How to Impress The World with Your Cooking

Knowing how to cook can improve your social life as well as your health. Knowing how to cook includes making good food that tastes delicious, not dumping a can of ramen noodles into a pot of boiling water or microwaving Campbell’s soup.

I cannot say I have mastered cooking, but I continue to learn how to make delicious homemade meals. Knowing how to make homemade pasta has brought me closer to my family and friends. It is so much fun spending a night cooking with my family and bonding over a delicious meal we made together. When I’ve had friends over we have occasionally made pasta together. I show them how to use the machine and they get the pleasure of making their own meal. It is truly an enjoyable and unique activity.

Friends and family will appreciate your meals and if you are single, knowing how to cook might help get you a date! Dinner time is a perfect time to bond with family, so why not bond over a delicious healthy meal?

Being able to cook for yourself also makes you independent and prevents you from spending more money. Going out to dinner every night can be very expensive, you need to pay for a prepared meal as well as tip your waitress or waiter. Knowing how to cook for yourself saves time, money and it makes your more independent.

By making homemade pasta you are sure to impress your guests. The food tastes great, you put in the time and effort and you know what is in your food!

Your path to being a good cook starts here! 

 

THE IMPORTANCE OF PASTA

Spaghetti directly after cooked.

 

After all this talk on how to make homemade pasta, what ingredients to use and how to make it healthy, I have come to my ultimate conclusion for this entire blog, THE IMPORTANCE OF PASTA.

Pasta makes us happy! It is present in many different dishes from cultures all over the world. It provides us with necessary whole grains and energy from complex carbohydrates. Pasta is the base of thousands of dishes. With the right sauce and ingredients it can be savory, spicy, sweet, salty or  any taste you can imagine.

Pasta is my favorite food because it is in numerous dishes, including Italian dishes which bring me closer to my heritage. Making homemade pasta provides me with a creative outlet and it keeps me healthy.

Ask yourself what pasta can do for you and what you can do WITH pasta.

For more information on the importance of pasta for your health, here is a credible article from The Food Journal and Food, Nutrition & Science.

The Pasta Chef’s Library

You’re fashionable in the kitchen, you have the nicest appliances and you’re a great homemade cook!

All you need now is your own library to keep you on track with the art of pasta making and up with the newest recipes!

Here is a pasta making book that will provide you with all different types of pasta.

Here is Marc Vetri’s book on mastering pasta. This cookbook is great for when you have had experience and are looking for a challenge. Vetri teaches you how to make gnocchi and risotto, which is more difficult than other pastas you’ve made in the past.

*Click on the books to purchase them on Amazon!

 

Fashion & Cleanliness in The Kitchen

 

Working in the kitchen can get a little messy, especially with flour everywhere. As a cook you always need to clean up your little messes, which is why it is easier to keep your clothes clean with an apron. I’ve made my own apron, received free ones from cooking classes and I’ve purchased a few adorable aprons that I just love!

I have a couple aprons I keep in my kitchen cupboard for cooking and baking. Not only do they keep me from getting floured, but they make me look like an expert in the kitchen.

I recommend getting an apron if you know you are going to be cooking a lot. Everyone has their own style, so pick an apron that’s uniquely you!

Click here to see some cute aprons for women.

Here are some aprons for men!

 

 

 

Make Your Own Ravioli!

E ‘il momento di fare i ravioli!

It is time to make Ravioli!

You’ll need organic eggs, Semolina flour and olive oil.

Now that you have your ingredients, kitchen-aid pasta maker and ravioli cutter you need to decide what you want to stuff into your ravioli.

Some delicious stuffings include ricotta cheese, mozzarella, goat cheese, spinach, beef and lobster if you’re feeling fancy.

 

Just like with your other pasta, use the Semolina Flour Egg Past recipe, unless you decide to make whole wheat pasta.

For a healthy and basic vegetarian dish I recommend stuffing your ravioli with ricotta cheese. Here is a great homemade ricotta recipe from Food Network’s Ina Garten.

Once you have made your pasta and have put it through the Pasta Roller, take out your Norpro Ravioli Maker.

If this is your first time using the ravioli maker follow these directions on how to use it from my last post.

 

• Fill each ravioli valley with about two teaspoons of ricotta.
• Make sure to glaze the pasta with egg whites, so when you attach the top layer of pasta the layers stick together.
• Align the top layer of pasta above the bottom.
• Take your roller and roll over your Norpro.

*In my experience I had a difficult time getting the Norpro to cut the ravioli. Make sure you press hard when rolling.*

When the Pasta is pressed enough with the roller, the serrated edges should cut through the pasta. Then you should be able to peal off the left over scrapes of dough and push out your ravioli squares.

Cook the ravioli in boiling water for 3-4 minutes, then Bon Appetite!

Utensils for Ravioli

My all time favorite pasta to make is ravioli. Making ravioli isn’t too challenging and you get to decide what you want to stuff in your ravioli.

With the Norpro Ravioli Maker it is easy to shape and stuff you ravioli.

You will also need a roller and a pastry brush.

How to use the Norpro Ravioli Maker:

1.) Cover the serrated tray with a thin layer of pasta

2.) Gently press the other tray on top of the pasta dough to form valleys in the dough. Take the tray off.

3.) Brush the pasta with egg whites, glazing the sides of each square

4.) Fill each valley with desired stuffing

5.) Cover a thin layer of pasta over the first sheet of pasta

6.) Use a wooden roller on top of the tray so it can cut through the pasta and make ravioli squares.

Make sure to buy these utensils because in the next post we’ll be making ravioli!

Pasta Makes You Happy and Healthy

You may have been told that pasta contains carbs, which makes you gain weight. However, there are two different types of carbs, good carbohydrates and bad carbohydrates. The good carbs are complex carbohydrates essential to your health; they regulate your metabolism, posses key nutrients and reduce your risk for heart disease. Those carbs come from whole grains and vegetables. The best way to eat the good carbs is through eating pasta! I recommend trying the whole wheat pasta from my last post!

So what makes pasta so healthy?

Pasta is low-sodium, fat free, and believe it or not it improves your memory and makes you happy!

On Daily Mail.com pasta was listed in the top ten foods that make us happy. They said with “a great source of protein with no fat, pasta is also a good source of complex carbohydrates, which fill us up while releasing energy slowly. Protein contains two amino acids, tryptophan and L-pheny-lalanine, which also produce endorphins. It has been shown that a lack of protein in the diet can cause depressed moods in people with low intakes of these amino acids” (Dailymail.com).

To learn more about the health benefits of pasta and how it improves our memory, visit pastfits.org.

For the Health Nut

You know how to make pasta of different shapes and sizes, you know how to make your perfect sauce, now you can control the taste and healthiness of your pasta. If you’re looking to eat healthier, maybe you should try this super healthy homemade recipe from all recipes. This is whole wheat pasta that’s delicious and healthy! Instead of using Johnsonville’s ground meat, buy organic meat from your friendly neighborhood Whole Foods. Whole Foods’ beef has no GMOs and is overall healthier than other name brands.

As a kid, whenever my mother told me she was going to Whole Foods I would go with her without complaints. Whole Foods always has an abundance of organic products, from soaps to clothes to all of their food products. Although Whole Foods can be pricey, their products are worth it. It can be expensive only shopping at Whole Foods, which is why I recommend you also buy a portion of your groceries from other stores such as Trader Joe’s, Costco/BJ’s, Market Fair, Publix, your local market or even Stop & Shop. Make sure you always read the ingredients and look for the organic label. If you read a very long list of ingredients with words you can’t pronounce, that’s probably a sign that the product isn’t organic. Look out for 365 products from Whole Foods.

Here is a vegetarian recipe from Whole Foods.

Even if you aren’t looking for a dietary recipe try different types of pastas. Add whatever you want to your pasta and be creative!

The Perfect Sauce

To complete your homemade meal you need to make your perfect homemade sauce. You want a sauce that isn’t watery and not too acidy. You want a sauce that’s not too sweet and not too spicy, unless you’re making a diavolo, but that’s a different recipe. I try to avoid canned food at all costs because of BPA concerns and preservatives. Some may also agree that homemade sauce just tastes better.

Here is my recipe for my very own homemade marinara sauce:

In a Dutch Oven Pot-

10 tomatoes (1st chopped and pureed in blender)

2 tbs of tomato paste

1/4 cup of olive oil

4-6 cloves of garlic sliced thin

1 1/2 cups of chopped carrots

1 cup of chopped celery

1/2 cup of diced onions

1 tsp of crushed red pepper

1 tsp of chopped fresh basil

1 cup of red wine

1 bay leave

1 tbs of sugar

2 tsp of kosher salt

1 tsp of black pepper

1 tsp of chopped fresh oregano

Here is another great recipe, this one is from allrecipes.com 

Making your own sauce can be a hassle, which is why I can admit to buying store bought sauce. I recommend organic sauces such as Paul Newman’s, Victoria, Bertolli, Muir Glen and San Marzano. Also, any sauce from Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s is tasty and healthy.

I also recommend using Hunts tomato paste, Tuttorosso, San Marzano and Pomi crushed tomatoes in a box.

*Refer to my 8th post to choose what pastas go with what sauces best.

Why We Love Williams-Sonoma

When I walk into a Williams-Sonoma store, I instantly feel like I’m home. The crisp atmosphere, modern colors and kitchen aesthetics makes me feel like I am a Food Network star. The logo is a pineapple which symbolizes friendship and hospitality.

  

At Williams-Sonoma you can buy the best cooking appliances, from the Kitchen Aid to kitchen towels. Williams-Sonoma offers food samples, unique organic food and the best product finds. One visit and you will want to be a professional cook or chef.  They have great sales and they stand by their products. They offer warranties and if you ever need assistance the employees are always happy to help. Even the Food Network stars shop there!

Visit the Williams-Sonoma website to check out their inventory!