Well, that was easy! (No) Thank You Mr. Zuckerberg

So, last night I found out I had been FaceBooked! How, you might ask? Well, I discovered that FaceBook quite quietly had deprecated a key piece of functionality that I had been using for my cooking and recipe blog - The NOTES - functionality!

I went to add a new recipe, and couldn't find a way to add a new NOTE. Why is this a big deal? Well, my blog posts were using this functionality - which is really an almost word processor way of posting my recipes and sharing tips with folks - it gave me an easy mechanism for making text pretty and nicely formatted. Another key feature of NOTES was an easy way for me to post pictures - whenever I had a new recipe to post, I could easily add a picture to the new note.

Oh, well - enough complaining - onward and upward. Now I have to convert all of my old recipes to the new blog.

Please keep an eye out for new posts soon (as well as the old recipes in this new format).

Best (and Safe) Regards and as Always - Bon AppetIT

The I.T. Gourmet

It's Pancake Time (Pancakes)

V

Looking for a good pancake recipe that is better than that boxed mix you buy in the grocery store? Here you go and so easy to make...

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 tablespoons sugar

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt

• 1 1⁄4 cup milk

• 2 eggs

• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla (optional, but I really recommend you add this ingredient)

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions

1. In a bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients.

2. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk. Add milk (adding up to another 1/4 cup if necessary) as you mix it with the flour.

3. Add the eggs, vanilla (if using and I hope you are) and oil, whisking until mixed but still a bit lumpy.

4. Heat your griddle / pan and add a little cooking spray (I only use a little 1 - 2 second shot for the first pancake). I use a cast iron griddle on how heat - If you are using a stainless pan - you might need to lightly spray for each pancake(s). You can test the heat of your pan / griddle by throwing a few drops of water from the faucet. If they dance on the pan, your pan is ready. I find that waiting to turn on your griddle until after you have mixed the batter gives the batter time to “activate” and meld the ingredients.

5. Measure out 1/4 cup of batter (it’s nice to have uniform sized pancakes) and pour onto the hot pan - be prepared for that 1st pancake to not come out in a uniform manner.

6. Don’t flip the pancake before it’s ready - wait until the underside is a light golden brown color and some bubbles have formed on the top. Flip the pancake and cook the flipped side until equally golden brown.

NOTE: If you are looking to add fruit to your pancakes (e.g., blueberries, bananas, thinly sliced apples), I would suggest not adding fruit until you have poured your batter onto the griddle.

Enjoy and as always, Bon AppetIT!!!

TheITGourmet

Pasta con salsa all'arrabbiata di melanzane con mozzarella (Pasta w/Spicy Eggplant and Mozzarella)

V

This recipe is very simple. It’s a marriage between The I.T. Gourmet Marinara Sauce and a few other ingredients - Here’s a simple, quick, and robust pasta meal made with hearty ingredients - it’s also vegetarian.

Ingredients

• 1 Medium Eggplant - peeled and sliced into 1/8” to 1/4” rounds

• 1/4 to 1/3 Cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

• Salt

• Pepper

• 1/2 Cup Milk (I prefer 2% or Whole Milk for this recipe)

• 1/4 Cup to 1/3 Cup of Vodka (Optional)

• 4 - 6 ounces of Fresh Mozzarella Cheese (cubed in 1/4” to 1/2” pieces)

• 1/2 Pound ziti pasta (or whatever your favorite pasta is)

• Grated Parmesan Cheese

Directions

Step 1 - Make The I.T. Gourmet Marinara Sauce

The I.T. Gourmet Marinara Sauce

Step 2 - Grill the Eggplant

Spread the eggplant rounds out on a baking sheet and coat each side with the olive oil and liberally sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Place on a Medium High grill (I generally use a gas grill) and cook each side of the eggplant rounds until they are medium dark (but not burnt).

Remove eggplant from grill when cooked and sit on your cutting board to rest until warm to the touch. When cooled, give the eggplant a medium dice.

Step 3 - Cook Pasta

Cook pasta until “al dente” and immediately remove from water reserving 1/2 a cup of pasta water. NOTE: We mix up the type of pasta we use for this dish - have fun with it!

Step 4 - Mix the Remaining Ingredients

Combine the eggplant into the sauce and stir to mix it up and heat the eggplant back up. Add milk and vodka and stir to heat to simmer. Remove from heat and add in the pasta and some of the reserved pasta water to the pot.

Step 5 - Plate and Serve

Plate the pasta and add the mozzarella and grated parmesan!

Enjoy and Bon AppetIT!!!

TheITGourmet