Gemelli with Sweet Sausage and Spinach

• 3/4 pound gemelli or penne
• Salt
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
• 1 pound sweet Italian sausages, casings removed
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 2 cups coarsely chopped baby spinach (4 ounces)
• 1/2 pint red grape tomatoes
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the gemelli until just al dente. Drain the gemelli, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water.
• Meanwhile, in a large, deep skillet, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the onion and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the sausage and crushed red pepper and cook, breaking up the meat with the back of a spoon, until no trace of pink remains, about 5 minutes. Add the spinach and tomatoes and cook just until softened, about 3 minutes.
• Add the gemelli and the reserved cooking water to the skillet and cook over moderate heat, lightly crushing the tomatoes, until heated through, about 2 minutes; season with salt. Transfer the pasta to bowls, sprinkle with the Parmesan and serve. 
• Original Author: Angie
  
  
  
  
  Category:
  
  
  
  
  Ethnicity: Italian
  
  
  
  
  Healthiness Rating (1=not good, 10=good):
  
  
  
  
  Favorite Memories/Stories:

Sundance Granola

• 2/3 cup whole almonds
• 2/3 cup pecans
• 1/3 cup roasted unsalted sunflower seeds
• 3 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup wheat germ
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons molasses
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups raisins

1. Preheat the oven to 275°. In a large bowl, toss the almonds with the pecans, sunflower seeds, oats, wheat germ and cinnamon. In a small saucepan, combine the honey, maple syrup, molasses and oil and warm over low heat. Add the mixture to the nuts and grains and toss thoroughly.
2. Spread the granola on a large rim-med baking sheet and bake for about 40 minutes, stirring thoroughly every 10 minutes, until the grains and nuts are nicely toasted. Let the granola cool, then stir in the raisins.

MAKE AHEAD Once thoroughly cooled, the granola can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 month. NOTES One Serving 320 calories, 13.6 gm total fat, 1.3 gm saturated fat, 45 gm carb.

Original Author: Angie

Category: Breakfast

Ethnicity:

Healthiness Rating (1=not good, 10=good): 10

Favorite Memories/Stories:

Ham, Soppressata and Two-Cheese Stromboli

• All-purpose flour, for dusting
• Two 1-pound pieces of pizza dough
• 1/2 pound thinly sliced Black Forest ham
• 1/2 pound thinly sliced provolone
• 1/2 pound thinly sliced hot or sweet soppressata
• 1/2 pound fresh mozzarella, cut into 4-by-3/4-inch sticks
• 12 large basil leaves
• 8 ounces roasted red peppers from a jar, drained and cut into 1/2-inch strips
• 2 peperoncini, stemmed and finely chopped
• 1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon of water
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

• Preheat the oven to 375°. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one piece of the pizza dough to a 14-by-10-inch rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick. With a long side facing you, layer half each of the ham, provolone and soppressata across the bottom half of the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border on the bottom. Arrange half of the mozzarella strips across the soppressata. Top with half each of the basil leaves, roasted red pepper strips and chopped peperoncini. Loosely roll the dough around the filling and pinch the seams together to seal. Fold in the sides. Transfer the stromboli to a lightly oiled baking sheet, seam side down. Repeat with the remaining dough and fillings and place the stromboli on a second lightly oiled baking sheet.
• Brush the strombolis with the egg wash and sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Make five 1-inch diagonal slashes across the top of each stromboli to allow steam to escape. Bake the strombolis for about 40 minutes, until golden. Transfer to a rack and let cool for 20 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature.

• MAKE AHEAD The strombolis can be refrigerated overnight. Serve cold or wrap in foil and rewarm in the oven.

Original Author: Angie


Category: 


Ethnicity: Italian


Healthiness Rating (1=not good, 10=good):


Favorite Memories/Stories:

Sonoran Salad

Sonoran Salad

1 to 1-1/2 bags of chopped Hearts of Romaine lettuce
1 container grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 (3-4 oz) container crumbled blue cheese
6 slices bacon, fried and crumbled

Dressing:
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup vinegar (white distilled)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons sugar
Pepper to taste

Combine dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well. Chop all vegetables in uniform size and toss with dressing. Mix in blue cheese and sprinkle bacon crumbs on top. 


Original Author: Angie


Category: Salad


Ethnicity:


Healthiness Rating (1=not good, 10=good):


Favorite Memories/Stories:

Oat Waffles

2 cups rolled oats (I use old fashioned)
2 1/2 - 2 3/4 cups milk (cow, soy, almond, any kind)
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
optional 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Add to waffle maker. Stir the batter before pouring into the waffle maker each time. Yields about 12 4x4 waffles. I make them almost every weekend and freeze the remainder. On school mornings I put frozen waffles in the toaster and serve with butter and maple syrup.

Original Author:
Delia from Green Door Pre-School

Category:
Breakfast

Ethnicity:
American

Healthiness Rating (1=not good, 10=good):
10

Favorite Memories/Stories:
Ava and Anthony have had these waffles several times a week for about a year. They sit on the counter and help me make them on the weekends. The smell will always remind me of lazy "stay-at-home days".