Weeknight Bolognese

I made this for my sister, Marcia and her fiance Franklin, when they came for dinner a few weeks ago.  Franklin loved it (isn't he sweet!) and keeps asking me for the recipe.  Here it is Franklin!  It's easy and delicious!  I adapted Ina Garten's  recipe to the ingredients that I had in my pantry.   You can find the original recipe in her new cookbook, How Easy Is That?

This made enough for dinner, and I froze a large container that later I gave to the Reamy family, a family of six.  Mom, Sara, is in Uganda!  Want to give to a great cause?  Check out Kuza!

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound ground beef

1 pound sausage (any kind- mine was a fresh pork mild Italian sausage)

4 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons dried oregano

1/4 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes (or more if you like spice)

1 cup red wine (or 2 1/2 cups, but I was running low so 1 cup was all that I had)

4 (14 oz) cans petite diced tomato [or 2 (28 oz) cans crushed tomatoes]

4 tablespoons tomato paste

salt and pepper to taste

1 1/2 pounds dried pasta, such as orecchiette or small shells

1/2 teaspoons fresh ground nutmeg

1-2 tablespoons dried basil (or 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves)

1/2 cup heavy cream (use the real stuff!!)

1 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in a large skillet.  Add the ground beef and sausage and cook, crumbling the meat with a wooden spoon until the meat has lost its pink color and has started to brown.  Stir in the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 more minute.  Pour one cup of the red wine into the skillet and stir to scrape up any browned bits.  Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, one tablespoon salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper, stirring until combined.  Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil, add a tablespoon of salt and the pasta.  Cook according to the directions on the box.

While the pasta cooks, finish the sauce.  Add the nutmeg, basil, cream, the remaining wine (if you have any left), and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened.  Add the Parmesan and toss well. 

Dinner!

Tonight I made MEAT PIES for dinner.  Terrible name!   We have to think of a better name for this yummy dinner... Any suggestions?

First chop up half of a small onion and one russet potato.

Brown 1/2 lb hamburger.  Add potato, onion, pepper, and about half a tsp each salt, basil and oregano.

Next I added a few cubes (maybe 1/4 cup) pureed spinach plus one tbls tomato paste and cook until well combined.

Now, at this point you can either use store bought bread dough (I wish I would have chosen this route today!) or you can make your own.  When I make bread, I love to use Betty Crocker's basic white bread recipe (I'll post this recipe later).  But today, Claire Bear was learning to go poopy on the potty.  So, about every five minutes she'd lock up, trying to hold her poopy, and then I'd have to stop the bread making, clean the poopy child and then sit with her in the bathroom as she cried and sat on the potty trying to go.  Finally, I begged poor Stella to help me entertain Claire.  She agreed (thank you Stella!) and I finished the meat pies.  At least dinner was good!

One loaf of bread dough will give you about six dough balls.  Flatten one dough ball and drop about 1/2 cup meat/potato mixture plus one tbls Parmesan cheese on each one top.  Fold over dough and pinch ends together.  

Beautiful!  I brushed with an egg, sprinkled with sea salt, and baked at 400 degrees on a parchment lined cookie sheet for about 18 minutes. 

Beans beans the musical fruit...

Last week I made some fabulous beans!


We ate them on Tuesday with tortillas, shredded pork, cheese, avocado and salsa.  (We love the uncooked tortillas from Costco.)  On Friday night we had them again with mashed potatoes.  Sam even asked to have them for lunch (and she is our picky one!).  They were so good that I had to share the recipe.  My friend Gina tells me to add baking soda to the soaking beans to help control the gas??  I think I'll try that next time.  

I found the recipe on one of my favorite blogs- Simple Bites.  Very good!

Frijoles Rancheros

 Ingredients:

• 2 cups dried pinto beans or any other variety dense meaty bean (I doubled it and still have some left over.  I'll freeze them for another taco night.)
• 1 onion, diced
• 4-5 pieces bacon, sliced
• 1/2 cup, packed, cilantro
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 ham hock or brisket (optional)
• Salt to taste

1. Soak 2 cups beans overnight. (Make sure to rinse your beans and rid of any dirt or small pebbles)

2. The next day, drain the beans and rinse.

3. In a thick bottomed pot or cast iron dutch oven, add the beans, onions and optional ham hock or brisket (I used two smoked pork chops).

4. Add enough water to the pot to cover the beans by 2 inches. Add salt to taste.

5. Bring to a boil.

6. Cover and drop the heat to low for 2 to 3 hours or until the beans are soft and the meat is tender and cooked through.  Throughout the cooking time, make sure to check the beans and add more water if necessary.  (My beans cooked in 2 hours.)

7. With about a half hour left of cooking time you can begin to cook down the remaining flavors of bacon, garlic and cilantro.

8. In a pan or cast iron skillet, add the sliced bacon and cook until most of its fat has been rendered.  There is no need to brown the bacon.

9. Once most of the fat has been rendered add the garlic and cilantro and cook for an additional 3 minutes.

10. Add all of the contents in the pan to the pot of beans and simmer for an additional 15 minutes to infuse the flavors.

11. If you added pork or brisket, remove from the beans, shred and set aside for tacos.

12. Serve the beans in a bowl topped with freshly grated Queso Fresco, or any other soft cheese, and cilantro.

Hope you enjoy them as well! 

Beyond Peas n Carrots!

Angie has a new friend!  Kate Moehl, a Valley preschool mom, has asked me to help with her cooking blog, www.beyondpeasncarrots.blogspot.com.  Unfortunately she gave me the task of baking, so of course I have to test these recipes!  I'll have to change my new year goal from dieting to exercising....

The first recipe I get to share is "Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies."  
You can find the recipe on Kate's blog.

I've been making these for years & they are always a favorite.  I think they are so good because they have a little more flour than most cookies (about 1/4 cup more) and I always under bake them.

I love baking with our farm fresh eggs.  Thank you Lulu, Francis, Carmel, Ariel and Beverly!

I first add the white and brown sugar and melted butter.  Then I add the egg and vanilla and whip until light and fluffy.

Next I add the baking soda, salt, flour and chocolate chips.  When mixed I drop by the spoonful onto a baking sheet and bake for about 8 minutes at 375 degrees.

The second recipe I shared was Chocolate Fudge Cake.  I found this recipe, in a now defunct magazine, many years ago. The intro claims that is a "fabulous recipe that's so well known to French women" and a "dessert that they eagerly offer to bring to dinner parties." This cake is so yummy and is made with little effort. Every time I've made it, it has been eaten with many, "YUMMMMM's" and groans of delight.  

The top of the cake is crunchy while inside is moist and chocolaty.

I first melt the chocolate and butter in my "double boiler."  I use a mixing bowl and stock pot because I don't have room to store a double boiler.  This works just as well. 

Melted chocolate and butter.  Yum!!

I then whip the eggs, sugar and flour until it is creamy and pale in color.

I then mix the chocolate mixture with the egg mixture.

The mixture is poured into an oiled loaf pan and then placed in a bain-marie (warm water bath) used for baking delicate food.

I think this picture sums up the results.  Delicious!

Random pictures of recent Regali household activity

Claire coloring 

Claire and Hurley discussing new Governer

There is always something going on at our house, always.  Since adding a puppy the action continues in the middle of the night.

Stella is very FAST!!

Kate showing her razor sharp focus

Sam tearing it up at Jog-a-Thon

Angie does a wonderful job juggling all the activities.  She finds time to make us wonderful dinners, keep us all in good moods, and keep us in good spirits when we're having a bad day!  We love you Mommy!!

Hurley

We've added a puppy to the mix!!  Hurley, is a female basset hound, 3 months old(as of 12/14/10).  She is very cute, not real bright, and leans toward the lazy side!!  We found out she loves the chickens, as you will see in the video.

Crazy Claire

Claire likes to shower ANYTIME with ANYONE.  She used to get up at 6 AM and shower with me until we put a stop to this routine.  She would shower 4 times a day if it was up to her. 

 

The girls had some friends sleep over and Kate and Claire caused some grief:)