Quick & Easy Spaghetti Bolognese

Spaghetti Bolognese 

Everyone loves spaghetti, right?! 

I know kids love it, and most of us are kids at heart, anyways.

Although I did post a recipe a few months back that seems to be very similar

to spaghetti bolognese, it included more vegetables and I used a different pasta.

Today, I made traditional Italian inspired Spaghetti Bolognese, red wine included. 

I usually blend my vegetables into a tomato sauce puree, 

but this is the time-saving version. No loss of flavor occurred!

Words cannot express how delicious this sauce was. 

Ingredients-

1. 500g 100% Ground Beef (High-Quality, grind the meat yourself if possible!)
2. 2 Cups Red Wine (optional, or try using only 1 cup instead)
3. 3 Carrots
4. 2 Onions
5. 1 Red Bell Pepper
6. 3 Celery Stalks

7. 1 Head of Garlic

8. 1 Box Spaghetti (I used Barilla No. 5)

9. 3 Cans of Chopped Tomatoes

10. 2 tsp. Herbs (Basil, Oregano, Thyme)

11. Salt and Pepper (add to taste) 

12. Olive Oil

13. 2 tsp. Sugar

Instructions- 

1. Heat skillet and add a splash of olive oil. Brown meat and break it up into chunks.
2. When meat is brown, add 1 cup of red wine.
3. Add 1 tsp. of mixed Italian herbs. Stir gently.
4. When meat is cooked, remove from heat. Set aside for later.
5. Chop 2 onions and prepare all vegetables. Peel carrots and slice. Slice celery and red bell pepper.
6. Heat large sauce pan and add plenty of olive oil. Add onions.
7. As onions change color, add 2 tsp. of sugar, this will really release their true sweetness.
8. Add sliced vegetables and stir. Add salt and pepper to taste.
9. Cover sauce pan. If your pan is NOT non-stick, add 1/2 cup of water to prevent burning.
10. Cook vegetables for about 15 minutes, then add 1 cup of red wine to the vegetables.
11. Cook vegetables to desired tenderness then add cooked meat. Stir in gently.
12. Add canned tomatoes, 1 tsp. of herbs, salt and pepper (if needed) and cook, covered, for 30 min.
13. Cook pasta according to instructions and serve when hot with grated cheese.

ENJOY :)

Meatballs in Creamy Tomato Sauce with Rice

Meatballs in Creamy Tomato Sauce with Rice

 It's wonderful to have time to cook a nice homemade meal.

My past week was hectic, with a major exam that left my room filled with unwashed dishes 

and stacks of pizza boxes. I hope most university students can relate. Anyways,

I would like to finally share a very comforting dinner. When I was younger,

my mother would make these delicious meatballs in tomato sauce with rice.

It was one of my favorite dinners and I always asked when will be the next time my mom cooks it.

 

Ingredients- 

*This recipe makes approx. 9 meatballs, for 3-4 Servings

1. 500g Ground Beef/Pork Mix (less than 30% fat)

2. 200g White Long Grain Rice

3. 1 Can Whole Tomatoes

4. 100ml 12% Sour Cream

5. 1 Egg

6. 1 Onion

7. 1/2 Head of Garlic

8. Salt

9. Pepper

10. Oregano

11. Basil

12. Dried Parsley 

13. Paprika

14. Cayenne Pepper

15. Dried Mustard

16. Dried Garlic

17. Bread Crumbs

18. Plain White Flour

19. 1 Bay Leaf

20. ~400ml Water

21. Vegetable Oil

 

Instructions-

1. Place meat in mixing bowl and break it up with a spoon/fork. 
2. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and pepper each and add 3/4 teaspoon of each dried herb. 
3. Add about 5 tablespoons of bread crumbs. Mix meat well with hands.
4. Add 1 egg and mix once again with hands until all ingredients combine.
5. Divide meat into about 8 equal parts. 
6. Take one section of divided meat and form meatballs with hands. Repeat until all meatballs are made.
7. Place finished meatballs on surface covered with some white flour. Cover each meatball evenly with flour.
8. Preheat skillet with a thick layer of vegetable oil.
9. Place one meatball at a time, gently, on hot oil. Lower heat to medium and sear meatballs on all sides.
10. In the meantime, add 1 can of whole tomatoes into large sauce pot. Cook and stir on low heat.
11. When meatballs are finished, set aside. Finely chop 1 large onion and add to the same hot pan. Add salt.
12. Cook onions on low-medium heat, stirring frequently. When almost ready, add smashed and diced garlic.
13. Transfer cooked onion and garlic to the tomato sauce. Stir and simmer for about ten minutes.
14. Remove from heat and blend tomato sauce to form thick consistency, you may add some water here.
15. Simmer tomato sauce once again, stirring occasionally. Add seared meatballs. 
16. Add enough water until meatballs are almost fully covered. 
17. Add a pinch of oregano, basil, dried garlic, and dried parsley to the sauce. Also add 1 bay leaf. 
18. Simmer for about 15-20 minutes. In the meantime, cook rice. 
19. When rice is cooked, the sauce should be perfect. Remove from heat and wait about five minutes.
20. Add about 100ml of sour cream and mix quickly. Check flavor, add salt and pepper to taste.
21. Fluff rice and shape with help of a small round container. Serve with meatball sauce. Add parsley. 

ENJOY :)

Chili Con Carne

Chili Con Carne

Hello!!!

I had such a busy week with my studying...

I'm back and ready to cook! 

I hope to never disappoint anyone ever again!

I hope this chili will make up for it :)

Ingredients-  Cooking Time ~2h

1. 500g Ground Beef (Beef/Pork Ground Meat Mix)

2. 2 Large Onions

3. 4-5 Chili Peppers (add less for milder flavor, add more for spicy chili)

4. 1 Large Red Bell Pepper

5. Canned Kidney Beans 

6. Sweet Canned Corn

7. 2 Cans of Chopped Tomatoes

8. Salt

9. Pepper

10. Cayenne Pepper

11. Dried Cumin

12. Dried Garlic

13. Paprika

14. Dried Chili

15. 2-3 Cloves of Fresh Garlic

16. Sour Cream (optional, as well as cheese)   

17. 2 Tablespoons of Oil 

   

  

 

Instructions-

1. Prepare vegetables. Wash and dry, finely dice onions and chop peppers and fresh garlic.

2. Heat non-stick sauce pan and add oil. 

3. Saute onions and as they turn translucent, add red peppers. Add a pinch of salt.

4. Add ground beef and cook everything together, mix well. Start adding dried spices, always add less in the beginning and then add more if necessary. I started with 1/2 teaspoon of each spice. 

5. When the meat has cooked and turned brown, transfer contents from sauce pan to large pot.

6. Heat the pot and add two cans of tomatoes to the meat and vegetable mixture.

7. Cook on medium-low heat for about 45minutes. 

8. Mix every 10-15minutes during this time and at the end, add canned kidney beans.

9. Lower the heat, and add canned corn as well. Add more spices, salt and pepper as well, if needed.

10. Cook on low heat for another 20-25minutes.      

11. Taste, adjust flavor if neccessary. Remove pot from heat and although you may serve for dinner already, I tend to leave my chili for a few hours to cool and set it in the fridge overnight and reheat it the following day for all the spectacular flavors to come together.

12. Serve when hot! Top off with sour cream and/or cheese!

 

ENJOY  :)  

 

Pasta Night!

Vegetables & Meat Pasta Sauce

 

 

Ingredients-      Prep Time ~1h   Cooking Time ~2.5h

1. 1 Package of your favorite pasta
2. 2 Cans Whole Tomatoes (450g each)
3. 6-7 Fresh Cloves of Garlic

4. 2 Medium Carrots

5. 5-7 Celery Sticks

6. 6-7 small-medium Mushrooms

7. 2 Onions

8. 1 Large Red Onion

9. Sugar

10. Salt and Pepper

11. Oregano

12. Basil 

13. Olive Oil

14. 500g Ground Beef&Pork Mix

15. 0.4L Chicken Stock 

16."Herbes de Provence" Spice Mix

17. 50g Mozzarella Cheese 

Part 1

 Instructions PART 1 -

1. Wash and clean your vegetables. Finely chop onions and celery. Grate carrots and mushrooms. 
2. Preheat large sauce pot and add a tablespoon or two of olive oil. Add the onions and stir quickly. Let the onions cook and sprinkle them with some salt&sugar and they will unleash a very sweet aroma.
3. Cook onions until translucent and add the carrots, celery, and mushrooms. Mix well.
4. Cover the pot with a lid for about two minutes.
5. After two minutes or so, add about half a liter of chicken stock. Be careful with too much liquid and remember that you may always add water/chicken stock later if the sauce is too thick.
6. Sprinkle the vegetables with some salt and bring to a light boil and cook for about 15 minutes.
7. Add the canned tomatoes. Bring to a light boil and stir occasionally.
8. Add minced garlic to the tomato and vegetable sauce. (I love garlic, I always use many cloves, feel free to use less if garlic is not your favorite)
9. Let the sauce simmer for about 1.5h. 
*Do not boil the sauce, let it slightly bubble once in awhile. Lower the heat to low!
10. Stir occasionally every 10-15 minutes. 

 Part 2

Instructions PART 2 -

1. In the last 20 minutes the sauce is cooking, preheat a skillet and add olive oil.
2. Add the meat and break it by pounding it lightly to create smaller pieces.
3. Cook on high heat for the meat to release its juices. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add spice mix along with oregano.
4. Cook until meat is brown. The meat should still be juicy. Add everything into the sauce.
5. Mix the sauce well and check consistency. Add chicken stock/water if you prefer lighter sauce.
6. Taste and add salt/pepper to taste. Add oregano and spices. 
7. Simmer covered for about another hour.
8. Cook pasta according to package directions. Salt the pasta as well.
9. At the very end, slice some fresh mozzarella to add on top. 
10. Place cooked pasta on plate, add the sauce, and sprinkle some oregano and mozzarella on top!

ENJOY  :)