Italian Sausage and Broccoli Alfredo Pasta

This post is is sponsored by Prego^® Sauces.  All opinions are mine alone. 

Ready in 30 minutes or less, this delicious Italian Sausage and Broccoli Alfredo Pasta meal makes dinner a breeze for Mom. Just five ingredients is all you need!

30 Minute Beef and Franks Spaghetti Meal

This post is is sponsored by Prego® Sauces. All opinions are mine alone. 

Ready in 30 minutes, this Beef and Franks Spaghetti Meal with only 5 main ingredients is the perfect dinner solution for busy moms. With ground beef, hot dogs, vegetables and a rich Italian sauce served over pasta, a delicious weeknight family meal has never been easier.

Pasta with Chicken and Mushrooms in Blue Cheese Sauce

When it comes to comfort food a pasta dish would have to be one of the top favorites. Eating pasta especially with a delicious creamy sauce not only satisfies the taste buds but makes one feels so good inside. Good food can make one smile and instantly make anyone feel better. Well, at least that's how I feel when I eat a delicious pasta dish.

Food Tastings: A Pizza and Pasta Class by Food Magazine

FOOD MAGAZINE SHOWCASES EASY PIZZA AND PASTA RECIPES IN FIRST FREE COOKING CLASS

Hundreds of foodie and kitchen savvy people learned new easy and simple pizza and pasta recipes from experts during the first leg of free cooking classes offered by Food magazine for its 20^th anniversary titled, “Food Tastings: A Pizza and Pasta Class.”

Pasta with Tuna in Creamy Tomato Sauce

When I was in Manila, my sister cooked a yummy tuna pasta with a creamy sauce and the other day I suddenly had a strong craving for it. I looked around our pantry shelves to see if I still have some canned tuna lying around. Thankfully, I found one. Unfortunately though I didn't have any mushrooms to go with my pasta. I thought I'd have to find a way somehow to make a yummy and creamy tuna pasta without mushrooms.

Creamy Pasta with Pancetta and Mushrooms

You can never go wrong with bacon and mushrooms! This creamy and delicious pasta with pancetta is our comfort food for sure.  

I am so happy to be living in New Haven, CT! Two yummy reasons are - Whole Foods and Trader Joe's! When we were in  Michigan the nearest Trader Joe's was 3 hours away - to the west in a Chicago suburb and to the east in a suburb of Detroit. That means when we visit either store, we tend to hoard as we don't know when we will return. My hubby is such a huge fan of their salsas so we haul loads of them back home.

Ground Beef Stroganoff with Thyme and Red Wine

I didn't realize that I have back-to-back pasta posts this week as the recipe I shared earlier was already a pasta dish. Oh well, this week has truly been a Pasta week for us and even our dinner tonight is another pasta dish - Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe though I added some Asparagus to the mix. Obviously, this week has not been low-carb at all though partly gluten-free as hubby only eats gluten-free Pasta. But my whole family was happy with all the dishes and that's all that matters. :-)

Penne with Beef and Roasted Pepper Sauce

I had some ground beef, red wine and roasted peppers at hand. What should I do? The obvious answer was to make a delicious pasta sauce. I wanted a quick recipe that doesn't require many hours of simmering yet still deliver robust flavor. So, inspired by my Bolognese recipe, I used the red wine to add flavor to the Beef. I boiled it and let it evaporate so that the beef retains that subtle wine taste that truly adds depth of flavor but without too much alcohol. I then stirred in  the roasted sweet peppers and fresh chopped/diced tomatoes plus some dried herbs and, wow, the result is a very delicious sauce that tastes like it was slow-cooked for hours but actually is not. Enjoy this easy and yummy pasta sauce over your favorite pasta!

Creamy Beef and Italian Sausage Lasagna

Inspired by my Cheesy Baked Bolognese recipe, I created this delicious and creamy Lasagna. Instead of the usual plain ground beef, I added some ground Italian sausage to the mix. With some dried Thyme, garlic powder and some cream cheese and sour cream thrown in for good measure - there's only one thing to say about this - DELICIOUS! Please enjoy!

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

With just a few ingredients, this classic version of Spaghetti alla Carbonara is so quick and easy to make and totally delicious, too! A big family favorite!

One of the earliest pasta dishes I have ever attempted is Spaghetti alla Carbonara. This was when I was still in law school many years ago...don't wish to reveal my age too much! :-) Back then I used some cream to make the sauce and though it's not the most authentic Italian dish I have made, my family was quite happy with it. With bacon and cream,  how can you say no? :-)

Piquant Spaghetti (Spaghetti Piccanti)

In the Philippines, I grew up eating food flavored with Anchovies and Shrimp paste so my taste buds love dishes that have bold flavors or piquant as they describe it - having a pleasantly sharp taste or appetizing flavor! Whether it is green Mango, Pinakbet or Fried Pork Belly when it is flavored with Bagoong (our local name for Anchovy and/or Shrimp paste), ordinary food becomes extraordinary!

Penne with Italian Sausage and Creamy Tomato Sauce

We have been so fortunate to have a great traditional Butcher shop so near our house. I can actually walk from our house to their store. How convenient is that! Sadly, they will soon be moving to another town and we will miss them terribly. Thankfully though, we often visit this town and so we can continue to get our favorite meat combos from their shop and still enjoy cooking with them. We just need to buy in bulk and have our cooler ready for the long haul. :-)

Rigatoni with Creamy Garbanzo Bean Sauce

I say it again - necessity is the mother of invention.... It's the case with our latest recipe. I had some cooked Garbanzo beans that needed to be used but didn't want to make a hummus. I already used half of it to make a sautéed dish so I figured, am sure I can use these for something else that I have never done before. So off I went to the pantry and found this box of Rigatoni noodles and then the light came up - how about a pasta dish?

Gluten-free Tuna Pasta Salad

 

It's been over a month now since my husband has changed his diet - dairy-free, soy-free and gluten-free! I know, sounds like an awful chunk of food group(s) have been removed.... It was overwhelming at first and I didn't think I'd be able to cook anything but with some research and a little creativity - it's not impossible to live this way, actually.

Pasta Primavera (Springtime Noodles)

It's Spring! According to the calendar anyway and despite the fact that we still see some snow on the ground. But why let that spoil our fun? Spring means lovely produce, fresh food and so much deliciousness! So to officially welcome Spring here's a favorite Spring dish - Pasta Primavera - loaded with all the lovely vegetables coming our way when true Spring comes into full swing!

Spaghetti All'amatriciana (Spaghetti with Bacon and Onion)

When it's wintry and cold nothing sounds more comforting than a big plateful of pasta! I specially love it when the pasta sauce has some extra kick in it with the addition of some chili peppers...sure to keep you fired up and warmed up. Here's an easy Italian style pasta dish - Spaghetti All'amatriciana (Spaghetti with Bacon and Onion) that's great for these chilly days!

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. olive oil
4 ounces / ½ cup pancetta or guanciale (or bacon), chopped
1 onion, chopped finely
1 lb. tomatoes, fresh or canned, diced
4 fl. oz. / ½ cup white or red wine
½ teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and pepper, to taste
½ tsp. red chili flakes (or your desired heat level)
½ lb. / 8 oz. spaghetti or any desired pasta
Grated parmesan cheese, to pass around

Procedure

Heat the oil in a deep frying pan. Add the chopped onion and bacon and cook in medium heat until onion is tender and the bacon gives up its fat about 10 minutes. In the meantime, boil the water in a big pan for the spaghetti to cook in.

Add the wine to the bacon and onion and raise the heat and cook until the liquid boils off. Place the rest of the ingredients in the pan except the chili flakes, pasta and cheese and simmer for about 15-20 minutes or just until slightly thickened. Stir in the red chili flakes during the last 5 minutes of cooking. You can add the chili flakes earlier with the other ingredients - I add it towards the end 'cause I don't want a very spicy sauce since I have kiddies to feed. If you don't want a spicy sauce at all, then you can omit this.

Cook the spaghetti until al dente. Drain and toss with the sauce. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Enjoy!



Spaghetti with Bolognese Sauce

The Filipinos have their own version of Pasta sauce. Sweet and spicy meat sauce using tomato sauce or ketchup and some chopped hotdogs thrown in - think Jollibee Spaghetti. It may sound weird to some but Filipinos love it. I do like it, too to be honest. It is flavorful after all. I grew  up with this since this was often our snack for recess during our elementary years. I say this for a fact since  my mom was the Home Economics teacher who help managed the canteen in the public school I attended. I was content with this version of meat sauce (Filipino style for sure!) until I tasted the real thing - I am saying the real Italian Bolognese. You see, a few years ago my husband and I were walking down our street and then we chanced upon a Garage Sale and saw this lovely book "The Ultimate Italian Cookbook" by Carla Capalbo being sold for a whopping $2. I thought then  that it was expensive for a garage sale but the book looked like new and I loved the pictures [hahaha :-)]  so I said, why not? Now it has become one of my priceless treasures and am sure glad it was a $2 well-spent!

One of the many recipes in this book was this beautiful Bolognese Sauce. I was very intimidated at first because it recommended nearly 2 hours of cooking and then some red wine. I haven't really cooked with wine yet at this point (nearly 10 years ago....) and I wasn't sure if I could do this. Oh well, I am one to try a recipe at least once and then see how it goes.

I have never turned my back on this Bolognese Sauce Recipe ever since! Yes, it does take a long time to reach that perfect flavor - but that's a small sacrifice to make to achieve the most wonderful meat sauce that I have ever tasted. I have shared this recipe with a few friends, they've made this and came back to me with a big thank you! They loved it. I served this to some of our guests who came to our house for a visit and to no surprise - they have loved it, too. Now, thanks to this bolognese sauce, I love cooking with wine. I don't drink alcohol but I sure love to cook with it. Makes a huge difference in taste - so from stews, to pasta sauces or even Asian dishes I sure love wine in them!

Try this bolognese sauce - it may take a little effort than a stir-fry and some waiting time - but trust me - a dish this good is worth all the time and effort in the world! Enjoy!

Ingredients 

2 Tablespoons Olive oil

2 Tbsp Butter
4 garlic cloves, crushed  or finely minced (I do whatever strikes my fancy when I make this)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3-4 pancetta (Italian bacon) or regular streaky bacon strips, finely chopped or cut (I use kitchen scissors to cut them and if you don’t like the fat you may trim them out, which I usually do too when I use regular bacon)
1 medium carrot (or about 8-10 pcs baby carrots), finely chopped

1-2 celery sticks, finely sliced

1 lb / ½ a kilo ground beef

¾ cup red wine (white is fine but I prefer the stronger taste of red)

½ cup milk

3 roma tomatoes, diced or 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes

1 bay leaf

½ teaspoon each –  dried thyme and oregano

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 lb spaghetti or any favorite pasta cooked al dente.

Chopped fresh parsley to garnish (optional)



Procedure

Heat the olive oil and butter in a deep saucepan. When the butter has melted, sauté the onions and garlic just until aromatic, about a minute.

Add the chopped bacon and cook until it begins to render its fat between 3-5 mins.

Stir in the veggies (carrots and celery) and cook for a further 3-4 mins. Add the ground beef and crumble with a fork to separate. Cook until it is no longer red. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.



Pour in the red wine. Raise the heat slightly and cook until most of the wine has evaporated. Add the milk and continue to cook until it evaporates, too.



Stir in the tomatoes with their juice (if using canned) and the herbs including the Bay Leaf. Bring the sauce to a boil and then simmer uncovered on the lowest setting, stirring occasionally, for at least an hour (pref. 1 ½ hours). Don't worry, it's meant to be a little drier than other pasta sauces. In the end, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper, to correct the seasoning, if necessary.

Garnish with fresh chopped parsley (if desired). Serve with parmesan cheese on the side. This recipe is indispensable for lasagna or for Baked Bolognese. Enjoy!

If you wish to print the recipe, there's a print-friendly icon at the end of the post. Click on the "remove images box" for easy printing.

This recipe was adapted from "The Ultimate Italian Cookbook" by Carla Capalbo.

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Italian Sausage Ragù

Sausage and Pasta are one of the best combinations of food I can think of. The sausage adds robust flavor to the dish while the pasta just readily absorbs the sauce that you mix with it - what a lovely marriage of flavors! When we buy Italian Sausages from our favorite butcher chances are we are having a good pasta dish for dinner! So that Mark can join in he gets his own Brown rice pasta so it's gluten-free and, naturally, everybody's happy.

A ragù is basically an Italian pasta sauce containing meat and tomatoes; in other words, a meat-based sauce. The best example would be Bolognese sauce, which is truly one of my favorite pasta sauces. I am hoping to share pretty soon the Bolognese sauce that I always make for my family so watch this space.

However, a truly super-delicious Bolognese sauce cannot be achieved in a hurry. It can take up to 2 hours or more of slow cooking on the stove-top to get that perfect taste. It is so worth the wait, I must say! Sometimes if I have the luxury of time, especially if I plan ahead, then Bolognese is my number 1 choice. But when I want something flavorful but kind of in the 30 minute range this is my next best choice. It's a pretty easy dish and doesn't need 2 hours to achieve the right flavor although I must say that when I tasted the left-overs the next day - it was even better. That's the beauty of this dish, you can enjoy it the first time and if ever you find yourself having some left-overs then you're in for a yummy treat the next day! So enjoy this easy but flavorful Italian Sausage Ragù.

Ingredients

1-2 Tbsp Olive oil
1 lb Hot or Sweet (or combo) Italian sausage - diagonally cut
1 medium onion, chopped
4-6 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup red wine
3 plum tomatoes, diced or pureed in a food processor or 1 (14 oz) can diced/crushed tomatoes (juice included)
1 1/2 Tablespoon dried parsley
1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
Salt and Pepper, to taste
12 oz Penne (or your choice of pasta)
Parmesan Cheese, to pass around

Procedure

Over medium heat, brown the sausages in a little olive oil in a deep frying pan. Transfer to a plate.

Bring a big pot of water to boil to begin the process of cooking your pasta. Cook the pasta according to package directions or until al dente (tender yet still firm to the bite, not mushy).

In the same pan where the sausages were cooked, saute the onion until it starts to soften, roughly 3-4 minutes. Add in the garlic and continue to cook for another minute. If it dries out too much, you may add an additional 1 Tablespoon olive oil to it.

Pour in the wine and bring to a boil. Deglaze the pan by using a wooden spoon to remove the browned bits on the bottom. Stir in the diced/crushed or pureed tomatoes (if canned, add everything including the juice) and the dried herbs. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Simmer on low, uncovered, for about 15-20 minutes or until the wine taste is no longer too prominent and the sauce has thickened. Add back the reserved sausages and cook until heated through, another 5 minutes or so. Adjust the seasoning to your taste. And if you wish to enhance the flavors some more,  sprinkle a little bit of brown sugar on the dish (not to sweeten) but just to balance the flavors. This is my natural substitute for MSG. Keep warm until the pasta is ready.

After the pasta has cooked, drain it well. Place in a large serving bowl and then pour the sauce on top. Toss well and serve. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese for added flavor! Delish!

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Sausage and Pasta Bake with Bacon and Olives

When I was growing up (especially when I was living in our tiny island called Marinduque), having an oven (whether gas or electric) in one's house was quite a luxury and, truth be told, impractical.  An electric oven was considered a luxury because it was expensive and most people cook on the stove top anyway. More importantly, it was impractical, at least the electric one - because there was no electricity to power it. I remember those days, when we only had power at night between 6-10 pm. This was in the early 80s. Oftentimes, there were outages too, in fact - everyday! Oh, life in a small island. In fact, while we were proud owners of a refrigerator - it was gas-powered. Literally, my mother has to ignite some flame to get  the fridge to start working. I felt like I was camping. Thankfully, despite all its dangers our whole family survived.

Don't get  me wrong, those days were the best times of my life, too. So many lovely memories were built around nights when my cousins and I would play under the glow of the moonlight! I won't trade those times for anything. They were the best!

Now you may wonder - what does this have to do with the recipe above? Don't worry, we'll get there. When I finally left for England to pursue my masters in Law, I began my journey on learning how to cook. I didn't really fancy much of the food in our dining hall or the refectory so I found myself  often in the kitchen in Wadham College cooking! I even bought a little rice  cooker so I can cook rice anytime. There, I finally got the chance to cook using a real electric oven! This was in 2000. Don't laugh now but this is true!

When I learned how useful an oven can be (we mostly cook our food on the stove top in the Philippines to this day), then began my love for baking and cooking in general. Baking is wonderful and has become something I truly enjoy. I didn't start with cakes right away, mostly easy casserole dishes. I was ecstatic everytime I baked something especially when they come out - edible - and truly enjoyable! So far my whole family has survived and the kids have been growing despite my cooking! :-)

So, here is one of those easy dishes that I make for my family in the oven. I must admit, it involves a little bit of stove top cooking to begin with. With my upbringing, I can never take that away. Enjoy! :-)

  

Ingredients

12 oz Penne pasta

1-2 Tbsp olive oil

4 Bacon strips, chopped into small pieces

3 Garlic cloves, crushed

1 medium Onion

1 lb cooked Chicken Sausage, chopped diagonally

½ cup White Wine    

4-5 Roma or plum Tomatoes, chopped

½ cup pitted Olives, chopped

2 Tbsp  parmesan cheese

1 ½ cups Mozzarella cheese or Italian Blend cheese

Ground black pepper, to taste

  

Procedure

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Make sure that it's just cooked al dente. Preheat the oven to 350F (180 C).

While the pasta is cooking,  place the olive oil and bacon on a large skillet. Cook until the bacon starts to render its fat.  Add the garlic and onion and sauté for 3-4 minutes or until the onion starts to soften.

Add the chicken sausage. Cook until the sausages have browned a little. Pour the white wine and deglaze the pan.  Add the chopped tomatoes and olives.  Season with ground black pepper  (there’s enough salt in the ingredients that I don’t feel it’s necessary to add more but feel free to season with salt, if you wish to). Simmer for 10 minutes.

When the pasta is done, toss it with the sauce. Check the seasoning. Stir in the parmesan cheese. 

Transfer to a baking dish and then top with the Mozarella or Italian Blend cheeses. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cheese is melted. The finished product - delicious!

How about another photo to show it's delicious-ness?

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Spaghetti with Zucchini

I love the Farmer's Market! I can get all my local produce during their peak season. For me fresh is best, indeed. One of the lovely summer veggies is zucchini or courgette, also known as summer squash. Zucchini is very versatile for it is not only great with savory dishes, it's perfect for baking too. Add it to a sweet bread recipe and you're sure to have a yummy moist bread. My favorite is the combo of zucchini and blueberries but I will do that for another post.