Bare Bones II: Spaghetti Carbonara

One of pasta's best attributes is its speed -- in 15 minutes, you can have a plate of steaming spaghetti or linguine out and ready for your hungry family. (Or appetite!) I keep a package of bacon handy as much as possible, so I can make Carbonara at a moment's notice. Once the meat and veggies are sauteed, the rest literally cook in with the pasta.
    It's great for using up leftover bits and pieces from a salad, too.

SPAGHETTI CARBONARA

1 pound spaghetti or linguine
1/3 - 1/2 pound bacon
2-3 cups chopped or sliced vegetables
 (Candidates include onion, zucchini or other squash, fresh tomatoes, green beans, carrots, bits of cabbage, mushrooms, red or green peppers, etc.)
1 tablespoon chopped garlic (or a healthy shake or two of dried powdered garlic)
2 eggs
parsley for garnish
Parmesan cheese 

Start cooking the pasta in a separate pan. Meanwhile, add the bacon, chopped fine, to the vegetables and garlic; saute slowly while the spaghetti cooks. Add eggs to either the bacon mixture (if you like separate pieces of egg), or the spaghetti, once it's cooked and drained (if you like each piece of pasta coated with egg). Mix in the bacon mixture, garnish with parsley and cheese, and serve!  (Makes 4-6 servings)


'Chef John's' version is here. He says its sauce "is simply a thin egg and cheese custard, spiked with pork and black pepper. Try to find pancetta or guanciale (pork cheek cured like pancetta) for a really authentic taste!"

However you want to describe it -- it's delicious.

Bare Bones II: alla Puttanesca

   Want something tangy, tomato-y and tasty...all in short order? Try Spaghetti all Puttanesca. (Translation: Sauce of the Whore.)  I'd read that this pasta dish got its name for its ease of preparation -- that prostitutes, tired after their night's work, could mix and cook it quickly on a small fire.

Wikipedia has a different story:
    In a 2005 article from Il Golfo—a daily newspaper serving the Italian islands of Ischia and Procida—Annarita Cuomo asserted that sugo alla puttanesca was invented in the 1950s by Sandro Petti, co-owner of Rancio Fellone, a famous Ischian restaurant and nightspot.^[5] According to Cuomo...near closing one evening—Petti found a group of customers sitting at one of his tables. He was low on ingredients and so told them he didn't have enough to make them a meal. They complained that it was late and they were hungry. "Facci una puttanata qualsiasi," or "Make any kind of garbage," they insisted.^a[›] Petti had nothing more than four tomatoes, two olives and some capers—the basic ingredients for the sugo, “So I used them to make the sauce for the spaghetti,” Petti told Cuomo. Later, Petti included this dish on his menu as spaghetti alla puttanesca.

Anchovies are a must; so are plenty of garlic, onion, and chopped peppers. You can improvise with the rest. Try this version from nigella.com. And think of all the smirking you can do while serving it.

SPAGHETTI ALLA PUTTANESCA

• extra virgin olive oil
• 1 onion (finely chopped)
• 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
• 4 anchovy fillets (chopped)
• 1 small red chili (deseeded and finely chopped)
• 2 teaspoons capers (rinsed and drained)
• 1 tin black olives (pitted, quartered)
•   1 can (approx. 15 oz)  tomatoes (chopped)
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground)
• 1 tablespoon fresh flatleaf parsley (fresh, chopped) 
  
   Cook a pound package of spaghetti in boiling water. While it's cooking, slowly saute the rest of the ingredients (except parsley) in three or four tablespoons of olive oil. (Omit the salt, if you like -- this dish is plenty salty as-is.)  Add parsley to the sauce just before serving. Pile the spaghetti on a platter, and spoon the sauce over top. Serve sprinkled with Parmesan or Romano cheese. (Serves 4.) 

Bare Bones II begins -- Pasta Fazool

Winter's still hanging on...and your wallet feels surprisingly empty. (Darn Christmas presents, anyway.) What to do, when your expenses aren't meeting your income?
     ...Or you're saving for a new car
     ...Or graduation...
     ...Or an upcoming trip?

It's time to go back to the bare bones -- of fine cooking, that is. We've done Bare Bones series before; this one will focus on that workhorse, Pasta.

It's invaluable for a good, hearty meal that will keep you going. "Carb-loading" is famous for runners and other athletes, because its effects can fuel your body for hours. Now that gluten-free pasta is available, even allergy-prone families can enjoy a warm, steaming plate of spaghetti. Served with a green salad and veggies, it's a tasty mainstay.

First up:  PASTA FAZOOL.  This easy-to-make soup warms on a cold, bleak night. Try the leftovers warmed up for a quick lunch, too. This version is based on an old Italian grandma's recipe: the best kind.

PASTA FAZOOL

• 10 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• ¹⁄₂ cup onion, Finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, Minced
• 1 carrot, Finely chopped
• 1 celery rib, Finely chopped
• 2 (28 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 2 (14 ounce) cans beef broth
• water, as needed
• 2 (15 ounce) cans great northern beans (Drained)
• 1 cup parmesan cheese
• 6 tablespoons parsley
• 3 ¹⁄₂ tablespoons dried basil
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 8 ounces tiny pasta shells
• ----------------------------------------MEATBALLS:
• 1 lb ground beef round
• ¹⁄₂ cup unseasoned breadcrumbs
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon parsley flakes
• salt and pepper

'Meatballs' area first! Mix ingredients together, form into marble-sized meatballs and put in a 350-degree oven to bake while you assemble the rest of the soup.

Using a large soup kettle, saute the chopped vegetables in the olive oil for a few minutes. Gradually add the rest of the ingredients, stirring as you go. The meatballs should be lightly browned and bubbling; add them to the soup. Simmer for a few hours. (Or put in a slow cooker on low for 7-10 hours.) This soup really does need time for the flavors to blend, so don't skimp.


Serves 4-6 hungry people, with a slice of garlic bread. Add a platter of sliced raw veggies, if you want to be extra-healthy.

Bits and Pieces

[This post comes from my regular stint, A Brick Looks at Life....I'll be back writing again here soon.]

After a few days of incredible warmth (yes, in the FORTIES), we woke up to ice-coated trees and a fine mist of snow in the air. It's still snowing, but at least the sun comes out now and then.

Welcome to January.

I thought I was completely recovered from the flu...I'm not. Easily chilled. Aching all over. Head banging. No energy. I can read now (couldn't even do that when I was really sick), but can't seem to force myself to finish up jobs. I get part way, run out of energy...and stop.
    I have reports that need to be done. I have to get a quilt bound and shipped out -- it's overdue now.

These need to be finished. I need to force myself to keep going.

The dogs stay close. They are the goofiest, most endearing personalities right now. Is it because they know I need the warmth and doggy love?

The chickens burst out of the coop like clowns in a circus car every morning. Then they realize it's still cold; many times they'll try to fly over the snow to get to the food and watering dishes. (Hilarious when they run out of steam -- but not snow!) They're still laying fairly regularly - between 7-11 eggs daily for 19 chickens. Not bad...but not outstanding, either.
    A smackerel of feed, a quick drink of water...and if it's chilly, back in the coop. Not that I blame them -- it's got a heat lamp in there, after all.

Food prep's been minimal. Mostly, I've been trying to hold off on a trip to the grocery until Friday, and use up bits and pieces leftover from holiday dishes, instead. We had oyster stew last night (finished off the oysters from Angels on Horseback), plus 'Spinach Spheres,' a goofy-sounding dish. My variation follows -- try these, they're good, even if you're not a spinach-lover.

SPINACH...ER....WHATEVER

1/2 bunch chopped fresh spinach (or 1 10 oz. pkg frozen) -- use the stems first
4 chopped green onions
4 mushrooms, chopped
2 cups breadcrumbs or stuffing
            (I used stuffing-flavored bread, about 7 slices, ripped into small chunks)
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
2 tomatoes, sliced thick

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Nuke the spinach and butter until butter is melted, then mix in everything else but tomatoes. (It's easiest to mix by hand.)
    Arrange the tomatoes on an ungreased baking sheet. Form the stuffing mix into balls, and place one on each of the tomato slices. (I know. This sounds weird. Do it.)
    Bake for 20 min., or until lightly browned. After you taste the first one, concentrate hard on trying not to wolf the others down. Makes about 8; serves 4 (or two wolves).

And thanks to Kevin and Nancy Mills of Help! My House Has A Kitchen!
     I will not doubt you again.

The other leftovers show up mixed into other things, like soup and casseroles -- sometimes disguised, sometimes not. I am beginning to see bare space on the shelves again, thanks to concentrating on using the extra food up.  Well, except for the crisper, which still holds 25 pounds or so of apples, stashed away in the fall.

Maybe I'll make apple crisp for supper. 

Cold Nights, Cinco de Mayo...And Enchiladas

Brrr...is it cold around here. 

It's not snowing anymore, but we've had cheek-nipping, hair-whipping, door-banging wind for the past few days. The chickens don't act like they mind it -- but their egg production is way down. I've taken to feeding them bits and pieces of Easter ham fat, just to keep their strength up.

The 'baby' chicks, now teenagers, are doing great. They strut around their coop, and peck at anything that moves.

It's a good night for crunchy, garlicky enchiladas, like this "No-roll" version, courtesy of Betty Crocker. Cinco de Mayo (May 5) is coming up, and it might be a good recipe for later., as well.


(Or try any of these other enchilada dishes, courtesy of Betty, that Mexican senorita.)

No-Roll Mexican Rice Enchiladas

1 box (6.4 oz) rice and vermicelli mix with Spanish seasonings

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

2 1/4 cups water

1 can (19 oz) Old El Paso® mild enchilada sauce

1 can (16 oz) pinto beans, drained, rinsed

1 can (11 oz) Green Giant® SteamCrisp® Southwestern style corn, drained

1 package (8.2 oz) Old El Paso® flour tortillas for soft tacos & fajitas (ten 6-inch tortillas)

2 cups finely shredded Mexican cheese blend (8 oz)

• 1 Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. In 12-inch nonstick skillet, cook rice and vermicelli with butter over medium heat until rice mixture is golden brown, stirring frequently. Stir in water and seasoning mix from rice box. Heat to boiling. Cover; reduce heat to low. Cook 15 to 20 minutes or until rice mixture is tender. Stir in 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce, the pinto beans and corn.
• 2 Heat oven to 350°F. Place about 1/2 cup rice mixture on center of each tortilla; top rice mixture in each tortilla with about 1 tablespoon of the cheese. Fold each in half. Arrange tortillas in 2 rows of 5 in baking dish, placing tortillas open end up, slanting and overlapping. Pour remaining enchilada sauce evenly over enchiladas. Cover tightly with foil.
• 3 Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until hot and sauce begins to bubble. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake uncovered about 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. 
•  
• Invite 3 friends over, crack open the tequila, and enjoy!

Happy Easter! Easter Bunnies - From Marshmallows

Additions for your family's Easter baskets can start to be pricey. These Easter bunnies are easily made from plain ol' marshmallows; they're a cheerful addition to Easter table decorations, too.

EASTER BUNNIES (from Taste of Home)

• 2/3 cup vanilla frosting
• 30 large marshmallows
• Pink gel or paste food coloring
• Red and pink heart-shaped decorating sprinkles
• 60 miniature marshmallows 

1. Frost the tops of 12 large marshmallows; stack a large marshmallow on top of each. Quarter the remaining large marshmallows; set aside for ears. Tint 1/4 cup frosting pink. Cut a small hole in the corner of a pastry or plastic bag; place pink frosting in bag.
2. Pipe a ribbon between the stacked marshmallows for bow tie. With white frosting, attach red hearts for eyes and a pink heart for nose. Pipe pink whiskers and smile.
3. For ears, pipe the center of quartered marshmallows pink; attach to head with white frosting. With the remaining white frosting, attach the miniature marshmallows for legs and tail. Let stand until dry. Yield: 1 dozen. 

More bunny ideas here and here, too. Even marshmallow bunny paws.
Guess people really like these little guys! 

P.S. This is a crossover post from my articles at the Holiday Goodies blog.    Enjoy...

Can I have a marshmallow, too?

Starting A New Series: Depression-Era Meals

 Our ancestors had it hard during the Great Depression. They lost their savings, and often their livelihoods, as well. If you were lucky, your mortgage was paid, and you had enough to cover taxes. If you weren't, you lost your home and moved in with relatives...or took to the road. 

     Even during those difficult times, people enjoyed hearty, filling meals. In the next week or so, we'll give some of those traditional recipes. They're not only delicious, but great on the budget, too. 

Starting out -- this easy hamburger casserole. It's quickly made; the recipe provider (from Food.com) says,

    I got this recipe from an elderly neighbor a few years ago and my son frequently requests it! The name, my neighbor said, came from the days of the Great Depression, when stretching everything was a must. It's quick, easy, cheap to make and very good, too! The mashed potatoes are a guess - fix what you need to feed your family!

DEPRESSION ERA CASSEROLE

 

1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 small red onion, sliced and separated into rings
1/4 cup vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
4 cups mashed potatoes

Directions:

1  Mix vinegar and sugar. Add onion.
2  Allow the onion to marinate, in the refrigerator, until dinnertime (the longer the better, at our house).
3  Brown the ground beef, adding salt to taste.
4  Make an indentation in individual portions of mashed potatoes.
5  Fill indentations with beef and spoon the marinated onions and sauce over over the meat.
 

Serves at least 4 -- more with additional potatoes.

Go here for more.