Feeling Saucy

I didn't know what to do for dinner and remembered I have a bunch of canned tomatoes to use, and I had pasta in the cupboard. I wanted to use some zucchini because that sounded tasty. So I made up this pasta sauce and am proud to say it was really tasty.

Italian Sausage and Zucchini Sauce

1 italian sausage link, casing removed
5 small cremini mushrooms
2 medium sized zucchini
1 onion
3-4 cloves garlic
2 cans diced tomatoes, pureed
salt
pepper
oregano
basil
italian seasoning

I took one italian sausage out of its casing and browned it on high heat and broke it up. I just wanted a really nice browning on the outside. I didn't want a meaty sauce, just some nice flavor. Removed that and then browned the mushrooms. I didn't add any oil, just let them soak up whatever was left from that little bit of sausage and then put them in the bowl with the sausage. I then threw in the zucchini chunks on high heat to get a little bit of color on them, not to cook them. Removed them to the bowl. Sauteed the onion and a pinch of red pepper flakes and a pinch of salt in olive oil until they were soft, added the garlic and let that go for a minute or so. Added back the sausage, mushrooms, and zucchini and put in the tomatoes. Seasoned with pepper, salt, dried oregano, dried basil, and some italian seasoning. Brought it up to a boil and then let simmer for around 30 minutes. Tossed with most of a pound of farfalle and some pasta water and let the pasta finish the last minute or two of cooking in there. Served with Parmesan cheese.

The Incredible, Edible Chickpea

Growing up I always knew them as garbanzo beans. And I hated them. I only ever saw them at a salad bar and sometimes my dad would put a few in his salad. I didn't see the purpose and I thought they had a weird name. Years later I discovered hummus and thought that was pretty dang tasty but still never really cooked with chickpeas. Well, turns out that they are awesome. They are low in fat and calories and high in protein and fiber. They contain high amounts of iron, potassium, and zinc and have various B vitamins. And boy are they tasty! A lovely creamy, nutty flavor that goes well many things. Pasta is one of my favorite ways to eat them. I eat chickpeas probably at least once a week these days.


When I found this recipe I was not sure how David would feel about it. I didn't even know if he liked chickpeas. And mixed with tomatoes and put on pasta? This is now one of his very favorite things that I make. Actually I think he would name it as his very favorite. Not only is it easy and nutritious, it is really cheap and literally takes as long to make as it does to boil the pasta. Thanks, Rachel Ray! Looking at the recipe may not make your skirt fly up, but let me assure you that the sum is greater than its parts. You get a spicy, creamy, nutty pasta dish that warms you inside and out. The original recipe says to pass around cheese with it but I don't think it needs that at all and I don't think I would like it as well with it.

Spaghetti alla Ceci

1 pound spaghetti - I actually use a little more that 3/4 of a pound for this usually
salt
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 can chick peas, drained and rinsed
1/2 teaspoon dry thyme
pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth - I highly encourage the wine. I use cheapo Two Buck Chuck Sauvignon Blanc for this. I have tried with the broth and it is fine but not nearly as good.
1 can crushed tomatoes - I buy diced and use my mini processor to crush

Boil water for pasta, salt it, and cook spaghetti to al dente.

While spaghetti cooks, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil, crushed red pepper flakes and garlic. Place chick peas in food processor and pulse grind them to a fine chop (or use a fork). Add chick peas to garlic and season them with thyme, salt and pepper then saute them for 3 to 4 minutes. Add wine or broth and cook down for a minute or so then stir in tomatoes and heat through and adjust seasoning. I always end up adding more thyme and red pepper flakes. Toss with pasta and eat up. If it is too dry you may want to save some pasta water to use in that situation.

There's Many Colors In The Veggie Rainbow

Soup. I love it! I also really enjoy making it. It is so adaptable and fun. It never ends up being expensive and it ends up making a ton of soup. A little of this here and there and suddenly you have a huge pot of soup. This soup started with some purple cabbage and an onion that I needed to use and turned into a healthy rainbow of goodness.


According to people who know things about nutrition, we should eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables every day. These different colors of produce ensure you are getting a wide variety of nutrients. The different plant pigments contain many different beneficial characteristics. I was thinking about that when I started to make this soup. It has red (tomatoes), orange (carrots), green (celery), purple (cabbage), and white (onion and garlic). This (or any) soup is a great way to expand your rainbow of nutrients!

Rainbow Tortellini Soup

olive oil
1 carrot, large dice
1 stalk celery (I used most of one, my celery was at the end of the line), diced
1 white onion, diced
3 cloves, minced
1/2 of a small purple cabbage, chopped
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 can diced tomatoes
8 cups water
1 tbs beef bouillon granules
1 1/2 tbs chicken base
italian seasoning
TJ's 21 Seasoning Salute
black pepper
1 can white beans
8 oz. tortellini of your choice, we had cheese

Heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a dutch oven or large pot. Throw in onion, celery, and carrots and saute for about 5 minutes or until starting to soften.


Add garlic, cabbage, and a pinch of red pepper flakes and cook for another 3-5 minutes. Add tomatoes with juice, water, bouillon and chicken base, and italian seasoning and TJ's seasoning. I just shook the seasonings in, it was probably around 1/2-2/3 of a teaspoon each. Add a few grinds of pepper. Stir, partially cover, bring to a boil, and then lower heat to a simmer. Simmer for about half an hour or until vegetables are to your liking. I tasted near the end of that time and added more of all seasonings.


At this point I turned the heat off, added the beans, and covered. I also added about a half cup of water so it would not be too thick once I added the tortellini. We were going to grab a beer so it sat like that for around an hour. If you are not leaving your house it will still taste better this way but is not required. If you want to keep going, just add the beans but do not turn off the heat. Boil tortellini in a separate pot and add to soup when it is done. Simmer for another 5 minutes and then serve.

I Kale Myself!

Leafy greens. So good for you! So full of nutrients and iron and all of that good stuff. Growing up we didn't eat a lot of greens besides lettuce. I ate tons of vegetables as a child and I enjoyed them. Much more than my pickier little brother. Just not a huge emphasis on greens. When beets were in season we would get beets and greens, and sometimes we would have chard. I was never a fan of either of those. I love beets, though! Dirt candy. So, it was not until my adult life that I started eating kale.
I am trying to remember the first time I made something with kale, and honestly I am at a loss. All I know is that I love it, I crave it, and it is delicious. It is a gorgeous plant. It holds up better than spinach. We eat it about once a week at least. I love it in soups, mashed potatoes (colcannon), eggs, and pasta. For some reason I have still not gotten around to making kale chips, but I will be sure to remedy that soon.


This dish is something I happened upon one day browsing the intersuperhigways, and I am so glad I did. We make this almost weekly. My husband adores it. It is easy, inexpensive, tasty as the dickens, and makes a ton. It reheats well the next day for lunch. All you need are some chickpeas, sausage, garlic, tomatoes, kale, and whole wheat pasta. Oh yes, and some cheese. I will tell you that in this dish the cheese at the end really ties the room together. Splurge on a decent wedge of Parmesan for this. You will be surprised how long it lasts in the fridge as you don't need a ton of it due to the strong flavor. You can also keep the rind in the freezer and add it to soup someday.


If you haven't tried kale, or you haven't had it recently, or you love it and eat it all the time, try this. Trust me.

Pasta With Chickpeas, Sausage, and Kale

1/4 C. olive oil
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
12 oz. andouille sausage, sliced - I use Zenner's. It is local and extremely good.
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can fire roasted tomatoes
1 head kale, or 5-6 cups, torn into small pieces - Any variety will be delicious!
1 lb. whole wheat pasta - Penne or rotini work well.
Parmesan cheese

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium high heat. When oil is hot, add chickpeas and sausage. Stir to coat with oil. Cook 8-10 minutes, until chickpeas and sausage start to brown. Throw in the garlic and cook for a couple more minutes.

Add the can of tomatoes and add all of the kale. There will be a lot of kale, so just kind of shove it in there. It will shrink! If there is a lot sometimes I will put a lid on for a few minutes to help it steam down. Cook around 8 minutes or until kale is wilted and tender.



Throw your pasta in boiling water when you put in the kale and tomatoes. This way they will be ready around the same time. Drain pasta and mix with sauce. If it is too dry add a splash of olive oil. Dish up, sprinkle some shredded cheese, consume with vigor!

PRO TIP - Use the colander that you drained and rinsed your beans in to hold the kale while tearing and also to drain the noodles. I only ever dirty a skillet, a pot, and a colander for this.

Popeye (and Ramsay ) Approved Penne

I used to have cable. It was a waste. All I did was end up watching Spongebob (it is on ALL the time) or stay up too late watching crap on VH1. Why yes, I do remember the 90's. Please, tell me more. So, we turned off the cable. And now in order to watch network television you have to have your digital converter box plugged in along with an antennae. So, with our cable went our TV all together because there is not really anything worth watching on network television and if there is the internet will provide it. Far too much hassle to finagle the antennae in such a way that we get decent reception.

There is one exception to this rule. The husband and I turn on network TV one season a year and bask in the glory that is Asshole Chef. I suppose most people would be familiar with its Christian name, Hell's Kitchen. I love this show. My husband loves this show. Unabashedly and apologetically. I love to watch Chef Ramsay whip these little punks into shape. I love to watch them squirm when they think they can pass something by him and he stops them in their tracks. I love to think about how awesome all that food tastes. And I love to hear him shout, "It's RAAAAAW!" In order to not be driven crazy with food lust, we always make sure to schedule dinner during Asshole Chef. This way I can enjoy the show and enjoy dinner and not feel as cheated that I don't get to try that amazing beef wellington. The one I cooked last night was a winner, and I think even Chef Ramsay would have thought it was delicious. Healthy and colorful too.


Popeye Approved Penne

Or, pasta with white beans, tomatoes, spinach, and feta. I wanted something relatively healthy and light and also satisfying. This was delicious. My husband was taking me at my word as he did not think the ingredients I had assembled looked like they went together and he insisted that I remember to write this one down because he loved it. Obligatory apology for picture quality due to fading evening light and a cell phone.


1 medium onion, diced ( I went with red)
3-4 cloves garlic, diced
olive oil
28 oz. diced tomatoes***
1 can white beans
10 oz. spinach, chopped roughly
1 lb. whole wheat penne
red pepper flakes
dried oregano
dried basil
dried parsley
pepper
salt
~ 1 tsp. red wine vinegar
feta cheese

Heat a couple of tablespoons olive oil in a skillet and cook onion until softened, about 10 minutes. Add red pepper flakes and garlic and cook a few more minutes. I would start with around 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes and add more later if you need to. Add about a teaspoon each of oregano, basil, parsley, pepper, and any other seasonings you care for. I also used TJ's 21 Seasoning salute but maybe 1/2 a teaspoon of that (I don't really measure). Stir those around for about 30 seconds and then add tomatoes. Stir in tomatoes and bring to a boil. Add rinsed beans and stir gently. Turn down to a simmer while you prepare the pasta. I ended up simmering this for about 20 minutes, the last 10 were the pasta cooking minutes. I tasted part way through and added a bit more of each spice and a tiny bit of salt. I added a splash of red wine vinegar in the last 5 minutes or so to brighten it up.


Boil your pasta and when it only has a couple of minutes left, scoop out some of the water and save it. Add spinach to your sauce and stir around to start wilting. When the pasta is almost done, when it just needs a tiny bit more time, drain it. Put the sauce back in the big pot you used to boil the pasta. Add the noodles a bit at a time because you probably will not quite want the whole amount with the sauce. I used almost all of them, but did not want all noodles and no goodies. Maybe an 1/8th were left. Put the pot on low heat. Add a little pasta water to incorporate the sauce and pasta, and also to finish the final moments of cooking in the sauce. When the pasta is perfect and everything is mixed, serve with feta to crumble on top. That really rounds out this dish.

***I went with more expensive tomatoes than I normally do for this (San Marzano). I feel like it was 100% worth it for a dish that is featuring the tomatoes like this. It made a big difference.