Sausage and Red Peppers with Pasta

I have cooked this dish for years, but not very often.  Kind of an out of sight, out of mind thing, I guess.  My guys really enjoy it when I do serve it.  It is a hearty pasta dish, and a very good choice in cold weather.  Add bread, a green salad, and your favorite wine for a satisfying meal!

Ingredients:
2 TBS olive oil
5-6 links Italian Sausage (I use hot)
1 C onion, finely chopped
3 sweet red peppers, cut into medium slices
1 C red wine
1  28 oz.can Italian plum tomatoes
1 C water
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp fennel seeds
1/4 C Italian parsley
4 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste
dried red pepper flakes, optional

Instructions:
Put olive oil in pot; prick sausages with fork, and brown in oil until done, about 10-15 minutes.  Remove sausage from pot.  Add onions and cook, covered, about 10 minutes.  Add peppers and garlic, cook uncovered another 3 minutes, stirring often.  Put in tomatoes, wine, water and spices.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer about 10 minutes more.  Meanwhile, slice sausage into 1/2" slices, add to sauce and simmer another 20 minutes, adding parsley in last 5 minutes.  Serve with ziti or rigatoni.  Sprinkle with freshly grated parmigiana.
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Chicago Style Mostacolli

When we lived in Chicago, we ate this often.  Either I would make it at home, or pick up take out.  A very simple, very flavorful pasta!

Ingredients:

1 box Mostacolli, cooked al dente per package instructions

1# ground chuck

3 sweet or hot Italian sausage, removed from casing

1 large jar Prego with mushrooms

1 8oz. can tomato sauce

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 bay leaves

2 TBS olive oil

½ C red wine

1/2  C water

½ C shredded parmesan cheese

½ C shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions:

Brown meats in olive oil; add garlic, Prego, tomato sauce, bay leaves, wine and water.  Simmer about 1 hour.  Cook pasta using instructions on package for al dente.  Drain pasta; mix with meat sauce and cheeses.  Put in baking dish and sprinkle with both kinds of cheese.  Bake at 350* until bubbly.  

Asian Noodles

2 TBS rice vinegar
2 TBS sesame oil
3 TBS oil
1/2 C soy sauce
1/2 tsp hot chile sauce
2 TBS hot water
1 TBS sugar
3 cloves garlic, minced
6-8 green onions, sliced
12 oz thin spaghetti May use wheat.

Instructions:
Put first 8 ingredients in a bowl and whisk well.
Prepare noodles per package directions. Mix with sauce until evenly coated. Toss in green onions and serve.
This was adapted for a recipe by For the Love of Cooking Recipe Blog. I serve it with the Soy Ginger Chicken and Japanese style salad.

Simple Marinara Sauce

This basic and easy sauce is from Mario Batali.  It can be made quickly, and is very versatile.

Ingredients:
¼ C olive oil
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
3 TBS fresh thyme
½ medium carrot, finely shredded
2 28 oz. cans Cento San Marzano Italian tomatoes

Instructions:
Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil until soft, 8-10 minutes. Add thyme and carrot, cook until carrot is soft, about 5 minutes. Break up tomatoes. Add tomatoes and juice, bring to boil, stirring often. Lower heat and simmer until it thickens. Salt to taste.

Spaghetti with Meatballs and Italian Sausage

This is an easy recipe, but it is very good. It always gets rave reviews!

Ingredients:
Meat balls:
1# ground chuck
1 large clove garlic or 2 small, minced
¼ C Progresso Italian bread crumbs
¼ C milk
1 egg
3/4 tsp. salt ½ tsp. pepper
Sauce:
3 Italian sausage (I use hot)
¼ C olive oil
1 jar Prego with mushrooms
1 jar Ragu with mushrooms
2 whole bay leaves
½ C red wine
½ C water
1 box spaghetti, cooked al dente, drained.

Instructions:
Put meat in bowl, add garlic, crumbs, milk, salt and pepper, mix well and form into balls. Put olive oil in large pot, brown sausage until done;remove from pan. Put meatballs in drippings, brown and cook until done. Cut sausage into 2” pieces and put back in pan, make sure all meat is cooked through. Add jars of sauce, wine, water,bay leaves and meat. Simmer all together until sauce thickens. Cook pasta using instructions on package for al dente. Drain pasta, top with sauce and meat. Serve with fresh Parmesan cheese.