Ever since I was a baby - sauce. I can make a meal out of a big dish if sauce and a chunk of crusty Italian bread. It is sooooooo comforting to me.
I’ve been so busy the past month and a half trying to take care of two households, still going to the babies house (there’s a lot of responsibility being an adopted gram!) early in the morning, feeding them breakfast, making lunches, making sure they are cleaned and dressed and then taking them to school.
From there, it’s to my “second home” to make sure that the house is cleaned, and meals are eaten, and laundry is done, and shopping is done, and errands are run. Handling all the paperwork, bills, etc. Just like home.
My day starts about 3AM - cleaning, laundry, etc. By 5AM I am out the door. The babies are in school and I am on my way to my second home by 9AM. Home by 1PM to feed mom and do what I need, then back to check on the second home, back home to make dinner, and sometimes back to the second home before I can go home for the evening.
So my cooking (which I feel is being neglected!) is this - open the freezer and GRAB! That is what is for dinner at my house. No rummaging through the freezers - just reach in and grab.
Today I pulled out a package of frozen ground chuck. WONDERFUL! Heated my favorite big skillet, heated my olive oil, and placed one frozen hunk of ground chuck in. A bit of a splash of water and I covered it. It did not take long to break it up and fry it. When it was 99 44/100% thawed I seasoned with Kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper, a few grinds of the fennel grinder, parsley and, of course - plenty of fresh garlic.
Once cooked, in goes the tomato paste and puree; season with Kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper, parsley, basil, marjoram, chili powder, a pinch of red pepper flakes, grated Pecorino Romano, sprinkle of sugar, paprika. Bring to simmer; cover and let it simmer until the rigatoni were cooked.
A quick salad of lettuce, tomatoes, Vidalia onion, and radishes with olive oil, vinegar, Kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper, and a bit of basil.
Lightly buttered sliced Italian bread, sprinkled with fresh ground black pepper, parsley, garlic, onion powder, and fine grated Pecorino Romano placed in a 350* F. oven while the rigatoni cooked made it nice and semi-crunchy.
Total cook time for this meal - less than 2 hours!!!
Dishes are done and I am off to my second home………….again today!
