Pasta, Sausage, Cream Sauce Thingie

So my guys were gone this weekend, leaving me with some blessed, much-needed, uninterrupted writing time. It's always different when I'm cooking for one and, rather than running out to pick something up, I tend to work with what I have on hand.

For some reason, I've been craving this pasta, sausage, cream sauce dish. I call it that, because I don't know of any other name for it. I just know that it has pasta, sausage and cream sauce. Kind of an Italian dish. Or at least that's the way I recalled it.

I knew what I wanted to have in the dish, but I wasn't sure about the sauce. So, in my infinite wisdom, I went to the Food Network and did a search for--you guessed it--pasta, sausage, cream sauce. And it worked!

Turned out I wasn't that clueless, because all the sauce consisted of was cream and Parmesan. 

I was ready to roll.

First, I had to cook my pasta.

I used Penne, but you can use whatever type of pasta you prefer. Simply cook according to package directions for al dente.

Did you notice their was something missing from the ingredients? 

Yes, this Texas girl has to have some meat.

In this case, sweet Italian turkey sausage. I cooked up two links, let them cool a bit, then sliced.

And since I was going for an Italian flare, I decided I would add some of my homemade pesto, too. You can find that recipe here. 

Okay, so I melted a couple tablespoons of butter in a skillet, then added some diced onion and bell pepper. Stir that around for a few minutes.

Then throw in some garlic and you've got what's known in Cajun world as the holy trinity of cooking.

You know, even if you're not a cook, you could toss this trio on your stove for a bit and everyone would think you're cooking a feast. It smells that good.

Next, I added some sliced mushrooms and let those cook down a bit. 

Oh, and don't forget to add a sprinkle or two of salt and, maybe, the tiniest shake of crushed red pepper flakes to bring things to life.

Stir in your sausage slices.

Add a nice spoonful of pesto.

Give that a stir before adding about a half a cup of cream.

And approximately 1/4 to 1/3 cup of finely grated Parmesan. 

Mix everything together until the sauce begins to thicken, then add your cooked pasta.

Stir again.

And it's time to eat.

This dish may look a little on the bland side, but it is chock full of flavor. (Next time I might add red bell pepper instead of green, just for the color)

Not only did this dish satisfy my craving, I made extra so I'd have enough for lunch the next day.

Good writing time, good food... What more could this mama ask for?

Okay, maybe a longer weekend. :D

If you're used to cooking for others, how do you tend to eat/cook when you're alone?

If cooking for one is your norm, what are some of your favorite dishes?

Mindy Obenhaus lives in Texas with her husband and kids. She's passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner.

When she’s not writing, she enjoys cooking and spending time with her grandchildren. Learn more at www.MindyObenhaus.com.

Jan's Veggie Salad for a Holiday Weekend Barbecue

I'm pretty sure I got the original idea for this salad from Ruthy - the recipe I had printed out had Ruthy's voice all the way through it! But I couldn't find the original in the Yankee-Belle archives, so you get my version...in my voice...without Ruthy chiming in anywhere.

Can that happen at the Cafe? Only if we all keep quiet and don't tell her about it!

It all started with an invitation to the Second Annual Brummer Family Barbecue.

Yes, the same Brummer family that our Seekervillager friend Megan belongs to!

A few people are invited to compete to make the best barbecue (South Dakota style!) around. In my humble opinion, Frank's brisket was the winner.

Of course, he has an unfair advantage, being a rancher and all! But Austin's brisket and Matt's pulled pork were hard to beat.

I should know. I sampled all three of them!

Anyway, the rest of us supplied side dishes like baked beans, mac and cheese, salads, and desserts.

There was a LOT to choose from! And yes, that guy in the hat is a real live cowboy. We have them out here. They aren't only characters in novels!

And isn't Megan's new kitchen beautiful? I love the color of the cabinets. :)

As I was thinking of what to bring, I thought of the number of people who were invited to this shin-dig who need to eat gluten-free. Celiac disease is real, and their need to eat special items is real. And all of us in this group of friends and family are learning how to cook so we can all share in the goodness.

Even the desserts! The cupcakes and brownies in the foreground are both gluten-free.

It's actually pretty easy to cook gluten-free. You just need to be aware of what cross-contamination means and how you can prevent it. For instance, when my daughter, Carrie, made the gluten-free cupcakes with peanut butter frosting, she opened a new jar of peanut butter. Otherwise there would be the danger of cross-contamination of possible bread crumbs (even invisible ones) lurking in the used jar.

I ended up pulling out Ruthy's recipe for No-Pasta Salad, and made my own versions - one with gluten and one without.

Jan's Veggie Salad, with and without Pasta

Start with veggies:

1 head cauliflower, chopped
1 large cucumber, chopped
1 cup thinly sliced purple cabbage
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

and add 1 1/2 cups crumbled Feta cheese

Make your salad dressing:

In a small bowl, mix together:

1 package Ranch salad dressing mix
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup cream

Stir the dressing into the veggies until it's all mixed together.

Up until now, we have a fresh gluten-free salad. Put some of this salad in a separate bowl for your gluten-free friends and family.

But we're not done - we still have the pasta salad version!

Cut 1/2 pound hard salami* into 1/2 inch chunks (I got mine from the deli counter and had them slice it into two 1/2 inch slices.)
Cook 3 cups dry pasta until firm, but done (al dente). I used penne, but you can use whatever shape you want.

*I couldn't be sure that the salami from the deli was gluten-free, so I played it safe and only added it to the pasta version of the salad.

Mix the pasta and salami into the remaining veggies, and put it into another bowl for your non-gluten-free friends and family.

After enjoying our meal of barbecue and ALL the fixin's, we spent the rest of the evening on the deck, chatting with old and new friends.

The weather cooperated beautifully for games, visiting and wagon rides to visit the neighbor's horses.

And now we have to wait a whole year until the Third Annual Brummer Family Barbecue! I can hardly wait. :)

Meanwhile, what are your plans for the holiday weekend?

I'm spending today moving into my new office (once known as Carrie's bedroom)!

Here's what it looked like Sunday afternoon. Stay tuned for the final version!

I'm also getting ready for the release of Mattie's Pledge on September 20!!!!

When she feels the pull of both home and the horizon, which will she choose?

Mattie Schrock is no stranger to uprooting her life. Even as her father relocated her family from one Amish community to the next, she always managed to find a footing in their new homes. Now as the Schrock family plans to move west from Somerset County to a fledgling Amish settlement in Indiana, she looks forward to connecting with old friends who will be joining them from another Pennsylvania community—friends like Jacob Yoder, who has always held a special place in her heart.

Since Mattie last saw Jacob, they’ve both grown into different people with different dreams. Jacob yearns to settle down, but Mattie can’t help but dream of what may lie over the western horizon. When a handsome Englisher tempts her to leave the Amish behind to search for adventure in the West, will her pledge to Jacob be the anchor that holds her secure?

Tender, poignant, and gentle, Mattie’s Pledge offers you a glimpse into Amish life in the 1840s—and into the yearning heart of a character you’ll not soon forget.

Jan Drexler loves her family, her home, cooking and just about anything made by hand. But she loves her Lord most of all.

Stop by Jan's website to learn more about her books: www.JanDrexler.com

Squid ink spaghetti with heirloom tomatoes AND Blackberry zucchini bread

Hello, everybody! It's been a crazy week at Casa Munoz and I'm shocked that after all the cooking we've done, I don't have much to show for it. Why do I not take pictures?? We had a delicious grilled tuna a few days ago, then roasted stuffed peppers, then a layered tomato salad. But do I have photos? NO. Well, I have a few. 

                                              
I'm in love with our garden right now! SO much deliciousness happening out there. Our peaches are all gone and I only managed to can about six or seven quarts of vanilla peaches (sliced peaches with a bit of vanilla bean). Of course, we've also eaten half of those quarts already but I hid one in the back of the pantry for January when we're all sick to death of store bought food.

These bright little peppers make me so happy! I don't eat them plain, like my husband does, but I like them in pico de gallo and stirred into home made Italian sauce. Gives everything just a little kick.

And here is tonight's dinner, squid ink spaghetti. How cool is that? I think someone already posted about black pasta, though. I can't remember who it was but I remember thinking, "Oooo, new and shiny! The kids might love it!" So, here's out take on it. I didn't notice much difference, but that may be because I put a lot of basil in my sauce. (And this is my husband's dish. I don't do peppers.)

 So, a few weeks ago I mentioned blackberry zucchini bread. Here it is! Easy peasy. We got this shredded zucchini from a neighbor, so it doesn't have the skin. (We usually leave the skin on. But the skinless looks prettier in this loaf anyway so...)

 Blackberries from along the river. There weren't many this year. SO SAD.

Now, the recipe is something written down on a stained notecard so I'm not exactly sure where it's from. It looks like my friend Eleanor's handwriting so I'm assuming it's a family recipe. She didn't really work from cookbooks. 

 Ingredients:
3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups white sugar
1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini
1 cup blackberries

 Mmmmmmm. Fresh from the oven.

I love the moistness that the zucchini gives the bread. Of course, that might be the 3 eggs and cup of oil, too. :D But anyway, it was a delicious combination and now on our rotation of baking favorites! I'm curious if it would be as good in banana bread, but I'll have to wait until next year because our blackberries are gone. 

Until next time! Be sure to stop by my author pages at Mary Jane Hathaway or Virginia Carmichael, or my blog at The Things That Last. 

Chicken and Dumplings Revisited (Again) :)

Missy, here. I'm actually sharing a post that I did for the Craftie Ladies of Romance blog in 2010 and again here in August 2012. In 2012 I updated it (you see those notes in red). Thought I'd share it again with y'all. It's my husband's favorite dish.

Chicken and Dumplings
Missy Tippens

 I wanted to do something different today. I recently watched Alton Brown on the Food Network in an episode of his show, Good Eats, where his mother and mother-in-law (in doll form) battled it out over which type of dumplings to make--the southern rolled out and cut ones ("hard" as my family calls them) or the northern drop dumplings ("fluffy" as we call them). It was a cute show. And it inspired me to try something different. So I decided to try making the northern type--which we prefer anyway! But this was the big time. I wasn't going to be using Bisquick to make a dough to drop into broth. No, I was making them from scratch! :)

Also, every time I make chicken and dumplings, my family tells me to lose the chicken and just make more dumplings. So this time, I got a big box of chicken broth and used that. (Not a piece of meat to ruin their meal of starch.) :)

So here's the recipe as I made it. (For the original, click here.)


INGREDIENTS:

A large box of chicken broth plus some water to bring it to about 8 cups. Heat to simmering. (or use the broth from cooking your chicken--which I did this time, using chicken breast tenderloins.)
3 Tbs. butter
1/2 c all purpose flour
2 large eggs at room temp
1/2 tsp. salt

Put 1/2 c of the broth, the butter and a 1/2 ts salt in a saucepan, bring to a boil. Once it boils, add the flour and stir with a wooden spoon, about 1 minute.



Then decrease heat to low and keep stirring until the mixture forms a ball and is no longer sticky, about 3 minutes. (Note, this didn't happen for me. It never formed a nice ball like it did for Alton.)

[Update: Since this flopped last time, I tried using self-rising flour this time. It did seem to form a better ball.]

Transfer to a mixing bowl and mix on low speed for 5 minutes with electric hand mixer. Beat until cool. [You can see I tossed it in the stand mixer instead this time. Used the pastry hook, then switched to the whisk to blend in the eggs better.]

Add eggs, one at a time, mixing in the first before adding the second.

Transfer dough to a gallon size ziplock baggie. Cut off one corner so it's about a quarter-size opening. [This doesn't make much. A quart baggie is big enough.]

Squeeze out 1 inch of the mixture, then snip off with kitchen scissors right into the simmering broth. Repeat until empty. 

Cook, covered (without stirring!) about 8-10 minutes. Turn off heat. If you're using chicken, add back in now. Wait 2-3 minutes before serving.


Though my process didn't go quite like Alton's, the dumplings were yummy. And cute! And honestly, they were more like hard dumplings in my opinion, not fluffy like I was expecting. [The version with self-rising flour turned out a little fluffier. Aren't they cute?!]

I hope you enjoy. How do you make your dumpings? Northern or southern?? :)

ALL THINGS PUMPKIN! Amazing Pumpkin Muffins!!!

September 1, 2016.

Star Date 94270.02

Did you know that you can CONVERT THE DATE TO STAR DATE AKA: STAR TREK???

I might be the happiest woman in the world right now! I love Star Trek and the new Star Wars and pumpkin everything!

Do you think they'll grow pumpkins on the space stations?

How about these pumpkins???

These are Jarrahdale pumpkins, a long-day (that means no early frosts allowed!) pumpkin with BLUE SKIN like a hubbard squash... but a great fairytale "flat" shape, like Cinderella's coach.

Can you imagine the princess in a blue coach? How cool, right?

This original recipe came from TGIF: This Grandma Is Fun dot com and I made a couple of changes based on Lacey's advice (she found the recipe) and our preferences. And yes, you could add nuts and raisins to this, and you could do a cream cheese frosting... If I wasn't out of powdered sugar, I'd do that!

But they're amazing for breakfast, snacks or dinner accompaniment just like they are, the perfect balance of flavor and moistness...

• 1 3/4 cup flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 4 teaspoons cinnamon (Ruthy variation per Lacey)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg (Ruthy variation)

Combine those dry ingredients in one bowl.

 In another medium sized bowl mix:

• 2 large eggs
• 1 15 oz. can solid pack pumpkin (I used half of a 29 oz. can because BIG is my mantra!)
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil (Ruthy variation)
• 1 tablespoon whole milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla (Ruthy variation)

Preheat oven to 375°. Line muffin pans with paper liners or spray with cooking spray or swipe with Crisco...

Mix dry ingredients in their bowl.

Mix wet ingredients in their bowl!

Combine.

Use a cookie scoop or rounded spoon to fill muffin cups half full. I used two cookie scoops per muffin and they were perfect. 

Bake for about 20 minutes, until a finger touch presses back... or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let cool for a few minutes before eating, these are great warm... and they're just as great cold!

I love fall. I've confessed before that I'm not a summer person when it comes to heat and humidity. Now saying this doesn't get me out of working in the "h&h" but I sure don't like it! When sweater weather returns, I'm so happy! 

And the current rage of pumpkin everything each fall (pretty much spurred by that strange-looking orangish pumpkin latte at Starbucks, right???) has some decided winners! Pumpkin custard at Abbott's Frozen Custard of Hilton, pumpkin muffins, pumpkin roll, pie, soup... oh, the list goes on and I'm happy to explore new things! 

I think you'll love these. They're wonderful and easy and the kids loved them! BONUS!

And here are a few farm pics to show you what's going on here at the farm...  Small helpers:

Pretty pumpkins lining a fairy garden walk!!!

Fall veggies coming!!!!

Big gorgeous pumpkins, nothing over $5... Family friendly is our goal:

And the new walkway I started when I got home from Nashville (but then it got crazy 90+ hot again, and I had to pause...

Hopefully this week will be a little cooler!

But warm or cold, these muffins are a two-thumbs up thing to try!

Multi-published, bestselling author Ruth Logan Herne lives in a hollow tree in upstate New York, not unlike the Keebler elves... and she likes baking as much as she likes writing sweet stories that touch the heart and warm the soul... Visit her website ruthloganherne.com and friend her on facebook! She'd love to chat and laugh and play and pray with  you! And if you like little kids, babies, romance, dogs and cats... well, you'll most likely like Ruthy!