Linguine with Shrimp and Sausage

I opened the the freezer today and took out a 1/2 bag of frozen shrimp and a 1/2 package of al fresco Sweet Italian Style with Red and Green Peppers. Then I did some recipe searching and I found this recipe on Epicurious.com.

It was delicious. The lemon kept it light and I can not stress the importance of saving pasta water. I added quite a bit to keep the dish from becoming too dry. We both loved tonight's dinner.

This is my version of Linguine with Shrimp and Sausage-

Ingredients-
1/2 Lb Linguine
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2.5 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
3/4 Lb shrimp peeled & deveined
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 rounds of thinly sliced lemon
a pinch of red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 al fresco Sweet Italian Style with Red and Green Peppers links sliced 1/4 inch

Method-
Cook Linguine. While the pasta is cooking saute sausage until heated through. Remove to plate. Add butter to pan with olive oil, add shrimp and saute for about 4-5 minutes, stir to cook through. Add salt and red pepper to pan with lemon juice, lemon slices and most of the parsley. Return cooked sausage to pan with cooked linguine to finish. Add a little pasta water if the pasta looks dry*. Sprinkle with remaining parsley and serve.

* A splash of white wine could also be added. And maybe a knob of butter.

Radiatori with Chicken Sausage and Arugula and Spinach

I made this recipe for the first time back in 2013. I should make this more often. It is delicious. I had to force myself to stop eating. It was a "just one more spoonful" type of dinner. Easy? Yes. Fast? Yes. And the sauce was perfect. I was glad I made bread this morning. More on that later.

Radiatori with Chicken Sausage and Arugula and Spinach

Ingredients
1 pound radiatori
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound Al Fresco Chicken Sausage with Red and Green Peppers
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 lb baby spinach, coarsely chopped and washed
1/2 lb arugula, coarsely chopped and washed
1 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth
1/4 cup grated pecorino, plus more for serving

Method -
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain well.

Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil until shimmering. Add the sausage and cook over moderately high heat,  until browned, about 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to a plate.

Add the crushed red pepper and the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the spinach and arugula with any water clinging to the leaves and season with salt. Cover and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Uncover and cook until the greens are tender and the liquid has evaporated, about 3 minutes longer.

Add the pasta to the skillet along with the sausage, chicken stock and pecorino and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until the liquid is slightly reduced and creamy, about 3 minutes. Serve right away, passing extra cheese at the table.

Today I worked from home and this morning I realized I did not have Italian bread for tonight's dinner. I did not want run to the store at lunchtime as I was planning on working through lunch. So I made bread. Not the Jim Lahey No Knead Bread. This recipe takes a lot less time! I made 3 loaves of bread which I started at 7AM and had in the oven by 12PM. The recipe can be found on Noshtalgia.

No Knead French Bread

Ingredients-
1 pkg. dry yeast
1 1/2 c. warm water
1 tbsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. soft shortening
4 c. sifted all purpose flour

Method-
Measure flour into bowl, add water, then yeast. Let yeast dissolve thoroughly. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Let set 10 minutes. Knead the dough 5 times letting it rest for 10 minutes each time. Turn dough out on floured board and divide in half. Let rest for 10 minutes, then roll each ball into a loaf. Make several diagonal slashes across each loaf. Let rise double. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

Spicy Sausage Pasta

I found the recipe for Spicy Sausage Pasta on the blog, Kevin & Amanda. Loved this dish. One pan to wash. Perfect for a Friday night. The spice level was not too much. The sauce was delicious. I used some of the homemade Chicken broth that I had in the freezer. And I used Al Fresco Chicken Sausage, with Roasted Pepper and Asiago.
Ingredients-
1 tbsp olive oil

1 lb smoked sausage
2 cloves garlic, minced

1.5 cups diced onion


2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 (10 can Ro-Tel tomatoes and green chiles, Mild

1/2 cup heavy cream

8 oz Campanelle pasta

1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper, each

1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

1/3 cup thinly sliced scallions

Method-
1. Add olive oil to an oven-safe skillet over medium high heat until just smoking. Add sausage and onions and cook until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

2. Add broth, tomatoes, cream, pasta, salt and pepper and stir. Bring to a boil, cover skillet, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until pasta is tender, about 15 minutes.

3. Remove skillet from heat and stir in 1/2 cup cheese. Top with remaining cheese and sprinkle with scallions. Broil until cheese is melted, spotty brown, and bubbly.

And 23 years ago tonight was our wedding rehearsal dinner. It was held at the Guilford Tavern, which sadly is no longer open. Today I received 2 dozen roses from Chris.

Parmesan Polenta and Spicy Sausage Sauce

This recipe had me at Parmesan Polenta. I found this on MyRecipe.com. I prepared the Sausage portion of this on Sunday. Tonight when I got home tonight I made the polenta. I love instant polenta! This recipe was originally from Cooking Light, that makes it even better.

Parmesan Polenta and Spicy Sausage Sauce,  from MyRecipe.com
Ingredients -
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 ounces (2 links) sun-dried tomato chicken sausage (such as Al Fresco), sliced
1 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 (14.5-ounce) cans no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil, divided
2 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
1 cup water
3/4 cup quick-cooking polenta
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Method - 
Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan, swirling to coat. Add sausage; sauté for 3 minutes or until browned. Add onion; sauté for 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Add oregano, pepper, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1/4 cup basil to pan; cook 5 minutes or until sauce thickens.

Combine broth and water in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Add polenta; reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes or until thick, stirring frequently with a whisk. Stir in half of cheese. Place 2/3 cup polenta in each of 4 bowls; top with about 3/4 cup sauce. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon basil and 1 tablespoon cheese.


As you all know there was a devastating tornado that touched down in Oklahoma yesterday. If you can help these people who now have nothing here is a link a for Midwest Tornado Relief Fund. 100% of your donation goes to the victims.

 And anyone who follows of this blog knows I have a soft spot for animals. 

This is such a touching video of a woman who finds her dog during an interview. 

As she is speaking take a look around at the destruction that is surrounding her.