Vegetable loaded marinara sauce with a full pound of mushrooms, lots of colorful bell peppers, spicy Italian sausage and just a handful of pasta thrown into the mix; this dish was a great way to satisfy my craving for Italian food. Ready and on the table in about 30 minutes, this is a quick and easy weeknight meal.
Mushroom, Pepper and Sausage Ziti Marinara
Yield: 6-8 servings
8 ounces of a small shaped pasta, I used a brown rice ziti
1 lb spicy Italian sausage
16-20 ounces baby bella or crimini mushrooms, quartered or cut into sixths
2 large yellow and red bell beppers, chopped into 1/2" pieces
1 small sweet yellow onion, chopped into 1/2" pieces
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon kosher salt, adjust to taste
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic, adjust to taste
1 quart Five Minute Marinara Sauce (recipe copied below)
finely shredded Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese for topping
Cook the pasta until it is the tenderness that you desire. Drain and rinse the pasta with cold water to stop it from continuing to cook while it cools. Melt the butter in a large skillet or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for a few minutes, until it begins to soften.
Add the bell peppers and the mushrooms. Sprinkle with 1/2 a teaspoon of salt and continue sauteing until the peppers soften and the mushrooms are browned and tender. Drain any liquid from the pan and sprinkle with the remaining salt and the garlic. Saute for just a minute more and then transfer to a waiting bowl.
Add the sausage to the pan, cook and crumble it over medium heat. Drain any grease and then add the cooked vegetables to the pan with the meat. Stir to combine and make sure everything is still hot. Pour the marinara sauce into the pan and stir to coat everything well. Add the cooked pasta and stir gently to combine.
Serve immediately, with cheese sprinkled on each serving. Or, transfer the mixture to an oven safe dish, top with cheese and bake in a hot oven for just a few minutes, until the cheese has melted. Enjoy!
Five Minute Marinara Sauce
Yield: 1 quart
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3/4 - 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes, the full amount makes a very spicy sauce
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
3 medium cloves of garlic, minced or finely chopped
1 28-ounce can crushed red tomatoes (not diced, not pureed, not whole, no additional seasonings at all)
zest of one lemon
Combine the olive oil, pepper flakes, salt and garlic in a cold saucepan. Stir while you heat the pan over medium high heat. Saute for 45 seconds to a minute, just until everything is fragrant. Avoid letting the garlic turn brown. Stir in the tomatoes and heat to a gentle simmer, this should only take a couple minutes.
Remove from the heat and taste the sauce. If it needs more salt, add it now. Stir in the lemon zest and taste again. Try not to eat the entire pot of sauce with a spoon.
Click here for a printable recipe
Click here for printable sauce recipe
ONE YEAR AGO TODAY: Soft Eggs Over Thyme Marinara Sauce
This apple pie has the distinction of being not only the most memorable apple pie I have eaten, but also being the easiest apple pie I have ever made. I had never made an apple pie with cream before this one and I was happy to find that the cream made the pie not only richer, but smooth and truly unique as well. I served this pie at room temperature, completely by itself. (It really does not require whipped cream or ice cream.)
Italian White Bean Spinach and Beef Soup is awesome in it's simplicity. Less than 20 minutes from start to finish and dinner is served. On top of that, it's a truly delicious soup that my entire family loves. My non-spinach-eating son even cleans his bowl when this is on the table.
Sweet and Spicy Glazed Salmon is a favorite salmon recipe for all of my boys. I mentioned making salmon sometime next week and my oldest son immediately requested "the salmon with the peach jam on it." I haven't made this in months and I'm looking forward to it as well.
Baked Potato Soup with fluffy bites of baked potato in each bowl. If you have ever thought that you didn't like potato soup, this rich and creamy version just might change your mind. Topped with cheese, bacon and chives, this soup is the perfect snowy day food.
Traditional Filipino Lumpia is stuffed with pork and shrimp, water chestnuts and mushrooms, onions and garlic; then fried (or baked!) until golden brown and crispy. Perfect with spicy or sweet dipping sauces. I haven't made lumpia in quite a while and I can hardly wait to enjoy it again.
Sriracha Honey Cashew Chicken was such a success when I made it last month, it's already on my menu again for next week. With just a bit of prep time and less than 10 minutes to cook, stir fry meals are my favorite way to get dinner on the table fast.
it is brussels sprouts week at 
I topped it with this new Trader Joe's product. It is ultra pasteurized whipping cream. You can keep it on the shelf until you need it (refrigerate for at least 6 hours before use). It contains cream and carrageenan so it's been prepared for shelf stable-ness (sure, that's a word). I whipped it by hand at Friendsgiving (with some super fine sugar and vanilla), and it takes longer to whip than regular cream. The Kitchn has this review of the $1.29 product...I'm definitely going to keep some in the fridge in case I run out of regular cream.
Recipe:
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by Dorie Greenspan
Some of the recipes from Dorie's book: Baking: From My Home to Yours
- This new book by Bouchon Bakery is beautiful. I haven't baked anything from it, but can't wait. Fortunately, Bouchon had a pop-up bakery in Beverly Hills (now they have a permanent bakery) and I went on my 40th birthday for delicious cookies and signature bouchon "cork" brownies. Everything is in weights and they have a chapter about throwing out your measuring cups. Woo hoo...speaking my language.
- This is a great book with lots of instruction and easy to make recipe. It's by Sur la Table and pastry chef Cindy Mushet. Some of the items I've made include Orange Chocolate Chip muffins, Nectarine Upside-Down muffins, and Chocolate Chip Toffee scones.
- Oh man, I love this bakery and this book. Joanne Chang has some detailed instructions and very delicious recipes. The yellow cake is worth buying this book alone. And the lemon ginger scones? Please. Just add it to your cart already.
Mochi: recipes from savory to sweet!
by JustJenn Fujikawa ($12.50). My friend JustJenn has this great recipe book of all mochi related recipes! From Savory to Sweet! Get your mochi on this holiday season. JustJenn is so creative and makes awesome recipes - you'll really enjoy this book!
Salter 3003 Aquatronic Glass Electronic Kitchen Scale
(about $40)
Portable Speaker ($15-20 Available in Blue, Black, Red and Silver)When I bake, I love listening to audiobooks. However, I'd rather not have headphones in my ears (have you caught the cords on a drawer and have them yanked from your ears? Totally sucks). This cute little plug-in speaker does the trick. My colleague uses it with her iPad to watch movies in bed, and another friend uses it in her car. It charges via USB on your computer, and the charge lasts awhile.
Roku HD Streaming Player
($10)
Everyone received a glow necklace that reminds you of a carnival or Disneyland. It was also FREEZING. Um, I know the use of the word "freezing" by a native Los Angeles girl may be laughed at by others...but it was really cold outside. The low was 48 degrees on Saturday and it felt it.
The Manhattan Beach Pier is decorated with simple lights and the "tree" at the end of the pier was a beacon of "you are almost done." I've never run on the beach as I usually have Ms. Cidney the Dog with me (only a few Los Angeles area beaches allow dogs on the beach). It was harder than asphalt but oh so beautiful. Running under the moonlight with the waves rolling besides you...if it weren't so dark, it would totally be a postcard of beautiful Los Angeles living.
These pancakes are fluffy and have a hint of molasses and spices. Fresh minced ginger is added to the batter. When I make these again, I might also add some ground ginger to the mix to amp up the spices.
The liquid includes milk (I used almond milk), molasses and egg yolks. The egg whites are beaten until stiff and folded into the batter.
When you wake up with a craving for pancakes and gingerbread...make these!