What's Cooking?

[Chief Grey Bear]

We are more of a Spaghetti Red family.

[Gavin]

Nice looking stuff. Used to cook and run the line at an Italian place on Friday & Saturday. Taught me to cook, use a knife, and many other skills. Chief your noodles under you hamburger helper look dry. Finish those noodles with some sauce before you add the glop next time;). My wife makes it that way too.

[Chief Grey Bear]

Uh well, that's not Hamburger Helper. We don't cook out of boxes here. Except when I cheat and add a can of tuna to a box of mac and cheese.

Not sure what sauce I should use with chili, but ok.

[Gavin]

The chili.

[Chief Grey Bear]

That might work.

Most diehards use some "chili grease" in the water they cook the noodles in. I do sometimes.

[rps]

Good start you'all. Who wants to add in?

[ness]

I have re-read this thread as well as several other food threads. I see that no one posts about spaghetti. Does everyone use jar or an sauces? Does everyone think a good red or meat sauce is too humble? I would like to see or find out what all of you do.

Cooking for the family means I go to the jar. Usually Prego traditional that I water down a little. Their favorite way is with meatballs that are beef, with some breadcrumbs, salt and parsley. Browned, drained and added to the sauce. Chunks of tomato are not acceptable.

Now for me, I'll do whole canned San Marzanos crushed by hand, with juice, a big splash of olive oil, a little white wine, pretty big dose of crushed garlic, pinch of sugar and some red pepper flakes. High heat to reduce it down, tighten up the tomatoes, take the edge off the garlic, burn off the alcohol, etc. Salt and extra virgin olive oil to finish. I'll do this with shrimp sometimes.

Also love a vodka cream sauce on penne pasta.

[ness]

image.jpg

We are more of a Spaghetti Red family.

My family all want the sauce on top like that. Me, I put some in a bowl with the pasta and toss it. Lots of times I'll add a little pasta water, maybe some oil, or Parmesan cheese. I always carry up the rear on pasta night.

[Smalls21]

I use homeade canned tomatoes and usually some tomato paste/sauce and then a mix of garlic,onion, brown sugar, basil

[rps]

Thanks for sharing everyone.

I make several different sauces. I like a good Sicilian marinara; every once in a while I do a sauce alla puttanesca. My go to sauce comes from Marcella Hazen. I have two of her cookbooks and recommend them highly.

Her basic sauce:

Use a high quality 28 ounce can of plum tomatoes (Cento San Marzano is my favorite) and use your hands to crush them into a dutch oven with their can juices. Add 5 ounces of unsalted butter. Peel an onion and put one half into the pot. Add salt and pepper. Simmer on low until the butter makes tears in the tomatoes. Remove and discard (or use in a different dish) the onion. At that point it is perfect for angel hair.

On the other hand you can now doll it up with whatever flavors you desire. Herbs, mushrooms, red pepper flakes, meat, Parmesan - all can be cooked into the base sauce for your dish. This is another trust me on this guys. Google Marcella Hazen sauce and read the reviews.