One Skillet Chicken Sausage and Pasta

Since we’re all very busy cleaning the house and organizing the cupboards in the New Year it’s nice to have an easy dinner the throw together that the whole family will love!

This dish is really nice because it’s got just a little spice in there and of course the chicken sausage is really flavorful and a healthier option to pork or beef. I grabbed an Italian Style chicken sausage, but if you want to kick up the spice a bit you should definitely go with a Southwestern variety.

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 4 Johnsonville Chicken Sausage 3 Cheese Italian Style
• 1/2 Onion, chopped
• 1 clove minced Garlic
• 2 Cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 Cup Pace Picante Medium Salsa
• 1/2 Cup heavy cream
• 8 oz Cellentani pasta, or you could use macaroni
• 1 1/2 Cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Directions:

In a large skillet over medium heat pour in the olive oil and add the chicken sausage and onion. Cook until lightly browned. Add garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes.

Add chicken broth, salsa and cream. Mix together and turn up the heat to bring it to a boil. Once it’s boiling add the pasta and reduce heat back to medium. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the pasta is al dente.  Stir in 1 cup of the cheese and remove from heat. Let it sit for about 3 minutes. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top and let it sit covered for a few more minutes to let the sauce set.

Serve it up with some steamed veggies and enjoy!

Happy New Year everyone!

Eggnog Cheesecake with a Gingerbread Cookie Crust

Ok……so I know that the holidays are over and I am posting this during the beginning of everyone’s diet season……so please just pin this or save it for the next holiday season. I got really behind on my posts at the end of the year. Sorry guys, I was just having way too much fun!

This cheesecake is definitely a holiday crowd favorite! Cooking for large crowds during the holidays is almost inevitable. We hosted a party for our management team and served the Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork Sandwiches. Everyone brought their favorite salads and sides.

Of course I wasn’t done showing off with just dinner. I needed to end the meal with a bang. And here you have it! Nothing says Christmas like eggnog and gingerbread. I really love this recipe because it turned out with the perfect consistency and all the flavors shine together.

 

Ingredients:

1/2 Tube of Pillsbury Refrigerated Gingerbread Cookie Dough.

16 oz Cream Cheese- softened

1 cup Eggnog C(you can use alcoholic or non-alcoholic)

1 cup Sour Cream

1 cup Sugar

1 Egg

1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract

1 Tbsp Cinnamon

1 Tsp Nutmeg

How To:

Preheat oven to 350. Press the cookie dough into the bottom of a 9 inch springform pan. The dough should be at least 1/4 inch thick. Bake the crust for 10 minutes. Let it cool in the fridge while you prepare the filling.

In a stand mixer beat the cream cheese until it’s smooth. Beat in the sugar. Add the sour cream and eggnog and beat until completely mixed, occasionally scrape down the sides of the bowl to make sure you get it all blended.

Mix in the egg, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Pour the filling on top of the crust and pop it in the oven. (Don’t forget to use a cookie sheet under the springform pan) Bake the cheesecake for 45 minutes. You will know it’s done when you give the pan a little jiggle and the filling barely moves. You may need to bake it longer depending on your oven. Once it’s done leave the cheesecake in the oven for an hour to let it set. Then move it to the fridge for 3-4 hours to chill.

Serve with a healthy spray of whipped cream and a side of hot cocoa or bourbon. Enjoy!

2014 in review~ Thanks for all the love!

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2014 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 750 times in 2014. If it were a cable car, it would take about 13 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.