jane's joint: weeknight ideas

After all this talk of glaciers and soul spices and roommates the past few weeks, this week I think I'll stick with food!

I've been racking up some recipes and pictures, so thought I would share a few ideas for quick weeknight dinners. Bon appetit!

Linguine with Clam Sauce

Heat 4 cloves chopped garlic in olive oil (1/4 cup?)

Chop up 3-4 anchovy fillets (optional but go for it)

Add some dried thyme (tsp) and 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (more or less, to taste)

and heat over medium heat until anchovies are completely broken up

Add about 1/2 cup white wine and let simmer a couple minutes.

Add 2 cans clams, chopped, with their juice

add a handful of chopped parsley

Toss with 1lb linguine you've just cooked.

Great with salad & crusty bread.

Baked Spaghetti (or ziti, or linguine...)

Cook 1lb spaghetti, broken in half.

Mix together 1 lg container cottage cheese, 1 cup shredded mozzarella & 2 eggs

Combine the cheese mix, the cooked (and cooled) pasta with a ton of spaghetti sauce you've taken out of the freezer or 2 jars of your favorite store bought (reserve a half jar). Dump in a 9x13

Add 1 cup(ish) mozzarella and about 1/4 cup parmesan on top and bake at 350 for 45 min or so.
Foil for the first half hour.

Save a little extra sauce to serve on the table.

to die for - seriously.

Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup (c/o Melissa D'Arabian Ten Dollar dinners)

In the crock pot place 2-3 chicken breasts or 3-4 thighs

Add 1 10-oz can diced tomatoes

1 can black beans (rinsed and drained)

1-1/2 cups chicken broth and 1-1/2 cups water

1 finely chopped onion

3 minced garlic cloves

1 jalapeño, finely chopped (de-seeded if you like it ~~lame~~ milder)

1/2 tsp each cumin & chili powder

Cook on low all day - 7 hours or so.

Remove the chicken and shred it.

Return meat to the potand add juice of 1/2 lemon.
Chop up a bunch of cilantro and shred some monterey jack cheese.

In the bottom of each bowl, crush a few tortilla chips.

Ladle out some soup and add cilantro and cheese.

YUM

Taco Casserole

Brown a lb of ground beef with a large chopped onion

Add a couple chopped red and/or green peppers

When meat is browned, drain the fat.

Add 1 cup of taco sauce. I made my own but bottled is ok, too.

1 small can tomato paste

1-1/2 cups boiling water,

2 tablespoons white vinegar

1 tablespoon minced dry onion

2 1/2 teaspoons cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon red chili powder

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

simmer over low heat for 20 minutes or so.

Add a packet of taco seasonings or use 2 TBSP of your own (above) and store the rest for next time.

Mix it all together and add a can of drained and rinsed pinto beans and about 3/4 cup water.

Let it simmer a bit.

layer in a 9x13

1/2 pkg crushed taco shells

1/2 of meat mixture

1 cup shredded cheddar

rest of taco shells

rest of meat mixture

1 cup cheddar

Bake 350 for about 20 minutes. Excellent comfort food!

Pasta with Sausage & Roasted Vegetables

Halve some red peppers and zucchini and chop a couple onions. And mushrooms if you have them. And broccoli. In fact, add whatever veggies you have on hand that roast well.