A taste of Italy

I've never been to Italy. I would love to go there some time to see all they typical touristy places. But mostly I would love to go to get a taste of real authentic and homemade Italian food.

I know that there are some pretty good Italian restaurants here in the good ole US of A, but just like any food unless you get to the actual source, it is not quite the same. We have friends in Chicago and Anna is from Sicily. We have tasted some of her food and Oh my goodness! What a difference.

Anyway, here is a recipe that I adapted from a lighter recipe from a weight loss site. It is called Italian Sausage and Pepper Rigatoni. Here is what it looks like:

The WW recipe called for Turkey Italian Sausage, reduced fat Parmesan Cheese and Skim Milk. However, I prefer the regular sausage, cheese and milk. But if you want to have a lower fat meal, go ahead and substitute the other ingredients. Here is the recipe:

I will also tell you this makes a large portion of food. You can easily get 8 to 10 portions out of it. It reheats well for leftovers. I made this for some friends of ours who were missionaries in Italy and they said that it was something they would've eaten in Italy. So that made me feel pretty good that I had made something that was in the right direction.

So give it a try and let me know what you think about it. Also, I know I keep saying this, but send me your favorite recipes and why you like them and how they are important to your family. I want this blog to be a place where we all can share our favorite meals and the recipes to make them.

Please post comments and also follow me on Facebook. Subscribe to me and get e-mails when I post a new recipe.

Enjoy!

Until my next post, I'll be in the kitchen.

Soups On!

Well, winter is finally here in Winston-Salem. I know for some of you it has already arrived and for some it has arrived with a vengeance.

However, in our household anytime the temperature dips below 60 degrees that means several things:
1) The cotton and/or microfiber sheets are replaced with flannel sheets (not my choice!)
2) The pilot light is lit on the fireplace (not my choice!), and,
3) Our sustenance now comes from soup.

My wife grew up in Northern Ireland and they lived on soups and stews. Don't get me wrong I like soup just like the next person, but not 4 or 5 times a week like my wife would prefer at this time of year.

The good thing about soups though, is that they are relatively easy and quick to make. You just dump a bunch of stuff in a stock pot and turn the stove-top on (or crockpot) and let it simmer away.

The soup that I am featuring today is my copy-cat recipe of a soup we love from one of our favorite Italian Grills (here's a hint...let see if you can get it...it is s'abbarraC). It is my version of their Italian Sausage Lentil Soup.

Doesn't this look delicious? Well it is...so there!

It is a hearty and filling soup. We love it with fresh crusty bread (as we do with all soups we eat).

Here is my copy-cat recipe:

Give it a try and let me know what you think of it.

I'm sure we will be eating more soups as the "winter" months go on here in Winston-Salem. Enjoy your winter months wherever you are. Keep warm and well fed!

Until next time, I'll be in the kitchen.