Paprika White Wine Bucatini

Recipe Name: Paprika White Wine Bucatini

Story: I've been making this recipe since 2015. I was drawn to this recipe because of the technique and ease of making this gourmet pasta. Alcohol-removed wine or stock can be substituted for the white wine. And I've found over the years that the pasta is still delicious with minimal stirring and less of the risotto technique (I've tried adding most of the liquid at once, covering, and stirring only a few times, and it's still turned out great). I like my food with a kick, so I usually make it with spicy sausage and hot paprika. It's a perfect winter pantry recipe. Hope you enjoy! 

Years you've been making it: Since 2015

Author / Creator: https://iwillnoteatoysters.com/paprika-white-wine-bucatini/

Submitted by: Chelsea

Ingredients: 

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion , chopped finely
• 1 lb Italian sausage, sweet or spicy , casings removed
• 3 tbsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 2 cups dry white wine
• 3-3 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 lb bucatini , broken in half if your pan isn't wide enough… you will want to have the whole pasta submerged at all times
• 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan , more for garnish
• chopped chives garnish
• fresh black pepper

Directions: 

1. In a large, wide sauté pan with lid, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. You will want this pan to be wide enough to have all the bucatini in laying flat. If your pan is not wide enough, break your pasta in half.
2. Add the onions and sauté until translucent and starting to brown, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the sausage and break it up as it browns, about 4 minutes.
4. Add paprika and salt and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
5. Add the white wine and scrape the bottom of the pan as it bubbles to release the bits of flavor.
6. Add 1 cup of the stock. Once it comes to a boil, add the bucatini and reduce the heat to medium-low.
7. Cover the pan. Stir often making sure the bucatini doesn’t stick to the bottom.
8. Once the sauce begins to reduce and thicken, add stock one cup at a time, stirring and covering in between stirs.
9. Continue doing this with the remaining stock until the pasta is cooked through. It will take anywhere between 16-18 minutes. This is like cooking risotto; adding liquid as needed until cooked through. If you're out of stock, use water!
10. Once the bucatini is al-dente, toss in the parmesan and some black pepper. 
11. Check for seasoning and adjust with the salt. Plate and garnish with chives and Parmesan. Enjoy!

Extra Easy Lasagna

Recipe Name: Extra Easy Lasagna

Story: Lasagna is one of those things that is 100x time better when made at home, so I've been trying to modify a recipe that is both easy to make and really good.

Years you've been making it: Since 2018 or so

Author / Creator: 
https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/extra-easy-lasagna

Submitted by: Dustin

Ingredients: 

• 1 pound lean ground beef (up to 1.5 lbs)
• 4 cups tomato-basil pasta sauce (or make your own, see below)
• Uncooked lasagna noodles
• 1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
• 1 egg
• 2 1/2 cups (10 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup hot water

Directions: 

1. Cook beef in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring until it crumbles and is no longer pink; drain. Stir in pasta sauce.
2. Mix ricotta cheese and egg and a couple pinches of black pepper
3. Spread one-third of meat sauce in a lightly greased 11- x 7-inch baking dish; layer with 3 noodles and half each of ricotta cheese and mozzarella cheese. (The ricotta cheese layers will be thin.) Repeat procedure; spread remaining one-third of meat sauce over mozzarella cheese. Slowly pour 1/4 cup hot water around inside edge of dish. Tightly cover baking dish with 2 layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil.
4. Bake at 375° for 45 minutes; uncover and bake 10 more minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Notes: 

• Added frozen spinach to meat / sauce mixture (microwaved spinach, then squeezed out excess liquid)
• Used italian ground sausage instead of ground beef
• I prefer to make 3 layers instead of cheese / noodles instead of 2 (so divided cheese into thirds)
• I also add shredded mozz to the top of the lasagna too, the top being just the meat mixture is kinda odd to me

Order of Lasagna build if doing 3 layers of cheese / noodles (from bottom to top):

1. 1/4 meat
2. Noodles
3. 1/3 ricotta
4. 1/4 mozz
5. 1/4 meat
6. Noodles
7. 1/3 ricotta
8. 1/4 mozz
9. 1/4 meat
10. Noodles
11. 1/3 ricotta
12. 1/4 mozz
13. 1/4 meat
14. 1/4 mozz

Homemade tomato basil red sauce:
Store bought sauces are fine, some even pretty darn good these days, but this homemade sauce is really  really good.  You can double it too, and freeze whatever you don't use.
https://www.seriouseats.com/easy-italian-amercian-red-sauce-recipe

Lasagna

Recipe Name:  Lasagna

Story:  I started making the classic lasagna from the back of the pasta box and over the years have modified it. I have made this since the boys were young so one of the modifications I have made is to add spinach to increase the nutritional value. Sometimes I even made it without meat but I think the families preferred method is with both meat and spinach. It is one of Dustin’s favorite meals.

Years you've been making it:  At least 25 years

Submitted by:  Suzy/Mom

Ingredients:

• 1 package Lasagna noodles
• 2 jars Tomato sauce ( I usually use organic tomato basil sauce)
• 1 lg. container of ricotta cheese
• 2 eggs
• 2  8oz pkgs. shredded Mozzarella cheese
• 2  5 oz. pkgs. shredded Parmesan cheese (you can also use a combination of Romano and Parmesan cheese)
• 1 frozen pkg. of shredded spinach
• 1lb ground beef
• ¼ medium onion chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic minced or 2 tsp. prepared minced garlic
• Olive oil
• Wax paper
• Glass pan 8x11.5

Directions:

1. Cook the frozen spinach for 4 minutes in the microwave. Place in a colander to drain and squeeze as much moisture out as possible
2. Sauté ground beef, chopped onion and garlic. Drain and let cool
3. Fill a large pot of water and begin bringing it to a boil. 
4. Prepare the cheese mixture: beat the two eggs, mix with the ricotta cheese, 1 cup of mozzarella cheese and ½ cup of parmesan cheese.
5. Lay out wax paper on the counter and brush a thin layer of olive oil on it.
6. When the water starts to boil add about 1 Tb.s of olive oil, then begin adding the noodles alternating the direction, cook for about 5 minutes or until flexible
7. Remove the noodles with tongs onto the wax paper. 
8. Heat the oven to 350 degrees

Constructing the lasagna

1. Place a small amount of sauce in the bottom of the pan enough to spread a thin layer
2. Place 3 noodles on the bottom of the pan, slightly overlapping
3. Take a tablespoon and put dollops of cheese mixture on the noodles with a small space between each dollop
4. Sprinkle half the ground beef, then half the spinach over cheese
5. Pour half a jar of sauce over everything
6. Sprinkle ½ cup of mozzarella and a ¼ cup of parmesan cheese over the sauce.
7. Top with another layer of noodles
8. Repeat as above
9. Top with last layer of noodles, half a jar of sauce, ½ cup of mozzarella and ¼ cup of parmesan cheese

Bake:

1. Cover with tinfoil and bake for 1 hr. 
2. Remove foil and bake for another 15 minutes
3. Let sit for about 15-20 minutes before serving

Notes:

You will not use all of the cheese mixture.

Sometimes I add some oregano or parsley to the ground beef particularly if I have fresh herbs.

Today they have non-stick tinfoil which is best to use or else some of the cheese will stick to it. 

This makes a lot easily for 6 people but what is left over can be frozen for latter.

Italian Meatballs

Recipe Name: Italian Meatballs

Story: My friend Tina G makes some of the best Italian food.  It is so simple.  This year she hosted a dinner and I went over early specifically so I could watch her cook these meatballs.  They're sooo good, and very simple to make.

Years you've been making it: Since 2019

Author / Creator: Tina G

Submitted by: Dustin

Ingredients:
2lb ground beef, 80/20
0.5 lb Italian sausage
Fist size Italian Parsley
Half white onion
2 garlic cloves minced
2 eggs
1/2 cup bread crumbs or more (texture pref)
Grated Parm, 1/2 cup or more (pref)
Salt (couple tsp)
Pepper (tsp+)
White pepper (1/2 tsp or so)
Italian spice mix sun off Italy, 1 tsp (if you don't have this, just use 1/2 tsp of oregano and 1/2 tsp of basil)

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together, then roll into roughly 1.5 to 2in balls.  Should make approx 24 balls.

Sear in a pan with a decent amount of olive oil, couple minutes each side until brown.

Then place in 350-400 degree oven for 15-20 mins.

Then place in tomato sauce for like 20 mins (shorter or more is fine)

Tomato Sauce

Recipe Name: Tomato Sauce

Story:
"It brings back so many great memories that I had with Julie in Venice!  She was at cooking school and I was at the mosaic school.  One day I took the water taxi to join her and Enrica Rocca …. It was at the end of the cooking day and waiting for me to taste and savor was the risotto with wild mushrooms!  It was heavenly.  And, once home Julie made this recipe often.  Always good.

Also, once home and for several years, Julie made the homemade tomato sauce!  I don’t know how she did it in her small kitchen!  I have a feeling the dogs had a lot to lick up!" - Sheila

Years you've been making it: Since 2009

Author / Creator: Enrica Rocca

Submitted by: Julie

Ingredients:
20 mils extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves whole
500gr. Cherry tomatoes or baby plum tomatoes whole and washed
1 small bunch of fresh basil leaves
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
In a small frying pan, place the olive oil and garlic and let the garlic infuse with the oil at a very low temperature for as long as you can.

As soon as the garlic becomes brown (don’t let it burn as burned garlic gives a very bitter flavour to the sauce) add all the tomatoes, a bit of salt and close the pan with a lid.

Increase lightly the temperature and let the tomatoes explode which will take approx 10 min. Time will vary depending on the temperature.

Once all the tomatoes are exploded, mash them with a hand potato masher or a wooden spoon.

Now you will have a lot of liquid in the pan, more in the winter when the tomatoes are less ripe.

Keeping the lid off will let the water evaporate till you reach a thick consistency.

Add only at the end the basil as otherwise a lot of the flavour will evaporate.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Notes:

If you wish to use tomato sauce to dress a stuffed pasta (ravioli, tortellini..) it’s better to avoid putting basil, as basil has a very strong flavour, and add some crème fraiche or mascarpone or panna to take off a little bit of acidity that tomatoes have and doesn’t cover the flavour of the pasta filling.

Risotto with Wild Mushrooms

Recipe Name: Risotto with Wild Mushrooms

Story:
"It brings back so many great memories that I had with Julie in Venice!  She was at cooking school and I was at the mosaic school.  One day I took the water taxi to join her and Enrica Rocca …. It was at the end of the cooking day and waiting for me to taste and savor was the risotto with wild mushrooms!  It was heavenly.  And, once home Julie made this recipe often.  Always good." - Sheila

Years you've been making it: Since 2009

Author / Creator: Enrica Rocca

Submitted by: Julie

Ingredients:

320gr Carnaroli rice
500gr. mix wild mushrooms
20mils Olive oil
½ a large onion finely chopped                                                             
2 glasses dry white wine
Chicken stock (if available) or fresh or hot water with 2 chicken Knorr cubes
Parsley
Salt and pepper
20 gr. butter
30 gr freshly grated parmesan cheese

Serves 4

Directions:

Start by cleaning the mushrooms and break them into smaller pieces.

In a pan, add the whole garlic clove and the oil. On low temp let the oil infuse with the garlic and when it starts browning remove from the pan and add the mushrooms..

Stir fry for 10  minutes or more if necessary. Cooking time will depend on how much water the mushrooms will release.

In a separate pot add butter and when melted add finely chopped onions. Cover with a lid and let soften for as long as you can without letting them brown.

Add the wine and let evaporate on slow temp.

Add the rice and let fry for 1 to 2 min.

Start adding BOILING stock a bit at the time till rice is cooked(approx. 25 min.).

Season with salt and pepper, add butter and Parmesan cheese, some chopped parsley, and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Italian Tomato Sauce

Recipe Name: Italian Tomato Sauce

Story: This is a recipe from an ex-girlfriend of mine who's family was Italian.  I love Italian food, and this is a fantastic simple tomato sauce.

Years you've been making it: Since 2007

Author / Creator: Jessica Nackel

Submitted by: Dustin

Ingredients:
2 - 28 oz can whole tomatoes
4-8 Sausages (mild or spicy)
2-4 Tablespoons tomato paste
5 Bay leaves
Basil (2-4 tablespoons chopped)
1 Finely chopped onion
Garlic (3-6 cloves)
1-2 Carrots, peeled
Salt/Pepper

Directions:
1) First prepare the tomatoes, this can get messy! On each tomato, pull the hard stem base out on the top of the tomato and clean out the seeds. After they are cleaned, in a large bowl, squeeze all the tomatoes until they are in small pieces. Put tomatoes aside.

2) Brown sausages. They do not need to be cooked through, just until they browned on the outside. Take them out of the pan and put aside.

3) In the same pan cook onion on med. heat for a couple minutes, turn heat down to low and add garlic for another minute.

4) In large non-stick pot add prepared tomatoes, sausages, bay leaves and garlic and onion. Cut carrots in half and add in pot.

5) Bring to a boil and reduce heat to very low. Cook for 6-10 hours, stirring every 10-20 minutes. The
longer you can cook it the better! (we did try this in the crock pot and stirred it every hour or so, but the crock pot retains most of the liquid, so you may want to boil it for 30 mins or so at the end to thicken the sauce up, or remove the top of the crock pot for the last hour or so)

6) Add the tomato paste half-way through. Add the basil with 30 minutes left. Add salt and pepper at the end.

7) Remove carrots and bay leaves before eating.

8) Enjoy!!


Notes:

This is one of those dishes that gets better the longer it is on the stove, that's why it calls for very low heat for 6-10 hours.  This is because it reduces over time and really concentrates the tomato sugars and flavors.  As mentioned above, we tried in the crock pot and it really didn't work well.  Also, note that the carrots are added whole and then removed at the end, this is to extract the sugars from the carrots, but not actually add carrots to the sauce.

Spaghetti with lots of Vegetables

Recipe Name: Spaghetti with lots of Vegetables

Story: This recipe was a way to have my son's eat a variety of vegetables.  When they were very young they loved it, but then they started going to other people's houses and thought our spaghetti was "weird."  Into their teenage years, friends would come over and request my spaghetti, now it was back on the popularity list.

Years you've been making it: For at least 30 years, since roughly 1990

Author / Creator: Suzy

Submitted by: Suzy

Ingredients:
1 onion
1 pepper (usually I would use 1/2 of green and 1/2 of another color, yellow, orange, or red)
2 cloves of garlic
1 medium zucchini
1-2 small yellow squash
1 8 oz package of sliced mushrooms
Olive oil
Spices:  red pepper flakes, oregano, cayenne, basil, salt and pepper
2 jars of tomato sauce or homemade sauce
1/4 to 1/2 tsp sugar. (this cuts the acid of the tomatoes, but you do not want to make it sweet)

Directions:
Sautee onion, peppers, and garlic in about 2 Tbs of olive oil, until onions are slightly translucent.  Add zucchini, yellow squash, and mushroom.  Continue sauteing for another 2-3 minutes.

Add tomato sauce, spices, and sugar.  Simmer for about 30-40 minutes.

Even if I use commercial sauce I will add some additional spices, pinch of red pepper flakes, oregano, if you like it a little spicy add a pinch of cayenne.  Salt and pepper to taste.

In the last 10 minutes of simmering add fresh basil.

Notes:

If you "need" meat or more protein, browned and drained hamburger meat or sausage, or cooked and shredded chicken can be added at the same time as the tomato sauce.