Super Simple Supper!

This is a one dish dinner.

(That brings up an important question…when you hear one dish dinner, do you think of it being a dinner that is SERVED in one dish, or COOKED in one dish?!)

So this is technically a one dish served dinner…as the whole meal is in one bowl.  But it was cooked in 2 pots…a pot for the pasta, and a skillet for the sausage, then the veggies.

Would love to know you thoughts!

Now for the recipe…but be warned…it’s a $6 dinner! The key to this meal…it uses an expensive lean all natural sausage that costs nearly $5…but when paired with inexpensive pasta and veggies all from the garden, it’s not as terribly priced as it could be! It’s all about the balance!

Ingredients

1 lb. Italian sausage ($4.85) WHAT?!? I know…this is the 100% all natural, grass fed sausage from the farmer’s market.
1 lb. Rigatoni pasta ($.79) Manager’s special
1/2 yellow onion ($.15)
1 red pepper, from the garden
1 green pepper, from the garden
1 banana pepper, from the garden
2 medium tomatoes, from the garden
3 garlic cloves, crushed ($.15)
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese ($.25) Optional
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Brown the sausage in a skillet. Once browned, place onto a plate with paper towels to drain/absorb the grease. Pour off any excess grease, leaving just a little to saute the veggies.

2. While browning, start the pasta. Cook the rigatoni according to package directions. Set aside 1/3 cup pasta cooking water and drain.

3. Chop all the veggies and crush the garlic. In the same skillet that you browned the sausage, saute the veggies for 5 to 7 minutes, or until peppers begin to soften.

4. Toss the cooked rigatoni, the 1/3 cup pasta cooking water, browned sausage and the sauteed veggies in the saucepan or in a large mixing bowl. (Optional…sprinkle in some parmesan cheese.)

5. Serve Rigatoni with Italian Sausage and Red Peppers.

Cost $6.19