The prep work is the most time-consuming part, but all in all it's still a fairly simple meal. This was also the first time we'd ever cooked up kale -- and 14 cups of uncooked kale is a CRAPLOAD of kale (as you can see in the ingredients photo)! And then it withers down to nothing.
The meal was delicious! The garlic bread crumbs were a perfect topper.
Recipe source: America's Test Kitchen
The meal was delicious! The garlic bread crumbs were a perfect topper.
 Ingredients gathered together |
 Julia frying up the pancetta |
 Garlic bread crumbs |
 Wilting the kale |
 Adding cannellini beans and pancetta |
 Voilà! |
Recipe source: America's Test Kitchen
Jonas has been watching what he's eating the past few weeks, so today we decided to try a recipe from ATK's light cookbook.
(If you're not familiar with ATK's "schtick," they take popular recipes and experiment with them over and over in order to determine the very best way to prepare it in terms of time, ease of cooking and -- most importantly -- taste. In general, they do not sacrifice taste in favor of healthiness, so although they deigned to publish a light cookbook, the recipes inside should still taste pretty darned good.)
Spaghetti and meatballs is about as simple as it gets. The most arduous part is probably mixing the meat, spinach and herb mixture by hand, especially if you don't let the meat cool to room temperature first (agh! cold hands! cold hands!). After that, it's a snap: fry 'em up, cook the sauce, and there you go.
Recipe source: America's Test Kitchen's The Best Light Recipe cookbook
(If you're not familiar with ATK's "schtick," they take popular recipes and experiment with them over and over in order to determine the very best way to prepare it in terms of time, ease of cooking and -- most importantly -- taste. In general, they do not sacrifice taste in favor of healthiness, so although they deigned to publish a light cookbook, the recipes inside should still taste pretty darned good.)
Spaghetti and meatballs is about as simple as it gets. The most arduous part is probably mixing the meat, spinach and herb mixture by hand, especially if you don't let the meat cool to room temperature first (agh! cold hands! cold hands!). After that, it's a snap: fry 'em up, cook the sauce, and there you go.
 Julia modeling her new apron |
 Jonas rolling meatballs |
 Jonas looking decidedly mischievous |
 Yummy homemade meatballs, just out of the frying pan |
 Homemade tomato sauce |
 Light(er) spaghetti and meatballs with grated parmesan |
Recipe source: America's Test Kitchen's The Best Light Recipe cookbook
Tonight's menu was delicious Spaghetti Puttanesca, both simple and fun. The entire meal can be completed in just about the amount of time it takes to boil a pot of spaghetti. Julia was mildly skeptical of the anchovy component, but to be fair they ultimately melt away into nearly nothing.
Recipe source: America's Test Kitchen
 The spaghetti cooking on the stove |  Heating olive oil |
 Some of the ingredients, all measured and ready to go: diced tomatoes, red pepper flakes, capers, parsley, black olives, and chopped anchovies |  More ingredients: minced garlic and tomato juice (the beer isn't in the recipe!) |
 Jonas sautéing the garlic, pepper flakes and anchovies |  After the tomatoes, capers, olives, and parsley were added. |
 Dinner is served! |
Recipe source: America's Test Kitchen
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