Italian Sausage with Peppers

I’m having a bad morning. Like a weeping into my coffee, snot on my cardigan sleeve bad morning. It kind of worries me because I’m not PMSing and because I’m living my life the way everyone else is living their lives: I’m working at a job that gives me no sense of satisfaction and where 80% of the time I’m deeply unhappy – but I can afford a house and a car and I can put healthy food on the table and pay my bills. I just want more. I want to be happy these 9 hours, not weepy and stressed because there are SO MANY OTHER THINGS I could be doing with this time besides sitting on my ass dreaming of watering plants or baking cakes or CLEANING MY DISGUSTING HOUSE. My house is so gross. I have trouble sleeping at night it’s so filthy.

Anyway, this is not my personal blog, so let’s get on with it. I just wanted to let y’all know if this pasta recipe seems bitchy and mean, it’s because it is. This recipe is so full of hate and bitterness. But it tastes pretty good. Even Will ate it, and it’s a “diet” recipe, but I bet you could fix it up to taste even better with some butter or whatever.

(Also, of course, I have revised this from the actual recipe…I ended up using different quantities.)

(And yes, this is the “disposal dinner,” the one that had my lying prostrate on the floor not even a week ago. What the fuck is WRONG with me?)

Italian Sausage with Peppers

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 onion, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper seeded and thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
1 fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly sliced*
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 can diced tomatoes (I use low sodium)
1/2 teaspoon salt (I do not measure this bullshit)
Fresh ground pepper - to taste
1/2 pound cooked hot Italian pork sausage (I have no idea if I used ½ lb…I think it was 14 oz? And I used turkey sausage…OF COURSE)
2 cups penne (I USED A WHOLE BOX of whole wheat penne. 2 cups? Really?)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil*
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat leaf parsley*

In a large skillet, heat the oil. Sauté the onion, bell peppers, and fennel until the vegetables turn golden, 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté 1-2 minutes longer. Stir in the tomatoes, salt, and fresh ground pepper. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes.

Cut the sausage into 1-inch slices. Add to the vegetable mixture; simmer, covered, stirring occasionally (you know what I just realized? I never stirred occasionally. I watched The Office and ignored it), until the flavors are blended, about 20 minutes longer. If the sauce becomes too dry, add 1-2 tablespoons of water. (I also never had to add water, BUT I didn’t drain my tomatoes – the recipe didn’t say whether to drain them or not, but I’m going to say don’t)

Add the basil, parsley, and penne to the sausage mixture; toss to combine.

Somewhere in those minutes of simmering, I hope you made your pasta.

*I did not add these things because they are green I really didn’t want to eat alone.

It was actually really, really good and light. Will ate two big bowls and he rated it a 7 on a scale of 1 to 10. I’m not sure what rates a 10…cookies? Frozen pizza? Limp vinegar carrots?

Anyway, I think you should make this because it seems like something your family would like. Have garlic bread at the ready!