Not-So-Sloppy Joe

Ok, so who exactly is this guy Joe? And if he’s so sloppy, why would you want to eat anything that he cooked? Perhaps a question we’ll never know the answer to.

Which is why I’ve strayed from the basic canned-wich version and added my own spin to this classic quick meal.

Simple and tasty!

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 small red or green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
½ cup chopped onion
1 15-oz can tomato sauce
1-lb ground turkey
salt & pepper
Italian seasonings (oregano, basil, etc.)

Heat oil in medium skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add bell pepper, onion and garlic; cook and stir 2-3 minutes or until crisp-tender.

Add the ground turkey, stir together and cook until well-browned (I say well-browned because ground turkey is very moist. By just letting it quickly brown, I find it to be a bit too mushy for my taste. By all means, prepare to your liking). Drain all excess fat.

Add the can of tomato sauce and season with salt, pepper and Italian seasonings to taste.
***Optional, but recommended – add a splash of red wine (anything you have open will do). Stir together, lower the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 10-15 minutes until sauce thickens up.

Serve over a bed of rice or noodles, or in a burger bun as a sandwich. Top with shredded cheddar cheese. Goes great with a cold beer.

Pasta Fagioli

The following recipe was posted on my myspace page during this past year’s Easter season…

As we approach the final few weeks of the Lenten season, when Catholics are to abstain from meat on Fridays, I thought I would share a few meals that have become tradition for this time of year in our house. Pizza, of course, has always been the fall-back/safety food. Grilled salmon, flounder or any other choice of fresh fish obviously work well. Tuna salad, egg salad, mac & cheese and fish sticks are also quick solutions. But for me, it is also a time that allows for some creativity in the kitchen.

First up for this season is Pasta Fagioli (also pronounced Pasta Fazool – meaning “pasta and beans”). It is a traditional Italian dish, made with cannellini beans, small pasta (elbow macaroni or shells works well), garlic, olive oil and tomato sauce. There are various ways to make this dish, which may also include stewed tomatoes, spinach, or celery. Chickpeas are also a delicious substitute for the beans.

For this post, I thought it would be fun to include a link that offers a few variations of the dish, so you could decide which you would like to try.

Enjoy!

http://www.cooks.com/rec/search/0,1-0,pasta_fagioli,FF.html

Cherry Pretzel Dessert (aka Cherry Pretzel Stuff)

My Aunt Sal and her family are the ones who are mostly responsible for fun and creative foods at most of our family parties. Her in-laws have always been on the forefront of trendy party dishes, appetizers and cocktails. So when it comes time for parties on our side of the family, my Aunt Sal (as well as her kids/my cousins) are the go-to people. The connection.

One dish that has become not only a standard, but also a must-have, is her Cherry Pretzel Dessert. To this day, the demand for it’s presence at family gatherings is astonishing. The only problem is…it doesn’t really have a name. It started off as, “Hey, can you bring that…stuff…you know, the stuff that’s made with cherries and pretzels,” or, “man, I hope Aunt Sal makes that…stuff…with the cherries and pretzels.” So, we christened it Cherry Pretzel Stuff. Why we went with Stuff, I don’t know. I guess Cherry Pretzel Thing sounds too much like a Stephen King novel, and who really has the time to ask for another helping of Cherry Pretzel Whatchamacallit. So we went with Stuff. I’m also proud to say that various other crafty dessert concoctions have adopted the “Stuff” label. More on them in future posts.

Not only is Cherry Pretzel Stuff a huge hit in our family, it has also done very well for itself when served to friends. Every time we have brought it to or served it at a party, we’ve been asked for the recipe. And it’s always the same story. “Hey, can we have the recipe for that…um, stuff…that you brought to our house?”

So in honor of my Aunt Sal, I am proud to give you …Stuff.

1 Cup Margarine
3/4 cup sugar
3 cups crushed pretzels
8 oz cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup 10X (Confectioner’s) sugar
2 cups Cool Whip
1 can Cherry Pie filling.

Melt Margarine and sugar in saucepan. Add Pretzels.

Beat Cream Cheese, 10X sugar and vanilla until fluffy. Fold in Cool Whip.

Spread 1/2 of the pretzels in a 9X13 inch pan.

Layer cream cheese mixture on top.

Layer rest of pretzels.

Top with Cherry Pie Filling.

Chill and enjoy eating.

Harvest Ratatouille for Two

I came across this recipe a few years back, and it has since become a regular in the weekend rotation. It’s a fun, simple and healthy meal. There is a good bit of chopping prep involved, so it’s also one of the few times when I get to use the little pre-measured ingredient dishes that they use on all of the cooking shows. BAMMM!!!!!!

Be sure to serve with plenty of crusty bread. You can also serve it over hot cooked linguine. Goes well with a nice bottle of Pinot Grigio.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small red or green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
½ cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1-1/2 cups diced eggplant
1 cup diced zucchini
1 cup diced yellow summer squash
1 medium tomato, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian Parsley
1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill weed
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoon grated or shredded fresh Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in medium skillet or wok over medium-high heat until hot. Add bell pepper, onion and garlic; cook and stir 2-3 minutes or until crisp-tender.

Stir in eggplant, zucchini and summer squash; cook and stir 5-7 minutes or until crisp tender.

Stir in all remaining ingredients except Parmesan cheese; cook until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.