Tried a different sauce last night. My plum tomato harvest ended months ago, so I grabbed some from the produce stand. I didn't make the basil-infused olive oil since I already had a bottle. Was amazed how simple and so good. Naked Tomato Sauce My adaptation of Naked Tomato Sauce: 3 pounds plum tomatoes 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt crushed red pepper flakes 1/4 cup basil olive oil 1 large clove garlic, finely minced pasta water 1 tablespoon butter (optional) fresh basil for garnish Mince garlic and add to basil olive oil. Let sit at room temp for a couple hours. Blanch tomatoes, peel, seed, and save juice. Add chopped tomatoes, crushed red pepper, and salt to a large saucepan; turn the heat to medium-high. Once the sauce has begun to boil turn the heat down to medium-low and gently simmer tomatoes for 35 to 45 minutes, mashing them more if needed. If they begin to look a little dry, add the strained and reserved tomato juices. Boil pasta. Once sauce is cooked to the consistency you like stir in the olive oil. Save a bit of pasta water then drain pasta. Add pasta to the simmering tomato sauce with some of the pasta water and cook them together for another minute or two. Add remaining pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce. Stir in the butter, if using, and serve immediately with basil chiffonade garnish.

GREAT thread--there's a lot of good recipes here so thanx for starting it! these were a summertime treat when i was growing up in central NY and might be sort of an acquired taste: Salt Potatoes Put 5# of small potatoes into about 2 quarts of water Add about 2/3 C of salt Boil until the potatoes are fork tender Serve with plenty of butter For a variation, cut the above into halves Pan-fry over low heat in olive oil to which you have added 8 or 10 bay leaves cut in half, turning several timeswhen they are crispy and browned, serve or, add a tablespoon of sugar and a little chopped basil and cook for another minute or two (can also be wrapped in foil and grilled). The differences in flavors is really quite good! this is from daisy--very tasty but the color of the finished dish is a little dark... Spiced Potato and Basil Gratin 6 medium boiling potatoes 2 cups loosely packed fresh sweet basil leaves 2 1/2 cups heavy cream 1 tablespoon ground coriander seeds 1 teaspoon each salt, black pepper, mace and allspice 125g Swiss or domestic provolone cheese, grated Preheat oven to 190C. Cook the potatoes in salted boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain and cool to room temperature. When cool enough to handle, remove the skins and cut the potatoes into 3mm slices. Arrange one-third of the potato slices in a thin layer on the bottom of a round 22cm baking dish rubbed lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle one-third of the basil over the potatoes. Cover with half of the remaining potatoes and the remaining basil. Finally, top with the remaining potatoes. Combine the cream and spices in a small bowl. Slowly drizzle the mixture over the potatoes. Bake for 1 1/2 hours or until the cream is thick and the potatoes are very tender. Sprinkle the cheese over the top; bake for 5 minutes longer or until the cheese is melted. Remove from oven and let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving. i'm sorry i didn't make a note at the time i copied these recipes quite a few years ago but i believe they probably both are from one of the frugal gourmet's books. in any case, they certainly are T & T in our household! swedish hasselback potatoes 6 medium baking potatoes 1/4 C melted butter 1/4 C grated parmesan 2 T dry bread crumbs salt & pepper paprika place the potatoes on a large spoon and cut partway through them in 1/4" slices. place cut side up in a greased, 11 x 7 baking dish, brush with butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. bake @ 375 for 45 minutes (or bake with a roast for 1 hour @ 325). mix together the cheese and the bread crumbs and sprinkle onto the potatoes. bake until tender--another 20 or 30 minutes. Portuguese herbed potatoes 6 new potatoes 6 whole bay leaves 2 T olive oil 2 T butter 1/2 tsp salt a few grindings of pepper pare a strip of skin off from the center of each potato. add potatoes and bay leaves to about 1" of boiling water. return to a boil and reduce heat, cover and cook for about 20 to 25 minutes. drain. heat the oil and butter in a 10" skillet and then return the potatoes and bay leaves to the skillet. stir and add salt & pepper. cook uncovered over medium heat until browned, about 10 or 12 minutes. serve. this is loosely based on a recipe from epicurious-- Potato Latkes ("sort of") Use leftover, mashed potatoes. If not, boil 5 or 6 red-skinned potatoes until tender and then roughly chop them, adding a little milk. Stir into the potatoes: 2/3 C of chopped leeks or shallots or onions Mix together and then add to the potato mixture: ½ C parmesan 1 egg 1 ½ to 2 tsp dried mint 1 tsp dried oregano ½ tsp salt ½ tsp pepper a package of chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry To the above, stir in: 1/3 C feta and enough bread crumbs so that the mixture will hold together lightly Form the above into small patties. Pan-fry them in a skillet on medium heat, lightly coated with olive oil for 5 or 6 minutes per side. if you like "oven french fries" or even plain oven roasted potatoes, just drizzle on a little truffle oil a few minutes before taking them out to serve. delicious! also, i don't make "gravies" very often. but i do like sauces and that includes salad dressings. if you have a sauce that you enjoy, just pour it over plain old boiled potatoes. you just might have a new dish that you really like!

Not long ago, I was at Old Time Pottery and got two very heavy high gloss square plates. They are big and different looking, I use them on our very square small table just for the two of us. They never bounce around in the dish washer either. Food looks so pretty on them. But when Linens & Things was clearing the shelves, I bought 2 plates of every color in their earthenware line, along with some all colored quilted place mats. With gold chargers and white salad plates sitting in them, they make the round traditional table in DH's cape dining room really cheerful. Those plates are heavy too. For DH, I have been collecting pieces of his mama's china, a bone color with a simple gold band, and that is used for family dinners at his house. Dishes are fun, and not a serious issue, but a chance to add color to a very white/black kitchen. I have a lot of Pfalzgraff Naturewood, but am gradually giving it to my DIL who still likes it. So many dishes, so little time!

Love the mosey and cats are very on structure and Timely I miss hearing her voice down her dad it was time to go to bed and I miss her singing with us! And I even miss her coming in the computer room and scratching on the Wicker ottoman no harm there she was declawed by the other people and she always was right when she told me go check the kitchen cooking something was about like to boil over one time cuz I left it for a few like 5 minutes cuz I was waiting for it to heat up! I thought I heard her like say mom last night the way she does and that she made that little noise she makes when she says I'm over here I got so excited and I said Maui! I said good night to her and good morning to her I miss your papa my leg tell me to hurry up with her food