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Dinner

Meaty Mac

This is one of my absolute favorite dishes! I invented it about 8 years ago, and it has become a favorite (possibly even a legend!) among my extended family members. Spaghetti with meat sauce was always a dinnertime staple in my family when I was growing up, but I had a picture in my head of an ideal version of this dish that I had never encountered in real life. I decided to try to make it, and it was an instant winner – it came out exactly how I wanted on the first try.

There were 4 requirements for this ideal pasta dish:

  1. It would be made with a short pasta, not a long spaghetti that would require uncomfortable fork-twirling.
  2. It would have a CREAMY marinara with meat in it.
  3. It would have finely chopped vegetables in it, the way a Bolognese sauce does.
  4. There would be a small amount of Italian cheese cooked into the sauce to give it complexity.

What I did when I took a first crack at this imagined ideal pasta dish is the way I still make it today. The macaroni is very manageable to eat due to its small size. The tomato sauce is both creamy and tangy, with hearty meat and finely chopped onions, carrots and celery that, while cooked enough to not be crunchy, add some textural resistance to the sauce. While everyone has experienced spaghetti with meat sauce before, this version is truly something special — I often get asked to make this when visiting out-of -town family and it is also my go-to for any occasion that requires a casserole, such as a potluck or going to see a friends new baby. Serves 6 to 8.

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 4 cloves fresh garlic, chopped small
  • 1/3 cup fresh carrot, chopped small
  • 1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped small
  • 1/3 cup fresh celery, chopped small
  • 1.5 lbs 90-92% lean ground beef
  • 1 6 oz. can tomato paste
  • 2 14.5 oz. cans Italian-seasoned diced tomatoes (with garlic, basil, and oregano)
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup fine shredded or ground parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
  • 1 lb. box short pasta, such as macaroni, rotini, or penne, cooked to al dente, with 3 Tbsp. of pasta cooking water reserved

Directions

  1. Pour olive oil into an extra-large skillet and place over medium-high heat.
  2. Add chopped garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
  3. Add chopped carrot, onion and celery to the pan and cook until slightly softened, about 4 minutes.
  4. Add ground beef to the pan and sauté until fully cooked, about 7 minutes.
  5. Add tomato paste to the pan, and use it to coat the cooked ground beef.
  6. Add cans of diced tomatoes (do not drain), cooking mixture for about 3 minutes after each can.
  7. Reduce heat to medium, and then add cream in 2 batches, cooking mixture for about 3 minutes after each batch.
  8. Reduce heat to medium-low, and then add cheese in 2 batches, stirring briskly after each batch to incorporate.
  9. Add pasta water and pasta to skillet, and cook, stirring often, for about 3 minutes. Serve hot.

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Dinner

Sensational Guacamole

I grew up in San Antonio, where guacamole is a staple, if not its own food group! If it wasn’t served at a gathering, people felt they had been cheated and that something was missing. One of my friends liked to eat it with a spoon, saying that “corn chips were just launch pads for the green goodness that was guac”.

I formulated this recipe to showcase the chunky-smooth texture of the avocadoes with just the right blend of garlic, lime, onion, and salt. Quite a few times, people have asked me for the recipe, thinking there is something special in it, and been surprised at the short ingredient list. What makes this guacamole distinctive is two 30-second zaps in the microwave (before the avocadoes are added, of course)! The first is with just minced garlic, to soften and char it. The second also includes red onions and lime juice – this takes the ‘bite’ out of the onion, and diffuses the garlic and onion flavor into the lime juice, and eventually into the avocadoes.

Guacamole is traditionally served with tortilla chips. I am not quite on the level of eating guacamole with a spoon, but I do enjoy eating it with carrots (bonus if you can find a bag of ‘carrot chips’), for a lower-carb option. Serve at parties, football get-togethers, or even a before-dinner appetizer for family.

Personally, I usually don’t add anything extra to this guacamole because when I make it I crave the pure, unadorned, avocado-forward flavor of the original, but in case you want to make your guac a little fancier, I have listed some options for add-ins and toppings. Happy eating!

Ingredients:

  • 3 large avocadoes, pitted, peeled, and sliced or chopped
  • 1 large lime, quartered
  • 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh garlic
  • 1/3 cup chopped red onion
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

  1. Place chopped garlic in a small microwave-safe bowl or ramekin.
  2. Microwave on high for 30 seconds. Remove from microwave and add chopped red onion to bowl.
  3. Squeeze juice from two lime quarters on top of garlic and onion.
  4. Microwave on high for another 30 seconds.
  5. Remove bowl from microwave and sprinkle salt on top of the mixture.
  6. Place all avocado slices in a large bowl. Add garlic and onion mixture, and lightly mash with a fork. Do not overmix – you want the final product to be somewhat chunky.
  7. Squeeze juice from the remaining two lime quarters into guacamole, and give it one last stir before serving.

Add-in options (optional!):

  • 1 roasted Roma tomato, cut into small pieces
  • 3 Tbsp chopped cilantro
  • Kernels from one ear of roasted corn
  • 1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh pineapple, finely chopped

Topping options (again, optional!):

  • 1/4 cup cotija cheese
  • 1/4 cup toasted pumpkin seeds

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Dinner/ Lunch/ Seasonal

Summer Side-Dish: Green Apple Slaw

I created this recipe to get a different kind of ‘green salad’.  This slaw is crisp, slightly tart without being too pungent, and the perfect side dish to accompany a wide variety of meals.  The cabbage has a nice crunch, the green apples and grapes give it some textural variety, and the vinaigrette utilizes the combination of lemon juice and rice vinegar for just the right level of acidity.  Serve this next to chicken, fish, or grilled meals for a pleasant change of pace.  Serves 8.

Ingredients:

For the slaw:

  • 24 oz.  shredded cabbage, either green or a mix of red and green
  • 1 large or 2 medium green apples, cored and chopped into medium pieces
  • 1 cup whole green grapes
  • 1 bunch scallions, white and green parts, trimmed and chopped into ¼ inch pieces

For the dressing:

  • Juice of 1 medium lemon (about 2 Tbsp.)
  • 2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
  • ½ cup neutral oil such as canola
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. granulated sugar
  • ¼ tsp cracked black pepper

Directions:

  1. Combine all slaw ingredients in a large mixing bowl and toss to coat. 
  2. Combine all dressing ingredients in small bowl and whisk to combine. 
  3. Pour dressing over slaw and toss to combine.   Serve immediately.

Tip:  If bringing as a combination to a dinner party, etc. bring slaw ingredients in a large bowl except for green apples and white parts of scallions.  Combine these with dressing ingredients in a small Tupperware container, to keep apples from getting brown.  Toss dressing mixture with slaw mixture just before serving.  

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