HOMEMADE RAVIOLI (meat and cheese)

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Making homemade Ravioli is a great way to spend quality time with your kids, or grandchildren. You should invest in a Ravioli press:

 

This is a metal tray underneath where you see the sheet of Pasta above. The white plastic piece is what you "gently" press onto the sheet of Pasta to make a small indentation where you can place the stuffing. With a small bowl with a beaten Egg, you take a basting brush, and brush around the squares. This will seal the Pasta sheets together. You then put another sheet of Pasta over this, and with a rolling pin, roll so the square's will show through and separate. 

       

   

It would also be a good thing to invest in a Pasta machine. You can just use the hand crank kind. You NEED the convenience of this Pasta machine to get the dough pressed out thin, so you can transfer to the Ravioli press. If you don't have the Ravioli press, at least with the Pasta machine, you'll get thinned out dough, then you can use a biscuit cutter to cut through the two stuffed layers of Ravioli.

Never never wash the Pasta machine. I keep a pain brush in my container of kitchen spatula's that I use to brush away the flour. 

INGREDIENTS FOR PASTA DOUGH:
Rolling pin with some Flour, basting brush
some Flour, more Semolina or Bread crumbs

2 Cups of Semolina Flour (found in ethnic stores, some grocery stores)

2 Eggs
1-2 more Egg's beaten and used to brush on Pasta
1 teaspoon Olive Oil
2-4 Tablespoons Water
3/4 teaspoon Salt
Saran Wrap

DIRECTIONS:
With Kitchen Aid with dough hook add the 2 Eggs, 2 Cups Semolina, Olive Oil to bowl, and begin to mix on low. Add water 1 Tablespoon at a time so dough forms together. You can also knead by hand.
The dough will be ready when it forms all together, about 10 minutes. Wrap up tightly in Saran Wrap and let it rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.

 

CHEESE FILLING INGREDIENTS:

 

1 Cup WHOLE Milk Ricotta (at least try to find Whole Milk Ricotta)

1 Egg

1/2 teaspoon each of Salt & Pepper

handful grated Parmesan Cheese

small handful shredded Mozzarella Cheese

pinch or two of dried Parsley (or you can use diced Spinach)

DIRECTIONS:

Mix all together. This should be a thick dry mixture, so feel free to add more Parmesan Cheese if you want to achieve this.

BEEF FILLING INGREDIENTS:

Small handful Ground Beef
Small amount of the Cheese Filling (see the ingredients/directions above)
Some grated Parmesan Cheese (especially if you're not making the Cheese Filling)
pinch or two of dried Parsley and/or diced Spinach (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
Brown the Ground Beef with Salt and Pepper, add some Cheese filling to bind it together. Let it cool, then put in food processor or blender and mix on low. You want a tight forming meat mixture, so feel free to add some more Parmesan Cheese to get this result. 

ASSEMBLING DIRECTIONS:
Take a knife and cut a good sized handful of Pasta dough (cover up the rest of the dough). On a floured surface with floured rolling pin, roll out so it is rectangular is shape, about 1/4 in thick or so.
At widest setting, begin to crank out dough, folding in half after a few times. Keep making the setting smaller so the dough will become thinner. You almost want it paper thin, but more thicker than that, so when you stuff them the dough will not break apart.

Place first sheet onto Ravioli press, make indentation using the plastic white part, and stuff with a small spoonful of your mixture. Take the basting brush, and brush all sides with some beaten Egg.
Roll out another Pasta sheet the same way and place on top of the stuffing sheet. With a rolling pin, working at different angles, roll till the Ravioli squares separate. (see the photo's at the beginning of this article)
Remove and place onto a cook sheet that is lines with waxed paper and either more Semolina or Bread crumbs so they don't stick. Freeze for about 30 minutes. While it's freezing you can begin to boil a large pot of salted water, and get your sauce ready, clean up.
When water is boiling, gently place Ravioli's into water, stirring on occasion. They are done when they rise to the surface. Drain with slotted spoon or into colander/strainer. Top with sauce and serve. (you can freeze the previously frozen Ravioli's in a freezer safe baggie or container.)

Get the recipe for HOMEMADE RAVIOLI on website

 
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MANDARIN ORANGE SALAD

Get the recipe as well on website for MANDARIN ORANGE SALAD

 
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Mandarin Salad is so easy to make, and very zesty as well.

 

INGREDIENTS:

Sweet Butter Salad mix

small sprinkling of diced Almonds (optional)

Good Season's Italian Salad dressing mix (the secret indredient) AND ingredients to make that:

Olive Oil, Vinegar

1 can of Mandarin Oranges, refrigerated.

DIRECTIONS:

Make Good Season's Season's Italian Salad dressing according to package directions.
Rinse salad mix, arrange in bowl, top with handful of Mandarin Oranges. Pour some Salad dressing mix over, and top with a sprinkling of diced Almonds. Serve cold.

 

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Get the recipe as well on website for MANDARIN ORANGE SALAD

 

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BAKED FRENCH ONION SOUP

See the full recipe at the website for 

QUICK VERSION of French Onion Soup

or

TRADITIONAL VERSION of French Onion Soup

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There are a couple of ways to make Baked French Onion Soup. The quick version, which in itself is quite tasty, OR the Traditional version (taking a couple of days to make) which is even MORE tasty.
Let's start with the quick version.

INGREDIENTS:
1 large slice of French or Italian Bread, toasted for a bit in the oven
2 Tablespoons Butter
1/2 Cup or more of shredded Mozzarella
Slice of Swiss Cheese (or other white cheese, optional)
Pinch of Parmesan (optional)
1 Cup or more of Beef Broth (from can or bouillion cube, OR a can of French Onion Soup)
3-4 slices of Onions (Red, White, or Spanish) diced up
Generous pinch of Sugar

DIRECTIONS:

Put the toasted bread into an oven safe soup bowl. Saute the Onions in Butter till they are getting soft. Add the pinch of Sugar to help them caramelize and turn brown.

 

Add the broth, and stir for a few minutes more, pour this over the bread and top with Cheese. Bake 350*F till Cheese browns just a bit.
If you don't have an oven safe bowl, you can microwave. Tasty and quick.

HOWEVER, if you want the true authentic version, try the traditional way. It takes a couple of days, mostly simmering, but the end result is fantastic!!

NOTE: This is one way to make a homemade Beef Broth. You can follow the instructions way down below (where you're roasting the femur bones) to make JUST broth and forget the Onion thing. You can freeze premade Broth as well.
HOWEVER, this French Onion Soup recipe also calls for Chicken Broth. Here is how to quickly make that (and you can freeze it too).

CHICKEN BROTH
1 Onion (preferably Spanish) cut into quarters
1-2 Celery stalks, cut up into 3 inch or so lengths
1 Carrot, peeled and cut up into 3 inch or so lengths
Dash each of Salt and Pepper
4-6 Chickens Feet (if you can find them) OR just use 5-7 Wings (in a pinch you can use 3-4 Chicken Legs)
Small handful of diced fresh Parsley (or about 1 Tablespoon dried)
3-4 Chicken Bouillion cubes
NOTE ON CHICKEN'S FEET:
IF you can find them, please use them in this broth. They add such a concentrated flavor that other parts cannot match.

DIRECTIONS:
Put all ingredients into a pot, cover with water about 3 inches, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer on low, stirring occasionally for 3 hours. Remove from heat, let it cool for a few minutes. Take a large bowl and put a collandar/strainer over the bowl, and drain the broth INTO the bowl. You want PURE Broth. You can and should retain the Chicken, removing as much meat as you can from the bones, especially if you're using Chicken Legs or Wings. If you used Chicken's Feet, just discard them-not much meat there-
You'll also want to pull the Carrots from this, and dice into small pieces. The Meat and Carrots, added with a bit of fresh diced Parsley (or dried), makes for a nice Chicken Soup. Add cooked Rice or Noodles as described below.

TIP: Add just a "hint" of freshly squeezed Lemon or Lime to broth, as well as just a "touch" of freshly diced Cilantro. YUM

NOTE: Taste the broth as you simmer. You may want to add some more Salt, Pepper to zip it up, or add a bit more water if too strong. You can save some of this broth to make Chicken Noodle soup-- remove some meat from the bones, add to the reserved broth. In another pot, just boil some Linguine noodles, and add to the soup. REMEMBER THOUGH, you will need at least 1 Cup of this PURE Chicken Broth for the French Onion Soup!!
You can be making the Chicken Broth as you begin to make the French Onion Soup.

TRADITIONAL VERSION OF BAKED FRENCH ONION SOUP

(bring a good book)

INGREDIENTS:
1 Cup of Chicken Broth (see recipe above, in a pinch you "can" use store bought or even make broth using bouillion)
4 Femur Bones (your butcher can cut these up for you- in a pinch you can use 2-3 beef shanks but I recommend calling around and finding the femur bones!!)
Salt and Pepper
Olive or Vegetable Oil
6 LARGE Onions (I use a variety of Red, Spanish, White & Vidalia-when in season)
2 large cloves of Garlic, smashed
1-2 Carrots, peeled and cut up into 1-2 inch lengths
Celery bunch, trimmed - about 3/4 cup (see photo below)
2 Bay Leafs
1/4 Cup DRY Vermouth (optional, but helpful if you have it)
2 Tablespoons Butter
1-2 Tablespoons Sugar
3-4 slices EACH of Provolone, Swiss and/or Lorraine
1/2 Cup or more of shredded Mozzarella
1/4 Cup or so of grated Parmesan or Romano
4 slices of French or Italian Bread cut about 1 inch thick, and some butter to spread on them

DIRECTIONS:
On a large foiled lined cookie sheet, place the Femurs, Carrots, ONE Spanish Onion roughly cut cup. Drizzle all with Oil.

 
NOTE: I save my "beef" oil after the baking process and refrigerate and reuse when I make Beef Broth again. It will keep for a few weeks. I am always making broth. You don't have to do this, if it's a one time affair here for you. HOWEVER, after roasting, let this left over oil cool down and throw it away in the garbage, NOT the drain (in the drain pipes it can cool down and harden and clog up-we don't want that).
In a 400*F oven, roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Take out, and with a knife or handle of a spoon, poke out/pull the marrow from the femur, and place back onto the tray. Return all to oven and roast for another 45 minutes more.

Remove from oven, with tongs, place bones, onions & carrots into a stock pot.

 

Take the Celery stalks and trim the outer parts.

 

 

Put the Celery, a few dashes of Salt & Pepper, Bay Leafs, smashed Garlic cloves and Chicken Broth into the Stock pot. Cover ALL of this with water, at least 2-3 inches or so with water over the top of the bones.

 

Bring to a boil, cover and simmer on low for 6 hours, stirring every hour or so. Cool.

NOTE: For an even richer broth, after it has cooled down, I refrigerate it covered overnight, and then simmer again for at least 3 hours on low the next day. I then let it cool down again, and refrigerate over night AGAIN. Then the next day, I begin to let it simmer again while I caramelize the Onions.

I think it's important to refrigerate overnight at least for ONE night, as the next day you can take a spoon and take off the accumulated fat that has risen to the surface and discard.

Regardless if you refrigerate it over night or not, it should be at least at room temperature before you drain. Put a large bowl with a colander/strainer over the bowl, (remove the femur bones with tongs and set aside for FIDO), and pour the broth mixture into it. You can discard the veggies, and keep the PURE broth that is in the bowl. Put the broth back into the stock pot.

Bring your pure broth to a simmer, and begin to dice your Onions. You want to make very fine slices. Cut the Onion in half from stem to stem. Remove skin. Then begin to slice up very fine.

 

In a medium sized pot or pan, put the sliced Onions and Butter and begin to saute on medium to low, stirring constantly for a good 10 minutes. This will break up the Onion slices, allowing them to begin to release their water. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes so they don't burn.

Add the Sugar and begin to stir continuously. Cover and simmer on low for about 10 minutes or so, lifting the lid and stirring every minute. You cannot leave this alone to do it's own thing, you need to continually stir them. DON'T ANSWER THE PHONE. YOU ARE UNAVAILABLE FOR 10 MINUTES!!!

You are beginning to caramelize the Onions with the Sugar as well as "steam" them every time you put the lid back on, but it's important to know that you NEED TO CONTINUALLY STIR. Add the DRY Vermouth and continue to stir for at least 5 minutes more. Cover, and simmer for about another 30 minutes, repeating the stirring every minute or so. You want those Onions to be a rich brown.

NOTE: You don't want to ignore the Onions, but you DO want to have them covered with a lid in between the stirring. The more you simmer and stir, the darker and softer they will get, and this is what you want. Taste. Add a pinch of Salt or Pepper if needed.

You'll need at least 2-3 Cups of the Beef Broth (freeze the rest if any). Add the Onion mixture to the Beef Broth that is warmed up from simmering (yet again).

Simmer your Soup for about 3 hours more, covered, stirring occasionally. 

TIP: You can add a splash of Worcestershire sauce to the broth as well!! But just a small splash.

It's important to taste taste taste the broths, as well as the Onions while simmering. Add more water to the broth in small amounts if too thick, or salt & pepper if needed.

FINALLY.... (and you can do this ahead of time)...Take slices of French or Italian bread (making sure that your slices will fit into the oven safe soup bowls) and spread just a bit of butter on one side. Put in oven on a foil lined cookie sheet and toast until deeply browned.

In the soup crocks, put a bit of the Onion Soup, place the toasted Bread on it and push it down, and pour more Onion soup over that, leaving enough room for the Cheeses.

I usually use a mixture of Swiss, Provolone, Lorraine, Mozzarella, and even Brick Cheeses, because CHEESE IS WHAT IT IS ALL ABOUT!!! We like the GOOPINESS OF CHEESE- who doesn't?

Put your choices of Cheese on top, and place soup crocks on a large cookie sheet and bake 350*F for 10 minutes or so, until Cheese is melted and lightly browned.

Serve.

IF you have lids for those soup crocks, instead of baking, you CAN let the soup cool down, put a lid on it, and refrigerate for no more than 2 days. Then you can bake it. (put at least one layer of cheese over the top before doing this)

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE:

TRADITIONAL VERSION of French Onion Soup

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