Johnny Marzetti

I make this recipe several times a year. It's a great way to use up leftover spaghetti sauce, especially if I put hamburger or meatballs in it. It makes a ton, but I'll eat it all day long. Note: If I have kids over eating this, I use plain tomato sauce and no cayenne and simply serve it with hot sauce - Louisiana Hot Sauce is a great, not-too-spicy option.

Ingredients:

1 lb ground chuck or hamburger, lean OK
1 onion, diced
1 green or other bell pepper, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 24-oz jars spaghetti sauce (preferably with vegetables)
1 8-oz can tomato sauce, plain or spicy
1 tsp paprika (any style you prefer - I often use smoked)
1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 lb elbow macaroni, cooked and drained
8 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 15-oz. can pinto, kidney, or black beans, drained and rinsed

Directions:
1. Heat large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook hamburger for 5 minutes or until mostly brown but still slightly pink. Add onion and green pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse, then return to pan.
2. Add garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
3. Add remaining ingredients to pan and mix thoroughly. Simmer 10 minutes and serve.

My riff on pozole

This is a recipe for pozole rojo, or red pork stew. Pozole (Mexico) or posole (outside Mexico) comes in three colors/flavors: rojo or red, verde or green, and blanco or white. Food Network has a brief explainer with some recipes. 

This is not a super-authentic recipe in the sense that I don't make my own pork broth, I don't spend a ton of time grinding multiple different chiles, etc. If you're very interested in that, here are a couple of recipes that I think are pretty authentic: 

• Mole Mama Authentic Pozole Rojo Recipe
• Hola Jalapeno The Best Pork Pozole Recipe

I've simplified it substantially so it's almost all ingredients I keep in my pantry. I also changed the pork cut from pork shoulder to leaner cuts like pork sirloin chops or pork  tenderloin, and I trim them of all visible fat. Thanks, doc! But it comes together much more quickly. As with all stews, good the first day, better the second. 

Ingredients:

1 lb pork sirloin chops or pork tenderloin, diced
1/2 large onion, chopped
1 cup Anaheim or Hatch chiles, roasted, peeled, and diced
1 tbsp chipotle chili powder (can reduce to taste)
1 tbsp minced garlic

1 tbsp ground cumin

1 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/4 tsp salt

2 quarts chicken stock
1 25-30 oz can hominy, drained and rinsed
1 8oz can tomato sauce (I use El Pato which is a spicy tomato sauce)
2 or more cups water

2 bay leaves
1/2 head chopped cabbage or cole slaw mix
Lemon juice to taste (I use about 1/4-1/2 lemon per bowl depending on size of lemon)

Directions:
1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in large pot or Dutch oven, Brown pork in pan, 5 min.
2. Add onion and saute 3 min.
3. Add chiles, chili powder, garlic, cumin, oregano, pepper, and salt and sauté 2 min, stirring constantly.
4. Stir in chicken stock, hominy, tomato sauce, water, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 30 minutes, or until pork is tender and cooked through (145 F). Add more water as required to maintain soupy consistency, somewhere between a soup and a stew. 
5. Remove from heat and serve.

To serve, put 1/4-1/2 cup of shredded cabbage in each bowl. Fill with hot pozole, then add lemon juice. Eat as-is or top with tortilla strips, cotija (or feta) cheese, and/or sliced raw radishes. Can also be served over hot cooked rice.