THOUGHTS: SAVE THE RECIPES!

"In the bowl of your mixer, cream the butter and the sugar together."

On Wednesday, over 25,000 people saw, shared, printed, or looked at my mom's pound cake recipe as a result of my posts on social media for National Pound Cake Day. I saw your comments about a mom, an aunt, or even a granddaddy's recipe that you make and even though you lost them, the recipe is like having a little piece of them still with you. All these years later, I still remember the food my mother made for us and the times I spent with her in the kitchen. That pound cake brings back so many memories and I'm so thankful to have the recipe. It was almost lost forever... read the story about how I got it back. It's a good one. GET THE RECIPE...

My mom made a pound cake about once a week. The cake was so dense, I can remember mom testing it with a piece of uncooked spaghetti instead of a toothpick to see if it was done.

I've mentioned many times how heartbroken I am that I do not have more of my mom's recipes down on paper. The few I do have in her handwriting are so prized, so cherished.

So now, I'm going to get on my soapbox. If your mom is a "pinch of this" cook who rarely writes down her recipes... this is for you.

Please take the time to have her show you how to make your favorite recipes. Have her write the recipes out in her handwriting if she still can, and talk you through them. Video her, if she's willing because often, the technique is as important as the ingredients themselves. It has taken me years to recreate some of my mother's dishes and have them taste the same.... Her pot roast took me almost 10 years to master, even though I was using the exact same Dutch oven. I was leaving out the bay leaf and that one little thing made all the difference.

Sunday Pot Roast after church was a standard at our house but my mom never wrote down the recipe. It took me 10 years after she passed away to recreate it and have it taste exactly the same as I remember.

Every bite of that pot roast reminds me of Sunday dinner after church and how my mom always had a plate warming on the stove (and a slice of lemon icebox pie hidden away in the refrigerator) for me if I was late. There will be a time when it is too late to get your cherished recipes down and you will never regret the time you spent with them in the kitchen.

FYI- Copy your originals because ink will fade. I pressed mine in a book with archival paper. I plan to frame large copies one of these days for my studio.

Much love,

Martie xo

RECIPE: HEARTY BEEF BOLOGNESE

I don't think I like anything much more than Bolognese-- a rich meat sauce usually served over pasta. I build my Bolognese with lots of flavor--- and let it cook down to make it really hearty. You can serve it over any pasta- if I have it, Pappardelle is my choice but if I am in a hurry, I’ll use angel hair or any pasta I have in the pantry. On any given Saturday in the cold weather months, I’ll start the Bolognese in the afternoon and then let it cook while I do all my chores. Then, I whip up a quick salad- usually arugula, shaved Parm, lemon juice and olive oil with cracked black pepper. That is my fav. Toast some bread, open a bottle of wine and you have the perfect dinner on a cold night.  

 Prep Time: 15    Cook Time: 1 hour

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 strips bacon or pancetta, diced

1 large onion, diced fine

1 cup carrots, diced very fine or grated

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme- minced (ok use 1/4 t. dried thyme instead)

1/2 teaspoon fresh oregano, minced (ok to use 1/4 t. dried oregano)

Pinch fresh ground nutmeg

 2 tablespoons tomato paste

3 cups beef broth, divided

1 cup red wine

1 can (28 ounces) tomato puree

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Pinch sugar

2 bay leaves

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated (save some for garnish)

2 tablespoons. fresh Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped (save some for garnish)

DIRECTIONS:

Add the olive oil to a large pot and heat. Over medium-high heat, add the bacon and cook until browned. Add the carrots and onions. Cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook for a minute, stirring constantly. Add the beef and cook until the meat is browned— about 5 minutes. Drain off any extra grease. Return to the heat. Add the tomato paste and cook for one minute, stirring constantly over medium high heat. Allow the mixture to brown well, you will hear some popping and crackling. This is a good thing. Don't stir too often but don't let it burn, either. Cook until a crust forms.

Add 1 cup of the red wine and use that to deglaze the bottom of the pan, scraping all of the crust off the bottom of the pan. Add the salt, pepper, oregano, thyme, and nutmeg. Reduce the heat to medium. Let the wine reduce completely, stirring occasionally. Add one cup of beef broth and cook, reducing the liquid until it is almost completely gone. Add the tomato puree and another cup of beef broth. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly to keep the sauce from sticking on the bottom of the pot. Add the Worcestershire, sugar, and the bay leaf. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1-2 hours, stirring frequently. Add more beef broth as the sauce cooks down and becomes thick. You want the sauce to be very thick, but you can add broth to reconstitute it a bit if you like it to have more sauce.

Before serving, remove the bay leaf. Stir in the cream, Parmesan cheese, and most of the parsley. Reserve some parsley for garnish.

Ladle over any hot pasta you like. Top with fresh parsley and a bit more grated Parm.

TOP 5 EASY AND ELEGANT OSCAR WORTHY RECIPES

Hosting an Academy Awards viewing party? Here are five of my easiest Oscar worthy party bites inspired by the menu created by Wolfgang Puck for the Governors Ball.  Get all of my Oscar party tips here.

The best thing about Wolfgang Puck's menu is that it is filled with comfort food favorites, not a lot of over the top gastronomy, using quality ingredients instead of flashy techniques. So make your best comfort food dish like Mac n Cheese or you can get items like pizza or sushi from your favorite restaurant. A cheese board is always easy; guests can graze while gathered around the television.

DEVILED EGGS WITH TOPPINGS: What could be easier? Make the deviled eggs in advance and add the toppings just before guests arrive or allow them to add their own toppings. If you really feel like splurging, you can go all Wolfgang and get some caviar or truffles to shave on top. Get the recipe...

HAM AND CHEESE IN PUFF PASTRY: An unexpectedly elegant twist on ham and cheese that is so delicious, my friend Justin put it in his new cookbook. With layers of flaky, buttery puff pastry and gooey, melted cheese, this will become of your favorites, too.  Get the recipe...

CITRUS PICKLED SHRIMP: Without question, this my favorite party recipe. You can make it for a big or small crowd, you can make it in advance, and best of all, it is always a hit.I've made it for casual or very elegant occasions and adjust the way I serve it to the event. Get the recipe...

HOMEMADE TRUFFLES: You must have chocolate for an Oscar party and serving your own homemade truffles is one of those wow factors your guests will always remember. For their "award" or favor, package these in a gold box for friends to take home. Get the recipe...

DARK AND WHITE DOUBLE DRIZZLED POPCORN: What's a movie party without popcorn? Take ordinary popcorn to the next level with lots of melted chocolate. What could be better (or easier) than that? Get the recipe...