Big Easy Showdown

Posted on February 24, 2009 by | 3 comments

We’re getting close to crowning another Top Chef winner. In the last episode, the cheftestants arrived in New Orleans for a great showdown. The Big Easy’s most famous chef, Emeril, was guest judge. In a surprise twist, previously eliminated contestants Leah, Jamie and Jeff were brought back to compete in the Quickfire Challenge, which featured crawfish as the main ingredient. Emeril was hot-to-trot over Jeff’s crawfish and grits, so he earned a spot in the Elimination Challenge. The Elimination Challenge had the cheftestants cooking two Cajun-Creole influenced dishes and a cocktail!, for guests at a masquerade ball.

The Euro Duo prepared the least favorite dishes. Stefan lazily made gumbo and Fabio didn’t use enough heat. The Europeans apparently can’t make cocktails either because both Fabio’s bell pepper martini and Stefan’s black cherry rum cocktail were much too sweet. Sadly, we had to say arrivederci to our charming Fabio, and again to Jeff. But, we rejoiced when our hometown girl Carla won with her oyster stew, savory beignet and non-alcoholic cranberry lime spritzer. The oyster stew looked amazing and Bravo has made the recipe available.

carla_oyster_stew1

Carla’s Oyster Stew with bacon, potatoes and celery root

As far as a drink pairing, we really, really, really wanted to bring you Jeff’s cucumber mojito. Not only is it a refreshing twist on the cocktail, it was the judges’ favorite, and for crying out loud, we’ve got someone named Miss Mojito around here! We’ll keep an eye out for it, but in the meantime here are two other recipes that look promising, the infused version in particular.

Cucumber Mojitos for a Crowd
recipe appeared in Seattle Times and makes 8 servings

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups light rum
  • 1 bunch fresh mint (about 1 ½ cups sprigs)
  • 1 cucumber, sliced thin
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 cups fresh lime juice
  • Loads of ice for serving
  • 1 bottle (10-ounces) soda water
  • Fresh mint sprigs for garnish

Directions:

  1. In a large bowl combine the rum, 1 bunch mint and half of the cucumber slices. Cover and let infuse overnight.
  2. The next day, strain the rum, being sure to press out all the rum! Discard the mint and cucumber. Place the rum in a large pitcher and add the sugar and lime juice. Stir well to dissolve the sugar. Add the remaining cucumber slices. Right before serving, add the soda water and stir gently.
  3. Serve in glasses filled with ice and garnish with mint.

Cucumber Mojitos
recipe courtesy of myrecipes and makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups cold water
  • 1 cup coarsely chopped cucumber
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 large)
  • 12 mint leaves
  • 3/4 cup rum
  • 1 cup sparkling water, chilled
  • 1 cup crushed ice
  • 4 mint sprigs
  • 4 cucumber slices
  • 4 lime wedges

Directions:

  1. Place 2 cups water and chopped cucumber in a blender; process until smooth. Strain cucumber mixture through a sieve into a medium bowl; discard solids.
  2. Place 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 tablespoon lime juice, and 4 mint leaves in a 2-cup glass measure; crush with a wooden spoon. Add 3 tablespoons rum and about 1/2 cup cucumber mixture; stir until sugar dissolves. Stir in 1/4 cup sparkling water. Place 1/4 cup ice in a 12-ounce glass; pour cucumber mixture over ice. Garnish with 1 mint sprig, 1 cucumber slice, and 1 lime wedge. Repeat procedure with remaining ingredients. Serve immediately.

posted by Ms. S&C

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We’re live on Oscar night!

Posted on February 23, 2009 by | 5 comments

The S&C Team are blogging live on Hollywood’s biggest night of the year!

Ms. S&C: Just saw Heidi Klum in a gorgeous one-shoulder red hot number. And matching red satin pumps. Can’t wait to find out who those were. Not sure about the excessive jewelry. Did it even match?

Miss Mojito: So far, I’ve spotted two other ladies in red: best supporting actress nominee Amy Adams picked a drapey, strapless column gown; and Big Love’s Amanda Seyfried’s version features spaghetti straps and a big bow (which she paired with some cage-style, pewter heels). Amanda gets a thumbs-down from me, Amy is thumbs-up.

Ms. S&C: What are you drinking this evening Miss M? I’m at a friend’s six annual Oscar bash and starting with a glass of champagne, naturally.

Miss Mojito: Chianti and a plate of pasta for me!

Wow. Sarah Jessica Parker. I don’t know what to say. When I saw her from the waist up, I swooned over the gold-detailed bodice. But when the camera panned down to the skirt, one might guess that she’s hiding a family of five beneath the layers.  I like drama as much as the next girl, but how is she going to sit down in that thing??

Ms. S&C: The stars from The Wrestler have arrived. Marisa Tomei looks great — love the smokey eyes. Mickey Rourke is true to his rebel self and has opted out of wearing a tux. So sweet that he has a picture of his late Chihuahua around his neck.

Miss Mojito: I definitely hope that Mickey wins best actor, just so we can hear his speech.

Hooray, winter white is ruling the red carpet! Melissa George and D.C.-native Taraji P. Henson both look pretty fantastic in white. Melissa’s look is a bit too lingerie-inspired for my tastes, but Taraji looks like perfection in her tiered, strapless version with a bold statement necklace. And I just spotted Marissa Tomei and Evan Rachel Wood both in creamy, origami-pleated dresses. I’m hoping that Anne Hathaway’s paillette-covered, cream-tone gown looks better in person – on camera, it feels a bit dull to me. The verdict is out on Jessica Biel’s white dress – I like the billowy neckline, but the satin is already wrinkling. I think I just caught a glimpse of Penelope Cruz in white, too.

Ms. S&C: A comment from the gallery here — Jessica Biel’s dress looks like she has a large napkin tucked in. Not sure how I feel about all the draping. But yes, all kinds of winter white! Brangelina arrives! Even though Angelina is in a plain black dress, she looks better than ever. I think the curls soften her. And I love the pop of color from the green earrings.

Miss Mojito: All these floor-length gowns are a major source of frustration – where are the shoes?? Tim Gunn just asked Kate Winslet who designed her shoes (Yves St. Laurent), and the camera didn’t even catch a glimpse of them!

Ms. S&C: There really are a lot of red and white gowns this evening. I can’t get over it. I wish Tim Gunn was interviewing more celebrities. And I wish Miley Cyrus and the High School Musical gang weren’t taking up so much air time. Why are they even here? Miley might be wearing the worst dress I’ve ever seen.

Miss Mojito: Did anyone just see Tim Gunn literally chase Brad and Angelina down the runway to tell them how much he loves them? Too funny – Tim is definitely my favorite person on the red carpet tonight.

Wait, I take that back – the entire cast of Slumdog Millionaire might qualify for that distinction. They just gathered for a group interview and I got teary eyed. The kids are too cute for words, Dev Patel is charming and Freida Pinto is simply stunning. I’m a bit torn over her one-sleeve number, but the color and fit are highly flattering.

Ms. S&C: Hugh Jackman, I may want to marry you.

Miss Mojito: I think my favorite line of the night comes from the woman wearing my least favorite outfit. When Whoopi Goldberg, while praising Amy Adam’s role in Doubt, said “It’s not easy being a nun,” I laughed out loud (I’m a closet-fanatic when it comes to Sister Act I and II). But that leopard-print monstrosity of a dress – Whoopi, what were you thinking?

Ms. S&C: Tina Fey and Steve Martin — a winning combo. Tina looks fantastic in her shimmery dress and hair to the side–very 1930s.

On a separate note, I have to give a shout out to the Milk screenwriter who won for Best Original Screenplay–pretty awesome as political acceptance speeches go.

Miss Mojito: I love the mother-daughter duo of Meryl Streep and her daughter, Louisa. They complement each other so well—earthy tones, simple cuts, age appropriate, elegant hair. And I was a big fan of Meryl in Doubt – she makes a very convincing nun.

Ms. S&C: Holy god, my first shoe comment of the night is about the guy who won for Best Cinematography — he is wearing nude colored clogs.  I don’t care if he is Danish, it is wrong.

Mixed comments from the gallery on Natalie Portman’s dress. I kinda like her pink/purple-ish fitted gown. Ditto on the Streep family. So classy.

Ms. S&C: So, we’re about to close up shop for the night. Oh wait, Reese Witherspoon’s dress is a total disappointment. And the blue eye makeup is too much. She’s done so well recently. Halle Berry comes out for the Best Leading Actress presentation, and she’s worth waiting for–she’s looks great. Hooray for Kate Winslet! Anne Hathaway, we love you too, but we know you’ll be back.

That’s it for the S&C Team. Thanks for reading! Share a comment below and tell us who was your Oscar fashion fave and, of course, your fashion knave.


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Shocking Tonic Results

Posted on February 20, 2009 by | Leave a comment

Some girlfriends gathered chez moi last weekend for some high school reminiscing, appetizer consuming and cocktail imbibing. We started by sipping prosecco with hibiscus flowers and syrup (which I’ll save for another post). I then proceeded to turn my guests into guinea pigs with my much anticipated tonic testing. The results, I must say, were surprising indeed! But first, let’s meet the contestants.

My hope was to integrate a homemade tonic into my tasting. Todd Thrasher, of Restaurant Eve fame, has a recipe that the Washington Post published a while back, but I had a bit of trouble putting my hands on some of the ingredients, namely quinine powder and citric acid. So, we had to resort to store-bought brands. I picked two brands widely available in grocery stores: Schweppes Diet Tonic and Canada Dry Regular Tonic. My third pick was the Q Tonic, a new discovery I mentioned in a previous post. Made from organic agave nectar instead of sugar, it’s billed as a healthy, superior tonic.

I mixed up three mini-cocktails for each of my friends, using Smirnoff Vodka or Tanqueray Gin and a squeeze of lime. It was a blind tasting (I used Solo cups and labeled the bottom of each with a Sharpee), so our results were completely unbiased.

The results? Three out of four gals picked the diet tonic as their favorite! The Q Tonic samples—which ring in schweppesat a staggering $10 for around 25 ounces—tasted a bit flavorless to our palettes. Comparatively, the diet tonic—a bargain at around $2 for about 33 ounces—had a sweeter flavor that seemed to accentuate the drink’s lime-iness. Needless to say, we felt extremely unsophisticated to discover that the organic, “gourmet” tonic was the least palatable to our taste buds. But I’m not dismissing the Q Tonic all together. I think it might be best suited to really bringing out the flavor of the liquor. A pairing of Q Tonic with the cucumber-infused Hendrick’s gin, for example, or maybe a flavored vodka, might be better suited to bringing out the tonic’s best attributes. But I think you’ll have to give it a try and see for yourself! You can find out where to buy Q Tonic on their Web site.

posted by Miss Mojito

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Last supper

Posted on February 18, 2009 by | 2 comments

We’re down to the final five cheftestants on Top Chef. Last week’s episode was the last one in New York City and included an array of culinary experts. Wylie Dufresne was guest judge during the Quickfire Challenge, which involved one of my favorite proteins – eggs. Come-out-of-no-where-Carla won it with her playful green eggs and ham dish.

Time for the Elimination Challenge, which was billed as the proverbial Last Supper. Each cheftestant drew knives to find out what renowned culinary authority’s favorite dish they were to prepare – as if it were going to be the last dish they would eat. I was pretty surprised at how ordinary the dishes were. I mean, they’re classics, but shrimp scampi and eggs benedict for the last meal of your life — really?

Anyhoo, here’s what was served:

  • First course: Leah undercooks eggs benedict for Wylie Dufresne
  • Second course: Stefan overcooks salmon with spinach and roasted potatoes for Marcus Samuelsson
  • Third course: Hosea under-seasons shrimp scampi with tomatoes provencal for Susan Ungaro
  • Fourth course: Fabio perfectly roasts chicken for the Italian lady, Lidia Bastianich
  • Fifth course: Come-out-of-no-where-Carla almost wins with squab and fresh peas for Jacques Pépin, who may have out-Eric-Ripert-ed Eric Ripert as one of the nicest chefs around.

Carla and Fabio were the faves, with Fabio winning what may have been his first challenge. Stefan’s ego was taken down a notch, but it was Leah who packed her knives.

roast-chicken

liberty-ale

There are a lot of drink options appropriate for Fabio’s roasted chicken dish. Keeping with the theme — if there was only one beer I could choose to be my last one, it would definitely be Anchor Liberty Pale Ale. Aromatic, full of hop flavor and a rich color, Anchor Liberty is a great, great beer.

posted by Ms. S&C

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Love is in the air

Posted on February 14, 2009 by | 3 comments

Happy Valentine’s Day! The theme of love continues over here at S&C. Ms. S&C had two good friends marry a few weeks ago and thought now would be the time to share a few details.

Friends SB and LD were married in a courthouse ceremony, so they spent their wedding day with a small gathering of family and close friends — until an evening reception when many more of us joined them to celebrate. When I saw SB, she was stunning in a Tahari dress. The dress, knee length, had gorgeous silver detailing, a cut-out neckline, and was finished with a belted bow. I so wish there was a picture to share. It was very Jackie O/Audrey Hepburn-esque. SB said a courthouse wedding seemed a bit retro so she went with a vintage late 50s/early 60s look.

Naturally, I wanted to see what shoes she paired. And she really couldn’t have found a better match for the dress. The shoes were beautiful and elegant and had P-E-R-F-E-C-T bow detailing to compliment the belt on the dress. She picked up this ivory pair over at DSW, where there are more color choices. And with a price tag of $49.95, I’m very tempted to get the black ones.

wedding-shoes

SB’s perfect wedding shows with bow detail

Another fun retro-y detail — at the reception, instead of wedding cake, red velvet cupcakes were served. I’m not sure I’ve tasted a better cupcake. The baker has a blog where she shares the recipe, and she comments that “the intense red color of the cake has some sort of hypnotic effect, because people are always delighted just to lay eyes on the cake, and then absolutely smitten when they finally taste it.” Absolutely right, sista.

red-velvet-cupcakes

Delicious red velvet wedding cupcakes

To further celebrate this heart-filled holiday, here’s a romantic cocktail that fits the occasion. It was inspired by the Rose Royce Cocktail, courtesy of OVAL Vodka. One of the original ingredients in the recipe was rose syrup. I subbed St. Germain elderflower liqueur because it of its floral notes and because I already had it in my cabinet. I used grenadine instead of simple syrup so the drink would have a slight pink color. I also didn’t have any fresh thyme, but the rosemary in my garden has survived the winter (and it seemed a better fit, both in name and flavor). All in all, a lovely drink.

The Rose Cocktail
makes one drink

1 oz. Vodka (Oval recommended)
1/3 oz. St. Germain
1/3 oz. Grenadine
2/3 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
1 dash Angostura Bitters
½ glass Champagne

Shake all ingredients well over ice and pour into a flute half-filled with champagne. Garnish with a sprig of fresh rosemary.

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Heart’s Inspiration

Posted on February 12, 2009 by | 2 comments

My mother and I whipped up a batch of Cranberry Margaritas as our Christmas Eve pre-dinner drink. We liked them so much that we cranberrymargarita21repeated them again on Christmas day, and more recently for a Sunday evening get together. They’re tart and a tiny bit sweet, and they mix up quickly in a blender. Plus, they translate easily into a virgin-version for your pregnant sister-in-law (just add a bit more lime juice and a splash of OJ in place of the tequila and Cointreau)! Given their heart-toned hue, they make for a festive Valentine’s drink, too.

Cranberry Margarita
Recipe comes from cocktail.com

  • 1 1/4 cup cranberry juice
  • 1/2 cup sugar (Miss M recommends substantially less sugar – start with 1 Tbl and taste frequently)
  • 1 1/2 cup fresh frozen cranberries, rinsed (freeze on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper)
  • 3/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
  • 3/4 cup tequila
  • 1/2 cup Cointreau (orginal recipe calls for Grand Marnier, but Miss M recommends this substitute)
  • Ice

Mix together the first six ingredients. Pour half of mixture in the blender and fill rest with ice. Blend. Repeat with second half of mixture. Makes about two blender batches – which is enough to meet 4-6 people’s margarita desires, depending upon individual thirst levels.valentinesbandolino

For a romantic, flirtatious and Valentine’s inspired footwear choice, this floral suede pair by Bandolino is calling my name. And the coral patent sandals from Banana Republic bring a smile to my face. valentines1

My heart-toned picks might be a bit clichéd and traditional, but isn’t that the point of Valentine’s Day, anyways?

 

posted by Miss Mojito

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Be mine

Posted on February 10, 2009 by | 1 comment

Dear Mr. S&C,

Valentine’s Day is approaching — the day when lovers express their love with gifts of chocolates, flowers, homemade cards, and maybe even shoes? Ms. S&C tells me that you’ve been working like a madman over the past couple of months. I bet you haven’t had much time to think of a gift for your lovely wife? I seem to recall that last year you tried to order flowers on February 13, and the florist laughed at you? Perhaps I can help by offering a few recommendations?

These Giuseppe Zanotti floral pumps are pretty incredible — and a much better gift than a dozen roses. With the rounded toe and pleated detail — they are like a work of art.  Another option is this Noah Love Birds clutch. Bright red and love birds! It practically has Perfect. Valentine’s Day. Gift. written all over it.

floral_pumps

love-birds-clutch

Yours truly,
A Concerned Friend

posted by Ms. S&C

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Gone fishin’

Posted on February 9, 2009 by | 4 comments

Last week’s episode of Top Chef featured chef Eric Ripert as guest judge. And now, I am totally crushing on him. He was super friendly and sweet and encouraging, and he seemed to be without pretense. He has definitely skyrocketed into my Top 5 celebrity chef picks. And, as good timing would have it, Ms. S&C was able to visit Chef Ripert’s Washington, DC, restaurant, Westend Bistro, over the weekend. Like the acclaimed Le Bernardin, seafood is the star at Westend. The Salmon Rillettes and Fish Burger may sound like average dishes, but they were excellent. Ms. S&C had a great cocktail too – the Memorial Bridge Sunset was made with Campari and Champagne, garnished with a dollop of pink grapefruit sorbet. I’ve never mixed Campari with Champagne before, but I definitely will again.

On to the Top Chef recap. The Quickfire Challenge had the cheftestants competing in a three-round fish filleting tournament with sardines, Artic char and fresh water eels. Stefan easily beat Hosea in the final round, after hammering the eel to his cutting board and peeling back the skin. It was a little disconcerting, to be honest. Stefan did not get immunity but got a huge advantage in the Elimination Challenge. After dining with Chef Ripert at Le Bernardin for lunch, the cheftestants had to draw knives to see which of his dishes they had to recreate for the Elimination. Stefan’s Quickfire win meant he could choose his dish outright. Naturally, Stefan chose the easiest dish and tops Fabio and Carla to get another win. Hosea, Leah and Jamie were on the bottom. I would have paid money to see Leah go, but it was Jamie who was sent home, presumably for not liking braised celery and not knowing how to use serrano ham in a sauce.

lobster-asparagusStefan’s winning dish of lobster and asparagus with hollandaise

For the drink pairing, I would personally have a glass of champagne or a crisp sauvignon blanc with this dish, as to not overpower the lobster.  So, in honor of a killer deal I found on champagne over at Pearson’s Wine & Spirits, I’ll pair it with the Fat Bastard Blanc de Blancs. They are practically giving it away over there — $5.99 a bottle! I so regret not buying a case.

posted by Ms. S&C

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Sipping Sours

Posted on February 6, 2009 by | 7 comments

All this recession business has me in a bit of a sour mood. And you know what they say: when life gives you lemons, make a whiskey sour! Or a pisco, midori or rum sour, as the case may be.

Winter is the perfect time to delve into this citrus-friendly group of cocktails, with the abundant availability AND relative affordability of oranges, lemons, limes and grapefruit in your grocery store. Let’s start with the classic.

The whiskey sour has become a tried and true winter favorite in Miss M’s household. Ina Garten provides a great basic recipe in her book, Barefoot Contessa at Home. This is apparently her favorite cocktail to offer guests (she likes to serve it along side a green herb dip, a recipe that I’ll be trying out on some friends to accompany my tonic tasting this weekend – more on that later!). I like this version because it relies on both lemon and lime juice. In a pinch, I’ve subbed some organic, bottled lime juice for the fresh when I was lacking limes and loving laziness.

Barefoot Contessa’s Fresh Whiskey Sourbarefootcontessa
Serves 4

• 3/4 cup whiskey (recommended: Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey)
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (4 lemons)
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (4 limes)
• 2/3 cup sugar syrup
• Ice cubes
• Maraschino cherries

Combine the whiskey, lemon juice, lime juice, and syrup. Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice and pour in the drink mix 2/3 full. Shake for 15 seconds and pour into glasses. Add a maraschino cherry and serve ice cold.

My proclivity for whiskey sours goes a long way back. In fact, we used to make big batches for tailgates in college, using cheap bourbon and frozen lemonade concentrate with delightful results. Still, I’m ready to branch out from this traditional choice. The Meyer Lemon Sour has me the most excited. According to my Food Lover’s Companion, the Meyer lemon could best be described as a cross between an orange and a lemon. Our food history lesson for the day tells us that the Meyer lemon is “named after F.N. Meyer who in 1908 imported it into the United States from China, where it’s been grown for centuries.” They’re characterized by a sweeter and less acidic juice than regular lemons. If I can’t put my hands on some Meyer lemons, I’m thinking a 50/50 mix of lemons and oranges might do the trick nicely. I found this recipe over on the Food Network, where it’s attributed to Mr. Bobby Flay.

Meyer Lemon Sour
Serves 6

• 12 ounces whiskey (recommended: Jim Beam)
• 9 ounces Meyer Lemon Sweet and Sour Mix, recipe follows
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 6 slices Meyer lemon
• 6 maraschino cherries

Shake the first 3 ingredients vigorously in a cocktail shaker or in a large container with a lid. Pour into glasses over ice. Garnish with slices of Meyer lemon and maraschino cherries.

Meyer Lemon Sweet and Sour Mix
4 cups Meyer lemon juice
1 cup simple syrup
2 egg whites
Pinch salt

Combine all the ingredients.

A brief bit of Internet research quickly expanded my limited sour knowledge. Apparently the sour category applies to any drink that combines liquor, lemon or lime juice and a sweetener. So it doesn’t have to actually have the word sour in its title—margaritas and sidecars also belong to this family. Why not add a sour to your winter cocktail family today?!

Posted by Miss Mojito

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Super Bowl

Posted on February 5, 2009 by | 3 comments

Mr. and Ms. S&C hosted their seventh annual Super Bowl party over the weekend. I realize the Super Bowl has been covered ad nauseam, so there’s no need for a recap of the game, the commercials, or the Boss here. I will say Jennifer Hudson looked fabulous and I would kill for her outfit. Loved the jacket, the shoes and the jewelry.

Even Top Chef jumped on board for the media overload, so I may pass on the Top Chef recap/drink pairing from last week’s episode. Except to say, it was pretty cool that the Quickfire Challenge involved squares. I love playing football squares.

There were two items from our party I feel bound to share — bloody mary’s and the world’s best lasagna.

As of late, I’ve heard many cocktail enthusiasts who have been advocating a return to the original Bloody Mary. The original recipe, thought to have been created by either a bartender at the St. Regis Hotel in New York City or one in Paris, started with equal parts tomato juice and vodka. Some mixologists highly recommend this simplified version, with maybe a dash or two of Worcestershire, lemon juice and salt and pepper.

Ms. S&C personally loves the bold spiciness that can come with a Bloody Mary. Lots of horseradish, Tabasco, old bay, celery seed, citrus — you could call it “the works.” And, I love to experiment with garnishes — maybe a fresh jalapeno and a shrimp, maybe bacon? Celery is an old favorite, but cucumber is now my go-to garnish of choice.

bloody_mary_bar

Bloody mary bar at the Super Bowl party. Cool football shaped glasses
were a gift from an aunt.

Our Super Bowl parties have usually featured traditional fare such as chili and sandwiches and the like. This year, we served lasagna. And, I have to say, it was pretty incredible. So good, that I’m going off-topic. The first time I made this lasagna, it was right after our trip to the city of brotherly love when I used a lot of fresh ingredients from the Italian market. I recommend you splurge on some premium canned tomato products because the sauce is the best part.

World’s Best Lasagna
(adapted from the recipe on all recipes.com)

Ingredients:
1 pound ground Italian sausage
¾ pound lean ground beef
1 cup minced onion
4 cloves minced garlic
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
2 (6.5 ounce) cans canned tomato sauce
½ cup dry red wine
3 teaspoons chopped fresh basil
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
8 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Lasagna noodles (it is okay to use the no-boil noodles)
16 oz ricotta cheese
1 egg
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¾ pound mozzarella cheese, sliced
2 cups grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:
In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and red wine. Season with basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and 4 tablespoons parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally. (Note: the sauce can be made a day in advance.)

In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon cinnamon.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

To assemble, spread 1 ½ cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. Cover with noodles. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture and ¼ cup parmesan cheese. Top with sauce. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil. To prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.

Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

posted by Ms. S&C

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