Spaghetti with Quick Meat Sauce

As a wedding gift, I got the pasta maker attachment for my KitchenAid stand mixer. It could easily be one of those gadgets that languishes in the cupboard collecting dust, but surprisingly, I use it quite regularly. It's usually pulled out when I'm making something for company, but since that hasn't happened in awhile, I thought it would be a treat for T and I to enjoy some fresh pasta.

Since the process of making pasta though is a little lengthy, the idea of a quick sauce to go with it sounded brilliant. What was also amazing about this sauce is that it's an easy vehicle to hide veggies in for unsuspecting picky diners (I'm looking at you, Dad). The second time I made this, I added red and yellow peppers and it was even better.


Spaghetti with Quick Meat Sauce
Serves 4

Ingredients

• 12 ounces spaghetti
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3/4 pound extra lean ground beef
• kosher salt and pepper
• 1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan

Directions

• Cook the pasta according to package directions
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, garlic and cook, stirring occasionally until soft, about 8-10 minutes
• Increase heat to medium high. Add the beef, 3/4 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp ground black pepper and cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon until no longer pink; about 5 minutes. 
• Add the tomatoes and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, about five minutes. Add the parsley.
• Serve the pasta with the sauce and sprinkle with the parmesan

Stuffed Shells with Ground Beef

Another wonderful make-ahead dinner is stuffed shells with ground beef. I have made a similar dish with ricotta and spinach and the premise is the same -- make ahead and bake what you need. Perfect for a healthy weeknight meal.

These are hearty shells, full of ground beef and loads of cheese. Serving them with sour cream is decadent and it's almost like eating a plate of nachos. In fact, my dad, who shared this recipe, even tops them with crumpled nacho chips for an added crunchy texture.

Stuffed Shells with Ground Beef
Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 pound extra lean ground beef
• 6 ounces Philadelphia cream cheese, at room temperature cut into cubes (3/4 of a box of cream cheese)
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1 package of Taco seasoning (make as directed with a cup of water to mix)
• 1 cup cheddar cheese
• 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese
• 20 large pasta shells

Directions

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F
• In a large saute pan, cook ground beef and drain off fat
• Add cubed cream cheese, chili powder and mixed taco sauce. Help the cream cheese to blend by pressing on it with a spoon
• Let simmer gently but don't boil off the taco sauce, keep it fairly runny
• Meanwhile, cook 20 pasta shells, then strain under cold water
• Use a soup spoon to stuff each shell carefully (open the shell in the palm of your hand with the points between your thumb and little finger, spoon in mixture with the other hand. This is easiest if the mixture is cooled, too)
• Place each shell in a buttered, oven proof dish meat side up
• Cover and cook for at least 15 minutes (if just out of the fridge, cook for about 30 minutes)
• Remove from oven and cover with cheeses and broil until cheese is bubbling
• Serve with sour cream

Roast Beef with Shallot Gravy

On Sunday nights, I like to spend time in the kitchen. I could be happy in there all afternoon making a nice dinner and dessert for my family. When choosing my recipe, I consider a few things: is this something I need a good chunk of time to cook? Is this something I could make during the week? Will there be leftovers? Will it be worth it?

For this one, the answers were yes, no, yes and yes. In a nutshell, it took a while, it was worth it and there were definitely leftovers.

The gravy was warm and delicious, the roasted shallots a perfect texture and flavour for this dish. It really takes the traditional meat and potatoes dinner up a few notches.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds beef tenderloin
• 7-8 shallots, halved lengthwise and peeled
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cups beef broth
• 3/4 red wine
• 1 1/2 tsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 2 tbsp flour
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a 9" pie plate, toss shallots with half the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast shallots until they are a deep brown colour and very tender, stirring occassionally. About 30 minutes.
• Pat beef dry and sprinkle with thyme, salt and pepper. In a large roasting pan, coat with the remaining olive oil and brown beef on all sides on medium to high heat.
• Transfer pan to oven and roast beef for about 30 minutes per pound. Transfer to platter and tent loosely with foil.
• While beef is cooking, in a large pot, comine beef broth and wine. Bring to a boil. Cook over high heat until the volume is reduced by half; about 30 minutes. Whisk in tomato paste and set aside.
• Once beef is finished, place roasting pan over high heat on stove top. Add broth mixture and bring to a boil; stir to scrape up any browned bits. Transfer to a medium sauce pan and bring to a simmer.
• Mix 1 1/2 tbsp butter and flour in a small bowl to form smooth paste; whisk into broth and simmer until sauce thickens. Whisk in remaining butter. Stir in roasted shallots.
• Cut beef into 1/2 inch slices. Spoon sauce over beef.

Recipe adapted from http://www.allrecipes.com/

Speedy Beef Stroganoff

Beef stroganoff is one of my favourite meals. It's one of those meals that I could enjoy all the time, and now that I know how to make it, I just might. 

This is easy to make, and not that expensive. It makes a solid four portions, which is what I look for on a weeknight that I can get two nights out of it. You could use various cuts of meat, but I actually just grabbed a package of beef stirfry strips, which meant that they were pre-cut and quick to cook.

Give this a try on a weeknight. You won't regret it.

Ingredients

• 1 lb beef or pork tenderloin, sliced into one inch strips
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 cups sliced mushrooms
• 1 1/4 cups beef stock
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 tsp worcestershire sauce
• 3 tsp butter
• two green onions
• pkg of egg noodles

Directions

• In a large pan, melt 1 tsp butter a cook onion for about 4 minutes until tender.

• Add beef/pork strips and cook until no longer pink, about 5 or 6 minutes.

• Remove onion and meat from pan. Melt remaining butter in same pan and cook mushrooms on medium heat for about 3 or 4 minutes.

• In another bowl, mix beef stock, sour cream, dijon mustard and worcestershire sauce.

• Add meat and onion back into pan and pour stock mixture over it. 

• Let simmer for a few minutes. 

• Pour over rice or egg noodles and sprinkle with green onion.

Print recipe for Speedy Beef Stroganoff

Stuffed Peppers

I tend to over-buy vegetables. I get overly ambitious about the things I'm going to make, and it's not uncommon to have casualties in my fridge; poor vegetables that have been ignored and unused. 


So last week when I was at the farmer's market, and I came home with four peppers (which would be keeping the two peppers I already had in the fridge, company), T told me that I needed to use them asap. 


A quick search of my freezer, fridge and cupboards showed that I had all the ingredients of stuffed peppers -- a family fave. I defrosted some beef I purchased for lasagna, grabbed a can of tomatoes, dug up some rice and got set to cook!


These stuffed peppers are a meal in themselves -- a giant pepper stuffed with meat, tomatoes and rice. I am often perplexed about what to serve as a side with them because they simply don't need anything else, but they look lost on the plate. I'm open to suggestions! In the meantime, enjoy the peppers.




Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground beef (or chicken or turkey)
• 1 28 oz can of tomatoes (diced, stewed, whole, whatever)
• 1/2 cup rice
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp garlic
• 1 tbsp butter
• four peppers, tops cut off and insides scooped out
• 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

Directions

In a pan, melt the butter and sautee the onion and garlic.

Add the ground meat and cook until no longer pink.


Drain off fat.


Add can of tomatoes, rice and chili powder. Simmer for about 25 minutes until rice is cooked.


While cooking, prepare peppers by cutting tops off and scooping out insides.


Let meat mixture cool slightly, then stuff peppers, right to top.


Cook at 325 degrees, covered with foil, for 90 minutes, or until peppers are soft.


Uncover and sprinkle with cheese and broil for 5 more minutes until cheese is bubbly.


Serve with a dollop of sour cream.




Print recipe for Stuffed Peppers

Classic Lasagna

A classic lasagna is something everyone should have in their cooking repertoire, but who knew it was so easy?

This recipe is my mom's traditional lasagna and while it's not difficult to make, it's what my mom calls "fiddley." Honestly, I don't know what that means, but this recipe is easy, delicious and easily feeds 14 people.

I made this in a 10 x 20 pan, but you could easily half it for a couple of weeknight dinners and you can also freeze individual pieces for a healthy frozen entree that lasts for three months.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground beef (I used extra lean)
• 1 medium onion
• 2 jars of your favourite tomato sauce (I used Presidents Choice primavera)
• 3 tsp each of basil and oregano
• 10 lasagna noodles
• 2 tubs ricotta cheese
• 2 eggs
• 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions


Chop onion and put in large pot. Add ground beef and cook until no longer pink -- about 15 minutes. Drain liquid off.

Add both jars of tomato sauce, basil and oregano. Let simmer for flavours to meld.

In a pot of salted, boiling water, cook 10 lasagna noodles. Drain and rinse with cold water.

Put each tub of ricotta in a separate bowl and mix in an egg into each.

Start to assemble layers in a buttered lasagna pan:

• place five noodles as the bottom layer
• spread one tub of ricotta across layers of noodles
• spread half of meat
• spread 1/2 of shredded mozzarella cheese
• top with five more noodles
• spread other tub of ricotta
• spread other half of meat
• top with remaining cheese

(bottom layer of noodles)

(noodles with ricotta)

Bake covered with tinfoil for 60 minutes at 325 degrees. Bake uncovered for another 30 minutes. Take out when cheese is brown and bubbling.

Download a printable recipe for Classic Lasagna