Another meal that comes together is less than 30 minutes! And it’s a good one. I think we all need a long list of fast and delicious meals that are easy to whip up for weeknight dinner. I know everyone is busy… whether it’s work, school or being a parent. We all have full days and hardly any of us want to come home and slave over dinner. Which is why I really want to start sharing more quick dinners with you all. I have a long list of meals that are my go-to’s throughout the week…. and plan on sharing them with you all very soon!
By the time 5pm rolls around everyday…everyone is starving and Landon is usually screaming about something in my ear. This house is absolute chaos most of the time. We hardly ever have a formal dinner since things are pretty hectic….it’s more like grab a plate and let’s sit at the island in the kitchen. We still eat all together but without the formal nonsense…which works for us since life is hectic most days! So when I walk into the kitchen around 6pm, I usually gravitate towards ingredients that I can make a quick dinner with…and something that the whole family enjoys.
I’m an at home mom and have Landon with me pretty much 98% of the time. The only time I don’t have him is when he’s at school in the mornings 3 days a week. And during that time is when I can write posts and plan out recipes. It’s only 4 hours a few times a week but it completely saves me. I can also go to the grocery store by myself (hallelujah) because there is nothing that spikes my anxiety more than having Landon with me running all over Publix. No thanks. I think having a few hours to myself throughout the week makes me a better mother all around. I think everyone needs time to themselves without kids. Being able to take a breath and not have to worry about anything for a little while…well, it’s refreshing to say the least. So now that school is back in session, I plan on pumping out as many recipes as a I can. I took the summer off for a lot of reasons. One in particular was that I felt so overwhelmed not having any time to myself to be creative and do things that make me happy. Don’t get me wrong, I love being Landon’s mom more than anything in this world. That kid has my whole heart. But with him home all day every day… I also didn’t have time or energy to put towards this blog. Hopefully now that school has begun, I can keep the ball rolling on this platform and give this blog the attention it deserves.
So back to this dinner! It’s starts with a pound of pasta…enough to feed a family of four or more. I use spaghetti but you can also use whatever pasta you might have in your pantry. You’ll then start to sweat down some onion, garlic, kale and tomato in some butter and olive oil. Followed by tomato sauce, a good amount of starchy pasta water and some ricotta cheese. You can add a protein if you desire, but if not, the pasta stands perfectly well on its own. There is so much layering of flavors that keep the pasta company…so a protein is not necessary. I used Italian sausage and sometimes chicken or salmon. You can also serve this with a classic Caesar salad and a fresh crusty baguette. Dinner, done.
What to serve with?
GARLIC HERB BUTTER FRENCH LOAF
KALE CAESAR PASTA SALAD: This recipe has the most delicious homemade caesar dressing and croutons!
PRODUCTS I LOVE:
KALE AND TOMATO SPAGHETTI WITH SPICY ITALIAN SAUSAGE
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4-6 servings
INGREDIENTS:
- 1/2 lb spicy Italian sausage links
- 1 lb dried spaghetti
- 6 tbsp salted butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 yellow onion, small dice
- 6 cloves garlic, small dice
- 4 stems curly kale, small chop
- 4 roma tomatoes, small dice
- 1/2 lemon, juice of
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
- 1/4-1/2 cup reserved pasta water
+ grated Parmesan cheese for topping
DIRECTIONS:
- Heat a pan to medium heat and add in sausage links and a touch of olive oil. Cook about 6 minutes or until sausage is cooked through. Remove from pan and slice into small pieces. Set aside.
- Cook pasta according to package instructions. Reserve 1 cup pasta water for later use. Drain but do not rinse.
- Heat a separate large pot to medium heat. Add in butter, olive oil, onion, garlic, tomato and kale. After about 5 minutes the kale will start to wilt and the tomatoes will break down.
- Add in lemon juice, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, tomato sauce and ricotta. Bring to a soft boil.
- Add in cooked pasta and Italian sausage. Slowly add in reserved pasta water until the sauce loosens up to your liking. I used about 1/2 cup. Turn off heat.
- Garnish with Parmesan cheese and enjoy hot.