Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Two Sauce Weeknight Lasagna Bowls



Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray, 2008, Food Network, 30 Minute Meals
Noodles tossed in White Sauce

Addition of the Red Sauce

The link above will take you to the real recipe- But you know I do things a little different lol.


Two Sauce Weeknight Lasagna Bowls
Ingredients


• Salt

• 1 pound Campanelle pasta

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 1/4 pound pancetta, a couple of thick slices, chopped  <---- BACON, lots

• 3/4 pound ground beef pork and veal mix or ground beef  <--- Beef and Sausage, lots

• 1/2 large carrot, peeled and grated or finely chopped

• 1 small to medium onion, chopped

• 3 cloves garlic, 2 chopped or grated, 1 peeled

• 1/2 teaspoon allspice, a couple of pinches  <--- I don't think I used this...(I made this over a month ago lol)

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 1 bay leaf

• 3 tablespoons tomato paste

• 1/2 cup dry red wine  <---- Nope

• 2 cups beef stock

• 3 tablespoons butter

• 3 tablespoons flour

• 2 cups milk

• Nutmeg, to taste

• 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus some to pass at table

• A handful fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped  <--Didn't have it...



Directions


Heat large pot of water to a boil, salt water and cook pasta to al dente Or however you like it =)

While pasta water comes to a boil, heat olive oil in a medium sauce pot over medium-high heat, add pancetta (Bacon)  and render 2 to 3 minutes then add meat and break up as it browns.
When the meat has begun to caramelize and develops a nice brown color, 4 to 5 minutes, add carrot, onion, 2 cloves of garlic, allspice (Nope), salt and pepper and a bay leaf.
Cook 3 to 4 minutes more to soften onions and carrots bits then stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, then stir in wine (Didn't use) and cook out 1 minute then stir in stock and reduce heat to simmer. 
I just added more stock since I didnt use the wine.

While red sauce cooks, cut remaining whole clove of garlic and rub the inside of a medium sauce pot with it. Melt butter in pot over medium heat. Add in flour and whisk together a minute or so then whisk in milk and bring to a bubble, reduce heat then season sauce with salt, pepper and nutmeg, thicken 8 to 10 minutes.

Toss pasta with white sauce and 1/2 cup grated cheese. Serve pasta in individual bowls and top with a ladle of meat sauce in the middle of the bowl for mixing in. Garnish with parsley.

ENJOY!!!!! We sure did hahahahaha

Monday, August 29, 2011

Domenic's Sheet Cake

And here is the last of the cake...




And if you don't already know what happened...


You better find someone to tell you...


Because it was a mess and I saw a life flash before my eyes...

And it wasn't my life I saw!!!

But I was able to salvage it....

30 minutes late, but it made it...

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Domenic's 2 tier cake

The first cake (yeah there is still more)









It almost didn't make it there! I forgot it on my first run to the house. Hubby and I brought it later-in a downpour...Hubby ran it to the house and haneded it of to the man of the hour.

So I walk behind him as he sets it up in the dining room and everyone looks at him and says' "wow did you make that-it looks great!".  So I pat him on the back and say to everyone, "I know! Did he do a great job??"
Hahahaha
And his response....

Yeah it looks good but it would have been even more awesome if we would have worked on it together..

Thanks Nick... lol 

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Domenic's Cookies

Awwww! Domenic (or Dom or Nick-I still call him Nicky lol) Graduated!!!

He actually Graduated TWICE!!
Once From Brooklyn High and also from Polaris.
He is going to Culinary School in the fall.
He is going to be a famous Chef one day-he's gonna be on Food Network-you just watch...
and I can say I knew him when...maybe we can find some pics...
I made tons of dessert for the event.
Yes because Lisa doesn't throw parties- they are full on Events!! =)



Candy



And Cookies!













And here they are ready to go!!

But wait~ There's more!

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Cannoli

We made Cannoli recently.
MMMM



I did not make the shells tho...

I bought this box at Giant Eagle in the Italian Section





And used the recipe on the back of the box for the filling.





However we did not use any candied fruit, we used more powdered sugar and no Kahula...this time. =)