Who's Cooking??

A note from the author:

Lately I've been hearing a lot of, "Hey, I got a great idea from your blog!" or "I checked out the blog- looks good!" but none of these people seem to be "Followers". It got me thinking- how many people are out there reading without me even knowing it?

So here's my request: If you visit often, or even stop by occasionally, please become a Follower (click Follow over to the left) and show me some love. Keep me cooking :)

Thanks and happy eating!

-Andi :)

Braciole

This is a wonderfully tender (when done right) rolled steak cooked in and served with your favorite Gravy (aka Red Sauce).  It's a bit labor-intensive, but certainly worth the work! This is a take on my grandmother's recipe...ironically a side dish that as a kid, I never liked.

Start by making the filling:
1 portugese roll
2 large cloves garlic
1/2 cup packed flat leaf parsley leaves, washed
1/4 cup finely shredded parmesan reggiano (optional but delicious)

Preheat oven to 375.  Rip up the roll into bite-sized pieces and pulse in the food processor until you have coarse crumbs.  Remove and spread out on small baking tray.  Drizzle about 2-3 tablespoons olive oil over crumbs, toss, and bake for 5-8 minutes or until just browned.

While crumbs are baking, pulse parsley and garlic in food processor until both are finely chopped.  Sprinkle over toasted breadcrumbs.  Grate cheese on top as well, mixing all ingredients together on warm pan.  Let rest. (This whole process can be skipped and substituted with Italian Breadcrumbs from the can, but it's SO much tastier and healthier to do it this way!)

1 pound thin cube steaks

Spread steaks on plastic or glass cutting board and top with wax paper or a large ziplock bag.  Pound each steak to 1/8" thick using a rolling pin or flat side of a meat tenderizer (if you're fancy and have one of those.)  Me, I beat the hell out of them with the bottom of a heavy pot.

Cut steaks into equal sizes, about 3"x3".  Cut 6" lengths of string (2 per slice) now when your hands are clean.  Spoon 1-2 teaspoons of breadcrumb mixture over each slice of meat, patting down.  Tightly roll up each piece, starting with the pointy end first.

 

Tie 2 pieces of string, one at either end, to secure the roll.  I had about 1/2 cup of extra breadcrumbs that I stored in a tupperware in the fridge.

About 2 hours before you're ready to eat, brown the rolls in olive oil in a frying pan on med-high on the top of the stove.  Add them to the gravy. 

1/2 cup white wine

Add white wine to the pan and scrape all of the yummy brown bits from the bottom of the pan.  Add this to gravy as well.  Simmer on low for about 2 hours.

Serve in gravy with macaroni, and crusty garlic bread.

"Gravy" (The red kind)

Let me start by saying this is not a "quick, weeknight meal" you can just throw together.  Be warned.  But also know that if you take the day to do this, step by step, giving it time to simmer and giving your family time to smell it all day, you will be handsomely rewarded at the end of the night.  So, roll up your sleeves and channel your inner Eye-talian. And yes, I call it gravy...deal with it!

(This should go on the stove by 1pm if you're having a 6 or 7pm dinner.)
1 small onion, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Saute veggies in 2 tablespoons olive oil over med-low heat until veggies are soft- about 10 minutes.

2 28 oz cans tomatoes (I do 1 can chopped, 1 can whole)- San Marzano are the BEST!
1 6 oz can tomato paste

Add tomatoes plus 1 large can of filtered water. 

Simmer for 2-3 hours on low. Then, using a stick blender, pulse to eliminate chunks. 

Continue to cook for 2-3 more hours, adding more water as necessary. Keeping the lid on will add moisture to gravy, making it thinner; taking it off will cause water to evaporate, making it thicker.  Throughout the cooking time, adjust the water amounts and lid position to maintain desired consistency.

Serve with macaroni, braciole (see next recipe) and some crispy garlic bread.

Swiss Chard, Sausage and Bean Soup

This a great wintery soup and lots of ingredient substitutions can be made (see Meal Modifications below). The nutmeg is a perfect match for the dark, leafy greens and gives you an unexpected flavor.  This makes a huge pot with plenty of leftovers.

Ingredients:
6 sweet sausage links, casing removed
1 medium white onion, chopped
1 bunch swiss chard, washed, stems removed and chopped
5 mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
pinch nutmeg
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pepper
48 ounces chicken broth
1 can red kidney beans, strained and rinsed
1/2 box ditalini pasta

In a large pot, cook sausage until brown, breaking it up with a wooden spoon into small pieces.  Add chopped onion and saute until  lightly browned and soft.  Add swiss chard, mushrooms, garlic, nutmeg, thyme, salt and pepper. Stir to combine and cook until greens wilt and soften. Then add beans.    

In the meantime cook pasta in pot of salted water until al dente (still a little hard, since it will continue to cook in the soup).  

Add chicken broth and simmer.  Add cooked pasta just before you're ready to eat, as it sucks up a lot of the moisture from the broth.

Serve with crusty bread and grated toscano cheese.

Meal Modifications:
*If you're not a pork eater, substitute chicken or turkey sausage.  Or leave the meat out completely.
*Escarole or kale could be used instead of swiss chard and will produce a similar leafy and bitter taste.
*Chicken stock can be substituted for the chicken broth or vegatable broth could be used.
*Any small pasta will do (shells, orzo, pastina, etc.) if you don't have ditalini.