What's For Dinner?

At right: Not this, thank all that is holy.

It recently came to my attention that there exists a "food" item called a Jello mold. I have, in all my life, never encountered such a thing, although it is a popular enough thing at potlucks as to be a joke in an early episode of the Simpsons (and one I just now got). As a result, I have possibly lost my appetite for the rest of the week. In fact, I'm not sure this is even as bad as learning today that my local grocery not only sells pork stomaches as a food item, but labels them "Pork Maw." Maw. I tell you what, nothing sounds as good to eat as a word that is normally accompanied by the adjective "gaping", and attached to horrifying monsters. "Maw." Mmm-mmm good.

But my own appetite, or lack of same, never prevents me from hearing that daily, never-ending, never-changing question that strikes fear into the hearts of parents everywhere: "What's for dinner?" So as a service to my fellow parents, I offer this new feature: my favorite recipes. These will generally fit certain qualifications, such as being easy, being made up largely of items you are likely to have, and to have been eaten by at least two of my three children. The first of these recipes is courtesy of The Pasta Bible, which is one of my favorite cook books. After all, you can't go wrong with noodles and kids.

Spagehetti alla Caprese

Ingredients:

11 oz dried spaghetti
1 tbsp olive oil
6 ripe Italian plum tomatoes, chopped
1 tsp granulated sugar
2 oz anchovies in olive oil, drained
4 tbsp dry white wine
1/2 cup pitted black olives, quartered lengthwise
4 1/2 oz packet mozzarella cheese, drained and diced
salt and ground black pepper
fresh basil leaves, to finish

Cook the pasta according to the instruction s on the packet. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a medium saucepan. Add the tomatoes, sugar and pepper to taste, and toss over a medium heat for a few minutes until the tomatoes soften and the juices run. Snip a few anchovies at a time into the pan of tomatoes with kitchen scissors.

Add the wine, tuna and olives and stir once or twice until they are just evenly mixed into the sauce. Add the mozzarella and heat through without stirring. Taste and add salt if necessary. Drain the pasta and tip it into a warmed bowl. Pour the sauce over; toss gently and sprinkle with basil leaves. Serve immediately.

New recipes are always hit or miss around my house; I have two fairly picky eaters. But all three of my kids asked for seconds of this dish, and it was supremely easy to make. It's definitely in my rotation of dinner ideas now. 

Topics: Bargins , Food