Tag Archives: make ahead dinners

Osso Buco Pasta Sauce

Osso buco, literally translated in Italian means “bone with a hole”. The hole refers to the marrow hole at the center of the cross-cut veal shank. Traditionally, the cross-cut veal shanks are slowly braised in stock, wine, tomatoes and vegetables and then served with some polenta or perhaps risotto. I decided to take the braised meat off the bone, shred it up and mix it back with the flavourful braising liquid and vegetables and serve it over pasta. Any pasta that has little nooks and crannies to trap the delicious bits of this chunky sauce would be fine. Warm, hearty, rich, tangy and just a little bit spicy, this dish really is a celebration of fall.

I especially love this dish because once the chopping and browning are done, the whole thing is covered and popped into the oven for 2 hours, leaving you time to do something else. (A little late to the game, but so obsessed. Those eyes!!! Anyone else watching?)

I blogged about this recipe before, in 2011, but it’s still a favourite of mine. I make a big pot of it every fall and have enough sauce leftover to freeze for those dark winter days when you just don’t feel like cooking.

Because there’s nothing I like better than a good makeover, here’s the image I shot in 2011. Same delicious recipe, but new and improved photography skills!

Veal shanks are dusted with flour and sautéed in oil, over high heat, until golden brown.

Carrots, onions, celery, red pepper, thyme and a hefty pinch of red pepper flakes are the supporting cast in this recipe. They don’t disappoint.

Click here to print recipe for Osso-Buco-Sauce Download

“Meaty” Vegetarian Lasagna

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I’m very excited to share this lasagna recipe with you guys! I have been working on it for a while now. I wanted to create a “meat” lasagna using plant based meats. After some trial and error, I settled on a combination of Beyond Meat ground beef and Beyond Meat spicy Italian sausage. This is not a sponsored post. I just really love their products. They really replicate the taste and texture of meat, unlike some soy based alternatives I have tried. If you’re curious to know more, you can read abut it here.

The sauce is quick to make, it only needs to simmer for about 15 minutes. Rich and satisfying, it was really difficult to believe it was not real beef and sausage.

For the cheese filling, I went traditional here, using a mix of mozzarella, ricotta and parmesan, with a bit of cream to smooth the whole thing out.

I know that making a lasagna is a big time commitment. This one is worth it. A 9×13 inch baking dish will make about 8 servings. Any leftovers freeze perfectly. I just love pulling dinner out of the freezer on nights when I don’t feel like cooking.

Watch how it all comes together. Pro tip – see how I use a potato masher to break up the ground “beef” and “sausage”.

Please don’t be tempted to use the “no boil” lasagna noodles. They just don’t have the same texture as the regular noodles. It’s an extra step that I urge you to take.

Click here to print recipe for “Meaty”-Vegetarian-Lasagna Download

Short Rib Pot Pie with Potato Crust

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I have a bit of a weakness for food in miniature. Their diminutive size just makes me smile. Remember these, and these and how about these? These little short rib pot pies are freaking adorable! Such a clever idea to top them with thinly sliced potatoes. Wish I had thought of it, but the credit has to go to Martha on this one. Her version featured stout braised short ribs. I’m not a huge stout fan, so I used my favourite short rib recipe, from Chef Anne Burrell, which features red wine as the braising liquid.

After braising the ribs, remove the meat from the bones and shred it. You can use 2 forks, or just go at it with your hands. Mix the shredded meat back into the braising liquid. If you braise the ribs the day before you want to serve this, you can chill the ribs and braising liquid overnight and then just skim the hardened fat off the top of the braising liquid.

You could of course just make one large pie, in an 8×11 inch casserole dish, but mini ones are way more fun! Plus, leftovers can be frozen and stored for busy days when you just don’t have time to cook.

I used Yukon Gold potatoes because I wanted that gorgeous buttery yellow colour. I washed them really well and didn’t even bother peeling. They need to be sliced very thin. I used a mandoline. I love this one. Not too expensive and you don’t need an engineering degree to operate it. I have tried several brands and this one is my favourite from a performance and ease of use standpoint.

Arrange the potatoes over the beef. Overlap them so that at least 3/4 of the previous potato is covered. You want a tight concentric circle. The potatoes are quite thin so overlapping them prevents them from burning before the filling is hot and bubbling.

Brush with a flavourful olive oil and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Potatoes need lots of seasoning. Make sure you bake them on a rimmed baking sheet as the juices bubble up and over and cleaning your oven floor is not fun.

45 minutes later these golden beauties will emerge from the oven. A few fresh thyme leaves would be a pretty finish. Pour a big glass of a full-bodied red wine and congratulate yourself for making such a gorgeous dinner.