Pasta with sausage and cherry tomatoes: A quick back-to-school dinner for #SundaySupper

Just a few days ago, it seemed, long months of summer stretched out before me. And now I find myself a week from the first day of school, preparing to shift into the high gear of fall, planning meals, schedules, days. How does time get away like that?

This week, Sunday Supper is about fast and easy back-to-school meals to help you get a tasty meal on the table fast. I've made one of my favorite go-to dishes: pasta with sausage and cherry tomatoes, which takes advantage of the tomato bounty that's still to be found at the farmers market. But the nice thing about this dish is how incredibly easy it is to vary, using what's in season and at the height of flavor and nutrition. I've provided a few suggestions for variations at the end of the recipe. And don't forget to check out what else is cooking for Sunday Supper this week. This group of bloggers has really served up a bounty of recipes that should help you (and me) get a delicious dinner on the table fast.

   

Ingredients

• 1 lb pork sausage (sweet or hot Italian-style as you prefer, casings removed)
• 1 lb dried pasta (I used rombi in this recipe, but most shapes will do fine)
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1-2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 cup half and half or heavy cream (+ more as needed)
• 1 packed cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes (optional)

Instructions

1. Start a large pot of water to boil for the pasta. When it comes to a rolling boil, cook the pasta according to package instructions and drain.
2. While the water starts to boil and the pasta cooks, start cooking the sausage in a wide, deep pan over medium heat (to render out some of the fat), breaking it up into crumbles as it cooks. (If you use turkey sausage, add some oil to the pan before cooking so that it doesn't dry out.) Cook the sausage until fully cooked and nicely browned. Keep the sausage warm on low heat until you've got about 5 minutes left of pasta cooking time. 
3. Raise the heat of the pan with the sausage to medium high. Add the crushed garlic to the pan and cook for a minute, stirring frequently. Don't let it burn; burnt garlic is awful.  
4. Add the tomatoes to the pan. Let them cook for about a minute. 
5. Add the cheese and the half and half or cream to the pan. Cook until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 1-2 minutes. (Add more half and half or cream if the sauce seems too scanty.)
6. Season the sauce with thyme, white pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. 
7. Drain the pasta and add it to the pan with the sausage, tomatoes, and sauce. Mix in the pasta and let it soak in the sauce for about a minute or two. Taste it to make sure the seasoning is to your liking. Serve and enjoy.   

Variations

• When the sausage is cooked, add thinly sliced half-moons of two leeks to the pan and let them soften before adding the tomatoes. 
• Add a sliced bell pepper at about the same time you add the tomatoes.   
• Add a cup of frozen peas about a minute before you add the garlic.  
• Instead of using tomatoes, add bite size pieces of broccoli or cauliflower early in the cook time. 
• Replace the tomatoes with sliced leeks and sugar snap peas. 
• Add a cup of steamed, cubed butternut squash and a handful of pepitas after cooking the sauce. 

The Sunday Supper Lineup

Here's the whole lineup of quick back-to-school meals from the Sunday Supper group. Don't forget to tune into the chat on Twitter at 7 EST using the hashtag #SundaySupper

• Greek Dogs by Supper For a Steal
• Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad by Magnolia Days
• Double Duty Fajita Chicken: Nachos Supreme and Enchiladas by Doggie at the Dinner Table 
• Zucchini, Corn and Bacon Crepes by  Vintage Kitchen
• Oregon Shrimp Quesadillas by Pescetarian Journal 
• Korean omelet rice by Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends
• Lemon Dillled Salmon Croquette Burgers by Granny’s Down Home Southern Cooking
• Gluten Free Pepper Steak with Rice by  No One Likes Crumbley Cookies
• Crispy Ravioli in Cherry Tomato Sauce by Shockingly Delicious
• BLT Soup by Meal Planning Magic
• Korean Pan-Fried Fish by Kimchi Mom
• Stove top mac ‘n cheese by Gotta Get Baked
• Deconstructed Enchiladas by In the Kitchen with KP
• Croque Monsieurs  by Juanita’s Cocina
• Summer Squash and Mushroom Quesadillas by Chocolate Moosey
• Seared Lamb on a bed of Mashed potatoes with Artichoke Hearts by Cooking Underwriter 
• Pasta with Creamy Kale Pesto by Webicurean 
• Baked Spanish Tortilla by Happy Baking Days
• Grilled Chicken Caesar Pizza by In the Kitchen with Audrey
• Chicken Pasta with Spinach and Beans by The Lemon Bowl
• Tomato Pie by My Catholic Kitchen
• Shredded Chicken in Peanut Sauce Tacos w/ Corn & Zucchini Sauté by GirliChef
• Tomatillo Chicken Stew by Small Wallet, Big Appetite
• Pollo a la Crema by La Cocina de Leslie
• Baked Tilapia Fish Tacos by Home Cooking Memories
• Grilled Lemon Pepper Chicken with a Yogurt Dill sauce and a Greek Salad by Noshing with the Nolands
• Wagon Wheel Pasta with Pancetta & Peas by Chelsea’s Culinary Indulgence
• Lemon & Dill Shrimp Pasta w/ Oven Roast Corn by Mama, Mommy, Mom
• Ricotta – Tofu Tomato Toasts by Yummy Smells
• One Pot Spicy Asian Chicken and Rice by Hezzi D
• Turkey Italian Brown Rice Casserole by Momma’s Meals
• Flatbread Pizza with Cilantro Garlic Sauce by Mom’s Test Kitchen
• Cashew Chicken Stir-fry by Diabetic Foodie
• Chicken Bacon Avocado Quesadillas by Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
• Roasted Butternut Lo Mein by The Meltaways
• Potluck Casserole with Cornbread Stuffing by Cindy’s Recipes & Writings
• Jerk Chicken Chili by Mrs. Mama Hen
• Loaded Chicken and Steak Stuffed Potatoes by Big Bears Wife
• Steamed Tofu Serve with Fried Mix Vegetables by My Trials in the Kitchen
• Pasta with sausage and cherry tomatoes by Tora’s Real Food
• Chicken Ravioli with Peas and Bacon by Daddy Knows Less
• Quick N Easy Thai Coconut Shrimp Stir Fry by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
• Whole Wheat Pizza with Hummus & Fresh Greens by Family Spice
• Speedy ‘n Spicy Shrimp Pasta. Will be dinner this Friday by The Weekend Gourmet
• End of Summer Grilled Peach and Chicken Salad by Sustainable Dad
• Teriyaki Tuna Bowl by Family Foodie
• Weeknight Stir Fry by From Fast Food to Fresh Food
• Baked Egg with Mushrooms and Bacon by Pippi’s in the Kitchen Again
• Taco Bake by Daily Dish Recipes
• Fried Rice and Black Beans by Mama’s Blissful Bites
• Chicken with Broccoli, Sun-dried Tomatoes and Bow Ties by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Pasta in Tomato sauce and turkey meatballs by Basic & Delicious
• Pasta Primavera by Midlife Road Trip
• Tots Your Tots Will Love by The Hand that Rocks the Ladle

Creamed corn: An easy, delicious side dish

I'm really not trying to post every day, but I made some creamed corn for dinner that was so delicious, I just have to share how incredibly easy it is to make from scratch. You should do it. Why get the stuff in a can when you can make your own with fresh corn from the farmer's market? So grab a few ears and try this. You won't regret it. (Sorry there's no pic of the dish itself, but it just disappeared too fast.)

And if you happen to have a roast chicken with some pan drippings, you know, just around, in your kitchen, drizzle some of the drippings on the creamed corn. You will swoon with happiness. And you'll ask whomever else is at the kitchen table with you if he or she is going to finish that, and you are going to swipe the rest of the corn. I just know it. DO IT! It's going to be great. 

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsps butter
• 1 large shallot, minced
• corn kernels from four ears of corn
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy cream (or half and half, if that's what you've got)
• salt and pepper
• a pinch of nutmeg (preferably freshly grated)
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a pot over medium heat. 
2. Add the shallots to the butter. Cook them until they are soft and slightly browned. 
3. Add the corn kernels to the shallots and the butter. Stir and add the water and the sugar to the corn. Let it cook for about 7-10 minutes. (The corn should be cooked, but it's nice if it still has a little crunch.)
4. Add the cream and let it cook with the corn for 3-5 minutes, enough to thicken the cream. 
5. Season with salt, pepper, nutmeg, and smoked paprika. Enjoy!    

Root vegetable chowder with bacon

I don't even remember the last time I posted, but then again most of the last week and a half are lost in a haze. I've been sick with a virus that went into the lungs and became bronchitis. For seven days, my temperature would cycle up to 103.5 degrees and then back down to a "normal" of around 101. I alternately froze and shivered like a naked person in Siberia or poured out sweat like Niagara. It wasn't fun. But it's starting to clear up now, and for that I am grateful.

The last thing I cooked before I went down for the count about a little over a week ago was a root vegetable chowder with bacon. It surprised me how delicious it was because it started with the inauspicious need to clean out the larder a bit. We just had too many wrinkly roots lying around, and something needed to be done with them before they went bad. I ended up using a combination of potatoes, sweet potatoes, parsnips, and small white turnips.

It all ended up being a rich, warm, deeply satisfying soup that's thickened by the starch in the potatoes. Good enough that two grown men (Mike and Uncle Dave) stood around the nearly empty pot after dinner scraping with their spoons to get every last bit. That's a real compliment to a cook.

I suspect you can use any combination of root vegetables you have available as long you think about balancing sweet and mild with bitter. And hell, throw in some thinly sliced greens at the end of the cooking if you have them. 

Make sure your root vegetables are all cut to even sizes. This is a good way to practice your knife skills!

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp butter
• 5 slices thick-cut bacon, sliced thinly
• 1 and 1/2 medium yellow onions (or 1 large), diced finely 
• 3 yellow potatoes, peeled, 1/4 inch dice
• 2 small-medium sweet potatoes, peeled, 1/4 inch dice
• 1 parsnip, peeled, 1/4 inch dice
• 4 small white turnips, peeled, 1/4 inch dice
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 4 cups chicken stock (homemade preferable, but a good organic broth will do just fine)
• 1 cup half and half
• salt and white pepper

What to do

1. Melt butter in a large stock pot. Fry the pieces of bacon in the butter until the bacon is brown and crispy. Take the bacon out of the pot, set it aside to drain on paper towels for the time being. 
2. Lower the heat to medium-low and add the onions to the pot. Let them sweat for about 10 minutes, stirring from time to time. Don't let them get crispy. They should be soft and translucent. (They will probably pick up some brown from the bacon fat, but don't worry about that.)
3. Raise the temperature to medium. Add the vegetables to the pot. Stirring from time to time, let them soften and brown a bit, about 10 minutes.
4. Add the stock and the crushed garlic to the pot. Bring the liquid up to a boil and then lower the temperature to a simmer. Let it cook for 20-30 minutes, until the vegetables soften and some of them start to fall apart a bit. If the stock isn't a bit thick at this point, let the vegetable cook for another 5-10 minutes to get more starch into the water.  
5. Add half and half and salt and pepper to taste. Bring the temperature up but don't let the soup boil again (if you do, the half and half can curdle, which won't kill you but definitely ruins the texture of the soup). Add the reserved bacon back into the soup and serve.