DOM DELUISE MAMMA'S SUNDAY SAUCE (1/2 QUANTITY RECIPE) 3 tbls olive oil 3 Italian sausages 12 - 15 meatballs (see recipe) 3 country bone-in style pork ribs, or 3 pork spareribs 1 large (or 3 small)Braciole (I used Mad Hungry Beef Braciole recipe) 1 lb boneless pork (no fat), in 1 piece - DID NOT USE 2 large garlic cloves 1 small onion, chopped (about 3/4 cup) 3-4 (28 oz) cans crushed tomatoes (I used 2 (28oz) cans and 1 (14.5oz) cans whole plum tomatoes) 1 quart water - ADDED 1 (6oz) can tomato paste 1/2 tbls sugar 6 large fresh basil leaves, chopped 1 tsp oregano 1 tsp kosher salt - ADDED MY DIRECTIONS: Place the whole plum tomatoes in a food processor, and pulse to 3 times to finely chop (but not puree'd). Heat the olive oil in a large stock put, and brown sausages on all sides and set aside. Brown the braciole on all sides, set aside. Brown ribs and set aside. Have browned meatballs ready. Add the onions to the pot and saute until soft. Add the garlic, and continue to cook until the onions are browned. Add the tomato sauce and cook, stirring contantly until the tomato sauce darkens slightly. Add the processed tomatoes and water. Bring to a low boil. Add the sugar, basil, oregano, and salt. Stir to combine well. Then add all the meats back to the pot. Reduce the heat and cook the gravy/sauce at a low simmer for 3 to 4 hours. Remove the braciole(s) after 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Remove the pork ribs when the meat starts to separate from the bones. keep amy meat removed warm in a oven. Your can leave the meatballs and sausage in the whole timne to help flavor the sauce. At serving time, remove the rest of the meat and cut into serving sized peices. Serve the gravy/sauce over your favorite cooked pasta, with additional gravy for the meat and pasta on the side. ORIGINAL DIRECTIONS In a huge pot gently fry garlic and onion in the oil until golden brown. Brown sausages in the same pan and set aside. Have browned meatballs ready. Brown the Braciole, set aside. Brown ribs and pork, set aside. Pour off the fat and add tomatoes and tomato paste. Gently heat to boiling, stirring often. To the hot sauce add the meats, sugar, 5 basil leaves, and oregano. Stir gently, let simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Skim off as much fat as you can and discard. Cut meats into serving portions. GRANDMA MARONIS MEATBALLS 100 YEAR OLD RECIPE (MY VERSION) 1 pound ground chuck 1/4 ground pork (added) 4 ounces dried bread crumbs (1 - 1 1/2 cups) 4 large eggs (used 3 ex-large), (use 2 ex-large next time) 4 ounces whole milk (used 1/2 cup) 6 ounces grated Romano cheese (used 3/4 cup) 3 ounces grated Spanish onion (used 1/3 cup grated) 2 ounces finely diced fresh garlic (used 2 tbls) 2 ounces finely chopped fresh Italian parsley (used 3 tbls), (use 1 1/2 tbls next time) 2 ounces finely chopped fresh basil (used 3 tbls), (use 1 1/2 tbls next time) NEEDED SALT Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with olive oil cooking spray. Mix all ingredients thoroughly in large bowl. If mixture seems a little loose add more bread crumbs. Roll meatballs loosely about the size of a golf ball and place on baking sheet. Place into preheated oven for approximately 35 to 40 minutes. Enjoy! MAD HUNGRY BEEF BRACIOLE 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling 3 cloves garlic, minced (about 3 teaspoons) 1 1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 1 teaspoon coarse salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme, or 1/4 teaspoon dried 5 thinly sliced top-round sirloin steaks Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and 2 teaspoons of the garlic in a small skillet over medium heat until it sizzles but does not brown, about 30 seconds. Stir in the breadcrumbs, remove from the heat, and set aside to cool. Stir in the Parmesan, parsley, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, 1/8 teaspoon of the black pepper, the red pepper flakes, and thyme. Lay the meat slices out side by side on a clean workspace. Sprinkle each slice with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Place a scant 1/4 cup filling over each meat slice, leaving a 1/4-inch border. Drizzle on olive oil and roll each piece up from the widest to narrowest end. Tie each piece with the string. Place the remaining 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat. Just before the oil smokes, add the meat bundles. Working in batches if necessary, cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove the braciola from the pan and keep warm until the tomato sauce is ready. MEATLOAF: YES, VIRGINIA THERE IS A GREAT MEATLOAF! Meatloaf: 1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef (90/10 or 85/15) 1 slice bread (or 1/4 cup ground garlic croutons) 1/2 - 2/3 cup half-and-half (or whole milk) 1 egg 1 small sweet onions, finely chopped (~2/3 cup) 1 tsp table salt (needed a little more) 1/4 tsp black pepper (try 1/2 tsp) 4 tbls ketchup Sauce: (double this recipe next time) 4 tbls apple cider vinegar 2 - 4 tbls dark brown sugar, packed firm (to taste) 1/2 cup ketchup 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce (Anna added more) 1 tsp Kitchen Bouquet 1/2 tsp liquid smoke Meatloaf: Combine meat loaf ingredients, gently mix together, and form into a loaf shape. Place the loaf on a wire rack on a sheet pan. Combine all the sauce ingredients, and mix well. Simmer the sauce over low heat just until the sauce come together (it should not be runny). Lighly coat the top the meatloaf with the sauce, and bake at 350 degrees for about 60 to 75 minutes, or until done. Coat the meatloaf with additional sauce every 20 minutes. PASTA WITH BRAISED SHORT RIBS 4 pounds beef short ribs salt (preferably kosher) fresh ground black pepper 1/4 cup peanut oil 1 medium onion, diced (1 1/2 cups) 3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped 6 large roma tomatoes, cut into eighths 1 cup red wine 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 2 cups low-sodium beef broth 3 tbls tomato paste Season the ribs with salt and pepper. In batches, so you do not overcrowd the pan, brown the ribs very well on all sides. Remove the ribs and set aside. Add the onion and garlic to the pot and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, wine and mustard. Bring the mixture to a boil and scrape up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan. Return the ribs to the pan, and add the beef broth. Cover the pan, and place in an 350 degree oven on the lower 1/3 rack. Bake for 2 1/2 hours, or until the meat is fork-tender. Remove the ribs from the cooking liquid. Remove any excess fat from the surface of the cooking liquid. Add the tomato paste. Puree the liquid sauce with a submersion hand blender. Remove the meat from the bones with your hands. Shred the meat into small pieces (you should get about 4 cups). Stir the shredded meat into the sauce. Season, to taste, with salt and black pepper. Cook your choice of pasta until it is almost cooked through, but still a little tough. Drain the paste. Add enough of the cooking liquid to cover about 1/2 the pasta. Continue to cook, stirring often, until the pasta is finished cooking. Serve with the addition meat sauce, and a good sprinkle of grated Parmesan cheese. COMMENTS: Next time increase the sauce by half (amounts below) 1 large onion, diced (2 cups) 4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped 9 large roma tomatoes, cut into eighths 1 1/2 cup red wine 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard 3 cups low-sodium beef broth 4 tbls tomato paste CREAM OF CHIPOTLE ENCHILADA CASSEROLE V1 3 boneless skinless chicken breast 2 (14.5oz) cans Hatch Red Enchilada Sauce 3 large garlic cloves, minced 1/2 tsp kosher salt 1/4 tsp black pepper 1 canned chipotle chile, minced 1 tsp adobe sauce from chipotle can 1/2 cup (?) heavy cream 1/2 cup milk 1 tbls agave nectar (or honey) 1 large white onion, chopped 1 (20 cnt) package white corn tortillas 2 cups shredded Monteray Jack cheese 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese Add the enchilada sauce, garlic, salt and pepper to a deep sided skillet. Bring this to a low boil, and then reduce to a low simmer. Add the chicken breast. Cook the chicken about 15 minutes, or until the temperature just reaches 165 degrees. Remove the chicken and set aside to cool. Add the chopped chipotle chile and adobo sauce, and cook for 5 minutes. Now add the cream and milk, and stir to combine well. Cook for another 5 minutes. Add the agave nectare (or honey). Stir this in well and taste, adjusting the salt if needed. Remove this mixture form the heat. Roughly shred the chicken breast, and stir in 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce mixture. Quickly saute the chopped onion until it just turns transparent (they should still be crisp). Set the onions aside. To assemble the casserole, start with a layer of the tortillas in the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish. Cover these with a thin layer of chicken, followed by a sprinkling of the sauted onion. Next drizzle on a light the enchilada sauce (you do not want to complete cover the chicken). Top this with a thin layer of Monteray Jack cheese. Repeat these layers a second time, finishing with the chesse. Sprinkle on a final cheese layer with the cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 degrees until warmed through and the cheese on top is melted, but not browned. Garnish with chopped cilantro, and serve. CREAM OF CHIPOTLE CHICKEN ENCHILADA CASSEROLE V2 3 large boneless skinless chicken breast 2 (14.5oz) cans Hatch Red Enchilada Sauce 3 large garlic cloves, minced 1/2 tsp kosher salt 1/4 tsp black pepper 1 canned chipotle chile, minced very fine 1 1/2 tsp adobe sauce from chipotle can 1 cup half and half 1/2 tbls butter (optional) 2 tsp agave nectar (or honey) 1 small white onion (~ 1 cup), chopped 1 package white corn tortillas 2 cups shredded monteray jack cheese 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese Add the enchilada sauce, garlic, salt and pepper to a deep sided skillet. Bring this to a low boil, and then reduce to a low simmer. Add the chicken breast. Cook the chicken about 15 minutes, or until the temperature just reaches 165 degrees. Remove the chicken and set aside to cool. Add the chopped chipotle chile and adobo sauce, and cook for 5 minutes. Add the half and half and butter (if using), and stir until the butter is melted. Cook for another 5 minutes. Add the agave nectare (or honey). Stir this in well and taste, adjusting the salt if needed. Keep the sauce warm on the stove. Roughly shred the chicken breast in a bowl. Stir in 1/4 cup of the chipotle cream sauce mixture. Quickly saute the chopped onion until it just turns transparent (they should still be crisp). Remove from the heat and set aside. Quickly fry each tortilla for a few seconds in about 1/4 inch of oil, and then dip the tortilla into the chipolte cream sauce. Stack up the coated tortillas. (Do not do this step - it makes the dish "gummy" in texture). To assemble the casserole, start with a layer of the tortillas in the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish. Cover these with a thin layer of chicken, followed by a sprinkling of the sauted onion. Next drizzle on a light the enchilada sauce (you do not want to complete cover the chicken). Top this with a thin layer of Monteray Jack cheese. Repeat these layers a second time, finishing with the chesse. Sprinkle on a final cheese layer with the cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 degrees until warmed through and the cheese on top is melted, but not browned. Garnish with chopped cilantro, and serve. SPAGHETTI PIE WITH TURKEY AND SAUSAGE 1 lb ground turkey 1/4 lb mild pork breakfast sausage 1 (24oz) jar prepared mariana sauce 2 tbls sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce 1 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp dried oregano 3/4 tsp dried basil 1/2 tsp kosher salt 1/4 black pepper 1/3 lb angle hair pasta 2 eggs, beaten 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated 1 tbls dried parsley flakes 1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated Brown the ground turkey and sausage in a large skillet, over medium-high heat. Add the mariana sauce, water, sun-dried tomatoes, Worcestershire, garlic powder, oregano, basil, salt and black pepper. Simmer for 20 -25 minutes, or until the meat mixture is almost dry. While the meat sauce is simmering, cook the pasta according to the package directions (be careful not to over cook it). Add the drained pasta to a large mixing bowl. Add the parsley flakes and Parmesan cheese. Mix well. Add the beaten eggs (making sure the pasta is cooled enough not to curdle the eggs), add fold the mixture together. Divide the pasta into two equal parts. Add each half to a grease 9 inch glass pie pans. Smooth the pasta mixture out to make an even "crust" layer for your pie. Top the pasta with half of the meat mixture. Top with half of the grated mozzarella cheese. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes, or until the cheese on top is melted and starts to bubble. Cliff Note: We use Bertolli Vineyard Marinara Sauce. The sun-dried tomatoes are dry packed in a package. BREAKFAST SAUSAGE Comment: Better, but still not tasting like breakfast sausage. 2 teaspoons dried sage 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1 pinch ground nutmet 2 pounds ground pork Breakfast Sausage 3 1/2 pounds ground pork 1/2 pork fat 4 teaspoons dried sage 3 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 3/8 teaspoon dried marjoram 1 3/4 tablespoon brown sugar 1 1/2 teaspoon maple suryp 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1 pinch ground nutmeg In a small, bowl, combine the sage, salt, ground black pepper, marjoram, brown sugar, crushed red pepper and cloves. Mix well. Place the pork in a large bowl and add the mixed spices to it. Mix well with your hands and form into patties. Saute the patties in a large skillet over medium high heat for 5 minutes per side, or until internal pork temperature reaches 160 degrees F. GERMAN ROULADEN 2 lbs thinly sliced round steak (carne ranchera) 1/4 cup Dijon mustard 2 tsp grated horseradish (not creamed) 3/4 lb thick sliced bacon 1 large sweet onions, diced fresh ground black pepper, to taste 2 tbls butter 2 tbls bacan greese 2 (14.5oz) cans beef broth 1 can of water 2 large cloves garlic, smashed 1 small bay leaf 1 tsp kosher salt Cook the bacon until it is about half done (it should still be soft). Cut up the bacon into a medium dice. Mix the mustard and horseradish together in a small bowl. Lay out the sliced round steak, and pound lightly with a meat tenderizing hammer. Cover the tenderized steaks in a thin coat of the mustard mixture. Season with the fresh ground black pepper. Sprinkle with the diced bacon and diced onion. Roll the steaks up "jelly roll" style. Secure the roll with a skewer, toothpicks, or butchers twine. Repeat with the remaining steaks. Brown the rolls on a sides in a large skillet, in a mixer of the butter and bacon grease. Side the rouladen aside on a plate when browned. Deglaze the skillet with one of the cans of the beef broth. Add this broth to a large slow cooker. Add the other can of broth and the can of water. Smash the cloves of garlic and add them to the slow cooker, along with the bay leaf, and salt. Add the browned rouladen to the liquid in the slow cooker. Cook on low power until the rouladen are fall apart tender. Remove the cooked rouladen from the slow cooker, and thicken the sauce/gravy. Trying flour/water slurry, flour and butter roux, corn starch, bread, or a mixture of these. Varations: Add diced gherkin or dill pickles, or chopped capers, to the rouladen before rolling them up. This is very traditional in parts of Germany. Cliff's Cast Iron Skillet Roasted Chicken I was looking for a easy method for roast chicken, and the cast iron skillet worked great. I later added brining the chicken. It makes the dish a little more time consuming, although the results are worth it. But if you are in a hurry, skip the brine and just follow the rest of the recipe. We did it this way for a long time. But do salt the bird before roasting (a step skipped below because of the brine). The tricks here are preheating the skillet to be blazing hot, the bacon to keep the breast moist, and not filling up the bird's cavity to allow for the hot air to circulate though the inside of the bird. 2-3 lb chicken 1/2 cup kosher salt 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 tbls garlic powder zest of one large lemon water (~ 2qt) and ice Option 1: 3 - 4 strips of bacon, cut in half fresh ground black pepper 1 tsp dried lemon zest 1 large lemon, halved Option 2: 4 tbls butter 3 cloves garlic (1/2 tbls) fresh ground black pepper Brine: Add the salt, sugar, garlic powder, and lemon zest to the water, and heat until they dissolve. Add ice, and refrigerate until cool. Add the clean and washed chicken. Brine for 2 to 3 hours. Chicken: Remove the chicken from the brine, and dry thoroughly with paper towels. Place the two lemon halves in the cavity of the chicken. Sprinkle the chicken with black pepper and lemon zest. Cover the breast and the top of each thigh with strips of bacon. While preparing the chicken, place a 12" cast iron skillet on the lower rack in the oven, and preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Using heat protection, carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven. Place the chicken in the skillet, and return to the oven. Roast for 1 hours. Take the chicken out of the oven and remove the bacon. Return the chicken to the oven and roast of another 1/2 hour, or until the thigh is at 160 degrees. Mince the garlic very finely. Mix the garlic into the soften butter. Loosen the skin around the breast and thighs. Spread the garlic butter mixture under the loosened skin. Place the chicken on a plate to thoroughly air dry for 30 minutes. We make several variation on this roast chicken. Usually putting an herb butter under the skin before laying on the bacon. Use the butter from this recipe for one idea. But, a compound butter with just garlic, chives, and lemon zest is also delicious. The last time we use an idea from TV, and roasted several lemon halves at the same time as the chicken and then used the juice from these lemons to make a roasted lemon vinaigrette as a sauce for the chicken. VENEZUELA STEWED BEEF (for tacos or tortas) Beef: 1 (3-4 lb) flank steak 2 medium white onions, quartered 2 bay leafs water, to cover Sauce: 2 tbls olive oil 2 cups onion, chopped 3 - 4 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 tsp dried oregano 1/3 tsp red pepper flakes. 1 tbls tomato paste 1/4 tsp powdered cumin 1 (28oz) can whole roma tomatoes 1 cup liquid from cooking beef, or beef stock Beef: Add the flank steak to a large dutch oven. Add the onions and bay leaf. Cover with water and cook for 1 1/2 hours. Remove the pot from the heat and let the beef cool in the liquid until it is cool enough to handle with your hands. Sauce: Heat the oil in a large pan or skillet. Add the onions and garlic when the oil is hot, and sauce for 2 minutes. Add the oregano, pepper flakes, and tomato paste. Saute for another 2 minutes, or until the tomato paste darkens slightly. Add the cumain, whole tomatoes, and cooking liquid. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Remove the lid after 15 minutes and stir, working to break up the tomatoes. Cover again, and simmer for another 15 mintues. Finishing: Shred the cooled flank steak using a fork and your hands. Add the shredded beef to the cooked tomato sauce, and stir gently to mix everything together. Simmer for 15 minutes together, and serve. Serve on tacos, tortas. Or use fried plantains for a tortilla like shell in a tostadas. ONE POT SIMMERED CARNITAS 1 (2-3 lb) pork but, untrimmed 1 large onion, thinly sliced 2 cloves large garlic, chopped 1/2 of a large orange, quartered 1 tsp dried oregano 2 bay leaves 2 tbls condensed milk water Cut the pork into 1 inch cubes. Add the pork to a large stock pot off the heat. Add the onion, garlic, orange, oregano, bay leaves, and condensed milk. Add enough water to cover the meat a little more than halfway. Put the pot over medium high heat, and cook until the water starts to simmer. Reduce the heat to low and simmer very slowly while gently stirring until all the water is going, and the meat starts to fry in the rendered pork fat. You want just a little bit a crunchy coating on the pork. Remove the bay leaves and serve. GREEN CHILE AND ZUCCHINI QUICHE 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted 24 Triscuits crackers, ground in a food processor (~1 cup) 1 zucchini (~ 8 oz total) 1/2 tsp kosher salt 1 tbls vegetable oil 1/2 cup chopped onion 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 3 large eggs 1 (8 oz) Pkg Monterey jack cheese, grated 1 cup whole-milk cottage cheese 1 (4 oz) can chopped green chiles, drained Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Stir 4 tablespoons of the melted butter into the cracker crumbs. Press the crumb mixture into the bottom and 1-inch up the sides of a 9-inch glass pie plate. Bake the crust in the center of the preheated oven until it begins to brown, about 7 minutes. Remove the crust from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Meanwhile, grate the zucchini, preferably using the grating disk of a food processor. Toss the zucchini with 1/2 teaspoon salt and let drain in a colander for 10 minutes. Heat the oil in a medium skillet over high heat until hot. Reduce the heat to medium; add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Squeeze the zucchini well with your hands to remove excess moisture. Add the zucchini to the onion and cook over high heat for 3 minutes. Combine the flour, and baking powder in a small bowl. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the eggs until thick and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the Monterey Jack and cottage cheeses, the flour mixture, and remaining 2 tablespoons melted butter to the eggs and beat well. Stir in the zucchini mixture and chiles and pour the mixture into the crust. Bake the casserole in the center of the oven until the top is puffed and golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Set aside at room temperature 5 minutes, cut into wedges, and serve with salsa, if desired. Comments: Reduce salt. Use a different cracker (maybe Wheat Thins) for crust, or even bread crumbs. Lazy Man's Non-Rolled Cabbage Casserole 2 tbls olive oil 1 to 1 1/2 lb ground turkey 1 cup onion, diced 1 cup bell pepper, diced 3 large cloves garlic, minced 6 tbls uncooked brown rice 1 medium head cabbage 1 can (10.5 oz) condensed tomato soup 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce 1 c. water 1 teaspoon kosher salt black pepper, to taste Quarter and core the cabbade head, and roughly chop the quartered cabbage. Spread the cabbage in an even layer in the bottom of a casserole dish. You want cabbage to be about 3/4 to 1 inch in depth. Heat oil in a large skillet, and cook the ground turkey until lightly browned. Add the onions, bell peppers, and garlic. Cook until the vegetalbles just start to soften. Stir in the uncooked rice and continue to cook for a couple of minutes, stirring contantly. Remove from the heat, and top the cabbage with the meat mixture. Combine tomato soup, tomato sauce, water, salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Mix well. Pour this evenly over the top of the meat mixture. Cover with foil and bake at 350° for 1 hour and 45 minutes (remove the foil during the 5 minutes of baking). UNSTUFFED CABBAGE WITH GROUND TURKEY Adapted from Cabbage Beef Casserole 1 Tbsp. olive oil 1 onion, diced 1 green pepper, diced 1 lb. ground turkey (look for all white meat) 6 Tbsp. uncooked brown rice 1 medium cabbage, roughly chopped 1 10.5 oz. can condensed tomato soup (I use Campbell’s Healthy Request) 1 c. tomato sauce 1 c. water ground pepper to taste Preheat over to 350° F. Heat oil in a large skillet, and saute onion and green pepper until they begin to caramelize. Add ground turkey, cooking over medium heat until it is nicely browned (it does not need to be cooked through). Stir in uncooked rice. Set aside. While the turkey is browning, spread cabbage in an even layer in the bottom of a casserole dish. (A 9×13 would be fine; I do two 8×8 baking tins and freeze one.) Top with the turkey mixture. Combine tomato soup, sauce, water, and ground pepper in a bowl, and pour evenly over the cabbage and turkey. Cover with foil and bake at 350° for 1.5 hours. CABBAGE BEEF CASSEROLE 1 head cabbage 1 lb ground beef 1/2 cup onions ( cut up) 1 green peppers ( chopped) 1 tablespoon cooking oil 1 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons uncooked rice 1 (10 1/2 ounce) cans condensed tomato soup 1 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce 3/4 cup water Brown ground beef in oil; add onion,green pepper, salt and rice. Slice cabbage in bottom of casserole dish; spread beef mixture over cabbage. Mix tomato soup and water; add tomato sauce. Pour over cabbage and meat. Cover and bake at 350° for 1 1/2 hours. CLIFF'S CONEY DOG CHILI - HENRY'S CHILI START The start of this sauce is our standard chili recipe. I modified it in several ways to to make a smoother chili to serve over hot dogs or burgers. The results are a very tasty chili dog. 2 lbs lean ground beef 1 medium sweet onion 1 poblano pepper 2 large cloves garlic, minced 1 (16oz) can diced tomatoes 1 (8oz) can tomato sauce 1 (12oz) bottle of beer 1 1/2 cups water 2 tbls New Mexico chili powder 2 tsp paprika 1 tbls black pepper 1 tsp salt (if using Kosher, use more) 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin 1/2 tsp Mexican oregano 2 tbls sugar, or corn syrup Mix the dry spices together in a small bowl. Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, and beer to a large stock pot. Bring to a simmer. Add one half of the dry spice mix. Stir well to blend the spices. Add the ground beef, and work to break up the meat and tomatoes while cooking (I use a potato masher). Simmer for 15 minutes. While the chili start is simmering, process the onion, garlic, and poblano pepper in a food processor until finely chopped (a few pulses). Saute the chopped vegetables in a hot skillet, with a tablespoon of oil, until softened and slightly browned. Add the onions and peppers to the chili mixute. Bring back to a simmer, and add the rest of the dry spice mixture. Stir well, and add the sugar or corn syrup. Continue cooking for at least two hour, stirring often. You are looking for a thick oatmeal like consistancy. Like most chilis it is also better re-heated the next day. Serve over cooked hot dogs or hamburgers. PORK CHOP BRINE 1/4 cup koshar salt 1/4 sugar 1/4 molasses 2 cloves garlic, crushed 1/2 tsp ginger (freeze dried) 6 black peppercorns, crushed 2 sprigs fresh thyme 1 bay leaf 8 cups water Brine chops for 8 hours. GRILLED PORK CHOP BASTE 1/2 cup apple juice 2 tbls low sodium soy sauce 1 tsp ginger (freeze dried) ASIAN GREEN BEANS 1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed 1 large shallot, sliced 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced 1 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil 1 (4 oz) jar pimentos 1 1/2 tablespoon oyster sauce 1/8 teaspoon pepper 1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted Cook green beans in boiling water 4 to 6 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain. Plunge into ice water to stop the cooking process; drain. Sauté green onions, garlic, and ginger in hot sesame oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat 1 minute. Add green beans and bell pepper; cook 1 minute. Add oyster sauce and pepper, stirring until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with almonds. HOME MADE CHORIZO - FIRST TRY 1 lb fresh ground pork 2 cloves garlic, pressed 2 tsp onion, graded very fine 1 tsp kosher salt 2 tbls paprika 1 tbls hot NM chile powder 1/2 tsp De Arbol chile powder 1/4 tsp ground cloves 1/2 tsp black pepper 1/2 tsp ground cumin 1/4 tsp ground coriander 1/2 tsp Mexican oregano 1/2 tsp sugar 2 tbls cider vinegar 1 tbls water Next Time: More vinegar - try 4 tbls white vinegar Definitely more salt - try 2 or 2 1/2 tsp No clove (ground) More paprika (if you want more color) - 3 to 4 tbls Maybe more garlic (3) or onion (2 tbls) Try brown sugar, instead of granulated sugar Country Style Pork Ribs Braised in Tomatoes 4 country style pork ribs kosher salt and black pepper olive oil 1 cup onion, diced 3 cloves garlic 1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes 2 (14.5 oz) cans Italian stewed tomatoes 1/2 tsp basil 1/2 tsp oregano 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce salt and black pepper, to taste