End of Summer Cold Gazpacho -or- Pasta Sauce

2# mixed cherry or grape tomatoes

6 mini peppers or 1 green bell pepper

4 mini English cucumbers

5 lg. cloves garlic

2 med. carrots

6 green onions

3/4c Spanish* EVOO

3/4c white wine vinegar

1t sugar

2t garlic salt

1t lemon pepper

1/2t cayenne pepper 

2-3t fresh ground black pepper

5 big leaves of fresh Genovese basil

Blend all of this, a little at a time, then whisk together. If you like it with more texture, you could use a food processor to keep it a little chunkier. 

Today, as I was making this, I remembered I bought some fresh spinach and cheese ravioli the other day at Costco. That sounded really good on this cool evening!

So, instead of just having a bowl of fresh, cold gazpacho, I decided to heat a little over the simmered pasta, topped with grated Manchego (sheep's milk cheese) and a little fresh, chopped, basil. Oh my. . .Now this will be my dual purpose go-to for an interesting Spanish-Portugese cold summer soup, or heated as a pasta sauce. Can't go wrong either way!

Just follow your current craving! . .Lin

*or any good quality extra virgin olive oil from ONE country - not multiple sources

Spaghetti and Italian Meatballs!!!

This is an area of TOTAL unfamiliarity to me!  I bought a pound of mild Italian sausage from my local grocery store for a meat sauce to go with a very old Spaghetti Squash taking up residence on my counter.  Well. . .alas. . .said Spaghetti Squash had bit the dust without my knowing. . . 😔  Since I had already thawed the sausage, I decided to venture forth and make meatballs!!  Italian Meatballs. . .A Big Adventure for this Scandinavian Chef!

1# mild Italian sausage

⅓ lg. sweet onion - chopped 

1 extra large garlic clove - grated

2T ground chia-flax seed

2T tomato paste from a tube

1 egg

½c rolled oats

⅓c half and half

Mix this all together, form the meatballs and bake at 375° for 45 minutes.  Cook the pasta of your choice to al dente' stage and drain.  I had a little Vodka Pasta Sauce and combined that with half a jar of Paul Newman's Sockarooni sauce and a big splash of white wine.  Saute' the meatballs in this for a few minutes, combine with the pasta, top with cheese and serve! . . . Lin