Pasta Jambalya

My mom requested this recipe, but I thought I'd post it since it is easy, delicious and perfect for Mardi Gras.

Ingredients:
8 oz penne pasta
1/2 cup diced onion
3/4 cup diced red bell pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp Creole seasoning
1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 10 oz can diced tomatoes and green chiles, undrained
8 oz quartered smoked sausage and/or cooked salad shrimp
4 oz shredded monteray jack cheese

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and keep warm
2. Coat a large non-stick skillet with cooking spray and set on medium-high heat. Saute onion, bell pepper and garlic for 5 minutes. Add creole seasoning and saute 1 minute. Stir in beans, tomatoes and sausage/shrimp; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 10 minutes or until thickened.
3. Combine bean mixture and pasta in a large bowl and top with cheese. Serve immediately.
Makes 8 servings.

Zesty Pasta with Olives

One more fabulous pasta recipe for today and it's meatless for Nancy!

Fresh ingredients:
2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4 inch slices
2 cloves garlic, crushed

Frozen ingredients:
2 cups broccoli florets, thawed

Non-perishables:
8 oz rotini pasta
2 Tbs olive oil
3 Tbs red wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
2 Tbs sliced pimento-stuffed olives
2 Tbs sliced black olives

1. Cook and drain pasta as directed.
2. While pasta is cooking, heat oil, vinegar, oregano, salt, red pepper and garlic in 10-inch skillet. Cook olives, broccoli, and zucchini in oil mixture until vegetables are desired texture. Toss with pasta and serve.
Makes 4 servings- 300 calories each

In the photo, I served this as a side dish for mozzarella stuffed chicken breast.

Beef and Artichoke Fettuccine

As part of our move we have been trying an experimental eating system in which we eat almost entirely out of food storage. We knew we would have a large gap of time between moving and Marc's first paycheck so we bought a bunch of non-perishables in Baltimore and hauled them to Cleveland. As part of this process I went through my cookbooks and found the recipes with the fewest fresh ingredients. Although I do buy a little produce each week so we don't get scurvy, I thought others might appreciate recipes that can help them rotate those canned goods while still being tasty. Some of the recipes have been flops, but here's one we tried and loved.

Fresh ingredients:
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 cup half-and-half

Frozen ingredients:
2 cups cut-up cooked roast beef (a great way to use leftover pot roast!)

Non-perishables:
8 oz fettuccine
1 jar (6 oz) marinated artichoke hearts, cut in half and marinade reserved
1/2 cup parmesan cheese (the non-refrigerated kind)
ground black pepper

Instructions:
1. Cook and drain pasta as directed.
2. While pasta is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon of reserved marinade (I use a little more) to boiling in 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Cook onion in marinade about 4 minutes or until crisp-tender.
3. Stir in half-and-half and heat until warmed through. Stir in cheese, artichoke hearts, beef and pepper to taste; heat until hot. Toss with the fettuccine and serve.
Makes 6 servings- 300 calories per serving.