Chocolate Scotcheroos

Notes

• A slight variation on the classic, with the chocolate in a middle layer rather than on top.
• The big win here is I can put in some helpful steps that the official recipe doesn't go into.
• If ever there was a recipe that benefits from mise en place, this is it.
• Note that this is one third of the official recipe because this I make these for bicycling snacks, so I don't want them too big. Need to feed a lot of people? Triple it.
• For sticky ingredients like corn syrup and peanut butter, first spray non-stick in the measuring cups. That will help them slide back out.
• The Scotcheroos are going in a 9"x5" loaf pan. It's the same one I use for meat loaf.

Ingredients

• ⅓C corn syrup
• ⅓C sugar
• ⅓C creamy, non-natural peanut butter like Skippy
• 2C Rice Krispies
• ⅓C semi-sweet chocolate morsels
• ⅓C butterscotch morsels

Directions

1. Put the sugar and corn syrup in a small, non-stick pot on the stove.
2. Measure out the peanut butter have it ready to add to the pot.
3. Measure out the Rice Krispies and put them in a bowl.
4. Put the morsels in a microwave-safe bowl and place in the microwave oven.
5. Spray the loaf pan with non-stick then tear off a piece of wax paper big enough to cover it.
6. Now the cooking starts. Turn the burner under the pot onto low-medium heat (my burner is set to 4 out of 10).
7. Start heating the morsels in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time until they are almost completely melted. They will be so hot that stirring them a bit more will finish the melting. This keeps them from burning.
8. When the sugar/corn syrup mixture starts simmering, stir (with a wooden spatula, I hope) until it is mostly clear.
9. Turn off the heat and add the peanut butter. Stir until mixed in.
10. Add the Rice Krispies and stir until well-coated.
11. Add ½ of the mixture to the loaf pan and spread a bit with a spatula.
12. Use the wax paper to cover the mixture and spread the mixture evenly and into the corners. The mixture is hot but, hopefully, not too hot through the wax paper. If your fingers aren't as tough as mine, use a towel. It's okay because you're still on the wax paper.
13. Now add the chocolate/butterscotch to the top of the mixture. Don't worry if it doesn't reach the edges.
14. Put the mixture pot back on the stove and the set heat to the lowest setting.
15. Put the loaf pan in the freezer for five minutes.
16. Take the pan out of the freezer and press the remaining mixture into the pan.
17. Cover pan with wax paper and place in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
18. Take out of refrigerator and the whole thing should pop right out of the pan, making it very easy to cut.
19. Store, covered in the refrigerator when the weather is warm or things can get melty.

Meatballs

Notes

So you've made croutons (and the French love you). You have eaten them all (the croutons, not the French) and now you are left with a bag of crumbs. What to do with them? Make meatballs!

Ingredients

• 1# Ground beef
• 1# Italian sausage
• Leftover crouton crumbs
• 2 Eggs
• 2 heaping tablespoons Minced garlic
• 8oz can Tomato sauce
• Oregano (I use at least ¼cup)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350°.
2. Spray non-stick coating on an oven-ready pan. I use cast iron.
3. Put all ingredients in a mixing bowl and combine by hand.
4. Grab bits of the mixture, form into balls, and place into the pan. You may need more than one pan.

Puttanesca

Notes

Formally known as Spaghetti alla puttanesca.

• The ingredients are the ingredients but my measurements are pretty loosey-goosey so feel free to change them (for instance, maybe you don't want to use two tins of anchovies--but they're so good!).
• This makes a lot of sauce.
• I cook enough spaghetti for at least four people, even when I was only cooking for two, because leftovers.

Ingredients

• EV olive oil
• 28oz can of crushed tomatoes
• 14.5oz can of diced tomatoes (Costco has a nice pack of these)
• 2 tins of anchovies
• Capers (I use at least a couple of heaping tablespoons)
• Kalamata olives, chopped (maybe I grab half a cup of these before chopping?)
• Garlic, chopped (I use two heaping tablespoons of the chopped-in-a-jar kind from Costco)

Directions

1. Start up your pasta water. Did you know you can put the pasta in the water at this point? Just stir it every so often to make sure things don't stick together.
2. Put the anchovies in a pan that has a lid. Add a little olive oil. Cook over low heat until the anchovies disintegrate. You may need to stir them up a bit. There will be much splattering.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients.
4. Cover with a splatter screen and simmer until the pasta is done.
5. I would serve the sauce on top of the pasta. I have had this in restaurants where they mixed the sauce with the pasta but that never worked out for me.
6. Serve with Parmigiano-Reggiano on top, of course.