Barbara's Kitchen

Barbara loves to cook and her passion for the subject has made her a very good cook. So good that she has the capability of opening her own restaurant and something that has been suggested many times by friends and family members who have experienced one or more of her great meals. For sure, the lady could have been a very successful chef. That being said, she never desired to be in the restaurant business.

Her love for cooking is basically reserved for family and friends, and this feature (Barbara’s Kitchen) will include information and recipes for the home cook (a segment that is growing at a record pace). Barbara keeps it simple, and also keeps it as healthy as possible. She knows what she is doing and we plan to present her thoughts and recipes on an ongoing basis.

Cooking is very subjective and like most creative cooks, Barbara has her own way of doing things. She freely admits that seafood is not something that she enjoys cooking, and yes, she uses real butter and never margarine; heavy cream and rarely milk; and she will never use an ingredient that has more than five grams of sugar. She shuns the use of rosemary and is always looking for more creative ways to use bacon, cheese, and definitely garlic.

Her food is not meant to be fancy - it ís meant to be good. We look forward to sharing her ideas and her many recipes with our audience. As she so often says to her husband, "I'm trying something different tonight, and if you don’t like it, we can always do pizza".

PASTA & BRIE

(Serves four)

• 1 Pound of Mini bow tie pasta

• 1Tbs. Olive Oil

• 2- Cloves garlic minced

• 2- 35 oz. cans imported Italian tomatoes (I prefer Cento)
(crush by hand)

• Salt & pepper to taste

• 1 cup of Fresh Basil

• 1 cup of Fresh Parsley

• 1 Tbs. Granulated garlic (garlic powder)

• 2 wedges Brie cheese

NOTE: At this time, I also include about a pound of sausage, chicken or whatever is your favorite meat. Start by cutting the white crust around the Brie and dish. Cook the pasta according to the package instructions.

In a large pan heat the oil and add the garlic (approximately 1 minute) until tender. Add the tomatoes, salt, pepper, basil, parsley and garlic powder. Simmer for about 10 minutes. Add the Brie and do NOT stir. Let it simmer until the cheese melts into the sauce.

When the pasta is ready add a small amount of the sauce into the pasta. Put the remaining sauce into a gravy cup and serve with the meat as a side dish.

ENJOY!