Spaghetti Carbonara

I found this recipe on one of my favorite food blogs (http://abountifulkitchen.blogspot.com/). I tried her Spaghetti Carbonara recipe and we all loved it. It's so simple and tastes just like you sat down at Olive Garden for dinner. :)

1/2 lb spaghetti
4 tablespoons butter (if you double, I leave the butter at 4 tbsp total)
1 cup whipping cream
4 egg yolks
1/3 cup grated fresh parmesan cheese (No green cans)
4 slices bacon, cooked, drained and chopped

Heat water in large pot to boil. Cook pasta al dente, as directed on package. Meanwhile, cook bacon in sauce pan, remove and chop. Drain off all grease from pan, and wipe inside of pan with paper towel. Melt butter in saucepan. Add cream and cook for about 10 minutes until reduced a bit. Remove 1/4 cup cream to small bowl, mix 4 egg yolks to the 1/4 cup cream mixture with a fork. Return the egg and cream mixture to the pan with the remaining cream. (I added some ground pepper, garlic salt, parsley and oregano - added a great taste.) When pasta is done, drain and pour into heated bowl. While pasta is still hot, pour egg mixture over pasta, toss to cook egg slightly. Add the chopped bacon and grated parmesan. Serve immediately.

Pesto Cavatappi

1/2 lb Cavatappi noodles
1 pkg mushrooms sliced
1 tomato's peeled and diced
1 container pesto sauce

Cook noodles, when tender place in skillet with pesto, mushrooms, and tomato's. Saute on med-low heat till the mushrooms and tomato's are heated. You can also add any meat to this meal.

Yummy Slow-Cooked Spaghetti Sauce

Forget the Olive Garden, make this instead!!!

1 lb. ground beef or bulk Italian Sausage (sausage is better)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cans (14.5 oz. each) diced tomatoes, do not drain
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce
1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1 Tb. brown sugar
4 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 t. dried basil
1-2 t. dried oregano
1 t. salt
Hot cooked spaghetti noodles, or noodles of your choice

In a skillet, cook meat and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Transfer to a slow cooker. Add the next 9 ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours or until heated through and thick. Discard bay leaf. Serve over spaghetti. Yield 6-8 servings. I usually make a double batch. It will fit in a large crock pot. It freezes well.