Red Sauce

The BF asked what I wanted for dinner. I said I wanted Green Chile and he said it was too warm for green chile. So I asked him what he wanted because I knew he wasn't up for my green chile suggestion. He suggested lasagna. Lasagna sounded good. When we got to the store we stood in the pasta aisle and the BF asked how I felt about manicotti. I wasn't up for stuffing manicotti so I suggested shells instead. The sauce went on the manicotti.

- few tablespoons olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 T dried oregano
- 2 cans crushed tomatoes (i like san marzano's but they are not always available.)
- 2 carrots, shredded
- 2 ribs celery, small dice
- 1 pound italian sausage (sometimes i make meatballs but that is for a different post.)
- 1 sugar
- 2 bay leaves
- fresh basil
- 1 can tomato paste

i think this sauce changes depending on my mood and what i'm making the sauce for. since this was for shells, i decided to go the simple route. i sometimes use a little wine but the BF doesn't like wine so no wine this time. i didn't bother with fresh oregano but i did have some fresh basil. i don't usually use tomato paste but i didn't have all day to cook the sauce so after about an hour and a half of simmering, i added a little paste. i usually grate some parmesan cheese in the sauce but since there was a lot of cheese for the shells. i think my sauce is the best when i use the best ingredients and when i make meatballs. the meat juice from the meatballs are really flavorful.

My Perfect Fried Rice

For years the perfect fried rice has eluded me. I mean I can cook most things and cook them well. But for some reason my fried rice tasted off. Something wasn't right. After some experimenting, I discovered that an ingredient I thought was crucial was the reason why the perfect fried rice has escaped me for so long. Soy sauce was the culprit. After getting the taste right, I had to also get the texture right.

And now the secret to perfect fried rice.

The day before or at least a few hours before, cook the rice. Fried rice was intended to use up day old rice. The rice should be slightly dried out. Sometimes when I have a craving for fried rice and have no day-old rice, I will cook the rice with slightly less water than usual. I spread the rice out, fan it and let it cool. Oh one more thing - use jasmine rice.

Ingredients:
- 4 cups day-old jasmine rice
- sea salt, to taste
- fish sauce, to taste
- maggi sauce, to taste
- msg, to taste (omit it if you want but i think it really enhances the flavor of asian food.)
- black pepper, to taste
- 3 T. oil (I use canola)
- 3 links of chinese sausage, diced
- half an onion, diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 cups mixed veggies (i use whatever i have. most of the time it is frozen mixed veggies. sometimes it is fresh corn kernels off the cob, diced carrots, broccoli florets, tomatoes)
- two eggs
- cilantro (optional. i don't always have cilantro. sometimes i have thai basil in the freezer and will toss that in for a more thai-style fried rice.)

1. separate the grains of rice. season with salt, fish sauce, maggi sauce, msg, and black pepper. Set aside.

2. heat a large pan (wok, stir fry, or even a dutch oven) on high heat. add oil. when oil is hot, add chinese sausage, onions, and garlic. cook until sausage is brown.

3. add veggies and cook until all liquid has evaporated and slightly charred.

4. push everything to the side. add eggs and cook until set. don't scramble the eggs. you want big curds of eggs.

5. add rice an cook for several minutes on high heat. i like to leave it to stick to the bottom of the pan and get a little charred.