When all else fails spaghetti sauce

While I would love to pretend I was some glamorous stay at home mom who had the chance to always make things from scratch, in my real life that isn't possible. While some people frown on things that aren't 100% home made, they don't have kids and work full time! On weekends, yes I can take the time to make a beautiful spaghetti sauce and let it simmer on the stove all day. But during a normal work week I just don't have the time, also I have a gas stove and no part of me is brave enough to leave my house with an open flame on the stove simmering sauce. Huge kitchen fire, NO THANKS! So on the week nights my husband requests spaghetti I have two options, pour some sauce in a jar on it, OR turn the sauce in a jar into something special. SO! That being said, this is how I turn jar sauce into, semi home made sauce. (Chris I will fuck you up if you comment about my jars and cans)!

1 Jar favorite pasta sauce (I like the Bertoli olive oil and basil)
6 cloves garlic minced
1 medium yellow onion chopped
2 pounds ground beef
1 tbsp dry basil
1 package mushrooms cleaned and sliced
1 can tomato paste
1 12 oz can diced tomatoes
1-2 cups vegetable stock
2 tbsp pepper
1 tsp salt
pinch red pepper flakes

In large pot sweat down half the onions and garlic in a bit of EVOO add the diced tomatoes and basil, and half of your salt and pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook it together for a minute and dump in your jar sauce and tomato paste. If the sauce gets to thick add some of the veggie stock until you get a consistency you like. I like mine thick so I didn't use more then a cup. While that is simmering on low add your beef, and the remaining onions garlic salt and peppers to a sauté pan. While that is cooking toss your mushrooms and a bit of EVOO in another pan to brown them. When the mushrooms are done toss em into the meat and then drain the fat out of your beef (or keep it for extra flavor), when the meat is still a little pink pour your sauce over it and continue cooking on low in the sauce so your red sauce gets the flavor of the meat fully combined with out soaking up all the grease. Anyway like I said I like my sauce thick so I keep it that way. At this point you can thin yours out again if you like. Pour a heaping spoon full on top of your pasta and top with some fresh shaved Parmesan cheese. This is a quick and easy way to turn a jar sauce into something semi home made with a little heart in it.

Green and white salad

1/2 cup romaine hearts chopped up
1/2 cup fresh spinach leaves
1/2 cup organic white beans (I buy them canned and just rinse them)
1 Tbsp fresh shaved Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp slivered almonds
Fresh cracked black pepper to taste

Serve with your dressing of choice. I like to use a little ranch with some salsa mixed in. The salsa cuts down the saltiness from the Parmesan and adds a great sweet hint to it. All together the salad alone is about 150 calories rounding up. The dressing I used today was 80. I love this salad because it adds great protein, flavor and energy to my day.

If you have the time to make beans then you should do that. I don't though because these are all ingredients I can just pick up and leave at work.

Ask Chris about this, I'm willing to bet he has a home made salad dressing recipe that would compliment this salad perfectly and offset the saltiness!

Chicken Noodle Soup

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 pounds chicken breasts
3 small carrots, chopped
3 stalks of celery, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
10 ounces egg noodles
96 ounces chicken stock
1 teaspoon thyme
1 bay leaf
olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon pepper
garlic powder

DIRECTIONS
1. Bake chicken seasoned with salt, pepper and garlic powder at 375 degrees for 40 minutes, or until thoroughly cooked, flipping halfway thru. Chop into small pieces once done.
2. Coat bottom of large pot with EVOO. Sautee onions, celery, carrots and garlic for about 5 minutes until the onions are translucent.
3. Add chicken stock, salt, pepper, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a boil.
4. Add egg noodles and chicken, and bring back to a boil for about 20-25 minutes, until carrots and celery are soft. Remove bay leaf before serving.

Chicken quesidilla redoux

1 package boneless skinless chicken
1 medium yellow onion chopped
4 cloves garlic chopped
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 12 oz can green chille enchilada sauce
1 bag shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tbsp pepper
2 tsp salt
2 pinch crushed red pepper flake
burrito size flour tortillas

Spray slow cooker with cooking spray. Combine chicken, garlic, onion, chicken stock, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook on low for 5 hours. Open and drain juices reserving chicken, onions & garlic. Shred with two forks and add enchilada sauce. Return to slow cooker and cook on low for 15 minutes to heat sauce through. Heat non stick pan over medium heat. Place flour tortilla in center and place generous amount of cheese on half. Add layer of chicken mixture. You don't want to much or it will all just fall out. Top with more cheese and fold tortilla over. Cook on each side until brown and crispy. Serve with sour cream, salsa and hot sauce.

Variations
For vegetarian combine 1 can black beans with onions, garlic, salt and pepper. Heat until soft. Add enchilada sauce and warm through. Make the same as chicken enchiladas.

For spicier flavor use pepperjack cheese. You can also use a chedder cheese but I prefer the milder mozzarella for this.

(look closely there is cheese on there)

This is the enchilada sauce I use.

Easy Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin

INGREDIENTS
2-3 pound pork tenderloin
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried basil
2 tablespoon olive oil

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Combine salt, pepper, garlic, rosemary, thyme, basil and olive oil in a small bowl forming a paste.
3. Place pork tenderloin in roasting pan, and rub the paste mixture fully covering the pork.
4. Roast for about 35-45 minutes.

Roasted chicken with bacon brandy sauce, asparagus & mashed potatoes

Tonight I revisited this recipe. However this time I made it with a roasted chicken, asparagus and I added shallots to the sauce.

Bacon Brandy sauce
1/4 package bacon sliced into 1/2 pieces
1 package mushrooms chopped up
1/4 cup brandy
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup chicken broth
3 tbsp pepper
5 cloves garlic chopped
1 tsp garlic powder
3/4 shallot chopped

In large sauté pan sauté bacon until crisp over medium high heat. Add mushrooms and shallots into bacon grease and sauté until brown. Remove from heat and pour in brandy, light on fire. Wait for flame to die down and place back on heat. Reduce heat to medium low. Pour in cream, stock and garlic, pepper and garlic powder and simmer until thickened. Serve over steaming hot bowl of mashed potatoes.

Roasted Chicken
4 chicken thighs
1/4 cup chicken stock
1 tbsp salt
1.5 tbsp pepper
1 tsp red pepper flake
2 tsp ranch seasoning
3 tsp chicken & rib rub**

Preheat oven to 400. Season chicken on both sides. Pour stock into baking dish. Place chicken in baking dish skin side down. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Flip and bake for another 20 minutes skin side up. Uncover and broil on low for 10 minutes to crisp skin.

** Mine had salt, sugar, black pepper, paprika, nutmeg, sage, cayenne and crushed red pepper.

Roasted asparagus
1 bundle asparagus
Olive oil
2 cloves garlic sliced
1/4 shallot sliced
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt

Drizzle olive oil over asparagus and cover with garlic, shallot, salt & pepper. Roast uncovered on cookie sheet for about 30 minutes or until desired doneness.

**Tip I like to roast my asparagus on foil. That way if it is done before my chicken I can pull it out and wrap the foil around it to keep the heat in. Also this saves you from cleaning a dish.

Mashed Potoatoes
5-6 medium white potatoes or yukon gold
3 cloves garlic sliced
2 tbsp butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp salt
2 tsp pepper

Boil potatoes until done. Drain and place on low heat for 1 minute to allow water to vaporize out. Add butter, salt and pepper and half of cream. Mash potatoes, add more cream if necessary. Keep on low heat until serving.

Your bacon should look like this before cooking. It will cut up easier if still cold.

This is the point you want to add your brandy

How it looks before thickening up

Finished product. Cook this for company everyone will think your awesome. I like to put a little extra of the sauce on the plate to dunk the chicken in.

Whole wheat pasta with healthy chicken sauce

2 cups uncooked whole wheat pasta
2 cups chicken stock
4 boneless skinless chicken thighs cut to bite size pieces
2 cups mushrooms chopped
1/2 onion chopped
4 cloves garlic chopped
1 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp butter
2 tsp pepper
2 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp cold water

While pasta is boiling combine chicken, mushrooms, paprika, crushed pepper, salt, pepper and butter. When chicken is almost done add onions & garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add chicken stock & bring to a boil. Mix cornstarch and cold water in cup and add slowly to chicken. Reduce heat to low to let thicken. (If sauce doesn't thicken add more cornstarch and cold water a tbsp at a time). Drain pasta and add to sauce. Serve and enjoy.