Fettucine Alfredo a la Moo

Moo wrote to me, "Fettucine Alfred is so classic but even so there are many great variations. This one is mine."

1/2 lb. noodles, Moo recommended a slightly wider noodle, she also preferred fresh, undried noodles
1/4 lb. unsalted butter, diced
3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup heavy cream, warmed
1/2 tsp. pepper

Cook noodles al dente, drain and put in a hot serving dish. Add remaining ingredients and toss quickly and thoroughly. Cheese and butter should melt into a creamy sauce that coats the noodles. Use a large fork and spoon as if you are tossing a salad.

Moo's fresh noodle recipe: 5 eggs beaten with 2 tsp salt. Beat in flour until you can no longer use the beater (about 2 cups). Leave dough in the bowl and dust with a little more flour and start kneading with your hands until it really holds its shape. Transfer to a plastic bag and rest for 30 minutes. Knead and add extra flour as needed. Start making noodles.

Pasta del Moo

This is a little something Moo made up. She wrote it down in a letter she sent to me while I was in college. I guess Daddy considered it a real palate pleaser because Moo wrote, "It was delicious--Daddy ate his and part of mine." She didn't give me quantities for every ingredient. It's an intuitive thing based on how many people you will be serving and the flavor you're going for, and I've left it as she originally wrote it.

Several slices of firm white bread, cubed
Butter or olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
Green noodles
Salt
1 pkg. Italian salad dressing mix (dry)
1 1/2 cup sour cream

Cube several slices of bread and saute in butter (or olive oil) and garlic. Set aside. Cook green noodles in salted water. Drain then dump noodles back in pot. Add a little more butter and a package of Italian salad dressing mix. You can do this all ahead if you want. When you are ready to serve, add sour cream a little more olive oil or butter and the sauted bread cubes. Mix thoroughly, head and serve.

Spicy Prosciutto Wrapped Avocado

This is a little something special Moo cooked up. It's hot. It's delicious. And it's fast and easy to make. It's a palate pleaser.

Prosciutto, sliced just thick enough to stay together when you wrap around avocado
Ripe avocado, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces

Hot Sauce
4 T butter
2 T water
4 T ketchup
2 T vinegar
2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/3 tsp. salt
Dash of Tabasco sauce

Prepare prosciutto by cutting slices in half. If you want more prosciutto per bite, use a whole slice. Peel avocado, remove seed and cut into bite-size pieces. Wrap prosciutto slice around avocado. Hold in place with toothpick. Prepare hot sauce in a double boiler with water simmering: combine butter, water, ketchup, vinegar, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, salt, Tabasco sauce. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Drizzle a little over the hors d'oeuvres--not too much you don't want it to be messy when picked up. Serve additional hot sauce in a bowl on the side for dipping. This thing has zing!

Moo's Basil Sauce

Here's a light, fresh sauce for pasta. Moo often used this sauce to create one of her palate pleasing pasta casseroles.

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
4 T butter
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 large tomatoes, cut into thin wedges
6 sprigs fresh parsley leaves, chopped
1/2 cup dry red wine
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Saute all the ingredients in the butter for 5-10 minutes. Pour on top of pasta and top with parmesan cheese.

Moo's Green Noodle Salad

This is Moo’s favorite salad. She didn’t write down quantities for most of the ingredients. Once you have the basic ingredients of noodles and cheese, everything else is added to taste and personal preference. You can't screw this one up. And if something else sounds good to you...add it. The dish is that flexible. How can it not, then, be a palate pleaser?

2 cups green (spinach) noodles
1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated
Pitted Greek olives
Anchovies
Croutons
Italian frying peppers
Monterey Jack, grated
Scallions, chopped
Celery, chopped
Italian sausage, cooked and sliced
Tomatoes, diced
Basil
Coriander
Pastrami, chopped
Creamy Italian dressing