Four Steps to Pasta Paradise

I grew up where pasta came from a can...can you say Chef Boyardee?  Spaghetti-o's?  And if you did actually cook dried pasta and had a sauce out of a jar, you boiled that pasta till it was as limp as well a wet noodle.  When I married my New York Little Italy I-talian, his mother quickly taught me the proper way to cook I-talian.  I saw this in Bon Appetit and it's the same thing my mother in law taught me.  Mangia ya'll!

Step One:  The more water, the better
Start with at least six quarts cold water for each pound of pasta you're cooking.  A larger quantity of water gives the pasta more space to move around (to prevent sticking) and will return to a boil more quickly after you put in the pasta.

Step Two:  Don't skimp on the salt
Boiling pasta in well salted water seasons it which means it's the first step in building flavors in your dish.  As a general rule, salt your pasta water so it tastes like the sea, about 1/4 cup kosher salt per six quarts water.

Step Three:  Cook "to the tooth"
Aim for pasta with texture not crunch.  You can trust the recommended cooking time on the package but to be on the safe side, start testing the pasta about three minutes early.  You can always cook it longer but can never go back.

Step Four:  Put your pasta water to work.
The starchy, salty liquid left in the pot is the key to a well seasoned, full bodied dish.  Before you drain the pasta, ladle out two cups of cooking liquid and save it.  I always finish the sauce in the pasta pan.  I drain the pasta, save the above amount of water.  Put the pasta back in the pot, turn the heat to medium high, add enough sauce to begin to coat the pasta, stir a few times, add a little water if it seems too dry.  The pasta should be nicely coated.  Then when you plate,  you've got a nicely coated bed of pasta and then add a little more sauce.  This way you won't have plain pasta with a glob of sauce on top.

Chicken Wings with 4 Sauces

This Super Bowl Sunday, hundreds of thousand of millions of chicken wings will be consumed.  They will typically be of your Buffalo wing variety.  Back when I was  a "baby" bitchy, meaning basically just learning to really cook, I decided to make the future Mr. Bitchy a batch of Buffalo wings.  How hard can that be.  Fry some wings, dip them in a butter and Tabasco and finish in the oven.  Serve with blue cheese and celery stalks.  Well, since I wasn't using a recipe, I didn't know how much Tabasco to put in for say a dozen wings.  I think I used 1/2 to 3/4 of a bottle.  You literally couldn't get the wings within 6 inches of your nose the heat waves were so intense.  Needless to say, cooking Buffalo wings brings back awkward memories.  Here's a way to update those wings by using dipping sauces instead.  But as the guy told George on Seinfeld, "no double dipping!" Courteous of Bon Appetiti magazine:

Chicken Wings
9 to 9 1/2 pounds chicken wings (about 36 large)

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil plus additional for grilling
• Sauces to toss (see below)

Prepare grill for direct-heat cooking over medium-hot charcoal (medium-high heat for gas); see Grilling Procedure below.

Cut off tips from chicken wings with kitchen shears or a large heavy knife (save to make chicken stock), then halve wings at joint. Pat dry, then toss with 3 tablespoons oil and 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a large bowl.

Oil grill rack, then grill wings in batches (covered only if using gas grill), turning occasionally, until cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes per batch. Toss wings in a bowl with your choice of sauce. Transfer to a platter and serve.

GRILLING PROCEDURE

Charcoal grilling instructions:
Open vents on bottom of grill. Light a large chimney starter full of charcoal (preferably hardwood).

For direct-heat cooking: 
When coals are lit, dump them out across bottom rack, leaving a space free of coals on one side of grill equal to the size of the food to be grilled where food can be moved in case of any flare-ups. When charcoal turns grayish white (start checking coals after 15 minutes), the grill will be at its hottest and will then begin to cool off. How long you can hold your hand 5 inches above the grill rack directly over the coals determines the heat of your grill, as follows:
HOT: 1 to 2 seconds
MEDIUM HOT: 3 to 4 seconds
LOW: 5 to 6 seconds

Gas grill instructions:
Preheat all burners on high, covered, 10 minutes, then adjust heat according to recipe.

Sriracha Buffalo Sauce

Lemon Pepper Garlic Vinaigrette

Balsamic Hoisin Sauce

Smoked Paprika Vinaigrette

Sriracha Sauce:

• 
  1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup sriracha (Asian chile sauce) or hot pepper sauce such as Frank’s Red Hot sauce
• 1/4 cup white-wine vinegar
• 
  

Preparation:

Heat butter, sriracha, vinegar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until butter is melted.

Lemon Pepper Garlic Vinaigratte

2 to 3 large garlic cloves,
 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest, 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice 
1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar
 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
 1/4 cup chopped fresh tarragon or basil (optional)

preparation

Mince garlic, then mash to a paste with 3/4 teaspoon salt.

Whisk together garlic paste, pepper, lemon zest and juice, vinegar, and mustard, then whisk in oil until emulsified.

Whisk in herb, if using.

Smoked Paprika Vinaigrette

1/3 cup sherry vinegar

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika, or to taste
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

preparation

Whisk together vinegar, mustard, paprika, garlic, and 3/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a bowl, then whisk in oil until emulsified.

Balsamic Hoisin Sauce

• 1 1/2 cups balsamic vinegar
• 3/4 cup hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

preparation

Simmer vinegar, hoisin sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small heavy saucepan, uncovered, stirring frequently, until reduced to about 1 1/2 cups, 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in butter until melted.

A Delicious Melon and Good for You Seeds of Change

I started buying these REI melons from Brazil a few years ago.  The only place I have seen them is at Sam's Clubs.  They are sold in the states a Yellow Honeydew or in some instances Canary melons.  I loves melons and try to eat them year round.  Well, with these coming from Brazil, they are available in the US market beginning in October.  I don't know, and neither could I find out, when the season ends.  But if you can found one, pounce on it.  These are super sweet and really very very yummy.  

Another product I like because of the ease of cooking it as well as it being tasty is Seeds of Change and their Quinoa and Brown Rice with Garlic microwave product.  It cooks in 90 seconds.  Serving size is 1 cup, 240 calories, 3.5 g fat, with 400 mg of salt.  And it's organic.  I serve it chicken, fish and pork.  I buy a 6 pack at Costco.  

Nachos for Every Taste Bud

I saw this on the Epicurious web site and thought it'd be fun to pass along.  Me, I'm a straight nacho kind of girl.  Other things that I like that are fattening would be pan fried ground meat or chorizo sausage, then add a can of Rotel tomatoes, there ain't no tellin' what you'll be Rotelin', and a box of Velveeta cheese.  Put in a micro wave bowl and micro wave until cheese is all gooey.  Serve with chips or warmed flour tortillas.  Or, you could do what they do at The Buckhead Diner.  Heat your oven to 450 degrees.  Get out your favorite potato chips.  Put them in a mound on a baking sheet and top with your favorite cheese, which for me is blue.  Calories but great! Or you could make those Frito Pies that are posted on this web site.  

Here is your guide to a variable pantheon of nachos:

Super Bowl Sunday is a snack lover's paradise. And while chicken wings and sliders are popular game-day favorites, when it comes to quarterbacking the buffet, there's one dish on the must-have list: nachos. This crowd-pleasing party dish is quick and easy to make, and with so many potential chip, cheese, and topping combinations, the field is wide open. Our mix-and-match nacho guide equips you with 10 classic and creative ways to make nachos the star of your Super Bowl bash, including pizza- and barbecue-inspired versions, gluten-free and vegan options, and sweetly crispy dessert nachos. 

Game Plan:

• Choose from our suggested matchups of chips, cheese, and toppings, or mix and match ingredients to your taste buds' desires.
• Bake the nachos on the center rack in a 450°F oven for 5 to 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
• Nachos are best served right out of the oven while the chips are still crisp and the toppings are hot.

Equipment:

• Serve no-fuss nachos in the dish they are baked in. A 13-by-9-inch baking dish or a small baking sheet is best for crowds of six to eight.
• Line your baking dish or baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup (and to ensure that the baking dish can be reused for multiple quarters of snacking).

The Lineup:

• Create multiple layers of chips and toppings to maximize the flavor in every bite.
• While it may be tempting to double down on your add-ons, keep in mind that not overloading the chips with toppings is what keeps this dish finger-friendly.
• All of the toppings listed below should be added prior to baking, with the exception of shredded lettuce, sour cream, guacamole, salsa, and chopped fresh herbs, which should be put on once the nachos come out of the oven.

Name Your Nacho	Chips	Cheese	Toppings
Best of Barbecue Nachos	scoop-style or thick-cut tortilla chips	shredded Cheddar cheese	pulled pork or shredded rotisserie chicken, sautéed diced smoked sausage, pinto beans, barbecue sauce, sliced jalapeños, diced onions
Vegan Nachos	baked regular or blue corn tortilla chips	vegan Pepper Jack cheese	black beans, chopped tomatoes,guacamole, dairy-free sour cream
Pizza Nachos	corn tortilla chips	shredded mozzarella and grated Parmesan	marinara sauce, diced pepperoni, sliced pitted black olives, diced green peppers, thinly sliced mushrooms, diced onions
Asian Nachos	deep-fried wonton wrappers (follow the steps for deep- frying wonton wrappers in our Chinese Chicken Saladrecipe)	no cheese, please!	seared diced ahi tuna, diced avocado, sliced scallions, Sriracha,wasabi mayo, sesame seeds
Everything-but-the-Kitchen-Sink Nachos	a mix of blue corn and regular tortilla chips	shredded Cheddar, Monterey Jack, and Colby cheese	refried beans, pulled pork, sautéed peppers and onions, sour cream,guacamole, salsa, fresh cilantro
Meat Lover's Nachos	scoop-style or thick-cut tortilla chips	shredded Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheese	sautéed chorizo, diced grilled steak (flank or hanger), sliced jalapeños, sour cream, fresh cilantro
Nachos en Fuego	scoop-style or thick-cut tortilla chips	shredded Pepper Jack cheese	shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, black beans, sliced serranos, diced avocado, crushed red pepper flakes, caramelized onions, fresh cilantro
Gluten-Free Nachos	gluten-free corn tortilla chips	shredded Monterey Jack cheese	black beans, sautéed ground beef, chopped tomatoes, shredded lettuce
Greek Salad Nachos	pita chips	crumbled feta	shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sliced pitted black olives, chopped red onions,red wine vinaigrette
Dessert Nachos	unsalted flour tortilla chips tossed with cinnamon and sugar	crème fraîche	chocolate chips, sweetened coconut flakes, berry salsa (diced berries mixed with chopped fresh mint), ice cream

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/holidays/superbowl/ultimate-nacho-generator#ixzz2IqtQ5was

Fried Pickles with Spicy Mayo

It's a southern thing, what can I say.  One of my favorite restaurants in Atlanta is Flip, a burger joint owned by Top Chef winner, Richard Blais.  They make a terrific fried pickle.  Here they use kosher.  At Flip they use bread and butter pickles.  You decide.  I love the spice in the sauce...This recipe is from Bon Appetit magazine.  Serves 4-6 as an appetizer.  

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Sriracha
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 garlic clove, mashed to a paste
• Kosher salt
• 2 cups grapeseed or vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 cup (or more) seltzer water or club soda
• 3 cucumber pickles, cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds and patted dry

Special Equipment

• A deep-fry thermometer

Preparation

• Whisk mayonnaise, Sriracha, lemon juice, and garlic in a small bowl; season with salt.
• Pour grapeseed oil into a medium heavy saucepan; fit with deep-fry thermometer. Heat over medium heat until thermometer registers 350°.
• Whisk flour, cornstarch, and baking powder in a medium bowl. Whisk in 3/4 cup seltzer water. Whisk in more seltzer, if needed, until batter is the consistency of heavy cream.
• Working in batches, coat pickle slices with batter, letting excess drip off, and add to oil one by one (to prevent them from sticking to one another). Fry, turning halfway through, until golden brown and crisp on both sides, about 3 minutes per batch.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Serve with spicy mayo.
  
  
  

The Perfect Hot"ter" Toddy

A friend of mine had a bad cough and asked me, Bitchy she asks, she always calls me Bitchy, Bitchy, do you have a great recipe for a hot toddy that will be good for me as well as help with my cough?  Remember when parents used to give their kids whisky to get them to sleep?  This did the trick for her.  As far as the cayenne pepper goes, there are studies that show that the heat from peppers can activate the nerves in the throat, lungs and mouth to release watery fluids.  The heat also has benefits for asthma suffers.  I found this in the weekend WSJ:

In a VERY large cup, combine 1 spoonful honey, juice of 1/4 lemon, 1 cinnamon stick, small dash cayenne (optional but recommended) and the tea bag of your choice.  Stick 3 cloves into 1 small lemon wedge and add to cup.  Pour in a slug of bourbon, as much or as little as you like.  Fill cup with boiling water, stir well and let steep for 5 minutes.  Savor and repeat as necessary :))

Vietnamese Beef Stew

Guess what's for dinner?  I found this in the Saturday/Sunday edition of the WSJ.  If you don't buy their weekend edition, you're missing out on some great book reviews, restaurant and wine reviews as well as great recipes.  This has such an intense depth to it and when you use some great french bread to sop up the juices...heaven.  

By ANDREA NGUYEN

Enlarge Image

James Ransom for The Wall Street Journal, Food Styling by Jamie Kimm, Prop Styling by DSM

BOTTOMLESS BOWL | Asian spices and fish sauce provide surprising depth of flavor.

Vietnamese Beef Stew

If you'd like to substitute beef shank for chuck, buy 2¾ pounds bone-in pieces, about 1-inch thick. Cut the meat into chunks and add the bones during simmering. The stew will take longer to cook but will be slightly richer.

Hands-On Time: 45 minutes Total Time: 3 hours Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

2 to 2¼ pounds well-trimmed boneless beef chuck, cut into 1½-inch chunks

2 stalks lemongrass, loose leaves discarded, cut into 3-inch lengths and bruised with the broad side of a cleaver or chef's knife

3 tablespoons fish sauce

2 large cloves garlic, minced

2½ to 3 tablespoons peeled and minced fresh ginger

1½ teaspoons Chinese five-spice powder

1½ teaspoons packed light or dark brown sugar

1 bay leaf

3 tablespoons canola or other neutral oil

1 yellow onion or 8 ounces shallot, finely chopped

1 can (14 ounces) crushed tomato in purée (1½ cups)

½ teaspoon salt

2 whole star anise

About 3½ cups water

1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh Vietnamese coriander or Thai basil

What To Do

1. In a bowl, combine beef, lemongrass, fish sauce, garlic, ginger, five-spice powder, brown sugar and bay leaf. Mix well to evenly coat. Set aside to marinate 30 minutes.

2. In a heavy-bottomed 5-quart Dutch oven, heat oil over high heat until hot but not smoking. Working in batches, sear beef on all sides, then transfer to a plate. Each batch should take about 3 minutes total. Reserve lemongrass, bay leaf and leftover marinade.

3. Lower heat to medium-low, add onions and cook gently, stirring, until fragrant and soft, 4-5 minutes. Add tomatoes and salt. Cover and cook until mixture is fragrant and has reduced to a rough paste, 12-14 minutes. Check occasionally to make sure tomato is not sticking to bottom of pan. If it is, stir well and splash in some water.

4. When a paste has formed, add beef, reserved marinade ingredients and star anise. Give a big stir, then cook, uncovered, to meld flavors, about 5 minutes. Add water, bring to a boil, then cover and lower heat. Simmer until beef is chewy-tender (close to being done), about 1¼ hours. Press on a piece; it should yield but still feel firm.

5. Add carrots and return to simmer, adjusting heat if needed. Cook, uncovered, until carrots and beef are tender, about 30 minutes. (Everything up to this point can be done up to 2 days in advance, then cooled, covered and refrigerated. Bring to a simmer before continuing.)

6. Before serving, taste. Add salt or a shot of fish sauce to intensify flavor, or splash in water to lighten. Remove and discard lemongrass, bay leaf and star anise. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with herbs.

Some Healthy Products for the New Year

Two of these products have been around for a while but I thought I'd spotlight them anyway.  The other two are new on the market.

Agave nectar:  I buy this at Costco.  If you're worried about your blood sugar, this is a great product.  It's a natural sweetener made from the heart of the agave plant.  It has a low glycemic  index and is more slowly absorbed into the body.  It is 25% sweeter than sugar so you don't have to use as much. I use it primarily in my tea, both hot or cold.  But you can use it anywhere you would use honey..just not as much. Serving size: 1 tablespoon, 60 calories, 0 fat.

Simply Sprouted Way Better Snacks: I love love love these chips.  They have just the right amount of kick to them.  Simply Sprouted snacks are made from golden flax, chia seed, quinoa, radish seeds and broccoli seeds.  What am I a bird with all the seeds?  No, just eating a delicious tortilla chip.  I eat these with hummus.  Hmmm good.  They also have a cool cucumber and unbeatable blues chips.  They are gluten free, kosher and organic.  Serving size: 11 chips, 130 calories, 7 g fat, sodium 95mg. If you go to gowaybetter.com, you can find a location that sells them.  I buy mine ate Kroger.

Cracked Pepper Baked Lentil Chips:These are also very tasty and good for you.  I also eat them with hummus.  Gluten free and all natural, they're made from lentils, garbanzo and adzuki beans.  They are light, kind of like rice cakes.  Serving size: about 22 chips, 120 calories, 3 g fat, 220 mg sodium.  To find a location near you: http://www.mediterraneansnackfoods.com/store-locator/.  I buy mine at Whole Foods.

Dreamfields Pasta:  If you're watching your carbs and or sugar, Dreamfields' pastas are a great alternative to whole wheat pasta.  They only have 5 grams of digestible (meaning it helps limit the rise in blood sugar associated with eating regular pasta.) carbs in each serving.  They cook beautifully to al dente and my Italian husband hasn't complained once about using this product.  Elbow pasta: serving size 1/2 cup dry, 190 calories, 1 g fat, 10 mg sodium

Lentils and Turkey Sausage Soup

This is a staple for when you want to make something quickly.  My husband would eat this every Sunday night if I'd make it for him...and I do, most of the time.  I used canned lentils.  If you're afraid of the salt content, then go ahead and make your own lentils.  See back of package for recipe :)) Or, you can go to my Oct. 11 blog and a "from scratch" recipe is there.

Serves 2

1 18.5 oz can lentil soup
1/4 to 1/2 cup low salt chicken broth (canned or home made)
2-3 turkey hot Italian sausage links (how many you use depends on how hearty you want it to be)
1-10 oz can diced tomatoes (no salt if you wish)
1 cup uncooked elbow pasta
couple of handfuls of cleaned spinach
1 - 2" long parmesan cheese rind or grate some

Using scissors, cut the sausages into inch pieces.  Pam a heavy duty pot.  Heat over medium heat until shimmering and then add sausages pieces.  Brown on both sides, turn down the heat, and add soup.  Add tomatoes and rind, then bring to a shimmer. Then add in your handfuls of spinach.  Remember they'll cook down quickly. Simmer for 10 minutes or so to let the flavors meld.   Meanwhile cook pasta until al dente.  Drain and then add to soup.  If you like a soupier soup, add the broth to the consistency you like.  If you used the rind, fish it out.  If you're using grated cheese, plate the soup and grate on top.  Since you've used HOT Italian sausage, there should be no need for cracked red pepper.  Season with salt to taste.