Category Archives: Cooking

With Labor Day Weekend fast approaching I wanted to share this easy to make and delicious salad you can offer to bring to or serve at a cook out / dinner this coming weekend or for as long as you can get fresh peaches.

I have to give credit to our friends Frederic and Olivier who made this one evening for us in Provincetown. I’ve taken some liberties, modifying the ingredients and I hope you will do the same should you decide to make this.

Dressing and seasoning not shown

BosGuy’s Arugula & Peach Salad Ingredients
4 ripe peaches
Arugula (one handful per person)
Walnuts
Dressing and seasonings: Olive Oil, Balsamic Vinegar, Dried Oregano and Salt

Directions
Peel the peaches (I use an apple peeler) and chop into bite sized pieces
Combine with arugula and add walnuts
Add olive oil, balsamic vinegar, oregano and salt to taste then toss

If you love cheese, consider adding goat cheese (not shown below).Much thanks for Frederic & Olivier for making this for us. It is the perfect summer salad.

I eat more often for pleasure than hunger so Logo TVs program Food To Get You Laid is an interesting premise and one that I’m going to add to my DVR.

The show features real couples and offers tips on how to create a nutritious and satisfying meal that is not overly complicated or time consuming with host / chef Ronnie Woo. Episodes 2, 3 and 5 feature gay couples who struggle in the kitchen.

Food To Get You Laid
Fridays 9:30 ET / 8:30 CT on Logo TV

Check your local listings but Logo TV here in Boston is on channel 281.

This time of year is when my culinary skills are most appreciated since I think my best meals tend to be traditional Italian-American plates, which are a bit heavy to eat in the warmer months.  I spend many of my Sunday afternoons in the winter months happily cooking my favorite meals and for many of them a key ingredient is a good homemade red sauce.

I first shared this post last winter but I thought I’d re-post it for anyone who may have missed it and is looking for a good recipe.

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The estimated cost for making my red sauce is ~$10 and it will make 6-8 servings.  Total time prepping and making the sauce varies because you can let it simmer for hours, but when in a pinch this can be done in 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Ingredients: 2 28oz cans of San Marzano tomatoes (I prefer the whole peeled or cubed variety), 1 Vidalia onion, 1 head of garlic (roasted), 1 bell pepper (roasted), 1 carrot, 1 Italian pork sausage (I prefer spicy but sweet is fine too), 1/2 cup of red wine, 1/2 cup of chicken stock, a handful of parsley, olive oil, red pepper flakes (optional), Italian seasoning, salt and pepper to taste.

Instructions:  Puree the onion and carrot so they will cook more quickly then add them to a hot pan with olive oil.  The carrot acts as a natural sweetener and will cut the acidity of the tomatoes when they are added.  This is a healthier option than sugar commonly found in jarred sauces.

I then combine the whole peeled tomatoes, roasted garlic and peppers and puree the ingredients and add it to the sauce pan and stir (repeatedly).  Next, I remove the casing of the sausage and remove any large pieces of fat.  I add this along with the parsley and half a cup of red wine into my blender to puree it until it looks like a paste (it looks gross but adds flavor). Add the contents to the sauce pan and stir (repeatedly).

Lastly, I cover the sauce pan and lower the heat so the sauce will lightly simmer. Let it cook for a minimum of 30 minutes (stir every 5-10 minutes).  If the sauce becomes too thick add chicken stock / or water.  Before plating I like to drizzle extra virgin olive oil.