Turkey and Asparagus Skillet Pasta

A one dish meal of turkey Italian sausage and asparagus, with pasta in tomato sauce, plus cheese all cooked in only one skillet.

Both of my parents worked while I was growing up so when my sisters and I were old enough to use the stove we each had a night to prepare dinner for the family.  Since we were not very experienced cooks my mom would buy easy to prepare meals like hamburger helper.  This dish reminds me of hamburger helper, from my childhood, but it's so much better.

Like #HamburgerHelper but better | Turkey & Asparagus #SkilletPasta  [Tweet this]

This is great for a busy night when you don't have a lot of time to spend on dinner.  It's ready in about 30 minutes and it doesn't require much prep.  Also, it's all cooked in the same skillet so you don't have much clean-up.  My favorite thing about skillet pasta is that you don't have to move and lift a large pot of boiling water (I have balance problems so I have to use one hand to keep me balanced when I stand and I need both to lift and drain large pasta pots...hence my difficulty).  I think skillet pasta tastes even better than pasta the usual way.  As the pasta simmers in its sauce and water I think it picks up much more flavor than pasta just topped or tossed with sauce.  This is my new favorite way to cook pasta.

#Dinnerin30: Turkey and Asparagus #SkilletPasta  [Tweet this]

Turkey and Asparagus Skillet Pasta

Cook time:  30 minutes
Servings:  4-6

Ingredients:

1 pound turkey Italian sausage
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 28 oz can of stewed tomatoes
2 Tbsp dried basil
1 Tbsp dried minced onion
1/4-1/2 cup roasted garlic (or 2 Tbsp garlic powder)
1 bunch of asparagus, chopped (about 2 cups)
1 13 oz box of whole wheat rotini
3 cups water
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 cup parmesan (optional)
1 cup mozzarella (optional)

Brown the ground Italian sausage in a 12-inch skillet, over medium heat, until cooked through.

Meanwhile, add tomatoes, basil, onion, and garlic to blender and puree.

Once sausage is cooked pour in the olive oil and tomato puree.  Add the asparagus and pasta then pour in the water (until pasta is just covered). Add salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using) and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer for 15-20 minutes until most of the liquid is absorbed and pasta is just a little undercooked (not quite al dente).

Turn off heat, stir in cheeses (if using), cover, and let set for about 10 minutes.  The last of the liquid will absorb into the pasta, pasta will be tender, and cheese melted.

Serve immediately.

Makes about 6 servings.

Enjoy.

For more pasta recipes check out:

Sun-dried Tomato Olive and Asparagus Pasta

Clam Linguine                                                  -

Mushroom Spinach         Tomato Pasta       -

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Bhindi (Okra) Masala

A vegetarian Indian dish made with okra and spices.  A delicious, healthy, and filling meal.

(Re-post of original from 1/11/13. Edited for grammar, updated pictures, tweeables, pinnable image, and like posts.  Had 96 views)

Okra.  It's one of those vegetables I only knew one thing to do with and that is batter and fry.  I grew up in North Carolina and we love our fried okra.  Every spring my dad planted a  garden in our yard and okra was one of the usual vegetables.  By summer, we would have so much okra, but I don't remember having it any other way than fried.  I'm not complaining I love fried okra it's one of those foods I look forward to whenever I go home.

There's more to #okra than frying: Bhindi (Okra) Masala #Indianfood [Tweet this]

Not long after moving to Honolulu and finding Chinatown, I found a market there that had okra.  I was excited and curious.  Fried okra isn't a common food here so how is it used?  It took me some Googling to find an Indian recipe site that had many dishes with okra as the main ingredient.  I like Indian food and I like okra so what could go wrong?  Once I tried Bhindi Masala I fell in love and it's much healthier than deep fat frying okra.  This is a recipe I make frequently.  If you like okra I urge you to try this recipe.

Like Okra? Try this #Vegetarian #Indianrecipe: Bhindi Masala  [Tweet this]

Bhindi Masala

Cook time:  20 minutes or fewer
Servings:  3-4

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp ghee, or oil of choice
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp minced ginger
1 large onion, chopped
1 Tbsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp garam masala powder
1/8 tsp ghost chili masala, or hot chilli powder of you choice (if you can handle more heat by all means add more)
1 pound okra, chopped (about 3 cups)
3 dashes Worcestershire sauce, or juice of 1/2 a lime
Salt to taste

Heat ghee (clarified butter) in large frying pan (I think ghee adds better flavor, but it has 9g saturated fat per tablespoon and it's not vegan so you can use any oil that withstands high heat instead).

Add cumin seeds and stir cooking until they start to sputter.  Then, add the ginger and garlic.  Stir until just fragrant (it won't take long) and add the onions.

Mix the onions around for a minute or two until they soften.  Add the spices and let cook for a little while until fragrant then add the okra and salt.

Stir and let cook until the okra softens, add Worcestershire sauce (or lime juice) and keep stirring.  I add about 1/2 cup of water to deglaze the pan and make a bit of sauce then turn off the heat (the hot pan will evaporate most of the water, but it make things a little less dry as well as helps cool the pan).

Serve immediately over rice garnished with cilantro and with naan on the side.  Makes 3-4 servings.

Enjoy.

For more vegetarian Indian recipes check out:

Arhar Dal           -

Cauliflower and Chickpea Curry

Patta Gobhi Mattar (Cabbage and Peas)

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Kimchi Fried Rice

A fried rice made with leftover rice and kimchi.  A popular recipe in Hawaii and a great comfort food.

Hawaii is known for diversity.  So many cultures and cuisines come together and make one big 'ohana (family).  This makes for spectacular food.  Kimchi fried rice is just one of those foods that make Hawaii great.

HI's diversity makes great food #KimchiFriedRice  [Tweet this]

Kimchi is a Korean side dish made from fermented cabbage and hot chili paste (among other ingredients).  Adding it to fried rice makes a delicious, simple, and inexpensive meal.  This may not have originated in Hawaii, but it's a common menu item at many restaurants.  Of course, I had to try my hand at making it.  It turned out great.  It was spicy, tangy, bacony, nutty, and I added spinach for  little more nutrition.  This will be a common menu item in my home.  Some day I even want to try making my own kimchi.

#Kimchi FriedRice is an #inexpensivemeal  [Tweet this]

Kimchi fried rice can be served as an appetizer, side dish, or meal.  I think it makes a great lunch or snack while drinking beer and watching football (or any event--and you don't have to drink beer to enjoy it).

Kimchi #FriedRice is a great #Gamedaysnack  [Tweet this]

Kimchi Fried Rice

Cook time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:

2-3 cups leftover rice
dash sesame oil
dash rice vinegar
1-2 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 lb bacon chopped
1-2 tbsp oil
1 tbsp garlic, minced
1 tbsp ginger, minced
1/2 large onion, chopped
2-3 cups frozen chopped spinach, thawed & squeezed
12oz jar of hot kimchi, drained & rough chop
1 cups chopped green onions, divided

KimchiFriedRice is a great use for #leftoverrice  [Tweet this]

I think fried rice always works best with leftover rice that has been refrigerated for a day or two.

Remove leftover rice from the fridge.  Add it to a large bowl with sesame oil, vinegar, and soy sauce.  Stir well breaking up any clumps and mixing well.

In a large skillet, cook the bacon, over medium heat, until it becomes crisp.  Pour off most of the grease (leaving some adds to the overall flavor of the dish) and add the oil.  Bring up the heat to about medium-high.

Add the ginger and garlic and stir-fry until fragrant. Add the onions and stir-fry until just softened.

Then add the spinach and kimchi.  Stir fry until just heated and add the rice mixture.  Continue stir-frying until the rice is heated through and fried to your liking. (I don't know what I did this time...maybe used plenty of oil, --closer to 2 Tbsp than 1, maybe a little more-- but the rice did not stick to my pan)

Turn off the heat and stir in about half of the chopped green onions.

Serve warm garnished with more green onions.  Sriracha can be added if you would like a little more heat.

Enjoy.

For more leftover rice recipes check out:

Spicy Vegetable Fried Rice

Coconut Rice Pudding

Pork Fried Rice

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Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Meat

A simple slow cooker recipe of chicken cooked in salsa and spices.  Great for tacos, taco salad, burritos, or even over rice.

This is a great multi-purpose recipe.  It's a simple chicken recipe that can be cooked all day, in a slow cooker, while you are out of the house.  Best of all it can be used for so many meals.  Don't feel like tacos?  Try taco salad, burritos, taquitos, or just serve over rice.  You could even make a soup just add some frozen veggies, maybe beans, and chicken broth.  I only made enough for about 4 servings, but I'd suggest doubling or tripling the recipe so you can cook once and eat all week.  You can use the chicken as the base for a different meal every night.  I love multi-use recipes.

#SlowCooker ChickenTacoMeat is a great #multipurposerecipe  [Tweet this]

Get ready for #TacoTuesday w/ Slow Cooker #ChickenTaco Meat  [Tweet this]

Slow Cooker Chicken Taco Meat

Servings:  4
Cook time:  5-8 hours in slow cooker

Ingredients:

1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs
Salt & pepper
1/2 cup salsa
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1/2 Tbsp onion powder
1 Tbsp paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
1/8 tsp cinnamon (optional)
*or 2 Tbsp taco seasoning
Juice of 1 lime
Habanero flakes or hot peppers to taste (optional)

Place thawed chicken thighs in the bowl of a slow cooker (you can use frozen it just takes a little longer to cook).

Season with salt and pepper then add the salsa, spices(*use individual spices or your favorite taco seasoning blend), and lime juice.  Stir until well combined and chicken is thoroughly covered.

Cook on low for 5-8 hours (or high for around 3) until chicken is tender and shreds easily.

Stir the shredded chicken and any leftover cooking liquid well.  Then remove chicken with a slotted spoon.

Add the chicken to whatever meal you like.  I made taco salad because, as you all (I really want to use my native NC colloquialism "all y'all"...usually accompanied by an all-encompassing hand motion) should know by now, it's my favorite.

Enjoy.

For more slow cooker recipes check out:

Slow Cooker Moroccan Chicken

Slow Cooker Roast Beef Sandwiches

Slow Cooker Shredded Barbecue Chicken

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Sun-dried Tomato, Olive, and Asparagus Pasta

Sun-dried tomatoes, olives, asparagus and Italian sausage in a chunky pasta sauce served over whole wheat pasta and topped with parmesan.

Pasta.  I love making my own pasta sauce.  It's actually pretty simple and you can add just about anything you like to it.  I always keep diced tomatoes in my pantry for homemade pasta sauce (they are useful in many other recipes too).  So if I have nothing in the house to eat I can usually throw together some kind of pasta dish.

Diced tomatoes are a useful pantry staple.  [Tweet this]

I love sun-dried tomatoes.  They are super flavorful and have a great chewiness. I'll eat them by themselves, as a spread, in sauces, they are very versatile and enhance any dish to which they're added. When I thought about making a pasta sauce they were a natural choice.

Sundried tomatoes are super flavorful and versatile.  [Tweet this]

Everything else in this pasta was added on a whim,  I knew I wanted a sun-dried tomato pasta sauce, but that was all I planned.  I had some thawed Italian sausage so that seemed like an obvious addition.  The jar of olives was beside the tomatoes so I figured it wouldn't hurt to add some. Then, I didn't feel like cooking the asparagus separately for a side vegetable so in the sauce it went. Everything together made an absolutely delicious, flavorful, and filling meal.  Sometimes the most unplanned concoctions turn out to be the most delicious.

Unplanned concoctions can turn into delicious meals.  [Tweet this]

Sun-dried Tomato, Olive, and Asparagus Pasta

Cook time:  30-45 minutes
Servings:  4-6

Ingredients:

1/2 -3/4-pound spicy Italian sausage
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 Tbsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
15 sundried tomatoes, sliced
10 olives, sliced
1 bunch asparagus cut bite-sized

In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, brown the sausage.  When sausage is mostly cooked, drain away excess grease.

Lower heat to about low to medium-low and add the oil, garlic and shallots.  Cook and stir until just tender and fragrant then add everything but the asparagus.  Cover and let simmer for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile cook pasta.

Uncover the skillet and add the asparagus and a little wine or pasta water if needed for more liquid.  Cook until asparagus is tender to your liking (I like my asparagus somewhat crisp but if you like it pretty soft feel free to add it with all of the other ingredients).

Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.

Remove from heat and serve over pasta of your choice.  Makes 4-6 servings.

Top with parmesan if you like.

Enjoy.

For more pasta recipes check out:

Very Veggie Pasta     -	Mushroom Spinach Tomato Pasta	Chicken Parmesan     -
Blue Cheese Alredo	Shrimp Scampi	Clam Linguine

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