Mom’s Spaghetti Sauce

 1 can - 28 oz crushed tomatoes

1 can - 28 oz tomato sauce

1 can -28 oz tomato purée

2 small cans tomato paste

3 big cans water

2 onions, chopped small

6-8 cloves minced garlic

Bone in country style spare ribs

Your favorite meatball recipe

Seasonings: salt and pepper, fresh parsley if available, or dry,  a little bit crushed red pepper, fresh basil if available or dry, a little red wine, a handful of pecorino Romano cheese, a few tablespoons sugar

You can add more or less to your taste  

For the sauce:

Sauté onions and garlic in olive oil until transparent in a large kettle.

Add the purée and sauté in the onions and garlic. 

Add the water and seasonings. 

Brown the ribs on both sides, season with salt and pepper and add to the sauce. Bring the sauce to a boil and simmer stirring occasionally so it doesn’t stick to the bottom. 

Cook on low, 2.5 to 3 hours with the cover half off. The last hour take the cover off to thicken. I make this the day before we eat so the flavors can meld together. 

Sourdough Bread by Ben Starr the Ultimate Food Geek

 In a large bowl, combine:

4 oz/113g sourdough starter (UNFED, straight from the fridge…at 100% hydration…meaning when you feed it, you feed quality weights…not cups of flour and water).

12 oz/340 grams water (ideally filtered. These are ounces by weight…not fluid ounces…although they are one and the same.

Stir to distribute in the starter. Then add:

1 lb. 4 oz/567g all purpose flour or bread flour. 

0.7 oz/20g salt any type. Avoid using iodized salt.

Stir until it’s too stiff to work with a spoon. Use your hands to bring the ingredients together in a uniform dough, about 15 seconds.

Oil the plastic bowl with the dough and cover or place in a well oiled, gallon sized ziploc bag. 

Rise at room temperature until at least doubled in bulk. For most people this will take about 12 hours. 

Once the dough has doubled you can leave it up to 12 hours if necessary. 

The longer the dough rises, the better the flavor. 

Shape the dough into a boule and place in a greased Dutch oven or loaf pan. Cover and let rise on the counter for 90 minutes. 

If your dough is too wet and sticky to handle, your starter is over 100% hydration. Discard all but 2 ounces of starter, feed with 4 ounces of flour and 4 ounces of water, sit for 1 hour at room temperature, then refrigerate. Repeat this step the next day this will bring your starter closer to 100% hydration that works for this recipe. 

score the loaf with scissors. place in a COLD oven at 425° and bake covered for 45 minutes. remove cover and bake fir an additional 15 minutes. 

Remove from baking vessel and cool completely before slicing. 

Enchiritos

 Prepare 1 box 

Old El Paso cheesy Mexican rice. I couldn’t find this so I substituted with Rice a Roni four cheese.

While that cooks, brown 1 lb. ground beef. Drain the excess grease and add your favorite taco seasoning and half a cup of water. Let that simmer a few minutes. 

Next you will need 4 burrito size tortillas. 

Spread 1/4 of a can of refried beans on each one, then 1/4 of the taco meat on each. Spread some rice and some shredded cheese. 

Roll them up like a burrito.

Place seam side down on a greased baking dish. 

Pour a 19 oz can of red enchilada sauce and top with 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese. 

Bake at 400° for 15 to 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve with favorite toppings. 

Cannoli Filling

 Combine 2 cups ricotta cheese, strained in cheesecloth with 2/3 cup sifted confectioners sugar or more to taste. 

Beat with beater, add 1/4 tsp orange zest and 1/4 tsp vanilla. Add chocolate chips and fill cannoli shells. 

Moussaka

Double the bechemel sauce  melt cheese in sauce  

 

Chef Deborah’s Fruit Trifle

 2 pkgs. instant vanilla pudding

2 cups milk

1 carton cool whip

1 can crushed pineapple

1 angel food or pound cake

1 can dole tropical fruit salad and juice

Fresh strawberries, kiwis, grapes, cantaloupe;Lupe

Marinate strawberries in amaretto 

Add orange rind to cool whip

Mix pudding and milk. Fold in cool whip. 

Layer half of each ingredient, pudding,cake, pineapple, tropical fruit, strawberries, kiwi and repeat.

Refrigerate.

Fran’s Artichoke Dip

 Canned or frozen artichoke hearts

1 cup Parmesan cheese

1 cup mayonnaise

1 small can chopped green chilies

Cut artichokes into small pieces mix all ingredients and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. 

Serve with this with triscuit crackers.