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:)

Eggs, Eye Appt, and Arizona/Duck football game

As you know we have 5 chickens.  Apparently they don't produce eggs in the winter time.  Angie and the girls put a light in the chicken coop to see if this would do anything for egg production. 



Jackpot!!









Sam rollin' with her new sunglasses



Samatha had a recent eye appointment.  We thought she would get a 5 star report because she was down to ONE eye drop a day.....unforunately her eye had regressed!  She is now back to 4 eye drops a day!!



Go Ducks!



Angie and I had the opportunity to go to the Arizona Oregon football game thanks to our good friends Greg and Regina.  We've been so blessed to have Greg and Regina as friends for such a long time.  Greg is now the AD at Arizona.  We wore the Red and Blue colors with pride and rooted for the Cats to upset Oregon. 



Go Cats!!



I feel small!!



Soccer Update

Stella played her last soccer game of the season last Saturday (Nov 13th).  Stella has never scored a goal in her soccer career.  When you are afraid of the ball it makes it more difficult to score!  With the score tied at 2-2, Stella scored the game winning goal!!  The crowd went wild (me and 4 other parents) and her teammates carried her off the field on their shoulders...well not really, but we did celebrate with a stop at Krispy Kreme donut!!

Kate keeps Angie busy

Kate is getting to the point of NOT needing an afternoon nap.  Most days Angie will have Kate go into her room for some 'quiet' time while Claire is napping.  Last week Angie put Kate down and went into the living room to relax and read a magazine.  Not long after Angie heard some noise, but chalked it up to the wind.  She didn't think much of it but continued to hear the 'wind' noise.  Curious as to what this noise was, Angie went and investigated.  She found Kate in Sam and Stella's room!!  She decided to give herself a tattoo with one of Stella's halloween stamps! 

Halloween 2010

This was the first time we went Trick Or Treating without our oldest daughter, Sam.  She was invited to her first Halloween Party--14 eleven year old girls moving in a large mob around the neighborhood.  I heard them from several blocks away! 

Kate refused to dress up with her Dragon costume, but settled on the Frog outfit that she wore the last two years!  It was a little snug.  She learned real quick that each door you knock on produced candy.  She ran from house to house, but would pull up short of the front enterance IF a SCARY CREATURE was present!  She quickly moved on to the houses that looked "normal."

Weekend with Girls

This weekend the girls and I are hanging out as Angie takes a short trip to the beach with friends!  I will try to take lots of pictures and post them.  Tonight Sam, Stella, and I are watching How To Train Your Dragon, courtesy of Nana Cheri and Papa Rob.  They were kind enough to watch the girls this afternoon while Angie headed for the beach. 

If we can make it until Sunday without a hospital trip, a missing chicken, and minimal meltdowns by everyone it should be an enjoyable weekend!

On the slate tomorrow is Stella's soccer game followed by a gigantic blanket fort we will build inside the house!  The trick will be getting the house back in normal order before the General returns Sunday. 

Additonal pictures



Former UA football coach Dick Tomey at OSU game



Beavers returning kickoff!

Claire and I typically have Breakfast together

Outfit for second round of Coast Open

Update

Several weeks have passed since last post.  Lots of action on the home front.  We've aquired 3 more chickens.  I went to Arizona to visit one of my best friends.  Stella continues to rip it up on the soccer field.  Both the girls participated in the school jog-a-thon and raised over $500.00 each for their school!!  Kate continues to go to physical therapy and is doing great!  Claire is mostly into shoes, which long term could cost me a fortune!!

Several days ago Kate said asked Angie if she could have some gummy bears and Angie said NO.  Kate then said, "oh come on Big Mamma, why can't we have gummy bears for dinner?" 

The weather has been great in Portland considering the time of year.  Angie and Kate cleared out the garden and prepped it for the winter. 

Weekend Update

We all packed up Friday night and headed to Eugene for the big Duck game!  Angie, Erin Regali, and I went to the game.  Wow, it was a great game to watch.  The stadium is SO loud.  College GameDay was in town.  Angie, Sam, and Stella got up at 5:30 AM and went.  They had a good time but everyone is tired tonight from the long weekend.  Pops and Grandma Connie watched all the grandchildren during the game.  Either Kate or Claire dumped out all the bird seed in the pantry at one point.  Pops was called in to sweep it all up, and all 6 girls watchedto make sure he did it properly!!

View from our seats after first Duck touchdown!

Weekend update

With Angie out of town my parents came up and helped out with the girls.  The girls had a great time with Grandma and Pops!  We are fortunate they are willing to help out soon much!  Nana Cheri and Papa Rob took Stella to her soccer game on Saturday morning.  Sam tagged along only because Nana and Papa brought donuts! :) Just kidding, Sam LOVES to hang out with Nana and Papa.  Stella played well, the field was very sandy so footing was difficult (according to Stella). 

Kate is recovering from some type of 'bug' yesterday.  She spent most of the day on the couch kind of in a fog, which is NOT typical Kate!  She has much more spunk today!  Claire loves her Sissy!!

Not sure if I've mentioned this before but we have chickens!  We have a very nice chicken coop and the two little rascals like to explore in there. 

Trouble makers at work!!