Skip to main content

Beef & Pasta Casserole

This was billed as a one dish meal - which often I'm a big fan. However, this ended up being a two dish meal for me, three if you count the food processor.  I didn't have a big enough skillet that could go in the oven. The one that would fit all the ingredients, the handle isn't oven worthy, and Griselda is not quite large enough. But all in all, this was so worth it. There's also a lot of tweaking that you can probably do.


Beef & Pasta Casserole (Adapted from Cooking Light)

1 large onion, quartered
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 3" pieces
1T olive oil
salt
4 clove garlic, minced
1 t dried basil
1/2 t oregano
1lb ground beef (or turkey)
3 c chicken stock
2T tomato paste
1T balsamic vinegar
1lb pasta (rigatoni, ziti, penne)
28 oz can whole tomatoes
4 oz Fontina cheese (or mozzarella), sliced 1/8" thick
1/4 c Parmesan cheese, grated

Place onion and carrots in food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Saute in olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet (or Dutch oven if you don't have an oven-safe skillet also grease a casserole dish with butter). Add salt and saute for about 4 minutes. Add garlic, basil, and oregano and continue to saute until fragrant. Add beef and saute for about 5 minutes. Add stock, tomato paste, vinegar, pasta, and tomatoes. Bring to a boil and cook for 13 minutes or until pasta is still firm but not hard. Stirring frequently. Pour into greased casserole dish if using. Gently stir in the fontina. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 or until pasta is done.

As I said there's a lot tweaking you can do. I used the beef, but I think you could use turkey. Pork might work as well. They recommend mozzarella, I used Fontina. Gruyere wouldn't hurt anyone either. They suggest fresh basil, the garden isn't there yet so no fresh basil on hand.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Waffled Hash Browns

I'm not that much of a fan of one-trick ponies taking up real estate in my kitchen. I know that a waffle iron can be classified as that, but now I can rationalize that it's not. Who knew you could make hash browns in it? Waffled Hash Browns (Adapted from Cooking Light ) 1 1/2 lb russet potato (shredded) salt/pepper to taste 1/4 t garlic powder 1 1/2T butter, melted Preheat waffle iron. Squeeze liquid out of potatoes by blotting between two paper towels. Toss potatoes, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Brush both sides of the waffle iron with butter. Spread potatoes evenly on waffle iron. Close and cook 2 minutes. Press iron closed completely and cook about 12 minutes or until golden brown. I did not feel that they browned as nicely as in the picture on the original recipe, but then again I don't have a food stylist do I? The drawback of this recipe is that you have to share this. Since they take about 15 minutes, it's a little difficult to make a second one...

Citrus Shortcake

In my mind, this cake is sort of a blank slate. The cornmeal gives it a little crunch but it is quite versatile. I drizzled a citrus icing on it this time around. I think there are many other things that you could do. You could macerate some berries in sugar and top the cake with them. I think some heated jam (orange, strawberry, or raspberry) drizzled over would be nice. I scoop of ice cream never hurt anyone. A dollop of whip cream never did either. I think you get the idea. Citrus Shortcake (Adapted from Cooking Light circa 2010) 3/4 c sugar 1/4 cup butter 2 eggs 1 T orange rind, grated 2T fresh OJ 1/2 t vanilla 1 c flour 2T cornmeal 3/4 t baking powder 1/2 t baking soda 1/4 t salt 2/3 c buttermilk Grease a 9" square pan set aside. Cream butter and sugar for 5 minutes in a mixer.  Meanwhile, combine dry ingredients (flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl). Set aside. Add eggs one a time to butter mixture; beating well after ...

New Kid on the Block

So here's a picture of the new kid on the block. Ain't she a beauty? It's a Blomberg . They are fairly new to the US. They have been around in Europe for quite a while. I really liked the design. I've been dying to have a freezer on the bottom. With the old refrigerator I would constantly lose brain cells by hitting my head on the freezer will poking around in the refrigerator. It really makes sense to have the refrigerator on top - that is where you spend most of your time. When we bought the old one, it was an emergency situation. The prior one was leaking on the floor and was no longer cooling. Fifteen years ago the freezer on the bottom was just starting to get popular but we were in no situation to wait for delivery. We had to take what they had on hand. Now the freezer on the bottom is by no means unique. What is - is this freezer's design. There are 3 compartments in the freezer. I used to have a chest freezer in the basement and everything would get los...