MARINARA SAUCE RECIPE. MOZZARELLA SAUCE RECIPE. TEN GREATCOOKING TIPS.

HOW TO MAKE MARINARA SAUCE FOR PASTAS.

HOW TO MAKE MOZZARELLA SAUCE FOR PASTAS

TEN GREAT COOKING TIPS.

COOKING TIPS:

1-How to tone down the sweetness of  tomato sauce? 

 In  spaghetti sauce, what is too sweet, just  add balsamic vinegar

2-Why does  spaghetti sauce go watery when put on spaghetti? 

 Basically, you rinsed your spaghetti after you cooked it. You removed the starch which makes the sauce stick. If you overcook your pasta, you're not allowing it to absorb that last bit of moisture out of the sauce.

Best way to avoid watery sauce is to take your pasta out of the boiling water when it is not completely cooked (this is called "al dente"), then, without rinsing it, finish your pasta in the hot sauce until you reach the appropriate doneness –

3-How long to steam Brussels sprouts?

 All vegetables retain most of their nutrients when steamed for short periods of time. Two to three minutes on steam should be enough ...then it is cooked…”al-dente”.

4-How to keep celery crisp?  

Start by trimming each stalk, rinsing and placing them in a plastic bag rather than storing the whole bunch intact

5-How to retain the whiteness when cooking white rice? 
Add a few drops of lime or lemon  juice


6-Alternative to fresh coconut? 
 In the US try Unsweetened dry grated coconut . Add water according to direction on the box

7- How to stop cut fruits( bananas, avocado, pears and apples) and potatoes from browning? 

Take some citrus, lemon or lime juice and coat the fruit with it. Browning is caused when  the oxygen in air reacts with these fruits and create a naturally occuring enzyme called polyphenol oxidase.
Lemon juice is acidic (citric acid) so you are changing pH/ acidity of enzyme.

Citrus acid deactivate (denaturing) / kill these browning  enzymes in fruits.

8- How hot does vegetable oil need to be, for a fry?

Ideally, cooking oil should be around 350 degrees perhaps up to 375 to fry. Any lower than that, and it may take too long to fry...

9-How much salt is too much?

A typical person needs 4g of salt per day. Very few people need more than 6g of salt per day.  Salt removes calcium from the body
My  Foodie blogger friend Jasna said:
About salt - basicaly we don't need extra salt in our cooking because all vegetables alreadu contain some salt. Salt enhances taste (I use it - guilty); the more we use it, the more we crave it (our tasting buds become 'depended'). 

10- What food ingredients has high calcium content?

Calcium is the basis for strong bones. Adults need 1200 milligrams per day. 

A glasss-8 oz milk, whether skim, low fat, or whole, has about 300 milligrams of calcium.
 Milk and dairy products contain calcium.

People who are not lactose- tolerant should drink Lactose-free milk. Removing lactose from milk and dairy foods does not affect their calcium content.

Spinach and broccoli contain several types of calcium, you should get the type which is closest to what is found in milk,  Also good are sardine fish and cabbage.

Half cup of cabbage  ( crisp cooked )provides the same calcium as an 8-ounce glass of milk...
A cup of yogurt has the same calcium content as an 8-ounce glass of milk.

Daily needs will  be 3 glasses of milk OR 1 ½ cup cabbage OR  3 cups yogurt . …or a combination of  these. However, seaweed contains 10 times more calcium than milk.

HOW TO MAKE A MARINARA SAUCE FOR PASTAS.

Marinara sauce is a popular bold Italian sauce. There are several types of ingredients variation,  but the basic is just tomato sauce with some spices/ herbs. Mine is spicier, and I always boil my minced meat with some ginger to get of the meaty smell..

Ingredients:

1- Plum or Pear tomatoes- cut

2- 1 ½ cup mixed seafood

3- 1 cup cut fresh or canned mushrooms

4- 2 cups  (canned)  tomato sauce or puree

5- 1 tsp fresh basil and  1 tsp oregano powder/spice

5- Parmesan or romano cheese

6- 1 tspn Onion powder and 1 tbsp crushed garlic and chili flakes

7- Olive oil

THE WAY TO COOK:

Boil your pasta, strain and set aside once cooked.

- In a cooking pot, drizzle some olive oil, turn heat on low-
 Add in onion powder and crushed garlic.

-Add in seafood of your choice- prawns, mussels, clams, fish , calamari,
 crab filaments - turn to medium heat and stir

-When almost cooked, add in slice mushrooms and cut  tomatoes

-After 2 minutes, add in tomato sauce/ puree

- When cooked, add in chili flakes,  chopped fresh basil  and oregano
 (or dried, but not as flavorful) and after 2 minutes , turn off fire.

-Pour sauce over pasta on serving plates  and garnish with 
grated Parmesan  or  Romano cheese

Makes 2 – 3 servings

Tips:
 Everybody does marinara sauce a little differently. Try what seems best to you and you will figure out what works and what doesn't..You can chop some hot chili or chili flakes and add them if you want spicy sauce. Put the chilli in with the onions, before you add the tomatoes.  As always, fresh herbs ingredients are best. Leftover marinara sauce can be used to make a pizza or it's very tasty  as sandwich.

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HOW TO MAKE MOZZARELLA SAUCE

Get your pasta ready cooked. Spaghetti hair takes about 7 minutes to cook.

An average spaghetti and pasta shells will take about 10 minutes to cook.

Ingredients:

¼  cup olive oil

4 garlic cloves

28 oz canned tomato puree

5 oz shredded  mozzarella cheese

1 cup lightly packed, fresh chopped basil leaves

Salt, chili flakes  and pepper

How to cook:

In a large skillet, heat oil and sauté garlic for 2 minutes or until golden brown

Add tomato puree and simmer for 20 minutes over low hea.

Add mozzarella and basil, stir until cheese melts.

Season with  salt , chili flakes and  pepper

Serves Six persons

Tips:

-Do not leave your cooking unattended, sauce thickens upon standing.

-Great for pasta shells and spaghetti hair