ICW, What's Your Favorite Dish?

This is a very hard question for me, as I love to cook all kinds of things. Since I feel unable to pick out one, what I'm going to do is write about my favorite TYPE of food. Italian would be my favorite in that case, and I do know alot of Italian dishes that I make. From Pizza Baked Spaghetti, to Chicken Alfredo (from scratch), to Meatballs, and Lasagna. I love all Italian food. I think it's the noodles that get me, it just seems amazing that some boiled dough can taste so yummy. The spices go hand in hand with this genre and the flavor you get from any Italian dish is just incomparable to me. I love all the cheese, the sauces and spices blended in different ways, but I think what has always gotten my attention is also the way that Italians really take their food to heart. They are very proud of their recipes and the atmosphere that surrounds a dinner is the most heart warming I have found. I'm an Irish girl in my blood, but in my heart I think there is some Italian. I would love to travel there as well and see all the rolling hills and winery's, the vineyards and dirt roads that seem to go forever onward until suddenly there's a small quaint home. I love the art and the romanticism. Therefore, I of course love the food.

Most Italian food is some sort of pasta. After trying many different procedures in making sure your pasta is perfectly cooked is to add a little oil and some salt, this flavors it and keeps it from sticking. As for texture, I've found that if it's sticking to your teeth in a test bite, then it's not quite done and needs just a couple more minutes. Spices are a key ingredient for the sauces, whether it's a marinara dip, or alfredo. Alfredo sauces give a wonderfully rich taste when there's a little garlic thrown in and your standard spaghetti sauce can always use a blended Italian seasoning mixed in with it as well as some seasoned salt. Cheese is usually another key ingredient and you want to be sure you use the right kind. Mozzarella is amazing in small chunks in the middle of your meatballs, but a colby and jack mix will be best on top of a lasagna with some ricotta in the layers. You always want to be sure you pick the right type depending on what consistancy you want in the dish.

PB&J

First get the bread out of the tupperware dish in the cabinet that keeps it nice and soft, you will need two pieces. Replace the lid on the tupperware and put back in the cabinet. You will need a butter knife from the drawer to your left, and the jar of GOOBER (a mix of peanut butter and jelly in one jar) from the cabinet to your upper right. Open the jar and use the butter knife to scoop out a very large amount, and then spread over one side of one piece of the bread until it's even. Place the other piece of bread on top of the PB and J side. Now, for my kids I have a cut little sandwich cutter, which takes off the crust and cuts in in half in the shape of two hearts all at the same time. If you would like, its in the top drawer and you may use it:)