Pantry Pomodoro Pasta Sauce and Meals

 

Pantry Pomodoro Pasta Sauce and Meals

We are in the middle of a pandemic.  A lethal pandemic, which has caused millions to either lose or be laid from their jobs. Millions are at home, homeschooling their kids due to Distance Learning.  Times are hard, frustrating and Unemployment Benefits has become the plaything and dangling carrot for politicians to seek votes during this election. Geez, as if 2020 was not already painful, there are hungry people, hungry children, and that is not okay.  The last couple of recipes I have written have come from this neediness.  Like me, millions have not been able to keep full meals, fully healthy meals or balanced meals on their tables. Money is not plentiful, and so I hope this recipe helps families overcome.  This recipe can last upwards of four days for one or two people and  three days for up to four people. The list seems long, but it doesn't have to be*.  I will explain in a moment.  Let's get to it, shall we?

Ingredients for Carne Pomodoro Sauce

1 pound ground beef 

1 pound ground hot Italian Sausage 

(Really, you should use whatever ground meat you have or that is inexpensive you have in your freezer). 

2 28-0z cans San Marzano tomato puree 

2 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes with any Italian ingredients, such as oregano, basil or garlic. 

red or white wine vinegar, two or three tablespoons

1 cup starchy pasta water

2 rounded tablespoons garlic, granulated or powder

2 rounded tablespoons of granulated onion

3 rounded and separated tablespoons dry Italian seasoning 

---or---

2 rounded teaspoons dry thyme 

2 teaspoons pounded rosemary

2 tablespoons dry oregano leaves, rubbed between your palms

salt and pepper

evoo

2 tablespoons tomato paste

 prepackaged ravioli, tortellini (both, your favs)

1 package of spaghetti or long noodle pasta, your favorite

Add four quarts of water to one pot and set it on a burner at medium-low heat. 

Bring three or four tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, aka evoo, to a ripple in a large pot over medium-high heat.  Add the two packages of ground meat.  Add a pinch of salt and pepper to season. Allow the meat to caramelize three or so minutes before you begin breaking it up.  The sausage, if you use that, will render its fat and add flavor and amazing aromas. 

Next, add the tomato paste and a hefty pinch of the dry herbs or Italian seasonings.  Stir vigorously to incorporate.  Add the canned tomato products, the vinegar and another hefty tablespoon of the seasonings. Stir to marry these insanely aromatic and delicious flavorings, about two minutes.  

If you have any fresh ingredients, add them now or at the very end of simmering. 

Elevate the heat in the pot of water to high. 

Simmer to Pomodoro (tomato) sauce for thirty minutes up to one hour.  I let it simmer 45 minutes. 

When the water comes to a roiling boil, liberally salt the water. It is the only chance you get to season the pasta.  I actually went crazy and used garlic salt.  (It's been a no-no in traditional Italian kitchens but I didn't have any actual garlic so I improvised.  Add whichever pasta you want to have this evening.  I had cheese and prosciutto tortellini.  I plated on a bowl with 

I 

I plated on a small dish and grated fresh parmigiano reggiano atop this amazing delicacy. So flavorful, aromatic, such comfort for the soul. 

It will help rid you of your woes...

temporarily, at least.  

Thank You for your time and consideration, friends.  I hope this helps, however many days you drag it out. You can freeze the sauce, too, and split up the number of dishes you use it with!

With that, Take a Deep Breath and Go Cook For Someone You Love!

~Martin

In-House Cook

 

Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Chicken Thighs with Fried Parmesan Crusted Ravioli

 

Stuffed Bacon Rolled Chicken Thighs with Parmesan Crusted Fried Ravioli

I am not sure which part of this meal I really want to blog more, the chicken or the ravioli. Both turned out fantastic. I have made chicken such as this a few times before, in different incarnations, but this was good, too.  And, both are part of this exceptionally flavorful and easy pantry meal.  Let's get to it, shall we?

Ingredients

1 package of five or six boneless skinless chicken thighs

7-10 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped

salt and pepper

Zest and Juice of one lime or, white champagne vinegar

1 package thick cut bacon, two slices per chicken thigh

1/2 cup grated Mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup fresh grated Parmigiana 

evoo 

dried thyme, 1 teaspoon

2 tablespoons whole grain mustard in white wine

Preheat the oven to 350-degrees. 

In a bowl, add the mozzarella, two teaspoons Parmigiana, salt and pepper (1/2 teaspoon each), the mustard, the zest and juice or, the vinegar, the sage leaves finely chopped and the thyme. Stir with a fork vigorously to incorporate everything. 

Meanwhile, in a baking pan lined with foil and sprayed with non-stick spray, lay out two pieces of bacon. Take a chicken thigh and open it up, using a paring knife if needed to cut tissue to open it further like a book.  Sorta.  😃  Add the stuffing length-wise, roll it up using the bacon.  The idea is, as it bakes, the bacon renders its fat and constricts, therefore keeping the stuffing inside. Repeat until you have used up everything.

Using a plane grater, grate some fresh Parmigiana over the chicken thigh roll.  I like to add a sage leaf to the face of each thigh.  That's just me, though.

Place the baking dish in the over for 45 minutes.  Low and slow is the best way to cook this.  

In the meantime, bring a couple of quarts of water to a roiling boil about 30 minutes into baking of the chicken. Add salt to the water.  Also, add grated garlic to a skillet with enough evoo in it to cover the entire bottom of the skillet and turn the heat to medium.  As the oil heats up the garlic, it will make you crazy hungry!

When the water boils, drizzle a teaspoon of evoo into the pot and add the ravioli one at a time.  The oil helps to prevent the ravioli from sticking to each other.  Bring the heat in the skillet up to medium-high. 

Use a spider or a slotted spoon to remove each ravioli from the pot and carefully and gently add it to the hot skillet. The water still on the ravioli will cause a splatter.  Be prepared!  Grate some Parmigiana over the frying ravioli.  Turn after two minutes and grate more cheese.  Remove to a serving plate. You may need to repeat the process depending on how many ravioli remain.  

When the chicken is done, about 45 minutes in, crank the heat to 400 for ten minutes.  Turn off the heat, remove the baking pan, and allow the chicken to rest.  

Let the chicken rest about five minutes. 

Serve singularly or on a famiglia serving platter.  Up to you!  I'd add a nice salad to this, maybe Caprese.  I think that'd be perfect.  

As always, Thank You very much for your time and consideration!  I appreciate your visit!

Now, Go Cook For Someone You Love!  Pantry meals are sweet, short and delicious.  Great way to go during these unusual living times.  

~Martin

In-House Cook

In-House Cook: Lemon Marinated Chicken with Pesto Farfalle

In-House Cook: Lemon Marinated Chicken with Pesto Farfalle:   Lemon Marinated Chicken with Pesto Farfalle This is not a unique dish. I'd love to say it is, but nope.  It IS, however, a favorite of...

Lemon Marinated Chicken with Pesto Farfalle

 

Lemon Marinated Chicken with Pesto Farfalle

This is not a unique dish. I'd love to say it is, but nope.  It IS, however, a favorite of my friends and family, is super easy to make and can be prepped and cooked within 45 minutes, tops.  It feeds four easily. It will feed six if you add one more chicken breast and one more cup of bowtie, or, farfalle pasta.  Because of this, during these difficult financial and stressful quaran-mess times, I wanted to share this recipe with you all.  We all want things to be easier, meals to be prepared quicker and less expensive but no less flavorful. Let's get to this, then, shall we?

Ingredients

4-5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, scored

several fresh rosemary leaves, greens of 4 scallions, 6 basil leaves, 4 sage leaves, all finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, grated

several sprigs, fresh thyme

the zest of half a lemon and all of its juice

3 tablespoons evoo + 4 tablespoons

6 ounces basil pesto

salt and pepper

Grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Romano cheese, about 1/4 cup

 Score the chicken breasts on the top and bottom. 

In a bowl, add the juice and zest of the lemon, add coarse sea salt, about 1 teaspoon, the grated garlic, the fresh finely chopped herbs and the four tablespoons evoo. Make sure the scored chicken breasts are fully coated with the marinade. Allow it to marinate about thirty minutes.  Longer, up to an hour, if possible. 

In a large skillet, add the remaining evoo.  When the oil ripples, add the chicken and all of the marinate.  Turn after four minutes each side. There should be a beautiful golden color to both sides. 

This is the color you want on both sides.  Now, remove the chicken from the skillet and allow it to rest. 

Meanwhile, add one entire box (about one pound) of Farfalle (also known as Bowtie) Pasta to a pot of four quarts of liberally salted boiling water. Stir occasionally over the twelve minute cook time to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pot. 

Slice the chicken now along the score lines. 

Now, once the pasta is done, save a 1/4 cup of the starchy pasta water and strain the pasta and water through a colander. In the same pot, add the pasta 1/4 cup pasta water, half of the pesto and stir, and a good pinch of the cheese.  Add the pasta back into the pot and stir vigorously.  Add more cheese. More pesto and cheese and incorporate thoroughly.  

I love that almost creamy cheesy Pesto Farfalle!

Plate the pasta and top it with the aromatic lemon herb chicken. Tipo di famiglia servo!

Serve family style and Gustati il tuo cibo!

Enjoy your food!

As always Thank You for your time and consideration.  I very much appreciate your visit!  

Now, Go Cook For Someone You Love!  

~Martin

In-House Cook

In-House Cook: Pantry Meal Home Style Jambalaya

In-House Cook: Pantry Meal Home Style Jambalaya:   Pantry Meal Home Style Jambalaya Jambalaya is a down home style staple dish to the South just as Pot-au-feu  is a French staple dish that ...

Pantry Meal Home Style Jambalaya

 

Pantry Meal Home Style Jambalaya

Jambalaya is a down home style staple dish to the South just as Pot-au-feu is a French staple dish that never ends. And like both of these treasures, the ingredients can be as varied as the wind.  Traditionally, Jambalaya can incorporate very similar ingredients to Spanish Paella, such as rice, chicken, fish, crawfish or shrimp. Keeping in mind that I am allergic to shellfish and mushrooms, and, that it was real near the end of the month when I had prepared this (teachers are now nodding their heads, knowing how tight the end of the month is, financially) I used the ingredients remaining in my pantry and frig.  With that knowledge, shall we get to my Pantry Meal Home Style Jambalaya? Oui!

Ingredients

To feed four - six people....

2 cups washed rice 

1 large red onion, coarsely chopped

6 cloves garlic, smashed, peeled and grated

1 red, 1 green and 1 orange or yellow bell pepper, slivered

1 rounded tablespoon smoked Paprika

1 tablespoon fresh thyme

1 tablespoon fresh oregano

1/2 tablespoon crushed red chile flakes

2 rounded tablespoons Old Bay

2 rounded tablespoons Cajun spice

1 bay leaf

2-3 tablespoons your favorite hot hot sauce

2 sticks celery with the greens attached, chopped

3 scallions, greens attached, sliced at an angle

2-3 Andouille sausage links, sliced at an angle

3/4 your favorite beer

1 1/4 cups water

1 28-oz can tomato puree

4-6 sprigs Flat Leaf Italian Parsley, coarsely chopped

Either 2 tablespoons crushed coriander seed or...

1/2 cups coarsely chopped fresh Cilantro

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

+ Anything else you want to add!!!😄

Meal Prep: Coarsely chop all of the veg except the peppers. Or, cube them, too.  

After slicing the sausage at an angle, add three drizzles of evoo to a large pot over medium-high heat and then add and sautee the sausage slices for up to seven minutes until the edges begin char or brown. 

Get color on the sausages like this!

Once the sausage gets that partly char going on, add all of the veg, onion and garlic and rice!  Add the tomato product, beer and water and bring to a boil.   

Combine all the spices in a bowl and mix well with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Pour the spices into the pot. Add the hot sauce. Stir for about two solid minutes to incorporate all of the flavors.  The aroma should be insanely good right now!

This is the time to add any other ingredients YOU want, such as shrimp, crawfish, fish, or chicken.  I would have added corn if I'd had any on hand.  

 

This dreamy vision is what Jambalaya should look like.  Again, yours might have one ore more other traditional ingredients.  As I said, my ingredients stemmed from what I had on hand, and thank goodness, I had all the spices!

After you have brought the "stew" to a boil, reduce the heat to low or warm-low, and simmer for 45+ minutes, stirring the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon every fifteen minutes to prevent rice from sticking to the bottom of the pot.   

Stir every fifteen minutes to prevent rice from sticking.  When done, remove the bay leaf and serve in a bowl or on serving platter, family style or individually, whatever your preference.  The most important thing is to enjoy!

Thank You for taking the time to view my humble pantry meal Jambalaya.  I realize, once more, that mine is more of a stew, but, I used what I had on hand, and I did have all of the required spices to rank it up there with a Jambalaya, just not a true, traditional one.  

Now, Thanks for your viewership, your time and you Know how much I appreciate you.  So, Go Cook Something For Someone You Love!

Maybe Jambalaya!!!

~Martin

In-House Cook

In-House Cook: Facil Pollo Chilaquiles Easy Chicken Fajitas

In-House Cook: Facil Pollo Chilaquiles Easy Chicken Fajitas:   Facil Pollo Chilaquiles  Easy Chicken Fajitas Hello friends! You know, I love to cook from scratch as much as possible, but sometimes you ...

Facil Pollo Chilaquiles Easy Chicken Fajitas

 

Facil Pollo Chilaquiles 

Easy Chicken Fajitas

Hello friends! You know, I love to cook from scratch as much as possible, but sometimes you just do not have the energy or the time. These are tough times, I know.  We are quaran-teaching (both parents, grandparents and teachers), we are stressed over loss of income, and our energy levels are drained at every turn.  I have been creating and writing recipes, such as this one and the pork roast I wrote about in the previous recipe blog post, to help alleviate some of that quaran-stress as possible. This one takes a trip to the grocery store but the meal prep is easy (facil, easy, in Spanish) and won't quaran-drain you or your bank account. I will also talk about how to make two meals out of the same ingredients. Let's get to it, shall we?

Ingredients

3-4 chicken breasts

2 packages pre-sliced bell peppers of three colors

1 yellow onion, sliced into crescents

3 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped

1/2 cup coarsely torn or chopped cilantro

salt and pepper

1 rounded tablespoon smoke paprika

1 tablespoon thyme

1 tablespoon oregano

1/2 tablepsoon Chile Pasilla or Molido powder

1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds

1 bag blue corn tortilla chips and, for meal two, small flour taco tortillas

shredded Oaxaca or mozzarella cheese

1 small can El Pato sauce (4 tablespoons)

vegetable oil, three tablespoons + 3 more

2 limes, zest and juice of both

non-stick spray

Slice the onions into crescents.

These pre-sliced, packaged items, even onions, can be found in the chilled greens and lettuce section. 

I like using blue corn chips when making intensely flavorful and colorful dishes like this. 

Using a sharp chef's knife, make shallow angular slices on the top and bottom of the chicken.  In a large bowl, add the spices, 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil, the juice and zest of two limes, salt and pepper and whisk thoroughly.  Add the shallow sliced chicken and make sure the marinade gets into every nook and cranny.  This could also be completed in a gallon-sized zip-lock baggie.  Let sit and marinate for at least thirty minutes. 

Preheat the oven to 375-degrees.  

Ten minutes before the chicken has marinated for thirty minutes......

In a skillet over medium-high heat, add three tablespoons of vegetable oil.  When the oil ripples, add the onions with a pinch of salt and pepper.  Sautee for about two minutes only.  Add the washed pre-sliced bell peppers and add them to the skillet.  Again, add a pinch of salt and pepper.  Stir to incorporate and sautee about four minutes. 

Sautee in vegetable oil for a few minutes after marinating.  

Sautee the veg, seasoning with salt and pepper, in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Don't forget the cilantro at this point!

Once the chicken has finished cooking, slice the breasts into the angular pieces you see above based on the shallow slices you make earlier to marinate. Now add the chicken to the rest of the sautee! Drizzle in three more tablespoons of El Pato sauce.  (El Pato sauce is a tomato and chile based product, which is truly deliciious). 

Now, plan one: Spray the bottom and sides of a baking pan. Add a layer of blue corn chips, a layer of shredded cheese, a generous layer of the sautee, more cheese, more chips more sautee, more chips and more cheese. 

Bake for 20 minutes.  Remove, let cool a few minutes, then serve. 

Plan two:  Follow Every procedure until the baking pan.  Instead of a baking dish, to a cast iron skillet, add the sautee and bake at 450-degrees for ten minutes once the oven is fully heated.  Warm up flour taco-sized tortillas, and eat as tacos with cilantro and finely chopped onion, whatever your preferred condiments are.  

Either way, you cannot go wrong with this.  

As always, Thank You for your visit, and thank you for staying with me, whether you are an old friend or a new friend.  I am grateful for your visit, regardless. 

Now, Please go Cook Something For Someone You Love!!!!

~Martin

In-House Cook

In-House Cook: In-House Cook: Pesto Chicken Tenders with Baby Tom...

In-House Cook: In-House Cook: Pesto Chicken Tenders with Baby Tom...: In-House Cook: Pesto Chicken Tenders with Baby Tomatoes and Fettu... : Pesto Marinated Chicken Tenders with Baby Tomatoes and Fettuccine I k...

Pork Roast Beast for Any Occasion

 

Roast Beast for Any Occasion

Hi Friends! This is a large pork butt shoulder roast. I prepped it to go with several different meals, from shredded roast or pork steaks with onions and potatoes, tacos, soup and more.  You could also use a cross rib beef roast.  This meal prep is easy and again, the product can be used for varied dishes.  

Let's get to it, shall we?

Ingredients

1 2-pound pork shoulder butt roast or, beef cross rib roast

1 1 large or 2 medium white onions, sliced into discs

several sprigs fresh rosemary

fresh thyme 

1 entire head garlic, paper removed,smashed

1/2 -1 pound baby Yukon gold potatoes

salt and pepper

extra virgin olive oil

Your favorite beer or Sauvingon Blanc, two cups

I had several larger Yukon Gold potatoes so I halved them.  In making this dish again, baby potatoes are much easier and faster to cook.  Season the layer of potatoes with fresh rosemary and thyme and hefty pinches of salt and pepper.

Using a boning knife, stab the roast all over the top and bottom.  Roll the whole head of garlic like you are rolling a lime to loosen the juice inside.  Remove the garlic paper and pull off all the cloves and remove their paper.  Stuff the roast entirely, top and bottom. 

Season all sides of the roast with salt and pepper. 

After plugging in the garlic cloves, stuff each with fresh rosemary, too, top and bottom  (Let's see how many of you will notice my blooper in a photo, and yes, I fixed it!).

In a large pot or skillet with 4 tablespoons of evoo over high heat, sear every side of the pork roast.  

**Between the photo above and below, can you spot the error I made?  I did fix it. 

Preheat the oven to 300-degrees.  

Place the seared pork roast over the bed of potatoes and onion.  Add a half bottle of beer or Sauvignon Blanc to add moisture and aromatic flavor and cover. 

Roast low and slow in the oven for 2.5 hours at 300-degrees.  This is not a braise.  This is a roast and for the last thirty minutes, crack the lid to allow the fluids to reduce. What an incredibly amazing aroma that is going to be!  Wow!

Remove and allow to cool.  Afterward, do with it as you will.  We have already talked about the different dishes you could make out of this one roast.  Enjoy!

As always, Thank You for sticking with me, for coming back, or for just joining me.  It means a great deal to me.  ❤

Now, with that, Go Cook Something For Someone You Love!  

~Martin

In-House Cook