ON TOP OF SPAGHETTI

Are there certain foods that when you see a picture of them or a commercial comes on TV you just start thinking about them and can't get them off your mind till that Tiger's fed? I have several that do that to me. Definitely Barbecue makes me crazy. Those BBQ marathons on The Travel Channel will have you driving miles within the next 24 hours to get that pork fix. Pizza does it, too. No wonder were are a fat nation. We're tempted 24 hours a day and being spoiled like we are, we don't generally deny ourselves what is readily available on every corner.
This is where this recipe for Spaghetti and Meatballs comes in. I don't really think of that dish often, Spaghetti, yes, but the meat balls are kind of an after thought since I make my Spaghetti with meat sauce to begin with. So when I saw a picture of this big plate of rich, red, tangy tomato sauce with meatballs and beautiful pasta, that Ding! Ding! Ding! went off in my little pea brain and I started pulling out the pots and pans, knives and spices. I'm making enough sauce to freeze 'cause I know that the days are getting longer and soon my interests will include gardening and kitchen time will be cut to a minimum. Lots of good fresh produce in the summer and our grill gets a real workout, so some extra tomato sauce will come in handy. What a great condiment for grilled bread, fresh bell peppers, even grilled asparagus. Also, try some on grilled eggplant and melt some Mozz or Parmesan cheese on top. What a great way to eat up that bounty of summer squash and zucchini! You'll come up with lots of good ideas. After all, something keeps those Ragu folks in business! comfortcook@gmail.com


SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS

SAUCE
2TBS extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves chopped garlic
1/2 chopped sweet yellow onion
1 cup very finely chopped carrots
2 28 oz can Italian plum tomatoes ( San Marzano brand if possible)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil ( 1 TBS dried)
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup chopped Oregano ( or 1 TBS dried)
3 TBS tomato paste
1/4 cup grated parmesan-romano cheese
Sea Salt to taste
Fresh ground Black pepper to taste
1tsp Red pepper flakes (Optional)
1/4 cup red wine

MEATBALLS
1 lb ground chuck
1/2 lb fresh bulk Italian Sausage (I use sweet)
2 TBS finely chopped basil
2 TBS finely chopped parsley
2 eggs
3/4 cup unseasoned bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan-Romano cheese blend
2 tsp Sea Salt
2 tsp black pepper
1 TBS olive oil
Red Wine ( to deglaze)
1 1/2 LB dry 100% semolina spaghetti, thin spaghetti or Bucatini pasta

1. Prepare Sauce: Heat olive oil in a 4-5 qt pot on medium heat. Add onions and cook for 2 min. Add garlic and cook 1 min. This is when I add the red pepper flakes. Add carrots and blend together for 2 minutes. Add canned tomatoes, stir together. Add basil, parsley, oregano and stir with wooden spoon or potato masher to break up tomatoes till sauce begins to thicken (about 5 min. over med. heat) Add Tomato paste concentrate, stir to blend. Reduce heat and simmer while preparing meatballs, stirring occasionally. (Will add Red wine and cheese later.)

2. Prepare meatballs. Mix by hand in a large bowl, beef, Italian sausage, basil, parsley, eggs, breadcrumbs, cheese, sea salt and pepper till well mixed, but do not over mix ( will make meatballs tough)Form into 1 inch round meat balls.
Heat frying pan on med high heat. Add oil. Sear and brown meatballs, but do not crowd in pan. Cook a single layer only or roast in a 350 oven till browned. As the meatballs are finishing add the red wine to deglaze the pan.

3. Add the 1/4 cup red wine to the tomato sauce. Then stir in the 1/4 cup cheese. Add salt to taste. Add meatballs, gently and stir. Simmer sauce and meatballs for 35-40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Cook pasta according to package directions, but leave a little al dente. Drain.
To serve, place thin layer of sauce on plate, add pasta, add the sauce with meatballs sprinkle with Parmesan-Romano cheese. Manga!!

ITALIAN BEEF.....MY WAY

This Italian Beef recipe is one that is a combination of my many attempts in the past to duplicate that wonderful Chicago Sandwich...Italian Beef. For years I did the infamous crock pot recipe that's all over the 'net and in cookbooks, because gosh darn it, if that's the closest a southerner can get, then I'd try to be happy with it. For years I was. Then Geraldo and I went to Chicago for a visit, I got hooked again and the crock pot wannabe didn't cut the mustard SO....., when some little cafe came to Nashville claiming to have "Authentic Chicago Style Italian Beef" I was on my way in a matter of days. The clerk's accent seemed authentic and the weight of my foil wrapped treasure kept me excited as I drove the 10 minutes to my house. (I know better than to try to eat an Italian Beef and drive.) I got home, stepped over the dog, grabbed a TV tray, and I know I had to be giggling and perhaps even talking to myself as I sat down and unwrapped my hefty beefy lunch. My first bite made me almost cry. I can only describe it as something like you going to the supermarket deli, buying the sliced roast beef, bringing it home and soaking it in a beef bouillon salt bath for a few hours. YEECH! What a disapontment. It's like going to see George Michael and Andrew Ridgely shows up instead. How dare these people advertise this as Authentic? And what really upset me was that I know most folks here in Nashville may go there thinking that they are eating the real deal! Oh, I gotta fix this. At least in my little circle of friends. It was time for me to get to work and attempt to somehow come up with something at least similar enough to share with my southern buddies to give them an idea of what it is that makes Chicago folks so fortunate and so many of the rest of us hopelessly geographically challenged.
Do Not Critique this recipe. It is a work in progress and will continue to be tweaked. I made this when my brother and his fiance came to visit recently and it was a hit. At least no one thought is was a Philly Steak! I would never claim authenticity, but this recipe works for me and I hope that any of you out there who have heard of and perhaps wondered what the heck an Italian Beef Sandwich is will try this. It is time consuming, don't try to hurry it up and tho there's lots of ingredients, it's still cheaper than a plane ticket. The next time you visit Chicago put it at the top of your list to try a real Itailan Beef Sandwich and you'll know one of the many reasons that I love Chicago. Food, Blues, Cold beer, Great Museums, Oprah... and Italian Beef.

Chicago Italian Beef Sandwich

1 4-pound sirloin tip roast
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 cloves garlic, sliced, and granulated Garlic (to taste) to season the roast before roasting
2 large red bell peppers, cored and cut into 1-inch strips
2 large green peppers, cored and cut into 1-inch strips2 medium yellow onions, sliced
2 cups beef stock
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
4 to 6 Italian poor-boy rolls, sliced lengthwise but not cut all the way through

Optional: Top with hot peppers, or a hot vegetable mix/ or serve with a grilled Italian sausage link cozied up in the bun with the beef. And I like a lot of garlic patted over the roast before roasting.
Preheat the oven to 375 °F. Season the meat with salt and pepper, oregano, and thyme. Place on a rack in a roasting pan and roast for about 2 hours or until the meat reaches 130 °F in the center. Remove and allow to cool. Deglaze the roasting pan with a little water and place the juices in a 6-quart pot. Heat a large nonstick frying pan and add the oil, garlic, red and green bell peppers, and onions. Sauté for 5 minutes and add to the pot. You may have to do this in batches.Slice the cooled meat very thinly across the grain, using an electric meat slicer if you have access to one. It just isn't the same shredded as it is when the beef is sliced paper thin. The taste is there, but the texture is nowhere near the real deal. Place the sliced meat in the pot along with any meat juices that have accumulated during cooling. Add the beef and chicken stocks, wine, and parsley. Cover and simmer gently for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Stir the pot a couple of times during cooking. Add salt and pepper to taste.Turn off the heat and allow the pot to rest, covered, for 15 minutes. Dip each roll into the broth in the pot so that it is saturated and heavy. Fill the roll with plenty of simmered beef and vegetables.Small changes: I added crushed red peppers to the broth, because I like more spiciness. And I would use more oregano next time. A teaspoon more, t least. Do it to taste, but remeber it'll intensify as it cooks. And it=f you want to make this ahead, go ahead and slice the beef after cooking and let it sit overnight in the juices. Then reheat until heated completely through (an hour, at least on a medium simmer) the next day. And Mamma mia! That's a sandwich. An Authentic Chicago Italian Beef Sandwich. You will be a hero!!

ONE POTATO, 2 POTATO, 3 POTATO.... 4

There are lots of good reasons to be the "Big Kahuna of the Kitchen" and I had a real epiphany Easter Sunday. You see, my guys aren't much into potato salad (I put big green olives in mine...Thanks Mom!) and scalloped potatoes just go so well with ham that I threw caution to the wind and dared the kitchen police when I decided to make 2 potato dishes for our little Easter soiree. "I'll have the potatoes with a side of potatoes, please." So when it's your kitchen, your groceries and your time, forget the rules and make family favorites even if you do end up with a table of taters. I threw in some fresh asparagus for good measure and some yeast rolls to round out the carbo count. All in all, we were asleep by 3 p.m. and once again, another happy, loving and well fed holiday at the Schmidt House! (Yes, I know how that sounds.)
Below is a recipe for Big Mom's Potato Salad. This is the one I grew up with and nobody makes it like Mom does. My brother Allan (Rilying) and I fight over the leftovers to this day. Next year I'll hide his walker and have the upper hand!!! Ha!

BIG MOM"S POTATO SALAD
(Marge Rilying Pearce)

6-8 medium size Russet potatoes peeled & cubed in 1/2 in. pieces
Enough COLD Water to cover potatoes by an inch
3/4 cup t0 1 Cup Mayonnaise
2-4 TBS Yellow Mustard (Regular ole Hot Dog mustard)
4 TBS Sweet Pickle Relish
3/4 Cup Sliced green olives with Pimientos (See Note)
1 TBS Celery seed
2 teaspoons Sea Salt
Gr. Blk Pepper to taste ( about 1/2 teaspoon)
2 Hard Boiled Eggs, chopped

Put cubed potatoes in cold, salted water and bring to boil . Cook potatoes till just fork tender. Do Not Overcook. Drain potatoes into collander and sprinkle with celery seed. Place potatoes in fridge (or freezer to quickly cool) and cool completely before mixing with wet ingredients. In a separate bowl mix Mayo, mustard, pickle relish and olives. If you like your Potato Salad more or less Mustard-y adjust to taste. Add chopped eggs, ground black pepper and mix together. Add cooled potatoes to wet ingredients and gently fold to mix, careful to not mush up the potatoes. Optional: Garnish with small sprinkle of Paprika and fresh parsley. Enjoy and hide a bowl for later. You'll be glad you did!
NOTE: I use the big Queen Olives and slice them kinda thick. I like to be able to tell I've got an olive in my mouth.
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COMFORTCOOK'S BIG ADVENTURE

A couple of Saturdays ago, Geraldo and I were going out for lunch and got way-layed by some terrible mall traffic, so we took a detour and ended up going into Green Hills to finally check out the Whole Foods Market. First of all, I didn't realize all the renovations there was to the old H.G. Hills area. It has been redesigned as a little village within itself with it's own main street, sidewalks, quaint stores and upscale shops. There were some well known restaurants, too and the entire feeling was very cozy. Parking (parallel) is free and they also offer free valet parking. We went directly to the parking garage located across the street from Whole Foods and grabbed a space a few cars in. So far, so good. Very accessible; once you get thru the Hillsboro Road Green Hills traffic.
There were beautiful plants, flowers, shrubs and garden goodies located outside the doors and my heart was already beating a little fast. I was like that Brentwood soccer Mom entering the doors of the newest boutique in town. I was excited!
The produce is beautiful and there really is such a selection of just anything you could think of. The meat department is huge and beautiful. It really makes our other shopping options look a little scary in comparison. The seafood cases were fabulous and we bought some Orange Roughy fillets and Dungeoness Crab Cakes on our way out. It was the best fish I've ever eaten and I barely did anything to it but a little butter, salt and pepper.
I could go on and on, but it almost seems boastful ...or sad. Whichever way you look at it. This is the stuff that "flips my switch," " floats my boat," " scratches my itch".....pleeeease........anyway, you get it. Seeing all that beautiful food and so many new and interesting products was so much fun. We bought 5 kinds of cheeses and met the Cheese maker/Dairy farmer Kenny, who made our cheese. (I've included a link to his website in the info column at right.) We got a bleu, of course, and a chipotle cheddar, a Wensleydale with cranberries and a Tomato Basil cheddar. Geraldo calls them my "little treasures." They are why the word "yummy" makes sense. Free samples are readily available of all the cheeses and the folks are very accomodating. They encourage grazing.

The bakery, breads, cakes & candies. The different food stations. The olive oil tasting station. The Gelato section. Sushi bar. Fabulous! I loved it! We bought some spices, sea salt and herbs at ridiculously low prices and grabbed 3 pounds of beautiful Granny Smith's that looked like they came right off the cover of Bon Apetit. Geraldo was a great sport and he digs it, too. You have to go if you have one of these places near you. We know we'll go back soon and this time I can make a list! My friend Beverly and I are planning a field trip as we speak. She gets the food thing and like me, she's gonna flip for Whole Foods. I can't wait to be her guide.

So here's a quick breakdown of how I cooked the Orange Roughy. Nothing fancy here. The key to this being so good was that the fish was so fresh. Absolutely no smell. If there was any kind of smell, it was like fresh air. Beautiful. This is right up there with lobster folks!

ORANGE ROUGHY FILLETS

2 Fillets (about an inch thick)
Unsalted butter
Sea Salt
Black Ground pepper
Juice of one lemon
Fresh Dill ( to taste)
Red Pepper Flakes
Preheat oven to 350. Melt 4 TBS unsalted butter. Mix in fresh dill, pepper flakes and lemon juice. Brush butter mixture over fish. Salt and pepper filets. Place fillets in a prepared baking dish with non stick spray or lightly grease with butter. Tent dish with foil. Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes.
TIP: Cooking time for firm white fish such as Roughy, Cod or Tilapia is about 10 minutes per inch of thickness at 350.

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WHICH CAME FIRST?

I was going thru some of the old ( and I do mean old) cookbooks that my Mom gave me on my last visit home and noticed the amount of casserole recipes and how little they have changed over the years. The wording may be a little different and we may use margarine, or butter now in place of "oleo", but one thing stood out really clearly to me and I thought to myself "Which came first? The chicken or the Cream of Mushroom Soup?"

Well, according to old casserole folklore and the good folks at Campbell's, their Cream of Mushroom Soup gets the credit for setting the table. Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup was actively promoted to American consumers in the 1930's as a quick and economical alternative to homemade sauces. What did these poor women do before "condensed" became an ingredient? You see, it was suggested that, because of their extreme concentration, a single can of undiluted soup could double as a sauce or stock. "Many times," the booklet Helps for the Hostess stated, "unattractive leftovers are thrown away when, by using a can of Campbell's Soup, they could have been made into an attractive, appetizing dish." Well, now...How 'bout that? I guess we still follow this advice today and every properly stocked pantry has at least one can each of the "Cream" version of mushroom, chicken and celery soups. I sure do and on special occasions, I've been known to break out the GOLDEN Cream of Mushroom Soup that's usually reserved for THAT green bean casserole and always when company's involved. Gosh, we are creatures of habit!
Of course the chicken came first, but after my Google history lesson on casseroles, I'm thankful that all us harried and hurried moms and pops and cooks today have the convenience of the "boneless, skinless" and "Cream of Something Soup", so that we, just like the Happy Hostesses of Yore, can have dinner on the table in a matter of minutes and serve our busy families an "attractive and appetizing dish." Give me a break.
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Casseroles, Casseroles, Casseroles (at right under Simply Recipes )

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A REAL TREAT

I would have to say that one of my very favorite foods would have to be CRAB. I don't mind working for it and by that I mean I'm quite happy to dive into a plate full of crab legs and start cracking away. I confess it is the one "all you can eat" temptations that I buy into and if that's the case, Gerald jokes that he takes a book. But I don't go for the chow line at just any ole place. Chinese buffets tend to miss more often that hit on this one. Contrary to what some folks might think, there is some finesse involved and its a little more than just boiling some salted water and throwing the crab legs in. I like whole lemons in mine and some different seasonings, kinda like a Low Country Boil thing. My favorite place used to be a little dive bar here in Nashville that knew how to season the water and cook them to "just done." The owner is a friend of mine and has been known to load me up with a foil pan full of uncooked crab legs that I took home to cook at my convenience. Alas, my buddy has sold the place (he went broke selling all you can eat crab legs so cheap) and the new owners are more into pub grub and peanuts.
Back to the crab... As with any seafood, freshness is key. The only way you'll get that good long piece out in one pull is if the crab is fresh and cooked right. I'm not a aficionado of "Red Lobster" but I admit that years, and I do mean years ago, that was the only place available to us land-locked seafood lovers. Back then I had no idea that a Langastino wasn't lobster. Do now. I do like Red Lobster's cheddar biscuits and their bleu cheese dressing, tho. (I'm throwing that in so I don't sound like such a snob.)
So this week there's a sale at the market on fresh lump crabmeat (6 0z. @ $11.99) and backfin 6 oz. for $6.99. I scooped up the backfin and tonight I'm gonna make Crab Cakes with Remoulade Sauce. I have a recipe that may be a little intimidating because of the list of ingredients, but it is one of the best ones I've came across. (I love the panko bread crumbs, but that's a whole 'nother posting.) I consider crab to be a treat and I think because it is a little something special, I'm gonna make sure it's DELICIOUS! Try this some time when you want to show someone you care.....or just when you want to pamper yourself with something a little decadent. Check it out in Simply Recipes. comfortcook@gmail.com

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BEAUTY AND THE BEEF

This past coupla weeks I have found myself telling folks about a particular cut of meat that Geraldo and I discovered a few months back and have really fallen in love with. Now, I'm going to mention Kroger and Meat in the same sentence, but before you write me off as completely carnivore -challenged, let me preface this with the fact that the particular cut of beef I'm talking about comes to Kroger already cut, processed and vaccum sealed. It is an aged beef, not angus, but Steak House quality. Look, I buy meat from Kroger sometimes because I don't have a neighborhood butcher named Sal waiting with sharpened tools to custom cut my rump roast. A gal's gotta do what a gal's gotta do and sometimes you have to go for convenience and shop local. Recently tho, Kroger has began carrying some really good cuts and their house ground beef is a good balance of fat to lean. Great for burgers, chilli or meat sauces. I would love to open my own little meat "Shoppe" with some artisan cheeses, freshly baked breads, some great olive oils, 3 or 4 little tables and a great take out business, but that's down the road.....literally. In the meantime, let's get back to my beef story.
I am most definately a carnivore and am surrounded by such. I really enjoy a good steak, chop, cutlet or roast. Beef, bird or pork. My favorite cut of beef is probably a New York Strip...no wait, a Rib-Eye...no wait... a T-Bone. You get the picture.
But the steak worthy of all this build up and fanfare today is..........................drumroll please..................
the FLAT IRON STEAK! Grilled, broiled, pan fried, stir-fried, cubed however,this steak has great body. Sorta the best of a filet of tenderloin meets the strip steak family. Really tender, not mushy, and holds it's own on the grill. The trick is to buy one that is thick at both ends as they have a tendency to slant to a thinner end. Picking one thick at both ends is strictly for cooking reasons so that its consistent. If you're gonna use it for a coupla different meals, half it and stir fry the thinner half. You have to cut it against the grain. You know like a flank steak, but it's never as tough as a sirloin, no matter how you slice it. For grilliing or broiling, all I season it with is Sea Salt, black ground pepper and granulated garlic. That's it.
Read the information under SIMPLY RECIPES in the side bar for all the "where this cut comes from" info. But do try it. And don't bake your potatoes in foil. For gosh sakes, give 'em a little scrub, maybe rub a little sea salt on the outside, prick a few holes with a fork and put them on the middle rack and bake those stinkers on about 400 degrees till they are FLUFFY...not steamed. Go buy a steak and invite a Cowboy ( or Cowgal) over for
a good ole steak supper! comfortcook@gmail.com

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