Recipe Box, Creative Pizza and Pasta

the Painted Apron

6 years ago

There is a constant movie playing when I sit on the porch at the beach

I watch the birds, dolphins and boats

A favorite pastime for boaters is to pull up on the sandy shore of an island,

and picnic, swim, visit and play

Taken with my iPhone from our porch,

the photos aren’t good, but you get the idea…

Two weekends ago we were shocked at the lack of social distancing…

We even saw a tiki bar float by!

Last weekend we noticed that the boaters are practicing much better social distancing

The boys have been enjoying taking our little boat out exploring in the afternoons

And HHjr is having a ball being creative in the kitchen

A few nights ago he made a flatbread topped with roasted Brussels sprouts and Carrots

It was amazing!!

Perfect for Spring and Easter~

If you’ve never had carrots on a flatbread,

their natural sweetness is brought out when paired with savory Parmesan

and other vegetables…

If you’re not a Brussels Sprouts lover, sub broccoli or asparagus

Our resident blue heron, Freddy

stopped by for a drink while I was painting on the porch

Watching nature always brings a sense of calm

and make things seem they are right in the world…

Pasta is another way we can enjoy some comfort

And there are infinite ways to make and serve it

Toss in everything but the kitchen sink!

This one is penne pasta mixed with Italian sausage, red peppers,

mushrooms and Brussels sprouts

Tossed with just enough Alfredo sauce to make it creamy

Make some garlic bread sticks out of twisted pizza or bread dough

and you have an irresistible meal

I hope you’re having creative fun in your kitchen!

EASTER FLATBREAD

The sweetness of the carrots are the perfect compliment to the savory Brussels Sprouts and Parmesan

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword appetizer, Brussels sprouts, carrots, dessert pizza, Easter, flatbread,, main dish, Parmesan

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Roasting Time 30

Ingredients

1 can Pillsbury thin crust pizza dough
2 large carrots peeled and cut into thin horizontal slices
12-16 Brussels sprouts trimmed and halved
olive oil
salt and pepper
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese plus additional for garnish if desired

Instructions

Place vegetables on a parchment lined baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast at 400 degrees for 30 minutes or until Brussels sprouts begin to char.
Melt butter in an 8 inch skillet over medium high heat and add cream. Lower heat to simmer and cook and stir until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 4 minutes. Add cheese and stir. Set aside.
Unroll dough onto a sheet pan, forming a large rectangle. Poke all over with tines of a fork. Bake at 400 degrees 5-6 minutes until it just starts to turn golden. Top with vegetables. Pour cream sauce over all. Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes until dough is golden and cheese has melted. Garnish with more Parmesan if desired. Cut into large squares for main and side dish, or smaller squares for appetizers.

EVERYTHING BUT THE KITCHEN SINK PASTA

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword everything but the kitchen sink pasta, great idea for leftovers, pasta, pasta dinner

Prep Time 25

Servings 8

Ingredients

1 box 16 oz. Penne pasta
1 1/2 lbs. Italian sausage
1 large red pepper cut into strips
1 onion diced
8 oz. mushrooms sliced
2-3 cups Brussels sprouts
salt & pepper
Alfredo sauce
Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and keep warm.
Saute sausage in large skillet until browned and crumbly. Drain on paper towels. Pour off all but 2 Tablespoons of sausage grease in skillet.
Cook Brussels sprouts and mushrooms over medium high heat until mushrooms turn golden and sprouts begin to brown, stirring frequently. Add onion and peppers, season with salt & pepper, and continue to cook until softened.
Return sausage to pan and add pasta. Stir. Once everything is combined add Alfredo sauce to taste.* Heat through and serve with Parmesan cheese.
*If you want to make this ahead of time, transfer ingredients to a casserole dish, and use enough sauce to keep it moist. Top with Parmesan cheese, refrigerate and bake at 350 degrees until hot and bubbly.