Jan 18

28. Skillet Penne and Sausage Supper

As I said before my wonderful husband is always asking for sausage meals! This one was really good. As I was making it my daughter told me that the sun-dried tomatoes looked like worms and why would I want to eat that. Then as I was mincing the onion my eyes were really watering and Elise said, "I know Mommy. I would cry too if I had to eat that for dinner. Can I have pudding?" (that is the idea of what she said. She is in speech for a reason God love her!!)

*1 TBSP olive oil
*1 onion minced
*salt
*1 lb hot or sweet sausage, casings removed
*3 cloves garlic minced
*1/2 cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes rinsed and chopped
*8 ounces penne (2 1/2 cups)
*2 1/2 cups chicken broth (I used low sodium)
*1/2 heavy cream
*5 ounces baby spinach
*1 ounce grated parmesan cheese (1/2 cup)

Heat oil over medium heat in non stick skillet (or as I call it a cooks best friend!!)
Add the onion and 1/2 tsp salt and cook until soften, about 5 minutes
Stir in sausage and cook, breaking up with wooden spoon for about 4 minutes or until no longer pink
Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant
Add the tomatoes and penne over sausage
Pour in broth and cream, cover and bring to boil
Reduce heat to Med. low and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally
Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes
Stir in cheese and season with salt and pepper

Now if you are like me then finding these sun dried tomatoes was a challenge. They were in produce by the real tomatoes but out store did not have the oil packed ones. I got the died ones and put them in some olive oil a few hours before hand. It worked out well. Dave said that this has moved into the number 1 spot on his list.

On the bread machine. My husband bought me an ice maker for Christmas and I bought him one, so I took his back and traded it in on a bread machine....

29. Chocolate Chip bread

*1/4 cup water
*1 cup milk
*1 egg
*3 cups bread flour
*3 tablespoons brown sugar
*2 tablespoons white sugar
*1 teaspoon salt
*1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
*1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
*2 tablespoons margarine, softened
*3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer.
Select 'Mix Bread' cycle or the setting that allows ingredients such as seeds or fruit to be folded into the dough; press Start.
Add the chocolate chips at the signal, or about 5 minutes before the kneading cycle has finished.
Remove loaf from pan to cool when bake cycle finishes.

To be fair we have not tried this yet as its still in the bread machine. I will let you know tomorrow if we like it. It smells really good and Eli and Elise loved watching the bread machine work. So to my friend JJ, I am pleased with the bread machine!!!