Jer-Boy's Pasta Fagioli - Genius family recipe

Ever since I dated someone of Italian descent people have asked what secret tips I learned from the fam. Well they tried to show me how to make tomato sauce, but I can't really explain that because I have yet to really master it - after having the grandma's sauce, I am shamed by my attempts. But I can pay homage to their warm efforts by posting one of their more accessible recipes. Don't worry, it's ok, I'm not posting a family secret. The father published a version of this recipe when he was featured as a "cook of the week" in Chicago's Daily Herald, so this is completely kosher. I will, however, tell you the punch behind this dish ... I was told to NEVER forget the cayenne.

You will need:
olive oil
sweet onion
2 or 3 carrots
1 celery stalk
1 14oz. can of diced tomatoes
1 box of chicken broth
2 14oz. cans of cannelloni beans (use Progresso)
3/4 cup of Barilla's "Ditalini" noodles
Italian Sausage (bulk)
Bacon
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste
cayenne to taste
Emeril's southwest essence to taste (who knew this was an old-world tradition!)

Brown about 1/2 lb. of the Italian sausage till all the pinkness is gone (freeze the rest for later). Drain the grease and set sausage aside.

Dice the carrots, celery, and about a quarter of the sweet onion. Dice or cut about 2-3 tablespoons of the bacon.

Add 3 tablespoons of olive to pot. Warm and add the bacon-saute till bacon starts to turn brown. Add the carrots, celery, and onion. Saute for about 15/20 minutes - stirring so the onion does not burn.

Open and drain the cans of beans. Puree them in a blender. I added a bit of olive oil and about 2/3 tablespoons of the broth.

Add the diced tomatoes to the sauted vegetables. Stir (include the tomato sauce). Add the chicken broth. Stir. Add the pureed beans and stir/mix thoroughly. Add the 2 bay leaves. Add the salt, pepper, cayenne, and Emeril's to taste.
Bring to boil, then simmer for about 45 minutes.

Cook the noodles separately for half the time the box calls for then add to soup.

Add sausage. Simmer for about 10 minutes then serve with Parmasian cheese on top.

Spinach Lasagna

this is among my most reliable recipes - hard to screw up once you figure it out the first time, always good...

1 26oz jar of your favorite pasta sauce (i like muir glen fire-roasted)

Package Spinach*

1 15-16 ounce carton of ricotta cheese

1 package shredded mozzarella

1 package lasagna noodles (San Giorgio "Oven-Ready" is best)

Large baking dish

A little extra asiago/mozzarella/parmesan

-Preheat oven to 350

-Mix Spinach, Ricotta, and Mozzarella in large bowl

-Spread about 2TBLS water and 2TBLS sauce in bottom of the dish

-Lay 3 (or 4 if of the skinny sort) noodles across

-Spread 1/2 the Spinach mixture

-Spread 1/3 of Sauce

-Lay 3 Noodles across

-Spread 1/2 of the Spinach

-Spread 1/3 of the Sauce

-Lay 3 Noodles Across

-Spread remainder of Sauce

-Sprinkle with some cheese (such as asiago, and/or more mozzarella)

-Add some Basil if you have it

-Bake 30 minutes

-Broil 5 minutes

voila!

*For spinach, I take the normal-size Earthbound fresh spinach box, throw it into a hot sauce pan until just wilted and drain it; or you can use a thawed box of frozen spinach - but it must be drained *very* well

Healthy Tasty Chicken (or Turkey) Sausage Pasta AKA bangin' chicken sausage pasta

This is a good meal to makes lots of and go back for repeat servings because you can just reheat the pot for a couple minutes each time and it still tastes great!!! Also, there isn't a big worry about managing each ingredient to be done at the same time because they can all be heated up in the pot. the ingredients are flexible in that if you forget half of them or add too much of anything it will still be good - but absolutely must have the sausage, garlic, olive oil, pasta, and broccoli on hand. a healthy meal. kudos to my brother and his significant other for coming up with this.

All amounts of food are negotiable but this is for 2
(hungry) people basically

2 italian chicken or turkey Sausage de-skinned and cut up

3-5 Cloves of garlic

1 chile pepper or use ceyenne and dried chili pepper flakes

1 16oz package of frozen or some fresh broccoli (chopped or in florets)

Penne pasta (eyeball this)
Olive oil
Salt + Pepper
Pine Nuts
Lemon
Parmesan Cheese

Optional:
Artichoke Hearts * Sundried Tomatos * Capers * Olives
- just something to add a bit more taste and saltiness

Simulataneously:

In a dry pan/skillet, slightly toast the pine nuts. This only takes a few minutes and the nuts can be put aside afterwards. Watch and turn the nuts frequently as they burn quick.

Cook the sausages in olive oil at a low-medium heat- feel free to add in garlic and chile peppers and the optional ingredient at any time, really. After the sausage is cooked be sure to reduce the heat to low to and cover the pot just keep everything warm while the other parts of the meal are coming together.

Cook the pasta until almost soft. Add broccoli to the boiling water to cook while the pasta finishes. Once drained, add the sausage mixture and pine nuts (and anything else) to the pot with pasta & broccoli in it.

Depending on how much olive oil you used for the sausage, you may need to add more. That's OK, but it can taste too olive-oily. so plan ahead and add a lot when making the sausage b/c the olive oil then gets really flavorful. Squeeze half a lemon over the whole thing. Salt and Pepper to taste. Top with parmesan cheese (completely optional) after the portions have been doled out.

And like all meals, this is best served with the alcoholic beverage of your choice.