To get to the point… My apologies for being absent for the past few weeks.  A combination of amazing family time and critical business efforts have kept me away from cooking and blogging.  But much to my excitement, I am back home in Montana, fighting off cold weather confinement blues with delicious stews, soups, hearty pastas, and generally savory meals.

Grandparents, parents, and siblings were over last night for a quick meal.  I picked a great pasta dish straight from one of my favorite cookbooks, The America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook.  I made a few minor adjustments, substituting elk sausage for pork sausage and whole wheat penne for orecchiette.  Unfortunately, I didn’t take any pictures because I was rushing… but close your eyes and imagine bright green broccoli, vibrant red roasted peppers, hearty hot italian elk sausage, all mixed with warm whole wheat pasta….

Ingredients:

1 pound/package of elk sausage – if you have sweet or hot italian, use that
1 cup of jarred roasted red peppers  – chopped into medium pieces
6 garlic cloves minced
1 bunch of broccoli cut into 1 inch florets
1 package whole wheat penne
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese

Steps:

– Cook pasta according to directions on box
– Cook sausage and drain excess fat
– Add garlic and peppers to sausage and cook until fragrant… 2 minutes
– Add broccoli florets to sausage and cook for 3 minutes until bright green… be careful not to over cook
– Drain pasta reserving 1/2 cup or water
–  Combine pasta, water, and sausage mixture into large bowl
– Add parmesan and salt and pepper to taste

This is an extremely quick, easy, and flavorful recipe to prepare.  Here are a few of my recipe resources when I am in need of inspiration, simplicity, and appeal.

And one more thing…. need a little festive table top inspiration?!?!  Have any sheds laying around (of course you do!)?