For the Love of the Stove

This is one of my favorite recipes and for a long time it was a date-night go to.  The sauce is so good I'd even just serve it on noodles or over rice, but you don't want to miss the salmon on this one.  Even if you aren't a big salmon eater, you might just like this because the sauce is so flavorful and delicious.  I like to serve this over rice sticks, or rice noodles, because they are so quick and easy.  You could also serve it over rice or angel hair pasta. 
From: Backyard Barbecues
Prep: 10 minutes
Marinate: 1 hour
Cook: 10 - 11 minutes
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 T Asian sesame oil
1/4 t crushed hot red pepper flakes
2 T minced fresh giner
1 garlic clove, minced
1 t grated orange peel
3 T hoisin sauce
3 T fresh orange juice
2 T soy sauce
1 T balsamic vinegar
1 t ground coriander
1/2 t Chinese five-spice powder
4 center-cut salmon fillets (about 6 ouces each)
2 scallions, cut in a fine julienne
2 t sesame seeds, toasted
Directions
1. In a small skillet, heat oil and hot pepper over medium heat until hot.  Add ginger, garlic and orange peel and cook until softened, about 2 minutes.  
2. Remove from heat.  Add hoisin, orange juice, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, coriander and five-spice powder.  Whisk until blended.  
3. Measure 2 T into a small bowl and set aside.  
4. Place salmon fillets in a heavy plastic food storage bag.  Pour remaining marinade over salmon.  Seal bag and refrigerate at least 1 and up to 4 hours.
5. Prepare a medium-hot fire in a covered charcoal or gas grill, or a medium-high grill pan.  Brush grill rack or pan lightly with oil.  Place salmon on rack/pan skin side up and grill for 5 minutes.
6. Carefully turn with spatula and grill for 3 to 4 minutes, or until just opaque throughout but still moist, brushing with marinade.
7. Serve garnished with scallions and sesame seeds.  Serve reserved marinade on the side to drizzle over salmon.
 

This might be the easiest and most delicious recipes ever - thank you Susie!  It's just delicious and will make your mouth water.  My Mom isn't a big fan of salmon, would rather not eat it, but actually likes this recipe.  
Ingredients
1 lb salmon filet, skin on or 4 salmon pieces or steaks 
1 T brown sugar
2 T butter
1 T soy sauce
1 T olive oil
2 t ginger, grated
1 t honey
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  
2. Place salmon in baking dish, skin side down.
3. Mix remaining ingredients and top the salmon with the marinade.
3. Bake for 20 minutes until fish is opaque and flaky.

The first time I made this recipe I used it to pay my brother back for coming over and playing handyman.  I needed help with a couple of things and used food as payment, and also because I wanted a good critic, and that he is.  So while he slaved away doing some "guy" stuff around my house, I made these manicotti.  He sat at the table and after he consumed 3 manicotti, along with a bunch of moans, he finally spoke up.  He LOVED them!  He ate 3 more, though I'm not sure where he put them.  I sent him home with leftovers and I think my sister-in-law only got one, he hoarded the rest.  It's a family favorite for sure.  Everyone else that has eaten them has a very similar reaction.  Giada sure does know what she's doing.  Fabulous food, every time.
Giada De Laurentiis
Cook Time: 40 min
Level: Intermediate
Yield: 6 servings
Prep 15 min
Cook 40 min
Total: 55 min
Ingredients
4 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 pound ground beef
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
14 (8-ounce package) manicotti
1 (15-ounce) container whole-milk ricotta
3 cups shredded mozzarella
1 cup grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups marinara sauce
2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
Directions
1. Heat a heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add 1 teaspoon of the olive oil, onion and ground beef. Season with salt and pepper. Saute until the meat browns and the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, and cool.
2. Brush 1 teaspoon of oil over a large baking sheet. Cook the manicotti in a large pot of boiling salted water until slightly softened, but still very firm to the bite, about 4 to 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the manicotti from the pot to the oiled baking sheet and cool.
3. Meanwhile, combine the ricotta, 1 1/2 to 2 cups mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan, and parsley. Add the garlic, salt, and pepper to taste, and mix. Stir the cooled meat mixture into the cheese mixture.
4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
5. Brush the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil over a 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Spoon 1 1/2 cups of the marinara sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish. Fill the manicotti with the cheese-meat mixture. Arrange the stuffed pasta in a single layer in the prepared dish and spoon the remaining sauce over.
6. Sprinkle the remaining 1 1/2 cups of mozzarella cheese, then the remaining 1/2 cup of Parmesan over the stuffed pasta. Dot entire dish with the butter pieces. Bake the manicotti uncovered until heated through and the sauce bubbles on the sides of the dish, about 30 to 35 minutes. Let the manicotti stand 5 minutes and serve.

This is a recipe courtesy of my Mom.  I think she got it before I was born, off of the Kellogg's Rice Krispy cereal box.  This is one that my friends from high school, college and after, still request.  It is the one that everyone wants me to bring or asks for the recipe, and couldn't be easier.  This is my kind of rice krispy treat, no marshmallow for me.  
Ingredients
1 c sugar
1 c light karo syrup
1 c peanut butter
6 c Kellogg's Rice Krispy cereal 
1 - 6 oz package of Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1 - 6 oz package of Nestle's butterscotch morsels
Directions
1. Combine sugar and syrup in a 3 quart sauce pan.  Cook over moderate heat stirring frequently until mixture begins to bubble.  
2. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter - mix well.  
3. Add rice krispies and stir until well blended.  
4. Press into buttered 3x9 pan.
5. Melt chocolate and butterscotch together over very low heat stirring until well blended. 
6. Remove from heat and spread evenly over rice krispies mixture.  Cool until firm and cut into bars. 

I'm not a big fan of anything that comes out of a box.  That doesn't mean I don't sometimes take advantage, or use a recipe that calls for something out of a box, it's just not my first choice.  Hamburger Helper will never, ever make an appearance in my kitchen.  A boxed cake would.  I found this recipe so now Pancake Mix will never come out of a box, just my own "box" of Pancake Mix.  Thank you Alton Brown. 
Ingredients
6 c all-purpose flour
1 1/2 t baking soda (check expiration date first)
3 t baking powder
1 T kosher salt
2 T sugar
Combine all of the ingredients in a lidded container.  Shake to mix.  
Use the mix within 3 months.
"Instant" Pancakes
Ingredients
2 eggs, separated
2 c buttermilk
4 T melted butter
2 c "Instant" Pancake Mix, recipe above
1 stick butter, for greasing the pan
2 c fresh fruit such as blueberries, if desired
Directions
1. Heat an electric griddle or frying pan to 350 degrees.  Heat oven to 200 degrees.
2. Whisk together the egg whites and the buttermilk in a small bowl.  In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the melted butter. 
3. Combine the buttermilk mixture with the egg yolk mixture in a large mixing bowl and whisk together until thoroughly combined.  Pour the liquid ingredients on top of the pancake mix.  Using a whisk, mix the batter just enough to bring it together.  Don't try to work all the lumps out. 
4. Check to see that the griddle is hot by placing a few drops of water onto the griddle.  The griddle is ready if the water dances across the surface. 
5. Lightly butter the griddle.  Wipe off thoroughly with a paper towel. (No butter should be visible.(
6. Gently ladle the pancake batter onto the griddle and sprinkle on fruit if desired.  When bubbles begin to set around the edges of the pancake and the griddle-side of the cake is golden, gently flip the pancakes.  Continue to cook 2 to 3 minutes or until the pancake is set. 
7. Serve immediately or remove to a towel-lined baking sheet and cover with a towel.  Hold in the warm oven for 20 to 30 minutes. 
Yield: 12 pancakes

The first time I made this was after work one night and before one of my friends came over for a dance lesson.  It was cooling on top of the stove and the house smelled so good.  He took one look and I swear he started to salivate, so I offered him some.  I filled a bag for him to take with him but he had to have a taste then and there.  He stood there with a spoon, filled his palm and ate it - about 15 spoonfuls later (and I kid you not) he pulled himself away.  The next time I made it the girls were over for GNO and I gave them all bags of granola to take home.....Marie finished hers before she left :) All good signs.  Next up, a friend at work saw me eating it, had to taste it, fell in love and asked for the recipe.  Her husband is addicted and now always asks her to ask me for recipes.  I might have created a monster there.  Great all by itself, in yogurt, over ice cream, with milk, I think you get the point.  Any combination of dried fruits works - I never used dried figs, I just added extra cherries and cranberries.
Inspired by Sarah Chase's Open House Cookbook
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 12 cups
Ingredients
4 c old-fashioned rolled oats
2 c sweetened shredded coconut
2 c sliced almonds
3/4 c vegetable oil
1/2 c good honey
1 1/2 c small diced dried apricots
1 c small diced dried figs
1 c dried cherries
1 c dried cranberries
1 c roasted, unsalted cashews
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Toss the oats, coconut, and almonds together in a large bowl.  Whisk together the oil and honey in a small bowl.  Pour the liquids over the oat mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until all the oats and nuts are coated.  Pour onto a 13 x 18 x 1 inch sheet pan.  Bake, stirring occasionally with a spatula, until the mixture turns a nice, even, golden brown, about 45 minutes.
3. Remove the granola from the oven and allow to cool, stirring occasionally.  Add the apricots, figs, cherries, cranberries and cashews.  Store the cooled granola in an airtight container.
 

This is another recipe that I've tried so many versions of and just wasn't very satisfied, until I found this one.  The only thing that was missing for me was pasta.  So, I boil a box of orzo, add it to the soup and then it's perfect for me.  I also love baby spinach so any excuse to use it I do, so I replace the curly endive with baby spinach.  This is another recipe that I've made and then passed out to friends for them to try and got two thumbs up.  Got to love it when they run out and wish they had more. 
Recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis
Cook Time:20 min; Total: 35 min
Level: Easy
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients
Meatballs:
1 small onion, grated
1/3 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 large egg
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1 slice fresh white bread, crust trimmed, bread torn into small pieces
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
8 ounces ground beef
8 ounces ground pork
Freshly ground black pepper
Soup:
12 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 pound curly endive, coarsely chopped (1 pound of escarole would be a good substitution)
2 large eggs
2 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for garnish
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
1. To make the meatballs: Stir the first 6 ingredients in a large bowl to blend. Stir in the cheese, beef and pork. Using 1 1/2 teaspoons for each, shape the meat mixture into 1-inch-diameter meatballs. Place on a baking sheet.
2. To make the soup: Bring the broth to a boil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and curly endive and simmer until the meatballs are cooked through and the curly endive is tender, about 8 minutes. Whisk the eggs and cheese in a medium bowl to blend. Stir the soup in a circular motion. Gradually drizzle the egg mixture into the moving broth, stirring gently with a fork to form thin stands of egg, about 1 minute. Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve. Finish soup with Parmesan cheese if desired.

The first time I prepared this recipe I made it for GNO and it was such a huge success that I offered to make dinner for a family holiday and this is what I served.  I got lots of kudos from my family about the dinner.  The honey mustard lends just a great flavor to the pork and the bacon, besides the fact that everything is better with bacon, keeps the pork moist, and you have the benefit of eating the bacon with the pork.  
Recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis
Ingredients
1/4 c Dijon mustard
2 T whole-grain mustard (recommended: Maille)
2 T honey
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 T chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 (3 1/2 pound) center-cut, boneless, pork loin roast
12 slices bacon (about 1 pound)
Directions
Special equipment: kitchen twine
1. Put an oven rack in the lower 1/3 of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a small bowl, add the Dijon mustard, whole-grain mustard, honey, garlic, and rosemary and mix together until smooth. Arrange the pork in a 9 by 13-inch baking pan and spread the mustard mixture evenly over the pork. Starting on 1 side, lay a piece of bacon, lengthwise, on the pork. Lay another slice of bacon on the pork making sure to slightly overlap the first piece. Continue with the remaining bacon, until the pork is fully covered in bacon. Using 3 pieces of kitchen twine, secure the bacon in place. Roast for 1 hour. 
3. Cover the pan, loosely, with foil and roast for another 10 to 20 minutes until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the pork registers 160 degrees F. 
4. Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the roast to a cutting board. Cover the pan with foil and allow the pork to rest for 20 minutes. Remove the kitchen twine and slice the pork into 1/2-inch thick slices.

Colleen was kind enough to share this delicious recipe with me.  I made a few tweaks, which I have included below.  The original recipe didn't call for chicken so you can leave it out if you'd like.  I also always roast asparagus in the oven, if I have the time, over boiling it.  I much prefer the flavor the asparagus takes on when spending some time in the oven.  I included steps to either roast or boil.  Your choice.  One thing that I have also done, at times, is add some milk at that end to make a bit more sauce (I used skim milk). I didn't include that step in the directions.  I served this at GNO one night and it was a huge success.  
Ingredients
Meat from one rotisserie chicken or one roasted chicken, shredded
1/3 cup whole shelled pistachio nuts
1 pound thin asparagus washed, woody ends removed, stalks cut into thirds
1 T extra-virgin olive oil (If you chose to roast the asparagus instead of boil - both options listed - if you chose to boil you will need 2 c water and 1/2 t kosher salt)
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 c unsalted butter
2 large garlic cloves peeled and minced
1/4 t freshly-ground pepper (white pepper if you have it)
1/3 c dry white wine
1 c half-and-half
1/4 c light cream
1 1/2 t kosher salt
1 T all-purpose flour, optional
1 pound penne
1/2 cup freshly-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Put the asparagus on a aluminum lined baking sheet, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.  Roast in the oven for 10 - 15 minutes depending on size, just until a knife tip is easily inserted into the asparagus.  Remove from the oven and set aside. [Second option is to bring water to a boil in a pot.  Add 1/2 t of the salt and the asparagus.  Cook, uncovered. over medium-high heat just until a knife tip is easily inserted into the asparagus, about 3 minutes.  Drain and set aside.]
3. Spread the nuts on an aluminum pie plate and toast them in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes, watching carefully so they do not burn.  Transfer the nuts to a cutting board, mince them and set aside.
4. Cook the penne according to the package directions.  Drain and return to the cooking pot.  
5. While the pasta is cooking, in a saute pan, melt the butter over medium heat.  Add the garlic and saute.  Add the asparagus and the pepper, raise the heat to high, and pour in the wine.  Stir the mixture carefully for about 1 minute.  Reduce the heat to medium.  Add the shredded chicken.  Mix the half-and-half and heavy cream together and pour it over the asparagus mixture.  Cook for 2 minutes; the sauce should be thick and velvety like heavy cream.  Stir in 1 1/2 t salt. Keep the mixture warm while the penne cooks.  (If the sauce is really thin, put a 1/4 cup of sauce in a small bowl, add 1 T flour and stir until the flour is blended with the sauce.  Stir the mixture back into the sauce and cook for another minute.) 
6. Pour the asparagus and chicken sauce over the penne and stir carefully over low heat.  Add the cheese and continue to stir until the cheese melts.  Transfer the penne to a serving platter, sprinkle the nuts over the top, and serve immediately.l

I totally had a craving for this today.  I've had it before but never made it myself.  I made a few small adjustments.  I'm not necessarily a fan, all the time, of chunks of tomato in my chili.  This recipe calls for a 15 oz can of diced tomatoes and a 15 oz can of crushed tomatoes so I just used one 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes instead.  I also like to add small pasta to my chili so I cooked a box of ditalini, added a scoop to my bowl and then poured the chili over it and it was delicious.  The question is, whether to put the pasta in the chili to store, or not.  An entire pound of pasta would be too much to add to the chili and store, 3/4 would be better, if you were going to add it to the entire recipe.  The only drawback that could come from adding the pasta to the chili is that it will absorb all the excess liquid.  This is now all about personal preference.  Keep the pasta separate or add it directly.  I divided the chili in half after I cooked it, kept 1/2 and added a little less than 1/2 pound of cooked ditalini to it and already, all the excess liquid has been absorbed.  That isn't a bad thing as far as I'm concerned.  The second half I gave away and gave a side of pasta to go with it if anyone wanted it.  The jury is still out as far as whether to add the pasta to the chili pot or not, and just use the pasta like a condiment if desired.  Oh, and the blue cheese chips aren't necessary, just a nice touch to the chili.

Rachael Ray's Buffalo Chicken Chili
Servings:4 Servings 
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) 
2 tablespoons butter 
2 lbs ground chicken breast 
1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped 
1 large onion, chopped 
3 celery ribs, finely chopped 
5 large garlic cloves, chopped 
1 tablespoon smoked paprika (you can substitute with 

chipotles or chipotle chili powder) 
1 bay leaf 
salt & freshly ground black pepper 
2 cups chicken stock 
1/4-1/2 cup hot sauce, depending on how hot you like it 
1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce (if you have a big can of 

tomatoes, don't go to the store

to get the sauce, it's fine. Just use what have) 
1 (15 ounce) can crushed tomatoes 
1 (7 ounce) bag corn chips 
1 (7 ounce) bag blue corn tortilla chips 
3/4 lb blue cheese, crumbled, like Maytag Blue 
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped (a couple of handfuls) 

Directions:Prep Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 45 mins
1 Preheat oven to 375°F or broiler to medium. 
2 Place a large pot over medium-high heat, add 1 turn of 

the pan of EVOO, about 1 tablespoon, and the butter. 

Once the butter has melted and the pot is hot, add the

ground chicken. Brown it, using the back  of a wooden

spoon to break it up into small pieces, about 5-6 minutes. 
3 Add the carrot, onion, celery, garlic, paprika, bay leaf 

and some salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 

for about 3-4 minutes. 
4 Add the chicken stock and scrape up any brown bits 

on the bottom of the pot. 
5 Add the hot sauce, tomato sauce and crushed 

tomatoes, and bring up to a bubble. 
6 Simmer for 8-10 minutes to let the flavors come

together. 
7 While the chili is simmering, spread the yellow and 

blue corn chipsout on a cookie sheet. Top with the 

crumbled blue cheese and transfer to the oven to melt

the cheese, about 4-5 minutes. 

If using the broiler, 2-3 minutes should do the trick. 
8 Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the chopped 

parsley. 
9 Top each serving of buffalo chicken chili with a few 

blue  cheese-topped corn chips.

I wasn't ever really a fan of pork chops growing up, I ate them but they were just ok.  This is the first recipe that I tried that changed my mind about pork chops.  They really can be delicious and now I look forward to eating them.
Giada De Laurentiis
Ingredients
2 large eggs
1 cup dried Italian-style bread crumbs
3/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan
4 (1/2 to 3/4-inch thick) center-cut pork loin chops (each about 10 to 12 ounces)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons olive oil
Lemon wedges, for serving
1. Whisk the eggs in a pie plate to blend. Place the bread crumbs in another pie plate. Place the cheese in a third pie plate. Sprinkle the pork chops generously with salt and pepper.  Coat the chops completely with the cheese, patting to adhere. Dip the chops into the eggs, then coat completely with the bread crumbs, patting to adhere.
2. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a very large skillet over medium (to medium low) heat. Add pork chops, in batches if necessary, and cook until golden brown and the center reaches 150 degrees, about 6 minutes per side. Transfer the chops to plates and serve with lemon wedges.
Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Last May I went to VA to see my first Nascar race (very interesting since I don't ever watch Nascar on TV, go figure) and also had my first taste of Waffle House Hash Browns.  OMG!  I think that about sums it up.  I was stuffed but couldn't stop eating, needless to say, as soon as I got into the backseat of the car, I was out like a light!  A few days after getting home I decided to see if I could find the recipe online and what to do you know!  I found a recipe, tried it out, and oh so good.  Here is what I found:
Source: newsradio710.com
Ingredients
4 cups peeled and shredded potatoes
1 teaspoon salt
Water
1 cup ice
Vegetable oil for frying
1. Place prepared potatoes in a 2-quart bowl, and add salt. Add ice and pour
enough water to cover potatoes. Stir to mix salt and ice in the potatoes. Cover
and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
2. Place shredded potatoes in a colander, rinse with cool tap water and drain
completely. At this point you can place potatoes back in the refrigerator covered until ready to fry. The uncooked potatoes will keep up to 5 hours.
3. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add enough vegetable oil to
lightly cover bottom. When skillet is hot and oil has been heated, place two cups of drained shredded potatoes in skillet. Fry until crisp, shaping with a spatula. Fry about 12 to 15 minutes, without turning. Time depends on the temperature and size of the shredded hash browns. When potatoes are golden, flip over carefully and fry tops of potatoes for 2 - 3 minutes. Do not cover hash browns while frying or stir through them.

Waffle House Hash Browns Scattered all the Way!:
1 slice American cheese (covered)
1/4 cup diced yellow onion (smothered)
Sliced jalapeno peppers, to taste (peppered)
1/4 cup diced fresh tomatoes (diced)
1/4 cup mushrooms (capped)
1/3 cup diced lean ham (chunked)
1/3 cup chili with beans, heated
1 serving Waffle House Hash Browns
1. Prepare Waffle House Hash Browns as directed. Leave them in the skillet, and add cheese, onion, jalapeno peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms and ham. When done, add chili on top of all.

This recipe is courtesy of my Mom.  This was often a side dish we had at holidays, special occasions and always with Easter ham.  It's so delicious and simple you just need to plan ahead.  (The pre-cooked dish spends the night in the refrigerator.)  If you like potatoes, you will love this.
                                                                                                                   
Potatoes in Cream
Ingredients
8 medium potatoes
1 small onion, grated very finely
4 T butter, divided in half
salt and pepper
1 pint whipping cream
Directions
1. Boil the potatoes with the skins on.  Cool and remove skins.
2. Grate 4 potatoes lengthwise and place in greased baking dish.
3. Dot with 2 T butter; add salt and pepper.
4. Saute onion in 2 T butter.
5. Add half of the onion to the potatoes in the baking dish and pour 1/2 pint whipping cream over this.
6. Repeat the above using the other 4 potatoes, half onion, and pour over 1/2 pint of whipping cream.
7. Store covered in refrigerator over night.
8. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 1 hour or 350 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

                          

                                                                                                                   

                                                                                              

Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence
Show: Tyler's UltimateEpisode: Ultimate Spaghetti & Meatballs
Level: Easy
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Total:1 hr 30 min Recipe Tools:
Ingredients
Extra-virgin olive oil 
1 onion, chopped 
2 garlic cloves, smashed 
2 tablespoons roughly chopped fresh parsley leaves 
1 cup milk 
4 thick slices firm white bread, crust removed 
1 1/2 pounds ground beef 
1 1/2 pounds ground pork 
1 large egg 
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving 
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 
4 cups heated Pomodoro Sauce, recipe follows, or good quality jarred tomato sauce 
1/2 pound mozzarella cheese, cut into chunks 
Leaves from 3 sprigs fresh basil 
1 pound spaghetti 
Directions
1. Bring a big pot of salted water to a boil for the spaghetti. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in an ovenproof 

skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and parsley and cook until the vegetables are soft 

but still translucent, about 10 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and let cool.
2. Pour enough milk over the bread in a bowl to moisten and let it soak while the onions are cooling. 

Combine the meats in a large bowl. Add the egg and Parmigiano and season generously with salt 

and pepper. Use your hands to squeeze the excess milk out of the bread and add that to the bowl 

along with the cooled onion mixture. (Hang onto the pan - you'll need it to cook the meatballs.) 

Gently combine all the ingredients with your hands or with a spoon until just mixed together. Don't 

overwork or the meatballs will be tough. Divide into 10 equal pieces and shape them into 10 nice 

looking meatballs.  (This is the part that I disagree with - the first time I made the recipe I did 

exactly what the recipe called for and they were bigger than baseballs.  I prefer smaller meatballs

so I now make 30 meatballs.) 

3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
4. Heat a 3-count of oil in the frying pan over medium heat and brown the meatballs on all sides, 

about 10 minutes. Put them into a baking dish and spoon about half of the tomato sauce over. 

Shower with the mozzarella and drizzle with olive oil. Put the meatballs in the oven and bake until

 the meatballs are cooked through, about 15 minutes. 

5. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in the boiling water until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and 

put it onto a large serving platter. Pour on the rest of the sauce and mix well. Spoon the meatballs

on top of the spaghetti and garnish with basil leaves. Serve immediately along with extra cheese.

Pomodoro Sauce:
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes, drained and crushed by hand, liquid 

reserved
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn into pieces

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion and garlic and 

cook until the vegetables are soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Carefully add the tomatoes (nothing splashes

like tomatoes) and about 1/2 cup of the reserved liquid and season with salt and pepper. Cook

until the sauce is thick, about 15 minutes. 2. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. 

Bring to a boil, stirring for a few minutes with a wooden spoon to further break up the tomatoes.

Reduce the heat and let simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in the fresh basil and season again.
Yield: 4 cups

One of my friends bought a townhouse and wanted to invite my GNO (girls night out) girls over to show off his house and have us for dinner.  I offered to cook but made him pick the meal and I picked dessert - the first time I made the white chocolate raspberry cheesecake (which was my first post).  While he doesn't cook, he gets a weekly magazine that has a recipe of the week in every issue.  He saves the ones that he thinks sound good.  We went through all his recipes and picked this one for dinner.  The magazine is called THE WEEK and this recipe is from September 14, 2007.  (I made it in June 2010.)
Ingredients
Chicken Tikka
1/2 t ground cumin
1/2 t ground coriander
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1 t table salt
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed of fat
1 c plain whole-milk yogurt
2 T vegetable oil
2 medium garlic cloves, minded or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 t)
1 T grated fresh ginger
Masala Sauce
3 T vegetable oil
1 medium onion, diced fine (about 1 1/4 c)
2 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 2 t)
2 t grated fresh ginger
1 fresh serrano chili, ribs and seeds removed, flesh minced
1 T tomato paste
1 T garam masala
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes 
2 t sugar
1/2 t table salt
2/3 c heavy cream
1/4 c chopped fresh cilantro leaves
For the chicken: 
1. Combine cumin, coriander, cayenne and salt in a small bowl.  Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with spice mixture, pressing gently so mixture adheres.  Place chicken on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, refrigerate 30 to 60 minutes. 
2. In a large bowl whisk together yogurt, oil, garlic, ginger; set aside.
For the sauce:
1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering.  Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly golden, 8 to 10 minutes.  Add garlic, ginger, chili, tomato paste and garam masala; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 3 minutes.  
2. Add crushed tomatoes, sugar, salt; bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
4. Stir in cream and return to simmer.  Remove pan from heat and cover to keep warm.
While sauce simmers, adjust oven rack to upper-middle position (about 6 inches from heating element) and heat broiler.  Using tongs, dip chicken into yogurt mixture (chicken should be coated with thick layer of yogurt) and arrange on wire rack set in foil-lined rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan.  Discard excess yogurt mixture.  Broil chicken until thickest parts register 160 degrees on instant-read thermometer and exterior is lightly charred in spots, 10 to 18 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking.  
Let the chicken rest 5 minutes, then cut into 1-inch chunks and stir into warm sauce (do not summer chicken in sauce).  Stir in cilantro, adjust seasoning with salt and serve.  Serve with basmati rice.  Serves 4 to 6.

There's a restaurant here in Pittsburgh called Umi and the food there is so amazing, though ridiculously expensive.  There are so many good things on the menu but the one that stands out the most for me is the Rock Shrimp Tempura with Spicy Cream Sauce.  I decided I would try to recreate it.  I've come pretty close.  Here is the combination that I came up with.  I started with Masaharu Morimoto's Shrimp Tempura because the batter is so light.  You don't taste just breading and sauce.  It gives a great texture, or coating, to the shrimp and the sauce clings beautifully to the tempura.  It makes for the perfect balance for the bright and bold flavor of the sauce.
Shrimp Tempura
Ingredients
Vegetable oil, for frying
1 c all-purpose flour
1 t salt
1 c cold sparkling water
1/2 c ice water
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 1/2 pounds shelled and deveined medium shrimp
Cornstarch, for dredging
Directions
1. In a medium saucepan, heat 1 inch of vegetable oil to 350 degrees.  (I use my fry daddy instead - I find it so much easier.) Cover a baking sheet with a large wire rack and set it near the stove. 
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour and salt.  Add the sparkling water, ice water and egg and stir with a fork just until blended; the batter can be a little lumpy.
3. Working close to the hot oil, dredge 8 shrimp in cornstarch, shaking off any excess.  Holding a shrimp in each hand, swirl them quickly through the batter and drop them into the oil.  Repeat with the remaining dredged shrimp.  Fry the shrimp until gold brown, about 1 1/2 minutes.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shrimp to the rack to drain.  Repeat with the remaining shrimp.  
4. Arrange the shrimp on a platter, or individual plates, and top with buffalo cream sauce (recipe follows).

Buffalo Cream Sauce
Ingredients
2 T butter
1 T flour
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 t garlic powder
1/4 cup Frank's red hot sauce
2-3 T chicken stock
2 T heavy cream
Directions
1. Melt butter in small skillet over medium heat until bubbling.  Stir in flour and cook until the flour is slightly brown.
2. Season with salt, pepper and garlic powder, stir.
3. Add hot sauce and chicken stock, cook 1 minute. 
4. Remove from heat and add heavy cream. If the sauce seems to thick, stir in another tablespoon of stock.  
5. Pour over shrimp tempura and serve immediately.