Just thought I would add a few recipes to go with the last post, just in case you don't already have a favorite spaghetti, red beans, and pot roast recipe. Fair warning... I have learned to cook from two amazing women; my mother and mother-in-law, neither of these wonderful ladies practiced the art of measuring the ingredients out. lol! So, I'll teach you like they taught me... with love and a few taste tests. : )
Homemade Spaghetti
Ingredients
- olive oil
- 1 large onion (chopped)
- 3 gloves of garlic (minced)
- 3 celery sticks (chopped)
- 1 red bell pepper (chopped)
- 1 green bell pepper (chopped)
- 1 lb. ground beef (I use local organic beef, and I'm convinced it makes a difference)
- 1/2 lb. Italian sausage
- 3-4 strips of bacon
- 2 28oz cans of diced tomatoes
- 1 28oz can of crushed tomatoes
- 1 6oz can of tomato paste
- about 1 tablespoon of brown sugar (or to taste)
- salt
- pepper
- red pepper
- Italian seasoning
- 2 bay leaves
Directions
Drizzle olive oil in a large stock pot. Add ground beef and Italian sausage; cook until browned. Drain meat, and return to pot. Cook strips of bacon leaving grease in pot, and add onion, celery, and both bell peppers. Cook until onions start to turn clear; then add the garlic. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, brown sugar, salt, pepper, and red pepper. Simmer for an hour; then taste, and simmer for at least one more hour.
*For a sweet sauce, or to cancel out a strong spicy flavor add extra brown sugar.
*I normally start cooking my spaghetti around noon, and allow it to simmer for six hours. The longer it simmers... the better! : )
Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice
Ingredients
- 1lb. of smoked sausage or ham bone (sliced)
- 1lb. of red kidney beans (previously soaked in water over night)
- 1 bunch of green onions (chopped)
- 1 large yellow onion (chopped)
- 1 green bell pepper (chopped)
- 3 stalks of celery (chopped)
- 1 large jalapeno pepper
- 3 cloves of garlic (minced)
- 3 cubes of chicken stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons of Tabasco (or to taste)
- salt
-pepper
- cayenne pepper
Directions
Simply add all ingredients; and top with water until beans are covered. Cook in a slow cooker on low for 8-10 hours. Taste; then add salt and pepper if needed. Once beans are thoroughly cooked, remove lid and continue cooking for 30 minutes to an hour. This will help the beans thicken. You can also smash beans with a wooden spoon to help thicken. Serve with rice.
Slow Cooker Pot Roast
Ingredients
- 2 (12oz) cans of cream of mushroom soup
- 1 packet of onion soup mix
- 1 (2lb) roast (eye of round is best)
- baby carrots
- new potatoes (quartered)
- 3 cubes of chicken stock
- 5 cloves of garlic (whole)
- salt
- pepper
- cayenne pepper
- garlic powder
- basil
- Worcestershire sauce
Directions
Allow roast to come to room temperature. Cut slits in roast, and press the 5 cloves of garlic in center (I normally cut a slit near each corner, and one in the center). Then, sprinkle roast with salt, pepper, cayenne, garlic powder, basil, and Worcestershire sauce. Rub the seasonings in on all four sides. In a slow cooker, add the cream of mushroom, onion soup mix, 3 cups of water, 3 cubes of chicken stock. Then, add the roast, carrots, and new potato's. Cook on low for 8 - 10 hours. Serve with rice. (jasmine rice is my favorite)
Here's to great dinners, and sexy cooks. ; )
Good Luck!
