Promises, Promises

No dinner report tonight. I had dinner all planned actually, but The Husband had a craving to hit a buffet, so that’s what we ended up doing. I can’t remember if they bill themselves as the largest in New Jersey or just Northern New Jersey, but either way, they have a good selection of food, and everyone’s happy… Chinese food, Sushi, Salad Bar, Mongolian food and everything in between (even non-greasy pizza and green Jello cubes for Nicholas).

Man there was a lot of interest in the Pepperoni Pie from yesterday! :) As promised, the recipe is below (and now on my side bar under Side Dishes). I’ve also added the recipe from Sunday Gravy, which I owed you guys from all the way back in September. Both of these recipes, in addition to the pasta recipe from yesterday are from The North End Italian Cookbook. A completely picture-less cookbook (I hate that!), but we haven’t had a dud yet. All the recipes in the cookbook are simple, straightforward and reminiscent of good old-fashioned Italian home cooking.

For Treats to the Office Monday, I made a new recipe from Paula Deen, Earthquake Cake. The bottom layer is chopped pecans and coconut, topped with German Chocolate Cake and then spread with a mixture of confectioners sugar, butter and cream cheese. Haven’t tried it yet, but it looks and smells delicious. Hope The Neighbor will save me a piece! If it gets a good report, I’ll post the recipe tomorrow.

Short post tonight ’cause I’m hopping into bed early. It’s cold and sleeting outside, and a perfect night for snuggling under warm comforters and dozing off in front of the TV.

Don’t forget, tomorrow is our first ARF/5-a-Day Tuesday … if you make a recipe with an ARF (Antioxidant Rich Food) or any fruits or vegetables, send me your permalink by 9:30 pm to be included in the round-up. Here’s to healthy eating in 2006 for all of us.

I’m also excited to be guest hosting a post on a fellow food blogger’s site this week, so you’ll have to tune in to get the dish on that and I’m going to be interview by a blogging site (too cool!).

Until tomorrow…

Claire’s Pepperoni Pie
3/4 cup pepperoni, diced
3/4 cup Muenster cheese, cubed
3/4 cup flour
2 eggs
1 cup milk

Place all the ingredients in a small bowl in the order given. Stir with a slotted spoon until the batter is smooth. The mixture should be lumpy only because of the pepperoni and cheese. Pour the batter into a greased 9-inch pie plate. Bake in a preheated 400-degree oven for 30-35 minutes or until the center is firm (test with a toothpick). Cut into wedges and serve. Serves 6 to 8.

Sunday Gravy (in my sidebar under Meat)
1 pound sweet Italian sausage
2 pounds meatballs
4-5 lean pork chops
1 pound lean spareribs
1 pound piece of beef or pork
1/2 cup olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
pinch of dried basil, red pepper flakes and mint
1 6 oz can of tomato paste
1 28 oz can peeled and crushed tomatoes
1 28 oz can of water
salt and pepper to taste

Fry the meats of your choice in 1/4 cup of the oil in a large heavy saucepan. When they are browned, transfer them to a platter. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of oil to the residual juices in the pan. When the oil is hot, saute the onion, garlic and seasonings until transparent. Stir in the tomato paste and blend well. Add the tomatoes and stir until blended with the tomato paste and oil. Stir in an extra pinch of the seasonings. Add water, using the 28 oz can from the tomatoes. (Keep adding water until the sauce remains the thickness you desire; usually a full can does it). Let the sauce come to a full boil and add salt and pepper to taste and an additional pinch of herbs. Return the meat to the pan, then simmer over medium heat, uncovered, for at least 1 hour or until all of the meat is fully cooked. Stir gently every 15 minutes or so, using a large wooden spoon. Serve the sauce over pasta, reserving some additional sauce for individual servings at the table. Serves 10-12 generously.

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