Meatball & Spaghetti Soup

Original Recipe HERE

 

After a three-day weekend spent doing nothing but feeding children (or so it felt like, but really was almost literally since there's an infant in the house), I had no idea what I was serving for dinner that night.  We came home from an activity at 6pm armed only with the inspiration of doing something with the Trader Joe's meatballs I'd bought the day before.  I had bookmarked this recipe and tried it on a whim since I needed it to be fast.

Every kid had more than one helping and asked me to make it again.  I thought it was a great addition to the "I'm so burned out on meal planning and cooking yet these little people keep demanding I provide sustenance for them" collection of easy and satisfying recipes.

I cut the liquid amount because I knew that any leftover pasta would absorb a lot overnight, and I'd add more later if needed.  I also threw in about half a cup of orzo at the last minute to bulk it up because I didn't have enough pasta, but it would be better to just make the entire thing with spaghetti.  I also added spinach to make it a wee bit healthier, and I chopped it small enough that the kids couldn't avoid eating at least a little.

Ingredients

4 cups broth
1 to 2 cups water
2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
1/2 onion, chopped small
3 to 4 Tablespoons tomato sauce [I used Prego]
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
salt & pepper to taste

1 teaspoon dried basil

frozen meatballs [I used one bag of Trader Joe's appetizer size]

8 oz spaghetti, broken into 2" pieces
2 cups chopped fresh spinach
grated Parmesan for serving [optional]

Directions
(1) In a large pot, bring broth, water, garlic, onion, tomato sauce, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and basil to a boil.  Simmer 5 minutes or until onions are tender.
(2) Add meatballs.  Cook 3 minutes.
(3) Add spaghetti.  Cook until al dente.
(4) Add spinach.  Cook 2-3 minutes or until wilted.  Serve with Parmesan.

Kid Participation: None except eating, which they did more than their fair share of.

Pepper Pasta Sauce

Original Recipe HERE

 

I thought this was a sneaky way to get a bit of vegetables into my kids.  Except *J*'s picky streak continues and he barely ate any.  *N* had seconds but declared, "It tastes...vegetable-y."  And so I came clean, and the thought of a pepper (normally something they avoid like the plague) diminished her enjoyment of further bites.

 

Husband and I really liked this.  I thought the pepper gave the sauce a nice twist and a slight sweetness.  I made several variations on the original recipe: amount of onion and garlic, addition of tomato paste, different type of sausage and tomatoes.

 

Ingredients

1 lb (16 oz box) dry pasta [I used small shells]

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup onion, finely chopped

1 orange bell pepper, chopped

2 to 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 lb sausage [I used pre-cooked chicken]

1 can (14.5 oz) diced or crushed tomatoes

1 to 2 Tablespoons tomato paste [I used 2]

1/2 to 1 cup heavy cream [I used 1/2 cup]

1/2 to 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese [I used 2/3 cup]

 

Directions

(1) Cook pasta according to package directions.

(2) Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

(3) Add onion and pepper to skillet.  Saute until just tender, about 3-5 minutes.

(4) While vegetables are cooking, cut sausages in half length-wise and then into small slices.

(5) Add garlic to skillet.  Saute until softened but not browned.

(6) Stir in tomatoes and heavy cream.  Reduce heat to medium-low; cook about 5 minutes.

(7) Use an immersion blender to puree sauce to desired consistency.

(8) Add sausage to sauce; heat through.

(9) Stir in Parmesan cheese until mixed well.

(10) Serve sauce over pasta.

 

Kid Participation: None.

Feta Pasta Bake

Original Recipe HERE

 

I thought this was good, but the rest of my family members are iffy on feta.  I thought I could sneak it past them if it was cloaked in enough pasta, but no luck.  They ate it anyway, so it must've had some redeeming qualities.

I used spaghetti, but next time I'll use a smaller, bite-size kind of pasta (ditalini? small shells?).  The spaghetti didn't hold the slices together well after serving.  Also, I think it lacked flavor...I was hoping to detect the balsamic more strongly.  I added garlic and tomato paste to the original recipe; the updated version is below.

 

Ingredients

10 oz pasta

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 to 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 pint grape tomatoes or 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

6 oz Feta cheese

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1 cup mozzarella cheese

1 cup milk

2 eggs

2 Tablespoons tomato paste.

Salt and pepper

Directions

(1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

(2) Cook pasta as directed.  Drain; rinse with cool water so they are room temperature when being combined with other ingredients.

(3) Meanwhile, heat oil in large, ovenproof skillet.  Add balsamic vinegar.

(4) Add tomatoes, onion, and garlic; saute 3 to 5 minutes.

(5) In a large mixing bowl, combine Feta, Parmesan, mozzarella, milk, eggs, and tomato paste.

(6) Fold cooled pasta into cheese mixture.

(7) Add onions and tomatoes to pasta; mix well.  Return all ingredients to the skillet; spread evenly.

(8) Bake skillet for 30 minutes or until eggs have set in the middle.

 

Kid Participation: None.

Ravioli with Mushroom-Wine Sauce

Original Recipe: Better Homes & Gardens Simple Slow Cooker Recipes

 

This sauce turned out well but didn't have the intensity of flavor I had hoped.  It was also much too liquid-y to serve to my kids...they need the sauce to cling to the pasta or it'll all get left behind on the plate.  I improvised with my immersion blender, but next time I will drain one can of the tomaotes (the original recipe said to leave both undrained) and add some tomato paste.

 

While it may sound like this isn't a do-over, the kids all ate most of what was on their plate with no complaint.  I had been expecting loud protests about mushrooms, but *N* even said she liked the them in this particular recipe because she couldn't really taste them. 

 

Ingredients

3 to 4 cups sliced fresh button mushrooms

3 to 4 cups sliced fresh portobello, shiitake, and/or crimini mushrooms [I used shiitake]

2 cans (14.5 oz each) diced tomatoes, one drained & one undrained

1/2 cup water

1//3 cup red wine or water

1 to 2 Tablespoons tomato paste

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 dried rosemary

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 package (20 oz) refrigerated cheese ravioli

grated parmesan [optional]

 

Directions

(1) In a 4- or 5-quart slow cooker, combine mushrooms, tomatoes, water, wine, salt, rosemary, and garlic.

(2) Cover; cook on low 4-6 hours or high 2-3 hours.

(3) Toward the end of the sauce's cooking time, cook ravioli in a separate pot acording to package directions.

(4) If desired, use an immersion blender or regular blender to puree about 1 cup of the sauce.

(5) Serve ravioli with sauce and topped with parmesan if desired.

 

Kid Participation: None (because just the mere act of having them add the mushrooms to the slow cooker might have turned them off from trying the final product).

Stovetop Brown Rice

Original Recipe HERE

No fancy description in this updated post.  Just a modification on how to make this on the stovetop.

Ingredients

4 cups broth [beef, chicken, or vegetable]

1 to 2 Tablespoons butter

2 Tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 to 3 Tablespoons dried minced onions

2 cups brown rice [not instant]

Directions

(1) In medium saucepan, heat broth over medium heat.

(2) Add butter, tomato paste, salt, and onions.  Bring to a slight boil.

(3) Add rice.  Cover; simmer over low heat for 45 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.

Bulgur with Tomatoes & Honey

 

I came up with this recipe after my mom brought me a big container of bulgur (which we prefer to call "cracked wheat" because for some reason - perhaps because of her time spent in Turkey with the Peace Corps - her particular pronunciation of "bulgur" is offensive to my ears).  I was trying to figure out what to do with it, but all the recipes I was coming across online used ingredients I didn't have or took too long to cook or didn't sound like something my kids would eat.  So I mish-mashed this one together.  Apologies if it's actually a copyrighted recipe.

 

I thought this was great, and *N* and *J* both ate their portions, with *N* asking for more.  No way was I trusting *P* with something like this; the mess would've been of epic proportions.  We've had too many couscous travesties in this house; I know better now.  I doubled the recipe, and it fed us all at dinner plus gave me lunch for the next few days.  I thought it tasted just as good cold as hot.  I might throw in a littel garlic powder next time, but other than that, I liked the unholy trio of onion, honey, and tomato and how they worked well together.

 

Ingredients

3 Tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup bulgur

1 can (15 oz) diced tomatoes, drained

1 teaspoon dried basil [I used Italian seasoning]

1-1/2 cups broth

1 Tablespoon honey

1 Tablespoon tomato paste

salt & pepper

 

Directions

(1) Heat broth until hot.

(2) In a large skillet, heat olive oil.  Add onion; brown until tender.

(3) Add garlic; cook 1 minute.

(4) Add bulghur; allow it to get slightly toasty.

(5) Add tomatoes and Italian basil. Stir until well combined.

(6) Add hot broth.  Reduce heat to low; cover and cook 5 minutes.

(7) Add honey, tomato paste, and salt and pepper to taste.  Stir well.

(8) Cook approximately 25 minutes or until broth is completely absorbed.

 

Kid Participation: None...the entire preparation involved shart knives or hot burners.

Brown Rice in the Oven

Original Recipe HERE

I don't know whether my interpretation of the recipe resembles the original enough to bother linking back, but I'm in a nice, non-plagaristic mood tonight, so I will.

I had a bag of Diamond G brand California brown rice and enough time, for once, to cook it.  I almost always turn to instant brown rice, but the texture can leave something to be desired.  So I did some googling and came across the above recipe.  It looked like it would be a little bland, and I also didn't have the beef broth, so I took inspiration from the basic recipe and got a little fancier.

Both kids loved it and asked for several bowls' worth.  I would've eaten a lot more, but then Husband would have only had roasted broccoli waiting for him upon getting home.  I know, who doesn't love tucking into a bowl of cold, limp broccoli at 11pm?  But just in case, and because of the aforementioned charitable mood, I saved him some.  The recipe was a bit too butter-y, in my opinion (yes, turns out there actually is such a thing as too much butter).  Not so much the taste, but the texture.  So I'm assuming a little less would work just as well and adjusted the amount below.  Also, don't bake it until all the liquid is gone.  You don't want it to be soupy, but it should still have a little bit of sauce.

Ingredients

3 cups broth [beef, chicken, or vegetable]

2 Tablespoons butter, melted
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon garlic powder

2-3 Tablespoons dried minced onions

1-1/2 cups brown rice [not instant]

Directions

(1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

(2) In small bowl, whisk together broth, butter, and tomato paste.

(3) Transfer broth mixture to 2-quart casserole dish.  Sprinkle garlic salt and minced onions onto liquid.

(4) Add rice to casserole dish.  Stir gently.

(5) Bake, covered, approximately 45 minutes or until most liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.

(6) Remove cover and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes if necessary.  Do not allow all liquid to be absorbed.

Kid Participation: None, other than making me relieved that they liked it because otherwise it would have been yogurt and applesauce for dinner because Mama hasn't been grocery shopping in a while.

Pastitsio

Original Recipe HERE

Upon googling, I learned that this recipe isn't the brainchild of San Giorgio (which had included the recipe on the back of the mini shells box and inspired me mid-grocery run to get the rest of the necessary ingredients).  That doesn't dampen my enthusiasm for this well-known, common-in-several-culinary-regions dish, though.  And anyway, if I go the lazy route and use alfredo instead of bechamel or a white sauce, and I substitute chopped veggies for the meat, can it really even be called pastitsio anymore?

Because I am cutting back on our meat consumption (shh, don't tell Husband...waiting for him to complain before I explain it), next time I will use more vegetables to add bulk and texture to the tomato sauce layer.  This recipe made "nine 1-cup servings" so I thought it would save me from having to make dinner the next night.  However, the meal made as directed below led *J* to request four servings and *N* three. I don't know the last time that happened. And *N* asked me when I was going to make it again. Husband took leftovers for lunch the next day. All in all, high praise for the pastitsio.

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef [I used chicken]

1 cup chopped onion

1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce

1 can (6 oz) tomato paste

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 box (16 oz) pasta [anything non-noodle should work]

1 jar (16 oz) alfredo sauce

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions

(1) Heat oven to 400°F.  Begin heating water to boil pasta.

(2) In large skillet over medium heat, cook meat and onion until meat is thoroughly cooked and onion is tender.

(3) Stir in tomato sauce, tomato paste, salt and cinnamon; heat to boiling.

(4) Reduce heat; cover and simmer 10 minutes.

(5) Meanwhile, cook pasta until al dente (mine took 9 minutes); drain.

(6) Toss hot pasta with Alfredo sauce.

(7) In 13x9x2" baking dish, spoon half the pasta mixture.  Spread meat mixture evenly over pasta. Spoon remaining pasta evenly over meat mixture.  Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

(8) Cover with foil; bake 20 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Kid Participation:

* Spread layers in dish

* Sprinkle parmesan
* Eat enormous quantities

Roasted Eggplant Spread

Original Recipe HERE

I wasn't sure what direction I was going to go in with this recipe, but it looked healthy and easy and versatile.  So I just made it and figured my gourmands would do whatever they wanted with it.  Turns out everyone liked it on pasta, and they dipped toasted Italian bread slices in the leftovers on their plates.  It really tasted like regular pasta sauce and not too vegetable-y.  It made plenty for four people plus leftovers for the next day plus still some sitting in my refrigerator waiting to be frozen.

Ingredients

1 medium eggplant

2 red bell peppers

1 medium red onion

3-4 cloves garlic

3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1 Tablespoon tomato paste

Directions

(1) Preheat oven to 400 and line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.

(2) Chop eggplant, peppers, and onion into 1″ cubes. Smash the garlic and chop if necessary.

(3) Toss vegetables with olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Spread vegetables evenly in prepared baking sheet.

(4) Roast vegetables for 20 minutes. Gently stir vegetables; roast for another 20 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and browning. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.

(5) Place vegetables and tomato paste into blender or food processor [I used a blender] and pulse until the desired consistency is reached.

(6) Serve warm with slices of sourdough bread, pita chips, flatbread, or focaccia or toss with hot pasta.  Yield: 3 cups [if I'm remembering correctly]

Notes: Next time I'll plan ahead to serve it with pasta and add either some jarred sauce (or just water) to the blending step to thin it out.  Also, additional seasonings like garlic powder, basil, oregano, etc. are options to explore.

Kid Participation: Pushing buttons on the blender or food processor

Couscous & Feta-stuffed Peppers

Original Recipe HERE

I was nervous about this dish because I don't always like cooked peppers.  Roasted, yes.  But so often they're served as part of something else and are mushy, limp, and almost bitter.  I'm pleased to announce that this dish has assuaged my fear and will be made again.  I assume the trick is to use sweeter peppers instead of green.

*J* ate the filling but didn't like the pepper shell, which was not a surprise.  What did shock me was how much *N* loved the entire thing, even asking for seconds.  I was so excited that she was eating peppers for once, instead of fastidiously picking them out of her meal, that I even let her use a "grown up knife" (under eagle-eyed supervision) to cut the pepper into bite-size pieces.

Ingredients
Vegetable-oil cooking spray
1 1/4 cups fat-free chicken or vegetable broth
2/3 cup couscous
4 extra-large or 5 large bell peppers [red, yellow, or orange]
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 zucchini or yellow squash [or a combination of both] peeled, quartered lengthwise, and sliced across thinly
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half [or one large tomato, diced with seeds removed]
15 ounces canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
3 tablespoons tomato paste

Directions
(1) Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a small baking dish with cooking spray.
(2) Bring the broth to a boil in a small pot.  Add the couscous; cover and remove from the heat.
(3) Cut stems and top half inch off peppers.  Scoop out seeds and membranes.
(4) Place peppers upright in the baking dish.  Roast for 15 minutes or until they soften.  Remove from the oven.
(5) Heat oil in a nonstick skillet. Add onion, zucchini, squash, oregano, and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes or until vegetables are softened.
(6) Remove from heat and stir in tomatoes, chickpeas and tomato paste. Scrape the couscous into the skillet and toss with the vegetables. Stir in crumbled feta.
(7) Fill peppers with the couscous mixture. Bake 15 minutes. Serve immediately.
 
Notes: Only change I would make is to make the tomato flavor more pronounced (via pasta sauce or more tomato paste) to fit my personal preference.
 

Kid Participation: None.