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Sausage Swiss Chard Rigatoni

Sausage Swiss Chard Rigatoni

 If given the option, I could probably live on kale salads all day everyday and be completely happy, but I know this would not go over well with the rest of the family.  While I think my kids are fairly adventurous eaters, they certainly still enjoy all of the things most children their age enjoy, namely pasta.  I will not claim this pasta casserole to be health food, but it is delicious comfort food at its finest.  My brother-in-law’s family first served this to us during one of our visits and ever since we started making it ourselves, we have affectionately called it “Box Pasta”, named after his last name Box.  Somehow “Box Pasta” did not seem descriptive enough for the blog, so I decided to rename it “Sausage Swiss Chard Rigatoni” as a more helpful recipe title for this space.

This casserole has jumbo tubes of rigatoni layered with tomatoes, Italian sausage, provolone, mozzarella, and parmesan.  I added in a healthy dose of chopped swiss chard for color and extra nutrients.  The combination of cheeses makes it more interesting than the typical lasagna-type casserole and I love adding in dark greens when the kids so happily enjoy them.  Also, casseroles that can be made ahead of time and then baked in the oven right before serving are always winners in my book.  Sausage Swiss Chard Rigatoni is simple yet hearty and perfect for serving on a chilly Autumn day.

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Sausage Swiss Chard Rigatoni

Sausage Swiss Chard Rigatoni
  • Yield: 6

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Italian sausage, casings removed
  • 4 cups chopped swiss chard
  • 12 ounces rigatoni, cooked and drained
  • 4 cups tomato sauce, divided
  • 6 ounces provolone cheese, sliced
  • 3/4 cup sour cream
  • 2 teaspoons dried basil
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
  • fresh parsley for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350.
  2. In a large skillet, brown sausage on medium-high heat. Drain sausage and discard drippings. Lower heat to medium. Add swiss chard and stir until just wilted.
  3. Spray or lightly coat a 9×13 baking dish with olive oil. Spread rigatoni in the dish. Layer with 2 cups tomato sauce, provolone, sour cream, and sausage swiss chard mixture. Evenly sprinkle with basil, oregano, garlic powder, and pepper. Next layer with the mozzarella and remaining 2 cups tomato sauce. Top with Parmesan.
  4. Bake 30 minutes until cheese is melty and casserole is thoroughly heated. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve.

Notes

adapted from Colorado Collage

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Whole Wheat Apricot Scones {with Oats and Flax}

Whole Wheat Apricot Scones {with Oats and Flax} | Gather & Dine

My very first experience with scones was at afternoon tea at the Hong Kong Peninsula Hotel.  My dad used to take our whole family to the Peninsula for tea during our trips to visit my grandmother.  It was a special outing that we always looked forward to.  Everything about the Peninsula’s afternoon tea is remarkable- the service, the atmosphere, the classical music, and of course, the food.  My definition of what a scone ought to be comes from my enjoyment of the scones served at the Peninsula.  Their scones are a bit like biscuits with a soft interior and only subtly sweet.  I once did a google search for the Peninsula Hotel scone recipe and found one that resulted in scones very similar to the ones served at the Peninsula.  Over the years however, my taste preferences have gravitated more towards whole-grains and I’ve adapted a scone recipe that I enjoy every bit as much as the Peninsula’s.  These whole wheat apricot scones are made with whole wheat pastry flour, oats, flax, and are lightly sweetened with dried apricots and honey.  Often times I substitute other dried fruits for the apricots and occasionally I will use almond extract instead of vanilla.  If I am ambitious I make a double batch and freeze one batch unbaked.  Frozen unbaked scones can be baked directly from the freezer with just a few additional minutes of baking time.  Those are perfect for days when you feel like baking, but don’t want the work the work of baking because let’s face it, don’t we all have days like that?

Whole Wheat Apricot Scones {with Oats and Flax} | Gather & Dine

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Whole Wheat Apricot Scones {with Oats and Flax}

Whole Wheat Apricot Scones {with Oats and Flax} | Gather & Dine
  • Yield: 12 small scones

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 3 tablespoons ground flax seed
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
  • 2/3 cup chopped dried apricots
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon buttermilk, divided
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, flax, baking powder, and salt. Cut butter into small cubes and add to the dry ingredients. Use a pastry blender to cut the butter cubes into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the dried apricots.
  3. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the honey, 3/4 cup buttermilk, egg, and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined.
  4. Transfer dough to a well-floured surface and form two circles 3/4″ thick. Use a floured knife to cut each circle into 6 wedges. Transfer scones to the baking sheet, leaving at least 1″ between each.
  5. Use a pastry brush to brush scones with the remaining buttermilk. Bake 12-16 minutes, until golden brown around the edges.

Notes

adapted from Whole Foods

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Sweet Roasted Carrots

Sweet Roasted Carrots | Gather & Dine

I do most of the cooking in our family, but occasionally Ryan steps in and decides to take over the kitchen.  When he does this, he goes all out and researches his recipes in his very engineering sort of way.  He likes to understand the science behind everything he makes so no surprise that one of his favorite cooking publications is Cook’s Illustrated.    He once used the Cook’s Illustrated method to make these roasted carrots and they were the best roasted carrots I’d ever had.  They were perfectly browned, tender, and intensely sweet.  

Cook’s Illustrated recommends covering the carrots with foil during the first 15 minutes of roasting to “precook” the carrots.  Skipping this step would allow the release of too much water thus resulting in tiny little shriveled carrots.  I slightly reduced the amount of butter and added in some olive oil because I found that the carrots were a little too heavily soaked with butter in the original recipe.  I used rainbow carrots just for fun, but I think they make all the difference, don’t you?  Roasted carrots make a  simple and beautiful addition to warm fall dinners.

Sweet Roasted Carrots | Gather & Dine

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Sweet Roasted Carrots

Sweet Roasted Carrots | Gather & Dine

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 pounds carrots, peeled
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
  2. Cut carrots in half crosswise, and then cut lengthwise to make even sized pieces.
  3. In a large bowl, combine carrots with butter, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Transfer carrots to prepared baking sheet and spread into a single layer. Cover baking sheet tightly with foil.
  4. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove foil and continue to roast for 30 minutes, until carrots are well-browned and tender. Use a metal spatula to flip the carrots once or twice during the roasting. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.

Notes

slightly adapted from Cook’s Illustrated

 

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