Tag: Pasta

Creamy Bow Tie Pasta With Italian Sausage
dinner in 30 minutes · Pasta

Creamy Bow Tie Pasta With Italian Sausage

RefreshHer9 Comments

 I did it again!  I tried out a new recipe on guests!  I have a reputation for doing this, but it’s not on purpose!  I will sit down to plan my menu, and as I contemplate the night guests will be with us, I’ll consider what’s in the fridge or freezer.  Then it goes from there.  Soon I’m searching Pinterest for a recipe using those ingredients and there it is – a new menu item that sounds amazing!

In this case I was searching for a pasta recipe using Italian sausage because I had gotten a great deal at Kroger recently.

I’m happy to report that this recent recipe was successful in that it turned out as good as it sounded, and everyone loved it!  Mission accomplished, even if it was a bit risky!

I have said in the past that I’m not really a pasta lover, but it seems like that is changing, and it’s mostly because of some incredible recipes that I’ve tried!  I’ve learned that my favorite way to eat pasta is a dish made on the stove top and not baked in the oven after being prepared.  It leaves the pasta tender and the sauce creamy.  What’s not to love about that?  

Here’s the delicious recipe I found with my changes…

Creamy Bow Tie Pasta with Italian Sausage

  • 1 package (12 oz.) bow tie pasta
  • 1 pound mild Italian sausage, casings removed
  • 1/2 cup diced onion
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped
  • 1-1/2 cups heavy cream – I used 3/4 2% milk and 3/4 C cream
  • 1 cup packed spinach leaves, cut into thin strips
  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions; drain. (I do NOT cook my pasta al dente when it’s not going to cook longer in the oven.)
  2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet crumble the sausage and add onion. Over medium-high heat until sausage cooked through and browned and onion is tender. Add garlic. Cook one minute. Add the tomatoes and cream/milk. Simmer until the mixture thickens, about 10 minutes. Add the spinach and cook an additional 3 minutes. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce.

You could lighten up this recipe by using all2% milk in place of the heavy cream.  I think you could also use half chicken stock and half milk.  I haven’t tried that yet, but it would still give a creamy sauce with less calories.  At any rate, this was delicious with a nice slice of French bread for soaking up the sauce!  Maybe not good table manners, but delicious!

What’s your favorite way to have pasta – Fresh from the stove top or baked in the oven? 

This is a great weeknight meal…and also a good one for company!

Cheese Ravioli Appetizer/Side Dish
Appetizer · Budget friendly meal · Main dish. · Pasta

Cheese Ravioli Appetizer/Side Dish

RefreshHer4 Comments

I have an old recipe for you today that can serve as either an appetizer OR a side dish. It can be served any time of the year, but because it’s served with a (red) marinara or spaghetti sauce, it makes a great accompaniment to a Christmas menu! This is also a budget-friendly recipe!

This Toasted Ravioli is super fast and easy, and is a true crowd pleaser. I discovered this recipe years ago in my Southern Living Cookbook. Being crispy on the outside and cheesy on the inside, makes it irresistible! It’s a perfect finger food appetizer, but you can also serve it alongside a meal, as I did recently.

Toasted Ravioli

  • Packaged frozen Cheese Ravioli – Thawed
  • Seasoned bread crumbs
  • Grated Parmesan Cheese
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 Cup Milk
  • Cooking oil – Canola works well
  • Marinara or Spaghetti Sauce

Instructions:

  1. In a dish, combine seasoned bread crumbs and about half as much Parmesan cheese.
  2. In another dish, combine one egg and milk
  3. Dip ravioli in egg wash, then breadcrumbs.  Place enough oil in the bottom of a medium skillet. After it gets hot, add ravioli, a few at a time,  Toast until golden This will only take a couple of minutes.  Keep warm.  
  4. Serve with a marinara or spaghetti sauce.

I made this French Bread to go along with the meal. I broiled it until it was lightly browned and crisp. This has come to be one of my favorite breads to make because I can have bread in two hours from start to finish.

I hope you’ll add this ravioli recipe to your menu soon, then let me know what you thought about it!

Spaghetti Pie & Daily Table Setting
Dinner · Pasta · Tablescapes

Spaghetti Pie & Daily Table Setting

RefreshHer16 Comments

When you love lasagna but:

  1. You don’t need a whole 9 x 13″ pan…
  2. You don’t have the time to fuss with the assembly…

here’s what you need to do:  Make Spaghetti Pie!  This recipe was introduced to me almost ten years ago and it has become a staple in our house (meaning I make it a couple times a year, due to my love for fixing new recipes!).  Recently I made it as I’m trying to thumb through my blog recipe file and make some of the dishes we loved. Take a look at this fork-full!

Continue reading “Spaghetti Pie & Daily Table Setting” →

A Few Ina Garten Favorite Recipes
baking · dessert · Main dish. · Pasta · salad · Uncategorized

A Few Ina Garten Favorite Recipes

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meatballs1a

I love the blessing of cooking food for other people.  When I recently made a meal for a family whom we love, I knew that they were fans (especially one of their daughters) of Ina Garten’s recipes. So I made up a menu of mostly all her recipes and set to work.  I made one BIG blunder..,read on to see what I did!

Here’s what I made:

Continue reading “A Few Ina Garten Favorite Recipes” →

Dinner · dinner in 30 minutes · Fall · home · main dish

My Three Go-To Meals

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Three Go-To Meals.jpg

There are always busy fall/winter days that demand a fast supper meal.  For those days, I try to keep the ingredients on hand for the entree’s  listed above  because they are:

  1. Done in under 30 minutes
  2. Filling
  3. Delicious!!!

To make White Castle Sliders, Cheese Ravioli with Tomatoes, and Sausage Corn Chowder, all I need to keep on hand is:

2 pounds hamburger
Hawaiian Rolls – I freeze these
Frozen Cheese Ravioli – I recently tried Aldi’s brand and it was very good!
Tomatoes (I freeze the cherry tomatoes and use them for this dish if I don’t have fresh on hand)
Red Onion
Parmesan Cheese
Canned Corn
Cream Corn
Evaporated milk
Potatoes
1 pound Sausage

These are all very basic staple items to keep.  Having them on hand allows me to put a great meal together so quickly!  

White castle sliders.jpg

White Castle Sliders
2# hamburger (80/20)
Dried Onion Flakes
Seasoned Salt
Sister Shubert Rolls
Sprinkle dried onion flakes in the bottom of a 9 x 13 dish.
Press beef over onion flakes, make a one huge patty.
Sprinkle with Seasoned salt.
Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, or until done.
Drain and Pat grease off.
Top with cheese slices.  Place back in oven for 2 minutes to melt.
Remove and slice into hamburger patties, the size of your buns.
Pasta dishes are great for quick meals, but this one isn’t your normal Spaghetti and pasta meal!  This is one of our favorites – in a hurry or not!  Add some toasted French Bread and a salad and your meal is complete!
ravioli

Cheese Ravioli with Tomatoes

Ingredients:

1 pound cherry tomatoes
2 shallots, cut into wedges (I use red onion instead)
Cooking spray
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
12 ounces frozen cheese ravioli

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 425°.
2. Halve half of tomatoes. Arrange cut tomatoes, whole tomatoes, and shallots on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray.  Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil; toss.
Bake at 425° for 35 minutes.
3. Add 2 tablespoons oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper to pan. Bake 10 minutes.
4. Cook ravioli according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain ravioli, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid. Add ravioli to tomatoes; toss. Add cooking liquid, if needed. Garnish with chopped basil.Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil; toss. Bake at 425° for 35 minutes.
3. Add 2 tablespoons oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper to pan. Bake 10 minutes.
4. Cook ravioli according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain ravioli, reserving 1/4 cup cooking liquid. Add ravioli to tomatoes; toss. Add cooking liquid, if needed. Garnish with chopped basil.

 

This chowder is so hearty and comforting!  It’s been a favorite of our family for years! You could add some quick biscuits or just crackers and a salad to round it out.

corn-choweder

Sausage Corn Chowder

1 LB Bulk Pork Sausage
1 med onion
3 medium potatoes, cut into 1/2 cubes
2 cps water
1/2 tsp dried marjoram
1 tsp salt
crushed 1/2 tsp pepper
1 15 1/4 oz can whole kernel corn, drained
1 14 3/4 oz can cream style corn
1 12oz can evaporated milk

Preparation:
Crumble pork sausage into 4 qt dutch oven; cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. add onion; cook about 5 minutes more or until sausage is brown. Add cubed potatoes, water, seasonings, bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer about 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Stir in the whole kernel corn, cream style corn and evaporated milk. heat chowder through.
6 Main dish servings

There are other meal ingredients that I have kept ready for those busy days and I’ll share some of those next week.  In the meantime, tell me what  ingredients do you keep in your pantry and freezer and what meal do you make with them?

With love from my country kitchen,

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