Greetings!

A very Happy and Prosperous New Year to you and your family. One can only hope that this year 2012 will be a turning corner for all the turmoil of 2011. My New Year's resolution is to eat healthier food and avoid anything that might have been genetically modified.

So let's start on the food side of things. Sue finds her soul in quiet meditation, whereas I find mine in the preparation of natural ingredients into a nutritious meal. In the cold months ahead we all enjoy those carbohydrates accompanied with rich meaty sauces that seem to demand a full bodied red wine. If you have young children or grand children they will love to participate in the preparation of this meal.

SAUSAGE MEAT BALLS IN A RICH TOMATO AND ONION SAUCE.

 

 

 

This can be a really simple and easy dish to make if you have prepared and bottled your own pasta sauce in the Fall when you had all those wonderful vegetables and herbs growing or, carefully selected from your favourite farmers market. If you don't have your own, then get the best quality you can from your local supermarket. You might have to dress it up a bit before you use it as they can be middle-of-the-road bland.

For four people you should have the following ingredients.

1 lb (500gms) of a good quality breakfast or regular sausage. Please read the label. A good sausage has meat, spices and sometimes herbs added and no fillers or a bunch of chemicals you cannot pronounce.

500gms of Pasta Sauce. You can make this yourself with Tomatoes, onions, celery, herbs, garlic and spices. Recipes for this abound in cookbooks. No matter how good my sauce is , I still like to dress it up by adding some fresh ingredients to make it sparkle. This is what I added to my sauce which is already balanced with spices and herbs.

 

 

 

 

A sprig of fresh Thyme

Several sprigs of Italian Parsley

2 Thick slices of good bacon. Cut into slices. You can leave this out or double the amount.

1cup Mushrooms. Cut them up into thick pieces. You can double up on the quantity if you like.

2 Medium Sized Tomatoes. Chop thumbnail size.

1 Generous tablespoon of Olive oil.

Other ingredients that you can add are chopped red or green peppers, chopped cilantro,black olives chopped

Preparation of the Meatballs. This is where the kids are useful and they will love this part. The breakfast sausage makes this job much easier. You just squeeze the meat out of the sausage and roll it in the palms of your hand to make a neat little meat ball. Seasoned mince beef or pork can be substituted for the sausage.

 

 

 

The Cooking Part.

I shall be wise and not offer any tips on cooking pasta as most of you are probably experts on it. Suffice it to say that your water is boiling by the time the preparation of the meatballs are finished. You can now add the pasta and cook it while you are fussing over the skillet.

 

 

 

In the skillet (medium heat) place the olive oil and the bacon and heat. The idea is for the bacon to shed some extra fat. Add the mushrooms and sear them with the bacon. They will absorb some of the fat making them extra delicious. Now add your tomatoes followed by the herbs the meatballs and lastly the pasta sauce. The dish is ready when the meat balls are cooked through.

 

Drizzle a few drops of Truffle oil to boost the aroma. This is optional as it is not easy to find and it is expensive. It does last a long time and you can occasionally find it for sale at PaSu Farm.

Serve with your favourite pasta and sprinkle with a generous portion of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and garnish with fresh parsley.

If you have enjoyed this recipe then please let me know by contacting me on my e-mail , pat@pasu.com

SMART COOK TIP!

Make a double batch. Mix what you don't need with a cup of Ricotta cheese. Stuff into cannelloni, place in a flat Pyrex baking dish (rub butter on the bottom) and cover with a mixture of grated mozzarella and Swiss cheese. Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese on the top and add some bread crumbs. You can freeze this dish and when you need it place it in a medium oven and reheat. While it is heating prep your salad and presto! You made a magnificent meal in less than twenty minutes.

Yes we do an erotic valentines evening and we are the only ones in Alberta who have ventured into this risky field. Our reputation has grown exponentially over the years and we have had bookings as early as from last year.

The food is erotically presented with little room for imagination. First of all we select the best raw ingredients and we create gourmmet dishes. Our prime concern is that the quality of the meal is of the highest standard. For example we fly in very special oysters from The Lobster Man in Granville Island, Vancouver, BC. The main course has a choice of  medalions of AAA Alberta fillet of beef  or Albert lamb loins. It is how we present the food that makes this a fun evening for our patrons. There is always a lot of laughter and a sense of anticipation to see what the next course will bring. As there are seven delicious courses with a grand finale the evening is an adventure. The evening is a ticketed event which costs $160 per couple or $90 for a single person. The difference in price is explained bt the fact that some dishes are created for two people to share and enjoy.We are booking for Friday 10th and Saturday 11th of February. The maximum number of gusts for each  for each evening is 40. If the 10th and 11th book  up we will open on th 17th and 18th as well. Reservations are essential and, because of the complexity of the meal and the detailed presentation we cannot cook special meals.

 

 

 Paradise Sorbet for Valentines

 

Now these socks are really going to save your feet in the cold weather which has been predicted. Remember this is Alberta and Winter can last as long as it likes. If you suffer from cold feet this is the answer. I speak from experience.

These boots are not only high fashion, but they are lined with genuine wool.