“When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.” ~ Willie Nelson
NOTE: I spend my Wednesdays Unplugged from appointments. It’s my day to stay home, enjoy cooking and welcome our kids and grandkids for dinner in the evening. We end our meal with quotes from the Norwegian ‘Quote Cup’ passed on to me from my grandmother. I share a quote and a recipe here each week, along with an update and photos of what has been going on in our lives. I love trying new recipes…and love getting recipes you would like to share!
Both grandsons had something special this week. One has started visiting schools where he can continue to play football next year after he graduates from high school, had a good experience in Iowa over the weekend. The other had his first band concert in about 18 months. It was fun we could watch via livestream video. He is a percussionist and in one piece he got to ‘clang’ a metal pipe with a hammer! We feel so blessed.
RECIPE OF THE WEEK
With Thanksgiving next week, I wanted something different from that this week and found a recipe for bolognese sauce and pasta bake at kidspot kitchen in Australia. I made the sauce first in the morning, and as I tasted it all I could think of was “this is really good”! As I find is often the case, I liked the casserole even better reheated as leftovers, I think flavors have more time to blend. It would also be great as simply the sauce served on top of plain pasta.
BOLOGNESE PASTA BAKE
BOLOGNESE SAUCE
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1.3 pounds ground beef
- 1 onion, diced
- 4 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 – 6 ounce cans tomato paste
- 2 – 14.5 ounce cans diced tomatoes
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 cup red wine
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
In a heavy frying pan, heat the olive oil and brown the ground beef. Add onion and garlic and fry for about 3 minutes. Add tomato paste ad cook for about 2 minutes. Pour in red wine and cook for another 2 minutes, continually stirring.
Add the rest of the ingredients, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Add a little water if it needs thinning.
You can use this basic Bolognese sauce to make Lasagne, nachos, chili, etc.
BOLOGNESE PASTA BAKE
- 4 cups Bolognese sauce
- 1 container ricotta cheese (14-15 ounces)
- 1 pound Fusilli (rotini) pasta spirals
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook pasta in boiling water according to package instructions.
In a big mixing bowl, mix ricotta cheese and Bolognese sauce. Add drained pasta and mix until all ingredients are combined. Pour into baking dish and top with mozzarella cheese.
Bake 20-25 minutes. Serve with a nice green salad.
