World's Best Pizza Sauce

I am a bit of a pizza addict. 
I think of it as a food group and try to treat it as such by eating as much of it as I can, as often as I can.  And I prefer to make my own pizza because I am A) Cheap, and B) It tastes soooo much better than anything given to you by a guy in a Nissan Sentra. 

Pizza Sauce is KEY!
Although I intend to turn every single one of my favorite foods into a pizza over the course of the next year, everyone has a go-to pizza.  Mine is Chicken Bacon Ranch pizza, which is an offshoot of the Chicken Bacon Ranch Ciabatta Bread sammies my husband loves so much (the recipe for ciabatta and the sammy will follow soon).  But the reason it's my go-to pizza is because I have spent years failing to make a decent red pizza sauce and so my classic pepperoni pizza...well,... it sucked. A lot.
UNTIL LAST NIGHT, YO!!!
Oh My LANTA!  

This pizza sauce was sooo good!
Perfectly sweet and salty, with just the right savory herb flavor.  And the perfect consistency, something I could never get right before.  This Pizza Sauce is simply perfect in every way. 
SO, here it is.  My recipe for THE: 

• 1 6 oz Can of Tomato Paste 
• 6 oz Water 
• 2 ounces freshly grated Parmesan cheese (this is a to taste kind of thing...I like a lot!)
•  1/2 tsp Granulated Garlic
• 1 TBSP Sugar
• Pinch of Salt
• 1/2 tsp. Dried Oregano
• 1/2 tsp. Dried Basil
• 1/2 tsp. Dried Marjoram (this is key)
• Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes
• Ground Black Pepper (to taste)

Mix it all up and let it sit at room temperature for at least half hour so the flavors combine.  Then slather it all on my Perfect Pizza Dough, and top with nummy meats and veggies and Voila!  Perfect Pizza! 

So, now that we all have an equally good chance of making the world's best pepperoni pizza, what's your favorite non-traditional pizza flavor combo?   My next experiment is going to be Paella Pizza, but I'd love some off-the-beaten trail recommendations from you too!

10 Best Ridiculously Awesome Mac and Cheese Recipes Ever

It has been cold and rainy and generally blech for the last week here in the heart of Indiana, and although the grey skies are quite the downer, the leaves are quickly turning colors and I simply love that!  My backyard is filled with trees and let me tell you, there is no more perfect way to welcome fall than by gazing at the magnificent reds, and golds, and striking oranges that surprise me each morning over a cup of coffee.  From the couch.  In my house.  Because it is freaking chilly outside. 
But I love fall.  Because football and sweaters, beautiful colors and crisp air.  Because of apples and richly scented candles that are out of place in the warmer months.  And most of all, because: 

Comfort Foods!! 

 Oh how I've missed you big pots of chili and stews, casseroles and bakes, cheesey, gooey, hearty awesomeness that disappear six months of the year.  Seriously.  I get giddy.  

One of my absolute favorite comfort foods is mac and cheese.  Saddle it up with pizza (my all-time-favorite-go-to-food group), I could eat it at every meal of everyday during the sweater months (after that, it's kabobs and salads because, you know, mac and cheese tends to contribute to my perception of having a tank ass, so I shelve it for the summer).  But Yay!!  It's Fall!!!  Bring on the Mac and Cheesy Deliciousness!!! 

So without further ado, I present:

 (In no particular order because they are all ridiculously good)

1)  Cajun Mac and Cheese with Andouille Sausage and Shrimp (The Kichenista Diaries)

2)  Chorizo and Peper Jack Mac and Cheese (Laura in the Kitchen)

3)  Ham and Cheese Mac Casserole (Allrecipes)

4)  Classic Creamy American Mac and Cheese (Allrecipes)

5)  Roasted Garlic Mac and Cheese (Just a Taste)

6)  Chipotle Mac and Cheese with Bacon (Domesticate Me)

7)  Lobster Mac and Cheese (The Posh Pescatarian) 

8)  Cheesy Chili Mac (Tracey's Culinary Adventures)

9)  THE Mac and Cheese (That Which Nourishes)

10) Pesto Mac and Cheese (Amuse Your Bouche)

OMG!  I am so freaking hungry right now for these seriously stellar Mac and Cheese recipes.  All of them... get in my belly!  Yet Mini Monkey is asking to go to the gym (NOOO!!!  This is a bad sign for my Mac Attack).  Maybe I'll hit the treadmill after some of this Roasted Garlic Mac.  Maybe.   What is your favorite Mac and Cheese recipe of all time?  I'd love to hear! 

Bacon Burger with Horseradish Sauce

Bacon Burgers with Horseradish Sauce

Photo courtesy of Rachaelray.com

I've been trying to figure out the best way to include some kind of meal planner, or menu planner on this blog and have come to the conclusion that there are simply no good widgets out there.  Bummer man.  I guess I wanna eat what I wanna eat, not what some app tells me to eat.  So, I'm doin' it from scratch! 

In the meantime, it has given me reason to ogle over some of my favorite recipes that have gotten a little dusty over time.  And I do ogle.  Food to me is like diamonds to other girls.  I wanna touch it, smell it, look at it... I'd wear it if that Lady Gaga didn't ruin it for me with the meat dress (and now a meat corset, I mean eewww!).  Anyway,  I love food!!

Many of my favorite burgers are inspired by Rachael Ray... and this is the first one I ever tried.  SO YUMMY! A little spicy, a little crunch... mmmmm burger! I have modified the original a little bit.

LET'S GET COOKING!!!

Bacon Burger With Horseradish Sauce

8 sliced smoked bacon
2 lbs. ground sirloin
1/2 cup or so breadcrumbs
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp prepared horseradish
salt and pepper
8 ounces sliced extra sharp white cheddar cheese
1 cup sour cream
1/3 cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
1/3 cup chives, finely chopped **Green onion works to if you can't find fresh chives
4 crusty rolls, split
1 bunch watercress or arugula

SERVES 4
Cook bacon to preferred doneness. set aside on paper towels.
In a medium bowl, combine sirloin, Worcestershire sauce, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper. Form into 4 burger patties and heat your grill to 350-400 degrees. Cook to preferred doneness. Add 2 slices of cheese to each burger a few minutes before done to melt.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine sour cream, parsley, chives, horseradish, and pepper.
Place the watercress on the roll bottoms and top with a burger and two slices of bacon. Slather the roll top with horseradish sauce and place on burger.

EASY PEASY AND SO GOOD!!  I will say this, although I am all about recipe modification to suit your budget and convenience, try to find the sharp white cheddar... it really does make a difference ;)

What's your favorite burger recipe?  Or even just burger concept?  I'm kind of a burger recipe collector; I have a list of about 35, so I will surely be sharing those soon!

Yummy Stuffed Chicken Caprese

Chicken Caprese - 3 Monkey's and a Martini Style



I have several go-to meals... mostly because they are easy to make and easy to plan for, and they don't take a lot of weird ingredients I would have to actually write down and plan to get when grocery shopping.  And although I do try to plan our meals for the week, I often find myself shocked at how quickly we go through the foodstuffs I planned to have on hand later in the week to make those menu meals.  And Mr. Martini and I live on a tight budget (we plan to pay off $30,000 in debt by Christmas! Whoot Whoot!), so we don't really allow ourselves the luxury of just going to the grocery for all the ingredients need to make paella just because it's on the menu.  And sometimes our budget gets cinched even more and our weekly trip gets cut to bi-weekly which means, if we ain't got it, we ain't gonna get it for days!

So during the tighter weeks we tend to have some pretty creative, easy dishes that I did not plan for but maybe should have (or will in the future).  Why?  Because I gotta use what I got, and that requires thought...something I try to steer clear of whenever possible.  So that means sifting through the half-open boxes of whatnot and finding random cans of "didn't know we had that's" and putting together a meal that is healthy, yummy, and new to the menu rotation. 

Last night's Stuffed Chicken Caprese was just one of those meals.  Here is me: I have two frozen chicken breasts, and I would sell a kidney for some Italian food right now.  Hmmm... canned diced tomatoes, half a bag of shredded mozzarella, left over Genoa Salami and roasted red peppers from bruschetta two weeks ago (it's gotta still be good, right?), half a head of garlic, and fresh basil from my herb garden which is on it's last legs (SCORE!).  Bam!  Dinner is served!  And looks pretty impressive, even if it was a foraged meal ;)

LET'S GET COOKING!!

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts, thawed if frozen and butterflied
10 (or so) fresh basil leaves (no fresh, no prob, just sub in dried)
1/2-1 cup shredded mozzarella (fresh would be better, but use what you got)
1 roasted red pepper, diced finely
4 slices Genoa Salami (no Genoa, no prob, just sub it out with prosciutto or eliminate it.  No one will know they're missing it).
3 cloves garlic, crushed or chopped finely
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 15oz can diced tomatoes, drained

Preheat oven to 350
Place 2 pieces of salami on each chicken breast.  Top each with roughly 3 basil leaves, 1/4 cup mozzarella, half the roasted red peppers, and fold so the breast looks like a half-sandwich.

Folded Chicken... just in case that didn't make any sense.



Season with salt and pepper.  In a deep oven-safe sauce pan, heat up 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat and add your chicken breasts.  Cook on one side roughly 5 minutes (you are trying to get a nice golden color, not trying to cook it through). Turn the chicken over, being careful not to let it spill out all it's goodness, and put the pan in the oven for about 20 minutes or until your chicken is cooked through and your cheese is all melty.  About 5 minutes before it's done, top each breast with the remaining cheese to melt in the oven.

While the chicken is getting all happy in the oven, Chiffonade your basil (OOOH, fancy pants alert!! I've seen Top Chef, watch out!!).  Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a small saucepan and cook garlic until it is all soft and fragrant.  Be careful not to burn it, or it will taste bitter. Add the canned tomatoes and oregano, and a little black pepper (crushed red pepper would be excellent too if your husband doesn't have heart palpitations at the thought of anything remotely spicy like mine does).  Cook for about 5-8 minutes until it smells yummy and everything is heated through and combined.

Top your chicken with the tomatoes and Voila!  Add a chopped lettuce salad and you've got a yummy, fancy-looking, super easy dinner, and no one has to know you didn't plan it :)

What recipes would you add to the regular rotation that you had to come up with on the fly?  I'd love to get more ideas!

Meat and Potatoes... Sans Potatoes



Low(er) Carb Garbage Eggs



Mr. Martini is a meat and potatoes kind of guy, which really sucks for him since we feign a low-carb diet and haven't had a potato in our house in over two years.  One of the things he loves is garbage eggs... you know, roasted potatoes mixed with sausage and cheese topped with eggs.  Mmmm.  But since the base has been rendered hands-off, we have come up with a super yummy substitute using peppers (yes, they have a few carbs), and turkey smoked sausage (more carbs than regular, but way less fat and calories... leaving room for BACON!).  It is a favorite in our house and we have it every weekend.

LET'S GET COOKING!!!

SHOPPING LIST:
1 Red Bell Pepper
1 Green Bell Pepper
1 package Turkey Smoked Sausage
1 Cup Shredded Colby-Jack Cheese
8 Eggs
Bacon until your heart pops (optional)

First, if you are so inclined, cook as much bacon as your heart desires.  This is served on the side, so you can omit with no repercussions (except bacon cravings).

De-seed your peppers and cut into roughly 1" pieces.  If you're a purist, cook with a little olive oil.  If you love bacon, drain your bacon grease and cook in the tiny bit that coats the pan. A non-stick pan is ideal since you will be adding cheese, and there is less of a chance of it creating a cement like coating on your pan when you're done.  Cook over medium until the peppers start to soften a bit and begin caramelizing.

Meanwhile, slice your smoked sausage into 1" pieces, and then cut in half so you are left with a ton of little half-moons.  Add to the peppers and cook over medium.  Your looking for softened (not mushy) peppers and slightly browned sausage pieces. 

Cook your eggs to your liking (in a separate pan).  Mr. Martini likes his over medium, I like mine scrambled.  Both are awesome on top of this meaty, peppery, cheesey goodness. When your eggs are just about done, add the cheese to the pepper soiree, and stir together until melted.  Divide pepper mixture between four plates (or two if you eat like a horse) and top with your eggs.  I like to drown mine in Cholula hot sauce, and a little parsley always adds a nice touch. 



eggs with sausage and peppers

How low-carb is it?  If you eat like a normal, you're looking at a total or around 8.375 carbs per serving.  If you eat like a horse (or a member of the Monkey House), you're looking at about 16.7 carbs.  Using 4-5 medium red potatoes instead of peppers would add an additional 145 carbs!!!  That's a whole-lotta bunch!  So yeah, score for the low-carb lifestyle!

Brining Your Way to the Perfect Moist Thanksgiving Turkey



Perfect Roasted Turkey

 



I grew up in a house that did not specialize in roasted turkey.  In fact, I didn't even know turkey could taste like something other than styrofoam until I was in my late twenties.  Rather, it was one of those obligatory must-have holiday food-stuffs, a single serving of which held you over until the next year.  Sorry Grandma Martini, you know it's true.

Then I had to create a Thanksgiving dinner for my own family, and I really, really didn't want Mr. Martini to think I had no idea what I was doing.  Enter: The Brined Turkey.  I was totally afraid of brining, as may people are.  I mean, how can you soak a piece of meat in water that would literally kill a person if they drank it, and end up with something tasty?  It defies logic.  But I assure you, this recipe makes far and away the best turkey I have ever had.  Perfectly tender, moist and delicious.   It is truly worth all the effort.  Do not fear all the salt, the bird will not absorb it. You will not be left with an over salted bird, I promise.

LET'S GET COOKING!!!

14-16 lbs. turkey, thawed if frozen

Brine:
5 gallon unused and cleaned bucket (I used a 5 gallon bucket purchased at Menards)
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 gallon vegetable (or chicken) stock
1 1/2 tsp allspice berries
1 gallon heavily iced water
2 lemons, sliced in half
4 bay leaves

Aromatics:
1 red apple, sliced
1/2 onion, sliced
1 cup water

Turkey Cavity:
4 sprigs rosemary
6 sage leaves
vegetable oil

On the day before roasting:
Bring salt, brown sugar, stock, and allspice berries to a boil, just to dissolve the sugar and salt. Let it cool. Combine brine, water and ice in the 5 gallon bucket and place your turkey with inerds removed, breast side down in brine. If necessary, weigh down the bird to ensure it remains fully immersed (I didn't need to, but a brick covered in tinfoil stuffed in a water-tight plastic bag would do the trick). Cover and refrigerate (or stick in the garage if you live in the tundra) for 8-16 hours (the longer, the better). Turn bird once half way through brining.

The day of roasting:
Preheat oven to 500 degrees.  I know, insane right?  There is a method to the madness.  Cranking up the heat gives the skin time to get all toasty.  You turn the heat down after 30 minutes.

Remove bird from brine, and rinse inside and out with cold water. Place your bird on a roasting rack in a roasting pan. Combine aromatic ingredients in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 5 minutes. Add steeped aromatics to the turkey's cavity along with sage and rosemary. Tuck wings underneath the bird and coat skin with oil. You can truss the legs if you are so inclined.

Roast turkey at 500 degrees for 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and roast for about 2-2 1/2 hours, or until a thermometer stuck in the thickest part of the breast reads 151 degrees. Let turkey rest loosely covered with foil for at least 15 minutes before carving.

**You may also want to build a breast plate (i.e. tinfoil armor for your bird that covers the breast but leaves the legs exposed) when you change the temp. from 500 to 350. This will ensure the breast doesn't get too browned.  If you feel like your bird isn't browning enough after about 1 1/2 hours in, remove your breast plate and baste with 7-up.  The sugars in the 7-up carmelize on the skin and give it the little push it needs to get all Florida retiree brown.

How to Make Low(er) Carb Eggs Benedict

Low(er) Carb Eggs Benedict Crepes!

Eggs Benedict Crepes

Mr. Martini and I feign a low-carb "lifestyle".  I say "lifestyle, because it really is more than just chucking pasta and bread, and I say feign because I have been eating pasta and bread everyday for about three months.  Hey, I'm knocked-up again, and that stuff is like starchy diamonds to a pregnant chick. 

 

In any case, because it is a lifestyle, I try to lower our carb consumption when cooking.  And because I am a mom of two with one on the way, I try to dress up our inevitable leftovers whenever I can.  Over the weekend I scored big on both fronts with these yummy, super pretty,

Eggs Benedict Crepes stuffed with leftover Tarragon Chicken.

 

SHOPPING LIST:

2 Boneless Chicken Breasts (Leftovers work great!!)

1/4 cup yellow onion, chopped

1 tsp (or so) Dried Tarragon 

6 Eggs

1 stick, plus 3 TBS Butter

1 Cup Flour

1/2 Cup Milk

1/4 tsp Salt

1 TBSP 9or so) Lemon Juice

3 TBS White Vinegar

Oil (for crepes... non-stick makes it unnecessary)

 

LETS GET COOKING!!

 

CREPES:

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 1 cup flour and 2 eggs. Gradually add in 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup water, stirring to combine. Add the salt and butter; beat until smooth.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each crepe. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly. You want it to just barely coat the pan.

Cook the crepe for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with a spatula, turn and cook the other side. Stack each crepe on top of each other between sheets of waxed paper so they don't stick together.  Move on.

CHICKEN:
Since I used leftovers, I just chopped the chicken into small pieces.  The smaller the better, since the crepes are delicate and may tear if you wrap them over giant chunks. If you don't have leftovers, saute your chicken breasts with some salt and pepper until fully cooked.  Cool until you can handle them, and chop 'em up.

Saute finely diced onion in a 1 TBSP butter until transparent.  Add Chicken and Dried Tarragon.  Feel free to add a splash of lemon juice if you wish (I think you get enough of a lemony kick with the Hollandaise, but whatever floats your boat ;)  Cook until just warmed up and yummy smelling.

MEANWHILE: bring water in a high-sided sauce pan to a simmer for the poaching of the eggs.  Add about 3 TBS vinegar (this will keep your poached eggs neat and pretty).

HOLLANDAISE SAUCE:
So many recipes say to use a double boiler.  I think, unless you think everything cooks better on high and thus you tend to have to scrape most of your dinners off the bottom of the pan, you should be fine without it.  I set my stove to about 3 (medium-low?).
In a smallish sauce-pan set on medium-low, whisk 2 eggs and 1 TBSP lemon juice like you are in a whisking competition. Once combined thoroughly, add 1/4 cup firm butter, and stir constantly until the butter is just about melted.  It should take a little while, you don't want your butter to melt super quick.  Low and slow to cook the eggs.  Add the remaining 1/4 firm butter, and continue stirring.  Now as the butter melts, the sauce should begin to thicken up. Double check your lemony-ness, and if you prefer a bit more pucker, add a bit more juice.  When thickened, take it off the heat.  Voila!
**If you happen to heat it too quickly and the sauce separates, add about a TBS of warm water and whisk like your a human whisking machine.  This should help re-bind the sauce.

PUT IT ALL TOGETHER AND WHAT DO YOU GET?
Put about 3-4 TBS chicken mix in a crepe and roll up. Top with your poached eggs, and
drizzle Hollandaise Sauce on top. I fancy-it-up with a shake of paprika and a little parsley, but that is almost entirely for visual interest and can be skipped in a pinch.

How low carb you say:  I got about 10 crepes out of the batter, and the batter has about 94.5 carbs total, so you're looking at about 9.4 carbs per crepe.  The chicken filling has minimal carbs (I'm not a big fan of counting veggie carbs... there's too many good things about them to be concerned with it) and the sauce and eggs have none.  So, not too shabby ;)  And really, who the hell cares?  These babies are too delicious to fret about it. 



"What To Do With All This Damn Leftover Turkey" BBQ



"What to do with all this damn turkey" BBQ



 



This post is another original from Grandma Martini (aka Empress of the Universe).  I LOVE ideas about what to do with leftovers, especially when you can plan on having about a billion pounds of cut up meat with no plans how to consume it.  Enter: super quick and easy day-after Thanksgiving BBQ!

Direct from the Empress' finger tips:

This year marked the 31^st time I’ve prepared Thanksgiving dinner. There have been a couple years here and there when I wasn’t cooking, due to general malaise or whatever. And one year we had Thanksgiving at my daughter’s, which was delightful. The festivities included the fried turkey experiment, which made a memory I cherish to this day.

*Thanks mom... at least I had the balls to try ;)

 

Ever try to deep-fry a turkey when it’s 20 degrees outside? Not pretty, people: you have a driveway full of men flapping their arms to keep warm while the oil never rises above 200 degrees and women in the kitchen waiting for the sounds of explosions and fire trucks. But I digress.
 

I’ve learned that Thanksgiving leftovers, like in-laws, lose their charm after 3 or 4 days, no matter how creatively you attempt to disguise them. And despite my annual pleas, Mr. Wonderful continues to insist that his 25-pound poultry is not too big for four people. So I know a little something about leftovers.
 

Which brings me to this morning. I decided to turn my leftover cranberry sauce (which everyone demands but nobody really eats) into barbecue sauce. I’ll simmer a some turkey in it when I get home from work, slice it up and shovel it into tortillas with some onions and avocado. So here’s the sauce:

SHOPPING LIST:

1 cup cranberry sauce (the whole berry kind is best, but got ahead and use that canned abomination)

1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
1 TBS Cumin

1 TBS Chile powder

1/2 tsp Adobo powder

1/2 tsp. Chipotle powder

2 TBS Chopped Fresh Cilantro

1/4 Diced Yellow onion

1 TBS Worcestershire sauce

LET'S GET COOKING!!
 

Simmer all ingredients in a small saucepan for about 3 minutes, let cool and refrigerate until use.

NOTE: I have a heavy hand with spices—you may want to start with half my measurements and work your way up. Cayenne is also good, but Mr. Martini  believes I’m attempting manslaughter whenever I use it. Apparently in his boyhood Irish/German household, pepper was the cutting edge spice. So you go right ahead and add some cayenne--I just don't want to get the lawyers involved.

Let me know if you like it!

 

Empress of the Universe Homemade Bread



Homemade Empress of the Universe Bread



This recipe comes from my mom. There are a few things she makes that simply are 5 star quality... her baked goods being a category of goodness all to itself. The following quote is from her:

"There's no magic, but years of experimentation have taught her some techniques that may be new to you. Unlike most baking, the recipe is not exact--more or less flour depends on the conditions (heat and humidity affect dough) and the type of flour dictates the amount. So here's the outline, and you can begin your own process of becoming Empress of the Universe."
*Empress of the Universe is a title she bestowed upon herself years ago. See what I had to live with? ;)

Best Bread in the World:

SHOPPING LIST:
Yeast (1 package or 2.25 tsps)
Sugar or honey
Bread Flour
Salt
Vegetable Oil

LET'S GET COOKING!!
Pre-heat oven to 200

1 tbs. fast-acting yeast (I buy the jar, but you can use 1 pkg.)
3/4 c warm water (baby bath temperature or 110 degrees for you purists)
2 tbs honey or 1 tbs. sugar (the yeast needs something to eat)
*I find sugar gets better results. Who knows?

Whisk these in the bowl of your stand mixer and let sit until bubbly (about 3-5 minutes)

While you're waiting, oil a very large bowl.

Next add 2 more cups warm water, 3 cups bread flour and 1 tbs. salt. Adding salt directly to the yeasty water will kill the yeast, so make sure you add the flour before the salt This is also the point that you can add other ingredients--I will often throw in 1/2 c of dried onions, 1 c grape nuts cereal (yeah, I know, but it's great in bread!), a package of Ranch or Italian dressing mix or chopped jalapenos and cheese. If you want to add cheese to your dough, grate the cheese (about 2 cups) on your cutting board and toss with about 1/4 cup flour so it doesn't stick together before adding it to your mixture.

Mix your dough with a paddle at low speed for one minute, then turn the mixer up to medium and let it whale away for at least two minutes. You want to beat some air into this sucker, and this is where the mixer really excels--I gave up doing this part by hand when my rotator cuff about gave out.
Turn the mixer off, scrape down the bowl and add another 2cups of flour--start mixing on low and move to med/high.

By now your bread is starting to look like something. Change to the dough hook and add another cup of flour. Start low (my mixer likes to fling flour all over the counter like a flower girl (get it?) When the dough cleans the bowl and loses its stickiness, let the mixer knead it for a minute.

Empty the bowl of dough onto a lightly floured board and knead by hand a few times. Form it into a ball, and put it smooth side down into your oiled bowl. Rotate and turn it over so that it's covered with a very light sheen of oil. Place a dinner plate or cookie sheet on top and put in your preheated oven. Turn the oven off. Wait until it doubles--it will take about 45 minutes to an hour.

While you're waiting, oil your bread pans. Oh, and be sure to wash the mixing utensils and bowl right away--bread dough turns into cement if you let it dry.

When your dough is has doubled in size, remove from oven and preheat your oven to 425.
Punch down the dough (just like it sounds), divide it into two pieces and knead each individually into a nice loaf-shaped torpedo. Place in pans, put your pans in the microwave to rise a second time. You don't turn the microwave on! This is a perfect spot to keep the loaves warm with no drafts. Just be sure nobody turns on the unit and starts arcing your pans all over the place.

Your second rise should take about 45 minutes--the dough is ready when it's at least 1 inch above the top of the pan. Put the loaves in your preheated oven and bake for 35 minutes. Remove from the oven, turn out of the pans and cool on wire racks for at least 20 minutes (Mr. Martini cannot obey this rule; the first loaf is always squashed because he slices it while it's hot).

If you like a soft crust, brush with a little butter when it comes out of the oven. We are crunchy crusters here, so no butter necessary.

The World's Best Stuffed Shells

Baked Stuffed Shells

Ever since I was a little monkey myself (well before my first martini) my go-to comfort food has been my mom's baled stuffed shells. Something about the gooey goodness of melted cheese wrapped in pasta with soothing red sauce always makes my heart feel a little lighter. Here is a version my mom recently made with my little brother (who is not so little anymore). This version features a yummy sun-dried tomato cream sauce as opposed to your standard tomato gravy.

Shopping list:
1 c (at least) grated mozzarella or asiago cheese
1 container good ricotta cheese (no-fat = not good)
1 c. grated parmesean (fresh)
1 tbs. dried basil or 1/4 cup fresh leaves chopped
1 egg
jumbo shell pasta
1 jar/bag sun-dried tomatoes
head of garlic
1 yellow onion
butter
flour
8oz heavy cream
8oz whole milk

NOW LET'S GET COOKING!!

Preheat your oven to 350

For the filling:
1 container good ricotta cheese (no-fat = not good)
1 c. grated parmesean (fresh)
1 clove garlic, grated
1 tbs. basil
1 egg
Blend these ingredients in a small bowl and allow to marry in the fridge while you prepare the sauce and cook your JUMBO SHELLS according to the package directions.
* You can always add other yummy stuff to your filling: cooked italian sausage or spinach are favs in my house.

Sauce:
Big handful of sun-dried tomatoes (I use dried, you can use the oil-preserved kind if you prefer-just drain them) - reconstituted in 1 c boiling water for about 10 minutes. When they're soft, put them in the food processor, along with 3 cloves of garlic and 1 small onion (chop it beforehand). Pulse those babies until you have a nice emulsion. Add some of the tomato water if necessary to make a nice pasty goo.

In a medium saucepan, melt 2 tbs. butter over medium heat. Stir in about 2 tbs. flour, cooking for a minute or so to make your roux for the cream sauce. Slowly whisk in 1 c heavy cream, 1 c whole milk, your sun-dried tomato mixture and 1 tbs. basil. Keep over medium heat--you don't want the cream sauce to start boiling madly--it will break. When it's thickened, add 1 c (at least) grated parmesean. Stir and allow cheese to melt. Remove from heat. Taste, add stuff you like (pepper flakes and/or garlic, perhaps?)

Drain your shells and slide them into a bowl of slightly warm water--this keeps them from sticking together while you fill them. Shake the water off and fill each shell with about 1 tbs of your ricotta mixture and place in a 13x9 pan (I spray it with cooking spray). Keep stuffing and nestling your shells into the pan. If you have broken shells, fill what you can and tuck the rest of the broken noodles between your stuffed ones. Use all shells--somehow the proportion works out so that you're filling the last of the shells with the last of the ricotta. Another kitchen miracle.

Drizzle your nice, thick sauce over your shells. Cover with 1 c (at least) grated mozzarella or asiago cheese. Spray a sheet of aluminium foil with cooking spray and cover your shells, spray side down. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes--uncover and bake for 20 minutes more. Allow your shells to rest for 10 minutes after you remove them from the oven--they'll tighten a little and make serving much easier.