Oct 10, 2017 |
by Molly Jo Realy @MollyJoRealy
I know. You’re thinking, what the heck? A recipe for sauce? That’s just . . . lame. Or something. I mean, all you do is open a jar. Am I right? That’s all there is to it.
But it’s not. Trust me.
A few blog posts ago [translate: years], I shared my recipes for infused olive oil and polenta. But I never shared the awesome sauce that goes with it.
Y’all ready for this?
Frankly, My Dear . . . : The Best Pasta Sauce. Period.
Now, this is a post for pasta sauce, but let’s recap the food it covers.
- Pasta: Boil the water and a dash or two of olive oil. Add the pasta. Boil 8-10 minutes or until al dente. That means until it doesn’t stick to each other, but it also isn’t limp like a piece of cereal left in milk for more than a few minutes.
- Polenta: So, first, ya wanna take your infused olive oil and heat it in a covered skillet until it’s “ouch” ready. That means for goodness sake, be careful when you lift the lid and don’t touch it! Slice the polenta into coins and fry for 6-7 minutes until golden and crispy. The longer the fry, the better the crunch. Capice?
Okay. Got your base food ready? Let’s make some sauce!
The Best Pasta Sauce. Period.
Ingredients
- 1 large jar pasta sauce. I like Newman's Own Sockarooni as a good starter.
- 1 small can diced tomatoes. If seasoned, use garlic, oregano or other Italian flavors.
- 1/2 clove garlic, pressed like a good Italian should do.
- 1/2 green bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 medium onion, you guessed it- diced
- 1/2 cup mushrooms. No, not diced. Sliced or pieces. Okay. I guess that means diced.
- 1/2 cup red wine.
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients.
- Heat thoroughly. [Note: the flavors are better if you let sit in a slow cooker for about two hours, stirring occasionally.]
- Serve on pasta or polenta.
- Or just eat with a large spoon.
3.1
http://franklymydearmojo.com/2017/10/10/recipe-the-best-pasta-sauce-period/ (c) 2012 Frankly, My Dear... New Inklings Press
That’s it. Easy-peasy. And the clean up? Fuggedaboutit. [That means hakuna matata, no worries.]
How do you serve your sauce?
TWEET THIS: The Best Pasta Sauce Recipe. Period. @RealMojo68 #recipe #Italian #sauce #foodie
With a big fork and lot of garlic,
Happy eating!
~Molly Jo
And Frankly, My Dear . . . That’s all she wrote!
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Aug 18, 2014 |
My Real Italian Kitchen: Polenta and Sauce
WinCo is still one of my favorite places ever. My last two grocery shopping trips stocked my pantry so thoroughly, I’ve not been back for well over a month. When you’re on a budget for time as well as money, that’s a big deal.
Last month, I picked up a tube of ready-made polenta, with absolutely no idea what to do with it. It stared at me from the refrigerator drawer every morning. It begged me for attention every evening. I still wasn’t sure how to prepare it. Luckily, WinCo directed me to their polenta recipes on their website, including how to make it from scratch. I also searched the internet for other creative cooking ideas.
Polenta is an Italian cornmeal that can be made into a porridge, or sliced for baking or frying. As a porridge, it’s a delicious breakfast or side dish. You can slice it extra thin to add to your deli sandwich. Fried or baked, it can replace pasta or rice for an easy lunch or dinner. It’s even a great mini breakfast when topped with maple syrup.
The Polenta I picked up was already seasoned with basil and garlic, so that ruled out a breakfast porridge. For my first experience, I opted to slice and fry the polenta on my stove, and top it with a blend of pasta sauce fortified with additional spices and an extra can of sliced mushrooms. I began by slicing the tube of polenta into 1/2-inch round slices.
San Gennaro Polenta
My favorite pasta sauce is Newman’s Own Sockarooni. It has the perfect balance of seasonings and vegetables. I often add browned ground meat to the mix, or serve it over meatballs. For this polenta dinner, mushrooms were the extra touch.
Sauce and Mushrooms
While the sauce simmered, I heated up my large frying pan with about 1/2-inch of olive oil. Of course, Bertolli Extra Virgin Olive Oil is my favorite. It has just the right blend of natural oil and flavor without a heavy, greasy taste or feel.
Bertolli Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Once the oil was nicely heated, I carefully placed the polenta slices in and covered them to minimize splattering. After five minutes, it was time to fry the other side. This was tricky, because even though I love being in the kitchen I’m not a big fan of cooking with a lot of hot oil. I managed to flip the polenta with very little mess, and after another five minutes of covered frying, I transferred it to a paper towel to absorb the excess oil. In just two more minutes, dinner was ready.
Served with a simple slice of garlic toast and a refreshing Pellegrino water, my Italian dinner was complete.
My Real Italian Kitchen: Polenta with Sauce
The polenta was on sale for less than $4. The sauce was $2.50. Mushrooms $0.69. Garlic toast $6 for 12 slices. The most expensive part was the Pellegrino, at an average of $0.83 per bottle. The polenta dinner, while small in size is big on taste. We were able to get five good meals plus a little extra for a small snack. (Dipping a fried polenta in sauce is heaven, in case you were wondering.)
That’s an approximate $2.75 per plate. Not bad for a delicious Italian meal.
Polenta is so versatile in both flavor and use, no wonder it’s the food of choice for Northern Italy. And, in My Real Italian Kitchen.
San Gennaro Polenta with Basil and Garlic
And Frankly, My Dear . . . that’s all she wrote!
You may also enjoy reading:
Stocking up the Pantry
Stocking up the Cabinet
Too Hot to Cook (June’s Meal Plan)
WinCo Wins: Lunch for a Dollar!
WinCo Wins
May 11, 2013 |
My Baked Frittata is one of my most popular recipes. It’s my favorite quick Go-To Combo, and my best lazy weekend morning treat. It’s never the same twice, and that’s just how I like it!
Baked Frittata Italian Style
Easily altered to suit your Mom’s flavor buds, this dish offers an incredibly delicious dining experience whether you’re making it for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Start with a basic mixture of eggs, milk and cheese, then add your own preferred additions to truly make it your own one-of-a-kind creation. For Mother’s Day, I chose ingredients sure to please her pallet: mini pepperonis, diced onion, mushroom, seasoned tomatoes and a shredded cheese blend. You can add finely chopped herbs and seasonings, green peppers and other vegetables… whatever your Mom’s heart desires.
Ingredients
- 8 large eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 3/4 cup shredded cheese
- 1/2 cup mini pepperoni (or other diced meat)
- 1 can diced, seasoned tomatoes, drained
- 1/4 cup mushrooms, diced
- 1/4 cup fresh spinach, cut
- 1/2 small onion, diced
- salt
- pepper
- seasonings (Italian mix, basil, garlic salt)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Scramble eggs in bowl.
- Add all other ingredients.
- Mix well.
- Spray 9 x 9 inch glass baking dish with non-stick spray.
- Pour mix into baking dish.
- Bake for approximately 55 minutes, until eggs are cooked and edges are slightly browned.
- Serve big or small portions.
- Top with a dollop of marinara sauce.
- Enjoy!
3.1
http://franklymydearmojo.com/2013/05/11/mothers-day-frittata/ (c) 2012 Frankly, My Dear... New Inklings Press
Frittata
Doesn’t that look delicious?
Serve with a cup of coffee or juice, and make your Mother’s Day complete!
You can find this and other easy, inexpensive recipes in THE UNEMPLOYMENT COOKBOOK, SECOND EDITION, available through New Inklings Press.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
This post is my contribution to NerdWallet’s ‘Mother’s Day Your Way Contest’. Click on the graphic to visit their website and see contributions from other bloggers celebrating Moms in their own way!
Oct 22, 2012 |
A year ago I posted my recipe for Baked Frittata. It’s still a family favorite: inexpensive to make, delicious to eat.
It’s why Hayley calls me “Momma” with a smile.
It’s my Go-To Lazy Weekend recipe.
It’s what I bribe my brothers with. [Let’s just say they’re coming home for the holidays… trust me!]
But the new Blog look mandates a new recipe look, dontcha think? So here it is. A familiar recipe with a new look.
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This delicious Italian baked omelet is a favorite! Add or omit ingredients to suit your own family's flavors. Onions, mushrooms, diced chilies... the ideas are endless.
Ingredients
- 8 large eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 3/4 cup shredded cheese
- 1/2 cup mini pepperoni (or other diced meat)
- 1 can diced, seasoned tomatoes, drained
- 1/4 cup fresh spinach, cut
- salt
- pepper
- seasonings (Italian mix, basil, garlic salt)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Scramble eggs in bowl.
- Add all other ingredients.
- Mix well.
- Spray 9 x 9 inch glass baking dish with non-stick spray.
- Pour mix into baking dish.
- Bake for approximately 45 minutes, until eggs are cooked and edges are slightly browned.
- Serve big or small portions.
- Enjoy!
3.1
http://franklymydearmojo.com/2012/10/22/baked-frittata-with-photos/ (c) 2012 Frankly, My Dear... New Inklings Press
You can also bake this wonderful mix in muffin tins for an individual-sized bite.
However you choose to make and bake your frittata, I wish you Happy eating!
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
Sep 2, 2011 |
by Molly Jo Realy @MollyJoRealy
I’m the first to admit, whenever I hear “Ratatouille” I think of Remy the Rat and Alfredo Linguini from the Disney movie. That is, in fact, what inspired my first attempt at making this dish.
This dish is super easy, super cheap, and super delicious. It can be eaten as a main dish with bread sticks, or tossed onto pasta. I add the cooked veggies onto crust and sauce for a homemade pizza. It freezes great, and reheats in the microwave. However you choose, enjoy!
VEGETABLE INGREDIENTS:
1 medium eggplant
2 medium zucchini
2 cups cut mushrooms
5 Roma tomatoes
1 medium onion
1 green bell pepper
1 red or yellow bell pepper
OIL INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 to 4 fresh pressed garlic cloves (depending on size and how much garlic you like)
1 TBSP dried Italian seasoning mix (I prefer Pampered Chef or McCormick)
Chop all vegetables and set half of each aside. Layer the first half of each in the crock pot in this order: Eggplant, zucchini, mushroom, tomato, onion, bell peppers.
In a small bowl, combine olive oil, pressed garlic, and Italian seasonings. Mix well. Drizzle half over the layered vegetables.
Repeat the layers of vegetables, drizzle with remaining oil mix.
Cover, and let sit on medium low for 5 or more hours, or on high for 2 hours. Stir halfway to blend juices, vegetables, and oil.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
