This recipe's definitely a keeper - Spanish Spaghetti with Olives. Yum! Not only is a quick and easy, but it is a delicious melding of flavors worthy of a special or "company" dinner.
I made it the other night when my parents came over to help with some cleanup from the storm - namely a tree that fell in our yard and going through the spoiled contents of my freezer. It was a perfect meal to make and share with family (and a way to thank them for their help!) My Mom and I were a great team - chopping and prepping ingredients - it was so nice to work together like that in the kitchen. I did tweak the recipe a bit, using chicken sausage instead of ground beef and adding a chopped green pepper - the results were fabulous. We also made the Pear, Date, and Manchego Salad from the same Cooking Light issue, and again I changed it a bit by using goat cheese instead and my own yogurt-mustard dressing - they were both fine swaps.
We rounded out the meal with some edamame and fresh rye bread from our local Cranmer's Bakery. My mom brought some chocolate cake for dessert and we also had sugar cookies from the bakery - a perfect ending to a really nice, comforting meal.

Spanish Spaghetti with Olives

8 ounces thin spaghetti
1 tablespoon olive oil 
2 cups chopped onion
2 teaspoons minced garlic 
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 
1/4 teaspoon crushed saffron threads (optional)
8 ounces extra-lean ground beef 
1 2/3 cups lower-sodium marinara sauce (such as Amy's)
2 ounces pimiento-stuffed olives, sliced (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup dry sherry
1 tablespoon capers
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Stir in oregano, celery salt, red pepper, black pepper, and saffron, if desired. Crumble beef into pan; cook 5 minutes or until beef is browned, stirring to crumble. Stir in marinara sauce, olives, sherry, capers, and 3 tablespoons parsley. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes.
3. Add spaghetti to sauce mixture. Cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon parsley.
Note: This recipe originally ran in Cooking Light December, 2009 and was updated for the November, 2012 25th anniversary issue.

Recipe Time: 37 Minutes 
Nutritional Information
Amount per serving
Calories: 407
Fat: 9.3g
Saturated fat: 2g
Monounsaturated fat: 4.6g
Polyunsaturated fat: 0.8g
Protein: 21g
Carbohydrate: 57.1g
Fiber: 4.6g
Cholesterol: 30mg
Iron: 4.9mg
Sodium: 606mg
Calcium: 69mg

David Joachim, Cooking Light 
NOVEMBER 2012

Pear, Date, and Manchego Salad

1 cup gourmet salad greens
2 ripe Bosc pears
2 teaspoons lemon juice
6 pitted dates, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons sherry vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 ounce shaved Manchego cheese

Arrange salad greens on each of 4 plates. Finely chop pears; toss with lemon juice. Divide pear, chopped dates, and chopped walnuts evenly among salads. Combine olive oil, vinegar, salt, and black pepper, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle evenly over salads. Top each salad with 1/4 ounce shaved Manchego cheese.

Nutritional Information
Amount per serving
Calories: 182
Fat: 10.3g
Saturated fat: 2.8g
Monounsaturated fat: 0.0g
Polyunsaturated fat: 0.0g
Protein: 0.0g
Carbohydrate: 0.0g
Fiber: 0.0g
Cholesterol: 0.0mg
Iron: 0.0mg
Sodium: 212mg
Calcium: 0.0mg

David Joachim, Cooking Light 
NOVEMBER 2012