Rigatoni Bolognese

What says Fall better than a steaming pot of something beefy and delicious? This bolognese sauce is the perfect dish to warm up your cold toes (or, you know, to procrastinate finishing your thesis outline and annotated bibliography due tomorrow).  

[Adapted from: http://kitchentrialanderror.blogspot.com/2011/03/giadas-quick-bolognese-and-gnocchi.html]

Prep Time: 45 minutes

You will need:

1/4 cup olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 celery stalks, diced

4 carrots, diced

1 lb ground beef

28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes

1/4 c parsley, chopped

1/4 c fresh basil, chopped

1/4 c freshly grated  parmesan cheese plus more for serving (a lot more)

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and saute until the onion starts to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the celery and carrots and cook until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes.

Add the meat and cook until no longer pink, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, parsley, and basil. cover and bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook about 30 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper and stir in the cheese

Serves 4-5 (but I highly recommend putting some aside for sloppy joes the next day...)