It All Starts With A Great Pot of Gravy

When I met my husband I found out that every great Italian dish starts with a great pot of gravy. As every great wife does, I transformed my cooking and was taught by my husband how he likes his food. I never knew how easy it was to make a pot of gravy using tomatoes from a can.

1 can Tutterusso Crushed Tomatoes
1 can Tutterusso Tomato Puree
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 small onion, minced
1 Tbsp parsley
1 Tbsp basil
1 Tbsp oregano
1 Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp black pepper
1 Tbsp onion powder
1 Tbsp garlic powder
White pepper, sprinkle
Crushed red pepper, sprinkle

Mince the garlic cloves and onion. Saute in the olive oil in your pot over a medium heat. Add the two cans of tomatoes. Fill each can 1/4 of the way and swish the water around to get any of the tomato left in the can, add to pot. Add you spices and mix in well. Reduce to low heat. Cook for a couple hours stirring every 20 minutes till it's a nice dark red.

Memphis Rib Rub Pork Ribs with St. Louis BBQ Sauce

We had boneless pork ribs tonight for dinner. I did a Memphis Rib Rub on them and made a St. Louis style BBQ sauce to go on it. I sided it off with some steak fries and cloeslaw. If you like BBQ and spice then you will love this for dinner.

Memphis Rib Rub Ingredients
2 Tbsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp onion powder
2 Tbsp black pepper
1 Tbsp salt
2 Tbsp chili powder
2 Tbsp cumin
3 or 4 Tbsp paprika
2 Tbsp cayenne pepper
2 Tbsp brown sugar

Mix the ingredients well. In a grill pan spread rub on both sides of the ribs then cover with foil. Start your grill. Once the coals get hot put your grill pan with the ribs on the top rack away from the direct heat source. In about an hour turn the ribs over, recover with the foil and cook on the on the side for an hour.

St. Louis BBQ Sauce
2 cups ketchup
1/2 water
1/3 apple cider vinegar
1/3 brown sugar
2 Tbsp yellow mustard
1 onion powder
1 garlic powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Wisk all ingredients in a saucepan over a low heat. Stirring occasionly, simmer for 20 mins. Sauce should be thin, not watery. Allow to cool. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate. Sauce is better if allowed to sit for a day.

Plate it up. Slice your ribs, put the side of steak fries and cloeslaw and top the ribs and fries with the BBQ sauce.

Buona Mungia!