Sherry Wine/Mushroom Sauce with Ravioli

Sweet Sherry Wine Reduction w/Portobello Mushrooms

Serves 5-6 people

• INGREDIENTS
• 1-2 lbs Ravoli of choice

• 1 TBS butter/1 TBS EVOO

• 1 lg Shallot, minced

• 1 TBS minced garlic (from jar is fine)

• 1 cup Red Pepper, julienned

• 1 lb Portobello Mushrooms or Baby Portobello Mushrooms, sliced

• 1 cup Dry Sherry Wine

• 1 cup Half & Half

• 1 TBS chopped Basil

• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese

• S & P to taste

• Candies Slivered Almonds

• **make a roux with equal amt of butter & flour, and put aside.**

DIRECTIONS:

START WATER TO BOIL FOR RAVOLI THEN TIME ACCORDINGLY!!!

1. Melt Butter & EV olive oil in saute pan. Then add shallots and garlic and cook about 2” until shallots are softened. Next, add the red peppers and cook another 2-3 minutes until soft.

2. Add mushrooms and continue cooking, and season with S & P for about 2-3 mins.

3. Now add wine and turn up the heat. Stir & scrape the bottom of the pan and stir until liquid reduces to half.

4. Now add ½ & ½ and turn heat down, and stir until that liquid reduces. If mixture is too watery, add some of the roux to thicken.

5. Add the Parmesan cheese, basil and take off heat. Place Ravioli’s on plate and cover with sauce, add parsley and top with candied almonds!!!!!!

Scarselletti Family Spaghetti Sauce

Scarselletti Spaghetti Sauce

Feeds 6-8 hungry people

 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 -28 oz can diced peeled tomatoes & ½ can water
• 1 -28 oz can tomato puree & ½ can water
• 1 6 oz can tomato paste & ½ can of water
• 1 onion to float to absorb grease
• bacon grease if you have it on hand, otherwise Olive Oil

• 3-4 lb bone in loin of pork cut up into large pieces
• 1 lb of both hot sausage & mild sausage cut into pieces
• 1 lb pepperoni cut into pieces
• ½ lb ground beef (not lean because you want the fat for taste)
• ½ lb ground pork (to mix with beef for the meatballs)

• parsley, chopped and put aside
• 2 garlic cloves, minced & put aside
• garlic powder
• kosher salt
• 1 cup fresh Parmesan cheese ( grated and put aside)
• 1 cup basil (fresh would be great) chopped and put aside
• 1 egg, scrambled

 

DIRECTIONS:

1.     Open all the cans of tomato products and put in a large pot or dutch oven.  For each can, add ½ of the can with water and swish around then add to pot.

2.     Add seasonings…garlic, garlic powder, ¼ c of basil, parsley…do this to taste and remember, you can ALWAYS add. Salt & pepper

3.     Take all the meats and brown them on all sides and then add to the sauce.  I use bacon grease but olive oil is just fine.

4.     Take a whole peeled onion and put it in the pot just to float around

5.     When everything is in the pot, turn it down to a low heat, cover and let the meat do its magic!!!! I let it cook for at least 4-5 hours.

MEATBALLS:

1.     Take the ground beef & ground pork and put into bowl

2.     Season with some garlic powder, minced garlic, parsley, S & P, ¼ c Parmesan cheese & egg and mix thoroughly. ( I taste and season accordingly…and NO you will not die eating the raw meat mixture.

3.     Now, take some olive oil and rub on your hands and then take about a tablespoon of the meat mixture and roll it into a ball, and put aside.  Repeat this until you have finished with the meat mixture.

4.     Now, put 1-2 TBS of EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) into a pan and put the meatballs in and just brown them then put aside.  When you are about an hour out for dinner, put the meatballs in the slow simmering sauce and cook.  Do not put them in too soon as they will over cook.

5.     When you are ready to cook the pasta that goes with the sauce, take all the meat out, put on a platter, and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm…

6.     Then, put the meat on the table, mix the pasta with the sauce and voila.  And make sure you have gravy boats to put extra sauce on the table.  They will be lapping it up, I promise!!!

The Creamiest Mac & Cheese

The Creamiest Mac & Cheese

This feeds LOTS of people!!!!

READ THE DIRECTIONS…NOW READ AGAIN AND THEN GO GATHER EVERYTHING!!!! Measure, chop, mince, whatever and have that all done…then get started!!!

INGREDIENTS:

• 16 oz bag of elbow macaroni
• ½ lb sliced smoked bacon (you choose the flavor)
• 5 slices white bread with crust removed
• ½ c grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 stick of butter (8 TBS)
• ¼ c minced shallots
• ½ tsp minced garlic
• ½ c flour
• 5 cups whole milk
• 6 oz Gruyere cheese, grated (can use Swiss or Monterey Jack if you like)
• 8 oz Extra-Sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 ½ tsp powdered mustard
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• S & P to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cook the pasta according to directions and put aside
2. Cook the bacon till crisp, drain on paper towel to cool. **Save 1-2 TBS of bacon fat** Once cooled, coarsely chop and put into food processor and give it 6-8 pulses and put into bowl.
3. Take the bread and coarsely chop and put into food processor and give it 8-10 pulses and put in bowl with bacon.
4. Take the Parmesan cheese and 2 TBS of the butter (melt the butter) and then mix that with the bacon & bread crumbs and put aside.  This is your topping for the dish!
5. 5. PREHEAT THE OVEN to 350 degrees
6. Sauté the minced shallots over a low heat in the pan that has the reserved bacon fat for about 1-2 mins, add the garlic and continue to stir.  Then, increase the heat & add the 6TBS of butter and stir with a whisk.  Next add the flour and it will form a “roux” which is a thickening agent. Stir constantly and slowly add the milk.
7. Continue cooking until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.  Do not leave unattended, it could burn!
8. Once the sauce coats the back of a spoon, TAKE IT OFF THE HEAT.  Add the seasonings and the cheeses and continue to stir with the whisk until creamy and smooth. Taste and season if necessary.
9. Now add this cheese mixture to the pot with the pasta and stir until evenly coated then put into a baking dish. Sprinkle the bacon/breadcrumb mixture evenly on top and then cover with either a lid or aluminum foil and put into preheated oven and cook for about 15-20 mins (USE A TIMER!!)
10. Finally, remove the lid/foil and continue cooking until the sauce is bubbling and the topping is browned.  Then remove and let sit for 5 minutes…and THEN DIG IN!!!!!

**** Thank you Laura Macek****

Chicken Pinocchio with Red Pasta!

Chicken Pinocchio

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 -4OZ chicken breast (frozen from Costco work just fine!)
• 2 TBS butter
• 2 TBS olive oil
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup flour
• ½ cup Italian Breadcrumbs
• 2 oz Brandy
• 2 TBS minced garlic (out of the jar is fine too!)
• 1 cup of Heavy Cream
• 1 cup ½ & ½
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup spinach (fresh)
• 2 TBS chopped shallots
• 6 oz Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
• 6 oz Mozzarella cheese, shredded (just shed those cheese sticks)
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1/2 lb pasta

DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Put pot of water to boil for pasta, and once boiling, add pasta (takes about 20 mins)

• Dust chicken with flour, then dip into egg, followed by a coating of breadcrumbs.
• Pan fry lightly on medium/high heat with olive oil & butter for 2-3 mins per side until golden brown.
• Stir in garlic, shallots, brandy, spinach, mushrooms, heavy cream & half & half, salt & pepper and cook for 6-8 mins. .
• Add Gorgonzola cheese and Mozzarella cheese..stir and then take heat resistant pan and put into preheated oven for 6-8 minutes until cheese is melted and is golden brown.
• Serve on top of pasta with garnish of asparagus
• Serve warm crusty bread or rolls

SERVES 4 PEOPLE