Spaghetti with Tomato Basil Sauce

It's been 103, 107, 105 degrees for days and days...

It's too dang hot to cook!  So when you want something a little more substantial than a salad I go for a quick 20 minute meal.

Weeknight dinners don’t get much easier than this. Pasta is a quick go-to meal.  What’s the secret to a speedy pasta sauce? A great jarred version plus a handful of fresh cherry tomatoes.  Check out my red basil.  Isn't it pretty?  Smells great too!

Try this dish for a super quick meal.  You'll be pleasantly surprised!

Spaghetti with Tomato Basil Sauce

Serves 4 to 6

Kosher salt
1 lb. spaghetti
8 oz. cherry tomatoes
1 jar tomato-basil pasta sauce
Finely grated Parmesan cheese for sprinkling
6 oz. fresh buffalo mozzarella cheese, torn into bite-size pieces
Fresh basil leaves for garnish 


Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, according to the package instructions.

Cut most of the cherry tomatoes in half. Reserve a few whole tomatoes for garnish. Pour the pasta sauce and the cut tomatoes into a large skillet over medium-low heat and allow to simmer. Once the pasta is done, drain and add to the skillet. Stir pasta until coated. Transfer to a bowl and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Arrange the reserved tomatoes and mozzarella on top. Garnish with basil leaves and serve immediately.  

Chicken and Mango Rice Salad

Hope you all had a great Labor Day weekend!

Back to work, and back to the routine....so I've been on a salad kick lately and made a few more so I could take them to work for lunch. It is just too dang hot here to go outside...ever!  

You are gonna love this salad!  Plus, it's quick and easy to make.

The wonderful people at Tasty Bite sent me some samples to try and review.  Please note, that all opinions are my own.  Tasty Bite invites you to "Explore all natural, exotic flavors from around the world. Enjoy Tasty Bite by itself as a quick and easy bite, as a side dish. Tasty bite is your solution to a delicious and flavorful meal, ready to eat in 90 seconds!"  They have wonderful prepared packaged Indian and pan-Asian dishes.  

I chose to use the Thai Lime Rice to make a wonderful Chicken and Mango Rice Salad.  I just love rice salads.  Since they are served cold or at room temperature you don't have to fuss with heating them up.  I love the flavors of Thai food, so I decided to keep that theme and jazz up the salad a bit with some fruit and a protein.  Leftover chicken is perfect for this dish, or you can poach some chicken breasts as a quick fix.  The addition of cilantro keeps with the Thai flavors as well, or you can use basil.  The rice itself is steamed in coconut milk, ginger, lemongrass, garlic and basil.  This was a wonderful tender, flavorful rice.  All combined together this made a wonderful rice salad!

The rice is easy to make, just heat the pouch in the microwave for 90 seconds and your good!  Love the ease of having ready made ingredients handy to make these quick dishes.  I was pleasantly surprised by the  ingredients.  See for yourself.

INGREDIENTS
Water, Rice, Coconut Milk, Sunflower Oil, Raw Sugar, Lemongrass, Salt, Lemon Juice, Natural Flavoring(Soy, Vegetables), Basil, Kaffir Lime, Onions, Garlic, Green Chilies, Galangal, Spices. Contains: Coconut. 

I've spotted Tasty Bite pouches recently at Sprout's and Cost Plus World Market, however, they are also in most main grocery stores such as Ralph's, Von's, Whole Foods, Super Target etc.  Be sure to check the site for stores in your area.

All in all, this made a quick meal.  Tasty and fresh, with a good flavor profile.  I look forward to using some of their other items including this rice again.  I'm thinking it would make and excellent side dish to some Thai Basil Chicken Kabobs!  Don't you think?

Chicken and Mango Rice Salad

serves 2

1 pouch 8.8oz Tasty Bite Thai Lime Rice
1 mango, peeled and chopped
1 chicken breast, cooked 
2 T cilantro, chopped

Cook rice according to package directions.  Place in a medium bowl or container and allow to cool slightly.  Meanwhile peel and chop a fresh mango into bite sized pieces.  Add to bowl with rice.  Chop cooked chicken breast into bite sized pieces, or shred if you like.  Add to bowl.  Add chopped cilantro to bowl and stir to combine.  Rice may be refrigerated and served cold or at room temperature.

Old Schooling It! : Old School Sloppy Joes

 

What do you do with that leftover ground beef from your Labor Day grilling?

Make my Old School Sloppy Joes!

Do you remember Sloppy Joes?  There is something wonderfully fun about getting to eat a burger/sandwich that is messy by nature.   Memories of the mix in the can or the mix in the package made me seek a way to create these by hand and make a tastier sandwich.  I've tested these many ways, tweaking the ingredients until I found the variation that I favor best.  These are my "Old School Sloppy Joes"!

 

The secret to wonderful Sloppy Joes in my opinion is the ratio of ingredients creating that unique flavor.  Oh, and a soft bun is a must! (I used a soft kaiser roll) Some like to add bell peppers or beans to their meat mixture.  I'm more of a plain Jane in that aspect, but to me it's all about the flavor of the sauce.  Some people add brown sugar, and mustard, which really creates a BBQ sauce.  I like it more tomatoey with a bit of tang.

Try my version, and bring out the kid in you!

Remember, use up your extra or leftover ground beef.  They are quick and easy to make, inexpensive, and kid friendly.


Old School Sloppy Joes

serves 4


1 tablespoon canola oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
kosher salt and ground pepper
1 pound ground beef
3/4 - 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
4 hamburger buns or soft kaiser rolls, split (toasted optional)

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until soft about 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and stir 30 seconds.

Add ground beef to skillet. Cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until it is no longer pink, 6 to 8 minutes.

Stir 3/4 can of tomato sauce and Worcestershire sauce into beef mixture in skillet. Taste for flavoring.  Add more tomato sauce or Worcestershire sauce to adjust flavor to your liking.  Simmer until thickened, stirring occasionally, 6 to 8 minutes.

Season the mixture with more salt and pepper, if desired. Spoon onto buns, and serve.