Penne Pasta, Italian Sausage and Spinach

Bea — May 9, 2009, 6:49pm

Looking for a quick lunch that can be served hot or chilled? This is so easy and so good.

2 cups Penne Pasta - cooked and drained

3 links Italian sausage browned and sliced into bite size pieces

2 cans stewed tomatoes (no need to add seasoning, the seasoning is in the stewed tomatoes.

1 bag washed baby spinach

1 cup mozzarella cheese, diced

1/2 cup parmesean cheese, grated

Brown sausage in a large skillet. When cooked through, remove the sausage and drain the pan. Return the sausage to the pan, add tomatoes and spinach then cover. Cook on medium heat until spinach is wilted.

Put pasta in a large bowl, toss with sausage, tomato, spinach mixture.

Add cheeses, toss again.

Serve warm with garlic toast or chill and serve cold.

NOTE: I used mild turkey sausage. You can add whichever you prefer.

Cream of Leftover Soup

Bea — May 9, 2009, 9:15am

I love my "Country Inn and Bed and Breakfast Cookbook" by Kitty and Lucian Maynard. There are many recipes that are far too complicated to attempt in a small kitchen, but Cream of Leftover Soup is a keeper.

It was submitted by Knoll Farm Country Inn in Vermont. The recipe makes a big stock pot of soup, but it can be divided into smaller containers and brought out when needed.

1 cup butter
1 medium onion, chopped
3 or 4 ribs of celery, diced
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon dillweed
1 teaspoon celery salt
2 carrots, peeled and thinly shaved
1 cup mushrooms, freshly sliced
1 small zucchini, sliced
1 package onion soup mix (optional)
1 cup all purpose flour
3 quarts milk (whole or skim)
leftover vegetables - cooked potatoes, diced or rice

Melt butter in a large pan. Stir in onion and celery. Cook over medium heat. Add basil, dillweed, celery salt - stirring constantly.

Add carrots, mushrooms, zucchini, and the soup mix (if you chose to use it) stirring constantly to keep the vegetables from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

Slowly stir in the flour until the vegetables are coated and the butter is absorbed.

Slowly add part of the milk to make a cream sauce.

Add the rest of the milk, the leftover vegetables and potatoes or rice.

Simmer over low heat until thick but do not boil.

This is best when made ahead and reheated. It can be the starter for the next batch of soup with additional leftovers...think once a week refridge clean out.

The first batch makes 16 to 20 servings. This can be divided to your needs. The best part is the change in flavors as different vegetables are added. It will go from a spring soup, into the summer, then the bounty of the fall garden.

Enjoy