Ode to The Pioneer Woman and PW’s Rigatoni and Meatballs Recipe

So as you ALL know I LOVE The Pioneer Woman! So this is going to be a post dedicated to my blog hero! She inspires me and I want to be like that girl from that movie Julie and Julia. But make all The Pioneer Woman Recipes. Maybe a movie could be made about that Jamie and Ree HA! I will get through them all some day! I have both of her cookbooks and I have all her recipes from her blog (well pretty much all of them) printed out and laminated and kept safely in a binder! I have all of her recipes from The Food Network printed as well. I’ve seen all her shows on there as well. I have gone to see her the past couple of times she’s come to Denver!

When her new show came out on The Food Network, I had a dinner in honor of her and had a potluck and you had to pick one of her dishes and bring it. What can I say she inspires me and I love her cooking and her! (But I can’t really say I love her cause I don’t know her).  So since she is my hero, I felt that I should do a post on her. I think I have more of her recipes on my blog than any other chef, or blogger…

I don’t think that I can post all the recipes I have made of hers, I’ve made so MANY! Think I will do this as a Jamie’s Favorite top 10 Pioneer Woman Recipes.

That’s what we will call it…So here we go…

Crap, I don’t know that I can pick just 10…Might have to do 15…or 20!

OK so not 10 or 15 or 20, But 21. I found my top 21 Pioneer Woman recipes that are my fav!

So let’s do this…

I would have to say her #1 recipe for me is her Pork Sandwiches with cilantro Jalapeno Slaw

I have made this recipe, I don’t even know how many times! Whenever I have company and I feel I want to impress someone, I make this recipe! You can’t go wrong. Who doesn’t like pork? Well me, But I don’t like pork chops, I do like Pork Butt, It’s the BEST!

2nd I will do The Pioneer Womans my Favorite meatloaf because I remember when I made this and it was damn good cause it’s wrapped in bacon! Can’t go wrong there!

I’ll post these as the 3rd favorite as they were and still are The Awesome-est blueberry muffins I have ever made

Next I will post these because they are the best potatoes (I think) I have ever made and they have those french fried onions that you put on Green bean casserole that makes green bean casserole SO AWESOME, and it makes these potatoes taste SO AWESOME! Restaurant style smashed potatoes

This is the next recipe that stands out to me. Creme Brulee my favorite dessert. I never would have made it without The Pioneer Woman!

We will continue with another sweet. Made this dulce de leche coffee for Normy’s birthday and it was AMAZING! Make this when it’s cold out and you will stay nice and warm!

Want something that will give you a heart attack, but tastes OH so GOOD? Well make this Garlic Cheese bread

This pasta is fabulous. Cajun chicken pasta (I want to make some right now)

These are just good! Who would have thought that a recipe with Mountain Dew could be so good Apple Dumplings

Can’t go wrong with this recipe Pasta, whiskey, wine and mushrooms Pasta with whiskey wine and mushrooms

My favorite pie Pecan Pie with my go to Pie Crust

You know how much I LOVE Mushrooms, these are amazing Steak with burgundy mushroom sauce Can’t go wrong with butter and red wine and SHROOMS!

Anyone who knows me knows I LOVE salsa, especially GOOD Salsa, Fresh Salsa

Can’t go wrong with Wings

And because of these pancakes I will NEVER use Bisquick EVER again Perfect Pancakes

One word = LOVE

Twice Baked Potatoes

Had to pick something some what healthy and good – Asian Noodle Salad

Best Nachos I ever had Beef Fajita Nachos

Best Mushrooms, I ever made, Hands down! They cook for 9 hours! Burgundy Mushrooms

LOVE me some Prime Rib

And last but not least Beef with Peppers

and I will end this post with the newest recipe I’ve made of The Pioneer Woman’s

Ragatoni and Meatballs

I got this recipe from her current cookbook:

see, my book is signed

Page 126

Meatballs

6 thick slices crusty bread
3/4 pound ground beef
3/4 pound ground beef
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup minced flat-leaf parsley, plus more for serving
3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1/4 cup whole milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup olive oil

Rigatoni and Sauce
1 yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup red wine
One 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup minced flat leaf parsley
12 fresh basil leaves, cut in chiffonade
2 pounds rigatoni. cooked al dente

Place the bread on a baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes in a 200 degree oven, or until totally dry.

Break the bread into chunks

And pulse until the bread turns into crumbs.

(I skipped the whole bread part and just used seasoned bread crumbs instead)

Throw the meat into a large mixing bowl

Add the garlic, bread crumbs,

eggs,

parsley,

grated parmesan,

milk,

salt,

and pepper.

Use clean hands to mix together until well combined

Use a scoop to retrieve a small amount of the meat mixture

(I had Normy make the balls, He’s a man he knows allllllll about balls)

Look at my ball honey!

And roll it in your hands to make meatballs. Place the pan in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes, just to firm them up.

Look at Normy’s balls! They look so good, don’t they? HA!

Heat the olive oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Working with 8 to 10 meatballs at a time, cook them until brown but not cooked all the way through, 2 to 3 minutes per batch.

Remove from the pan to a plate while you make the rigatoni and sauce

Add the onion and garlic to the pan.

Stir and cook for a minute or two, until the onion begins to soften

Add the wine and cook for another minute
(don’t know why I am measuring the wine)

Add crushed tomatoes

Whole Tomatoes

Salt,

Pepper,

and sugar

and parsley and basil

Stir the sauce to combine all the ingredients…

cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally

Then throw in the meatballs – Normy’s balls

Stir gently,

then cover and cook for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the meatballs are cooked through.

Heap the rigatoni on a large platter and pile the meatballs and sauce on top. Sprinkle on some extra minced parsley and serve with extra grated Parmesan.

Here’s the Recipe from the book:

 and there you go!

This Post is dedicated to my hero Pioneer Woman! I love her! Have I said that before!?

Happy cooking my fellow foodie and Blog Follower Friends!

Especially to you Lori and Dave, and to all those people who inspire me and I inspire to cook!

Cooking is love and so is bacon and wine! HAHA!

CHEERS!

K thanks, BYE!

Pasta alla Marlboro Man

Recipe

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1/2 whole Large Onion, Diced
2 cloves Garlic, Minced
2 pounds Ground Beef
Salt To Taste
Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
1 teaspoon (generous) Ground Thyme
2 cans (14 Ounce) Whole Tomatoes (I used fire roasted diced tomatoes instead)
1/4 cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
1-1/2 pound (to 2 Pounds) Rigatoni

Heat olive oil in large skillet or pot over medium-low heat.

Add onion

and cook a couple of minutes,

until starting to turn translucent. Add garlic

and stir, cooking 1 minute, making sure not to brown the garlic.

Add ground beef

and cook until brown. Drain most of excess fat. Add salt, pepper, and ground thyme.

Stir to combine. Dump in canned tomatoes with their juice.

Stir,

reduce heat to low, and cover pot. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring a couple of times. Uncover the pot and cook an additional 30 minutes.

Cook rigatoni according to package directions—don’t overcook! Drain and place individual portions into bowls.

Stir in 1/4 to 1/2 cup grated Parmesan into the sauce. Check and adjust seasonings. Ladle sauce over cooked pasta, sprinkle with more Parmesan, and serve.

Steak, Asparagus & Chimichurri Pasta

Lately I have been really busy with baking and work and baking! So tonight Normy made us dinner…I take no credit for this meal, just the pictures!

Recipe

Steak, Asparagus & Chimichurri Pasta

For the chimichurri (This makes a full batch and I only used half on the pasta):
3 cloves garlic
2 cups Italian or curly parsley (I like Italian), loosely packed
1 cup olive oil
1 tsp. red wine vinegar
3 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. salt

1 lb. Rigatoni
1 lb. skirt steak
1 tsp. salt
1 lb. thick asparagus, tough ends removed

Start by making the Chimichurri. Place all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse until all large pieces of parsley

and garlic are gone. If you don’t have a blender, chop the garlic and parsley finely, then whisk with the remaining ingredients. Set aside.

Heat your grill to medium-high and sprinkle the steak with 1 tsp. salt. Once the grill is hot, place the steak and asparagus on it. Turn the asparagus often, ensuring it doesn’t burn. Remove it when it’s tender, but still crisp (time depends on how thick your asparagus is, about 5 – 8 minutes). Cook the steak to your desired done-ness, then remove and let sit for 5 minutes. Slice the steak into bite-sized pieces and cut the asparagus into 1-inch pieces.

While you’re grilling, set a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Once it comes to a boil, salt it thoroughly and add the rigatoni. Cook until al dente, then drain and return to pot.

Toss the pasta with half the amount of Chimichurri until well coated.


Toss in the steak and asparagus and serve.