OK, out of a bit of desperation, I am going to use some cooking I did today as my thing, just so I can make sure I have today covered. The first is what I threw together for brunch, the second was for a late lunch.

Ad Hoc Pepper Pasta Sauce

This was thrown together on the fly for a late breakfast one morning, using what I had on hand. (I would normally never use Oscar Meyer bologna for a dish like this, but the kids ate all the pepperoni during the D&D game the previous weekend…!) This dish has no dairy, and uses high fiber whole wheat pasta to reduce the glycemic index of the final result.

Ingredients:

2 red bell peppers

1 green bell pepper

3 cloves garlic

2 small red onions

1 Tbsp Olive Oil

Thyme, Basil, Parsley, or other Italian spices

4 oz bologna, salami, pepperoni, or similar meat (FYI: one slice commercial bologna = 1 oz)

4 oz (2 servings) whole wheat pasta (spaghetti, linguine, etc.)

Directions:

Dice garlic and red onions, and set aside together in a bowl.

Dice peppers, keeping some seeds if you want some extra heat, and set aside in a bowl.

Cut bologna or other meat into small pieces, about 1/2″ squares.

In a medium pan, heat Olive oil over medium heat. When oil is hot, add onions and garlic, and sautee until tender, about 5 mins. (You can also do this over med-high heat for as much as 10 mins to get the onions more carmelized.)

When onions are cooked as you want them, add peppers, and sautee until cooked, about 7-10 mins. (Be sure to turn down the heat to medium if you did the carmelized onions…) Add spices at this point if you prefer a more mellow flavor; for a stronger taste, add them with the meat in the next step.

Once peppers are cooked through, add the meat, stirring briskly to mix in into the rest of the dish. Continue cooking for another 5-10 minutes, depending on how you want the meat done.

Cook pasta according to package directions, and drain in a colander afterwards.

Serve pepper dish over the pasta, it should provide at least two servings worth. (One could add parmesan cheese as well, but this is contra-indicated for the lactose intolerant… *grin*)

Chicken Pepper Pasta Soup

This recipe uses the makings from the Ad Hoc Pepper Pasta Sauce to “zing up” some chicken soup, and adds whole wheat pasta for some high-fiber carbs. A balanced meal in every bowl! (Well, at least on the way there…)

Ingredients:

3 quarts (12 cups) chicken broth (the real thing is much preferable to boullion for this recipe)

One batch Ad Hoc Pepper Pasta Sauce (see above)

8-12 oz whole wheat pasta

8-12 oz chicken, deboned and skin removed (I used 1 thigh, 2 wings and two drumsticks)

Hot sauce (optional)

Directions: 

Cook pasta according to package directions and drain well in a colander.

Bring broth to a boil in a medium soup pan (~1 gal). Add Ad Hoc Pepper Pasta Sauce ingredients, deboned chicken, and cooked pasta. Continue cooking for 5 minutes to let flavors blend. Add hot sauce, if desired.

Enjoy!