Mom, How Do I?

I am in college and I'm constantly asking my mom for advice..... Last year was my first year living away from home, but I was in a dorm and on a meal plan. This year I am in my own apartment with two roommates and the questions range from clogged drains, to ants in the kitchen...and FOOD! always, questions about food: how to shop for it, how to prepare it, how to make good stuff from minimal ingredients...Mom usually gives fairly credible advice, so help yourself to whatever works for you. Alex

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Pasta/Veggie Quick Meal

Mom, I have a box of linguini, some red sauce and a bunch of veggies.  What can I make?  PS HURRY! cause I'm hungry!        Alex

Alex is living in his new apartment as he starts his second year at UCBerkeley, and despite our best efforts to stock his pantry and fridge, by the end of the first week he was out of almost everything.

Here's what I suggested:

Ingredients:

1 box of pasta (any kind-linguini is fine)

1 jar of red pasta sauce, any type (Alex had Classico Roasted Garlic)

Veggies (Alex had zuchini, onions, yellow squash, basil and mushrooms; you can                               use whatever you have on hand)

Olive Oil

Recipe Steps:

Put a pot of water on the stove over high heat (Use a big enough pot so that your pasta will fit)

After it boils, add the pasta and boil it according to the package directions; follow the al dente instructions.  Don't overcook it or it will be mushy and gross. Drain it in a colander and set it aside.

Wash and chop the veggies any old way you want 

Heat a medium-sized frying pan over medium-high heat with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil.  Add the veggies and cook them to the consistency you like. (Slightly crisp rather than soggy will probably work best in your sauce)

In a medium saucepan, heat the pasta sauce.

Add the cooked veggies to the sauce.  (No need to drain the olive oil-it's good for you and will enrich the sauce)

Your pasta should be long done cooking and draining, sitting off to the side of the sink, waiting for the rest of the ingredients, so put it into a large mixing/serving bowl, then pour the veggie sauce on top.  Now hunt around in your fridge for some parmesan cheese and grate it over the top. If you don't have parmesan, asiago will do...or use mozzarella and after that ANY type of cheese whatsoever that you find hidden behind the butter and the jam jars will do.

Now toss it all a little bit and serve.  If you have any greens, a little side salad would finish this off nicely. Any bread laying around? Italian or french would be best, but toast anything you have, put a pat of butter on it and rub with a clove of garlic.

 Yum!

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This is what it should look like while it's cooking. (You can't see the potatoes and onions but they are in there).

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Foolproof Pork Roast in the Crockpot

So Alex calls me...I mean texts me :), and asks What spices do you put it in the crockpot with a pork roast ?

I answer back, I'm surprised you knew what type of pork to buy.

Yeah, well, I need to know that too, he says. A bunch of guys are eating with us in our apartment tonight.  I want an easy way to feed them all.

OK, let's get basic.

To feed 4-6 people

Grocery List

5lb Pork Shoulder

7 Carrots

1 Large white onion

8 small potatoes

Beef Broth

Get out the frying pan, and brown the roast on all sides.

Alex-"WAIT, brown? "

Get out the frying pan, turn up the heat to medium-high and sprinkle each side of the roast with salt and pepper. Add some olive oil to the pan (a tablespoon, or so). Then let each side of the roast change color from red/translucent to brown. This will sear in the juices and make the meat look good, since the crockpot wont color it.

Put roast in the crockpot with carrots(peeled and left whole), onion(only cut into 4 wedges)and potatoes all on top and around the sides.

Add 3/4 cup water or beef broth. Cover. Cook on the HIGH setting for one hour, if possible, then

Cook it on LOW for 8 hours. Longer is okay.

If you can't do the HIGH hour, then cook it on the LOW setting for 9 hours or longer.

THIS WILL BE VERY TENDER, like, pull it apart with a fork, tender.  the veggies will be perfect.  The juices, delicious as they are  poured over the meat and veggies for serving.

The guys will think you are a genius.

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This is my son and me.

He asks the questions and I give the answers.