Mangia Vita

Tag: Freeze it

  • Mole

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    Andrea DeCaro
    in

    I decided to try to make mole from scratch and found the recipes to vary greatly, from simple to 30-ish ingredients. I landed somewhere in the middle based on what I had available and made a pretty tasty sauce for my first attempt. Ingredients: Remove the stems from the chiles and toast them in a…

  • Homemade Pesto

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    Andrea DeCaro
    in ,

    It is quick and easy to make homemade pesto, if you have a food processor and a few simple ingredients: Add all ingredients to a small food processor except for the olive oil. Pulse until well processed and blended. Then add the olive oil and pulse to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. You…

  • Tomato Meat Sauce

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    Andrea DeCaro
    in

    This is based on our family red sauce (recipe: https://mangiavita.com/articles/red-sauce/), but is a slight variation with only the pork meat which gets ground into the sauce at the end. Put oil in the bottom of a large sauce pot, in the oil slowly and carefully (as to not burn or darken anything too much) brown…

  • Beef Stew

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    Andrea DeCaro
    in

    This is a longer cook process but it is really tasty for a cold winter day. In an enameled dutch oven, add the fats to begin heating up over medium heat, then season the meat well with salt and pepper on all sides. Brown the meat in batches and set off to the side. Add…

  • Flour Tortillas

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    Andrea DeCaro
    in ,

    Homemade flour tortillas are lovely and delicious and surprisingly easy to do! You may have to adjust the amount of flour to make the dough soft but not sticky. Mix all of these ingredients together in a bowl. It does not require kneading, you just need to bring it all together and let it rest…

  • Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

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    Andrea DeCaro
    in

    This can be a loaf or made into muffins. It’s a great way to get some chocolate with your pumpkin treat. Works well for Fall or any time of year. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl and mix well until full combined. Prepare a 9×5 loaf…

  • Chocolate Chip Cookies

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    Andrea DeCaro
    in

    This is my process for making chocolate chip cookies. I don’t believe in two bowls, that’s just silly. I make a full batch of dough and freeze the portioned dough for fresh cookies whenever I want, because I am very picky about the freshness of chocolate chip cookies. Add softened salted butter to the mixing…

  • Split Pea Soup

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    Andrea DeCaro
    in

    First, carefully go through the dried split peas looking for any stones or debris. Then rinse the split peas and add to your pot with the water and the ham bone. Next add in all of the vegetables and bay leaves. Let the mixture cook over a medium flame and stirring occasionally for about an…

  • Homemade Corn Tortillas

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    Andrea DeCaro
    in ,

    We have started making our own corn tortillas. While it takes a little practice to become proficient (notes below), it is a fun and tasty way to upgrade your tacos. Mix the ingredients well until there are no dry spots left. If your masa harina is more a more coarse grind (like corn meal), you…

  • Pasta Fazul

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    Andrea DeCaro
    in

    While there are a lot of versions of Pasta Fazul, I prefer this simple version. It is quick to put together and very satisfying. Dice the bacon and add to a pot to cook and render out the fat. When the bacon is crisp, remove and set aside to garnish each serving. Add the smashed…