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.

the last couple days in socal have been raining and i freaking love it. LOVE IT. the last two days were spent at home, fireplace blazing and lots of action in the kitchen. 

wes had to work all weekend, so i asked him what he wanted for dinner. no surprise, i got the same answer i usually get from my VERY italian husband. bolognese of course. 

since the rain was coming down, there was no way i was leaving the house for additional ingredients so i decided to adjust for what i had in the house. and thank goodness i did. this version is much lighter in fat, but is very full in flavor. perfect for a rainy day, or a just because we want to day. 

turkey bolognese
serves: 6
prep time: 15 minutes
cook time: 1 hour
total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
ingredients: 1 lb ground turkey. 2 slices thick cut bacon, chopped. 1 onion, diced. 2 celery stalks, diced. 2 carrots, diced. 5 garlic cloves, minced. 1 tsp fresh oregano, finely chopped. 2 tbs + 1 tsp basil, finely chopped. 1 tsp dried thyme. 1 c white wine. .25 c tomato paste. 32 oz can crushed tomatoes (if you only have whole, you can crush them yourself). 1.5 c milk. 1 tbs salt. .5 tbs pepper. 1 lb your favorite pasta. grated parmesan for serving.

start by crisping your bacon pieces in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. about 15 minutes. stir occasionally to break the pieces away from one another and all sides brown. 

when the bacon is crispy and browned, add in the onion, carrots and celery. season with a few pinches of salt and a bit of pepper and cook over medium heat until onions are translucent. stir every couple minutes. about 5-7 minutes. 

push all your veggies to the sides of the pot. pat the turkey dry, season with half your remaining salt and pepper and add to the pot. cook until browned, breaking it up and stirring every couple minutes. about 7-10 minutes. as the turkey browns, work your veggies back into the mixture. 

stir in the thyme, oregano, 1 tsp of the basil and the garlic. cook until the garlic is fragrant. about 1 minute. 

when the garlic is fragrant, pour in the wine. cook until almost all the liquid has evaporated, stirring every couple minutes. about 5-7 minutes. 

stir in the tomato paste until everything is lightly coated. season with remaining salt and pepper and pour in the tomatoes. stir well to combine. 

simmer until the liquid from the tomatoes has reduced slightly. about 10-15 minutes.

while your tomatoes are simmering, heat a large pot of salted water over high heat until boiling. when your tomatoes have simmered, pour in the milk. stir well to combine and bring the bolognese back up to a simmer. once the sauce simmers, reduce the heat to low just to keep it warm. 

cook your pasta per the instructions. when your pasta is al dente, strain and pour right into your sauce. stir well to coat the noodles.
serve pasta topped with fresh parmesan and basil.

xo, a

turkey bolognese
serves: 6
prep time: 15 minutes
cook time: 1 hour
total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
ingredients: 1 lb ground turkey. 2 slices thick cut bacon, chopped. 1 onion, diced. 2 celery stalks, diced. 2 carrots, diced. 5 garlic cloves, minced. 1 tsp fresh oregano, finely chopped. 2 tbs + 1 tsp basil, finely chopped. 1 tsp dried thyme. 1 c white wine. .25 c tomato paste. 32 oz can crushed tomatoes (if you only have whole, you can crush them yourself). 1.5 c milk. 1 tbs salt. .5 tbs pepper. 1 lb your favorite pasta. grated parmesan for serving.

tart by crisping your bacon pieces in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. about 15 minutes. stir occasionally to break the pieces away from one another and all sides brown.
when the bacon is crispy and browned, add in the onion, carrots and celery. season with a few pinches of salt and a bit of pepper and cook over medium heat until onions are translucent. stir every couple minutes. about 5-7 minutes. 
push all your veggies to the sides of the pot. pat the turkey dry, season with half your remaining salt and pepper and add to the pot. cook until browned, breaking it up and stirring every couple minutes. about 7-10 minutes. as the turkey browns, work your veggies back into the mixture. stir in the thyme, oregano, 1 tsp of the basil and the garlic. cook until the garlic is fragrant. about 1 minute.

when the garlic is fragrant, pour in the wine. cook until almost all the liquid has evaporated, stirring every couple minutes. about 5-7 minutes.

stir in the tomato paste until everything is lightly coated. season with remaining salt and pepper and pour in the tomatoes. stir well to combine. simmer until the liquid from the tomatoes has reduced slightly. about 10-15 minutes.
while your tomatoes are simmering, heat a large pot of salted water over high heat until boiling.
when your tomatoes have simmered, pour in the milk. stir well to combine and bring the bolognese back up to a simmer. once the sauce simmers, reduce the heat to low just to keep it warm.
cook your pasta per the instructions. when your pasta is al dente, strain and pour right into your sauce. stir well to coat the noodles.
serve pasta topped with fresh parmesan and basil.