Crock Pot Marinara Sauce

I like it when I have the sense to plan ahead.  Today was not one of those days. 

Today was a day of trying to get dinner thrown together while a toddler tried to scale the pantry shelves and then while I was moving the breakable pantry items out of his reach, proceeded to jump down, run over and burn his hand on the side of the oven door.  Sweet. 
 
Today is a day I'd wished I planned ahead and made this meal.  Never mind that I already made it last week and we plowed through the leftovers.  As I was holding a teary kid's hand under cold running water, I was wishing for more Crock Pot Marinara, cozily waiting in the slow cooker instead of mashing together a semblance of a meal while trying to referee a one and five year old. 

The original recipe is for meatballs along with marinara.  Personally, I am appreciative that God created bags of Costco meatballs because it's one less step (my boys have discovered a deep love for those little orbs).  For those days that we are feeling slightly more ambitious, I've included the original meatball version.   

I'll be making this again tomorrow and freezing it in batches so I'll be more prepared next time. 

Crock Pot Marinara Sauce (and Meatballs)
 sauce makes enough to coat 1 1/2 pounds of pasta
Marinara:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped fine (about 2 cups)
2/3 cup tomato paste (1 6-ounce can)
8 garlic cloves, minced (use a garlic press or food chopper to crank 'em out)
1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning (or dried Oregano)
1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
salt
1/2 cup red wine
2 (28-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil

1. Cook Aromatics
Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until shimmering.  Add onions, and saute until onions begin to be translucent, 2-3 minutes.  Stir in tomato paste, garlic cloves, Italian seasoning pepper flakes and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 1-2 minutes more.

2. Make Sauce
Transfer onion mixture to slow cooker.  Add wine to pot with remaining onion mixture and cook until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.  Stir in tomatoes, then transfer to slow cooker.  Cook on low heat until sauce is thickened, 4-5 hours.  Stir in basil and remaining Parmesan.  Season with salt.  Serve over pasta.

Meatball Variation:
Meatballs:
2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
2 large eggs
1 1/4 pounds 85 percent lean ground beef
3 tablespoons heavy cream

Cook aromatics according to step 1 above.  Transfer half of onion mixture to a bowl.  Add 1/2 cup Parmesan, mozzarella, sausage, eggs, 3/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 2 cloves of garlic to bowl with onion mixture.  Mash with potato masher until smooth.  Add beef and cream to bowl and knead with hands until well combined.  Form mixture into twelve 2-inch meatballs.

Cook meatballs: Microwave meatballs on large plate until fat renders and meatballs are firm, 4 to 7 minutes.  Nestle meatballs in slow cooker, discarding rendered fat.  Cover and cook on low until meatballs are tender and sauce is slightly thickened, 4 to 5 hours.  Skim fat.  Stir in basil and remaining Parmesan.  Season with salt.  Serve over pasta.

Make ahead: Raw meatballs and sauce can be refrigerated separately up to 24 hours in advance.  When ready to cook, add sauce to slow cooker and microwave meatballs before adding them to the slow cooker.  Continue with recipe as directed.   

Recipe Source: Cook's Country Magazine

Autumn Penne

Ok, the recipe title "Autumn Penne" doesn't begin to give you an idea of how exciting this recipe really is.  That said, I thought that calling it something that would give you a better window into this dish might be a little overwhelming.  You tell me, does "Chicken and Roasted Butternut Squash Penne in a Sage Brown Butter Cream Sauce with Balsamic Reduction Drizzle" sound like a bit much?

One bite, though, and you will agree it's well worth it. 

My sister, who is in the throws of medical school midterms, gave me a hard time the other night after making one of my recipes, a Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie, because it was a bit more involved than my usual posts.  It's true, usually a deciding factor for me in whether I'll try a recipe is how many dirty dishes it will create.  So, in fair warning to my sister, Elise, and other pinched for time friends, this is not going to be the simplest meal you've ever made. 

That said, it will be worth it and in reassurance, I made it on a weeknight and if a few of your components are done ahead of time, you really could throw it together really pretty quickly.  This really is a restaurant-worthy dish and you will feel so fancy and accomplished after making something like a "sage brown butter cream sauce" (trust me, it really is easy!).  This pasta encapsulates all the warm flavors of Fall in a dish and is one I am really excited to make again.  

Autumn Penne (or Chicken and Roasted Butternut Squash Penne in a Sage Brown Butter Cream Sauce with Balsamic Reduction Drizzle)
serves approximately 6
2 cups shredded cooked chicken (this was about one breast and using a rotisserie chicken is a really nice short cut)

1/2 butternut squash (about 1 pound), diced into 1/2" cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

12 oz dried shaped pasta (I used Ronzoni brand penne)

2-4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced into slivers (about 2 tablespoons)
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) butter
8-10 fresh sage leaves, plus more for garnish
1/2 cup cream
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chicken broth

salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup shredded Romano or Parmesan cheese, plus more for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Toss squash cubes with olive oil and spread in an even layer on a baking sheet.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper and thyme.  Roast for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until squash is tender and starting to turn golden brown.  Remove from oven and set aside until ready to assemble pasta (*This is a step you could do up to a day in advance, storing the cooked squash pieces in the fridge until assembly time).

While squash is roasting, bring a large pot of water to a boil and prepare pasta "al dente" (or still firm to the bite) according to package directions, drain, return to the cooking pot and cover to keep warm.

Meanwhile, also heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat until it foams.  Increase heat to medium. Add the sage and cook until the leaves turn crisp, about 1 ½ minutes.  Butter should be a nice nutty brown color and very fragrant (watch this very closely as the butter can go from browned to burnt pretty quickly).  Remove from heat and pour butter and sage leaves into a small bowl or measuring cup and set aside (I just kept the sage leaves whole in the sauce, but you can either remove them from the butter and cut into smaller pieces or remove them altogether, if you prefer).

Return pan to heat and add garlic pieces.  Cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, just until garlic is fragrant.  Stir in cream, nutmeg, cinnamon and chicken broth.  Bring to a simmer and whisk in sage butter.  Turn heat to low and keep sauce warm, stirring occasionally.

In a small skillet over medium high heat, bring balsamic vinegar to a boil, stirring frequently.  Allow vinegar to boil until the liquid is thickened to maple syrup consistency and is reduced by about half.  Remove from heat and set aside.

To assemble:  In the pasta pot, pour sage brown butter cream sauce over pasta.  Stir in chicken, roasted butternut squash and a handful of freshly shredded Romano or Parmesan cheese.  Warm gently over medium-low heat, if necessary.  Adjust seasonings by adding salt or pepper if needed.  Transfer to a large serving dish (or individual ones) and drizzle balsamic syrup over top.  Garnish with additional fresh sage leaves as desired.  Serve with additional shredded cheese for sprinkling.

p.s. I think this would be good with a sprinkle of chopped toasted walnuts for another added texture and fall flavor as well.  I'll have to try that sometime and let you know how it goes! : )

Roasted Broccolini and Spaghetti con Aglio e Olio

Oh, broccolini, you are our new favorite vegetable!  Broccolini, or "Baby Broccoli" is not actually baby broccoli at all.  It is a cross between broccoli and Chinese kale and is similar to broccoli but is sweeter and has slim, tender, fully-edible stems (no waste!).  It's been available at SuperTarget lately in a package for $1.88.  Sweet! Normally, I'm not crazy about SuperTarget's produce (sorry, I love just about everything else about you, Red), but the broccolini has been a great find.  Roasted with a little bit of olive oil and salt, it makes a great side or addition to pasta (as shown here with Spaghetti con aglio e olio--garlic and olive oil--and sauteed chicken).  Roasting is great technique to apply to all kinds of vegetables (just follow the preparation below but adjust the time depending on what you're roasting--cauliflower is amazing, carrots are incredible, sweet potatoes cut into matchsticks are healthy fries! Delicious!). 


Roasted Broccolini
1 8 oz. package broccolini, washed (or substitute broccoli florets)
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
kosher salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Spread broccolini in an even layer on a baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.  Roast in oven for 12-15 minutes, or until crisp-tender and the edges begin to brown.  Season with pepper and additional salt to taste. 

 Spaghetti con Aglio e Olio
This is a super-simple, quick pasta dish that you probably already have almost all the ingredients on hand.  Don't be worried about the large amount of garlic, the flavor mellows and sweetens as it cooks.  Enjoy plain or add some sauteed chicken or shrimp and vegetables like the roasted broccolini (above).
(Closely adapted from Barefoot Contessa's "How Easy is That?")
kosher salt
1 pound dried spaghetti
1/3 cup good olive oil
8 large garlic cloves, cut into thin slivers
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving (I won't judge you for using the pre-shredded either since that makes a frequent appearance at our house)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.  Add two tablespoons of salt and the pasta and cook according to package directions.  Set aside 1 1/2 cups of the pasta cooking water before you drain the pasta.  Return the pasta to the cooking pot and cover to keep warm.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet.  Add the garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently, or until it just begins to turn golden on the edges--don't overcook it! Burned garlic turns bitter and cannot be salvaged.  Add the red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds more.  Carefully add the reserved pasta-cooking water to the garlic and oil and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, until the liquid is reduced by about a third.

Pour the garlic sauce over the warm pasta and toss to combine.  Off the heat, add the parsley and Parmesan and toss well.  Allow the pasta to rest off the heat for 5 minutes for the sauce to be absorbed.  Taste for seasoning and serve warm with extra Parmesan on the side. 

Homemade Ricotta and a use for it

 I am not sure what took me so long to catch on to this idea: Homemade ricotta cheese.  I stumbled across the recipe in Barefoot Contessa's new book, "How Easy is That?" and was really surprised at how truly simple it is to make at home.  Before this, I thought home cheese making was relegated to hermits in Vermont, Lancaster County and the Little House on the Prairie series.  Yet, in 20 minutes I had homemade cheese that was fresh, creamy, pure-tasting and ready for all ricotta cheese uses (and there are a lot of them beyond just Italian pasta dishes, although that tends to be my favorite--see post on Artichoke and Pesto "Stuffed Shells" Bake.  I did use some of my leftover ricotta to make a lemon cornmeal pound cake, but that is a post for another day).  See below for another extra fast(!) pasta dish using your homemade ricotta cheese (here's a teaser).

I don't plan on making my own Artisan Smoked Aged Gouda or the like anytime soon, but I will definitely be making my own ricotta in the future!  

Homemade Ricotta
Makes about 2 cups
5 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons white vinegar

Set a large sieve over a deep bowl.  Dampen 2 layers of cheesecloth with water and line the sieve with the cheesecloth. 

Pour the milk and cream into a heavy-bottomed pot.  Stir in the salt.  Bring to a full boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.  Turn off the heat and stir in the vinegar.  Allow the mixture to stand for 1 minute or until it curdles.  It will separate into the thick parts (the curds) and liquid parts (the whey).

Pour the mixture into the cheesecloth-lined sieve and allow it to drain into the bowl at room temperature until desired consistency.  The longer you let the mixture drain, the thicker the ricotta (mine ended up on the thick side, almost like crumbled goat cheese...I will probably catch it sooner next time). Transfer the ricotta to a bowl, discarding the cheesecloth.  Discard the liquid whey (unless you want to save it for another use--I read in a blog that a cheese making expert suggests boiling pasta in the liquid but I haven't tried that yet.  It just seems a shame to throw out so much liquid if there is a good use for it).  Use immediately or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.  Use within 2-3 days.  

recipe heavily adapted from Barefoot Contessa How easy is that?

                                              Pasta with Ricotta, Parmesan and Spinach

This is really a non-recipe recipe.  I needed to use up some of my homemade ricotta and we needed some lunch fast.  It was great as is or topped with jarred marinara sauce, it tasted like spinach lasagna.  The best thing was that the longest part was waiting for the pasta water to boil. 

Pasta With Ricotta, Parmesan and Spinach
serves 2-4
8 oz. dry shaped pasta (I used small shells because that's what we had on hand)
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
small pinch of ground nutmeg
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
big handful of fresh baby spinach
jarred pasta sauce (optional)

Cook pasta to al dente according to package directions, reserving a cup or so of the cooking water to use as needed.  Drain and set aside.  In the pot, combine ricotta and Parmesan cheese.  Add some of the reserved pasta water, a little at a time, thinning to make a sauce until desired consistency.  Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper.  Stir in pasta, tossing to combine.  Reheat over medium heat stirring frequently, if necessary.  Toss in a big handful of fresh spinach and stir just until wilted.  Pour into bowls and top with additional shredded Parmesan and warmed jarred pasta sauce, if desired. 

Crowd Pleasing Pasta Bake

You may have noticed I do quite a few baked pasta dishes.  This is because they're economical, can easily feed a crowd, able to be made ahead and who can't resist some form of pasta, sauce and cheese?  They're a perfect dish to bring to someone who needs a meal or to feed a crowd when you're hosting. 

This is a recipe that has gone over quite well with our gang and is a snap to put together.  I almost always have ingredients on hand to do some variation of it.  The staples are the usual: pasta, marinara and mozzarella but with a tangy surprise of a layer of cream cheese (I will maintain that few things are not improved by the addition of a little--or lot--of cream cheese).  This time, I used turkey Italian sausage, sliced mushrooms and roasted red peppers and it was a particularly delicious combination (feel free to modify the mix ins based on your own individual tastes--sauteed onion and bell pepper would be great, shredded rotisserie chicken, olives, artichoke hearts, chopped spinach, you get the idea...).  Also, there's a variation at the bottom that allows you to cut down on the prep time even more if you are able to make it ahead!

Crowd Pleasing Pasta Bake

1 20 oz. package turkey Italian sausage, casings removed (or 1 pound ground beef or turkey)
1 16 oz box shaped pasta (penne, rotini etc.)
1 jar of your favorite pasta sauce
8 oz fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced
1/2 cup roasted red peppers, thinly sliced
1 8 oz package cream cheese (I used 1/3 less fat Neufchatel), softened to room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream (I used reduced fat)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

In a large skillet, brown sausage or ground meat over medium high heat, stirring frequently to break up into small pieces.  When fully cooked, drain if necessary and set aside.  Prepare pasta according to package directions, making sure to drain it when it is still very firm (a bit harder than you would want to eat it).  Drain, return to cooking pot and set aside.  Add pasta sauce, mushrooms, red peppers and cooked sausage into pot with cooked pasta.  Stir until well combined.  In a small bowl, stir together cream cheese and sour cream until smooth and well combined.  Lightly grease a 9x13 pan with cooking spray.  Pour half of pasta mixture into bottom of baking dish.  Spoon cream cheese mixture over pasta spreading as evenly as possible.  Top with remaining pasta mixture.  Sprinkle with mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.  Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes, or until pasta is heated through and bubbling.  Remove foil for last 10 minutes of baking to allow cheeses to brown.

Variation: A shortcut if you're preparing the night before, do not cook pasta.  Add 1 1/2 cups water to pasta sauce and continue assembly directions as above.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.  Bake covered at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.  Remove foil and bake for additional 10 minutes.

Peasant Pasta

Penne pasta and Italian sausage tossed with a zesty pink marinara sauce and dotted with green peas. Tonight's meal was inspired by one of Rachael Ray's 30 Minute Meals.  It definitely came together in a snap and was a hit with the big and small ones alike (and I don't even really like sausage).  There's lots of room to play around with this one depending on what you have on hand.  And, it's one of those meals that if you have some sausage and peas in the freezer, you can keep all the ingredients on hand and throw it together when you're feeling pressed for time and inspiration.  Also, try substituting sauteed spinach and mushrooms for the peas for another variation.

Peasant Pasta
serves 4-6
1/2 -1 pound penne pasta, (we used a 13 oz box of whole grain penne and had some leftovers from two adults and two kids)
1 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage (I used chicken, feel free to substitute pork or turkey as well.  If you get links, you can squeeze the raw sausage out of the casings right into the pan.  Gross, but fun! )
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes with basil and garlic
1 15 oz can tomato sauce (can substitute crushed tomatoes)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 cup half and half (can use heavy cream or evaporated milk instead)
1/2 cup frozen green peas
shredded Parmesan cheese for serving

Directions:
Prepare pasta according to package directions, making sure it is al dente.  Drain and keep warm.   While pasta is cooking, brown sausage over medium high heat in a large skillet.  Once sausage is cooked through, drain off any excess grease and stir in cans of tomatoes.  Add garlic and basil.  Bring sauce mixture to a boil, reduce heat to medium low and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes.  Stir in half and half and peas.  Allow to warm through.  Toss sauce with pasta.  Top with Parmesan cheese for serving. 

Shrimp Lo Mein

"They"--whoever "they" may be--say that necessity is the Mother of Invention.  That would sum up tonight's dinner.  It's approaching the end of the month and therefore, my grocery budget for January has been used up.  Time to get creative and also to use up the odds and ends that are in the fridge and pantry.  What did I have?  Some frozen shrimp, some random veggies, soy sauce...time for stir fry.  Except, I had no rice.  Oops.  What I did have, however, was a box of spaghetti and thus, a stir fry morphed into lo mein.  And, my noodle-loving boys were happier because of it!  Feel free to use this recipe as a springboard to use up what you have on hand--you can substitute a different kind of meat and use up just about any random vegetables that you have threatening to languish in the crisper drawer.

Shrimp Lo Mein
1/2 box (about 8 oz) long shaped pasta (I used a 14.5 oz box of "Ronzoni Smart Taste" thin spaghetti)
1/2 pound medium shrimp, peeled, de-veined and de-tailed
4 tablespoons soy sauce, divided
3 tablespoons sesame oil or combination of vegetable and sesame oil, divided
4 cups desired vegetables, cut into bite-sized pieces (we used broccoli florets, thin sliced red bell    pepper, shredded cabbage and 1/2 a bag of frozen stir fry blend)
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled and minced (about 1" chunk)
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced (about 1 tablespoon)
1/4 cup green onions (white and green parts), thinly sliced (about three green onions)
1/2 cup chicken broth
optional: 1/2-1 cup leftover cooked meat (i.e. chicken breast or pork--we used leftover pork tenderloin)

In a small bowl, toss shrimp with 1 tablespoon soy sauce.  Set aside until ready to stir fry.  Prepare pasta according to package directions.  Drain, toss with 1 teaspoon sesame oil and set aside.  In a large skillet or wok pan over high heat, heat 2 teaspoons oil.  Stir fry vegetables, in batches and adding chicken broth one tablespoon at a time as needed (for example, sturdier vegetables like broccoli and carrots may benefit from the extra moisture to cook more quickly) until vegetables are crisp tender.  Remove vegetables from pan, set aside and repeat with remaining vegetables until all are stir fried.  Heat one additional tablespoon of oil.  Add ginger, garlic and green onions and stirring constantly, cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds to one minute).  Add shrimp and stir fry one additional minute.  Add remaining chicken broth and soy sauce and bring to a boil.  Add pasta and vegetables back into the pan and toss to coat until heated through.  Drizzle with remaining tablespoon of sesame oil and any additional soy sauce to taste.  Serve immediately.  Chop sticks optional.

Pasta Carbonara and Vegetable Ribbon Saute

Pasta Carbonara, long pasta coated in thick, luxuriously creamy sauce with salty bacon, this is true Italian comfort food!  I must admit, before I tried it I was a little unsure.  That is because the sauce is made primarily of eggs that are stirred into the pasta while they're still raw.  Sounded a bit suspect to me... Don't be afraid though, the heat from the pasta cooks the eggs, and in the process, makes this incredible sauce that reminds me very closely of fettuccini alfredo (one of those dishes that I love--who doesn't?--but feel totally guilty eating because it's as they say "a heart attack on a plate," right?).  Good news is this dish is healthier (and easier, in my opinion) than fettuccini alfredo.  And, when you top it with ribbons of vegetables sauteed in garlic and olive oil, you have a complete meal that you can rest easy with a full tummy!

Oh, and for those trivia nerds like myself, legend has it that the name "Carbonara" came from all the tiny flecks of black pepper in the pasta--it looked like coal dust. 

Vegetable Ribbon Saute

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, cut into slivers
1 medium zucchini
1 medium carrot
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced, lengthwise
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
salt and pepper to taste
1 small roma tomato, diced
fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces for garnish
Parmesan cheese for garnish

Using a vegetable peeler, peel thin strips from both the zucchini and carrot (rotating if necessary) until you can't peel off anymore and have just a little nubbin left to snack on.  Set "ribbons" aside.  In a large saute pan, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Toss in slivers of garlic and saute, stirring frequently to prevent from browning.  When garlic is fragrant (30 seconds to 1 minute) add in onions and peppers.  Saute until onions are slightly browned and begin to soften.  Add in ribbons of zucchini and carrot, season with salt and pepper and continue to saute a couple more minutes or until vegetables are crisp- tender.  Remove from heat.  Stir in diced tomato.  Garnish with basil leaves and Parmesan cheese.
Serve as a side dish or on top of pasta carbonara.

Pasta Carbonara
(serves 2-4, depending on how hungry you are)
1/2 pound long pasta (spaghetti is most common, I prefer the slightly more substantial fettuccini)
2 eggs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup water reserved from cooking the pasta
1/4 cup half and half, if needed
1/4 pound (four slices, maybe?) thick-cut bacon (feel free to increase this amount as practically everything is better with bacon)
fresh ground pepper (lots of it) and salt to taste

Boil a large pot of water and cook the pasta until it is al dente.  When you drain the pasta, make sure to reserve some of the cooking liquid.  Return pasta to the pot and keep warm.  While the pasta is cooking, cook bacon until it is crispy.  Remove from heat, drain on paper towels and once cool enough to handle, crumble into bite-sized pieces.  Reserve.  Also while pasta is cooking, in a bowl or measuring cup, break eggs and scramble with a fork until thoroughly combined.  Stir in cheese and garlic powder.  While stirring the egg mixture constantly, slowly add the half cup of hot pasta water.  This will help temper the eggs so they don't scramble when added to the pasta.  Put the pot of drained pasta on a burner over medium heat.  Pour the egg mixture over the pasta, tossing constantly and rapidly, until pasta is completely coated and the sauce becomes creamy (it will happen almost immediately).  Remove from heat.  If sauce is too thick, add half and half and stir to combine.  Season with a lot of fresh ground pepper and a little salt.  Toss in bacon pieces, stir one final time and serve immediately.  Garnish with additional Parmesan cheese or top with vegetable ribbon saute.

Super Simple Beef Ragu

When I say "ragu," I don't mean the bottled sauce with the gondola on the label, although that should point you in the right direction.  Ragu is just the Italian term for a meat-based sauce that is traditionally served with pasta.  Basically, in this case, it's just browned pieces of steak that are braised in tomatoes and red wine until they're ready to fall apart.  In the spirit of trying to use things out of my pantry (I haven't been "real" grocery shopping since the first of the month), we served it over spaghetti.  If it had been up to me, I think I would have chosen the extra-wide fettuccine, pappardelle, or even polenta (that would be a gluten-free option!), but even on spaghetti, it was pretty darn fantastic.  I am a bit of a pasta snob--I know that it's all just flour and water, but somehow, different shapes taste well, different.  Spaghetti is not one of my favorites, but my boys are traditionalists (when I say we're having spaghetti for dinner, we better have actual spaghetti and not even think of having something crazy like angel hair or penne!).  I do feel like a bit of a winner in that I've been serving them whole grain pasta lately, though (Ronzoni brand is my absolute favorite!). 

This is definitely a recipe to make all day on Sunday and then have ready to heat up on Monday night.  It tastes even better the next day and you'll feel so smart when dinner is finished in the time it takes to boil pasta!  Oh, and a small confession (one I don't recommend, but it worked in a pinch), you know you're scraping the bottom of the pantry barrel when you top your pasta and sauce with Parmesan cheese in the packets leftover from the last time we ordered Domino's...

Super Simple Beef Ragu
1 pound eye of round steak (or any other cheap, meaty cut of beef)
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup red wine (or beef stock)
1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
1 small can tomato sauce
 hot cooked pasta, polenta or rice
Parmesan cheese for serving

Trim beef of any extra fat and cut into large chunks.  Season with salt and pepper.  In a large pot, brown beef pieces in oil over medium high heat.  Let brown for a few minutes undisturbed and then use a fork to flip over and brown the other side.  When beef is deep golden brown on both sides, push over to one side of the pot and add in chopped onion and garlic.  Reduce heat to medium and allow the onions and garlic to sweat a little bit (cook until softened and almost translucent, not browned, reduce heat even lower if they're starting to brown), about 2-3 minutes.  Pour in wine, tomatoes and tomato sauce.  Reduce heat to low and simmer until beef is fall-apart tender (length depends on size of beef pieces, but mine took about 6 hours).  With a fork shred beef into bite-sized chunks.  Serve over hot cooked pasta (or other starch) and top with Parmesan cheese.

p.s. You could also do this in the crock pot...just transfer over to the crock pot at the step where you add all the liquids!

Back to Berry Patch Farms!

We are blessed to live fifteen minutes from an adorable berry farm that sells all sorts of locally grown fresh produce. They are open mid-June to November and it is one of our most favorite places to visit. You can cut your own basil, mingle with chickens and sample berries growing sweet in the sun. It is quaint, friendly and welcoming.
In my new quest to maximize our pantry-living, we were completely out of produce (except for a couple wilted beets in the bottom drawer) and so Silas, Judah and I made our first visit of the year to Berry Patch Farms today. Their berries won’t be ripe for a couple of weeks, but we picked our own basil and got some other vegetables. They had a special on Swiss chard (something I have not cooked often before, but have heard the health benefits of it), and I thought I’d give it a try.
Swiss chard is a leafy green that is in the same family as beets and spinach. It has tender leaves and bright, multi-colored stalks (yellow, red and white). I have a serious supply of fresh garlic right now and I had a box of whole wheat spaghetti, so I threw them all together and it made something pretty magical! I am now a Swiss chard convert and hope you’ll give it a try as well!

Garlicky Swiss Chard and Whole Wheat Spaghetti

1 8 oz package whole wheat spaghetti (reserving half cup of pasta cooking water)
1 bunch swiss chard, washed and dried
4-5 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
2 Tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon chicken base or 1 bouillon cube
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese, divided
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup basil leaves, thinly sliced into ribbons
Cook spaghetti according to package directions, until al dente (8-10 minutes). Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water and stir chicken base into it until dissolved.
Strip leaves of Swiss chard away from stems. Roughly chop stems and tear leaves into bite-sized pieces. In a large skillet over medium-low heat, slowly heat olive oil and garlic. When garlic is fragrant, add Swiss chard stems and saute over medium high heat until stems are tender. Stir in leaves. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Add pasta and stir to wilt leaves. Stir in pasta water and butter and toss to combine until heated through. Add half of Parmesan cheese and stir one final time. Divide into pasta bowls and garnish with scallions, basil leaves and extra Parmesan.

True Pantry Living

Ok, this is a long time in coming. I always have billed myself as a “bargain” cook and now I really have to put my money where my mouth is. Due to some new financial constraints, I am hesitant to spend money and, thus, go to the store right now. That means, it’s time to be extra resourceful and cook with what I have on hand at this moment. We went to a Birthday party this afternoon and gorged ourselves on Chik-fil-a (did you already know how delicious their chicken salad sandwiches are? I had no idea…I pity the fool who has no access to a Chick-fil-a!) and I managed to eat BOTH Jay’s and my dessert last night when we were out celebrating our eighth (EIGHTH!) anniversary at a Mexican restaurant (apparently, I DO have room for both churros and flan after eating an enormous vegetarian burrito. Shameful.). Anyway, the point of all that is I am thankful I don’t have to come up with something too substantial for dinner tonight. Here’s what I’ve managed to come up with:

Maple Roasted Sweet Potato and Spinach Salad with Bacon Mustard Balsamic Vinaigrette
6 oz. Bag of pre-washed baby spinach (love the stuff!)
6 slices of bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces and pan fried until crispy, reserving 2 Tablespoons of the drippings
1/4 c. red onions, sliced (soak onion slices in ice water for 10 minutes to remove the bite)
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks (slice 1/2 inch rounds and then quarter)
2 T. olive oil
kosher salt
2 T. maple syrup (thank you, Cracker Barrel and your adorable leftover bottles–it’s been a long time since I’ve been to Whole Foods to get bulk maple syrup)
1/2 cup blackberries, washed and dried
1/4 cup toasted pecan pieces

dressing:
2 T. stone ground mustard
2 T. maple syrup
2 T. bacon drippings
1/4 t. garlic powder
4 T. balsamic vinegar
2 T. olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss sweet potatoes with olive oil and kosher salt, spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast sweet potatoes for 25 minutes, or until browned and tender, turning once. Drizzle maple syrup over potatoes and roast for 5 additional minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature.

For dressing: in a glass measuring cup, whisk together mustard, syrup, drippings and garlic powder. Once combined, whisk in balsamic vinegar. Finally, slowly drizzle in olive oil until dressing is smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Assemble salad:
Layer spinach, sweet potatoes, onions and blackberries. Drizzle with vinaigrette and toss to combine. Sprinkle bacon pieces and toasted pecans over top.

And the verdict…Silas told me it was the “best dinner ever!” but I think he’s becoming very adept at trying to butter mommy up.

Also, I made spaghetti pie to bring to church tomorrow for lunch. Gotta love re-purposing the leftovers! Sorry, the picture is u-g-l-y...it really did taste better than it looks! I have a lot of room for growth in my food photography! Try as you might, a fresh basil leaf sometimes does NOT dress things up enough!



Spaghetti Pie:
1 lb. spaghetti, broken into thirds, cooked al dente
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese
3 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper

4 cups leftover spaghetti sauce
(jarred marinara, 1 lb. extra lean ground beef, 8 oz. frozen spinach thawed and drained, 1/2 package sauteed, sliced baby bella mushrooms)

1 c. Italian blend shredded cheese

Stir cream cheese into warm pasta. Beat together eggs, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir into pasta until noodles are thoroughly coated. Pour into greased round casserole dish. Level out the pasta. Spread sauce mixture over pasta and top with shredded cheese. Bake, covered at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake 5-10 additional minutes or until cheese is melted and browned.