So we celebrated my third daughter’s 1 year birthday this week, and between our economy and this celebration, I am really down! Why you ask? I can’t decide whether I bummed about all our country’s debt, the thought of having no more babies, or that I feel I am getting older. I have been going back and forth about how I want to be younger, have more children, and I guess all in all I just want to turn back the clock!

I don’t know about you but when I’m feeling low I turn to comfort food! The winter has been long this year (yes, even in Charleston) and I have been cooking a lot. This one meal is always a stand by for us and it is very easy to make for all of my family and friends. I also think this can be your breakthrough meal. If you are scared to cook try this simple recipe and you will quickly feel like a superstar in the kitchen. My dear friend Allie won’t pick up a pair of tongs in the kitchen but she can make this AND loves to eat it-which is saying A LOT!

So, as I continue to cook AND eat my way through this recession and my growing older, I will remember the words a good friend said just last week at a birthday party “stop worrying about having more children and parent the ones you have.” Blunt, but well put and that’s how I like it – the truth!

Anyway, I can always act like a teenager every once in a while. Next week, I head on down to New Orleans next week to see Britney Spears in concert and that ought to cure the winter blues! Also, I have to remember how TRULY blessed I am to have such an amazing life, and a wonderful family… SO, when you are a little blue think about all the great things in your life and that will make you realize—everything is a privilege—I have NOTHING to complain about!
For all of you readers in NOLA, please come see me this coming Monday at the Langensteins’ Tasting. 3-6pm in the Big Easy! And join us the following weekend at the CHS Food and Wine Festival all weekend where we have a booth. For more information and tickets, visit www.charlestonfoodandwine.com.

Smoked Sausage Pepper Pasta

Ingredients

  • One Hillshire Farm Smoked sausage (or any brand you like), chopped into round discs
  • 3/4 pound of whatever pasta you prefer, I like vermicelli with this recipe
  • 1 of each:
  • red pepper, green pepper, yellow pepper, yellow onion (chopped and mixed together
  • olive oil
  • 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
  • freshly grated parmesan cheese, about 1 cup
  • a splash of good white cooking wine

Instructions

  1. In your largest olive oiled frying/sauté pan, brown the sausage on both sides and set aside.
  2. Add a bit more olive oil and sauté the onion and peppers, after a couple of minutes add the garlic.
  3. On medium sauté the peppers/onion/garlic.
  4. While this is cooking boil your water and cook your pasta in well-salted water.
  5. Add the sausage back into the frying pan once the onion/pepper mixture is complete, and de glaze the pan with the white wine— a healthy splash—maybe a 1/4 of a cup.
  6. Stir paying close attention to getting all the good browned bits up.
  7. Add the pasta straight from the pot-either use tongs or use a hand held strainer. Note: you want some of the liquid to get into the sauté pan so don’t worry about getting the pasta strained all the way.
  8. Mix all together and then add the freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Serve immediately!