Pasta-licious!!!

Baked Pasta!!!

I've re-committed myself to cooking - so much so, that I made this meal on a night in which no one else was going to share it with me.  Monday, my hubby didn't get home until after 7:30, and made a "run for the border" to keep himself from passing out.  The kiddo had a busy evening, and only had time for a PB & J in-between rehearsals.

I made this anyways - mostly because it was a night I knew I had time to make it, and it would make for good leftovers for the rest of the week.  It was yummy that night - and was yummy on Thursday when we ate the leftovers!  The recipe:

1 box of Smart Choice Pasta - I used Fusilli - it holds the sauce well.

1 jar of tomato based pasta sauce - I used the Wal-mart generic "Garlic and Onion" sauce - and it's good!

1 package of Turkey Italian Sausage, about 1 pound

1 green pepper, chopped

1 yellow onion, chopped

Kosher Salt

Garlic Powder

Dried Basil and Oregano

12 oz shredded mozzarella cheese

Grated Parmesan cheese

Cook the pasta according to the directions on the box - except remove it from the water one minute from the stated cooking time.

Saute the Italian Sausage until no longer pink.  Place the sausage in a "holding container", and then saute the green pepper and onion until soft.  Add kosher salt, garlic powder, basil and oregano to taste.

Once the pasta is finished and well drained, transfer to a 9 x 13 glass baking dish that has been coated with non-stick spray.  Sprinkle some shredded Parmesan cheese over the pasta so it falls in-between the noodles.  Spread the onions and peppers in a flat layer on top of the pasta, followed by the sausage, followed by the jar of pasta sauce.  Top with the mozzarella cheese in an even layer.  Loosely cover with a layer of aluminum foil that has been lightly coated with non-stick spray (if you don't do this, the foil will stick to the cheese.  If you don't use the foil, the cheese will harden as it melts - and we're going for ooey-gooey goodness here).

Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes, or until the cheese melts and the sauce is bubbly.  Allow it to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

You could certainly add other veggies to this dish - I think it would be good with mushrooms, zucchini, spinach, roasted red peppers - all sauteed before adding, of course.  Also, the next time I make this, I may add more than one can of sauce, perhaps a can and a quarter - it's not very "saucy" as is.

You probably can tell by now that when I cook a dish in which I do not use a recipe, there is a lot of experimentation involved - as evidenced by the vagueness of some of the amounts and ingredients used in the dishes.  I would encourage you to do the same!  Ask yourself, "What do I think would taste good combined in a dish?"  I challenge you to go all Iron Chef on your kitchen one night - see what is in your pantry and refrigerator, and make something happen!  Some of my yummiest meals have come from the blessings of serendipity - as well as some of my most hideous culinary nightmares.  But - that's OK - this is how learning happens!

As with many aspects of life, a mistake in the kitchen is only a mistake if we perceive it as such.  Sometimes a mistake is an opportunity waiting to happen.

I have some pork in my fridge.  I might make pork fried rice.  I might brown the pork in butter and olive oil,  braise in beer, and serve over Asian noodles.  I might braise the pork in the sauces left over from earlier crock pit meals and serve the thickened gravy over rice.  Or spaghetti squash.  Or...???  

I guess we'll just have to find out!