So in case you’ve forgotten…we bought a new house and have been moving over the past week.  Moving with an 8 month old is certainly NOT something I’d recommend and I will be sharing those stories in the next week or so.

But for now, it’s on to some delicious food!

One of the first things I did was set up our kitchen.  We ate takeout for over a week and I was ready to get cooking again (our waistlines and wallets agreed!).

For those of your who don’t know, I am a huge Rachael Ray fan!  I credit her with “teaching” me how to cook and create recipes on my own.  This is one of those recipes I’ve created based on what I’ve learned watching her shows, studying her cookbooks and reading her magazine!

Sausage and Pepper Pasta (Serves 4)

Ingredients:

1 lbs of sausage (I typically use chicken sausage and I typically buy the links and remove the casing)

3 peppers (I use one green, one red and one yellow), diced

1 onion, diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1tbsp tomato paste (the kind in the tube)

1/2 cup dry white wine (or vermouth – I usually use vermouth)

1 pint cherry tomatoes

1 lbs penne

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat

Brown the sausage in a little bit of extra virgin olive oil and then drain and set aside

Add the peppers, onions and garlic and cook until soft, about 7-9 minutes

Add the tomato paste and stir for about a minute (you need to “wake” it up)

De-glaze the pan with the dry white wine or vermouth

Return the sausage to the pan and add in the cherry tomatoes

Cover with a tight fitting lid; you’ll want the heat to burst the tomatoes to make a sauce

Cook for about 15 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally to stir everything up

While the sausage, pepper and tomato mixture is cooking add your pasta to boiling water and cook according to the package instructions

If the tomatoes haven’t burst fully after about 15 minutes, use a potato masher to help them along

Before you drain the pasta reserve about a cup of the water to add to the sauce

Drain the pasta and toss with the sausage, pepper and tomato sauce, adding the reserved pasta water as need to help everything stick and serve with grated Parmesan cheese

Honestly, Darrin loves this dinner and so do I! It’s really filling and super delicious. It’s also pretty healthy if you use chicken sausage.  I think it’s even “entertaining” worthy – although I’d definitely use real sausage if I was making it for someone else – it browns up a little nicer.

Give it a try and let me know what you think or share another favorite recipe of yours in the comments.