Two-Sauce Pasta (Days 134-138)

Here's a new recipe from my weekday repertoire.  The weeks are flying by and family dinners are scarce with this home search continuing.  But we are pushing through.  It will definitely be nice when school is out and I have more time to focus on cooking, baking, and the new business. :)

Weekday Recap:
Monday (Day 134): Randy was working and wasn't home until after dinner.  The kids and I had homemade chicken tenders, mac & cheese, and peas for supper.

Tuesday (Day 135): The hot weather made for a perfect excuse not to turn on the oven.  I had some cooked chicken in the fridge, so I whipped up my chicken ceasar sandwiches.  Check out my last post (also from Tuesday) with my recipe for strawberry-thyme lemonade.

Wednesday (Day 136): Two-Sauce Pasta (recipe follows)

Thursday (Day 137): hot dogs!  Yes, I realize this means that the kids and I had hot dogs twice this week.  And no, that is not the norm.  They may not be the healthiest meal, but when I serve them, I also include fruit, veggies, yogurt, and something crunchy like pretzels to make a more balanced meal. :)

Friday (Day 138): Another repeat meal, tequila lime chicken.  When I looked back at my recipes, I realized that the chicken looked a lot prettier the first time I made it--I garnished it and everything! ;)  Tonight's dinner was a little more rushed, but still delicious!  By the way, I'm loving my "recipe finder" on the homepage of this blog--it makes setting up these links to past posts so much easier!  It's a great tool if you're looking for a recipe in a particular food category!

Two-Sauce Pasta
This recipe is so different and yummy.  A besciamella sauce is a white sauce with a hint of nutmeg.  Having the sweetness of that sauce coating the pasta and then topped with the savory flavor of a hearty Italian meat sauce is a flavorful combination!  Randy eats a ton of this stuff.  I make a whole pound of pasta and a pound of meat and there's only ever enough leftovers for me, if I don't finish my plate.  Yeah, it's that good.  Add some pancetta if you want, too, for an extra boost of flavor and saltiness.

1 lb medium shells

1 lb hamburg

Shells coated with besciamella sauce.

1/2 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced and divided
1 medium carrot, grated
2-3 TB tomato paste
1/2 cup dry red wine
1 1/2 cups beef stock
1 TB dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried parsley
1-2 TB fresh basil, chopped
1 bay leaf
2-3 TB butter, plus 2 more TB
2-3 TB flour
2 cups of milk
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
1/2-1 cup grated parmesan cheese

Place a pot of water on the stove for the pasta and bring it to a boil.  While the water heats, drizzle some olive oil in a skillet and turn the heat to medium.  Cook the onions for about 2 minutes, then add the bay leaf and half of the garlic and cook another minute.  Add the hamburg and dried herbs and cook until the meat is brown.  (When the water comes to a boil, salt it and pour in the shells.)  To the cooking meat, add the grated carrot and the red wine to deglaze the pan.  Next add the tomato paste and stir to start to dissolve the paste.  Pour in the beef stock and simmer until the sauce thickens.  Sprinkle the fresh basil on top, season with salt and pepper to taste.
Meanwhile, place the 2-3 TB of butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  When it melts, add the flour and cook 1-2 minutes, stirring.  Add the garlic and cook another minute or less--be careful not to burn the garlic.  Pour the milk in and bring the sauce to a bubble, then reduce the heat and add the nutmeg.  When the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, it's done. 
Drain the pasta and return it to the pan. Add the remaining butter and stir in the parmesan cheese.  Pour the besciamella sauce over it and stir to combine.  Serve in a bowl with the meat sauce on top and extra parmesan cheese to sprinkle.