Cookbook Challenge # 9 - Rachael Ray Express Lane Meals

So, I forgot to take a picture of this meal…and then I realized that I enjoy cooking, and I like keeping a log of this project, but taking the pictures and getting them to sorta-kinda align properly with the post is fiddly and annoying, so I’m not going to do it anymore! It’s not like I’m expecting or even attempting to have this blog series, or this blog in general, to be some kind of a huge money-making promotional deal for me. It’s more of a diary—I exist, I write things, I read things, and I cook things. (And travel, watch birds, try to identify plants, and all sorts of other things I haven’t written about here as yet.)

With that out of the way, this week’s cookbook was Rachael Ray Express Lane Meals (2006). I have one go-to recipe from it already, easily identified by the cooking stains on the pages: Leek-y Chicken and Couscous. And after this week, I have a second one, despite not being a huge Rachael Ray fan in general. Though I guess it makes sense—it’s basic food for everyday people, and despite certain bougie aspirations most days I’m a basic person just trying to get dinner on the table.

My new recipe is Cowboy Spaghetti, which based on the title I was expecting to have a Tex-Mex vibe, but it’s really more of a cheeseburger or sloppy joe with pasta instead of bread for the starch. Entirely in a good way—all three of us cleaned our plates, and the dish made leftovers enough to keep us in lunches for a couple days.

Cowboy Spaghetti

• 1 lb spaghetti

• 1 T olive oil

• 3 slices bacon, chopped

• 1 lb ground beef

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 3-4 garlic cloves, chopped (I used a generous teaspoon of jarlic)

• 2 tsp hot sauce

• 1 T Worcestershire sauce

• 14 oz can chopped or crushed fire roasted tomatoes

• 8 oz can tomato sauce

• sharp cheddar cheese, grated

• 4 scallions, trimmed and chopped

• salt and pepper

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water and add the spaghetti. Cook the pasta to al dente and drain.

Heat a deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and bacon. Brown and crisp the bacon, then remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate. (Note: The recipe never says when to put the bacon pieces back. I added them just before adding the spaghetti to the sauce, but you could also sprinkle them as a garnish like the scallions.) Drain off excess fat from skillet if necessary, leaving just enough to coat the bottom. Add the beef and crumble it as it browns, 3-4 minutes. Add the onions and garlic and stir into the meat. Season the meat with salt and pepper, hot sauces, and Worcestershire. Cook for 5 minutes more, then stir in the tomatoes and tomato sauce.

Add the hot spaghetti to the sauce and combine. Adjust the seasonings and serve in shallow bowls, topped with cheese and scallions.