Italian "Red Sauce"

Ok so I know that I haven't up with this blog but I just HAD to share this recipe. There are two ways to make it so Im going to share both.

ITALIAN RED SAUCE (For Pasta or Lasagna)

INGREDIENTS

10-15 Large Red Tomatoes

5-8 Good sized Roma tomatoes

OR

1 28oz Can crushed tomatoes

1 28oz Can italian seasoned diced tomatoes

1.5 - 2 Lbs ground beef

1/2 lb Mild Italian Sausage (optional)

2 med sized yellow onions

3 cloves (or 1 TBS) garlic Minced

2 TBS Fresh Basil

2 TBS Cilantro

! TBS Italian Seanoning

1 tsp red pepper flakes

2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

2 tsp sugar (optional)

 DIRECTIONS

(**For fresh tomatoes. Bring a large pot of water to a hard boil. Drop in 3-4 tomatoes at a time, boil about 10-30 seconds or until skin starts to split. Remove and immediately place in a bowl of ice water to halt the cooking process. Peel skin off tomatoes and place in a large bowl. Using a hand blender, blend tomatoes until smooth**)

1) Chop Onions and Mince garlic and place in a frying pan with 2 TBS olive oil on Med Heat.While garlic and onions are browning, mix ground beef, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until well blended

2) When garlic is light brown (make sure it is light brown and not cooked too long or it will burn) Add ground beef mixture and Italian sausage. Cook until all meat is browned.

3) While meat is cooking chop fresh basil and cilantro. Add cans of tomatoes or blended tomato sauce, fresh herbs, italian seasoning, and sugar to large pot or slow cooker. 

4) Cook on low stove heat for 1.5 hours. Cook on high slow cooker heat for 3-4 hours.

Use over pasta or in lasagna.

 

Steak Salad

When I was in South Carolina in 2008 I went to a restaurant that had the greatest Filet Mignon Salad. I have yet to find a restaurant that makes it better. 

Now we all know Filet Mignon is a very expensive cut of beef. So I took the idea of that salad and I created my own little twist.

Ingredients

One bag of Arugula lettuce (Can substitute spring mix if Arugula is unavailable)

One container grape tomatoes

One 3-4 Lb Beef Roast. (For this recipe I've used both chuck shoulder roast and london broil)

1 TBS Salt

1/2 TBS Pepper

1/2 TBS Garlic Powder

1 Tsp Paprika

1 Tsp Cumin

One Stick of Room Temperature Butter

Orange Vinaigrette (Recipe Follows)

2-4 Lemon Halves

Directions

Preheat your oven to 500 Degrees Fahrenheit. **Make sure your oven is clean, this temperature will burn off any excess foods and cause high amounts of smoke**

Combine spices together in a small bowl and set aside. 

Graciously coat meat in butter on all sides. Rub spice mixture on all sides of roast. Place in a shallow roasting pan. Do not add water or juices to the pan and do not cover. The temperature as well as the butter will allow the roast to sear while cooking the inside to the perfect medium rare temperature.

Put roast in the oven for about 22 minutes then check the temperature. For a medium rare roast, remove the roast when the internal temperature reads 140 Degrees F (the roast will continue to cook and raise another 5 degrees when removed) For Medium 150 Degrees, and for Well 160 Degrees.

When the roast has reached the proper temperature remove from oven and immediate cover the roast with foil. Do NOT cover the pan, leave the roast in the pan and wrap foil over top and sides of roast and allow to rest for 20 minutes. This will allow the roast to reabsorb the juices it has released giving you a moist cut of meat as well as raising the internal temperature another 5 degrees.

While the roast sits arrange lettuce and tomato on plates and half the lemon.

Slice the meat in thin strips and set on top of the salad. Squeeze 1 half lemon onto each plate then top with Orange Vinaigrette.

Orange Vinaigrette

1/4 Cup Orange Marmalade

2 TBS Balsamic Vinegar

2 Tsp Honey

1/8 Tsp Black Pepper

Pinch of Salt

2 Tsp Olive Oil

In a small jar with tight fitting lid combine all ingredients and shake thoroughly then refrigerate. Stores in refrigerator for up to one week.

Tonight Im making Stuffed Pork Chops. Ill have the recipe listed by tomorrow.