Pasta the last two nights....

Sunday night rolled around and I decided to try PW's Marlboro Man Fave Pasta. It looks absolutely fabulous so was really excited to make it. And honestly, I still am excited that I made it!! Its a very simple recipe, took no time at all. The hardest part, no joke, was that I didn't have the meat thawed out all the way so that took a little bit longer then I expected to brown. Chopping the onions lately has totally made me invest in a food chopper. I can't stand the burning of the eyes!!! I also added too much thyme so I figured, oh I can add some more kosher salt and even it out. Yeah...that made it just a tad bit salty BUT I know where my mistake was so I won't do it again! I also had to use diced tomatoes because the store didn't have whole. Yes I was lazy. I was not about to run to another store just for 2 cans of whole tomatoes! A friend of mine came by and snagged the leftovers for her and her family. It was a hit even with them!!

The meat and tomatoes cooking, doesn't look that great but trust me, it is.

The rotini boiling!!!

Monday night my friend, who the night before loved the pasta, came over for dinner with her two kids. I was making the Penna a la Betsy! that night. The best thing about cooking with friends is...THEY CAN CHOP THE ONION!! Yes, I made her cry. What a great friend I am!!! This dish was another one that was really easy to cook. BUT just remember to pay attention to the labels on the cans. I used too much of the sauce SOO yeah. It was a little bit more soupier then it was supposed to be but it was still good! The kids ate it too, for the most part. I, on the other hand, had it for leftovers for two days in a row. :D

(Unfortunately, I realized after I had put all the dishes away that I took NO pictures of this dish :( Epic sad face)

Recipes used at not mine, they are PWs.

Pasta alla Marlboro Man

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• ½ whole Large Onion, Diced
• 2 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 2 pounds Ground Beef
• Salt To Taste
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
• 1 teaspoon (generous) Ground Thyme
• 2 cans (14 Ounce) Whole Tomatoes
• ¼ cups Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1-½ pound (to 2 Pounds) Rigatoni

Preparation Instructions

Heat olive oil in large skillet or pot over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook a couple of minutes, until starting to turn translucent. Add garlic and stir, cooking 1 minute, making sure not to brown the garlic.

Add ground beef and cook until brown. Drain most of excess fat. Add salt, pepper, and ground thyme. Stir to combine. Dump in canned tomatoes with their juice. Stir, reduce heat to low, and cover pot. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring a couple of times. Uncover the pot and cook an additional 30 minutes.

Cook rigatoni according to package directions—don’t overcook! Drain and place individual portions into bowls.

Stir in 1/4 to 1/2 cup grated Parmesan into the sauce. Check and adjust seasonings. Ladle sauce over cooked pasta, sprinkle with more Parmesan, and serve.

Pasta A La Betsy!!

Ingredients

• ¾ pounds Penne Pasta
• 1 pound Shrimp
• 3 Tablespoons Butter
• 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 whole Onion (small)
• 2 cloves Garlic
• ½ cups White Wine, Or To Taste
• 1 can Tomato Sauce (8 Oz)
• 1 cup Heavy Cream
• Fresh Parsley, to taste
• Fresh Basil - To Taste
• Salt To Taste
• Pepper To Taste

Preparation Instructions

Cook the penne pasta until tender-firm, also known as al dente.

Peel, devein and rinse (under cool water) 1 pound of extra large shrimp. Heat about 1 tbsp. butter and olive oil in a skillet. Add the shrimp and cook for a couple minutes until just opaque. Do not overcook them. Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes. Now, put the cooked shrimp on the cutting board and pull off the tails. Chop the shrimp into bite –sized pieces and set aside.

Finely dice one small onion. Mince two cloves of garlic.
In a large skillet heat 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the garlic and onion and sauté, stirring occasionally. After the garlic and onions have cooked a bit add your white wine. Let the wine evaporate for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. If you would rather not use wine, you can use low-sodium chicken broth instead (about ½ cup).

Now add an 8-ounce can of plain tomato sauce. Stir well until combined. Then add 1 cup of heavy cream. Continue stirring. Turn heat down to low and let simmer.

Now chop your herbs, about a tablespoon of chopped parsley and about the same amount of chopped basil, or if you’re feeling very proper, chiffonaded.

Now add your chopped shrimp back into the tomato cream sauce. Give it a stir and add salt and pepper to taste. Throw in your herbs and stir until combined. Finally add your cooked penne pasta and give it a good stir.