Paul's Pasta Sauce

Paul has been making this easy and flavorful marinara sauce for years and it only has 4 ingredients.  If you are unable to buy the canned tomato ingredients with the Italian seasoning,  just add 2 teaspoons of dry Italian Seasoning.  

Serve ove angel hair pasta and sprinkle with lots of Parmesan cheese.  Great comfort food!

1 lb. of good quality ground beef (Paul gets his from the local butcher)
1 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes with Italian seasoning
1 15 ounce can of tomato sauce with Italian seasoning
1 6 ounce can of tomato paste with Italian seasoning

Brown the ground beef, drain the fat.

Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil turning down to low and cook covered for 30 minutes.

Olive's Breakfast Popsicles

Olive had the best time prepping the fruit for these easy homemade breakfast popsicles.  She is always eager to help in the kitchen. 

Ingredients:

 

1 large ripe banana, cut into chunks
12 large strawberries, sliced in half
1/2 cup orange juice (or pineapple juice)

Blend on high speed until smooth.

Fill the popsicle molds and freeze for 6 hours or overnight.  Run popsicle mold under warm water to easily remove.  

Rhubarb Crumb Coffee Cake

When rhubarb is abundant at the local farmer's market in May and early June we buy it to make several different recipes, among them is this favorite coffee cake.  So moist and perfect balance of sweet and tart from the rhubarb.  I often think of my mother-in-law Christine because she loved rhubarb and made her famous rhubarb sauce which is included the original Foley cookbook.  

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup buttermilk
4 cups chopped fresh rhubarb



Topping:

1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar (I used dark brown sugar)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup cold butter, cubed

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light a fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat in vanilla.  Combine the dry ingredients;  add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk.  Stir in rhubarb.  Pour into a greased 9 x 13 inch baking dish.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar and cinnamon.  Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Sprinkle over batter.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes or util a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.  Cool on a wire rack.  

Grilled Lemon-Dill Salmon and Arugula Corn Salad by Christine

Christine made the Grilled Lemon-Dill Salmon and Arugula Corn Salad recipes below last night and added sliced lemons to the top of the salmon and diced avocado to the salad.  Perfect additions!   Here is a photo of her dinner.

  

Aunt Christine's Cap'n Crunch Chicken Strips

When traveling to Philadelphia recently, I asked Christine for an idea for a dinner that Paul's kids (Olive and Jack) might like.  She suggested this recipe that her kids (Maddie and Quinn) loved.  In fact, when Quinn found out I made this he put in a request for his Mom to make it again.  I made enough to freeze for other meals and it was a hit!  Love the sweet crunch!  

I served it with applesauce and corn on the cob.

12 whole chicken tenders (strips)

1 cup all purpose flour

2 whole eggs, beaten

salt and pepper

2 cups Cap'n Crunch Cereal

Vegetable Oil, of frying

Ketchup, for serving

Instructions:

Put the flour in a shallow bowl and add some salt and pepper.  Put the egg in a second shallow bowl.  Crush the cereal in a third bowl, leaving a few larger chunks.  (I crushed the cereal in a gallon ziplock bag).

Heat 1/4 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Cook the strips in batches until golden brown and cooked through, approximately 5-7 minutes, turning them so they don't burn.

Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with extra salt.

Serve with ketchup.  

Olive and Jack's Easy Oven Meatballs

Another recipe that Olive, Jack and I made together when I visited them recently.   We made plenty of extra to freeze for other meals.  

1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 egg
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup finely grated onion
2 minced garlic cloves
2 tablespoons parsley
2 tablespoons chopped basil
1/4 cup tomato sauce (plus more for serving)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat baking sheet with nonstick spray.

Mix all ingredients together and shape into small balls.  Bake until cooked through, 15 minutes.  

Add to spaghetti sauce and heat through.  Serve with pasta, if desired and additional Parmesan.

Olive's Banana Chocolate Chip Bread

Granddaughter Olive loves to bake and can follow a recipe really well with minimal supervision. I wanted her to try this recipe because it doesn't require an electric mixer so she can make it any time she wants.  "Old school baking" with a bowl and a wooden spoon.  She did a great job making this and it was delicious.

3 medium bananas, divided

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup mini semi sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9 x 5 loaf pan with nonstick baking spray.  

In a medium bowl mash 2 of the bananas with a fork, leaving them slightly lumpy.  Slice the remaining banana thinly and set aside.

In a large bowl stir together the butter and sugar.  Mix in the eggs and vanilla and stir until smooth.  Add the sour cream, mashed bananas, baking soda and salt and stir until blended.  Next mix in the flour until incorporated.

Fold in the chocolate chips and sliced banana.  

Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool in the pan for 15 minutes and then wool on a wire rack.

Grilled Lemon-Dill Salmon Fillets

I love fresh dill, especially on grilled salmon.  I found the Grape Seed oil at our local grocery store with all the other oils.  This recipe was super easy on the grill for a delicious weeknight dinner.  With the Arugula Goat Cheese Salad it would be enjoyable to have for company for an easy and fresh summer meal.    

2 large salmon fillets, skin on and 1 1/2 inches thick
1/4 cup grape seed oil
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
1 teaspoons sea salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper

Preheat grill for medium heat  Combine lemon juice and grape seed oil together in bowl.  Brush liberally onto skin side and then onto salmon flesh.

Make a rub out of salt, black pepper and garlic powder.  Sprinkle onto salmon and then top with chopped dill.

Place salmon flesh side down onto grill grate.  Allow to cook for 2 - 3 minutes, and very carefully using a spatula, work fillets away, on all sides, from grill grate.

Once free, gently turn fillets and with cover down, allow fish to cook for 8 - 10 minutes.  Remove from grill, plate and garnish with lemon slices and additional dill.

Arugula Goat Cheese Corn Salad

Christine came over from work one night last week because she had a meeting in the city the next day and Kerry had just shared this recipe with me.  It looked so good and so easy that I thought I would have it to accompany grilled salmon.  The salmon recipe follows.  This salad is delicious with the freshest summer ingredient and light dressing.

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
5 ears sweet corn, husked and cut off cob (Paul did this part)
3 green onions, sliced
2 cups grape tomatoes, quartered
1 cup goat cheese, crumbled
4 cups arugula, chopped
Juice of half of a lemon
2 Tablespoons white wine vinegar

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat.  
Add corn and cook until slightly charred.  Remove from heat and let cool.

In a large bowl add cooled corn, green onions, tomatoes, goat cheese and arugula.  Squeeze lemon juice over the corn mixture and add white wine vinegar and remaining olive oil.  Stir gently to combine.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.