Well, it’s 8:30 p.m. CDT and I just finished dinner. Usually, I’m cleaned up, in my PJs, and LONG done with my blog post by now! What’s different? Well, a few things.

For one, I’m proud as punch to be able to post the very first “What’s For Dinner?” workout report! Thanks to my friend Mindy, I was told asked to go to a Jazzercise class tonight. I hemmed and hawed, thought, deliberated, and finally decided “Ok, I’ll go.” I have to say, it was the most fun I’ve had working out since my high school dance P.E. classes! My Polar F6 report read:

Calories burned: 730

Total time: 60 minutes

Max HR: 191

Average HR: 170

HOLY CRAP!!!! 730 calories?? My first thought went to how much more I could eat for that. Then my thoughts went to “no, wait. If I only eat say, half of those calories, half of them will be EXTRA! That means lost weight!” In the words of Miss Veggie Girl, HELL YES! This was the MOST AMAZING WORKOUT!

When I got home, I promptly changed out of my stinky sweaty clothes and started cooking dinner. I wish I’d started before I left for class, but I didn’t have quite enough time… so we decided to eat late! Its kind of nice actually. I’m so tired that I don’t have time for a nighttime snack before I go to bed!

The recipe I made tonight is one that I’ve been reading about on the Weight Watchers Simply Filling board for quite some time. Many people (Mel and Purly, you know I mean you!) have said that this bolognese sauce is “the best” and its a “must try”. *edit: Original recipe is from Anne Burrell on FoodTV, located here* Well, I’m never one to turn down a great recipe, so I had to try it. I’m copying and pasting the recipe EXACTLY as it was written on the Weight Watchers board, and it contains great advice. A note: I used crushed tomatoes and a 1 c. of tomato paste instead of the full amount. I also only used 2 lbs of meat instead of 3, as we’re only 2 people!

Seriously the best!

And here’s the recipe:

Pasta Bolognese , Prep Time:45 min ,Inactive Prep Time: hr min ,Cook Time:4 hr 30 min
Level:Intermediate
Serves:6 to 8 servings

1 large onion or 2 small, cut into 1-inch dice
2 large carrots, cut into 1/2-inch dice
3 ribs celery, cut into 1-inch dice
4 cloves garlic
Extra-virgin olive oil, for the pan
Kosher salt
3 pounds ground chuck, brisket or round or combination (I USED 93% LEAN)
2 cups tomato paste
3 cups hearty red wine
Water
3 bay leaves
1 bunch thyme, tied in a bundle
1 pound spaghetti (I USED WW)
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
High quality extra-virgin olive oil, for finishing

In a food processor, puree onion, carrots, celery, and garlic into a coarse paste. In a large pan over medium heat, coat pan with oil. Add the pureed veggies and season generously with salt. Bring the pan to a medium-high heat and cook until all the water has evaporated and they become nice and brown, stirring frequently, about 15 to 20 minutes. Be patient, this is where the big flavors develop.

Add the ground beef and season again generously with salt. BROWN THE BEEF! Brown food tastes good. Don’t rush this step. Cook another 15 to 20 minutes.

Add the tomato paste and cook until brown about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the red wine. Cook until the wine has reduced by half, another 4 to 5 minutes.

Add water to the pan until the water is about 1 inch above the meat. Toss in the bay leaves and the bundle of thyme and stir to combine everything. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally. As the water evaporates you will gradually need to add more, about 2 to 3 cups at a time. Don’t be shy about adding water during the cooking process, you can always cook it out. This is a game of reduce and add more water. This is where big rich flavors develop. If you try to add all the water in the beginning you will have boiled meat sauce rather than a rich, thick meaty sauce. Stir and TASTE frequently. Season with salt, if needed (you probably will). Simmer for 3 1/2 to 4 hours.

During the last 30 minutes of cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat to cook the spaghetti. Pasta water should ALWAYS be well salted. Salty as the ocean! TASTE IT! If your pasta water is under seasoned it doesn’t matter how good your sauce is, your complete dish will always taste under seasoned. When the water is at a rolling boil add the spaghetti and cook for 1 minute less than it calls for on the package. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.

While the pasta is cooking remove 1/2 of the ragu from the pot and reserve.
Drain the pasta and add to the pot with the remaining ragu. Stir or toss the pasta to coat with the sauce. Add some of the reserved sauce, if needed, to make it about an even ratio between pasta and sauce. Add the reserved pasta cooking water and cook the pasta and sauce together over a medium heat until the water has reduced. Turn off the heat and give a big sprinkle of Parmigiano and a generous drizzle of the high quality finishing olive oil. Toss or stir vigorously. Divide the pasta and sauce into serving bowls or 1 big pasta bowl. Top with remaining grated Parmigiano. Serve immediately.

I have to tell you all: I did not cook this for 4 hours, at least, not yet. I cooked it for about 2 over higher heat. It really tasted like someone’s Italian grandmother had slaved over a hot stove all day making this amazing sauce. Next time, I’m making a huge batch and freezing some, because this batch is not long for this world. It is seriously the MOST AMAZING sauce I’ve ever made!

For you lovely veg*ns out there, I believe that this could easily be made with lentils instead of the meat. I’ve seen similar recipes out there, and people just RAVE about them!

And now, in the same category of “most amazing”, a product review! (wow, I’m just all over the place!) I found this lovely tin during my last excursion to Whole Foods (which, as some of you know, is quite far from my house)

What IS this??

SweetRiot candies are dark chocolate covered (50%, 60% or 85% dark cacao) raw cocoa nibs. They’re about the size of Nerds, and each one only has 1 or 2 calories, depending on size. The entire container: 140 calories! They are the most decadent-tasting chocolate bits I think I’ve ever had…yet they still have enough bitterness from the raw cacao that makes me not want to eat 8,000 of them!

If you happen to see these at your local Whole Foods, pick them up and try them! They were on sale, and because of that, I bought a few… and ONE OF YOU can win one!

All you need to do to enter:

1. Leave a comment below that tells me your FAVORITE way to eat chocolate.
2. Link back to this post in your blog, if you have one. Make sure to send me an email at imadedinner@gmail.com once the link is posted.
3. If you don’t have a blog, simply email me your favorite way to eat chocolate
4. You have until the end of the day on FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 27 to get your entries in!

I will use random.org to pick one winner who will get one tin of SweetRiot Flavor 50 cacao nibs as well as a special Chicagoland treat! *edit: Canadian readers MAY enter this contest as it will be a small enough package for me to afford to ship it!*

ALSO, please check out Beadie, my Bloggy-Bestie’s new site at www.whatiateyesterday.com and tell her how much it rocks!

Well, its getting late and I’m sore and exhausted and still stinky from not showering so, in the words of Cher from Clueless, “I’m outtie!”

Have a great evening!

xoxo,

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