Comfort in a bowl real quick (Ina Garten's weeknight bolongese with zoodles)

I pinned this awhile ago with hopes to make it sometime.  I then went on the little to carb lifestyle and saved my cheat days for egg noodles! Enter the zoodle.  I never thought I would love eating zucchini noodles so much!  If you are new to the game and don't want to invest in a big bulky one, try the Kitchen Active Spiralizer Spiral Slicer.  It is super cheap, tiny, easy and I love it.  

I was at Trader Joe's recently and saw the shelf stable whipping cream and was intrigued.  I made an impulse buy to get it which is totally unlike me.  I researched it after I got home and realized it was not going to useful as whipped cream in a pinch.  You have to refrigerate it for quite a bit prior to whipping.  

Then I had an idea.  Weeknight bolognese with the shelf stable cream and zoodles!  It was like fate!  I really thoroughly enjoyed this.  I ran out of zoodles and ate the sauce by itself!  The tomato paste and wine really give it that cooked all day taste and and the cream makes is so smooth and velvety!  I used tomato sauce instead of crushed tomatoes as I had some on hand it turned out just fine.  you can never go wrong with a Barefoot Contessa recipe!  Full recipe to follow the montage,

The cast ready for its close up!

I used a bit more garlic that it called for as usual.  Felt weird to have no onions.

Brown your meat.  I broke it up with this handy tool from the Pampered Chef.

Add your aromatics

And the wine you are not drinking the rest of.  Well maybe just one glass...

Add in the tomatoey things 

And simmer until it just looks right.

Roll up your basil and cut in ribbons.  Then decide to take out your frustrations and chop it.

Add that and the cream

And then you have bolongese sauce!

Served over zoodles, which I sauteed first and add a little grated parm

Just delicious and so colorful!

Weeknight Bolongese (Adapted from  Barefoot Contessa)

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra to cook the pasta/zoodles
1 pound lean ground meat
6  minced garlic cloves
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/4 cups dry red wine, divided
1 (28-ounce) can tomato sauce, preferably San Marzano
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3/4 pound pasta or zoodles
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
1/4 cup heavy cream
Parmesan cheese for serving

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground meat and cook, crumbling the meat with a wooden spoon or other tool, for 5 to 7 minutes, until the meat has lost its pink color and has started to brown. Stir in the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 more minute. Pour 1 cup of the wine into the skillet and stir to scrape up any browned bits. Add the tomatoe sauce, tomato paste, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper, stirring until combined. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil, add a tablespoon of salt, a splash of oil, and the pasta, and cook according to the directions on the box. Or saute your zoodles in a teaspoon of olive oil for a few minutes to get them warm.

While the pasta cooks, finish the sauce. Add the nutmeg, basil, cream, and the remaining 1/4 cup wine to the sauce and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened. Toss with pasta or zoodles and sprinkle with cheese.

Happy Cooking!

Missy

P.S. Linking up with Meal Plan Monday, Check it out!