Ragù alla Bolognese

Want to know how I spent my weekend? Besides hanging out with wonderful friends who came to visit we were also baking in the heat and jumping in the pool just to get the slightest bit of relief. Oh yeah, fall is in full swing in Arizona and blessed us with record temperatures of 109 degrees F over the weekend. My head keeps saying, "but it is fall, I want to to wear sweaters, and jeans and eat soups and stews" and my body keeps screaming "cool me off, it's another scorcher, find me the tank top and only feed me ice cream and salads". Quite the conundrum, don't you think?

So seriously, what's a woman (or man) to do when the rest of the country is begging for comfort food, and you as a food blogger have a responsibility to appeal to the crowds? You have to find a happy medium. Something that is comfort food, but also won't make you sit next to your open freezer while you eat that steaming bowl of soup. This is were one of our favorites always helps. Ragù alla Bolognese IS comfort food, but by adding a nice big bowl of salad on the side it fits the "scorcher" requirement as well.

I found this recipe a while back on one of my favorite blogs "Crepes of Wrath". If you haven't visited there, you should. Anyway, I only slightly adapted Sydney's already fabulous recipe to fit our taste and the result ended up "being on the money" as Guy Fieri would say. The recipe starts by sauteing onions, along with celery and carrots in butter. You add in some garlic and bacon, glorious bacon! This gets cooked until the bacon is slightly crisp. Ground beef is added and cooked until no longer pink. Then you throw in crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, tomato paste and your usual Italian suspects of basil, thyme and oregano. Season with salt and pepper, some nutmeg, red pepper flakes and bay leaves. This mixture then gets a good dousing of white wine and finally some heavy cream or half-and-half (if you must). The sauce will then hang out for a good hour on your stove which will give you plenty of time to make your salad, cook your pasta and grate your fresh Parmesan (step away from the green can on this dish).

This sauce is out of this world and there are hardly ever any leftovers, but if there are, it tastes just as good if not better the second time around. The sauce is flavorful, rich and has you smacking your lips while eating it. I've served this to friends and family and everyone keeps asking for the recipe which to me always means it is a keeper recipe. I hope you'll give this recipe a try, it is one that works wearing fall gear, but also works while baking in the sun!

Ragù alla Bolognese

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter

1 large onion, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

2 carrots, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

6 slices thick-cut bacon, diced

1 1/2 pounds ground beef (I use 93 % lean)

1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes

1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 bay leaves

1 cup white wine (don't use cooking wine!)

1/3 cup heavy cream or half-and-half

1 pound Pasta

Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated

Directions:

Melt your butter in a large pot or pan over medium heat. Turn the heat up to medium-high heat and then add in the diced onions, diced celery and diced carrots. Cook for 5 minutes until softened then add in the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

Add in the bacon and cook for 5 minutes or so until slightly crisp. Add in the ground beef and cook for another 5 minutes or until cooked through. Add in the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, dried oregano, basil, thyme, salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes, nutmeg, and bay leaves. Stir to combine.

Add in the white wine and heavy cream (or half-and-half) and stir. Bring the bolognese to a simmer over medium-low heat and cook for an hour, stirring every so often so that it doesn't burn.

Cook the pasta according to package directions, drain, and add to the bolognese. Stir to combine. Serve and top with some grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. 

Adapted from: Crepes of Wrath

Not Your Average Sloppy Joe

 

If you've been reading my blog for a while you have come to see that our family likes to indulge every once in a while. I know that I have featured quite some decadent and rich recipes in the past, but I need to clarify that we don't eat like this on a daily basis. Most of these "special" meals are reserved for weekend indulgences. During the week my kitchen has a much quicker, more efficient, and most of all fairly healthy approach to dinner time.

This recipe for Sloppy Joe has been cooked and served in our home for many years. Unfortunately I'm not sure where it came from anymore, so I can't even give credit. Since then, it has been shared with several friends and relatives who have come to love this dish as well. It is a great, healthier take on the classic comfort food. Sloppy Joe is another one of those foods, I did not grow up with. My husband on the other hand, had his fair share growing up. When I first found this recipe, after getting the request for this particular meal from him, I wasn't sure if his "refined" palate, that had only been exposed to the "Manwich" kind, would be happy with my version. I worried for absolutely nothing and he hasn't requested the canned kind since. This recipe is also a great way to "sneak" in a decent amount of vegetables, and even the pickiest of eaters will happily eat this as long as it is disguised as "junk food" and served on a hamburger bun with a sprinkle of cheese.

This meal has always been my go-to recipe for when I'm short on time. It is made quickly, and you can even make it a day ahead and warm it up later. Chopping the vegetables ahead of time is another great way to get this dinner quickly on the table. Since the dish needs very little babysitting once the ingredients are added (besides the occasional stir), this will free you up to fix a side salad or an additional side dish. I like to serve this on top of hamburger buns with extra onions and shredded cheddar cheese, but pickled jalapenos are another great way to impart additional flavor to the finished sandwich along with a little kick (this is the way my husband loves it). I hope you'll give my "healthier" version a try, maybe it will make your dinner time a success as well!

Not Your Average Sloppy Joe

~serves 6~

(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds ground beef (I use 93 %)

1 medium onion, chopped

1 1/2 green bell peppers, chopped

2 stalks celery, finely diced

1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce

1/2 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons steak sauce (I use A1)

2 teaspoons mustard

3/4 teaspoon garlic salt

1 1/2 teaspoons paprika powder

6 Hamburger buns

1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded (optional)

Diced onion (optional)

Preparation:

In a Dutch oven over medium heat, cook beef, onion, green pepper, and celery until the meat is no longer pink and the vegetables are tender. Add the next nine ingredients; mix well.

Simmer, uncovered, for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve on hamburger buns with shredded cheddar cheese and onions if desired.

Dill Potato Salad

What goes better with BBQ than potato salad as a side dish? Really, it is the perfect accompaniment to pretty much anything grilled. But, considering that we have a lot of summer days in the south-west and my husband loves to BBQ, I have to have a big repertoire of go-to salads or we would eat the same thing over and over again, and who wants to do that? True, I do have a few salads I make often, like my Better Than Restaurant Coleslaw or my Susi's German Pasta Salad but I do like variety, so I try new recipes quite frequently. Some taste great and make it into regular rotation but many recipes I end up tossing out since they were not a hit with the family.

This potato salad falls into the "regular rotation" category. I love dill and use it a lot in my cooking so when I came across this salad it was a no-brainer for me. Unfortunately potato salad is never made quickly. And honestly, it isn't my favorite task when it comes to peeling the boiled potatoes, but the reward in the end is that the salad is always well received.

Starting with a good tasting potato is key for a tasty end result. I like to use Yukon gold potatoes. Their buttery taste works well in a variety of dishes, plus they keep their shape well. Celery, green onions and and a lot of fresh dill add freshness to the recipe. A delicious dressing that combines mayonnaise, sour cream and a heaping tablespoon of Dijon mustard make this potato salad a winner.

If you have room for another potato salad recipe this summer on your dinner table, then give this one a try, you won't be disappointed.

Dill Potato Salad

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, cooked, peeled and sliced

2 tablespoons white vinegar

3/4 cup celery, diced

1/2 cup green onions, thinly sliced

3/4 cup sour cream

3/4 cup mayo

1 heaping tablespoon Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons fresh dill, minced

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large bowl combine the cooked but still warm potatoes and toss with the white vinegar. Set aside to cool.

Add the celery and green onions to the cooled potatoes.

In a separate bowl whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and dill. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Gently add the dressing to the potato-vegetable mixture and carefully toss to coat. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Sonoma Chicken Salad

Shopping at Costco is always an adventure. You never know what you can come across. On weekends when all the testers are out, you can actually make a meal of it, and unfortunately it also means more impulse buys since you think you "have" to buy the product you just tasted.

Costco's Sonoma Chicken Salad was one of those buys. It had cranberries, pecans and poppy seeds in it. This sets it apart from a lot of the chicken salads that are out there. It was mighty tasty and we all enjoyed it. The only downside of the Costco chicken salad is that for one, it is expensive, and for two, it also has some unpronounceable ingredients mixed in along with a high calorie count.

So in true fashion I decided to replicate the recipe, and we haven't bought one chicken salad from Costco since. It is a different kind of dish than what you might be used to since I add pecans, dried cranberries, poppy seeds, and grapes to my version which makes it incredibly delicious and look beautiful. Many people who I have served this to who were initially turned off by all the fruit, ended up liking it after all and I keep getting requests for the recipe. 

This salad can be served with crackers, with a loaf of good artisan bread or on a split croissant. It also travels well for picnics and potlucks. I hope you'll give my creation a try!

Sonoma Chicken Salad

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

1 Rotisserie Chicken, skin and bones removed, roughly chopped

2 stalks celery, finely diced

1 cup green grapes, cut in half

1 cup red grapes, cut in half

1 cup dried cranberries

1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped

Dressing:

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons poppy seeds

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

In a large bowl add chicken, celery, green and red grapes, and dried cranberries.

For the dressing whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice and poppy seeds. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Gently toss chicken mixture and dressing together. Refrigerate for about 1 hour.
Fold in toasted pecans right before serving.

A Susi's Kochen und Backen Original Recipe, inspired by Costco

Confetti Couscous Salad

Many years ago I was looking for a recipe to serve along side grilled shrimp. After searching through tons of magazines I found this recipe for Confetti Couscous Salad. I don't even recall in what publication I found the recipe but it has been a family favorite ever since. 

The first time I make a recipe I usually follow almost everything exactly, and then make notes if I do end up changing something as I'm sure a lot of cooks do. This salad however did not need one thing different or changed, the recipe was great as is. The salad is made very quickly and full of delicious flavors.

The name of the salad comes from the beautiful color of bright green celery, orange carrots and the  dark red of plump dried cranberries. Couscous, toasted almonds and a light vinaigrette round out this tasty dish.  I serve this salad most often with grilled seafood or chicken but it would taste great with just about anything. I truly hope you will give this one a try, it is a great salad.

Confetti Couscous Salad

~serves 4-6~

(Print this Recipe)

Ingredients:

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup uncooked couscous

1/2 cup celery, chopped

1/2 cup carrot, shredded

1/4 cup green onions, finely sliced

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Dressing:

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

In a small saucepan, bring chicken broth to a boil. Stir in couscous; cover and remove from the heat. Let sand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork; cool.

In a serving bowl, combine the couscous, celery, carrot, onions, and cranberries.

In a small bowl whisk together the dressing ingredients. Pour over salad; toss to coat. Add almonds just before serving.  This salad can be served chilled or at room temperature.