This dish was inspired by my sister, Katherine. If you haven't checked out her
blog then you MUST. She is so talented and creative. She has been writing a series on
Meatless Mondays and it really gives you food for thought. :-D Anyway, I have decided to try to incorporate some meatless meals into my menu. This is not easy for me. I, for some unknown reason, feel that I must add chicken or ground beef or any other kind of meat to a meal to make it filling. When Katherine first posted her one-meatless-night-a-week challenge I was very skeptical. But I am seeing the errors of my ways!
Those of you who know my husband know that Ragu is a staple in our home. I actually believe it is one of his main food groups. I don't like spaghetti when it is just sauce and noodles but it is one of his favorites! So I decided I would adapt. As you can see below, there is "More than a Full Serving of VEGGIES" in the sauce...I guess I decided that wasn't enough...
Sorry bout the angle of the picture below. Those of you who know me from childhood might not believe that I'm serious about all the veggies below. I was such a picky eater when I was a kid. My sweet mother would make a smaller dish of what she was cooking and leave out the onions or whatever else it was that I was refusing to eat. But I have grown in my palate! Below is a mixture of onions, zucchini, squash, yellow and orange peppers, and a mighty heaping of mushrooms! Really it's whatever veggies are leftover from other dishes. They are being sauteed in olive oil and minced garlic, with some oregano and a dash of cayenne pepper. I shock myself!
Then I add in the Ragu. I love this dish because there is no recipe! I just throw in whatever I feel like. And a secret ingredient? Throw in some brown sugar!!! Delicious!
A friend of mine makes Inside Out Lasagna so I've kind of adapted my recipe to be similar to hers. After putting the sauce over whatever kind of pasta you chose (last night it was Whole Wheat Penne) then you can add in a dollop of Ricotta or Cottage cheese and some grated Parmesan cheese. Mix it all together and Voila!
I didn't include a picture of the final product cause I didn't want anyone to see how much cheese I used! But it was fabulous and I have leftovers for tomorrow. Happy meatless eating!
