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

Adventures in Domesticity: "Safe in Her Arms Bruschetta Pasta"

For those of you who have experienced my cooking, you know that while I LOVE great cookbooks, that I'm a huge fan of experimentation in the kitchen. Behold, my newest recipe! I've named it for its significance in the moment. Kyle said something to the dog tonight after dinner like, "When Mommy holds us, everything seems better, doesn't it?" So I present to you a very easy Italian-inspired dish, named in honor of my sweet husband's words.

Safe in Her Arms Bruschetta Pasta

(Serves 2-4)

Grape or cherry tomatoes
Fresh basil leaves
Fresh mushrooms (I used portabella but I think another variety would work great, too)
Fresh mozarella (parmesan, asiago, feta, or romano could be substituted)
Garlic (fresh or minced)
White wine (just a splash of whatever bottle you happen to have open)
Olive oil
Butter (margarine or olive oil may be substituted)
Salt
Linguine pasta

Saute mushrooms (I used half a package for the two of us) with a splash of white wine, 1/2 tablespoon of minced garlic, and 1/4 tablespoon of butter until soft.

Chop cooked mushrooms finely.

Slice tomatoes thinly (I like the grape or cherry variety because they make perfectly sized circles).

Chop fresh basil (I used 8-10 leaves) finely.

Chop fresh garlic (or use minced). I'm a fan of the garlic so I probably used more than most people would like. I recommend no more than 2 cloves for the average diner (or 1 tablespoon of minced).

Stir together. Add 2-4 tablespoons of olive oil and salt to taste, mixing thoroughly.
Serve over bed of pasta with sliced mozarella.

Here's the finished product: