Bolognese Sauce plus Menu November 15-21

We've had our first significant snow of the year, which always makes me want to cook hearty meals that heat the kitchen and make the whole house smell delicious. Bolognese sauce is one of my favorite "cook big and freeze" sauces to make. I always try to make big batches of soups and stews so I can freeze the leftovers for a last minute meal, but bolognese lends itself to so many meals;spaghetti; lasagna;baked pasta casseroles. The prep work is minimal. Most of the time involved is occasional stirring while the sauce simmers for several hours.

I use a Martha Stewart recipe that I have had great success with. I start with 2 slices of bacon in a large stockpot, I cook them on low to medium heat so they render their fat without getting to crispy.


When the bacon has rendered most of its fat, I add the vegetables: 1 whole onion diced, several carrots, 1 or 2 stalks of celery and 6 to 8 cloves of minced garlic. I take this opportunity to add extra vegetables because any meal my kids eat huge helpings of without picking out the vegies, I view as a tremendous accomplishment.

After the vegies have softened, about 8 minutes, add 2 pounds of ground meat. I typically use ground beef or 1 pound beef an done pound pork. Next add 2 cups of milk. I will admit that the first time I read this recipe I was skeptical. Ignore the texture and smell during this part of the process, it makes a huge difference in the end product. The recipe also calls for a pinch of nutmeg at this time as well. I admit, I use more than a pinch because I love the aromatic quality and the flavor no one can quite put their finger on when they eat the sauce.

After the milk reduces by about half, add 1 cup of dry white wine. Continue stirring occasionally, until the strong wine alcohol vapor cooks away. Add 2 cans of crushed tomatoes or 3 quarts of home canned tomatoes that have been pureed in the food processor. Salt and pepper lightly and let the sauce simmer for several hours stirring occasionally.

MS suggests adding water to keep the sauce thin, but I let it cook to a reasonably thick consistency that I prefer for lasagna (doesn't leave lots of moisture at the bottom of the pan) and when I reheat, I take the frozen sauce and add it directly to a sauce pan with some water in it to keep the frozen sauce from scorching.

The end result is a beautiful, flavorful, simple sauce. I try to keep the freezer well stocked throughout the winter. We often take it ice fishing since it's a wonderful, "stick to your ribs" meal. It's also a great quick meal when life gets crazy!

Our meal plan for this week is fairly easy. I forgot to pull my roast out Saturday, so it will make an appearance in the crockpot Monday. I bought all the vegetables for root vegetable stew, and then made regular stew for my son who just bought a house and his moving crew, so I'll try again this week.

Monday: Carne Guisada, Mexican Rice

Tuesday: Ham & Cheese Puff Tart

Wednesday: Chicken Fried Steak, Mashed Potatoes, Vegies

Thursday: Vegetable Stew with Gruyere Crostini
Friday: Linguine with Clam Sauce, Salad, Garlic Toast

Saturday: Pork Roast

Sunday: Not sure yet???

Don't forget to visit Laura at orgjunkie.com for more great ideas.