Sautéed Mushroom & Spinach Pasta with Seafood.

Sautéed mushrooms and spinach are tossed with fresh pasta and seafood for an easy weeknight dinner. Makes two servings.

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 box cleaned, sliced mushrooms
• 1 clove garlic
• 3 large handfuls of fresh, cleaned baby spinach leaves
• 4 ounces of cooked shrimp or crab
• 2 servings of cooked fettuccine
• balsamic vinegar

Heat olive oil in wok pan.  Add mushrooms and garlic. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, until mushrooms are softening and garlic is fragrant.  Add spinach.  Sauté for another 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often.  Add cooked pasta and seafood.  Toss in pan for 1 to 2 minutes, until seafood is just heated through.  Transfer to plates and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

Vegetable & Sausage Saute.

This meal went together quickly and disappeared just as fast. Serve with fresh bread or brown rice and a salad.

• 1 package fully cooked chicken sausage, sliced
• 1/2 red onion, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, sliced
• 8-10 mushrooms, sliced
• 4 oz sun-dried tomatoes, in oil
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp chili powder

Saute sausage and onion over medium heat until onion is soft, about 5 minutes.  Add pepper strips and mushrooms.  Cook another 5 minutes, tossing several times.  Add tomatoes and seasonings. Stir. Cover and cook 3 minutes more, until everything is heated through.  Peppers should still be brightly colored and slightly firm.  Serve and enjoy.

Lemon Mushroom Orzo with Cilantro.

I love reading recipes. I have shelves filled with cookbooks, some of which I purchased simply to read. Lately (I think it must be the cooler weather!), I've been reading a lot of risotto and orzo recipes and was inspired by a lemon and rosemary orzo posted at Eat Yourself Skinny.  This is my twist on a lemony orzo. There was great debate in the test kitchen about the add-ins, so I left them as optional. My preference is to add the pine nuts. One of my tasters preferred the original with no add-ins and the other went for both pine nuts and prosciutto!  Enjoy.

• 1 1/2 c orzo
• 1 T butter
• 1 c chicken broth
• 2 T lemon juice
• 1 1/2 c water
• 1 box sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 to 1 tsp sea salt
• 2 T cilantro, chopped
• toasted pine nuts, optional
• prosciutto crumbles

Saute orzo in butter for 5 minutes.  Stir almost constantly to avoid over-browning.  Add broth, lemon, water, mushrooms, and salt.  Simmer for 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and orzo is tender. Stir frequently to avoid sticking.  Stir in cilantro and, if adding, sprinkle pine nuts and prosciutto crumbs on top.

Sausage, Tortellini & Spinach Soup.

It was another soup & bread day in my kitchen. Yum! This hearty soup is a twist on chicken noodle: it uses turkey sausage and cheese tortellini, and adds mushrooms & spinach. With both the sausage and the tortellini, it makes a filling meal. The crumbled prosciutto on top adds great flavor and texture. 

• 1 package of turkey Italian sausage or bratwurst, cut into 1 inch pieces or smaller
• 64 ounces chicken broth
• 1 package fresh cheese tortellini
• 1 box cleaned, sliced mushrooms
• 6 large handfuls fresh spinach
• 2 tsp parsley
• 2 slices prosciutto, cooked until crisp and crumbled

In stock pot or large soup pot, cook turkey sausage over medium heat until no longer pink. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Add mushrooms and parsley.  Cook for two minutes.  Add tortellini and cook for 5 minutes or according to package directions.  Stir in spinach and cook for 1 more minute. Ladle into bowls and serve with a sprinkling of prosciutto crumbles on top.