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.

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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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Spicy 3 Beans and Rice

A spicy, one-pot, one-dish, vegetarian meal of beans and rice made with 3 different types of beans.

Beans and rice is always a great meal.  It's an easy no fuss meal when you don't have much food in the house.  I try to keep many varieties of dried beans in my pantry and always rice.  With just these two simple ingredients, I can throw together many delicious meals (it just takes a little time).  Beans and rice are inexpensive and nutritious too.  Best of all they are a great source of fiber.  Whenever I'm on my own for a while (because my husband is out of town) there is nothing I like more than cooking a big pot of beans and rice to eat on all week.  This recipe is from just such an occasion and it was wonderful.

Spicy 3 Beans&Rice a onedish onepot vegetarian meal.  [Tweet this]

Spicy 3 Beans and Rice

Cook time:  45-60 minutes
Servings:  6-8

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp olive oil
3 bell peppers, chopped
3 jalapenos, diced (with or without seeds depending on how spicy you want it)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cups or 1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)
2 cups or 1 can pinto beans (drained and rinsed)
2 cups or 1 can kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
1 14.5oz can diced tomatoes
2 Tbsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp paprika
1 cup dry brown rice
2 cups water
Salt and pepper

**I used dry beans for this recipe so I used 1/2 cup of each type of bean (that's about 2 cups each when cooked) then just cooked them together in the same pot until tender.  I didn't add salt while cooking the beans so I added more salt in the final dish.

In a large stock pot (or I used my big 10-cup rice cooker/slow cooker), saute the peppers and onion, with a sprinkle of salt and pepper, in oil until just tender.  I kept the seeds in my jalapenos...it was very spicy and very good.

Add all the rest of the ingredients and stir well to combine.  Increase heat until it begins to boil, then lower the heat to a simmer.  Cover and let simmer for about 45 minutes (my rice cooker has a brown rice setting which is what I used) or until rice is tender.

Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream or plain greek yogurt...I may have used more than just a dollop (omit this if  you want to keep the dish vegan).

Makes 6-8 servings.

Enjoy.

For more one-pot, one-dish meals check out:

Black Beans and Rice

Bean and Barley Stew

Chicken Burrito Bowls

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Easy Sausage and Peppers (3 Ways)

An easy one pot dish of sausage, peppers, and onions that can be served 3 different ways for 3 separate meals.

As always whenever my husband or I see meat on sale we buy it and put it in our freezer (if we don't cook it that day).  We have acquired lots of sausages, steaks, and roasts this way for much cheaper than full price.  These sausages were one of our on sale purchases and I love this recipe because it is so versatile.

I don't always like to eat the same thing every night but I like to cook big meals that can last most of the week.  This recipe is great because it's simple and you can dress it differently for simple and new meals.  This is great for a busy week.  All you have to do is cook once then just reheat.

I started with just sausage and peppers with sides, then sausage and peppers over rice, and lastly sausage and pepper sandwiches.  I did all the work on the first night, then, the next night I just threw some rice in the rice cooker and reheated the sausage and peppers.  For the third meal I just loaded some hoagie rolls with sausage and peppers, topped with provolone, and broiled until the cheese melted. Easy peasy and very delicious.

Easy Sausage and Peppers (3 ways)

Ingredients:

1 pack (6) sausages (we had beef, jalapeno, and Monterrey jack cheese sausages...use what ever you have or like), sliced
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp chili oil
4 bell peppers, assorted colors, sliced
1 large red onion, sliced
2 Tbsp garlic, minced
few shakes of oregano
few shakes of crushed red peppers
salt and pepper to taste

Heat a large stock pot over medium heat.  Saute the sausages until slightly browned (these were fully cooked sausages I just like to get some color on them).

Then add the oils and peppers and onions (with a bit of salt and pepper).  Continue sauteing until the vegetables soften then add the garlic, oregano, and pepper flakes.  Saute a little longer until garlic is fragrant then remove from heat.  Taste for seasoning and add more as needed.

Makes 6-8 servings.  Serve with sides of your choice, over pasta or rice, and/or on sandwiches with provolone cheese.

Enjoy.

I've told y'all that my husband loves things spicy.  This is his sausage and pepper rice bowl smothered in sriracha :-)

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Chicken Burrito Bowls

Chicken, peppers, corn, beans, and rice all mixed together with tomatoes.  Ready to eat or wrap in a tortilla.

How can you make burritos gluten free?  Just don't use a flour tortilla.  Burrito bowls are everything that is great about a burrito without the tortilla.  If you don't want to get rid of the tortilla you can always use this as a filling too.

Chicken Burrito Bowls

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp oil
1 onion, chopped
2 bell peppers, chopped
1 jalapeno, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup, uncooked, rice
1 can chicken broth (about 2 cups)
1 can corn, drained
1 cup cooked chicken (great use for leftover rotisserie chicken)
2 cups cooked black beans
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil, over medium heat, in a large stock pot.  Add the onions and peppers (generously season with salt and pepper)  and saute until tender.  Then add garlic and cook for a few seconds until fragrant.

Pour in the uncooked rice and stir to mix well.  Allow the dry rice to cook for a few minutes then add the chicken broth.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and let simmer until rice is cooked.

Lastly add the corn, chicken, beans, and tomatoes.  Mix thoroughly and allow to cook on low until heated through.

Taste and add more seasoning as needed.

Serve in bowls topped with cheese, salsa (such as Roasted Pepper Salsa or Fresh Salsa), and/or any other toppings of your choice.  You can even roll it all in a tortilla for a traditional burrito.

Makes 6 servings.

Enjoy.

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Spiced Eggplant and Mushrooms

Eggplant, mushrooms, and rice cooked in Mediterranean spices and served over hummus.  A delicious, flavorful, and filling vegetarian one pot meal.

I was very impressed with my Spiced Lamb and hummus and wanted to make something similar.  The Mediterranean spices were just so flavorful I couldn't stop thinking about them.  I love the warm, earthy, spicy flavors of cinnamon, paprika, allspice and cumin (to name a few).  They brighten any dish.  I probably could have tried the same recipe with beef of chicken but I really wanted to make a vegetarian meal so here's what I came up with.  It was delicious and filling and very scoop-able.  I served the spiced eggplant and mushrooms on top of homemade Hummus with pita, cucumber slices, and broccoli (I love scooping hummus with cucumbers and broccoli).  It was a very satisfying meal I will make again.

Spiced Eggplant and Mushrooms

Ingredients:

2-4 Tbsp Mediterranean Spice Mix
1/4 tsp cayenne or hot chili powder (optional)
1 medium eggplant, cubed (about 4 cups)
1 onion, chopped
15 crimini mushrooms, quartered
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup dried red cargo rice (or brown or wild)
2 cups vegetable broth
Salt and pepper to taste
olive oil

Heat a little olive oil in a large stock pot.  To the oil add the eggplant, onion, and mushrooms.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and 2 tablespoons of the Mediterranean spice mix.

Cook uncovered until eggplant has softened.  Stir in the garlic and cook for a minute or two then add the rice.

Stir and mix the rice well and cook for a few more minutes then add the broth.  Bring to a boil then lower heat to and simmer until rice is cooked (about 30 minutes).

Taste for seasoning and add more spice mix, salt, and pepper as needed.

To plate:  spread 2 Tbsp hummus in a circle in the center of a plate.  Top the hummus with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of smoked paprika.  Top this with spiced eggplant and mushrooms.

Serve with cucumber slices, broccoli, and pita.  Makes about 6 servings.

Enjoy.

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Bean and Barley Stew

A healthy, meatless, one pot meal stew with beans, barley, and veggies.

I recently got a new rice cooker. My old rice cooker was fine but it had a glass lid, which I dropped and it broke.  That happens alot unfortunately.  The kitchen in my apartment has a tile floor that breaks everything that's dropped on it and I am kind of dropsy (I drop things quite frequently). So anyway after shouting a string of obscenities I cleaned up the mess (luckily it was tempered glass so it broke into little cubes instead of sharp shards).  I had to cook rice the 'old fashioned' way (on the stove top) for a couple of weeks before my husband brought home a new rice cooker.  This new rice cooker is super fancy.  It has different options for cooking white or brown rice, it has a timer, and it also works as a slow cooker.  It's huge too, I can cook like 10 cups of rice at a time if I wanted too.  For this recipe I used the slow cooker option.

My husband was out of town, for work, again so I wanted to make a meal that would last for the week.  I also didn't want to have a bunch of dirty dishes so this was cooked completely in the rice cooker.  When my husband isn't around I tend to eat more meatless meals.  I like meat just fine but vegetarian or meatless meals often are cheaper and easier. For this stew, I initially started out trying to make a soup.  I was just planning on having a bean soup but I saw a package of hulled barley and at the last minute decided to throw it in.  It was a great idea making this much more filling and nutritious.

Bean and Barley Stew

Ingredients:

1-2 Tbsp butter or oil
1 onion, chopped
5 stalks of celery, chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
1 jalapeno, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 14.4 oz can of stewed tomatoes, crushed
3/4 cup barley (dry)
3-4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
2 cups small red beans, cooked
1 tsp dried thyme
2 bay leaves
a dash of marjoram
a dash of rosemary
salt and pepper to taste

Turn the rice cooker's slow cooker feature to high (this could all be cooked on the stove top, probably in less time).  Melt the butter in the bottom or the insert.  Once the butter is melted add the onion, celery, and carrots (with salt and pepper).  Cook on high, uncovered, for about 15 minutes until softened.

Add jalapeno and garlic for a few minutes then add the dried barley.  Stir the barley with the vegetables and butter then add the 2-3 cups of chicken broth and spices.

Turn the rice cooker/slow cooker to low, cover and allow to cook for 3 hours until barley is cooked.

Lastly stir in the beans (add more broth if needed) and let cook for 1 hour more until beans are heated through.  Add more salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Makes about 6 servings, serve with rolls or crackers.

Enjoy.

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Black Beans and Rice

A complete one dish dinner with black beans, rice, meat, and vegetables.  All cooked in one pot.

I made this black beans and rice so that I could have a complete and balanced meal in one dish, and it only required one pot for cooking.  With a little prep work this dinner is very simple to prepare and relatively inexpensive for a tasty and complete dinner.  It also made a big pot's worth that I was happy to eat all week.

Black Beans and Rice

Ingredients:

1/2 pound  Mexican chorizo
1-2 jalapenos, diced
2 red bell peppers, diced
1 small onion, diced
2 bunches of spinach or other dark green leafy, roughly chopped
2 cups (cooked) black beans
1 cup rice
1 14oz can chicken broth
1 14oz can diced tomatoes, drained
1 6oz can tomato paste
salt and pepper

In a large pot, cook the chorizo, over medium heat, until thoroughly cooked. Keep the grease, or at least some of it (for flavor).

Add the onion and peppers (and some salt and pepper) sauteing, with the chorizo, until tender (you can remove the jalapeno seeds if you don't want the spiciness, or omit the jalapenos all together).

Add the spinach (I used choy sum, which is always prevalent in Chinatown) and cover the pot so that it will steam and cook down (you shouldn't need to add any extra liquid because the onion and peppers release plenty when cooking).

When spinach is soft and wilted add the beans (I used beans I had cooked earlier, but you could use canned just drain and rinse) and rice.  Then add the chicken broth, diced tomatoes, and tomato paste.

Allow the liquid to boil then reduce the temperature to low, cover, and simmer for about 20-30 minutes until the rice is soft and fluffy (add some water if it's too dry).  I did not drain the diced tomatoes when I cooked this and it ended up a little soupy, so I let it simmer with the top off for a while until it was thicker.

Remove from heat and serve topped with cilantro and cheese if you desire.  It is great with tortilla chips on the side too.

Makes 6 servings.

Enjoy.

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