I am a self-proclaimed Melissa D'Arabian fan, to the core!
Will and I watched last season's The Next Food Network Star every week hoping that she would make it to the end. Sure enough, she did.
Not only did we love that we learned a new tip or trick every time she opened her mouth (we would literally rewind the DVR to make sure we heard her right and then look at each other and say "No way!"), but the fact that she was a stay at mom made me love her even more. She was a woman taking her future into her own hands and tackling her dreams!
I record her show on the Food Network "10 Dollar Dinners", but I had let them stack up in the DVR unwatched. So while I was waiting for Will to come to bed the other night, I watched a couple of episodes. That's when I watched her make this...Sausage And Roasted Vegetable Penne
Mmmm!
It looked so yummy!
But it was a dish that stood way out of our comfort zone. Will and I are not fans of tomatoes, zucchini or mushrooms. I was willing to make the recipe and try it (based off how yummy it looked on TV), but convincing Will was going to be a different story.
Surprisingly, he agreed to try it. So we headed to our local Produce Market and bought all of the fresh vegetables that the recipe called for.
It was so easy to make and it tasted absolutely delicious!
Tomatoes, zucchini, mushrooms, and all!
Admittedly, we were a little skeptical about how it would turn out because of the lack of sauce in this dish, but the flavor was sooo good. It was fresh and healthy and even better tasting than we could have hoped.
You must try it. You must.
.........................................................................................................
Sausage & Roasted Vegetable Penne
...Ingredients...
...Directions...
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
In a bowl, toss all the vegetables, except the tomatoes, with 1 1/2 tablespoons oil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Arrange on a baking sheet and roast, until caramelized, about 30 minutes, turning vegetables halfway through the cooking time. In a small bowl, add the tomatoes and the remaining olive oil and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and add to the baking sheet, at the halfway point of cooking, to caramelize.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, add the sausage and saute until cooked through. Turn up the heat and deglaze with white wine. Once the vegetables are cooked, cool slightly, then coarsely chop. Add the vegetables and any pan juices to the sausage in the skillet. Toss in the cooked penne, adding reserved pasta water, if needed, to moisten. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and serve in bowls topped with Parmesan.
............................................................................................................The bonus is that it truly is as easy to make as it sounds!
I'm not sure if I have convinced you to try it,
but I sure am ready to make it again!
P.S. I am posting this at:
Things I Love Thursday
