This week’s recipes seem to lean toward the quick and easy, so they would be great weeknight dishes.
Appetizer: Feta-Stuffed Tomatoes. I’ve had stuffed tomato appetizers before but this is the first that used cucumbers and I thought it gave the dish a crisp flavor.
Entree: Anelletti Pasta with Sausage and Greens. Minimal ingredients and yet, a flavorful pasta. I was surprised that this pasta was as good as it was given that it’s only pasta, spicy sausage, garlic and parmesan cheese. Instead of using anelleti pasta, I used piccolini wheels and I doubled the amount of sausage and spinach. And really, it probably only took me about 30 minutes from start to finish.
Side Dish: Bagged Caesar Salad.
Dessert: Spicy Hot Cocoa Cookies. Kim also calls these Cayenne Pepper Snickerdoodles. I could be mean and not warn you but since you guys know me, I’m not like that so here it is: these are SPICY. When you take the first bite, you notice the chocolate and slight heat. You’re like, “These aren’t that spicy.” Oh, just you wait, the heat starts building and building and before you know it, you’ve just chugged your glass of milk. And you haven’t taken a second bite. They were great! If you’re feeling adventurous, you have to make these. A bit of advice, if you want chewier cookies, reduce the baking time.