Pasta with Quick Meat Sauce

Yum - even though this meat sauce didn't simmer for hours on the stove - it was so good! I have to remember this one when I want to have meat sauce but don't have a lot of time on my hands.  I'd say you can definitely sub in any type of pasta you enjoy, I had fettuccine so that is what I used. The leftovers are just as good the next day, or maybe even better?! Using some of the pasta cooking water is something I learned from Rachael Ray years ago. It really ties the sauce together somehow and makes a big difference. 


Pasta with Quick Meat Sauce      

Serves 4-6

Pasta with Quick Meat Sauce

ingredients

• 1 lb fettuccine pasta
• 1 Tbsp EVOO
• 1 lb Ground beef (90% lean)
• 1 onion, diced
• 14 oz can diced tomatoes (organic)
• 1/4 cup fresh oregano leaves, roughly chopped
• 1/2 Tbsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping

• Kosher Salt & Freshly Cracked Black Pepper

directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the noodles and cook according to the package instructions. Right before draining, reserve at least 1 cup of the cooking water and set aside.

2. Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the EVOO and then the beef and a pinch of salt. Cook, until brown and then scoot to the side of the pan. Add the onions, a pinch of salt and stir for about 1 minute.

3. Add the reserved cooking water to the skillet and deglaze the pan, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the tomatoes, oregano and pepper flakes and bring to a simmer.

4. Toss the pasta with the meat sauce with the Parmesan. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Top each serving with a bit more Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Michael Simon.

Shrimp & Kielbasa Packets

This recipe sounded a bit odd - the ingredients didn't seem like they would flow together, so I made it a bit hesitantly. To my pleasant surprise, it turned out pretty tasty. I used beef kielbasa versus chorizo (we just haven't found a cured chorizo that we like) so I wasn't sure how it would turn out. But, we both enjoyed the new flavors this dish brought to the table.

Shrimp & Kielbasa Packets      

Serves 2

Shrimp & Kielbasa Packets

ingredients

• 1/2 lb shelled & deveined large shrimp
• 1/4 lb beef kielbasa, sliced
• 2 Tbsp fresh oregano
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 7 oz diced tomatoes with juices
• Grated zest and juice of 1 orange
• 2 Tbsp EVOO

• Kosher Salt & Freshly Cracked Black Pepper

directions

1. Preheat oven to 425º.

2. Lay out 2 large pieces of foil. In the center, divide the ingredients between the two. Bring up all 4 corners of the foil and begin to form a pouch. Tightly seal each packet. Place on a baking sheet and then place in the oven.

3. Bake the packets 15 minutes.

Remove and serve with warm crusty bread for mopping.

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Michael Simon.

Spaghetti with Olive Oil, Garlic & Red Pepper Flakes

This was yet another quick meal to remember when I wanna throw something together fast - this really came out delicious and paired with a simple salad it was just perfect. Yes, it doesn't have any meat, but it has loads of flavor! I used whole wheat spaghetti - it's just what I had in the pantry but you can use any type of pasta with this recipe. The garlic infuses the oil and creates super powers that coat each noodle so that they just do a little dance on your tongue. :-P

Spaghetti with Olive Oil, Garlic & Red Pepper Flakes      

Serves 4-6

Spaghetti with Olive Oil, Garlic & Red Pepper Flakes

ingredients

• 1 lb whole wheat spaghetti
• 1/4 cup EVOO
• 5 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 Tbsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 Tbsp butter

• Kosher Salt & Freshly Cracked Black Pepper

directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions. Right before draining reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water and set aside.

2. Place a skillet over low heat and add the EVOO and garlic. Cook until the garlic becomes fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and the reserved pasta water to the garlic. Increase the heat and bring to a simmer.

3. Toss the sauce with the cooked pasta, stirring until the noodles are coated evenly. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, parsley and Parmesan cheese. Toss the noodles until they are coated.

Serve with a simple salad.

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Michael Simon.

Roasted Chicken Drumsticks

I found this recipe online and it turned out to be quite a success... I changed the recipe just a bit as shown below. I added some fresh veggies and potatoes to create a wonderfully comforting Sunday dinner. I prefer to make pieces of chicken versus a whole chicken if it is just going to be the two of us because chicken just isn't good as leftovers to us. Most of the ingredients to make this recipe are staples and can be made on a whim if you already have the chicken.

Roasted Chicken Drumsticks      

Serves 4

ingredients

• 1/2 stick butter
• Juice & Zest of 1 lemon
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 5 Chicken drumsticks

• Kosher Salt & Freshly Cracked Black Pepper

directions

1. Preheat oven to 450º. Melt the butter in a saucepan with the lemon juice/zest, S&P, cayenne and garlic, stir to combine. Set aside.

2. Rinse and pat the chicken dry. Dip the chicken in the butter mixture and place on a metal rack on a baking sheet. Baste the legs with any remaining butter mixture. Bake for 35 minutes, turning once during cooking.

3. Remove and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

I served these with some leftover mashed potatoes and freshly roasted asparagus.

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Pioneer Woman.

Pizza Bagels

What's not to love about bagels and pizza, well put them together and you have a quick delicious meal on your hands. We had some everything bagels from Costco in the freezer so for a quick cheap meal I threw these together and they were fantastic. We had some olives that we threw on there as well, but you can put anything you'd like as toppings or just do cheese.

Pizza Bagels      

Serves 2-4

Everything Pizza Bagels

ingredients

• 2 everything bagels
• Shredded mozzarella cheese
• Marinara Sauce (I had some frozen homemade that I used)
• dried oregano, crushed red pepper flakes

• Kosher Salt & Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
• Black olives, sliced
• Jalapeno, thinly sliced

directions

Preheat oven to 375º. Spread some sauce on each bagel half, then seasonings to taste, toppings of choice and finish with some cheese. Place on an oiled baking sheet and cook for 15 -20 minutes until the cheese is melty and the bagel is toasted and crispy.

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Me.

Penne with Broccoli, Cheddar & Bacon

This turned out to be such a great weeknight meal, the 5 in 5 cookbook really has been a great investment. I've been using it a lot lately, and it has turned our weeknight meals into less prep, money & time but lots of great dishes.

This dinner is a play on broccoli with cheese, only it has a few more ingredients to kick that dish up about 10 notches. I made the full batch to have some leftover for lunch. You could serve a salad and bread with this or just the pasta all by its lonesome. I used walnuts in place of pine nuts because they are cheaper and just as yummy to us.

Penne with Broccoli, Cheddar & Bacon      

Serves 4-6

Penne with Broccoli, Cheddar & Bacon

ingredients

• 1 lb penne pasta
• 1 head broccoli, cut into bite size florets
• 1 tbsp EVOO
• 6 slices thick apple wood smoked bacon, diced
• 3/4 cup roughly chopped walnuts
• 1 1/2 cups sharp aged cheddar, shredded, plus more for topping
• 1 tbsp crushed red pepper flakes

• Kosher Salt & Freshly Cracked Black Pepper

directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package directions. (until al dente). Reserve 1 cup cooking water and drain the pasta.

2. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crispy. Remove from skillet with a slotted spoon and drain paper towel lined plate. Drain the bacon grease from the skillet and add the EVOO, broccoli and nuts. Cook for 1-2 minutes until nuts are light golden brown.

3. Add the bacon back to the skillet and toss. Add 1 cup reserved pasta water to the skillet and deglaze the pan. Cook for 1 minute then reduce the heat to low and stir in the cheese & red pepper flakes. When cheese has melted and in fully incorporated add the cooked pasta. Stir until well combined and serve with more cheese on top.

Note: if the sauce seems too thick then just add a few more splashes of the pasta cooking water until it's the consistency you want. I saved 2 cups for that reason. I just ladle the pasta water out into a glass measuring cup right before I drain the pasta for these type of dishes.

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Michael Simon.

Grilled Swordfish and Pepper Salad

One word about this meal... YUM! Oh wow this dinner was fantastic... we both really enjoyed it. It was very simple to make with very few ingredients but full of flavorama! The swordfish came out perfectly cooked on our charcoal grill. The pepper salad had a hint of spice to it but also lots of sweetness behind the tangy vinaigrette. You could probably sub in any type of fish but if you haven't tried swordfish, you must give it a whirl!

Grilled Swordfish and Pepper Salad      

Serves 2

Grilled Swordfish and Pepper Salad

ingredients

• 2 Swordfish Steaks (5 oz each)
• 6 Tbsp EVOO
• 3 Tbsp sherry vinegar
• 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1/2 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1 jalapeno, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced

• Kosher Salt & Freshly Cracked Black Pepper

directions

1. Preheat a grill to high heat.

2. Season the fish on both sides with EVOO, S&P and place on grill. Cover and cook until nicely charred and fish released from the grill, about 3 minutes. Flip, cover and cook until cooked through, about 2 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, make the salad by whisking the oil and vinegar, S&P until combined. Toss with the onions, peppers and basil. Set aside until ready to serve.

4. Serve the fish with the salad and a few spoonfuls of the vinaigrette on top of the fish.

Enjoy!

This recipe was adapted from Michael Simon.