Pregnancy and Bolognese

I have been a terrible, rotten blogger lately.  The truth is, that for 15 of the last 16 weeks, I've had no desire for food.  Every time I've tried to eat it, my body rejects it.  I've been taken down with a case of pregalimia.  Brutal.

If you haven't heard of pregalimia, then you have either a. never known a pregnant person with "all the time sickness" (morning sickness is seriously the most annoying phrase EVER.  It has nothing to do with the morning.  It has to do with things being smelly, the very cute little alien that has taken over your body and turned you into a vomatious demon, and a very disturbing relationship with your head in the toilet- or the sink- or the trash can...), or a. you are one of those people that have only seen the bright side of pregnancy (i.e. your wife/significant other/friend never got sick, or she kicked it old school, and hid from you until she woke up and saw the sunlight with a rumble in her stomach that said: FEED ME NOW!)

Now that I've hit week 16, I finally have a (mostly)steady, ravenous desire for food.  This is one of those lovely times when living in Italy is first world problems.  What?  You're pregnant!  'No cured meats little lady, but here ya go, have some bolognese!'  It's wonderful.  Good grief.  Writing this blog is making me hungry. (Yay!)

Speaking of bolognese, or ragu, as it is known to some, this is one of the recipes that I have come to love since moving to Firenze.  A good girlfriend gave me the recipe, and it's one of the few things that I've ever made that if it was in our house everyday, my husband wouldn't be able to resist it.  Ever.

You'll need:

• 2 tbsp olive oil (I prefer extra virgin)
• 6 rashers of streaky 'pancetta' bacon, chopped
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 carrots, chopped
• Stick of celery, chopped 
• 1kg/2¼lb lean minced beef (I usually use what is sold as "ragu meat" in Firenze.  Pork is just as tasty as meat if you prefer it.)
• 2 large glasses of red wine (I prefer Chianti)
• 2x400g cans chopped tomatoes (or 1 jar of passata- a type of tomato puree for those that don't like a chunky sauce)
• 2 fresh or dried bay leaves
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 800g-1kg/1¾-2¼lb dried tagliatelle or a good artigianale pasta that will hold up to the ragu.
• freshly grated parmesan cheese (optional for serving)

Instructions:

1. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan and fry the bacon until golden over a medium heat.

2.  Add the onions, garlic, carrots, and celery, cook until softened, and the onions are clear.

3.  Increase the heat and add the minced beef. Fry it until it has browned. Make sure to "chop" at it with your spatula so that the meat gets nice and small (and the veggies too as they break down and cook).

4.  Pour in the wine and boil until it has reduced in volume by about a third. Reduce the temperature.  Stir in the tomatoes and bay leaves.

5. Cover with a lid and simmer over a gentle heat for 1-1½ hours until it's rich and thickened, stirring occasionally.

6.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

7.  Serve over tagliatelle, or stir in with a hearty pasta that sticks to the ribs on a cold day!

8.  Top with freshly grated parmesan cheese.

This is also one of those delicious sauces that tastes better with each passing day, so don't be afraid to make it ahead of time and use it later.  (Although, once you taste it, I guarantee that it won't last long!  I've caught Kyle eating it by the spoonful!)

Nuggets!

I think one of the number one foods that come to mind when I think of toddlers, is chicken nuggets.  I can't tell you how many of my friends always have them stocked in their freezer.  They're quick, simple, and yes, toddlers love foods that they can dip.  Here's my only issue with the premade ones- they aren't always chicken breast (sometimes they are chicken parts- EW), and they are packed with salt.

Laela is a chicken nugget lover.  She loves them grilled, baked, fried, spicy or sweet.  She'll eat them cold or hot.  This nugget recipe is such a hit, even my husband will take them into work and eat them cold for lunch.  They're also great tossed into a salad, or stuffed into a wrap.

The best part?  They're simple to make, easy to freeze, and taste great reheated in the oven- just like the premade ones.

Chicken Nuggets
makes about 50 nuggets

You'll need:

• 2 large chicken breasts
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk (any type is fine)
• Salt and pepper
• 2 Sprigs rosemary, chopped
• 2 Sprigs thyme (leaves only)
• Olive oil

Instructions:

• In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the egg and milk, with a dash of salt and pepper.
• In another medium sized bowl, stir the breadcrumbs, rosemary, thyme, with a dash of salt and pepper.
• Place a large piece of plastic wrap on the counter.  After cutting off all of the fat from the chicken, place the chicken on the plastic wrap.
• Place another piece of plastic wrap on top of the chicken breast.
• Pound the chicken breast with a meat tenderizer until about 1/4 inch thick.
• Using scissors, cut the breast into 3-4 long strips, about 2 inches wide.  Then, cut each strip into nuggets, making them about 1-2 inches long, depending on how big you want to make them.
• Preheat a medium skillet to medium heat.  Drizzle a bit of olive oil into the bottom of the pan.
• Dip the nuggets first into the egg mixture, then into the breadcrumbs.  Make sure the nuggets are well coated in bread crumbs.
• Place the breaded nuggets into the hot skillet.  Cook for 1/2 to 2 minutes per side, or until the breading looks crisped on each side.
• Place on a paper towel to soak the oil.
• **If you make these in batches, make sure to keep adding a bit more oil to the pan.
• If you are planning to freeze these, let them cool in the fridge first.  Then, wrap them in batches (I wrap them by serving, so I can just pull them out as I need them) using aluminum foil or plastic wrap. (I prefer aluminum foil, so that I can just unwrap it, then bake them off using that foil if it didn't get ripped up when I unwrapped it.)
• **To reheat after frozen:  You can do this one of two ways.  1.  Let the nuggets defrost overnight, then bake them in an oven at 350-degrees for about 5 minutes, or until crispy.  2.  Take them directly out of the freezer, and bake them in a preheated 350-degree oven for 20-25 minutes, or until crispy.
• These can freeze in a standard freezer for 3 months.

Asparagus!

I really feel like asparagus gets a bad wrap.  For whatever reason, some people just won't eat it- or even try it!  How can you know if you like something or not, if you don't even try it?  I'm sure that there were folks out there that thought pasta looked funny, but I think you'd be hard pressed to find someone who doesn't like pasta.

But I digress.  Asparagus is one of those things that can be cooked very simply, and taste anything but simple.  It can liven up any plate.  Besides it's being delicious, I love that Laela and I can make it together. I personally feel that any recipe that can be made mostly by a toddler, can easily be made by a grown-up.

Asparagus

You'll need:

• 1 bunch of asparagus
• Onion Powder
• Garlic Powder
• Olive oil
• Salt and Pepper

Instructions:

• Preheat your oven to 350-degrees F.
• Place a piece of foil on a cookie sheet.
• Drizzle a little bit of olive oil on the foiled cookie sheet.
• Rinse and dry the asparagus.
• Take the asparagus with both hands.  Snap the asparagus.  It will break where it is meant to naturally. because the stalk is the natural breaking point for the asparagus.  You'll be surprised to find that the asparagus will be mostly even. 
• Place the asparagus on the cookie sheet, one quarter inch apart.
• Drizzle with a little more olive oil.
• Shake some onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper on the asparagus.  (This pretty fool-proof.  Laela loves to shake the spices on.  I watch to make sure she doesn't get too crazy with the salt and pepper, but our shakers aren't overly liberal, so it's not really too much of an issue.  This is the kind of recipe that no matter how much or how little of the onion and garlic you put on, it'll be amazing.)
• Place the pan in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.  15 minutes if you like it with a little crisp to it.

Enjoy!

*Variations:

• You can use fresh garlic instead if you'd like, just finely chop 2 cloves of garlic, and sprinkle it over the asparagus.
• You can also use fresh onion.  Chop 1/2 onion, drizzle it in a little bit of olive oil, and sprinkle it over the asparagus.
• Chopped red pepper added to the recipe is also delicious, and tastes great served over pasta, or with roasted chicken.

Fry It Up!

I don't know about you, but every once in a while, someone in my house (ahem, Kyle) begs for fried deliciousness.  I usually give in with one fried item (Anniversary Chicken), but this time I gave in with some home made chicken nuggets, some fried frozen French green beans, and some manly corn (yes, I said manly, because my Mom self calls this a grain, not a vegetable.  No matter what anyone tells me.  And I sort of feel like it's always guys trying to convince me it's a veggie.)

Anyway, this meal is painfully easy. 

For the chicken nuggets:

Ingredients:

• 2 large chicken breasts
• 1 cup flour
• Montreal Chicken Seasoning
• Sea Salt
• Pepper
• 1 egg
• Olive oil

Directions:

• Cut your chicken into 3 strips, and then cut those strips into squares.
• Heat your skillet to medium heat, with a few good glugs of olive oil.
• Whisk your egg with a good amount of water.  Make sure they are completely whisked together.
• Sprinkle some seasoning, salt and pepper into the egg wash.
• In another bowl, toss in the flour with some seasoning, salt and pepper.
• Using one hand, put the chicken in the egg wash.
• Put the chicken squares in the flour.  Use your dry hand to toss the chicken in the flour.  Ensure that it has a good coat of flour.  Do this with all of the chicken.
• Put the floured chicken in the hot skillet.  After 2 minutes, turn the nuggets over.  Cook for 1/2 to 2 more minutes.
• When the nuggets are done, put them on a paper toweled plate to soak up the oil.

For the green beans:

I didn't have any fresh beans, so I used frozen ones.  They will not be as pretty as you get in a restaurant, or if you were making this with fresh ones, but they will taste just as good.

You'll need:

• 3 cups green beans
• 1/2 cup flour
• Montreal Seasoning
• 1 Egg
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

• Whisk the egg, some Montreal Seasoning, some water, salt and pepper in a bowl.
• Mix Flour and seasonings in another bowl.
• Put the greeen beans in the egg wash.
• Toss the green beans in the flour.
• In a skillet that has been heated to medium heat with olive oil, add the dredged green beans.
• Keep them moving around in the skillet.  They'll cook pretty quickly. (2- 3 minutes)
• Put them on a paper toweled plate to soak up the oil.

I served this with homemade barbecue sauce, but my husband would shoot me for sharing that recipe, so serve it with your favorite barbecue sauce or honey mustard.  I cooked the corn with a bit of butter, salt and pepper.

Here's what a Mommy and baby portion looked like:

And just for the record, I don't get the whole buying premade chicken nuggets thing.  You can make these yourself, you know what's in them, and they freeze for 6 months to a year.  If your kid won't eat anything but nuggets, make a whole bunch, put them in freezer baggies, and reheat as needed.