chirizo rosé

ok, let's pretend it hasn't been over a year a while since my last post...

Let's pretend I've kept regular updates and we don't need to try and find excuses explain my absence - because I can't...other than to say, life gets busy with 3 littles!!

So, I made a comment on Facebook the other week that I had just enjoyed a delicious meal of spaghetti and a super simple - but-oh-so-good - sauce...and had some comments that I should post it here!

Now I may have looked at the comments and wondered what incredible magazine they were referring to, and then I may have eventually realized that it was my own blog to which they referenced...but we will never know ;)

Anyhoo...back to the recipe...

I was trying to think of something other than the every-day spaghetti and meat sauce when I remembered a Jim's favourite meal from a local pasta place...

So, I remembered it for my next shopping trip and grabbed some chirizo (mild, but you could use spicy...or any/none sausage if you prefer) and some fresh basil...the rest I already had in my fridge/pantry...

finely slice your chirizo and throw into a preheated-to-high pan...

 


 this it the rest of the "stuff" you'll need (missing in the pic is cream cheese and fresh basil)
 

 after you've got some GOOD colour on the meat, remove from pan and set aside, leaving all the drippings in the pan...then throw in your minced garlic, sliced onion and a few scoops of sundried tomatoes...until you can really smell them
 



 de-glaze the pan with a shot of water and then add a can of crushed tomatoes and throw the meat back in...

 

 once it's all heated up...add some S&P and some sugar...maybe 2 tbsp?
 

 while the sauce is simmering, chop your veggies - whatever you like, this is all I had in my fridge
 

 once you put on your pasta water, add a few spoons full of cream cheese...stir it in well, bring back to a simmer...
 

 once your pasta water has boiled...and you've got the pasta in...throw your veggies in the sauce (this will ensure they don't overcook...

once your pasta is done (imagine a picture of this :))...throw it into the sauce and sprinkle a generous portion of fresh basil and Parmesan over it all....

MMmmmmmm....ENJOY!

SERIOUSLY?!?!?!


Are you even still there????

Okay, well, I am too!!

But life has an incredible way of "filling up"

And "blogging" just NEVER seems to make it onto my "list"

sorry, but it's true!

i AM very busy enjoying this time that I am blessed to have...AT HOME!!

When life (and friends) are SO busy surviving life and all the back and forth, to and fro

We are here...at home...and L.O.V.I.N.G. I.T.!!!

So, when I find the moment, I WILL post on how to make a little PJ bag,

but for now, I'll leave you with this - the PERFECT addition to ANY Fall dinner:

Homemade Noodles

1 egg per person...1/2 a cup of flour per egg! and then some salt...of course:)

example: if you're expecting 4 people for dinner then you'd use 4 eggs and 2 cups of flour.

So...figure out how many people you're serving...crack the eggs, measure the appropriate amount of flour, sprinkle in some salt and MIX!! (I use my incredible Bosch mixer)

Then, let the dough rest for approx. 10 mins

Roll our fairly thin and cut into strips

Using a generous amount of flour, stack up the strips and cut them width-wise with a pizza cutter!! Seriously, using a pizza cutter makes this WAY easier to manage!

Then...throw them into whatever soup/ boiling water for past sauce you are having until their done and....VOILA!!!

...mmmmm!

Nibble on those until we meet again:)
~C

{deceptively delicious pasta sauce}

out of necessity to create meals that 1. were simple and 2. healthy and 3. (most importantly) tasted good...i came up with this idea to trick my kids and more importantly my hubby - who likes to keep his diet focused mainly around things which lack colour.

*******************

1 lb organic* ground beef
1 28oz can of diced tomatoes
1 can of cream based soup
~ie: cream of broccoli
large variety of veggies
1/2-3/4 c organic* chicken stock
spices of your choosing
~ie: ::spicy pepper medley
::seasoning salt
::oregano
::cumin
::basil
*obviously, non-organic ingredients can be used in place of organic if need be

******************

1. in a crock-pot...or large pot on the stove (if you want to watch over it)...combine 1lb of organic ground beef with diced tomatoes and creamed soup

2. in a food processor (this is the deceptive part;)) throw in all your veggies! here we have a whole pepper, a couple mini zucchini, several cloves of garlic, 2 hands full of spinach, and half of a large red onion


3. pour in some chicken stock to ensure smooth processing


4. turn it on and let it go!


5. i 'chop' mine until it is quite fine, but if you like a chunky sauce just blend it for a shorter period of time


6. add veggies to the crock-pot along with all your spices...stir and wait!

unfortunately, i forgot to take a snag a picture of us enjoying this meal, but you'll know when the sauce is done because you'll catch a whiff of it's yummy aroma! pour it over your favourite choice of pasta and enjoy...best eaten with a generous portion of this;)