I want you to take this recipe and customize it to your family's tastes and give it a whirl. We happen to love kielbasa since my Uncle Frank makes it each Easter, but you can use whatever protein you enjoy.
Peas and spinach fly in my family, but perhaps your family has a different combo they love.
I've been making it with Trader Joe's Brown Rice Penne Pasta to make it gluten-free, but by all means, try it with regular pasta too.
Lastly, I use a traditional dairy sauce to tie it all together, but you could use cashew cream instead to make it dairy-free too!
Darn Good Skillet Dinner
(Pasta with Turkey Kielbasa and Green Vegetables)
3/4 pound penne pasta
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 pound turkey kielbasa (we love Trader Joe's)
2 tablespoons Earth Balance or butter
2 tablespoons corn starch
1 cup skim milk
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2-3 tablespoons grated cheese (we use Parmesan or Asiago)
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
1 cup frozen chopped spinach
Cook the pasta according to package instructions, being careful not to overcook it.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat. Saute the kielbasa until browned (let it sit, don't stir constantly for a good browning), about 4-5 minutes:
Remove from the skillet and set aside. Melt the butter or Earth Balance and add the corn starch. Stir well constantly to combine. Add the milk and continue to stir until it simmers and thickens. Reduce heat to low. Add the pepper and salt and cheese, and stir until the cheese is melted.
Meanwhile, drain the pasta and quickly add the frozen peas and spinach (or whatever veg you are using). The heat from the pasta will thaw the vegetables as you stir them together in the colander.
Add the pasta, vegetables and kielbasa back to the skillet.
Toss well, and you're ready to serve!
Serves 4-6.
This is a great weeknight dinner, takes about 15 minutes and dinner is done!
Life is sweet,
SPC
2 comments:
Hey SP, did I notice you using a cast iron skillet? Do you have a flat cook top stove? If so, do you use a regular cast iron skillet or an enamel coated cast iron? I think you should do a blog post about how to care for and use cast iron for us dummies. :)
Vicki, will do! A great idea for a post, since I didn't know myself until a few years ago when I decided to forgo the teflon.
I use a regular cast iron...no enamel coating!
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