I love pasta.  It is quick, cheap, easy, and filling..what more can you ask?

This is my entry for Presto Pasta.

Ruth is hosting it this week so go by her blog tomorrow and check out the awesome creations!

• 2 lbs penne pasta, cooked a la dente
• 2 pounds sweet Italian sausage, taken from the casings
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 cup chopped bell pepper
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup red wine if desired
• 1 pint homemade or organic marinara
• 1 large can Muir Glen Fire Roasted tomatoes
•   2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded Fontina

Brown the sausage, onions, peppers, and garlic in the olive oil until the sausage is cooked through.  Add the marinara, wine,  and fire roasted tomatoes, as well as the mushrooms and simmer for a few minutes to allow the flavors to blend.

Preheat oven to 400

Place the penne in a casserole and pour the sauce over it,  stir to blend.  Sprinkle cheese over the top.

Bake for 20 minutes, until heated through and top is bubbly and starting to brown.

Image:marye audet

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Laissez les bons temps rouler!

When you are looking for  quick, easy pasta recipes with some spice this is the one to choose.  Farfalle with Smoked Sausage has all the ingredients for a cozy cajun meal,with just enough spice to make it interesting.

This image has an odd lighting because I took this at night and had Matt holding a flashlight.  BUT, the dish is fantastic, especially if you love Cajun food.

This dish freezes well for once a month cooking (OAMC) schedules.  Flavor improves on standing so you can make it up to 2 days ahead and keep it in the refrigerator.  You can also make it in a crock pot, just let the mixture simmer all day and add the pasta just before serving.

I used a spicy beef, no nitrate smoked sausage but you can use whatever type you like.  If your family likes seafood (mine does not for the most part, except me) then toss in a few shrimp or crawfish with the  sausage.

Serve it with a crisp salad, lots of fresh garlic bread, and copious amounts of good coffee.  Jazz music optional.

This is my entry for Presto Pasta Night, hosted this week by Equal Opportunity Kitchen.  Head over there friday to see what everyone has come up with!   It is always  fantastic.  I have been out the last week or two but I have been drooling over the pictures and details!

 Cajun Farfalle with Smoked Sausage

•  1 lb no nitrate smoked sausage
• 1 lb farfalle, cooked
• 2 lbs okra
• 2 cans ro-tel tomatoes
• 1 large onion chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon thyme
• Olive oil

Cook the pasta, drain and set aside.  Meanwhile,  put a little olive oil in a large frying pan and  saute the garlic, okra, onion, peppers, and celery over medium heat until tender but not brown.  Add the sausage (and shrimp if you are using it), ro-tel tomatoes, and seasonings and simmer until the okra is tender.  Stir in the farfalle and heat through.

Serves 8

Image: Marye Audet

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This is my entry for this week’s presto pasta.  It’s kind of embarrassing because it is so simple that there isn’t even really a recipe.

A few weeks ago I was given a large amount of on-the-edge tomatoes.  I tossed them in the crockpot with garlic, basil, oregeno, onion, and various other sauce ingredients, let them simmer for several hours, and then pureed them and canned them in quart jars.  It was alot of work but I was so glad to have created 8 quarts of free spagetti sauce base!

Things have been nuts around here with the last quarter of the cookbook (sprint, Marye, sprint!) and Matt starting college and totally messing up my schedule…again.. I miss the days when the kids were small and life was predictible.  Anyway..for the first time in memory I have things like leftovers in the fridge. I know, I know..it is so WEIRD!

Yesterday we had a little of this and a little of that…some zucchini but not enough for a meal, part of an onion, a couple of green peppers…..I immediately thought of a fresh pasta sauce with all of those great vegetables tossed in.  There is almost no way I can give you a recipe for this because I used homemade sauce, and then leftovers…but you can do the same thing.  The best way to put this together is to use the crockpot on low for about 4 to 6 hours.

Lots of great vegetables do well in a pasta sauce, so when you have one limp carrot, for example, chop it, grate it, or slice it and toss it in to the sauce. Vegetables that I have used are:

• zucchini
• yellow squash
• carrots
• celery
• spinach
• onion
• shallots
• leeks
• mushrooms
• okra
• peppers of all sorts
• eggplant
• tomatoes
• chopped green beans

Add whatever you like to the sauce and toss in some basil, oregeno, salt, pepper, garlic, a stem of rosemary, about 2 tablespoons good olive oil…cooked leftover meat..shrimp…whatever …(told you this was easy)…

After it has filled the house with an incredible aroma for several hours,  cook enough pasta a la dente for your family and spoon the sauce over the pasta and serve…

This doesn’t even feel like a real recipe..LOL!

It is a great way to get rid of all the leftovers and have an easy meal that everyone will love!

Image:Marye Audet

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One of the best things about summer is the grill…and one of the best things about the grill is….GRILLED CHICKEN!

These sandwiches go quickly once the marinating is done. Serve them with freshly fried tortilla chips, some homemade salsa, and plenty of sweet tea.

You can use this as part of your Once A Month Cooking menu if you like. Just toss the chicken breasts and marinade into the freezer. They will be ready when you are. Just submerge the frozen bag in hot water until you can separate the chicken breasts and put them on the grill frozen. The will cook quickly because they are thin.

Southwestern Style Grilled Chicken Sandwiches

• 8 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
• 1 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup lime juice
• 1 lime, sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried chipotle, optional
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons liquid smoke
• 2 tablespooons good olive oil
• 2 (4 ounce) cans whole green chilies, drained and sliced lengthwise
• 8 slices Pepper Jack or Monterey Jack cheese
• Lettuce
• Purple onion
• Ranch dressing
• 8 Homemade hamburger buns

Pound chicken to flatten; place in a ziploc.

1. Combine the soy sauce, lime juice, lime, chipotle, brown sugar, honey, liquid smoke and olive oil and pour over chicken breasts. Seal and refrigerate several hours or over night.t.
2. Drain and discard the marinade. Grill the chicken, uncovered, over medium heat for 3 minutes. Turn and grill 3 minutes longer or until juices run clear. Place a slice of chile and a slice of cheese over the top of each and continue to grill until the cheese is melted. Place the buns on the grill cut side down for the last few minutes of grilling.
   

Serve with onion and lettuce on rolls that have been brushed with some ranch dressing.

Image:Marye Audet

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When I am in a rush, and I seem to often be rushed lately, nothing goes on the table quite as quickly as a pasta dish.

There are times I like to make fresh pasta but I always keep a couple of packages of organic whole wheat, and organic semolina pasta on the shelf for “Those Days”.

This was a fantastic hit at my house.  The pasta was garlicky and olive-y with just a hint of fresh tomato taste.  Fresh basil adds a nice touch.  I used elephant garlic but use what you have on hand.  If you are substituting regular garlic for elephant garlic use about 5 good sized cloves.

This is my entry for Presto Pasta Night.  This week it is being hosted by Hillary of Chew on That. Thanks Hillary!

Pasta, Garlic, and Olives 

1 lb of pasta cooked a la dente

1 c widely grated mozzarella or  parmesan

Sauce: 

3 tbs olive oil

1 clove elephant garlic, sliced thinly

1 onion, chopped

8 oz black olives, your choice

1/2 c fresh basil, chopped

2 c chopped fresh tomatoes or a big can of Muir Glen diced tomatoes.

1 tsp dried chipotle (optional- it adds a spicy smoky flavor)

Saute the onion, chipotle, and garlic slowly in the olive oil until the onion is transparent. Do not let it brown.  Add the tomatoes and the olives and warm through.  I like to leave the olives whole but you can slice them if you like.  Kalamata olives are fantastic in this, I just didn’t happen to have any the day I took this picture.  Now, mix the drained pasta into the sauce, sprinkle with fresh basil and then top with the mozzarella or parmesan.  This is great hot or at room temperature.

Pasta Presto! Serves 10

Image:Marye Audet 

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I usually think of this casserole in the fall when the weather is cooling down but it is one of those that the family loves any time of the year, and so when I found ham on clearance at the grocers the other day this was an immediate thought. You can add buttered, toasted crumbs to the top just before baking if you like, but just plain like this is fine too. It is creamy and filling and you can use less ham to stretch the budget a bit more if you like. Vary the types of cheese used to vary the flavor in this versatile dish.

Ham and Potato Gratin

• 2 pounds peeled, diced and cooked
• 2 c ham,diced
• 1/2 cup chopped green onion tops
  
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1 small onion,chopped
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 1/2 cups half and half
• 1 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 4 ounces shredded Swiss
• 1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese

Heat oven to 375F
Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

Combine potatoes and ham, in a 13 x 9 inch casserole and set aside.

Melt butter in a pan over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute until tender and transparent. Add flour and stir until well blended. Slowly add cream, whisking constantly. Bring to a boil and season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat and continue to simmer and stir sauce until it is thickened. Pour over the ham mixture; toss to coat. Sprinkle with cheese and bake 30 minutes until bubbly. Serves 8 or so.

This can be assembled ahead and baked within 2 days.

You can also assemble this and freeze it. Thaw overnight in the fridge, and bake as directed for a wonderful once a month cooking dish.

Images: (c) Marye Audet

Content (c)Marye Audet forBaking Delights

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If you see dusty fingerprints on this post it is because I have been strolling through the vault looking at some of the old posts. If you are looking for some quick and easy casseroles for this weekend look no further!

Green Chili Enchiladas are a favorite around here. You can use them for OAMC (Once a month cooking) by making ahead and freezing. It is a versatile casserole, you can make it with beef, chicken or turkey..or make it vegetarian with tofu if you are so inclined.

These Oriental Pork Loin Chops can be put in a ziploc with the marinade and tossed in the freezer. Just thaw them and grill when you are ready to eat them.

MMM…more Mexican food. Vegetarian enchiladas stuffed with veggies! They do not freeze well but you can make them up to a day ahead and bake when you are ready.

This Chicken, Onion, and Potato Gratin is one of my favorite comfort foods. Don’t freeze it.

Diner food at it’s best..the hot open faced Turkey Sandwich!

Chicken and Mushroom Fiori Alfredo is incredible, I think. Use any pasta you have if you can’t find fiori.

And finally…everyone needs a great recipe for Tuna Tetrazzini and I think this is it!

Don’t forget, most casseroles can be assembled up to a day ahead and baked when needed even if they can’t be frozen.

Image: (c) Marye Audet Apron Strings and Simmering Things

Content (c) Marye Audet Baking Delights

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