Weeknight Bolognese

I love Bolognese sauce, but I don't like the time that it usually takes to make it. This recipe was great because it was delicious, easy and quick!

Source:http://stylishcuisine.com originally adapted from How Easy Is That by Ina Garten


Ingredients:
2 tablespoons good olive oil, plus extra to cook pasta
1 pound lean ground sirloin
4 teaspoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
1 tablespoon dried oregano
¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 ¼ cups dry red wine, divided ( I used beef stock because I hate wine)
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes, preferably San Marzano ( I used off brand, it was still good)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Kosher salt and black pepper
¾ pound dried pasta, such as orecchiette or small shells ( I used whole wheat)
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves, lightly packed ( I omitted)
¼ cup heavy cream ( I used half-and-half)
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

Directions:
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large (12 inch) skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, crumbling the meat until the meat is no longer pink and has started to brown. Add the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 more minute. Pour 1 cup of the wine into the skillet and stir to scrape up any browned bits. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 1/2 tablespoon salt, and 1 ½ teaspoons pepper, stirring until combined. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the directions on the box.
Finish the sauce while the pasta cooks. Add the nutmeg, basil, cream, and the remaining ¼ cup wine to the sauce and simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened. When the pasta is cooked, drain and pour into a large serving bowl. Add the sauce and ½ cup Parmesan and toss well. Serve hot with Parmesan on the side.
Yield: 4 – 5 servings

Swedish Meatballs

My husband requested that I make Swedish Meatballs over the weekend. I guess he misses going to Ikea! This is a very easy recipe, just a bit time consuming. It was really pretty good. I didn't really love it, but I am a picky eater and I don't care for things that contain sauce or gravy as a main ingredient, but I ate it. I just used very little gravy.

Source: http://foodnetwork.com/altonbrown

Ingredients:
2 slices fresh white bread ( I used whole wheat)
1/4 cup milk
3 tablespoons clarified butter, divided
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
A pinch plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 pound ground chuck ( I used 1 pound)
3/4 pound ground pork ( I omitted)
2 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups beef broth
1/4 cup heavy cream ( I used half-and-half)
1 package of egg noodles, cooked ( my addition)


Directions:
Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.
Tear the bread into pieces and place in a small mixing bowl along with the milk. Set aside.
In a 12-inch straight sided saute pan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and sweat until the onions are soft. Remove from the heat and set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the bread and milk mixture, ground chuck, pork, egg yolks, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, black pepper, allspice, nutmeg, and onions. Beat on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes. ( I just mixed by hand)
Using a scale, weigh meatballs into 1-ounce portions and place on a sheet pan. Using your hands, shape the meatballs into rounds.
Heat the remaining butter in the saute pan over medium-low heat, or in an electric skillet set to 250 degrees F. Add the meatballs and saute until golden brown on all sides, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the meatballs to an ovenproof dish using a slotted spoon and place in the warmed oven.
Once all of the meatballs are cooked, decrease the heat to low and add the flour to the pan or skillet. Whisk until lightly browned, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add the beef stock and whisk until sauce begins to thicken. Add the cream and continue to cook until the gravy reaches the desired consistency. Remove the meatballs from the oven, cover with the gravy and serve. ( I know it is nontraditional, but I served these over egg noodles to make it more filling.)

Turkey Meatballs with Quick Tomato Cream Sauce

My husband loves meatballs, but I don't make them too often because they usually have a lot of calories and are somewhat time consuming. I bookmarked this recipe a few weeks ago because it looked pretty simple and healthier than a normal meatball. It was pretty good. I really think that the carrots made a nice addition to the turkey because it gave it some much needed moisture. I also loved the sauce. I think it may be my go to sauce recipe from now on. Note:
The recipe states that it serves 6, but I don't think that there was enough sauce even for the three of us. There were a ton of meatballs though. I will definitely double the sauce next time I make it.

Source: http://evilshenanigans.com

Serves 6

Sauce:
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 c diced onion
1 garlic clove, minced or grated
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 12 oz can diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2tsp thyme
1/2 tsp oregano
2 tsp fresh basil, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 c heavy cream (fat free half-and-half)

Meatballs:
1 pound lean ground turkey
2/3 c grated carrots
1/2 c finely diced onion
1/4 c bread crumbs
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 egg
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/3 c freshly grated Parmesan
1 pound pasta

Directions:
For the sauce, heat the oil over med-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, about three minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant.
Add the diced tomatoes with the liquid and stir to combine. Add the sugar, herbs except the basil and salt then bring to a simmer.
Put the mixture in a blender, along with the basil and process until smooth, about two to three minutes on high. Pour back into the saucepan and return to the heat and bring back to a simmer. Turn off heat and add the cream. Stir to combine.

Preheat the broiler and line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then spray with vegetable oil.

To prepare the meatballs combine the turkey, carrots, onion, garlic, bread crumbs and egg. Mix until just combined. Add the herbs, salt pepper and cheese. Mix well.
With a small scoop, about 2 tablespoons, scoop out the meatballs onto the prepared sheet pan/ You should get between 25 to 30 meatballs.

Bake under the broiler for 10-15 minutes, or until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Prepare the pasta while the meatballs are baking.