How Did Vodka Sauce Develop?

There are varied opinions as to its origin. Some say it was created in Rome to boost vodka, and that could be true, but it doesn’t feel very Italy Italian to me. Others report that it started at a restaurant in New York City, when a Chef Luigi Franzese of Orsini’s, needed to thin a sauce, and added vodka and heavy cream.

I recently ate at a new beautiful Italian restaurant in Nashville which served a most delicious vodka sauce, and it was my inspiration to make it again and put a spin on it, adding sausage.

A good tomato sauce has very few ingredients in it. That’s an Italian way of cooking. Onions drive the flavor more than garlic (outside of a few exceptions) and that’s true of this sauce, which uses an entire onion, finely chopped.

What is Vodka Sauce

It’s very simple. Vodka sauce is a tomato sauce with onion, vodka, heavy cream and some red pepper flakes.

Sausage is an option and one we especially like, serving this on rigatoni or penne pasta.

Process

Gather ingredients.

• Italian Sausage
• Olive Oil
• Garlic
• Onion
• San Marzano Tomatoes
• Vodka
• Parsley
• Heavy Cream
• Pecorino Cheese
• Red Chili Flakes

Cook loose Italian sausage in same pot you will make the sauce. Crumble into small bite sized pieces. Add diced onion for a few minutes in same pot, then add garlic.

TIP: If you are using whole tomatoes as I do, blend them first. The flavor is best with whole marzano canned tomatoes, but I use a stick blender to make a puree.

Add tomatoes to the pot. Follow with the fresh herbs, salt, pepper, and cook for twenty minutes. Add vodka and cook another 30 minutes on low, making sure the alcohol is burned off. Add in heavy cream, followed by pecorino or parmesan cheese. Cook pasta al dente. Add sauce to pasta. Add the red chili flakes (to taste). You may have more sauce than needed, which can be saved or frozen. Serve with more Pecorino or Parmesan cheese at the table.

More Pasta Recipes

• My Favorite Spaghetti and Meatballs Recipes
• Rigatoni with White Beans
• Hearty Rigatoni with Beef
• Spaghetti Bolognese
• How to Cook Pasta Like an Italian

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Vodka Sauce

Vodka Tomato cream sauce with rigatoni

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 medium onion small dice
• 1 pound loose Italian sausage
• 1 28 ounce can whole San Marzano tomatoes
• 1/4 cup vodka
• handful fresh parsley
• few fresh basil leaves if you have it, don’t use dried
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup parmesan cheese or pecorino divided
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 pound rigatoni (small size)

Instructions

• Blend tomatoes to a sauce. I use a stick blender to do this. Set aside.
• Heat olive oil and butter in large sauce pan. Saute loose sausage until cooked through.

  Add diced onion for about 3 minutes. Add garlic, and sautè about a minute.
• Add tomatoes that have been blended to a puree.
• Add in fresh herbs such as parsley and basil (remove later)
• Cook for twenty minutes.
• Add in vodka.
• Stir, simmering on low for twenty or more minutes. Taste to make sure alcohol has burned off before adding in cream.
• Add in heavy cream. Stir.
  
• Stir in a 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan or pecorino cheese
• Add in crushed red pepper.
  
• Cook pasta according to directions for al dente.
• Serve pasta in large bowl, and add just enough of the sauce you need, making sure to scoop up the sausage into the bowl. You may have some sauce left over.
  
• Serve with more parmesan or pecorino cheese.
  

The post Best Vodka Sauce Recipe with Sausage appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

Spinach Tiger loves ground beef. It’s our go to for easy meals that are fast, but not fast food. A meal like this can be made in about twenty minutes, Those of us who don’t want to rely on processed or frozen food need these ideas.  

Crack slaw is one of those easy, approachable recipes that is a savior when you’re eating low carb and you’re short on time. I’m not sure where this was invented or created. There are many recipes for it on the web and everyone puts their own spin on it.

My take for crack slaw is to slather it with an easy three-ingredient comeback sauce.

One of the ways I like crack slaw is to use a mixture of ground beef and ground pork because it makes me feel like I’m eating an egg roll. You can choose your ground meat. Most use beef, but the pork adds in a little extra flavor, resembling more of  that egg roll taste.

How to Make Crack Slaw with Comeback Sauce

It generally start with a little olive oil or avocado oil with some garlic, followed by ground meat. Once the meat is browned, l’ll add in the cabbage, fresh ginger, sesame oil, tamari or soy sauce. My secret for crack slaw is using my own homemade comeback sauce at the end.

Tip for Browning Ground Beef

This is a great tip that actually works for browning ground beef. I don’t know why it works, but it does.

• Add 1/4 teaspoon baking soda to 2 tablespoons water. Pour over raw beef and wait 15 minutes before frying.

The Comeback Sauce

My comeback sauce is pretty simple. I use sriracha, mayonnaise, and a touch of soy sauce (tamari). I’ve seen recipes with a long list of ingredients, but this does it for me. I’ve tried adding in various ingredients and they did not work!

The ratio is mayo/sriracha is 4/1 and the tamari is to taste. You may want to add a tablespoon of tamari, but I would start with a teaspoon at a time. It’s so good.  It has the acid, fat and salt necesary. Creamy, tangy, and cool enough to counteract some of the heat in the crack slaw.

So tell me, do you have a secret sauce recipe? I’d love to hear about it.

More Ground Beef Ideas

• Ground Beef Cabbage Stir Fry
• Stuffed Cabbage
• Ground Beef with Peas and Onions, (most popular recipe).
• Ground Beef Stuffed Peppers
• Sautéed Cabbage with Bacon and Onion
• Beef Cabbage Soup

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Crack Slaw with with Three Ingredient Comeback Sauce Recipe

An easy ground beef and shredded cabbage dish, using bagged cole slaw mix, sesame oil, sriracha and ginger.

Course Entree

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 25 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

Prep Ground Meat

• 1/3 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil more if needed once the slaw is added
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 pound ground beef see notes
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• salt pepper
• 1 bag cole slaw mix shredded cabbage
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon sriracha

Comeback Sauce

• 8 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons sriracha
• 1 tablespoon tamari sauce or soy sauce more if needed

Instructions

• Mix baking soda and water. Pour over meat. Wait 15 minutes before cooking. This helps to brown the meat. In meantime, gather rest of ingredients.
• Saute the garlic in the oil just to soften.
• Add ground beef that has been seasoned with salt and pepper
• After meat is browned, add in the cole slaw mix.
• Mix thoroughly. It will seem like a lot of cabbage, but it will cook down.
• Add in sesame oil, ground ginger, sriraacha.
• Season to taste. You may need to add more oil.

Comeback Sauce

• Mix mayonnaise and sriracha together.
• Add tamari sauce one teaspoon at a time. Add as much as you need to taste, but not so much as to make this salty.

Notes

You can mix half ground pork, half ground beef for more flavor

The post Crack Slaw with Comeback Sauce Recipe appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

The cauliflower rice is flavored with a touch of saffron (optional), turmeric, mushroom powder, thyme, olive oil, salt, pepper. Additions are peas and tomatoes, which add more texture and color.

The one ingredient though that I think brings this home is the sliced toasted almonds. It brings a crunch and a flavor that makes each bite just right. I also think golden raisins would be a great addition, but I didn’t have them on hand.

First of all use frozen cauliflower rice. Costco sell a version with 4 individual bags, that you can either microwave or dry fry. I’ll explain what dry fry is because that’s how I made this recipe.

How to Cook Frozen Cauliflower

My favorite method is to plop the frozen cauliflower in hot cast iron frying pan with just a touch of fat (either oil or butter). This method gives you a chance to season the cauliflower, and make it less mushy. Any water due to the freezing evaporates, which results in a great texture.

Ingredients for Mediterranean Cauliflower Rice

• Frozen Cauliflower Rice
• Olive oil
• Tumeric
• Salt, Pepper
• Peas
• Tomatoes (fresh or sun-dried)
• Sliced toasted almonds

Variations

• Replace peas with golden raisins. You could even use both.
• Replace almonds with toasted pine nuts.
• Replace grape tomatoes with sun-dried tomatoes.
• Add a pinch, just a pinch, of saffron if you have it.

Mediterranean Rice Pairs with These Recipes

• Roast Chicken
• Za’atar Spiced Lamb Chops
• Grilled Lamb Loin Chops
• Lamb Meatballs
• Garlic Roasted Chicken Thighs

More Recipes with Cauliflower Rice

• Keto Shrimp Creole Cauliflower Rice
• Chicken with Cauliflower Rice
• Shrimp and Cheesy Cauliflower Grits
• Cauliflower Rice Risotto
• Keto Cajun Shrimp

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Mediterranean Cauliflower Rice

Mediterranean Cauliflower Rice with Shallots, Peas, Turmeric perfect for low carb dinners.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Mediterranean

Keyword cauliflower rice

Ingredients

• 16 ounces frozen rice
• 2 tablespoon olive oil more if needed
• 1 tablespoon turmeric
• 1 cup frozen peas see notes
• 1 cup grape tomatoes or 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme or fresh parsley
• 1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper more if needed

Instructions

• Heat a large frying pan. Add frozen cauliflower directly to pan without any fat, at first. Heat the cauliflower through and stir frequently.
• Once the cauliflower is heated through, add the oil, stir through, add turmeric, salt, pepper.
• Slice grape tomatoes. If using sun-dried, add a little of the oil in the jar for more flavor and chop the sun-dried tomatoes into small pieces.
• Add frozen peas and continue cooking until peas are cooked through. You may add more olive oil.
• Toast almonds in toaster oven for one minute or toast in a frying pan. Keep in mind, almond slices burn easily. Add to rice.
• Add fresh herbs and more salt and pepper if needed.

Notes

Instead of peas, replace with golden raisins 

The post Mediterranean Cauliflower Rice appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

What is a Caprese Salad?

When we think of caprese salad, we think of fresh tomatoes with mozzarella, a bit of fresh basil and some form of vinaigrette. I usually only like olive oil, salt and pepper with fresh tomatoes and mozzarella, but topping with fresh corn is a summer game changer. And, for a summer corn caprese salad, you don’t have to cook the corn, which adds sweetness and texture.

Ingredients for Corn Caprese Salad

• Ripe Tomatoes (can be almost any kind as long as they are ripe, sweet, juicy)
• Fresh mozzarella or burrata
• Fresh basil (or pesto)
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Fresh Corn
• Salt, Pepper

Pesto/Pistou Variations

The difference between pesto and pistou is basically the addition of nuts and cheese. A pistou is easy to make with just garlic, olive oil, basil, salt and pepper. It comes together very easily. However, you can also add a full pesto to this salad. Or, just use olive oil with freshly cut basil. This is more of an idea for caprese than anything you have to follow exactly. I’ve even thought of doing with an addition of fresh peaches along with the tomatoes.

I have several pesto recipes here at spinach tiger. This is my classic recipe, but I’ve been replacing the pine nuts with roasted, salted macadamia nuts (about 1/3 cup). You can also use pistachio nuts as I did in this recipe. You can replace the basil with fresh mint as I did here.

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More Pesto Recipes from Spinach Tiger

• Snapper with Pesto
• Grilled Lollypop Lamb Chop with Mint Pistou
• Ricotta Peas Pesto Appetizer
• Italian Potato Salad with Authentic Pesto
• Party Caprese Salad
• Caprese Party Sandwich
• Chicken with Creamy Pesto
• Seven Herb Pesto

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Corn Caprese Salad Recipe

Corn Caprese Salad with Tomatoes, Basil or Pesto, Fresh Mozzarella,

Course Salad

Cuisine Italian

Keyword caprese

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 8 ounces Fresh Mozzarella or burrata
• 3 fresh summer tomatoes
• Pistou Recipe Below enough to cover tomatoes and cheese
• 1/2 cup Pesto or
• 2 handfulls basil
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cob fresh corn

Pistou

• 2/3 cups fresh basil
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/3 extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

• If using large tomatoes, cut in thick slices, serve immediately.
• Set cheese out about 30 minutes in advance to enjoy the flavor and texture.
• Toss with cheese, olive oil, basil, salt, pepper or pesto
• Slice corn off of the cob.
• If using pistou or pesto spoon over salad, then top with corn.
• Season with salt and pepper as needed.

Pistou

• Combine all ingredients. Add salt as needed.

The post Summer Caprese Salad with Fresh Corn appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

I am republishing this 20 minutes RECESSION DELICIOUS recipe (initially posted in 2012) because grocery prices are crazy right now. This is fast, delicious and can be altered.  We love this ground peas and peas just as is, but you can add in pasta, potato or rice.

One day in the past, I stumbled upon a video of a 91-year old Italian-American grandmother, cooking pasta and peas just the way her mother cooked them nearly every night for her family during the depression.

She used an onion, a potato, and a can of peas,…. all items that didn’t need refrigeration and cost mere pennies.

This took me back to a year ago when I attended a pot luck at the Italian Club in Nashville. Someone had brought this dish that I couldn’t stop eating.

It was a sauté of ground beef, peas, onions, and olive oil. Out of all the things I could have treated myself to, this dish took my plate back for three helpings.

I am not hear to talk about socio-economic times, discuss politics or to depress you. I’m not a complainer, but I am a dreamy realist. I see the world through food. (that statement was written in 2009 during the recession, and here we are today in 2024), in strange times for different reasons.

Can I be brutally honest with you?  While I count my blessings every day to have a warm bed and good food to eat, I am in sticker shock every time I go to the grocery store.  I shop daily because it’s convenient for me. I can walk to my local Publix and I make myself walk almost daily to the Whole Foods (3.5 miles one way).

I try to choose grass fed beef which is healthier, but let’s face it, at $8 a pound, sometimes I choose something else.

As a food blogger, I probably do cook in my kitchen more than most and am acutely aware of how the prices have gone up. I’m also aware of how diseases related to fast food are on the rise, and how families no longer sit at the table the way they probably did for that Italian grandmother.

Ground Beef and Peas is Budget Friendly

If we need to adjust our budget (and we do), my first concern is my food budget.  What do I need to sacrifice?

That’s why I have easy, healthy, real food choices, that are fast, and practically brainless.

The grandmother in the video made me think of my grandmother, who lived through the depression, but was like me, in that she liked good food good. And, she knew how to make a five minute meal taste like a new culinary invention.

Today is my grandmother’s birthday. She would be 105 years old. She would still be cooking the exact same way…healthy, flavorful, uniquely fast, perhaps influenced a bit by the depression. Don’t try to picture the little Italian grandmother standing at the stove for hours cooking for her family.

My grandmother owned her own beauty salon, and cooked exactly once a week on Sunday night, only after all her clothes and sheets were pressed, and her newspapers were read. She was a rare beauty that never stepped foot in town in a “uniform.” She was a fashionista, donning heels, hat and gloves and threw her curvy body on a bus every day to get to down town, making a scene as if the paparazzi were following her.

Her allure and charm weren’t cut out from her Sunday night quick fires. Everything she made was authentic, such as spinach fritters, chicken and olives, or crabs and spaghetti, but it was fast, quick, earthy and a bit sexy, always hitting the senses with a surprise.

Italian Ground Beef with Peas and Onions from an Italian Grandmother

There would be lecture that “americanos” pronounced “ameriganos” don’t know how to eat. I look at their skin and I can smell their hair and know the garbage they are eating. But, you my Angela (pronounced Ahngela) have a grandmother that knows about food. Just look at me and you can see that I eat right.” Yes, she said that.

Since her day, the American diet has changed in that on one hand it has gotten worse, and on the other hand it has gotten much better. There are two different kinds of kitchens cooking (or microwaving) in America today. I’m grateful my grandmother Rose Dee (mother of Retro Rose) pointed me in her direction and never owned a microwave.

How to Make Ground Beef with Peas and Onions

Ground beef with peas and onions may not exactly be a “depression” dish, but perhaps a bit reminiscent of the peas and pasta dish that blanketed many Italian Americans during the true depression era and even my grandmother’s table.

A sauté of peas and onions is very Italian. You must use olive oil for the right flavor and a good sea salt and freshly cracked pepper. Simplicity always requires great ingredients. Peas and onions are good alone, or combined with rice or with potatoes, but with ground beef, it’s dinner.

I will not tell you to mix three kinds of ground meat together to make it more “foodie” or to pretend this is restaurant fare. It’s not. It’s meant to be Sunday night home cooking.

You can use whatever ground meat you desire, even ground lamb would be quite tasty, but this is just ground beef and not extra lean. You want good (I mean animal-treated right) good, ground beef that has some fat in it, because that is where the taste is.

Ground Beef Ideas from Spinach Tiger

I would eat this any time, though because it’s just good food and so would you. Don’t you dare call it hamburger helper or ground beef casserole or I will come and put tape over your mouth and eat this in front of you. It’s rustic, but that doesn’t mean it’s a compromise.

It’s good food, in fact, it’s delicious food that will stretch your budget and your view of ground beef and what fast and affordable can be. Just serve with a nice loaf of crusty bread to sop up the juices, and don’t forget that glass of red wine.

Here is a different version of this recipe, with added greens.

More Ground Beef Recipes from Spinach Tiger

• Hamburger Steaks 
• Burger Steak Recipe with Mushroom Sauce
• No Beans Chili
• Ground Beef Taco Meat
• Eggroll in a Bowl
• Ground Beef and Cabbage Decontructed
• Stuffed Cabbage with Ground Beef
• Ground Beef Cabbage Stir Fry
• Picadillo

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Recession Delicious – Italian Ground Beef, Peas and Onions

An easy delicious way to eat ground beef with an Italian twist, green peas, onions.

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 1 large white onion diced
• 1 pound ground beef seasoned with salt and pepper
• 1 – 2 cups frozen peas
• olive oil
• 1 teaspoon butter
• red chile flakes
• freshly grated parmesan or pecorino optional
• fresh herbs mint, parsley, basil, oregano, thyme…they all work

Instructions

• Heat olive oil and butter. Add onions, saute until soft.
• Add ground beef that has already been flavored with salt and pepper. Cook until medium rare.
• Add in frozen peas, right at end and allow them to defrost and heat up, while the meat is on its way to medium-well done. Toss in fresh herbs, red chile flakes. Season to taste.

Notes

This is an EASY recipe. You may be tempted to keep adding other ingredients, but the simplicity is what gives this dish it’s proper structure and flavor. More is not always more.

The post Italian Ground Beef, Peas and Onions appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

The usuals, of course are ribs, pulled pork, and brisket. All good. All tasty. But a good sugar free barbecue sauce can make burgers sing, transform meatballs, and elevate meatloaf, replacing tomato ketchup or sauce with barbecue sauce.

Ingredients

• Tomato Puree (can use more ketchup)
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Ketchup (or sugar free)
• Yellow Mustard
• Sugar Free Maple Syrup (can use a different sweetener)
• Garlic Powder (or a few cloves garlic)
• Onion Powder (can fine dice a medium onion instead)
• Worcestershire Sauce (make sure to see notes on this if you avoid gluten or fish)
• Salt
• Pepper
• Cayenne

I like sugar free barbecue sauce that has a little tang and isn’t too sweet or overpowering, and this recipe fits that. It works because it brings just enough acid to a dish for perfect balance.

More Recipes from Spinach Tiger

• Big Mac Sauce
• Comeback Sauce (for Crack Slaw)
• Peach Salsa
• Pulled Pork

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Sugar Free Barbecue Sauce

Sugar Free barbecue sauce for pork, ribs, burgers, meatballs, meatloaf and more.

Course condiment

Cuisine American

Keyword barbecue sauce, sugar free

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
• 1 cup tomato puree
• 4 tablespoons sugar free ketchup see notes
• 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup (sugar free)
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon liquid smoke

Instructions

• Add all ingredients together. Taste for seasoning. You can add heat if you desire with a pinch of cayenne pepper as an option, but only a pinch.

Notes

If you don’t have sugar free ketchup, add in another 1/4 cup tomato puree. 

The post Sugar Free Barbecue Sauce appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

Veal chops love wintery herb flavors like rosemary, thyme and sage. I used the last bit of sage I had from the deck along with some grassfed butter and a little white wine. Making food like this is one reason we’ve really slowed down dining out.

I purchased both the veal shanks (for osso buco) and the huge veal chops at Costco, which was a great surprise. I’ve never seen them carry veal before and I hope it continues.

I’ll not sugar coat the price. These cuts are expensive, although osso buco is supposed to be a peasant dish, anything “veal” is pricey. My justification is replacing dining out which usually ends up costing between $100 (for 2 drinks and two burgers) to $200 for a just okay meal.

Unsure if I should marinate the chops or not, I figured it would not hurt. I don’t think you have to do this, but it does help add flavor and it doesn’t hurt.

Marinade

Just mix the following and make sure marinade is on both sides. When ready to cook, take out of the fridge for one hour to bring the chill down.

• olive oil
• garlic
• lemon zest, lemon juice
• dijon mustard
• herbs

Pan Searing Veal Chops

This is the easy part. Rub off the marinade, especially making sure there are no garlic pieces as they will burn. Pat dry. Heat the pan very hot, using an avocado oil or oil that can stand the heat. Add a little butter in the pan for flavor. Add a few sage leaves to flavor. Fry the the veal chops for about 4 minutes per side turning frequently. You want a nice golden brown sear, but not burnt.

Two Methods

• Pan-Seared only.
• Pan-Seared most of the way to 120 degrees F. and then finished in pre-heated oven at 350 degrees for about 5 to ten minutes or until desired internal temperature.

You will need a heavy bottomed pan that can be placed in the oven.

Once the veal chops have reached your desired temperature, remove from pan and allow to rest. Deglaze the pan with 1/3 cup white wine. Add a few tablespoons cold butter and some sage leaves. Pour over the chops.

Temperature for Veal Chops

Choose your temperature. Use a meat thermometer. If you don’t have a meat thermometer, please order one asap. You can use it for all sorts of things, including cakes (207 F.) and sourdough bread (208 F. ). It will save you from kitchen failures.

• Medium-Rare: 145°F (63°C) – This is the USDA-recommended minimum, yielding juicy, slightly pink veal. 
• Medium: 160°F (71°C). 
• Well-Done: 170°F (77°C). 

Side Dishes for Veal Chops

• Crispy Smashed Potatoes
• Swiss Chard Sautè
• Bok Choy Salad
• Garlicky Spinach and Walnuts
• Asparagus Gremolata
• Chopped Kale Salad with Toasted Almonds
• Cara Cara Fennel Salad

My Favorite Veal Recipes

• Veal Osso Buco with Whte Beans
• Veal Stew
• Veal Meatballs

The post Pan-Seared Veal Chops with Sage Butter appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

Our table had been host to ground beef stuffed bell peppers three times that summer, and there was a fourth time as we picked some peppers from our garden.

I made a fresh tomato sauce from garden tomatoes for this dish, but you can use canned tomatoes to make this homemade tomato sauce.

I have never been a green bell pepper fan, always choosing the red or yellow peppers, but when baked slowly in tomato, and filled with a meat filling, they are a summer food with winter comfort. Ground beef stuffed bell peppers take a little more prep than many of my dishes, because I take the time to blanch the peppers.  I use a dutch oven with the lid to bake them for about an hour, and then I take the lid off to brown them a little bit.

The Meat Recipe is Similar to Italian Meatballs

I season the meat the same way I make meatballs, using bread, Italian cheese, fresh parsley and basil. I do make a paleo option for myself, skipping the bread. The peppers continue to cook in the tomato sauce and the beef takes on the flavor of both. This is so good that even people I know who don’t like bell pepper (me included) love this dish.

This is a basic stuffed peppers recipe that offers you many options using one technique.

There are Several Options for Stuffed Peppers

Choose your grain or no grain.  While many stuffed peppers recipes add rice to the beef, I have never like that combination, as I don’t like rice with tomato sauce. You can replace the bread with rice, but I find the bread gives a much more satisfying texture. You can use bread crumbs instead of bread pieces if that’s what you have.

Paleo Option: I made some of the peppers (for me) with a paleo option, just skipping the bread and cheese altogether. Add in extra olive oil to the meat for moisture.

Sausage or Ground Pork Option: On of the three times I added in some ground sausage to the ground beef for extra flavor, or you could add in ground pork. The ratio is up to you. I recommend 1/4 pound sausage to 3/4 pound beef.

Ground Turkey Option: You can substitute ground turkey for the beef. In that case, add in some olive oil, as ground turkey does not have the flavor of ground beef or the fat. You can pump up the flavor by doubling the cheese, and adding in more aromatic herbs such as sage and rosemary.

Ground Beef option: You might be wondering what kind of ground beef to use for the ground beef stuffed bell peppers. I used grass fed beef, which is on the lean side, but your favorite ground beef will be fine.

More Ground Beef Recipes

• Ground Beef with Peas (most popular post)
• Ground Beef with Cabbage Stir Fry
• Easy Hamburger Steak Recipe
• Cuban Picadillo

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Stuffed Peppers with Ground Beef, Tomato Sauce

An Italian version of Ground Beef Stuffed Peppers with Paleo Option.

Course Entree

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 6 large Bell Peppers
• 2 pounds ground beef
• 2 eggs
• 4 slices bread torn or 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs(optional)
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 onion diced, sauteed
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon salt
• generous helping black pepper
• 4 to 6 cups tomato sauce recipe using canned tomatoes here or fresh tomatoes here

Instructions

• Cut tops off bell pepper. Save to use later if you want to, cut out seeds.
• Blanch peppers in boiling water for five minutes to soften.
• Remove, put in ice bath, cool.
• Mix ground beef with eggs, bread or breadcrumbs, parsley, cheese, salt and pepper.
• Stuff peppers.
• Put tomato sauce into baking dish. I used a dutch oven. You can use either a baking dish or dutch oven. The sauce should come about half way up the peppers.
• Put in oven at 400 degrees uncovered for twenty minutes. Reduce heat to 325. Cover and bake for at least one more hour, or until peppers are softened.

The post Ground Beef Stuffed Bell Peppers appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

When talking to friends, I find most people want to enjoy spaghetti squash but are afraid to make it or actually don’t know how. I have a recipe here for making the squash, but know there are many cooking options and you can find them here.

I used this Paleo Italian Meatball recipe. You can use any meatballs you wish. This recipe doesn’t have any bread, keeping the whole dish very low-carb, healthy, and keto friendly.

The sauce is made with one can of Italian tomatoes, a little garlic and olive oil, keeping it real simple. I opted to add some mozzarella and bake it in the oven for 15-20 minutes.

Use Your Favorite Italian Meatballs

Make your own meatballs or use one of these recipes.

• Veal Meatballs Stuffed with Ricotta
• Paleo Meatballs
• Keto Meatballs
• Italian Meatballs in my Spaghetti/Meatballs Recipes

You can also add in ricotta cheese in dollops for extra creaminess.

Spaghetti Squash is actually pretty versatile adapting well to Italian dishes. It will add a little bit of sweet so you will want to make sure you add enough savory flavors and something salty like pecorino Romano cheese.

It’s not hard to make and can be made a day in advance, making weeknight meal preparation easy.

More Spaghetti Squash Recipes

• Spaghetti Squash, Sausage, Mushrooms and Cream
• Three Cheese Spaghetti Squash Lasagna
• Spaghetti Squash Carbonara
• Italian Shrimp with Spaghetti Squash
• Spaghetti Squash Bolognese Ricotta
• Spaghetti Squash Hashbrowns

Kitchen Equipment

• Serving Spoons
• Casserole Dishes of various sizes
• Oxo Box Cheese Grater

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Spaghetti Squash and Meatball Casserole

Spaghetti Squash with Paleo Meatiballs, Keto Friendly, Low Carb. Paleo, Gluten free.

Course Keto Entree

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 40 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 337kcal

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 2 cups quick tomato sauce recipe below
• meatballs recipe below
• 1 spaghetti squash
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese
• 3/4 cup pecorino romano or parmesan
• parsley
• red chili flakes
• salt
• pepper

Quick Tomato Sauce

• 1 can San Marzano Tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/4 onion

Easy Paleo Meatballs

• 1 pound Ground Beef (can mix with beef and pork)
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 small egg
• 1/2 cup pecorino romano or parmesan cheese grated
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1/2 cup parsley chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Make Spaghetti Squash

• Roast spaghetti squash
• Soften spaghetti squash by microwaving for five minutes.
• Or you can just cut in half, lengthwise.
• Scrape out seeds and stringy parts.
• Put face down in pot. Add water up to about 3 inches.
• Roast for 40 minutes or until softened.

Make Meatballs

• Pour milk over ground beef.
• Season meat with parsley, 1/4 cup grated pecorino cheese, egg, garlic, salt and pepper.
• Shape into medium sized meatballs. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees F.
• Add to sauce and simmer on low, while you are preparing spaghetti squash.

Tomato Sauce

• Crush tomatoes with hand.
• Heat olive oil.
• Add onion and garlic. Add tomatoes to pot. You may need to add a little bit of water.
• You can choose to smooth out the sauce using a stick blender.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Cook uncovered for 30 to 40 minutes while squash is baking. Add meatballs as soon as they are ready.

Assemble

• Shred spaghetti squash with a fork.
• Paper towel moisture off of squash.
• Arrange in casserole dish.
• Slice meatballs and arrange in dish.
• Toss with Sauce. You may not use all of the sauce, depending as to how much you have.
• Add mozzarella cheese.
• Bake for 30 minutes at 375 degrees F. or until all cheese is melted.
• Allow to cool about ten minutes. Serve with extra Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese.

Notes

You can use ground beef, loose Italian sausage or a mix of of beef/pork.

Net cabs: 7 with Six Servings

Nutrition

Calories: 337kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Fat: 20g | Fiber: 2g

The post Spaghetti Squash with Meatballs appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

Fall is around the corner, and this is a time people tend to huddle back into the kitchen, cooking comfort food, baking, entertaining, hosting game days, and holiday gatherings.

Extra Large Oversize Cookie Spatula – Honestly a cookie spatula is a necessity if you make oversize cookies like these bacon chocolate chip cookies.

Nut Chopper – I use this everyday in my bakery and it’s really helpful during the holidays.

Food Thermometer – I use everyday all day. My cakes are done at 207 F. My sourdough is done at 208 F. Cheesecake is done at 150 F. I’ll bet you didn’t know you could take your baked goods temp. It really helps.

Quiche Pan – Make quiche or a large tart. It needs to have a removable bottom.

Vertical Spoon Holder – Finally a clean counter awaits, especially when making soup or tomato sauce.

Garlic Keeper – Keep your garlic fresh and cook lots of great recipes.

Stainless Steel Whisk – You do need a good whisk.

Oxo Extra Large Silicone Spatula is my totally favorite kitchen tool. Buy two and thank me for this is probably my all time favorite kitchen item. Perfect for omelettes and so much more.

Aluminum Butter Cutter – perfect for making biscuits or pastry crust. Butter must be in small pieces to make successful biscuits and pie dough.

Vertical Chicken Roaster – Can we just embrace a whole roasted chicken?

Stackable Cooling Rack for Cakes, Cookies Biscuits – A cooling rack really does matter. Remember to let your cookies slightly cool before removing them to a rack.

Rectangular Tart Pan – I’ve used this for so many tarts.

Stainless Steel Star Cookie Cutters (5 pack) – Great for Holidays.

Table Crumb Sweeper by Fox Run – Because now is the time you’ll have more people around the dinner table.

Stick Adhesive for Candles – The holidays are coming and this means real candles.

Food Scale. Last but not least, if you want to be a successful baker, you must weigh the flour. It’s also great for weighing cookies, meatballs, rolls, to produce the same size.

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The post My Favorite Kitchen Essentials appeared first on Spinach Tiger.