The Tuxedo of Spaghettis

I call this Tuxedo Spaghetti because it’s so fancy you need to put on a tuxedo to eat it.

….

Not really. But this spaghetti sauce is a healthy, veggie-rich crowd pleaser and super easy!

I realize Italian grandmas everywhere are throwing up their hands in horror but I like to start with an inexpensive can of           pre-made spaghetti sauce as a base. You can think of this recipe as putting a tuxedo on a $1.04 can of sauce.

I like to go crazy with the vegetables. You can put almost anything in a pasta sauce and this time I added mushrooms, red bell pepper, yellow onion, zucchini, and tomatoes. (You can also try eggplant, carrots, squash, asparagus, and other peppers.) I have a finicky husband so I chopped the zucchini super fine and he swears he didn’t even taste it so if you’re feeding non-veggie-lovers you can sneak extra vitamins and nutrients in easily.

I’m a garlic fiend so I diced up four cloves but you can edit this to taste. If you’re feeling EXTRA adventurous, you can stir in a few tablespoons of an inexpensive table wine, too.

I stirred all the veggies together with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil and stir-fried until tender. TIP: I kept the tomatoes separate and added them right before serving for a less stew-like texture.

I added two cans of sauce to make what Kyle likes to call “a vat of spaghetti.” He could seriously eat this for the next three or four meals and be totally happy. It’s his favorite kind of leftovers and it also freezes well (although some vegetables hold up better than others at subzero). If you’re feeding carnivores, you can add browned ground beef, chicken, or meatballs to this recipe. TIP: For the extra health-conscious, switch to a whole-grain pasta for extra fiber and watch the portion sizes. I overdid it a tad here.

Serve with a mozzarella or parmesan garnish and a little black dress wine and presto, digito, minuto, delicios-o, you’ve made Tuxedo Spaghetti.

Lol. All the actual blog cooks who are reading this: “So…you added some vegetables to your sauce and heated it up. It’s a freaking spaghetti revolution in here.”

Do you have a dressed-up version of a simple recipe?

love, elizabeth

Watch Me Cook A Turkey

Well, guys…your life-long dream has come true because this morning, in a weird need to connect with the rest of the world (because I am all alone all day cooking while Kyle is slaving away at Starbucks), I made a YouTube video about cooking our turkey. It’s riveting stuff.

In all seriousness, oven bags really do make turkeys a breeze. So if you’re totally bored and feel like watching me be silly about Thanksgiving, here you go…

I

I forgot to mention three things in the video: one, don’t forget to cut several 1/2 slits in the top of the bag before putting it in the oven, two, oven bags cut down turkey cooking time by almost a half, and three, I clearly have no life.

So how’s everyone’s day going? Anyone cooking the whole feast alone? I’m feeling needy. Happy, happy Thanksgiving! I’m especially thankful for all of you…

love, elizabeth

Vote for Thanksgiving Stuffing and a Giveaway Winner

First of all, many apologies to my blogging community for my nearly week-long absence. It was a crazy week at school and I lost my blog time. But I am BACK.

Thanksgiving is probably my favorite holiday because it’s the one day I feel totally confident about my cooking. I love making a mountain of food and eating leftovers for the whole next week. I love getting up early and starting the turkey. I love peeling potatoes and watching cheesy Christmas movies and drinking cheap wine and dancing around in my apron and pajamas. It’s pretty much my favorite day of the year.

Source: Uploaded by user via Elizabeth on Pinterest

 

For whatever reason, homemade dressing is the thing that always intimidates me and I always end up with a box of Stove Top and a whole lotta shame. But not this year. THIS year, I am going to conquer Thanksgiving dressing. I’m torn, though. I have two recipes I'm thinking of trying. So I need your thoughts…

Should I make Carmelized Onion and Herb Stuffing courtesy of Real Simple Magazine OR Cornbread Dressing handed down from my grandmother?

Decisions, decisions.

Oh, yeah, and I’m pleased to announce the winner of the vintage handkerchief giveaway!

And entry #4 is…

 

Congratulations, Kate! Send me an email with your address and I will get your gift in the mail right away…

love, elizabeth

Sausage and Rice Stuffed Peppers

Yesterday was cool and rainy and I was definitely feeling the whole kitchen thing. I had spotted a recipe for stuffed peppers attached to a coupon in the Sunday paper a couple weeks ago and clipped it. Here’s the modified version I made for dinner last night.

Ingredients:

• Cooked rice (I used Basmati but it would probably be great with Jasmine or brown rice, too)
• Large red, yellow, and orange bell peppers (1 pepper a person)
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 1 package fully-cooked chicken sausage (I used Johnsonville Chicken Apple Sausage and it was delicious) thinly sliced/diced
• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
• 1/2 package of fresh mushrooms, chopped (I used portabella but I think cremini or anything else would work well)
• 1 Granny Smith apple, chopped
• 1 teaspoon, fresh sage, fresh oregano chopped

Cook rice. Preheat oven to 350 F.

Remove pepper tops and seeds.

Brush with olive oil inside and out. Lightly salt and pepper inside.

Roast peppers, open tops up in oven for 30 min.

While peppers are roasting, saute sausage, onion, mushrooms, and herbs with 1-2 T olive oil on stovetop. Add chopped apple. Cook until all tender.

Stir in rice and heat through.

Fill peppers and serve. Garnish with pepper tops, if desired.

This was a light, satisfying meal and served about 4. Will totally make this again. I think it’s a company-worthy dish and looks so pretty on the plate. I also think this would be yummy without the meat, for any of my vegetarian/vegan readers.

 

What about you? Anyone have a fall recipe they’ve been itching to try?

love, elizabeth

PS: I hope you’re getting excited because it’s going to be Friday very soon…in case you haven’t heard, I’ll be announcing the fall giveaway!

Why Reorganizing the Pantry Made Me Smile

Well, I can cross SOMEthing off my to-do list! I reorganized the pantry cupboards. At least now I can find everything…sometimes I get all wrapped around the axle wishing I had more storage space, a more sophisticated-looking kitchen, whatever. And then I am reminded that God has always provided EXACTLY what I need. I have never gone hungry. I have never been homeless. If nothing else, cleaning out the pantry has reminded me how faithfully I have been provided for. Again and again and AGAIN.

Here’s The Deep Steep tea I’m always raving about.

Honestly, looking at these pictures is pretty humbling. I know that right now thousands and thousands of people in the world will not have breakfast or lunch or dinner. I am a little embarrassed that I have doubted the goodness of God for even a SECOND. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU, God, for my well-stocked pantry and Kyle’s job and the way you have given freely, with both hands, saying, “I will never leave you nor forsake you, Elizabeth.” Wow.

What about you? What’s making you feel thankful today?

love, elizabeth

PS: Stay tuned! Our fall giveaway is just around the corner!

Gas Leak: A True Story

Source: ffffound.com via Danielle on Pinterest

 

I bet you’re wondering what this post is going to be about.

Last night, I got home about 6 pm. I opened the front door, set down my purse and keys, greeted the squirming ball of fluff that had run to meet me. About 20-30 seconds later, I knew something was wrong. Was it my Jedi-keen reflexes or my Buffy-like sense of awareness? Yes.

That and the overwhelmingly pungent, sickly sweet smell of gas.

I immediately woke Kyle, grabbed Madigan and the keys, and walked out to call the emergency maintenance line for our apartment complex.

At first, the maintenance man didn’t believe me.

Probably the acetone finish we use when we’re remodeling empty units. Does it smell real strong, like nail polish?

“Uh, no. It smells like gas.”

Gas, huh?

“I don’t know what to tell you. It smells like a filling station in our apartment!”

And when he brought his fancy-pants gas detector into the house, the thing went crazy. It wasn’t a big leak (some of the connecting piping in the back of our gas stove had worn out and he was able to replace it) but still, a little disconcerting.

Source: screaminglobster.tumblr.com via bethany on Pinterest

 

So here’s what I’ve learned about gas leaks…

If you smell something weird, DO NOT:

-flip any light switches

-turn anything on

-plug anything in

-light a match or any kind of flame (um, duh)

If you smell something weird, DO:

-open all the windows (unless doing so will cause you greater harm)

-get out of the house

-call emergency maintenance or your gas company immediately

 

Anyone ever dealt with a gas leak or something similar in their own home?

love, elizabeth