What did you have for dinner tonight? We had...

I truly believe that putting a home cooked meal on the table should be attempted at least once a week. In this house it’s more likely to happen 5 or 6 times a week. And I generally try to cook two meals at one time. If I’m messing up the kitchen, why not chop, peel and dice one day and reap the rewards for two. It’s better than having to resort to take-out because I got bogged down and couldn’t make it happen.

So tonight (I had a fun dental appointment late in the afternoon that bogged me down) we had “3 Pound Pasta” a baked spaghetti dish that I prepared 3 days ago. I tossed some buttered, split rolls in a pan to brown, and earlier this afternoon I picked some salad greens from the garden while out playing with the kids. So after minimal effort, there my husband and I sat, resisting the urge for another helping watching the kids quietly working away at their plates.

What they didn’t know was that I had also been crafty and had used the food processor to grind up mushrooms, onions, celery and carrots to hide in the sauce. They, like a huge percentage of children around the globe, will not touch mushrooms, onions, celery and carrots knowingly. So here it is, if you would like to make the plunge into the secretive world of “hiding veggies in a variety of ways so that your kids will eat them” I give you “3 Pound Pasta”.

The name is derived from the 1 lb. of meat, 1 lb. vegetables and 1 lb. of pasta.

• 1 lb. of a mix of vegetable that would go well in a baked spaghetti (I used mushrooms, onions, celery and carrots) cut, peeled and pureed in a food processor. I add water as needed to get the vegetables moving and I do it in batches.
• 1 lb. of good beef, get as good as you can afford, remember that this is a huge pan of pasta and that the vegetables stretch it.
• 1 lb. box of spaghetti
• 1 jar of prepared sauce. I like to use the one with the burgundy wine. You could make your own too if you prefer.
• Italian seasoning to taste
• Salt and pepper
• Worcestershire Sauce, a few good shakes
• 8 oz. Mozzarella cheese, grated
• 8 oz. Jack cheese, grated
• Parmesan (optional)

1. Clean and prep the vegetables. Heat a large heavy frying pan. Blend the vegetables in a food processor or blender until very finely minced. If they don’t want to move add water to get them going. Don’t worry about adding too much, it will cook off. I usually puree a few batches so I don’t have a huge mess. I also often do a double batch as this part can be time consuming. When I’m done cooking the vegetables I just divide them and freeze the extra half. Add the pureed mix to the pan as they are finished. Cook on high heat until all the liquid is gone and the mixture begins to brown. Remove to a bowl and set aside.
2. Put a large 8 quart pot of water on to boil, I fill mine about ¾ of the way full.
3. While waiting for the water, brown the beef. When it is near the end of cooking, add the Worcestershire sauce and Italian seasoning (about a teaspoon), salt and pepper to taste.
4. Boil the pasta according to the directions, drain set aside to cool.
5. Add the vegetables back to the pan with the beef and the jar of sauce. Lower the temperature and let them cook together for 5-10 minutes to blend the flavors.
6. Mix the Jack and mozzarella together. Spray or oil a 9x13 pan dump in the warm pasta and toss with about ¾ of the cheese. Pour the sauce mix over and lightly stir to mix. Top with the remaining cheese and the parmesan.
7. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes. Or to save it for later, refrigerate or freeze (defrost before heating in the oven) and then bake in 350 degree oven until hot and bubbly.

We have this with the hot buttered rolls mentioned above or garlic bread and a salad that was growing in the dirt earlier in the day. I know some of these things are luxury, who has time to garden and cook? However, I must say that planting some lettuce seed, even in just a window box, waiting for it to grow a few inches and then plucking away is not time consuming or too difficult. Not to mention you can keep the plants going for a good part of the summer by just keeping them pruned. If you live in a hot, dry climate make sure you get a variety that is labeled “slow bolting”.

Well happy cooking and planting. Be inspired.