Foodies-11/13/2014 Beef and Cheese Manicotti

Aleathia says:

Believe it or not this recipe for Beef and Cheese Manicotti (stolen and loosely followed and revamped) from Everyday Italian has garnered the number two spot of best things ever in the world to eat at my house.

Originally tonight I was going to go for something a little more simple like Pasta Primavera, but when I mentioned Manicotti there was a twinkle in the collective family eye.  It is a long process to make, not hard, but it has many steps that can't be skipped.

Beef and Cheese Manicotti

You will need the following:

1/2 pound ground beef

15 ounces Ricotta

1 box Manicotti

Fresh Basil

Fresh Oregano
1 Sweet Onion

1-2 cups shredded Mozzarella

1/2 cup grated or shredded Parm

Salt and Pepper

1 can of diced tomatoes

1 small can of tomato sauce

olive oil

butter

Start by chopping the onion and sauting it in a few tablespoons of olive oil.  When they start to get soft, add the ground beef and cook until there is no red showing.  Turn the heat off and let this mixture cool.

While the meat is cooking, you can prepare the cheese portion of the filling.  In a large bowl put the ricotta, 1 cup of mozzarella and 1/4 cup of parm, mix.  Chop your fresh herbs and add them to the mixture.  Salt and pepper and stir again.  When the meat mixture is cooled, add it to the cheese and combine thoroughly.

While you are making the cheese mixture put a pot of salted water on to boil for the manicotti.  When the water comes to a rolling boil, add 4-5 manicotti to the water.  You will need to cook them only 6-7 minutes because you want them to hold their shape for filling.  Set them on a greased plate to cool.  Once all the pasta is finished you can make the marinara.

To make the marinara place the can of diced tomatoes and the tomato sauce in a blender.  Blend until smooth.  Set aside.

Put a few tablespoons of olive oil in the bottom of a baking dish.  Spread out a half cup of sauce across the bottom.  Fill your manicotti.  I suggest that you hold them horizontal at first, fill one end, and then turn them vertical to fill them the remainder.  This keeps the filling from falling out the other end.  It saves on frustration.

The filling usually makes 12 manicotti, but sometimes you can squeeze out an extra one.  I arrange them in the dish like this.

Place the remainder of the sauce over the manicotti.  This will help cook the pasta the rest of the way.

Spread the remaining mozzarella over the manicotti and sprinkle a 1/4 cup of parm on as well.  This recipe calls for breaking up pats of cold butter and placing it around the top of the finished dish.  I'm not sure what the hell this does but I love butter so who cares.

Your oven should be preheated at 350 degrees.  The manicotti need to cook for 30-40 minutes.  When it is done, let it rest a few minutes or you will burn the crap out of your mouth and ruin your dining experience.

Serve with salad or just gorge yourself on cheesy goodness.

Foodies-9/11/2014 Everyday Italian, Giada De Laurentiis

Aleathia says:

Ah yes.  It is foodie time again.  This week instead of going to the library to find a cook book to review I was going to use one of my own at home.  We went to the Salvation Army as it is Family and Friends day (half off clothes) and low and behold I found a cook book.  I watch a fair amount of Food Network and its various shows.  I like most of the chef on there, but I have a general aversion to Giada De Laurentiis.  Every time I see her I think "eat a cheeseburger".  It is sometimes hard for me to want to trust a skinny chef.  Maybe that is socially unacceptable of me, but that is how I roll. She is probably a totally wonderful person.

I picked up the book and started flipping through it.  Everyday Italian is loaded with amazing recipes...sauces, pastas, and classic dishes.  I love Italian food...grew up eating it all the time as my mother's second husband was from an Italian family.  Thanksgiving had turkey and a full spread of lasagna and manicotti!  I was biting the inside of my mouth at my hypocrisy when I bought the book. That is what I get for being a judgmental bitch!

We had the hankering for Pasta Primavera the other day and I could not find a recipe that I was satisfied with.  They were either drowned in a cream sauce or a red sauce.  I never remembered eating pasta primavera this way or making it with a heavy sauce.  Michael states that he remembers eating it with red sauce all the time.  It is supposed to be a spring dish that is light and vibrant.  When I was looking at the book in the store it was the first recipe I checked for and the reason I bought the book. So here we go, Pasta Primavera!

Pasta Primavera

3 carrots, peeled

2 medium or 1 large zucchini

2 yellow summer squash

1 yellow bell pepper

1 red bell pepper

1 onion, thinly sliced

1/4 cp olive oil

1 T dried Italian Herbs

2 tsp salt

2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

1 pound dried farfalle pasta

15 cherry tomatoes, halved

3/4 cp shredded Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Cut the carrots, zucchini, squash, and bell peppers into thin 2 inch long strips.  On a large heavy baking sheet, toss the vegetable strips, onion, oil, dried herbs, and 2 tsp each of salt and pepper.

Transfer half of the veg mixture to another large heavy baking sheet and arrange evenly over each pan.  Bake, stirring after the first 10 minutes, until the carrots are tender and the other veggies begin to brown, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add the farfalle and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes.  Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.  In a large bowl, toss the pasta with the cooked veggies to combine.  Add the cherry tomatoes and enough of the reserved cooking liquid to moisten.  Season the pasta with more salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer to the bows and sprinkle with fresh Parmesan cheese.