The Monday Night Blahs

It's cold, snowy and Monday! We are in need of comfort food! I had planned on making Lentils with Chicken Sausage, but alas forgot to buy more lentils last week. So plan B: another favorite with some variations and it worked!
The men love this recipe but it in its original state is rather high in fat. So, in order to serve my waistline and my heart patient husband, I substituted the sausage for chicken sausage, used whole milk instead of whipping cream and skipped the mascarpone cheese. But by all means, try the original and enjoy:

Penne with Sausage, Peas and Mascarpone
Serves 6

3/4 lb. hot Italian sausages, casings removed
3/4 lb. sweet Italian sausages, casings removed
1 cup chopped onion
1 1/4 cups whipping cream
3/4 cup canned low-salt chicken broth

1 1b. penne

2 cups frozen peas
2/3 cup mascarpone cheese*

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese


Saute sausages in Dutch oven over high heat until brown, breaking into small pieces with back of spoon, about 12 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer sausage to bowl. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon drippings. Add onion and saute until light brown, about 6 minutes. Add cream; boil 5 minutes. Add broth; boil until reduced to sauce consistency, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Return sausage to pot.
Cook penne in large pot of boiling salted water until pasta is just tender but still firm to bite.
Meanwhile, bring sauce to simmer over medium heat. Add peas and mascarpone and simmer until peas are tender, about 6 minutes.
Drain pasta. Add to suce; toss to coat. Mix in Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to large bowl; serve.
*Italian cream cheese available at Italian markets and some supermarkets. If unavailable, mix 6 tablespoons cream cheese with 5 tablespoons whipping cream.


This was a fun little salad that I threw together to add a little variety and brightness to a cloudy,cold day. Yes, I threw it together without a recipe! Unlike my daughter, Nora who doesn't always need a recipe, I do. Because I have had variations of this salad, I felt more confident to try and pull it off. It helped that I love all these ingredients and had them on hand.

Orange, Beet, Fennel and Pomegranate Salad

6 oranges,peeled & sliced
1 bulb of fennel, thinly sliced
6-8 beets, roasted(400 degrees for 50 min.)and cubed
1/2 cup of pomegranate seeds(Whole Foods is offering them already picked;in the fruit case)

Mix together with a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar.