Two Great Dishes

I pulled dinner out of my hat last night, not having any real plans but remembering at the last-minute that I had hoped to make these dishes the week before when Sis got sick and then didn't eat. So, I threw two new recipes together, spur of the moment. And it was a success.

But not at first. Both kids objected heartily to the goulash, because of the red peppers (which is odd because Bud likes red peppers). I insisted they have a no-thank you bite before I'd get cold cereal--and they both liked it. True, I dished out their servings without much of the sauce or any of the peppers, but they ate the meat and noodles (some of which I'd thrown into the goulash at the last moment to soak up the extra sauce). And then tonight, Bud had several more helpings of it! Sis loved the carrots--I couldn't taste the maple, but she and Mama could--she ate half the batch last night and the rest this evening. Pretty good for last minute! But I don't think I'll do that every night . . . .

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Maple-Roasted Carrots

1 bag baby carrots
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon olive oil
pinch of cinnamon

Preheat oven to 425F.

Combine all ingredients. Arrange on baking sheet. Bake, stirring gently every few minutes, until carrots are tender and browned, about 20 minutes.

Nava Atlas, The Vegetarian 5-Ingredient Gourmet

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Goulash with Macaroni
I think this dish would be great as a vegetarian lentil stew, very reminiscent of the Galician lentils I make, but without the time sink of the crockpot.

salt
1 lb macaroni (I had whole wheat penne)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 lbs ground meat (she suggests a combo; I had ground turkey)
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
black pepper
bay leaf (I actually forgot this)
1 cup shredded carrots, chopped into small bites (*Note A)
1 onion, finely chopped (*A)
2 celery ribs, finely chopped (*A)
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
15 oz tomato sauce
2 cups stock
1/2 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons dill (*Note B)
parsley, finely chopped (*B)
3 tablespoons freshly snipped chives (*B)
4 radishes, finely chopped for garnish (*B)
1/2 cup chopped cornichons or baby gherkin pickles, for garnish (*B)

Note A: I used, instead, about a cup of frozen mixed vegetables.
Note B: I didn't use any of these seasonings or garnishes; kids didn't need it.

Brown meat in olive oil. Add paprika and pepper. Cook about 5 minutes until browned and crumbly. Add red pepper and cook until tender. Add bay leaf, tomato sauce, and stock. Cook another 10 minutes. Remove bay leaf. Add sour cream. Serve over noodles.

adapted from Rachael Ray's Yum-O! The Family Cookbook