MEATLESS MONDAY - Mary's Flavorful Red Sauce

My friend Mary made this for my family years ago and I fell in love with it. It really is so flavorful. It has a very pronounced salty flavor which I love from the olives and capers. It's super quick and easy to make. It's on the thinner side which I also love.

She came over a year or so ago and made it for us again, served it with a red wine and crusty french bread. It was such a treat!

Mary's Flavorful Red Sauce

6 cloves garlic, diced or minced

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 cans (soup can size) stewed tomatoes

3 Tbsp capers with juice

3/4 jar black kalamata olives, PITTED & sliced, with juices

4 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

1/4 cup Fat Tire Beer (optional)

In pan over medium heat, add olive oil and garlic. Cook garlic until soft but not brown. Add stewed tomatoes. Mix well. Add capers, olives, balsamic vinegar & beer. Simmer 15 to 20 minutes over low heat. Serve over your favorite pasta.

Pasta with Prosciutto and Peas

Super yummy and super tasty. Best combo to have when you're cooking!

Bowtie Pasta with Prosciutto and Peas

12 ounces of pasta (whichever you like, I used Farfalle (bowtie)

1 T butter

1 large shallot finely chopped (sweet yellow onion will work too)

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 small package of peas, thawed (about 10 ounces)

8 slices of Prosciutto, cut in half and thinly sliced crosswise

1/2 C Parmesan Cheese, Grated

Kosher Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper

1. Boil the pasta, Reserve 1 cup of the pasta to add to the sauce to thin it out

2. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium low heat, add the shallot and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the cream, peas, and prosciutto. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Simmer until the peas are heated through, about 5 minutes.

3. Add the Parmesan cheese to the sauce. Add the pasta water to thin to your liking. I used about 1/4 a cup. Season with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over the pasta and sprinkle with additional Parm if desired. Serve immediately.

Delish! Enjoy!

READER SUBMISSION FRIDAYS

Every Friday we will post a blog about the pictures and recipes that are sent to us from our loyal blog readers. We have gotten several and our very first one to be posted for this new "Reader Submission Fridays" is Kristen Misuraca.

A little bio by Jaime: I've known Kristen for a VERY long time. We had our babies together and she hosted many a mommy lunch. Oh the good times I remember at her home with all of us new moms and great food. Kristen also hosted many a dinner party at her folks house (who invited their dad??)...hahaha. Kristen is married to Val Misuraca who is Italian and I know they must have some seriously good recipes up their sleeves...so I'm just biding my time waiting for him to bust out with something amazing from some old family vault. She has one son, Austin, who has been friends with my children since birth! Kristen is an amazing mother, wife and I'm very proud to call her one of my amazing friends. She is also a fellow blogger, check it out here (Kristen, you're going to have update your blob now)...so here's her recipe...thanks Kristen:

Skillet Lasagna

2 1/2 cups no boil lasagna noodles broken into 1 to 2 in. pieces

1 chopped onion

2 lbs. lean ground beef

1/4 cup shredded parmesean cheese

1 cup nonfat cottage cheese

1 egg

1 8 oz can tomato sauce

1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes

basil, oregano, salt, pepper

shredded mozarella for topping,

Cook/brown beef and onion in a large skillet with olive oil or cooking spray of your choice. Once cooked add the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper to taste.

Also add in the broken lasagna noodle pieces. Bring sauce to a boil and than reduce heat to a simmer. Cover skillet and cook for 20 minutes or until cooked.

While the noodles are cooking in seperate mixing bowl mix together the cottage cheese, parmesean cheese, egg, and basil to taste.

Once noodles are done (softened) add the cottage cheese mixture in dollops on top of the noodles. Cover again and cook for 5 minutes on simmer. Than take off lid, add shredded mozarella to pan on top and than cover for final 5 minutes of cooking. Its up to you but I also like to sprinkle a little additional basil and oregano also at this step to mix in with the mozarella but thats up to your taste.

She likes to serve this with a simple green salad and hot italian bread.

Thanks Kristen for your yummy recipe and great photos!