Parmesan Roasted Vegetable Salad with Creamy Basil Dressing

Hi there! It's been quite a while since I posted. Like all summer, actually. I didn't set out to take such a long break from blogging, but I have a good excuse, I think. My sweet little baby loves:

Life was starting to feel a little too hectic, and I decided I could give more to my family if I just stepped away from my blog for a while. But after a fantastic summer, I was beginning to really miss the creative outlet, so here I am. I want to thank my blogger friends who took the time to send me emails or post comments asking how I was or telling me I was missed. You ladies rock, and I am excited to be returning to such a great community.

On to the recipe I am sharing today. When Simply Life posted a Parmesan Roasted Potato and Squash recipe the other day, I immediately was inspired for that night's dinner.  I used yukon gold potatoes and yellow squash for the red potatoes and zucchini, tossed in grape tomatoes and then to make it more of a main dish, served it over greens with a tangy yogurt-basil dressing. I do want to note that by itself the dressing seems rather tart and strongy flavored, but mellows perfectly once it is mixed with the warm roasted veggies and cool salad greens.

I adored this salad, and since Sage was out of town when I made it, was lucky enough to get to eat it again for lunch the next day. I don't think to use roasted vegetables on salads too often, but this was such a wonderful reminder of how delicious they are!

Parmesan Roasted Vegetable Salad with Creamy Basil Dressing
Roasted Vegetables adapted from Big Girls Small Kitchen via Simply Life
serves 2-3

3 medium yukon gold potatoes, cut in 3/4 inch pieces
2 yellow squash, cut in 1 inch pieces
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
olive oil
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
1 tsp dried parsley
salad greens of choice- I used a spring mix

for the dressing:
1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
3 tbsp chopped fresh basil
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1/2 to whole small lemon, juiced
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

Preheat over to 375 degrees. Place the potatoes, squash, tomatoes and cheese in a large bowl. Drizzle with just enough olive oil to coat veggies (about two tablespoons) and season with several pinches of salt, a generous amount of pepper and the parsley and toss to coat well.

Spread in a single layer on a parchment lined baking sheet, and roast for 20 minutes. Flip vegetables over and return to oven for another 15-20 minutes, until slightly browned.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine yogurt, basil, garlic and the juice of half a lemon. Season with salt and pepper. Taste and add remaining lemon juice if desired. Cover and refrigerate until vegetables are finished roasting.

To serve, place warm vegetables on top of a few handfuls of salad greens and drizzle with dressing.

Toasted Orzo with Kale and White Beans

And just like that, everything has suddenly gotten easier around my house. This past week, I did quite a bit of cooking, baked a couple times, went out with friends for lunch (with the baby, of course), and even managed to stay up past 9:30. Life is getting back to "normal" with the addition of one very sweet little person. (Oh, and speaking of our Maisy, I want to say thank you for the comments of kind words and congratulations with my last post.)

I can't tell you how happy I am to be back in my kitchen, cooking dinner every night. If Sage isn't home yet, it can be a little bit of a challenge with both a newborn and a three year old, but I'm working it out. The key is keeping the meals very simple. This recipe fit the bill perfectly- not a tremendous amount of prep work involved and it came together very quickly. It was a lovely meal that tasted of summer to me. Toasted whole wheat orzo with parmesan is tossed with lemony kale, white beans and grape tomatoes for a healthy but very flavorful dish.

You might have noticed kale doesn't normally make an appearance on this blog. The last time I cooked with it, over a year and a half ago, Sage insisted he didn't like it. Something made me buy it anyways this week, and guess what. He enjoyed it in this. Now I'm wondering what took me so long. I'm going to have a lot of kale catching up to do.

Toasted Orzo with Kale and White Beans
adapted from allrecipes
serves 2-3 as a meal

1 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 cup whole wheat orzo 
2 cups very hot vegetable stock, plus about a 1/3 cup for cooking the kale
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small bunch of kale, stems removed and coarsely chopped (about 4 cups)
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2 cups grape tomatoes (you could halve them, but to keep it easy, I left them whole)
1 (15.5 oz) can of Cannellini or other white beans, drained and rinsed
fresh lemon juice, to taste

Heat 1/2 tbsp of oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add orzo and toast 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the 2 cups hot stock and 1/4 tsp salt, stir, cover and reduce heat. Simmer for about 12 minutes, or until orzo is tender but still firm to bite and liquid is almost completely absorbed. Remove from heat, stir in parmesan and set aside.

While orzo simmers, heat remaining half tablespoon of oil in a large skillet. Add garlic and cook for a minute. Stir in kale, then add about 1/4 cup of vegetable stock, the nutmeg and several grinds of pepper. Cover and let cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, adding a splash of stock as needed. Add tomatoes and beans to skillet, recover, and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes.

Toss orzo with kale mixture. Add desired amount of lemon juice (my lemon yielded a 1/4 cup of juice, and I ended up using it all. I would probably only use 2-3 tablespoons next time. It was delicious, but a little on the tart side.) Serve warm.

Red Lentil Vegetable Stew

This recipe is the result of me going in a totally different direction than intended. With a stockpile of carrots in the crisper, I had my mind made up on a creamy carrot soup. All day, that was my intention, and I'd browse a recipe or two for inspiration, think about it some more, look through some more recipes, do a little more brainstorming. You get the idea.

I knew I wanted red lentils in it, and I was also thinking along the lines of ginger, cilantro, coconut milk...but then when I began pulling out the ingredients to make my soup, I completely switched gears. Suddenly it began to have an more Italian influence, with tomato base, more veggies, and a chunky consistency instead of a pureed one.

And it wound up being exactly what I was really in the mood for. Isn't it funny how that works out sometimes?

Red Lentil Vegetable Stew

4-6 servings (it's very hearty and filling, so probably more like 6)

2 tbsp canola or olive oil (I used a blend of the two)

3 large carrots, in medium dice

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 large red bell pepper, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 cups vegetable stock

1 cup red lentils, rinsed

28 oz. can Italian-style crushed tomatoes

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp crushed red pepper (or to taste)

2 bay leaves

2 1/2 cups coarsely chopped fresh spinach (stems removed)

grated parmesan, for serving

Heat oil in a Dutch Oven or large stock pot over medium heat. Add carrots, celery, pepper and onion. Season with a good bit of salt and a generous amount of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are becoming soft, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook another minute or two.

Add stock, lentils, crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, oregano, crushed pepper and bay leaves. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until lentils are tender but not mushy. Taste and adjust salt and pepper, if needed. Remove and discard bay leaves.

Stir in chopped spinach and give a few minutes to wilt. Top each serving with grated parmesan, as desired.

Sausage, White Bean and Spinach Soup

When it comes to my slow cooker, I always seem to use it when I'm home, and rarely do I ever cook anything on the low setting for a long period of time. Instead, I set it on high for a few hours in the afternoon and it's ready at dinnertime. This week, I've been helping out at the flower shop for the upcoming holiday and I haven't had a lot of energy once I come home for preparing dinner. It seemed like a perfect time to really utilize my slow cooker.

I was browsing some slow cooker recipes for inspiration, and I came across one for a smoked sausage and bean soup. It made me think of a soup my awesome neighbor brought us right after we had Beckett. Besides the sausage and beans, her's had tomatoes and spinach... and I can't remember what else. I decided to try come up with my own take made in the slow cooker and wound up with one really tasty soup. From the slow cooking, the texture of the sausage was less firm than I'm used to, but it didn't bother us like I thought it might've. It was so nice to come home from work on a gloomy, rainy day and have the house smelling wonderful, and a pot of this hearty, extremely flavorful soup all ready for us.

Sausage, White Bean and Spinach Souparound 4 servings
I pretty much never use frozen spinach, but I had some in the freezer that I bought for a recipe and didn't use. Since my fresh spinach supply for the week had already been depleted, I decided to give it a try. I still would've preferred fresh, but the frozen worked nicely in this. If using fresh, I would just coarsely chop it (removing any thick stems) and stir it in at the end and give it a few minutes to wilt.
2 large carrots, sliced 1/3 inch thick
2 celery ribs, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
3 fat garlic cloves, smashed and coarsely shopped
1 (14 oz) pkg smoked turkey sausage, sliced about 1/2 inch thick
1 (14.5 oz) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 (15.5 oz) can of Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
3 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 parmesan rind1 tsp Italian Seasoning
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
kosher salt and pepper
1 (10 oz) pkg frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
grated parmesan, for serving

Combine all ingredients, except the spinach and grated parmesan, in crock of the slow cooker. Cook on low for 7-8 hours. Stir in thawed spinach and give a few minutes to heat heat through. Serve topped with grated parmesan, if 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.

Pasta e Fagioli

This soup is what my mom would call a "happy accident." This wasn't going to be the other night's dinner (or most likely, any night's, any time soon.) Instead, I had quick and easy recipe to try out that I was looking forward to. But those plans came to a halt when I discovered last minute, that the key ingredient had somehow gone bad (and we're not talking questionable, but trashcan bound). I knew I needed to come up with something quickly, working with what I had on hand. I wasn't feeling in a particularly creative mood and at this point, I just wanted a straightforward recipe to work with. My next obstacle was that my biggest source for recipes- and especially when I am pressed for time- is the Internet. Which just happened to be down at the time.

I grabbed the file folder that I keep of recipes torn from magazines and quickly skimmed through it. I stopped at Everyday Food's Pasta e Fagioli, only because I had everything and it looked easy. I got to work, but even as I was making it, I'd already written it off as "something to feed us" and little else. It seemed rather ordinary, and the photo accompanying it wasn't really that impressive, at least not compared to what you normally see in the magazine. As a matter of fact, I'm not even sure why I saved the recipe in the first place. But man, am I glad I did! This might've just been a means to get dinner on the table, but it wound up being something I will make again and again.


Pasta e Fagioli
adapted slightly from Everyday Food, December 2010
serves 4

I want to note that I used a can of diced tomatoes flavored with basil, garlic and oregano and a can of (broken up) stewed tomatoes in this. They were both bought on accident, and have been just hanging out in my pantry, because they contained high fructose corn syrup. While I will make this with my regular diced tomatoes next time, I think the sweetness added to the soup, so I'd suggest adding in a little bit of the sweetener of your choice if the tomatoes you use are not sweet.

1 tbsp olive oil
3 celery ribs, chopped
3 carrots, in medium dice
1/2 large red onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp dried oregano
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
2 (14.5 oz) cans or 1 (28 oz) can of diced tomatoes
3 cups low sodium vegetable broth
1 Parmesan rind, plus additional freshly grated parmesan for serving
1 cup whole grain shells, or other small pasta
1 (15.5 oz) can of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
I cup coarsely chopped fresh baby spinach, stems removed

In a good sized heavy pot, such as a Dutch Oven or casserole, heat oil over medium. Add celery, carrots, onion and garlic. Season with oregano, a few pinches of salt and several grinds of pepper. Cook stirring occasionally until vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes.

Add tomatoes, broth and Parmesan rind. Increase heat to high and simmer rapidly until liquid thickens slightly, 5 minutes. Stir in pasta and cook, partially covered, until pasta is just shy of al dente (for my pasta, this took about 10 minutes).

Add beans and continue to cook for a few minutes, until they are warmed through and pasta is al dente. Remove from heat and stir in chopped spinach. Serve topped with grated parmesan.

Roasted Delicata Squash and Tomatoes over Spinach Pesto Pasta

While I often prefer to cook without using any kind of recipe, there are definitely times when I'm lazy. Where I'd rather just follow the steps of a tried-and-true recipe, eliminating the guesswork. Because some days, the chopping, mincing, shredding and sauteing is enough work, without having to think. This was the case the other day. All I wanted was to find a quick and easy non-sweet way to prepare the delicata squash that was calling my name. But as ingredients I wanted to use kept popping in my head, I found I was being way to specific in my recipe search.



I'll spare you the wandering thought process that led me to combining the summery flavors of tomatoes and basil along with a winter squash, but I will assure you this was delicious and a fun way to transition late summer and early fall into one dish. Spinach pesto is a favorite of mine because I almost always have lots of spinach on hand, but usually not very much basil (for a florist by trade, I have a surprisingly brown thumb, so growing it is not an option.) I wasn't sure how this meal would all come together, but it most certainly did and I'm glad I didn't find a recipe to follow after all.

Roasted Delicata Squash and Tomatoes over Spinach Pesto Pasta
serves 2-3

1 medium delicata squash (around 1.5 lbs.), unpeeled, halved lengthwise, seeds removed and cut into 3/4 inch thick crescents
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp olive oil
1 large clove garlic, pressed
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
1 cup grape tomatoes
2 cups hot, cooked long slender pasta of choice (I used whole grain spaghetti, about 1/3 of a box)
shredded parmesan, for serving, if desired

for the pesto:
1 1/2 cups tightly packed baby spinach
1/4 cup loosely packed basil leaves
1/4 cup toasted walnut pieces
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup shredded parmesan
2 cloves garlic, smashed
2 tbsp water

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Toss squash slices with 1 tbsp olive oil, garlic, a couple pinches of salt and a generous amount of pepper. Spread in a single layer on half of a baking sheet. Toss tomatoes with remaining tsp of oil and a touch of salt. Spread onto other side of baking sheet. Roast for 15-18 minutes, or until squash is tender and tomatoes have collapsed, flipping squash over halfway through cooking time.

Meanwhile, pulse all pesto ingredients in a food processor until smooth, scraping sides down as needed with a spatula. Toss hot pasta with pesto.

To serve, top pasta with roasted squash and tomatoes and sprinkle with additional grated parmesan, if desired.

Lemon-Basil Pesto with Farfalle, Broccoli and Feta

We lost my father-in-law to a heart attack yesterday. Curt was truly a one-of-a kind individual and lived a fascinating life (How many people do you know who survived being struck by lightening on two separate occasions?). He loved being the center of attention and would tell stories of his past that sounded like they were from a movie script. Along with more talents and skills than I could ever count, he was an amazing cook. Having spent time as a chef, he was passionate about food and cooking. I was lucky enough to have cooked beside him on numerous occasions, which was always an experience. He was like a tornado in the kitchen, and every meal prepared, no matter how simple, came with a lengthy lesson or two.

Last night for dinner, I wanted to cook something I thought he would've enjoyed. Lemon, basil, garlic and parmesan were all ingredients commonly found in his kitchen. I intended to use a long slender pasta (which I apparently forgot to buy) and serve this with chicken (which I forgot to defrost) but it worked well with the farfalle and even my chicken-loving husband thought this was just perfect as a vegetarian dish. I think "Papa," as my son called him, would've loved this, and in his honor I completely trashed the kitchen while making this.

Lemon-Basil Pesto with Farfalle, Broccoli and Feta
2 to 3 servings

for the pesto:
2 cups packed basil leaves
1/4 cup walnut pieces, toasted
2 tbsp good quality olive oil
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan
2 cloves garlic, smashed
juice from half of a large lemon
1 tsp water
pinch or two of kosher salt

for the pasta:
7.25 oz uncooked multi-grain farfalle (about 2 1/2 cups)
1 tbsp olive oil
3 broccoli crowns, cut into small florets
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
crumbled reduced fat feta, for serving

In a food processor, pulse all pesto ingredients together until smooth, stopping to scrape sides as necessary. Set pesto aside.

Cook pasta until al dente in salted water, according to package directions. Drain, reserving pasta water.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet that has a lid over medium heat. Add broccoli, season with salt and pepper, and saute for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add a couple tablespoons of pasta water, cover and cook for an additional two minutes, or until broccoli is tender crisp. Toss with cooked pasta and pesto, adding a little of the reserved cooking liquid if dry.

Spoon into serving bowls and top with feta.

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.

Parsley Pesto Chicken Salad

This flavorful chicken salad came about when I set out to make another recipe entirely, one that involved a basil pesto, but as it turned out, my basil was pretty far past the point of using. Since I had an abundance of parsley on hand, I decided to try a pesto using that instead. Somewhere along the way, I lost interest in the original dish and chose to combine the pesto with some rotisserie chicken I had for a tasty take on a mayo-free chicken salad.

For something so easy to prepare, the results were quite delicious. On toasted multigrain bread with letuce, tomato and black pepper, it made a wonderful sandwich. Equally great as as an open face melt on a wheat english muffin with swiss cheese and thin sliced tomato. And even good as a simple spread on flatbread crackers.

Because it is so inexpensive, parsley is one produce I am willing to buy even though I know I will probably not be able to use it all up in time. (The same with cilantro.) However, I do really hate waste, so I will absolutely be making parsely pesto again. I'm thinking it would be wonderful paired with pasta and grilled chicken.


Parsley Pesto Chicken Salad

2 cups packed parsley leaves

1/4 cup toasted walnut halves/pieces

2 tbsp good-quality olive oil

1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan

a couple pinches of kosher salt

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (half of a small lemon)

1 tbsp water

1 cup shredded cooked chicken, room temperature

1 celery rib, thinly sliced

Add parsley, walnuts, olive oil, parmesan, salt, lemon juice and water in a food processor and pulse until smooth.

Mix pesto with chicken and celery. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust salt if needed. Serve as desired.

Quinoa, Zucchini and Basil Stuffed Tomatoes

I bought a basket of tomatoes the other day, but when I got home I found that the majority of them were extremely ripe. As in, I'd never be able to use them up in my salads in time. So I needed a recipe to use several of them up at once. I debated on a pazanella, but I didn't have the bread on hand and really wanted to come up with something healthier. Then I thought about baked stuffed tomatoes...perfect! We've really been enjoying lighter meals lately, and especially those that have the flavors we associate with warmer weather.

This was so flavorful with the fresh basil and zucchini, and the quinoa kept it from being too heavy, as some of the grains I considered would've been. But even though it was light in taste, it was a fulfilling enough to be a meal for me when served with a big salad. Sage and Beckett had theirs as a side along with some grilled chicken breasts. Everyone was happy. But I was the happiest of all, because I claimed the fourth one to take for lunch the next day.

Quinoa, Zucchini and Basil Stuffed Tomatoes

4 medium sized tomatoes

1/3 cup uncooked quinoa, well rinsed

2/3 cup chicken or vegetable stock

2 tsp olive oil

3/4 cup chopped onion

1/2 medium zucchini, in small dice (about 1 cup)

sea salt and fresh ground pepper

1 large clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup minced fresh basil (I think using fresh is the key in this recipe)

2 tbsp shredded part-skim mozzarella

2 tbsp freshly grated parmesan, divided

1 tbsp chopped parsley leaves

Preheat oven to 375. Cut the top of each tomato and scoop out the insides, leaving about a 1/4 inch thick wall. Discard the seeds and core, and coarsely chop the flesh and set aside. Place the hollowed out tomatoes upside down on a paper towel lined plate.

Place rinsed quinoa and stock in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for about 12 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Uncover and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add onion and zucchini, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 3-4 minutes, until becoming soft. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in reserved tomato flesh and basil. After a minute or two, remove from heat.

Fluff quinoa and add to pan, along with mozzarella, 1 tbsp of the parmesan and the parsley. Mix well and taste. Adjust seasonings if needed.

Spoon mixture into each tomato, using the back of the spoon to pack it down. Sprinkle remaining parmesan over top of the stuffed tomatoes. Bake for 30 minutes.

Fresh Pasta with Sweet Tomato Sauce and Baked Ricotta

I first saw this recipe on Cate's World Kitchen and thought it looked great. Shortly after, I saw it on a couple other blogs, which of course made me want to make it even more. I finally remembered to buy ricotta, and I can say this was every bit as delicious as I expected it to be and perhaps even more! It was a beautiful evening, so we enjoyed this wonderful meal out on our deck, along with crusty multi-grain bread and some glasses of wine.

I've always been under the impression you had to have a pasta roller in order to make your own pasta, but Cate made it sound easy enough to do with just a rolling pin and a pizza cutter so I decided to try it. If that's a little too ambitious, you could always buy fresh pasta from the grocery, but it really was easy. In fact, even making the pasta, this meal came together fairly quick (with the exception of straining the ricotta) but tasted like something that took much longer.

Pasta with Sweet Tomato Sauce and Baked Ricotta,

Slightly adapted from Jamie Oliver (via Cate's World Kitchen)

1 (15 oz.) container of ricotta (part-skim is fine) drained in a cheesecloth-lined strainer for a few hours

1 tsp plus 1 tbsp olive oil

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1 medium onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 (28 oz.) can whole tomatoes with juices

3 tbsp balsamic vinegar

sugar, to taste (I omitted, as my tomatoes were sweet enough)

1 lb. wide pasta, such a pappardalle (recipe for fresh pasta, below)

a handful of fresh basil, torn

freshly grated parmesan, for serving

Preheat oven to 400. Place drained ricotta in the center of a foil or parchment lined baking sheet and flatten to a 1 inch thick disk. Rub with 1 tsp olive oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper and oregano. Bake for 15 minutes and set aside.

Cook pasta according to recipe or package directions. Drain, reserving some of the pasta water, and set aside.

Heat remaining oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook the onion and garlic until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes and simmer for 15 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, crush the tomatoes into pieces. Stir in salt, pepper, and balsamic vinegar. Taste, and add a small amount of sugar, if needed.

Toss the cooked pasta with the sauce. If neccessary, add a tbsp or two of the reserved pasta water. (If using the fresh pasta recipe below, there will be plenty of sauce to coat the pasta without the water.)

To serve, transfer pasta and sauce to serving dishes, and top with crumbled ricotta, basil and parmesan.

Fresh pasta

adapted from Jamie's Italy by Jamie Oliver, via Cate's World Kitchen

2 cups flour (I used unbleached all purpose)

3 whole eggs

kosher salt

Wisk together flour and a few pinches of salt. Make a well into the center and crack the eggs into it. Using a fork, wisk the eggs together without mixing in any flour until they're smooth and yellow.

Once the eggs are beaten, mix into the flour. Once it becomes too thick to stir, turn out onto the counter and knead for for about 8 minutes, or until the dough is very smooth. (This can be done up to two days ahead- knead until smooth, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate.)

When ready to use, lightly flour work surface and rolling pin. Roll dough into a large rectangle so it's less than an 1/8 inch thick. Using a pizza cutter, cut into strips of desired thickness.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Drop the pasta in a few strands at a time, stirring so they don't stick together. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until al dente. Drain but do not rinse.

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.

Italian Meatball Soup

I've had a sick and very overworked husband lately. He finally got a chance to come home and get some much needed rest in the other day. (This is not as great as it sounds, since wet, cold weather postponed the tournament he was working, and he had to work his day off instead.) But at least he was able to take a nice hours-long couch nap, inside away from the cold rain.

I thought it would be nice to have a yummy bowl of soup when he woke up. Since I wasn't expecting him home for dinner, let alone so early, I hadn't planned on making soup, and had to use what I had on hand. Which turned out to be a limited selection of vegetables and a freezer full of some odd meats that we don't normally eat- like ground lamb and real sausage links. There was was ground pork, so I decided to make little meatballs, and use pasta to make up for the lack of veggies. Since making this, I've discovered my product of improvising is actually pretty much a real soup, Italian Meatball. Of course, there are tons of versions, and I'm not claiming mine is authentic, since I wasn't even aware of its existance prior to making it.

Sage was so happy to wake up to homemade soup, and the three of really enjoyed it. We are more vegetable eaters than meat eaters in our house, so next time I would half the meatball recipe and double the vegetables, but I will write it as I made it. I also think zucchini and/or spinach would go great. Other changes could be using half pork/half ground beef for the meatballs, and using beef broth/stock, instead of the chicken (omitting the worcestershire.) You could also increase the amount of stock for a soupier soup, although we liked it not as brothy.

1 lb. lean ground pork (or half pork/half ground beef)
1 medium onion
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 tbsp Italian seasoning
1/3 cup Italian style bread crumbs
1 egg yolk
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
cooking spray
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large carrot, thin sliced
2 celery ribs, thin sliced
1 (14.5 oz.) can of petite diced tomatoes
1 (32 oz.) carton of low sodium chicken stock
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
! large handful of parsley, chopped
1 cup uncooked whole grain macaroni (or cavatappi)
lots of grated parmesan, for serving

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mince 1/3 of the onion and set the remainder aside.

In a large bowl, mix ground meat, minced onion, half of the minced garlic, Italian seasoning, bread crumbs, egg yolk together and season with salt and pepper. Using hands, form into small meatballs (about 1 level tbsp worth) and line on a rimmed baking sheet, sprayed with cooking spray. (I got 45 meatballs.)

Bake meatballs for about 15 minutes, or until cooked through, shaking baking sheet occasionally to promote even browning. Once done, transfer to a paper-towel lined plate.

While meatballs are cooking, heat oil in a large stock pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Chop remaining onion, and add to pot, along with carrot and celery. Saute for about 8 minutes, or until onion is translucent but not browning. Add remaining garlic and cook for another minute.

To vegetable mixture, add tomatoes, stock, worcestershire, 1 tbsp salt, lots of pepper, and chopped parsley. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package dirrections. Drain and set aside.

Once vegetables are tender, add meatballs to broth and heat through. Stir in cooked pasta. Remove from heat, and top each serving with parmesan.

Symon Sundays: Veal Chop Milanese with Arugula Salad (but really Chicken Breast Milanese)

I almost didn't participate in Symon Sundays this week, due to a lot going on lately, but here I am sneaking it in last minute. I am so glad I was able to make this because it was so good! I only did one of this week's recipes. I hope to try the other one, Soft Polenta with Mascarpone, sometime soon since I like polenta a lot (and cheese makes everything better.)

For the Symon Sunday dishes so far, I've pretty much stuck to the recipe, but this time I did deviate a bit. For starters, we aren't veal eaters but the book mentions this preparation also works with chicken, pork and beef and most game. Naturally, we went with chicken since its Sage's favorite meat. Another issue we had with the way it was orginally written, was that it was fried. Instead I figured we could bake it, as we have had great success with oven baked panko-crusted chicken tenders. As I suspected, it worked great. My only other change, was omitting the onion from the salad since I can't eat raw onion.

I scaled this back to make 2 servings, using one chicken breast, quartering the breading ingredients, but only halving the salad ingredients. It was an absolutely perfect late Sunday lunch. Meredith chose this recipe this week and she has the recipe posted, using veal, as well as the polenta recipe. Below I am including my version, using chicken and baking it instead of frying.

adapted from Michael Symon's Live to Cook

serves 2

1 chicken breast, pounded to 1/4 in. thickness and cut in half

1/2 cup flour (You could probably use 1/4 cup, I had lots left over)

1 large egg, beaten lightly

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

1 small clove garlic

juice from half a lemon

2 tbsp extra-virign olive oil

1 1/2 cup arugula

1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved

6 fresh basil leaves

Preheat oven to 375. Set up a breading station. In three separate bowls, put the flour, egg and bread crumbs. Stir parmesan into breadcrumbs.

Season chicken breasts liberally with salt and pepper. Dredge one piece in the flour, shake off the excess, dip it in egg, and last into the bread crumbs to coat. Lay onto baking sheet. Repeat with second piece. Bake for 15 minutes, or until nearly completely cooked through. Remove from oven and turn to Broil. Put back in oven for 3 minutes, watching to make sure it doesn't get too brown. Flip and broil for 2 minutes on other side. Remove from oven.

With chicken is baking, combine garlic, lemon juice and 1/2 tsp salt. Wisk in olive oil. Set aside.

Just before serving, gently toss arugula, tomatoes and basil in dressing. Place chicken breast on plate and top with salad.

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.

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.

Barley Risotto with Swiss Chard and Cannellini Beans

I'll be honest. We were a divided household on this one. Sage wasn't so crazy about it. I thought it was great (and totally unprompted by me, Beckett proclaimed it "delicious, Mommy" in his adorable not-quite-two-year-old voice.) I'm not sure if it was that this particular combination of ingredients just didn't do it for Sage, or if it had something to do the fact any meal that takes quite a while to make, he has overly high expectations for. (He said something like "I expected after all that, something more than a bowl of beans and barley.") He might've thought it was just "okay," but I really liked it. Because it wasn't a hit all around, I wasn't sure if I should even put it on here. But after Beckett and I happily enjoyed the leftovers the next day, I decided I should.


This comes from the ever-amazing blog, Smitten Kitchen. Deb encourages readers to play around and adapt this recipe, as she did from the very basic version found at Food & Wine. And play around, I did. Escarole wasn't available to me, so I used swiss chard, which I sauteed seperately and added in at the end, since I didn't think it would wilt down quite as quickly. I swapped out the beans (and even used a little more) as well as the cheese. There are so many other suggestions she makes, so if you intend to try this recipe, you should read hers first. Not only does she give various ways to make this dish your own, she also gives lots of great tips and has far prettier pictures.


5 cups reduced sodium vegetable stock (I used a 32 oz. carton, with 1 cup of water, because I didn't want to open up another for just a cup)
2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, diced
1/4 tsp thyme (I used more, because I love thyme)
1/2 cup white wine (I used a Sauvignon Blanc)
1 cup pearled barley
1 (15 oz can) Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 head of swiss chard, chopped (I didn't use the stems and got about 4 cups)
1/2 cup grated Romano (or Parmesan) cheese, plus more for serving
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper


In a medium saucepan, bring the stock (and water if using) to a simmer over moderately high heat. Reduce the heat to low and keep warm.

In a large, deep skillet, heat 2 tbsp olive oil. Add the onion and thyme and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, about 6 minutes. Add the barley and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the wine if using and cook, stirring until absorbed, about one minute.

Add 1 cup of the warm stock and cook, stirring, until nearly absorbed. Continue adding the stock 1/2 cup at a time in six additions — you’ll have a cup of stock left in the pot — stirring until it is nearly absorbed between additions. (This was supposed to take around 35 minutes, but mine took much, much, much longer.) Barley should be al dente, and in a thick, creamy sauce.

While the barley is absorbing the stock, heat the remaining oil in a small saute pan. Saute the swiss chard, until wilted, around 5 minutes. Set aside.

Add beans and swiss chard, along with about a half cup of the remaining stock. Heat the beans through, a few minutes, adding extra stock, to reach desired consistancy. (I used all but a tbsp or so of the last cup of stock.) Stir in the 1/2 cup of grated cheese and the butter and season with salt and pepper. Serve at once, passing more cheese at the table.

Orzo with Chicken Sausage, Grape Tomatoes & Mushrooms

My blog posts have been few and far between lately. I've been back to working part time, as well as pretty busy lately. Somehow, I'm just not cooking quite as frequently and as for baking, not at all. I didn't even do anything for last Sunday's football game. The Patriots were playing the New York Jets again. When they last met up in Week 2, I made knishes. My intention were to make apple muffins (which is the offical state muffin, in case you're interested, and I thought a fun choice since NYC is the "Big Apple.")

But Sunday, came and went, I didn't get to making my muffins. I'll be honest, there was a lot of napping done by me on Sunday- thanks to my wonderful husband who understood how tired I was and hung with the little guy all day. Since it was the second time we played the Jets, I decided it wasn't a big deal. (Luckily, Beckett didn't know of my plans- he's pretty crazy for muffins.)

I might not have gotten around to baking apple muffins on Sunday, but I did make a tasty dinner for the three of us. It was one of those dinners where I looked in the fridge, saw a handful of ingredients and went with it. It was really good- and possibly even better for lunch the next day- but not exactly perfect. But with a little tweaking, it could be. The sauce was a little thin, but this could easily be remedied by using less broth, or as I did, thickening it up with cornstarch at the end, or even both. The other thing that would perhaps make this even better, would be switching the cheese. All I had to top it with was shredded parmesan, but I think feta would be awesome. Not that the parmesan didn't go, I just think feta would've been better. Regardless, it was a flavorful, quick and easy dinner, that we all enjoyed.

1/2 cup uncooked ozro pasta

1 tbsp olive oil, divided

3 links chicken sausage, sliced (I used spinach & asagio cheese)

1 sweet onion, chopped

1 sweet bell pepper, chopped (I used yellow)

2 cup sliced mushrooms

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup grape tomatoes (you could definitely use more)

1/2 cup of chicken broth (Suggest reducing, or use cornstarch at end to thicken.)

1/2 tbsp dried basil

sea salt and fresh ground pepper

cornstarch, if desired (I used about 1 tsp)

desired cheese for topping (parmesan, feta, goat cheese, etc.)

.

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

Heat 1/2 tbsp of oil in a large skillet over medium. Cook sliced sausages for 5 min, stirring frequently for even browning. Remove from pan.

Add remaining oil to pan. Once, heated, add onion and pepper, and cook for 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic, and cook for another 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, broth and seasonings. Bring to a boil, return sausage to skillet, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

If using cornstarch, mix about 1 tsp with about a 1/4 cup of broth from skillet. Return to pan and bring to a boil. Allow to thicken, a few minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in pasta, and top with cheese to serve.