Pasta with Roasted Veggies

I had a request for a Meatless Monday recipe so here it is! Though we are carnivores, I like to do meatless meals every so often. I'm not great at working them in once a week but try to do so once every 2 weeks or so. It's usually something Italian like this pasta or Eggplant Parmesan so please share some other ideas in the comments. This recipe is a different twist on pasta primavera. I think the traditional method is to saute the veggies but to me that just makes them boring and mushy. Roasting them in the oven makes them really tasty though - especially the mushrooms. This is a dish I make a lot but I usually bake it all together at the end with mozzarella cheese on top. You can definitely do that with this recipe - I just could not because our oven is broken right now. This was good as-is though and definitely Chris-approved.

Chicken with Mustard Sauce

This is usually a main course I make when I'm scrounging around with what I have on hand. I have plans to do a post listing my pantry and fridge staples for you so stay tuned for that. The ingredients in this recipe are pretty basic and while it's not a dish that Chris necessarily gets excited about, he's always pleasantly surprised at how good it is. I adapted it from Rachael Ray's 365 No Repeats cookbook.

Provencal Tomatoes

Here's a classic side dish from Julia Childs. I love making these when I can get my hands on some super red, ripe tomatoes. Check out your local Farmers' Market for the best ones. They should be open on Saturday mornings starting about this time of year all the way through summer. I love tomatoes so much though that I've made these with boring, tasteless winter tomatoes too. Cooking them deepens the flavor, though I might add a little drizzle of balsamic vinegar to these if I were using the winter tomatoes.

Skirt Steak with Red-Wine Mushroom Sauce

This is one of those meals that sounds really fancy and could be used for a special occasion but really, it's affordable and super-quick. Skirt steak is usually used for beef fajitas. I know everyone has probably had beef fajitas that are tough and hard to chew but there are a few simple steps you can take to make the meat fall-apart tender. This recipe was adapted from my Gourmet Today cookbook but you can also find the original recipe on Epicurious, which is an online collection of recipes from Bon Appetit and Gourmet magazines. A great resource for recipes with tons of user reviews so you can learn from others' experiences.

Lemon Garlic Spinach

This is a quick side-dish that's healthy and tastes great. It really goes with anything but I served it with skirt steak with red wine sauce, which I'll post a bit later. If you have any leftovers, pile it up on some toasted bread and top with a poached or fried egg for a tasty lunch.

Italian Chicken Fingers with Tomato Dipping Sauce

This is another crappy chicken night favorite and a great recipe for kids.You can use chicken tenders for this but I always buy boneless, skinless chicken breasts and those work fine too. I made these with oven-roasted potatoes and steamed broccoli with lemon butter and it all worked together really well. The chicken tenders are great leftover too - just reheat in your oven or toaster oven on 375 for 10 minutes or so. The recipe has been adapted from Simply Recipes.

Oven Roasted Potatoes

This is a go-to side dish for us but I try to mix things up by cutting the potatoes in different shapes. I don't think it fools Chris but he likes these anyway. This time I cut them like large french fries but I've also done really skinny fries, which are probably my favorite. Cutting them into small cubes is great too - somehow it makes it feel fancier if they are not in french fry shape. The method comes from Jamie Oliver's "Cook with Jamie". He is probably my favorite tv chef so check out "Jamie at Home" or any of his other shows if you get a chance. Maybe it's the British accent??

Red Chile Chicken Enchiladas

I made these enchiladas for a friend who just had a baby and was sure to make enough for us too. I like to do Mexican food for new moms and dads because I feel like they probably get overloaded on chicken and pasta casseroles. Not sure though, would love to hear some feedback on this! This recipe is admittedly pretty long and involved but bits and pieces of it are definitely usable too. Like the red chile chicken - that would be an amazing taco or quesadilla filling. And the enchilada sauce is one I've used with cheese enchiladas successfully too. As for recipe credit, the concept came from Use Real Butter and the enchilada sauce from The Homesick Texan. Overall, these enchiladas hit the spot. So much so that I forgot to get a pic of the finished dish. The "pre-oven" shot below will have to suffice for now.

Slow Cooker Brisket Tacos

I haven't found very many slow cooker recipes that I really like. I think after all those ingredients sit together in the crock pot all day, they just wind up tasting all the same and you can't tell one ingredient from the next. This recipe sounded good because it's supposed to be all one thing and all one taste. When you make tacos out of it though, you can add fresh ingredients and flavors that contrast with the slow cooked brisket. Rachael Ray says (yes, I am a fan) to always sear your meat when using a slow cooker and to add fresh ingredients before serving. This recipe follows both of those tips and I liked it so I think she's right. The meat had great flavor and was super tender. Plus, it made a ton so we had some to save for the freezer. Great deal when you can get a brisket on sale. I found this recipe on one of my favorite blogs, Smitten Kitchen. She does a great job explaining the recipe so you may want to check out her version too.

Turkey Meatballs and Marinara Sauce

These turkey meatballs have been in our meal rotation for a few years. I've tried different versions with beef and pork but keep coming back to these. The turkey makes them a little lighter and not greasy which is good because this tomato sauce recipe has half a stick of butter in it. I also love the fresh parsley so don't skip out on it. Parsley is one of the cheapest herbs in the store and your leftovers from the bunch are great for topping the meatballs (and garlic bread if you choose) and also in scrambled eggs and salads. And the sauce. I've been reading about this sauce on many of the blogs I follow and I wish I had tried it sooner. Just do a Google Blog Search for Marcella Hazan's Tomato Sauce and you can see how many of my fellow bloggers are raving about it. It's definitely worth the 45 minutes.