I could eat pasta

EVERY

SINGLE

DAY.

This dish may seem like a mouthful to say, but it is so easy to cook and the flavor is outstanding! Chose any sausage you would like.  Make it a complete sausage-fest if you dare.  I picked a chicken apple sausage to play on the sweetness from the roasted fennel and sun-dried tomato.  Contrast it a bit with a mild sausage, or an earthy sun-dried tomato chicken sausage.  I regret the fact that I had zero green on hand to perk the pictures of this pasta up.  But, I was a busy momma, and going outside to pick some parsley just wasn’t in my “I’m SO hungry!” mom crunch time.

Make this pasta completely meat free and you’ll still be just as smitten.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 package of orecchiette pasta
• 2 fennel bulbs, chopped
• 1 package of chicken sausage, each link cut into slices
• 1 shallot
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 4oz sun-dried tomato packed in oil
• salt and pepper
• 2 Tbsp butter
• parmesan cheese to garnish if you’d like

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 400* Line a baking sheet with foil, and spray with nonstick spray

Clean and chop your fennel into 1/4 inch chunks.  Place all the prepared fennel onto your baking sheet, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, pinch of salt and pepper, and let roast for 25 minutes at 400*

Get your pot of water going for the pasta, so that your pasta can cook while you prep the rest.

In a large sauce pan, start by browning the slices of chicken sausage in the pan with olive oil, along with the minced shallot, garlic powder, and a pinch of s +p.

Once the chicken sausage is slightly brown, add the sun-dried tomatoes along with the oil that comes out with them.  Let everything cook for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until everything is warmed through.

Take the fennel out of the oven, and add it to the sauce pan.  Stir everything together.

Once the pasta is aldente, strain, and add it all to the sauce pan.  Add 2 tablespoons of butter, and stir everything together.

Feel free to add parmesan cheese to the dish at this point.  Or, additional butter or olive oil if you see the need for it.   Finalize with a dash of salt and pepper if needed.

Hope this recipe was not to vague, I really go with the flow when it comes to making pasta dishes …. taste as you go!

Tweaked from:

Orecchiette with Roasted Fennel and Sausage Recipe : Giada De …

Trader Joe’s has been flaunting some extra pretty peaches lately.  And every time I would walk by them I would admire their pretty skins, and then turn my nose up to the thought of how they would taste.  WHY? I have no idea.  Like a kid that swears up and down that they do not like a certain food, without ever trying it.  I was green eggs and ham.  Anytime they were in my presence I swore for some odd reason that I did not like them.  In any way.  Not in a pie.  Not in a cobbler.  Not in a drink.  Not in ice cream.  Thankfully, the man loves peaches and one day I decided to grow up and eat one.

I loved it.  And cannot believe I waited so long to love a peach.  Cobbler, simple slices, and this oatmeal bake is as far as my peach adventure has gone so far.

This oatmeal bake turned out SO delicious.  It was so nice to wake up each morning for a few days and know a hearty breakfast was already ready to warm up and eat.  You could opt for blueberries, or strawberries, but I am shocked to officially say that peaches are the winner.  I do not have any good after pictures, post baking, life gets busy ya know? But I’m telling you, it is mighty good!

This is the middle layer of peaches … when baked, they turn so soft and practically melt into the oatmeal.  YUM! Why did I ever wait so long?! Son of a peach!

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cup old fashioned oats (not quick)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 cup milk (we use soy or almond – feel free to use any you like)
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 peaches, skin on, sliced

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350* Spray the bottom of a 9×9 baking dish

First, prep your peaches and keep them set to the side.

In a large bowl, whisk together the oats, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and sugar.

Add the eggs and milk, stir until all of the oats are wet.

Pour 1/2 of the mixture into the bottom of your prepared pan.  Arrange the peaches in any order you would like, reserving a few for the top.  Pour the second half of the batter over the peaches, spreading it over each one.  Add a few more peach slices on top, and a dash of sugar on top and bake @ 350* for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

If you surf on Pinterest, you are sure to have stumbled across this salsa time and time again.  And each time, you’ve more than likely encountered a different variation.  My mother-in-law makes a delicious version, so I asked for the recipe and tweaked a few things to our liking.

We loved it.

Kids ate it.

Good food, happy family.

My favorite thing about this cowboy caviar is that it is forgiving.  Omit, add, or double any ingredient you’d like.  The dressing is SO easy.  I used apple cider vinegar instead of plain, to add more sweetness and allow the cut back on the original sugar amount.  I used 2 cans of organic black beans, instead of one black bean, and one black-eyed peas… Do it any way you’d like.  Make sure to take this to your next gathering, the bowl will be gone in no time.  Or keep it all for yourself.  We made this Sunday and it is still good as new!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 cup celery, diced
• 1 bag of frozen white corn, thawed.  Use yellow corn if you’d like.
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
• fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup canola oil (vegetable oil would work too)
• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
• salt & pepper to taste

Prep all of the peppers, celery, corn, onion, black beans, and parsley.  Add them all to a large bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together the apple cider vinegar, sugar, canola oil and garlic.

Pour dressing over salsa.  Stir, add salt and pepper to taste.   Store in an airtight container in the fridge.  It gets better as it marinades!

You may recognize this recipe from the spring of this past year.  And I apologize in advance because, even though my lemon blueberry bars are yum, this recipe is just 100x better when made into a bread, using whole wheat flour.  So, I take it back.  Let’s do this again.

“This tastes just like something they would serve at Starbucks!”

Mark my man’s words, his lips bring the truth.  I often switch back and forth on our baked goods in this house.  Each week we get hooked on something new.  Each week I learn what works and what is a big ol’ waste of time because the kids will not touch it.

This bread, originally was made with blueberries.  Our, (myself and the man’s) favorite way to eat it.  The kids on the other hand would sit and pick around the berries.  It would drive me blueberries bananas! It bummed me out even more that this delicious bread wasn’t worth making if the whole family wouldn’t enjoy it.  Then it dawned on me.  A true moment of mommy-clarity when I realized all I had to do is double the recipe, and make one without the blueberries.  It was life changing.  No, really.  The simplest things lately can send me into celebration mode.

Example: Dan in particular is obsessed and will only drink Horizon Organic milk.  Dare I bring home another milk, he turns his nose up to it.  Funny, because when we switched to organic milk years ago he would moan over the price.  It is true… I drop $$$ on milk in this house.  The only time milk wasn’t a money chomper was when it came from my boobs.  And let it be known that the only ones that would get that milk, were the babes.  Back to my point –  Between the organic milk for Dan and B, and the organic soy milk for Owen, it adds up weekly.  Yesterday, my local target started carrying a GALLON  size of the Horizon Organic milk for $6.74! Whoop Whoop! Considering I was paying $4.54 at least for one carton, would pick up 2 at a time, and buy this at least 2x a week (ouch! add that up).  THIS MADE MY DAY!

This bread recipe will rock your milk jugs all the same.  Omit the lemon zest & juice and add chocolate chips for added goodness.  Whatever way you mix it, you’ll love it.  Satisfaction guaranteed.

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 cup white whole wheat flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 2 cup vanilla coconut yogurt (or greek yogurt)
• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 6 eggs
• zest & juice of 2 lemons
• 1 tsp vanilla (if using plain yogurt – omit if using vanilla yogurt)
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup frozen blueberries (optional for 2nd loaf)
• Sugar sprinkles for topping; added crunch & cuteness

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 350* Grease 2 bread loaf pans

In one medium size bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.

In a second medium size bowl, whisk together the yogurt, sugar, eggs, lemon zest & juice, and vegetable oil.  Don’t forget the vanilla extract if using plain yogurt!

Mix the dry slowly into the wet.  Once combined, pour half the batter into one loaf pan.  Coat your frozen blueberries with a teaspoon of flour, then add them to the remaining batter in the bowl.  Gently stir, then add the lemon blueberry batter to the second loaf pan.

Make the batters as you wish.  Bake @ 350* for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with few crumbs attached.  Let cool completely before cutting.

The Thome’s favorite way to eat these breads? Keep them covered and in the fridge.  They are delicious cold!