Pasta con Peperoni e Pomodori

It was cold. It was starting to rain as I walked back home from the bus stop. I had stayed an extra hour late at work. I was hungry.

This was not the time to start a lengthy cooking marathon. But I was also determined not to give in to eating ice cream for dinner just because it would be ready quickly.

So I relied, once again, upon the generous gift of Progresso Recipe Starters that had been sent to me awhile ago - ready-to-use sauces to make dinner preparation ridiculously easy.

I chose the Creamy Parmesan Basil variety. But, of course, I didn't just follow the directions on the label. I never do.

I cooked up some lovely bow-tie pasta, which just makes me happy; it's so much nicer than simple spaghetti.

I sauteed some red pepper, as well as one last tomato from the garden that Jeremy and his dad grew this summer. I added a splash of white wine ... well, do I really need a reason for that??? And I added a bit of the Progresso sauce, to make a rich, creamy, delicious, pasta sauce without relying upon simply opening a jar.

I was really thrilled with how well this dish turned out! It was bright, it had a bit of spice, and it was a perfect dinner for a chilly, windy, dreary evening.


Pasta con Peperoni e Pomodori

This is actually just Pasta with Peppers and Tomatoes. But doesn't it sound more elegant in Italian??? [PAHS-tuh kohn pay-pay-ROH-nee ay poh-moh-DOH-ree] ... sigh. Even the simplest dish sounds more exotic and sophisticated in Italian!

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 small red pepper, finely diced
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• pinch of kosher salt
• pinch of freshly ground pepper
• generous pinch red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1 cup Progresso Creamy Parmesan Basil Recipe Starter
• 12 ounces farfalle, cooked according to package directions
• Parmesan cheese, for serving

In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add pepper, tomato, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes; cook for 3 minutes, until vegetables are becoming tender. Add the wine, turn heat to medium-high, and cook 5 minutes until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Stir in the Progresso Recipe Starter and cook over low heat for 5 more minutes until heated through.

Place the farfalle onto a serving platter, and pour the sauce over it. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve immediately.

Serves 2-4.

Beef Stroganoff - Progresso Recipe Starter

I received a very generous gift last week, that couldn't have come at a better time. Progresso has a new line of products, called Recipe Starters; they're prepared sauces which only need the addition of meat, vegetables, maybe a pinch of this or that ... et voilà! Dinner is served.

In the height of the final crush at work before the High Holidays (Rosh Hashanah, which just ended last night, and the upcoming Yom Kippur and Sukkot), I've worked long hours and 6-day weeks. Dinner has not exactly been a priority! Potato chips and blue cheese dip had become standard fare. Yeah, I know better; I have lots of fruits and vegetables on hand, I have a beloved crockpot ... it just wasn't happening.

So along came the big box of dinner assistance - yay!!! I sauteed, chopped just a bit, stirred, and sat down to a lovely hot dinner of Beef Stroganoff. Jeremy helped me to polish it off, and we both ate very well with minimal fuss.

I still love my chips 'n' dip, but a hearty, substantial meal was really, really nice ... :)


Our giveaway winner for tickets to Saturday night's CRUSH Birmingham, the fundraiser for The Children's Leukemia Foundation of Michigan, is Paul Kittle - Mazal Tov!!!


Check 'em out on AnnArbor.com:
Yesterday: Brown Sugar Baked Bananas
Today: Raspberry Coffee Cake


Beef Stroganoff à la Progresso

• 1-1/4 pounds ground beef
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 6 roasted garlic cloves, chopped
• 8 ounces small white mushrooms, sliced
• 1 18-ounce can Progresso Recipe Starters Creamy Portabella Mushroom Cooking Sauce
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• pinch of freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• generous splash of Tabasco sauce
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• prepared noodles, for serving

In a large saucepan, brown the ground beef over medium heat; drain.  Add the onion, garlic, and mushrooms; saute until vegetables are tender.

Combine Progresso cooking sauce, salt, pepper, mustard and Tabasco sauce; pour over ground beef and cook for 10 minutes over medium-high heat, to thicken sauce a bit.  Stir in sour cream and cook 5 more minutes.

Place noodles onto a serving platter, then top with stroganoff.

Serves 4-6.