Pasta Rustica

This is a Williams-Sonoma recipe that a friend made me after one of my kids was born.  It's a really yummy/naughty pasta recipe!

2 T. olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

¾ lb. chicken or pork sausage, casings removed

1 t. dried basil

1 t. dried oregano

¼ t. hot red pepper flakes

1 can (28 oz.) tomatoes in puree

Salt, to taste

1 lb. penne pasta

1 ¼ c. ricotta cheese

½ c. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, warm oil.  Add onion and cook until golden, about 5 min. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 min.  Add sausage and cook, breaking it up into bite size pieces, until no longer pink, about 6 min.  Stir in basil, oregano and red pepper flakes.  Add tomatoes with puree and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 10 – 12 min.  Taste and adjust seasonings.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a baking dish.  Bring a large pot three-fourths full of water to a boil over high heat.  Salt the water, add pasta, stir well and cook until barely al dente (tender but firm to the bite), 10 – 12 min.  Drain well.  In a large bowl, toss pasta with sauce, ricotta and mozzarella.  Spread in prepared baking dish and sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano.  Bake until cheeses are melted and tips of pasta are crusty, about 30 min.  Let stand 5 min. before serving.  Serve hot.  Serves 6 – 8.

Sliced Steak Soft Taco Sliders with Guaca-Salsa

This one came from Rachael Ray.  She is one of my favorite cooks, and she doesn't let us down with this tasty & flavorful dish!  It's extra good with fresh veggies & herbs from the garden.

STEAKS:

• 4 small flatiron steaks (6 to 7 oz. each) or 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 lbs. flank steak, at room temperature
• Vegetable oil, for coating
• 1 tsp. ancho (mild) or chipotle (hot) chile powder
• 1 tsp. Montreal steak seasoning or salt and pepper

SAUCE:

• 1 large or 2 small ripe avocados, flesh scooped from the skin
• 2 limes, juiced
• 1 large clove garlic, peeled
• 1 jalapeño chile pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
• 2 tomatillos (or one small red tomato), peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1/2 small red onion, coarsely chopped
• a sprinkle sugar
• A generous sprinkle sea salt
• A small handful cilantro leaves
• A small handful fresh mint leaves
• A few sprigs thyme

TACOS:

• 8 flour tortillas (8 inch)
• All-natural cooking spray

Directions:

1. Preheat an outdoor grill or grill pan to medium-high. Rub the steaks with oil, the chile powder and steak seasoning. Grill the steaks, tented loosely with foil, turning once, for 15 minutes for medium-rare. Remove from the heat and let rest.
2. Combine the sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree until almost smooth.
3. Lightly spray the tortillas with cooking spray and char for a few seconds on each side on the grill or stovetop. To form each slider: Spread some sauce on each tortilla, top with very thinly sliced steak in an even layer and fold the tortilla into quarters.

Sweet and Sour Meatloaf

Meatloaf was never my favorite meal as a kid.  When I was dating my husband, he asked me to make a meatloaf.  I got out the trusty church cookbook and gave this one a try.  We've never looked back.  My kids have actually requested this as a birthday meal, so that's saying something!  I call this "The Meatloaf Your Kids Will Eat" (and your hubby, too!)

1 1/2 lb. ground beef
1 c. dry bread crumbs
1 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
2 eggs
1 t. instant minced onion
1 (15 oz.) can tomato sauce, divided

Topping:
Reserved tomato sauce
2 T. brown sugar
2 T. vinegar
1/4—1/2 c. sugar
2 t. prepared mustard


Mix together beef, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, and eggs. Add onions and one-half of tomato sauce. Form into a loaf in 9 x 5 x 3” pan. Bake at 350º for 50 minutes.

In saucepan, combine topping ingredients; bring to a boil. Pour over meatloaf; bake 10 minutes more.

Makes 6 servings

Flank Steak Pinwheels

(from Rachael Ray's 30 min meals)
Ingredients

• 1 large flank steak, butterflied along the grain
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 ounces Asiago, shredded
• 8 ounces curly loose spinach leaves, washed, patted dry, stems removed
• 6 ounces Gorgonzola, crumbled
• 4 scallions, left whole
• 8 to 10 wooden skewers, soaked in water

Directions
Preheat grill or grill pan to high.
To butterfly the flank steak, start with the meat grain running up and down in front of you. With your knife, begin cutting the meat in half. Essentially, you want a thinner, larger flank steak. Continue cutting the flank steak in half until you reach about 1 inch from completely cutting through. Lay the cut flank steak open and even out the middle so there is not a thicker piece in the center. Or just ask the butcher!
Spread the flank steak out so that the grain is running left to right. Begin layering the flank steak with salt and pepper, the Asiago, then the spinach, the Gorgonzola and scallions. Begin rolling the flank steak tightly and away from you. Evenly insert the skewers 1 to 2 inches along the seam of the pinwheel to hold it together on the grill. Cut in between each skewer but not against the skewer; you want the same amount of meat on either side of each skewer. Grill the pinwheels on each side for about 3 to 4 minutes or until your desired doneness.

Marinade for Flank Steak (Grilled)

Credit for this goes to my neighbor, Laura Wiltz.

1/4 c. vegetable oil
1/4 c. soy sauce
1 t. celery salt
2 T. lemon juice
2 T. minced garlic 
2 green onions sliced
Black Pepper to taste (about 5-6 twists of my grinder)

Lay Flank Steak Flat and put in a Gallon Zip Lock. Pour in Marinade. Allow to marinade 2 hours at room temp, turning occasionally. Many times I've marinaded it overnight in fridge and it's great! Enjoy!