Italian Sausage and Bow Ties

Lest you think I ONLY make desserts, I thought I better post some main dishes!

I got this recipe from my friend Lauren and have shared it with several people since then. Everyone agrees it's a winner! It's a nice change from beef pasta dishes and it has that creamy tomato-sauce which I USED to associate only with restaurants! Who knew it could be so easy????

First, put a pot of salted water on the boil for the pasta. Once it's boiling, add the pasta. I love these new mini shapes that Barilla makes. Aren't they cute?



For the sauce, saute the bulk Italian sausage with the onions, red pepper flakes and garlic til meat is not longer pink, about 6-8 minutes.



About half way through the cooking time, add the fresh mushrooms.



Drain the fat from the meat and return the pan to the stove. Before I add the tomatoes, I run them through my chopper. I prefer a smoother sauce, with not too many tomato chunks. If you like chunky sauces, just coarsely chop them by hand.



Add the tomatoes, salt, and basil.



Stir well, then add the cream or half and half.



Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let simmer for 6-8 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring ocassionally. Finally, stir in parmesan cheese.



Drain the pasta and serve the sauce over the pasta.

If you like to make meals ahead, you can prepare the sauce and freeze it until you want to serve it. I usually serve this once, then freeze the leftover sauce for a second meal later. Find more great make-ahead meals at the Ultimate Recipe Swap.

There are more great ideas at Tempt my Tummy Tuesday , Tuesdays at the Table, Tasty Tuesdays and Blissfully Domestic, Ingredient Spotlight.

Italian Sausage and Bow Ties

1 box bow tie pasta (16 oz)
1 pound bulk Italian sausage
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 cans (14.5 oz each) Italian stewed tomatoes, drained and chopped
1 cup heavy whipping cream or half and half
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the sausage, onion, garlic and pepper flakes over medium heat for 4-5 minutes or until meat is no longer pink; drain.

Stir in tomatoes, cream, salt and basil. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 6-8 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Drain pasta; toss with sausage mixture. Garnish with Parmesan cheese. Makes 6 servings.

Caramel Chocolate Bars

I found this recipe in the Columbus Dispatch and knew I would have to try it as I LOVE all things caramel. Especially caramel combined with shortbread and chocolate. (maybe this explains my too frequent trips to the dentist...)

This recipe has a lot of steps, but is not difficult. First, line a 9" pan with foil, with enough overhang to create "handles." You'll need these handles later to pull the bars out of the pan. Grease the foil.



Cream together the sugar and butter in a small mixing bowl. Beat in the flour and salt and mix until crumbly.



Take this crumb mixture and pour it evenly into the pan, then press it out with your fingers to create a level crust.



Bake until golden brown. While the crust is baking, you can make the caramel layer. Melt the brown sugar and butter together in a small saucepan, then add the sweetened condensed milk.



Whisk this constantly over low heat to let mixture simmer, but never boil. You will need to cook it about 10 minutes. It should thicken up slightly like this:



After you've removed the crust from the oven, spread the caramel layer on carefully. Be sure to use a rubber scraper to get all the caramel out of the pan, and use a metal spatula or dinner knife to spread it on the crust.



Now return to the oven a bake a bit more. While you wait, you can eat the caramel off the spatula. Yum!



When it's done, cool on a wire rack until it's at room temperature. (I actually put mine in the fridge overnight and added the chocolate the second day.)

To make the chocolate layer, combine the chocolate and whipping cream (I actually used 1/2 and 1/2 and it was fine!) in a small sauce pan and cook over low heat.



Whisk this constantly, until the chocolate is melted. Let cool for 5 minutes.



Use a metal spatula or table knife to spread the chocolate on over the caramel layer.



Place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to let the chocolate set. When you're ready to serve the bars, remove from the fridge, and use those foil handles to lift the bars out of the pan.



I think it's easiest to now remove the foil completely, and place the bars on a cutting board to cut. You can cut 4 rows, and then 4 to 5 "columns" of bars to yield 16-20 bars.



These can be served at room temperature or directly from the refrigerator. Store them in the refrigerator. Then commence with an exercise program after you've eaten more than your fair share...

Get more great ideas at a Themed Baker's Sunday, Save Room for Dessert Wednesday, Mouthwatering Mondays, What's Cooking Wednesdays , Your Life, Your Blog and Chocolate Fridays.

Caramel Chocolate Bars

Crust:
6 Tbsp. butter, softened
3 T. sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
1 cup flour
Caramel layer:
1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1/4 tsp. salt
Chocolate layer:
3 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup heavy cream or half and half

Line a 8 or 9" pan with foil, long enough to create handles on the ends. Grease the foil.

In a mixing bowl, cream butter with sugar and salt on medium speed until well blended. Beat in flour. Drop dough by spoonfuls over foil and press out with your fingers to create a smooth, even layer. Prick the dough with a fork.

Bake at 350 until just starting to color lightly, 18 to 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, for caramel layer, place butter and brown sugar in a saucepan set over medium low heat. Stir constantly with a whisk until sugar has dissolved, about 1 minute. Add milk and salt, and whisking constantly, bring mixture to a simmer. Do not allow mixture to boil. Cook and whisk until mixture thickens and becomes a light caramel color, about 10 minutes.

Pour caramel over crust, smoothing into an even layer with a metal spatula or dinner knife. Return pan to oven and bake 10 minutes. Transfer pan to rack and cool to room temperature. (At this point, you can refrigerate the bars overnight if you wish.)

For chocolate layer, place chocolate and cream in a small saucepan over medium low heat. Whisk constantly until mixture is smooth, about 2 minutes. Cool 5 minutes, then pour over caramel layer and spread out evenly.

Refrigerate until chocolate is set, 30 minutes or longer. Lift bars out of pan using foil handles. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into 16 or 20 bars. Serve chilled or at room temperature. Store in the refrigerator. Makes 16-20 servings.

Chocolate Cherry Cake

I grew up eating this cake, and loving it. It is delicious and EASY. You don't even need a mixer! You just stir it up by hand with a trusty wooden spoon or rubber scraper.

Combine the cake mix and pie filling in a mixing bowl.



In a separate small bowl, whisk together the eggs and almond extract. (This is my added step. If you like, you can just throw them in the mixing bowl. I find that I can incorporate the eggs better if they are beaten a bit first.) Add the egg mixture to the cake and pie filling.



Stir well to incorporate all the ingredients. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl a few times, and "turn" the batter well to moisten all the cake mix.



Pour into a greased 9x13 pan, and bake! Could it get any simpler?



For the frosting, combine sugar, milk and butter in a small saucepan.



Bring this mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil for one minute. The mixture will get all foamy and rise to the top of the pan. (I love that part!)



Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate chips.



Stir until all the chips have melted and the icing thickens a bit. Pour the frosting over the cake while the cake is still warm (within about 45 minutes of removing it from the oven). You should be able to mostly cover the cake by just pouring, but you may have to spread it a little with a spatula.



You can store the cake for a few days at room temperature, covered. This cake is best served with vanilla ice cream. Or eaten right out of the pan.

For more great recipes, head over to Family Recipe Friday, Foodie Friday, Food on Fridays, and Friday Feasts.

Chocolate Cherry Cake

1 Devil's Food cake mix
1 can cherry pie filling
1 tsp. almond extract
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup milk
5 Tbsp. butter
6 oz. chocolate chips

Combine the cake mix and pie filling in a mixing bowl. In a separate small bowl, beat the eggs and extract. Pour the eggs into the cake mix bowl, and stir well to incorporate all ingredients.

Pour into a greased 9x13 pan and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, until the cake tests done with a toothpick.

For the icing, combine the sugar, milk and butter in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil and stir one minute. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips. Stir until smooth and slightly thickened.

Pour over the cake while the cake is still warm. Store covered at room temperature. Serves 16-20.

Chicken and Zucchini Pasta

I found this recipe last year when I needed something different to do with zucchini. I changed it quite a bit to adapt to my personal preference, and it's now one of my favorite dishes.

As with other vegetable dishes, it does require a bit of chopping, but it's worth it!

I usually put a pot of water on to boil first, and then chop the vegetables. Once the water is boiling, add the pasta, and then you can begin assembling the "sauce." I usually cook the shells for about 8 minutes or til al dente.



(I am quite sure you know how to pour pasta into a pot of boiling water, but I love to take pictures...)

For the sauce, saute the onions and garlic in olive oil.



Sprinkle the zucchini with oregano, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper. Add to the onions and saute, stirring frequently.



After about 5 minutes, add the red pepper.



Cook for a few minutes, then add the mushrooms and the chicken.



Next, add the chicken broth and the cream cheese.



I like to break up the pieces of cream cheese so they are easier to stir in to the sauce.



You can use a whisk to incorporate the cream cheese, or just stir well with your spoon or spatula. Once the cream cheese is mixed in, add the parmesan cheese.



Finally, drain the pasta and add it to the sauce. Stir well. Yum!



For more great recipes, head on over to Seasonal Sundays, Tasty Tuesday, Tempt my Tummy Tuesday, Tuesday at the Table and What's Cooking Wednesday.

Chicken and Zucchini Pasta

8 oz. uncooked pasta shells
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped (about 3/4 cup)
3 cloves garlic, sliced or minced
1 zucchini, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
salt and black pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3/4 cup chopped red pepper
4 oz. fresh mushrooms, quartered (about 1 cup)
1 cup chopped cooked chicken
3/4 cup chicken broth
2 oz. light cream cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Place pasta shells in the pot, cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente, and drain.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, and cook the onion and garlic until tender. Mix in the zucchini, and season with oregano, salt and pepper, and red pepper. Cook 10 minutes, until tender, adding the red pepper after about 5 minutes and the mushrooms and zucchini after about 8 minutes.

Stir the chicken broth into the skillet, and cook and stir until heated through. Mix in the cream cheese and stir well to combine. Add the parmesan cheese and stir well. Add the pasta and mix together. Makes 4-6 servings.

Kitchen Tip Tuesdays

When hamburger goes on sale, I buy in bulk and then split it up into 1-pound packages for the freezer.



In the summer, I take one extra step. I make hamburgers! When ground beef is frozen in individual packages, they thaw quickly, and since they're pre-formed, dinner can be ready in no time. It's what works for me!

I weigh out individual hamburger patties at a quarter pound each using my kitchen scale. I use 93% beef; if you're using a fattier beef you may want to make your patties slightly larger as there will be more shrinkage. (Or you may want to make them smaller, it's all up to you!)



Then I form them into patties and freeze individually wrapped.



I have the best results using Reynolds Release foil. I've tried wax paper and regular foil, and the meat sticks to them too much. Here are my hamburgers all stacked up and ready for the freezer.



I put the individually wrapped hamburgers in a large zipper freezer bag and label it accordingly. Now I have many meals worth of hamburgers, ready to go!



For more great tips, visit Tammy's Recipes.

Almond Wild Rice

I needed something to beef up my leftovers for lunch today, so I made this rice last night. I love it when I have everything on hand to try a new recipe! I REALLY like this rice. I admit that I rely quite often on Far East rice pilaf or Uncle Ben's white and wild rice mix. Not anymore!!! This took a bit more time than the mixes, but it was so worth it. It's totally delicious AND totally nutritious (whole grains only!). I will post the "whole" recipe which makes 8-10 servings. For my purposes, I only made half.

First, prepare your chicken broth by heating it to boiling in the microwave. While it is heating, measure out the wild rice and some of the butter into one saucepan.



Then add the brown rice and the butter to a second saucepan.


Add 3 cups of the hot broth to the wild rice, bring mixture to a boil, then cover and simmer.



(Obviously I had to take the cover off to get this picture!)

Add 2 cups of broth to the brown rice and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer.



Add the golden raisins to the remaining broth. (You could add them in a bowl like I did, or just plop them into the measuring cup.)



The brown rice will need to cook for 35-40 minutes. Check this occasionally; near the end I needed to add a bit of water becuase the rice had soaked it up, but the rice was not tender yet. I also drained the raisins and added that broth to the brown rice while it was cooking. (The recipe actually said not to drain the raisins but I think it still turned out wonderfully.)

The wild rice will cook for 45-60 minutes. Wild rice will pop open when it's done.

While the rice is cooking, saute the almonds in butter until they are golden brown. The almonds really "make" this dish! Do not scrimp on the almonds!



When the rice is cooked, combine both types of rice with the raisins and the almonds in a serving dish and stir well to combine. Add the salt, pepper and parsley. I didn't have fresh parsley, so I used dried. For half of the recipe, 1 Tbsp. was perfect.



This rice dish will be making many repeat appearances on my table!

For more great recipes, visit Mouthwatering Mondays!


Almond Wild Rice

5 1/2 cups chicken broth, divided
1 cup golden raisins
6 Tbsp. butter, divided
1 cup uncooked wild rice
1 cup uncooked brown rice
1 cup sliced or slivered almonds
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley, or 2 Tbsp. dried
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Heat the chicken broth to boiling in a large measuring cup in the microwave. Place wild rice and 2 Tbsp. butter into saucepan; place brown rice and 2 Tsbp. butter in a second saucepan. Add 3 cups of hot broth to the wild rice; bring to a boil; cover and simmer for 45-60 minutes until liquid is absorbed and rice is done. Add 2 cups of broth to the brown rice; bring to a boil; cover and simmer for 30-40 minutes until done. (check after about 20 minutes and add more liquid if necessary)

Add remaining broth to the golden raisins and set aside. In skillet, saute the almonds in the remaining buter until lightly browned.

Combine the rices, raisins and almonds in a serving dish. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and parsley and stir well to combine. Serves 8-10.