One of my birthday gifts was a gift card to Costco. So what did I buy- food of course. Large packages of ground beef, chicken legs and pork chops, I am ready for winter meals. I even found a large jar of my favourite pickles- Moishes Kosher Pickles. New tops and pants are fine but any cook enjoys the opportunity to stock the freezer with food.
Showing posts with label ground beef. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ground beef. Show all posts
Sunday, 20 January 2013
Sunday, 18 March 2012
HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE LASAGNA ALLA GRANPA ADOLFO
Although lasagna is not my favourite pasta dish, I make it at the request of my family. For my grandsons's baptism parties a couple of years ago, Granpa made the lasagna. Recently, to help out my busy working daughters and a friend, there were a couple of busy weekends in February and March making several pans of lasagna for them. Of course, for the faint of heart you can buy ready made frozen ones or some markets have ones ready to cook. This dish uses a lot of pots, dishes and really messes the kitchen from one end to another. Good thing I have my assistant Barb for clean-up!
There is nothing more tasty than those fresh from the kitchen of any Italian cook.
It is always a good idea to make several pans as this is a very time consuming dish. So with the ingredients gage the number of ingredient portions by the size of a big pan or smaller pans you are using.
INGREDIENTS
Homemade egg noodle pasta ( eggs, flour, salt to taste).( See my blog on making this item). For the busy cook you can buy the packaged ready for oven strips. Homemade is better.
Ragu Sauce ( see my blog on making this sauce).
Eggs- 6-12 or more depending on the number of pans you are making.
Mozzarella cheese- 1 or 2 packages. Or if you prefer ricotta cheese 1 or 2 containers. Or like some Canadians who use cottage cheese 1 or 2 containers- I would never make a lasagna with it! My preference is always the mozzarella cheese.
Ground beef- 1/2 to 2 lbs- depending on the number of pans.
Bechamel Sauce- milk, flour and 1 spoon or two of ragu sauce for colour.
Salt, pepper to taste.
Garlic cloves- diced to add to the meat or even sprinkle if wanted on the layers.
Parmesean Cheese.
Use your glass pans or there are good tin foil ones at any market or especially your nearest dollar store. Then when giving to another household there is no need to return the pan!
DIRECTIONS
You can make all the ingredients in one day if you chose.
I like to prepare the egg noodle pasta the previous day. Kneading it well and leaving it in a ball in a bowl in the fridge.
I also like to prepare the ragu sauce the previous day so it is done and ready to go when I want to make the lasagna.
Many cooks will prepare everything in one day. I like to do things in stages.
The day you are making the dish, be ready for the process. If needed have a coffee to drink while working.
Boil the eggs in a pot until done. Remove shells when cooled. Chop into little pieces. Set aside
Cook the ground meat in oil with some garlic and parsley added to taste. When finished cooking, drain the oil and pat with a paper towel to remove as much of the grease. My mother used to make the ground beef into little balls which is more time consuming. I just cook the meat quickly- less work, same taste. Set aside.
Of course you can be boiling the eggs and cooking the meat at the same time.
Grate the mozzarella cheese into a bowl. Set aside.
I have my helper Barb who often helps with the chopping of the eggs and grating of the cheese.
Have the number of pans whether glass or tin foil, ready to go on your counter. Have the dishes of prepared items close to the pans. When you start to layer, everything should be handy.
Have your pasta maker on the counter and your bowl of egg noodle ready to shape into long strips of pasta.
In a large pot, fill with water and let it start to boil.
Put some of the ragu sauce in the bottom of each pan.
As you shape the pasta into long strips, put them in the boiling water. You can make several before you start to boil them. As with any noodle pasta the cooking time is very fast.
On the bottom of each pan, put the egg noodle strips.
Now the layering- a meat layer and some sauce, top with egg noodle strip fresh from the water.
If you cook too many strips and place them on top of each other, they may stick together. So it is better to cook, then layer one or two at a time. If the strips are the length of your pan it makes them easier to layer. So make sure you have the strips the length of your pans.
An egg layer- top with egg noodle strip. You can add some sauce to each layer
A cheese layer- top with egg noodle strip.
It's your lasagna so if you want to mix the egg and cheese in one layer, it is okay.
Depending on the depth of your pan you will determine the number of layers needed.
You are very busy taking the cooked noodles from the hot water and layering. So do be careful to use tongs or other kitchen utensils and not to burn yourself.
The lasagna is layered. Put egg noodle strips on top with enough sauce to coat the top and add parmesean cheese.
Recently I started to make a bechamel sauce- put some milk, a little flour in a pot and boil- about 10 minutes, stirring constantly until a little brown, add a spoon or two of the sauce to give colour. Now add to the layered lasagna.
I find it makes the lasagna moister. I used to find others' lasagna a little dry. So now I have my own touch to add to the dish.
Cook at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. I place the pans in the middle of the oven so as not to burn the bottom.
One big pan for a special party or several small pans for several homes or meals, lasagna is always popular. One useful hint- let the lasagna sit before serving. You can serve straight from the oven but if you allow it to sit the ingredients come together better.
If in smaller pans or even one serving portions, you can freeze it for another day.
There is nothing more tasty than those fresh from the kitchen of any Italian cook.
It is always a good idea to make several pans as this is a very time consuming dish. So with the ingredients gage the number of ingredient portions by the size of a big pan or smaller pans you are using.
INGREDIENTS
Homemade egg noodle pasta ( eggs, flour, salt to taste).( See my blog on making this item). For the busy cook you can buy the packaged ready for oven strips. Homemade is better.
Ragu Sauce ( see my blog on making this sauce).
Eggs- 6-12 or more depending on the number of pans you are making.
Mozzarella cheese- 1 or 2 packages. Or if you prefer ricotta cheese 1 or 2 containers. Or like some Canadians who use cottage cheese 1 or 2 containers- I would never make a lasagna with it! My preference is always the mozzarella cheese.
Ground beef- 1/2 to 2 lbs- depending on the number of pans.
Bechamel Sauce- milk, flour and 1 spoon or two of ragu sauce for colour.
Salt, pepper to taste.
Garlic cloves- diced to add to the meat or even sprinkle if wanted on the layers.
Parmesean Cheese.
Use your glass pans or there are good tin foil ones at any market or especially your nearest dollar store. Then when giving to another household there is no need to return the pan!
DIRECTIONS
You can make all the ingredients in one day if you chose.
I like to prepare the egg noodle pasta the previous day. Kneading it well and leaving it in a ball in a bowl in the fridge.
I also like to prepare the ragu sauce the previous day so it is done and ready to go when I want to make the lasagna.
Many cooks will prepare everything in one day. I like to do things in stages.
The day you are making the dish, be ready for the process. If needed have a coffee to drink while working.
Boil the eggs in a pot until done. Remove shells when cooled. Chop into little pieces. Set aside
Cook the ground meat in oil with some garlic and parsley added to taste. When finished cooking, drain the oil and pat with a paper towel to remove as much of the grease. My mother used to make the ground beef into little balls which is more time consuming. I just cook the meat quickly- less work, same taste. Set aside.
Of course you can be boiling the eggs and cooking the meat at the same time.
Grate the mozzarella cheese into a bowl. Set aside.
I have my helper Barb who often helps with the chopping of the eggs and grating of the cheese.
Have the number of pans whether glass or tin foil, ready to go on your counter. Have the dishes of prepared items close to the pans. When you start to layer, everything should be handy.
Have your pasta maker on the counter and your bowl of egg noodle ready to shape into long strips of pasta.
In a large pot, fill with water and let it start to boil.
Put some of the ragu sauce in the bottom of each pan.
As you shape the pasta into long strips, put them in the boiling water. You can make several before you start to boil them. As with any noodle pasta the cooking time is very fast.
On the bottom of each pan, put the egg noodle strips.
Now the layering- a meat layer and some sauce, top with egg noodle strip fresh from the water.
If you cook too many strips and place them on top of each other, they may stick together. So it is better to cook, then layer one or two at a time. If the strips are the length of your pan it makes them easier to layer. So make sure you have the strips the length of your pans.
An egg layer- top with egg noodle strip. You can add some sauce to each layer
A cheese layer- top with egg noodle strip.
It's your lasagna so if you want to mix the egg and cheese in one layer, it is okay.
Depending on the depth of your pan you will determine the number of layers needed.
You are very busy taking the cooked noodles from the hot water and layering. So do be careful to use tongs or other kitchen utensils and not to burn yourself.
The lasagna is layered. Put egg noodle strips on top with enough sauce to coat the top and add parmesean cheese.
Recently I started to make a bechamel sauce- put some milk, a little flour in a pot and boil- about 10 minutes, stirring constantly until a little brown, add a spoon or two of the sauce to give colour. Now add to the layered lasagna.
I find it makes the lasagna moister. I used to find others' lasagna a little dry. So now I have my own touch to add to the dish.
Cook at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. I place the pans in the middle of the oven so as not to burn the bottom.
If in smaller pans or even one serving portions, you can freeze it for another day.
#howtomakehomemadelasagna#makingeggnoodleforthelasagna#mozerellacheese#freshpansoflasagnaforgoodeating#granpapreparingthelasagna#usingfreshsauceforthelasagna#groundmeatpanfriedisgoodforthelasagna#ragusauceforthelasagna#granpalovestocook#adolphdimambro
Sunday, 11 March 2012
THE WEDDING SOUP
This is another version of soup that uses the basic broth. So is your basic broth made?
When I was growing up in Italy and after moving to Canada we did not call it The Wedding Soup." On one of our many family trips when we took my mother to Florida there was a funny moment at a restaurant where we stopped to eat. Mamma ordered this soup. Barb asked her- Mamma, this looks like the soup you make? What do you call it as you do not call it wedding soup? Mamma replied-No, I call it The Sunday Soup! Barb asked why? Mamma said because it is the soup we make on Sunday!"
Again can be substituted for a pasta dish with this soup dish.
Hopefully you have been grocery shopping and bought fresh escarola for this soup. Remember the green vegetables are good for you.
There is more preparation needed than some other soups.
INGREDIENTS
Basic broth.
Escarola- 1 bunch.
Ground beef.
Garlic clove.
Salt, pepper.
DIRECTIONS
Clean and boil the escarola.
With the ground beef, add some finely diced garlic clove, salt, pepper to taste. Mix with your clean hands. Now roll into little thumb size balls. You can fry them in a pan with some oil or I now put them on a cookie sheet in the oven to cook. Reduces the grease- saving calories too.
Cut up the escarola into bite size pieces after boiling and cooling. Put aside.
Boil some basic broth in the amount needed for the number of people that are eating. Turn it off.
Add the little meatballs and escarola into the broth.
Some cooks use less escarola, I like mine with plenty so it serves as another vegetable portion to the meal.
Ladle soup into bowls and serve.
Add parmesean cheese to taste.
When I was growing up in Italy and after moving to Canada we did not call it The Wedding Soup." On one of our many family trips when we took my mother to Florida there was a funny moment at a restaurant where we stopped to eat. Mamma ordered this soup. Barb asked her- Mamma, this looks like the soup you make? What do you call it as you do not call it wedding soup? Mamma replied-No, I call it The Sunday Soup! Barb asked why? Mamma said because it is the soup we make on Sunday!"
Again can be substituted for a pasta dish with this soup dish.
Hopefully you have been grocery shopping and bought fresh escarola for this soup. Remember the green vegetables are good for you.
There is more preparation needed than some other soups.
INGREDIENTS
Basic broth.
Escarola- 1 bunch.
Ground beef.
Garlic clove.
Salt, pepper.
DIRECTIONS
Clean and boil the escarola.
With the ground beef, add some finely diced garlic clove, salt, pepper to taste. Mix with your clean hands. Now roll into little thumb size balls. You can fry them in a pan with some oil or I now put them on a cookie sheet in the oven to cook. Reduces the grease- saving calories too.
Cut up the escarola into bite size pieces after boiling and cooling. Put aside.
Boil some basic broth in the amount needed for the number of people that are eating. Turn it off.
Add the little meatballs and escarola into the broth.
Some cooks use less escarola, I like mine with plenty so it serves as another vegetable portion to the meal.
Ladle soup into bowls and serve.
Add parmesean cheese to taste.
If you having a dinner party, it is nice first dish after the antipasto plate.
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