Baked Potatoes

Ingredients:

1/2 kg baby  potatoes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt, plus more for seasoning
Freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch chives
1/2 cup sour cream
4 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 220C
Toss the potatoes in a bowl with the oil, salt, and pepper until completely coated. Place on a baking sheet and bake until fork tender, about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a small pot of water to a boil and salt it generously. Fill a medium bowl with ice water. Put the chives in the boiling water and cook until bright green, about 30 seconds. Immediately, plunge into the ice water to set the color. Squeeze all the water out of the chives and give them a rough chop.

Put into a blender with the sour cream. Pulse until you have a smooth green sauce and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Chill until ready to serve. (Or, thinly slice the chives and stir into the sour cream, season with salt and pepper, to taste.)

Cut the potatoes lengthwise and then across. Pinch and press the sides to open the potatoes. Divide the butter among the potatoes and serve with the sour cream.

This recipe from CDKitchen

Baked Pasta

Ingredients

• 448 g dry pasta
• 455 g lean ground beef
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 (15 ounce) cans tomato sauce
• 335 g white gravy  (bechamel sauce)
• 40 g grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 g dried oregano
• 1 g dried basil
• 110 g shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. In a Dutch oven or large frying pan, cook and stir ground beef until brown. Add garlic, tomato sauce, gravy,  Parmesan cheese, oregano and basil. Simmer for 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water until al dente. Drain.
3. Combine the cooked pasta  and the sauce, and spread into a greased 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 20 to 30 minutes, until bubbly.

Lasagna

 

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces lasagna noodles
• 1 lb ground beef (optional)
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 2 teaspoons basil
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 3 ounces cream cheese, cubed
• 2 cups cheddar 
• 1 1/2 cups smoked gouda cheese  
• bechamel sauce (white sauce)
• 12 slices mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Prep Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 1 hr

1.  Preheat oven to 375°F.
2.  saute   beef, onion and garlic in a 1 tbs. oil; drain.
3. Stir in seasonings.
4.  Add tomato sauce
5. Cook over low heat until smooth.
6. ,Add  shredded Cheddar and Gouda
7. prepare white sauce, set aside.
8. Layer cooked noodles, part of meat mixture, white sauce , cream cheese , half Mozzarella.
9.  Repeat until all is used; top with Mozzarella.
10. Bake on top rack for 40 minutes.

White Sauce

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• salt and white pepper to taste
• nutmeg, to taste 

In a medium heavy saucepan, melt butter over low heat,  add the flour all at once, mixing well with a wooden spoon. Cook over low heat 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly to incorporate and cook flour. Remove pan from heat and let stand, up to 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, scald milk (heating it until just below boiling point).
Return saucepan with roux to medium-low heat. Add all of the scalded milk at once . Simmer, stirring gently with a wire whisk or wooden spoon . Cook, stirring, over low heat, 15 to 20 minutes, until smooth and thickened. Strain sauce through fine-mesh strainer. Add salt, white pepper and nutmeg to taste. Makes about 2 cups.

Spaghetti Bolognaise

1 lb. ground beef

1 (15 oz.) can whole tomatoes
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce
2 med. onions
5 garlic cloves
6 or 7 lg. mushrooms
1 green pepper
2 tsp. ready to use oregano
2 tsp. ready to use basil
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. dry thyme
Fresh ground pepper to taste
1/2 c. olive oil
1 lb. spaghetti
Parmesan cheese, grated

Peel and chop onions, garlic cloves, mushrooms and green pepper. Put large skillet on burner and heat olive oil on medium high setting. Add onions, garlic, mushrooms, and green pepper. Fry for 5 minutes or until onions turn clear and garlic starts to smell strong. Pour all ingredients into a bowl and reserve for later.Return skillet to heat and add ground beef. Fry until browned and break apart into small clumps. Returned fried vegetables to the skillet. Add whole tomatoes and chop them up. Add tomato sauce, oregano, basil, bay leaf, thyme and ground pepper. Mix ingredients well. Cover skillet and turn heat down to simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes.

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add spaghetti, a little at a time. Stir and add extra virgin olive oil to avoid sticking. Cook for 10 minutes or until just cooked through (no hard white center). Drain and run cool water through spaghetti. Transfer to a bowl and add a half cup of grated Parmesan cheese. Mix well.

Remove sauce from stove and pour into a bowl,  serve warm.