Spaghetti Fridays: Rao's Homemade Marinara Sauce & Garlic Parsley Butter

I recently read this wonderful article from Serious Eats on a fun tradition they started, to gather their friends and family around the dinner table and get people to talk, shut off their phones and really connect with one another. They call it "Friday Night Meatballs".

I loved the idea of gathering friends for an easy dinner party, with great food and not a lot of fuss. I've decided to try this idea out in my own little village here in Salt Lake and would like to invite anyone interested in attending to message me. "Spaghetti Friday's" are officially kicked off! I've had a few practice runs already with my roommates and last week when I was in Denver, we had a Spaghetti Sunday dinner to finish off a great weekend filled with comfort food. there's just something about pasta with a slow cooked batch of Sunday Gravy that is almost magical.

To make the first Spaghetti Friday a little easier on everyone, I'm giving you a semi-homemade version to get the ball rolling (and a day to prepare). I've tasted a lot of jarred pasta sauces in my day, great ones and really really bad ones. One of the best bottled sauces I've tried is from the famous Rao's restaurant in NYC. Since reservations are almost impossible to get at the NYC location, you can either dine at their Vegas location, or bring a jar of their famous sauce home.

Rao's has been featured in many movies and a few tv episodes. The most recent was in The Wolf of Wall Street. Jordan meets with Bo Dietl to discuss the ongoing FBI investigation into Stratton Oakmont as they dine amongst the wealthy, famous and infamous.

Spaghetti & Meatballs with Rao's Marinara

You will need:

1 box of spaghetti
1 packet of Aidells Caramelized Onion Chicken Meatballs
1 jar of Rao's Homemade Marinara
1 loaf of sliced french bread
1 batch of garlic parsley butter (below)
Parmesan cheese for finishing the pasta

Directions:

Fill a large pasta pot 1/4th of the way full, place on the stove and start heating the water on high. Make sure to salt the water, it should taste as salty as the sea. 

In a medium saucepan, combine the meatballs and the marinara sauce. Simmer on low while everything is cooking.

Turn the oven on low broil, line a cookie sheet with foil, set aside.

Once the pasta water is boiling, add your noodles. Set a timer according to the package directions for Al dente pasta.

While the pasta cooks, make your Garlic Parsley Butter. Slather a generous amount of butter on each slice of bread and set out evenly on the foil lined cookie sheet. Broil for 3-5 minutes, until golden brown.

Drain the pasta once cooked to perfect Al dente, add a cup of the sauce and stir. Let the pasta rest while the bread is cooking. By adding sauce to the noodles before serving, you will find you get much better flavor out of the pasta as the noodles will absorb the sauce, this also prevents the strands from sticking. Never ever add oil to your noodles or water when cooking pasta for spaghetti, it is a cardinal sin. The oil will prevent the marinara from soaking in and cause the sauce to slide off of your noodles.

Garlic Parsley Butter

Ingredients

• 2 cubes of butter, softened
• 6 cloves of garlic
• 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon garlic salt
• 1/4 cup of fresh parsley, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground paprika

Christmas Swedish Rye Bread (Limpa bread)

One of my favorite childhood memories during Christmas, was walking into the house on a chilly December day, to the sweet licorice smell of my Mom pulling a fresh loaf of Swedish Rye Bread out of the oven. She would cut my sister and I a slice, slather it in butter and serve it to us on a paper towel to devour. That first bite, infused with tangy and sweet molasses and a hint of licorice from the fennel was so satisfying. We would wait all year for Mom to make her famous Christmas bread. It's a family tradition that started with my grandma Ruth back when my Mom was little, living in Smolan Kansas in the 1960's. 

McPherson Kansas had a strong population of Swedish immigrants coming to America starting in the late 1860's to farm the land. Agriculture was booming here in America, while back in Sweden, many were being forced to leave due to famine and unemployment. Kansas was promoted by the railroad and immigration companies as a nice place to settle with a strong religious community. As the Swedish traditions were handed down from year to year, my Grandmother was given the recipe for Limpa bread from one of the Swedish women that lived nearby. Back then, as a frugal way to bake, they used to let the bread raise and bake in a coffee tin, creating beautiful round loaves with the trademark coffee tin rings on the outside. 

The last couple of years, I've been baking Christmas bread with my Mom and keeping the tradition alive. I recently took a loaf to a friends' birthday party and was amazed to see that the entire loaf was eaten in a matter of minutes! The mini loaves make for great neighbor and friend gifts for a last minute, baked with love warm treat. I'd love to hear what your family traditions are in the comments below. 

Alexander Skarsgård aka Eric Northman on True Blood

I keep making this bread year after year trying to lure my favorite Swede, Alexander Skarsgård to my doorstep, but sadly he has not received the message yet. Please spread the word for me and let him know that I'll have plenty of Limpa bread for him on Thursday morning. Santa, are you listening?!  Well, it's worth a shot! I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and find a new family tradition to enjoy this year. 


Swedish Rye (Limpa) bread

Sponge:
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 pkg yeast
1 1/2 c warm water

Add 2 cups white flour. Mix to blend, set into a greased large bowl, cover in plastic wrap and let the sponge rise for one hour. 

Dough:

2 1/2 cups rye flour
2 cups hot water
1/2 cups vegetable shortening
3/4 cups molasses
2-3 teaspoons ground fennel
2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup brown sugar

Beat until smooth- add sponge
6 cups white flour, knead

Let raise until double- punch down

Divide the dough equally into 3 large loaf pans, or 6 small

Score the top of each loaf in 3 places to allow even raising. Let the loaves rise again for one hour in the pans.

Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes.


This bread is great fresh out of the oven with just butter, but it also works well with jams or jellies, or a slather of cream cheese. It makes the best toast in the world and would be a perfect addition to your Christmas breakfast feast. 

Lemon Zucchini Bread (gluten free/vegan)

I've recently started playing around with gluten free flours as a healthier alternative to the usual baked treats that I love. With the fall harvest coming to an end, I had a lot of zucchini left over. One can only eat so many "Zoodles" before that carb craving kicks in and something with more texture is required. Zucchini bread is always a great option for the piles of squash that seem to be endlessly growing larger and larger and larger from a fall garden, but I feel it is time for a new twist. That twist comes in the form of zesty and citrusy lemon with a sweet lemon glaze on top. The added benefit of being gluten free is just a bonus. Trust me when I tell you that you will not miss the wheat flour in this bread. I used my dad as a taste tester  and for a man who loves sweets and repels anything overly nutritious, he wasn't the wiser. In fact, he came back for thirds. This recipe is just that good!

 I found a great deal on a bag of gluten free blended flour at my local Costco. If you have a Costco nearby, I highly recommend you stock up on supplies to last through the long winter months and try your hand at some new and creative baking at home. Leave a message for me in the comments below and tell me what other gluten free baking items you enjoy.

• Lemon Zucchini Bread

• Ingredients:
• 
  
•  1 cup of grated zucchini (squeeze out the excess liquid in a paper towel, then fluff with a fork)
• 1 1/4 cup all purpose gluten-free flour blend
• 1/4 cup almond flour (substitute regular all-purpose gluten-free flour if you have a nut allergy)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if your flour blend already has it)
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup canola oil (or other light oil)
• 2 extra large eggs*
• 1/4 cup almond or coconut milk 
• zest of one lemon
• 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 
  
• Glaze Ingredients:

• 1 Cup powdered sugar
• 1 large lemon, zested and juiced
• 2-4 Tbs. milk (almond or coconut)
• Combine the above, starting with 2 Tbs. of almond milk until desired consistency of the glaze is met.
• 
  
• Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. 
   Spray 2 medium sized loaf pans with cooking spray. (Make sure it's gluten free like canola or olive)
2. Mix the flours, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, and salt in a medium bowl until blended. 
3. Add the brown sugar, canola oil, eggs, coconut milk, lemon juice and vanilla to your mixer.Mix until blended.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the mixer, a little at a time until combined and blended. 
5. Fold in the grated zucchini and mix just until combined.
6. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans.
7. Place in the center oven rack and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. It's best to slightly undercook, vs overcooking which will cause your loaf to have a very dry texture.
8. Remove from the oven, cool for 5 minutes and carefully turn out onto a cooling rack that has been placed over a cookie sheet.
9. Make the lemon glaze while the loaves cool.
10. Drizzle the glaze over the loaves after they are cool. The cookie sheet will catch any drips, making for easier clean up.
11. This bread will store for about 3-5 days. Serve and enjoy with additional glaze, or toast with butter.

• *This recipe can be made vegan by substituting the eggs with the following:
• 1Tbs. ground flax seeds + 3 Tbs. water = 1 egg

This method may change the density and texture of your bread, depending on the current environmental conditions in your kitchen.

• 
  

Roasted Cherry Tomato Bruschetta with Pesto Ricotta

Bruschetta is one of my favorite ways to showcase the bounty of summer tomatoes that are now ripe on the vine, just waiting to be devoured. This traditional Italian antipasto can be served in so many mouthwatering ways. Bruschetta originates from the ancient Roman olive growers. They would toast slices of bread to bring to the local press and sample their fresh pressed batch of oil in the winter. This is the simplicity of Bruschetta as the word comes from the Italian verb "brusciare" meaning to burn, sear or toast. What goes on top of this charred piece of heaven after that point is endless, but tomatoes are not always the staple topping. I've had a variety of toppings myself ranging from all kinds of meats, cheeses and vegetables to fruit toppings as a wonderful grilled dessert.  

Today's version is a concoction I created from a remaining batch of ricotta I had on hand and the need to showcase these beautiful heirloom cherry tomatoes I picked up from the farmer's market. They smelled so good, I barely had the will to photograph them before consuming several slices. The taste was just as amazing and worth the wait.



Ingredients:

1 baguette of crusty artisan bread sliced into 1/2" slices

2 containers of cherry tomatoes 

1 C. Extra virgin olive oil

1/2 C. chopped garlic 

1 C. pesto 

1 container of part skim ricotta 

Shredded Parmesan cheese for garnish
Fresh basil chiffonade

Balsamic glaze
Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Halve the cherry tomatoes and place on a foil lined cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle the chopped garlic evenly over the top. Give the tomatoes a few stirs to evenly coat and season with salt and pepper. Place the tomatoes on the middle rack in the oven. Roast for 5 minutes, stir and repeat for an additional 5-10 minutes until the skin just starts to blister. Don't overcook, as the tomatoes will break down too much and not hold their shape. Remove tomatoes from the oven to a medium bowl, including the residual oil and set aside.

Preheat the grill (or grill pan) to medium heat.
Dip a basting brush into the tomato to soak up residual oil and baste both sides of each slice of bread. Place the oiled bread on the grill, toasting both sides until you have strong grill marks. Line the toasted slices back onto the cookie sheet and set aside.

Mix the pesto and ricotta together in a small bowl. Spread the mixture onto the toasted bread, spoon the tomato mixture onto each slice and garnish with basil chiffonade and parmesan. Drizzle with balsamic glaze right before serving.

I hope you had the pleasure of growing your own tomatoes this year, but if you are currently a loft dweller like me, run to your farmer's market this weekend and enjoy a batch of summer harvest before the season ends!

Note: Any leftover tomatoes make a great Pasta al pomodoro for a Meatless Monday dinner option.

Enjoy!

Xoxo,
Amelia

Eggs á la Goldenrod

Growing up in my family, breakfast for dinner was common weeknight option and we loved it. It was easy for Mom to throw together after a busy day and even a great option for Dad, who's culinary repertoire didn't expand much further than French toast. One of our family traditions was a dish we fondly referred to as "Eggs on toast". My grandma Ruth made it for my Mom and Mom made it for us. 

Eggs on toast consists of a basic white sauce with chopped boiled eggs added and is served over freshly toasted bread. I've made this dish myself many times for friends as a breakfast option and haven't met anyone who hasn't fallen in love after their first bite. 

As this dish is uncommon today and few have ever heard of it, I started doing some research to find out it's origins. I discovered the proper name is Eggs à la Goldenrod, which dates back to a recipe from The Boston Cooking School Cookbook By Fannie Merritt Farmer published in 1896. I love reading about vintage recipes and seeing how they have transformed over the years. Click the links below to read more about Fannie and her recipes.

Fannie Farmer was known as "The Mother of Level Measurements" (read more here)

Eggs à la Goldenrod

This version is very close to how we prepared it growing up. We never had a written version, Mom just showed my sister and I over the years and it stuck to memory. My version consists of the following:

Eggs à la Goldenrod

Ingredients: 

6 hard boiled eggs, peeled and separated in two bowls. Whites in one, yolks in the other. 

2 T. butter 

2 T. flour 

2 C Milk (I use 2%, feel free to use 1/2 & 1/2 for added richness) room temp or slightly warmed.

1 tsp. of salt

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

Black pepper to taste 

Chopped fresh chives or parsley to garnish 

Instructions: 

Boil the eggs the night before to save time if making this for dinner the following day and store whole in the fridge overnight. This link to Fine Cooking how to boil eggs perfectly is helpful for those of you who struggle on getting the perfect boiled egg with yellow, creamy yolks without any green or grey discoloration.

Slice the egg whites with a pairing knife into uniform horizontal slices, or into cubes. Stir whites into the sauce once it's complete. 

You may use a fork to smash the egg yolks in their bowl, or press them through a ricer or mesh strainer. I prefer the fork method (less dishes), as they turn out almost as perfect as the added step of pressing through a ricer. 

Béchamel sauce: 

In a medium saucepan, make a blonde roux with the butter and flour. This adds great flavor to your Béchamel and adds the starch to thicken. 

 Remove from heat and slowly pour in the milk, whisking vigorously until incorporated. Add back to medium heat, continue stirring until sauce thickens and bubbles on a rolling boil. About 7-10 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in the salt and nutmeg. You may stir in white pepper instead of black at this point if you prefer the look of keeping the sauce white, but I prefer the flavor of black and sprinkle some over the dish just before serving. 

Assembly:

Toast the bread you will be using and slice on an angle, creating toast points for presentation. If you are serving a group, toast multiple pieces under the broiler on a cookie sheet lined with foil and flip to get both sides. I have tried a variety of breads and found that sourdough is my favorite. When I am sticking to healthier options, I use an organic wheat and grain blend which still tastes delicious. 

Line 4 toast points in the center of each plate. Use the 1 C. measuring cup you used to measure the milk, to pour the Béchamel sauce over the center of the toast points. Sprinkle a few teaspoons of yolk over the top. Garnish with fresh herbs and pepper. 

I like to serve with turkey sausage or when adding extra decadence, bacon crumbled over the top. 

This dish is a great option for a budget friendly Meatless Monday, or a beautifully presented brunch to share with family and friends. it's also a great option for Easter morning to put your colored eggs to use after the hunt!

 I hope Eggs à la Goldenrod can become one of your family favorites as well and be passed on for generations to come! 

Bon Appétit!