Recipe: Random Ingredients in the Fridge

Ah, don't you love when you create something in the kitchen with a random mix of ingredients you just happen to have on hand? I love it. I feel like Michael Smith on Chef at Home (CDN Food Network). He's all about "creating" in the kitchen and not sticking to a recipe. At first I thought he was crazy because I'm a "plan everything" type of person and just thought how can you not know what ingredients you will be using when you start cooking a dish??!! Now, I know he's a genius. It's just so rewarding to turn out a super yummy dish and not have planned it. I dunno, maybe it's because I plan everything so when I produce good things without planning....it's like a miracle or something and I have to sit here and rant about it to all you normal people who aren't plan-a-holics. ANYWHO, so I knew I was going to make pasta and at first I was like well I have ground chicken and tomato sauce so I can either make fettuccine and meatballs (that's right, not your typical spaghetti...I don't know why but I don't really like spaghetti..something about the noodles being too thin...) or a bolognese type dish. Then I thought how can I change this up from the norm? Luckily for me, I had 2-3 things in the fridge I don't normally have because that's what happens when you try 2-3 new recipes a week - you end up with random things in your fridge. SO I had gorgonzola and pancetta....oh and some sour cream too..... this should make for an interesting bolognese. So I took all that and ran with it and oh boy am I glad I did. This produced such a creamy sauce that I shoveled it back completely unlady like and finished my plate before my bf had gotten through half his dish. Classy, I know. We've been together 8 years - class has gone out the window. hehe. Okay so after all that babbling, here is a recipe for a very flavourful and super creamy meaty pasta dish. (creating a creamy sauce is something I am proud of when I refuse to use actual cream in sauces) Creamy Gorgonzola & Pancetta Bolognese - serves 2-3 Ingredients 4 oz dried fettuccine pasta 2 cups of Hunt's Thick and Rich Four Cheese Pasta Sauce 1/4 of a Spanish onion, finely chopped 3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped 1/4 cup of crumbled gorgonzola 1/4 cup of pancetta, cut into small bits 1/4 cup of sour cream 250 grams of lean ground chicken 1 tbsp of Italian seasoning (or 1/4 cup fresh basil & oregano) 2 tbsp of grated parmesan 1 tsp of chili pepper flakes 2 tbsp of olive oil Directions In a large deep skillet, add olive oil and set to medium heat. Add onions and pancetta and cook until onions soften and pancetta starts to brown. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Add the ground chicken and cook until no longer pink. Add tomato sauce, seasoning and chili pepper flakes and turn heat to down to medium low and let simmer for 25 minutes. In the meantime, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add fettuccine and cook for 8 minutes or until al dente. Drain and return back to pot. Add meat sauce to the pasta as well as the sour cream, Gorgonzola and Parmesan and mix well. Garnish with fresh herbs of choice.

Raquel Teixeira

Creamy Gorgonzola & Pancetta Bolognese

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:-)