Creamy, Oven Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta

This dish is a great summertime comfort food pasta-style. These homemade, oven “sun-dried” tomatoes have an intense, sweet, and tart flavor that compliments the rich sausage, cheese, and creamy pasta. Traditional sun-dried tomatoes are made using the power of the sun, but we found it was easier to control the many variables by using a low-and-slow oven. The results are delicious! Serves 6-8.

Ingredients:
16 oz penne pasta
1 smoked kielbasa sausage link, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small shallot, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons butter
6-8 oven "sun-dried" tomatoes, cut into thin slices
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup chicken broth
2 cup half and half
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon
Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup freshly shaved
Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
2. In a large sauté pan, cook the sausage until browned on all sides, turning with tongs often. Add a few tablespoons of water, as needed, while cooking to prevent any scorching. Once the sausage has browned, remove the cooked sausage from the pan, and set aside.
3. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the sauté pan and sauté the shallot and garlic for two minutes.
4. Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan. Whisk in the flour to form a roux. Add the chicken broth, and half and half and whisk until combined. Season with oregano, basil, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Bring the sauce to a simmer, and cook until the sauce begins to bubble and thicken.
5. Add the cooked pasta, cooked sausage, and sliced sun dried tomatoes to the sauce and stir until pasta is coated with the sauce. Add any reserved pasta sauce, as needed until a silky coating is formed.
6. Garnish with basil and cheese.

Creamy, Oven Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta

This dish is a great summertime comfort food pasta-style. These homemade, oven “sun-dried” tomatoes have an intense, sweet, and tart flavor that compliments the rich sausage, cheese, and creamy pasta. Traditional sun-dried tomatoes are made using the power of the sun, but we found it was easier to control the many variables by using a low-and-slow oven. The results are delicious! Serves 6-8.

Ingredients:
16 oz penne pasta
1 smoked kielbasa sausage link, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small shallot, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons butter
6-8 oven "sun-dried" tomatoes, cut into thin slices
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup chicken broth
2 cup half and half
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon
Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup freshly shaved
Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water.
2. In a large sauté pan, cook the sausage until browned on all sides, turning with tongs often. Add a few tablespoons of water, as needed, while cooking to prevent any scorching. Once the sausage has browned, remove the cooked sausage from the pan, and set aside.
3. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the sauté pan and sauté the shallot and garlic for two minutes.
4. Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan. Whisk in the flour to form a roux. Add the chicken broth, and half and half and whisk until combined. Season with oregano, basil, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Bring the sauce to a simmer, and cook until the sauce begins to bubble and thicken.
5. Add the cooked pasta, cooked sausage, and sliced sun dried tomatoes to the sauce and stir until pasta is coated with the sauce. Add any reserved pasta sauce, as needed until a silky coating is formed.
6. Garnish with basil and cheese.

Grilled Chipotle Shrimp with Cilantro Lime Rice

Sweet and spicy grilled shrimp skewers are hard to beat, but when paired with a savory, bright cilantro lime rice, we can’t help but feel transported to the tropics — even if it’s just for the night. Enjoy making and sharing this great combo of flavors! Serves 4.

Spicy Chipotle Shrimp Ingredients:
1 lb medium to large shrimp, peeled & deveined (about 20-24)
3 chipotles in adobo, plus 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
3 tablespoons honey
3 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
Vegetable oil for oiling the grill
3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped for garnish

Directions:
1. In a small food processor, prepare the marinade. Blend together the chipotles in adobo, the adobo sauce, honey, garlic, lime juice, salt and pepper until combined.
2. Place the peeled and deveined shrimp in a large bowl, and cover with the marinade. Cover, and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.
3. Skewer the shrimp using 2 wooden skewers, or one flat metal skewer - place the shrimp close together. Discard the marinade.
4. Grill the shrimp over direct heat on a well-oiled grill. Cook for 2 minutes, then flip and cook for another 90 seconds, or until the shrimp are pink and opaque. Actual timing may vary by the size of the shrimp and the heat of the grill, so go by sight and touch.
5. Serve on a bed of cilantro lime rice and with a side of sliced avocado.

Cilantro Lime Rice: Ingredients:
1 cup white rice
2-1/4 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cumin
2 tablespoons onion, minced
Juice and zest of 1 lime
3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

Directions:
1. In a medium-sized saucepan rinse the rice under cold water until the water is clear.
2. Add the chicken broth, olive oil, salt, cumin, and onion to the rice and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat to low and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Simmer the rice on low for 20 minutes, or until the rice grains become tender.
3. Remove from the heat, and let sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and garnish with the lime juice, lime zest, and chopped cilantro before serving.