Italian Spaghetti and Meatballs

"He that can have patience can have what he will." ~Benjamin Franklin 


Man, is this ever true.  Life has been pretty good to me, and in retrospect, I believe that it's partly due to the fact that I have always had enough patience to wait for the right people, the right timing, or right ideas to come to me.  This isn't to say that I have been completely passive over the years... I've worked hard, I've pursued my goals and dreams, but if I hit a roadblock, patience was always the vehicle that found the necessary detours to bigger and better things. 


For those of you who follow this blog, you know that I lost my job at the end of the last school year.  After seven years with the same district, I was another victim of our depressed economy.  Once the pain and shock wore off, I set my mind to finding and beginning the next chapter in my life.  I told myself that I had fulfilled my purpose for this period of time, and that now must be the time for me to help other students elsewhere.  Never have I claimed to be a follower of any particular religion, but I do believe that there is a Plan for all of us; and if we are patient enough, we will all hear the calling we are meant to hear. 


(Suuuuurre.  It's easy for me to say this now. But when I was interviewed, then subsequently denied, by several other districts, it wasn't very easy to sit back and wait for the Plan to happen!) 


As it turned out, I did land another teaching job, one that is very different than my old experiences.  But it's a new beginning with fresh new faces, philosophies, and challenges; one that has given me more opportunities to mentor young adults and share my love of reading, writing, and learning.  Patience persevered again. 


So to celebrate patience, here's a simple (yet time-consuming) recipe that has landed a permanent spot in my recipe box.  All good things come to those who wait, and you will have a delicious meal (or three!) if you're willing to wait a couple of hours for dinner. 


Source: allrecipes.com


Ingredients


Sauce: 
1/2 onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c. olive oil
2 (28oz.) cans whole, peeled tomatoes
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 bay leaf
1 (6oz.) can of tomato paste
3/4 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper


Meatballs: 
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 c. bread crumbs
1 T. dried parsley
1 T. grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1 egg, beaten


Directions:


For the meatballs-- 


1.  Combine all ingredients and mix well with hands. 
2.  Separate and roll into 12 large balls. 
3.  Refrigerate (covered) till needed. 


For the sauce-- 
1.  Saute onion and garlic in olive oil over medium-high heat till onion is translucent. 
2.  Stir in tomatoes, salt, sugar, and bay leaf.  Bring to a boil. Reduce to low, simmering for 90 minutes. 
3.  Stir in tomato paste, basil, pepper, and meatballs.  Simmer another 30 minutes. 


Verdict: Keeper! 


This is one of those meals you can make on a Sunday and reheat multiple times for quick meals on busy weeknights, because the flavors blend so well over time.  


If I change anything, I may try Italian breadcrumbs instead of the plain.  

Jambalaya

Some friends of ours live in St. Louis.  Every year, a group of us from Cincinnati make the trek to visit them for the second-largest Mardi Gras Parade in the nation.  Being a teacher, it's hard to make arrangements to call off of work in the middle of the school year; so more often than not, we can't attend.  But this year, it just so happens that I have a 4-day weekend built into the school calendar the same weekend as the annual Mardi Gras festivities.  

And whenever I think of Mardi Gras, I think of jambalaya. 

Let me be clear about something-- I am an absolute WIMP when it comes to spice! So when I found a recipe that only used 1/8 tsp. of cayenne pepper, I figured this would be a safe start. 

And it is.  The combination of meats, rice, and veggies in this dish are delicious.  It's a lot of prep work, which is why I classify it under "Sunday Meals" (when else do you have the time to do all that chopping??) But in the end you have a one-pot meal that will feed you for a couple of meals that tastes great.  What more could a girl ask for?

Modified from allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

2 T. olive oil

1/2 onion, chopped

1/2 green bell pepper, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced (I used the prepared minced garlic I keep in the fridge)

2 carrots, sliced

1 stalk celery, sliced

3-4 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

1 lb. smoked sausage, sliced

1 can of diced tomatoes

32-oz. carton of chicken broth (Next time, I will cut this in half. The end result was too wet.)

2 c. long grain, uncooked white rice

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/8 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

1/2 lb. uncooked shrimp

Directions:

In a large pot (I used my cast-iron Dutch oven), heat oil over medium-high heat.  Add green pepper, onion, carrots, celery and garlic and saute till onions are soft.

Add chicken to mixture and brown. 

Add broth and bring to a boil.

Once boiling, add rice, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 10 minutes.  After 10 minutes, stir, and add shrimp.  Cover and cook for 10 more minutes.

Verdict:

Definitely a keeper... but I need to cut the broth down to 2 cups.  Also, I may try to add more seasoning (either more cayenne, or some Cajun blend seasoning).

Roast Chicken with Rosemary

This recipe makes me happy in so many ways.   First off, it's delicious.  Second, it makes the whole house smell fantastic.  Third, when it comes out of the oven, for a brief moment I feel like a real cook! :) 

It looks like a picture-- well, at least it looks better in real life than it does in my crummy photo. No matter how many times I make it, it always makes me proud (and my husband happy!)

Adapted from allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

1 whole ("fryer") chicken

1 onion, quartered

Fresh Rosemary (several sprigs, chopped)

Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper, and Poultry Seasoning, to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Rinse and pat dry a whole chicken.  Make sure nothing is in the cavity. Place bird in a shallow baking dish or roasting pan.

Stuff cavity with onion and rosemary

Drizzle a little bit of olive oil on chicken, rub all over (a little bit goes a LONG way!)

Season with salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning. 

Roast chicken for 20 minutes per pound or till juices run clear (use a meat thermometer to be exact)

Remove from oven and let stand for 5-10 minutes. 

Pot Roast with Veggies

I was at the grocery store today picking up "everyday" items when it dawned on me:  I had carrots, onion, and celery left over in the fridge from a few days ago that needed to be used.  In my world, celery + carrots + onion = pot roast materials.  So, I browsed online and found one from one of my favorite blogs, elly says opa! Most of the ingredients are the same as hers, but since I don't have a food scale, I don't do "pounds" of potatoes... I have to count.  :)


Ingredients:

3-4 lb. pot roast
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3-4 celery stalks, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp. tomato paste
3/4 c. red wine
32 oz. beef broth
1 tsp. dried rosemary
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 bay leaf
4 potatoes, peeled and cut into large "chunks" (smaller than quartered :))
4 carrots, peeled and chopped into pieces
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Season the roast with salt and pepper, then sear in the oil on all sides.  Remove the roast and set aside.  Add garlic, onions, and celery.  Saute till tender.  Add tomato paste, and cook till browned (1-2 minutes).

Deglaze with red wine (If you're like me and had to look up the word "deglaze," I'll save you the trouble:  it means to add liquid to a saute pan, bringing up the heat to simmer it down into a saucier version of what was orginially there, all while scraping up the browned bits left on the bottom of the pan.  You can thank me later :))

Add beef broth, salt, and pepper (to taste).  Place roast back into the Dutch oven.  Add rosemary, thyme, and bay leaf.  Bring to a boil, cover, and place into the oven.  Cook for 3 hours-- turn the roast occasionally.

Add potatoes, carrots, and mushrooms, stirring so all veggies are covered with some cooking liquid. Cook for another 45 minutes to an hour, until veggies are soft. 

Remove pot roast and veggies from the Dutch oven.  Meanwhile, place the pot over high heat and reduce the liquid to thicken.  Serve sauce over meat and vegetables. 

Enjoy!

Verdict: Keeper, with revision

Cooking this was an adventure-- another way to play with my cast iron Dutch oven. Plus, I had to look up what "deglazing" meant! Most everything went according to plan, with the exception of my main veggies. My potatoes and carrots ended up being underdone. So, when I make this again (and trust me, it will be made again) I'll have to cook it longer to give me the mushier potatoes I crave when I want pot roast. Either that or cut them into smaller chunks. Either way, the flavor was perfect... now I just need to work on my timing (i.e. "patience!")

Beef Barley Soup

This was my first soup.

Ever.
After receiving a cast iron Dutch oven as a wedding gift (which, by the way, I had no idea I even needed till I asked some experienced cooks) I was on the hunt for a good winter soup-- you know, something that I could cook on a Sunday while I was busy with homework and household chores. Cooking Light had a recipe that sounded most like what I wanted, but I added some more liquid to get a good, brothy soup instead of a stew. Also, since I'm too cheap to spend money on stew meat, I used center cut beef shanks, trimming beforehand and cutting into bite-sized pieces towards the end.
Honestly, I cannot tell you how excited I was to have this turn out so great on the first try! My husband had never tried beef barley soup before, so it was important to me that this one made a good impression. This recipe is definitely a keeper.

Ingredients:

2 Beef Shanks (about 2 lbs. total)

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

2 cups chopped leek (about 4 medium leeks)

2 cups chopped carrot

4 cloves garlic, minced

3 cups water

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

4 bay leaves

2 32oz. cartons beef broth

1 cup uncooked pearl barley


Heat a large Dutch oven on medium-high heat. Add the oil.
While the oil is warming, trim any fat from the beef shanks. After trimming, brown the shanks on both sides. Remove from the pan.
Add the leeks, carrots, and garlic and saute till lightly browned. (You may need to add a little extra oil) Return the shanks to the pan, along with the water, salt, thyme, pepper, bay leaves, and beef broth.
Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until meat begins to fall from the bone.
When meat is cooked through, remove from pan and cut into bite-sized pieces. Replace meat into the pan. Add barley, and simmer for 30-40 minutes (or till the barley is tender).
Remove bay leaves, serve, and enjoy!

Verdict: KeeperDirections: