Baked Mostaccioli

(for 4-6 people with an appetite) (or 10 small children)

You are going to need 1 pound of mostaciolli from the market. Place in slightly salted boiling water. Spoon one mostaciolli out, after stiring from time to time for about 15-20 minutes, and taste to see where it is in the cooking process. They should be al dente, how Italians say or to the tooth (a little bite). Then put aside for the time being in a mixing bowl. In a sauce pan, drizzle about 2 tbsp. olive oil, and saute a small diced up onion and 3 chrushed cloves of garlic on medium heat.

Then, add 1 lb. of ground round and brown. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Now, in the bowl with the pasta add the cooked ground round and mix. Add 2 cups of the marinara sauce I have on my marinara sauce page. Stir in the sauce, add about 6 ounces of mozzerella cheese, from a 12 ounce bag, and mix and pour into a deep baking dish. Add the rest of the 6 ounces of the mozzerella cheese on top and bake at 325 degrees, uncovered for 30 minutes.

If you are cooking for yourself like I do, just cut everything down in half or a quarter of this recipe. This is alot of food and it goes great with a nice salad with a vinegarette dressing. What ever your dinner table will look like, I’m sure that this dish would be an extra added treat.

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Barbeque Ribs and Sauce

Lets get 'em first! Go to the store and pick out the slab o'ribs you want! Then, go back home. Lets prep them! I always pull off the skin on the back of the ribs and then score between the bones with a small paring knife.

Mix and slap that slab all over the place with the stuff! Make sure you get every nook and cranny! While the rub is just a seaping in them juicy ribs, we are going to have some fun. Find a patch of peppermint in the yard, or your neighbors yard, or go back to the store and get a good handful. Clean it, take off the leaves and and put them in the blender. Now, I have never measured this, but in Sicilian its called "MOGLIO", which means BETTER, but its the BEST.!!

You put with the pepperment leaves in the blender and add:

The Sauce

A quart of ketchup, a little less than a cup of vinegar, squeezed the juice of two lemons, put in 1 tbsp. dry mustard, 1 tbsp. sugar, 1/4 cup of brown sugar, a pinch of cayene pepper, salt and pepper to taste, *and simmer slowly! And wow, you have one heck of a sauce. Or you can just go to the store and buy a bottle. Its not the same thing though when you make your own from scratch. After you make it, taste it, play with it,and maybe even add a few things to it. You know, the fun comes in when you experiment. The only thing you need now is a BBQ pit or two chicken cages tied together.

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Roast with Gravy

Knew a gal once who once used to buy a 3 lb. roast and a 5 lb. roast and stick them both in the oven. When the 3 lb. roast burned up, she knew the 5 lb. roast had to be ready! We aren't going to do that, but you are going to have a great meal when you are done!

5lb.- 6 lb. bottom round for roasting

mixed vegetables:

2 peeled carrots chopped in 1'' pieces

2 medium onions cut in quarters

2 white potatoes peeled and cut into 1'' square pieces

1 green bell pepper cleaned and cut into desired size

1 yellow bell pepper cleaned and cut into desired size

Take a small bowl and mix together:

1/3 cup of flour

1/2 tsp. thyme

1/2 tsp. basil

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. paprika

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. sugar

Then, mix the ingredients together real good! Then take the dry mixture and coat the bottom round and shake off the access. Heat pot and drop 4 tbsp. of olive oil at the bottom of a 3 quart sauce pan with 2 tbsp.of butter. Brown all sides of the round and then add vegetables. Then add 1/4 cup of beef stock and place the pan in oven at 350 degrees covered for 45 minutes and 6 seconds! Take the lid, or foil off and bake at 325 degrees for fifteen more minutes basting the round with the juices. The internal temperature of the round should be at 160 degrees. I hope you do have a meat thermometer. Every kitchen should have one, if not, use your eye and/or take the first finger of your right hand, and poke firmly into the side. If it pokes back, it ain't done! And now you'll have to punish it by eating all of it!

The sauce or gravy I promised you! Take the roast out of the pan to rest for 10 minutes on a platter surrounded by the vegetables. Now we are going to deglaze the pan for the gravy. Strain off the access fat setting it aside. Using a wooden spoon, if you have one, or a regular spoon will work, or a spatula, add 2 tbsp. of butter, 1/2 cup of beef stock over a high heat stirring and scraping all the brown off the bottom of the pan. Skim off the fatty oil that was left behind from the access fat from before and add to the pot. Now, add a little flour at a time to achieve the desired consistency of the sauce or gravy. Taste it and add salt and pepper to taste. Maybe it won't need any.

Slice to desired thickness, serve with the vegetables and I always put the gravy on the side so your family or guests can take what they need. If you made your gravy too thick, thin it out by adding a little water or stock to it. But taste, always taste! Experiment! Have fun in the kitchen!

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Bruscialoni and Sauce

This is it. The big one. My favorite recipe of all time. It's easy, but takes an afternoon to prepare and cook. Here it is...my recipe for...bruscialoni!!! You may copy and paste or visit when needed.

My Secret Family Recipe BRUSCIALONI (broo-sha-low-nee) serves 8 You will need 1 good sized round steak. Put it between two pieces of plastic wrap and pound out with an object that has a smooth bottom. Drizzle on both sides a little olive oil and a little salt and pepper. Let's start the sauce first. I gave this to you before, but, here it is again.

PELATI POMODORO MARINARA SALSA (SUGU)

Add strained tomato juice to thin this out, a little, not too much. Bring the heat up to high, until semi-boiling. Then reduce, cover and simmer for about an hour. Then add 1/2 cup of red wine(optional), and simmer for another 15 minutes. While this is simmering on the stove, let's start step number 2. In a bowl mix together well with your hands:

Lay out the round steak on your clean counter and place the mixed ingredients from the bowl onto the steak and pat it down. At this point, you add 2 slices of mozzarella cheese and a couple leaves of spinach. Then, 2 or 3 hard boiled eggs (depending the size. I always put 3!). Now, roll it up. This where it gets tricky and a bit cumbersome. Be patient though.You must tie together with a 3 to 4 foot long string and I'll do my best to describe how this is done.

Lay the 3 to 4 foot long string down on the counter and lift the rolled round steak on top of it to where the string runs from top to bottom. Not from side to side. Then pull one end of the string up to about 2 inches from that end. Holding the string with your fingers on top, wrap the string underneath. Pull it around the part of the string you are holding and repeat the process until you are all the way down to the other end. Then loop and tie off at that end. Cut off the remaining string.

In a large deep skillet, heat 4 tbs. of olive oil and 2 cloves of garlic. Place the bruscialoni in the skillet and brown on all sides. Don't worry if bits and pieces fall out. Remove for a minute and deglaze with 1/8 cup each of red wine and water and reduce (you can omit the wine). Put the bruscialoni back in the large skillet, or sauce pot. Pour your sauce over the entire bruscialoni.

Put in a preheated 300 degree oven and bake for 2, to 2 1/2 hours. Prepare mostaccioli per the directions on the package. Cook al dente (to the tooth). Pull the skillet, or sauce pot out of the oven, remove the bruscialoni and set aside for 5 - 6 minutes. Place a cup or so of the sauce the bruscialoni cooked in, into the drained mostaccioli and cook the sauce into it for 3 minutes.

On the platter you placed the bruscialoni, snip the string carefully. Now slice it about 2 inches thick. You'll see the inside, the colors and the ingredients. Plate up the mostaccioli, sprinkle with fresh grated Parmagiano Reggiano, fresh chopped parsley and a beautiful slice of the bruscialoni.

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Chicken Spedini

You'll need about 4 good sized boneless chicken breasts for this one. After you clean them, dry them and stick them in the freezer for about 8 minutes. Take them out, lay them flat and slice them parallel to the cutting board and open them up.

Use a meat mallot, or, the bottom of a heavy glass, pound gently each slice to where it is thin enough. Then salt and pepper lightly each slice and set aside.

In a bowl, mix together really well:

1 cup of seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 cup of parmagiano cheese
1/2 cup of virgin olive oil
1/8 cup fresh chopped parsley
2 cloves fresh chopped garlic
1/4 cup of finely chopped onions
salt and pepper to taste

If you have to, add a little extra olive oil to make moist, but not soaked. Lay out a slice of the chicken and place a dollop of the mixture, spread and press down with fingers. Add a piece of provolone cheese and a slice of prosciutto ham in the center and roll up. Put a bay leaf inbetween each chicken spedini (not inside the spedini but on top).. Place the rolled up chicken Spedini in a Pam or Olive Oil sprayed baking dish and repeat this process. If you have any of the mixture left, sprinkle a little on top.

Then cover and put the baking dishin into the oven at 325 degrees for 60 minutes.

Then uncover and bake at 300 degrees for 10 more! Mama Mia! Remove the bay leaves and discard.

Serve them with a garnish of fresh parsley and a slice of lemon. Maybe a small side order of your favorite pasta!

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Cod Fish

5 Pounds of Cod cleaned and cut on a bias so to make them more easier to handle with your fingers. It's best to cut them on that bias when they are a bit firm from being frozen. Put these pieces of cod in a bowl and drizzle over them my Italian Salad Dressing.

Let marinade for 15 minutes. 45 minutes if frozen (should be thawed by then). In a bowl, mix: 1 1/2 cups of cornmeal flour 1/2 cup of flour 1 tbs. salt 6 tbs. of My Dry Rub Seasoning.

Dredge each piece of cod through the dry mixture and set aside. Heat 3 cups of shortening to 360 degrees and carefully add the cod. When it is golden brown and floats to the top, it's done.

In another bowl, mix:

1 cup of mayonaise
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 diced up sweet pickle, or 2 depending on the size
the juice of 1 fresh lemon

Mix that together and you have yourself one great Tarty Tar Tar for dipping.

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Creole Shrimp

Ingredients:

5 lbs shrimp
jumbo 1 bottle french dressing
1 lb butter
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup worcestershire sauce
1 tsp tabasco sauce (more if tastes allow for it)
1 Tbsp garlic powder

Place unpeeled shrimp in a large baking dish. Pour dressing and lemon juice over shrimp; cut sticks of butter into small pieces scattering over shrimp. Sprinkle mixture with seasonings. When melted, the liquid should just about cover the shrimp.

Bake at 300 degrees for about 1 hour, turning frequently.

HAVE PLENTY OF NAPKINS AVAILABLE!!!!!

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Meatballs

In a large bowl, mix together:

1/2 cup of grated parmagiano and/or romano cheese

Mix together well with your hands. Then add 1/4 cup of milk and about 6 crushed soda crackers. Shape the mixture into 2'' round balls. Heat your skillet, add 1/4 cup of olive oil and brown the meatballs. Add to my Marinara Sauce, which the recipe is located in the recipe archive menu, and cook for approximately 1/2 hour. Make any style pasta you like and go to town! Mama Mia!

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Orange Roughy

A frozen package with 2 roughy's, about 1 lb., will do.

Usually you can find 6 oz. of dried Porcini Mushrooms where the mushrooms are at the grocery store, and they have to be reconstituted. By that I mean you put them in water for 10 minutes or so, or until they become soft (about a cup). Reserve the juices from the mushroom flavored water.

Heat your skillet with 2 tbs. olive oil and 2 tbs. of real butter, sprinkle corn meal flour and my dry rub seasoning (this is in a link in the e-mail recipe newsletter) over the Roughy and place in the skilllet. 3 minutes on one side and 2 on the other.

Put them in a 325 degree preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove the skillet from the oven and place the Orange Roughy on a plat. Return the skillet to the stove top and add 1 tbs. of butter and the remaining mushroom stock. With a wooden spoon, preferrably, scrape off the browness of the fish. You are deglazing the pan. Then add your mushrooms and saute for about 3 - 5 minutes. Then pour over the Orange Roughy. There ya have it!