The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2014 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 11,000 times in 2014. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 4 sold-out performances for that many people to see it.
Years ago, I started teaching cooking classes in my kitchen. At that time I belonged to a welcoming group called “New Neighbors of Germantown”. This group was a great way to met new people in the community. We had LOTS of different activities in this organization.
One of my “new neighbor” friends was traveling to Connecticut for a visit. I asked her to bring me a couple bottles of faucet water, yes water (for my pizza, of course). As a thank you I made her a pizza, brought it over to her home nice and hot. Here reply was “you have to teach us how to make this”. So, I became an activity for New Neighbors, “Cooking Adventures in Galena’s Cucina” (Gail’s Kitchen). I had NO idea where that path would take me!
“Cooking Adventures in Galena’s Cucina”
Classes in my kitchen became out of control…I would have more than 25-30 ladies in attendance and not enough room for them. Another friend from this group recommended me to the owner of a quaint gift store in Germantown (Gift Horse) that also hosted cooking classes. I was so excited to teach there and having the opportunity to met so many wonderful people!
One recipe that really reminds me of that school is “Tomato Basil Pie”. I can remember teaching that class almost 10 years ago; people are still talking about it! This recipe is perfect for this time of the year. Fresh garden tomatoes and basil, garlic, parmesan cheese, yum! I hope you enjoy it as much as my “Gift Horse” class did!
Pie Crust (You can also use a frozen store-bought crust or mini pie crusts)
4 tbsp. butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sour cream
4-5 basil leaves
couple dashes of salt
In food processor with knife blade process butter and basil leaves until smooth.
Add flour, salt and sour cream. Process until mixture balls up. Chill for 1/2 hour
for better handling of the dough. Place on floured pastry sheet or board and roll
out to fit a 9” pie pan. Place shield or wrap edges in foil to prevent over browning
during the baking of the pie. Cook in pre-heated 425° oven until slightly golden,
about 10 minutes.
Filling
1 9” pie crust
2 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella
3 tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup freshly grated Romano, or Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
10 Roma tomatoes, or garden tomatoes, skins removed*, chopped and drained
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive
Salt & Freshly ground Black Pepper to taste
While pie crust is warm, place 1 cup mozzarella on top of crust. Layer tomatoes
and sprinkle with, salt & pepper. In separate bowl mix basil, garlic, remaining
mozzarella, romano or parmesan cheese and mayonnaise. Place on top of tomatoes and drizzle with olive oil. Bake in a preheated oven at 375° for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown on top. Let pie cool at least 15 minutes for easier cutting.
*Cut an X on the bottom (pointy end) of the tomato and place in a pot of rapidly boiling
water. The tomato skin will begin to peel, about 1 minute. Remove from heat
and place in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Peel skin under running cold water.
You can always add wonderful ingredients to the filling, fresh sautéed mushrooms, some cooked bacon, black olives, red pepper flakes. You are only limited by your imagination!
Tomato Basil Pie
Mini Pie
Recently I made this wonderful recipe for my “Live at 9” demonstration, here’s the link:
The only bad thing about being a member of New Neighbors is so many friends move away, but I guess that’s part of life!
New Neighbors Board Members 1998
Positano, Italy
Years ago we had the opportunity to visit several cities in Italy. I’m sad to say, however, that we didn’t make it to Bologna, which is the city Bolognese Sauce originated in. Here is an explanation of the sauce (just incase you aren’t familiar with it) as written by Wikipedia:
Bolognese sauce, known in Italian as ragù alla bolognese, is a meat-based sauce originating from Bologna, Italy. InItalian cuisine, it is customarily used to dress “tagliatelle al ragù” and to prepare “lasagne alla bolognese”. In the absence of tagliatelle, it can also be used with other broad, flat pasta shapes, such as pappardelle or fettuccine, or with short tube shapes, such as rigatoni or penne. Genuine ragù alla bolognese is a complex sauce which involves slow cooking using a variety of techniques, including sweating, sautéing and braising. Ingredients include a characteristic soffritto of onion, celery and carrot, different types of minced or finely chopped meat (generally bovine, including beef, and possibly pork, such as pancetta), wine, and a small amount of tomato concentrate.
The earliest documented recipe of an Italian meat-based sauce (ragù) served with pasta comes from late 18th centuryImola, near Bologna. In 1891 Pellegrino Artusi first published a recipe for a meat sauce characterized as being “bolognese”. While many traditional variations do exist, in 1982 the Italian Academy of Cuisine registered a recipe for authentic ragù alla bolognese with the Bologna Chamber of Commerce. In Italy, ragù alla bolognese is often referred to simply as ragù.
Outside Italy, Bolognese sauce often refers to a tomato-based sauce to which mince (beef or pork) has been added; such sauces typically bear little resemblance to ragù alla bolognese. Whereas in Italy ragù is not used with spaghetti,[1] so-called spaghetti bolognese has become a popular dish in many other parts of the world.
I have to say, this is one of the easiest sauces I’ve ever made, just takes a little patience to complete the simmering process, but all good things take time.
Several weeks ago I had the opportunity to do a little business traveling in New York City and made several shops in grocery stores, my favorite was one in Little Italy. What always amazes me about shopping in these stores is the variety of fresh meats, salami, hanging from the ceiling, as well as many types of sausage. I always feel like a kid in a candy store when I’m there. The other food items that I am always intrigued with are all the different types of pastas, the good stuff, not store name brands, but the really good Italian pastas. I purchased several varieties to bring back home, one of which was the Pappardelle.
There is only one sauce to serve with this pasta, and of course, that would be the Bolognese. 
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 large carrot, finely chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound ground chuck
1/2 pound ground pork
2/3 cup white wine (dry)
1 cup milk
16 ounces good quality (Pomi brand) chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup beef stock
2 bay leaves
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 teaspoon salt
Process:
In a large stock pot over medium heat, add butter and oil. Cook until frothy, add chopped vegetables and garlic. Cook over medium low heat until vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add meat and in batches, stirring after each addition and breaking up the meat clumps.
Deglaze pan with wine, simmer until reduced by half. Add milk and once again simmer until reduced by half. Add remaining ingredients, cook over medium low heat for 2-3 hours or until sauce becomes thick. Serve with good quality pasta. Top with Parmigiano Reggiano or, my personal favorite, Pecorino Romano.
Nothing like a little Italian Bread to go along with this meal, I was able to find a good loaf of bread at Fresh Market “Turano Panini Bread”.
Brush both sides of the bread with extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle with salt & pepper. Place on hot grill, cook until slightly golden, turn over and continuing cooking until brown.
Place shredded mozzarella over bread slices, top with sliced plum tomatoes, salt & pepper. Place under broiler until cheese is golden brown. Top with freshly diced basil.
Buon Appetito!
People always ask me where I like to go out for dinner, what’s my favorite restaurant?That is usually a pretty tuff question, not that we don’t have some great restaurants in the Memphis area, but I am always in search of a great Italian restaurant, and there is only one that I can name, “Pasta Italia”. Unfortunately the owners packed up the restaurant and headed to Chattanooga a few years back….but this story has a happy ending, the owners decided to returning to this area….great news!!!! After hearing this news yesterday, I started to think about one of my favorite meals at this restaurant and great Italian restaurants in other cities and I have to admit, one of them is Ossoboco. Now, this is not a difficult dish to make, so why don’t I make it that often? Guess this is one that I really like to have out, best part is eating the marrow out of the bone…total yum!
Yesterday I decided to stop at Fresh Market and purchase a couple of “veal shanks”…a little costly, but once again, this is a special dish. I hope you try this recipe at home. I served it with some orzo pasta, pre boiled in water, drained, simmered in beef stock with fresh mushrooms, chunks of fresh tomatoes and spinach. This really was a perfect accompaniment to the Ossoboco.
In a large pot over medium heat, add butter and oil. Place flour in a round cake pan or dish. Generously season both sides of veal shanks with salt and pepper.
Dip veal in flour shaking off excess. 
Place veal in pan and sear both sides until golden. Remove from pan. Add onions, carrots, celery and garlic. Cook until soft, about 5 minutes.
Place veal back into pot and add remaining ingredients (except the gremolata). Cook over very low heat for 2 hours, or until meat is very tender, but not falling off the bone.
In a small bowl mix the gremolata. Mix into the ossoboco just before serving. Pour yourself a nice glass of Pinot Grigio for a job well done….
Bon Appetito!
Foodsinthefastlane.me 