Roasted Red Pepper and Spinach Calzones

There's this little Italian pizzeria in Denver near where my Grandpa lives called "Rico's." They make The Best Calzones I've ever had. Maybe it's because Rico is really Italian. And so are most of his kitchen staff (family members, by the look of things). The dough is perfect, the cheese melty and stringy and delicious, and the calzone is smothered in sauce. Most of the food they sell is for take-out as their little restaurant only seats about 20 people in their cramped booths and tables sitting almost in the middle of the walk-ways.

And the best part of all is if you're female and Rico isn't too busy with other things, he will shout "Ciao, Bella!" as you walk out the door. My dream is to go back and have Rico shout "Beautiful" to me. He didn't last time. Maybe one day...

I'm quite sure that if Rico had a bite of these calzones he would throw his Italian hands up in the air in dismay No sauce? Only one kind of cheese? Where's the MEAT?" But that aside, I think they're pretty dang tasty. I have an undying love for caramelized onions and red peppers, and these calzones contain both, so I'm pretty well satisfied. Except for the "Bella" part. No one called me Bella as I took these out of the oven.

Poblano Stuffed with Chorizo, Shrimp and Rice

Here is a variation on a typical stuffed peppers. It includes several different types of peppers and cheese. The thing that makes it the most unique, in my opinion, is the inclusion of shrimp.

I was not able to follow this recipe exactly as it is listed, because I was unable to find a couple of ingredients. I could not find chorizo cheese or poblano chiles at my local store, so I had to leave those out. Instead I stuffed green bell peppers and pasillo peppers, which worked out well. I served these peppers as a side, but they are quite filling and could be served as a light dinner. I hope that you will enjoy them...oh and one more thing, the recipe does not call for any salt, but I would definitely add a teaspoon while cooking. Enjoy!

Arroz con Pollo

A few weeks ago, my youngest sister called to tell me that she had a surprise for me (a surprise she promptly told me, therein ruining the surprise). Apparently she had just visited my favorite, though seldom visited store (Antrhopologie), found a super awesome cookbook, and bought it with her very own money. And it wasn't even my birthday. Sweet, eh? When I received the book a few days later, it turned out she was right! A cookbook full of recipes from around the world, complete with pictures of each. I'll admit that right at first, I was a bit skeptical. Sometimes books like this have too much variety, leaving you with a myriad of mediocre recipes rather than a few truly fantastic ones. But after trying this 1-pot dinner of Spanish rice and a great recipe for molten chocolate cake, I'm becoming more convinced.


A few things to note about this recipe: (1) it has a lot of ingredients, and it should, since it's basically your whole dinner in one big pot. And you probably have all but the saffron* sitting somewhere in your cupboards/fridge, so it's a great weeknight dinner option. (2) The directions say to first cook this in a large stove-to-oven casserole dish (like a dutch oven) on the stove and then bake it in the oven. If you don't have a dutch oven (buy one, they're great!!), you can do the first few steps in a large pot on the stove, and then transfer everything to a 9 x 13 or something similar. I'm also assuming (though not guaranteeing-if you try this and it doesn't work for some reason, let me know) that you could do the entire thing on the stove in a large soup pot with a lid.

Stuffed Zucchini (Mushrooms or Peppers)

These little babies are tasty and fun. They work as an excellent appetizer or would be great on a buffet table at a friendly gathering...and what do you know - they are quite healthy. Loaded with veggies and roasted to goodness.

I found this recipe in a book called The Occasional Vegetarian by Karen Lee with Diane Porter and wanted to try it, however, it looked quite complicated. So Kelly and I decided to simplify the recipe, remove a couple of ingredients, and give it to you. We choose to stuff zucchini, figuring they would be quicker and easier than traditional stuffed mushrooms. However, because we had a bit of stuffing left over, we grabbed a couple mushrooms and a red pepper and stuffed those as well. Overall, I think I preferred the zucchinis, but the others were also delicious. In the future, I think I would stuff all three vegetables to provide a variety of taste and textures.

Stuffed Zucchini (Mushrooms and Peppers)
Recipe by Two Little Chefs
Pictures by Caroline

4 medium zucchinis to stuff (or mushrooms, red, or yellow peppers)

Stuffing:
½ cup chopped red or yellow pepper
½ cup dried bread crumbs
1/3 cup chopped white mushrooms
¼ cup chopped red onion
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 egg, beaten
1 cup coarsely grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dried parsley

Directions:
1. Cut the zucchini into 1-inch pieces and scoop out with a spoon. Try to scoop just over half of the center of the zucchini out as it will make more space for the filling, which you will appreciate in the end. Place the zucchini on a lightly grease cookie sheet. **If you are using mushrooms or peppers do the following: Pop the stems of the mushrooms off and cut a thin slice off the top of the mushroom so that it will sit flat – like a little cup. Brush the hollow of the mushroom with olive oil. For the peppers, cut lengthwise into 4 pieces and remove any seeds; then cut those quarters in half.
2. For the stuffing, sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil until they soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and the peppers and continue to sauté until softened, about 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Combine the mushroom mixture with the bread crumbs, egg, cheese, and parsley. Stuff the zucchini (mushrooms or peppers) with the mushroom mixture; be sure to pack the mixture in tightly. (If you want, you can brush the top of each stuffed vegetable with a little bit of olive oil.)
4. Preheat the broiler. Broil 6 inches for the heat until well browned, 7 to 10 minutes, but watch closely. Remove the stuffed veggies and serve warm or at room temperature.

ps...if you are looking for a sauce to pair these with, I think that the Buttermilk Dipping Sauce included with our Fried Green Tomatoes would be fab. Try it and let us know how it works.

Grilled Zucchini Pepper Salad

Yet another way to serve September's most bounteous vegetable (I usually have zucchini coming out my ears by this point). Marinated in balsamic vinegar and paired with red bell peppers. Sweet. Tangy. Delicious.

Try serving with: white fish with orange balsamic glaze.


Grilled Zucchini Pepper Salad
Recipe from Gourmet September 2009
Pictures by Caroline

1 1/2 pounds zucchini, cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
2 red bell peppers, quartered
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons chopped basil

1. If grilling, prepare grill for direct-heat cooking over medium-hot charcoal (medium-high heat for gas). If broiling, preheat oven to High broil.
   
2. Toss vegetables with 2 tablespoon oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
   
3. Grill (or broil), turning occasionally, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes total. Transfer peppers to a bowl and let stand, covered, 10 minutes. Peel peppers* and cut into 1-inch pieces. Cut zucchini crosswise into 1-inch pieces.
4. Whisk together vinegar, brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large bowl.
   
5. Stir in vegetables and basil. Let stand 15 minutes for flavors to blend. Serve warm or at room temperature.
   

*I believe that peeling the peppers is supposed to allow more vinegar flavor to seep in. If you don't feel like peeling them (because, let's face it, peeling peppers can be a real pain if you haven't let them blister long enough under the heat), it will be just fine with the skins on.

Stuffed Bell Peppers

This may be hard to believe, but growing up I loved stuffed bell peppers, the kind you made with hamburger and rice. So I thought I would take that idea and come up with something a little more unique and perhaps...with a few more flavors. I started with a couple of recipes I found online, and came up with a bell pepper stuffed with turkey sausage. These peppers have a strong flavor due to the sausage, but they are a great way to incorporate meat and vegetables in one fancy package. I hope you will enjoy them.

Stuffed Bell Peppers
Recipe by Caroline
Pictures by Caroline
Makes 2 (large) to 4 servings

¾ pounds sweet turkey sausage, casings removed (or you can use Italian sausage, whichever you prefer)
¾ cup coarsely grated zucchini
¼ cup finely chopped red onion
¼ cup chopped white mushrooms
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon dried rosemary
¼ cup fine dry breadcrumbs
1 large egg
¼ cup parmesan cheese
2 medium-size red bell peppers (each about 4 to 6 ounces), halved lengthwise, seeded

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Heat a medium-sized skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and cook until browned. Add the zucchini, onion, parsley flakes, rosemary, black pepper, and salt. Cook until sausage is mostly cooked through.
3. Take sausage mixture off of heat. In a medium mixing bowl combine the sausage mixture, breadcrumbs, egg, and parmesan cheese.
4. Fill pepper halves with the sausage mixture, dividing equally among each half. Arrange peppers, filled side up, in a baking dish (I add a little bit of water to the bottom of the pan to help steam the peppers). Cook uncovered for 30 minutes or until heated through and peppers reach desired tenderness.

Guacamole Salad

This vegetable salad is fresh and citrusy. It is chalked full of vitamins and flavor. I first had this salad sitting outside on a family members deck in the early evening, it was perfect, and so I would suggest that it makes a perfect side to a summer barbecue. Be warned that the lime is a very distinct flavor, so if you are planning to serve it with another citrus flavor, you may want to add less lime, although I would make it just as is.

Guacamole Salad
Recipe adapted from Barefoot Contessa at Home, 2006
Pictures by Caroline

Ingredients:
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved (I used 3 or 4 Roma tomatoes)
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and ½-inch diced
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
½ cup red onion, diced small
2 tablespoons minced jalapeño, seeded
½ teaspoon freshly grated lime zest
¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice (2 limes)
¼ cup good olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon minced garlic
¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (I substituted red pepper flakes)
2 ripe avocados, seeded, peeled, and diced in ½-inch pieces

Directions:
1. Place the tomatoes, yellow pepper, black beans, red onion, and jalapeño peppers in a large bowl.
2. Whisk together the lime juice, lime zest, olive oil, salt, black pepper, garlic, and pepper flakes.
3. When ready to serve, pour dressing over vegetables and toss well. Add avocados and gently fold them into the salad. Serve and enjoy.

Green Pepper Steak

This dish is a perfect weeknight meal. It's hearty, healthy, and delicious. And it's pretty easy--the hardest part is waiting for it to be ready to eat.


Green Pepper Steak
Recipe adapted from Dorothy Rich
Pictures by Kelly
Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/3 cup soy sauce
4 tablespoons water
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon ginger root, finely chopped
1 pound chuck tender steak, cut into 1/4 inch strips
1 green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 cup green onion, chopped
1 cup celery, diced
1 tablespoon corn starch
1/3 cup water
4 Roma tomatoes, halved and sliced lengthwise

1. In a bowl, mix soy sauce, 4 tablespoons water, garlic and ginger. Add steak and let stand 5 minutes.
2. Heat oil to medium high heat in a large skillet. Add steak (without sauce) and cook until all sides are browned. Pour sauce onto steak and cover. Let simmer on low 20 minutes.
   
3. Add vegetables to skillet. Cook, covered, 5-10 more minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
   
4. In a small bowl, mix corn starch and water until smooth. Add to sauce and stir until thickened.
5. Add tomatoes and cook, just until warm. Serve over rice.

Chicken Lime Fettuccine

I am not going to lie, this recipe is a bit more complicated than some that we have posted on Two Little Chefs. It isn't hard, it just has a few more steps and uses three pans, but it is good. And it is full of butter and cream, which make it so tasty.
In the recipe I suggest using a spinach fettuccine. You can use a plain fettuccine, but I think that the flavor of the spinach fettuccine adds to the overall combination. You should be able to find flavored pastas at your grocery store, but you may have to look around a bit for it, and it tends to be a bit pricey as compared to regular dry pastas. Also, the pasta that I buy, which is pictured above, is thiner, more delicate, and not as "dried" out as your regular brand, in fact it cooks in only three minutes. Regardless of what pasta you use though, this is sure to be a crowd pleasier aka great for dinner guests. Enjoy!

Chicken Lime Fettuccine
Recipe by Caroline
Pictures by Caroline
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 dry fettuccine, preferably spinach flavored
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)
2 tablespoons fresh garlic, minced
2 tablespoons jalapeño, minced (remove seeds and veins for less heat)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup chicken stock
2 limes, freshly squeezed
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 chicken breasts, diced into ¾ inch cubes
¼ medium red onion, sliced thinly
1 ½ medium red, yellow, or green peppers, thinly sliced (use one type or a variety)
1 ½ cups heavy cream

Directions:
1. Pour soy sauce over chicken in a bowl and let set for 5-10 minutes.
2. Prepare rapidly boiling water to cook pasta; cook according to package directions. Drain.
3. Cook 1/3 cup cilantro, garlic, jalapeño in 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes in a small saucepan. Add chicken stock and lime juice. Bring to a boil, turn down, and let simmer until reduced to a paste like consistency, 6-7 minutes.
4. In a large sauce pan, heat remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Add onion and peppers and let sauté until just very slightly wilted, about 1 minute. Push the peppers to the outsides of the pan, forming an opening in the middle of the pan. Pour chicken and soy sauce into the middle of the pan and let cook about 3 minutes. Add the reserved lime-garlic paste and the heavy cream. Bring the sauce to a gentle boil; boil until chicken is cooked through and sauce has thickened slightly.
5. When sauce is done, toss with the cooked pasta and reserved 2 tablespoons cilantro.

Moroccan Salmon

Here's a delicious yet elegant dish that incorporates zesty lemon and middle eastern spices. And it's a great way to serve fish to those who may not be fish enthusiasts. Serve with rice or, for a more authentic Moroccan feel, with couscous.

Moroccan Salmon
adapted from Cooking Light October 2006
Pictures by Kelly

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon red pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 small salmon fillets (or 1 1 lb. filet, cut into 4 pieces)
1 lemon
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced red bell pepper
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced green bell pepper
1 large plum tomato, cut into 1/4 inch slices
2 tablespoons water

1. Preheat oven to 400°. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 inch pan with cooking spray.
   
2. Combine first 10 ingredients in a large bowl and stir. Add salmon, turning to coat. Cover and let stand 15 minutes.
   
3. Remove salmon from the bowl, reserving marinade. Place the salmon, skin side down, in the greased pan.
   
4. Cut lemon in half and then slice 1 half into 1/8 inch-thick slices. Add the lemon slices, peppers, tomato and water to marinade; stir gently to coat.
   
5. Arrange pepper mixture/marinade over salmon; cover with foil. Bake for 20 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.
   
6. Serve over rice or couscous.

Red Bell Peppers with Spinach and Raisins

I'm always looking for creative ways to serve vegetables with dinner. After all, frozen peas or broccoli tend to get a bit old after a while. This dish is elegant, delicious, and definitely unique. Don't be alarmed by the seemingly strange combination of ingredients; the raisins are a great with the tangy balsamic vinegar and sweet red bell peppers. Try it out and let us know what you think!

Red Bell Peppers with Spinach and Raisins
Adapted from Bon Appetit, November 2004
Pictures by Caroline

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 red bell peppers, cut into strips
3/4 cup raisins
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste
4 cups spinach

1. Heat oil in very large skillet over medium-high heat. Add all peppers and sauté until slightly softened, stirring occasionally, 5-7 minutes.
   
2. Add raisins. Continue to cook until peppers are soft, about 5 more minutes.
   
3. Stir in vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Add 4 cups spinach to peppers and stir until it begins to wilt, about 1 minute.
   

Chicken Stir-Fry Wraps

We made these together the other night and they were tasty. This recipe calls for fresh ginger, and I insist, okay I recommend that you do not use anything but fresh ginger - it really adds a great flavor to this recipe. If you have a micro-planer use it to grate the ginger, if not, grate it another way or just chop it up as best you can. Also, Kelly and I decided while making this, that we wanted more veggies, so we added a green bell in addition to the red (as you can see from the pictures). And one last note, next time I make this recipe I will chop everything, rather than slicing for two reasons. One, the flavor of this is excellent, so the smaller the pieces the more they absorb; and two, this is messy to eat, and I think the wrapping part would go more smoothly if everything was chopped into smaller pieces; those are my recommendations. I hope that you will like this as much as I did. Oh! Also, we served rice on the side (which I don't have pictured) to make it a bit more substantial.

Chicken Stir-Fry Wraps
Recipe from Everyday Foods: Great Food Fast
Pictures by Caroline
Serves 4

1 ½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts; thinly sliced
Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 ½ tsp grated peeled fresh ginger
¼ to ½ tsp red pepper flakes
3 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp rice vinegar
1 ½ tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp water
12 to 16 Boston lettuce leaves (about 2 heads)

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over high heat. Add half the chicken; cook, stirring constantly, until opaque throughout, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
2. Add the remaining tablespoon oil to the pan, along with the onion and bell pepper. Cook; stirring constantly, until the onion is tender and golden, about 4 minutes (reduce the heat if browning too quickly).
3. Reduce the heat to medium; add the garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes to the pan; cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds.
4. Stir in the soy sauce, vinegar, and cornstarch mixture; remove from the heat. Add the chicken and any accumulated juices; toss to coat. Serve in the lettuce cups.

Sweet n' Sour Pork

You've probably noticed that I, Caroline, love red bell peppers. They truly are one of my favorite vegetables. I put them in almost everything that I cook from eggs to salads to stir-fry's. I just think they are so delicious both cooked and raw. So naturally my sweet n' sour pork recipe is full of them. However, feel free to use a mixture of peppers in this recipe for a greater variety of flavors.

Sweet n' Sour Pork
Recipe and Photos by Caroline

2 boneless pork chops, diced into 1/2" chunks
2 tsp olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
3/4 cup chicken broth (I use bouillon cubes mixed with water)
1 1/2 red pepper, sliced (or a mix of peppers)
1/2 medium red onion
1 can pineapple chunks, drained (save the juice)
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup pineapple syrup
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce

1. Heat oil in skillet; add pork and cook until just browned on each side. Add the chicken broth, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes.
2. In the meantime, combine the sugar, pineapple syrup, vinegar, corn starch and soy sauce to make your sauce.
2. Add vegetables and pineapple over top of pork; add the sauce and mix everything together, coating all the meat and the vegetables. Cook for another 8-10 minutes, stirring often. Serve over rice.

*this recipe makes enough for 2 large helpings or 4 smaller ones

Sweet-Pepper Balsamic Sandwich

So I was making one of my favorite sandwiches for lunch the other day, and figured I should share the goodness. Lunch is always a tricky menu for me, because I want something delicious, but I don't want to take a lot of time to make anything. If this sounds familiar try this sandwich. It is simple, healthy, and so so tasty. This day I enjoyed it with a simple fruit salad made with apples, bananas, and pineapple with a bit of honey and lemon juice



Sweet-Pepper Balsamic Sandwich
Recipe and Photos by Caroline

This is an approximate recipe, meaning add and subtract how you like. The amounts below are enough to make 2 sandwiches

1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
2 full slices of red onion
1 white mushroon, sliced
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
Italian Seasoning
salt and pepper
1/4 cup Mozzarella cheese
4 pieces white bread, toasted (wheat bread isn't very good with this sandwich)
2 tbsp veggie cream cheese or plain cream cheese

Directions:

1. Slice all of your vegetables. Heat olive oil in skillet over medium-low heart; saute peppers and onions for a few minutes until they begin to become tender, add mushrooms.
2. Season vegetables with salt, pepper, and the Italian Seasonings and let saute another minute or two. Add balsamic vinegar and cover with a lid for about one minute (note: when you add the vinegar it is going to sizzle, so watch out and cover the pan as quickly as you can to avoid a mess on your stove).
3. Once the vegetables are soft turn off the burner, but leave the pan on the stove. Leave the vegetables in the pan and pile them into the middle and cover them with the cheese; replace the lid and let the cheese melt.
4. In the meantime, toast your bread and slather each piece with the cream cheese. When the cheese on the vegetables has melted, place on your toast and make the sandwich. Enjoy!

ps..these sandwiches really are tasty!

Saffron Rice and Red Pepper Pilaf

Saffron is, in my opinion, one of the most interesting, delicious, and seldom used flavors out there. It's found in abundance in Spanish or Persian recipes, but often missing in American dishes. Unfortunately, it's also very expensive. But then, when you're dealing with a spice that comes from the 3 stigmas found inside of a saffron crocus flower, it's not really a surprise. Luckily, it's a very strong spice, so a little will go a long way. It's definitely well worth the price.

This dish makes an elegant, yet simple side dish that goes well with chicken and a green salad.

Saffron Rice and Red Pepper Pilaf
from August 2003 Bon Appetit
Pictures by Caroline

5 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups chopped red bell peppers
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 1/2 cups basmati rice or other long-grain white rice
3 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon (generous) crushed saffron threads
6 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives (optional)
Parmesan cheese shavings

1. Add peppers and onion. Sauté until soft, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add rice; stir 1 minute.
   
2. Mix in 3 cups broth, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and saffron. Bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until liquid is absorbed, about 18 minutes.
   
3. Remove from heat; stir in 6 tablespoons grated cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
   
4. Stir 1 1/2 tablespoons chives into pilaf. Mound in serving bowl. Top with cheese shavings and remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons chives.

-Kelly

Pesto pasta with salmon and vegetables

Whenever I make fish, I often end up with just a little too much left over to eat for lunch the next day, but not quite enough for dinner. This recipe is easy, fast, and flavorful with the inclusion of some pre-made pesto (either from the store or homemade). Plus, it makes use of some of those extra vegetables you have sitting around in the fridge.


It's also extremely flexible. You can add or subtract vegetables as you like: red pepper, asparagus tips, peas, etc.


Pesto Pasta with Salmon and Vegetables
Recipe by Kelly
Pictures by Caroline

Makes 4 servings

1/4 pound cooked salmon (grilled, seared, baked, or broiled)
1 green bell pepper, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 cup mushrooms, quartered
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
3-4 tablespoons pesto
10 oz. whole wheat rotini pasta

1. Heat the olive oil in a small skillet. Add the chopped vegetables and sauté until tender.
2. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the pasta and cook until tender. Drain.
   
3. Meanwhile, reheat the salmon.
   
4. Add the pesto to the pasta. Add the vegetables to the pesto pasta and stir.
   
5. Serve topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Rigatoni with Sausage, Peppers and Onions

As pasta lovers, we're always looking for new ways to incorporate fresh vegetables and herbs. This is a great recipe with just the right amount of kick to keep things interesting.


Sure, you can substitute green bell peppers for red, but we found red peppers to have an extra sweetness that makes a great contrast to the saltiness of the sausage.

The best part is, this recipe is easy, fast, and serves a crowd.

Rigatoni with Sausage, Peppers, and Onions
Adapted from Everyday Pasta by Giada de Laurentiis

Pictures by Caroline

Makes 4-6 servings

¼ c olive oil
1 pound sweet Italian turkey sausages (or ground sausage)
2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and sliced
1-2 yellow onions, sliced
1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
4 garlic cloves, chopped
½ tsp dried oregano
½ cup fresh basil (or 1 tsp dried basil)
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup Marsala wine
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, with juice
¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1 pound rigatoni pasta
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausages and brown on all sides, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the sausage.

2. Keeping the pan over medium heat, add the bell peppers, onions, salt and pepper and cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, oregano, and basil. Cook for about 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir, and then add the wine, tomatoes with juice, and red pepper flakes. Stir everything together to combine. Bring to a simmer.

3. Cut the sausages into bite size pieces (unless you used ground sausage). Return the sausage to the pan. Simmer until the sauce is thickened about 20 minutes.

4. While the sauce simmers, cook the pasta until slightly firm. Drain, then add to the sauce; toss everything to combine, and sprinkle with Parmesan.