My Twist on Ina's Weeknight Bolognese

I recently went to the Library and was able to [finally!] find Ina's latest cookbook, "How Easy is That?"......after reading it cover to cover in one day (that's how interesting I find her cookbooks to be!) I have to admit, I personally favor her "Back to Basics" cookbook, just because I find the recipes much more fun, yet challenging at the same time - which I love!

There was one recipe that caught my eye immediately and I just simply had to make it tonight. It was not hard to imagine it would be a big hit with my little boy...... he loves Spaghetti and Meatsauce/Meatballs. I try and make it once a week or every other week. I also try to puree carrots and add it in the sauce to incorporate more veggies/nutrients. It's sneaky .....and works like a charm every time! :) Below is her recipe for 'Weeknight Bolognese' - pictured above is what I made tonight.... along with a raspberry spinach/spring mix salad and garlic toast. Love love love this dish!

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Barefoot Contessa How Easy is That? Ina Garten (with my slight spin on it)
serves 4-5

2 TB good olive oil, plus extra to cook pasta
1 pound lean ground sirloin
4 tsp minced garlic (4 cloves)
1 TB dried oregano
¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (I will use 1/8 tsp next time for the kids) - I don't put any in
1 ¼ cups dry red wine, divided
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
2 TB tomato paste
Kosher salt & black pepper
¾ pound dried pasta, such as orecchiette or small shells (I used 1 pound) - I used thin spaghetti
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
¼ cup heavy cream - I used organic whole milk
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese ( in our house this is called "snow" ), plus extra for serving

See the happiness coming from this simple meal???? Oh yeah!!

Happy Mistake

I cannot believe how long it has been since my last post, but I do have a great reason why - I am 12 weeks pregnant!!! Philip and I have been talking about trying for our second child for the past year, and we knew that once he got back from his deployment, we definitely wanted to start trying right away - and we were fortunate enough to get pregnant right away! ............and boy do I have a pregnant brain!

I had made beef stew in my crockpot yesterday morning, and was really craving homemade biscuits to go with it for dinner. So I whipped out my biscuit recipe card and started making the "dough" ...for some reason, it just didn't seem to come together, so I added a 1/2 C of whole milk..... (and honestly, I think I wrote down the wrong measurement for sugar-I think it was supposed to be 1-1/2 tbsps instead of cups...haha) SO...by the time Jake and I were done mixing and rolling it out, it was pretty much cookie dough. I thought, oh my goodness....I have a batch for about 3 dozen sugar cookies....so I thought I would see if it would even rise and just see how it would taste. Well, it was pretty much the best sugar cookie I have ever tasted in my life!!! And I'm going to share the recipe with you.... it's definitely not healthy with all the butter, sugar and whole milk - but when is dessert ever really good for you?  I'm using this for my Christmas sugar cookies this year and I am so excited because they taste even better than the pre-made pillsbury cookie dough.

I sift the dry ingredients first for a smoother texture.

*Forgot to write "cup" for the 1/2 C of Milk.... pregnancy brain...gotta love it!

Barefoot Products

This past week has been extremely busy with work and getting everything ready at home to welcome my husband back from a four month long deployment..... so I haven't really done too much "Barefoot" cooking.... mostly, chopping up some fresh fruit and making salads.....and the occasional frozen pizza...sadly, I know it's not the healthiest - the pizza - but it is sometimes the easiest thing to make. I think we all can agree on that one!

So, since I don't have any recipes to talk about today.... I thought I would share a little bit of my own ratings on some of the products I have purchased from the Barefoot Contessa online store...

The picture above is the Barefoot Contessa spatula and brownie pan. Two of the best things in my kitchen! I am not just saying this because I love her, the show, and the food..... The brownie pan has made absolutely perfect brownies every single time I have made them in this pan - and it is extremely EASY to clean and NOTHING gets stuck to it - and if you know me............you know that I love anything that is EASY TO CLEAN!!!! Because....... I clean all the time. :) It's just a part of who I am, and what I enjoy doing in my free time... and I'm proud to say it!

Also, the spatula is perfect! I can easily make scrambled eggs with it and it won't melt.... it's extremely heat resistant and....also easy to clean. Good quality products  = completely worth it!!!

I think these products are just a tiny example of why I spend so much time incorporating the Barefoot Contessa food/life-style into my own life.... because of the QUALITY of every single facet of this brand.

*Also, the only other thing I have purchased from her online pantry is her pre-made carmel espresso hot fudge.........AND IT WAS AMAZING!!!!! Pour it over ice cream or brownies (or both together in the same bowl) made from my brownie pan and it is the most indulgent thing you will ever taste!

Jake's Cake

Fondant Time!

Not only do I enjoy cooking "Barefoot" style, but I also LOVE to make fondant and decorate cakes! Marshmellow fondant is in fact SUPER easy to make (believe it or not)...I taught myself two years ago for my son's first birthday.... I can't believe he will be three on Friday! We are throwing him a big birthday party at our neighborhood pool - We are going to try to be optimistic and make the best of it without our Philip.... but it won't be long.... as Jake tells me every morning, "it's going to be so soon Mom". I will be making his cake tomorrow - and will definitely post pics after this crazy weekend whirlwind. I have a funny feeling that I am going to be absolutely exhausted come Sunday.

Getting things ready for his "Mickey Mouse Clubhouse" themed birthday party!

The ONLY Way to make Broccoli

As far as I'm concerned, Broccoli is BEST made the Barefoot way...... I will never make broccoli any other way!  I was hooked alone by the act of my two year old asking me for a second helping.  The idea is so simple, and Ina Garten helped me realize that the best [and surprisingly easiest] way to cook any vegetable is by roasting it. It's sort of similar to the way you would make a dish in a crockpot (and let me tell you....I DO love my crockpot cooking!); you prep it, put it in the cooker, set the timer and forget it. No slaving over  a stove people! Not my cup of tea.

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First Taste: This side dish has a crunchy texture with a garlic/salty coating that leaves you wanting more.  Freshly squeezed lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper are a winning combination....... and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese after it's done roasting is like icing on a cake!

Addition: Pasta!!!!!!!!!!! Or anything that has alfredo sauce on it. Not only do the colors look fresh together but you can dip the broccoli in the sauce...... I'm craving more as I type...............

*Easy* French Apple Tart

Check it out! I almost got it to look just like Ina's.... (keyword "Almost")

Yes, folks..... it is easy! Reading the recipe in the book, [I have to admit] seemed a little daunting at first, but the only thing that may seem time consuming about this dessert is peeling the apples. (Note to self: ask for an apple peeler for Christmas!) Seriously, that's the only hard thing about this recipe. The pastry is super quick to make, (and you can make it a day in advance). When it is almost done baking........ the smell alone will be worth it.

"Comfort Central" will be the new name of your kitchen.

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You have to try making this at least one time before you die,

just so you can say that you made a

"French Apple Tart"! (doesn't it sound so regal??)

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First Taste: Warm, comfort, BLISS! It's almost like a fancy single-layer apple pie. And, yes, it's basically to die for!

Addition: You can add this dessert after any dinner.... but I think the most appropriate time to serve this is when you have guests over....it's a large dessert and if you don't have anyone to share it with, you will end up eating all of it, by yourself, in one sitting. I know from personal experience. :)

Healthy AND Yummy....and might I add, Chewy!

Barefoot Contessa Granola Bars.... need I say more?

Easy. Simple. Delicious. What's not to love about a snack that can be all that?

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First Taste: Sweet and chewy were the first words that came to mind, when biting into the world's most flavorful granola bar. These bars pack a huge amount of flavor all in just one bite - and let's face it, everyone needs a snack throughout the day...... and let me tell you, if you had these in your pantry, you'd never reach for a greasy potato chip ever again.

Addition: These granola bars are a great snack to have with some plain vanilla yogurt (preferraby Greek).... or you could even drizzle a little bit of melted chocolate on top for a "naughty-but-nice" dessert - you're daily calorie intake will be less by opting for one of these instead of ice cream.... the keyword being "one".

Butternut Bliss

I really don't even need to write anything in this post because the picture alone shows you how incredibly comforting and tasty this side dish is. Butternut squash is [Hands Down!] by far my favorite vegetable! Yes, I am very excited about this veggie, and proud of it - I don't think you can find a better flavor/texture combination. And the key to this easy side? The easy *four* - olive oil, salt (has to be Kosher!), ground black pepper, and brown sugar. Done!

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First Taste: Flavor popping, warm & comforting goodness.... that tastes way too good to be healthy for you - but believe me, it is!

Addition: This side can of course be added to any main dish (in my mind), but if I had to choose one, it would be best suited along the side of an herb roasted turkey.

SWEET Sweet Potato "Fries"!

Okay, so these fries are about as close to the "taste" of heaven as you're ever gonna get! When you pull the tray out of the oven, you can't help but pick one up...even if it burns your finger and mouth - it's totally sweet and definitely worth it!

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First Taste: There is a fine crispiness to the outside of these sweet little things. Once you bite down, the gushy sweet potato texture explodes into your mouth and within seconds of swallowing, your hand will automatically grab another one. Another great thing about this snack: it will definitely satisfy any "sweet & salty" craving!

Addition: This side dish goes great with burgers, steak, or as an "anytime" snack.

....trust me, you're gonna love it! Oh and did I mention....these "fries" are baked, not "fried"? -oh yeah!