Sausage and Tomato Bow Tie Pasta

Good Afternoon Readers! Just a quick introduction to this blog. I started out with Instagram but decided to broaden my horizons and create a lifestyle blog featuring fashion, cooking and home decor. Enjoy.

This is a pasta recipe that I came up with one weeknight with some random items in my fridge. As far as recipes go, I will try to be as accurate as I can, but I usually just eyeball.. so my motto is start with less because you can always add more.

Recipe

3/4 Box of bow tie pasta
3 spicy italian sausage links (In case you were looking for a recommendation, Whole Foods has the best italian sausage out there)
1 large can of crushed tomatoes
1 medium onion
3 garlic cloves (I'm a huge garlic and onion fanatic --- you can put more or less garlic based on preference)
Salt, italian seasoning, oregano, and pepper, crush red pepper to taste (1 teaspoon each) - add more while you taste - or less based on preference
2 cups of low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 of a green, red, and yellow pepper
1/2 cup of fresh parsley, basil, and oregano
Olive oil (you can sub in coconut oil)

1. Boil water, with half water and half low sodium chicken broth (1 cup of broth - if you want to be exact). Add a little bit of salt so the pasta doesn't stick. Right when the water is boiling, add your bow tie pasta and cook for about 7-8 minutes; stirring occasionally

2. Meanwhile, get out a large pan with olive oil to cook your italian sausage. (the pan should be large enough to mix your pasta and sauce for later) That should take about 6-7 minutes, but make sure you check the inside so its not pink and cooked thoroughly. I usually chop up the sausage while cooking to make sure everything is evenly cooked. Once the sausage is done, set it aside on a plate with a paper towel on top to soak up the fat and oils.

3. In the same pan, add a little bit of olive oil to cook your garlic and onions. (trick of the trade: if you remove the middle stem of the garlic, it won't be as garlicky tasting, in case you don't to sweat garlic later on). Once the onion and garlic has browned, add the crushed tomatoes, 1 cup of broth, 1/2 cup of wine, and chopped up fresh parsley, oregano, and basil, with all the seasonings listed above. Let it all simmer for about 5-10 minutes

4. Now, time to cut the peppers length wise (thin strips) and toss them with a little olive oil and pepper. Preheat your oven to 400 and roast the peppers. A little char on them is a good thing, as it will enhance the flavor. (You can also do this on a grill, but I used the oven since my boyfriend doesn't let me use the grill when he isn't home.. as he is afraid I will burn the house down #legitimateconcern).

5. Add the sausage and roasted peppers to the sauce. Let simmer for another 5-10 minutes and toss in the pasta and serve immediately. I always add a little bit of fresh basil, oregano, and parsley for garnish. You can add parmesan cheese at the end... but it's all preference.