Sunday, February 28, 2010
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Ragu, Be gone!
Earlier in the week, I asked my followers on Twitter to throw some ideas my way on what subject matter I should use for my next blog post. Since I'm *incredibly* popular on that website, I received one, measly suggestion: Spaghetti. (Thank you @mumbleguy)
Seeing how I AM Italian and I LOVE pasta (<------ redundant), coming up with something to write on spaghetti was as natural for me as changing a diaper with one hand while vacuuming with the other: A RECIPE.
If you can spare a few dollars, have mostly functioning hands and enjoy a bowl of pasta with red sauce, there is absolutely no reason why you should be using sauce out of jar. I am here to save my blog readers (you two can thank me later) from sauce that taste like it came from Chef BARFadee. I give you the easiest & quickest homemade spaghetti sauce ever. Also known as......... well.....
Just Spaghetti Sauce.
Ingredients Needed:
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Diced Onion
Crushed Red Pepper
Salt
Chopped Garlic
Italian Seasoning
28 oz Crushed Tomatoes
FRESH Basil
Optional Ingredients:
Diced Tomatoes
Green Chiles
Italian Sausage
Bell Peppers
Other Vegetables
Other Seasonings
Other Meat
Other Anything That Might be Appetizing in Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
The Process (approx. 15 minutes)
Step Numero Uno
Retrieve your very best knife. If you do not have a decent knife in your kitchen, please add 60 - 80 minutes to the quoted time above, as you will spend that time sawing your onion into bite size pieces.
With your super fabulous knife, dice however much onion your little heart desires. For my family, it is roughly half an onion.
Step 2
Drizzle a good amount of olive oil into your skillet. If you have problems "drizzling" you need one of these spouts:
Step C
Dump your diced onion into the pan which should be over a medium level fire so that your Olive Oil is pre-heated. If you don't like crunchy onions, you better saute the hell out of those tear-inducing babies right now. If you intend on adding other vegetables or other meats also do so now....... Ill wait.
Next Step
Add desired seasonings: Crushed Red Peppers, Salt, Italian Seasoning and "other seasonings" as listed above. Don't ask me how much, let your intuitions lead you.
If you would like to saute your garlic in the olive oil you should add it at this point and let it heat momentarily. Be sure not to let it burn, or else you'll have bitter garlic. And let's face it, if your garlic tastes like crap, what's the point? I mean REALLY!
Your spaghetti sauce should look something like this:
Step Cuatro
Carefully pour in your ginormous can of crushed tomatoes. If you'd prefer your garlic to loan a more potent taste to your pasta sauce, NOW would be the time to add it. I'd tell you how many cloves to use but in this house we just judge it on how horrid our breath smells after dinner and then adjust accordingly.
*** On a side note, I may or may not have used already chopped garlic from the produce section at our local grocery store.But don't tell my dad's side of the family. ***
The Grand Finale!
Tear in your FRESH Basil (it makes a difference!) and simmer until your spaghetti sauce has reached your desired temperature. Let's make sure it doesn't come to a boil, because then it will start to splatter all over your white tiled countertops and your husband will have to scrub the grout a week later when he's cleaning the kitchen to get himself out of the dog house........
On second thought, let it splatter.
Just sayin'.
Here's a picture of my FRESH Basil in my easiest & quickest spaghetti sauce ever:
While your sauce is simmering, feel free to bake your garlic bread, compose and boil your fresh pasta, prepare ingredients for a farm fresh salad and mix your own Balsamic Vinagairette. What?! Not everybody does that on spaghetti night??
Ok... me neither.
Throw a ladle of that yummy Italian goodness over a hot pasta of your choice and you've got dinner!
MANGIA, MANGIA!!
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
10 More Things You Couldn't Care Less About.
(This blog post is co-hosted by Cynthia Penny)
1. Most of my family would consider me a freaky dish-washer. The sponge, by no means, can come in contact with any particle of food. All leftovers MUST be rinsed before the washing of the dishes can commence.
2. If you saw a picture of me when I was 12, you'd notice that I looked like a "Chola". I rocked the baggy jeans, tights tops, black lipstick and tried to throw gang signs for some awesome pictures that my family now uses as blackmail.
(From Wikianswers.com - A chola is a female of latin decent, who is one of the "homies.")
3. I've seen "Dirty Dancing" more times than I'd like to admit. My grandmother recorded it from television onto a VHS tape when I was in elementary school and I'd watch it repeatedly each time I visited her house. In May I was blessed to see the musical at the Pantages Theater and it was BREATHTAKING!
R.I.P. Patrick Swayze.
4. I spent last Saturday night knitting a scarf and eating lemon pudding...... alone. Yes, it's gotten that bad.
5. I'm emotionally preparing myself to turn 30 years old....Pretty confident I'll spend the majority of 2010 agonizing over my birthday that Summer.
6. Do not bring a Snickers candy bar into my home. You will be promptly removed by my bouncer for sabotaging my diet.
7. I was 75 yards away from a black bear in the Sequoia National Forest this past summer and I almost peed my pants.
8. Doctors have induced labor for me 4 times even though I only have 3 children.
9. I just darkened my hair less than 2 weeks ago. And this morning I found a Gray hair!
10. ROSEANNE re-runs kept me occupied when I lived in the Hell Hole known as Twenty Nine Palms, Ca.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Ten Things You Might Not Know About Me.... Yet.
1. I have the two best sisters anyone could ask for... EVER. (Ok, most of you already knew that one) But seriously - babysitting, an open ear, love, blunt honesty - whatever I need, they've got it! SMOOCHES Cyndi and Jamie!
2. If I wasn't married with children, I'd be a full on vegetarian. As it is, I'll only eat turkey and chicken. But when it comes to chicken, it MUST be a boneless, skinless chicken breast. And I only eat the inside of it... not the outer-most border. Hold your gasps and dropped jaws, I've heard it all.
3. When I'm rocking out in my mommy car, the radio's volume must be tuned to very specific numbers. The only acceptable ones are 20, 25, 30, 33, 35, 38, 40 and 42.
4. I'm not convinced that I'm capable of leaving the house without eyeliner and mascara; even if I'm about to sweat it off at the gym.
5. I'll admit that I sort of, kind of suck at Geography. Did you all know that Alaska is connected to Canada and is not in fact an "island" as U.S. maps would have you believe?
6. I'm proud to know nothing about the 80's, except that it boasted blue eyeshadow and teased hair. I go to bat for the 90's though!
7. Along with a few others who shall remain nameless, I'm of the firm belief that if no one saw you eat that candy bar, that it really didn't happen.
8. Two words: Texture. Freak. I can't stand yogurt especially. Ice cream is pretty low on the list too.... unless it's got something crunchy in it. Preferrably nuts.
9. Flossing my kids' teeth is the WORST part about being a parent! (you know that if you've read this post)
10. I MIGHT have an eensy weensy, tiny little celebrity crush on Rob Lowe. Back off Sheryl Berkoff!
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
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