Italian Night!

 

I have been craving lasagna for a month, however will not bring myself to use canned sauce.
'Cuz Imma brat.

These are the facts.

Since we have been in haylage for what seems like 2 months a while, I haven't had the wherewithal to make my favorite ragu recipe when I get home from work.
...I ordered pizza if that tells you anything...

The night that I made PW's oatmeal cream pies, I dug out my ragu ingredients; ground pork, ground beef, prosciutto, pork neck bones, and a wholebunchofotherstuff and forced myself to get this done!
And I done done it.

Listen, if you make your own meat sauce(which I highly recommend because the flavors are un-real compared to store bought), then you should venture over to that dark corner of the meat section at your grocery store.
You know the one.
The one with the pig ears, tripe, chitlins....(I just threw up a little in my mouth)...
That, less traversed, section holds the packages of pork neck bones...a super-secret, super-amazing ingredient.

Fun Fact:  When I go to the 'dark section' it always reminds me of my babysitter when I was growing up...she was a wonderful lady...she could fix beans and cornbread like no other.  She also dipped snuff, and cooked greens out of the front yard.
Only the facts.

ANYway, you brown the neck bones and add them to the sauce to simmer and bubble for almost 3 hours.  Then you remove them.
You will thank me.

But this isn't about neck bones.

 

This is about lasagna made with whole wheat noodles....and.....

Homemade focaccia!
OK, so it ain't pretty but it'll do.
I didn't have bread, which might as well be a crime when serving lasagna.

I popped over to Allrecipes and found a lovely recipe for focaccia that takes less than an hour.
It was my first time making it and I will def make it again!

OK, so...lasagna...focaccia...and....

Italian cream cupcakes!
Woohoo!

I follow Sweetapolita's blog religiously,and the other day she featured Pioneer Woman's 'Billie's Italian Cream Cake'.
It spoke to me.

I had to make it.

Since I had just finished making PW's cream pies, and that frosting I was telling you about was still on the brain...I decided to bring it to the party....

I used that recipe to make a filling for the cupcakes...(whaaaattt!)...that I made the cake into.
I know, the pic is blurry.  it's not you, it's me.

I don't know about you, but in my house, cupcakes rule.
They are easy and highly transportable sneakable.

I topped them with a generous scoop of coconut, pecan, cream cheese icing...and oh man....
You don't even know.

If someone loves you...I mean really loves you....they will make these for you.
After which you should propose...if you're not already married to them...and if you're not related.
I'll stop now.

Chchchchchoppping today!

Love,
Eye-talianCowLady