We made a PEACH PIE

We made a Peach Pie. I don't think I've ever baked a pie. I find the whole dough portion a little tedious. Thank heavens for Junebug (my mother)! Bella, our recent adopted rescue dog, was our sous chef.

This turned out wonderful. The recipe had a fancier "lattice" top but we made a simpler one. 

We didn't make the dough as the recipe directs. I bought packaged dough in the refrigerated section. 

The recipe is here:  https://zoebakes.com/2018/07/22/peach-pie/

Bella our sous chef

HAM LOAF: A blast from the past

I've only eaten this dish once in the mid-80's when I made it.  The recipe came from my mother's Lubbock Women's Club cookbook.

I was living in Long Beach (Bixby Knolls) with my partner.  I was a flight attendant for Western Airlines (later Delta).  Bixby Knolls, at the time, was this idllic place surrounded by LA urban blight. This was in the mid-80's.  The names Bixby Knolls and Ham Lear seem to come from a similar time place, by the sound of it.

We cooked this meal in memory of one of my most beloved friends, Alan Lane Hayworth.  He died in the early days of AIDS.  Not a day goes by that I haven't thought of him.  He was taken too early.  I so wish he were here in today's world to share the crazy world we're currently living in.  Alan lived in Texas, where I'm from.  We would talk long distance (a concept that current generations have no clue) periodically to get caught up.  On one of our calls he would asked when I picked up the phone: "What are you doing?"  I answered "I'm making a ham loaf."  For some reason, Alan started howling with laughter and teasing me about "ham loaf."  I think he found my response and my life bit a bit too suburban housewife.

I haven't made this recipe since.  My mother and I made this a couple of nights ago.  We did so with smiles on our faces, thinking of my friend, Alan.  Gone, but never forgotten.

I think Ham Loaf is an old time thing.  But it is heavenly.  It puts a meat loaf to shame.  The menu is below.  I think that to make this a more modern recipe I'd decrease the sugar because it is too sweet.   The sugar is used to make a sauce.  At this point in my life, I am not a big fan of sweet entrees.  

I'll make this dish again.  And everyday, I'll remember my beloved friend Alan.

HAM LOAF
3/4 lbs. ground ham
3/4 lbs. ground pork
1/2 t. Salt
1/4 t. Pepper
1/2 C. Bread Crumbs
1/2 C. Milk
1 Egg
1 C. Brown Sugar (see comments above)
1/4 C. Vinegar
1/4 C. Water

Mix first 7 ingredients together and press in loaf pan.  Mix brown sugar, vinegar, water together and pour over meat.

Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven 1 hr. 10 min.

Pour off liquid & thicken slightly with flour.

Meat can be made into patties.

OPTIONAL: Just before serving put sauce and pineapple (optional--I can't stand it so omitted it) on loaf/patty and broil briefly.

It's been ages but I cooked last night: One-Pot Cheesy Italian Pasta and Chicken

A friend of mine on Facebook posted one of those short videos that show in quick motion the creation of a recipe.  I can't figure out how to put the video on here.   So I will refer you to the recipes creator and the website.  I've included the recipe below.  All rights are reserved for the photo and recipe with Donna Elick and her cookbook The Slow Roasted Italian copyright 2016.  Bon appetite!

First I'd suggest you watch the enticing video which is probably 30 seconds. Link: http://www.theslowroasteditalian.com/2016/10/one-pot-cheesy-Italian-Pasta-Chicken-recipe.html?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=email_this&utm_source=email

The recipe is below.  My comments/suggestions are below the recipe.  Bravo! Ms. Elick.  I have to say this about this recipe:

• It was incredible
• It was simple
• It was quick
• It didn't require a lot of prep time
• It didn't require a lot clean up
• Oh, and it was delicious

One-Pot Cheesy Italian Pasta and Chicken
SERVES 6  |  ACTIVE TIME 20 Min  |  TOTAL TIME 30 Minutes

8 ounces baby spinach leaves, divided
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil and Italian herbs, drained (about 7 ounces)
1 large yellow onion, sliced
1 pound uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1/2" bite size pieces)
6 garlic cloves, sliced
1 pound dry linguine
2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
4 cups (32 ounces) reduced sodium chicken stock
1 cup (8 ounces) chardonnay wine
4 ounces fresh Parmesan cheese, shredded

Combine 1/2 of the spinach with the tomatoes, onion, chicken, garlic, linguine, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and crushed red pepper in a 5-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Pour chicken stock and wine over top. Cover and bring to a boil.

Cook 7-9 minutes until pasta is al dente (with a bite to it). Toss pasta with tongs occasionally to keep the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot. You will still have some liquid in the pan when the pasta is done cooking. This is going to make the base for our delicious cheese sauce.

Turn off the heat and add the cheese to the pasta. Toss pasta with tongs until the cheese melts into the pasta. Toss in remaining spinach. Serve and enjoy!

DONNA'S SIMPLE KITCHEN TIP: Dried Italian Seasoning is a fabulous convenience ingredient. If you do not keep it on hand, combine 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon oregano and 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme.

This dish is just spicy enough to make your tongue tingle. For a very mild sauce, reduce the red pepper flakes to 1/2 teaspoon.

I know some people are sensitive to alcohol. The wine adds a fabulous rich buttery flavor and a bright citrusiness to the pasta. If you can use the chardonnay, I highly recommend it. However, you can substitute with chicken stock, white grape juice, or lemon water (1/2 cup fresh lemon juice and 1/2 cup water).

Recipe developed by Donna Elick - The Slow Roasted Italian http://theslowroasteditalian-printablerecipe.blogspot.com/2016/10/one-pot-cheesy-italian-pasta-and-chicken.html

Copyright ©2016 The Slow Roasted Italian – All rights reserved.
_________________________

Here's my comments about my first time at trying this brilliant recipe.   There will be many more times that I make this.  But we made slight alterations:

• We used boneless, skinless thighs--I do not like white meat. (I think that you might find boneless, skinless, white meat in prepared in 1/2" pieces--I was pleased that our grocery store had boneless, skinless dark meat).
• We should have bought the pre-chopped onions that are available in produce. It would have saved a short bit of time.
• I used garlic from the jar, which saved prep time. So sue me....it saved time.
• That was all the prep work that it took and it was very quick (like 10 minutes).  
• My mother doesn't like heat, so I only added a dash of the red pepper flakes. This was not my preference, because I like things spicier.
• The jar of sun dried tomatoes weren't cut. They we're large tomatoes. I'd suggest cutting these in half before you put them in the pot.
• Next time I make this I'd like to try it with three cheeses sprinkled over the top for each plate. The parmesan that was in the dish was fabulous. But I love cheese. I'd like to see what those other would do. I might even try it with a little mushroom. But it is perfect as it it.
• This is a perfect recipe. It took us at most 30 minutes from prep to finish. You only have one dish to clean, the pot that you dump everything and cook in, and a few prep utensil. I cannot wait to make this again! One of the best and easiest recipes I've ever made

Beef with Port and Butter Pan Juices

Ingredients

3 C      Beef stock

1 C      Tawny Port
1          3 ½-4 lb boneless first-cut sirloin beef roast or fillet,    
            tied (room temp)

2 T      Minced Shallots

2 T      Tawny Port

2 T      Red Wine vinegar

8 T      Unsalted butter (1 stick)
          Salt
          Pepper

Combine stock and 1 C port in 3-quart saucepan and boil until reduced to ¾ C (about 1 hr.).  Set mixture aside.

Preheat oven to 450.  Place roast on rack over shallow roasting pan.   Set in oven and immediately reduce temp to 375.  Roast until thermometer inserted in thickest part of meat registers 125 for rare, about 1 ½ hours.   Set meat aside on carving board.   ****

Drain off all but 1 T fat from roasting pan.  Add shallot, remaining Port and vinegar and bring to a boil over medium heat, scraping up any browned bits.   Let boil about 1 minute.   Transfer sauce to 9-10 in. skillet.  Add reserved stock and bring to a boil over medium heat.   Reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes.   Whisk in 1T butter at a time, making sure each piece is fully incorporated before adding the next.  Add salt and pepper.   Taste and adjust seasoning.  Pour into sauceboat and keep warm.

Serves 8.

Port and Butter Pan Sauce

****Sliced Chateaubriand

PLATED.COM Eating Well Made Easy

I've subscribed to plated.com which is a service that "delivers everything you need to create chef-designed recipes, making it simpler and more fun to cook at home."  Each week I receive a well-packed, well-insulated box with three different meals (6 portions).




This has put the fun back into cooking for me.  No shopping needed.  Here's how it works:
A weekly box of fresh and seasonal ingredients, pre-portioned for the recipes you choose, so you can create great food with less effort.

You can select your menus for each shipment or let plated.com ship you a surprise.

Last night we had Sautéed Shrimp with Tomato-Bacon Gravy over Creamy Grits.  It was perfect.    Very quick and easy to make.

The meals range from $12/plate-$24/plate depending on what you order.

Other recent winners were Balsamic-Glazed Sirloin with Pesto Potatoes, Charred Leeks, and Mustard Aioli; Cedar-Wrapped Salmon with Shiitake Slaw and Graffiti Eggplant; Orecchiette with Spinach Pesto, Fresh Mozzarella, Tomatoes, and edible flowers, to name a few.

Each meal arrives with all ingredients wrapped in a plastic bag.   Everything needed to make the dish is included with the exception of salt and pepper, olive oil and cooking utensils.  The recipes tend to be relatively easy considering they are unique with unusual sometime exotic ingredients.  The bulk of the time to prepare the meals is the preparation of the vegetables (dicing, mincing, etc). Each menu has a letter-size recipe card with color (see photo) photos and thorough preparation and cooking instructions.

There are at least two other online competitors but I haven't tried.  Plated.com literally and figuratively spices up your life.

For more information visit:  https://www.plated.com or http://www.moneyunder30.com/blue-apron-vs-plated-vs-hello-fresh-which-subscription-food-service-is-worth-the-cost

GREAT NEW recipe. Italian Drunken Noodles with Pappardelle Pasta

This is one of the better recipes I've prepared in the last few years.    Quite delicious.  I found the recipe at allrecipes.com.  It was submitted by Emilie8643.

The pasta makes a fantastic foundation for an incredible sausage Italian sauce.

This recipe is copyright 2015 Allrecipes.com and is below:

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Italian-Drunken-Noodles/Detail.aspx?ms=1&prop25=158797446&prop26=DailyDish&prop27=2015-01-07&prop28=Feature_1&prop29=Photo&me=1&eaid=5403178

An AMAZING steak coffee rub recipe

photo:  cooklikejames.typepad.com
(it doesn't show the roasted garlic butter)

I made the best steaks ever on the grill the other night.  I am a novice to grilling.  My partner always did that but now that I'm single I am trying learn, as I love my beef.  

In the past I've always put together a good marinade for steaks on the grill, but adequately so. 

I was watching the Today show (so much better now that Willie and Carson are on board to balance the fussy, prissy Matt Lauer) and they had a visiting chef, David Guas, who had a recipe for steak rub using coffee. The great thing about the rub is that I had all of the ingredients in my cabinet (that never happens).  

In the past I always added moisture and seasoning for a marinade (soy or Worcestershire Sauces, Wine, Oil, etc).  I had no idea that you don't need moisture.  This simple recipe using nothing but a steak rub is magnificent.  

This is a photo of the results of my first
attempt at the coffee rub recipe recipe below.
Photo: by me

The results were the best steaks I've ever made (they tasted great because of the rub and did not nut ruin them on the grill).  

This rub recipe is so delicious and I think the secret ingredient is the coffee.  Ina Gartner, the "Barefoot Contessa" always suggests adding ground coffee beans to chocolate recipes to enhance the flavor.  This also worked with the steak and the seasons of this recipe's coffee rub.  Maybe that's why we all love nice cup of coffee after a great meal?

The rub is quick to make.  It only takes an hour or so to let the beef "marinade" with the rub.  But damned it makes a fine steak.  

David Guas: Today Show Coffee-Rubbed Rib-Eye Recipe Ingredients

Any type of coffee will work, but grind it fresh before preparing this recipe. Coffee balances the fat of a rib-eye, Guas said.

• 4 16-oz boneless Rib-Eye Steaks
• Sea Salt & Black Pepper

Coffee Rub Ingredients

• 3 tbsp fresh ground Coffee Beans
• 2 tbsp Paprika
• 1 tsp granulated Onion
• 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
• 1 tbsp Light Brown Sugar
• 1 tbsp Coarse Sea Salt
• 1 tsp granulated Garlic

Today Show: David Guas Coffee-Rubbed Rib-Eye Recipe Directions

1. Combine rub ingredients in a bowl before rubbing them on the raw steaks.
2. Chill steaks in the fridge for about 90 minutes to let flavors absorb into the meat.
3. Prepare the grill as you salt and pepper the meat on both sides.
4. Grill over direct heat for six to nine minutes.
5. For medium-rare steaks, reach an internal temperature of 125-130 F. For medium, cook longer for an internal temp of 140-145 F. Cook longer if desired, but move meat off of direct heat and close the grill lid.
6. Let steaks rest on a cutting board for around nine minutes before you slice or serve them.
7. Serve with a dollop of homemade garlic compound butter.

The recipe for the steak also calls for a roasted garlic butter. I tried to approximate it by using a dab of unsalted butter and a dash of Lawry's Garlic Seasoning.  

Today Show: David Guas Roasted Garlic Compound Butter Recipe

Chef David Guas, host of Travel Channel’s American Grilled, shared a delicious idea for a Coffee-Rubbed Rib-Eye Recipe, with Roasted Garlic Compound Butter (Marina Shanti / Shutterstock.com)

Ingredients

• 2 whole bulbs Garlic
• 1/4 cup Water
• 1/2 stick soft Unsalted Butter
• 3 tbsp Olive Oil
• Salt & Pepper

Directions

1. Cut off the tops of the garlic bulbs and wrap them in foil to create a bowl around them.
2. Drizzle olive oil over the exposed garlic tops and sprinkle them with salt and pepper.
3. Pour water around the edges of the foil before wrapping and sealing the edges.
4. Grill over coals for about an hour. Carefully remove and let rest until cool enough to handle.
5. Squeeze roasted garlic into butter. Mash to combine and season to taste.
6. Roll excess butter into parchment or plastic and freeze in a cylinder for easy slicing and future use. This will last up to three months.

I used two good boneless steaks, in lieu of the t-bone!  Please try this.......let me know what you think.  This rub is outstanding.  I can't wait to add the roasted garlic!  And a PORTERHOUSE.

The recipes and bottom photo are from http://www.recapo.com/today-show/today-show-recipes/today-show-david-guas-coffee-rubbed-rib-eye-recipe-garlic-butter/. 

Adorable Jamie Oliver's incredible TAGINE recipe--changed my life this week

I LOVE Jamie Oliver.  He is adorable.  For a few years I've watched several of his tv cooking shows which featured the Moroccan dish Tagine. 

My favorite food in the world has always been Cajun jambalaya.  I always wondered if this dish was the similar of to my much beloved jambalaya, with a different set of flavors.  

I finally made an "Oliver" tagine recipe yesterday and my instincts were correct.  The tagine is the equivalent of jambalaya with a whole different continent/experience of new, exotic flavors.

I used the recipe shown below.   This entree was easy to make, which in my experience with television cooking shows is rare.   You only need a bowl and pot:  a simple bowl to marinate the chicken in the refrigerator.  I didn't have a tagine or casserole pot as the recipe requests so I used a cast iron pot, which was a perfect substitution.  

The meal was quick to make.  But purchasing a few of the more exotic ingredients in a small town place like the Palm Springs area took more time.  The preserved lemons were the biggest challenge.  After several visits to grocery store and a call to William Sonoma I finally found them in stock at Bristol Farms .  My local Trader Joe's said they have been trying to stock it but they are sold out).  When I saw Jamie make this he used portioned, cut lemons.  The bottle that I bought I bought at Bristole was pureed/minced. 

I couldn't find fresh coriander.  I've always heard that Coriander is the same thing as the more common (in California) Cilantro?  The information on the internet was even more confusing.    I substituted ground dried coriander instead of the fresh coriander stalks.  If someone can educate me on this I would appreciate it.   Is fresh cilantro the same thing as fresh coriander leaves?

I'd never cooked or eaten (at least knowingly) fresh fennel.  It is wonderful.   Very mild.   When it was raw, it smelled and looked like fresh anise (or licorice which I detest).   When cooked, it was amazing and lovely.

I have to say that this tagine  is one of the best things I've cooked.  Usually I am not pleased with my cooking.   But this was a symphony of new flavors.   I used chicken thighs, instead of the whole chix (I don't like white meat) and the meat just fell off the bones. Served on top of couscous, OMG

 This and jambalaya are now my favorite dishes.  

Jamie Oliver’s Chicken, Olive and Preserved Lemon Tagine

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

1 whole chicken (approximately 1.5kg), preferably free range or organic, skin-on, jointed into 4 (get your butcher to do this for you)**
olive oil
1–2 large bulbs of fennel
2 onions, peeled and roughly chopped
a small bunch of fresh coriander**
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
2–3 small preserved lemons, deseeded and chopped**
80g black and green olives, stoned
a good pinch of saffron
500ml hot organic chicken stock

For the spice rub
1 heaped teaspoon coriander seeds, bashed up
1 level teaspoon ground cumin
1 heaped teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Recipe/photo source:  http://www.foodie.co.nz/jamie-olivers-chicken-olive-and-preserved-lemon-tagine/

**See paragraph above for my adaptations

Dark Choloocate, Pistschio and Sugar Salt Cookies

Two or three weeks ago I posted a blog with almost amazing cookie recipes.  The amazing cookies shown were all alluring.  To see the original post, click here (March 28, 2014).

In my blog I suggested that I might may try to make them all, as an homage to Julie/Julia   Yesterday I tried this one:

Get the Dark Chocolate Chunk, Pistachio, and Sea Salt Cookies recipe from Two Peas and their Pod

Wee ended up with 24-300 cookes.   They were a perfection bland of dark chox, pistachio, and saltiness.    Our cookie batch did spread out as much as the photo above.    The 8 cookies seemed to crumble--so we added a couple butter.  That seemed help.  But maybe because we live in Palm  Springs the crecipe need moirstoir?

I found this receipt The Huntington-Post and used the hyper link which took me to Two Peas and their Pod

This cookie article (and photos) has had me DISTRACTED all day

Get the Soft And Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe from Averie Cooks

I started my morning, as I do everyday, reading the dreary news on the web.  One of my primary news sources is The Huffington Post.  They had the most amazing article titled, "Every cookie recipe you'll ever need (and then some)".  Click here to see the article.  

I have been salivating all day. I am posting this because I'd like to try to make all of these recipes someday (there are 62 to be exact, although I have included only a few photos).  Maybe I'll do an homage to the groundbreaking, delightful blog, book and film (starring Meryl Streep/Amy Adams) Julie/Julia homage.   But since no reads this blog the only impact would be to my middle aged, already over-expanded waste line.  I guess I could take all of the cookies to senior centers?   Would anyone read this blog more, if I do?   

The wonderful eclectic recipes include some of my most favorite food stuff:  chocolate, chocolate, double chocolate, peanut butter, nuts, pistachios (times 100), butter, cream cheese,  caramel, butterscotch, cinnamon, sugar, honey, molasses, nutella,  sea salt, oatmeal, fruit (berries in every way), cookies that are made in a cast iron skillet.  This list could go on.  Click here to see the article. 

Get the Salted Soft & Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies recipe from The Moveable Feast

Get the Dark Chocolate Chunk, Pistachio, and Sea Salt Cookies recipe from Two Peas and their Pod

But the one that's really made my panties wet (it's such an erotic, enticing coupling--love to sample):  The Peanut-Butter-Cup-Stuffed Ginger Cookies Recipe by Pip & Ebby.

Carbonara Sauce: my favorite. Here's another great recipe and some history

On my continuing quest to find the perfect carbonara recipe I found the following on line at
http://cookingwithamy.blogspot.com. This one is sans the cream which is I believe an authentic recipe for this classic. Thanks to Amy for allowing me to post the recipe and quote the history of carbonara from her blog site.

I also liked the fact that Amy gave a bit of history of the origins of this dish:

"The alla carbonara in Spaghetti alla Carbonara means in the 'manner of coal miners'. There are more than a few stories as to why it is called carbonara, the three stories I've heard are because the freshly ground pepper topping the dish resembles flakes of coal, or because it was cooked on the streets of Rome over coal burning stoves or finally that the dish was popular among coal miners and so it was named after them. Spaghetti alla Carbonara is a great winter time dish. It's also one of those things you can whip up when you have almost nothing in the house. My favorite time to eat this is late at night for some reason. While I don't mind using bacon instead of guanciale or pancetta, I do draw the line at adding whipping cream. When made correctly this is a very creamy dish, and needs no cream."

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, smashed with the side of a knife
4 slices diced bacon
2 eggs
1/2 pound of spaghetti or bucatini or linguini
1/3 cup grated Pecorino or Parmigiano (or combination)
salt
fresh ground black pepper

Bring salted water to a boil, add the pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until tender yet firm. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water to use in the sauce if needed to thin it out a bit.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon, and saute until the bacon is crisp and the fat is rendered. Toss a smashed clove of garlic into the fat and saute for less than 1 minute to flavor the oil, then remove it.

Beat the eggs and Parmesan together in a mixing bowl, stirring well to prevent lumps, set aside. Add the hot, drained spaghetti to the skillet and toss to coat the strands in the bacon fat. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the egg/cheese mixture into the pasta, toss the spaghetti quickly until the eggs thicken, but do not scramble (that is why you do this off the heat) Thin out the sauce with a bit of the reserved pasta water, until it reaches desired consistency. The sauce should be creamy, not "scrambled egg" crumbly if that makes sense. Season with lots of freshly ground black pepper, a sprinkle more of grated cheese and taste for salt. Serves 2 people.

I shall be making this fine recipe tonight. Anyone else going to try it?

Visit Amy's blog http://cookingwithamy.blogspot.com/2004/01/spaghetti-alla-carbonararecipe.html. The recipe and quote are copyright of Cooking With Amy and are reprinted here with permission. My thanks to Amy for the informatino and great recipe.

YUM! Remembrance of vacations past--in BRITISH COLUMBIA--part 3

Continuing my reminicenses of vacations (click here for all of these postings) in past years spent in British Columbia I have to talk about another memory:

Nanaimo Bars (named for the city on Vancouver Island where they originated).

What I wouldn't give for one of these right now...and the cool weather of British Columbia

A type of chocolate no-bake square, it is named after the West-Coast city of Nanaimo, British Columbia. It consists of a wafer crumb-based layer, topped by a layer of light custard or vanilla butter icing, which is covered in chocolate made from melted chocolate squares.^[1] Many varieties are possible by using different types of crumb, flavours of custard or icing (e.g. mint, peanut butter), and types of chocolate. Two popular variations on the traditional Nanaimo bar involve mint flavoured custard or mocha flavoured custard.



Here's the recipe:

Nanaimo Bar Recipe

Bottom Layer
½ cup unsalted butter (European style cultured)
¼ cup sugar
5 tbsp. cocoa
1 egg beaten
1 ¼ cups graham wafer crumbs
½ c. finely chopped almonds
1 cup coconut

Melt first 3 ingredients in top of double boiler. Add egg and stir to cook and thicken. Remove from heat. Stir in crumbs, coconut, and nuts. Press firmly into an ungreased 8" x 8" pan.

Second Layer
½ cup unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. and 2 Tsp. cream
2 Tbsp. vanilla custard powder
2 cups icing sugar

Cream butter, cream, custard powder, and icing sugar together well. Beat until light. Spread over bottom layer.

Third Layer
4 squares semi-sweet chocolate (1 oz. each)
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

Melt chocolate and butter overlow heat. Cool. Once cool, but still liquid, pour over second layer and chill in refrigerator.

From http://www.nanaimo.ca/EN/main/visitors/NanaimoBars.html

My ongoing Quest for the perfect Carbonara--THE PERFECT MEAL

Spaghetti alla Carbonara: How to make a real CARBONARA

As I mentioned in a previous blog (http://markgsmusings.blogspot.com/2009/06/carbonara-sauce-my-favorite-italian.html), I love Carbonara Sauce. I've spent years searching for the perfect recipe. My favorite carbonara meal was at a restaurant in Rome. The reason I loved it so much was because it was prepared the way I prefer--NO cream. It was just eggs, pancetta, cheese, pepper. I found this video of an Italian chef making "real" carbonara and I think this may be the recipe I've been seeking for years. REAL, perfect, carbonara. Unfortunately you can't embed the video but have I put a hyperlink so that you can visit youtube and watch:

Click here to visit youtube to watch the video

Here's the recipe from the video, but you should really watch the video to see his technique. Particularly the frequent use water to "amalgamate"

http://www.italianfoodnet.com - ITALIAN CARBONARA, the real one!!!

Ingredients for 4 persons
360 gr. (12.69 oz.) Spaghetti
60 gr. (2.11 oz.) Guanciale (Pork cheek) if you don't find it use bacon
80 gr. (2.82 oz.) Parmesan cheese
80 gr. (2.82 oz.) Pecorino cheese
4 Eggs
1 Teaspoon Black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil

Buon Appetito!!

The recipe is from the youtube site

Carbonara Sauce--My favorite Italian food--another passion

I love food. I love to eat. I've always picked up strange fascinations with certain dishes. The two primary obsessions, for which I've spent years on a quest seeking the perfect recipe, are Carbonara Sauce and Jambalaya (my favorite food is Cajun food).

We'll stick with Carbonara Sauce for this post. There is nothing more perfect than the perfect Carbonara (and I am still searching). The best carbonara that I've ever had was at a restaurant in Rome.

Sometimes the best dishes are ones that are very simple and straightforward. Carbonara is a perfect example: eggs, cream, butter, parmesan cheese, a little onion, parsley and bacon (pancetta). This is one of the most sinfully delicious meals ever. And, such beauty in a dish, no?

For years, I have tasted this dish in restaurants and for years I've hunted for carbonara recipes in cookbooks (someday I'm going to publish a cookbook solely about carbonara). Most restaurants idea of carbonara differ quite a bit from my ideal.

There seems to be two types of carbonara recipes. The first is a cream-based sauce similar to alfredo. The second, and my personal preference, is egg-based. Then there are recipes that combine both which as long as it's light on the cream are okay alternatives in my book.

Sometimes you'll find restaurants or recipes that add either mushrooms or English peas in the carbonara. I tend to be a purist and prefer it without either.

The best recipes for carbonara, in my opinion, have little cream, and you literally pour the raw eggs and bacon mixture over pasta and toss. Perfection! Exquisite! And relatively inexpensive to make.

What I'd like to further explore is why there are two schools of thought about carbonara Sauce: cream-based versus egg-based. Is it a regional Italian preference? Where exactly did carbonara Sauce originate.

Oh, and my personal pasta preference with Carbonara is spaghetti, but I've had it with every type of pasta and it's always perfect.

I'd love to hear from others about your preferred Carbonara recipe. So here's a recent one that I tried and it was quel good (as Holly Gollightly referred to one of her suitors, "quel rat"):

Carbonara Sauce
15 oz/425 g spaghetti
freshly gated Parmesan cheese, to serve

Sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
6 oz/175g pancetta (or other bacon)
1 tbsp butter
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
3 eggs beaten
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper

Heat the olive oil and butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes, or until translucent. Add the garlic and bacon and cook until the bacon is crisp. Transfer to a warm dish or bowl. When ready to prepare return the bacon mixture to the skillet.

*Combine the cream, eggs, and cheese in a large bowl and season to taste.

Working very quickly, tip the spaghetti into the bacon mixture and pour over the eggs. Add the chopped parsley. Toss the spaghetti quickly until the egg and cream mixture, using 2 forks, and serve immediately. Garnish with fresh sage twigs and parmesan cheese.

Cook's tip: the key to success with this recipe is not to overcook the egg. It is important to keep all the ingredients hot enough to just cook the egg and to work rapidly to avoid scrambling it.

(Optional: this recipe called for mushrooms. If you'd like to add mushrooms then here's the modified recipe: 3 cups sliced mushrooms, 2 tbsp butter. Keep the 2 tbsp of butter out of the initial step of heating the onion and garlic. After the onion and garlic prep, then melt the butter in the skillet. Add the mushrooms and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally for 3-4 minutes, or until tender. Follow recipe from here*)

This recipe came from a book titled: Pasta Sauces: A classic collection of Italian-style recipes published by Parragon, 2004, page 24-25.