Slow-Cooked Spaghetti Sauce

Okay, so I'm really starting to feel old! It about did me in to get a minivan a couple of years ago and now, I'm officially a "soccer Mom"! My 4 year old had his first soccer practice tonight. Don't get me wrong...it was SO cute to watch him and see how much he seemed to enjoy it, but I feel like before I know it, he'll be starting school, driving, going to prom, dating, etc! It's amazing how quickly the time flies by! Since our schedules are getting busier and busier, between my husband and my work schedules and now throwing Jake's soccer practices/games into the mix, I've realized that my crockpot is going to become my new best friend :) I've had this recipe bookmarked for a while now and have been waiting for one of those "busy days" when I knew I didn't have time to fuss in the kitchen. I knew we'd be rushing off to Jake's soccer practice as soon as my husband got home from work and then wouldn't get home until at least 7:30-7:45, so this seemed like a perfect dinner idea! As soon as we got home, I made the pasta and some garlic bread and dinner was ready in 15 minutes! The only thing I want to mention is that you may want to watch your sauce carefully, as mine started to burn a bit--then again, it could have just been my crockpot!

Thanks, Heidi, for the recipe! We'll definitely be making it again soon!

Slow-Cooked Spaghetti Sauce

1 pound ground beef or bulk Italian sausage
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon brown sugar
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 to 2 teaspoons dried basil
1 to 2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried thyme
Hot cooked spaghetti (we used penne, just because that's my husband's preference)

Directions:

In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Transfer to a 3-qt. slow cooker. Add the next 10 ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or until heated through. Discard bay leaf. Serve with spaghetti. 6-8 servings

Source: Tried-and-True cooking with Heidi

Prime Rib Roast

This is the second time in my entire life that I have made a prime rib roast. My Dad first introduced me to prime rib YEARS ago and it quickly became my "meat of choice" to order while dining out. The first time my husband tried prime rib was actually the night we got engaged...November 2, 2001. We went to a steakhouse in Bloomington (the town we initially met) and he seemed to quite enjoy it, other than being a nervous wreck about proposing! When I was home recently, my parents made a rib roast and it was SO good...this is the recipe my Mom used!!! It definitely is a cut of meat that ordinarily isn't in my budget, but being Easter time, I found it on sale for $4.99/lb. (Certainly better than $10-$12/lb!) I did end up taking the meat out a bit too soon...I think I must have had the thermometer up against a bone or fat, because it registered higher than it was. It wasn't until I went to slice it, that I realized it was a bit on the "raw" side for our liking! (Nothing that placing it back in the oven for 10 minutes couldn't fix, though!)

Prime Rib Roast

Prime Rib Roast
Butter
Kosher Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Use a paper towel to pat the roast dry. Rub butter on the cut ends of the roast. Create a seasoning rub with the above spices. Make a series of 1/4 inch deep slits all over the top of the roast, as well as the sides. Rub seasonings all over the roast, covering all exposed meat.

Place the roast in a heavy metal roasting pan, bone side down. Regardless of the size of your roast, you will start it in a 450 degree preheated oven for 15 minutes and then reduce the temperature to 325 degrees for the balance of cooking time.

Every half hour or so, baste the ends of the roast with the drippings. Use your meat thermometer about a half hour before the expected end of the roasting time. Make sure to insert it in the thickest part of the meat, not touching the fat or bone. When the internal temperature reaches 120°, pull it out of the oven and cover with foil. Let the roast sit for twenty to thirty minutes. It will continue to cook during this time, reaching a temperature of about 125° to 130°. This resting period allows the juices and flavors to permeate the roast.

Note: We prefer to eat our meat medium rare. Below, is a list of temperatures according to how well done you prefer your meat.

Rare: 120-125 degrees
Medium Rare: 130-135 degrees
Medium: 140-145 degrees
Medium Well: 150-155 degrees
Well: 160 degrees

***Just as an estimate for cooking time, if you are wanting your meat rare and you have a 7-8 pound roast (3 ribs), you can expect to cook for 15 minutes at 450 degrees and 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours at 325 degrees.

Source: Adele Fine

Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan

Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan

2 bunches (1 1/2 pounds) asparagus
1 tablespoon olive oil
Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Trim the tough ends from the asparagus. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the asparagus with the olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Spread in an even layer. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Roast until the asparagus is tender and the cheese is melted, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

Source: Everyday Food: Great Food Fast

BLT Pasta Salad

Since having my daughter, I have found it next to impossible to make time to grab a bite to eat during the day--I usually just eat a pretty hearty dinner! My four year old son is a wild man and is constantly demanding my attention. Now that my daughter is crawling (and two seconds away from walking), I have to watch the two little rugrats like a hawk! My energy level has been at an all-time low and it dawned on me that it's likely because I'm not taking the time to eat breakfast or lunch on a regular basis. I made up my mind the other day that I was going to start making things in bulk, that I can eat on during the week. I, personally, could eat the same thing everyday and it wouldn't phase me--I'm pretty easy-going :) I decided to make this BLT pasta salad, because it is fairly hearty and incorporates several different food groups. This is another recipe that I was given, shortly before I was married and while my husband won't go near it with a ten foot pole (strictly because it has mayonnaise in it), I quite enjoy it! I hope you do, as well!

BLT Pasta Salad

16 oz elbow macaroni, cooked and drained
1 lb bacon, fried and diced (I make my bacon in the oven...a bit healthier!)
1/2 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
2-3 tomatoes, diced
1 small onion, diced
Mayonnaise (enough to moisten all ingredients)

Directions:

Mix first five ingredients together and coat with mayonnaise until creamy.

Source: Adapted from recipe by Risa Kennedy

Italian Sausage Dip

One of my closest girlfriends made this dip for our annual Christmas get-together a few years ago. As soon as I tried it, I knew it would be a hit with my husband--it's now his request for all of his work pitch-ins! We've made it for several family functions and everyone seems to enjoy it. It's very rich and creamy and not particularly difficult to make. The best part is that you finish making it in the crockpot, so it stays nice and warm the entire time. The other thing about this recipe is that you have the option to make it more on the mild side or spicier, depending on your personal preference--or that of your guests. My family can't handle too much spice, but my husband's family seems to like things especially spicy. The recipe calls for (2) 14 1/2 oz cans of diced tomatoes and I ordinarily use one can of plain, diced tomatoes and the other can with green chilies mixed in. I'd encourage you to experiment with the recipe to determine just how much spice you can handle!

Italian Sausage Dip

1 pound Italian Sausage
(2) 8 ounce packages cream cheese
(2) 14 1/2 ounce cans diced tomatoes (I suggest one with green chilies and the other plain!)


Directions:

Brown sausage in a skillet over medium heat. Drain excess fat. Place cream cheese in crockpot, on high, until melted--watch carefully so it doesn't burn! Add both cans of tomatoes to melted cream cheese. Stir in sausage and turn crockpot down to low to keep warm. Serve with tortilla chips.

NOTE: If cans of tomatoes seem to have an excessive amount of liquid, I would suggest draining a bit off so the dip isn't too "runny". Also, this dip can be made ahead of time and heated up in the crockpot before serving.

Source: Haley Campbell

Double Tomato Bruschetta

I'm fairly certain that this is the recipe my husband made a couple of years ago for a Valentine's dinner he made for me. That was the first time I ever tried Bruschetta--it was one of those things I assumed my husband would never even consider ordering when out to dinner! I LOVED it when he made it and I enjoyed it as much this time around! It's very easy to make and would be a great appetizer to accompany an Italian meal--or any meal, for that matter! This particular recipe is for 6 servings, allowing approximately 2 pieces a person.

Double Tomato Bruschetta

3 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil
1-1/2 cloves minced garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh basil, stems removed
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 French baguette
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Preheat the oven on broiler setting. In a large bowl, combine the roma tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, basil, salt, and pepper. Allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes.

Cut the baguette into 3/4-inch slices. On a baking sheet, arrange the baguette slices in a single layer. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes, until slightly brown.

Divide the tomato mixture evenly over the baguette slices. Top the slices with mozzarella cheese. Broil for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

Source: Allrecipes

Deluxe Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Talk about a sandwich with all of my favorite ingredients!!! Not too long ago, I posted a recipe for a "doctored up version" of a grilled cheese sandwich, but I honestly must admit...I prefer this version, hands down! The other one was definitely "good", but this is the "mother of all grilled cheese sandwiches"! It would be a great sandwich to serve with a cup/bowl of soup when you have company over for lunch...I selfishly ate it by myself :)

Deluxe Grilled Cheese Sandwich

8 ounces mozzarella or Monterey Jack cheese, thinly sliced
8 slices white or whole wheat bread
1 small onion, diced (I used red onion)
8 slices bacon, crisply cooked and drained
1 medium tomato, thinly sliced
1 medium avocado, thinly sliced
Margarine or butter, softened

Directions:

Place half of the cheese on 4 slices bread. Top with onion, bacon, tomato, avocado, remaining cheese and remaining bread. Spread top slices of bread with margarine.

Place sandwiches, margarine sides down, in a skillet. Spread tops of bread with margarine. Cook uncovered over medium heat about 5 minutes or until bottoms are golden brown. Turn and cook 2 to 3 minutes longer or until other sides are golden brown and cheese is melted.

Source: Betty Crocker 20-Minute Recipes