Red Sauce and Pasta

The end of summer.  It's official at our house.  The sprinkler guys blew out our system this morning  To celebrate the end, the wife and I ate the last of my homemade lasagna.   Our good neighbor, Paul, was generous with his prolific tomatoes.  We ate many fresh salads, but finally used a couple of batches to make a chunky garden sauce.

Fresh tomato red sauce

2 pounds of fresh tomatoes - any kind
4-6 leaves of fresh basil
1 onion
1 -2 cloves of garlic
1 tbls sugar
1 tbls olive oil.

Easy stuff. Cut an X in the bottom of the tomatoes. Put a pot of water on to boil and fill a bowl with ice water. Plunge the tomatoes in boiling water for 60 to 90 seconds. (It takes a bit longer at high altitudes). Remove the tomatoes with a slotted spoon and place tomatoes in the ice water.

Spaghetti and meat balls

Meanwhile... for spaghetti: chop and cook an onion in a 3 or 4 quart pan. When the onion is soft and translucent, add as much garlic as you like.

The skin should peel right off the tomatoes. Discard skin and cut out the stem top. Add the tomatoes to the pan. Chop or crush them and bring the mixture to a simmer.  Cooking this for a long time would probably result in a traditional sort of sauce.  But, we are after a fresh garden taste.  After about 30 minutes remove from heat and blend.  A stick blender works well in this situation.  Don't try for a smooth sauce - leave it a bit chunky.

It's good to go right now.  I had some homemade meatballs in the freezer and some cooked Italian sausage. I added those to the sauce and let it simmer until everything was hot.  Serve over spaghetti noodles. (I had some of those in the freezer, too.)  The sauce will soak into the pasta making a very satisfying dish.

Lasagna

I used the second batch of sauce to make lasagna.  Start by cooking some onion garlic and hamburger in a 3 or 4 quart pot.

Prepare the tomatoes using the same methods detailed above.  When the hamburger is browned, drain as much fat as you care to and add the prepared tomatoes. Crush the tomatoes with a spoon against the side of the pot.  Let he sauce simmer. This sauce should be a bit thicker than the spaghetti sauce.


Rather than pre-cooking the lasagna noodles, soak them in warm water.  I used the lasagna pan. It leaves the noodles soft and they will not stick together. (This can be done with any kind of dried pasta. It works well for any type of casserole)

To build the dish start with a non-stick spray and the few spoons full of meat sauce.on the bottom of the pan. Next add a layer of noodles, a layer of cottage cheese (it's what I had - you could use ricotta), and a layer of mozzarella cheese. Top with a layer of meat sauce.  Add another layer of noodles, cottage cheese and - whoops - I ran out of mozzarella cheese. So I added a layer of 4 cheese Mexican blend and a final layer of meat sauce.  I had some provolone cheese slices in the deli drawer.  I added those and a good sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.  Cover the pan in foil and bake 30-45 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Nancy said it was the best lasagna she ever had.

I know the lack of detail in these recipes can be frustrating, but cooking should not be a chemistry lab.  It's about using ingredients on hand along with your intuition and taste to make something good.

Zucchini Boat

It's the end of the garden season.  I had only one zucchini plant, and I tried to pick them when they were small.  One or two got away from me - hid under the big leaves. Here's one next to an apple for size comparisons.  Cut a couple of slits in the zucchini and cook it in the microwave until it is soft.  Let it cool.

I started with a variety of stuff from the vegetable bin.  Some sliced onion, chopped peppers, and a few carrots. Sautee the vegetables with a lttle olive oil until they are softened.

 Next I cooked a pound of ground beef.

When the zucchini is cool enough to handle, slit it in two. Discard the seeds and pulp.  Scrape out the cooked zucchini and add it to the sauteed vegetables.

 Mix the vegetables and the ground beef.  Fill the two halves of the zucchini with the mixture.  Some small tomatoes on top add color and flavor.  Cook at 350 for about 30 minutes.  Add a topping of cheese and return to the oven for an additional 15 minutes.

Zukes!

This year I did not grow any zucchini.  My neighbors did. They have kept us supplied with zukes, little tomatoes and hot tabasco peppers.  Finding new things to do with the vegetables can be a challenge.

One standby is a stew/casserole of zucchini, tomato, and onion mixed with some meat.  We have done that with Italian sausage, pork sausage, smoked sausage, hamburger, and even chicken.  The zucchini is so heavy with water it is helpful to roast the veggies first.  Spread some on a cookie sheet and roast for an hour at about 400 degrees.

  Add some sausage and cheese to the mix. Or,  add the veggies to soup broth or a casserole.

Use a grater or food processor to shred whole zucchinis. Put the shredded zucchini in a strainer or colander and add some salt.  Let the water drain out for an hour.  Squeeze out remaining water.  In a bowl mix the zucchini, an egg and enough flour to make a thick batter.  Season with minced onion and hot pepper.  Fry until browned.

If you have additional zucchini place it a grocery bag, wait until dark, ...(you know what to do)

Tilapia -fast food

In one of my first Grand Life posts, "Easy, fast, and cheap",  I suggested to my male friends that a man’s ability to cook an edible meal and clean up afterward is an attribute highly valued by women. I heard back from some guys that they had tried the recipe and that I should do another one.

Today’s presentation is not a recipe, just a few simple techniques. Sometimes there is neither the time or energy for gourmet cooking. Going out can be an expensive hassle. I like to keep a few things in the freezer for nights like that. So for a quick, easy and inexpensive meal try this.

Simple recipe #2 Tilapia fillets with vegetables.
Frozen tilapia fillets
Frozen vegetables
Salad fixins’
Seasoned salt.

Tilapia is a nice light fish, especially good for people like me, who do not particularly care for fish. My wife loves fish of any sort, so it is a compromise for us. It comes in a bag with each fillet individually wrapped, so you can pull out the amount you need. They thaw easily; try setting them on the bottom of a skillet - heat conduction works both ways.

 
When you are ready to start, season the fish with a little seasoned salt. I like Emeril’s essence (recipe at food network) or you can use any mix on hand. Add a little paprika if you have it. It adds a nice taste and since it is a spice that burns, you’ll get that “blackened” look. After you season the fish, rub a little oil on the fish, not in the pan. Heat the pan on medium until hot. Put the fillets in the pan and leave them alone. You will see the edges start to turn white. Once the whiteness moves towards the center flip them over with a spatula. Now is the time to pop some frozen vegetables in the microwave. See if there is any salad stuff in the fridge and put together a small salad. For this meal all that was on hand was tomatoes. So I added some mozzarella chunks from a stick of string cheese, plus a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of dried basil.


It’s easy, fast, and cheap. You can have it on the table before a pizza guy could deliver. Its better for you and less expensive.

Hot Dog !

There is a reason the term Hot Dog! is an expression of excitement and pleasure. I like them.  Plain dogs in a steamed bun are good.  Add a little yellow mustard and sweet relish and it's a real treat.

The variations are almost endless.  I made a couple of my favorites for lunch yesterday.  I started with beef hot dogs and toasted buns (toast both sides). 

Dog #1 - leftover homemade chili and shredded sharp cheddar cheese.

Dog #2 - icebox dill pickle, sweet banana peppers, chopped green onions, tomatoes.

How do you like them?

Braised Pork Steak

I started my recipes back in January of 2007 with this post: Easy, cheap, and, fast - What a man wants in a good recipe. It's still one of my go-to recipes even though food price inflation has nearly doubled the cost.

My skills have improved thanks to practice, food TV, and a few food blogs. Braising is one of the skills I've developed. It uses time and low heat to turn tough inexpensive cuts into tender meals. Braising is still easy and cheap. It's relatively fast to prepare too. The long slow cooking requires no effort on the cook's part. And one pot meals are easy to clean up.

Recipe #45 - Braised Pork Steak
with Acorn Squash

1 or 2 pork steaks 1-1½ lbs. (blade or shoulder cut)
1 acorn squash* (substitute any winter squash or root vegetables)
1 apple chopped
1 medium onion chopped
1 cup braising liquid
salt, pepper, spices (try garam masala for an Indian flavor)

Brown the pork steaks in a large (3 qt) saute pan of dutch oven. When browned remove meat and add chopped onion. Stir to soften, scrape brown bits from the bottom. These add a lot of flavor and color. Finish scraping by adding liquid to the pan. Braising liquid can be bouillon, stock, apple juice, wine, or even water. I used about a half cup of wine and a half cup of water.

Return the meat to the pan. On top of the meat add chunks of peeled squash, sweet potatoes, or any combination of root vegetable you favor. Season with your favorite spice. Cover the pot. Reduce the heat to simmer and let the pot cook about an hour, until vegetables are fork tender.

See also: Braised Chicken

Roasting the harvest

Here's a quick and easy dinner. Gather up some garden harvest.

Recipe #37 Roasted vegetables and sausage

1 pound smoked sausage
squash - zuchinni or yellow or a mix
sweet onions
peppers
corn
tomatoes

Add a dash of olive oil and mush it around the veggies until they are coated. Spead the veggies out on a baking sheet. Season with a little salt and pepper and whatever else you like. Add chunks of sausage. Roast at high heat 425- 450 degrees for about 20 minutes. Stir and continue roasting another 10 minutes. Veggies should be slightly browned on the outside, but tender on the inside. The smoked sausage will add a nice overlay of flavor.

Ham and eggs

I like deviled eggs, but seems I only think of them once a year. Every Easter someone in the family makes a big batch. A couple of dozen eggs, lots of peeling, mixing, and stuffing goes on. And once it's done we forget about deviled eggs until next year.


It's a shame because they are really easy to make. A couple of days ago I hard boiled some eggs for use in a chef's salad. A big chef salad is an easy and cool dinner for these hot evenings.

This morning I peeled the last two eggs and mixed them with a dash of mustard and enough mayo to make a moist paste. You don't need a recipe, you know how you like them. A little paprika makes the look fancy, but is not all that important.

In fact you don't even need the mayo. Try a little ranch dressing. Add a slice of deli ham and you have an easy and cool summer breakfast.

Easy Trout

I'm still fishing every week. That means preparing trout for dinner and occasionally trying new methods. The microwave may be a terrible way to cook meat, but it is excellent for fish.

The trout is cooked in a glass pan with and covered with plastic wrap. Vent the wrap to allow steam to escape.

Depending on size and microwave power, fish take one to two minutes to cook. It's fast, so don't overcook your fish.

Skin is easily removed and the cooked fish slides right off the bones.

The fish can be seasoned with salt and pepper, tartar sauce, or for this fish, brown butter sauce. The French call it beurre noisette. Just heat up a little butter in a pan until it browns, add lemon and parsley.

Directions here: How to make brown butter sauce with lemon and parsley.

Roast Chicken

Roast chicken is one of my favorite meals. It's one of those simple, comfort-food dishes. It's inexpensive and it's easy to do.

One of the advantages of cooking is that you can have it just the way you like it. The other two big reasons include saving money and avoiding a ton of chemicals that come in processed food. A search for recipes and techniques for roast chicken will yield hundreds of results. Some call for a steady heat. Some direct a high heat start followed by a lower roasting temperature. Some techniques call for a slow start followed by high heat at the end. They all work. I've tried many methods and have been most satisfied with this one.


Recipe # 36 Roast Chicken
1 pound chicken (3 or 4 pounds)
1 onion
1 celery stick
1 carrot
1 empty pop can
½ cup wine
1 cup water
salt & pepper

Pre-heat oven to 375. Remove excess fat from the chicken and blot it dry with paper towels. Removing water helps crisp the skin. Rub the chicken with oil, sprinkle with salt, pepper, and any other spice. For this chicken I added a little bit of cayenne pepper.

Fill the can about half way with water. Insert the can in the chicken. The can will hold the chicken upright so that even browning occurs. It also helps keep the chicken moist.

Add wine and water to the pan. Put the chicken in the oven until nicely browned, about 1 -1½ hours.

As long as the chicken is in the oven, roast some vegetables or potatoes. Pan juices make great gravy. Skim off fat and thicken.

Christmas Cookies

I baked a few batches of Christmas cookies yesterday. It was my contribution to the gift baskets my wife was putting together. Nancy does all the real work, including making the baskets look nice. Check out her post:
Gift Mixes for Christmas

The little green and red cookies are a very basic shortbread recipe. I think it is nearly a perfect cookie. The recipe is easy and the cookies are not too sweet and not too gooey with butter or shortening. I like them with coffee or tea.

Here's the recipe from the book Ratio.

Recipe # 31 Basic Shortbread Cookies

4 ½ tablespoons sugar
1 stick of butter
1 heaping cup of flour
½ teaspoon vanilla (or almond)

If you have a scale, and every baker should, the recipe is:

1 part sugar (2 ounces)
2 parts butter (4 ounces)
3 parts flour (6 ounces)

Mix the butter, sugar and vanilla. Add red or green food color. Mix in flour. When a dough forms, roll it into a log, wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate it. When the butter in the dough hardens, slice cookies and bake at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.

For an easy variation, try my Three-Four-Five Cookies. For Christmas I sprinkled red or green sugar on the cookies before baking.

Hash

Not long ago I was talking with a friend about hash. He didn’t like it. No wonder, his experience was limited to the stuff in a can. You know the stuff; it has an unpleasant resemblance to dog food.

Home made hash is something else altogether. It is a perfect use for leftover meat and potatoes and it makes a great breakfast.

The basic ingredients are simple. A little cooked meat. It could be a bit of corned beef. It could be a bit of beefsteak, or even prime rib. Add some onion, some leftover baked, boiled, or roasted potatoes and you have hash. It’s good to throw in a few cooked carrots or other veggies if they are left over from a pot roast. Top it with an egg or two. Toast some homemade bread and you have the makings of a good breakfast.

Recipe # 29 Hash

Leftover cooked beef
Leftover cooked potato
Chopped onion
vegetable oil and/or butter
Salt & pepper
**extras
eggs sunny side up or over easy
toast

Start by chopping as much onion as you like. While you are cutting the onion, heat a skillet and add a tablespoon or two of oil. Put the onions in the hot pan to start then cooking. Cut the beef into small pieces. I do not like the minced consistency found in cans. I like a bit of size to the pieces. Next, cut up the leftover potatoes. I like the size to be similar to the beef.

Mix meat and potatoes together. Add them to the cooking onions. Stir occasionally until everything is heated through and the potatoes are browned.

Remove the cooked hash to a warm plate and cook an egg or two in the hot pan. Sunny side up or over easy goes well with the hash. Pop a couple of pieces of bread in the toaster and last night’s leftovers are this morning’s special breakfast.

It’s fast and easy and when you think that you have used up leftovers, it’s cheap too.

Notice that a modest amount of ingredients produced two nice breakfast plates. Chopping or cutting food increases the volume - sort of a loaves and fishes effect.

Red Chili

I like to play in the kitchen. Sometimes, putting together a complicated project is an enjoyable way to spend an afternoon. But, it doesn't always have to be hard.

I've been cooking this chili for fifty years and I still like it. It is an easy, kid-friendly recipe that my brother and I learned at an early age. It was a way for us to help out and get dinner started.

Recipe #28 Red Chili

1 pound hamburger
1 can chili beans
1 can tomatoes

1 chopped onion
1 minced garlic clove
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 beef bouillon cube
pinch red pepper flakes
salt & pepper

Brown the hamburger, adding onions, garlic and about half the seasonings. Dried onion or onion powder and garlic powder can be substituted. This is especially helpful for younger kids who lack knife skills. It's also good for camping when prep space is difficult.

Add 1 can of beans and one can of tomatoes. Kuner's Chili Beans are a Colorado product that uses pinto beans. There are several other brand of chili beans to chose from. I used Mexican style stewed tomatoes, but whole, diced, or crushed are equally good.

Add about 1 cup of water. How much water added will determine the thickness of the final dinner. Add the remaining spices. Bouillon cubes have a lot if salt, so don't add too much additional salt. Simmer for 30-60 minutes.

Serve with a bit of cheese on top. Add a warm tortilla or saltine crackers on the side.

Fast, easy and cheap

First Published in January of 2007-
The prices have gone up a bit, but it is still a inexpensive and tasty meal. Sometimes people look askance at me when I describe this recipe, but it has never failed to please. Give it a try.

I was going to title this post “Simple recipes for simple guys“, but She-who-must-be-obeyed gave me one of those looks. So, I hope she likes this.

Note to my male readers: A man’s ability to cook an edible meal and clean up afterward is an attribute highly valued by women.

There is no shortage of cooking shows, magazines and websites. So I say, “why not me too?” Too often, recipes are unnecessarily complicated. There are too many ingredients and too many pans. So let’s simplify it.

Simple recipe #1 Beef and Beans
1 pound hamburger
1 can pork and beans
1 drizzle of molasses (you can use catsup instead)

Brown the hamburger in a skillet. Pour off the fat. Hold back the hamburger with a spatula while draining the fat. (Try not to lose too much of the meat. Don’t use a strainer - it’s just something else to wash.) Add one can of beans and some molasses (or ketchup). Stir well then heat over medium low heat until it bubbles. If you are feeling fancy you can add some extras - not necessary to the recipe: a splash of Worcestershire sauce, and/or sprinkle some cheese on top. Let it melt. I’ve used grated and sliced cheese. Use what’s on hand. It’s surprisingly good with a slice of bread or a hot buttered tortilla to push it on the fork. It’s dinner for two and maybe some extra. The clean up is a snap. Cost:
hamburger = $.99
beans: = $.50
generous estimate for extras: =$.50.
Grand total= $1.99


Easy, cheap, and fast. It’s what a guy wants in a good recipe.