Swiss Patty Melt

Six onions make a LOT of caramelized onions. So when the recipe for Caramelized Onion and White Bean Dip called for just one cup of cooked onions, I wondered why in the world the recipe instructed you to caramelize six onions. But thank god it did!  They are SO good. And, if you're taking the hour and a half to let them get the perfect color and sweetness, why not make extra?

A Swiss patty melt is one of Brian's favorite sandwiches to get out. They are like a burger and a grilled cheese all in one - what's not to love?! I never thought of making them at home until I saw an episode of The Pioneer Woman. It doesn't take much more effort than regular grilled burgers and doesn't require any fancy ingredients or tools. And it's a great way to use up some of those leftover onions.

In the time it took Brian to grill the burgers, I had put the melt part of the sandwiches together. The official recipe has more detailed instructions, but I think you'll get the picture.

 

 

 

Ingredients:

• 2 grilled burgers - whatever size and doneness you like (they aren't on the griddle long enough to cook any more than they did on the grill, so pull them off when they are perfect)
• 4 slices good rye bread
• 1 Tbsp. softened butter
• 4 slices Swiss cheese
• 1/2 C caramelized onions

Method:

1. While burgers are grilling, heat a skillet or griddle over medium heat.
2. Start like you would any grilled cheese: Butter two slices of rye and place butter side down in the pan. Top each with a slice of cheese and top each with half the onions.
3. Top each with a cooked burger, then another slice of cheese. Finally, top that with another piece of buttered bread, butter side up.
4. When the bottom bread is nicely grilled, flip and grill until done.
5. Serve immediately.

(Honestly, this is the first Pioneer Woman recipe that I've wanted to make. But I follow her blog religiously. She has a great way with words and takes incredibly beautiful photos of her family, pets, and ranch. I think I secretly wish I lived on an enormous cattle ranch in the mid-West, too.)


Source: Food Network

Grilled Marinated Flank Steak (with Chimichurri Sauce)

If the chimichurri sauce was good by itself, it was amazing with a deliciously marinated, perfectly grilled flank steak!

The steak we cooked was a little over a pound (the recipe called for a two-pound steak), but I forgot to halve the marinade. I actually think it worked out well, though - since it marinated for two days, the extra sauce made for an incredibly tender piece of meat.

I would absolutely make this again - maybe next week! ;-)

Ingredients:

• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 C red wine vinegar
• 3/4 C extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp. hot sauce
• 1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 Tbsp. lower sodium soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp. honey
• 1 Tbsp. steak seasoning
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1.25 lb. beef flank steak

Method:

1. In a gallon sized Ziploc bag, combine all marinade ingredients: garlic through cumin. Mix well.
2. Add steak to the bag and marinate in the fridge for 2 hours or overnight. (Or for 2 days if it suites you.)
3. When ready to cook, spray grill grate with cooking oil and preheat to medium.
4. Grill steak for 8 to 10 minutes on each side or until desired doneness.
5. Transfer steak to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes.
6. Cut meat across the grain into thin, slanting slices.
7. Serve with chimichurri sauce.

Beef Barley Soup

In honor of what I hope is the last snow storm of the season, I served up steaming bowls of this hearty soup for dinner tonight. I threw it together this morning before logging into work - a little chopping, a little sauteing, and the prep was done in fewer than 20 minutes.

The beef practically fell apart, the veggies were tender without being overcooked, and the barley had a nice bite to it. Thankfully it was delicious, since it looks like we'll be eating it for the rest of the week for lunch!

Happy day before Spring!

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs. beef stew meat, cut to uniform size
• 1/2 C flour
• Salt and pepper
• 2 T canola oil, divided
• 4 carrots, finely diced
• 1 large white onion, finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 T Worcestershire sauce
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 28 oz. can petite diced tomatoes
• 1 Quart beef stock
• 3/4 C pearled barley

Method:

1. Heat 1 T of oil in large saute pan over medium heat.
2. Combine flour, salt and pepper in gallon sized Ziploc bag. Add half of the beef and shake to coat evenly.
3. Remove beef from bag, shaking off excess flour. Add to saute pan and brown on each side. When done, remove beef from pan and add to slow cooker.
4. Repeat process with remaining oil and beef.
5. Add about 1/2 C of the stock to the hot saute pan and deglaze, scraping up browned bits from bottom of the pan. Add stock from saute pan to crock pot, along with the remaining stock.
6. Add all remaining ingredients to crock pot, except barley. Stir well.
7. Cook on low for 9 hours.
8. Add barley, increase to high, and cook for another hour.

Bolognese Sauce

I thought I had a great bolognese sauce. I added a little of this, a little less of that, tested and tweaked. And, when I finally thought I had it just right, our beloved friends promptly assured me otherwise and I lost my first (though sadly, not last) throwdown to a restaurant recipe for my favorite pasta sauce. I was annoyed, I was disappointed, and I was still sure I had the best bolognese.

Then, I watched an episode of "The Best Thing I Ever Made...Family Dinners" on Food Network. And my mouth watered listening to the chef describe a bolognese that sounded almost as good as my original recipe. And so I tried it. And it was good....very good. Not better than the original - they are very different recipes. But very, very good and definitely a keeper.

Ingredients:

• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 ounces pancetta, minced
• 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 1 large carrot, finely diced
• 1 celery stalk, finely diced
• 1 pound spicy sausage, removed from casing
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 cups red wine
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup milk
• 1 large can San Marzano crushed tomatoes (28 ounces)
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh basil, plus torn leaves for garnish
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, minced
• 1 box thin spaghetti (or whatever pasta you prefer)
• 1/2 cup ground Pecorino Romano cheese

Method:

1. In a large cast-iron or Dutch oven casserole over medium heat, heat some olive oil and then add the pancetta, garlic, onions and carrots. They should cook slow and lightly brown, about 20 minutes. When finished, deglaze the pot with the vegetables by adding 1 cup of the red wine.
2. In another large casserole over medium heat, brown the meat slowly in olive oil until it is a nice even brown color. This process should take around 30 minutes and the mixture should be stirred frequently so it will not stick. Salt and pepper liberally. Then add the tomato paste and saute for 5 minutes.
3. Next, add the vegetables and pancetta to the pot with the meat. Then add the remaining red wine to deglaze the pot. Scrape all the bits and pieces that might accumulate and reduce by half, about 10 minutes. Then add the chicken stock, milk, and crushed tomatoes and simmer very gently for 2 hours.
4. Let the sauce sit and cool down before using; it's even better the next day! Finish the sauce with the basil and thyme.
5. Boil 2 gallons of salted water and add the pasta. Cook until al dente. Drain and put the pasta directly into the pot of bolognese sauce. Simmer for 2 minutes to incorporate the sauce into the pasta, adding the reserved pasta water as necessary. Finish with the ground Pecorino Romano, torn basil and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil on top.

Source: Food Network

Bleu Cheese Crusted Filet Mignon {Happy Birthday, Brian!}

A couple of years ago, I made a filet that was so good, Brian declared it was what he wanted for his birthday meal going forward. So, I have made it for his birthday. But I also have made it on a random Tuesday night or Sunday funday....it's that good and that easy. This year, I needed to mix it up a little.

We had a block of strong, salty bleu cheese from a great cheese shop in Newburyport and I had visions of the cheesy steaks I've had in places like Max's. What I found was even better!

Ingredients:

• 2 8oz piece of filet
• Salt and Pepper
• Canola or Peanut Oil, for searing
• ½ cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 Tbsp butter
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• fresh ground pepper
• 1 tspn minced fresh herbs, such as rosemary or parsley
• ½ cups crumbled bleu cheese
• 1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard

Method:

1. Allow the steaks to set at room temperature for about 30 minutes to equalize the internal temperature for more even cooking.
2. Meanwhile, prepare crumb topping:  Combine panko, cold butter, garlic powder, and pepper in microwaveable bowl. Heat on high in microwave until butter melts, stirring every 30 seconds to distribute the browned crumbs. Remove from microwave, allow to cool for a few seconds and then add the herbs and bleu cheese. Use a fork to distribute the bleu cheese into the crumbs without making it into a paste.  Taste for seasoning and set aside.
3. Preheat oven to 450°F.
4. Season the filets with salt and pepper. To sear the meat, preheat shallow sided sauté or frying pan over medium high heat until it is very hot. Add 1 teaspoon canola oil and heat until the oil is shimmering. Without crowding them, carefully add the steaks to the hot pan. Do not move the steaks until they have developed a crust and release from pan on their own. Using tongs, carefully brown all sides of the steak, each time allowing the crust to form before disturbing the steaks.
5. When well-seared, remove steaks to an open baking pan. Roast for about 6 - 7 minutes (depending on how big your steaks are and how well you want them done) without the topping. Then remove from the oven and carefully brush mustard onto steaks to allow the crumb mixture to adhere. Just a thin coat — you may not need all of it, depending on the surface area to cover.  Then simply divide the crumb mixture over the steaks and return to the oven.  Roast an additional 5 - 6 minutes until steaks are cooked to your liking and the topping is brown and bubbly.
6. Allow the steaks to rest for a few minutes before serving.

Source: Steak Enthusiast

Jean's Chili

Once the weather turns cooler, chili is one of my first go-to comfort foods. And this recipe, from my friend Jean, is my favorite. It's meaty with just the right amount of beans and tomatoes. I like my chili a little spicier, so I use more chili powder and red pepper flakes than Jean's original recipe calls for. Top with some shredded cheese, sour cream, and a little cilantro and you'll be warmed from the inside in no time!

Ingredients:

• 4 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 1/2 C onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1 T oil
• 1 t red pepper flakes
• 2 lbs. lean ground beef
• 1 8oz. can tomato sauce
• 2 28oz. cans crushed tomatoes
• 1 T chili powder
• 1 t salt
• 1 t red pepper flakes
• 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

Method:

1. Warm oil and red pepper flakes over medium heat. When heated, saute veggies in oil.
2. Add beef and brown.
3. Add all remaining ingredients except beans.
4. Simmer 45 minutes to 1 hour.
5. Add beans and simmer an additional 30 minutes.

On Top of Spaghetti, All Covered in Sauce

Otherwise known as: Mmmmeatballs!

In addition to an immersion blender, Santa also brought me the meat grinder and pasta maker attachments for our Kitchen Aid mixer. I've wanted to try making my own ground meat for a while, especially after reading this post from one of my favorite bloggers: Elaine at The Italian Dish.

After speaking with a butcher, I left the store with a chuck roast. That's the same cut of beef that Elaine recommended, so I was confident it would be delicious.  Boy, was I right!

I ground the meat twice - again, a recommendation of the butcher. I wish I had had a small amount of store-ground beef to be able to show you the difference between it and the freshly ground.  They didn't even look like the same ingredient. While store-bought ground meat is dense and ropey, freshly ground chuck is...fluffy. I was especially careful when I mixed and formed the meatballs to make sure the meat stayed as light as it was when it was first ground.

I also put the onion through the meat grinder, to ensure we had all the flavor of the onion, but no large, sharp-tasting chunks. The onion "juice" also added a nice moisture to the meatballs.

In a word, they were perfect.  They held their shape perfectly, but were incredibly tender - practically melted in your mouth! They had a distinctively beefy flavor, but you could taste every other ingredient as well. The meatballs went perfectly with the simple tomato sauce we made - I wanted something that would really highlight the beef, not compete with it.

We served these with freshly made fettuccine from the whole wheat pasta recipe that came with the pasta attachment. The pasta was very hearty - almost too much for the sauce and meatballs. I have a few other recipes I'd like to try, and will post the best one here.

Mmmmballs

Ingredients

• 2 pounds beef chuck, freshly twice-ground
• 1 medium onion, freshly ground
• 3 tsp. Italian seasoning
• 2 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 3 TBL Worcestershire sauce
• 2/3 cup skim milk
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (plus more for serving)
• 1/2 - 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs

Method

1. Preheat oven to 400. Generously spray rimmed baking sheets with cooking spray.
2. Grind the beef and onion into a mixing bowl. Season with salt, Italian seasoning, oregano, red pepper flakes, and Worcestershire sauce; mix to combine, but do not overmix. 
3. Add the milk and Parmesan cheese, and enough bread crumbs to just hold together. Mix lightly until evenly blended
4. Form into 1 1/2-inch meatballs, and place onto the baking sheet.
5. Bake in the preheated oven until no longer pink in the center, 20 to 25 minutes.
6. If making ahead, store in the fridge, then warm in the pot of sauce until ready to serve.

Basic Marinara

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 medium onion, medium diced
• 2 (16 ounce) cans San Marzano roasted whole tomatoes
• 2 cups red wine
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 12 leaves fresh basil leaves, torn (plus more, for garnishing)

Method

1. Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over low heat and saute onion until softened but not browned. Add garlic and saute until soft; be careful not to burn. Just as the garlic begins to turn brown, remove pan from heat.
2. Allow pan to cool, and add tomatoes, wine, and salt. Cook over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in basil.
4. Blend with immersion blender until desired texture.

The Last Supper

With the rapture bearing down upon us yesterday, we opted for a "last supper" at Plan B in West Hartford. This was the second time we have eaten there in two weeks and I so wish it wasn't 40 minutes down the road! Best yet, it was voted one of Connecticut's best burgers by the Hartford Courant.

Name of Restaurant: Plan B
Location: West Hartford (they are also in Glastonbury and Simsbury)
Day / Date / Time: Saturday afternoon
Type of food: Burgers, beer, beef, and bourbon
Occasion / Event: The end of the world...or any other time you want the perfect burger!
Dined with: First with Brian, Kelly, and Amy, then with Brian and Jean
Ambiance / Entertainment: Fun, casual, comfy a little loud.
Wine / Cocktails: Huge selection of beer (can't go wrong with a Miller Lite bottle); nice wine selection
Appetizers: The jalapeno poppers were outstanding. Apps range from $7 - 10, with lobster sliders at $14.
Entrees: Burgers, burgers, burgers!! We've tried the Blue Cheese, Baha, Tavern Classic, and Bacon Cheese beef burgers; the Buffalo Chicken; and the Salmon Burger - and all were terrific. Burgers can be served on a bed of greens or with a whole wheat roll at no cost. Sides are fun and very tasty - tater tots were a huge hit! (Great pickles, too!) We're actually a pretty good test for a burger joint, since Brian likes his rare and I like mine cooked all the way through - and when a restaurant can serve up both our burgers done perfectly, they get extra points in my book.
Desserts: I'm sure they have them, but I'd rather finish my burger and fries than save room for dessert!
Average price range: Burgers range from about $10 - 14. 
House favorites / Signature dishes to reorder: Burgers! There are other things on the menu, but seriously - go with a burger.

Beef Wellington

A few months ago, Brian's dad read an article in the Wall Street Journal about the ultimate "mega meal," Beef Wellington, based on a Tyler Florence recipe. We spoke often about making it for a special dinner, and decided that Brian and I would make it for Easter for his parents and us, on Plum Island.

I had never had Beef Wellington. Didn't know how it should taste, what it should look like, or how difficult it would be to make. And I am so glad we tried it! First of all, how bad can anything be that is wrapped in puff pastry?! Beyond that, though, the combination of mushroom "pate" with salty prosciutto and beautiful filet Mignon - truly the perfect bite. Best of all - it was easy!  Time consuming and not inexpensive, but not difficult.

Served with mashed potatoes and simple roasted asparagus, it was absolutely a "heavenly meal," perfect for Easter!

Duxelles
1 1/2 lb. white button mushrooms, cleaned and large chopped
2 shallots, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, smashed
3 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
2 T unsalted butter
2 T extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Beef
1 (3 lb.) center cut beef tenderloin (filet Mignon), trimmed and tied
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
16 thin slices prosciutto
3 T white truffle butter*
Flour, for rolling out puff pastry
1 or 2 sheets (1 box) puff pastry, thawed two hours
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 t coarse sea salt

Mushroom Gravy**
2 T unsalted butter
1 T extra virgin olive oil
1/2 pound white mushrooms, quartered
1 T all purpose flour***
2 C beef stock
1/4 C heavy cream

1. Make the duxelles: Place the mushrooms, shallots, garlic and thyme in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and saute for 8 to 10 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper and set aside to cool.
2. Prepare the beef: Drizzle roast with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Heat a little olive oil in a heavy skillet (we used cast iron). When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the beef and sear until every side is nicely browned. (You know the meat is fully seared when you don't have to tug on it to turn it. Try too soon and you'll tear the meat.) Remove from heat, cut off twine, and allow to cool slightly.
3. Meanwhile, extend a sheet of plastic wrap (about a foot and a half in length so you can wrap and tie the roast up in it) on counter. Place the prosciutto on top of the plastic wrap in a shingle pattern. You want to create a rectangle that is large enough to encompass the entire filet of beef. Cover the prosciutto with a thin layer of the mushrooms. Season, as needed, with salt and pepper and sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves.

4. Smear the beef with the truffle butter. Then roll it in the duxelles-covered prosciutto using the plastic wrap to tie it up tightly. Twist the ends of the plastic wrap to seal the beef completely and hold it in a nice log shape. Set in the fridge for 30 minutes to ensure it maintains its shape.
5. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
6. On a lightly floured surface, roll the puff pastry out to 1/4 inch thickness. Depending on the size of your roast and the puff pastry you're using, you may have to overlap 2 sheets and press them together. Remove the beef from the fridge and cut off the plastic wrap. Set the beef in the center of the pastry and fold over the end pieces, then fold up the sides, trimming excess and binding all overlapping pastry with egg wash.  Be sure to completely seal the beef.

7. Place the beef seam side down on a parchment lined baking sheet. Brush the pastry with the beaten egg, spinkle with sea salt, then make a couple of slits through the top of the pastry using the tip of a paring knife.

8. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until pastry is golden brown and the beef registers 125 degrees on an instant read thermometer. Remove from the oven and rest ten minutes before serving.

*I forgot to smear the truffle butter on the beef before we wrapped it in the mushrooms and prosciutto, so used it instead in mashed potatoes. Delish!
**The original recipes call for making your own veal stock for use in the gravy; we opted to save some time and money by using store bought beef stock. Check out either links above if you want to recipe for the stock.
***It takes more than a tablespoon of flour to thicken two cups of liquid - I used almost three tablespoons.

Steakhouse Steaks

We celebrated an early Valentine's Day last night by staying in and making a fabulous meal together.

Brian was in charge of appetizers and made these Spicy Chipotle Grilled Shrimp from Allrecipes. They were so good that we ate them before we had a chance to take a picture!  He updated the original recipe for just two servings, so some of the ingredient measurements were a little weird, but he rounded up or down on those and the end result was perfect.

The shrimp were so good I could imagine using them as a main dish over some rice or pasta, or on a pizza...so many options...!

Neither of us had worked with canned chipotles in adobe sauce, but I'll be looking for other ways to use them. They have a creamy, smokey heat that was just delicious.

For dinner, I wanted to try filets mignons. I decided to make Ina Garten's Steakhouse Steaks from her new cookbook, "How Easy is That?" - a Christmas gift from Brian's mom and dad.

Surprisingly, I made them almost exactly as the recipe directed - there aren't many editing options with only five ingredients.  My notes:

• The filets I used (from Arnold's, of course) were about 8 oz. each, and measured 1.5" thick. I adjusted the cooking time accordingly and roasted them for nine minutes, let them rest for 10. The larger of the two came out perfectly rare for Brian, and mine was a little firmer - still fully reddish pink but warm throughout.
• A tablespoon of salt seemed like a lot, so I just sprinkled them with kosher salt before searing.
• Again, a full tablespoon of butter seemed excessive, so I used about 1/2 T for each.

I made a simply pan gravy to put on top:

• Melt 2T butter in a saute pan. Add 1 large onion and 8 oz. of cremini mushrooms, both sliced, and saute over medium high heat until juices start to evaporate.
• Add salt and pepper to taste, 1 T finely chopped fresh rosemary, and 1/2 T fresh thyme. Stir to combine and cook 2 minutes.
• Sprinkle with 2T flour. Stir to combine and cook 2 - 3 minutes to cook out the raw flour flavor.
• Add 2 C beef stock. Stir or whisk well to combine. Bring just to a boil then reduce heat to medium low and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened.

Simple mashed Yukon gold potatoes and steamed asparagus, along with a nice glass of Merlot, rounded out our "steakhouse" dinner. We enjoyed it so much that Brian declared it's what he wants for his birthday dinner from now on - success!!

Ask yourself this...

...are you ready for a throw down?!?

At our annual Christmas celebration at The Fort, my friend Gwen and I realized we each have a bolognese recipe we love. Within  minutes, Brian had organized a throw down that Bobby Flay himself would have been proud of and last week we put our recipes to the test.

Gwen's recipe comes from Carmine's Family Style Cookbook, from the famous restaurant in New York. Mine is a compilation of recipes I've found online and on the Food Network.

I thought that Gwen's sauce was excellent, and our judges agreed....she won the first of what I hope are many friendly and delicious throw downs!! Next up, she and Jay will challenge Russ and Hil...can't wait to see what they come up with!

So, it's not a truly winning recipe, but it's pretty scrumptious. Here's my take on a (slightly less) traditional bolognese sauce!

Jen's Bolognese

1 T extra virgin olive oil
8 oz. pancetta, diced
1 large onion
2 large carrots
3 celery ribs
4 cloves garlic
8 oz. baby bella mushrooms
1 t salt
1/2 t black pepper
2 bay leaves
1/2 t dried thyme
1/4 t dried oregano
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
2 lb meatloaf mix (ground beef, veal, and pork)
2 T tomato paste
1 C red wine
2 (14 1/2 oz) can crushed tomatoes and their juice
1 (14 1/2 oz) can tomato sauce
1 C beef broth
2 t sugar
1/4 C heavy cream
2 T butter
3 T chopped parsley
1 lb pasta
1 C freshly grated Parmesan

1. In a food processor, puree vegetables in batches into a course paste.
2. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until brown and fat is rendered, 4 - 5 minutes.
3. Add the vegetables and season with salt and pepper.
4. Bring the pan to a medium high heat and cook until the water evaporates and they become nice and brown, stirring frequently. This will take any where from 20 - 30 minutes or more, depending on how much water are in the vegetables.
5. Add the seasonings and stir for 30 seconds.
6. Add the tomato paste, stir and cook until brown, about 2 minutes.
7. Add the ground meat and brown; again this will take anywhere from 20 - 30 minutes.
8. Add the wine and cook, stirring to deglaze the pan and remove any browned bits from the bottom of the pan, and until half the liquid is evaporated, about 2 minutes.
9. Add the tomatoes and their juices, the tomato sauce, beef broth, and sugar, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, stirring occasionally to keep the sauce from sticking, until the sauce is thickened and flavorful, about 1 1/2 - 2 hours.
10. Add the cream, butter, and parsley; stir well. Simmer for two minutes. Discard the bay leaves and adjust the seasoning, to taste.
11. Toss cooked pasta with a few ladles full of sauce, ladle more on top, and serve with cheese.

Now, mark your calendar for January 4, 2012. We may have missed National Spaghetti Day 2010, but there's always next year. And, what better way to celebrate than with a big, steaming bowl of spaghetti bolognese?!

Mangia!

Lawson Family Christmas

We celebrated Christmas with the B's family yesterday. His brother and his family were in from South Boston, and his aunt was here from New Jersey. We got to his parents' in time to visit with Gramp - I was especially glad, as my cold had kept me from visiting him for a few weeks.

The day got off to a rough start when we temporarily "misplaced" Sambucca. We had let him out shortly after we arrived and about a half hour later, B asked if someone could let him in. His dad came into the living room a short time later and mouthed to me, "Bucca is missing." I didn't give it much thought, as Sambucca NEVER wanders...we went out and called him. Nothing. With my heart in my throat I walked up to the main street, afraid but not really believing he had ventured that far and had been hit. Nothing. B went out in his car, his sister-in-law took her dog in another direction, and I was walking up and down the street calling for him.

I was starting to think someone must have taken him, because - as anyone who knows him knows - Bucca's herding instinct and attachment to B would prohibit him from just walking off.  Then, just as his dad was heading out in his car and as he passed B coming back in his, I thought again "Poker would NEVER wander away. He HAS to be here." I turned back to the house and spotted the garage...sure enough, there he was, right inside the door! Someone must have gone in and closed the door without realizing Bucca was in there.

You have never seen happier people than we were. Buc was nervous and thought he was in trouble, since we all had been shouting his name (with increasing panic and urgency) for about 5 minutes - the longest 5 minutes. The poor pup!!  That would have taken Christmas in a whole new direction...

I starting drinking wine right after that!

Thankfully, my appetite wasn't terribly affected by the dog-hunting drama. B & I were in charge of appetizers and decided to make two new ones. I made this crab dip from Allrecipes.com, one of my favorite places to search for recipes. I love that most of the recipes are posted by home cooks like me, with normal ingredients, and I love to read the reviews. People are really specific about what changes they made, how it worked out, etc. So, never one to make a recipe exactly as written, I pieced together some info from the reviews and used a little more mayo, added sour cream, sauteed the onion w/ some garlic, and added some Cholula hot sauce and finely shredded Monterey Jack cheese, and served with toasted baguette slices. Everyone else loved it, but I wasn't crazy about the texture...I will definitely continue to saute the onion and garlic, but next time I think I'll use less cream cheese and mayo, more Cholula, and will skip the sour cream and cheese. Might add a little cheese and some Panko to the top.

B picked a Swedish meatball recipe from Penzeys Spice. His dad proclaimed they were the best meatballs he's ever had! They were delicious - definitely a keeper!

Christmas Eve Swedish Meatballs

Meatballs:
1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. ground pork
1 lb. ground veal
1 C minced onion (1 large)
1 1/2 C bread crumbs
2 T minced fresh parsley
2 - 3 t salt
1/4 t ground black pepper
2 t Worcestershire sauce
2 eggs
2/3 C milk
1/2 C vegetable oil

Gravy:
1/2 C all purpose flour
2 t smoked Spanish paprika
1 t salt
1/4 t ground black pepper
4 C boiling water
1 1/2 C sour cream
2 whole bay leaves

1. In a large bowl, combine all of the meatball ingredients except the vegetable oil and mix thoroughly.
2. Shape into walnut-sized balls.
3. Heat the oil to medium-high in a wide, deep pan.
4. Brown the meatballs in batches so they aren't overcrowded.  Use tongs to flip them. Figure about 6 minutes per batch, flipping them after 3 minutes.
5. Remove each batch from the oil after browning and set aside. (B drained them on paper towel.)
6. When all the meatballs are browned and removed from the pan, make the gravy.
7. Add the flour, paprika, salt and pepper to the drippings in the skillet. Stir and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
8. Whisk in the boiling water. Whisk well, reduce heat to low, then whisk in sour cream. Add bay leaves.
9. Return the meatballs to the grave and simmer for at least 20 minutes.
10. To keep warm for serving, place the meatballs and the gravy in a slow cooker on low setting.

B followed the recipe almost to the letter with a few exceptions: He used regular paprika (since we didn't have smoke Spanish) and left out the bay leaves (again, none in the house) - would try to use both next time just to see what difference it makes.  Also, since we were in  a rush to get to his parents', we never simmered the meatballs and gravy on the stove top - we transferred both finished products directly to the crock pot and let them warm for about two hours before we served them.  They got better and better as they warmed!!

Hope your holiday season is going well. Next weekend we celebrate with the Martins...always fodder for a good story!

Shady Glen Cheeseburger

Not too long ago, B and I saw a segment on the Food Network about a hamburger joint that serves cheeseburgers with grilled cheese.  Not the crazy phase (let's hope it's just a phase!) of a cheeseburger served between two grilled cheese sandwiches...this is a scruptious burger topped with gooey yet crunchy cheese that has been melted on the grill.

So on a recent beautiful fall Saturday, we took a drive to Shady Glen Dairy Store in Manchester, CT, to try one for ourselves.

There was a line when we arrived, and some confusion about how seating is  handled. Once we found a helpful regular to give us some tips, it was pretty simple. The line forms to the left for booths and to the right for counter seating. As soon as a seat opens up, the next person in line can grab it.

The same gal who helped us navigate the seating recommended the Bernice Original platter - the "grilled cheese" burger served with two sides. I chose crinkle cut fries and cottage cheese, B ordered fries and onion rings. The burgers were served with just the cheese on a standard roll - lettuce and tomato is one of the sides you can order.

I added a little ketchup, mustard, and plenty of chopped onion to mine, folded the cheese over, and ended with the top of the bun.  Amazing!!  The cheese is crunchy and gooey, and a little salty.  The burger was the perfect size and cooked just right. I'm kinda glad Manchester's a good 40 minutes away....