The Best Ever Bolognese Sauce

by Linda

  Really good Pasta Bolognese is one of my favorite meals. The sauce does require long hours of cooking to reduce all of the veggies, meat and tomato sauce into a thick and delicious ragù, so I make it when I am going to be home all day. The sauce freezes really well which is the good news. Make the big batch and freeze the leftovers. It is great for entertaining, because your guests will be able to taste that you spent all day making that sauce… they just won’t know which day. I love to serve it on Christmas Eve, because after having worked long hours on one of the busiest days of the year in grocery retail, all that is required to complete a memorable feast is the addition of an antipasto platter, green salad and some garlic bread.

   I adapted this recipe from Anne Burrell who provides one of the few reasons that I ever watch the Food Network anymore. Her cookbook is great.

   I am planning my annual trek to Greenville this month to see my son Jordan. This dish travels well, so I will be taking it along as part of the homemade dishes that I will make in advance to fill up his freezer. I know that all of you who are mothers understand my compulsion to know that my unmarried (take note single ladies!) son has some dishes to enjoy after I am gone that are made with love from Mom.

Ingredients:

olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, chopped
3 ribs of celery, chopped
5 large cloves of garlic, peeled
sea salt and freshly cracked ground pepper
2 pounds lean ground beef
3 6-oz cans of Muir Glen or 365 tomato paste
3 cups drinkable red wine - if you don't want to drink the wine, don't cook with it
3 bay leaves - fresh or dried
1 fresh thyme bundle
about 1/2 to 1 cup whole milk, if desired
1 pound spaghetti or your favorite gluten-free pasta
Parmigiano-Reggiano for finishing

Procedure:

1. In a food processor, fitted with a metal blade, drop the cloves of garlic through the feed tube to mince. Stop the motor, add the onion, carrots, and celery and purée into a coarse paste. In a large stock pot over medium heat, coat pan with olive oil. Add the puréed veggies to the warm oil and season generously with sea salt. Cook until all the water has evaporated, stirring frequently, and the purée becomes soft and is cooked down with most of the moisture gone, about 15 to 20 minutes. Don't rush this stage, it takes time to properly cook the vegetables and to develop flavor. 

2. Add the ground beef and season again generously with salt. Brown the beef. Don't rush this step. Cook another 20 to 25 minutes. Michelle's Note: If I am making a double recipe, I begin browning the meat in a separate skillet to save time. When I am finished cooking the meat, I deglaze the pan with enough red wine to pick-up all the browned bits. I add this wine to the stock pot with the cooked veggies.

3. Add the tomato paste and stir to combine thoroughly cook until brown about  5 minutes. Add the red wine. Cook until the wine has reduced by half, 5 to 10 minutes.

4. Add milk (if using) and filtered water to the pan until the water is about 1 inch above the meat. Toss in the bay leaves and the bundle of thyme and stir to combine everything. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Over the course of the next several hours, as the water evaporates, you will need to add more water, about 2 to 3 cups at a time. Don't worry about adding water during the cooking process, you can always cook it out, so if you think it needs more water, add more water. This is a game of reducing and adding more water to develop the characteristic deep flavors of Bolognese Sauce. Adding all the water at the beginning would result in a boiled meat sauce rather than developing a rich, thick meaty sauce over time. You will likely need to add more salt. Add some now, and check again towards the end of cooking. Simmer for 3-1/2 to 4 hours.

5. During the last 30 minutes of cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat to cook the pasta. Make a habit of always salting your pasta water once it reaches a boil; about 1 to 2 tablespoons will do. The water should be as salty as the ocean. Don't skip this step. Ever. When the water is at a rolling boil add the sea salt (Michelle uses Diamond Kosher Salt), and then pasta, stir frequently. Cook for 1 minute less than it calls for on the package. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.

6. While the pasta is cooking remove half of the sauce from the pot and reserve.

7. Drain the pasta and add to the pot with the remaining sauce. Stir or toss the pasta to coat with the sauce. Add some of the reserved sauce, if needed, to make it about an even ratio between pasta and sauce. Add the reserved pasta cooking water and cook the pasta and sauce together over a medium heat until the water has reduced. Turn off the heat and give a big sprinkle of Parmigiano and a generous drizzle of the high quality finishing olive oil. Toss or stir vigorously. Divide the pasta and sauce into serving bowls or one big pasta bowl. Top with remaining grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and pass more at the table. Serve immediately.

8. Alternatively, for a baked pasta dish to serve a crowd, cook penne or ziti, as described in step 7. I tend to only cook one pound of pasta at a time, but it is probably okay to boil two pounds if you have a large pot and adequate water.

Chocolate Silk French Pie (Gluten-Free)

by Michelle

   Chocolate, daffodils and iris are just a few of my favorite things. Timing is everything and this year I am fortunate that the three are together for Easter. The iris patch in my backyard keeps expanding year after year as the bulbs spread miraculously in the inhospitable clay soil of the desert. I cringe as the summer heat descimates the leaves and am ultimately relieved when the mild winter temperatures resuscitates the plants. My devotion is rewarded with the onset of soaring stems and then the furl of gorgeous purple blooms. Like a Phoenix they rise from the earth and for a short time display their vibrant rainbow colors only to wither and die to wait for resurrection once again. The perfect metaphor for Easter!

This is a favorite poem from my childhood:

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed--and gazed--but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
     And dances with the daffodils.       

                                                            ~William Wordsworth

Quickly chilling the hot cooked eggs in an ice water bath.

   This is one thing I know for sure... one is never too old to color Easter eggs. Our dear friends that moved to Colorado last year were here in the Old Pueblo visiting friends and family last week over spring break. I thought it would be fun for the girls to decorate Easter eggs and the three of them managed to decorate all thirty eggs that I hard boiled for the occasion. This is my Victorian inspired Easter table decorated with vintage lace, bunnies, crystal baskets and festive eggs.

   Chocolate pie is a favorite of mine. Really, chocolate anything is alright with me. If you feel the same, I think you'll like this pie as much as I do.

Chocolate French Silk Chocolate Pie (Gluten-Free)

Spring Forward

by Michelle

   
   While our blogging slowed down leading into the holidays last year and inadvertently into the new year, it doesn't mean that our sisterly devotion to cooking came to a halt. Nothing could be further from the truth. The past five months have been something akin to a whirlwind. Personally, this past Christmas was the first Christmas in years that I hosted and professionally, the fourth quarter was a record. I'm happy to confirm, with a sigh of relief, that the house was festively decorated, all the meals were served as pre-planned and all the many sales were converted to shipments with only a little breathing room to spare.
     In this new post, that I could have (and perhaps more appropriately) titled Snapshots From Tucson, I am happy to report that it has been a stellar year for lemons and bread. That is, at least in Michelle World. My husband's brother and sister-in-law's new home in Phoenix has mature citrus trees in the backyard that zealously fruited this winter. Weekend before last I was the grateful recipient of about sixty fresh lemons, which is in addition to the forty lemons that they gifted to me in February. The challenge was not how to use all the lemons, but giving each lemon a thorough scrubbing and soapy washing in preparation for the various ways I would be using the citrus.
   When considering an abundance of lemons, my mind naturally jumps to Limoncello, surely the nectar of the Gods. I have about two and a half gallons in various stages of preparation. I made a traditional Limoncello, a Mellocello that includes vanilla bean, and a new variation, based upon input from my friend, Michael that will include the addition of fresh lemon juice along with the sugar syrup once the lemon peels are removed and discarded. Limoncello in any of its various forms must age - a minimum of six weeks - to acquire its famous flavor. The longer, the better. Like fine wine, the Limoncello likes to be left alone for awhile.

Allow up to two weeks for the lemon peels to lose all traces of yellow.

   If you are looking for inspiration for an updated shortcake recipe, look no further than the taste sensation of Lemon Cake. Our blog post includes a gluten-free version that is the bomb-dot-com. As an added bonus, the loaves freeze beautifully. Just make sure you defrost on the kitchen counter and do not unwrap the cake until it reaches room temperature. This an all time favorite recipe and I make it every year.

It's imperative to peel lemons with a "light" hand taking only the yellow peel.                                                                           

   In news completely unrelated to lemons, but is nonetheless still news worthy, my sister Juliette swore that she would not own another dog. The decision was good. She was solid in her conviction. Nothing could or would change her mind. Subject closed. Finito. Then came Valentine. Whaddya do? My daughter, Maddie, fell instantly in love with "Val". Everyone falls hard. How could you not? She is the sweetest puppy. Ever. #Whooped.

It's official: Maddie is besotted by Juliette's puppy.

   Preserved lemons purchased from a store do not even remotely compare to homemade. All you need to make preserved lemons is, of course, lemons (preferrably unwaxed), kosher salt and a glass jar with a tight fitting lid. I have been dabbling in Moroccan food, but am not yet quite ready to post a lemon chicken recipe. Last Mother's Day I purchased for myself an extra large tajine made by Emile Henry. I find the design so beautiful and it's deep red hue so gorgeous that I leave it out on permanent display. When I'm not cooking with it, I do enjoy looking at it. Hey, no judging, everybody has their "thang".

Prepping the preserved lemons and blooming saffron to prepare Morrocan Chicken.

   Perhaps you, like me, might be patiently waiting for the arrival of cherry season. Until there are fresh, abundant cherries in their relatively short season, happiness is sourcing organic frozen cherries at Costco. The cherries are a welcome addition to frozen mangos and blueberries added to Linda's green smoothie boosted by fresh kale and spinach for a healthy start to the day. Maddie is happily sipping these in the morning as she gets ready for school. How great is that? My daughter is willingly eating raw spinach and kale.

Bright green Kombucha and Kale Smoothies turn purple by adding blueberries.

   Lately, if I'm not contemplating lemons in my spare time, I'm surely pondering all things bread. In an effort to master an art that humans have been practicing for thousands of years, I am baking miles and miles of bread. Not just any bread, but naturally leavened wild yeast sourdough. I've decided that baking bread is one of the more difficult creative endeavors I have undertaken. Not only are there layers of mysteries to unravel making the dough, depending upon varying conditions, but there is an equally difficult learning curve related to proofing, shaping, scoring and baking.
   My professional work days are spent laboring on the computer and having a phone practically glued to my ear, so practicing baking bread in my spare time turns out to be a peaceful, thoughtful mediation to offset the work day stress, and it also gives my family and friends something good to eat. I recently gave a loaf as a gift to my neighbors and it made them so happy, which in turn made me feel, at the least, like a better neighbor, and perhaps I might go so far as to contemplate, a better human. Note to self, spread more joy by giving the gift of homemade bread or chocolate chip cookies.
   Following my sister Juliette's recommendation, I added to the base bread recipe minced fresh rosemary and lemon zest (employing a rasp-style grater). The bread is amazing. I especially enjoy thick slices toasted then slathered with room temperature unsalted butter. As Austin Powers would say, "Yeah, baby."

Rosemary-Lemon Zest Baguettes.

Spring fling: add rosemary and lemon zest to the French Bread recipe.

   I may tire of eating some entrées in my weeknight recipe rotation but I never seem to lose my appetite for pizza. Especially homemade. The thin crust pizza dough recipe on this site is rated in the top ten of the most popular postings viewed on our blog. We sisters have put a lot of time, energy and practice into perfecting the dough and we've had a lot of fun together making and sharing pizza over the years, such as the Italian combo featured in the photos below. Buffalo Chicken is another favorite. Juliette's spring inspired pizza includes shrimp and lobster. She tosses the shellfish in freshly squeezed lemon juice before layering on top of the prepared dough next to chunks of goat cheese, minced garlic and artichoke hearts. I cherish the time we've all spent together in the kitchen. To make it a party we simply add margaritas, or happy juice or blood orange cosmopolitans, or strawberry lemon drops... (you get the idea).

Ready to be put on the smokin' hot grill.

We can never make just one pizza and the Italian Combo is a favorite. 

   Last month I was engaged in a conference call when my husband came bounding down the stairs and urgently beckoned, with a pointing finger, for me to look out the window. Much to my surprise (and also his by the look on his face) big flakes of snow were beginning to coat the succulents in our front yard with a thin layer of white icing. I felt like a kid excitedly running from window to window as the snow kept miraculously pouring from the sky. The cold snap continued for over a week and all the mountain ranges surrounding Tucson were gorgeously dappled in white instead of the usual year-round brown. Belgian waffles seemed like the natural thing to prepare on such an occasion.  

   And we will close where we began, with lemons. As a bonus, if you don't have access to fresh, unwaxed lemons, no need to despair. Quite the contrary. You are in luck. One of our absolute all time favorite family recipes requires lemon extract in lieu of fresh lemons. Over the generations, our family has made lemon ice cream whenever the craving strikes, which is often. We hope you enjoy it as much as we do. Until next time! Cheers, Michelle

P.S. Shrimp Scampi is one of the best dishes I have tasted in my life. Shellfish for Easter? You betcha.

Sistercation Sangria + Soundtrack

by Michelle

   What do you get when you combine three sisters and a party-sized vat of sangria? The answer to that is happy ladies that sing, dance and tap into the humorous side of life, sharing stories, and mercilessly kidding each other. Getting to the bottom of that wine and fruit-filled vessle was a delightful way to spend an afternoon (and the better part of the evening). We tipped the dispenser rather precariously, I might add, until the lost drop was gone.
   Rhapsody provided the opportunity for everyone to play DJ. We endlessly riffed on each other's song selections as we danced spontaneously, laughed and whittled away the hours being absolutely care free. We didn't even bother getting out of our pajamas until Linda's friends called to say they were coming over for a drink to say hello to the visiting out-of-towners. Transfering into sweats and $6 dollar T-shirts from Target wasn't a huge step up in the dressing department, but hey it was all we could muster on Day Two (or was it Three?) of Sistercation.
   The first three days we were down for the count. We surrendered to the fact that there was no place we needed to be or go. After a few days of general slothdom, with the occasional spontaneous dance party thrown in, we collectively decided to venture out. It is Northern California, afterall, one must see the sites: San Francisco, Wine Country, and Highway 1. But first, we had to get matching pedicures. We were easily talked into the floral embellishment by the salon's proprietess. As Cyndi Lauper sings, and we wholeheartedly agree, girls just want to have fun.

And, more fun:

The "Three Graces" pirouette on North Salmon Creek Beach.

Sistercation Albums:
Battle Born by The Killers (Started many a morning with The Killers and Linda's Lattes)
Scars on 45 by Scars on 45 (Lovely while savoring Cassoulet)
7 Worlds Collide by Neil Finn (and friends)
Poetic Champions Compose by Van Morrison
The Best of INXS by INXS

Sistercation Tracks To Fit Our Various Moods:
Raspberry Beret and Kiss by Prince and The Revolution (Okay, we perhaps may agree upon this, pretty much anything by Prince, especially The Very Best of Prince is highly danceable)
Jungle Fever by The Time (Written by Prince)
Nasty Girl by Inaya Day (And yet another gem written by Prince)
Titanium by David Guetta Feat. Sia, and Without You by David Guetta Feat. Usher
I Can Only Imagine by David Guetta Feat. Chris Brown and Lil Wayne
Sometime Around Midnight and Wishing Well by The Airborne Toxic Event
Just Can't Get Enough by Depeche Mode
Let's Stick Together by Roxy Music
Between the Raindrops by Lifehouse feat. Natasha Bedingfield
A Little Bit of Riddim and Say Hey (I Love You) by Michael Franti and Spearhead feat. Cherine Anderson and Shake It feat. Lady Saw
Heartbreak Beat by The Psychedlic Furs
Take Hold of My Hand, Guitars Cadillacs, Suspicious Minds and Little Sister by Dwight Yoakam
Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way by Waylon Jennings
Rhythm by Awol One/Daddy Kev
She Came Along by Sharam Feat. KiD CuDi
Good Feeling by Flo Rida (Mix Rap with Pop and Michelle's all over it)
Wild One by Flo Rida feat. Sia and Club Can't Handle Me by Flo Rida featu. David Guetta
Bad Romance and Poker Face by Lady Gaga (carry over tunes from Sistercation Las Vegas)
Kids by MGMT
The Time (Dirty Bit) and Meet Me Halfway by The Black Eyed Peas
Dog Days Are Over by Florence and The Machine
Dance On My Own by Robyn
Romeo and Juliet by Dire Straits
The Dead Heart, Beds Are Burning and The Forgotten Years by Midnight Oil (Theeeee Oilzzzzzzz)
She's A River by Simple Minds
The Emperor's New Clothes by Sinéad O'Connor
One Tree Hill and Elevation by U2 (and so very many more)
New Sensation and The One Thing by INXS
December by Collective Soul
Drop The Pilot and Call Me Names (I Love It When You) by Joan Armatrading
Runaway Wind by Paul Westerberg
Divine Thing by The Soup Dragons
Gangnam Style by PSY (If only you could have seen Juliette make a friend in Chinatown by referencing this song; talk about a 360 turnaround from get outta my shop to please stay for awhile. It's hilarious watching Juliette do the Gangnam moves "Juliette Style".)
Golden Years and Cat People by David Bowie
Real Wild Child (Wild One) by Iggy Pop (For you music trivia types, did you know that this song was co-produced by David Bowie?)
Pop Song 89 by R.E.M. (Linda always plays this song when we are together)
Time Bomb and Sexx Laws by Beck
Nothing Ever Hurt Like You by James Morrison
All Or Nothin' At All and Man's Job by Bruce Springsteen
Struggle and Tired Of Being Sorry (Spanish Faster) by Ringside
Hunger Strike by Temple of The Dog (Featuring Linda's dream date: Eddie Vedder)
Clampdown, followed by Train In Vain by The Clash
Thunderstruck by AC/DC (Linda's twins made their wrestling competition entrances to this song)
Tonight Is The Night by Outasight
Young Blood by The Naked and Famous
Stay Up Late, And She Was, and Wild Wild Life by Talking Heads (Linda nixed Psycho Killer... can you say part-ay pooper? But, hey, there's always the next song... it's easy to move on)
Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On) by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss
Bitch by Meredith Brooks
International Love by Pitbull feat. Chris Brown, which leads to...
Forever by Chris Brown (and if I'm going to list that song I might as well throw in Dynamite by Taio Cruz and Fire Burning by Sean Kingston - oldies but goodies, at least according to moi)
Blue Monday and Bizarre Love Triangle by New Order
Burn It Down by Linkin Park
Love Runs Deeper by Lindsey Buckingham
Echo and Into The Nightlife by Cyndi Lauper
Never Met A Girl Like You Before by Edwyn Collins
4 Minutes by Madonna and Justin Timberlake and Ray of Light by Madonna
Everybody Talks and Animal by Neon Trees
Glad You Came by The Wanted
I Touch Myself by The DeVinyls (Juliette + Karaoke + This Song = Standing Ovation)
Too Close by Alex Clare
Let's Spend The Night Together by The Rolling Stones
Steam by Peter Gabriel
Home by Phillip Philips
Losing You by Solange
Payphone by Maroon 5 Featuring Wiz Khalifa
I Don't Feel Like Dancin' and Take Your Mama by The Scissor Sisters
Steal My Sunshine by Len
Human by The Killers (We love us some Brandon Flowers)
Crossfire by Brandon Flowers
Elemental by Tears For Fears (We never close a sister gathering without this song being played)

The Spanish Edition of Dancemania:
Ven A Bailar and Dance Again (Bailar Nada Más) by Jennifer Lopez feat. Pitbull (but Linda would prefer you watch the muy caliente video). We would choose to play the song in Spanish (except there is no Pitbull on the español version - sob - so we're stuck listening to the English version and the video is in English, too.) Oh well, nothing to do about it, except dance, dance, dance.
Escapar by Enrique Iglesias and I Like It by Enrique featuring Pitbull
Suerte (Wherever, Whenver) and Ciega, Sordumuda by Shakira and Rabiosa feat. Pitbull
Ave Maria by David Bisbal
Más, Livin' la Vida Loca (Spanish Version - a must!!!!) and Nobody Wants To Be Lonely by Ricky Martin featuring Christina Aguilera
And, we'll end with:
I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho) and Back In Time by "Mr. Worldwide" Pitbull - the dude has the magic touch so just about all his tracks will get everyone's feet moving, ours do!

Linda's Sangria, also known as Sistercation Sangria

   We applaud Linda for recording the recipe while the action was unfolding. Truthfully, you can use just about any type of red wine for this recipe since you are adding fruit and sparkling lemonade. Ours ranged from inexpensive to moderately priced fruit-forward wine that ranged from $7 to $14 per bottle. The lemon Italian sparkling soda added the right amount of sweetness without adding additional sugar.

Ingredients:
3 750-ml bottles of red wine, chilled or at room temperature
1-1/2 cups of cognac, such as Hennesey, or brandy
2 large oranges, washed and dried, and sliced into rings and then in half
2 lemons, washed and dried, and sliced into rings and then in half
1 peach or mango, sliced (okay to use frozen)
1 basket of strawberries, hulled and quartered
2 cups of lemon Italian sparking soda, we recommend Whole Foods Market brand

Procedure:
1. Mix together all ingredients in a 1.5 quart container. Stir and refrigerate for several hours.
2. Play your favorite music and enjoy a glass - or two - of sangria with your favorite "peeps". To kick things off play Summer Wine by Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood (the cover by The Corrs with Bono is terrific, in which case the next song suggestion is When The Stars Go Blue... just sayin' that's what I'd do). And, for that matter, if you are going to play Nancy Sinatra, then surely These Boots Are Made For Walkin' is a shoe-in (pun intended) for next song. I could do this all day (and we did). Which reminds me of that song we used to play. Hang on a moment while I queue it up…