Meat Sauce

I eat pasta regularly. It's quick, easy, and usually doesn't require a lot of ingredients. With that however, it gets boring, really boring. Pasta noodles with a jar of sauce gets really old after a while especially if its the same pasta and the rest of the pasta sauce from Costco that seems to have an endless supply inside. What better way to spice things up and have a quick weeknight meal like making a meat sauce to go over the pasta instead.

This was really simple and brought a whole new set of flavors. Next time I will add some veggies in to have a nice crunch and make it interesting :)

• 2/3 lb ground beef (or turkey or chicken)


• 1 jar tomato sauce


• 2 cloves garlic, chopped


• 1 1/2 tsp. each parsley, oregano


• 1/2 tsp kosher salt


• 1/2 tsp black pepper


• 3 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese



• 1 bag pasta, cooked**

In a lightly oiled skillet, saute garlic about one minute. Add meat and cook until half-way done. Add spices, cheese, and tomato sauce. Simmer about 15 minutes. Pour over top of pasta and sprinkle cheese if desired.

** Gluten-free pasta is available from Trader Joes (its was I use for my mom)

Creamy Corn Fettuccine with Grilled Shrimp

I was flipping through the pages of "Cuisine at Home" magazine the other day and this recipe caught my eye. Although it said it was a "summer" recipe since it calls for fresh corn I decide to give it a shot using the frozen stuff instead. I added grilled shrimp to the top and made this a really light dish. So throw this dish together, grab a glass of wine, and relax pretending its Summer again!

• 12 oz fettuccine noodles


• 1/2 cup crushed tomatoes


• 8 oz corn


• 1/2 cup pasta water


• 1/4 cup milk


• 1/2 tsp salt


• 1/2 tsp pepper


• 1 clove garlic, chopped


• 1 tbsp olive oil



• grilled shrimp


• parmesan cheese


• chopped parsley

Boil pasta according to package instructions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water. Set aside.

In a skillet over medium heat, add oil and garlic. Saute for a minute. Add corn, tomatoes, pasta water, milk, salt, and pepper. Heat for 2-3 minutes. Add in pasta noodles and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until pasta has absorbed some of the liquid.

Serve with grilled shrimp on top. Sprinkling over it cheese and parsley.

Lasagna

I had this idea from when I was younger and we used to buy the frozen lasagna from the grocery store and pop it in the oven. I love having meals during the week that don't require a whole lot of prep time so that I have the freedom to get other things done after work. This allows for just that. This recipe can also be modified to make in a large baking pan and then baked right away.

• Lasagna noodles


• Tomato sauce (homemade or store-bought)


• Mozzarella cheese



• 2 cups ricotta cheese


• 2 tsp oregano


• 2 tsp parsley


• 1 tsp coarse salt


• 1 tsp black pepper


• 1 egg yolk


• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Mix the ricotta cheese and other ingredients together into a bowl. Set aside.


Boil lasagna noodles for about 8-10 minutes to get them soft. In foil loaf pans, spread a thin layer of sauce and lay noodles on top.


Spread a layer of ricotta mixture evenly and layer next set of noodles. Spread a thin layer of sauce and mozzarella cheese. Repeat, ending with sauce and mozzarella. Place foil over pans and place into freezer.

When ready to cook, remove from freezer and let sit about an hour. Bake at 350F for 1 hour. Remove foil and continue to cook until cheese is bubbly.