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!)

Crock Pot Turkey Meatballs

Ugh.  Our laptop exploded.  Therefore, until we get a new laptop, there will be no pictures on CaraCakes.

Anyway, I promised some seriously awesome recipes this week, so let's get to it.

Who doesn't love meatballs?  Okay, vegetarians.  Vegetarian friends, try this with veggie crumble or ground tofu.  And double your seasonings. 

Crock Pot Meatballs

You'll need:

• 1lb ground turkey (I get the butcher to give me a mix of 85/95- otherwise it'll be too dry if you use all white turkey.)
• 2 cups pasta sauce
• 1/2 cup chicken/beef/veg stock
• 2 bulbs garlic, crushed
• 1 cup parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup romano
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 egg
• Dash of salt and pepper
• 1tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder

Instructions:

• In a large bowl, combine your meat, egg, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper, romano, parmesan, and breadcrumbs.  Squish all of the ingredients together with your hands.
• Form the meat mixture into balls (try to make them the same size).  If it feels to dry, add a bit of water to make it easier to mold.
• Turn the crock pot on low heat.
• Pour the pasta sauce and broth into the crock pot.
• Add the crushed garlic.  (you can add extra if you're a huge garlic lover.)
• Add the meatballs.
• This is a great meal to start in the morning, as it will be ready by dinner!
• Serve with pasta, on a roll, or on their own!

*This is another easy to freeze dinner.  You can freeze them with or without sauce.
*Tip- If you like crispy meatballs (we really do!) bake them for about ten minutes on a greased baking sheet at 400-degrees before you put them in the crock pot.

Enjoy!!

Ricotta and Peppers Stuffed Chicken with Pasta

After a long day of playing at the park, going to the children's museum, and running errands, Laela and I were STARVING!  I needed to make something quick, filling, and packed with healthy goodness.  This stuffed chicken was just the trick!

I try to make it a habit of having cleaned chicken cut in different forms in my freezer (pounded flat, left whole with the fat cut off, cut into nuggets- you get the idea).  I grabbed a flattened one that I'd defrosted, and instead of doing the normal method that I use when stuffing a chicken breast (using a long skinny knife and cutting a hole in it), I decided I was going to roll the chicken around the stuffing and cook it with a bit of broth to steam it.  (This results in a deliciously juicy chicken, regardless of whether or not you are stuffing it.)

Stuffed Chicken:
Ingredients:

• 1 large chicken breast, pounded flat (don't pound it so much that there are holes!)
• 4 oz frozen spinach- defrosted and drained
• 1 roasted red pepper, chopped (I always have a jar of these in my fridge)
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 roasted artichoke, chopped (I always have these in a jar in my fridge) 
• 4 oz ricotta cheese
• 1 package whole grain pasta (I like Barilla Plus angel hair)
• 1 small handful of parmesan cheese
• 4-5 large basil leaves, chopped
• 1 cup chicken broth (you can use boullion if you don't have broth)
• 2tsp garlic

Instructions:

• Lightly oil a skillet, and heat to medium heat.
• In a medium sized bowl, mix 3oz of the ricotta cheese, 3oz of spinach, roasted red pepper, 1tsp garlic,  roasted artichoke, salt and pepper.
• Spread the mixture across the flattened chicken.
• Roll the chicken (much like rolling a pumpkin roll).  If it won't stay in place, use butcher's tine, metal poultry picks, or tooth picks.
• Place the chicken in the skillet.
• Cook for one minute.
• Add the broth.
• Place a lid on the pan.
• Leave the chicken cooking in the skillet for 6 minutes.
• While the chicken is cooking, heat another skillet to medium heat and pour in a tablespoon of olive oil.
• Add the remainder of the spinach, the chopped red and green peppers, ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, basil leaves, 1tsp garlic and a dash of salt and pepper to the hot skillet.
• Stir while cooking to mix the ingredients well.
• Flip your chicken.
• Cook for 3-5 more minutes.
• While the chicken is finishing, boil the pasta in well salted water.
• When the pasta is done, toss it in the cheese-veggie sauce.
• Top with finished chicken and enjoy!