I love Cheese...

Baked Ziti. The Cheesey mother of all American inspired Italian cooking. And no I did not take this picture. Like a Genius I left my charger in San Diego. (Image from: http://www.digsmagazine.com/nourish/nourish_bakedziti.htm)

But I SWEAR my Ziti Looked just as tasty. And I was even able to use my all purpose pot/pan/stew pot again-- like with the enchiladas.

And I must stop now before I get into the cheese and pasta and sauce and apologize. I didn't forget about this blog, I've been busy and cooking just hasn't been around much lately-- I've been cooking but it's been boring and I'm tired so I just go to bed rather than posting. BUT I PROMISE TO POST MORE.

Ok back to the Ziti. Since I'm a not-so-Single chef, I like to cook one or two meals a week and use the left over to either make new meals or just eat at something until it's gone. This week, with Bikram Yoga sucking the cooking soul out of me, I decided to cook once and make it last. This is a great idea for those out there that don't have much time to cook. Just add a nice salad or steamed veggies to this and you're ready to dine.

Plus you get to use your wonderful meatball skills you learned earlier again! Wohoo!

Gin's Baked Ziti with Meaty Balls:
1lb ziti
32oz of Ricotta (I used Part Skim, while I am a health nut, I also know that fat free can curdle and no one likes that.)
2 cups of gooooood Mozerella Cheese (Spend the extra money- trust me!)
1 pound lean ground beef or turkey
2 cans diced tomatos (Italian if available)
1 8oz can sauce
2-3 tablespoons of tomato paste
2 pinches of red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
2 eggs
splash of milk
hot sauce
4 tablespoons garlic
1 onion diced

Oven to 350

Pasta:
Cook Pasta until al dente! Drain and then cover to keep moisture in. Dry pasta does not take the sauce well.

Sauce:
a bit of oil in your sauce pan, add 1/2 the onions and 1 pinch of red pepper flakes and saute until almost translucent and then add 2 tablespoons of garlic. Add two cans of diced tomatoes and let cook for about 1 minute, then add sauce and bring to a boil, once it has reached a boil add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and bring to a simmer. and pull from stove to "cool"-- about 15 minutes. Add Ricotta to Sauce and mix well.

Meatballs:
Season Meat in a bowl. Add breadcrumbs, eggs, milk, hot sauce, pepper flakes, other half of onion and other 2 tablespoons of garlic. Mix together and form balls. In a hot pan place meatballs and turn to brown on 2-3 sides-- you want them juicy and a bit soft. put on plate.

Put pasta and meatballs in the sauce and mix well. Put mixture into a large 9x13 pan and put mozzarella on top (if you have some great Parm, add it too!)

Bake for 30-40 minutes until lightly brown on top.


A nice green or greek salad, some wine and you've got yourself a good meal!

Spicy Meatball!

I love making meatballs and sauce! It makes me feel like I am back in the "old country", nevermind the fact that I have no italian blood in me and my irish family would look at me as a freak cooking something without potatoes. But making sauce from "scratch" is so easy and really stress relieving, I wonder why anyone picks up a jar. Why not have something that you made hitting the table?

Ingred:
Meatballs:

• 1 pound of hamburger meat


• 2/3 cup of breadcrumbs


• 1 egg


• about 3 drops of hot sauce


• 2 cloves of garlic minced


• quater of an onion


• sprinkle+ of: italian seasoning, salt and pepper, cracked red pepper, anything else you'd like

Sauce:

• half an onion


• two cloves of garlic minced


• 1 can of diced tomatoes


• 1 can of sauce


• 2tablespoons of tomato paste


• salt


• pepper


• cracked red pepper


• Oregano


• italian seasoning


• olive oil-- 2-4 second drop

Meatballs:

Put everything into a bowl, hand combine everything together, then put back in fridge if it has gotten warm. roll bits into balls.heat a pan up and place them in, turning so all sides get browned

Sauce:In a pot that has been warming, add olive oil and let it get warm. add garlic, cracked red pepper, and onion and let them cook up but not brown-- no one likes burnt garlic. add diced tomatoes, sauce, and tomato paste, let it come to a boil, add all the seasonings and mix it, lower heat and let it simmer to thicken

Add meatballs to sauce and cook up pasta or get the hoagies ready for meatball subs.

The meatballs were so tender it was amazing and this meal actually made about 3-4 meals. Which is great as you can have spaghetti and meatballs, meatball subs, meatballs with veggies, and so on and so. Lunches and dinners for 2 days is always wonderful! Plus, what kid wouldn't love a small meatball sub with carrot sticks for lunch the following day?

Spaghetti and Meatballs always makes me think of home even though I can't recall one time my mom ever made it. It takes me back to when sitting down with family for a meal was fun and the food was steaming hot.

Italian meals, perhaps due to those damned Olive Garden Commericals... fuck you marketing!, always make me think of family sitting around the table. Maybe it's because I remember how my grandmother always will burn the bread or that my aunt will ask for the salt 100 times or perhaps even that my mom will silently take the crap her sisters dish at her during dinner, but a good meal with those you love even through the parts that annoy you, is always a great time.

It's hard when you are a single person. We spent years defining ourselves as these individuals but what we really want is the close companionship of family. This is why those in their 20's and on the start of their adventurous lives in new places make their friends their family. So call some friends up to bring over wine, salad, and bread. Cook up these meatballs and laugh at the family that you have that helps you get through the life you are leading now.