Slow Cook Sunday: Italian

I don’t know about you, but on my Sunday’s I like to do absolutely nothing. In fact, I think Mother Nature should create a law stating every Sunday must be grey, cloudy and rainy, so that you don’t feel bad for staying in your pajamas all day watching one made-for-TV movie after another.

Besides Lifetime movies, lazy Sunday’s also makes for the perfect partner to a slow cooker. Throw everything into one pot and let the magic happen. I like to call it... Slow-Cook Sunday. And this Sunday, we're cooking Italian.

Spaghetti Sauce

Ingredients: 

2 tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced*
½ cup mushrooms, sliced
1 lb. ground turkey**
1 15 oz. can stewed Italian tomatoes
1 6 oz. can tomato paste***
3 15 oz. cans tomato sauce
1 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. red pepper flakes ~~~ CLH
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan

* TFM: Smash the garlic cloves with the flat part of a knife to help easily remove the peel.
** TFD: The original recipe uses ground beef. Ground turkey has been substituted in this recipe to accommodate the non-red meat eaters (aka my boyfriend).
*** TFM: My mom used to line up my sisters and I and spread tomato paste on our heads to remove the green tint out of our blond hair (commonly caused from the presence of copper in swimming pools). Does it actually work? I don’t know, but I figured I might as well share.

Directions:
Heat olive oil in a large pan and heat. Toss in onion and sauté in oil until golden. Add mushrooms and minced garlic. Sauté a couple more minutes. (TFM: Be sure not to burn the garlic, as it will taste bitter.) Add the ground turkey and cook until browned and crumbly.
Transfer the ground turkey mixture into a slow cooker. Add sugar to bring out the sweetness of the tomatoes, red pepper flakes for a little spice, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste.  Cook on low for 2 hours. (TFM: If you do not have a slow-cooker available, you can use a large pot. Just make sure to stir it from time to time so it doesn’t burn.)


Pasta

Ingredients:
5 quarts water
1-2 tbsp. salt
1 package of angel hair pasta
Spaghetti sauce, recipe above
Parmesan, grated

Directions:
Bring water to a boil. Add salt. Cook pasta according to box, until al dente.
Spoon spaghetti sauce over pasta and sprinkle freshly grated Parmesan on top. 

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     Now, I know it doesn’t sound like making your own garlic bread falls into the lazy Sunday motto – those bags in the frozen aisle are good enough, right? Usually I’d agree with you on this one, but I stopped in to this adorable mom and pop shop in Harbor Country yesterday, Harbert Swedish Bakery, and bought a delicious fresh loaf of sourdough bread that I can’t wait to eat.

Garlic Bread

Ingredients:
6 large garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup Italian parsley, chopped
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 loaf of bread, cut lengthwise
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Directions:
Preheat your oven broiler to low.
Use a food processor and combine the garlic, Italian parsley, butter, salt and pepper.
Spread mixture over sliced bread and sprinkle Parmesan on top.
Set bread, spread side up, on an aluminum lined baking sheet and place in the oven under the broiler for 3-5 minutes.

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     As every mother says, “You have to eat your greens”. So, if you’re feeling adventurous on this particular Sunday, I recommend adding a personal touch to your Caesar Salad with some homemade croutons.

Croutons

Ingredients:
1 loaf French bread (a few days old)
3 tbsp. olive oil
3 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. Italian seasoning

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cut the bread into small cubes and place into a bowl. Toss cubed bread with the rest of the ingredients.
Arrange bread cubes in one layer on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake 15-20 minutes until golden grown. 

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     Also, while in Harbor Country we checked out the local wineries and participated in a few tastings. According to the wine tasting guide I found crumpled in my purse, tonight’s dinner is going to pair perfectly with The Round Barn Winery Weekend Red. Good thing we bought a bottle... or case.