La Cucina Siciliana (OK not really but still)

I was bummed today because I lost my turquoise ring that is from Morell's in Bemidji. So to console myself I concocted an Italian feast a la The Godfather, using the recipe the Clemenza character describes in Part I (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZD-ApotEOQ&feature=related).

You never know you might have to cook for 20 guys someday.

1) Start out with a little bit of oil. Then you fry some garlic.

From Clemenza's Sauce

2) Then you t'row in some tomatoes, some tomato paste.

From Clemenza's Sauce

From Clemenza's Sauce

3) You fry it, make sure it doesn't stick.

3) When you got it to a boil, you shove in all your sausage and your meatballs (all I had in the fridge was apple & chardonnay sausages so that had to suffice this time).

From Clemenza's Sauce

4) A little bit of wine (I didn't have marsala but this worked OK)...

From Clemenza's Sauce

5) And a little bit of sugar--and that's my trick [I also added some crushed red pepper because I like my sauce a little spicy, all'arrabiata, as it were].

From Clemenza's Sauce

From Clemenza's Sauce

...Came out not too badly at all if I do say so myself. I decided to go the whole hog.

From Clemenza's Sauce

AND.... these little guys for dessert--I made the filling myself! Note the tasteful Italian flag colors.

From Clemenza's Sauce

Don't You Be Knockin' My Nelson Co. Peeps.

http://www.ghostsofnorthdakota.com/

Visit here, click on "Kloten, ND." Read the photographer's comments.

I never do this, but for some reason (lots of cups of coffee, perhaps?), I had this to say in response:

Message for Nathan Mastrud: thanks for the beautiful and telling pictures of Kloten, a town I spent many a summer day tearing around when I was a kid. But please keep the snarkiness to yourself. People still live in Kloten, and the town is in tough enough straights without you giving it a bad rap on this website with comments like “fear of shotguns” etc. If you want to do this town a favor, take it from me and the other poster Mike Schmidt and take that comment off your description–ND has enough trouble reminding the rest of the United States that it even exists, let alone getting people to visit, without comments like that (besides which, it’s not true. Nobody in Kloten is going to come after you with a shotgun or sic the dogs on you).

Thanks for the lovely site!