Rigatoni and Ricotta Bake

Pasta is popular all over the world and justly so.  There are literally hundreds of different types to cater to your sauces and recipe profile.  The perfect pasta shape for your specific needs is possible by way of ready to cook, store bought fresh or home made means.  Fresh pasta obviously cooks twice as fast and and would add a fresher flavor to the dish, but I generally go for the 'boxed and ready' for convenience.  There are recipes that call for thin sauces, so you would consider a pasta that has length like spaghetti, capellini, fettucine, linguine etc...and can be coated easily with thinner sauces and have surface area to accommodate.  Some recipes call for thicker, heartier sauces that need pasta it can cling to and has textured surfaces like rigatoni, farfalle, penne, and penne rigate or super absorbent pastas like ziti and macaroni, which allow sauces to coat the insides as well as the outside and hold their shapes well during baking.  Shells and orecchiette are excellent pastas for holding mass amounts of flavor and creamy sauces.
This recipe is mentioned in a previous article, Long Lost Cousins and Buttery Shrimp Bruschetta, which I served as the appetizer to this featured dish!  Generally speaking, I serve dishes like this family style for low maintenance, Friday Nite Cuisine.  This recipe is easy to make and has gobs of flavor and little finesse.
Recipe:
1 lb. rigatoni, cooked according to package instructions, just short of al dente, about 5 minutes
1 lb. good quality ground beef
1 small onion, small dice
2 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced
1.75 oz. sliced pepperoni, optional
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 tbsp. brown sugar, optional
1/4 c. fresh herbs like oregano, basil and parsley blend
1 15 oz. container ricotta cheese
2 c. mozzarella crumbles
Parmigiano Reggiano for serving and garnish (Pecorino Romano if desired
Olive oil for drizzling
SPST
Preheat oven to 375*F.
Cook pasta for about 5 minutes, drain, do not rinse, drizzle with olive oil, toss to coat.  Set aside.
Meanwhile brown beef and pepperoni with onion and garlic, until no longer pink and onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.  Drain off excess fat and discard. Add tomatoes, brown sugar and herbs. SPST.   Simmer for about 10 minutes and turn off heat.  Stir in ricotta.  Place in baking vessel.  Spread mozzarella atop, and drizzle with olive oil and cover tightly with foil and bake for about 30 minutes, until pasta has absorbed all the excess juices. Remove foil and continue to bake until golden, about 15 more minutes. Garnish with liberal shavings of Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano.   Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Serves 10-12.

Braised Turkey Wings and Farfalle w/ Green Peas

Yesterday was one of the days when we wish it were the next or day before, considering the weather, that was rainy and dreadful looking.  My children, Genesis and Bronwyn, my nephew Braelyn and my sister Hollie were tentatively scheduled for a trip to the "Pumpkin Patch", filled with corn mazes, farm animals like goats, pigs and geese, pumpkin hunts and tall structures built entirely of bales of hay, to climb, slide and ramble throughout!  Unfortunately, the weather had different plans, and the trip was postponed until the following Monday.  The children were devastated.  They had already placed their 'orders' for golden, delicious, pumpkin pies, made fresh from the take-home pumpkins picked fresh from the patch!  In a perfect world, Mommy could wave her magic wand and the hay would magically refurbish itself, the ominous clouds would bow their heads and gracefully bow out to expose the beautiful blue flecked Autumn sky, with the brilliant rays of a crisp day's Sun, shining and gingerly drying the chilly dew, that would make running a hazard and a hindrance to scavenging for the mini gourds scattered about the immense hunting field.  The call for the postponement came shortly after the children reached the school, around 8 am, and with a shrug of dismay, I threw the careful packed spoils of Sliced deli turkey, ham, bologna with American cheese on Bollio rolls, Fruitables, and Doritos into the freezer for the "to be continued" picnic on the farm with the gang! I then had a a notion for comforting foods, aromatics, fragrances of grandeur, to warm  and necessitate this Day of Gray, we desperately needed the rain anyway.  I had picked up some fresh turkey wings from the market, and considering the forcast, they made the perfect fit for something to cook slowly, with low maintenance, and maximum flavor rewards.  Turkey should not be shunned or denied until Turkey Day, as it provides and evokes warm and fuzzy thoughts, as with holidays and not to mention a healthy dose of trytophan for a lulling rainy day nap, if the opportunity arises!  Wings contain a sizable amount of fat as compared to breast meat, but this can be skimmed during the braising process, and after cooking, the skin may be easily removed as not to pose a threat to the nutritional aspect of the meal as a whole.  These wings are braised  in a vegetable stock, a Mirepoix, fresh garlic and a soft chicken bouillon cube for depth to it's flavor profile.  They are braised for several hours, and finished in the oven if desired.  These wings are served best just before falling off the bone, and the moisture levels will remain, as with rich flavor.  I paired these wings with Farfalle or bow tie pasta, cooked in the reduced juices of the wings and tossed with green peas for a wonderful color implement, and filling bluster!  The sun had returned by the time dinner came around, but thankfully, these recipes provided the rays of aromatic, and rainy day comforting bliss during it's down time!
Recipe:
4 lbs. Turkey wings with tips if available
2 large carrots, sliced lengthwise, then halved
2 large stalks celery, cut into thirds
1 large onion, cut into eighths
3 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced
2 soft chicken bouillon, cubes
water
olive oil for drizzling
SPST
For Pasta:
2 tbsp. corn starch, mixed with a little water
1 lb. bow tie pasta
3/4 c. green peas
additional water if needed
In a large heavy bottomed or dutch oven over medium heat, place veggies, drizzled with olive oil and cook until aromatic, about 3 minutes.  Add bouillon.  Cook additional minute and add washed wings to vessel.  Fill until wings are just covered with water and cover, bringing up to a boil, over medium high heat.  Reduce back to medium and cook wings in a rolling simmer for several hours or until tender, but not falling off bone and cooking liquid is reduced to about 1/3.*
Begin to skim fat as the wings cook, and discard.

Once the wings are tender, place in baking vessel,  Spoon some of cooking liquid over each wing arranged in dish, about 1 cup total.  Remove carrots and arrange alongside wings. Cover tightly with foil and bake in oven at 350* for an additional 45 minutes to 1 hour.

 Add enough water to liquid reduction to make about 6 cups.  Remove from heat and whisk in cornstarch.  Bring up to a boil until thickened.  Add pasta.  Cook over medium heat until pasta is al dente.  Stir in peas. Turn off heat. Cover with tight lid and let pasta to absorb the juices.  SPST and drizzle with olive oil if desired.
Serves 6 to 8.
*Note:  I like the rustic note the simmered veggie bits add to the pasta, but feel free to strain them off for a more refined sauce!

5 Ingredient Recipe featuring Chicken!

This recipe is one of the approximately 33/5 ingredient rough drafts I came up with for a recipe contest.  The goal is simple, 5 ingredients from start to finish.  Sounds kinda futile at first until you stop and give it a try.  Once I factored in the idea of having ingredients that bring their own flavor like marinades and ready made sauces, it became a lot easier. This is a simple one that can be taken as is or morphed into a wonderful salad.  Chicken of course is the main ingredient.  Next, there's Caesar dressing to serve as the marinade for the chicken as well as the dressing and moisture for the dish as a unit.  An Italian Loaf with Sesame Seeds is the starch, and Romaine the vegetable.  Lastly, there is olive oil to infuse flavor and prevent sticking.  This recipe worked like a charm and can be prepared in about 15 minutes not including marination time.  I used a Foreman Grill Mate which cut the normal stove top preparation time virtually in half!!!
Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad Sandwich
1.1 lbs. chicken tenderloins, preferably Bare Chicken
1 lb. loaf Italian bread with Sesame Seeds
1 bottle Caesar dressing
1 head Romaine lettuce
olive oil for drizzling
Place chicken in resealable bag and add 2 tbsp. dressing.  Turn until all pieces are coated.
Marinate for 30 minutes in fridge and up to 24 hours.
When 20 minutes marination time remains or when ready, heat grill pan or Grilling apparatus until hot.  Drizzle halved loaf with olive oil and grill until golden, about 3 minutes per half.  Set aside to cool slightly.
Next, wash, dry and half Romaine and drizzle with olive oil, grill until has char marks, about 2 minutes per half.  set aside to cool slightly, before chopping and tossing with 1/2 cup Caesar dressing, less if desired.
Once chicken has marinated and bread and lettuce has been grilled, place chicken drizzled with olive oil on grill and cook until no longer pink and juices run clear, 2 minutes (I used a two sided grill).  this time will be longer on a flat top grill, about 4 minutes per side.
Place bread halves together and cut into 5 servings, rendering 5 sets of sandwich bread.
Assembly:  Divide chicken tenders equally among sandwiches and top with about 1 cup of romaine.  Add sandwich top.
Serve additional Caesar on side for personal preferences.
OR:
Slice each portion of bread 3 times lengthwise and 3 times crosswise to form croutons.
Slice chicken on bias and distribute evenly atop each mound of Romaine
Place equal portions of lettuce among 5 to 10 plates and top with equal portions of chicken and a the portioned out croutons.  Makes up to 10 first course salads.

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Smokinhotchef

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Asian Fusion Baby Back Ribs

This recipe is a delicious variation of the way a lot of us enjoy baby back beef ribs.  I created this recipe in the style of  Asian Fusion, considering the ingredients are commonly used to prepare that particular cuisine.  The sauce is not a typical barbecue in that it is not tomato based,  rather one using Hoisin, soy, brown sugar and fish sauce.  I also incorporated green onion.  Since these ribs are on the not so meaty side, I bake them with a generous layer of peppers and  onions, plus a hefty 5 cloves of garlic, infusing lots of fat free flavor, and adding some bulk to the dish respectively.  The end product is a taste bud orgy with a sweet/salty/savory/umami mystique served simply w/a seasoned turmeric  tinted Jasmine Rice.
Recipe:
5 lb. beef baby back ribs
6 mini peppers, various colors, sliced
2 onions, sliced
5 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced
1 tbsp. sambal oelek
1 soft beef bouillon cube
1 tbsp. fish sauce

Sauce:
1 c. beef broth
3/4 c. Hoisin
1/4 c. soy sauce
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. ground ginger
3 tbsp. fish sauce
2 green onions, thinly sliced
Preheat oven to 350*.
Wash and pat ribs dry.  Toss veggies together with sambal oelek and smother ribs evenly in a large roasting pan.
Mix 1/2 c. hot water with cube and fish sauce.  Pour over everything.
Cover tightly with foil and bake until tender, about 2 hours, basting periodically with juices and fat.*
When ready, combine all sauce ingredients in small saucepot and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to a simmer and cook additional 5 minutes until reduced slightly.  Adjust to desired thickness by adding water or broth or by simmering until desired consistency is reached.
Pour over ribs and bake uncovered for an additional 25 minutes, basting every 5 minutes or so.
* After ribs have baked for first 2 hours, pour off rendered fat before adding the rib sauce!
Serves 8 to 10.

A Taste of the Old Country!

It was a gorgeous sunny day.  The clouds were sparse and fluffy, like gobs of marshmallow creme on a brilliant blue canvas, decorated by my 5 year old Bronwyn.  The weather was pleasant, just shy of hot, and the breeze had the tiny wisps of hair silhouetting my face playing tag with my eyes, the wisps were winning!  Rays of sun danced about in midair, bouncing and reflecting off windshields, windows, fenders, hoods, rear-views,tiny shards of glass and pebbles, and various juxtapositional items here and there,  glass fronted businesses. I  had to squint often, since I was not wearing sunglasses.  The traffic had once again begun to rise and fall, speed and slow, nearing the top of the hour of 5 pm.  I walked to the shaded area underneath a canopy of foliage.  There were leaves, large and small, flat and curled.  There were vines, some elegant and slender, some gnarled and sinister.  There were items scattered about the foliage, and upon closer inspection, I realized that they were of the fruitful variety.  There were brown and fuzzy kiwi, small medium and large for their size, only a couple had fallen to the concrete below, indicating more time was needed before enjoying their citrusy tang, the wonderful green with speckled black interior hidden by a coconut like casing.  There were also pods that hung loosely amongst the kiwi.  They were as long as first grade pencils, fat pencils like snakes that had swallowed several grapes.  They were the pods of a Wisteria Plant.  Fragrant fruits that appeared as golden sunsets, side by side hung about the canopy as well.  These were the largest Persimmons I had ever seen.  The ones in my sister's yard were  mere dwarves in comparison to these gargantuan gems, that emitted it's glorious perfume to entice the soul and stimulate the appetite.  There were also grapes, bunches congregating throughout, the vines intermingled with the others, melting pot indeed.  I had never experienced figs from it's original source until now, and they were astounding and amazing.  They too will be enjoyed, in the months to come.  While walking this small stretch of paradise, cascading along the outer brick walls and dangling over the seated picnic area for dining outside, I missed my number being called.  The unforgettable Cheese Steaks my sister Hollie would bring home periodically were freshly prepared and waiting for me, this time I placed the order myself.   This was my first physical visit.   It was hard to believe I was actually standing outside of a fabulous restaurant in Vinton called The Original and Only New York Pizza, Inc, Italian Style.  The owner  brought these trees, bushes and vines over from the old country and planted them here himself.  They were bountiful and beautiful, lavish and lush, and in the middle of a busy town, your psyche transcends and it's like walking a country hillside in Sicily, from whence they came.  The grandchildren run the business now, which originally opened in 1983, but it's genuine character and integrity is unmolested and breathtaking, not to mention the food.   The menu is concise and encompasses things Italian, whether your taste is for Old World Style  Pizza, Neapolitan, Sicilian or Veal Sandwiches, this spot covers the gambit.  The staff is cordial and engaging, eager to share it's history,  that is if one asks, as did my sister Gayle and I.  This place is must visit!!  I can guarantee the visit will not be your last!!
The Original and Only New York Pizza, Inc.
708 Hardy Road
Vinton, VA 24179
540) 342-2933

Flavorful and Fantastic, Loaded Potato Soup!

This recipe is a great way to stock pile on vitamins and minerals, while enjoying a rich and hearty fall favorite, Potato Soup.  This is loaded with delicious and nutritious garden veggies like carrots, celery, onion, garlic, mushrooms and zucchini, that are sauteed then pureed to form the creaminess of the soup itself.  These veggies really pack in essential building blocks for cells and body function, discreetly nestled among the tender chunks of potato. The implement of these veggies provide soluble fiber to help keep you full and  satisfied longer, and eliminate some of the starch and carbs, by using less potato.
 A recipe like this one is fabulous during cold and flu season to help supply the body with the fuel it needs to stave off  illness particularly during temperature transitions.  This is especially handy for picky eaters both young and old, and provide a substantial amount of your daily vegetable requirements in just one bowl.  The potatoes are diced in several sizes to provide body and texture to the chunky yet creamy dish as a whole, thus using less milk and butter.   A small piece of country ham provides an almost smoky and rich undertone.  Vegetarians and Less Meat fans, feel free to leave this out for a wholesome and delicious dish.  A hint of pumpkin pie spice warms and really rounds out the overall cozying effect created by this easy to make, easy on the waistline, and sure to please recipe. Plus, the spices that comprise pumpkin pie spice are rich in antioxidants! Serve with grilled cheese, crackers or whole grain breads for a well balanced and amazing cup or bowl of love and tenderness.
Recipe:
1 3 oz. slice of bone-in country ham, chopped w/bone reserved
1 c. EACH carrot, celery, onion, mushrooms,small dice
2 c. zucchini, chopped or shredded, no seeds
2 bay leaves, dried
7 c. Russet potatoes, small, medium and large dice
4 c. water
1 soft chicken and tomato bouillon cube
1 1/2 c. 1% milk
4 tbsp. butter
large pinch pumpkin pie spice
olive oil for drizzling
SPST (Salt and Pepper to Suit your Taste)

In a heavy bottomed pot or dutch oven over medium high heat, drizzle with olive oil.   Brown and render ham, about 4 minutes.  Add veggies bay leaves then cook until softened, about 7 minutes.  Remove veggies from pot and set aside to cool slightly before pureeing w/one cup water and bouillon cube.
Meanwhile, add potatoes to pot and stir to coat.  Add 3 remaining cups water and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to a simmer and add veggie puree.  Simmer until largest potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.  Stir in milk and butter.  Simmer additional 5 minutes until heated through again. Stir in spices. SPST.  Serve drizzled with olive oil if desired.   Makes a lot!!
Recipe may easily be halved or frozen in airtight containers for up to 3 months.

Happy Birthday to my big brother and buddy Ken!  We love you and wish you decades more, XOXO

Everything Gravy!

This recipe is a simple and easy way to spruce up a meal in just a short moment while adding a bountiful flavor profile and lots of color and nutrients.   The sauce includes bright, beta-carotene and fiber rich carrots, while the onion adds essential flavanoids, the mushrooms, B vitamins, protein and magnesium, and the potatoes contribute potassium, fiber and more B vitamins still.  This recipe can be used to smother savory beef burgers, (which is what I did) chicken burgers or even turkey patties. Boneless, skinless chicken and boneless or bone-in pork chops will work well too. The possibilities are virtually endless.  Vegetarians can use  this sauce to smother rice, egg noodles or couscous, even quinoa for a hearty filling meal.  Further still, this sauce can be diluted with chicken broth or more milk and served as a soup with crackers or whole grain bread.  There's no wrong way and the taste is a warm, gratifying one. The moniker concludes that this recipe can complement anything, hence the  name, not to mention what you may come up with in your own kitchen.  This recipe is not really a gravy since that would entail a deglazing and browning of flour and bits from the bottom of a pan, but it smothers like a gravy, so gravy it is!  I hope you have just as much fun with this quick fix recipe as I did!
Recipe:
8 oz. sliced button mushrooms
1/3 c. matchstick carrots
1 small onion, chopped
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 c. milk
6 small, cooked red potatoes, sliced into 1/4 inch slices, about 1 1/2 c.
olive oil for drizzling
SPST (Salt and Pepper to Suit your Taste)

In a medium saute pan over medium high heat, drizzle with olive oil and add mushrooms.  Cook until fragrant and mushrooms start to brown, about 3 minutes and add onions and carrots.  SPST.  Cook additional minutes until onions are softened and translucent.  Add mushroom soup and milk and bring up to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer and add sliced potatoes.Simmer until heated through, about 5 minutes.  SPST  Serve as desired.  Makes about 4 cups.