Tag Archives: dinner

Easy Pasta with Sausage

Here in Pensacola, we have had a rough week the past 7 days. We had a lot of heavy rain and thunderstorms, the last of which on Tuesday night into early Wednesday morning. I heard between 20 and 25 inches of rain in a 24 hour period! There were many city streets that had total washouts and many people, including some friends had water come into their houses. We were fortunate enough only to have water in our backyard. Our house is on a sloped lot so the porch (shown) is 5-6 feet off the ground.

backyard-flooded in easy pasta with sausage post backyard-flooded in easy pasta with sausage post

The water had gone back down past the fence by the time the day had ended. It was crazy! I just feel terrible for all those that are still dealing with water damage, insurance companies and heartache over losing so much. I can’t even imagine what they are going through.

Anyways, I will get on with the recipe.

Easy pasta with sausage is something I make when I need a quick dinner and it’s just me and kids eating. Not that my husband wouldn’t like it, but I like to keep it simple and easy on the nights I’m cooking for just us. Everything is throw it in a pan and serve from there.

I feel like I make a lot of these type of ‘versatile’ dishes like this, but it’s so easy and yummy, why not? So, use what you have in this basic formula and feel better about using fresh food that doesn’t get dumped out later because it went bad sitting in the fridge! (I hate that!)

What’s really great too, is it’s so easy to sneak some extra vegetables in that don’t always get eaten. I like to throw finely chopped up fresh spinach or diced, de-seeded fresh tomato as well. A finish of herbs are also nice as well. Whatever you have in the fridge will work!

sausage-for-easy-pasta

Easy Pasta with Sausage

Ingredients:

  • I used 3/4 of one of these, all natural pork sausage (the whole thing pictured). I know its not organic but its better than others, right?
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 5-6 button mushrooms, cleaned and chopped
  • 1 carrot or handful of baby carrots, diced
  • 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
  • 1 lb. whole wheat pasta (rotini in this case)
  • salt and pepper
  • 3/4 cup chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (I usually grate some off the block/wedge)

Directions:

Cook the pasta according to directions. Make sure to keep the starchy cooking water aside.

Brown the sausage with the vegetables in a large skillet over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper.

brown sausage and vegetables for easy pasta and sausage

Cook until everything is softened, about 8-10 minutes. Add broth and bring to simmer for 3-4 minutes until slightly reduced.

add browth and simmer - easy pasta with sausage

Add cooked pasta and taste for any additional seasoning.

add cooked pasta to easy pasta with sausage

Add sprinkled cheese and stir to combine.

add sprinkled cheese to easy pasta and sausage

Doesn’t really get much easier than that!

Easy Pasta with Sausage
Author: 
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 8 servings
 
Ingredients
  • 9-12 oz natural pork sausage
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 5-6 button mushrooms, cleaned and chopped
  • 1 carrot or handful of baby carrots, diced
  • 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed
  • 1 lb. whole wheat pasta (rotini in this case)
  • salt and pepper
  • ¾ cup chicken broth
  • ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
  1. Cook the pasta according to directions. Make sure to keep the starchy cooking water aside.
  2. Brown the sausage with the vegetables in a large skillet over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Cook until everything is softened, about 8-10 minutes. Add broth and bring to simmer for 3-4 minutes until slightly reduced.
  4. Add cooked pasta and taste for any additional seasoning.
  5. Add sprinkled cheese and stir to combine.
  6. Serve with more cheese on the table to top.
 

Please let me know if you are able to make Easy Pasta with Sausage and what you thought of it!

 

Strip Steak with Sweet Potatoes and Spinach

Strip Steak with Sweet Potatoes and Spinach

In an effort to post more efficiently, I tried a new method: iPad photos only. I don’t think it is an “everytime” kind of method but I wanted to see if the process was streamlined at all. My dslr camera is still my preferred photo taker (imagine that!) but sometimes I would like to do something super fast and that way ain’t it! So bear with the less clear photos and know this is not the norm!

So this dinner is something that is slightly more difficult for a 3 and 1 year old to eat so the hubby and I ate this meal after the babies had already eaten. Although both of them did ask to try some bites so maybe I should have just made it for all of us!

I tried to cook and time myself to give an approximate time frame but I had to delay things since we had a later arrival home than what I originally anticipated. That being said, I would guess you could do this whole meal in 60 minutes. I will post the recipes separately to make them easier to follow but none of them really have to be babysat individually for a long length of time.

Regardless, here they are. We really love this kind of meal, colorful, flavorful and not terribly difficult.

Strip Steak Ingredients

NY strip steak with red wine reduction

2-3 Steaks, about 1/2 in. in width, a little less than 2 pounds total
1 TBL olive oil
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 TBL butter
1/2 cup red wine
2 TBL half and half

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Take steaks out to rest and start their marinade. Blot dry with paper towels and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Place in plastic zip top bag and drizzle olive oil and soy sauce. Set aside to rest for 20-30 minutes.

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When ready to cook, heat on high heat, a large skillet big enough to hold all the steaks without over crowding. Place in the hot pan the steaks for 2 minutes per side, only turning once.

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Remove from heat and place on a sheet pan and finish in oven for 5-10 minutes depending on how you like your steak’s done-ness. Remove from oven and let rest uncovered for 10 minutes.

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We like a medium steak so I believe I had them in a total of 7 minutes. Use a digital thermometer to make sure the inside temperature is exact. Mine read 130 degrees and rested up to about 137. Here is a good table for temperature and done ness: http://www.thestayathomechef.com/2013/02/new-york-strip-steak-topped-with-garlic.html
While steaks are in oven, pour red wine in pan with stuck on bits, scraping up to remove bits from bottom.

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Let wine reduce by half and add half and half. Stir to incorporate. Let warm through for another minute and add butter.

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Remove from pan and serve along side of steaks

NY strip steak with red wine reduction
Author: 
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 3 servings
 
Ingredients
  • 2-3 Steaks, about ½ in. in width,a little less than 2 pounds total
  • 1 TBL olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • 2 TBL butter
  • ½ cup red wine
  • 2 TBL half and half
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Take steaks out to rest and start their marinade. Blot dry with paper towels and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Place in plastic zip top bag and drizzle olive oil and soy sauce. Set aside to rest for 20-30 minutes.
  2. When ready to cook, heat on high heat, a large skillet big enough to hold all the steaks without over crowding. Place in the hot pan the steaks for 2 minutes per side, only turning once.
  3. Remove from heat and place on a sheet pan and finish in oven for 5-10 minutes depending on how you like your steak's done-ness. Remove from oven and let rest uncovered for 10 minutes.
  4. While steaks are in oven, pour red wine in pan with stuck on bits, scraping up to remove bits from bottom.
  5. Let wine reduce by half and add half and half. Stir to incorporate. Let warm through for another minute and add butter.
  6. Remove from pan and serve along side of steaks.
 

Sweet Potato Mash with Rosemary

Sweet Potatoes (3 Large)
1/2 cup half and half
salt and pepper
3 TBL butter
1 TBL chopped fresh rosemary

Clean and peel the sweet potatoes.

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Cube into 1 inch pieces and steam for 15 minutes on stove, or until tender when pierced with a fork.

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Remove from heat and mash with half and half, butter, 1/2 tsp of salt and pepper, each and rosemary. (I usually put this in the oven to stay warm while I finish the rest of the meal.)

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Sweet Potato Mash with Rosemary
Author: 
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 3 servings
 
Ingredients
  • Sweet Potatoes (3 Large)
  • ½ cup half and half
  • Salt and pepper
  • 3 TBL butter
  • 1 TBL chopped fresh rosemary
Instructions
  1. Clean and peel the sweet potatoes.
  2. Cube into 1 inch pieces and steam for 15 minutes on stove, or until tender when pierced with a fork.
  3. Remove from heat and mash with half and half, butter, ½ tsp of salt and pepper, each and rosemary. (I usually put this in the oven to stay warm while I finish the rest of the meal.)
Sauteed Spinach with Mushrooms and Onions

(I actually adapted this recipe:
http://healthyfortwo.com/2012/01/10/quick-sauted-spinach/)

1 TBL olive oil
1 onion, sliced thin
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 oz mushrooms, sliced
1 pound baby spinach
salt and pepper

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and saute the onions and mushrooms until softened, about 6 minutes.

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Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.

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Add spinach and stir until all leaves are starting to wilt and soften.

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This should only take a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

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Sauteed Spinach with Mushrooms and Onions
Author: 
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 3 servings
 
Ingredients
  • 1 TBL olive oil
  • 1 onion, sliced thin
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 oz mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 pound baby spinach
  • salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and saute the onions and mushrooms until softened, about 6 minutes.
  2. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
  3. Add spinach and stir until all leaves are starting to wilt and soften.
  4. This should only take a few minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
The finished plate:

Steak with Sweet Potatoes and Spinach

I hope if you make even one for these recipes, please feel free to leave a comment. I would love to know what you think!