The basics

This post is for my littlest bro, a senior in college. He's very cool, rocks out in a band, has a gorgeous girlfriend. He says things like dope and tight (or did, back when they were cool) and wears beads and awesome vintage clothes and reads poetry. But about once a month he calls me up and makes me feel really cool by asking me cooking questions.

 It goes a little something like this, "Sister, what's going on?" "Not much Mel, just making bla bla bla for dinner" "Oh my GOD that sounds so good."

Here's the funny part, I'm usually making something simple, something so not impressive, but because it involved a little more effort than peeling back a wrapper and turning on a microwave, he's really wowed. I always tell him I'll email him a recipe, but I usually forget and my coolness factor plummets. So here you go Mel. Start here. Make these two things and you'll impress the heck out of that lovely girl of yours. I promise.

I don't really understand why this dressing works so well. But the ingredients are always on hand, and the longer the garlic sits on the oil, the more flavorful this gets. I like to put it all in a mason jar and shake it (cue Artemis' Coyote Ugly audition in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. 'I'm just a small-town girl...)

Salad dressing
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
2/3 cup oil
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Stir ingredients together. Be sure to mix again before serving, as oil and vinegar don't mix. (duh)


There's no excuse for buying tomato sauce in a jar. The store-bought stuff tastes like butt compared to what you can make on your own. This is a really basic recipe that can be pepped up with chili flakes, lemon zest, half and half, etc. But on its own, it shines.

Tomato sauce
a few tablespoons of olive oil
1 large onion, finely diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup red wine (any kind will do - hopefully you're drinking some with dinner anyway)
1 small can tomato paste
2 tsp. sugar
salt and fresh pepper to taste

Coat the bottom of a large pot with olive oil. Saute the onions on high until very soft. Let them sit for a few minutes before turning - you want them to get a good char on the bottom (but not burnt!). Add the garlic and cook for a minute more. Once you smell the garlic, add the tomatoes, water and wine. Stir in the paste and sugar. Let cook for a minute longer and add about a tablespoon of salt to taste.

Toss with pasta, some roasted veggies and parmesan. Smear it on pizza dough. Bake with chicken and cheese for something impressive. Yum yum.