Lasagna

Give the Gift of Lasagna

OR

HOW TO MAKE AN AWESOME MEATSAUCE



I am sure right about now you are saying to yourself… “But Dannnnnn didn’t you just recently make manicotti which has practically the same ingredients as lasagna? And didn’t you also already show us how to make sauce in that very same blog entry? What can I possibly gain from reading today’s post?!?” This may in fact be true, but looking back I noticed that the pictures and instructions I gave you last time for my sauce, well they just were not that good. And it wasn’t even my perfectly ideal sauce variation anyway. I make about 5 or so different tomato sauce varieties, this one is similar to the manicotti sauce. And although lasagna does share many of the same ingredients as manicotti, it is different and special and it deserves its own post! I also wanted to take this opportunity to tell you that lasagna makes a great gift. It is easy to make a few at a time and then give one away. It tastes GREAT right from the freezer, it is fairly cheap, and people will always be grateful!

Pasta Fagiloi

Pasta Fagioli

This is the way my Grandmother made Pasta y Fagioli.  It\’s not traditional, but it\’s what I grew up with.

Chicken Gyro

Chicken Gyro

The word gyro actually refers to the way the meat is cooked on the vertical rotisserie and sliced into thin strips. In most places in the US however, it refers to the pita rollup the meat is served to you on, and the other fillings inside. This sandwich can’t traditionally be called a gyro because it is made with chicken, but I just love how the mild flavor of the chicken contrasts with the sharpness of the cheese and olives. We decided to make these when Mandi was craving olives and feta, but didn’t know what she wanted them with. We had just made naan and loved it and wanted to make it again, and that’s when I realized the naan is very similar to the Greek flatbread the gyro is served on. I loved the way these came out and the taste instantly reminded me of my first taste of a gyro not too long ago. At my last job, Mike, Bill and I would start looking forward to lunch at 9:15 AM. When we finally got lunch we would eat so much that we would often be in a food coma from 12:45 – 3 (I always wonder why that job didn’t work out in the end…) One of our favorite stops was Steve’s Greek on Newbury St. in Boston where I would get a gyro and onion rings.

Meatballs

As I was making these meatballs, I was a bit worried about
posting the recipe.  My mother told me
the recipe, as my grandmother had given it to her.  I didn’t know if there was some sort of
embargo or block on passing it out for all to see.  Would I be blacklisted by my family and never
given any recipes again?  No more Gnocchi
secrets or Lasagna tips?  No more making tortellini’s
for the holidays?  I didn’t know what to
do.  Then last night I was watching Molto
Mario (Re-Runs on fine living!) and the weight was lifted!  Mario made meatballs almost the exact same
way as my family!  This did 2 things, for
one, it made me proud because Mario is as authentic as you can get for Italian food,
and 2, it released the ban on the recipe because it is no secret, its already
out there for the world to see via Mario Batali.

Fish in a Bag

Fish – In – A – Bag!

The most common question asked of me by friends is this – “what’s
a quick, easy, healthy, and delicious dinner I can have after work tonight?” What
do you guys think I am, Rachael ray?  Well
guess what!? You’re all in luck! I am on a diet since bathing suit season
starts in a week or 2 here in Bermuda. (Even
though actual Bermudians refuse to go to the beach until May 25th.)
So I will have some healthy weeknight dinners up here in the next few
weeks.  Now don’t worry, they won’t all
be healthy.  I have a few posts I made
pre-dieting that I am waiting to post.  Also,
my diets are short because they are intense.

I’m rambling, so without further a due, my FAVORITE fast
easy delicious and super-ancient-whole-grain-run-a-mile-punch-a-baby-healthy meal!  Fish-in-a-bag!

Some of my friends right now are saying “Fish?  Really? 
I mean… I don’t really like fish.” To you I say shut up and make this
and you will LOVE it.  Unless you mess it
up somehow which you probably will.  Jeez
my friends are dumb… just kidding friends!

Click below for more!!

Striped Pasta

EDITORS NOTE: This is the first blog post I ever wrote. It’s pretty bad! I used to do prep on my coffee table in a tiny apartment in Bermuda. But I love it because even though it is very different from what I do now, there is a certain similarity to the feel and flow of it….