SAUSAGE & PENNE PASTA POT

Looking for a quickie kid-friendly supper that's tasty AND easy to make?  Have I got a deal for you!  

ABOVE:  The pasta is cooking, and I've done all the prep work except for slicing the sausage.  Having everything ready to go once you start assembling the dish really speeds things along!

SAUSAGE & PENNE PASTA POT

Serves 4

8 ounces uncooked mini Penne pasta

1 medium yellow onion, quartered & sliced

1 large clove garlic, minced

2 T. olive oil

1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms

1/2 large yellow bell pepper, cut in 1/4" wide strips

2 small zucchini, sliced 1/4" thick

14 oz. Kielbasa or smoked sausage, sliced in 1/4" thick rounds

2 cups (1/2 jar) tomato & basil pasta sauce

Prepare the mini Penne per package directions.

While the pasta is cooking, clean and cut the onion, mushrooms (if not pre-sliced), bell pepper and sausage as indicated. 

When the pasta is done, reserve 1/4 cup of the hot pasta cooking water, then drain the Penne and set aside.  

Return the pasta pot to the stove, add the 2 T. olive oil and set the heat at medium-high.  When the oil starts to shimmer, add the sliced onions and saute for about a minute.  Add the minced garlic and saute for another minute. 

Now add the mushrooms, bell pepper, zucchinis and your sausage rounds.  Continue sauteing and tossing for about 5 minutes over medium-high heat.  Add the reserved pasta water, reduce the heat to a quick simmer and cook for about 5 minutes or until the zucchinis are tender.  Add the pasta sauce, stirring to blend well, and simmer for another 5 minutes.

Finally, add the drained pasta, folding and stirring gently to distribute the pasta throughout.  Serve with slabs of crusty French bread.

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ABOVE:  The finished dish, ready to fill hungry tummies.  Come and get it!!

NOTES:  The brand of pasta sauce I chose was 'Francesco Rinaldi', but feel free to use whatever brand you like.  

Also, use whatever shape of pasta you prefer.  I like the little Penne because it has the ridges on the surface that hold the sauce really well.

The sausage was 'Hillshire Farms' Beef Smoked Sausage, but any similar fully-cooked dinner sausage will work fine, including those made with turkey or chicken. 

This recipe can easily be doubled. 

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Make CHINESE 5-SPICE at Home

I really love good Chinese food.  Makes me drool just thinking about it.  Wouldn't it be nice to cook your own, at home?  It makes a lot of sense, really.  The ingredients are readily available in most areas, and I LOVE the idea of having nearly total control over what is in each dish.  None of that nasty MSG stuff (monosodium glutamate), for instance.  Or only ORGANIC veggies.  And WAAAAY less oil.  That's a GOOD thing, right? 

If you keep a few key seasonings and condiments on hand, you will be ready to turn your favorite fresh veggies and protein of your choice into restaurant quality Chinese dishes nearly at the drop of a wok.  It's a lot easier than you might think, but we'll get to the actual dishes another day.  Right now, we're focusing on a particular product.

I live in a moderately large suburban area that is close to a moderately large city, and there happens to be a well-stocked Oriental market not far from my home.  I knew I could get all of my condiments there, so off I trotted with visions of preparing homemade Kung Pao Chicken, Pork Fried Rice, and Spicy Stir-fried String Beans whirling around in my brain.  I came home with a bag full of exotic flavors in exotic-looking jars and bottles . . . only to realize that I'd forgotten something.  (Crud.  I HATE when that happens.  I really need to learn to shop with a LIST.  Don't make the same mistake.)  Anyway, the item I'd forgotten was Chinese 5-Spice.  It's not a particularly unusual product, so I figured I'd just grab a bottle on my next visit to Safeway.  Uh, right.

Safeway had it, but it was $5.19 for an ordinary size spice bottle.  A couple of days later, I checked at Albertson's.  Yikes!  It was $7.79 for the same thing there.

God, I love the internet.  A quick google search yielded a number of recipes for making my own Chinese 5-Spice blend, and there wasn't anything in it to justify the high prices of the ready-made stuff.  The only ingredient that wasn't already in my cupboard was star anise, and I knew right where to go:  the local Mexican tienda.  They have an impressive array of spices in cellophane envelopes, hanging from pegs, and they are CHEAP.  A package of star anise set me back a whopping $0.99, and it contained more than enough for my purpose.  The other ingredients are ground cinnamon, whole cloves, fennel seed and black peppercorns.

LEFT:  The spices needed to create your own Chinese 5-Spice blend are fennel seeds (upper left); whole cloves (upper right); whole peppercorns (center); ground cinnamon (lower right) and star anise (lower left).  RIGHT: The inset shows a heaping teaspoon of the finished product. 

HOMEMADE  CHINESE  5-SPICE  BLEND

2 T. star anise (pods & seeds)

2 T. fennel seeds

2 T. whole cloves

2 T. whole black peppercorns

2 T. ground cinnamon

Grind the first 4 spices using either a mortar-and-pestle or an electric spice (coffee) grinder.  I used my coffee grinder after sweeping it clean of all coffee residue; it made short work of even the fennel seeds, which are quite tough.  (If you are using a mortar-and-pestle, you might wish to use pre-ground fennel seed because crushing them by hand is hard work.)  

Once everything is fairly finely ground, add the ground cinnamon and give the whole business another go with the coffee grinder until it looks like the picture above.  Transfer the ground mixture into a spice bottle or other storage container with an airtight lid.  Label it so you don't forget what it is.  It will keep for 6 months or so on the shelf, or considerably longer in the freezer.

This makes enough to fill most ordinary spice bottles very full.  You might have to tap and settle it to get it all in.

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I found a recipe for Chinese 5-Spice Chicken that will be my test-recipe.  I'll let you know how it works out!

 

MARINATED GREEK VEGGIE SALAD

Greek Salad is a popular choice offered in grocery store deli departments at many locations, but at something like $8/lb., it's a bit pricey.  At least, the way MY family chows through it, that is.  So, I decided homemade was the most sensible way to go.  The basic salad itself is quite simple; what brings it all together is the dressing, so this page actually has TWO recipes on it:  one for the salad, and one for the dressing.  And the dressing can also be used on any kind of salad you choose, especially crisp greens.  

Kalamata olives are a little expensive as olives go, but Costco offers a LARGE jar of good-quality pitted kalamatas for under $8 -- it contains more than enough for this salad, plus plenty of these zesty gems for other dishes . . . or to just snack on (love 'em!).

MARINATED  GREEK  VEGGIE  SALAD

Makes 8 to 10 servings

3 cups Roma tomatoes, cut in 3/4" pieces

1 whole English cucumber (the long, thin "seedless" kind)

1 small red onion, peeled and cut in thin wedges

1 small green bell pepper, seeded and cubed

1 cup pitted Kalamata olives, well-drained

3 oz. crumbled Feta cheese (or to taste)

1 batch GREEK SALAD DRESSING (recipe follows)

Trim the ends from the cucumber but do not peel.  Cut in half lengthwise, then use the tip of a teaspoon to scrape out the pulp and any seeds; discard what you scooped out.  Cut each piece in half lengthwise again (total of 4 pieces) and then slice into 1/2" thick chunks.

Next, put everything into a container (glass or plastic) with a tight-fitting lid.  With lid in place, shake gently to mix everything.

Now it's time to make that dressing, so here we go:

GREEK  SALAD  DRESSING 

and MARINADE

Juice of 1 extra-large lemon (or 2 medium lemons)

2 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. dried basil

3 tsp. fresh minced garlic (about 2 medium cloves)

2 T. red wine vinegar

1/2 tsp. sea salt (or to taste)

1 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper (or to taste)

3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Put all ingredients except the olive oil into your food processor or blender.  Process on high for 5 seconds.  Next, while the machine is still running, slowly pour in the olive oil in a steady thin stream.  The dressing will thicken much the way mayonnaise does, but will be thinner than mayo.  After all the oil is incorporated, pour this finished dressing over the salad ingredients, folding and tossing until well-mixed.  

Cover and refrigerate for about 4 hours (overnight if you can), shaking occasionally to redistribute the dressing and encourage even mingling of flavors. 

Stir before serving. 

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Serve the finished salad as is, or over dishes of torn romaine lettuce.

I plan on playing with the amount of lemon juice, red wine vinegar, salt and sugar because I think the balance could be better.  Still, it's a pretty good dressing as-is, and makes an interesting change of pace for your everyday regular tossed greens.

This salad travels well for picnics and other outings; just pop it into your ice chest with your other picnic goodies.  Cold fried chicken and a sweet-tangy macaroni salad pair up well with it, but use your imagination and don't be afraid to serve it alongside ribs, burgers, steaks or chops.  It's savory and refreshing!  It is also a great pot-luck contribution.

 

CABERNET BEEF & PORTOBELLOS

Your guests will never suspect how EASY this was to prepare.  This yummy stew uses just one pan: an ovenproof skillet (or pot) to first brown the beef and then bake it in the oven.  

CABERNET BEEF & PORTOBELLOS

Serves 4

LOOKS MORE COMPLICATED THAN IT IS:  and once it's in the oven, you don't even have to stir it until you add the gravy thickening.  Of course, there is the pan for the mashed potatoes, but it still makes for quite a quick clean-up.  Hearty and full-bodied yet very easy to make!

1 lb top round steak, cut in 3/4" pieces

2 Tbsps all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp cooking oil

6 ozs portobello mushrooms, stems removed

2 med onions, cut in thin wedges

2 c fresh baby carrots

10.5 ozs beef broth (one can condensed)

14.5 ozs diced tomatoes, Italian-seasoned, undrained

1 c red wine (a Pinot or Cabernet)

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

3 Tbsps water

1/4 c all-purpose flour

1 tsp sea salt (optional)

Heat oven to 350ºF.

Use the tip of a spoon to gently scrape the gills from the underside of the mushrooms. Discard gills.  Cut the mushrooms into 3/4" cubes.

Put 2 T. of flour into a plastic food bag. Add the cut pieces of round steak and shake well to coat evenly.

In a 10"-12" ovenproof skillet or 5-qt. dutch oven (either must have a lid), heat the oil until hot.  Add the beef; and brown well on all sides.  Remove from heat.  Add all remaining ingredients except the 3 T. water, 1/4 cup flour, and salt. (The mixture will be soupy and thin.)

Cover and place the pan into the oven for 1-1/2 hours, or until the beef is fork-tender.

Remove the stew from the oven.  Mix the remaining water, flour and salt with a wire whisk until smooth and gradually add to the hot stew, stirring quickly to avoid lumps. Replace cover and return to oven for an additional 30 minutes.

Remove from oven; stir thoroughly and serve.

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Serving Ideas : Ladle stew around mounds of fresh hot mashed potatoes in a pasta plate. Plain potatoes are perfect but consider garlic mashed for a nice variation. A chilled fruit salad completes the meal. Glasses of the red wine used to prepare this dish complement it well; serve at room temperature (see NOTES).

NOTES: On the recommendation of the local wine distributor who happened to be in the store at the time, I bought a bottle of 'Sutter Home' Cabernet for this dish. It was inexpensive -- less than $5 -- and worked exceptionally well. He explained that the term "Burgundy" describes all red wines in general, and then advised me that this particular Cabernet was not just a good buy, but also a pleasant table red, low in tannins, quite suitable for drinking. I agree.  Although not usually fond of red wines, I found this one to be mellow and fruity without being sweet, but not too dry either.  For drinking, allow it to come to room temperature as chilling kills the flavor.

Per serving: 342 Calories (kcal); 12g Total Fat; (34% calories from fat); 25g Protein; 26g Carbohydrate; 43mg Cholesterol; 855mg Sodium

BROCCOLI-BACON "SLAW"

Getting more veggies into our daily menus is always a challenge, so when I tasted this delightful salad at a pot-luck affair many years ago, I begged for the recipe.  It has been a family favorite ever since.  The flavors go together amazingly well, the dressing is simple and provides a slightly sweet-tangy complement that is just right.  I do hope you will try it.  It's different AND delicious!

A serving of the finished salad.  This has been refrigerated overnight, so the raisins have 'plumped'.  They won't look all fat and sassy like this when they're first added.

 

BROCCOLI-BACON "SLAW"

Makes 8 servings

6 cups raw broccoli florets, separated into bite-size pieces

8 ounces sliced bacon, fried crisp and crumbled

1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped

1/3 cup golden raisins

1/2 cup shelled sunflower seeds, toasted

Toss everything together in a 2-quart bowl or storage container with a tight-fitting lid.  Now prepare the dressing:

DRESSING*:

3/4 cup mayonnaise ("light" mayo is OK, but do NOT use Miracle Whip)

1/4 cup sugar

2 T. cider vinegar

1 tsp. lemon juice

Whisk all dressing ingredients together in a small bowl or a measuring cup, mixing until the sugar is dissolved and the dressing is smooth.  Pour over the tossed veggie mixture; fold and stir until well-distributed.  Cover tightly and refrigerate for  about 3 hours before serving.
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*This makes a nice general-purpose dressing for regular Cole Slaw, too. 

SPANISH-STYLE ARROZ CON POLLO

As my husband grows older, his taste in foods grows less and less circumspect.  He rarely tries anything new any more, and claims to abhor the flavor of thyme and several other herbs.  He doesn't like hominy, Brussel sprouts, salmon, trout, lemon, plain rice, garbanzo beans, black beans, liver or stewed tomatoes.  He also cringes every time I suggest having chicken.  In fact, he pretty much cringes at the thought of any type of poultry.  Okay, so he'll eat fried chicken but that's not exactly on our heart-healthy list these days.  He will grudgingly eat boneless skinless chicken breast meat -- providing it is prepared in a manner that suits him, and those are few and far between.  As head cook, meal planner and economist in our household, it is utterly EXASPERATING because it seems like every time I find an appealing new recipe, it calls for one of the "forbidden" ingredients.  *sigh*  I am CONSTANTLY on the prowl for new ways to prepare chicken, hoping to find one that's actually acceptable to him.

Last night was the "drop dead" date on the chicken I had in the fridge.  You know:  that "use or freeze by" date.  Personally, I had a hankering for my grandmother's Chicken Cacciatora.  The suggestion was met with a stony stare.  Back to square one.  After scouring my library of cookbooks for inspiration, I finally decided to create my own recipe.  It's not 100% new and original, because it draws upon a combination of several flavors that I know work together, but the end result was quite tasty -- and he ATE IT!  Without complaint, I might add, even going back for seconds.  So, without further ado, here is what I came up with:

SPANISH-STYLE ARROZ CON POLLO

(aka Spanish Rice Skillet with Chicken)

Serves 8

4 strips thick-sliced good quality bacon

3 pounds meaty chicken pieces **SEE NOTES BELOW

salt & pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium onion, chopped

2 ribs celery, chopped

1 medium green bell pepper, seeded & chopped

14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes with green chiles

2 cups chicken broth (canned or homemade; you can also use bouillon cubes or soup "base" to make up 2 cups worth)

1/2 tsp. dried basil

1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. hot sauce (I used Frank's RedHot)

1 cup uncooked white rice, any kind

In a 12" skillet (preferably non-stick), fry up the bacon just until crisp.  Remove the bacon and set aside, but leave the drippings in the pan.  When the bacon is cool enough to touch, cut it into 1/2" pieces.

Sprinkle the chicken pieces with salt & pepper, then brown them in the bacon drippings, turning as needed.  Remove the browned chicken parts from the skillet to a plate.

Now add the garlic, onion, celery and bell pepper to the skillet and saute for about 5 minutes, or until the onions go translucent.

Add the diced tomatoes with all the juice, the chicken broth, basil, oregano, cumin, hot sauce and the cooked bacon pieces.  Heat to boiling.  Add the rice, stirring well, and then place the browned chicken parts on top.  Cover and reduce the heat so that everything simmers gently.  Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the rice has absorbed all of the liquid.  Check to see if the rice is done.  If not, add about a 1/2 cup of water -- or more if needed -- and continue cooking (covered) until the rice is tender.  

Yields 8 to 10 servings.

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**NOTES:

My chicken was a big 5-pounder; I used the breasts, legs & thighs for the recipe, and the remainder went into a pot to make chicken stock for another meal.  I removed the skin from the breasts and added that to the stock pot, but left the skin on the legs and thighs -- you need some skin for added flavor.

Here's a hint about portioning chicken parts.  Whole chickens run rather large these days, so here's what I do.  I strip the "tender" from each breast half, and then cut each "supreme" (that's what the rest of the breast half is called) into two serving-size pieces.  This way, the breast yields 6 pieces.  Combined with the legs and thighs, you have 10 pieces in all which realistically works out to about 8 actual servings (I count 1 drumstick and 1 breast tender as a single adult serving).

I apologize for not having photos of this dish.  It was late, and I got lazy  :-)  I'll try to get pics the next time!

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