Mom's Stovetop Meatloaf

I know I've told you all before that growing up my mom put a can of delmonte on or in every dish she made.  This is another one of those yummy dishes.  I like different varieties of meatloaf but for most of my life this is the only kind I knew.  It's made on the stovetop and is very soft just like a meatball. 

My mom doesn't use the onions but I love the flavor it gives.  I tend to add a little garlic powder and onion powder in it too...you know, just in case.

Mom's Stovetop Meatloaf

Ingredients:
1 pound of ground beef
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup of grated pecorino romano cheese
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 cup cooked white rice, plus more for serving if you wish
extra virgin olive oil
1 -14 ounce can delmonte tomato sauce
garlic powder and onion powder, just sprinkle it on
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Heat olive oil in a small saute pan.  Saute onions and garlic until softened.  Reserve and allow to cool.
In a large bowl mix ground beef, egg, romano cheese, parsley, white rice, cooled onions and garlic, garlic powder and onion powder, salt and pepper.  Pack together and add to a large pan that was drizzled with oil.  Form into a loaf.  Add can of delmonte sauce over the meatloaf.  Cover and let cook over medium- medium low heat for 1 hour.  Slice and serve with sauce, with white rice and peas.

Click here for a printable vesion of this recipe.

Mom's Stovetop Meatloaf

I know I've told you all before that growing up my mom put a can of delmonte on or in every dish she made.  This is another one of those yummy dishes.  I like different varieties of meatloaf but for most of my life this is the only kind I knew.  It's made on the stovetop and is very soft just like a meatball. 

My mom doesn't use the onions but I love the flavor it gives.  I tend to add a little garlic powder and onion powder in it too...you know, just in case.

Mom's Stovetop Meatloaf

Ingredients:
1 pound of ground beef
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup of grated pecorino romano cheese
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 cup cooked white rice, plus more for serving if you wish
extra virgin olive oil
1 -14 ounce can delmonte tomato sauce
garlic powder and onion powder, just sprinkle it on
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Heat olive oil in a small saute pan.  Saute onions and garlic until softened.  Reserve and allow to cool.
In a large bowl mix ground beef, egg, romano cheese, parsley, white rice, cooled onions and garlic, garlic powder and onion powder, salt and pepper.  Pack together and add to a large pan that was drizzled with oil.  Form into a loaf.  Add can of delmonte sauce over the meatloaf.  Cover and let cook over medium- medium low heat for 1 hour.  Slice and serve with sauce, with white rice and peas.

Click here for a printable vesion of this recipe.

Mom's Macaroni and Peas

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Guess what! I am blogging from my couch! Usually I'm blogging from my uncomfortable computer chair in our home office but today I'm not. Today I am blogging from my couch! You see, friday was my 29th birthday and Steve really pays attention. He listens to me when I complain about how uncomfortable I am in the office. He really hears me when I say life would be so much better if I had a laptop so I could blog from our living room. These were not birthday hints mind you. I was 100% complaining! I really didn't expect him to go out and buy me one so you can imagine how excited I was when I opened the perfectly wrapped gift (you should know that Steve is an awesome gift wrapper and often gives in to my begging and wraps all my Christmas gifts!)and saw DELL on the box! So here I am, blogging, from my couch...well club chair. I guess I should get to it already!

When I was a child my mom liked to make this version of Macaroni and Peas. I say this version because my Aunt Maryann taught me how to make a "White" version when I wanted to venture away from recipes involving red sauce. You see, my Mom always was a great cook and she made a mean Sunday Sauce and there was no doubt from her cooking that she liked her red sauce. Her meatloaf was made with a red sauce (it was like a loaf shaped meatball), her stuffed peppers were made with a red sauce (meatball inside a pepper)and her macaroni and peas were made with a red sauce...you get the idea. Well yesterday I got the craving for my mom's version of macaroni and peas. I can't believe that when I was a child I actually complained about this. It wasn't that I didn't like it, I loved it, but I was bit by the culinary bug and I needed a little versatility. I'd like to think that now that I'm all grown up I have taught my mom a thing or two she didn't know about cooking. She taught me all she knew and as I learn I try to teach her. Am I right, Mom? Anyway, I'm really going off topic here. This is a delicious and simple dish. Another one that you can pull right out of the pantry as my mother often did. So thank you mom for teaching me to make something that 15 years I'm still craving.

Mom's Macaroni and Peas

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
handful fresh basil, torn (use frozen or dried if you don't have fresh)
1 - 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 can LeSeueur Peas (substitute frozen if you like)
salt and pepper, to taste
crushed red pepper, to taste
1 tsp. sugar
2 tbsp. romano cheese
1 pound small pasta such as medium shells, ditalini, etc.
extra virgin olive oil


Directions:

Saute onion and garlic in extra virgin olive oil until soft. Add crushed pepper and dried or frozen basil (if using). Add tomatoes, salt, black pepper, and sugar. Let cook for about 25 -30 minutes. Add peas. If you're using canned peas use the juice from the can to thin out the sauce. (This should be a loose sauce but not soupy. Use as much or as little liquid as you like. If using frozen peas add some of the starchy pasta water to thin out the sauce.) Let cook for another 10 minutes on low
to combine flavor of peas with sauce. Add romano cheese, taste and adjust seasoning.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Toss pasta with sauce adding more pasta water if it's too thick. Top with grated cheese.

Mom's Macaroni and Peas

<


Guess what! I am blogging from my couch! Usually I'm blogging from my uncomfortable computer chair in our home office but today I'm not. Today I am blogging from my couch! You see, friday was my 29th birthday and Steve really pays attention. He listens to me when I complain about how uncomfortable I am in the office. He really hears me when I say life would be so much better if I had a laptop so I could blog from our living room. These were not birthday hints mind you. I was 100% complaining! I really didn't expect him to go out and buy me one so you can imagine how excited I was when I opened the perfectly wrapped gift (you should know that Steve is an awesome gift wrapper and often gives in to my begging and wraps all my Christmas gifts!)and saw DELL on the box! So here I am, blogging, from my couch...well club chair. I guess I should get to it already!

When I was a child my mom liked to make this version of Macaroni and Peas. I say this version because my Aunt Maryann taught me how to make a "White" version when I wanted to venture away from recipes involving red sauce. You see, my Mom always was a great cook and she made a mean Sunday Sauce and there was no doubt from her cooking that she liked her red sauce. Her meatloaf was made with a red sauce (it was like a loaf shaped meatball), her stuffed peppers were made with a red sauce (meatball inside a pepper)and her macaroni and peas were made with a red sauce...you get the idea. Well yesterday I got the craving for my mom's version of macaroni and peas. I can't believe that when I was a child I actually complained about this. It wasn't that I didn't like it, I loved it, but I was bit by the culinary bug and I needed a little versatility. I'd like to think that now that I'm all grown up I have taught my mom a thing or two she didn't know about cooking. She taught me all she knew and as I learn I try to teach her. Am I right, Mom? Anyway, I'm really going off topic here. This is a delicious and simple dish. Another one that you can pull right out of the pantry as my mother often did. So thank you mom for teaching me to make something that 15 years I'm still craving.

Mom's Macaroni and Peas

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
handful fresh basil, torn (use frozen or dried if you don't have fresh)
1 - 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 can LeSeueur Peas (substitute frozen if you like)
salt and pepper, to taste
crushed red pepper, to taste
1 tsp. sugar
2 tbsp. romano cheese
1 pound small pasta such as medium shells, ditalini, etc.
extra virgin olive oil


Directions:

Saute onion and garlic in extra virgin olive oil until soft. Add crushed pepper and dried or frozen basil (if using). Add tomatoes, salt, black pepper, and sugar. Let cook for about 25 -30 minutes. Add peas. If you're using canned peas use the juice from the can to thin out the sauce. (This should be a loose sauce but not soupy. Use as much or as little liquid as you like. If using frozen peas add some of the starchy pasta water to thin out the sauce.) Let cook for another 10 minutes on low
to combine flavor of peas with sauce. Add romano cheese, taste and adjust seasoning.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Toss pasta with sauce adding more pasta water if it's too thick. Top with grated cheese.

Mom's Chicken Soup with Cavatelli

A couple of days ago I posted about the chicken and potatoes I made in the oven. In the package of chicken that I bought had a whole chicken that was cut up. I used part of it in my roasted chicken dish (enough to feed two) and the rest of the chicken I used to make this soup. I had a large chicken breast, two wings and a thigh and just to make sure I had enough meat I added an extra chicken breast that I had. I should have listened to my mother and not used so much water because since I didn't have a whole chicken the broth was a little light and bland. No big deal, I threw in a few chicken bouillon cubes. I'm not going to give you an exact recipe for this but I think you'll get the idea.

Add chicken (with bone and skin) to pot with enough cold water to cover. Leave the skin on but if there is a lot of excess skin or fat just trim that off. To the pot add whatever veggies you like and you don't have to get particular about dicing. I cut them into large chunks. I just used two tomatoes, carrots, onion and celery but you can use leeks, mushrooms, garlic, whatever you like. I added bay leaves but you can add parsley or thyme also if you like it. Let it come to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Let it cook until chicken is cooked through (approx 1 hour, depending on amount of chicken). Remove chicken to a dish and let cool. Taste soup for seasoning. Add salt, pepper and if you think it needs a richer taste add bouillon (before you add the salt). When chicken is cool enough to handle shred with two forks (or your fingers) or dice into small pieces. I prefer it shredded because that's how my mother always did it. I used my immersion (stick) blender and blended all the veggies (except for one lone carrot...oops!) but you don't have to do that. You could have cut your veggies smaller and left them whole. Add shredded chicken to the pot. In separate pot cook pasta or rice. I used cavatelli (we pronounce it gah-vah-deel - don't ask, we just do!) and that can be found in the frozen section with the ravioli and tortellini. I've heard this suggested somewhere and called "Italian chicken and Dumpling soup". I wouldn't call this that because it wasn't thick enough for that but you could certainly make a roux and thicken it up. Anyway, I'm getting distracted. If you are only making a small amount of soup you could cook the pasta or rice right in the pot with the soup. I made a large amount so I could freeze it and I didn't want the pasta to get mushy.

It turned out delicious. I definitely recommend using the cavatelli but they are larger than most pasta that I would normally use and so one package was just enough but I would have liked a little more. Maybe we just have big appetites!

Mom's Chicken Soup with Cavatelli

A couple of days ago I posted about the chicken and potatoes I made in the oven. In the package of chicken that I bought had a whole chicken that was cut up. I used part of it in my roasted chicken dish (enough to feed two) and the rest of the chicken I used to make this soup. I had a large chicken breast, two wings and a thigh and just to make sure I had enough meat I added an extra chicken breast that I had. I should have listened to my mother and not used so much water because since I didn't have a whole chicken the broth was a little light and bland. No big deal, I threw in a few chicken bouillon cubes. I'm not going to give you an exact recipe for this but I think you'll get the idea.

Add chicken (with bone and skin) to pot with enough cold water to cover. Leave the skin on but if there is a lot of excess skin or fat just trim that off. To the pot add whatever veggies you like and you don't have to get particular about dicing. I cut them into large chunks. I just used two tomatoes, carrots, onion and celery but you can use leeks, mushrooms, garlic, whatever you like. I added bay leaves but you can add parsley or thyme also if you like it. Let it come to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Let it cook until chicken is cooked through (approx 1 hour, depending on amount of chicken). Remove chicken to a dish and let cool. Taste soup for seasoning. Add salt, pepper and if you think it needs a richer taste add bouillon (before you add the salt). When chicken is cool enough to handle shred with two forks (or your fingers) or dice into small pieces. I prefer it shredded because that's how my mother always did it. I used my immersion (stick) blender and blended all the veggies (except for one lone carrot...oops!) but you don't have to do that. You could have cut your veggies smaller and left them whole. Add shredded chicken to the pot. In separate pot cook pasta or rice. I used cavatelli (we pronounce it gah-vah-deel - don't ask, we just do!) and that can be found in the frozen section with the ravioli and tortellini. I've heard this suggested somewhere and called "Italian chicken and Dumpling soup". I wouldn't call this that because it wasn't thick enough for that but you could certainly make a roux and thicken it up. Anyway, I'm getting distracted. If you are only making a small amount of soup you could cook the pasta or rice right in the pot with the soup. I made a large amount so I could freeze it and I didn't want the pasta to get mushy.

It turned out delicious. I definitely recommend using the cavatelli but they are larger than most pasta that I would normally use and so one package was just enough but I would have liked a little more. Maybe we just have big appetites!

Mom's Rice Pudding

This is a recipe that my mom has been using for years! I've made it before but my mom still makes it the best! This is her photo that my brother took and sent to me. This is great to bring to a potluck, great for a holiday or put it individual portions and keep it for yourself!


Mom’s Rice Pudding

Ingredients

½ gallon milk
1 cup Carolina Rice
1 cup regular sugar
2 Tbsp Vanilla
6 eggs
Cinnamon

Directions:

1. Mix rice in a pot with milk and sugar, let it come to a boil. Let simmer for 1 hour or until rice cooks and thickens. Stir constantly.

2. When rice is almost ready, beat eggs and vanilla in a separate bowl. Add rice to egg mixture and fold it into the eggs quickly. Top with cinnamon and refrigerate.

Mom's Rice Pudding

This is a recipe that my mom has been using for years! I've made it before but my mom still makes it the best! This is her photo that my brother took and sent to me. This is great to bring to a potluck, great for a holiday or put it individual portions and keep it for yourself!


Mom’s Rice Pudding

Ingredients

½ gallon milk
1 cup Carolina Rice
1 cup regular sugar
2 Tbsp Vanilla
6 eggs
Cinnamon

Directions:

1. Mix rice in a pot with milk and sugar, let it come to a boil. Let simmer for 1 hour or until rice cooks and thickens. Stir constantly.

2. When rice is almost ready, beat eggs and vanilla in a separate bowl. Add rice to egg mixture and fold it into the eggs quickly. Top with cinnamon and refrigerate.

Mom's Sausage and Peppers

This is the BEST Sausage and Peppers recipe you will ever find! I'm telling you, it doesn't get better than this! Not just because she's my mom but because it really is that good!!! The sauce is so flavorful you'll want to soak your bread in it! My mom uses sweet Italian sausage but you can use hot if you like or a mixture of both. You could also use a combination of red, yellow and orange peppers (not green), whatever looks good that day or whatever you have on hand.

Mom's Sausage and Peppers

Serves 8

Ingredients:

12 pieces Sweet Italian Sausage, each sliced into 6 pieces
5 large red bell peppers, cleaned and sliced into thin strips
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, sliced
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1-28 oz can crushed tomatoes
crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
6 fresh basil, torn ( my mom freezes basil from her garden so she has it all winter)
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

In a large chicken fryer (large surface area with sides about 3 inches high) brown sausage in extra virgin olive oil. Remove from pan, set aside.

Add onions, garlic, basil and crushed red pepper and saute for a few minutes until onions begin to soften and then add peppers. Cook for about 10-15 minutes or until peppers soften. Add browned sausage and stir together with vegetbales. Add crushed tomatoes, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on medium heat for about 45 minutes.

Serve with some crusty Italian bread sandwich style or for dipping.

Mom's Tip - Cut sausage with a scissor instead of a knife. It cuts through easier without sausage coming out of the casing.

Stuffed Artichokes - Do not be afraid!

I can clearly remember the first time I ever had an artichoke. I was probably about 7 years old and I was extremely picky. It was either Thanksgiving or Christmas and my whole family was sitting around the dining room table. My brother told me he was going to show me how to eat one and since I was always looking for attention from my older brother or sister I wasn't going to say no. In case you never had an artichoke this is how you eat it. Pick off a leaf and use your front teeth to scrape the stuffing and the meat of the leaves off while pulling the leaf away from you. I know some people are put off by eating with their hands or have no idea what to do with an artichoke but hopefully this will help you to see how easy it is. Don't miss out on another artichoke!!!

I make artichokes two different ways, the way my mother taught me and another way that I picked up when I became interested in cooking. My mother keeps most of the artichoke in tact and only cuts of the tops of the artichoke and removes the stem to make a flat surface. Keeping the outer leaves on gives you more leaves for stuffing but those outer leaves aren't as tender as the inner leaves. The other way is to remove most of the tougher outer leaves. You will have less leaves to stuff but practically all of the leaves will be completely edible. Another difference between these two methods are the preparation of the heart of the artichoke. The heart is the bottom of the artichoke which is extremely tender and creamy. This is what you find in cans and frozen in the supermarket. They have some leaves attached and are cut into pieces. I use them in many dishes. So my mother's method leaves the heart completely in tact. Once you get to the heart you use your spoon or knife to remove the choke. The choke MUST NOT be eaten. You seriously will choke on it if you try to eat it. The 2nd method is to use your spoon to remove the purplish leaves from the heart and scrape out the choke before cooking. This gives you a nice hole in the center for stuffing. Either way you chose to make them (and these are not the only two ways!) they will be great. I love artichokes they can be fun, they can be elegant but most of all they are delicious!

I am unable to give you amounts for the stuffing because it really depends on your preference. Some people like a lot of stuffing and some people like very little or no stuffing at all. It also depends on how large your artichokes are and if you are removing the choke and some inner leaves. You'll need more stuffing for the center. So just use this as a guide, I have faith in you!


Ingredients:

Artichokes - cleaned and prepared for stuffing and stems removed and peeled
Plain breadcrumbs or Italian breadcrumbs
Locatelli Romano cheese, grated
onion, cut into small pieces
garlic, minced
fresh parsley, chopped
Parmigiano Reggiano, cut into small pieces
garlic powder
chicken broth or chicken bouillon
salt and pepper
extra virgin olive oil


1. Prepare artichokes by one of the methods described above. Wash them out and drain. Artichokes will turn black once they are cut. You can put them in a bowl with lemon to stop them from oxidizing and turning or you can just ignore it b/c you won't notice that once they are cooked.

2. If using plain breadcrumbs season them with salt, pepper, garlic powder and some Romano cheese. If using the seasoned breadcrumbs just add the cheese.

3. Spread the leaves open with your thumb but be careful no to break off those leaves. Stuff the artichoke with breadcrumbs, chopped garlic, onion, parsley and pieces of parmigiano reggiano. Add this stuffing between the leaves and in the center.

4. Once all artichokes are stuffed put them in a pot and fill with water (or chicken broth) until halfway up the artichoke. Make sure they are in a pot that fits the artichokes in tightly. This prevents the artichokes from falling apart once they become tender. If you have too much space in between your artichokes and can't go down to a smaller pot use this tip. Peel a potato (or as many as you need) and add it the pot standing upright. The potatoes get a wonderful flavor and can be served along with the artichokes. Add the artichoke stems in between the artichokes wherever you can fit them. Don't throw these away. They are very tasty and actually taste just like the heart. Drizzle the tops of the artichokes with oil.

5. Once the water comes to a boil add some chicken bouillon granules if using and put a lid on the pot. Lower the flame and let the artichokes cook for about 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours or until tender and the leaf easily pulls away from the artichoke.

If you have a lot of broth left over you can serve with some broth and dip your bread into it. It has a really nice flavor.

Enjoy!


By love2cookmb

Stuffed Artichokes - Do not be afraid!

I can clearly remember the first time I ever had an artichoke. I was probably about 7 years old and I was extremely picky. It was either Thanksgiving or Christmas and my whole family was sitting around the dining room table. My brother told me he was going to show me how to eat one and since I was always looking for attention from my older brother or sister I wasn't going to say no. In case you never had an artichoke this is how you eat it. Pick off a leaf and use your front teeth to scrape the stuffing and the meat of the leaves off while pulling the leaf away from you. I know some people are put off by eating with their hands or have no idea what to do with an artichoke but hopefully this will help you to see how easy it is. Don't miss out on another artichoke!!!

I make artichokes two different ways, the way my mother taught me and another way that I picked up when I became interested in cooking. My mother keeps most of the artichoke in tact and only cuts of the tops of the artichoke and removes the stem to make a flat surface. Keeping the outer leaves on gives you more leaves for stuffing but those outer leaves aren't as tender as the inner leaves. The other way is to remove most of the tougher outer leaves. You will have less leaves to stuff but practically all of the leaves will be completely edible. Another difference between these two methods are the preparation of the heart of the artichoke. The heart is the bottom of the artichoke which is extremely tender and creamy. This is what you find in cans and frozen in the supermarket. They have some leaves attached and are cut into pieces. I use them in many dishes. So my mother's method leaves the heart completely in tact. Once you get to the heart you use your spoon or knife to remove the choke. The choke MUST NOT be eaten. You seriously will choke on it if you try to eat it. The 2nd method is to use your spoon to remove the purplish leaves from the heart and scrape out the choke before cooking. This gives you a nice hole in the center for stuffing. Either way you chose to make them (and these are not the only two ways!) they will be great. I love artichokes they can be fun, they can be elegant but most of all they are delicious!

I am unable to give you amounts for the stuffing because it really depends on your preference. Some people like a lot of stuffing and some people like very little or no stuffing at all. It also depends on how large your artichokes are and if you are removing the choke and some inner leaves. You'll need more stuffing for the center. So just use this as a guide, I have faith in you!


Ingredients:

Artichokes - cleaned and prepared for stuffing and stems removed and peeled
Plain breadcrumbs or Italian breadcrumbs
Locatelli Romano cheese, grated
onion, cut into small pieces
garlic, minced
fresh parsley, chopped
Parmigiano Reggiano, cut into small pieces
garlic powder
chicken broth or chicken bouillon
salt and pepper
extra virgin olive oil


1. Prepare artichokes by one of the methods described above. Wash them out and drain. Artichokes will turn black once they are cut. You can put them in a bowl with lemon to stop them from oxidizing and turning or you can just ignore it b/c you won't notice that once they are cooked.

2. If using plain breadcrumbs season them with salt, pepper, garlic powder and some Romano cheese. If using the seasoned breadcrumbs just add the cheese.

3. Spread the leaves open with your thumb but be careful no to break off those leaves. Stuff the artichoke with breadcrumbs, chopped garlic, onion, parsley and pieces of parmigiano reggiano. Add this stuffing between the leaves and in the center.

4. Once all artichokes are stuffed put them in a pot and fill with water (or chicken broth) until halfway up the artichoke. Make sure they are in a pot that fits the artichokes in tightly. This prevents the artichokes from falling apart once they become tender. If you have too much space in between your artichokes and can't go down to a smaller pot use this tip. Peel a potato (or as many as you need) and add it the pot standing upright. The potatoes get a wonderful flavor and can be served along with the artichokes. Add the artichoke stems in between the artichokes wherever you can fit them. Don't throw these away. They are very tasty and actually taste just like the heart. Drizzle the tops of the artichokes with oil.

5. Once the water comes to a boil add some chicken bouillon granules if using and put a lid on the pot. Lower the flame and let the artichokes cook for about 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours or until tender and the leaf easily pulls away from the artichoke.

If you have a lot of broth left over you can serve with some broth and dip your bread into it. It has a really nice flavor.

Enjoy!


By love2cookmb

English Muffin Pizzas

So finally after all the times I have mentioned pizza in my blog I am finally posting about it! Friday night is pizza night (99% of the time) and it's usually ordered out. Our order is exactly the same each week, we get a black olive pie delivered from Saporito's Pizzeria in Denville. We love their pizza it's the best we found since we've moved here and believe me, we've tried a lot of places, but sometimes it's nice to make pizza yourself. So I didn't make the dough and maybe this is considered cheating but I did make my own sauce and it was definitely a very nice change.

If you don't toast the english muffins first or if your sauce is too hot, they will turn out soggy.

English Muffin Pizzas

Pizzas:

1 package of english muffins
1 package of shredded mozzarella
handful of grated cheese, we like locatelli romano

Sauce:

1 can 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
1 tsp dried italian seasoning
salt and pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
fresh basil
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp crushed red pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions:

Saute garlic, italian seasoning and crushed red pepper in oil. Add tomatoes, fresh basil, salt and pepper.

Let cook for 30-40 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Let sauce cool.

Open english muffins and place on a cookie sheet. Bake dry at 400 for about 10 minutes and tops are lightly browned and crisp.

Add sauce, sprinkle of cheese and mozzarella to each muffin. Bake until cheese melts and gets light brown.

Enjoy!






Steve Approves!

English Muffin Pizzas

So finally after all the times I have mentioned pizza in my blog I am finally posting about it! Friday night is pizza night (99% of the time) and it's usually ordered out. Our order is exactly the same each week, we get a black olive pie delivered from Saporito's Pizzeria in Denville. We love their pizza it's the best we found since we've moved here and believe me, we've tried a lot of places, but sometimes it's nice to make pizza yourself. So I didn't make the dough and maybe this is considered cheating but I did make my own sauce and it was definitely a very nice change.

If you don't toast the english muffins first or if your sauce is too hot, they will turn out soggy.

English Muffin Pizzas

Pizzas:

1 package of english muffins
1 package of shredded mozzarella
handful of grated cheese, we like locatelli romano

Sauce:

1 can 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
1 tsp dried italian seasoning
salt and pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
fresh basil
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp crushed red pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions:

Saute garlic, italian seasoning and crushed red pepper in oil. Add tomatoes, fresh basil, salt and pepper.

Let cook for 30-40 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Let sauce cool.

Open english muffins and place on a cookie sheet. Bake dry at 400 for about 10 minutes and tops are lightly browned and crisp.

Add sauce, sprinkle of cheese and mozzarella to each muffin. Bake until cheese melts and gets light brown.

Enjoy!






Steve Approves!

No Excuse Steak Pizziaola

When people tell me they can't cook it baffles me. I understand that some things may be too difficult, have too many ingredients or may even be too exotic. I get that, however, there are some dishes that are so easy to make it's difficult NOT to do it. Well folks, it doesn't get easier than this. There are only a handful of ingredients and there is no special technique but the taste is so great that if you serve it to guests they will never know how easy it is!





Steak Pizziaola

Ingredients:

1 package small steaks (sometimes labeled chicken steaks)
3 cloves garlic, minced
Italian seasoning
dried basil
salt and pepper
2 – 14 oz cans Delmonte Tomato Sauce or 1-28 oz can crushed tomatoes
Extra virgin olive oil
½ can petite peas

Directions:

Add garlic, Italian seasoning and basil to oil on medium low heat. Add the steaks and brown on both sides.




Add tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes. Let simmer for 1 hour.




Remove steaks from pan and cut into bite sized pieces, removing vein. I took a close up picture of the steak so you can see the vein. It goes right down the middle of the steak and is very easy to remove.


Return steak pieces to sauce and add peas and stir. Let peas heat through.
Serve over egg noodles ( I like to use no yolk noodles).

My mom makes this dish a lot and she never cuts out the vein. We always did it in our own plates. Well, my honey is a little finicky and to save myself the aggravation I do this before it gets in his plate. Sigh, the things we do for love...

No Excuse Steak Pizziaola

When people tell me they can't cook it baffles me. I understand that some things may be too difficult, have too many ingredients or may even be too exotic. I get that, however, there are some dishes that are so easy to make it's difficult NOT to do it. Well folks, it doesn't get easier than this. There are only a handful of ingredients and there is no special technique but the taste is so great that if you serve it to guests they will never know how easy it is!





Steak Pizziaola

Ingredients:

1 package small steaks (sometimes labeled chicken steaks)
3 cloves garlic, minced
Italian seasoning
dried basil
salt and pepper
2 – 14 oz cans Delmonte Tomato Sauce or 1-28 oz can crushed tomatoes
Extra virgin olive oil
½ can petite peas

Directions:

Add garlic, Italian seasoning and basil to oil on medium low heat. Add the steaks and brown on both sides.




Add tomato sauce or crushed tomatoes. Let simmer for 1 hour.




Remove steaks from pan and cut into bite sized pieces, removing vein. I took a close up picture of the steak so you can see the vein. It goes right down the middle of the steak and is very easy to remove.


Return steak pieces to sauce and add peas and stir. Let peas heat through.
Serve over egg noodles ( I like to use no yolk noodles).

My mom makes this dish a lot and she never cuts out the vein. We always did it in our own plates. Well, my honey is a little finicky and to save myself the aggravation I do this before it gets in his plate. Sigh, the things we do for love...

Mom's Meat Sauce

Growing up I always thought that this was bolognese but now I know that a traditional bolognese has some veggies and wine in it and takes a long time to cook. This is a much simpler version but still adds another layer of flavor and depth to the sauce. As always I change some minor things like how I season the meat but the end result pretty much comes out the same. We were over my parents' house on Sunday and my mom made this with rigatoni. It was delicious and I'm proud to say that mine and hers tastes almost exactly the same!

Ingredients:

2 cans crushed tomatoes
1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 lb ground beef
6-7 basil leaves
salt and pepper
garlic powder
Mrs. Dash
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp sugar


Brown ground beef in about 1 Tbsp of oil. Sprinkle with garlic powder, Mrs. Dash, salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Use a potato masher or wooden spoon to break up the meat so you don't have any large chunks. Drain oil from meat and set aside.

Saute onion and garlic in EVOO. Return meat to pot and add tomatoes. Swish water in the cans and add about ½ can of water or as needed so it’s not too thick. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add basil. Let cook for ½ hour, stirring occasionally so sauce does not burn. Taste again for seasoning. Add 1 tsp of sugar or a little more if needed. Allow sauce to cook for ½ hour more and taste again.

Serve over pasta.

Mom's Meat Sauce

Growing up I always thought that this was bolognese but now I know that a traditional bolognese has some veggies and wine in it and takes a long time to cook. This is a much simpler version but still adds another layer of flavor and depth to the sauce. As always I change some minor things like how I season the meat but the end result pretty much comes out the same. We were over my parents' house on Sunday and my mom made this with rigatoni. It was delicious and I'm proud to say that mine and hers tastes almost exactly the same!

Ingredients:

2 cans crushed tomatoes
1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 lb ground beef
6-7 basil leaves
salt and pepper
garlic powder
Mrs. Dash
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp sugar


Brown ground beef in about 1 Tbsp of oil. Sprinkle with garlic powder, Mrs. Dash, salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Use a potato masher or wooden spoon to break up the meat so you don't have any large chunks. Drain oil from meat and set aside.

Saute onion and garlic in EVOO. Return meat to pot and add tomatoes. Swish water in the cans and add about ½ can of water or as needed so it’s not too thick. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add basil. Let cook for ½ hour, stirring occasionally so sauce does not burn. Taste again for seasoning. Add 1 tsp of sugar or a little more if needed. Allow sauce to cook for ½ hour more and taste again.

Serve over pasta.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

No, this isn't a figment of your imagination. I seriously baked and I think I did it well. It's a miracle. I usually mess things up when I bake so on the rare occasion I do it and the even rarer occasion that it works out, I'm really excited and pleasantly surprised.

This recipe came from my Mom. She got it about 10 years ago from a woman she used to work with. It's a great way to use up overripe bananas. The recipe is for Banana Bread but the recipe can also be used for muffins with only one adjustment, baking time. The recipe is very versatile and you can add in whatever you like, walnuts, pecans, peanut butter, whatever your little heart desires. Mine desired chocolate chips...and walnuts...but the boss doesn't like nuts so...there you go.

I do have a question for all my baker friends that I think (hope) are reading my blog. When I took my muffins out of the oven they were nice and....perky (for lack of a better word). I left them there on top of the stove for 5-10 minutes and when I came back they flattened on top. What gives? Did I need to remove them from the tins and have them cool on a rack? I'm telling you, I'm not good at this (with the exception of 7 layer cookies at Christmas!). I thought I'd share a picture and post this anyway because even if they don't look right they tasted sooooooooo good!

Thanks Mom!!!

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
½ cup butter or margarine, softened
2 eggs
¾ cup or 3 ripe bananas mashed
1 ¼ cup all purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup walnuts or chocolate chips, optional

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and add bananas and nuts last.

Bake for 50 minutes at 350˚.

If making muffins bake for 25 minutes. Yields 12 muffins.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

No, this isn't a figment of your imagination. I seriously baked and I think I did it well. It's a miracle. I usually mess things up when I bake so on the rare occasion I do it and the even rarer occasion that it works out, I'm really excited and pleasantly surprised.

This recipe came from my Mom. She got it about 10 years ago from a woman she used to work with. It's a great way to use up overripe bananas. The recipe is for Banana Bread but the recipe can also be used for muffins with only one adjustment, baking time. The recipe is very versatile and you can add in whatever you like, walnuts, pecans, peanut butter, whatever your little heart desires. Mine desired chocolate chips...and walnuts...but the boss doesn't like nuts so...there you go.

I do have a question for all my baker friends that I think (hope) are reading my blog. When I took my muffins out of the oven they were nice and....perky (for lack of a better word). I left them there on top of the stove for 5-10 minutes and when I came back they flattened on top. What gives? Did I need to remove them from the tins and have them cool on a rack? I'm telling you, I'm not good at this (with the exception of 7 layer cookies at Christmas!). I thought I'd share a picture and post this anyway because even if they don't look right they tasted sooooooooo good!

Thanks Mom!!!

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
½ cup butter or margarine, softened
2 eggs
¾ cup or 3 ripe bananas mashed
1 ¼ cup all purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup walnuts or chocolate chips, optional

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and add bananas and nuts last.

Bake for 50 minutes at 350˚.

If making muffins bake for 25 minutes. Yields 12 muffins.

Mom's Stuffed Peppers

My mom has always been my biggest fan and supporter and I haven't given her any credit yet on my blog. Sorry Mom! My mother has a great love for food and unfortunately had to deal with picky children and a picky husband for many years! Sorry Dad (but when are you going to eat like an Italian?!?!) lol When I was a child there were many things I refused to try but my mom was always there encouraging me to taste new things. I got there eventually and now the tables have turned. Now it's me helping my mom to explore her palate...but this is not a fight like it was for me! I can always count on my Mom to sample a new recipe I've made, cook with me, clean up after me and basically be whatever I need her to be in the kitchen. In fact, I hate that she is so far away (1 hour!) and rarely gets to taste my food anymore. (I'd like to think I've gotten much better!)

I've tried making stuffed peppers many different ways, some that I love, some are just okay and some will stay with me forever. This recipe is one of those. My mom's recipe for Stuffed Peppers is one of the first things she ever taught me to make. I've made some very minor tweaks which has only improved (not changed!) Mom's recipe.

So here it is! You're going to love this one! It's like a big meatball stuffed inside a pepper!

Here is my Mother's recipe and below are the additions I have made.

Mom’s Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients

6 red peppers
2 lbs. ground veal, beef or meatloaf mix
1 egg
locatelli cheese, grated
approx. ¼ cup dried parsley
garlic pepper
1 cup cooked white rice
salt
1 can crushed tomatoes

Mix veal, parsley, egg, salt garlic, cheese and rice.
Wash peppers, cut off tops (save for another time), fill peppers with meat mixture. Put peppers in a chicken fryer, pour tomatoes on top of peppers and around them. Sprinkle with cheese. Cook on stove top until peppers are cooked approx. 1 hour. Serve with Rice and peas.

Serves 6

After washing the peppers and removing the tops, I make small cut on the bottom of the pepper. This keeps the peppers upright and provides a hole for the sauce to go into. Be careful not to cut off too much because we don't want the filling to fall out, just enough space for the sauce to get in. I also sprinkle the inside of the peppers with kosher salt and little fresh black pepper.

I saute one onion and 3 cloves of garlic in a small frying pan. Once onions are softened and garlic is cooked (not browned) I set it aside to cool. This gets added to the meat mixture.

Once peppers are stuffed I put a little extra virgin olive oil in the pan and saute the peppers on all sides for a few minutes, until the skin blisters. I saw this done on a cooking show and it really does add some additional flavor.

Other than those few things I do exactly what the recipe says and they really were delicious!