Date Night Dinners - Italian
Tonight we decided to go Italain. After all, who doesn't love italian?! Carbs, cheesy goodness, fresh spices. Yum, I am making myself hungry for this dish just thinking about it. Good thing I have left overs, because mentally reliving it just isn't doing the trick.I have been craving pasta and meat sauce a lot lately. Maybe I am carbo-refueling post race since I didn't carbo-load beforehand? Or maybe it is just because it is an amazingly delicious and simple dish that can be altered in so many ways that it never gets old? Who knows? Any-who, the restaurant pastas I have been indulging in, in previous weeks just haven't cut it, so I figured what is more perfect then to make some pasta for date night. And it was perfect - it definitely hit the spot.
I used turkey sausage instead of meatballs, and the combination of sweet and spicy seasonings created the perfect balance. I also added vegetables to make me feel a little better about eating a little over one portion (probably half the pan in one sitting...whoops), and the flavors and texture of those enhanced the preexisting flavors as well. I am telling you, try it - make your own additions or substitutions - you really can't go wrong. This dish is simple, full of flavor, and perfect for a date night (although I would recommend a different kind of pasta if you want to make your Lady and the Tramp move).
Pasta with Meat Sauce and Roasted Veggies
Adapted from Dashrecipes.com, Spicy Baked Rigatoni
Ingredients
- Baking spray
- 4 links sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
- 4 links hot Italian sausage, casings removed
- 12 oz. rigatoni pasta
- 2 cups of your favorite red pasta sauce
- 10 ripe cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 1 tap dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp hot red-pepper flakes
- 12 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Lightly spray a 9x13x2–inch baking dish with oil.
- Warm a large skillet on medium heat.
- Add sausages and cook, breaking them up into clumps, until browned, 10 to 12 minutes.
- Once fully cooked, drain excess fat, and put sausages back into skillet.
- Turn heat to medium low and add the tomatoes, red bell pepper and yellow onion, until desired tenderness.
- Turn heat to low and add in pasta sauce and seasonings.
- Mix until everything is well coated and combined (should be saucy).
- Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil for pasta.
- Cook the pasta as directed on box.
- Drain well and pour pasta back into pot.
- Add meat sauce mixture and 1 cup of cheese, combine thoroughly.
- Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
- Sprinkle remaining cheese on top.
- Place in oven, and bake until the cheese is melted, about 15 minutes (keep an eye out to make sure top noodles do not become crispy).
- Remove, cool, and enjoy!
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