If you watch that show on ABC this evening, it will be about the house that was remodeled near where I live.

If you get the above reference, well like me you have watched TNT or TBS when they air the same movie over and over again.  I guess Blast from the Past wasn't that bad of a movie. 

So last year there was this made up week that I think was all a ploy to get people to buy more greeting cards.  It was called Meet Your Mate Week.  Apparently you were supposed to go out and about the town and this would lead you to meet that special someone with whom you would share the rest of your life.  I wish I had Flava Flav screaming into my ear, "Don't believe the hype!"  That week made me miserable.  I think the only thing I met were more reasons why I am unacceptable by the opposite sex.  I think the only thing I met that week were hefty bar tabs.  Well during that week, I posted almost every day except one and that was because Xanga shut down to do maintenence.  I wrote from the aspect that I was promoting my good virtues in order to win a mate or at least let the ladies know that I was existent and did things a little out of the ordinary.  Needless to say Meet Your Mate Week was a failure for me and I don't think they even mentioned it this year.  Well this is one of my entries from that week.  I think this is one of my virtues that you can tell I have by looking at me.  Oh, I still am single and still miserable.  I don't know why I do this sometimes.  As if I could meet someone.  I hope I haven't alienated too many of my friends through my belief systems.  Well here goes:

Meet Your Mate Week Day 3/4

Well as you
may see I didn't post yesterday.  Apparently they were doing
maintanance on the site.  I couldn't bitch about being all alone. 
Anyway, I still haven't found a mate.  I only have a few days left.  I
am getting depressed.  I was thinking maybe I need to promote myself. 
Ladies, I can cook.  Look at these recipes I am submitting for a community
cookbook.

Dill Pickle Soup

3
tablespoons butter

¼ cup
finely chopped onion

½ cup white
wine

½ cup plus
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

5 cups
water

1 ½ cups
dill pickle juice

2 teaspoons
dried dill weed, crushed

½ cup
whipping cream or milk

Salt and
white pepper to taste

1 large
dill pickle, cut julienne

 

In a large
soup pot over medium heat, melt butter. 
Add onion and sauté until soft. 
Add white wine and continue cooking until almost all liquid evaporates.  Reduce heat to low and stir in flour (do not
brown).

In a large
bowl, combine water and pickle juice; add and whisk in all at once to onion
mixture.  Bring to a boil, stirring
constantly, until soup slightly thickens. 
Add dill weed.  Stir in whipping
cream or milk to desired consistency. 
Season with salt and white pepper. 
Remove from heat.  Serve in soup
bowls and garnish with julienne dill pickle.

Makes 4
servings.

 

 

Chocolate Dessert Lasagna

1 (8 ounce)
package no-boil lasagna noodles

2 pounds
ricotta cheese

1 cup
powdered sugar

½ cup
unsweetened cocoa

2 large
eggs

1 ½ cups
mini chocolate chips

1 orange,
zested

½ cup
roasted pistachios

4 ounces
white chocolate, coarsely grated

 

Preheat the
oven to 350 degrees F.

Bring a
large pot of water to the boil and cook the noodles for 1 minute.  Drain them and put them into a bowl of ice
water to stop the cooking.  Drain again
and lay on paper towels to dry.

Whisk
together the ricotta, sugar, cocoa powder, and eggs on medium speed with a hand
or stand mixer.  Scraping down the sides
of the bowl, until it is ell blended.  Stir in the chocolate chips and orange
zest.  Spread ¼ of the cheese mixture
into the bottom of an 8 by 8-inch baking dish. 
Sprinkle some of the pistachios over the top and press on a layer of
noodles.  Repeat, ending with the ricotta
mixture and pistachios.  Bake for 35 to
40 minutes, or until the lasagna has risen. 
Remove the pan from the oven and evenly sprinkle the white chocolate
over it.  Let cool, cut, and serve.

Makes 9
servings.

 

Frittata

6 eggs,
beaten

1 once
Parmesan, grated

½ teaspoon
black pepper

Pinch salt

1 teaspoon
butter

½ cup
chopped roasted asparagus

½ cup
chopped country ham

1
tablespoon chopped parsley flakes

 

Preheat
oven to broil setting

In medium
size bowl, using a fork, blend together eggs, Parmesan, pepper, and salt.  Heat 12 inch non-stick, oven safe sauté pan
over medium high heat.  Add butter to pan
and melt.  Add asparagus and ham to pan
and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.  Pour egg
mixture into pan and stir with rubber spatula. 
Cook for 4 to 5 minutes or until egg mixture has set on the bottom and
begins to set up on top.  Sprinkle with
parsley

Place pan
into oven and broil for 3 to 4 minutes, until lightly browned and fluffy.

Remove from
pan and cut into 6 servings.  Serve
immediately.

Many
variations can be made.  This is a good
food to make with leftover meat and vegetables.

 

 

Guiltless Oven-Fried Chicken Fingers

1 cup
low-fat mayonnaise

1
tablespoon curry paste, or more

Kosher salt

Freshly
ground black pepper

4 skinless,
boneless chicken breasts

2 cups
panko (Japanese) bread crumbs

 

Heat the
oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large
bowl, combine the mayonnaise and curry paste, to taste.  Thin this with a little water, 1 tablespoon
at a time, until you get the consistency of heavy cream, and season with salt
and pepper. 

Cut the
chicken breasts into thick strips.  Drop
the strips into the bowl and coat them well with the curry mayonnaise.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 5 minutes
or up to 1 hour.

Pour the
bread crumbs onto a plate and toss the chicken strips well to completely cover
them.  Put them onto a nonstick baking
sheet and into the over.  Cook for 15 to
20 minutes, or until the chicken is browned and cooked through.

Yields 4
servings.

 

 

Microwave Cornbread Eggs Benedict

2 large
eggs

4 strips of
bacon

1 package
microwave cornbread

4 slices
American cheese

2
tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon
hot sauce (Recommended: Tabasco)

1 teaspoon
mustard

Kosher salt

Freshly
ground black pepper

Chives,
chopped, for garnish

 

Fill a
1-quart microwave safe bowl ½ full with water. 
Crack the eggs into it and poke a hole in the yolks with a skewer or
toothpick.  Microwave on high for 1 to 1
½ minutes until the whites are set and the yolks are still soft.  Remove from the oven and set aside.

Put two
layers of paper towels onto a microwave safe plate and place the bacon strips
on top.  Microwave on high power for
about 3 minutes, or until crisp.  Set
aside.

Mix the
microwave cornbread according to package directions.  Cook 1 English muffin size portions using a
microwave safe cup according to package directions.  Remove from the cup and put onto plates.

Tear the
cheese into pieces and put them into a small microwave safe bowl.  Add the milk, hot sauce, and mustard and
season with salt and pepper.  Microwave
on high for 1 minute, stirring half way through, or until the cheese is melted
and smooth.

To
assemble, top each cornbread muffin with 2 slices of bacon.  Put a poached egg on top of each and cover
each with half the cheese sauce.  Garnish
with chives and serve.

Yields 2
servings.

 

 

Microwave Chicken Curry

2
tablespoons Indian curry paste

3
tablespoons olive oil

4 boneless,
skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips

½ bunch
basil, leaves chopped

½ bunch
cilantro, leaves chopped

2 (13.5
ounce) cans coconut milk

2
tablespoons soy sauce

Kosher salt

Freshly ground
black pepper

Steamed
rice, to serve

Paprika,
for garnish

1 scallion,
thinly sliced, for garnish

 

In a large
microwave safe pot with a lid, mix together the curry paste and oil.  Microwave on high for 3 minutes.  Add the chicken to the pot and stir.  Cover with the lid and microwave on medium
for 8 minutes. 

Add the
basil, cilantro, coconut milk, and soy sauce and season with salt and
pepper.  Give it a good stir, cover it,
and microwave on medium for 4 minutes. 
Stir it again, cover, and let rest for 3 to 4 minutes.  Serve over steamed rice, garnished with
paprika and scallions.

Yields 4
servings.

 

 

Grilled Banana Split Sundaes

2 to 3
bananas

1 frozen
pound cake, thawed

1 whole
pineapple

About 10
maraschino cherries

½ stick
butter melted

 

Sauce:

1 pint
heavy cream

9 ounces
good-quality semisweet chocolate, chopped

 

Vanilla ice
cream for serving

Special
equipment: wooden skewers, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes

 

Preheat an
outdoor grill

Peel and
cut the bananas into ½ inch thick slices. 
Trim the top off the pound cake and cut the rest into the same size
squares as the banana chunks.  Cut the
top and bottom off the pineapple and remove the rind from around the
sides.  Cut the pineapple in half and
then into quarters.  Trim the core and
cut each piece again lengthwise.  Cut the
strips into ½ inch thick pieces.  On a
wooden skewer, alternate pieces of banana, pound cake, and pineapple until
skewer is full, leaving about 2 inches for a handle.  You should have 8 to 10 skewers.  Finish with a cherry.  Brush with melted butter and grill for 1 to 2
minutes each side.  (Alternatively, you
can broil the skewers for about 1 to 2 minutes per side)

 

Sauce:

Meanwhile,
heat the cream in a small pan over medium heat; do not let it boil.  Add the chocolate to the warm cream.  Let sit for a few minutes, then stir the
mixture to melt all the chocolate.  Cool
for a few minutes and pour into a squeeze bottle.

 

Scoop ice
cream into bowls and top with a skewer. 
Squeeze some chocolate sauce over the top and serve.

Yields 8 to
10 sundaes.

 

 

Sicilian Meatloaf

½
tablespoon olive oil

½ pound
ground beef

½ pound
ground pork

3-4
tablespoons dried seasoned Italian bread crumbs

½ large
onion, finely diced (about ½ cup)

1 egg,
slightly beaten

1
tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley or 1 teaspoon dried

3
tablespoons freshly grate Romano or Parmesan cheese (1 ounce)

1/8
teaspoon marjoram

½ teaspoon
Worcestershire sauce

¼ teaspoon
black pepper

8-10 ounces
canned tomato sauce, divided

1 hard
boiled egg, cooled, peeled, and cut in half lengthwise

1 ½ ounces
sliced prosciutto, salami, or ham

2 ounces
sliced provolone, cut in 1 ½ “ strips

 

Preheat
oven to 350 degrees F.  Lightly coat a
loaf pan about 8 ½ x 4 x 2 ½ inches with olive oil.

In a large
bowl, combine all ingredients except 4-6 ounces of the tomato sauce (add 4
ounces), the hard boiled egg, meat, and provolone and mix well (easy to do with
your hands).  The mixture should hold
together but not be hard.  Adjust the
consistency if needed by adding either bread crumbs or tomato sauce.  Divide mixture in half.

Put one
half of meatloaf mixture into the prepared pan, shaping to fit into the corners
and flattening slightly.  Cover with a
layer of your meat choice and place the egg halves cut side up in a horizontal
row down the middle of the pan.  Cover
the egg halves with strips of provolone and add more cheese strips to cover
almost to the edges of the meatloaf.  Top
with the remaining half of the meatloaf mixture and seal meatloaf halves
together, covering the filling.

Bake 30
minutes.  Spread desired amount of
remaining tomato sauce on top and return to over for 15 minutes more, cooking
until tomato sauce has started to darken and thicken slightly.  Remove from oven and let rest on counter at
least 10 minutes (or it will fall apart when you slice it).  Slice vertically and, using a spatula, move
slices to a large platter.  Drizzle with
some of the pan juices and serve with warm crusty bread for sopping up the
sauce.

Serves 4.

 

 

Bucco’s Roast Chicken

1, 4-5
pound roasting chicken

2 fresh
lemons, halved

½ medium
onion

1-2
tablespoons canola oil

1 teaspoon
salt

½ teaspoon
black pepper

 

Preheat the
oven to 350 degrees F.  Rinse the chicken
and parts.  Remove extra fat.  Drain chicken well.  Put 1 ½ lemons and the onion in chicken
cavity and close both ends of the chicken with skewers or toothpicks.  Rub the breast side of the chicken with half
the canola oil and season with half the salt and pepper.  Place on a rack in the roasting pan, or right
in the pan if you don’t have a rack, breast side down.  Rub the other side of chicken with remaining
oil, season with rest of salt and pepper. 
Roast in oven 30 minutes, turn chicken breast side up and roast an
additional 30 minutes, basting occasionally. 
Raise the heat to 375 degrees and continue roasting for about 20 minutes
more.  Let chicken rest 5-10 minutes
before cutting into pieces. 

Serves 4.

 

 

Italian Goulash

2
tablespoons olive oil

1
tablespoon garlic, minced

1-1 ½
pounds steak any kind), cut in ½” x 2” pieces

2 medium or
large red peppers, cored, seeded, and diced

One
28-ounce and one 14-ounce can plum tomatoes plus their juice

¼ cup
chopped fresh parsley or 2 teaspoons dried

½ teaspoon
salt

¼ teaspoon
black pepper

Dash
cayenne or red pepper flakes

½ cup dry
red wine

1 pound
penne, cooked, drained, reserving 1 cup pasta water

Grated
Parmesan for serving

 

Heat oil in
a large skillet over medium low heat. 
Add garlic and cook 1-2 minutes (do not brown).  Add steak pieces, raise heat to medium, and
cook until almost done (barely pink inside). 
Remove steak to a bowl. 

Add red
peppers to remaining oil in skillet. 
Cook 2-4 minutes until beginning to soften.  Drain tomatoes and add juice to peppers.  Either crush tomatoes well in your hands or
chop fine on a cutting board and add to skillet along with parsley, salt, black
pepper, and cayenne or red pepper flakes. 
Cook 2 minutes.  Return meat and
any juices in the bowl to the pan.  Cook
20 minutes, skimming off any oil or foam that rises to the top and stirring
occasionally, until tomatoes are beginning to break up and get “saucy”.  Add red wine and reduce sauce, stirring,
about 4 minutes.  Sauce should be medium
thick.  If it gets too thick, add ½ to 1
cup pasta water.  Adjust salt and pepper
seasoning.  Toss steak and tomato mixture
with pasta and serve immediately with Parmesan on the side.

Serves 4.

 

 

Mickey’s Corned Beef and Cabbage

1 5-6 pound
corned beef with pickling spices

1 12 ounce
can of beer

10
peppercorns

1 bay leaf

6-8 medium
potatoes

1 small
head of cabbage

2-3 medium
onions

6-8 medium
carrots

½ teaspoon
salt and pepper

 

Mustard
Horseradish Sauce

¼ cup
prepared horseradish

¼ cup
mayonnaise

1 ½
tablespoons Dijon-style mustard or ½ teaspoon dry

1 teaspoon
honey

¼ teaspoon
black pepper

½ cup
whipping cream

 

Place
corned beef and pickling spices in a deep electric frying pan or a Crock
Pot.  Add beer, peppercorns, bay leaf,
and water to cover.  Cook 4-5 hours over
very low heat.  If using a pot, simmer 3
hours.  Check occasionally to make sure
water still covers meat.

Prepare
vegetables during last hour of cooking.  Scrub
and halve potatoes.  Rinse cabbage and
remove tough outer leaves.  Core and cut
in quarters.  Peel onions and quarter.  Trim and peel carrots and cut in large
chunks.  Add to corned beef.  Cook 20 minutes and check vegetables.  Remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl when
they are just done (the carrots even a bit crunchy if you like).  Toss with salt and pepper

To make
mustard horseradish sauce:

Combine all
ingredients except cream in a medium bowl. 
Whip cream until it forms soft peaks and folds into mixture.  Cover and refrigerate until serving.

Check
corned beef for tenderness- a knife and fork should slide into it easily.  When done, remove from water and drain well
in colander. 

Place beef
on cutting board and cut across the grain into ½ inch slices.  Arrange on a platter and surround with
vegetables.  Serve with Mustard
Horseradish Sauce on the side.

Serves 6-8
people.

 

 

Fugazy Cutlets

Cutlets:

1 ½ pounds
pork cutlets

1 cup
season bread crumbs

½ cup flour

2 teaspoons
salt

1 teaspoon
black pepper

3 eggs

½ cup olive
oil (approx.)

1 pound
fusilli or pasta of you choice, cooked and drained

 

Sauce:

3
tablespoons olive oil

4 cloves of
garlic, minced

1 small
brown or white onion, diced

One
28-ounce can of plum tomatoes with basil

½ cup dry
red wine

¼ cup
chopped fresh parsley

2
tablespoons chopped fresh basil

½
tablespoon each salt and pepper

 

To Make
Sauce:

Heat olive
oil in pan over low heat, add garlic and cook, stirring 1-2 minutes.  Do not brown. 
Add the onions and cook, stirring 3-4 minutes or until softened.  Add juice from canned tomatoes and the wine
and scrape up any bits that are stuck to the pan.  Crush tomatoes with your hands or chop well
on a cutting board and add to sauce. 
Bring mixture to a simmer.  Add
parsley, basil, and ¼ tablespoon black pepper. 
Simmer 45 minutes, skimming off foam every 8-10 minutes.  Season with salt and remaining pepper to
taste. 

 

To Make
Cutlets:

To prepare
cutlets, first lay them either straight on a cutting board or between sheets of
wax paper or plastic wrap on the board and pound until approximately ¼ to 1/8
inch thick.  If you don’t have a
meat-pounder, use the back of a heavy pan or a meat cleaver.  Mix bread crumbs, flour, and a dash of salt
and pepper in a bowl or shallow dish. 
Dip the cutlets in mixture on both sides and lay out on a plate.  Beat eggs in a separate bowl, season with
salt and pepper, and set aside.

Heat ½ cup
olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat.  Dip each cutlet in eggs on both sides, and
slip into pan.  Sauté for 1-2 minutes per
side, or until golden brown, turning once (don’t overcook them).  Add more olive oil and reheat if necessary
before adding more cutlets.  Remove
cutlets as they cook to paper towels to drain. 

Place the
cutlets on plates and top with sauce.  If
you wish, serve with fusilli tossed with some of the tomato sauce on the side.

 

 

Brooklyn Meatballs

1 ½ pounds
ground beef + ½ pound ground pork or 1 pound ground beef + ¾ pound ground veal
+ ¼ pound ground pork

2 eggs

1 tablespoon
minced fresh parsley

1
tablespoon minced fresh basil

¼ cup
chopped white or brown onions

3 cloves of
garlic chopped fine

¼ cup
grated fresh Romano or Parmesan cheese

½ cup
dried, seasoned bread crumbs

½ teaspoon
each salt and pepper (to taste)

2 tablespoons
chopped canned tomatoes or tomato sauce

3
tablespoons olive oil

 

Combine
ground meats in a large bowl and mix together well with your hands.  Add in eggs one at a time, mixing after each
addition.  Add in all other ingredients
except tomatoes or sauce and olive oil, and combine to form a mixture that is
soft but still sticks together.  If
meatballs are too hard or dry, add chopped tomatoes or sauce.

Heat olive
oil in frying pan.  Place a small bowl of
water and a plate near meatball mixture. 
While oil is heating roll approximately 3 tablespoons of meatball
mixture at a time into walnut-size balls in palm of your hand, adding a small
amount of water if they don’t roll well. 
Place each completed ball on the plate. 
Continue forming until all meatballs are done (you can place them on top
of each other like a tower).  Test the
oil temperature- a drop of water should sizzle when it hits the oil.  Fry meatballs in batches, turning until
browned on all sides and cooked through. 
Drain on paper towels.  Can be served
plain, as main dish in any tomato sauce, on an Italian roll with Parmesan,
provolone, or mozzarella as a sandwich, or sliced and put on pizza.

 

Variations:

1.  Add ½ cup golden raisins to make a sweet
meatball

2.  Add ¼ cup chopped pine nuts.  Toast them lightly if you want, but keep in
mind they’ll also get cooked when the meatballs do.

 

Beer Cheese Soup

1 Tbsp
margarine

½ cup
chopped onion

¼ cup
chopped celery

¼ cup
finely chopped carrots

½ tsp
minced garlic

1 tsp
Worcestershire sauce

1 (12 oz)
can or bottle light beer

1 (14.5 oz)
can chicken broth]

3 Tbsp
cornstarch

2 cups half
and half

2 cup
shredded sharp cheddar cheese

 

Melt the
butter or margarine in a 4 ½ quart soup pot over medium heat.  Add onion, celery, carrots garlic and
Worcestershire sauce and stir well.  Cook
until vegetables are tender.  Add the
beer and raise the heat to high and boil for 3 minutes to evaporate the
alcohol.  Add the chicken broth and bring
the soup back to a boil.  Lower the heat
to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes.

Combine
cornstarch with 3 Tbsp water and stir until smooth.  Set aside

Add the
half and half and shredded cheese to the soup. 
Stir constantly until the cheese melts. 
Then stir in the cornstarch mixture. 
Stir constantly until the soup is thick (about 2 minutes).

Serve with
garnished with bacon bits.

Old Fashioned Potato Salad

2 ½ pounds
read potatoes, large diced

3 Tbsp
cider vinegar

¾ cup
mayonnaise

1 tsp
mustard powder

2 Tbsp
chopped parsley

2 tsp
chopped tarragon

½ Tbsp
thinly sliced garlic

½ cup
finely diced red onion

½ cup
finely diced celery

1 tsp salt

½ tsp black
pepper

 

Place
potatoes into a large pot.  Cover with
cold water and place over medium heat. 
Cover pot and bring to boil. 
Immediately reduce heat and remove lid. 
Gently simmer until potatoes are tender. 
Drain and cool.  Remove skins by
rubbing with towel.  Slice potatoes into
rounds and place in zip-lock bag.  Add
vinegar and toss to coat all of the potatoes. 
Place bag in refrigerator overnight.

In large
mixing bowl combine mayonnaise, mustard, parsley, tarragon, garlic, onions and
celery.  Add potatoes and season with
salt and pepper.  Let the salad chill in
refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving.

Bacon-Potato Chowder

8 slices
bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 cups
potatoes cut into ½ inch pieces

1 cup
chopped onion

8 oz sour
cream

1 ¼ cup
milk

1 can (10
oz) cream of chicken soup

8 oz can
whole kernel corn, drained

¼ tsp
pepper

¼ tsp thyme

 

In 3-quart
saucepan, cook bacon over medium heat for 5 minutes.  Add potatoes and onions.  Continue cooking, stirring occasionally until
potatoes are tender (15-20 minutes).  Add
remaining ingredients.  Continue cooking,
stirring occasionally until heated through. 
Do not let soup boil.

 

Egg Bake

(2) 12 oz
packages sausage links, cooked and cut into chunks

2 cups
shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup
Bisquick mix

3 cups milk

4 eggs

Grease 9/13
pan.   Place one layer of meat and
alternate with layer of cheese in a pan until all meat and cheese are used.

Beat
together remaining ingredients until smooth.

Pour over
meat/cheese mixture.

Bake at 350 dregrees for 90 minutes

Pecan Oven Fried Chicken

1 ½ cp low
fat buttermilk

1 Tbsp
minced garlic

2 tsp
ginger

1 tsp
ground cumin

1 tsp salt

4 chicken
breast halves on the bone, skinned

 

½ cup dry
unseasoned bread crumbs

¼ cup
pecans, finely ground

 

In a
sealable plastic bag combine buttermilk, garlic, ginger, cumin and salt.  Shake to coat.  Seal bag. 
Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight, turning occasionally.

Preheat
overn to 425 degrees.  In a flat dish
combine bread crumbs and pecans.  Remove
chicken pieces one at a time and place meat side down in crumbs to coat.  Place coated side up in onstick baking
pan.  Discard marinade.

Bake
uncovered 20 minutes.  Decrease heat to
350 degrees.  Bake 20 minutes longer or
until meat is not longer pink near the bone.

 

Godfather Spaghetti Sauce

28 oz.
Canned whole tomatoes, chopped

2 Tbsp
olive oil

1 med.
Onion, chopped

3 cloves
garlic, crushed and chopped finely

1 large tin
tomato paste

1 tsp basil

1 tsp
oregano

1 pound
cooked Italian sausage, pre-cooked and broken into fine pieces

2 Tbsp dry
read table wine

¼ cup sugar

In a large
saucepan heat oil over medium heat and cook onion and garlice until translucent.  Add tomatoes and cook until osft.  Stir in tomato paste, basil and oregano.  Stir in meat until meat is thoroughly coated.  Stir in wine and sugar.  Preduce heat to low to medium low, simmer 20
minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Ladle sauce
over large bowls of spaghetti.

How to Cook Pasta

For one
pound of pasta:

Bring to a
boil a large pot of water (at least 3-4 quarts).  Add 1-2 tablespoons salt and stir till
dissolved.  When water is at a full boil,
add pasta and stir immediately to keep off bottom.  (As they say, stir, stir, stir, stir!)

Once the
pasta is boiling again, stir occasionally until cooked al dente, which depends
on the pasta- between 5 and 11 minutes (read the pasta box to know the general
time, then subtract 2 minutes for first time to check for doneness).

Cook pasta
to al dente (which means “to the teeth”, or in Americanese, so you can bite
through it with no hard bits-still chewy, not soft).  Remember, pasta will be hot and continue
cooking when off the flame.  Drain
immediately, reserving one cup or more of pasta water if needed.  (The easiest way to reserve pasta water is to
dip out the amount you want to save before draining the pasta.)

I don’t
like to add oil to the water when cooking pasta.  If you’re worried that the pasta will stick
together, return it to the pot and toss it well with a little olive oil after
draining.  The pasta should still have a
little “glue” from the starch it gives off that binds it to the sauce.

 

I will return later this evening to see if I met my mate.

Depending on what Post Secret has to offer today, I may be back with a special Post Secret entry.