Thursdays Are For Cooking!
Well, I know you are all hungry little chickens, so here’s my contribution for this week. Since we’re past New Year’s Day and the Moon is moving into her first quarter, it’s time to move on to other things.
If this doesn’t make your tummies happy, there is also a dessert recipe. Put a basket of fresh rolls and some butter on the table, too.
Enjoy, and have a good New Year!
TOMATO BASIL PASTA
Ingredients Related Tips
12 ounces pasta (I used Linguine)
1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes with liquid (You can use fresh if you like as well)
1 large sweet onion, cut in julienne strips
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, if you can’t use this ingredient)
2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
2 large sprigs basil, chopped
4 1/2 cups vegetable broth (regular broth and NOT low sodium)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Parmesan cheese for garnish
Directions:
Place pasta, tomatoes, onion, garlic, basil, in a large stock pot. Pour in vegetable broth. Sprinkle on top pepper flakes and oregano. Drizzle top with oil.
Cover pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a low simmer and keep covered and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes or so. Cook until almost all liquid has evaporated – I left about an inch of liquid in the bottom of the pot – but you can reduce as desired .
Season to taste with salt and pepper, stirring pasta several times to distribute the liquid in the bottom of the pot. Serve garnished with Parmesan cheese.
Dessert: Torta Sbrisolona
Ingredients:
1 3/4 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for the pan
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups blanched almonds, finely ground
3/4 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 10-inch springform pan; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, ground almonds, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender until it is completely incorporated and there are no dry crumbs. Squeeze the mixture to form pea-size to 1-inch clumps.
Gently press three-quarters of the mixture into the prepared pan, and sprinkle evenly with remaining crumbs. Bake until cookie begins to turn golden, about 25 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F, and continue to bake until golden brown and fairly dry, about 10 minutes more. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Remove sides of pan to unmold. Cookie can be kept, wrapped well in aluminum foil, at room temperature for up to 3 days.
I just printed up your recipe Ex and will try it out. Am down to 4 vacumme packed bags of your penn/sausage meal in the reefer’s freezer. Talking of pasta, Pres Lincoln was in little Italy NYC for a dinner but the driver was driving the horse and carriage around in circles so Abe sticks his head out and asks the driver what the delay was, so the drivers tells Abe that he lost the directions to the Spagetti’s burg address.
Make more of the penne/sausage while you’re at it! Cooking ahead is a huuuuge time-saver!
You can also prepare breakfast dishes and freeze them for future use by warming them up in the microwave. Scrambled eggs do well in something like that.
And Happy New Year!!!!
Nice bit of Eye-talian flavor Mi’Lady. Made something very similar to this on evening past. I added some grounded beef chuck beast to mine, Have also used some thinly sliced, pan grilled yard bird beast. Garlic butter and a cheese ball spread on that good crusty bread.
“Cookie can be kept….up to 3 days”. Oh hells to the naw. No way a cookie gonna last 3 days around me. bwaaaahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! I have a sweet tooth from hell. That’s why I love ALL of our Adorable Deplorables so much.
Looking good…Let’s eat! Thanks! ps…Hit the K Roger on yesterday past, scored some 12 pounder spiral sliced hams for $.99 #. Made room in the freezerator for 3 of them.
I am looking forward to a better year this year than last. Know why? Biteme is oblivious to the trouble he’s in and could bump into a door frame without even feeling it. It’s gonna be a surprise to me if he finishes out his term.
For that reason, I’m heavily in favor of cooking ahead and freezing the portions, whenever you can. Saves money and time, and you won’t go hungry.
Have you ever tried bourboned chicken? I know there’s a recipe for that somewhere.
Happy New Year, Big Boy!!!
Thank You, Ex, for two yummy recipes for the ninja family Chefs to make…and serve…
😊
You’re welcome, and if you’re serving a crowd, increase the ingredients accordingly.
Happy New Year!
Bought all the stuff for your meal at Publix half hour ago and going to start cooking as soon as I send this out.
For those who like to cook under pressure…..
Instant Pot Pasta with Tomato, Basil and Mozzarella
Ingredients:
1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbs. kosher salt
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper
1 lb. (500 g) dried penne
1 can (28 oz./875 g) diced tomatoes with juice
1/2 cup (1/2 oz./15 g) whole fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish
1/4 cup (1 oz./30 g) grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cups (6 oz./180 g) grated fresh mozzarella cheese
Directions:
In an Instant Pot® set to Sauté, warm the olive oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, salt, oregano, red pepper flakes and few grind of black pepper and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the penne, tomatoes, basil and 2 cups (16 fl. oz./500 ml) water. Stir to combine.
Lock the lid in place and turn the valve to Sealing. Set the Instant Pot to pressure cook at high pressure for 5 minutes.
When the pressure cooking is complete, let the steam release naturally for about 15 minutes, then turn the valve to Venting to release any residual steam. Carefully remove the lid, stir in the Parmesan and season with salt and pepper.
Divide the pasta among individual bowls, top with the mozzarella, garnish with basil and serve. Serves 6.
https://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/instant-pot-pasta-with-tomato–basil-and-mozarella.html
Bourbon Chicken
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INGREDIENTS
2 lbs boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 -2 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
1⁄4 teaspoon ginger
3⁄4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1⁄4 cup apple juice
1⁄3 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1⁄2 cup water
1⁄3 cup soy sauce
DIRECTIONS
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Add chicken pieces and cook until lightly browned.
Remove chicken.
Add remaining ingredients, heating over medium Heat until well mixed and dissolved.
Add chicken and bring to a hard boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
Serve over hot rice and ENJOY.
Recipe from an Auntie in Gore Bay – also is/was frequent visitor to New Orleans
Hatchet:
Wow…
Thank You!!
We are going to try your recipe…Sounds So Delicious!
gitarcarver: We are still learning with our Instant Pot and will try your version as well after we make the pasta with Ex’s recipe.
Thank You, Both!
How much bourbon, Hatchet? Baste cook’s liver as needed? Brown sugar and fermented apple juice to make rum? I’m confused?!? Oh…wait…New Orleans or as we say down heah Naw’lins…Bourbon Street Chicken?…as in French Quarter?…Justin Wilson smiles.
The most expensive 2 person meal I had EVAH was at Antoine’s in the Quarter. Worth.every.penny!
My Auntie never ‘measured’ a shot in her life and told me once, she thought “Free-pour’ was some place ya got Tax-free smokes..”. She was a seriously HUGE fan of Graham Kerr(The Galloping Gourmet) so whenever Auntie poured a drink for any her guests, it was always a half a glass – whether it was Wine or Whiskey. KoB, my Auntie would most probably tell you ‘add to taste and if you’ve got big tastes, add a lot’. She’s Ojibway and I’m better than certain there’s no translatable words for Ounces or Milliliters. Skoden!
Don’t know if there’s any cinema buffs here but if you like the topic of food, New Orleans and good cast combined into a really decent movie, I highly recommend Jon Favreau’s 2014 movie ‘Chef’. Brings back many happy memories of a hot cup of real-deal New Orleans coffee and freshly made Beignets at Café Du Monde Riverwalk with my Dad.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2883512/
Word! Tunkan Kola. “…add enough to make the cook happy…” Splash, dash, tad, pinch, shake, smidgen are all accepted measurements. Worked a number of housewares shows with Graham, Justin, Julia, and Rachel. Good Times!
AphikiyA!