Weeknight Spaghetti With Chicken Sausage
Weeknight spaghetti with chicken sausage is the perfect quick dinner to end a busy workday. And, today was one of those days: back-to-back meetings, with barely a break to fill my water glass and grab lunch. By the time I walked in the door, it was nearly six o’clock, and the last thing I felt like doing was throwing together a laborious dinner — no matter how good it would have tasted. Plus, due to circumstances that are completely my fault, I’m also exhausted by dinnertime, which doesn’t help foster inspiration in the kitchen. (Read: I’m currently binge-watching Sons of Anarchy every night until midnight — I’m midway through season six,…
Cast Iron Skillet Lasagna
Cast iron skillet lasagna is crispy around the edges and full of ooey-gooey mozzarella and provolone! The other day my parents spent a few hours cleaning out the chicken coop. We used to live on the same property as them, and the coop was about twenty feet from our front door at one point in time. My folks maintain the coop and the chickens primarily, but I knew enough to help out when they were out of town, or if they weren’t feeling well: collecting eggs, getting them in to roost for the night, replenishing their water, feeding them, etc. They’re pretty goofy, those girls (as I fondly call them).…
Creamy Penne With Spinach, Mushrooms, And Seared Chicken Sausage
I like to make a game out of leftover or partially used ingredients in my fridge and pantry. Like, how can half a lemon, six ounces of chicken stock, and sour cream be repurposed into some sort of delectable savory sauce to brush over a lightly salted grilled chicken breast? Hmmm… Or, maybe a handful of berries, a bruised pear, and a mostly used carton of half-n-half can be whipped into one of the best cobblers on the planet. Not only is that “game” fun, it’s also practical. Like the companion piece to eating dinner leftovers at work the next day. This week I stared into the refrigerator, puzzled about what to make…
Italian Caprese Pasta Salad
This caprese pasta salad is the perfect lunch for a busy work day, and you can make it the night before! Even though I love eating out, I’ve really grown to enjoy bringing my lunch to work (including leftovers — yum!). Some might say you know you’re getting older when “Leftovers for lunch!” is exciting and something to look forward to. Perhaps. Though, I’d argue those of you who refuse those lunch leftovers are sorely missing out (so long as you have a microwave). In addition to feasting on leftovers, I like to whip together stand-alone lunches, too. Meals that balance protein and flavor with all the goodness of salad.…
A Trick To Easy Weeknight Dinners
I come from a family with a number of working mothers. More who worked while raising kids than not, even when it wasn’t the norm. My own mom, my aunt, my grandmother, and a slew of other great aunts, cousins, and other female relatives mixed in between. It’s shaped who I am today, and the work-life balance I keep; I’m sure of it. It’s the idea that it’s possible and reasonable to work full time outside the home, and also enjoy motherhood and the things that go along with raising a family. Like, dance competitions, soccer games, weekend afternoons at the movies, bus stop pick-up, and (my favorite) home cooked…
Chicken Sausage and Apple Rigatoni
Chicken sausage and apple rigatoni takes about thirty minutes from start to finish, which means it’s a snap to pull together on a busy weeknight! Fall is right around the corner, and apple everything is going to be in the air—apple scented candles, apple cider, homemade slow cooker applesauce, apple pie. Evenings are crisp and cool, and the sun is still warm throughout the day. It’s a phenomenal time of year; one of my absolute favorites! Though many of the recipes I make with apples are sweet (like apple cinnamon cheesecake bars or apple bread), apples also make a great addition to savory meals and they pair wonderfully with meats like…
Creamy Chicken Pasta Bake
You’ll love this creamy chicken pasta bake — the seared chicken thighs are what makes it! When I was at ALDI last week doing my grocery shopping, I picked up a package of fettuccine nests in the pasta section. They were perfect for shrimp pasta the kids and I had the other evening! Then, last night I decided to use them for a casserole I was throwing together, after originally considering broken up pieces of spaghetti. This particular fettuccine has sort of an “egg noodle” bite to it, which definitely lends itself to being a perfect casserole base: smooth and velvety, but still with a bit of tooth to it. This creamy chicken…
Rustic Penne With Chicken Sausage
Rustic penne with chicken sausage is an easy dinner you can pull together any night of the week! This past Sunday was one of those days that begged for a quick, hearty dinner. The air had a chill to it, football was on in the family room and we’d just returned from a weekend in Philadelphia. Whether I’m at Wegmans, ALDI or another local grocery store, chicken sausage is always available and usually on sale. I love it because it can sit in my fridge, and with an expiration date over a month out, I don’t have to worry about squeezing it in to the menu right after I buy it.…
