The finished product.  

Cook’s test is if anyone goes back for seconds and thankfully PD did.  I served it with a nice chianti and a bit of sarcastic banter ….  Perfect sides.

2 hours simmering uncovered…

August 1, 2012

God Bless this house…..

The photos are from my Mimi’s home in West Lebanon, New Hampshire, taken in June of 2012.  Today marks the turn to August and at the end of this month she will celebrate her 98th Birthday.  98 years.   Imagine all she has seen…..

She and Bumpy were married for over 60 years.  For the last 18 she has lived alone.  The photos are of her desk.  On the mirror are pictures of me that I never knew she had.  My Mom must have sent them; including the one of us in Paris celebrating her 75th birthday.   Her room is filled with photographs of her family – my Mom and Aunt in their wedding gowns, my Mom and Uncle in their cap and gown – my brother and cousins as children.  All the grandchildren.  On my last visit her desk was littered with envelopes of cards and invitations to family graduations and events.  Next to her chair, the newspaper which she reads daily and does the crossword.

I used Buffalo.  It is leaner and tastes great.  One thing to note, because it has less fat, it cooks faster so make sure you cook it on a lower heat than what you would hamburg.  I also cut back on the oil and that which I did use, I infused with some dried flaked chili peppers.

Meat Sauce – yields 4 Quarts

3 lb hamburg

1/4 cup oil

3 large chopped onions

3 large green peppers chopped (if desired)

6 large clove garlic finally chopped

3 cans (1 lb each) Italian style Plum tomatoes

3 cans (8 oz each) tomato sauce

3 cans (6 oz each) tomato paste

1 Tablespoon crumbled oregano

1 Tablespoon Basil

1 Tablespoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 1/2 cup dry red wine

Brown meat – part at a time, in oil in kettle or dutch oven.  Remove to a large bowl with slotted soon.  Sauté onions, pepper, and garlic until soft in fat remaining in kettle.  Add 1/4 cup more oil if needed.  Return meat to kettle with remaining ingredients.  Simmer uncovered, stirring frequently, or until thick.  Cool.  Freeze in 1 quart containers.  Defrost overnight.  (Worth a little time to make to have on hand, being a career gal).

14 and counting…..

This week’s project Mimi was an annual tradition shared by two long standing friends.  Nearly all the PM crew had previous work engagements but look for them to be back in force next week!

For 14 years PD and I have in some manner celebrated his birthday.  It falls on August 4th.  This year it seemed fitting to cook one of Mimi’s recipes – especially one notated as “perfect for a career gal” – (which of course is true for both me and PD  – couldn’t resist).  And to celebrate a year of cooking with the promise of some shopping at Williams and Sonoma.  PD is developing his culinary talents and his repertoire of personal bests – tri tip, bacon wrapped scallops, spaghetti and meatballs….   Slowly working his way up to mastery of his Mom’s apparently world renowned crab cakes.

Happy Birthday my friend.  Cheers to the next 14.  May we be drinking cosmos at the beach watching the moon and listening to the drums.

Dirt Pudding is not one of Mimi’s recipes but since little girlie Ellie was coming it seemed like a good idea.  

When I was in college, dirt pudding night was the dinner everyone on campus made an effort to attend.  It was served family style in big bowls. We would sit and gobble it down with great speed so we would be certain to get seconds.  And that my friends, is the Freshman 15.  Making it made me think of evenings at Randy Mac, Julia, the weekend my brother came to visit, the squirrel at graduation, the Piedmont club, all the Fancy Dress Ball gowns my Mom made me, and so many other memories.  

I graduated in 1981.   By 1984 I was getting married and getting my recipes.

The best part of this project is connecting with past memories while making new ones.  Thank you Mimi.