Classic Spaghetti Bolognese ~ Abbondanza!

Most Italian cooking is simple, fast and frugal. So, what could be more fast and frugal than good ole spaghetti with meat sauce for the family when they come for dinner.

For this dish, you will need to buy 1lb. pound of ground veal or pork whichever you prefer. One large can of Red Gold Crushed Tomatoes, one onion, spaghetti pasta and Parmesan cheese.

To begin, chop one onion to be sauteed in a skillet with 4 tbs of olive oil. Cook until the edges of the onion are brown. Next, push aside the onion and break up 'crumble in' the ground meat. Stir until all the meat is nicely browned. Using veal, you will not need to drain off any excessive fat from the skillet that developed while cooking.

Lastly, add one large can of the crushed tomatoes (of course, I recommend using your own garden fresh tomatoes peeled and crushed; but, the Red Gold is a great substitute). Stir the tomatoes, onion and meat all together adding a fair amount of dried herbs: rosemary, mint and oregano and a dash of garlic powder... not too much! Cover and let this mixture simmer on the stove top on low heat for at least 25 min.

In the meantime, boil your spaghetti pasta, don't forget to add salt to the water.

Wow, that's it...just don't forget the parmesan.

~ Tutti a Tavola!

FYI - Italy is the second healthiest country in the world. Why? Italians are healthy because of what they eat. There is the Mediterranean diet itself: fish, fresh vegetables, fruit and the use of olive oil in cooking. Meats in Italy are not eaten in the same portions as one will find in the U.S. and the amount of fat in the meats they prefer is also less. Meat is eaten as a separate course in smaller quantities, if at all [http://www.italiantribune.com/italy-second-healthiest-country-in-the-world/].

Being Brainy at Home ~ Means Knowing What you Have and Don't have on Hand!

People don't believe me when I say that Italian cooking is easy, fast and frugal. I understand, we all go to the pantry or fridge and ask ourselves, "What am I going to make for dinner"? We think we don't see anything... but look again!

Do you see any cheese, cream, butter, pasta, potatoes, tomatoes, or rice? Those simple basics can become a brainy delicious meal in 20-40 minutes. Do you have any meat or fish to take from the freezer or fresh storage bin in the fridge?

Today, I looked and I saw in the freezer: chicken thighs. In the fridge I saw lemons and in the pantry: garlic cloves and sun dried tomatoes. Guess what's for dinner?  Delicious garlic lemon chicken with sun dried tomatoes on a bed of angel hair pasta!

To begin, marinate the chicken thighs (skin on bone in) in a glass dish of olive oil, fresh garlic cloves, sea salt and as much fresh lemon squeeze as you can muster. Sprinkle on some fresh dried herbs and let sit in the fridge until you are ready to cook.

When you are ready, preheat the oven to 400F. Once it reaches that temperature, pop in the thighs, you don't even have to move them out of the marinate. Cook at this temperature for 35 minutes, reduce heat to 375 for an additional 20-25 minutes. Prior to doing that, toss in a few sun dried tomatoes.

Prepare the pasta by cooking until just tender in salted boiling water. Put out the parmesan and tell your friends to just stop by.

~ Tutti a Tavola!

Are you a New Reader of the Brainy Gourmet Blog?

To those new and even long time readers, if it has not been made clear... this blog is a food ministry! What does that mean? It means that this blog has been and continues to be a source of fresh, fast, frugal information that believes in and demonstrates God's provision which sustains our life with blessings: love, joy and peace. This blog offers simple brainy advice which is all about cooking at home; firstly, by introducing the use of basic food items and then extending on those basic food items into extraordinary satisfying meals full of flavor.

Think of the Brainy Gourmet Blog as a go to source that inspires you to be a Brainy Gourmet; sharing in the promise of blessings.

May Peace be with you and at your table!

My Favorite Comfort Food ~ Farm Style Swiss Steak with Mashed Potatoes!

Beef ... again its what's for dinner!

For this dish, you will need: 3/4 lb of sirloin or round steak, one whole onion, garden fresh tomatoes, some tomato paste and yellow gold potatoes.

To begin, marinate your steak in balsamic vinegar sprinkled with sea salt for at least 1 hour before cooking. When you are ready to cook, then saute the onion 'chopped' in olive oil in a deep stock stove top pot until browned on the edges.

Next, push the onion aside and add the steak, cut into large medallions. Brown on both sides. To that, add fresh dried herbs: rosemary, mint, oregano and a bit of sage and parsley. Remove the pot from the heat, set off to the side so that you can blanch at least 7 med. sized tomatoes in boiling water in order to remove the skin.

Once you have done that, peel the skin off the tomatoes and diced up into the steak and onion. Lastly, add 3 tbs of tomato paste. Return this pot with the steak, onion and tomatoes to the med. heat on the stove. Stir for a few minutes, cover and let simmer for 20 minutes while you prepare 7-8 peeled potatoes to be mashed: boil in salted water until tender, then mash with a dollop of butter and 1/2 cup of milk.

From this stove top Swiss steak, you will get a thick gravy that is delicious and served best over mashed potatoes.

Borrowing from an old commercial... Beef ~ Its whats for dinner!

Ranch pepper steak with buckwheat groats... talk about fast and frugal!

For this dish you will need: 1 lb pound of round or sirloin steak, one whole onion, one green pepper and one red pepper. And, don't forget the buckwheat groats (brown rice can also be used).

To begin, saute on med heat the onion chopped and the peppers sliced in 3-4 tbs of olive oil.  Once they are tender and starting to brown on the edges, add the steak, thinly sliced.

At this time, go ahead and sprinkle on organic garlic powder and fresh dried herbs: rosemary, mint, oregano; next pour in about 1/4 cup of beef stock and 1-2 tbs of steak sauce (number of tbs added determines strength of taste) before simmering on the stove covered for 30 min. on low heat.

Boil in the bag buckwheat groats (if you can find) or cook them stove top style as you would brown rice. When fully cooked, drain and ladle into a serving dish and top with steak and peppers.

~Tutti a Tavola!


*Buckwheat groats, what are they? Buckwheat is not wheat, nor is it related to wheat. Like many of the other so-called "whole grains," buckwheat is not technically a grain nor a cereal. So where does it come from? Buckwheat is derived from the seeds of a flowering plant. Several other foods typically thought of as whole grains, including quinoa, are actually seeds and not grains as well. And yes, it is gluten-free! Check out this website for more info -https://www.thespruce.com/what-is-buckwheat-3376802

Rustic Pork Medallions in Creamy Mustard Sauce with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Plums!

For this dish, you will need: fresh free ranged pork loin, Dijon mustard, heavy cream, one onion, along with sun dried tomatoes and plums. As for a side, potatoes and or roasted root veggies such as: carrots and parsnips.

Begin by chopping one whole onion and sauteing (in a med. size skillet) in olive oil with dried herbs. Cut a one pound pork loin into medallion like chunks. Once the onion is browned, push aside and add the medallions, adding a drizzle more olive oil.... brown on both sides.

Next, to the same skillet, add 7-8 sun dried tomatoes and the same amount of sun dried plums, stir this in with the onion and medallions. Lower the heat to med/low and pour in 1/2 cup of heavy cream and 2 tbs of Dijon mustard. At this point, I like to add a dash of garlic powder and a pinch of salt.

Cover and let simmer on low while you prepare the side of rustic roasted potatoes or root vegetables.

~ Tutti a Tavola!

Gluten Free ~ The Brainy Gourmet Way

Some readers ask why I don't do more gluten free and my response is... most of Brainy meals on this blog are in fact - gluten FREE. Especially, if we are strictly talking meat and potatoes with a side of salad or a bowl of homemade chicken soup (pasta choice - use gluten free).

Besides meat and potatoes, two of the best comfort foods I can think of that are 100 percent gluten free ~ Homemade Chicken Soup and Applesauce; they are just simply brainy frugal as well as being full of flavor!

Get a large pot of water boiling on the stove and dunk in a whole farm fresh free ranged chicken or pieces if you prefer (legs/thighs/wings). Add a pinch or two of salt along with fresh dried herbs and one whole onion or leek. I don't put in anything else because in the long run, I want to use this 'stock' as a soup that can become many different soups throughout the week.

If you want to add other veggies to your meal, cook them separate and add to individual bowls as you serve up the delicious chicken stock which at this point... gets to be called homemade chicken soup.

If you are eating gluten free and can afford to buy gluten free pasta or you can use rice, then also follow the above advice and cook the pasta/rice separately adding to individuals bowls. This allows you to be frugally delicious all week long. How? For the same reason I already mentioned - letting the stock morph into all kinds of soups throughout the week.


As for desert, warmed (or even hot as I like it) home made applesauce with a spoon of heavy cream.