This dish pleases adults and kids alike.

To feed a family, I started with 2 lbs. of chicken breast strips, and cooked in a large skillet with EVOO.

In a separate pan, I sauteed onions and green peppers.  Once cooked for about 8 minutes, I added them to the chicken.

Then I used 2 jars of chicken tikki masala curry sauce from the international foods aisle in Hannaford (or your favorite market).  Simmer for just a few minutes.

This is the fastest-preparing yet truly delicious meal you will ever cook.

Serve over basmati rice.  Be prepared to have no leftovers.

I call this “Lasagna Supreme”, because, well, it is pretty darn good.

Start by boiling the noodles.  Meanwhile, saute onions, a bit of minced garlic, green pepper, and mushrooms in a large skillet with EVOO. Add about 1 lb. of meatball mix, and 1 or 2 thinly sliced (chicken) Italian sausage.

After the meat is no longer pink, drain.  Return to skillet and add a 28 oz. can of pureed tomatoes, small can of tomato sauce, and a small can of tomato paste.  Stir in a tsp of sugar, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.  Boil and simmer uncovered to thicken.

Preheat oven to 350°

Meanwhile, mix 1 egg, large container of ricotta cheese, oregano, 1/2 c Parmesan cheese, and 1 c mozzarella cheese.

Spread the bottom of a glass 13 x 9 lasagna pan with some of the sauce to coat.  Add one layer of noodles lengthwise.

Add 1/2 the ricotta chesse mix. And top with sauce.

Now the special tip:

Alternate the direction of your noodles; criss-cross or lattice fashion.  The lasagna will stay together better this way!

Repeat the ricotta mix and sauce, and add another layer of noodles, again in the opposite direction.

Top with 1 c mozzarella and 1/2 c Parmesan.  I added some more Cabot shredded extra-sharp cheese to help this lasagna earn its “Supreme” title.

And I added a few pieces of thin pepperoni.

Cover with aluminum foil.  Bake 30 minutes.  Remove the foil, bake 25-30 minutes more.

I sprinkled some thinly cut chives to add a bit of interest and color to the top of the dish.

Here’s what it looked like before baking:

Feeds: a small army.  Enjoy!

Yup, sounds odd at first.  Not odd at all once you try it.  The recipe is from FOOD NETWORK magazine’s recipe in the December 2012 issue, page 106.  Robert Irvine’s Pepperoni and Cheese Scrambled Eggs.   It’s so simple, though, you really don’t need the recipe: basically you lightly fry pepperoni.  Drain and dry with paper toweling.  Then cook your scrambled egg recipe… add shredded cheese and bias-cut scallions to top along with the pepperoni. Enjoy!

Once in a while, I will post a still life art image.  This is one such time… available as a canvas wrap in a variety of sizes for your kitchen or dining room.

Yummy cinnamon crunch muffins.  And a simple artistic view of the infamous and wonderful cranberry.

In case you’re wondering, I’ll save more conventional Thanksgiving posts for the next time.

This dish:
A simple meat sauce recipe uses meatball mix, pine nuts, olive oil, finely chunked tomatoes, green peppers, mushrooms, and minced garlic.  Topped with Pecorino Romano, this dish is recognizable as a “grown-up” similarity to American Chop Suey.

Wine!
That orange-labeled wine?  “Ninety + Cellars” sauvingnon blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand.   My photographer friend JB finds this incredible wine all the time in NH for under $9.  It can’t be beat at that price.  I know I have found it in the Portland area, too, but now that I know I love it of course I can’t seem to find it.  I may have originally found it at Micucci’s on India Street in Portland.  I do know it is at the New Hampshire Liquor Outlet.  It’s good enough to warrant a trip down there to get several bottles.  Available in red varieties as well.

Chopping the peppers and fresh mushrooms (l).. and the sauce and meat simmering (r).

This “bread dipping seasoning” grinder was a great find at Hannaford this morning.  In addition to seasoning the EVOO for bread dipping, it is a great pizza and pasta seasoning in its own right.

The crusty baguette was as good as could be, and was displayed as a new item at Hannaford Bakery… for a whopping 99 cents, I may add.

Enjoy your Thanksgiving feasts!

Nothing too complicated here, except two tiny little “secret” ingredients, that you may already know about.  I always add a small pinch of sugar to the scrambled eggs, and celery salt.  Plus coarse ground pepper.

Shown here with grilled tomatoes, bacon (of course), buttered Thomas English Muffin and a couple small bites of horseradish cheddar cheese (McCadam, from Hannaford, deli-delicious at dairy aisle [where it comes from] prices.

A classic Sunday (and any day!) morning drink, right up there with Mimosas, this Bloody Mary was extra tasty due to the new mix I tried: “Fat and Juicy”, a relatively new addition to the bar aisle at Hannaford Supermarkets, features a just-right amount of bits and chunks of real tomatoes, bold flavor, and a perfect amount of spice.

I added juice of half a lime and just added the mix. Since I wanted a non-alcoholic version, I added an ounce or so of water to reduce the thickness of the drink.  Garnished with a celery stick and stuffed olives, this is a great treat with or without the vodka!

Here’s the mix:

Linguine with Spicy Sausage Tomato Sauce

Saute finely chopped onions and minced garlic in extra virgin olive oil on medium-high heat; lowering to a simmer once the onions and garlic are browned.
Thinly slice your choice of sausage; I used sweet Italian chicken sausage.
Add red pepper flakes, oregano flakes, and sliced Cento marinated mushrooms.

Chop two plum tomatoes and dice and stir into the sauce.

I also added a spoonful of chopped mixed olives.

Of course, the amount of red pepper flakes will direct correspond to the spiciness. As will using hot Italian sausage in place of the sweet sausage.
Optionally, add a few ounces of white wine and return sauce to a rolling boil, then reduce to a simmer again.

As shown in the above photo, I added a couple of good shots of Cento tomato paste (I like the keep-fresh tube).

Meanwhile, cook fresh or dried linguine according to package directions in salted water.

Complete your meal with a fresh salad. I really enjoy the Olivia’s Garden Spring Mix available at Hannaford Supermarkets.