I have been very busy planting my vegetable garden. I am almost done, so hopefully tonight after work I will be able to plant the last few beds. That won’t leave a lot of time to cook dinner though, but I have a plan: Frozen cheese ravioli, left-over marinara and a quick salad. By the time the water boils and the ravioli are done, I will have the sauce warmed and the salad made. We even have some rolls left from last night if someone wants bread with their dinner.

The vegetarian marinara sauce is really easy and tasty. Here’s the recipe:

Vegetarian Marinara Sauce (double batch)

Ingredients:
2 large onions, chopped finely
2 bulbs of garlic, minced finely
2 bell peppers (red, green or one of each), chopped finely
1 can black olives, drained and chopped finely
1 pound mushrooms, chopped finely
5 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons sugar
2 – 26 oz. cans of crushed tomatoes
handful dried oregano
handful dried basil
salt to taste

The reason I chop every thing finely for this sauce is that it gives a consistency resembling ground beef in the sauce. It took a very long time for my kids to realize there wasn’t any meat in this sauce.

In a heavy bottomed pan sauté the onions until softened. Add the mushrooms and cook for a few minutes. Next add the bell peppers and garlic and cook until soft. Add the rest of the ingredients to the pan (except the salt) and bring up to a boil. Turn down and simmer for at least 30 minutes. The longer it simmers, the better the sauce will taste. After the first 30 minutes, taste the sauce to see if it needs any salt. It may not because the olives are salty and the canned tomatoes usually contain salt also.

A trick I use if the sauce gets too thick, is to add a can of V-8 juice. It has most of the same ingredients as the sauce so it adds liquid and maintains the flavor.

So if the weather holds, my garden will be completely planted tonight before dinner. My Quick Fix Dinner will be less than 30 minutes from start to finish. Everyone will be satisfied with the garden and the dinner!

SAUSAGE LENTIL SOUP

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion chopped

4 cloves of garlic finely minced

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon oregano

1 tablespoon basil

16 oz. turkey or pork sweet Italian sausage

8 cups vegetable or beef broth

1 pound carrots chopped

3 stalks celery diced

2 large bell peppers chopped

1/2 pound dry lentils

1 – 16 oz. can crushed tomatoes

Parmesan cheese for topping

Cut the sausages into 1/2 inch slices.  The slicing is easier if the sausages are slightly frozen.  In a large heavy bottomed pan, brown the sausages in the olive oil.  Add the onion and sauté until tender.  Add the garlic and sauté until softened and fragrant.  To this mixture add the remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer.  Allow soup to simmer until the lentils are tender.  Serve topped with parmesan cheese.

You can also make this soup in the crock pot.  Just brown the sausage and then put everything into the crock pot for about 10 hours on low or 6 hours on high.

This soup is so tasty and filling.  Serve it with some nice fresh bread and maybe a salad and you will definitely be satisfied.  Hope you enjoy this one!

If you have tried my prep-ahead strategy for ground beef, you will find this spaghetti recipe so fast it will take only as long as it takes to boil water and cook your spaghetti.  If you haven’t prepared ahead, this recipe is still quick, easy and delicious!  What’s for dinner tonight?  Yummm, spaghetti.

Spaghetti Sauce Recipe

Ingredients:

1 pound pack of pre-seasoned and cooked ground beef

or 1 pound ground beef, one onion (chopped) and 4 cloves of garlic (minced)

2 – 24 oz. cans crushed tomatoes

1 tablespoon dried basil

1/2 tablespoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon sugar

First things first.  Put on enough water to cook one pound of pasta.  Cover the pot to bring the water to a boil faster.  Make sure to stir the pasta well when you first drop it into the boiling water.  This will help keep it from sticking together.

If you don’t have the prepared ground beef from your freezer, in a large skillet or sauce pan, brown the ground beef with the onion and garlic.  Drain of any excess fat and season with a little salt and pepper.  Add the tomatoes, basil, oregano and sugar.  Simmer while the water for the pasta boils.

If you have the ground beef already prepared, in a large skillet or sauce pan add all the ingredients and bring up to a simmer.  Allow the sauce to simmer while you cook the pasta.

When the pasta is al dente, drain well.  Add a little sauce to coat the pasta so it doesn’t stick together.  Serve your pasta and sauce with a green salad and fresh bread. So simple.  So yummy!