Easy dinner alert! This one’s a family favorite. We love this dish! Well, honestly, my younger kids don’t because they don’t like tuna or garlic. Crazy kids, right? But my 13 year old loves it, too!

Not only does this one taste great, but the ingredients in it can be kept on hand for a complete pantry dinner! Who doesn’t love that? So not only is it delicious, but you can have everything on hand to make this at a moment’s notice. In fact, I’ll bet a lot of you have nearly all of the ingredients already! And a bonus? It’s extremely quick to make. But it’s pretty! And you know what that means. Guests will oooh and ahhh because it looks and tastes great, but you’ll know you didn’t slave over it. And that also makes this a “guests dropped in, what do I make for dinner?” dinner.

I got this one in an email a few years ago—from my local news station. I’ve made a few little changes, but the main idea is the same. Pasta cooking in one pot, and the rest in a sauté pan, then toss the two together. As far as the tuna goes, I use tuna packed in oil, but if you prefer, you can use tuna packed in water. And the pasta is also up to you—spaghetti, bucatini, this would also be good with penne—but use what you like or have on hand. Bucatini is fun—the noodles are like straws! We love trying new pasta shapes. I know, I know—we need to get out more. You’re preaching to the choir here!

Bucatini with Tuna and Baby Peas

To print this recipe, click here!

This comes together very quickly—so have everything ready to go and right on hand. Because you don’t want to burn the garlic while running around looking for the broth and peas. That would completely ruin this, or any dish!

* 16 oz. bucatini, spaghetti, or your favorite pasta
* 3 tbsp. olive oil
* 6 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 cup chicken broth (or vegetable broth, if you prefer)
* 1 1/2 -2 cups frozen baby peas
* 2 cans tuna packed in oil, drained and flaked
* 1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper, or to taste
* 1/8 tsp. salt, or to taste
* 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
* olive oil to drizzle over

Directions

1. Cook the pasta according to package instructions is a large pot of salted boiling water.
2. While the spaghetti is cooking, heat the oil in a large nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat.
3. Add the garlic; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds--don't let it burn!
4. Add the chicken broth, peas, tuna, salt, and pepper; stir gently until heated through, about 1 minute.
5. Remove from the heat.
6. When the spaghetti is done, drain well and put it in a large bowl, then add the tuna mixture; toss gently to coat the noodles.
7. Add the Parmesan, and toss it all together.
8. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
9. Garnish with more parmesan, and add a drizzle of olive oil and some fresh black pepper.

My Spice Sage

I also want to take the time to announce my new partnership with MySpiceSage.com. They’re a great company selling quality spices—which I’ve been using for the last few weeks, and you’ll see popping up in more of my posts. I’ve loved every one of them so far! And also? The people are nice! That counts for a lot in my book. So say hello to Jon and tell him I sent you. Be sure to check out their About Us page on the site to read more about their company.

Not only do they have all of the major everyday spices that we all use, but they also have some amazing blends. The Greek, Pork, and Pizza seasonings come to mind immediately. We’ve tried all three and they’re fantastic! Check them out—you can click to see them in the two ads in my sidebar. Those will take you to their Bestsellers page, but to see all of their spices, click on the links in their right-hand side bar.

I love soup. L-O-V-E it. It's so comforting to have a big old pot of soup simmering away on the stove. It warms the home and smells so good, too. My mom made soup a lot. Not only because it's a good way to stretch your food budget, but it's a great way to get a healthy hot meal to your family with little effort. Pair it with a sandwich, crusty bread, or even a nice salad--and you've got a delicious lunch or dinner. And leftovers the next day? YUM.


When I heard the Danny at Gourmet Gastronomer was having a Soup-Off to follow up his Mac and Cheese-Off, I knew I'd enter that one, too.


This soup is a favorite. I've made it twice already and we love it! The second time, I added a splash of red wine and a little pesto to the simmering soup--my husband liked it better the first time, and preferred adding a dollop of pesto to his own bowl. Picky, picky...so--you can choose to add those or not, it's up to you.


For the tortellini, I used dry ones filled with pesto from Trader Joe's. I know Barilla has some, too. If you can't find dried ones, go ahead and use the fresh ones like Buitoni. Just add them close to the end of cooking, and remember they only need a few minutes to cook.

Chicken Pesto Tortellini Soup

1-2 TBSP olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
2 small-ish leeks, rinsed and sliced across, not into long strips
1-1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
4 cloves garlic, minced
28 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
6 cups chicken broth
14 oz can chickpeas, undrained
2 boneless chicken breasts, sliced thinly
2 small zucchini, diced
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
3 cups dried tortellini (fresh is fine, but keep in mind those take less time to cook)
fresh cracked black pepper
pesto for dolloping individual servings
fresh shaved Parmesan




Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium high heat. Add the onion, leek, garlic and Italian seasoning, and saute for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the tomatoes, broth, and chickpeas.
Bring to a boil and cover, then reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes.
Add the chicken, zucchini, and peas, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 more minutes.
Stir in the tortellini and keep the soup at a low to medium boil for the required pasta cooking time, or until al dente.
Taste first, then season with pepper--I don't think you'll need salt, but add it if you need to. (Keep in mind--you'll be adding pesto and Parmesan to each serving.)
Top each serving with a dollop of pesto and some fresh shaved Parmesan.

To print this recipe, click here!

Is there anyone out there that doesn't like Macaroni and Cheese? Anyone? Bueller? I didn't think so. It's right up there at the top of my list of good old comfort food.

I used to love the Blue Box when I was a kid, and occasionally my kids have it, too--and ok, I'll confess to having a bite or two. Childhood memories and all that, you know? But they do love the homemade stuff, as well! In fact, my five year old asks me to make it. The first time I made the good homemade stuff, he told me he'd eat it every day if I made it for him. How's that for a compliment? Or maybe he said he'd plead with me every day not to make it for him...nah--I'm sure I heard him right. Right?



I use a tried and true recipe, given to me by one of my best friends, Jen. It makes a cheesy, totally creamy mac and cheese. You know how some homemade ones can be grainy and well, kind of curdled and dry? This one is nothing but creamy. The secret? Food snobs, you may want to avert your eyes now...


Velveeta. Yes. I'm serious. I tried a few other recipes for mac and cheese. They tasted fine, but were dry, and I just couldn't get the famous "creamy" type that I was looking for. But with Jen's recipe, it's super creamy and just so damn good.


This one's being entered in a Mac and Cheese Off that was put together by Danny from the Gourmet Gastronomer. So have a look at his site, and check out all of the cheesy goodness.



Voting will open to the general public on Tuesday, January 6th at 5:00pm and close on Friday January 9th at 5:00pm. So if any of you guys feel inclined to head on over there and vote, that would be awesome. Also, if you want to join in, you can contact Danny anytime before voting opens.


I made some changes this time around. Yesterday, we packed the kids up in the truck, and headed to Vermont. We went to the Vermont Country Store. We love going there--they have so much in the store--cool retro stuff, great foods, and amazing Vermont Cheddar. LOVE their cheddar. It's creamy and melts in your mouth. So we grabbed a big old hunk of that, along with a bunch of other things, went out to dinner, and called it a day. You should have a look around their site--I guarantee you'll see stuff you haven't seen since you were a kid, or stuff you remember your parents and grandparents using. We make a trip up there at least three times a year and come home with bags of stuff.

So anyway, I used half Vermont Cheddar and yes, half Velveeta. I can't get away from it's creamy goodness in this dish. The result? The Velveeta gave it the ultimate creaminess, and the cheddar gave it that extra kick of flavor. It's delicious! And a nice sprinkling of panko bread crumbs over the top give it some nice crusty crunchy goodness.



I'm eating some right now, hot from the oven, and wishing I could share it with all of you! But I can give you the next best thing--the recipe:



Vermont Mac and Cheese

To print this recipe, click here!


16 ounces elbow macaroni (cooked)
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup flour
3 1/4 cups milk
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 lb cheese, Velveeta cut into cubes
1/2 lb Vermont Cheddar
panko breadcrumbs



Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a pan, melt the butter along with the salt, pepper and flour and stir until smooth.
Remove from heat add milk and wine, then return to heat and bring to a boil.
Boil 1 minute while whisking.
Remove from the heat and add both cheeses, and stir until melted.
Pour over elbows, mix well, and pour into very lightly greased baking dish.
Sprinkle with panko and bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes.




So...maybe it's not gourmet with the Velveeta and all, but it's good. Really good. And in the big picture, isn't that what counts? And I could have added a bunch of additional things, but then my kids may not have eaten it. And my husband and I don't really need to eat a whole pan of this by ourselves, hehe.



Don't forget to check out Danny's site and vote for your favorite mac and cheese!

I've been tagged by Karen at Mignardise for Six Random Things about me.



Six Random Things About Elle


1) I think I love football more than my husband does, and he's the one that got me into it. I yell at the coaches
when a play goes wrong, or at the refs when they make a bad call. AND at the players when they celebrate in
the end zone--I'm looking at YOU, Wes Welker. A snow angel? Seriously? Did you not think you'd get a penalty?
A fine, even! Stupidest rule ever, but still!


2) I love to dip french fries into a chocolate shake--just did last night at dinner, in fact!
It's like food for the gods. Seriously.


3) I don't like goat cheese. There, I said it! Am I the only one that hates the taste, the aftertaste,
and how you can still taste it 8 hours later? Yuck! Sorry to be uncool, but it's just gross.


4) I love to sketch and paint with watercolors. I used to be really good at it, but am terribly out of practice.


5) I'm addicted to Twitter. Follow me there: http://twitter.com/elleskitchen


6) I'm also addicted to my new Blackberry, aka Crackberry. I can even Twitter from it,
so it feeds addiction #5, as well! hahaha!!


I'm not going to tag six people, but I am going to leave this open so anyone can do it and keep it going. Once you do, tag six more people if you like, and be sure to let them know they've been tagged!

I'm going to say right at the start that this most likely isn't authentic Ragù Alla Bolognese. But you know what? It's good. It's damn good. And my family loves it. So if it isn't authentic, well, I'll still sleep at night. Because I can get my kids to eat it. With vegetables in it. Big plus in my book. And I'm also not telling everyone "I think this is an authentic recipe!" (not that I ever did...)
See the comments on that recipe for the full story, hehe. ;) Sorry, I'm still a bit gun-shy.

If you're interested, you can read a bit more about Ragu all Bolognese here.

This one is from Cooking Light. I really do love their recipes--they're always full of flavor, and very easy. This one takes a bit of time--but most of it's simmering time, so it's not very labor intensive. But the rewards are great! This is so freaking good! I've made it twice already in one week.


I only made a couple of changes. I added a couple of garlic cloves, because garlic makes everything better...except maybe your breath. Also, they use whole milk. I made it the first time with half and half, and the second time, I used 1% milk. Good both times! It's also really good with torn fresh basil thrown in at the end. I know, I know...basil isn't a traditional ingredient in this. But it's there in the garden, so yeah, I'm gonna toss some in if I want to.

So there! You tell 'em, Nick!


Ragù Alla Bolognese

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped celery
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
1 pound of a mixture of ground pork, veal and beef
1 cup dry white wine
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 bay leaf
1 (14 1/2 oz) can chicken broth
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can tomato puree
1 cup half and half or milk (I've used both--regular half and half, and 1 % milk.)
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Heat oil in a large pan oven over medium heat.
Add the onion, celery, carrot and garlic, cook 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove onion from pan and set aside.
Add ground meat to the pan and cook over medium heat until browned.
Add wine, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes.
Add the onion mixture back to the pan, then add the broth and tomato puree.
Simmer for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Stir in half and half or milk and parsley, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 40 minutes.
Discard bay leaf.
Test for seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed.
Serve over your favorite pasta, and sprinkle with fresh grated parmesan cheese.





Also, I've been fortunate enough to receive a new award, from two different bloggers! Thank you so much to Meryl, from Inspired Bites, and Kelly from Sass and Veracity. These ladies have two of the most gorgeous blogs around, so be sure to check them out!

I get to pass this along to five other blogs, but I'll have to come back and do that later. My husband is making dinner, but I'm his sous chef and he keeps me busy!

Have a great weekend, and as always, thanks so much for reading!

This tag is from Pixie at You Say Tomahto, I Say Tomayto. Actually not really a tag, more like she left it open to anyone that wanted to do it, in turn. I really like this idea! That way, there's no pressure on anyone to do it. But it's a fun tag! The idea is to post your ten favorite food photos.

1) Fresh Summer Salad


2) Date Bars



3) Garlic Shrimp


4) Guacamole



5) Whole Wheat Brownies



6) Chili and Cornbread



7) Lime Bars



8) Parm Crusted Chicken with Lemon Vinaigrette over Mixed Greens



9) Jams and Citrus Curd



10) American Chop Suey

So there are my ten faves, so far. Whoever wants to go ahead and do this tag, go for it! It's fun and easy, and not too much thinking, which can sometimes cause my ears to let off smoke. ;) And if you want to tag five people, feel free!




Quickie Recipe! Zucchini Faux Pasta with Italian Sausage



This is one of our favorite recipes. Not only is it quick and easy, but it's good for you, low in carbs, and a great way to use up zucchini, which will be invading everyone's kitchens very soon! You know it will. You'll come home to find your sweet neighbors have gifted you with mutant zucchinis the size of a small car. You can only eat so much zucchini bread! (Though I have a *killer* recipe for that, too!)

The faux pasta is ribbons of zucchini that you make simply with a vegetable peeler. Just start peeling strips and keep turning the zucchini until you get down to the center. Also, there's no boiling pasta here that'll heat up your kitchen on hot days!

The sauce is a snap to make, and it's delicious! It would be great to whip it up and use it on any of your favorite pastas, or over chicken for chicken parm. The fresh basil that's added at the end gives it a very fresh flavor.

You can use your favorite Italian sausage here--this particular time I used a chicken Italian sausage, flavored with asiago and basil, I believe. (I actually made this weeks ago, and am just getting around to posting it now, hehe) So use whatever looks good! The ones I used were precooked, so I just sliced and added them in. Looking back at the photos, I think I'd brown them up anyway, to give them a little more color--but they were still delicious, even as is. And you could leave out the sausage if you want to make it meat-free.

Zucchini Faux Pasta with Italian Sausage


4 small zucchini
2 Tbs olive oil
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 (14.5 ounces) can diced tomatoes
1 tsp oregano
1/2 lb Italian turkey sausage, cooked and sliced
salt and pepper
1 bunch fresh basil, torn
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese


Directions

1. Slice clean, unpeeled zucchini into ribbons, using a vegetable peeler, and turning the zucchini as you go.
2. Warm 1 TBSP olive oil in a saucepan, on medium heat.
3. Saute the garlic for a few seconds, don't burn it--then add tomatoes and oregano.
4. Simmer uncovered for a few minutes.
5. Heat the remaining oil in a separate, large skillet.
6. Add the zucchini to the skillet.
7. Stir for a few minutes, until zucchini is soft.
8. Add salt and pepper to taste, then add the tomato sauce to the zucchini in the skillet.
9. Add the sausage, stir well.
10. Stir in basil, and transfer to a serving dish.
11. Top with parmesan cheese.

This is my first participation in a food blog event! It's Tried, Tested and True, and it's hosted by Giz and Psychgrad over at Equal Opportunity Kitchen. It's their first time hosting an event like this, and you've still got time of you want to join--submissions are due by April 14th. And don't we all have at least a few tried and true recipes? They also have a great blog, so you should check it out anyway.

So I decided to submit spaghetti and meatballs, because who doesn't like that? We all love this one. Well, except my 2 youngest boys, they only want butter and parm on their noodles. Sigh. If they only knew what they were missing!

I first got these recipes, I don't know, 4 or 5 years ago, from Allie. Her sister Bethany is one of my best friends. Allie got the recipe from their dad, and he got it from a little old Italian woman. Still with me? Good! It's the best pasta sauce and meatballs I've ever had. In fact, I gave up my old tried and true for this one. I've played with the sauce over the years and changed it a little, but the original is fabulous as is. The meatballs cook in the sauce, so they're tender and moist. Perfect. I haven't dared mess with the meatballs, because we love them so much (except that I use ground turkey instead of beef).

I'll post my version of the sauce, and you can see the original here. Oh, I also use different amounts for the sauce, because I increase it to have leftovers, and this freezes really well. I can give the measurements for these two recipes for 10, 15, or 20 servings, if anyone's interested. This makes the greatest meatball subs--add some provolone and get the bun all toasty...I'm SO glad I have some in the fridge for lunch, hehe.

One more thing...if you make your meatballs a little on the smaller side, you can cut cooking time to about 2 hours or so. And when you drop the meatballs in the sauce, don't stir for about 1/2 an hour, to give them time to set up. You can take the back of a wooden spoon and gently dunk them so they're under the sauce.

Italian Tomato Sauce (15 servings)


3    (28 ounces) cans tomato puree   (if you can't find puree, which I can't lately, use crushed instead)
1 1/2    (28 ounces) cans crushed tomatoes
3/8 can    tomato paste
splash of red wine
3    cloves garlic
1 1/2    small onion, diced
pinch of ground cloves
1/2 Tbs    basil
1/2 Tbs    kosher salt
3/8 tsp    fresh ground pepper
3 Tbs    sugar
3 Tbs    extra virgin olive oil
6 Tbs    grated parmesan cheese



1 In a large pot over medium low heat, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until soft.
2 Add tomatoes to the pot.
3 Add all ingredients (including any meatballs or sausage you want to add) to
pot and simmer for 3 hours.



And the meatball recipe.  These measurements are for 20 servings, but I like to make a huge batch so
I can freeze some for later.

Italian Meatballs (20 servings)


2 lb    ground beef (I always use ground turkey!)
2    egg
1/2 cup    milk
1 cup    breadcrumbs
1 tsp    salt
2 tsp    oregano
2 Tbs    fresh parsley
1 tsp    garlic powder
1 tsp    fresh ground pepper
1/2 cup    grated parmesan cheese



1 Mix all ingredients in a large bowl by hand.
2 Roll meatballs to about the size of a golf ball.
3 Drop raw meatballs into the pot of sauce.
4 Simmer for about 3 hours, or until a tested meatball is done.




So make sure you go and check out the other Tried, Tested and True on April 14th!

Just look at those gorgeous colors and those delicious chickpeas!

I love chickpeas. I really do. They make the most delicious hummus, they're wonderful roasted in the oven for a great snack, and they go well in so many things, like stews, salads, and chili. And over at Vicarious Foodie, they're starring in Spaghetti alla Ceci! That looks amazing, doesn't it? If you haven't tried them yet, you should grab a can the next time you're out shopping. Try them--they're not mushy, like beans--they have a nice texture and an earthy, slightly nutty flavor.

Here are a few facts on chickpeas, as seen on FoodReference.com.

__________________________________________________________________________

CHICKPEA

Chick pea and garbanzo bean are 2 names for the same thing (Cicer arietinum) a member of the Pea family (Fabaceae). They are also called ceci (Italy), Egyptian pea, gram, Kichererbse (Germany), and revithia (Greece).

Garbanzo is the name used in Spanish speaking countries. The English name chickpea comes from the French chiche, which comes from the Latin cicer.

Garbanzo Beans or chickpeas are the most widely consumed legume in the world. Originating in the Middle East, they have a firm texture with a flavor somewhere between chestnuts and walnuts. Garbanzo beans are usually pale yellow in color. In India there are red, black, and brown chickpeas.

Chickpeas or garbanzo beans have 361 calories per 100g, and are rich in carbohydrates, proteins, phosphorus, calcium and iron.

___________________________________________________________________

This brings me to today's recipe. It's Tuna Orzo Salad, which happens to be a Rachael Ray recipe. Now, I'm not a huge fan of her recipes or her shows, but I do love her magazine. It's full of great ideas and articles, and guest authors that also have wonderful ideas and recipes. This one is from her magazine, and we love it. It's makes a wonderful lunch or light dinner.

It's such a pretty salad, too, with all of the jewel tones from the ingredients. There's the purple shade of the red onions, the juicy orange (or red or yellow) peppers, the green basil, the cherry red grape tomatoes, and of course, the silky chickpeas.



I've actually had this recipe photographed and ready to go for a while, but you guys know how it it is--you photograph so much stuff, then you have all these things ready to post, and not enough time to post them all. And besides, it's in the stars today, with Vicarious Foodie showcasing chickpeas, and with Deborah at Taste and Tell in day 5 of her 7 Days with Rachael Ray series. Whether you like RR or not, she does have a lot of good, basic ideas that can be tweaked and added to. For this particular recipe, I don't change a thing, except for drizzling some white balsamic vinegar over our salad.

Tuna Orzo Salad

3 c chicken broth
1 cup orzo
1/4 c red wine vinegar
salt and pepper
2 (6 oz) cans olive oil packed tuna, drained and oil reserved
1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained
1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half
1 yellow or red bell pepper, diced
half a red onion, finely diced
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/2 c crumbled feta cheese
white balsamic vinegar, for drizzling over

Bring the broth to a boil in a saucepan and add the orzo. Cook until al dente, then drain and cool slightly.
In a large bowl, season the vinegar with salt and pepper and mix until the salt dissolves.
Whisk in the reserved oil from the tuna, then add the orzo and toss to mix.
Add the chickpeas, tomatoes, peppers, onion, onion and basil to the orzo mixture.
Break up the tuna and add that and the feta to the salad, then serve.
Top with a light drizzle of balsamic vinegar.