Kate's Cuisine

It really did take me years to perfect this spaghetti sauce recipe. Prior to coming upon the perfect combination of ingredients and simmering  time, I would end up with sauce that either had way too much stuff in it; or that left a big puddle of water on your plate – not very appetizing when digging into a big bowl of pasta.

This recipe seems to be just right. I stuck to classic Italian ingredients, and simmered it for a very long time, stirring it regularly to release the steam and let the flavours concentrate and reduce down. All of the ingredients are important, but I find that I just can’t make spaghetti sauce without some really good olive oil, even though you only add a touch. And, the sugar’s important too. Not only does it cut down on the acidity of the tomatoes, it also works with the salt to bring all the flavours together for a superb spaghetti sauce!

1 pound ground beef $5.69
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved $3.00
1 onion, diced, divided $0.47
2 tablespoons canola oil $0.14
2 tablespoons butter $0.12
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour $0.04
2 cups milk $0.54
2 cups cheddar cheese, grated, plus 1 cup $3.75
1/2 package elbow macaroni $0.60
2 tablespoons chili powder $2.82
2 tablespoons ground coriander $0.96
2 tablespoons ground cumin $1.50
1 teaspoon hot chili pepper flakes $0.23
1 tablespoon ground mustard $0.09
2 teaspoons salt, plus 2 $0.02
1 teaspoon black pepper $0.01
4 cloves garlic, minced, divided $0.04

Total Cost    $20.02

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly grease a 9″ x 13″ casserole dish. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

2.) In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons canola oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add 1/2 of the diced onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, just until onion starts to soften.

3.) Add beef to pan, breaking it up as you do. Stir regularly and cook until beef is nearly cooked through. Then add cherry tomatoes and 2 cloves of minced garlic. Stir to combine and cook for about 2 minutes.

4.) Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine: chili powder, cumin, coriander, mustard, hot chili pepper flakes, and two teaspoons of salt. Mix thoroughly to combine and then add 1/2 of the spice mixture to meat, reserving other half for later. Stir meat mixture to combine spice mixture and turn heat to medium-low.

5.) Meanwhile, if water is boiling at this point, add 2 teaspoons of salt and elbow macaroni. Stir, and cook until pasta is just a bit firmer than al dente. Drain when done.

6.) In a separate, medium-sized saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add last 1/2 of diced onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add last 2 cloves of minced garlic and the remaining spice mixture. Stir to thoroughly combine and cook for 1 minute.

7.) To the saucepan, add 2 tablespoons of flour and stir to thoroughly combine all ingredients. Cook for 3 minutes.

8.) Slowly whisk in milk, stirring constantly to break up lumps and to prevent scalding the milk. Bring to a boil then lower heat to medium and simmer until just thickened, about 10 minutes.

9.) Remove milk from heat and slowly add 2 cups grated cheese, about 1/4 cup at a time; stir to fully incorporate after each addition.

10.) Return cooked and drained macaroni to its empty pot. Add meat mixture and cheese sauce; stir to thoroughly combine all ingredients.

11.) Pour pasta mixture into prepared casserole dish, leveling it so the surface is even. Top with 1 cup grated cheddar cheese and place in preheated oven. Cook until cheese is melted and bubbling, about 15 minutes.

12.) Remove from oven and allow to rest for 3 – 5 minutes.

13.) Serve and enjoy!

Read the Chili Cheesy Macaroni review here

My husband loves Hamburger Helper, but I never buy stuff prepackaged that I can make myself – for no other reason than the love of cooking. Of all the varieties that HH has to offer, their one with the chili spices and cheesy sauce has always been my favourite. So when the thought occurred to me to make something new and make hubby happy at the same time, that was the natural choice. This dish is very tasty and (dare I say?) better than the kind that comes in the box? I think so, but what isn’t when you take the few extra minutes to make it yourself? Don’t be scared off by the number of steps in the recipe – it’s just like making macaroni and cheese with the extra step of browning the meat; and it all comes together very quickly.

And if you’re raising an eyebrow at the $20+ price tag, don’t worry. This is one that’s got leftovers you can freeze and enjoy several meals from – and you will enjoy them!

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour $0.33
1 teaspoon baking soda $0.02
1 teaspoon baking powder $0.05
1/2 teaspoon salt $0.01
3 bananas, mashed $0.47
3/4 cup white sugar $0.15
1 egg, lightly beaten $0.17
1/3 cup butter $0.30
1/3 cup lightly packed brown sugar $0.07
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour $0.04
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon $0.02
1 tablespoon butter $0.06

Total Cost    $1.69

1.) Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease 10 muffin cups, or line with muffin wrappers.

2.) In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg, and melted butter. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.

3.) In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.

4.) Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.

5.) Remove from oven and allow to sit in muffin tins for 5 minutes before moving to a plate to cool completely.

6.) Serve and enjoy!

Read the Banana Crumb Muffins Review here

It’s the day of the International Banana Festival, and I thought this recipe would be a great one to kick it off!

I got this recipe from All Recipes and even though they come out moist and soft and delicious all on their own, the creator of the recipe is right – the topping really does make these the best muffins I have ever made. They’re delicious and I’ll definitely be making them again. Next time though, I’m doubling up on the topping. It’s too good to be spread so thin.

It’s International Banana Day! And while we may just take it as a day to indulge in the potassium-filled goodness, there is an actual reason for the day. It all began in Fulton, Illinois….

The United States didn’t have refrigerated railroad cars until 1880, when the Illinois Central Gulf Railroad constructed the first. This invention meant that even those who lived in Seattle, New York, Detroit, and all the northern states (and even us up here in Canada) could enjoy tropical fruit like lemons, oranges, and of course – mainly bananas.

Soon, the Illinois Central Gulf Railroad moved the redistribution centre for bananas to Fulton, because it was such a central point between New Orleans and Canada. The United Fruit Co. (which is now the Chiquita company),  soon started shipping bananas, by boat, from South America to New Orleans. From there, the bananas would be taken to the Fulton Ice Plant. There they’d be laid on top of blocks of ice (each one weighed 162 pounds!) before they were taken further North and redistributed to different parts of the country and Canada.

Fulton soon came to be known as “The Banana Capital of the World,” and at one point, more than 70% of the United States’ bananas passed through Fulton. To celebrate the wonderful fruit and all that it brought to the region, Fulton started holding the International Banana Festival every year beginning in the late 1800s. Sometime (it’s thought in the early 1900s,) there was a particularly eager little girl by the name of Carolyn Allen Dunavant. When Carolyn was in the 8th grade in Fulton, Kentucky she wrote a letter to NBC news anchor, Chet Huntly, telling him about the festival and inviting him to come check it out. Huntly accepted the invite, and headed over to Fulton to see what all the banana fuss was about.

Chet Huntly wasn’t the only one who wanted to come check it out, either. The national exposure soon brought other local and national celebrities including Ms. America, Ms. Kentucky, Ms. Tennessee, Ms. Dairy Princess, governors, senators, congressmen, and the United States State Department. Officials from Columbia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, and other countries from where the bananas came also came to the festival to take part in the fun.

The Festival has gone through a lot of changes over the years. When it first began, young teenagers from South America would come weeks before the festival started. They would share their own experiences with American teenagers and teach them not only about the wonderful bananas they were now enjoying, but also all other aspects of South American life and culture. Much later, in the 1990s, the Festival was actually stopped for a short period; but it wasn’t long before town officials realized the importance of the Festival and everything it symbolized, and started it back up again.

The Festival has been back up and running for several years and has everything from carnival rides and games, a parade, and of course, plenty of bananas to go around! The biggest attraction is always the 1-ton banana pudding, which is thought to be the biggest in the world. The pudding is marched through the parade at the beginning of the Festival, and then distributed to all those who attend the Festival. Many states have now also caught Banana Fever and now run their own Banana Festivals on different dates throughout the year.

But it all goes back to Fulton, Illinois, and today is the day – it’s the International Banana Festival! So if you’re in the area, slap on some yellow, get in the spirit, and head out to the festival! It’s a great day to celebrate bananas!

1/2 rack – 1 rack Kate’s Ribs $17.20
3 cups Martha’s Barbecue Sauce, or store-bought BBQ sauce $3.05
12 mini hamburger buns $3.99

Total Cost    $24.24 (if using a whole rack)

1.) If ribs are hot, allow to cool slightly then shred apart with hands and set meat aside.

2.) Heat barbecue sauce in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add shredded rib meat and stir so that meat is entirely coated with sauce. Continue to cook until everything is fully heated through.

3.) Remove meat and sauce from heat and pile onto hamburger buns.

4.) Serve and enjoy!

Read the Loose Meat Sliders Review here