Steak Soup - Untested

https://www.yourhomebasedmom.com/steak-soup/

2 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp canola oil

2 lbs top sirloin steak cut into cubes

1/2 cup onion chopped

3 Tbsp flour

1/2 Tbsp paprika

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 Tbsp parsley

1 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp marjoram

4 cups beef broth

2 cups water

2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

1 14 oz. can of diced tomatoes

3 Tbsp tomato paste

1 Tbsp brown sugar

1 15 ounce can corn drained

1 1/2 cups carrots diced

1 cup celery diced

1 1/2 cups yukon potatoes diced I left the peel on

1. Melt butter in pan and add oil. Heat over medium heat. Add in steak. Cook until meat is browned. About 10 minutes.
2. Mix together flour, paprika, salt and pepper.
3. Sprinkle over browned meat and stir to coat.
4. In a pot add together steak, beef broth, water, Worcestershire sauce, diced tomatoes,onions and seasonings.
5. Bring to a boil and then simmer until meat is tender. About 30-45 minutes
6. Add in potatoes, carrots, corn, celery and tomato paste and brown sugar.
7. Cook uncovered until vegetables are fork tender. About 15-20 minutes

Tips & Notes:

You can use precut stew meat or you can cut up a sirloin or round steak even sized pieces.

If you don’t have the parsley, oregano and marjoram, substitute them with  two teaspoons of Italian seasoning,

Use a waxy potato such as a red or Yukon Gold. A russett potato will disintegrate after simmering for any length of time. Cut potatoes into even bite size pieces.

Be sure your vegetables are cut into even size pieces so they cook evenly.

Pasta all’arrabbiata con melanzane sottaceto (with pickled aubergine) - Test 2

1 - This is kind of made up, but essentially it's a Pasta all’arrabbiata with just the eggplant added. I'm sure I could make this without the eggplant just for the Pasta all’arrabbiata. I have to say I didn't really taste the fresh basil. I wonder if I can just use dried to similar effect?

2 - Again, I didn't really taste the basil, so I'm substituting 1/2 cup of roughly chopped basil for 2 Tbsps dried. Or that's what the Interwebs told me to do, but it seems like too much. Testing! I also want to cook the tomato a little more to break down more.

3 - Cooking everything down into jammyness is the way to go, then adding pasta water for desired sauciness.

4 - The timing for the pasta to be ready right on time is challenging, but it also revealed something delightful. The sauce was ready in advance, and started to dry out, and it seemed like the tomato was really firm still, so I started to put in a couple Tablespoons of pasta water to keep things going. Well, I got true jamminess in the process and I think I prefer it. Trying out wording.

1 lb (450g) pasta (rigatoni, penne, or spaghetti etc)
12-16 (about 5oz/140g) "Mediterranean Gourmet Eggplant Strips in Oil", roughly chopped

2 Tbsps. oil from the jar
2-3 cloves garlic, minced.
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, to taste
1 (28 oz) can crushed or diced tomatoes
2 Tbsps. dried basil

1 cup pasta water
1/4 + 1/4 cup grated parmesan
Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Put a pot of cold water on the stove to heat up to boil the pasta.
2. Meanwhile, heat the reserved oil from the eggplant jar in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant and the garlic is lightly golden.
3. When the garlic is just golden, pour the canned tomatoes into the skillet and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for about 15 minutes, allowing the flavors to combine and the tomato to start to break down. Cook uncovered to allow for the tomato juices to reduce - look for the sauce to darken and become jammy. You may have to add pasta cooking water to get it to this point depending on the tomatoes you've used.
4. Meanwhile, cook the pasta until al dente and reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water.
5. Stir into the sauce the "Mediterranean Gourmet Eggplant Strips in Oil" and the basil and let it simmer for another few minutes until the eggplant is warmed through.
6. To keep warm until the pasta is ready, keep cooking at a slow simmer, adding pasta water to prevent drying out and sticking.
7. Add the cooked, drained pasta directly to the skillet with the sauce. Toss well to coat the pasta. Add a splash or two of the reserved pasta water to help the sauce emulsify and cling to the pasta. This will give it a silky finish.
8. Stir in 1/4 cup of the grated cheese. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately, with the remaining cheese on the side. 

Fried Pulled Pork over Beans - Untested

I like the idea of this recipe, but the original is a full on slow-cooker thing with a fresh pork roast. I'd like to make this using leftover pork. I just have to figure out what that looks like. I am taking the finishing instructions for the Pork Carnitas, figuring out how to make a sauce with the spices to fry the meat in, baking the beans separately and then maybe mixing all together at the end? Or maybe just serving the fried meat on top of the beans... mmm, that sounds right.

Cooking instructions for the beans : https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/58389/slow-cooker-homemade-beans/

3 cups dry Chili Beans

1½ cups beef broth

1 28oz can crushed tomato

1 28oz can diced tomato

1 small onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced.

1 tsp salt

2 lbs roast pork, bones removed and pulled

2 Tbsps brown sugar

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp chilli powder

3/4 tsp dry oregano

dash of cinnamon

½ tsp cumin

¼ tsp cayenne 

1/2 cup beef broth

BBQ Sauce

1 Teaspoon Hot Sauce, Optional

1. Soak the beans overnight in plenty of water. Next day, drain and add to the slow cooker.
2. Add the broth, cans of tomato, onion, garlic and salt.
3. Cook in the slow cooker on Low for 8-10 hours.
4. About a half hour before serving, pull apart the pork using a couple of forks and set aside.
5. In a small pot mix together the brown sugar, garlic powder, salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, and cayenne. Pour in the 1/2 cup of beef broth. Bring to a boil then turn off the heat.
6. Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large non stick pan over high heat, then reduce to medium high (you could do the popcorn test). Place shredded pork into the pan, drizzle over some juices. Wait until the juices evaporate and the bottom side is golden brown and crusty. Since you are reheating the carnitas, flip and cook the other side briefly just to warm through. I really recommend only making one side crusty and leaving the other side juicy and moist.
7. Serve the pork on top of the cooked beans, with BBQ sauce and hot sauce on the side.

Pork ribs and beans - Testing

https://cafedelites.com/slow-cooker-barbecue-ribs/#recipe

https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/slow-cooker-glazed-pork-ribs-white-beans

1 - This was good, I ended up using the instructions in the Notes for super fall-off-the-bone, and it worked. The beans were really good, and having them the next day with eggs was really good. The improvement I'm looking for in the glaze. It was really acid and tomato-ey. I substituted the honey for maple syrup. Next time, I'll stick with the honey and TASTE the sauce before I use it. I wonder if balsamic vinegar might also help.

2 - Well, that was disappointing. The beans had little flavor so I need to add salt to it and how much. The glaze for the ribs was actually much improved though, and I think I could make more for more goo. I also only had 1 lb of ribs and didn't change the amount of beans. Oh, and I think I omitted the tomato paste from the beans. Which should go back in.

2 cup dried beans

4 cups chicken broth

28oz can diced tomatoes, drained

1/2 cup dry white wine

4 garlic cloves, smashed

1 tsp salt

One 6-inch rosemary sprig plus 1/2 tsp finely chopped rosemary (trying herbes de provence)

2+1 Tbsps tomato paste

2 racks baby back ribs and/or side ribs (about 4 pounds), cut into 3-rib sections

2 Tbsps balsamic vinegar

1 Tbsp honey (TO TASTE)

Salt and ground pepper

1. In a slow cooker, combine the beans with the broth, tomatoes, wine, garlic, salt, rosemary sprig and 2 Tbsps of the tomato paste. 
2. Cook the beans on High for 3 hours. 
3. Nestle the ribs into the beans, cover and cook on High until the ribs are almost fall-off- the-bone tender, 2 to 3 hours more. Test the beans, if they need to cook longer transfer the ribs to a rimmed baking sheet and cover with foil. 
4. Discard the rosemary sprig and skim off as much fat as possible once the beans are cooked.
5. Shortly before serving, preheat the broiler. 
6. In a small bowl, mix the remaining 1 Tbsp of tomato paste with the balsamic vinegar and honey. 
7. Season the ribs with salt and pepper and set them on a baking sheet, meaty side up. 
8. Brush with the balsamic glaze and broil the ribs about 3 inches from the heat for about 3 minutes, rotating if necessary, until browned and heated through. 
9. Cut into individual ribs. (?)
10. Stir the chopped rosemary (? where did this come from ?) into the beans and season with salt and pepper. Spoon the beans into shallow bowls, top with the glazed ribs and serve.

NOTES

Cook times depend on the results you are looking for:

LOW: 7 HOURS / HIGH: 3 HOURS — Ribs that are soft but stay on the bone (as shown in the video in post).

LOW: 9 HOURS / HIGH: 4-5 HOURS — Tender, fall apart ribs that melt in your mouth like butter (as shown in the images in post).

Shakshuka with kabocha squash - Test 1

https://ahouseinthehills.com/2016/02/18/kabocha_squash_shakshuka/

1 - Maybe the squash cubed smaller so I changed it from 1" to 1/2".

1 Tbsp oil
1 onion, diced
1 pinch salt
1/2 green bell pepper, diced fine
1 lrg jalapeno, seeded and minced 1 pinch red pepper flakes
2 cups of kabocha squash, peel on, chopped into 1/2" pieces
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 Tbsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
pinch saffron (about 20 threads)
28 oz can of diced tomatoes
7 6 eggs
rough chopped parsley to garnish
pepper, to taste

1. Add oil to a heavy bottomed pan with the onion and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until onions are soft and translucent.
2. Add green pepper and jalapeno  pepper flakes and cook for a couple minutes, until fragrant. Add kabocha squash, garlic, paprika, cumin and saffron. Mix well and cook an additional 5 minutes, stirring continuously.
3. Add tomatoes and mix well. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 30 minutes, or until kabocha squash is softened but still holding their shape.
4. One by one, crack the eggs into a bowl and gently place on top of the simmering tomatoes, without touching, until all the eggs are in.
5. Cover and cook for 6-8 minutes, or until the egg whites have set and the yolks are still soft.
6. Garnish with parsley and pepper when serving.

Testing - Spicy zucchini and tomato sauce

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/capellini-with-spicy-zucchini-tomato-sauce-recipe.html

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 28 -ounce can whole San Marzano tomatoes
Kosher salt
1 medium zucchini, cut into small chunks
1/2 pound capellini spaghetti
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Grated parmesan cheese, for topping

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. 
2. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until the garlic is just golden, about 1 minute. 
3. Add the zucchini and cook until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. 
4. Crush the tomatoes into the skillet with your hands and add the juice. 
5. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Season with salt.
6. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the capellini and cook as the label directs. Drain and add to the sauce along with the basil; toss to coat. 
7. Top with parmesan.

Untested - Voodoo Chilli

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 medium onion, minced

1 medium zucchini, diced

1⁄2 lb. cremini mushrooms, diced

1 medium carrot, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 can (28oz) whole peeled tomatoes

2 canned chipotle peppers, finely chopped

1 tsp. chilli powder

1⁄4 tsp. ground cumin

1⁄2 tsp. dried oregano

1 can pinto beans, drained

Salt and black pepper, to taste

1⁄2 avocado, sliced

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan or pot set over a medium flame. Add the onion, zucchini, mushrooms, carrot, bell pepper, and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are soft and lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
2. Add the tomatoes, crushing lightly between your fingers to give the chili a coarse texture. Add the chipotle, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and beans, plus salt and pepper to taste. Turn heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve in bowls and top with sliced avocado.

Testing - Bread and Tomato Soup (Pappa al pomodoro)

1 - I cannot for the life of me remember where this recipe came from. Is it a Frankenstein? At any rate, this was the first time I've actually made it. While I quite enjoyed the flavours, there is much work to be done to improve the results. The tomatoes didn't char properly; the onions were undercooked; the bread didn't fall apart easily and over toasted. I think the proportions are correct, however.

2 lbs fresh tomatoes
    OR, 1 can (28oz/796mL) diced tomatoes + 1 lb fresh tomatoes
1 onion, cut into 8ths for roasting
Optional (and to try) 1/2 cup sage leaves (how many leaves is that?)
1/3 cup Olive oil
8 oz - 1lb (preferably) stale peasant-style bread (would a Miracle Boule do?) cut into 1" cubes, crusts removed.
3-5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
10-15 large basil leaves, sliced en chiffonade
1 - 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
4-8 cups chicken broth (start with 4 to test consistency. Also, if using tinned tomatoes, drain the can and include the juices in the initial 4 cups)
1 tsp salt
? Tsp pepper
High quality olive oil for drizzling flavour

1. Pre-heat the oven to 400F.
2. Cut the tomatoes so that they are more-or-less the same size: whole for cherry, halves and quarters for larger tomatoes. Arrange on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil (add the sage leaves if using) and toss lightly to cover everything in the oil.
3. Roast the tomato and onion mixture in the oven for 30-45 minutes, turning the mixture over every 15 minutes, or until the tomatoes start show brown spots and the onions are soft. Take out of the oven and place on a cooling rack, leaving for about 10-15 minutes, or until the tomatoes won't burn your fingers. 
4. While the tomatoes are cooling, heat the remaining olive oil in a large soup pot until quite hot, then add the garlic, bread basil leaves. Toast these in the oil until the bread is golden; stir constantly to avoid burning the garlic and basil. When the bread is golden, set aside. 
5. When the tomatoes are cooled, remove the skins.
6. Save any juices on the baking sheet and add to the soup pot. So much flavour! 
7. Chop all the roasted vegetables quite fine then add them and the balsamic vinegar to the bread and garlic. Return the soup pot to the stove to bring to a simmer. Mix for a few minutes, then add the broth, the salt and the pepper. 
8. Continue to mix, breaking up the bread with the back of a wooden spoon. The consistency should be like a porridge; not too liquid but not too thick – just about possible to eat with a fork. If it's too thick, add a bit more broth. Remove the pan from the heat and let it sit for about 10 minutes before serving.
9. You can serve this hot, at room temperature or chilled. Serve with plenty of freshly ground black pepper and raw extra virgin olive oil to swirl on top, and maybe some grated parmigiano.

Italian sausage pasta - Test 1

1- The sauce for this dish is interesting, but we both felt there was way too much bell peppers. The "original" (because I rarely follow recipes to the letter anymore) asked for a trio of different coloured sweet peppers and next time I will try just one, chopped up instead of julienned. I rarely cook with sweet peppers because generally I feel like they're just used as a filler when more veg are required.
As for the sauce, the white wine added a really interesting glossy and tasty dimension, so that was a win.
2- It looks like there is too much salt, but it really didn't taste like it did, possibly offsetting the sweetness brought about by the wine and peppers. Although, having decreased the amount of peppers, I've decreased by a half tsp the amount of salt.
The instructions were a bit more complicated than necessary. I took a page from my Italian sausage and chard soup recipe and eliminated a step, creating a lovely fond for extra flavour, I think.

3- It was very much appreciated. I now seriously doubt the egg noodles, it gives it a bit of a Hamburger Helper aura. I want to try with just spaghetti, or maybe chunky pasta. Oh, and 12oz was fine!

1 + 3 Tbsps olive oil 
4 1 lb spicy Italian sausage meat links, casings removed
1 large onion (10oz/285g) thinly sliced
1 ½ tsp salt
Sprig of thyme, leafed and minced
2 sprigs of oregano, leafed and minced
1 sprig of rosemary, leafed and minced
(try adding a bay leaf)
½ tsp cracked black pepper
1 red bell pepper, cored and minced
4 cloves of garlic, pressed
½ cup white wine
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
¼ cup fresh basil leaves, julienned, divided use
8 (trying 12oz) ounces wide egg noodles (or papardelle), dry weight

12 oz spaghetti(ni)

1. Heat a few teaspoons of oil in a pan and crumble the sausage into it. When it starts to sizzle, add the onions and cook until extra moisture from the sausage has evaporated and everything starts to brown. You will already notice the bottom of your pan starting to get coated with a brown fond. Add more oil if you think it needs it.
2. Add oregano, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, salt and pepper; stir, then add the minced bell peppers. Sauté for about 2 minutes or until the peppers start to soften.
3. Add the garlic and cook about a minute. Add the wine and stir to lift the fond, which should be dark brown-to-black by now. Keep cooking until the wine reduces to almost nothing. Add the diced tomatoes with their juices.
4. Simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the tomatoes cook, then turn off the heat; to finish the sauce, drizzle in about 2-3 good tablespoons of olive oil and stir. Add the chopped parsley and half of the basil; stir, and keep warm while you prepare the noodles.
5. To serve, garnish with some of the remaining basil and some Parmesan, if desired.

Test 2 - Braised Beef Braciola Stuffed with Basil and Mozzarella

The first time I tried this I had two different types of steak: a boneless blade steak which is a tender, grilling steak with lots of marbling; and a bottom round steak, which is a chuck-type cut, usually preferred for braising. Well, the bottom round steak was good, but the boneless blade steak was much more tender. The bottom line is, if you're looking to use a more inexpensive cut of steak, this is a good recipe, but it's even more delectable with a more tender, expensive cut.

2 lb. flank steak (ex: bottom round, but see note, above)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup grated mozzarella
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/3 cup Panko breadcrumbs
28 large fresh basil leaves, en chiffonade
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
1/2 cup red wine
One 28-oz. can diced tomatoes and their juices (3 cups)
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
8 oz. button mushrooms, quartered

1. On a large cutting board, slice the steak lengthwise along one side, without cutting all the way through the meat, and open it up like a book. Using a meat mallet, flatten the meat so it is about 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle both sides of the meat with salt and pepper.
2. Combine the mozzarella, Parmigiano, breadcrumbs, and basil for the stuffing, and sprinkle evenly over one side of the beef, and roll it up lengthwise, jelly roll–style, with the stuffing inside. Secure with kitchen twine in a few places.
3. Heat half the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it’s shimmering. Add the beef and cook until it browns and releases easily from the pan, about 2 minutes. Flip and cook the other sides until browned as well. Transfer to a large plate.
4. Add the remaining oil and the onion to the pan, and lower the heat to medium. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. salt and cook, stirring, until the onion wilts completely and turns a light brown, about 8 minutes. Add the red wine and cook, stirring, until it almost completely reduces. Add the tomatoes and red pepper flakes and bring to a boil. Reduce to a gentle simmer and tuck the meat and mushrooms into the broth. Cover and cook, repositioning the meat occasionally, until the meat becomes tender and cuts easily with a paring knife, about 1-1/2 hours. Set the meat on a cutting board and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Thinly slice and serve topped with the sauce and vegetables.