NuM NuM

Involtini di Pesce Spada
Adapted from Epicurious
3 to 4 servings

For the involtini:
1/2 cup of breadcrumbs (freshly ground, if possible, made with day old bread with crust removed)
1 tbs of fresh young Pecorino cheese
2 tbs of grated Parmigiano reggiano
1 tablespoons pine nuts (pignoli), toasted
1 tablespoons raisins
1 cloves of garlic, diced
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
About 1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/4 pounds swordfish steaks, pounded thin*
Olive oil to fry

1. Place the breadcrumbs in a medium sized bowl. Add the Pecorino, parmigiano, pine nuts, raisins, garlic and parsley into a food processor and chop very finely. Toss together and season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.
2. Drizzle the mixture while tossing with 1 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and toss. The olive oil will help to hold the filling together but should not leave the filling soaked – use your discretion.
3. Flatten the swordfish slices further between 2 pieces of wax paper, pounding with the side of a mallet or heavy cleaver very gently so you don’t break through the flesh. Each slice should be about 5 1/2 x 3 1/2 inches.
4. Season each slice of fish with salt and pepper and spoon about 2 tablespoons of the filling on top of the fish. Be careful not to overdo it with the filling….a little goes a long way.
5. Fold in the sides of the fish. Tuck in the end nearest you and roll up the slice. Secure with a toothpick or kitchen twine
6. Repeat for remaining slices.
7. Brush some olive oil all over swordfish and season with salt and pepper. Prepare skillet at medium high and cook fish for two-three minutes. Rotate 90 degrees and cook one to two more minutes, then repeat twice to cook on all sides.
8. Plate and serve with slices of lemon

*Next time I think I'll try to freeze the fish for about thirty minutes and then slice it. Let me know if you try the recipe and it works out for you. Or ask the fish monger to slice it as thin as possible


Mesclun Salad Vinaigrette
Adapted from Ina Garten

2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Mix all ingredients together.

Risotto Milanese
2 servings
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4-5 cups beef broth (low sodium)
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter or I can’t believe it's not butter
• 1/4 cup minced shallots (1 large)
• 3/4 cup Arborio rice
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Meanwhile, heat the beef broth in a small covered saucepan. Leave it on low heat to simmer.
In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the shallots on medium-low heat for 10 minutes, until the shallots are translucent but not browned. Add the rice and stir to coat the grains with butter. Add the wine and cook until evaporated. Add 2 full ladles of stock to the rice plus the saffron, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Stir, and simmer until the stock is absorbed, 5 to 10 minutes. Continue to add the stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring every few minutes. Each time, cook until the mixture seems a little dry, then add more stock. Continue until the rice is cooked through, but still al dente, about 30 minutes total. Off the heat, add the Parmesan cheese. Mix well and serve.

Note: When plating risotto, the rice should spread a little on the plate. Not like a soup, but not a clumpy mess either.

Lobster and I have been eating at this restaurant for years where they serve a delicious shrimp ravioli with shiitake cream sauce. Determined to recreate the dish at home, I came up with this recipe. I'd say for my first run I was pleased with the results. It's so fun trying to recreate meals you've had at restaurants in the comfort of your own home. I was able to use my fancy pasta roller and seriously - nothin' beats homemade pasta! Makes you look like a fancy chef and actually know what you're doing. So if you're looking for a recipe to impress company, this ones definitely a winner.


Shrimp Ravioli with Shiitake Cream Sauce
2 servings

Pasta recipe
1 1/2 cup semolina flour
2 eggs
1/4 cup lukewarm water

Mix ingredients in a food processor. Slowly add water until mixture almost forms into a ball. When you feel the dough it should hold together when you squeeze it with your hand. Mixture should feel moist but not wet. Remove from mixer and shape dough into a ball and knead until smooth 5-10 minutes. Refrigerate and let rest for 30 minutes. Using kitchen aid mixer/pasta attachment follow this recipe to roll out into ravioli.

Shrimp Mousse
Recipe from here
2 servings

Take 1/2 pound shrimp and cut into chunks. In a blender or food processor, whirl shrimp, 1 egg white, 1/3 cup half and half, and 2 teaspoons chopped chives until smoothly pureed. Add salt and white pepper to taste. If made ahead, cover and chill up to 24 hours.


Shiitake Cream Sauce
Adapted from All Recipes

• Shrimp ravioli
• 6 ounces fresh sliced shiitake mushrooms
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup half and half
• salt to taste
• ground black pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions
1. Saute garlic and onion in olive oil over medium heat; add mushrooms and cook until browned. Add chicken stock and wine, and cook until mixture is reduced to 1/2 volume. Blend in half and half, and reduce to desired thickness. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Meanwhile cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until ravioli float to the top.
3. Using a slotted spoon add ravioli and toss with sauce until coated. Serve on small warmed plates, topped with grated Parmesan cheese and parsley.

This weekend we celebrated Lobster and my father-in-law's birthday and it was a glutinous night of eating. Apparently this seems to be the ongoing theme in my life ever since I got married. We feasted on steaks, pizza made with my favorite dough, and these ricotta gnocchis. I've never been a fan of ricotta anything, but after making my own cheese at home, I am now a believer! Who knew how simple it is to make your own ricotta?! It is so different then anything you'd get from the store and there's absolutely no comparison. The gnocchis cooked up to be light pillowy puffs of tasteless clouds that literally dissolved in your mouth. While I was pleased with the texture of the gnocchi, I found them to be quite bland (i.e. the tasteless cloud analogy) and the brown butter sauce didn't add much flavor to the finished dish. That was probably my own fault though, but I imagine this would be fabulous with a stronger flavored sauce, so I'm determined to revisit this recipe! I'd say for my first attempt at gnocchi it was a semi-success, but a tremendous labor of love. So if you're looking for a weekend project, this would be a great start. If you're intimated by the gnocchi - do not forgo the the ricotta, it was simply delightful.


Homemade Ricotta
Adapted from Cook's Illustrated
Makes about 3 cups of ricotta

1 gallon whole organic milk (Horizon brand)
1 tsp kosher salt
2/3 cup lemon juice

Using a large heavy bottomed pot heat the milk over medium heat for about 15 minutes until temperature register 185F on a candy thermometer stirring continuously so milk does not scorch. Take pot off the heat and slowly stir in lemon juice until fully incorporated for about 10 seconds. You will begin to see curds forming. Stop stirring since you don't want to disturb the curds separating from the whey. Leave undisturbed for 5 minutes. If milk does not turn translucent and is still milky add one more tablespoon of lemon juice and stir slowly until incorporated and leave to set for another 5 minutes. Continue this process until liquid turns opaque. After curds have formed, leave undisturbed for 20 minutes.

Line colander or large strainer with double layer of cheesecloth and set over sink. Drain the liquid into cheesecloth and allow to drain until you see no more liquid draining from the colander. Use immediately or transfer to an air tight container and refrigerate up to three days.

Zuni Ricotta Gnocchi from The Zuni Café Cookbook
Yield: Makes 40 to 48 gnocchi (serves 4 to 6)

Ingredients:

For the gnocchi:

• 1 pound (454 grams/16 ounces) fresh ricotta (2 cups)
• 2 large cold eggs, lightly beaten (do not over beat)
  
• 1 tablespoon (½ ounce) unsalted butter
• 2 or 3 fresh sage leaves, or a few pinches of freshly grated nutmeg, or a few pinches of chopped lemon zest (all optional)
• ½ ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated (about ¼ cup very lightly packed)
• about ¼ teaspoon salt (a little more if using kosher salt)
• all-purpose flour for forming the gnocchi

For the gnocchi sauce:

• 8 tablespoons (227 grams/1/4 pound/4 ounces) butter, sliced
• 12 sage leaves
  

Directions:

1. Step 1 (the day before you make the gnocchi): Preparing the ricotta. If the ricotta is too wet, your gnocchi will not form properly. In her cookbook, Judy Rodgers recommends checking the ricotta’s wetness. To test the ricotta, take a teaspoon or so and place it on a paper towel. If you notice a very large ring of dampness forming around the ricotta after a minute or so, then the ricotta is too wet. To remove some of the moisture, line a sieve with cheesecloth or paper towels and place the ricotta in the sieve. Cover it and let it drain for at least 8 hours and up to 24 hours in the refrigerator. Alternatively, you can wrap the ricotta carefully in cheesecloth (2 layers) and suspend it in your refrigerator for 8 to 24 hours with a bowl underneath to catch the water that’s released. Either way, it’s recommended that you do this step the day before you plan on making the gnocchi.
2. Step 2 (the day you plan on eating the gnocchi): Making the gnocchi dough. To make great gnocchi, the ricotta has to be fairly smooth. Place the drained ricotta in a large bowl and mash it as best as you can with a rubber spatula or a large spoon (it’s best to use a utensil with some flexibility here). Push the ricotta through a strainer so you make it as smooth as possible. Add the lightly beaten eggs, melted butter, parmesan and salt to the mashed ricotta. (If you are using other fixin's - when you melt the tablespoon of butter. As it melts, add in the sage if you’re using it. If not, just melt the butter and add it to the ricotta mixture.) Add in any flavouring that you’re using (i.e., nutmeg, lemon zest, etc.). If you’re not using any particular flavouring, that’s fine. Beat all the ingredients together very well. (You want to quickly beat the mixture when you begin beating. When I watched the video of them making this they first began beating the mixture by scooping along the side of the bowl then began using a scooping motion starting at the sides of the bowl and scooping in towards the middle while turning the bowl. Keep beating like this until you start to see the mixture cleanly pulling away from the sides of the bowl. Here is a link to the video.) You should end up with a soft and fluffy batter with no streaks (everything should be mixed in very well).
3. Step 3: Forming the gnocchi. Fill a small pot with water and bring to a boil. When it boils, salt the water generously and keep it at a simmer. You will use this water to test the first gnocchi that you make to ensure that it holds together and that your gnocchi batter isn’t too damp. In a large, shallow baking dish or on a sheet pan, make a bed of all-purpose flour that’s ½ an inch deep. With a spatula, scrape the ricotta mixture away from the sides of the bowl and form a large mass in the centre of your bowl. Using a tablespoon, scoop up about 2 to 3 teaspoons of batter and then holding the spoon at an angle, use your finger tip to gently push the ball of dough from the spoon into the bed of flour. At this point you can either shake the dish or pan gently to ensure that the flour covers the gnocchi or use your fingers to very gently dust the gnocchi with flour. Gently pick up the gnocchi and cradle it in your hand rolling it to form it in an oval as best as you can, at no point should you squeeze it. What you’re looking for is an oval lump of sorts that’s dusted in flour and plump. Gently place your gnocchi in the simmering water. It will sink and then bob to the top. From the time that it bobs to the surface, you want to cook the gnocchi until it’s just firm. This could take 3 to 5 minutes. If your gnocchi begins to fall apart, this means that the ricotta cheese was probably still too wet. You can remedy this by beating a teaspoon of egg white into your gnocchi batter. If your gnocchi batter was fluffy but the sample comes out heavy, add a teaspoon of beaten egg to the batter and beat that in. Test a second gnocchi to ensure success. Form the rest of your gnocchi. You can put 4 to 6 gnocchi in the bed of flour at a time. But don’t overcrowd your bed of flour or you may damage your gnocchi as you coat them. Have a sheet pan ready to rest the formed gnocchi on. Line the sheet pan with wax or parchment paper.You can cook the gnocchi right away, however, Judy Rodgers recommends storing them in the refrigerator for an hour prior to cooking to allow them to firm up. You can keep them covered in the fridge for about 6 hours.
   
4. Step 4: Cooking the gnocchi. Place the 8 tablespoons of butter in a 12-inch skillet; set aside. Bring 2 to 3 quarts water to a simmer in a wide pan, 10 or more inches in diameter, so the gnocchi won't crush each other too much as they push to the surface. You want them to be able to float in one even layer. A sauté pan, flared brasier, or saucier pan will work, as long as it is at least 2 inches deep. Salt the water liberally—about 1 teaspoon per 4 cups of water. Add the gnocchi one by one, adjusting the heat to maintain the simmer. Dip your fingertips in water if you find they are sticking to the gnocchi, but don't fret if the gnocchi stick a little to the paper. Do avoid holding the tray of gnocchi in the steam. Cook the gnocchi as you did the sample, until just firm, 3 to 5 minutes from the time they float. You can taste it to check that its done or hold it up with your fingers and the gnocchi should be able to hold its shape and not fall on itself. Meanwhile, as soon as the gnocchi float to the surface, place the pan of butter and water over medium heat. Swirl the pan as the butter melts and begins to seethe. As soon as the butter is completely melted and has turned into an opaque pale yellow sauce, turn off the heat. Let it get golden brown but not dark brown or else the butter will burn. Turn off heat, add the sage leaves and swirl the pan a few more times. Lift the gnocchi out with a slotted spoon or skimmer, slide into the ready skillet, and roll in the warm butter sauce. Serve instantly in warm bowls.
   

For my birthday I received a KitchenAid pasta roller from my brother and tonight I finally broke it in. I've never been one to be interested in kitchen gadgets before, but the ones I've actually purchased I couldn't possibly live without. Like the ice cream maker I bought to make this kick ass ice cream, or the food processor for these sinful creations, and don't even get me started on my stand mixer since all things sweet and heavenly come from that sucker. I'd also say those around me have benefited from these gadgets as well. Sooo....since Christmas is around the corner, you know what's on my gift list :D It's funny how when you're younger all you want are toys and clothes, but apparently when you become domesticated, receiving kitchen gadgets are the highlights of getting old....LUV IT!

Since I received the pasta roller, I thought I'd face one of my many culinary fears: pasta dough. To think it was just one year ago I conquered my fears of making pie dough and anything involving yeast. Now it was time for the ravioli. This actually turned out to be a lot easier then I imagined. Who knew I'd get a work out while I was at it too - my arms were literally aching after kneading the dough - stop laughing!

Making fresh pasta really did make a difference in the finished product. The pasta tasted very light and you could really taste all the ingredients in the filling since I rolled it out pretty thin. I stopped at the #7 dial, but next time I'll try going all the way to #8....ooooh, I'm livin' on the edge.

The spinach and ricotta filling was light and creamy and wasn't rich in the least bit. I deviated from the original recipe for the dough, but used the ingredients pretty much verbatim for the filling and sauce. While the filling was spectacular, I didn't enjoy the sauce very much so I've only listed the recipe for the filling. I think a delicate sweeter sauce would be more appropriate next time. I found this recipe online and it seemed to tickle my fancy - I'll try that next time and report back.....oooh the anticipation.

I'm so excited to see what other types of pasta I can make with my new toy. The possibilities are endless! Don't worry, I'll be kind and share with those around me too. When I get in the mood for a carb overload, I'm takin' everyone down with me :D

UPDATE: Stopping on the last setting #8 of the pasta roller produces a light and thin dough. We found this the perfect thickness for ravioli. If the dough becomes too long to work with. Cut it in half and work with each piece individually - keeping the other piece under a towel so it doesn't dry out.

Homemade Pasta Dough
Adapted by NuM NuM and here
Makes about 25 raviolis - three servings

2 cups Durum semolina flour
2 eggs
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/3 room temp water
All-purpose flour for flouring boards

Using Kitchenaid Mixer and paddle attachment mix ingredients together until thoroughly combined. Change attachement to dough hook and mix on medium speed until mixture begins to come together. Squeeze some of the dough together in your hand and if the mixture holds together then it is ready. Lightly flour a cutting board with all purpose flour and add mixture to it and knead by hand until smooth and elastic probably about 10 minutes. Shape into a disc and cover tightly with plastic wrap for a minimum of thirty minutes. If you are going to use it later you can put it in the fridge.

Slice dough into four pieces. Grab the piece of dough you want to work with and keep the rest of the pieces covered with plastic wrap while you work with each piece at a time so they do not dry out.

Grab a piece of dough and try to form it into a square shape as best as you can, if not an oval dish is fine. If the dough seems sticky, flour it a little bit. Don't worry - any excess flour on the outside of the pasta will dissipate into the cooking water. Flour a baking sheet and have it ready to hold the finished ravioli.

With the roller on the largest setting (#1), pass the pasta through once. Fold it in half vertically and starting with the folded edge first pass it through a few more times until it is smooth and the same width as the pasta roller.

Now you can start thinning it out. Just keep changing your machine's settings to thinner and thinner, passing the dough a few times at each setting. If at any point the dough starts to feel sticky, sprinkle everything with flour again. I stopped at knotch #7 for my ravioli and I thought that was just right. If the dough gets too long to handle, cut it in half and work with each piece individually. Cover the other piece with a dish towel if you are using two sheets.

This video may help when using your pasta machine.

Place the sheet on a floured board horizontally and place teaspoonfuls of your filling on the bottom half of the sheet leaving about a 1/2 inch border from the bottom. Place a heaping teaspoon (or use a small cookie dough scooper) of the filling on the rest of the sheet spacing them one inch apart. Next fill a small bowl with water and using a small brush or your finger spread some water in around your filling all the way around. Next take the other side of the sheet and fold it over the filling. Starting from the top of the filling and making your way down to the bottom edge, press down pushing out all the air boubbles so your ravioli does not burst in the water. Next cut the ravioli on the sides and bottom of the sheet leaving about 1/4" border. Place finished ravioli on floured baking sheet and cover with a towel until ready to cook.

When you are ready to cook. Bring a pot full of water to a rolling boil. Add salt and then drop raviolis one at a time. Do not add too many at one time since you don't want to over crowd the pan. Ravioli are done once they float to the top - I also like to wait about 30 seconds after that too.

If you plan on making these in advance, place the baking sheet full of finished ravioli (in one layer only) in the freezer. Once the ravioli have frozen solid, you can transfer them into a ziplock bag and continue to freeze them until ready to use. When ready to eat them, drop the frozen ravioli directly into boiling water for 4 or 5 minute, and then toss with sauce.

*If you would like to make other shapes with your pasta:

Once it's as thin as you want it, cut the long rectangle of dough into the length of the pasta you want - 10-12 inches is good. If your rolling machine cuts pasta, you can run it through there. To cut the pasta by hand, dust the pasta well and then roll it up loosely. Cut the roll across into your desired width.

Shake out the rolls and separate any noodles that are sticking together and let dry for a few minutes. You can also bundle long pastas in nests. Just toss them with a bit of flour and gather a bundle into the nest shape to keep the noodles from sticking together. Cover loosely with a towel or plastic wrap while you repeat the rolling and cutting on the other pieces of dough.

Allow your pasta to dry for one hour. Test the dryness of your pasta to ensure that it's about as dry as the pasta you'd purchase in the refrigerated case at your local market.

Place the dried pasta in a sealable bag and store in your refrigerator or freezer. Be sure to write the date on the bag so that you'll know how fresh your pasta is when you pull it out Refrigerated fresh pasta will last up to three days, while frozen fresh pasta should be consumed within three months.

Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli

Recipe adapted from Everyday Italian

Filling:

• 3/4 cup whole milk ricotta (fresh ricotta is best)
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup finely chopped drained frozen spinach*
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

For the dough:

In a large bowl combine the flour and the water. Using a wooden spoon, stir to combine into a large ball handling as little as possible. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 20 minutes.

For the filling:

Combine all the ingredients except the egg in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Taste the mixture and add more salt if necessary. Add egg and mix until combined.

Form the ravioli using the above method and bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add half the ravioli and cook until the ravioli float stirring occasionally, about 3 to 4 minutes. Drain into a large bowl and cook the remaining ravioli.

Pour the olive oil over the cooked ravioli. Add the basil, lemon zest, salt, and pepper. Gently toss to coat and serve immediately.

*I ran out of spinach so I pureed kernels of corn and used that for half the filling.

Fall is my favorite season to cook and I'm getting excited to rip into my kitchen with a laundry list of new recipes to try. What better way to welcome the season then whipping up a lasagna. I found this recipe from another blog and the name of the post was "Best Lasagna Everrrrr." Obviously I was intrigued and had to try it for myself. This lasagna is unique in the fact that it's made with turkey, no boil lasagna noodles, a puree of vegetables and the best part - no ricotta filling. It tastes surprisingly light for a lasagna and the vegetable puree adds a depth of flavor and the sauce tastes like it's been simmering all day. The dish is very authentic and tastes like something you'd get from one of your favorite Italian restaurants.

This was my first time using no boil lasagna noodles and they're so convenient and easy I don't think I'll ever go back to the regular stuff again. With the no boil noodles, they blend in perfectly with the filling and every forkful is a perfect bite of hearty sauce and ooey gooey cheese. See.....the noodles are almost invisible in the picture above...yummm-meee! The overall texture of the lasagna is very smooth and creamy and the combination of tangy tomato sauce and bechamel are the perfect marriage.

This dish is definitely worthy to serve to company and made even more special served alongside homemade buttery garlic knots - which I'll post about later. I made this for my friends and they enjoyed the lasagna very much and some even went back for seconds :) By the end of the night, half the lasagna pan was empty and only a few garlic knots remained. I'd say dinner was a success and everyone left with a happy and full tummy.


Turkey Lasagna with Tomato and Creamy Bechamel Sauce
Adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe
8 to 9 servings

Red Sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
4 cloves fresh garlic, finely minced (see garlic tutorial here)
1/2 large onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)
8 ounces mushrooms, chopped
2 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning (or a mix of dried oregano and basil)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

White Sauce:
3 cups milk (not skim, I used 2%)
5 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
9 lasagna noodles, boiled for half the time on the box (or use 12 of the no-boil noodles, of which I far prefer the Barilla brand)
1 pound ground turkey
1 pound mozzarella cheese, shredded
8 ounces Parmesan cheese, shredded

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking pan (3 Qt) with cooking spray or with a napkin dipped lightly in olive oil and set aside.
In a large skillet, brown the ground turkey over medium-high heat, breaking the meat apart into pieces with a wooden spoon and season with salt and pepper to taste. When turkey is cooked through, drain the grease and set aside.
In a medium-size saucepan over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and one tablespoon butter. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. When oil/butter is hot, add the garlic, stirring constantly. When the garlic is lightly browned, but NOT burned, add the onion and mushrooms. Continue cooking on medium-high heat until the vegetables are soft and browned and the fluid has mostly cooked out. Remove from heat and either using a handheld immersion blender or transferring the vegetables to a blender, blend the vegetables to a paste-like mixture. Return the pot to the heat (pour the pureed vegetables back in, if using a stand-alone blender) and add the tomato sauce and tomato paste. Stir to combine. Then add the diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Stir. Cover and let the sauce sauce simmer for 30 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Right before using the red sauce in the lasagna, stir in the reserved ground turkey and season with more S&P to taste.
While the red sauce simmers, if using lasagna noodles that need to be boiled, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and boil the noodles for half the time suggested on the box. Once the noodles are cooked, drain, but do not rinse. Add a dab of olive oil to keep them from sticking together. If you are using no-boil noodles, you can skip this step.
Also while the red sauce is cooking, melt the four tablespoons butter and when melted, add the flour, stirring constantly to combine and letting the mixture cook, while stirring, for a minute or two. Gradually add in the milk, whisking constantly. Add the salt and pepper. Slowly whisk the white sauce, ensuring it doesn’t burn on the bottom of the pan, while cooking it over medium heat. Continue slowly stirring or whisking while the white sauce cooks and thickens quite a bit, about 5-7 minutes. Adjust with S&P to taste
To begin layering the lasagna, keep in mind that you’ll have three layers of noodles as well as three layers of the sauces and cheese – so plan on splitting all the sauce and cheese piles into thirds so you don’t run out at the end! (Dividing cheese into thirds was basically 1/2 cup of Parmesan and 1 1/4 cup of Mozzarella for each of the three layers) On the bottom of your lightly greased baking pan, layer three pre-boiled noodles or four no-boil noodles, slightly overlapping the no-boil noodles. Layer the red sauce, white sauce, Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses, spreading all to the edges and top with another layer of noodles. Again, layer the red sauce, white sauce, Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses and top with the final layer of noodles. Layer the sauces and cheeses again.
Cover the lasagna with a greased layer of aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes or until cheese is nice and bubbly. Remove the foil and turn on broil and melt cheese until nice and brown. Let the lasagna sit for 15 minutes before cutting and serving.


How to freeze lasagna from Foodie Bride blog:
On lasagna night at home, I make a big ol’ mess. I bake a full batch in a 9×13 pan even though it would probably serve 8-10 people. I refrigerate the foil-covered leftovers in the pan overnight so it firms up. I then cut the cold lasagna into single portions, wrap each square in two layers of plastic wrap, and freeze on a baking sheet for about an hour or so. Once frozen solid, I’ll put the frozen squares in a large freezer bag. I put two squares in the fridge the night before the next lasagna night – reheating in a small baking dish is super easy and clean up is a breeze. And the best part is that I only have to do “lasagna dishes” once.

Tonight I did a horrible thing! I fed lobster the worst meal ever. When I say worst, I mean health wise. Taste wise, this sub rocked! I try to make healthy meals most of the time, but since lobster really likes meatball subs I thought I'd go nuts and use full fat everything and anything. We're talkin' FULL FAT cheese, bread, meat - MAN FOOD people! I bought ground pork from the market and even though it looked frightening and had scary fat white bits running through it - I bought it anyway. I rarely buy ground meat from the store unless it's turkey since it's so much healthier grinding your own meat at home. That way, you know exactly what part of the animal you're actually using. Unlike the market, who knows what type of mystery meat is goin' in that sucker.....aaaaand that's what's in my tummy right now. Ewww, I'm getting grossed out just thinking about it.

Well, at least our health was worth the sacrifice since the meatball sub was fabulous! No wonder it was the winning recipe on "Top Chef." It was full of flavor and nice an spicy - just how I like it! If you plan on making this, don't freak out like I did when you start throwing the spices on to the meat. I thought for sure I must have miss calculated the quantity of measurements when I cut the recipe in half, since it seemed like a ridiculous amount of spices was going into the meat mixture - I may be Asian, but I lack a bit in the math department. Anyway, what I thought would be a disaster ended up being a pleasant surprise and my oh my were these meatballs tasty. They had a nice spicy kick and were the STAR of the sammie! So next time you're looking for a guilty pleasure, make these and enjoy every bite. NuM!

What are some of your guilty pleasures? Mine always involve sweets and tend to look like this and this and this and......


Italian Meatball Sub with Spicy Sausage and Mozzarella
Adapted from Top Chef
3 servings

Meatballs:
• 1/2 lb ground beef (80/20) (I used ground turkey, 93/7% fat)
• 1/2 lb ground pork
• 1/2 bunch flat leaf parsley (about 1/3 cup chopped)
• 2 large cloves garlic
• 1 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
• 1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds (I used ground cumin)
• 1 1/2 tsp regular paprika
• 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1 1/2 tsp cayenne
• 2 tsp kosher salt*
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 2 egg whites

Tomato Sauce or your favorite can of spaghetti or marinara sauce:
• 1 15 oz cans whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand*
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1/4 bunch flat leaf parsley (about 1 to 2 tablespoons, chopped - just eyeball it)
• 1 teaspoon red chili flakes, plus more to taste
• 1/4 cup chicken stock (I used broth)
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chiffonade
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (I used 2 tbs)
• Salt and pepper and sugar, to taste

Peperonata:
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 Tbl oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Garnish:
• 3 Italian bread baguette, toasted (I used French rolls)
• Fresh mozzarella, sliced or shredded
• Grated parmesan

Directions

For the Meatball:
1. In a food processor, puree parsley, garlic, and lemon zest. (I was too lazy to use a processor so I measured out 1/3 cup of parsley chopped, then finely chopped/minced it afterward, then I finely minced the garlic and turned it into a garlic paste - I did this by adding one tsp of salt on top of the minced garlic then using the back of my knife crushed the garlic against the cutting board until it turned into a paste - it also dispenses the garlic more evenly throughout the dish. If you'd like to see a demonstration, click here) In a large bowl, mix all remaining ingredients. Add puree mixture and mix everything together.
2. Taste by cooking a small patty on a grill or sauté pan to insure proper seasoning. Next form into meatballs. I made mine about twice the size of a golf ball which equaled 9 balls. I broiled them in a broiler pan for 8-10 minutes on one side then flipped them over and cooked them for another 5 minutes. Be sure to check them during cooking since they can brown quickly. If you don't want to broil them you can cook them over flattop or grill. (Since you're cooking ground pork you should make sure it reaches internal temperature of 160F)

*I used 2 tsp of salt (1 tsp when I made the garlic paste and another teaspoon in the actual meat mixture itself) then made a tester patty and added more salt to taste. The original recipe says to use 1 1/2 tablespoons but I don't think I used that much.

For the Tomato Sauce:
1. In a saucepot, sweat garlic in olive oil and red pepper flakes until aromatic. Add wine, parsley, and reduce by half. Add chicken stock and tomatoes, and allow to simmer for at least 15 minutes or reduce down to desired consistency. Adjust flavor with salt and pepper. Finish with basil (I like my sauces to be thick so I simmered it down to the consistency of a marinara sauce. The sauce tasted a bit acidic so I added a bit of sugar)

* I used diced tomatoes and crushed them with a wooden spoon after I put them in the saucepan. The sauce tasted a little bland so I also added 7 slow roasted tomatoes I had in the freezer to add more flavor. If you’d like the recipe for slow roasted tomatoes, you can find it here.

For the Peperonata:
1. On griddle, cook all vegetables until al dente. Season with salt and pepper.

To Serve:
I sliced the bread down the middle but not all the way through and scooped out a bit of the inside so the meatballs could stay in place. I toasted my bread in the toaster oven for a couple minutes until warm and a bit crusty. Remove the bread from the toaster oven and place a bit of sauce inside the bottom of the bread then place meatballs inside bread add more sauce, top with peperonata. Garnish with mozzarella and finely grated parmesan. Pop under the broiler until the cheese is nice and melted. Watch them closely since the top of the bread can easily burn.

*I used Francisco International French bread rolls. The bread had the right texture since it was nice and soft but I did not realize they are packaged already sliced a bit horizontally. It wasn’t the end of the world, just a bit cumbersome when trying to make the subs. I would recommend using soft bread versus a bread with a thick crispy crust. Enjoy!

Holy mole, I just prepared the quickest dinner of my life and it was DELICIOUS! I don't know what I'm more excited about. The fact that it was so quick and yummy, OR that I successfully made ground turkey taste like spicy Italian sausage without a recipe. NO RECIPE PEOPLE....this coming from the woman who permanently has recipes and measuring spoons glued to her hip. Either way, LOVE IT...LOVE THIS DISH!!! Again, not to sound like Rainman but I can't believe how fantastic this meal turned out and it was so easy to prepare. I think I appreciate it even more b/c I've slaved away in the kitchen for countless hours on end trying to make an outrageously fancy meal and here this dish literally took me about 15 minutes - minus the time it took me to roast the squash which I practically just threw in the oven. I'd also never cooked with spaghetti squash before but it's the greatest veggie EVER. SO HEALTHY!!! I don't think I'll ever have to eat spaghetti noodles again. Try this...it's YUM-MAY!

*Sorry for the "recipe." I hate it when people don't have exact measurements but I tried to explain how I made it as best I could. But really, if I can do it...anyone can :)


Spicy Italian Turkey Sausage with Spaghetti Squash
A NuM NuM original recipe
2 servings

Spaghetti Squash* (1 to 2 lbs)
Ground Turkey (Jennie O 93/7% lean)
Fennel seeds
Red Pepper Flakes
Salt & Pepper
Onion powder
Garlic powder
Dried Basil
Dried Oregano
Classico Tomato Basil Sauce (or your favorite tomato sauce)

Directions
For the squash:
Pre-heat oven to 400F. Cut squash in half starting from the stem and scoop out seeds and stringy parts, drizzle with olive oil or PAM and sprinkle with S&P. Roast cut side down on oiled baking sheet for 45 minutes or until a knife can easily pierce through the skin (top and sides of squash) Once squash has cooled take a fork and begin to remove flesh from skin. (Be careful not to pierce through the skin since you will be using them as eating vessels for presentation. If not, then you can serve them out of a dish) I find moving the fork from side to side makes prettier strands versus from stem to bottom. They should start to look like "noodles" Reserve shells of squash for later.

For the turkey sausage:
Turn burner on to medium high heat. Drizzle olive oil and toast fennel seeds (I think I eyeballed how much would cover 1/2 the surface of the ground turkey) and red pepper flakes (I would put however spicy you like it since you can always add more in the end) until fragrant with a little bit of olive oil. Once fragrant add turkey on top of spices and do not move it until nice and caramelized on the bottom. Add salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion over the entire surface of turkey. Sprinkle basil (I would say add about half the amount of basil as you did of the garlic powder) then add oregano (add half amount of oregano as you did of the basil) Once turkey is nice and brown on the bottom flip it over then break into chunks with spatula. Soon as it is almost done cooking taste and adjust seasonings. Turkey must be cooked all the way through. Remove from pan and set aside.

Using the same pan you used to cook the turkey, place the spaghetti squash strands and however much tomato sauce you think you need to just coat the "noodles" and cook until everything is heated through. You don't want to drown the noodles in the sauce. Remove pan from stove and place noodles inside the now empty spaghetti squash halves and top with turkey. Garnish with parmesan cheese if you like. ENJOY. NUM!

*Larger spaghetti squash are more flavorful then smaller ones and you want to pick ones that are more yellow then white colored. Available year around but their peak season is fall through winter.

The other day I went to lunch with a friend and had a super yummy sandwich. We went to this new restaurant in Marina Del Rey called Mendocino Farms. It's a cute little place where they have tons of different, creative sandwiches and salads. I absolutely love sandwiches and could eat them all day everyday and this one in particular was delicious. Of course since I love all things sweet and salty, that's exactly what the flavors of this sandwich are. You get the saltiness from the prosciutto, the sweetness from the balsamic and honey and the cheese melts beautifully and holds the sammie together. If you've never had Havarti cheese before, it's similar to string cheese but the flavor is much richer. Although my sammie didn't taste as good as the one I had at the restaurant, it was a tasty "knock-off" and satisfied my craving.

**The basil pesto was also a new recipe I tried and the flavors were great. I substituted pistachios for the pine nuts and it gave the pesto a different taste then your standard pesto. The spread was great in the sammie and would be delicious as a sauce over pasta as well. Next time I'll make a big batch and freeze it for a quick weeknight meal.
**You can freeze extra pesto in ice cubs trays. When ready to use, remove them from the freezer and defrost over night in the fridge.


Basil Pesto Sauce
Adapted from Cooking Light
Makes 1/2 cup serving

• 2 tbs pine nuts (I used roasted salted pistachios)
• 1 1/2 garlic cloves
• 2 cups loosely packed basil leaves (about 2 ounces)
• 2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Preparation
1. Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add nuts to pan; cook 4 minutes or until lightly toasted, stirring constantly. Remove from pan.
2. Combine nuts and garlic in a food processor; process until minced. Add basil, oil, salt, and pepper; process until blended, scraping sides occasionally. Spoon into a bowl and fold in cheese.
*The sauce tasted great even without the cheese so I'm betting you could even omit that if you're watching your calories.


Prosciutto and Chicken Sandwich
Created by NuM NuM
1 serving

Oroweat Sandwich Thins
Prosciutto di Parma
Cooked chicken - dark or white meat
Basil Pesto
Balsamic Vinegar
Honey or any kind of sweet preserves or jam
One slice of Havarti Cheese

Directions
Slice cheese in half. Spread pesto sauce on one side of bread and top with one slice of the cheese. Shred chicken breasts and layer on top of cheese. Next add prosciutto di parma and drizzle with a good amount of honey. Drizzle balsamic vinegar over other half of sandwich thin then top with remaining slice of cheese and top the bread over other half of the sandwich. Heat a skillet to medium-low and place sandwich on dry skillet. Place a heavy pot or skillet on the sandwich to weigh it down so it becomes a hot melty panini. Toast each side of bread for about 3-4 minutes per side until cheese is melted and bread is nice and toasty.

Arancini, a.k.a. risotto balls....LUV IT!!! We had some leftover risotto from lobster's dinner last night so I "morphed" the ingredients and made this lovely dish. What could be better then a crunchy coating of warm comforting carbs hugging a big block of ooey-gooey cheese...NUM!! The best part is when you get a bite with cheese, it's just an explosion of the best flavor EVER in your mouth. I've always ordered these little guys at restaurants and was so excited to make them at home. Usually they're deep fried so I made a healthier version and baked them instead. Even though they were baked, these had a great crunch to them and were a nice contrast to the creamy risotto. An even better variation would be making these filled with mac and cheese...oh my gashee, my eyes just spun around in my head :)

**Close up of the ooey-gooey nummyness

Anyway, the inspiration for this post came from my friend who called me the other night asking for a risotto recipe. She has always enjoyed eating risotto at restaurants, but has been intimidated to re-create it at home because it seemed so difficult. I told her how easy it really is, but that it is very time consuming. She called me the next day with bad news - it had been a disaster. I couldn't understand why her risotto turned out so badly since it was a recipe I had made in the past, one that I enjoyed very much. Then, low and behold, lobster made risotto for the first time last night too and it all made sense.

Watching him battle the risotto I understood what my friend must have been going through. He kept asking me questions and I realized I had neglected to tell my friend about some of the details of the preparation....when do I add the broth? How do I know when it's done? Since it had been a while since I'd made risotto and I learned from watching it on TV, I never realized how difficult it might be for someone who has never seen it being made before. So I went back and re-read the recipe I had sent my friend, and realized it was not very user friendly for a first timer. (This is when I get to whip out my "first time blogger mistake" card) Sorry friend :) In fact, looking at several risotto recipes, I felt they were all pretty vague about the method involved when making risotto. Therefore, these are the Num Num's tips for making a risotto which will hopefully result in the restaurant dish we all know and love:

Now, before we get started repeat after me:
1) I will not get frustrated when my arm feels like falling off after an hour of stirring.
2) I will not get upset because the risotto is taking sooooo looooong. No pain equals no num num.
3) I will approach risotto with an open mind and not become an angerball!! >:(

Okay, now on to the actual directions:
1) If possible, use a pot that has a large surface area with high sides. This will make stirring the risotto easier.
2) When adding rice to the pan for the first time, stir and sauté coating the rice with all the oil in the pan until the outside of the rice becomes pretty translucent but the inside is still white, about a minute or two. You do this to prevent the rice from sticking together.
3) Make sure the broth you are adding to the risotto is at a simmer. You cannot use cold liquid because it will shock the rice and the outside will be flaky but the inside will stay hard.
4) When do I add the broth? This is a two step process. Always add the broth one ladle at a time. You will know when to add your next ladle of broth when you take your stirring spoon and starting from the top of the pan, insert the spoon into the risotto touching the bottom of the pan and drag a line to the opposite end of the pan. If your risotto starts to part like the red sea and you can see the bottom of the pan AND your line holds its shape for a couple seconds (the line will become very faint), THEN you can add another ladle of the broth. Do not wait until you can completely see a line in the bottom of your pan, that means too much liquid has been absorbed and your risotto will be too dry. Also, DO NOT add more broth when you can see the bottom of the pan but your line quickly disappears, then your risotto will become mushy and have a soup-like consistency. Don't worry, it's easier to understand once you're actually making it.
5) Stirring and cooking the risotto will ALWAYS take more time then what the recipe states, and you will more then likely need more broth then the amount the recipe calls for. I would give yourself a good hour to make risotto. I don't understand why recipes say you're only stirring for twenty minutes. Maybe that's how they sucker you into making one because if you really knew you'd be stirring a pot like a witch for an hour, no one would do it.
6) How do I know when it's done? Taste it!!! After about twenty minutes, taste the risotto. It will more then likely be chewy and leave yummy pasta starch stuck between your teeth. Therefore keep adding more broth, stirring, and tasting until it reaches your desired consistency - which will probably be another twenty minutes :)
7) Since you've been a good little chef and tasting your risotto every five minutes, when it's close to being done this is when you get to have fun and add all your fixins. Risotto is like a blank canvas so add whatever your heart desires. Seafood, cheese, veggies, cheese, fresh herbs...did I mention cheese? Just remember, you usually add all your ingredients in the last few minutes so they retain their texture and crunch.
8) Risotto is one of those dishes you prepare at the last minute, or should I say hour. You and your guests should always be waiting for the risotto to be finished. The risotto should never wait for guests because it will turn into a big gloppy mess if it sits for too long.
9) VOILA...you're done!!! Restaurant style risotto.
10) EAT, BE FAT, AND MERRY!! Aren't you proud of yourself. NuM NuM :)


Arancini
Any kind of leftover risotto
Eggs
Flour
Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
1/2 inch cubes of mozzarella cheese

1) Set up working station with three different bowls. In the first bowl place the flour. In the second bowl, whisk in a couple eggs. In the third bowl place italian seasoned breadcrumbs.
2) Take one tablespoon of risotto and put it in the palm of your hand. Place a cube of cheese in the middle and top with another tablespoon of risotto. Shape into a ball, roll in flour, then egg wash, then in breadcrumbs and place on oil lined baking sheet.
3) Bake in pre-heated 425F oven for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve with warm marinara sauce and enjoy.

Variation: Use mac and cheese as the filling and pray you don't bust an artery.

OMG, this was THE BEST mac and cheese EVERRRR!!! If there were ever a time to indulge in full fat, artery clogging nummy goodness, this would be the recipe of all recipes. It is Giada's recipe for mac and cheese. I followed the recipe exactly except I used penne pasta, a three cheese blend from Whole foods (Asiago, Parmesan, Fontina) instead of the Fontina and part skim Mozzarella. But I did splurge a little and use a block of the real deal Parmesan cheese. I wanted to show lobster how my food processor worked so I grated it in there. Little did I know, before it was too late, I neglected to seal the top and before I knew it bits of cheese started flinging all over the place...he was thoroughly amused.

The recipe states 6 servings, but I fed this to a crowd of 10 and there was still about half the amount left. Since it is so glutinous, I think next time I will only make half of what the recipe states.

Mac and cheese – 6 servings

Butter, for greasing dish
12 ounces egg noodles/3 cups dry pasta
2 cups heavy cream
2 1/2 cups whole milk
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more for pasta water
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups (packed) grated cheese mix
3/4 cup (packed) finely grated Parmesan
3/4 cup (packed) grated mozzarella
4 strips of bacon, optional
2 tbs finely chopped parsley

Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Butter a 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish and set aside. Cook the noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Drain well, but do not rinse.

Whisk the cream, milk, flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper in large bowl to blend. Stir in 1 cup cheese mix, 1/2 cup Parmesan, 1/2 cup mozzarella, bacon, if using, and parsley. Add the noodles and toss to coat. Transfer the noodle mixture to the prepared baking dish. Toss the remaining 1 cup cheese mix, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and 1/4 cup mozzarella in a small bowl to blend. Sprinkle the cheese mixture over the noodle mixture. Bake until the sauce bubbles and the cheese melts and begins to brown on top, about 20 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving

I tricked lobster tonight and made a "healthy" eggplant parmesan and it was num num. I replaced all of the ricotta with extra firm tofu and he didn't even realize it was in there. The tofu gives a similar consistency as the ricotta and combined with all the melted cheese, you can't distinguish one from the other. (Much like this recipe) I also added half a small container which was probably about 3 oz of Tofutti cream cheese to make it extra creamy...so probably a little less healthier b/c of that :) I also deviated from the recipe a bit and didn't make the tomato sauce from scratch. Instead, I took a bottle of Classico Sweet Basil jarred sauce, two cans of diced tomatoes, reduced down to the consistency I wanted and adjusted the seasonings with S&P, dried basil, oregano, and italian seasonings. For the last few minutes I also popped this under the broiler to get the cheese extra crispy. This eggplant parmesan was very tasty and tastes even better the next day when all the flavors have gotten better acquainted.

I also made a side of roasted cauliflower. If you've never had roasted cauliflower you should definetely try this. Lobster was equally intrigued b/c roasting them at such a high temperature gives the cauliflower a nutty taste, almost like popcorn. Okay, that might be a FAAAR stretch but you'll have to try it and see for yourself. I simply roasted it with some sliced garlic, sprayed PAM, sprinkled with pepper and threw them in a 450F oven on the top rack of the oven for 15 minutes or until they get brown and crispy. AFTER I pulled the cauliflower out of the oven I THEN sprinkled some salt on top. I waited till the last minute to sat them b/c I read if you wait till after you roast them it retains their crunch and speeds up caramelizing...theory tested and approved. Num num in my belly :D

Lighter Eggplant Parmesan - 6 servings - 250 per serving
Adapted from here

• 1 large eggplant (2 lbs)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 12 oz fat free ricotta (10 oz extra firm tofu and 1/2 container of Tofutti OR 14 oz extra firm tofu)
• 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp Pecorino Romano
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 egg
• 2 cups reduced fat mozzarella (I used Sargento)
• 3 cups homemade tomato sauce

Start by making the sauce if you don't have one any already made.

Tomato sauce
• 2 (28 oz) cans imported tomatoes (Tuttoroso)
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1/2 large onion finely chopped
• 1 cup carrots, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup fat free chicken stock
• fresh basil

Saute garlic in oil, add onions and carrots and saute on medium-low for about 2-3 minutes, until soft. Add tomatoes and chicken broth and simmer 45 minutes on low.

Add fresh basil last 10 minutes (herbs will become bitter if cooked more than 20 minutes). Julia always adds herbs into the sauce near the end.

Taste for acidity, if sauce is a bit tangy (acidic) then add 1 tbsp of sugar. For a calorie free way to cut the acidity in the sauce add 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda.

While the sauce simmers, slice the eggplant into 1/4 inch thick slices. Lightly salt the slices and put in a colander to release excess moisture for about 1/2 hour. Lay on paper towels to soak up any extra moisture.

Preheat oven to 450°. Brush eggplant lightly with olive oil on both sides and place on cookie sheets. Bake for 20-25 minutes, turning half way through until eggplant is golden brown.

In a medium bowl combine ricotta, egg, parsley and 1/4 cup of grated cheese.

In a 9x12 baking dish, put a little sauce on the bottom of the dish and put a layer of eggplant to cover the bottom of the dish. Top with 1/3 of the ricotta cheese mixture, mozzarella cheese and sauce. Add another layer of eggplant and repeat the ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese and sauce until everything is used up. Top with sauce and the mozzarella cheese and the remaining grated cheese.

Cover with foil and bake until cheese is melted and everything is bubbling, about 30 minutes at 400°. Remove foil and bake an additional 8-10 minutes. Take it out of the oven and let it sit about 10 minutes before cutting. Enjoy!

Rao's is an Italian restaurant in New York famous for their amazing food and difficulty for booking a reservation. I've heard people book a year in advance for a table. Since I live in LA I can only enjoy their food through their jarred pasta sauces. You may have seen these unassuming pasta sauces at your local grocery store. They're pretty expensive, but they're the tastiest pasta sauces I've ever tried. Needless to say I was very excited to try this recipe...until I actually made it.

I'm still debating whether or not I really like this recipe. The meatballs were delicious on their own, but the sauce was not as tasty as I had hoped. However, together they made a pretty good weeknight meal. I actually found myself enjoying the meal the more I ate it, but it wasn't a love at first bite, party in my mouth feeling...woe is me. If the meal was insanely good like this, then I don't mind slaving away in the kitchen. Well, all was not lost because I got to play with my food and roll the meat into cute little meatballs.

The greatest part about this meal was the meatballs actually. The original recipe cooks them in oil but I broiled mine in the oven instead to make them a bit healthier. I don't think this is a meal I'll be craving and next time I want to play with my food I'll just stick to meatloaf.

**I learned a fancy trick to check the seasonings of your meatballs. Make a small bite size patty from your ground meat and cook it in a skillet to check the taste. That way you don't end up making a huge batch of bland meatballs.

Marinara – 1 1/2 cups - 2 servings with leftover meatballs for meatball subs :)
1 28 oz chento brand whole plum tomatoes with basil
1/8 cup fine quality olive oil
1 ounces fatback or salt pork, optional
1 1/2 tbs minced onion
1 garlic cloves minced
Salt to taste
3 leaves of fresh basil, torn
Pinch dried oregano
Pepper and sugar to taste

1. Remove tomatoes from can, reserving juice. Using your hands, crush the tomatoes, gently remove and discard the hard core from the stem end, and remove and discard any skin and tough membrane. Set aside
2. Put oil in a large, nonreactive saucepan over medium low heat. If using fatback, cut it into small pieces and add to pan. Saute for about 5 minutes or until all fat has been rendered. Remove and discard fatback.
3. Sautee onion and sauté for 3 minutes or until translucent and just beginning to brown. Stir in garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes, reserved juice and salt. Raise heat, and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to a very low simmer and cook for about 1 hour until flavors have combined and sauce is slightly thickened. (if you prefer thicker sauce, cook additional 15 minutes)
4. Stir in basil, oregano and pepper and cook for an additional minute. Remove from heat and adjust seasonings with salt, pepper and sugar.

Meatballs
1 pound ground turkey (15% fat)
1 large egg
1/2 cup pecorino romano cheese
3/4 tbs chopped Italian parsley
1 small garlic glove, peeled and minced
1 cups bread crumbs
1/4 to 1/2 cups lukewarm water
Salt and fresh ground pepper

1. Combine beef, veal, and pork in a large bowl. Add eggs, cheese, parsley, garlic and S&P to taste. Using your hands, blend ingredients together. Blend bread crumbs into meat mixture. Slowly add water, until the mixture is quite moist.
2. Shape dough into a one inch thick rectangle and cut into squares roughly the size you want your meatballs to be. (I made mine the size of golf balls)
3. Place them under a broiler in a broiler pan and broil for 10 minutes, (watch them carefully since they can burn until they get nice, brown and crispy) then flip for another 5 minutes
4. Lower cooked meatballs into simmering marinara sauce and cook for 15 minutes. Serve over pasta or on their own.