Tomato, Zucchini and Goat Cheese Pasta

We love Whole Foods and while they don't have the cheapest items, we love the quality and integrity of their ingredients. One way that we make shopping there more affordable is to shop their weekly sales. They often have a weekly sale that starts on Wednesday to the following Tuesday and then also a weekend sale that has some great deals. A couple weeks ago, I saw cherry tomatoes and goat cheese on sale and thought that combo sounds like it might work together. I also grabbed some basil and a zucchini to add to the mix. Here's the creation:

Tomato, Zucchini and Goat Cheese Pasta 
2 tbs olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
1 small zucchini, diced
1/4 cup chicken broth
Salt and Pepper
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
2 oz goat cheese and more to put on top
3/4 lb of pasta (I used spaghetti)

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the onions and cook until tender.  Add in the garlic and cook for 1 minute, careful not to burn.  Add the zucchini and cherry tomatoes to the pan and cook for about 10-15 minutes.  Add the chicken stock and continue to cook for another 10 minutes until the tomatoes start to burst and get soft.  I like to smash the tomatoes to make a rustic sauce.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add the goat cheese and stir to incorporate into the sauce.

Heat a large pot of salted water and cook the pasta to al dente.  When the pasta is cooked, transfer the pasta to the pan with the tomatoes.  Stir to incorporate.  If it's dry, you can take some of the pasta water and add to the pan.  Stir in fresh basil.

To serve, plate the pasta and top with goat cheese crumbles and more fresh basil.  Enjoy a fresh summer meal that you won't remember is meatless!

Pasta with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe

Pasta is always a great food to cook on the weekdays.  You can take a few simple ingredients and have a meal that has starch, vegetables, and protein all in one dish.  One of the dishes we've made many times is this pasta dish with sausage and broccoli rabe. Broccoli rabe in not always everyone's favorite due to it's slightly bitter taste but I love it. Also, if you don't like broccoli rabe, this is a good way to eat it as the blanching of the rabe takes away some of the bitter taste.  This recipe also creates a broth type sauce using the residual water from the rabe and the pasta that Wil enjoys.

Pasta with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe
Adapted by Giada De Laurentiis

Serves 4 to 6
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb sweet Italian pork sausage
4 garlic cloves (you can put more if you like!)
1/4 to 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes I lean towards more since Wil likes it spicy)
1 large bunch of broccoli rabe, roughly chopped
1 lb of pasta (I used orecchiette since I had it on hand but any short pasta like penne can be used)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for topping


Boil a large pot of water.  Meanwhile, put the olive oil in a large saute pan and brown the sausage.  Add the garlic and the red pepper flakes, but don't burn the garlic.  Once the water boils, throw in the broccoli rabe and cook for 2-3 minutes until tender but still has a slight bite to it.  Take the broccoli rabe (but reserve the cooking water to put the pasta in) and put in cold water to stop the cooking process and preserve the fresh green color. Then, toss the rabe into the saute pan with the sausage.  Place your pasta in the same pot of boiling water and cook according to your pasta's directions.  Once the pasta is done, transfer to the saute pan with the broccoli rabe and sausage.  Add the grated Parmesan and season with salt and pepper to taste. You may also put in some of the pasta water to make more of a sauce.  Serve the pasta and top with more Parmesan if you wish!