Comfort Foods Part 1: Macaroni and Cheese

I don’t remember eating Kraft macaroni and cheese when I was little. The first time I do remember eating it, I wasn’t that impressed. So when my wife said, “Hey, we gotta try my mom’s macaroni and cheese recipe,” I thought “Really? Well…ok, I guess.” Let me tell you something…home made mac & cheese is now one of my favorite comfort dishes. It is simple to make, filling and quite tasty. Our daughter, Julianna (who I believe OD’d on the Kraft stuff about 15 months ago), insists on only home made! The kid’s turned in to a connoisseur at age 4…it brings a tear to my eye. If you have little ones at home, this is a recipe that they’re sure to love. If you want to get creative with it, try mixing in peas or tuna, top with some hot sauce, or serve with some stewed tomatoes.

*Note – we use American Cheese. Feel free to get creative and use your cheese(s) of choice!

INGREDIENTS
1 lb. elbow macaroni
1/2 lb. American Cheese
3 cups milk
1 stick butter (slightly softened)
1 tblspn flour
salt & pepper

PREPARATION
Boil macaroni.

Melt butter in pan. Pour 3 cups of milk in pan & stir until warm. Add flour and salt & pepper. Stir

Break up cheese in small pieces, add to sauce. Stir over low heat until melted (no lumps).

Drain macaroni and pour in flat pan. Pour cheese over macaroni, covering all.

Cover with tin foil, bake at 325˚ for 30 minutes.

Next post – Comfort Foods Part 2: Soups

Sunday Gravy

Happy New Years, everyone! I decide to kick off 2009 with a real bang…Sunday Gravy. As you may have read in my blog intro, I made my first pot of gravy with my mom’s old neighbor way back when I was a kid. I have made countless pots of gravy since, but only in the past few years have I really zeroed in on a specific recipe. However, I have never followed a written recipe. It was always from memory, or whatever mood I was in that day. Although I found it a bit painstaking (as I believe this should be a free-form dish), I documented every measurement while making today’s gravy. You’re welcome.

First, let me address the whole gravy versus sauce issue. There are countless opinions on the subject. My new friend, Lorraine Ranalli, just wrote a book on it (I suggest you all visit her fantastic web site). When I hear “sauce,” I think Marinara. Quick. Delicious, nonetheless…but quick.You heat your oil and garlic, add your tomatoes, onions, seasonings, maybe even some meat or shrimp, and in 20-30 minutes you have a tasty meal. Gravy, on the other hand, is a bit more complex. My guess (and this is only a guess) is that the term comes from the flavors of the meats that are incorporated. The “other” gravies (beef, turkey, chicken, etc.) are, of course, made from meat drippings. But the main difference to me is the time, patience and love that you put in to your gravy (I was gonna go with blood, sweat and tears, but that would be gross). You treat your pot of gravy as if it were a child. You raise it and nurture it, from it’s infant stage until it matures.

I always add meatballs to my gravy, usually with either sausage, boneless country spare ribs, or brasciole (thin steak stuffed with a breadcrumb mixture and rolled up). Today I went with the spare ribs. First, I marinated them in apple cider vinegar, then gave them a quick rub with kosher salt, pepper, garlic powder and rosemary, then roasted them slow and low for 75 minutes at 325º. I also prefer to bake my meatballs and sausage, instead of the traditional frying. It’s just as tasty, healthier for you, and frees up some quality time.

Before we get into the actual recipe…you’ll notice that I suggest adding two baby carrots to the gravy. This is an old trick that I learned a few years back. The carrots add a natural sweetness to the gravy, while at the same time soak up some of the acid from the tomatoes. I joke with my friends that when the gravy is done cooking, you could probably add a wick to the carrots and light them up on the 4th of July.

One last note…if you decide to try my Sunday Gravy recipe, I would be delighted. But if you decide to alter my recipe, and add your own flavors or ingredients, I would be overjoyed. Experiment, adjust the flavors to your likings, and most of all have fun. And be sure to share your version of the recipe with me.

Enjoy!

2 28-oz cans crushed tomatoes
1 29-oz can tomato sauce (plus one can full of water)
1 6-oz can tomato paste with Italian herbs
olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tblspn Italian Seasoning (marjorim, thyme, rosemary, savory, sage, oregano and basil)
1 tblspn sugar
1 beef bouillon cube
2 baby carrots
1 cup red wine(whatever you have opened)
1 loaf crusty Italian bread

Drizzle bottom of sauce pot with olive oil to coat on medium-high heat. Add chopped onion; stir for 1 minute or until onion is translucent. Add minced garlic; stir for about one minute. Add the two cans of crushed tomatoes, one can of tomato sauce plus one can of water, and one can of tomato paste; stir. Add Italian seasoning and sugar; stir. Heat and occasionally stir until slowly bubbling. Add bouillon cube, baby carrots and splash of wine; stir. Lower heat, slightly cover and simmer for one hour. Add meats; simmer partially covered for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally. Sip and enjoy the remaining cup of wine as you dip some bread into the gravy while it’s cooking.

Serve over your choice of pasta and enjoy!

Salmon Topped with Spinach and Mixed Olive Bruschetta

My wife stepped out tonight for her annual holiday dinner with her girlfriends, so it was a good chance for me to be a little creative at home. Since I was on daddy duty, I needed to keep it somewhat simple. I also decided to do something light and healthy to counter-balance the disgusting amounts of holiday cookies that I’ve eaten over the past few days. I decided on salmon topped with steamed spinach.

I came across a nice jar of mixed olive bruschetta at my local Italian deli and specialty shop. I thought that this would be the perfect accent to the dish. I usually prefer to grill or pan sear my salmon, but since the oven was on to bake Julianna’s chicken tenders, I went with baking the salmon. After a quick olive oil drizzle and some salt and pepper, I baked it for about 10-12 minutes. Just a few minutes before it was done, I topped it with a tablespoon of the bruschetta, just to let it warm up. Removed it from the oven, topped it with some nice steamed spinach, and enjoyed a terrific, healthy and quick meal. I’m guessing that it would go well with a nice glass of Pinot Grigio…I’ll give that a shot the next time when (hopefully) I’m not home alone with just the two little ones!

Stuffed Calamari

I was in a coffee shop not long ago and overheard a conversation between two men. One was saying how proud he was of his seven year old son who loves eating the calamari rings from his local pizza shop. The other guy said “wow, that’s terrific that he enjoys eating calamari at such a young age.” I thought to myself, “Yeah, that’s great. Your son enjoys eating deep fried rubber bands. Congratulations, pal.”

I think it’s wonderful that a youngster would enjoy calamari. I’ve been eating it since I was probably around the age of four. However, I was not eating those cute little bite-size portions that have become a standard on most menus. No sir. What I was introduced to has become, to this day, one of my all-time favorite dishes which is served at my all-time favorite meal. I’m talking about Stuffed Calamari. And in just a few short weeks, I will once again be able to enjoy this delectable dish.

Every Christmas Eve, we gather together with all of my cousins, aunts, uncles and Grandmother to celebrate the Feast of the Seven Fishes. Since more of us are contributing to the dinner these days, we’re probably up to about 11 or 12 fishes. New dishes, such as coconut shrimp, talapia and king crab legs appear every year. But we still carry quite a few of the traditional dishes as well (smelts, whiting, bacala, and of course stuffed calamari). Now, if you never had stuffed calamari, it’s quite different from the standard fried ringlets. It’s the entire calamari tube, probably about the size of an manicotti tube, filled with a bread stuffing, and served in a red sauce. Think stuffed shells, but much more complex in taste and texture.

I have nothing against fried calamari, as long as it’s properly prepared. In fact, it’s a dish that my wife and I enjoy tremendously. Most of our favorite restaurants are ranked on the tenderness and tastiness of their fried calamari alone! But there is not a dish in the world that I would trade for my holiday stuffed calamari.

While I do not have my family’s exact recipe (as my Aunt Marie is not yet willing to give up the calamri duties), below is a recipe that I found online a few years back that is very close, and is quite delicious. And if you’re ever in the area of Collingswood, NJ, pay a visit to Nunzio’s and enjoy an order of their Calamari Dorati.

Stuffed Calamari

• 2 pounds of calamari tubes (cleaned)
• 2 cans of crushed tomatoes (28 oz. Cans)
• 2 cloves of garlic (chopped)
• 1 teaspoon of sugar
• 1 can (28 oz.) of water (use the crushed tomatoes can to measure)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup of grated cheese of your choice
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons of accent

Stuffing Ingredients
• 1/2 loaf of bread
• 2 teaspoons parsley
• 1/4 cup of grated cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Oil (enough to moisten mixture)
• 1 clove of fresh garlic
Optional Ingredients
• 1 egg
• Clams, lobster, shrimp or fish of your choice chopped can be added to the stuffing

Preparation
In a large pot, sauté garlic in heated oil. Add crushed tomatoes and season these tomatoes with all the other ingredients (excluding the stuffing ingredients). Add water a little at a time till the sauce thickens to your liking. Wash calamari tubes thoroughly and drain well. Take the stuffing ingredients and mix well until it is of a nice consistency. Stuff each tube halfway full. Use toothpicks at the opening of each filled tube. Add these tubes to the tomato sauce and cook about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Serves 4-6.