six weeks. that’s all we have left till we are a family of three. i know i can’t possibly prepare myself for how our lives are about to change. 

instead of worrying about the changes to come, i am focusing on quality time with wes while i still have it. 

so before i never worry about what he wants for dinner again, i decided to cook up some of his favorite dishes. 

i have made a couple of versions of bolognese for the blog, but this classic version is his favorite. it is his number one requested meal and i know you will love it as much as he does. 

beef bolognese

serves: 4-6

prep time: 10 minutes

active time: 30 minutes

inactive time: 20 minutes

total time: 1 hour

ingredients: 1 lb ground beef. 3 slices of bacon, chopped. 1 yellow onion, diced. 2 carrots, diced. 2 celery stalks diced. 5 garlic cloves, mince. 1 tbs chopped fresh basil + a few extra leaves to thinly slice as garnish. 1 tsp chopped fresh oregano. .5 tsp chopped fresh thyme leave. .5 cup dry white wine. 2 tbs tomato paste. 32 oz diced tomatoes (1 large can or two small cans will work). 2 tbs honey. 1 cup milk. 1 tbs kosher salt. 1 tsp freshly ground pepper. 1.5 lbs of your favorite pasta for serving. .5 cup grated parmesan cheese for serving. large heavy pot.

start by heating your pot over medium heat. when the pot has warmed, add in your bacon. cook the bacon, stirring every few minutes until the bacon is very crispy. about 5-7 minutes. use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon to a paper towel (to reduce any excess fat) and set it aside.

leave all that delicious bacon grease in the pan, you will use it for your veggies. turn up the heat to a medium high heat and add in the onion, carrot and celery (mirepoix) to the pan and season with about a third of your salt and pepper. stir well to combine and then allow the veggies to cook down, stirring every few minutes, until the onions are translucent. about 5-7 minutes.

add in the garlic and fresh herbs. stir everything well to combine.

push the veggies to the sides of your pot to make way for your ground beef. season both sides of the meat well with another third of the salt and pepper and add it to the pan. allow the beef to sear for about 3-4 minutes a side before really mixing it in with the veggies and breaking it up.

pour in the white wine to deglaze the bottom of your pan. use the fresh liquid to scrape up any delicious browned bits from the pan and then allow the liquid to reduce till it is pretty much gone.

stir in the tomato paste and add your bacon back to the mixture.

pour in your diced tomatoes, honey and the remaining salt and pepper. stir everything well. bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat so the liquid is at a steady simmer. allow the sauce to cook down for 15 minutes. while your sauce is cooking, boil a pot of water and cook your desired pasta (i used linguini) to the package instructions. once you have let that sauce cook down, skim off any fat that is pooling at the top of your pot and discard it.

stir in the milk and allow the sauce to continue to cook down for another five minutes.

in a bowl, toss together the cooked pasta and sauce. serve hot topped with a little fresh basil and parmesan cheese.

xo, a

beef bolognese

serves: 4-6

prep time: 10 minutes

active time: 30 minutes

inactive time: 20 minutes

total time: 1 hour

ingredients: 1 lb ground beef. 3 slices of bacon, chopped. 1 yellow onion, diced. 2 carrots, diced. 2 celery stalks diced. 5 garlic cloves, mince. 1 tbs chopped fresh basil + a few extra leaves to thinly slice as garnish. 1 tsp chopped fresh oregano. .5 tsp chopped fresh thyme leave. .5 cup dry white wine. 2 tbs tomato paste. 32 oz diced tomatoes (1 large can or two small cans will work). 2 tbs honey. 1 cup milk. 1 tbs kosher salt. 1 tsp freshly ground pepper. 1.5 lbs of your favorite pasta for serving. .5 cup grated parmesan cheese for serving. large heavy pot.

start by heating your pot over medium heat. when the pot has warmed, add in your bacon. cook the bacon, stirring every few minutes until the bacon is very crispy. about 5-7 minutes. use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon to a paper towel (to reduce any excess fat) and set it aside. leave all that delicious bacon grease in the pan, you will use it for your veggies. turn up the heat to a medium high heat and add in the onion, carrot and celery (mirepoix) to the pan and season with about a third of your salt and pepper. stir well to combine and then allow the veggies to cook down, stirring every few minutes, until the onions are translucent. about 5-7 minutes. add in the garlic and fresh herbs. stir everything well to combine. push the veggies to the sides of your pot to make way for your ground beef. season both sides of the meat well with another third of the salt and pepper and add it to the pan. allow the beef to sear for about 3-4 minutes a side before really mixing it in with the veggies and breaking it up. pour in the white wine to deglaze the bottom of your pan. use the fresh liquid to scrape up any delicious browned bits from the pan and then allow the liquid to reduce till it is pretty much gone. stir in the tomato paste and add your bacon back to the mixture. pour in your diced tomatoes, honey and the remaining salt and pepper. stir everything well. bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat so the liquid is at a steady simmer. allow the sauce to cook down for 15 minutes. while your sauce is cooking, boil a pot of water and cook your desired pasta (i used linguini) to the package instructions. once you have let that sauce cook down, skim off any fat that is pooling at the top of your pot and discard it. stir in the milk and allow the sauce to continue to cook down for another five minutes. in a bowl, toss together the cooked pasta and sauce. serve hot topped with a little fresh basil and parmesan cheese.

winter is far from my favorite season. but soup season, now that is a different story. i have big giant heart filled eyes when it comes to soup. and nothing says soup like days of rain.

now, consecutive days of rain in orange county are a serious rarity. but in the last few weeks we have had multiple strings of rainy days and it has been glorious. and soup filled.

my childhood rainy days were filled with bowls full of body warming clam chowder. thanks to the combo of ingredients in my kitchen and my glorious soup memories, my adult soup dreams came true with this hearty and delicious salmon and corn chowder.

salmon + corn chowder

serves: 6-8

prep time: 15 minutes

cook time: 45 minutes

total time: 1 hour

ingredients: 1.5 lb salmon, skin removed and cut into chunks. 3 pieces bacon, sliced in .25 inch slices. 2 fresh ears of corn, kernels cut from the cob (or 1 pack of frozen corn, thawed). 1 lb red potatoes (or other waxy potatoes) cut into .5 inch cubes. 1 medium brown onion, diced. 2 carrot stalks, diced. 3 garlic cloves, minced. 5 cup dry white wine. 4 sprigs thyme leaves, stems discarded. .5 tsp ground fennel seeds. 2 tbs flour. 2 cups seafood stock (you could sub chicken or veggie if you can’t get your hands on seafood). 3 cups whole milk. 1 cup whole milk. 1 tbs kosher salt. 1 tsp freshly ground pepper. finely chopped chives for garnish. large heavy pot. slotted spatula.

start by heating your pot to a medium heat and add in your bacon. allow your bacon bits to cook till they are nice and crispy. about 5-7 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes. once your bacon is cooked, use a slotted spoon to remove it from the pan to a paper towel to dry off the excess grease.

season your fish with half the salt and pepper and add the pieces to the hot pot. cook until the fish is just cooked through, about 3-4 minutes a side.

once the fish is cooked (or even a little bit under since it will continue to cook once added back to the soup), remove it from the pot and set it aside in a bowl.

add the onion, celery, potato, corn and garlic to the hot pot. season with half the remaining salt and pepper. cook until the onions are translucent, about 8-10 minutes. stir every couple minutes so they cook evenly. stir in the flour until completely combined into the veggies.

deglaze (scrape up all the brown bits on the bottom of the pan) the pan with the white wine. add in the fennel and thyme.

when all the wine as cooked off, pour in the stock. bring the stock to a boil and then pour in the milk & cream. season with the remaining salt and pepper.

bring the liquid back to a boil and immediately reduce it to a simmer. chop up your bacon bits into smaller crumbles. add all but a tbs of bacon back to the soup. reserve the rest for garnish.

add the salmon and all it’s juices back to the pot. once the liquid simmers once again, turn off the heat.

serve topped with a couple pinches of chives and some bacon crumbles.

xo, a

salmon + corn chowder

serves: 6-8

prep time: 15 minutes

cook time: 45 minutes

total time: 1 hour

ingredients: 1.5 lb salmon, skin removed and cut into chunks. 3 pieces bacon, sliced in .25 inch slices. 2 fresh ears of corn, kernels cut from the cob (or 1 pack of frozen corn, thawed). 1 lb red potatoes (or other waxy potatoes) cut into .5 inch cubes. 1 medium brown onion, diced. 2 carrot stalks, diced. 3 garlic cloves, minced. 5 cup dry white wine. 4 sprigs thyme leaves, stems discarded. .5 tsp ground fennel seeds.  2 tbs flour. 2 cups seafood stock (you could sub chicken or veggie if you can’t get your hands on seafood). 3 cups whole milk. 1 cup whole milk. 1 tbs kosher salt. 1 tsp freshly ground pepper. finely chopped chives for garnish. large heavy pot. slotted spatula.

start by heating your pot to a medium heat and add in your bacon. allow your bacon bits to cook till they are nice and crispy. about 5-7 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes. once your bacon is cooked, use a slotted spoon to remove it from the pan to a paper towel to dry off the excess grease. season your fish with half the salt and pepper and add the pieces to the hot pot. cook until the fish is just cooked through, about 3-4 minutes a side. once the fish is cooked (or even a little bit under since it will continue to cook once added back to the soup), remove it from the pot and set it aside in a bowl. add the onion, celery, potato, corn and garlic to the hot pot. season with half the remaining salt and pepper. cook until the onions are translucent, about 8-10 minutes. stir every couple minutes so they cook evenly. stir in the flour until completely combined into the veggies. deglaze (scrape up all the brown bits on the bottom of the pan) the pan with the white wine. add in the fennel and thyme. when all the wine as cooked off, pour in the stock. bring the stock to a boil and then pour in the milk & cream. season with the remaining salt and pepper. bring the liquid back to a boil and immediately reduce it to a simmer. chop up your bacon bits into smaller crumbles. add all but a tbs of bacon back to the soup. reserve the rest for garnish. add the salmon and all it’s juices back to the pot. once the liquid simmers once again, turn off the heat. serve topped with a couple pinches of chives and some bacon crumbles.