PASTA WITH SAUSAGE AND BITTER GREENS

1 pound penne or other pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil or butter
1 pound Italian pork or turkey sausage
1 cup chopped broccoli rabe, chard, arugula, spinach, broccoli florets, or zucchini
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 carrot, grated
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes, with juices
½ cup grated imported Parmesan cheese
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta and stir. Return to the boil and cook, uncovered, until al dente, according to package directions. Drain well.

In a large sauce pan heat the olive oil over medium heat (omit if using pork sausage). Add the meat and brown the meat lightly. Remove the meat and set aside. Add the green vegetable, mushrooms, carrot, basil, and oregano, and cook in the pan drippings over medium heat until softened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes with their juices and stir well to combine. Return the meat and drained pasta to the pot and add the Parmesan. Simmer uncovered 5 to 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

So this was another attempt at doing something that was not so upscale and any average person can do. This recipe was adapted from Nathalie Dupree Cooks Quick Meals for Busy Days. Don’t get too caught up in the ingredients listed such as the broccoli rabe or the “imported” Parmesan cheese. Regular fresh or frozen spinach and regular
Parmesan cheese will do. When I took the first taste it brought me back to my college days when I had little money and I would create a pasta dish because pasta would last for days in the fridge, and if I really wanted to splurge I would add some sort of meat to the pot. Overall, this was an easy dish that I had in my bag of tricks (and I’m sure that most of you out there do too) before I stumbled on this recipe. What drew my attention was the use of broccoli rabe. Overall a pretty standard dish that can be added upon to your taste with the addition of some additional herbs, some zucchini, or maybe some sun dried tomatoes, yummy.

POTATO GRATIN WITH MUSTARD

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature
6 Yukon gold potatoes (about 2 pounds), sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 garlic clove, cut in half
3 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 Dijon mustard
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
4 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated on the large holes of a box grater
2 teaspoons yellow or brown mustard seeds

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Coat a shallow, baking dish (about 12 by 7 inches) with butter
2. In a medium saucepan, combine the sliced potatoes, garlic, and milk and set over high heat. Bring to a boil and reduce heat and let simmer until the potatoes just begin to get tender. About 8 minutes.
3. Drain the potatoes, reserving 1 cup of the cooking milk. Combine the milk with the heavy cream and whisk with the mustard. Season well with salt and pepper.
4. Layer the potatoes in the baking dish sprinkling the flour and scattering the cheese between the layers. Pour the cream, mustard, and milk mixture over the top of the potatoes.
5. Scatter the the remaining cheese over the top of the potato mixture and sprinkle with the mustard seeds. Bake until the potatoes are completely soft and the cream has thickened and just started to bubble, about 25 minutes. Turn the oven to broil and transfer the gratin to the rack and broil until the top is golden brown, about 3 minutes.

This recipe was adapted once again from Martha Stewart Living 2002 Annual Recipes. Yet another stellar recipe from "The Stewart." Like I have said so many times before, she can do no wrong. Who would have ever came up with a potato gratin recipe with Dijon mustard? I would have never thought of something like that in all my life!!! So I guess you can tell from my opening lines that this dish was delicious. Again the Dijon mustard was something that was an unexpected change that I just loved. But with me anything that is different I might think is the "bee's knees." But, you be the judge and tell me what you think. Till we meet again. HAPPY COOKING!!!