Quick, Easy and Inexpensive Meat Sauce

I'm a coupon shopper and am always looking for deals. I like to splurge on some meals and others, I just try to make it taste as if I did. This sauce cost me about $4.00 to make. I bought canned sauce, diced tomatoes, ground pork then added spices that I already had. Top spaghetti with this and you have a meal that will feed 4-6 people for under $5.00. Yes, you can buy sauce from a jar for less, but it won't have the same flavor that this does.

1lb ground pork

2 tablespoons basil leaves

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 14.5 ounce can Hunt's diced tomatoes, sweet onion flavor

1 26.5 ounce can Hunt's traditional Spaghetti Sauce

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 bay leaves

2 tablespoons olive oil

Brown ground pork with basil, oregano, crushed red pepper and garlic. Add diced tomatoes, sauce, brown sugar and bay leaves. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer til sauce thickens, about 30 - 40 minutes. Before serving, remove bay leaves.

A Few Tips

I've been off for a couple days and cooking quite alot. However, I'm still tweaking a few recipes before I post them. I thought I would share a few tips that I have learned over the years. Hopefully, you will find them useful too!

1. ALWAYS heat your pan before adding oil if you plan on browning and sauteing. Why? Because cold oil on a hot pan help keep things from sticking!

2. When using  heavy cream, or an abundance of dairy, in dishes like creamed spinach or macaroni & cheese use fresh ground nutmeg. It breaks up the "dairy" taste and adds an earthy warmth to the dish.

3. Add 1-2 bay leaves to dishes like soups, stews and Italian or Mediterranean sauces. (Remove the leaves before serving.) Bay leaves add a background flavor to these type of dishes.

4. If you are using canned tomatoes or sauce to make spaghetti, add 1-2 tablespoons of brown sugar. This cuts the tangy flavor that some canned tomato products have. HOWEVER, always add a little at a time and taste frequently. No two cans are the same and therefor, you may need more or less to break the taste down.

5. When making pasta remember, add oil to the pasta if you don't intend on the sauce clinging. In other words, with spaghetti you want the sauce on each strand, it's the focus of the meal. Therefor, keep your boiling water rolling without any added oil. The pasta shouldn't stick if the water is boiling rapid enough. With manicotti you want the sauce more as a "dressing" because the filling is the star of the dish. Add a few tablespoons of olive oil to help keep the pasta from sticking.

6. Always add COLD water to cornstarch before adding it to a hot ingredient to thicken. Adding the cornstarch directly, or mixing with hot water, will cause clumps in sauces, soups etc. With flour, always fry with butter or oil before adding liquid to prevent clumps.

7. Try using non-metallic bowls and mixing utensils. Metallic ones react with some ingredients, not a good taste in the mouth!

This is just a few of the tips I have, when I remember some more I'll be sure to share them!

Happy Cooking!

Veggie Pizza

I came up with this simple and quick pizza because I had leftover vegetables sitting in the refrigerator. It's become a favorite with my kids and they actually request that I make it. Yes, it uses an already made sauce and pizza shell, but it's suppose to be a simple meal for a night you really don't want to cook.

1 Ready made pizza shell, I use Mamma Mary's

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

4 tablespoons tomato& basil Alfredo sauce, I use Francesco Rinaldi

1-2 teaspoons red pepper flakes

Fresh ground black pepper

1/2 cup each of shredded mozzarella, cheddar and asiago cheeses

1 Roma tomato, chopped

1/4 cup each of chopped green and red bell peppers

1/4 cup chopped broccoli

1.4 cup matchstick carrots

1/4 cup chopped red onion

handful fresh spinach

Preheat oven to temperature on pizza shell package

Spread olive oil over pizza shell and top with Alfredo sauce, red pepper flakes, black pepper and cheeses. Layer vegetables, top with a little more cheese if desired and bake according to package instructions.

Now, how simple was that?

Dessert: Roasted Pears

I made this dessert after a steak night. I thought it was an excellent ending to a romantic meal with my husband. The evenings are starting to get cooler so a warm dessert is perfect for this time of the year.

2 Bosc pears, halved and cores removed

1/2 cup pineapple rum

1/2 cup brown sugar

4 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 375

In heavy sauce pan heat rum, sugar and butter til butter is melted and sugar is dissolved. Place pear halves, inside up, in shallow baking dish and prick in several spots with fork. Spoon 1-2 tablespoons of rum sauce over each one. Bake until tender, about 30 minutes, turning halves over halfway through baking and spooning sauce over each one as needed.

Serve each pear, inside facing up, topped with ice cream and drizzled with remaining rum sauce

Side Dish: Kale

This was my first attempt at making Kale. I decided to make it the same way I go about making other greens, like collards. Next time, I'll steam them a little bit longer to soften the stems more, or leave them out all together.

1 bunch Kale, washed and chopped into 2" pieces

3 slices Applewood smoked bacon, chopped into 1" pieces

1/4 cup chopped onion

2 minced garlic cloves

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2-3 teaspoons white sugar

1 tablespoon butter

Steam Kale til tender and set aside.

Cook bacon in butter over medium heat. When bacon is almost done, add onion and saute til soft. Add garlic and saute for a few minutes more. Add balsamic vinegar, sugar and kale. saute till heated through. Salt and pepper to taste.

Tested: Knorr Homestyle Stock

I tried this new Knorr concentrated stock last night when I made chicken and calabacita. At first I just wanted to play with it, it's like chicken flavored jello, gelatinous and wiggly!

Despite it's funky look, it's pretty good! You can dilute it as much as you like with gives you control over the flavor strength. While you could taste the flavor, it wasn't overpowering and went well with the overall dish. The aroma is nice anf fresh, just like homemade.

I still need to give it a try in dishes that normally call for bouillon. It has less salt and richer flavor so I'm confident it's going to work well in those too. I'm definitely recommending this one!

HEB Breakfast Breads

I had to give a shout out to my employer, HEB, for putting out this awesome line of breakfast breads. I use the French Toast version because it's thick enough to handle an egg soak for making traditional and stuffed french toast. It doesn't fall apart!

Also, if you like the taste of McGriddle sandwiches, this is the perfect bread. It's already loaded with cinnamon & syrup. Just take your favorite maple sausage, fried egg, cheese, two toasted slices and voila, you have your own McGriddle! You can even add a little extra syrup on the slices and it won't soak through!