Italian Sausage Bolognese Sauce

Italian Sausage Bolognese Sauce:


1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
2 stalks celery
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 lbs hot italian sausage, ground
1/2 cup whole milk or cream
1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand, with the juices
1 cup dry red wine
2 cups stock (I used turkey stock I made after Thanksgiving)
Salt and pepper

In a 6 to 8-quart, heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat olive oil and butter over medium heat. Add onion, carrot and garlic and sweat over medium heat until vegetables are translucent. Add sausage and stir into vegetables. Brown over high heat, stirring to keep meat from sticking together, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Add milk and simmer until reduced to nothing, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and simmer 15 minutes. Add the wine and stock, bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer over low heat for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste and remove from heat.

Crab and Artichoke Dip

Crab and Artichoke Dip Recipe:

1 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup finely minced onion
2 8.0 oz packages cream cheese
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Horseradish (or Horseradish sauce)
1 1/2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
5 dashes Tobasco sauce
2 14 oz. can artichoke hearts (quartered in water, not packed in oil)
1/2 lb crab meat, cartilate removed (add more if you've got it)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese


1. In a sauce pot saute the onions in the butter until they are soft but not brown.
2. Add the cream cheese and stir it over low heat until it is soft. Add the Worcestershire, horseradish, Old Bay, and Tabasco. Stir until well blended.
3. Fold in the artichokes and crab meat.
4. Put the mixture in a shallow baking dish, one that is only about 1-1/2 inches deep. This is similar to the size of a 10-inch pie plate.
5. Sprinkle the Parmesan evenly over the top.
6. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes. This cheese should be brown on top and the sides should be bubbling.


Serve warm with toasted baguette or toast points

Homemade Cherry Ice Cream

Cherry Ice Cream

1 ½ cups half n half
1 cup whipping cream
3/4 cup sugar
4 egg yolks
1 vanilla bean (or 1 tsp. vanilla extract)
1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cherries (or any kind of fruit)

Warm half n half and cream with sugar on the stove. Temper in egg yolks. Split vanilla bean and scrape into mixture. Add chopped fruit. Warm gently until sugar has melted. Pour into 4-cup Pyrex measuring cup or any other container (the Pyrex just makes it easier to pour into the ice cream maker later). Stick in the fridge and chill thoroughly.

When you're ready to make ice cream, put the freezer bowl into the ice cream maker, pour in the cold mixture, press the button and 30 - 40 minutes later you have outstanding, fresh ice cream!