duty oven-proof lidded saucepan) heat oil over medium high heat, then add short ribs and sear until brown on all sides. Remove ribs from the an & set aside.  Next, pour off any excess oil from pan - leaving several tablespoons - and reduce heat to medium & add the vegetables and sauté for 5 minutes to caramelize. Stir in the tomato paste. Deglaze with the red wine and reduce sauce by half over medium heat. Next add the beef broth, thyme, orange zest, bay leaves & brown sugar. Return the short ribs to the pan, cover and place in the middle of preheated oven.

Cook for approx. 3 hours or until beef is tender and is pulling away from the bone. Remove beef and strain broth into a saucepan, discarding remnants. Skim any fat off the top of the broth*, and reduce to a light sauce consistency over medium heat . Pour the sauce back over the short ribs and serve with mashed potatoes, polenta, or noodles - and your favorite vegetable accompaniment.

* at this point, you may also place sauce in refrigerator or freezer for approx. 30 minutes to an hour or until fat settles on top.  This makes it easier to remove.  Then replace sauce in pan to reheat along with the meat.

Tuna Salad Pizza

Rustic and easy to make, if not a little time-consuming, because of all the chopping involved. Convenient because you can use whatever veggies you have on-hand in the kitchen & you probably have a box of Bisquick knocking around your pantry, too. You can even make this the evening before and store covered in the fridge. 

INGREDIENTS:
1-1/2 cups Bisquick mix
1/3 cup boiling water
1 bunch (approx 5) thinly sliced green onions, stems removed
1 8 oz. package lite softened cream cheese
1/2 cup lite sour cream
1 Tbsp. fresh dill, chopped (or 1 tsp. dried dillweed)
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
ground black pepper to taste.
1 can (6 oz.) water-packed white albacore tuna, drained
3 cups (approx.) fresh vegetables such as chopped celery, carrot shreds, sliced radishes, broccoli florets, red &/or green pepper strips, thinly sliced red onion, tomato bits, mushrooms, black olives, etc.
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese.

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Combine Bisquick, boiling water, and sliced green onions in a small bowl until combined into a soft dough.

Pat dough on a flour covered board until flattened, flipping several times to stretch into a large circle.  Transfer to an ungreased 12 or 14 inch pizza pan & finish rolling dough with hands to a large, thin round (small lumps and uneven edges are ok.)

Bake about 10 minutes, or until light brown. Cool at least 10 to 15 minutes before topping. Remove from pan to a large serving platter.

Mix together cream cheese, sour cream, dillweed, garlic powder, salt & pepper until smooth.  Stir in tuna pieces until well combined.  Spread evenly over cooled crust.  Top with chopped/sliced vegetables & then with shredded cheese.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.  Garnish with fresh dill if available.

Cut into mini-squares for appetizers, or serve wedges for a healthy lunch or dinner. Biff calls this one "Catfood Surprise."  The surprise?  All the veggies. :-)

Tortellini Carbonara

This is the 2nd installment of my pasta phase. 

INGREDIENTS:
6 strips bacon - cooked, drained & crumbled
1 T. olive oil
1 T. minced fresh italian parsley
1 tsp. chopped garlic
1 T. balsamic vinegar
3/4 cup whipping cream or half-n-half
1/2 cup grated (not shredded) Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup julienned red pepper or chopped roma tomato for color.
1 (9 ox.) package refrigerated cheese tortellini - or equal amount of prepared dried tortellini
Fresh cracked black pepper to taste

In a large saucepan, fry the bacon until crisp.  Drain fat. Add olive oil to the pan and saute the garlic lightly - and add the red pepper and saute until tender.  Next add the crumbled bacon, cream, balsamic vinegar, grated cheese and and parsley.  Stir until sauce is hot and thickened.  Pour over pasta and toss to coat well. 

Garnish with fresh cracked black pepper,parmesan cheese, and parsley sprig.
Serves 3 to 4 people.

* I prefer to use the grated Parmesan cheese for the sauce because the shredded style tends to clump together. For the garnish, I prefer to use the shredded, but you can use whatever you have on hand. I've also made this using half-n-half instead of cream and I think it turns out better, not to mention fewer calories. 

Tuscan Chicken

Unlike my daughter (Hi, Kit!) I am not a huge pasta fan -- but of late, I have been craving it & actually had it twice in the last few weeks.  The most recent foray into this carb celebration is the following recipe.  Hmmm.....the photo looks suspiciously - uncannily! - like the same dish at the Olive Garden. INGREDIENTS:
4 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
1 cup flour
5 T. olive oil
2 tsp. salt
1-1/4 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. Italian herb seasoning
1T. flour
1-1/4 cup heavy cream
1 T. roasted, chopped garlic
1/2 cup white wine (or chicken broth)
1 red pepper - julienne sliced
1/2 lb. leaf spinach - chopped
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 lb. fettucine

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Mix flour, salt, pepper, & Italian seasoning in a shallow dish or pie plate. Dredge chicken in the mixture.  Heat 3 T. of the olive oil in a large skillet. Saute chicken breasts - 2 at a time - over medium high heat until golden brown and crisp, approx. 3 min each side.  (Add more oil as needed for each batch.)

Transfer cooked chicken to a baking sheet and place in preheated oven.  Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until juices run clear when cut.  Slice each breast and keep warm while making pasta & sauce.

Prepare pasta according to directions on package.  Drain and set aside. 

Heat 2 T. olive oil in skillet.  Add chopped garlic and red pepper slices and cook over medium heat for approx. 2 minutes.  Stir in one T. of flour, chicken broth, spinach and cream and bring to a boil.   Sauce is done when thickened and spinach is wilted.  Stir in the parmesan cheese and until completely combined. 

Add pasta to skillet and coat thoroughly.  Place slices of chicken breasts on top of pasta.  Garnish with additional parmesan cheese and flat leaf (Italian) parsley.

Serves 4 to 6 people.

Corned Beef & Cabbage

"...Always after me Lucky Charms!" -- We're not Irish, but knowing the Vikings pillaged the Emerald Isle centuries ago, I'm sure there's a bit of mixed blood flowing through our veins.  (Or so our family's red hair and freckles would lead us to believe.)

This recipe is meant for a slow-cooker or crock pot.  If you don't have one, a large soup kettle kept on low heat for the better part of a day could also work, if watched and stirred occasionally.

INGREDIENTS:
6 medium peeled carrots, cut into pieces
1 3- to 4-pound corned beef brisket
1 large yellow or white onion
1/2 head cabbage, cut into wedges
1-1/4 cup water
Seasonings: 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds, 1/4 tsp. carraway seed, 1/4 tsp. black pepper, 2 bay leaves.

Put all ingredients in slow cooker in order listed above. (We used Boar's Head Corned Beef.) Cover and set on high for 4 hours, push cabbage wedges down, and then turn to low for remaining 2 hours.  -- or follow your own cooker directions. 

Drain beef when done and slice.  Transfer onions, carrots, and cabbage into a separate bowl, making sure bay leaves are removed. Serve with boiled red potatoes and rye bread and yellow mustard.

Thai-Turkey Lettuce Wraps

INGREDIENTS
1 lb. lean ground turkey
1/3 cup Asian-Sesame dressing (I use "Ken's" brand)
sprinkle of red pepper flakes (optional)
1 clove minced garlic

Saute turkey in covered skillet until juice runs clear. Drain any excess fat and add the dressing, pepper flakes, and the garlic. Heat through and keep warm.

Arrange the following on a serving platter:
1 cup carrot shreds
1 cup fresh bean sprouts
1 large red pepper, julienned
1 medium red onion, halved & thinly sliced
1 large or 2 small heads of Boston (butter-head) lettuce - full leaves separated, washed & dried.
1/2 cup chopped peanuts
1 lime - cut into wedges

In small bowls, set out a variety of dipping sauces:

• Additional asian-sesame dressing
• Soy sauce/rice vinegar mixture (1/4 cup soy, 2 T. rice vinegar)
• Thai-peanut sauce. (Sold in the Asian food section of most grocery stores.)

Using the lettuce leaves as wrappers, fill with available ingredients. Squeeze a little lime juice over the top & drizzle with desired sauce. Top with chopped peanuts; roll-up & eat! Serves 4.

Chicken Piccata

EEK. This is probably not the most appetizing photo, but trust me -- this fast and easy dinner is delish. Best made with very thin cutlets - I like to buy them already pounded, but you can easily do this yourself.  Just make sure you use high-quality, fresh chicken.

INGREDIENTS:

    * 4 - 6 chicken breast halves, boneless, skinless
    * 1/3 cup flour
    * 1/3 cup fine bread crumbs or cornflake crumbs
    * 1 teaspoon salt
    * 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
    * 1/2 teaspoon paprika
    * 1 tsp. fresh chopped lemon thyme leaves (or 1/2 tsp. dried thyme)
    * 3 tablespoons butter
    * 2 tablespoons olive oil
    * 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
    * 4 - 6 thin slices of lemon
    * 2 tablespoons capers (optional)

SAUCE:
    * 1/2 cup chicken broth
    * 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
    * 1 Tbsp. flour

PREPARATION:
Put chicken breasts between 2 sheets of waxed paper or plastic wrap;
pound with kitchen mallet to flatten to at least 1/2-inch or thinner.

In a shallow bowl, combine flour, bread crumbs, salt, pepper and paprika & thyme;
dredge chicken breasts to coat well.

Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Sauté chicken breasts in batches until crispy - about 4 minutes on each side.
Sprinkle each cutlet with shredded parmesan. Place on baking sheet and keep warm in 200 degree oven while making sauce.

To make sauce:  Drain off all but 2 tablespoons of fat from skillet.
Stir in chicken broth, scraping to loosen any browned bits from pan.
Combine flour and lemon juice until dissolved then add to broth & and heat until thickened.
Return chicken to the skillet with the lemon slices & capers (if desired) until heated through.

Garnish with fresh thyme sprig or parsley.  Serve with couscous and steamed broccoli.

Turkey Tetrazzini

This poor turkey is hightailin' it across the road ASAP, because he knows this recipe is in the making! Excellent for Thanksgiving leftovers -- or bake a few extra chicken breasts just for this.

2 cups cubed or shredded cooked turkey or chicken meat.
1 lb. (cooked) spaghetti or linguine
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms (optional)
2 Tbsp. butter or oil
* * *
SAUCE:
1/4 cup butter or margerine
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken stock
3/4 cup each: milk and dry white wine
1 cup heavy (whipping) cream
1-1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
TOPPING: 
3/4 cup bread crumbs mixed with 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt 2 T. butter or oil over moderate heat -- saute celery, onions, and mushrooms until translucent. Set aside. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain & set aside.

For Sauce: Melt butter over moderate heat, whisk in flour until fully combined
Blend in stock and remaining ingredients & sauteed vegetables (except) turkey & pasta.  Stir until thickened - add turkey & pasta.

Pour into a greased 3 qt. casserole, sprinkle with topping & bake uncovered for 30-40 minutes.  Brown topping an additional few minutes under broiler, if desired.

* * * * * *
ABOUT THE PHOTOS:  WIld turkeys roam the fields and woods of our semi-rural neighborhood.  The flock sticks together and in the summer you can see a gaggle of young ones following in  a line behind the hens and toms.  Toms are HUGE and often can be seen fanning their tails.  Someday if I get a better camera, I'll be able to get a close up :-)

Orvie’s Meatloaf

1 lb. ground beef or ground chuck

1/3 lb. ground pork (unseasoned)

1 cup bread crumbs (herb seasoned) - Brownberry or Progresso*

1 tsp. finely minced onion

1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. Wauwatosa Village Seasoning (read more here**)

½ tsp. Salt

¼ tsp. Black ground pepper
In glass measuring cup, mix & set aside:
   1 egg

   ½ cup milk

   1/3 cup ketchup

Place meat into a large mixing bowl. Combine bread crumbs with onion & dry ingredients &add to the meat and mix well. Add wet ingredients to the meat mixture and combine thoroughly (using your clean hands is the best method!)

Press into a single glass loaf pan. Spread top with approx. one Tbsp. of ketchup – or BBQ sauce, if desired. With tines of fork, score top of loaf.

Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes. After one hour, take out and pour off any excess grease that may accumulate – and then bake for an additional 15 minutes, or until nicely browned. Let sit for a few minutes before slicing and serving.

* you can use also plain unseasoned crumbs, but then add 1 tsp. chopped parsley or marjoram to the mixture.

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This classic American recipe dates back to the 1940's.  It has a fine texture and no single flavor overpowers the dish.  The leftovers make great sandwiches the next day.  **Tosa Village Seasonings is optional - but gives this meatloaf its traditional flavor.  It's available from Penzey's. Not the large national company (although that's great, too) -- but the small, local place run by mom & pop (Ruth & Bill) in Wauwatosa, WI.  Maybe someday, if the kids are lucky, they'll inherit the special recipe....

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

ABOUT THE PHOTO:  This is Orvie [a.k.a. Mom/Grandma/OJ.] She looks pretty good for 90, doesn't she?