What's for Dinner? Sausage and Tomato Rigatoni

Sausage and Tomato Rigatoni

Prep Time:
10 min
Total Time:
30 min

Makes:
4 servings, about 2 cups each

What You Need
4 cups rigatoni pasta (8 oz.), uncooked
1 lb. Italian sausage, cut into chunks
1 red onion, sliced
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/4 cup KRAFT Sun-Dried Tomato Dressing
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cupGrated Parmesan Cheese

Make It
COOK pasta as directed on package.

MEANWHILE, brown sausage in large nonstick skillet; drain. Stir in onions and tomato paste; cover. Cook 15 min. or until onions are tender and sausage is cooked through, stirring occasionally. Stir in dressing.

TOSS sausage mixture with pasta. Sprinkle with parsley and cheese.

www.kraftfoods.com

Reducing Salt Intake

Did you know:

Rinsing canned vegetables under cool running water reduces the sodium content by about 40%.

The same holds true for other canned foods, including beans, tuna and chicken.

Source: American Dietetic Association

What's for Dinner- Irish Soda Bread

www.aol.com

Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients
2 cups whole-wheat flour
2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 cups buttermilk

Cooking Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray and sprinkle with a little flour.

2. Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in buttermilk. Using one hand, stir in full circles (starting in the center of the bowl working toward the outside of the bowl) until all the flour is incorporated. The dough should be soft but not too wet and sticky. When it all comes together, in a matter of seconds, turn it out onto a well-floured surface. Clean dough off your hand.

3. Pat and roll the dough gently with floury hands, just enough to tidy it up and give it a round shape. Flip over and flatten slightly to about 2 inches. Transfer the loaf to the prepared baking sheet. Mark with a deep cross using a serrated knife and prick each of the four quadrants.

4. Bake the bread for 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 400° and continue to bake until the loaf is brown on top and sounds hollow when tapped, 30 to 35 minutes more. Transfer the loaf to a wire rack and let cool for about 30 minutes.

For more one the history of Soda Bread and all things Irish visit: http://www.sodabread.info/

Happy St. Patrick's Day

QVC Operator

This one is funny because if you know me......you know that I love my QVC!!

Transcript of call:

Me: This is Carolyn. How may I help you?

Caller: I want to order the Pearl Earrings.

Me: Excuse me Ma'am. What did you say?

Caller: I want to order the Pearl Earrings.

Me: Ma'am....who do you think you are calling?

Caller: QVC of course!

Me: This is the Company that turns on the Phone and TV in the Hospital Room. Did you want to activate you service?

Caller: Yes. I need my phone so I can call before they sell out.

Me: Ok...... let's get you activated so you can call.

Caller: Do you happen to have the phone number?

You know me.......of course I did!!!

What's for Dinner- 3 Step Greek Chicken and Rice

3 Step Greek Chicken and Rice

-1/3 cup KRAFT Greek Vinaigrette Dressing
-1 lb. boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into chunks
-2 tsp. dried oregano leaves
-4 cups cut-up fresh vegetables from the salad bar, such as broccoli, green peppers and carrots (about 1 lb.)
-1 can (14-1/2 oz.) reduced sodium chicken broth
-2 cups instant brown rice, uncooked
-1 lemon


HEAT dressing in large deep nonstick skillet on medium heat. Add chicken; sprinkle with oregano. Cook 5 min., stirring once.

ADD vegetables and broth; simmer 5 min. Stir in rice; cover. Simmer 5 min. Turn off heat. Let stand, covered, 5 min. or until liquid is absorbed.

GRATE 1 tsp. lemon peel; sprinkle over chicken. Cut lemon into 4 wedges; serve with chicken and rice mixture.

Shelves for Food Storage

There are a wide variety of shelf options available. Determine the amount you feel comfortable spending and consider what will suit your needs best.

Build Your Own - Probably the cheapest option, offers the most flexibility

Inexpensive metal or plastic shelving- A cheap and easy way to get started, although shelves may not last as long as other options

Deluxe Can Rotation System - These are the priciest way to go but are VERY convenient when you are really rotating and using your food storage items. Different versions are available to fit whatever size of cans you want to store.

Start with one set of shelves and add more as your food storage grows.

Plastic may be better than metal for storing heavier items (metal tends to bow in the middle).

Adjustable shelf heights will be useful as you store different types and sizes of foods and cans.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Baby Step #1 from http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/

Movie Night

Pop some corn, dim the lights and crank the surround sound!

Tonight is Movie Night at The Barber House.

What's on the big 62 inch screen you say?

Australia !!!

I have been wanting to see this since it came out.

I love these big Epic Movies!

Gone with the Wind, Out of Africa, Legends of the Fall, Dances with Wolves ..........

all some of my favorite Movies.

What is your favorite epic Movie?

P.S. - Movie night at home is very budget friendly.

In fact.......Way cheaper than going to the Theaters.

Just make it special!

Like I said....pop some corn, dim the lights and crank the surround sound.

It is like your private Movie Theater.

Quiet on the Home Front

Not to many posts lately ..... I know.

But nothing is going on..............really............nothing at all.

Just working and sleeping. Trying to get used to the Night Shift. Once I get my sleeping down I think I will be OK. But until then.......working and sleeping....working and sleeping.

Speaking of...... I am finishing up a shift and going to bed.

Good Night!

Homesteading Classes

Corn Shelling and Grinding
Sun March 1 12pm to 6pm

Carriage Hill
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Boil the Sugar Down: Sweetners on the Farm
Sun March 8 12 pm to 5pm

Visit a Sugar Camp and learn how maple syrup was collected and boiled down to sweet syrup.

Free
Carriage Hill
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Feed and Flour Milling
Sat. March 21 1pm to 4 pm
Learn how to grind and mill a variety of grains to be used for feed and flour.

Free
Possum Creek Metropark

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Spring Tour of Aullwood Garden and Aull Home
Sun May 10 1pm to 3 pm

Tours of the House and Gardens

Free
Aullwood Metropark
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Build a Rain Barrel
Sat May 16 10 am to 12 pm

Learn how rain barrels conserve water and save you money on your water bill.
$20.00 fee to cover making a 55 gallon rain barrel

Wegerzyn Garden
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For more information on these and more activities offered by 5 Rivers Metroparks visit:

http://www.metroparks.org/

My Office

I thought I would share a look at my Office.

We are still working out the logistics of it all and

trying to figure out where where we are going to put

the Computer the Company is providing for me.

But it is a start.

Got word yesterday that my Night Shifts will begin on March 1st.

I will be working Monday thru Friday with the Weekends off.

I am very happy with that!

And of course.........No office is complete without.......

A sleeping, snoring Beagle in a crate!