Northwestern "Hard Times"

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

And if you are referring to the thing you put on Pasta, it’s gravy not sauce.

Depends. My mother (full-blooded Italian) and two aunts on my mothers side always called it sauce. Spaghetti sauce to be exact. I know it's always referred to as gravy back in The Boot.

Ah, the wonderful memories of when my mother would make a huge pot of sauce which we would enjoy with different pastas (Ziti, Rigatoni [my favorite], Linguine, Vermicelli, Rotini, etc.) for days and days. Delicious!

The recipe...

Ingredients:

1/2 cup olive oil (pure)
3 or 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or garlic pressed
12 Sausages (6 hot, 6 sweet)
4 large cans whole tomatoes
3 small cans tomato paste
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tbs Italian seasoning
1 tbs Oregano
1 tbs Parsley
1 tbs Honey
3 Bay leaves
One thick slice of onion, cubed
Mushrooms
1 cup red cooking wine
1 cup water

*1-1/2 lbs ground beef and pork (1/2 and 1/2)
*2 Eggs
*1 ladle of sauce
*1/3 cup grated cheese
*1 tsp. minced garlic
*1 tsp. minced onion
*1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs

SAUCE:

Pour oil into pan with sausages and garlic and simmer until sausages are slightly browned. In a large mixing bowl, combine and mix tomatoes and paste by hand and pour into pan. Bring to a low boil, stirring frequently. Sprinkle oregano, parsley, crushed red pepper and Italian seasoning over sauce and add the honey and bay leaves. Add onions and mushrooms. Pour wine and water into sauce.


MEATBALLS:

Mix all meatball ingredients* thoroughly and place into sauce, stirring carefully.

Simmer for at least 6 hours.

[LaxDadMax]

Up sick late last night and I read your comment Max. I was about to comment. “Uh oh. Way too many people are gonna have a problem with that comment.” Can’t have an opinion on something that is clearly an opinion without riling up a certain group of people here.

I wasn’t shocked. As I’ve said on posts across here, I don’t think he majority of girls playing high level high ranked lacrosse are there for the specific school. And I always get push back from it. My comment would be if UMass Lowell was ranked 2 and competing for the championship, all these high level recruits would be flocking there. The response is usually. No they wouldn’t and UMass Lowell would never be that good. Or of course they are going to the school because they love it. Once again, we, as parents are lucky because lacrosse is generally a high academic sport. Plain and simple.

Anyway. While I don’t think that snippet is an absolute indictment on whether those girls care or don’t care about school, I will still say if NU was ranked 119th, none of them would be there.

First off, the comments bothered my youngest daughter more than me as we watched live.

However, the more I think about it, the more I am bothered. Not because of what the girls said, but because Northwestern included this in pretty much a 90 minute infomercial about their program. Feels like that is the type of athlete they are trying to attract.

What is that "type"? Someone who doesn't take everything very extremely seriously 24/7?

I wonder how much understanding people have of how kids behave when mom and dad aren't watching. I know the kids don't have that self awareness.

To reiterate, my criticism is much more on NW for including it than on the young women for saying it. At the end of the day, KAH is still asking the parents of elite lax players to drop 200-300k on an education. It is not unreasonable for parents to want an ROI on that.

[Deacon022]

And if you are referring to the thing you put on Pasta, it’s gravy not sauce.

Depends. My mother (full-blooded Italian) and two aunts on my mothers side always called it sauce. Spaghetti sauce to be exact. I know it's always referred to as gravy back in The Boot.

Ah, the wonderful memories of when my mother would make a huge pot of sauce which we would enjoy with different pastas (Ziti, Rigatoni [my favorite], Linguine, Vermicelli, Rotini, etc.) for days and days. Delicious!

The recipe...

Ingredients:

1/2 cup olive oil (pure)
3 or 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or garlic pressed
12 Sausages (6 hot, 6 sweet)
4 large cans whole tomatoes
3 small cans tomato paste
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tbs Italian seasoning
1 tbs Oregano
1 tbs Parsley
1 tbs Honey
3 Bay leaves
One thick slice of onion, cubed
Mushrooms
1 cup red cooking wine
1 cup water

*1-1/2 lbs ground beef and pork (1/2 and 1/2)
*2 Eggs
*1 ladle of sauce
*1/3 cup grated cheese
*1 tsp. minced garlic
*1 tsp. minced onion
*1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs

SAUCE:

Pour oil into pan with sausages and garlic and simmer until sausages are slightly browned. In a large mixing bowl, combine and mix tomatoes and paste by hand and pour into pan. Bring to a low boil, stirring frequently. Sprinkle oregano, parsley, crushed red pepper and Italian seasoning over sauce and add the honey and bay leaves. Add onions and mushrooms. Pour wine and water into sauce.


MEATBALLS:

Mix all meatball ingredients* thoroughly and place into sauce, stirring carefully.

Simmer for at least 6 hours.

Haha. Love it.
Spaghetti sauce is marinara sauce. Once the meatballs, sausage and braciole go in the marinara sauce, it is now a gravy. And to be honest I think this is more of a Bklyn Jersey thing than an Italy thing. My uncle off the boat cringes when my mom calls it gravy. It’s either Ragu or sauce there.

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

And if you are referring to the thing you put on Pasta, it’s gravy not sauce.

Depends. My mother (full-blooded Italian) and two aunts on my mothers side always called it sauce. Spaghetti sauce to be exact. I know it's always referred to as gravy back in The Boot.

Ah, the wonderful memories of when my mother would make a huge pot of sauce which we would enjoy with different pastas (Ziti, Rigatoni [my favorite], Linguine, Vermicelli, Rotini, etc.) for days and days. Delicious!

The recipe...

Ingredients:

1/2 cup olive oil (pure)
3 or 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or garlic pressed
12 Sausages (6 hot, 6 sweet)
4 large cans whole tomatoes
3 small cans tomato paste
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tbs Italian seasoning
1 tbs Oregano
1 tbs Parsley
1 tbs Honey
3 Bay leaves
One thick slice of onion, cubed
Mushrooms
1 cup red cooking wine
1 cup water

*1-1/2 lbs ground beef and pork (1/2 and 1/2)
*2 Eggs
*1 ladle of sauce
*1/3 cup grated cheese
*1 tsp. minced garlic
*1 tsp. minced onion
*1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs

SAUCE:

Pour oil into pan with sausages and garlic and simmer until sausages are slightly browned. In a large mixing bowl, combine and mix tomatoes and paste by hand and pour into pan. Bring to a low boil, stirring frequently. Sprinkle oregano, parsley, crushed red pepper and Italian seasoning over sauce and add the honey and bay leaves. Add onions and mushrooms. Pour wine and water into sauce.


MEATBALLS:

Mix all meatball ingredients* thoroughly and place into sauce, stirring carefully.

Simmer for at least 6 hours.

Haha. Love it.
Spaghetti sauce is marinara sauce. Once the meatballs, sausage and braciole go in the marinara sauce, it is now a gravy. And to be honest I think this is more of a Bklyn Jersey thing than an Italy thing. My uncle off the boat cringes when my mom calls it gravy. It’s either Ragu or sauce there.

Interesting. (I'm getting hungry!) Got a recipe to add? Think you'd enjoy the recipe above by the ingredients? What would you change? I'd love to make this sauce because it's been a while, but it's a lotta work. With the prep and 6 hours simmer time--it's an all day commitment for me to make.

[Deacon022]

Ours is a lot different. Guess it depends on what town you come from. We are from Nola.
Marinara Sauce.
Oil. 3-4 cloves of garlic. Crush the garlic. Heat it up with oil for about a minute to get golden. Take the garlic out. One can San marzano tomatoes. Salt pepper. Red pepper if you like spicy. About 7 basil leaves. One carrot. 20 minutes. Make sure you stir every 5-7 minutes so it don’t stick. Remove carrot. You can also use sugar instead of carrot just don’t tell my mother.

Sunday gravy
Oil and garlic like above. Take out the garlic. Can also throw an onion in the oil. I usually cut a half onion and throw it in and then remove. Brown the sausage in oil in a large stock pot. Once brown throw about a half glass of water in. Cover on medium low. Let the water evaporate into like a slurry. Once it is thick enough throw in about 3-4 cans of crushed tomatoes. You can use whole tomatoes if you like it chunky. Then you would have to hand mash the tomatoes before putting it in. Same as marinara. Salt pepper red pepper basil. throw the meatballs in. Low for about two hours. Stirring every 10-15 mins. Also get either the heel of the Italian bread and dip it in. Or white bread and make a gravy sandwich. The meat drippings are what makes it a gravy.
I don’t use paste. Only if I’m making a fra diavolo. Then I use Calabrian chili paste.

[cltlax]

These recipes are making me hungry and I think they need their own thread so we don't lose them.

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

Ours is a lot different. Guess it depends on what town you come from. We are from Nola.
Marinara Sauce.
Oil. 3-4 cloves of garlic. Crush the garlic. Heat it up with oil for about a minute to get golden. Take the garlic out. One can San marzano tomatoes. Salt pepper. Red pepper if you like spicy. About 7 basil leaves. One carrot. 20 minutes. Make sure you stir every 5-7 minutes so it don’t stick. Remove carrot. You can also use sugar instead of carrot just don’t tell my mother.

Sunday gravy
Oil and garlic like above. Take out the garlic. Can also throw an onion in the oil. I usually cut a half onion and throw it in and then remove. Brown the sausage in oil in a large stock pot. Once brown throw about a half glass of water in. Cover on medium low. Let the water evaporate into like a slurry. Once it is thick enough throw in about 3-4 cans of crushed tomatoes. You can use whole tomatoes if you like it chunky. Then you would have to hand mash the tomatoes before putting it in. Same as marinara. Salt pepper red pepper basil. throw the meatballs in. Low for about two hours. Stirring every 10-15 mins. Also get either the heel of the Italian bread and dip it in. Or white bread and make a gravy sandwich. The meat drippings are what makes it a gravy.
I don’t use paste. Only if I’m making a fra diavolo. Then I use Calabrian chili paste.

Oooo--that sounds delicious. You obviously know what you're doing at the stove. So interesting to leave an ingredient in, cook it for a while, then remove. Never heard of doing that. There's this whole science to cooking that I'm oblivious to. When to add an ingredient, how long to cook before adding the next ingredient. Fascinating.

You can also use sugar instead of carrot just don’t tell my mother.

Too funny.

[Deacon022]

Ours is a lot different. Guess it depends on what town you come from. We are from Nola.
Marinara Sauce.
Oil. 3-4 cloves of garlic. Crush the garlic. Heat it up with oil for about a minute to get golden. Take the garlic out. One can San marzano tomatoes. Salt pepper. Red pepper if you like spicy. About 7 basil leaves. One carrot. 20 minutes. Make sure you stir every 5-7 minutes so it don’t stick. Remove carrot. You can also use sugar instead of carrot just don’t tell my mother.

Sunday gravy
Oil and garlic like above. Take out the garlic. Can also throw an onion in the oil. I usually cut a half onion and throw it in and then remove. Brown the sausage in oil in a large stock pot. Once brown throw about a half glass of water in. Cover on medium low. Let the water evaporate into like a slurry. Once it is thick enough throw in about 3-4 cans of crushed tomatoes. You can use whole tomatoes if you like it chunky. Then you would have to hand mash the tomatoes before putting it in. Same as marinara. Salt pepper red pepper basil. throw the meatballs in. Low for about two hours. Stirring every 10-15 mins. Also get either the heel of the Italian bread and dip it in. Or white bread and make a gravy sandwich. The meat drippings are what makes it a gravy.
I don’t use paste. Only if I’m making a fra diavolo. Then I use Calabrian chili paste.

Oooo--that sounds delicious. You obviously know what you're doing at the stove. So interesting to leave an ingredient in, cook it for a while, then remove. Never heard of doing that. There's this whole science to cooking that I'm oblivious to. When to add an ingredient, how long to cook before adding the next ingredient. Fascinating.

You can also use sugar instead of carrot just don’t tell my mother.

Too funny.

Yes sir. Learned from my mom and grandmothers and Used it to my advantage in my 20s with the ladies.

[spidey44]

These recipes are making me hungry and I think they need their own thread so we don't lose them.

Agreed!

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

Yes sir. Learned from my mom and grandmothers and Used it to my advantage in my 20s with the ladies.

Wait a second, you mean to tell me that "the best way to a man's heart is through his stomach" works with women, too?

[Deacon022]

Yes sir. Learned from my mom and grandmothers and Used it to my advantage in my 20s with the ladies.

Wait a second, you mean to tell me that "the best way to a man's heart is through his stomach" works with women, too?

That was plan a. Not many kids at 20 knew how to cook. Plan B was a tongue ring. No one had those back then either. Problem for me was five years later everyone had tongue rings and I was in a shore house with a chef from Babbo in the city. Had to come up with a new angle.

[DMac]

Yes sir. Learned from my mom and grandmothers and Used it to my advantage in my 20s with the ladies.

Wait a second, you mean to tell me that "the best way to a man's heart is through his stomach" works with women, too?

All day, particularly inasmuch as most of 'em don't know how to cook anymore.

Grew up (from 12-18) in a predominately Italian town, hung out in many kitchens
with moms and grandmas (many from the old country) of GFs (those little Italian girls are
mighty cute) and friends. Picked up a lot of nice tid bits from those gals (of course, every
one of them makes the best sauce/gravy....little secret touches, ya know). Can make a
pretty mean pot of sauce myself.
Try this with grandma's meatball recipe (as sacrilegious as it might be) next time you make
'em, grind up some pepperoni and throw it in with the burger (don't be real shy with it),
takes it to a different level.
Monja.

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

Yes sir. Learned from my mom and grandmothers and Used it to my advantage in my 20s with the ladies.

Wait a second, you mean to tell me that "the best way to a man's heart is through his stomach" works with women, too?

All day, particularly inasmuch as most of 'em don't know how to cook anymore.

Grew up (from 12-18) in a predominately Italian town, hung out in many kitchens
with moms and grandmas (who had immigrated) of GFs (those little Italian girls are
mighty cute) and friends. Picked up a lot of nice tid bits from those gals (of course, every
one of them makes the best sauce/gravy....little secret touches, ya know). Can make a
pretty mean pot of sauce myself.
Try this with grandma's meatball recipe (as sacrilegious as it might be) next time you make
'em, grind up some pepperoni and throw it in with the burger (don't be real shy with it),
takes it to a different level.
Monja.

Nice idea! The pepperoni in with the burger. Gotta remember that. What can I use to grind the pepperoni if I don't have a meat grinder?

I hear you on each sauce being good. My grandmother made her sauce, then each of her three daughters (my Ma and my two aunts) made their own version of her sauce with their own slight variations. One aunt made meatballs the size of baseballs. I kid you not. But each sister's sauce--they were all delicious. Then my cousin (son of my middle aunt), who was a chef for a while, kinda took the best features of all three and came up with his own, which is the recipe I posted.

So D, what are the variations with your sauce? How do you make yours? How long does it take you to make it?

(Oh, and folks--you are free to copy and paste these recipes anywhere you like. I won't mind. But these rabbit trail conversations happen sometimes on these boards. So please don't try to be the topic police on us, huh? Our talk of Italian spaghetti sauce in no way prevents you from posting about the Northwestern documentary. If you want the topic back on topic--then post about the topic. Capische?)

[DMac]

Then my cousin (son of my middle aunt), who was a chef for a while, kinda took the best features of all three and came up with his own, which is the recipe I posted.

Yes sir, that's the way you do that, steal a little from all of 'em.

I don't have a grinder. Cut it up in small/medium size chunks and put it in a blender type appliance with those type of blades.
It'll chop it up plenty good enough to throw it in the burger. I have a smaller unit that you'd use to chop up onions, peppers, etc to make a salsa with, for example. Works for me.

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

Then my cousin (son of my middle aunt), who was a chef for a while, kinda took the best features of all three and came up with his own, which is the recipe I posted.

Yes sir, that's the way you do that, steal a little from all of 'em.

I don't have a grinder. Cut it up in small/medium size chunks and put it in a blender type appliance with those type of blades.
It'll chop it up plenty good enough to throw it in the burger. I have a smaller unit that you'd use to chop up onions, peppers, etc to make a salsa with, for example. Works for me.

That is something I can do. Thanks

[ultravisitor]

Up sick late last night and I read your comment Max. I was about to comment. “Uh oh. Way too many people are gonna have a problem with that comment.” Can’t have an opinion on something that is clearly an opinion without riling up a certain group of people here.

I wasn’t shocked. As I’ve said on posts across here, I don’t think he majority of girls playing high level high ranked lacrosse are there for the specific school. And I always get push back from it. My comment would be if UMass Lowell was ranked 2 and competing for the championship, all these high level recruits would be flocking there. The response is usually. No they wouldn’t and UMass Lowell would never be that good. Or of course they are going to the school because they love it. Once again, we, as parents are lucky because lacrosse is generally a high academic sport. Plain and simple.

Anyway. While I don’t think that snippet is an absolute indictment on whether those girls care or don’t care about school, I will still say if NU was ranked 119th, none of them would be there.

First off, the comments bothered my youngest daughter more than me as we watched live.

However, the more I think about it, the more I am bothered. Not because of what the girls said, but because Northwestern included this in pretty much a 90 minute infomercial about their program. Feels like that is the type of athlete they are trying to attract.

What is that "type"? Someone who doesn't take everything very extremely seriously 24/7?

I wonder how much understanding people have of how kids behave when mom and dad aren't watching. I know the kids don't have that self awareness.

To reiterate, my criticism is much more on NW for including it than on the young women for saying it. At the end of the day, KAH is still asking the parents of elite lax players to drop 200-300k on an education. It is not unreasonable for parents to want an ROI on that.

Okay, but you're still casting aspersions on the young women who make up the Northwestern lacrosse team when you characterize them as being some sort of negative "type"--and there can be no doubt based on your words that you have negative feelings about whatever "type" of athlete you concluded that they were based on comments they were making while goofing off between drills.

Furthermore, what evidence do you have of parents not getting a ROI for sending their kids to Northwestern?

You're arriving at a bunch of unfair, unwarranted conclusions about the program and the women who are a part of it because of your own perceptions about their behavior and seemingly without giving consideration to the context and circumstances of the video. Would it be fair if people drew the same kinds of conclusions about your daughter, her teammates, and her coaches based on a few seconds of her unscripted behavior while her guard was down and she was goofing off with her teammates?

[spidey44]

Okay, but you're still casting aspersions on the young women who make up the Northwestern lacrosse team when you characterize them as being some sort of negative "type"--and there can be no doubt based on your words that you have negative feelings about whatever "type" of athlete you concluded that they were based on comments they were making while goofing off between drills.

Furthermore, what evidence do you have of parents not getting a ROI for sending their kids to Northwestern?

You're arriving at a bunch of unfair, unwarranted conclusions about the program and the women who are a part of it because of your own perceptions about their behavior and seemingly without giving consideration to the context and circumstances of the video. Would it be fair if people drew the same kinds of conclusions about your daughter, her teammates, and her coaches based on a few seconds of her unscripted behavior while her guard was down and she was goofing off with her teammates?

Definitely agree some are looking WAY too deep into some off the cuff comments. Take for example the girl who was screaming and then looks back and says "DONT USE THAT!!!!" They're still kids and having fun with some of their best friends. I'm sure these girls work plenty hard in the classroom along with the field, weight room, etc etc....

[ultravisitor]

Okay, but you're still casting aspersions on the young women who make up the Northwestern lacrosse team when you characterize them as being some sort of negative "type"--and there can be no doubt based on your words that you have negative feelings about whatever "type" of athlete you concluded that they were based on comments they were making while goofing off between drills.

Furthermore, what evidence do you have of parents not getting a ROI for sending their kids to Northwestern?

You're arriving at a bunch of unfair, unwarranted conclusions about the program and the women who are a part of it because of your own perceptions about their behavior and seemingly without giving consideration to the context and circumstances of the video. Would it be fair if people drew the same kinds of conclusions about your daughter, her teammates, and her coaches based on a few seconds of her unscripted behavior while her guard was down and she was goofing off with her teammates?

Definitely agree some are looking WAY too deep into some off the cuff comments. Take for example the girl who was screaming and then looks back and says "DONT USE THAT!!!!" They're still kids and having fun with some of their best friends. I'm sure these girls work plenty hard in the classroom along with the field, weight room, etc etc....

And, at the end of the day, after all that goofing off and not constantly being on guard to make sure they're saying the right things to impress all the mommies and daddies out there who are waiting to pounce and judge them, each one of those girls will walk away having had tons of fun and with a degree from Northwestern University.

[cltlax]

(Oh, and folks--you are free to copy and paste these recipes anywhere you like. I won't mind. But these rabbit trail conversations happen sometimes on these boards. So please don't try to be the topic police on us, huh? Our talk of Italian spaghetti sauce in no way prevents you from posting about the Northwestern documentary. If you want the topic back on topic--then post about the topic. Capische?)

Way to take my positive comment about these recipes and accuse me of being a topic police. It's no wonder folks find you annoying.

[OuttaNowhereWregget]

(Oh, and folks--you are free to copy and paste these recipes anywhere you like. I won't mind. But these rabbit trail conversations happen sometimes on these boards. So please don't try to be the topic police on us, huh? Our talk of Italian spaghetti sauce in no way prevents you from posting about the Northwestern documentary. If you want the topic back on topic--then post about the topic. Capische?)

Way to take my positive comment about these recipes and accuse me of being a topic police. It's no wonder folks find you annoying.

Excuse me--where did I accuse you, personally, of being a topic cop? And I'm supposed to recognize a positive comment from someone who has said critical things about me and to me multiple times in the past? One just the other day, in fact. And here you are--making another snotty comment, and bringing unnamed others into it, to boot. And you wonder at my misinterpretation? Also--I didn't tag/quote you, or anyone else for that matter, when I made my previous public service type comment yesterday, as it isn't the first time folks on these boards have voiced their disapproval about a topic wandering off into the woods (or an Italian kitchen, in this case). I addressed it to "folks". You could have passed right on by if your ultimate intention was to build some goodwill between us. But no, another tag/quote for the purpose of taking a shot at me, and in the process, you tore down what little headway you made with your affirmative response about the High Point production team.