RUBY TUESDAY

Tuesdays are the day to share your photos in shades of red.

This is a photo of my red tomatoes on the last day of August.

On my previous post, I displayed red photos along with my mother’s recipe for marinara sauce for Foodie Friday.

Here is the link, for more red photos of mine.

My mom’s Spaghetti sauce, Foodie Friday

the link is:

http://www.workofthepoet.blogspot.com

"Summer's bounty"-tomatoes

My mom’s Spaghetti sauce, Foodie Friday

MOM’S SPAGHETTI / MARINARA SAUCE

Mom’s Marinara sauce recipe and meatballs

On one of the last warm days of August, I craved the taste of homemade meatballs simmered in home-made sauce, so I spent my afternoon cooking this recipe.

Inhale, and  as you do, imagine the smell of tomato sauce simmering on the stove, it is my favorite comfort food along with pasta.

   Growing up in my house,  every Saturday, my mom had a huge stockpot of tomato sauce simmering on the stove, all afternoon it seemed.   For a snack , mid-afternoon, while this was  simmering, we’d get a small plastic plate, place a piece of Wonder bread, (white bread) , and ladle some tomato sauce on it, slice it up and eat  it that way.   Sauce and bread!  My mother’s sauce  was delicious just  like that;  we couldn’t wait for the meatballs.  LOL.

Mom’s Spaghetti sauce

Into a large stock pot, add:

2 (28 ounce) cans Tomato Puree
1 can water
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
1 small onion

1 stalk of celery with leaves
1 tsp. salt
dash of pepper
1 tsp. sugar
1 potato ( raw)- Cut-up and cleaned (a thickening agent)
1 tsp basil

I added 2 cloves of garlic, whole and 1 raw carrot that was scrubbed to the large stock pot.
oregano
parsley (add at the end of cooking)
dash of olive oil
1 pinch of baking soda

Directions:

Cook on stove on low heat for 3 – 4 hours. If sauce gets too thick as cooking, add water.

After simmering one hour, add cooked meatballs, or sausage or cooked pork chop with bone in.

Meatballs:

1 lb. ground beef
1 lb ground pork or veal
1 egg
1 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
salt and pepper to taste
chopped onion or 1 TBSP Lipton brand Onion soup mix
ketchup
microwave 5 minutes and turn.
or cook in iron pan on low to medium heat slowly and turn until all sides browned.

Today, I baked the meatballs in a 350 degree F. oven on a cookie sheet with a little canola oil for 20 minutes. Then after draining meatballs on paper towels, I placed in the tomato sauce and left to simmer on the stove for 1 hour on low heat.

< Mom’s Tomato Sauce recipe-by “luvsclassics”

Watery Wednesday #101

Hello everyone. Today is Watery Wednesday. I’m joining the water-themed meme. http://waterywednesday.blogspot.com

Sunrise on the beach, Old Orchard Beach, Maine

Seagulls on the rocks near Cape Elizabeth and Wood Island, Maine

We drove to this area, Cape Elizabeth to see just  one of the many lighthouses in Maine.  This photo was taken from the road to the east of where we wanted to be.  To see the lighthouse on Wood Island, there is a Bird Sanctuary that you hike in for a short time to reach the edge of the rocky coast and at last view the picturesque lighthouse from afar.

This is the path and if you peer closely you will notice the lighthouse in the distance.  And there’s someone returning from his leisurely hike along the Ocean’s edge.

There are huge, craggy rocks along the coastline here.

relaxing, these are wondrous rocks.

Eat Pray Love Italian Challenge

My challenge was to finish reading Eat, Pray, Love before the release date of the movie, August 13,2010 and now  I am inspired to post an Italian themed recipe and photo for Valli’s Eat, Pray, Love Italian challenge.

The challenge is open to any “foodie”, one who likes to cook.

You are welcome to go to  Valli’s website to read her  post and perhaps get in the kitchen and cook up something Italian to share with other foodies.

Valli of ” More Than Burnt Toast” blog has an Italian food recipe challenge inspired by the upcoming movie release of EAT,PRAY,LOVE on August 13, 2010.

You can find her post on More Than Burnt Toast at http://morethanburnttoast.blogspot.com.
If you would like to join Valli  simply prepare an Italian dish from antipasti, primo, secondo, contorno to dolce and send the link with photo to eatchallenge(at)gmail(DOT)com before the opening of the movie ,  August 13, 2010.

She writes:

Eat , Pray,Love is Elizabeth Gilbert’s wonderfully crafted book about life changing experiences when she trades in her previously perfect life to travel the world “to find herself. ” After a heart wrenching divorce she spends a year traveling in Italy, India and Indonesia. Each word in the title Eat, Pray, Love is expanded by her experiences in three countries.

In my next post, I’ll  add my Italian themed recipes and continue reading Eat Pray Love.

Hawaiian Recipes

HAWAIIAN  THEMED RECIPES :

Today, August 3rd is the Anniversary of our meeting on the Big Island of Hawaii.   We always think of ways to  celebrate.  This morning, my husband started my breakfast with Coconut juice and Pineappple jam on toast. For tonight’s dinner, I’ve cooked up some of these recipes.
You’ll find these main dish, side dish and desserts with a Hawaiian theme very appetizing.

Aloha , strolling along in Lahaina, Maui

Aloha

HULI HULI CHICKEN

9-12 pounds chicken wings, thighs, and breasts pieces

Sauce Ingredients:
¼ cup Frozen pineapple juice concentrate
1/3 cup White wine
½ cup Chicken broth
¼ cup Shoyu/Soy Sauce
¼ cup catsup
¼ Teaspoon powdered ginger or a pinch of fresh ginger
1-2 drops Worcestershire sauce

Wash chicken parts and pat dry with paper towels. Mix all sauce ingredients in bowl. Brush over chicken parts. Grill over barbecue for about 40 minutes. Turn and baste with sauce until chicken is done. Serves 10-12 people as a main course.

Note:  This recipe can be cooked in a skillet and grill pan  as well.

Huli, Huli Chicken recipe, a hawaiian recipe

MACADAMIA NUT CRUSTED COCONUT SHRIMP 1/4 cup all-purpose flour 1 pound cleaned and deveined shrimp 1/2 cup coconut milk 1/4 cup crushed macadamia nuts Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly coat a baking dish with olive oil. Place flour in a small bowl. Dredge shrimp in flour, then dip into coconut milk and roll in crushed macadamia nuts. Place in baking dish and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until shrimp is cooked through. Serve 3 shrimp on a bed of rice topped with orange lime sauce. Makes 4 servingsORANGE LIME SAUCE 10 oz jar orange marmalade 3 tablespoons tangy mustard 1 tablespoon lime juice To create orange lime sauce combine all sauce ingredients in a sauce pan and warm.

SIDE DISHES:

POTATO-MAC -EGG SALAD

4 large red and/or yellow potatoes cut into cubes
1-1/2 cups shell or elbow macaroni-dry
1/4 cup thinly sliced and chopped red onion
2-3 pickles chopped
2-3 green onion chopped
3 hard-boiled eggs (whites chopped, set aside yolks)
1 cup frozen peas (optional)
2 celery stalks chopped (optional)
1-2 carrots chopped (optional)

Dressing:
1-1/4 to 2 cups mayonnaise
1/2 cup Zesty Italian dressing
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
3 yolks from the boiled eggs
1 teaspoon garlic salt
Ground pepper to taste
2 T or less pickle juice (optional)
Optional Herbs to taste (dill, parsley, curry powder)

Boil cubed potatoes until tender then drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside to allow to fully cool. Cook the macaroni according to the directions on the macaroni package. Then rinse with cold water and set aside to allow to fully cool.
While the macaroni is cooking mix the dressing in a small bowl and set aside.
Once the cooked macaroni and potatoes are cool lightly toss with the remaining ingredients. Once tossed mix in dressing. Serves 8-10 people

Hawaiian Rice with Yougurt

1 onion

1 garlic clove, crushed

3 T oil

1  cup water

2 cups pineapple juice

1 cup rice, uncooked

1/2 t ginger, gound

1 cup ineaplle chunks

1/2 cup macademia nuts or peanuts

1 cup yougurt

Directions:

Saute onion and garlic in oil until soft.

Add water and juice.

Add rice and ginger.  Coook over low heat, covered 40 minutes.

If liquid is not absorbed, cook longer.

Mix pineapple, nuts and yougurt. Heat through.

Serves: 6

Cooking References:

Cookbook: “ Cooking with Aloha”   copyright 1981

DESSERTS:

Hawaiian Ambrosia

8 ounce can of crushed pineapple, drained
1 can lychee pitted and drained or 11 ounce can mandarin oranges drained
3 ½ cups cool whip
2 cups shredded coconut
2 cups mini marshmallows
½ cup milk
1 cup maraschino cherries

In a large bowl pineapple, lychee or mandarin oranges, whipped topping, coconut, marshmallows and milk. Chill 1 hour. Garnish with cherries before serving. Serves 12.

Pineapple Upside- Down Cake

.3/8 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
2 cups flour
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 mashed banana
1 cup crushed pineapple
1/2 cup chopped macadamia nuts
1/3 cup butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
Cream together butter and sugar. Gradually add beaten egg, sift flour, baking powder and salt. Fold in mashed banana. Melt butter and sprinkle brown sugar through it on bottom of pan, 8 inches square or small angel food pan. Add well-drained crushed pineapple and chopped macadamia nuts. Pour batter over this mixture and bake in pre-heated oven of 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes. Serves 8-10.