Creamy Sausage and Roasted Cauliflower Pasta

Hello, beautiful!

This is a pasta dish we must talk about right now.

This is my Creamy Sausage and Roasted Cauliflower Pasta and it is about to be your new favorite. It's comfort food which means it's meant to soothe your soul. We aren't apologizing for eating pasta because we love it and it's delicious. This particular dish also has plenty of vegetables packed into each bite, so this is a well-rounded meal you can feel happy serving to your whole family!

Let's talk about cauliflower quick. A few weeks ago, I had a moment where I was like, "wait a minute...do I not like cauliflower?!" Every time I made a dish with cauliflower in it, I was sooo disappointed and wished I was eating anything else. This comes after years of never having any sort of aversion to it. After thinking about it for a bit, I realized that what I actually didn't like was frozen cauliflower...I wanted cauliflower that still had a bite to it. Roasted cauliflower that had a few charred bits to it, well - THAT'S really what I wanted, and that is exactly what I'm mixing in to this dish.

To compliment the cauliflower, I am browning up a bit of sweet sausage. Something about pasta and sausage - it just makes SENSE to me. We'll then make a quick, creamy sauce, wilt some fresh spinach in it, load it up with freshly grated parmesan and chopped parsley and finish it with a sprinkling of red pepper flakes. I mean, what is there NOT to love?!

In terms of the actual pasta, I used a whole wheat rotini. This was actually O Organics brand and I think it's my favorite rotini. The spirals are really tight and hold up well even after being cooked. It was the perfect shape to trap all that luscious sauce! But, really, any small cut pasta will do. You do you!

Sausage and Spinach Stuffed Shells with Pumpkin Cream Sauce

Ooh ooh! Look! Comfort food!

And not just any comfort food. This has everything you need, including but not limited to pasta, fontina cheese, sausage, pumpkin and accompanying seasonal spices. So many flavors in each delightful little bite!

These Sausage and Spinach Stuffed Shells with Pumpkin Cream Sauce are a wonderful Fall spin on a classic dish. Even though I love basically every baked good made with pumpkin ever, this season I've been trying to incorporate pumpkin into more savory dishes. And, based on how ah-mazing this recipe turned out, that happens to be a very, very good idea.

The idea for these stuffed shells was born first and foremost from my desire to make a pumpkin and sage cream sauce, filled with nutty fontina cheese, creamy pumpkin, fresh sage plus cinnamon, nutmeg and a little red pepper flake. I knew I wanted these shells to be both meaty and cheesy, so I built the filling around savory ground sausage to really bring out the sage. Combine that with a bit of ricotta cheese, more pumpkin, spinach and parmesan and you will be well on your way to the ultimate Fall pasta dish!

Are you hosting a holiday party or Friendsgiving this year? Have you been tasked with bringing the first course to a family dinner? Look no further than this recipe right here! Don't be intimidated by the number of steps - everything about making this dish is therapeutic plus you have the promise of aaaall this deliciousness at the finish line!

Spicy Sausage, Gnocchi and Kale Soup

SURPRISE! I have a new favorite soup!

I feel like I say this with every new soup I cook, but this one. OH, this soup. It is spicy and creamy, rustic yet refined. The ingredient list is small, but that doesn't mean this isn't packed with delicious flavor. In fact, this is a soup that is dressed to impress - perfect for early holiday get-togethers or as a first course at your Christmas table! 

This Spicy Sausage, Gnocchi and Kale Soup is like a big blanket wrapping you in warmth. It is truly the definition of comfort food. The spiciness of the hot Italian sausage is cooled wonderfully by the heavy cream. The kale is tender and filling, packed with all sorts of good-for-you nutrients. A can of diced tomatoes and a chiffonade of basil seems too appropriate here--their natural sweet and tangy tastes complimenting the sweet cream. 

And let's not forget the gnocchi. I might as well admit it now--I am wholeheartedly obsessed with gnocchi. Big fluffy potato dumplings. What could be better? I never thought to use gnocchi in soup; I was a bit concerned that they would become gummy and create a weird texture in the soup. Turns out, I was wrong. In fact, this soup is just as tasty the next day! 

As with most soups, I strongly recommend serving this with a big piece of crusty bread and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Some extra basil gives this creamy soup a much needed freshness. What more can I saw? I wouldn't change a single thing, Let's eat!

Caramelized Onion, Sausage, and Ricotta Frittata

Eggs have never looked as good as they do right here in this frittata.

I love these pictures. They are making my mouth water all over again. This lovely frittata was our Easter brunch this past Sunday. I would say to save this recipe for a special occasion but it's far too good to wait. Whether you need a fun and easy breakfast, lunch, brunch, or dinner--this is just the ticket.

Caramelized Onion, Sausage, and Ricotta Frittata is rich and hardy, with depths of flavor that will keep you coming back for seconds (and thirds...and fourths). Brown and buttery caramelized onions get this party started. Crumbled Italian sausage is earthy and rich and full of spices. Lots of eggs are beaten together with salt, pepper, fresh parsley, fresh thyme, whole milk and asiago cheese. Breakfast. It is near.

I became obsessed with frittatas when I first got my cast iron skillet. The cast iron will make the bottom of this frittata brown and crispy. It's like making a quiche, without the added pressure of making, rolling, and decorating a pie crust. Everything comes together in the skillet and then it is popped in the oven to bake.

Oh, I almost forgot. Before everything goes in the oven, I added a few dollops of ricotta cheese around the frittata. More cheese, please! The creamy ricotta blankets the soft and tender onions and will make your heart melt. 

Sweet Potato and Sausage Breakfast Hash

Life is really hectic these days.

The month of August has been an absolute whirlwind with traveling, visits home, crazy work days, and studying. I'm really sorry about my lack of posts. I haven't given up on this little blog thang, promise!

In light of how busy I've been, I made a bit of time this evening to whip up a week's worth of delicious breakfast. I had concocted this Sweet Potato and Sausage Breakfast Hash a few weeks ago by absolute chance.

It was one of those situations where you look in your pantry and refrigerator and try desperately to find some kind of potential meal because no way in hell are you putting yourself together and getting to the grocery store.

I find those situations usually end poorly.

This time, however, I was left with sweet and savory breakfast bliss!

Sweet potatoes are one of my all-time favorite foods. The slightest hint of licorice flavor and salty qualities of pork sausage made it the perfect pair. Reach salty/sweet euphoria with nearly caramelized onions, a touch of cinnamon and chili powder...all of this seasoned perfectly with salt and pepper? You can thank me later.

A big serving of this hash can serve as breakfast on its own, but it can also be a wonderful accoutrement to a frittata and fresh croissants for Sunday brunch. I'm just spit balling here, but I think a mimosa would wash this down just wonderfully.

Added bonus: this recipe is 100% Paleo friendly! (without the croissant of course)

Shrimp, Sausage and Peppers

There's nothing more I love than a super quick weeknight meal that is flavorful and satisfying. When you find yourself wishing for just a few more hours in the day, it's meals like this that can make all the difference.

Whenever I go to a NY Mets game, I HAVE to grab myself an Italian sausage and peppers sandwich. Tender, sauteed peppers and sweet onions piled high on top of a crispy grilled sausage. Ugh. Makes my mouth water just thinking about it!

Yes, the Mets are my favorite sports team of all time. I love them even their darkest hours. It's a testament to my dedication and loyalty.

Back to the sausage and peppers...

Last night's dinner was this Shrimp, Sausage and Peppers stir fry. Rich and smokey sausage with sweet peppers and shrimp in a tart, tomato gravy. This meal was perfect as is, but it would also be delicious over rice or served with a crusty bread.

Sweet peppers and thinly sliced onions are sauteed until almost caramelized. This really amps up the flavor and makes you want to give yourself a nice pat on the back.

Brown and crispy sausage and shrimp pack this meal with protein.

A rich tomato gravy pulls the whole thing together. That is, chicken broth, tomato paste, fresh lemon juice and earthy fresh thyme. And it's ready in thirty minutes or less.

That's all it takes! I'm still thinking about this meal, and even had the leftovers for lunch today. I think you're really going to love it.