Beef with Tomato Gravy

On these cool wintery days I find myself craving comfort food. Gravy, mashed potatoes, buttery peas, and homemade desserts. The sort of food that you just can't find when you eat out.
Here is a recipe born out of desire. Just kidding. Well...maybe not. I was in the mood for something a bit like beef stew, but I didn't have the time or ingredients to make beef burgundy. So I took some elements that are usually present, trimmed it down and created another dish. My sister said she likes this better. I am not so sure, but it is up there. This has more tomato flavor, and a thick, rich gravy envelopes the small bits of meat. Some creamy, buttery mashed potatoes make the perfect vehicle for this gravy. And like I said, throw some buttery peas up in there and you have a deliciously comforting dinner in about 35 minutes. Not bad.

Beef with Tomato Gravy

2 Tablespoon bacon grease, plus 4 Tablespoons
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 lb beef stew meat, chopped into small pieces
1/4 cup flour, plus 1/4 cup
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
 1/4 teaspoon espresso powder
1 12 oz can tomato sauce
4 teaspoons beef bouillon
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/8 cup brown sugar
1 cup carrots, thinly sliced
1 sprig thyme (about 4 inches)
Chopped parsley for garnish

Heat 2 Tablespoons bacon grease in a large pot or dutch oven over medium heat with onion. Cook until onion is soft. Combine 1/4 cup flour with salt and pepper. Dredge beef pieces. Drop into hot fat and cook for 4-6 minutes, until browned. Remove with a slotted spoon. Meanwhile, mix tomato sauce, beef bouillon, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar with enough water to equal four cups. Heat in the microwave or in a saucepan.
Add 4 Tablespoons bacon grease or butter to pan drippings and melt. Add 1/4 cup flour and 1/4 teaspoon espresso powder, and whisk, cooking until dark brown.
Add heated tomato sauce mixture, whisking until smooth. Add beef, carrots, and thyme. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and continue cooking for about 20 minutes more.
Serve over mashed potatoes or rice.
Garnish with fresh parsley.

Men are from Mars and women are...like spaghetti?

I love spaghetti. I know, you probably think I love every food, but I really love spaghetti. Spaghetti with meatballs. There is just something so fun about it. Maybe, it is because I liked watching Lady and the Tramp when I was a little girl, and that famous scene when they fall in love happens at a little Italian place around a big plate of Spaghetti and meatballs.
Maybe its because that was a family dinner I remembered and enjoyed. I think it was one of my dad's favorite meals, and I have to say I liked it, too.
When I first got married, my husband preferred Prego over any spaghetti sauce. I made homemade sauce, and he still hinted that he like Prego better. Not roasted garlic or four cheese, just plain, old, Classic Prego sauce. I kind of left it alone. I would make meat sauce or whatever, and sometimes I added things to the sauce, like onions and garlic, or sun dried tomatoes, or olives, but there just wasn't any oomph. I wanted to 'maka spaghetti lika the Italians'. I wanted sauce that made me kiss my fingers and say, "Momma-mia!" It just wasn't working out for me.

Then, there was a special in Saveur magazine. I really love that magazine. I had never heard of it until my husband bought me a subscription. It isn't an over commercialized, celebrity-chef oriented magazine. It has recipes from cultures all over the world, and articles and essays about food, its origins, eating, and travel. I like it a lot. I have found so many recipes in there that I have used over and over again.
Anyway, back to spaghetti. So, there was this recipe from a famous restaurant in New York (I think) and I decided to try it. We all loved it. I sometimes make the whole recipe, or if I don't have time for the meatballs I just make a meat sauce, but follow the same principles. I really love saucing the noodles ahead of time. It definitely makes a difference no matter what spaghetti sauce you use. And if you make this up, taste it and if its too bitter just add a hit of sugar. Not too much, though. And, of course, this isn't exactly how the recipe goes, and feel free to add what your family loves.
For the sauce:
1/4 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon salt
2 24 oz cans tomato sauce
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup basil, chopped

In a large saucepan, saute onion and garlic in the olive oil until soft. Add the tomato sauce, Parmesan cheese, and salt. Bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer for 20 minutes. Just before adding the meatballs, add the basil.

For the meatballs:

1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 lb sweet Italian sausage (homemade if you have it)
1 cup Parmesan Italian panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped
1/4 cup basil, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 cup olive oil

optional: 2 sticks mozzarella string cheese, each cut into six pieces.

Combine all ingredients, except for sliced garlic, mozzarella cheese (if using) and olive oil, in a large bowl. Gently stir with a spoon. Pat meat into 12 large balls, placing mozzarella pieces in the center (if using). Pour olive oil into a large pan and add sliced garlic. Saute over medium-high heat until garlic begins to brown. Add meatballs. Saute first side for about 4 minutes, then rotate as though the meatball has six sides. Cook each side for 2-3 minutes before rotating.
When meatballs are done, place into simmering sauce.

For the spaghetti:
1 lb dried spaghetti noodles, broken in half
4 quarts salted water
1/4 cup chopped parsley

Cook spaghetti  in salted water according to package directions, draining as soon as it is al dente. Return to pan and turn heat on low. Add two or three ladles of the pasta sauce, tossing to coat. Add parsley. Serve with more sauce and meatballs.