I save 'em up, then they'll go real far

As a child, Thursday was always leftover night. Mom cooked Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and on Thursday we had leftovers. As a family of two, leftover night seems to come around much more often, so it’s always nice to have a recipe that uses up those leftovers to make something different.

This week, we’re going to use leftover ragu (or meat sauce) to make stuffed sweet bell peppers. You can use whatever ragu recipe you like (or even jarred meat sauce if you so choose), but this particular ragu recipe is freshened up with a healthy twist and an ingredient that will cut your cooking time significantly. This complement to your favorite pasta is made with less fat by replacing ground beef with ground turkey or ground veal. [If price is a factor, ground turkey is your best bet.]

When you think of a really good tomato or meat sauce, you probably imagine tending to the dish for hours on the stove to cook down the acidity. Perhaps some of you have learned to add a bit of sugar to more quickly mask this quality of recipes calling for tomato-paste. The healthier alternative I was taught a few years ago (probably by my mother) is to use carrots instead.  

Even if you don’t care for carrots (Me! Me!), this does the job without adding affecting the taste. Now my mother uses a little jar or container of baby food carrots; however, as I found out using this recipe, carrots chopped in the food processor work just as well.

So subbing carrots for sugar and turkey for beef, you’ve whipped up a still-delicious and now healthier and quicker family favorite. Such talent!

The next day, later in the week, or later in the month – whenever you’re ready – you can use whatever leftover ragu you have in this second recipe: Ragu-Stuffed Peppers. If you’re going to wait more than a week, just freeze the ragu until you’re ready. Prepared with some ingredients unique to what you probably imagine as a stuffed bell pepper – such as couscous rather than a rice – you now have a second meal using a meal you’ve already prepared! Quel bonheur! 

Day 1: Fettuccine with Quick Ragu

[from Food Network Magazine]

Ingredients:

1/2 onion

1 stalk celery, cut into 4 pieces

1 small carrot, cut into 4 pieces

1 clove garlic

1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound ground veal or turkey

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

1/2 cup whole milk

12 ounces fettuccine

Freshly grated parmesan cheese, for serving

Directions:

1. Pulse the onion, celery, carrot, garlic and rosemary in a food processor until finely chopped.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped vegetables and cook, stirring, until softened  and golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the veal (or turkey), 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, milk, 1 cup water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the fettuccine as teh label directs. Drain the pasta, then toss with half of the ragu (about 3 cups). Top with parmesan. Reserve the remaining ragu to make stuffed peppers.

Day 2 (or 5 or 30... or whenever you so choose): Ragu-Stuffed Peppers

[Food Network Magazine]

Ingredients:

4 bell peppers (red, yellow, orange or a mix), halved lengthwise, seeds removed

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

About 3 cups leftover ragu

1/2 cup couscous (prepared according to package directions)

3/4 cups golden raisins

3/4 cup grated asiago or fontina cheese

4 teaspoons red wine vinegar

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons tomato paste

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450. Toss the bell pepper halves with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large microwave-safe bowl. Cover and microwave until the peppers soften, 10 to 12 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, mix the ragu, couscous, raisins, 1/2 cup cheese, 3 teaspoons vinegar, parsley and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl.

3. Whisk the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 teaspoon vinegar, the tomato paste and 3/4 cup water in the bottom of a large nonreactive baking dish. Carefully transfer the peppers, cut-side up, to the baking dish and fill with the couscous mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese.

4. Cover the dish with foil and bake until the peppers are tender and the filling is hot, about 20 minutes. Transfer to plates and drizzle with he cooking liquid from the dish.