White Bean Stuffed Portabellos

We aren't even technically into summer yet, and already I got myself into a little rut. This time of year I tend to expect dinner to come from the grill nearly every night, and our meals become super simple. In the past few weeks, we've had the same dinner of grilled corn on the cob and portabello burgers with Amish farmer's cheese quite a few times. A meal we've thoroughly enjoyed each and every time, but I don't care to fix the same thing over and over. I automatically bought portabello mushrooms again this week, but decided I ought to do something different with them this time. Leafing through my folder of recipes torn from magazines,  I came across a white bean stuffed portabello that I knew the three of us would all like.

I adapted the original recipe a bit, mostly just to simplify. The end result was a very tasty meal that although didn't come from the grill, fits my summertime criteria of simple and easy. An extremely adaptable recipe, you could swap out the feta for parmesan or goat cheese, use whatever fresh herbs you have on hand, or even add in sun-dried tomatoes and/or fresh spinach- both which I think would be awesome additions. Since the oven was already on, I kept it easy, and just roasted a pan of broccoli along with the mushrooms. A simple salad and a glass of crisp wine would also be the perfect accompaniments to this light, yet filling meal.

White Bean Stuffed Portabellos
adapted from Everyday Food, October 2010
serves 4

4 large portabello mushrooms, cleaned and stems discarded
2 tsps olive oil, divided
sea salt and fresh ground pepper
2 green onions, thinly sliced (white and light green parts only)
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 (15.5 oz) can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp minced fresh parsley
1/4 cup crumbled feta
3-4 tbsp panko breadcrumbs
olive oil mister

Preheat oven to 400. Place mushrooms, stem side down, on rimmed baking sheet. Brush caps with 1 teaspoon of the oil and season with salt and pepper.

Roast mushrooms until tender and beginning to release their juices, about 15 minutes. Drain juices from pan. Flip mushrooms over. Turn the broiler on.

Meanwhile, in a skillet over medium heat, heat the remaining teaspoon of oil. Add green onion and garlic, and cook for 1 minutes. Add the beans and water and some salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until liquid is almost evaporated, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in the parsley and use the back of a wooden spoon to mash the beans.

Top each mushroom with 1/4 of the bean mixture. Sprinkle each one one with a tablespoon of feta,  pressing it into the bean mixture. Top with about a tablespoon of panko, pressing gently to help adhere. Lightly mist crumbs with olive oil.

Return mushrooms to oven and broil for a few minutes or until breadcrumbs are golden brown. Serve immediatley.

Ginger Lime Tofu with Soba Noodles

For the longest time, I thought I hated ginger. Which I'm sure made my ginger-loving husband very sad. Luckily, I realized it was pickled ginger I didn't like (am I the only one who thinks it tastes like a cleaning product?). Since my discovery a while back that I do indeed like it, the fresh stuff frequently finds it's way into my recipes. The other night, we had a store bought ginger-sesame dressing with our salad, and after Sage oohed and aahed over it more than the dinner I'd actually made, it was pretty easy to figure out where I was getting the inspiration for the marinade for the next night's dinner.

I'd say I could measure the success of this meal by how much Sage and Beckett enjoyed this. Especially since neither of them were all that fond of tofu up until recent months. Beckett, who still insisted he doesn't like tofu before beginning to eat, actually ate all of it first. Before the noodles, mushrooms and broccoli- three of his favorite foods. And Sage called dibs on the leftovers for work the next day. To call this meal a hit with my family would be an understatement.

Ginger Lime Tofu with Soba Noodles 
3-4 servings

for the marinade/sauce:
1 1/2 tbsp fresh minced ginger
1 fat clove of garlic, minced
1/3 cup low sodium tamari (or soy sauce)
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tbsp honey
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper

1 (16 oz) pkg firm tofu, pressed and cut into 1 inch cubes
1 (8 oz) box of soba noodles
2 tbsp canola or olive oil
4 cups broccoli florets (2 good sized crowns)
1 medium red bell pepper, sliced
4 oz. sliced button or cremini mushrooms
1 tsp cornstarch
2 tbsp cold water
sliced green onion and chopped cilantro, for serving

Mix marinade ingredients together. Add cubed tofu and toss to coat. Marinate for at least 1 hour.

Transfer tofu to a baking sheet, sprayed with cooking spray, reserving remaining marinade. Bake in oven preheated to 350 for 35 minutes, flipping half way through cook time.

About 15 minutes into baking of tofu, bring a pot of water to boil for the noodles and heat oil in a large skillet over medium. Cook noodles, according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Once oil in skillet is hot, add broccoli. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add bell pepper and cook for 3 minutes, then add mushrooms. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 5 more minutes.

Blend cornstarch with cold water. Pour remaining marinade into skillet with vegetables, and stir to coat. Add cornstarch mixture and bring to a boil. Once slightly thickened (a minute or two) add baked tofu.

Serve vegetables, tofu and sauce over noodles. Garnish with green onion and cilantro as desired.

Mushroom, Barley and White Bean Soup

I know, right? Another soup. I think just about every other post of mine lately has been a soup. I promise we eat plenty of other things, but most often it's the soups that are the meals we enjoy the most. Especially on chilly or gloomy days, which we had a few of lately. Although earlier this week, it might've gotten so warm that I was wearing shorts, but that's besides the point. It's cold again, and I'm ready for more soup. (Who I am kidding though? I'll eat soup, happily, in any weather.)

I got it in my head that I wanted to make a mushroom barley soup, and while I had no problem finding plenty of vegetarian versions, somehow they just weren't what I was thinking of. The majority contained carrots, celery, mushrooms, barley and broth, flavored with thyme and sherry. I kept picturing something a little different, so I came up with my own- which had white beans, spinach and Italian Seasoning. I hoped that with cooking the barley in the soup (which I've never done before) the broth would come out thick and almost creamy. Luckily, the end result was exactly what I was hoping for. This was a hearty, wonderfully comforting soup, the kind where just a small bowl is enough to fill you up.

Mushroom, Barley and White Bean Soup
serves 4-6

1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 celery ribs, chopped
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
2 tsp Italian Seasoning
8 oz. sliced cremini mushrooms
1 cup pearl barley, rinsed
1 (32 oz.) carton of vegetable stock
1 (15.5 oz) can of Cannellini (or other white) beans
2 1/2 cup coarsely chopped baby spinach, any large stems removed
fresh grated parmesan, for serving, if desired

Heat oil in a Dutch Oven over medium heat. Add onion and celery and season with salt, pepper and Italian Seasoning. Cook for 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook for 3 more minutes.

Add barley to pot, and stirring frequently, toast for a few minutes before adding stock. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat and simmer until barley is tender and much of the broth has been absorbed and thickened. Stir in beans and heat through.

Remove from heat and stir in spinach. Let sit a couple of minutes to wilt slightly, and then serve, grated with parmesan, if desired.

Coconut Curry Shrimp with Rice Noodles

I absolutely adore Thai food, but when it comes to trying to recreate curries at home, I've never had much luck. Even when I've scouted out some the more authentic ingredients, the results have always just been so-so. But I'm not a quitter, so I keep on trying. I realized the other day I'd had the makings of a Thai-inspired dish, including a can of coconut milk that had been sitting there for over a month waiting for a purpose, so I decided to give it another shot.

Instead of following a recipe this time, I decided to just go with it, and see what I came up with. I did borrow the technique I saw somewhere of using the coconut cream from the top of the can to saute vegetables, which didn't wind up being any amazing step, but I suppose it saved a few calories. I used the vegetables I had on hand- which worked for us as mushrooms, broccoli and carrots are all ones we particularly love- but I do wish I would've had a red bell pepper instead of green. You could switch out the vegetables for the ones you like best.

I was really pleased with the final outcome. It was definitely my favorite attempt of a Thai curry so far and a meal we all enjoyed- even Beckett, a little to my surprise. This certainly isn't authentic, but it was really good nonetheless. I'll still on the search for the perfect at-home curry, but until then, this is will be my go-to recipe.

Coconut Curry Shrimp with Rice Noodles

serves 4

1 (13.5 oz) can of lite coconut milk, opened without shaking first
1 tbsp fresh minced ginger
3 cups small broccoli florets (from 1 large or 2 small crowns)
1 1/2 tbsp red curry paste (or more or less, depending on the brand you use and your personal tolerance for heat)
2 tsp fish sauce
2 tsp brown sugar
2 large carrots, sliced thin
1 small bell pepper, sliced thin and cut into 1 1/2 inch long pieces
4 oz. sliced cremini mushrooms
5 oz. thin rice noodles (vermicelli-style)
11 oz large shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed
2 tbsp lime juice
sliced green onions and chopped cilantro, for serving

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Carefully scoop the cream from the top of the coconut milk and spoon into skillet. Add broccoli and ginger. Cook for 3 minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk together remaining coconut milk with curry paste (use less to start, you can always add more), sugar and fish sauce. Add coconut milk mixture to pan, along with carrots, bell pepper and mushrooms. Cook for 10 minutes, or until broccoli is getting close to being tender crisp.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil. Add noodles, cook for 2 minutes. Do not overcook. Drain and set aside. If they began to stick, you can rinse with water.

Once broccoli is nearly cooked to desired tenderness, taste sauce and stir in more curry paste if you'd like. Add shrimp to pan of vegetables, and cook until just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice.

To serve, divide noodles between four serving bowls, top with shrimp and vegetables, spoon sauce over top and garnish with green onions and chopped cilantro.

Cheesy Broccoli and Mushroom Rice Casserole

Forgive me for my absence lately. It's been a busy past week and a half for me. I worked quite a bit at the flower shop, which isn't normal for me, plus Sage was out of town for 5 days, also not typical. I got a feel of what it would be like to be a single, working mom...who just happens to be pregnant. I give major props to any pregnant, working, single mothers out in the world. (Especially if they have extremely energetic, precocious 2 1/2 year old boys.)

But even in hectic times, you have to eat, so I still spent plenty of time in my kitchen in the past week and a half. There were several recipes I was very excited to make and took the time to write all my steps down and take pictures...and none of them wowed me at all. The funny thing, this one I'm sharing was something I threw together on a whim after coming home very tired from work one night. It's pretty much a simple casserole, nothing fancy, but it wound up being my favorite thing that I made all week, and definitely something my family wants me to make again.

If you have cooked rice on hand already, this would be ideal for a weeknight. I didn't, but by starting the rice first and then prepping the vegetables, the rice was finished right around the time the rest of the recipe was. I think this screams to be served as a side dish with chicken, but we just had ours along with a huge salad and were completely satisfied. However, I think you could mix in some leftover cooked chicken or even white beans to make it more of a complete one dish meal.

Cheesy Broccoli and Mushroom Rice

I personally prefer my vegetables slightly more on the tender side. The broccoli was just a little crisp for my tastes, but when I suggested that next time I would saute the broccoli a little longer, my husband looked at me as if I had two heads and told me I was crazy. So I'm going to write it as I made it and leave that up to you.

1 cup uncooked brown rice

1 tbsp olive oil

3 broccoli crowns, cut into small florets (about 5 cups)

1 celery rib, finely chopped/minced

sea salt and fresh ground pepper

8 oz. button or cremini mushrooms, sliced

2 green onions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour

3/4 cup vegetable stock

1 cup 2% shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Combine rice with 1 1/4 cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat. Simmer for 40 minutes or until water is absorbed and rice is just slightly undercooked.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium. Add broccoli and celery and season with a few pinches of salt and several grinds of pepper. Saute for 5 minutes. (If you prefer your broccoli a little more tender, here is where I would add a few extra minutes of sauteing.) Next add mushrooms, green onions and garlic, and cook for another 5 minutes.

Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute. Add stock, bring to a boil and cook for a few minutes, until sauce thickens.

Add cooked rice and half of the cheese and stir well to combine. Turn into a 2 quart baking dish and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake in oven preheated to 350 for 15 minutes.

Balsamic Roasted Vegetable and Barley Salad

I confess I am terrible at starring recipes in my reader, with true intentions of making them (along with recipes found in the many cooking magazine I get), when very few them do I actually get around to trying. But every so often, one comes along that I just have to try right away. When I saw this warm grain-based salad on Cate's World Kitchen, I knew I had to try it- and soon.

Then I had to wait all last week to make it because Sage was out of town and I knew he'd love it too. It was worth the hype I'd built up in my head and then some. In fact, it was so amazingly good, I had to force myself not to eat the leftovers for breakfast the next day (I managed to hold out until 11:54). And you know you've got something pretty wonderful, when leftovers can excite you that much.

Cate modified this salad, originally found on Veggie Belly made with quinoa, when she accidentally used couscous instead. She mentioned barley as another alternative, which after some deliberation I decided to go with. I think it was the right choice. Nothing against couscous or quinoa (as I love both) but barley was just perfect for this. I followed Cate's lead and roasted the vegetables instead of grilling them. I omitted the eggplant (Sage isn't always a fan), in it's place using extra zucchini, tomatoes and mushrooms and adding red pepper. We also topped ours with feta at the table, which went fantastically, as I imagine goat cheese would.

Do yourself a favor and try this one ASAP. I promise you, you will be very happy you you did.

Balsamic Roasted Vegetable and Barley Salad, serves 4

adapted from Veggie Belly via Cate's World Kitchen

for the roasted vegetables:

2 medium zucchini (mine were on the larger medium side), cut into 1/2 inch thick half moons

1 small red onion, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices

1 1/3 cup grape tomatoes

8 oz. button mushrooms, halved

1 small red pepper, cut into 1/2 thick wide slices

for the dressing:

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

3 cloves garlic, pressed

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

for the salad:

1 cup pearl barley

3 cups water or broth (I used half water and half vegetable broth)

handful of basil leaves, cut into chiffonade

crumbled feta, for serving

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine water/broth and barley in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes or until barley is tender. Drain any excess liquid, if necessary.

Meanwhile, whisk together dressing ingredients in a large bowl. Add vegetables to bowl and toss to coat. Using a large slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to a baking sheet, reserving remaining dressing. Roast for 20 minutes or until tender.

Arrange vegetables and barley in serving dish and sprinkle with basil. Toss vegetables and barley before plating, and serve with remaining dressing and feta on the side.

Potato-Veggie Skillet Bake

This summer, I learned something rather shocking, something that went against everything I had heard up to that point. During our family trip to New England, we spent some time at Sage's aunt's home, where I discovered she uses soap on her cast iron. I know, crazy, right? All I've ever heard is soap + cast iron = ruined pan. But Aunt Roxann has been using her large collection of cast iron cookware daily and washing them with soap for over 25 years with no problems.

Now I'm not a germaphobe, by any means, but there was always something that just skeeved me out about not being able to wash my cast iron skillet with soap, and so I rarely used it. I'm sure cast iron purists would shudder at the thought, but I've actually found many articles/websites that agree a quick wash with a little mild dishsoap and water won't hurt well seasoned cast iron. With this information, I now use my pan all the time.

A few weeks ago, I was at a loss for what to make for dinner. I was thinking something with the ease of a frittata, where I could toss a bunch of veggies in a pan, saute, add some eggs and throw the whole thing in the oven. Only Beckett and Sage had already had eggs for breakfast. And what I was really in the mood for some kind of comfort food like cottage pie or pot pie, minus the meat. This was my compromise. We enjoyed it so much, I've been looking forward to making it again.

The great thing about this is you could use up any vegetables you have on hand. (I'm dreaming up a very Autumn inspired version with sweet potatoes instead of Russets, maybe winter squash, or even brussel sprouts or apple maple chicken sausage.) If you aren't as crazy about thyme as I am, sub out the spice with whatever you prefer, or even go with just salt and pepper as I did the first time I made it. I think this is hearty enough to be a meatless entree, but you could also serve it along side your protein of choice, or easily add chicken or turkey to it.

Potato-Veggie Skillet Bake

2 medium baking potatoes, unpeeled and thinly sliced (roughly 1/4-1/8" thick)

1 tbsp olive oil

2 carrots, sliced

2 celery ribs, diced

1/2 small onion, chopped

4 oz. button mushrooms

3 cups broccoli florets

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup frozen corn

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

1 tsp dried thyme

1 tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour

3/4 cup vegetable stock

3/4 cup shredded 2% sharp cheddar

Preheat oven to 375. (Since I keep my cast iron in the oven, I leave it in there to preheat as well.)

Using a steamer insert, steam potatoes over boiling water for 10 minutes. Carefully remove basket from over top water, and set aside, allowing to potatoes to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add carrots, celery and onion and saute for 3 minutes. Add remaining vegetables, season with salt, pepper and thyme, and continue cooking for 2 minutes.

Sprinkle flour over vegetables and mix well. Pour in broth, stirring, and bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Layer potatoes over vegetables, and top with cheese.

Bake for 20-25 or until potatoes are fully cooked and cheese is melted. (Next time, I think I will bake it a little less and finish it off by broiling for a few minutes just to crisp up the top a bit.)

Baked Eggs with Spinach and Mushrooms

In our house, Sage is the weekend breakfast cook. Not that I can't make it, it just happens to be one of his jobs, like mowing the lawn and fixing stuff. But for Father's Day, I wanted to let him sleep in and make him a nice breakfast. A while back I saw a recipe for baked eggs on Florida Coastal Cooking. I've been wanting to try them and this seemed like a nice time to do so.

I love spinach and mushroom when paired with cream cheese and eggs, so that's what I went with. But you could make it whatever veggies you have on hand- this would be a great way to use any leftover grilled or roasted vegetables. (Provided you actually have leftover vegetables. We never do.) Personally, I'm a fan of using the entire egg, but Sage prefers mostly whites with a touch of yolk. Since it was his day, I used 1 full egg and 3 whites, and found in this particular dish, I didn't miss the yolks.

Sage really enjoyed his breakfast- especially the pocket of cream cheese in the middle- but felt there was a little too much spinach in it. That would never be a problem for me, so I'd say adjust the amount you use according to your preference.

Baked Eggs with Spinach and Mushrooms

adapted from Florida Coastal Cooking

serves 2

olive oil mister/cooking spray

1/2 small onion, diced

4 oz. button or cremini mushrooms, coarsley chopped

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

1 garlic cloved, minced

3-5 cups spinach leaves, stems removed and roughly chopped or torn

1/4 cup Neufchatel Cheese, divided

3 egg whites

1 full egg

Preheat oven to 375.

Mist a medium saute pan with olive oil and heat over medium. Add onion and cook for a couple minutes. Add the mushrooms, season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes, and saute for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute and then add desired amount of spinach to pan, and continue cooking until spinach is wilted. Remove from heat.

Spoon mixture evenly into two ramakins that have been misted with olive oil or cooking spray. Top each one with 2 tbsp cream cheese and season with extra salt and pepper. Wisk the whole egg together with the whites and pour over cream cheese.

Place ramakins on a baking sheet and baked for 20-30 minutes or until eggs are set.

Symon Sundays: Crispy Gnocchi with Morels and Spring Peas

I love trying new things, so this was a fun dish for me. Not only did I make gnocchi for the the first time, but this was our first experience with morel mushrooms. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to find them. I knew my regular grocery store carried them dried, but in the past all I'd seen was the spot on the shelf where they were supposed to go. Just in case, I researched for a substitute, and it seemed that chanterelles would be the next best thing. As it turned out, they had one package of morels (with a hefty $14.99/oz. price tag.) I did question for a moment spending that on mushrooms, but ultimately decided to go for it.

While I did stick with the morels, I made some changes to this recipe, mostly an attempt to healthify it a tiny bit. The picture in Live To Cook shows these gnocchi, morels and peas drowning in a sea of bubbling brown butter. There was no way I could use an entire stick of butter in this. I used 4 tablespoons worth, and I'm sure this is a sacrilege, I used a light butter substitute for 2 of those. Then I added a little vegetable stock at the end to help make the sauce. Other changes I made were reducing the parmesan in the dough, using frozen peas instead of shelled fresh, and the substituting of dried morels over fresh.

Despite my changes, this was pretty outstanding! I already love the flavor combinations of lemon and parsley, and parmesan with peas, so added along with the morels and sauteed gnocchi, how could it not be great? And gnocchi made of ricotta- so much better, in my opinion, than potato gnocchi, which I find so heavy and filling.

Crispy Gnocchi with Morels and Spring Peas

adapted from Michael Symon's, Live To Cook

For the gnocchi:

3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Zest of one lemon

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1 cup whole-milk ricotta, drained overnight or at least several hours

1 large egg

For the sauce:

4 tbsp unsalted butter

1 oz. dried morel mushrooms (reconstituted according to package directions, rinsed and gently patted dry)

1/2 shallot, thinly sliced

kosher salt

1 garlic clove, thinly sliced

1/4 cup loosely packed flat-leaf parsley leaves

Juice of 1 lemon

1/2 cup frozen peas, partially thawed

1/4 cup vegetable stock

1/3 cup grated parmesan

To make the dough:

Combine the flour, parmesan, lemon zest, and salt in a bowl. Add drained ricotta and egg. Mix with hands until the dough just comes together. (Overworking with cause the dough to toughen.) Scrape dough into a well floured-surface, and pat into rough square. Using a knife, cut the dough into thirds and then gently roll piece into foot-long ropes, flouring as needed. Place dough ropes on a floured plate and refrigerate for 5 minutes and up to 2 hours. After dough has rested, return the ropes to a floured surface. Cut each rope into 1/2 inch pieces, and set aside while you make the sauce.

To make the sauce:

Put 2 tbsp butter into a medium saute pan over medium-high heat. When the butter foams, add the mores and saute for 2 minutes. Add shallot and saute, seasoning with a pinch salt. Add garlic and parsley, then reduce heat to medium. Add the lemon juice and peas, and saute for a minute or two. Turn off heat and set aside.

Heat remaining 2 tbsp butter over medium-high heat in a saute pan large enough to accommodate gnocchi without crowding (I used a non-stick pan.) When the butter becomes brown and fragrant, add the gnocchi to the pan and cook, turning as needed, until crisp and browned on all sides, about 5 to 6 minutes.

Pour the morel and pea sauce over the gnocchi, turning to coat. Add vegetable stock and parmesan, and gently toss. Spoon into shallow bowl and serve immediately.

Garlicky Broccoli and Sausage Penne

While it's not a site I use very often anymore now that I know my way around the kitchen, I like to think that allrecipes.com helped me learn to cook. Several years back when I began really cooking, I loved using their ingredients search because I could punch in the random things I had on hand and find ways to make them into a delicious dinner. I still get a daily email from them, which I almost always delete without reading, but the other day one caught my eye.

Broccoli and sausage? Not a combo I would've ever thought to use, so decided to check out the recipe. It used a lot of oil, which I won't do, and frozen broccoli, which I don't care for, but I liked the concept. I had broccoli to use up and turkey sausage in the freezer, so I decided to make my own version that night. I didn't follow their recipe at all, just borrowed the the idea, and it really was a great dish. Garlicky, flavorful and easy- besides the pot to cook the pasta in, it's a one pan meal that comes together quickly. Sage loves light non-tomato based sauces, especially in the warmer months, and so do I, so this was a clear winner in our house.

Garlicky Broccoli and Sausage Penne

inspired by allrecipes.com

1 3/4 cup uncooked multi-grain-penne
olive oil mister or cooking spray
3 sweet Italian turkey sausage links
1 tbsp olive oil
2 chopped green onions, white and light green parts only
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 broccoli crowns, trimmed into small florets (a little over 5 cups)
4 oz sliced button mushrooms
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper (or more if you want it spicy)
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
fresh grated Parmesan, for serving

Cook pasta according to package directions. Set aside.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Mist pan with olive oil or cooking spray and add sausage. Brown sausage on all sides, about 6 minutes and remove from pan. Slice into 1/3 inch rounds and set aside. (Sausage will not be cooked through.)

Add the tbsp of oil to the pan, gently scrape up any sausage parts stock to pan. Add green onions and saute for 2 minutes. Add garlic and heat until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add broccoli florets to pan and cook for 2 minutes. Add mushrooms and saute for another 2 minutes. Add sliced sausage, stock, crushed red pepper, and salt and pepper. Use stock to deglaze pan if needed. Cover, reduce heat and simmer until broccoli is tender crisp and sausage is cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Toss sausage and vegetables with cooked pasta. Serve with parmesan.

Tofu and Noodles in Peanut-Tomato Sauce

Tofu is one of those things I've been eating for a long time but never attempted working with at home. I'm not so sure what I was afraid of. I can't tell you how many times I've had it in my hands at the grocery, only to chicken out, put it back down, and then... go buy some chicken.

The other day, I stood over the tofu, took a deep breath, tossed it into my cart and quickly walked away before I could change my mind. (Okay, that might be a little more dramatic than how it really went down.) Point is, I made it home with tofu and needed to find the perfect recipe with it. This was actually the hard part.

Most of the recipes I kept finding were Thai dishes, and while I had all of the stuff on hand to make many of those dishes, I've never been able to make an authentic Thai dish at home that I really loved. While I'm not giving up on that challenge, I didn't want to combine that with my first at-home tofu experience. But then I thought of a dish I've had lots of success with, Peanut Butter Chicken. Since its already one of Sage's favorite dinners, I thought it would be a great one to use.

Since it was my first time, I wanted to cook the tofu separately, and baking it seemed easiest. I made a few other changes to my standard recipe- I used green beans instead of bell peppers (since I'd used all of my peppers in these awesome fajitas the night before.) I always think recipes that have peanut sauces with noodles sound so yummy, so I went with that instead of our usual rice. The result was a great dinner we all enjoyed. I think from now on, tofu will be making more appearances in my shopping cart.

Tofu and Noodles in Peanut-Tomato Sauce, serves 4
1 (14 oz.) pkg firm tofu, pressed and cut in 3/4 inch cubes
1 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
7 oz. uncooked multi-grain or whole wheat spaghetti
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1/3 lb. green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
4 oz. sliced cremini mushrooms
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
sea salt and fresh ground pepper
1 (15 oz.) can tomatoes with mild green chilies
1 cup vegetable stock
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
juice from 1/2 a lime (mine wasn't very juicy so I used the entire lime)

Toss cubed tofu gently in tamari/soy to coat. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.

Spread tofu onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray and place into oven preheated to 375. Bake for about 35 minutes, flipping tofu a few times through cooking process.

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Set aside.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and green beans and cook for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add mushrooms, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, and continue cooking for about 5 minutes.

Add tomatoes with their juices and stock. Cover, and without reducing heat, simmer for about 10 minutes, or until green beans are tender. Uncover and stir in peanut butter until sauce is relatively smooth and begins to thicken, about 2 minutes.

Toss sauce with cooked noodles, tofu and lime juice.

Symon Sundays: Pierogies

I've been really looking forward to this week's selection for Symon Sudays. Natashya, at Living in the Kitchen with Puppies, selected the pierogies from Live to Cook. Michael Symon's version was for Beef Cheek Pierogies with Mild Mushrooms and Horseradish. Some possible meat substitutions he gave were beef shoulder or pork shoulder, but since we're eating little meat these days, I chose to do two simple vegetarian versions. I made a classic potato and cheese filled one and our unanimous favorite, a Portabella mushroom stuffed one.

This is one time consuming recipe! Even though I skipped the lengthy beef braising step and the days-long Horseradish Creme Fraiche process, it still took me over 3 hours of hands on time to make these. As I was in the final stages, I was convinced they weren't going to come out, and it would be all for nothing. Luckily I was wrong! Mine might have been rather misshapen,but they were soooo good.

You can find the original recipes by visiting Natashya's blog. I followed the basic recipe for making the dough, and forming and cooking (boiling then sauteing) the pierogies. Since half of mine already contained mushrooms, I didn't bother topping mine the seared wild mushrooms. In the place of the horseradish creme fraiche, I mixed up store-bought horseradish cream and light sour cream, which I thinned with a few splashes of half and half. It was a prefect compliment to the portabella pierogies.

If you want to make my vegetarian fillings, here is what I did:

For the potato-cheese version: Peel, cube and steam or boil 2 large baking potatoes until tender, then mash. Saute 1 small diced yellow onion until soft. Combine potatoes, sauteed onions and 1/2 cup of sharp cheddar. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

For the Portabella version: Coarsely chop 3 Portabella mushrooms. Saute mushrooms in a small amount of olive oil, seasoned with 1 tsp fresh thyme and salt and pepper, until , working in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding.

Spinach, Mushroom and Tomato Strata

Unlike my husband, who eats within the first 5 minutes of waking up, I have a very hard time eating breakfast in the mornings. I know it's bad, but I just can't eat so early. Which is a shame because I do enjoy so many breakfast foods.

This is why brunch is perfect for me- by kicking the meal back to a later time slot, upping the indulgence level of the food served, and making it acceptable (if not encouraged) to drink an adult beverage, I am all for it.

One of my favorite dishes to make for family brunch get togethers is a strata. I love the convenience of assembling it the night before and then just popping it in to the oven for about an hour in the morning. Torn out from an unidentified cooking magazine several years ago, this recipe was originally for a Ham and Spinach Strata. I'm not a ham eater, but it was such a wonderful base recipe that I've just always adapted it to suit those who will be joining us. I've made several different versions, but this one, with Spinach, Mushrooms and Tomato, is the one I make most often and always is my favorite.

A funny thing happened when I went to make this the night before Easter. Earlier in the day, before going grocery shopping, I skimmed over the ingredients and set the recipe aside. When it was time to prepare it, the recipe was no where to be found. So I wracked my brain and was able to correctly recall the quantities. I did find the magazine page a few days later (on top of the fridge...because that's logical, right?)

Easter morning, I got this into the oven much later than I intended on. Two things happened- in a rush to leave the house, I didn't cook it quite as long as I would've liked, and I also only took three pictures, none of which were good. Take my word that despite the picture, this is always delicious, (even if you slightly under cook it.)

Spinach, Mushroom and Tomato Strata
Besides switching up the vegetable combinations and/or adding in meat, other changes you can make are to substitute French or Italian bread for the croissants and using a different cheese.

3 or 4 large day-old bakery croissants, cut into 3/4 inch cubes (6 cups)
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
sea salt and fresh ground pepper
8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 large tomato, coarsely chopped
5 oz. baby spinach leaves
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar
1 1/2 cups egg substitute or 6 large eggs
1 cup reduced fat milk
1 1/4 cup half-and-half
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1 tsp dried basil

Spray a 9 x 13 inch casserole dish with cooking spray.

Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add onion, season with salt and pepper, and saute for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the mushroom and tomato, and cook for another 5 minutes.

Reduce heat to low, add spinach and stir frequently until spinach wilts, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

Scatter half of the croissant cubes into the bottom of the casserole. Top with the sauteed vegetables and half of the cheese. Next layer the remaining croissant cubes and finish with the remaining cheese.

In a mixing bowl, whisk eggs, half-and-half, milk, mustard, salt, pepper and basil until just blended. Pour evenly over the the casserole. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.

Heat to 375. Bake uncovered strata for 50-60 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Barley-Vegetable Stuffed Eggplant

I haven't been blogging much, as we've have family in town, and I haven't done too much cooking. One night we didn't have plans with everyone, and I decided I wanted to make a "me" kind of dish. I had an eggplant that needed a purpose and I chose to stuff it, using some veggies I had on hand, along with a very small amount of leftover barley that's been just hanging around. I kept it meatless, but I think it also would be good with ground chicken/turkey, or some type of sausage.

I originally tried to find a recipe to follow, but couldn't find any one that I loved, so I just came up with my own, piecing together different ingredients and techniques from a handful of different ones. I was happy with how it came together- healthy, filling and delicious. Since Sage and his father were also having grilled chicken, I served them each half a stuffed eggplant, and had a whole one for myself along with salad. I should note that with this preparation, the shell of the eggplant was just for presentation, as it is too tough to eat, so make sure to carefully remove as much of the insides as possible, while still leaving the skin intact.

1/3 cup regular pearl barley
1 cup vegetable stock
1 medium eggplant
1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 small onion, chopped
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 oz. button mushrooms, coarsely chopped
4 cups loosely packed baby spinach
1 roma tomato, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan

Bring barley and stock to a boil in a small saucepan. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes or until barley is tender and water is mostly absorbed. Remove from heat and set aside.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350. Slice eggplant in half, and drizzle cut sides with olive oil. Brush or rub to coat. Lay eggplant halves, cut side down in a baking dish, and bake for 25 minutes or until eggplants are tender. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.

When eggplant is cool enough to handle, scoop out flesh, leaving a scant 1/4 inch thick shell. Transfer the scooped out eggplant to a cutting board and coarsely chopped. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Set aside. Return eggplant shells, skin side down, to baking dish.

Heat a skillet with 1 tbsp of oil over medium heat. Add pepper and onions with salt and pepper and saute for 5 minutes. Add chopped eggplant and cook for 5 minutes more. Add garlic, mushrooms and tomatoes and continue to cook for 3 more minutes.

Add barley and spinach to skillet mixture and stir to combine. Cover and turn off heat. Let sit for a few minutes to wilt spinach a little.

Spoon skillet mixture into eggplant shells, and top each one with half of the cheese. Bake for 12 minutes.

Lentil and Winter Vegetable Cobbler

Okay, so it suddenly might be feeling a lot less like winter where we live, but that didn't stop me from totally abandoning my dinner plans last night when I spotted this recipe. Just prior to starting dinner, I was flipping through Practical Vegetarian, which I've had for years and somehow have never made anything from. This vegetable and lentil bake topped with cheesy biscuits caught my eye, and other than some rutabagas I had everything needed. While slightly more time consuming than I anticipated, it was well worth it. The lentils make it very hearty, and Sage said he definitely didn't miss the meat in this.

Once assembled, this dish bakes for 20 minutes, is topped with the biscuits, and then returned to the oven for an additional 10-12 minutes, at a higher temperature. I realized after nearly 10 minutes than I'd forgotten to increase the temperature. I turned it up and cooked it for another 8 minutes or so, and it was perfect- the veggies and lentils were tender, but not overcooked, and the biscuits were just right. I will write it as the recipe specifies but I can't say from experience if that cooking time is just right. This yummy cobbler took a little over an hour from start to finish, but actually comes together easily, and you could certainly swap out the vegetables for whichever ones you have on hand.

adapted from Practical Vegetarian

1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, diced
sea salt
2 celery ribs, sliced
3 carrots, sliced
1/3 large head of cauliflower, broken into florets (about 3 cups)
1 clove garlic, minced
4 oz. button mushrooms, sliced
1 (14.5 oz.) can of petite diced tomatoes
1/4 cup green or brown lentils, rinsed and picked over
2 tbsp cornstarch
3 tbsp water
1 cup vegetable stock
2 tbsp hot sauce
2 tsp chopped fresh oregano
fresh ground pepper

biscuit topping:
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar (I used 2%)
2 tsp chopped oregano
1 egg, beaten
2/3 cup reduced fat milk

Preheat oven to 350. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions, salt, and sweat for 5 minutes. Add celery, carrots, and cauliflower and saute for 2 minutes. Add garlic to pan, and cook for another minute. Stir in mushrooms, tomatoes with their juices and lentils.

Mix together the cornstarch and water until smooth and add to pan, along with the stock, hot sauce, oregano and several grinds of pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring. Transfer to a 3 qt. baking dish and cover with foil. Bake for 20 minutes.

To make biscuit topping, stir flour, salt and baking powder in a large bowl. Using a pastry cutter, cut in butter. Stir in cheese and oregano. Mix together beaten egg and milk, and add enough to the dry ingredients to make a soft dough. Reserve leftover milk and egg mixture. Knead dough lightly, and roll out to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut into 2 inch rounds. (I don't have a biscuit cutter, so I used a 3 inch flower shaped cookie cutter.)

Remove the dish from the oven, and increase the temperature to 400. Arrange the biscuits on top of the cobbler, and brush with remaining egg and milk. (My wonderful husband was helping me, by doing the dishes and unknowingly washed the bowl containing my leftover milk and egg, so I skipped this step.)

Bake, uncovered, for an additional 10-12 minutes or until the topping has risen and is golden. (Without the wash, mine didn't become golden, but they did rise nicely.) Let rest a few minutes before serving.

Roasted Eggplant and Mushroom Ragu

When it comes to Italian pasta sauces, I still haven't figured out the differences between them all, so please excuse me if I've incorrectly named this one. I believe Ragus typically are a meat based sauce, but there sure are plenty recipes for eggplant and other vegetable ragus. If I'd followed a recipe, I'd just call this whatever they did, but since I couldn't find the one I wanted to use, I just went on my own. Regardless of what it should be called, it was wonderful.

This was a highly flavorful sauce and quite hearty for being meatless. You know you've created a successful meal when your husband tells you multiple times during eating how delicious it is. And since its loaded with veggies, pretty good for you too. I served this over a high protein multigrain farfalle, but really any pasta will do. (I just have always liked farfalle and am happy that I've begun finding whole wheat and multigrain varieties lately.)

serves 4-5
1 medium eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/2 in. cubes
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
1 large carrot, finely chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, minced
1 (8 oz.) package sliced cremini mushrooms
1 (14.5 oz.) can Italian style diced tomatoes
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
1/3 cup dry red wine (I used a Petite Sirah)
1/2 tbsp dried basil
1 bay leaf
crush red pepper, to taste
1 (14.5 oz.) box multigrain farfalle, or pasta of choice
fresh grated parmesan, for serving

Preheat oven to 400. Arrange eggplant on roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with 3 tbsps of olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Roast in preheated oven for 30 minutes, shaking pan occasionally. Set aside.

Heat remaining oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add carrot, celery, garlic and onion. Season with salt and pepper, and saute for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add mushrooms, and saute for another 5 minutes.

Add roasted eggplant to sauteed vegetables, using a wooden spoon to scraped up any browned bits. Add tomatoes, paste, sauce, wine, basil, bay leaf and red pepper and stir to combine. Cover and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer for 30 minutes.

While sauce is simmering, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain. Remove and discard bay leaf from sauce and serve over top of cooked pasta with grated parmesan.

Slow Cooker Chicken & Mushrooms with White Wine Gravy

This certainally isn't my typical type of thing to make, but sometimes you just want some kind of comfort food. A meal worthy of being a "Sunday Dinner," even if you actually have it on a Monday because of a football playoff game get together.

I found this recipe, originally as a stew, from Williams Sonoma. I used less liquid to cook it in, which I then thickened into a gravy before serving. Instead of cooking it along with red skinned potatoes, I served it over top mashed Yukon Golds. (Which we made with 2% milk and Smart Blance in attempt to make ourselves feel slightly better about eating mashed potatoes when it wasn't a holiday.)

While the original recipe called for a cooktime 5 hours on high, Sage was starving (and the wonderful aroma was killing him) so we only cooked ours for three, and the chicken was fork tender and beginning to fall apart. With the potatoes and steamed veggies, this was more than enough for two adults, and I think by just adding an extra breast you could easily get four servings.

2 tbsp all purpose flour
sea salt and fresh ground pepper
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small yellow onion, sliced
16 oz. button mushrooms, quartered
1 bay leaf
3 fresh thyme sprigs
4 fresh flat leaf parsley sprigs
1 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup chicken or vegetable stock
2 tbsps cornstarch
mashed potatoes, for serving

In a shallow bowl, stir together flour and salt and pepper. Lightly dredge chicken pieces and set aside.

Heat oil in a medium sized saute pan over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Brown chicken about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to slow cooker. Add onion, mushrooms, bay leaf, thyme, parsley, stock and half of the wine.

Pour remaining half cup of wine to pan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, scraping up any browned bits. Pour into slow cooker over chicken and vegetables and cover. Cook for 3-4 hours on high, until chicken is tender.

Remove bay leaf, thyme and parsley sprigs. Carefully strain liquids from slowcooker into a small saucepan, reserving about a 1/4 cup. In a small container, blend reserved liquid and the cornstarch together until smooth. Heat saucepan over medium heat and pour cornstarch mixture in, stirring until thickened, about a minute or two.

Serve chicken, mushrooms and onion over mashed potatoes and top with gravy.

Artichoke, Sun Dried Tomato and Mushroom Quiche with Quick and Easy Crust

Sage is always mentioning how much he likes quiche, so you'd think I'd have made him one before. But I never have. In fact, I've never made a quiche at all. I've thought about it many times, but I never have a pie crust on hand,or had the desire to make one from scratch. I know there's many crustless quiches out there, but I like the crust part.

Then I found a ridiculously quick and easy crust on RecipeZaar that left me with no excuse not to whip one up. It seemed almost too easy to be good, but it really was. Was it as perfectly flaky and light as the real deal? No, of course not. But you certainally would not think it was a press-in-pan-and-fill recipe that takes less than 5 minutes. I see many more quiches in our future, now that I can whip one up easily anytime I want.

Quick and Easy Quiche Crust, from RecipeZaar

1 cup flour (you can use a mix of all purpose and wheat, but I was out of wheat)

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup ice water

1. In a medium bowl, stir flour and salt together.

2. In a seperate bowl, whisk together oil and ice water, to thicken. Pour water/oil into the bowl of flour, and mix with a fork. (I used my hands to mix it completely.)

3. Press into 9 inch pie pan. Set aside. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

At this point you can fill it however you wish, but here is what I used and it was delicious!

1 tsp olive oil

1 small shallot, minced

4 oz. mushrooms, coarsely chopped (I would actually suggest using 8 oz.)

sea salt and fresh ground pepper

1 (14 oz.) can artichoke hearts, drained well and coarsely chopped

6 ready-to-eat sun dried tomato halves, chopped

2 tbsp chopped fresh basil (or 2 tsp dried)

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (or other cheese of your choice)

3 large eggs

1/2 cup 2% milk

Heat oil in small saute pan over medium heat. Saute shallot for 1 minute. Add mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Saute until moisture is released. Set aside.

Fill unbaked crust with artichoke, sun dried tomatoes, mushrooms and shallot. Top with basil and cheese.

Beat eggs and milk together. Pour over vegetables.

Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until set in center and puffed and golden.

Sweet Potato, Spinach & Peanut Butter Stew

The other day, I woke up with the combination of sweet potatoes and spinach in my head and wanted to pair them together in a soup. While spinach and sweet potatoes can be found together in many recipes, I had a hard time finding one I wanted to try. Either I was missing lots of ingredients, or they were more of an Indian-inspired recipe. I'm not sure why, but I don't usually care for most Indian dishes.

Then I began thinking of a favorite in our household, Peanut Butter Chicken. So I googled "sweet potato, spinach and peanut butter," and found tons of recipes! I found that combo is traditional in West African stews. Again, most of these I was missing ingredients, so I just decided to take my PB Chicken recipe and adapt it. It was a gamble for sure, but one that paid off because it was so good! Even Beckett loved it (but then peanut butter, sweet potatoes and mushrooms all rank in his top favorite foods list.) I will be experimenting with more vegetarian versions of PB Chicken in the future!

I intended garnishing this with cilantro, but forgot. And then forgot again, when we had the leftovers, but I imagine it would go well.

1 tbsp olive oil

1 large carrot, diced

2 medium sweet poatoes, in small dice (around 3 cups)

sea salt and fresh ground pepper

1 small onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

8 oz. sliced button mushrooms

1 3/4 cup vegetable stock

2 oz. (1/4 cup) tomato sauce

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/2 cup natural peanut butter (I use crunchy, but either will work.)

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (or to taste)

1/2 (9 oz.) bag baby spinach

hot cooked rice (We had ours over Jasmine)

cilantro, for serving

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add carrots and sweet potatoes to the pan, and season with salt and pepper. Saute for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add onion, garlic and mushrooms, and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft, about 5 minutes.

Add 1 cup of the stock, tomato sauce, ginger, and red pepper flakes. Reduce heat to medium low, cover, and simmer until potatoes and carrots are tender, about 5 minutes.

Stir peanut butter into the sweet potato mixture until smooth. It will be quite thick, so add a little extra of the broth to thin the sauce. Add spinach to pan, and wilt. If needed add more of the broth to bring to desired thickness (I didn't measure, but I used somewhere between 1/2-3/4 cup broth to get the consistency I wanted.)

Serve over rice and top with cilantro, if desired.

Penne with Goat Cheese-Tomato Sauce

The funny thing about this recipe is that it took seeing it a second time to capture my interest. I was checking out a blog I'd never visited before, Pleasure Cooker, when I saw this pasta dish she'd dubbed "Heaven on a Plate." It was originally from Elly Says Opa, a blog I frequent often, and I wondered how I could've missed such a delicious looking recipe. I realized I'd seen it before, but I can't understand why I didn't jump to make it immediately. I mean it has so many of my favorite things- chicken sausage, goat cheese, pasta, mushrooms, and peas.

This was soooo yummy. Sage, who would rather have feta or blue cheese anyday over goat cheese, loved it as a creamy base to this pasta. A little while after dinner, he came up and thanked me again for such a delicious dinner. And my little guy, who is a very light eater, asked for seconds. This made enough for the three of us for dinner with well as a lunch sized portion left over.

I made some changes, mostly tweaking of quanities and slight substitutions. I scaled back the amount of pasta and the sauce ingredients, but left the vegetables pretty much the same, which worked perfectly. Instead of hot Italian chicken sausage, I subbed spinach & asaigo ones (which I sliced instead of crumbled,) used petite diced tomatoes instead of crushed, and dried basil instead of fresh. I also sped up the cook time since we were hungry. It was easy to make, and adapted well to my changes.

adapted from Elly Says Opa
7 oz. whole wheat penne pasta
1 Tbsp. olive oil
3 links chicken sausage, sliced
1/2 small onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
1/4 tsp. (or to taste) crushed red pepper flakes (omitted and used at the table)
1 (14.5 oz.) can petite diced tomatoes, with juice
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 1/2 tsp dried basil
2 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and cook until browned. Add the onion and saute for about 2 minutes before adding the mushrooms and garlic. Once the mushrooms and onions are tender, add the tomato paste and red pepper flakes. (If needed, deglaze pan using a few splashes of wine or broth. I didn't need to do this.)

Add the tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for an additional 5 minutes.Add the peas and heat through for a minute or two. Stir in the basil and the goat cheese. Remove from the heat and continue stirring until the goat cheese has melted into the sauce. Season to taste if necessary and combine with the cooked pasta.