Tomorrow's Comfort Food.

[Dave Smith]

My wife is down in the kitchen preparing short ribs for tomorrow night's
supper. She is the braising queen and always cooks stews and such the
night before, cools and refrigerates them overnight and then reheats
them the next night. The house smells great.

[dsi1]

Post by Dave Smith
My wife is down in the kitchen preparing short ribs for tomorrow night's
supper. She is the braising queen and always cooks stews and such the
night before, cools and refrigerates them overnight and then reheats
them the next night. The house smells great.

I had meatballs with spaghetti. The meatballs were cooked in the air
fryer.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/RU3d7mE8tZCBXfxS7

[Carol]

Post by dsi1

Post by Dave Smith
My wife is down in the kitchen preparing short ribs for tomorrow
night's supper. She is the braising queen and always cooks stews
and such the night before, cools and refrigerates them overnight
and then reheats them the next night. The house smells great.

I had meatballs with spaghetti. The meatballs were cooked in the air
fryer.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/RU3d7mE8tZCBXfxS7

Mimimalist on sauce I see? I'd have expected more sauce from the way
you do gravies. We swamp it with sauce.

[Jill McQuown]

Post by Carol

Post by dsi1

Post by Dave Smith
My wife is down in the kitchen preparing short ribs for tomorrow
night's supper. She is the braising queen and always cooks stews
and such the night before, cools and refrigerates them overnight
and then reheats them the next night. The house smells great.

I had meatballs with spaghetti. The meatballs were cooked in the air
fryer.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/RU3d7mE8tZCBXfxS7

Mimimalist on sauce I see? I'd have expected more sauce from the way
you do gravies. We swamp it with sauce.

Different strokes. On the rare occasions I make meatballs (as opposed
to a meat sauce) I brown them in oil and later add them to the simmering
sauce on the stove top. When it comes time to serve, a couple of them
are plated on top of the cooked spaghetti along with a good (not
swamp-worthy) spoonful of sauce and sprinkled with grated Parmesan cheese.

Jill

[Dave Smith]

Mimimalist on sauce I see?  I'd have expected more sauce from the way
you do gravies.  We swamp it with sauce.

Different strokes.  On the rare occasions I make meatballs (as opposed
to a meat sauce) I brown them in oil and later add them to the simmering
sauce on the stove top.  When it comes time to serve, a couple of them
are plated on top of the cooked spaghetti along with a good (not
swamp-worthy) spoonful of sauce and sprinkled with grated Parmesan cheese.

When I do spaghetti I put sauce in with the pasta and cook it together
for a minute or so. The meatballs are finished in the sauce and then I
spoon some sauce over the meatballs that or on top of or beside the
sauced pasta. There is no white pasta.

[Jill McQuown]

Post by Dave Smith

Mimimalist on sauce I see?  I'd have expected more sauce from the way
you do gravies.  We swamp it with sauce.

Different strokes.  On the rare occasions I make meatballs (as opposed
to a meat sauce) I brown them in oil and later add them to the
simmering sauce on the stove top.  When it comes time to serve, a
couple of them are plated on top of the cooked spaghetti along with a
good (not swamp-worthy) spoonful of sauce and sprinkled with grated
Parmesan cheese.

When I do spaghetti I put sauce in with the pasta and cook it together
for a minute or so. The meatballs are finished in the sauce and then I
spoon some sauce over the meatballs that or on top of or beside the
sauced pasta. There is no white pasta.

There we differ. I spoon the sauce over the plated pasta. I never add
the pasta to the sauce. That's a tad too reminiscent of canned Chef
Boyardee spaghetti from my childhood.

Jill

[Carol]

Post by Jill McQuown

Post by Dave Smith

Mimimalist on sauce I see?  I'd have expected more sauce from
the way you do gravies.  We swamp it with sauce.

Different strokes.  On the rare occasions I make meatballs (as
opposed to a meat sauce) I brown them in oil and later add them
to the simmering sauce on the stove top.  When it comes time to
serve, a couple of them are plated on top of the cooked
spaghetti along with a good (not swamp-worthy) spoonful of sauce
and sprinkled with grated Parmesan cheese.

When I do spaghetti I put sauce in with the pasta and cook it
together for a minute or so. The meatballs are finished in the
sauce and then I spoon some sauce over the meatballs that or on
top of or beside the sauced pasta. There is no white pasta.

There we differ. I spoon the sauce over the plated pasta. I never
add the pasta to the sauce. That's a tad too reminiscent of canned
Chef Boyardee spaghetti from my childhood.
Jill

When storing leftovers, we combine it all.

[dsi1]

Post by Carol

Post by Jill McQuown

Post by Dave Smith

Mimimalist on sauce I see?  I'd have expected more sauce from
the way you do gravies.  We swamp it with sauce.

Different strokes.  On the rare occasions I make meatballs (as
opposed to a meat sauce) I brown them in oil and later add them
to the simmering sauce on the stove top.  When it comes time to
serve, a couple of them are plated on top of the cooked
spaghetti along with a good (not swamp-worthy) spoonful of sauce
and sprinkled with grated Parmesan cheese.

When I do spaghetti I put sauce in with the pasta and cook it
together for a minute or so. The meatballs are finished in the
sauce and then I spoon some sauce over the meatballs that or on
top of or beside the sauced pasta. There is no white pasta.

There we differ. I spoon the sauce over the plated pasta. I never
add the pasta to the sauce. That's a tad too reminiscent of canned
Chef Boyardee spaghetti from my childhood.
Jill

When storing leftovers, we combine it all.

Last night, I made more meatballs. I like meatballs.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/mbopUeSyhSRiN9PH6

[Jill McQuown]

Post by Carol

Post by Jill McQuown

Post by Dave Smith

Mimimalist on sauce I see?  I'd have expected more sauce from
the way you do gravies.  We swamp it with sauce.

When I do spaghetti I put sauce in with the pasta and cook it
together for a minute or so. The meatballs are finished in the
sauce and then I spoon some sauce over the meatballs that or on
top of or beside the sauced pasta. There is no white pasta.

There we differ. I spoon the sauce over the plated pasta. I never
add the pasta to the sauce. That's a tad too reminiscent of canned
Chef Boyardee spaghetti from my childhood.
Jill

When storing leftovers, we combine it all.

Again, there we differ. I store leftover sauce in one container,
leftover pasta in another. I don't want it all mixed together. I might
want to use the pasta for something else and save the spaghetti sauce
for another time.

Jill

[Dave Smith]

Post by Carol
When storing leftovers, we combine it all.

Again, there we differ.  I store leftover sauce in one container,
leftover pasta in another.  I don't want it all mixed together.  I might
want to use the pasta for something else and save the spaghetti sauce
for another time.

I am most likely to have the leftover as pasta with sauce so I usually
put it away with the sauce on. Then I just have to put it into a pan or
into the microwave and warm it up together.

[Jill McQuown]

Post by Dave Smith

Post by Carol
When storing leftovers, we combine it all.

Again, there we differ.  I store leftover sauce in one container,
leftover pasta in another.  I don't want it all mixed together.  I
might want to use the pasta for something else and save the spaghetti
sauce for another time.

I am most likely to have the leftover as pasta with sauce so I usually
put it away with the sauce on. Then I just have to put it into a pan or
into the microwave and warm it up together.

Sometimes I want to use the already cooked pasta without the tomato
sauce. Sometimes I simply toss some of it with olive oil and sprinkle
it with Mrs. Dash brand garlic & herb seasoning blend. Then sprinkle it
with some grated cheese. Reheated in the microwave. No tomato sauce.
Not stirring the sauce in with the pasta spaghetti lends itself to
different meals using the leftover pasta.

Jill

[Carol]

Post by Dave Smith

Post by Carol
When storing leftovers, we combine it all.

Again, there we differ.  I store leftover sauce in one container,
leftover pasta in another.  I don't want it all mixed together.  I
might want to use the pasta for something else and save the
spaghetti sauce for another time.

I am most likely to have the leftover as pasta with sauce so I
usually put it away with the sauce on. Then I just have to put it
into a pan or into the microwave and warm it up together.

Pretty much the same but if I was short on sauce, I'll make a fast
pasta salad with bits of things and store that.

[MummyChunk]

Post by Carol

Mimimalist on sauce I see?  I'd have expected more sauce from
the way you do gravies.  We swamp it with sauce.
Different strokes.  On the rare occasions I make meatballs (as
opposed to a meat sauce) I brown them in oil and later add them
to the simmering sauce on the stove top.  When it comes time to
serve, a couple of them are plated on top of the cooked
spaghetti along with a good (not swamp-worthy) spoonful of sauce
and sprinkled with grated Parmesan cheese.
When I do spaghetti I put sauce in with the pasta and cook it
together for a minute or so. The meatballs are finished in the
sauce and then I spoon some sauce over the meatballs that or on
top of or beside the sauced pasta. There is no white pasta.
There we differ. I spoon the sauce over the plated pasta. I never
add the pasta to the sauce. That's a tad too reminiscent of canned
Chef Boyardee spaghetti from my childhood.
Jill

When storing leftovers, we combine it all.

Goes in the same way it comes out right?


This is a response to the post seen at:
http://www.jlaforums.com/viewtopic.php?p=682847861#682847861

[ItsJoanNotJoAnn]

I'm in the leftover spaghetti gets mixed into the
leftover sauce, stirred to combine and then into
the refrigerator. Next day it's ready to be
dished up and warmed in the microwave. Then
parmesan cheese sprinkled over the hot sketti
and sauce.

When I make browned butter spaghetti, it just
get shoved in the 'fridge as is. Nothing
else combined with it.

[Cindy Hamilton]

Post by Carol

Post by Jill McQuown

Post by Dave Smith

Mimimalist on sauce I see?  I'd have expected more sauce from
the way you do gravies.  We swamp it with sauce.

Different strokes.  On the rare occasions I make meatballs (as
opposed to a meat sauce) I brown them in oil and later add them
to the simmering sauce on the stove top.  When it comes time to
serve, a couple of them are plated on top of the cooked
spaghetti along with a good (not swamp-worthy) spoonful of sauce
and sprinkled with grated Parmesan cheese.

When I do spaghetti I put sauce in with the pasta and cook it
together for a minute or so. The meatballs are finished in the
sauce and then I spoon some sauce over the meatballs that or on
top of or beside the sauced pasta. There is no white pasta.

There we differ. I spoon the sauce over the plated pasta. I never
add the pasta to the sauce. That's a tad too reminiscent of canned
Chef Boyardee spaghetti from my childhood.
Jill

When storing leftovers, we combine it all.

Leftover pasta? I cook enough for one meal. It's trivial
to cook more for another meal.

[Dave Smith]

Post by Cindy Hamilton

Post by Carol

Post by Jill McQuown
There we differ. I spoon the sauce over the plated pasta. I never
add the pasta to the sauce. That's a tad too reminiscent of canned
Chef Boyardee spaghetti from my childhood.
Jill

When storing leftovers, we combine it all.

Leftover pasta? I cook enough for one meal. It's trivial
to cook more for another meal.

Maybe it has to do with eating so little pasta that it is hard not to
cook a little too much. I usually have only a small serving of pasta
and my wife eats even less than I do. It's hard not to cook more than we
eat. A small amount of leftovers can make a tasty lunch.

[Cindy Hamilton]

Post by Dave Smith

Post by Cindy Hamilton

Post by Carol

Post by Jill McQuown
There we differ. I spoon the sauce over the plated pasta. I never
add the pasta to the sauce. That's a tad too reminiscent of canned
Chef Boyardee spaghetti from my childhood.
Jill

When storing leftovers, we combine it all.

Leftover pasta? I cook enough for one meal. It's trivial
to cook more for another meal.

Maybe it has to do with eating so little pasta that it is hard not to
cook a little too much. I usually have only a small serving of pasta
and my wife eats even less than I do. It's hard not to cook more than we
eat. A small amount of leftovers can make a tasty lunch.

I weigh the dry pasta on a kitchen scale. Two ounces for each of us.

[͡° ͜ʖ ͡°]

Post by Cindy Hamilton
I weigh the dry pasta on a kitchen scale. Two ounces for each of us.

When you weigh yourself the scale says "one at a time please".

[Rudy Canoza]

Post by ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°

I weigh the dry pasta on a kitchen scale.  Two ounces for each of us.

When you weigh yourself the scale says "one at a time please".

LOL!

[Jill McQuown]

Post by Dave Smith

Post by Carol

There we differ.  I spoon the sauce over the plated pasta.  I never
add the pasta to the sauce.  That's a tad too reminiscent of canned
Chef Boyardee spaghetti from my childhood.
Jill

When storing leftovers, we combine it all.

Leftover pasta?  I cook enough for one meal.  It's trivial
to cook more for another meal.

Maybe it has to do with eating so little pasta that it is hard not to
cook a little too much.  I usually have only a small serving of pasta
and my wife eats even less than I do. It's hard not to cook more than we
eat.  A small amount of leftovers can make a tasty lunch.

When I was in my 20's, Mom gave me a spaghetti measuring thing. It's
shaped like an artist palette. It looks like this one:

https://tinyurl.com/mt4ds78r

It's cute and yes, I use it. :) But since I like leftovers I always
cook more than a single serving of spaghetti/angel hair/fettucini.

If you have one of those claw looking kitchen tools that are designed to
lift & strain cooked pasta from the pot of water, there is a hole in the
middle. The hole is for measuring a single serving of spaghetti before
you cook it:

https://tinyurl.com/4vbc8td8

Never had much use for one of those. I cook pasta in a non-stick pot
that has a locking lid with a built-in strainer on one side. Turn to
lock it in place, tip the pan over the sink to drain. Drain as much or
as little as you like. Many chefs espouse adding some of the cooking
water back to the sauce.

Jill

[Cindy Hamilton]

Post by Jill McQuown
If you have one of those claw looking kitchen tools that are designed to
lift & strain cooked pasta from the pot of water, there is a hole in the
middle. The hole is for measuring a single serving of spaghetti before
https://tinyurl.com/4vbc8td8

Without knowing how much it measures out, "single serving" is
meaningless.

Post by Jill McQuown
Never had much use for one of those. I cook pasta in a non-stick pot
that has a locking lid with a built-in strainer on one side. Turn to
lock it in place, tip the pan over the sink to drain. Drain as much or
as little as you like.

I just use a sieve.

Post by Jill McQuown
Many chefs espouse adding some of the cooking
water back to the sauce.

Only if you're going to finish the pasta in the sauce like a
proper Italian.

https://www.seriouseats.com/the-right-way-to-sauce-pasta

[Jill McQuown]

Post by Cindy Hamilton

Post by Jill McQuown
If you have one of those claw looking kitchen tools that are designed to
lift & strain cooked pasta from the pot of water, there is a hole in the
middle. The hole is for measuring a single serving of spaghetti before
https://tinyurl.com/4vbc8td8

Without knowing how much it measures out, "single serving" is
meaningless.

Post by Jill McQuown
Never had much use for one of those. I cook pasta in a non-stick pot
that has a locking lid with a built-in strainer on one side. Turn to
lock it in place, tip the pan over the sink to drain. Drain as much or
as little as you like.

I just use a sieve.

Post by Jill McQuown
Many chefs espouse adding some of the cooking
water back to the sauce.

Only if you're going to finish the pasta in the sauce like a
proper Italian.
https://www.seriouseats.com/the-right-way-to-sauce-pasta

Different opinions. I'm not Italian. Don't care about finishing the
pasta in the sauce. I don't save the pasta water. I was merely
mentioning some people do.

Jill

[Hank Rogers]

Post by Cindy Hamilton

Post by Jill McQuown
If you have one of those claw looking kitchen tools that are designed to
lift & strain cooked pasta from the pot of water, there is a hole in the
middle.  The hole is for measuring a single serving of spaghetti before
https://tinyurl.com/4vbc8td8

Without knowing how much it measures out, "single serving" is
meaningless.

Post by Jill McQuown
Never had much use for one of those.  I cook pasta in a non-stick pot
that has a locking lid with a built-in strainer on one side.  Turn to
lock it in place, tip the pan over the sink to drain.  Drain as much or
as little as you like.

I just use a sieve.

Post by Jill McQuown
Many chefs espouse adding some of the cooking
water back to the sauce.

Only if you're going to finish the pasta in the sauce like a
proper Italian.
https://www.seriouseats.com/the-right-way-to-sauce-pasta

Different opinions.  I'm not Italian.  Don't care about finishing the
pasta in the sauce. I don't save the pasta water.  I was merely
mentioning some people do.
Jill

Your majesty should ban this bitch. She consistently contradicts your
highness. Why do you tolerate her insolence?

It's true that she never confronts your Majesty head on, but she
constantly criticizes your highness judgment, even if subtly.

You should consult the royal court to resolve this. Beware, your
Majesty, the Ides of March are soon to come.

[dsi1]

Post by Dave Smith

Post by Cindy Hamilton

Post by Carol

Post by Jill McQuown
There we differ. I spoon the sauce over the plated pasta. I never
add the pasta to the sauce. That's a tad too reminiscent of canned
Chef Boyardee spaghetti from my childhood.
Jill

When storing leftovers, we combine it all.

Leftover pasta? I cook enough for one meal. It's trivial
to cook more for another meal.

Maybe it has to do with eating so little pasta that it is hard not to
cook a little too much. I usually have only a small serving of pasta
and my wife eats even less than I do. It's hard not to cook more than we
eat. A small amount of leftovers can make a tasty lunch.

I like to fry up leftover spaghetti with cheese. You can eat it for
breakfast or lunch.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZAzA6pzUt61aU6Au5

[Carol]

Post by Dave Smith

Post by Cindy Hamilton

Post by Carol

Post by Jill McQuown
There we differ. I spoon the sauce over the plated pasta. I
never add the pasta to the sauce. That's a tad too reminiscent
of canned Chef Boyardee spaghetti from my childhood.
Jill

When storing leftovers, we combine it all.

Leftover pasta? I cook enough for one meal. It's trivial
to cook more for another meal.

Maybe it has to do with eating so little pasta that it is hard not to
cook a little too much. I usually have only a small serving of pasta
and my wife eats even less than I do. It's hard not to cook more than
we eat. A small amount of leftovers can make a tasty lunch.

That's it. Normally more pasta than sauce but if the right amount,
store together. When too much pasta (over estimated) it becomes a side
pasta salad.

Right now I'm making pasta (Ziti) for a chicken casserole. I think I
got the amount of pasta right and maybe a bit under!

8 oz pasta (any shape, I have excess Ziti)
8 oz cooked chicken
8 oz Alfredo garlic sauce
1/4 c milk
1 TB onion powder*
1/2 TB garlic minced, dried
2 cups shredded cheese (Mexican Blend)**
Optiomal: 1/2 tsp Indochina blend seasoning (mild curry)
Seasoned croutons for topping

Blend all but pasta, croutons, and 1/2 cup of cheese until well mixed.
Add cooked and drained pasta and mix then sprinkle with remaining
cheese and croutons. Bake at 350F for 35 minutes (uncover lat 10
minutes to crisp top)

* I didn't like the sound of that much onion powder so used a bunch of
green onions whites minced instead

** They used Mozz then the 1/2 cup topping was cheddar. I used a
Mexican blend.

Not fancy but decent home food. Peas for the veggies.

I'll pass a picture later probably. It's still cooking right now.

[Jill McQuown]

Post by Cindy Hamilton

Post by Carol

Post by Jill McQuown

Post by Dave Smith

Mimimalist on sauce I see?  I'd have expected more sauce from
the way you do gravies.  We swamp it with sauce.

Different strokes.  On the rare occasions I make meatballs (as
opposed to a meat sauce) I brown them in oil and later add them
to the simmering sauce on the stove top.  When it comes time to
serve, a couple of them are plated on top of the cooked
spaghetti along with a good (not swamp-worthy) spoonful of sauce
and sprinkled with grated Parmesan cheese.

When I do spaghetti I put sauce in with the pasta and cook it
together for a minute or so. The meatballs are finished in the
sauce and then I spoon some sauce over the meatballs that or on
top of or beside the sauced pasta. There is no white pasta.

There we differ. I spoon the sauce over the plated pasta. I never
add the pasta to the sauce. That's a tad too reminiscent of canned
Chef Boyardee spaghetti from my childhood.
Jill

When storing leftovers, we combine it all.

Leftover pasta? I cook enough for one meal. It's trivial
to cook more for another meal.

Ah, but you're not cooking with an eye towards leftovers to take to work
for lunch!

Jill

[Cindy Hamilton]

Post by Jill McQuown
Ah, but you're not cooking with an eye towards leftovers to take to work
for lunch!

Of course not. Neither of us cares for leftover pasta. Retrogradation
of the starch is no more appealing in pasta than it is in bread.

"The starch molecules that swell with water and gelatinize as pasta cooks
become rigid and force water out as it cools, forming crunchy
crystals—making perfectly cooked al dente pasta turn stiff and chewy in
the fridge. Only by overshooting al dente will the pasta retrograde back
to a buttery just-right texture we didn’t know cold pasta could have."
https://food52.com/blog/24371-make-ahead-pasta-salad

[Jill McQuown]

Post by Cindy Hamilton

Post by Jill McQuown
Ah, but you're not cooking with an eye towards leftovers to take to work
for lunch!

Of course not. Neither of us cares for leftover pasta. Retrogradation
of the starch is no more appealing in pasta than it is in bread.
"The starch molecules that swell with water and gelatinize as pasta cooks
become rigid and force water out as it cools, forming crunchy
crystals—making perfectly cooked al dente pasta turn stiff and chewy in
the fridge. Only by overshooting al dente will the pasta retrograde back
to a buttery just-right texture we didn’t know cold pasta could have."
https://food52.com/blog/24371-make-ahead-pasta-salad

Well, it doesn't bother me. I'll portion out some spaghetti (it's
usually angel hair, not actual spaghetti) in a Rubbermaid container, top
it with the meat sauce, sprinkle it with grated Parm and take it to work
for lunch. Reheated (gently! about 60% power for 2-3 minutes) in the
microwave, then stir the sauce into the pasta. I don't notice any
particular degradation in the texture. It's not mushy, it's also not
stiff & chewy.

Jill

[gm]

Jill McQuown wrote:


I don't notice any

Post by Jill McQuown
particular degradation in the texture. It's not mushy, it's also not
stiff & chewy.

A gen - yoo - wine pity the same cannot be said of your Royal Vagina,
HRH Widder Jill...!!!

:-(

--
GM

--

[songbird]

Jill McQuown wrote:
...

Post by Jill McQuown
There we differ. I spoon the sauce over the plated pasta. I never add
the pasta to the sauce. That's a tad too reminiscent of canned Chef
Boyardee spaghetti from my childhood.

i prefer sauce on top, plenty of it, but spaghetti left
alone otherwise in the pot. it soaks up all the juice and
gets all dried out - Mom likes it all combined and to me
that is edible, but not preferable - she also likes to
stretch the sauce so it is always too dry to me (same when
she makes lasagna, etc).

canned items are fine, it is just fuel at times and i'm
not often one to quibble if i'm hungry and that is what
is available. since i do know what it is like to grow up
poor and hungry i can ignore preferences and picky taste-
buds and just eat it and get on with life - the quicker
done the better.

last month Mom picked up a case of Spaghetti-o's and
meat balls. it is not fine cuisine by a long shot, but i
can eat it and as a quick meal they work for me. i told
her after eating a few cans that if they have them on
sale again to pick up a few more cases. i'll be good for
a year or two at the rate i'm eating them - just have to
make sure to eat veggies and other stuff to make up for
the lack of diverse nutrients. good thing though that
for the summer months there is plenty of food from the
gardens.


songbird

[dsi1]

Post by songbird
....

Post by Jill McQuown
There we differ. I spoon the sauce over the plated pasta. I never add
the pasta to the sauce. That's a tad too reminiscent of canned Chef
Boyardee spaghetti from my childhood.

i prefer sauce on top, plenty of it, but spaghetti left
alone otherwise in the pot. it soaks up all the juice and
gets all dried out - Mom likes it all combined and to me
that is edible, but not preferable - she also likes to
stretch the sauce so it is always too dry to me (same when
she makes lasagna, etc).
canned items are fine, it is just fuel at times and i'm
not often one to quibble if i'm hungry and that is what
is available. since i do know what it is like to grow up
poor and hungry i can ignore preferences and picky taste-
buds and just eat it and get on with life - the quicker
done the better.
last month Mom picked up a case of Spaghetti-o's and
meat balls. it is not fine cuisine by a long shot, but i
can eat it and as a quick meal they work for me. i told
her after eating a few cans that if they have them on
sale again to pick up a few more cases. i'll be good for
a year or two at the rate i'm eating them - just have to
make sure to eat veggies and other stuff to make up for
the lack of diverse nutrients. good thing though that
for the summer months there is plenty of food from the
gardens.
songbird

DEI is a good thing for food, yes?

[Carol]

Post by Dave Smith

Mimimalist on sauce I see?  I'd have expected more sauce from the
way you do gravies.  We swamp it with sauce.

Different strokes.  On the rare occasions I make meatballs (as
opposed to a meat sauce) I brown them in oil and later add them to
the simmering sauce on the stove top.  When it comes time to
serve, a couple of them are plated on top of the cooked spaghetti
along with a good (not swamp-worthy) spoonful of sauce and
sprinkled with grated Parmesan cheese.

When I do spaghetti I put sauce in with the pasta and cook it
together for a minute or so. The meatballs are finished in the sauce
and then I spoon some sauce over the meatballs that or on top of or
beside the sauced pasta. There is no white pasta.

Very little white pasta with mine. Often served in a bowl.

[Ed P]

Post by dsi1

Post by Dave Smith
My wife is down in the kitchen preparing short ribs for tomorrow
night's supper.  She is the braising queen and always cooks stews
and such the night before, cools and refrigerates them overnight
and then reheats them the next night. The house smells great.

I had meatballs with spaghetti. The meatballs were cooked in the air
fryer.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/RU3d7mE8tZCBXfxS7

Mimimalist on sauce I see?  I'd have expected more sauce from the way
you do gravies.  We swamp it with sauce.

Different strokes.  On the rare occasions I make meatballs (as opposed
to a meat sauce) I brown them in oil and later add them to the simmering
sauce on the stove top.  When it comes time to serve, a couple of them
are plated on top of the cooked spaghetti along with a good (not swamp-
worthy) spoonful of sauce and sprinkled with grated Parmesan cheese.
Jill

YES! That is how you make a proper meatball. You can also toss in some
other meat that was leftover too. The sauce has to simmer a long time.

[Carol]

Post by Jill McQuown

Post by Carol

Post by dsi1

Post by Dave Smith
My wife is down in the kitchen preparing short ribs for
tomorrow night's supper. She is the braising queen and
always cooks stews and such the night before, cools and
refrigerates them overnight and then reheats them the next
night. The house smells great.

I had meatballs with spaghetti. The meatballs were cooked in
the air fryer.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/RU3d7mE8tZCBXfxS7

Mimimalist on sauce I see? I'd have expected more sauce from the
way you do gravies. We swamp it with sauce.

Different strokes. On the rare occasions I make meatballs (as
opposed to a meat sauce) I brown them in oil and later add them to
the simmering sauce on the stove top. When it comes time to serve, a
couple of them are plated on top of the cooked spaghetti along with a
good (not swamp-worthy) spoonful of sauce and sprinkled with grated
Parmesan cheese.
Jill

Yeah, just different strokes there. I love my tomato sauces and like
lots of it! I tend to be fairly profligant with brown beef curry
sauces as well.

Curry is a very favored spice here.

[Bruce]

On Fri, 31 Jan 2025 03:59:53 -0000 (UTC), "Carol"

Post by Carol

Post by Jill McQuown
Different strokes. On the rare occasions I make meatballs (as
opposed to a meat sauce) I brown them in oil and later add them to
the simmering sauce on the stove top. When it comes time to serve, a
couple of them are plated on top of the cooked spaghetti along with a
good (not swamp-worthy) spoonful of sauce and sprinkled with grated
Parmesan cheese.
Jill

Yeah, just different strokes there. I love my tomato sauces and like
lots of it! I tend to be fairly profligant with brown beef curry
sauces as well.
Curry is a very favored spice here.

Just one?

[Janet]

Post by Bruce
On Fri, 31 Jan 2025 03:59:53 -0000 (UTC), "Carol"

Post by Carol

Post by Jill McQuown
Different strokes. On the rare occasions I make meatballs (as
opposed to a meat sauce) I brown them in oil and later add them to
the simmering sauce on the stove top. When it comes time to serve, a
couple of them are plated on top of the cooked spaghetti along with a
good (not swamp-worthy) spoonful of sauce and sprinkled with grated
Parmesan cheese.
Jill

Yeah, just different strokes there. I love my tomato sauces and like
lots of it! I tend to be fairly profligant with brown beef curry
sauces as well.
Curry is a very favored spice here.

Just one?

<snicker>

Janet UK

[Jill McQuown]

Post by Janet

Post by Bruce
On Fri, 31 Jan 2025 03:59:53 -0000 (UTC), "Carol"

Post by Carol

Post by Jill McQuown
Different strokes. On the rare occasions I make meatballs (as
opposed to a meat sauce) I brown them in oil and later add them to
the simmering sauce on the stove top. When it comes time to serve, a
couple of them are plated on top of the cooked spaghetti along with a
good (not swamp-worthy) spoonful of sauce and sprinkled with grated
Parmesan cheese.
Jill

Yeah, just different strokes there. I love my tomato sauces and like
lots of it! I tend to be fairly profligant with brown beef curry
sauces as well.
Curry is a very favored spice here.

Just one?

<snicker>
Janet UK

I may be one of the few people here who isn't much interested in
curries, and yes, there is more than one.

Jill

[Carol]

Post by Jill McQuown

Post by Janet

Post by Bruce
On Fri, 31 Jan 2025 03:59:53 -0000 (UTC), "Carol"

Post by Carol

Post by Jill McQuown
Different strokes. On the rare occasions I make meatballs (as
opposed to a meat sauce) I brown them in oil and later add
them to the simmering sauce on the stove top. When it comes
time to serve, a couple of them are plated on top of the
cooked spaghetti along with a good (not swamp-worthy)
spoonful of sauce and sprinkled with grated Parmesan cheese.
Jill

Yeah, just different strokes there. I love my tomato sauces
and like lots of it! I tend to be fairly profligant with brown
beef curry sauces as well.
Curry is a very favored spice here.

Just one?

<snicker>
Janet UK

I may be one of the few people here who isn't much interested in
curries, and yes, there is more than one.
Jill

Yup! I have 6-7 different ones. Mostly I use mild to medium ones. If
you like Lamb, Rogan Josh is a good pick. It's a very mild one
presenting more of a depth of flavor that really complements Lamb. You
could even use it as a sprinkled dry rub if you wanted to.

Some people seem to think a curry blend has to be hot but while many
are, there are as many that are mild or medium as hot.

[Dave Smith]

Post by Carol

Post by Jill McQuown
I may be one of the few people here who isn't much interested in
curries, and yes, there is more than one.
Jill

Yup! I have 6-7 different ones. Mostly I use mild to medium ones. If
you like Lamb, Rogan Josh is a good pick. It's a very mild one
presenting more of a depth of flavor that really complements Lamb. You
could even use it as a sprinkled dry rub if you wanted to.
Some people seem to think a curry blend has to be hot but while many
are, there are as many that are mild or medium as hot.

I feel a little sorry for people who dismiss all curry because they are
so varied in taste and in heat. I was first introduced to curry at a
friend's house and he considered himself to be somewhat proficient at
making curry. He had grown up in the UK and had spent some time in
India. He had made several curries with a range of heat. I loved the
flavour. Some of the people there seemed to be patting themselves on
their backs for being able to eat the hottest ones. I had no problem
eating the one ones but thought maybe the heat was overkill because
there were other great flavours there.

I like Thai food and have never had anything so hot I could not eat it,
but there were some dished that I found too hot to enjoy. There was one
Thai place were ordering was a game of heat roulette. My wife, son and I
went to his favourite place and we each ordered a dish and specified the
heat level we wanted. One ordered beef, one had pork and I asked for
shrimp. IIRC my son asked for hot, my wife asked for mild and I wanted
the shrimp medium. None of the heat levels was right. The shrimp was
way too hot. The pork of beef could have stood up to that level of heat,
but it was inappropriate for shrimp.


The next time we took our son for Thai food it was to the place that I
preferred. He agreed that it was much better.

[Cindy Hamilton]

Post by Carol
Yup! I have 6-7 different ones.

Is that all? Every Indian dish has a different combination
of spices and aromatics. Indian cooks achieve that by using
the individual spices, and blending their own garam masala
from their preference of spices.

[S Viemeister]

Post by Cindy Hamilton

Post by Carol
Yup! I have 6-7 different ones.

Is that all? Every Indian dish has a different combination
of spices and aromatics. Indian cooks achieve that by using
the individual spices, and blending their own garam masala
from their preference of spices.

Yes.
That's what I do. And I do the same when preparing European-style meals.

[ItsJoanNotJoAnn]

Post by Carol

Post by dsi1

I had meatballs with spaghetti. The meatballs were cooked in the air
fryer.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/RU3d7mE8tZCBXfxS7

Mimimalist on sauce I see? I'd have expected more sauce from the way
you do gravies. We swamp it with sauce.

Yeah, they do look quite dry. A bit of sauce would be
welcomed by me if I were eating them.

On the subject of spaghetti, it was last nights meat
sauce and spaghetti here. Frankly, it's a lot better
than it was last night. Even after a generous sharing
with a neighbor Wednesday evening, there's plenty left
for a couple more meals. Good thing I like sketti and
leftovers.

[Carol]

Post by ItsJoanNotJoAnn

Post by Carol

Post by dsi1

I had meatballs with spaghetti. The meatballs were cooked in
the air fryer.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/RU3d7mE8tZCBXfxS7

Mimimalist on sauce I see? I'd have expected more sauce from the
way you do gravies. We swamp it with sauce.

Yeah, they do look quite dry. A bit of sauce would be
welcomed by me if I were eating them.
On the subject of spaghetti, it was last nights meat
sauce and spaghetti here. Frankly, it's a lot better
than it was last night. Even after a generous sharing
with a neighbor Wednesday evening, there's plenty left
for a couple more meals. Good thing I like sketti and
leftovers.

Yes, they do look dry. I usually cook meatballs in the sauce so no
effect like that. I forgot to take pictures of the curry brown gravy
and meatballs over rice with lots of mushrooms. It was served much
like my spaghetti, in a bowl with veggies on the side.

It's a VERY easy recipe and fast to create. Vary the mushrooms and
type of rice to suit your tastes.

Prepare 1-2 cups brown gravy. I use McCormick's brown gravy in a bulk
container. It's cheaper at about 1/2 the cost of the packets, if
saving a few dimes appeals.
- We like leftovers of curry gravy for potatoes and other things so I
do 2 cups at a time.

For the Curry blend, generally 1.5 tsp medium or mild curry powder
(traditional yellow) to 2 cups water+Gravy mix. Taste after thickened
and adjust curry if needed.

2 C water
6 TB gravy mix
1.5 tsp curry powder
6 meatballs
1/2 to 2/3 cup slived mushrooms (oyster are optimal)

Start the gravy and add mushrooms and meatballs to your liking. Heat
slowly while ricemaker doing it's thing with 2/3 cup rice to 1 1/3 cups
water. (Basmati or Jasmine are optimal).

Rice takes about 20 minutes as does the meatball curry mix.

Serve over rice.

[dsi1]

Post by Carol

Post by dsi1

Post by Dave Smith
My wife is down in the kitchen preparing short ribs for tomorrow
night's supper. She is the braising queen and always cooks stews
and such the night before, cools and refrigerates them overnight
and then reheats them the next night. The house smells great.

I had meatballs with spaghetti. The meatballs were cooked in the air
fryer.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/RU3d7mE8tZCBXfxS7

Mimimalist on sauce I see? I'd have expected more sauce from the way
you do gravies. We swamp it with sauce.

I'm getting tired of pouring sauce on noodles. I'm fine with spaghetti
prepared that way i.e., dumping pasta on the sauce. For one thing, you
don't end up with a plate of sauce when you're done.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/wwmVMkSiXk6Ux5YY8

[dsi1]

Post by Dave Smith
My wife is down in the kitchen preparing short ribs for tomorrow night's
supper. She is the braising queen and always cooks stews and such the
night before, cools and refrigerates them overnight and then reheats
them the next night. The house smells great.

I had meatballs with spaghetti. The meatballs were cooked in the air
fryer.