I'm back! I'm six weeks post surgery and doing well. I had a spinal stimulator implanted to help with the chronic back & ankle pain I've been dealing with for years. So far so good. Praise God!
I made a really yummy pasta dish last night and made sure to take some pics so I could share with y'all. It's pretty quick & easy, too.
SPICY CHICKEN & SAUSAGE PASTA
1/2 lb smoked sausage, sliced into thin pieces
1-2 boneless chicken breasts (or thighs), cut into cubes
1 onion, diced
1/2 a bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup water
1 (10 oz) can Rotel tomatoes & green chilies
1 splash Worcestershire sauce
1 TBS cane syrup (or honey)
salt/pepper
1 lb Rotini pasta (or penne, bow ties, ziti, etc)
Bring a big pot of water to boil for the pasta. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the sliced sausage on both sides.
Once browned, remove the sausage to a plate and set aside. Add the chicken to the rendered sausage drippings. Season it with salt and pepper and brown on both sides.
Once browned, remove the chicken to the plate with the sausage and set aside. You should have some brown bits on the bottom of the skillet. This is called gratin in Cajun cooking. It adds a ton of flavor to food. We are going to get those bits up by adding the onion and bell pepper. While they cook, the water in them will help release the bits from the skillet.
Cook the veggies down for about 5 minutes or until softened.
Next, add the chicken broth and the water then scrape the rest of the brown bits up.
Now add the Rotel tomatoes. I zip them in a blender first because my picky guys don't like chunks of tomatoes. But you don't have to.
Then add a splash of Worcestershire sauce and 1 Tablespoon of cane syrup (or honey).
Return the sausage and chicken to the skillet.
Let this simmer for 10 minutes or so until the pasta is done.
When the pasta is cooked, drain it and add it to the skillet.
Stir well to incorporate. Taste it to see if it needs more salt or pepper. It has a bit of spice so you may not need any pepper unless you like it really hot. You can garnish with green onions or parsley.
This dish is warm and filling. Serve it with a salad or green vegetable for an easy supper. Give it a try and let me know what ya think.
