What's For Dinner? Part 6.

After an awesome Yoga session today at Yogaglo (I'm so happy that Jo is back and felt like I was walking on a cloud after class, so refreshed and relaxed) I wanted to make a really great dinner from scratch.  Originally I had thought about getting some fresh veggies and doing a light sauce with pasta, but then changed my mind to one of the first recipes I ever learned from my friend, Erik, who is an Italian Chef.  I could barely remember it, so I tweaked it a little and have made it my own.

Here are the ingredients for tonight's 'What's for Dinner?'

Summer Salad

1 Cup packed Arugula

2 Strawberries

1 Small Roma Tomato

2 Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar

Pepper

Tortellini & Gnocchi in a Garlic Cream Sauce with Vegetables

2 Tbsp Olive Oil

1 Cup Gnocchi

1 Cup Tortellini

1/2 an Onion

1 Cup Mushrooms

1 Zucchini

1 Apple Sausage

2 Cloves of Garlic

3/4 Cup Heavy Cream

3 Tbsp Goat Cheese with Honey

1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese

Salt & Pepper

This recipe cooks really easily and in less than 30 minutes.  I started with the olive oil in the pan added the garlic and sauteed until fragrant, then put in my chopped onion, and let that saute for a couple minutes while I chopped the zucchini and sausage.  Then I added in the mushrooms, zucchini, sausage, and salt and pepper to taste.  After letting that cook for a couple minutes I added in the heavy cream and let the whole mixture simmer until the sauce thickened.  Once it had thickened I added a quarter cup water along with the goat cheese and Parmesan cheese until it was melted and mixed together.  While I was making my base I had boiled water and cooked the tortellini and gnocchi till it was ready to be added to the cream sauce and vegetables.  Because it was a simple recipe I was able to throw together my Summer Salad easily, cut up the strawberries and tomatoes, and tossed them with the arugula and balsamic vinegar and topped it with some pepper.

Gorgeous colors!

Delicious :)

The recipe was just as good as I remembered it but better.  (This dish can also be cooked casserole style in a glass baking dish in the oven; my Mom has done it that way, and it's just as good)!  The sausage gave it a little sweetness along with the goat cheese which was INCREDIBLE!  I can't believe I hadn't tried the Honey kind before.  The whole dish was really savory and had great flavor.  I love when you can get a lot of vegetables in a sauce and everything just works together really well and has a ton of variety.  Heavy Cream does have quite a bit of fat, but I had one medium size bowl of the Pasta Dish and was full, and every once in a while, you need to splurge and enjoy a home-cooked meal, and I enjoyed mine with a glass of Chateau St. Michelle's Sauvignon Blanc :)

Can't wait to enjoy my leftovers tomorrow!!