Spaghetti Bolognese

You ever have one of those days when you can't decide what to make? I defrosted some ground turkey and didn't want to make the usual meatloaf. Then I remembered the dish someone had ordered at this Italian restaurant my husband  and I went to on Friday night. Spaghetti Bolognese is what it looked like to me, but at the time I had my sights set on something else on the menu. But today is a different day, and Spaghetti Bolongese is the perfect end to a perfect, albeit short, weekend. So here's how you make it. (I took the recipe from Emeril live and modified it a bit).

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. olive oil

3 cups finely chopped onions

1 cup finely chopped celery

1 cup finely chopped carrots

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 pounds ground turkey

1 tsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. dried parsley

1 tsp fresh rosemary (finely chopped)

2 teaspoons salt

2 bay leaves

1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste

1 1/2 cup water

1/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

1 cup extra dry vermouth

1/2 cup evaporated milk

In a large stockpot, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the onions to the pot and saute until soft, about 3 minutes. Stir the celery, carrots and garlic into the pot and cook until the vegetables are wilted, about 3 minutes. Add the ground turkey to the vegetables, stirring to mix and break up the meat, and cook until starting to brown and no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Season the meat with the herbs (fresh and dried), and salt, to taste.


Add all remaining ingredients except the milk and cheese, lower the heat and simmer uncovered until thickened, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours, stirring from time to time. Immediately prior to serving, add the milk and cheese to the sauce and stir well to incorporate. Serve with capellini, top with grated parmigiano and garnish with fresh basil.



P.S. You'll notice on the labels to this post I added "beef" as a category because technically this dish is really made with beef and is totally interchangeable with turkey.

Mama's Macaroni

When I was really little my favorite dish was my Mama's Macaroni. Nothing made my day more than when my mom asked me what I wanted for dinner, and I knew she would make Macaroni. I don't know why this was my favorite... there wasn't anything really special about it. But there were a few times that I got in trouble for sticking my hand in the pot after everyone had eaten dinner. Maybe I needed something to remind me of home today. I was in Miami the week before last and the time went by too fast. I always go through a "withdrawal" period after I go home to visit or family comes to visit me. Mama's macaroni was just the thing I needed today to help me feel like I was back home. So here's how you make it.

Ingredients:
1 box macaroni or other short pasta like rotini
1 onion
1/4 green pepper
1/4 red pepper
5 cloves garlic
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 cans tomato sauce (8 oz. cans)
2 tbsp. Ketchup
1/2 cup white wine
1/3 lb. Turkey ham ( my mom used regular ham, but since i don't eat pork this is the best substitute)
6 slices American Cheese
Salt to taste



First add the macaroni to a pot of boiling water. Next chop the onions, red and green peppers, garlic and turkey ham and add it to a pot with some olive oil. Cook until browned. Next add the tomato sauce, ketchup and the white wine. The next thing you will do is add the cheese to the sauce and stir to incorporate well. By this time the macaroni should be cooked. Drain in a colander.  Then add the macaroni to the sauce and delicately combine.

Serve and top with grated cheese and eat up!