Skillet-Toasted Penne with Chicken Sausage

Do you love a good creamy pasta dish, but hate all the calories that come with it? I know I do, that is why I was so happy to come across this recipe in my Cooking Light magazine. The ingredients don't scream creamy pasta dish, but the technique is what makes it happen. This is not a boil some water, lets have pasta, last minute dish. You are cooking for a good hour, but it is worth it. Best part, in my opinion, are the left overs.  A traditional creamy pasta when reheated the sauce separates and you have oil and pasta. This reheats and is just as creamy as when you first made it. Give it a try, you will like it. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
6 cups unsalted chicken stock
2 TBS olive oil
8 oz uncooked penne
1 cup diced sweet onion
13 oz Italian chicken sausage, casings removed
2 TBS fresh lemon juice
1 TBS minced red chile (specifies Calabrian chile, but I just used a red pepper de-seeded - hotter than a jalapeño)
salt to taste
4 TBS grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/2 tsp oregano

Directions:
1. Bring stock to a simmer in a saucepan (do not boil). Lower heat and keep warm.

2. Heat a large skillet (with high sides) over medium heat. Add 1 TBS olive oil and swirl to coat. Add pasta and cook 5 minutes. Stir frequently until completely toasted. Remove pasta from pan.

3. Add remaining olive oil, onion and sausage. Cook 10 or so minutes until sausage is cooked through and crumbled. Remove from pan and place in a bowl, cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.

4. Reduce heat to medium-low. Return pasta to pan and add one cup stock. Stir constantly until mostly absorbed (believe me, it will absorb). Once the liquid is almost gone add another cup and stir until almost all absorbed. Repeat until you use all the stock. This takes about 35-40 minutes.

5. Once all the stock has been used and absorbed add the sausage mixture back to the pasta, plus the oregano, lemon juice, chiles, salt and cheese. Keep on stove until all heated through. Serve and enjoy!

Round Steak Casserole

This dish is an all day crock pot dish. Makes the house smell delicious and is very hearty...especially the way I served it. I completely forgot I had potatoes in the dish and made a jasmine rice to serve this over; I wanted a starch to absorb the tasty juice.  It was indeed delicious and filling, just carb heavy. Next time I make this I will leave out the potatoes and serve over rice. Just my preference...experiment to your tastes. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 lbs round steak, cut into chunks
salt and pepper to taste
1 sweet onion, sliced
3-4 red potatoes, cubed
16 oz fresh or frozen French-style green beans
1 clove garlic, minced
10 3/4 oz can tomato bisque
14 1/2 oz can diced tomatoes

Directions:
1. Season meat with salt and pepper and place into slow cooker.

2. Add remaining ingredients and stir the best you can. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours or low 4-5 hours. If there is too much liquid, remove the lid for the last half hour. Enjoy!

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

Nothing says comfortable, cozy, scrumptious, hearty and so on like a bowl of loaded baked potato soup. You were bound to have a ham over this holiday season...did you by chance freeze the ham bone wondering what to do with it? If not, Easter is right around the corner, and if you celebrate this holiday with a ham, then you should most definitely save the ham bone and try this delicious soup. Freeze the bone and make it later, or if you are one of the many unlucky ones still going through winter in full force then make it now. Freezes and thaws perfectly. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 ham bone (with visible meat)

1 medium sweet onion, diced

4 cup water

1 stalk celery, diced

1/2 tsp white pepper

1/2 tsp black pepper

5 medium red potatoes, cut into cubes

1-2 cups frozen peas

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup flour

2 cups half and half

Directions:

1. Place first 6 ingredients in a Dutch oven, bring to a boil over medium heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until met easily shreds off bone. Remove bone and shred all meat off the bone, discard fat. Return meat to pot along with potatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are tender.  

2. While potatoes are cooking, in a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat, being careful not to brown. Add flour, stirring constantly until well incorporated. Bring heat to medium/high and gradually stir in half and half until creamy, thick and bubbly. Watch so you do not scorch! Once it thickly coats the spoon remove from heat.

3. When the potatoes are tender, add peas and stir in the sauce mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly. Let simmer until soup reaches desired consistency. You can add milk if need to thin.

4. There has been no salt added at this point. So now season: salt, pepper and any other herbs you may like. Enjoy!

Swiss Chard Veggie Wrap

Over zealous with the filling but here is my Lent friendly wrap! I ate it more like a taco and it was amazing!

Ingredients:

Swiss chard

Lacey Swiss 

hummus

shredded carrots

red bell pepper

sweet onion

avocado

shaved almonds

Directions:

Layer, roll and enjoy!