Pasta and Hot Fudgeeeyyyyy Sundaes

Heidi called me last night and told me to post something. Anything.

I've been postless for weeks now but since we're the kind of sisters who like to share everything and who love to love the same things, I thought I would write about two recipes I love.

I think Erin is going to post about the pasta, but I thought I'd post about it too since I keep eating it. I'm dying for everyone to try it, eat it and love it.
Erin is the creative cook who will think up a recipe, make it, and move on to think up a hundred other new recipes. But, I will make that recipe again and again a million times trying to get it exactly how I want it. So, I started with Erin and Catherine's marinara recipe, but it was too tomato-ey for me. I've been working on it for a few weeks, and finally got it exactly the way I want it. I haven't eaten marinara in years and have always said, "I don't like marinara," but now I love it. So, here it is.

MY FAVORITE MARINARA IN THE WORLD
2 TBSP. olive oil
2 TBSP. butter
Heat this in a large pot and don't let it burn.
Place 4 - 14. 0z. cans of Hunt's, garlic, basil and orregano diced tomatoes in the blender.
Add this to the olive oil and butter.
Add 2 tsp. garlic powder, 2 tsp. orregano, 2 tsp. basil, 2 tsp. red pepper, and 2 TBSP. sugar
Heat it all up and let it simmer. Make sure you have good bread on hand so you can dip your bread in the marinara and eat that while you finish the rest of the recipe because it's that good.

Boil a box of penne.

Bechamel Sauce
Add 5 TBSP. butter, and 4 TBSP. flour to a saucepan. Add 4 C. of whipping cream because it is so much better than half and half or milk, but you can use those too if you don't want to get bigger. Let that cook, and watch it carefully as it thickens. Add 1 tsp. salt and a dash or two of nutmeg.
That's it. It's so easy and so delicious. You don't even have to bake it.

Place penne on a plate, cover with marinara, pour the bechamel sauce on top, and sprinkle with parmesan.
I love it, eat it twice a week, and hope you'll love it, too.

And now for The Hot Fudge. My visiting teacher makes me hot fudge every year, and it is DELICIOUS! This year I finally begged her to please let me have the recipe. I sent her emails pleading, and didn't hear a word. I finally told her this week that I realized it must be an ancient Chinese secret and that I wouldn't bother her ever again for it.
When we ran out of hers, I made 3 other kinds of hot fudge (Lori Longbotham's-Luscious Chocolate Desserts, Dorie Greenspan's and Martha Stewart's) that have been good, but not as good as my visiting teacher's. Even my kids have said her hot fudge was better.
She sent me the recipe last night. So, I hope everyone will make this too, and love it so we can all love the same things.

Grandma's Hot Fudge (Laura Wilson's mother's recipe)
2 c. sugar
1/4 c. cocoa
1/4 c. flour
Place in saucepan. Mix well, and make sure all lumps are out of the cocoa before you go on.
Add 1 large can of evaporated milk, slowly.
Boil 6 min. and add 1 cube of butter cut in small pieces during the last minute of boiling.
Turn the heat off and add 1 tsp. vanilla.
Refrigerate and reheat before serving.


Please someone make it as fast as you can, so I can find out if you love it as much as me.