Savory Meat Sauce

Sometimes, I crave a hearty, comforting and fulfilling meal.  What better way to meet all of these than with a delicious pasta.  This meat sauce is savory, full of flavor and has a bit of kick to it because well, I like to spice everything up! If you don't want spicy, tone down of totally omit the use of the pepper flakes.  The longer this sauce simmers, the more the flavors will develop and marry together.  Serve over your favorite pasta variety and this can stand on it's own or pair nicely with a green salad.  Happy Eating!

Savory Meat Sauce
Makes 6 servings
Time 1 1/2 hours

Ingredients:
1 medium white or yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 lb ground sirloin
2 1/2 tsp dried basil (or 1/3 cup fresh chopped)
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes with onion and garlic
28 oz can tomato sauce

Directions:
Heat sauce pot over medium-high heat.  Add onion and garlic and cook until soft.  Add beef and cook until no longer pink.

Stir in remaining ingredients mixing together until sauce is bubbling. Turn heat down to low, cover and simmer for an hour, stirring occasionally.

While sauce cooks, cook pasta.  Serve sauce over pasta and sprinkle with cheese - voila!

P.S. I only took a picture of the sauce, not the whole plate... I was hungry!

Choc Full of Veggies Soup

I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to study abroad my junior year in college.  I spent a semester living in Rome, Italy, and it was during that time that my interest and love for cooking started.  I had three other roommates, two of them were excellent cooks and would teach me some of the basics of cooking.  It is easy when in Rome because the Italian lifestyle and shopping norms make it very convenient to shop fresh and shop often.  There are fresh farmers markets each morning where you can but all kinds of meats, breads, produce and cheeses.  Che Bello!

Occasionally when I wanted a healthy and very easy meal, I would go to the supermarket and buy their frozen veggie mix sold as vegetable soup.  Here, I made my version, a mixture of frozen, fresh and canned vegetables with some chicken sausage added for protein and pasta added for carbs and to fill me up :-) Without further ado, the recipe:

Choc Full of Veggies Soup
Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 large onion diced
1 zucchini chopped into bite sized pieces
2 yellow squash chopped into bite sized pieces
2 cups broccoli, stems removed and separated into small pieces
1 can diced tomatoes with basil, oregano and garlic
1 can diced tomatoes
1 small package Italian style frozen vegetables
32 oz vegetable or chicken broth
1 package Italian style chicken sausage, sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
1 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup small shells pasta
Shredded Parmesan


Directions:
Heat large pot over medium high heat.  Saute garlic, onion, zucchini and squash about 4 minutes.  Add broccoli and continue to saute for 2 minutes.  Add tomatoes, frozen veggies, broth and sausage and bring to a boil.  Turn heat down to low and simmer for about 45 minutes to an hour or until flavors have developed and vegetables are soft.

While soup cooks, boil pasta, drain and set aside.

To serve, put scoop or pasta in bowl and top with soup, sprinkle with Parmesan cheese - buon appetito!

Peanut Butter Fudge

This was our first holiday season as homeowners.  It was really fun to be in a home, and also overwhelming.  I've realized it will take lots of time to gather decorations to fill a house.  I wanted to do something nice and homemade to give our surrounding neighbors.  After looking up LOTS of cookie and candy recipes, I finally decided to make fudge.  An easy, no baking required treat that I could package in a cute jar and leave on unsuspecting doorsteps.  I ended up choosing to make Peanut Butter Fudge using the recipe on the back of the Nestle Tollhouse peanut butter and milk chocolate morsel package.  It was a hit! See below for the recipe from the package and link to the Nestle site where recipe and variations are provided.

I bought cute containers at a craft store and tied with red ribbon.  

I also made a label for the front.

Nestle Peanut Butter Fudge
Makes 24 servings (2 pieces each)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup (5 fl oz) evaporated milk
2 Tablespoons Butter
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 11 oz package Nestle peanut butter and milk chocolate chip morsels
1/2 cup chopped peanuts
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
Line 8 inch square baking dish with foil or parchment paper

Combine sugar, milk, butter and salt in medium saucepan.  Bring to rolling boil, stirring constantly.  Boil for 4-5 minutes, make sure to keep stirring the whole time.  Note: use long handled spoon, it gets HOT!

Stir in Marshmallows, morsels, peanuts and vanilla extract until all melts together.  Pour into prepared pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or longer.  Once hardened, remove from pan and remove foil or paper and cut into 48 pieces.