Spaghetti Sauce

This recipe isn't completely homemade because we use a jar of sauce as the tomato base, and then just add a whole bunch of other stuff to make it taste better and more nutritious.   While fresh tomatoes are great, they aren't always in season, and are a lot more expensive than buying the already made sauce or canned tomatoes.  We did however use fresh herbs which added some extra flavor.  Finely diced onion, carrot, and celery make a great base for the sauce, and they add some texture to the final product.  We always use ground beef or turkey in our sauce, but the meat could be omitted.   This is far from your typical "marinara" sauce you might think of going with spaghetti- but in my opinion it's so much better!

Ingredients:

1-1.5 lbs ground beef or turkey

1/2 t red pepper flakes

2 celery stalks, finely diced

1 onion, finely diced

2 carrots, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

salt and pepper

1 jar of tomato sauce (we like Classico or Bertolli)

1 14 oz can of diced or crushed tomatoes

2 Tablespoons freshly chopped herbs (we used oregano, thyme, and basil from the garden)

Freshly grated Parmesan

Directions:

In a large sauce pan over medium heat, brown the meat with a teaspoon of salt and the red pepper flakes.  Break up the meat as it browns, and when it is done drain it with a slotted spoon into a bowl and set aside.  

Remove some of the fat, until you are left with about two tablespoons worth in the pan (enough to generously coat the bottom of the pan).  Add the celery, onion, and carrot and stir to combine.  Add 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Cook over medium to medium-low for about 6-8 minutes until the vegetables have softened, and then add the garlic.  Cook for 3-4 minutes longer.  

Add the sauce and canned tomatoes, and then mix in the fresh herbs.

Bring the sauce to a simmer and turn to low heat.  Add the ground beef and continue to simmer, covered, for about 15-20 minutes.  Taste for salt and pepper.

Boil your favorite pasta to have with the sauce and sprinkle with the freshly grated Parmesan on top before serving. 

City Herb Garden

Spring came early this year... it hit 80 degrees for a couple days in March and recently it's been reaching the 70's on a pretty regular basis.  We realized suddenly it was past time to plant the herb garden!  We're lucky that we have a small outdoor space ("the cage") where we can keep some plants.  It doesn't get much sun, except for around the edges, so we have a couple long planters that line the border.  

We love having fresh herbs all summer long for so many reasons.  Just a small amount of freshly chopped herbs can enhance any dish- or any cocktail :)  It also saves a lot of money- you only take what you actually need for the dish instead of spending $2 on one herb at the grocery store and then only needing a few leaves or sprigs.  Granted, if you are making a huge batch of pesto you may not have enough basil from a small potted herb garden, but in general this will supply us for the entire summer.  Looking forward to using them in some new recipes!

Here are a few tips before you start your own potted herb garden: 

1. Try to find a place that gets some sun each day to place the plants, and rotate them every week to make sure they are getting even coverage.

2. Buy potting soil with nutrients.  Your plants need this since they aren't in the natural ground.

3. Instead of starting with seeds, buy starter plants.  Seeds take a really long time to get going so unless you have the patience, starter plants are the way to go.  We got ours on a 50% off sale at Home Depot!

4. WATER! You may not need to water them every day, but trust me... going a few days without water during the hot summer will make your plants look like the are about to wilt to death

5. Don't crowd the plants- they will get much bigger and need space.  Some need more than others so you may want to plant them in their own pot. 

6. Plant a variety- but only herbs you actually like and will use.  Some herbs go a long way (like rosemary) but others (basil, mint) can go pretty quickly.  So plant more than one of the herbs you think you will use the most.

7. Keep the labels in next to the plant if you are "herbally challenged"
8. Harvest often- this will promote more growth in your plants.  Plus, eating them is the best part! 
9. Speaking of eating... make sure you use them.  Fresh herbs are a great add-in at the end of your dish.
10.  Stay legal :)

What we planted this year:

- Thyme

- Spicy Oregano

- Rosemary

- Thai Basil

- Sweet Basil (2)

- Mint (2)

- Flat-leaf Parsley

It's not too late to start on your own herb garden to last your whole summer long!

Sage Sausage Stuffing

This recipe was my favorite side dish on the Thanksgiving dinner table.  I'd never made stuffing (ok, dressing) with sausage in it before, and it really makes a big difference flavor-wise.  You could eliminate it to accommodate vegetarians, but I definitely recommend trying it if you can!  The fresh herbs smell delicious and it really pays off to make this savory dish from scratch.

 

Ingredients:

1 loaf of good quality white bread (about 1.5 pounds)
12-16 oz sage sausage removed from casings (I used Jimmy Dean)
4 oz butter (half a stick)
1 1/2 cups diced onion
1 cup diced green pepper
3 stalks celery, diced
2 cloves finely chopped garlic
1/4 cup minced sage leaves
2 eggs
3 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup minced parsely

Directions:
Start by preheating the oven to 275 degrees F.  Then, cut the bread into 3/4 inch cubes and spread them out on a large baking sheet.  Bake until completely dried out, about 45 minutes total.  Mix them up and change layers in the oven every 10 minutes to make sure they evenly cook.  Let them cool when they are done.  You can do this ahead of time and store the bread cubes in an air tight container.

Preheat the oven (or increase heat) to 375 degrees F. Heat butter in a pan over medium heat and add the sausage, breaking it up into little pieces as it browns.

When the sausage is browned, add the onion, green pepper, and celery until it begins to soften.  Don't forget to add salt and pepper as you go.  Then, add the garlic and sage and continue cooking for a few minutes longer. It should take about 10 minutes total for the vegetables.

Remove the pan from heat and add half of the chicken broth.
To the remaining half of the broth, add the parsley and eggs and mix well.  Take this mixture and add it to the sausage mixture.  In a large bowl, combine the bread cubes and the sauce mixture, and mix together well with tongs.

Pour the stuffing into a greased casserole dish (unless you are using it to stuff the bird!) and bake for 45 minutes covered in foil.  Then remove the cover and continue baking for 15 minutes until the top browns and crisps up.  Serve alongside with your turkey & gravy.

MMMMMMM!