Thursday, October 1, 2009

Small But Significant


FaithButton

1. Left a bag of opened tortilla chips (my favorite) alone for an entire 36 hours. "Treats must be earned" I tell my nieces... why should it be different for me?

2. Resisted the urge to have hot dogs when I didn't "feel like" cooking because I realized my husband deserved better. Experimented an amazing new dish into existence which was truly appreciated by my famished farmer husband ("recipe" below) :).

3. Read a 677 page book without skipping pages. (I'm notorious for getting halfway through and losing interest. This was a big step for me. But, alright alright, the reason it's a "small success" is because I didn't read it by myself. My husband read the entire thing aloud to me in the evenings).

Check out others' successes this week at Faith and Family Live!

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What To Make When You Don't Feel Like Cooking But Know Your Husband Deserves A Good Dinner

a) butter and olive oil
b) 1 package Italian sausage links (uncooked not precooked)
c) 1 green and 1 red bell pepper, chopped into big chunks
d) 1 jalapeno, seeded deveined and diced
e) 1 onion, chopped into big chunks
f) 3 cloves garlic, minced
g) 1 beer
h) 1/2 can black olives, chopped into chunks
i) 1/4 bunch fresh parsley, chopped
j) juice from 1/2 lemon
k) 1 container fresh mushrooms (button, crimini, baby portabella, whatever), chunk chopped
l) 1/2 package cream cheese, chopped
m) a big splash of cream
n) Your favorite noodle (I used both rotini and rigatoni because we were low on both... great combo)
o) (optional) Feta cheese AND good hard Parmesan cheese
p) seasonings to taste (I used red pepper flakes, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder)

1) Salt and boil your water for the pasta (don't put the noodles in until after step 2, 'cause otherwise your vegetables will be floppy soggy little things).

2) Chop the Italian sausage links into chunks. In a large hot skillet, throw a-b until well browned but not fully cooked. Add c-f and cook slightly. Add p. Take a swig of g and pour the rest in. Leave uncovered on high (scary, I know, but I otherwise the beer will never reduce. Just watch it.).

3) Wait a few minutes and add the noodles to your water. By the time they're nearing doneness, the above will be just about ready.

4) When the beer is pretty much all gone and you have a sticky delicious concotion (which you'll want to eat as is), add k-m and cover (to cook the mushrooms and melt the cream cheese).

5) Drain the pasta, add it to your lovely meaty mix and stir. Serve with feta and/or real Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil on top, garlic bread, a green salad and a glass of wine.

6) Pat yourself on the back for not serving hot dogs, and kiss your husband.

5 comments:

Kate said...

oooh, sounds yummy! i may steal it. :3 and he reads to you?! that is so freaking romantic. i wonder if i could get dan to do that... *plotting*

Barbara said...

Great work! Your concoction sounds tasty, too.

ViolinMama said...

WOW!!! For someone who did not want to cook, that list looks insane! WOW! YUMMY!! You area good wife!

I'm still playing catch up here today....thanks for sharing your week's better moments! They brighten my day!!! Much love!

MargueriteinMinnesota said...

WoW! And THAT, from a real Italian! Sounds superb....I will try it, but my newwonderfulfarmer-husband is of the "nospicesallwhiteflourmeatandpotatoesnorweigianvariety!"  Please post any wonderful new BLAND dishes you find. I MUST continue on my quest to trod the Little Flower's path....my best to you, God BLESS and keep up the good work! Marguerite in Minnesota

Farmer's City Wife said...

LOL, bland dishes are hard to come by around here ;). But I'll see what I can do... :-D.

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