Spaghetti Pie

I've only made this a few times, each time different, and now when I ask my Granddaughter what she'd like me to cook for her family, it's always her #1 request. This time is the same, in that it will be different . .😉. . from previous times.

1# Butcher's Blend

~ 50% ground beef + 50% ground pork

1# ground turkey

1T Rosemary Seasoning

1/2c chopped onion

3T California, Italian, Greek or Moroccan EVOO

1c cold fresh water

Chop and sauté the meat, onion and seasoning, using a flat-edged wooden spoon, over medium-high heat, evaporating all the fat and liquid until the meat is lightly browned and in small, crumbly pieces. Add: the EVOO toward the end. Stir, and continue to brown until meat begins to stick and darken. Slowly add a little of the water, then allow the browning to happen again to the point of sticking to the bottom of the pan. Do this browning and deglazing several times, using up the entire cup of water by the end.

Add the longer cooking vegetables first, chopped celery and carrots with 1T Garlic and Herb Seasoning, and another 1/3c water. Cover and simmer on low-medium heat 5 minutes. Pour in the jar of sauce. Add a little water, red wine or vodka to the jar and shake well to get all the remaining sauce, then pour this into the pot. Optional-also add 14-28oz of crushed tomatoes - IF you want the sauce heavier on tomato. Without the extra tomato, it's a nice meaty, vegetable sauce with just enough tomato to hold it all together. Stir and simmer this another 5 minutes before adding:

1/3 chopped green pepper

remaining chopped onion

4 cloves minced garlic

1T Italian seasoning

~ grind to a powder in mortar and pestle

3 bay leaves

1T sugar

Cover and simmer over low heat 15 minutes to blend all the flavors. 

Cook 1# thin spaghetti to al dente only. When the spaghetti is cooked, add a couple ladles of starchy pasta water to the sauce. Drain and rinse the spaghetti in cold water until pasta is cold then drain in a colander.

Simmer the sauce another 15 minutes over low heat, uncovered. Put the pasta back in the rinsed out pot it was cooked in. Mix it with 3-4 ladles of the simmered vegetable sauce. Spread this sauced spaghetti over a 9x13x1" or 8x11x2" glass pan.

Add 1c sour cream to the remaining, slightly cooled sauce, if you'd rather have a creamier, pink sauce. Pour the sauce over the spaghetti and top everything with some fresh grated parmesan or other flavorful hard cheese -or- American if, like me, you're cooking for a young family. I actually like mine topped with pepper jack cheese! Bake this at 350° for an additional 10-15 minutes before serving with a fresh green salad, tossed with EVOO and lemon juice.

This will keep well several days in the 'fridge. . .Lin

Chicken Cacciatore

2# boneless skinless chicken

1 lg. purple onion

1 yellow sweet pepper

1 orange sweet pepper

1lg. clove elephant garlic

4 lg. ribs of celery

8oz. fresh mushrooms

1c± dry white wine

28oz. crushed tomatoes

12oz. seasoned pasta sauce

14.5oz. can petite diced tomatoes

2t sugar

2t Rosemary Seasoning*

1-2T Italian seasoning

Pasta:  Spaghetti, Linguini or Fettuccine

Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces, or a little larger.  Pat the chicken dry and combine with a little finely chopped onion, and a couple tablespoons of butter or olive oil, in a heavy 5qt. pot.  Sauté 15 minutes or so then add the rest of the rough chopped or sliced vegetables.  Stir and continue to sauté another 15 minutes.  Add the wine about half way though, continue to stir and simmer.  Stir in the tomatoes and sauce and simmer and additional 30-60 minutes, on low heat, covered, stirring occasionally.  Toward the end of the cooking time, try the sauce and see what additions or seasonings might be needed.

While this is simmering, cook the pasta to the al dente stage.  Drain and put into baking dishes.  Pour on a cup or two of the sauce to coat the pasta, and keep it from sticking together.  Cover with the rest of the chicken, vegetables and sauce.  Ideally, to fully develop the flavors, you would chill this overnight and reheat it before serving the next day, but it can be served now.

I cooked for friends yesterday.  It was supposed to just be enough for 4, but. . .even though I've lived alone on and off for the past 21 years, I've never mastered the Art Of Cooking Small! 😉 

Fortunately, most people I know are hungry, and I'm also a Big Fan of leftovers!  This recipe made a 9"x13" and a 9"x9" pan.  Probably enough for 8-10 people.  Have fun with this!  Maybe you too know some hungry people?  Invite them for dinner! 😊 It's a nice dinner just as is, but if you're a bread person, some toasty ciabatta with garlic butter would be nice.  Or if, like me, you can never get enough vegetables, try it with my very favorite - My 5-Ingredient Salad . . . Lin