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Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Penne w/ Italian Sausage, Peppers, and Onions

Just over ten years ago, I quit my day job.  I was bored and unchallenged and bored and unchallenged and bored....  Selling motorhome windshields was not the life for me. Yes, there was a time when I lived and worked in the motorhome capital of the world. For me, being fulfilled in daily life includes your job...not just what you do outside of work.  I can't fathom a work week in which I am unhappy.  I'll admit, this doesn't necessarily equal fortune...at least not monetary fortune.  But getting to indulge in your passion and practice what you love, not only at home, but in your work.  I consider that the greatest fortune of all.  So, with the notion of starting culinary school in a few short months, I decided to find a job in "the industry" while I was waiting.  One chain and 9 dollars per hour less later...I found myself in the kitchen of an Olive Garden.  I know, I know.  Many of you are groaning.  The Olive Garden!?  I would never eat there.  Well, that's okay.  Even though they are a chain and you can see their daily special on the telly, I was working with food.  That, in itself, put a skip in my step.  Think that's unrealistic?  That I'm a dreamer?  Well, it's all a manner of perspective, I suppose.  Live your life so that you're happy.  That's all I'm saying.

But what some of you may be surprised to know...we actually made most of the food from scratch.  Chopped the veggies for each dish.  Marinated the pork loins.  Made the Alfredo Sauce.  Some things like the red sauces and the soups are made in a central location and then bagged in quantity and shipped to the different OG locations....but it's a support facility that ensures that the soup you love so much in your own hometown will be available and greet you reassuringly at another location across the country...should you want it.  Don't get me wrong, I prefer small, local restaurants that have amazing chefs creating new daily wonders in the kitchen, but for what it is, the Olive Garden isn't so bad...and for those who watch the commercials and scoff at their Culinary Institute in Italy?  It exists. Honest. People who have worked in the corporation for years...from bussers to executives...cross their fingers that they are chosen for the chance to get flown to Italy and attend.  And every year a handful are fortunate enough to get to attend!  I think that's pretty awesome.  But anyhoo...you wonder why I went off on an Olive Garden tangent?  It's because there were three dishes that have made themselves a home in the back of my mind.  Three dishes that we made during my time there.  For all I know, they still do...I haven't been back very often since that six month stint.  The first was an amazing pork tenderloin (whole tenderloin per plate...awesome!) that we marinated in rosemary and olive oil and grilled to order...served with roasted red potatoes.  Awesome.  The second was the shrimp scampi bruschetta....the garlicky wine sauce that pooled around the bottom of fat, sautéed shrimp....I would mop it up with the grilled bread. Aye yay yay. Bliss.  And third, an awesome pasta dish...we sliced up hot Italian sausages and tossed them with three colors of bell peper, onion, chile-infused oil...sautéed it all up and tossed it with red sauce and penne.  It was killer.  I still make some variation of that at home when the craving strikes.  It works just as well with sweet Italian sausage if you're not in the mood for heat.  The great thing about this dish is that you can personalize it in so many ways.  Choose  your favorite pasta...homemade or storebought.  Same goes for your sauce.  I LOVE using extra fennel seeds when I make dishes that include Italian sausage...so I do!  Serve it with some warm garlic bread or toast...a glass of wine or a tall glass of cold milk.  Let this just be a guide to a wonderful, easy, satisfying meal...

Penne w/ Italian Sausage, Peppers, and Onions
from the kitchen of girlichef
serves ~6-8

1# Penne Pasta (or another pasta)
~19 oz. Italian Sausage (hot or sweet), bulk
3 bell peppers...different colors....I used red, yellow, and green...sliced thin
1 large onion, sliced thin
4 garlic cloves, peeled & smashed
~1 Tbs. fennel seeds, smashes & bashed w/ a mortar & pestl
few big pinches of crushed, red chiles
~1 qt. (your favorite) Red Sauce
salt & pepper

garnish: 
(choose some, all...or none)
chopped parsley
freshly grated Parmesan
shredded mozzarella

Cook the pasta in boiling, salted water until al dente.  In the meantime, heat a large skillet w/ deep sides over medium heat.  Add the sausage and cook until browned w/ crisp bits on the edges (that's how I like it, at least).  Throw in the veggies, fennel, and crushed chiles.  Sauté until the veggies just start to soften.  Add the red sauce and bring to a simmer.  The pasta should be just about done...ladle out a bit of the pasta cooking water and stir it into the sauce until you have a nice, saucy consistency.  Drain the pasta and then dump it into the pan w/ the sauce.  Toss.  Serve hot with any of the garnishes.  Sop up any sauce with garlic bread. Enjoy!

*This post is linked to:
Presto Pasta Nights is being hosted by Debbie at Debbie Does Dinner this week!
PrestoPastaNights


Would you like to comment?

  1. When we go to Seattle I usually head to Olive Garden with the 45 other ladies. It is quick and consistent and I could eat buckets of their salad.

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  2. I love OG, it is a good restaurant and great for families. When we eat out as a family it is usually OG, and everyone is happy. Your offering of the pasta dish looks simply wonderful, and I can't wait to make it! THANKS!

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  3. Hi,

    That's a beautiful looking pasta with sausages...great combo...:)

    Dr.Sameena@

    http://www.myeasytocookrecipes.blogspot.com

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  4. Great looking recipe and interesting insights on what "work" means...I can definitely see how selling windshields didn't feed your foodie soul :)

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  5. I've only been to Olive Garden once. It was good but I way tend to overeat when in the presence of that many carbs! So it has been avoided since. I love to do what you do and make it how I like it. Thanks for submitting to Presto Pasta Nights!

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  6. Yummy....a good pasta dish always hits the spot.

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  7. This is very nearly how I make sausage and peppers at home, and, ironically, that's on the menu this week since I just went to Little Italy for some hot salsiccia! You're picture is making my mouth water for it. Good thing we're having it tonight!

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  8. I make a similar version of this and my entire family loves it. Yours looks amazing.yum

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  9. We used to take our kids to Olive Garden all the time. We loved it! We were so disappointed when (years ago) they closed all of the Olive Garden restaurants in Ontario and replaced them with Red Lobster. Now we have to wait until we go to the States to get our Olive Garden fix. So no groaning here, I wish I could go more often! Your dish looks beautiful. Sausages and onions and peppers always go wonderfully together!

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  10. I imagine it's the fennel that makes the dish. I have pasta planned for tomorrow. i might just make a stop for some sausage and peppers to try this out. At the very least, I'll be adding fennel to the sauce.

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  11. this looks so yummy.. im going to make some for my husband tonight. thanks!

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  12. This pasta looks great! I actually really like Olive Garden. When I get a craving I always get the same thing. The lasagna roll up things for an appetizer and then the soup and salad for dinner. I love love love that spicy sausage and potato soup. Sooooooo good.

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  13. I feel like I know so much more about you...And the Olive Garden. Cool. Your dish looks wonderful. I love pasta bahted in plenty of red sauce and freshly grated parm. Yum!

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  14. I worked in offices right up until I had my youngest and I disliked just about every minute of it. Money is most certainly NOT what makes the world go round and it certainly isn't what makes you happy. Amen!

    I don't have anything against Olive
    Garden and probably go at least once a year with my daughter (she's a total pastahead). This dish looks awesome to me! Are you sure it isn't one of Giada's recipes-LOL!

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  15. I think it's awesome what you did and what you learned. Takes a lot of guts!

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  16. And I will be commissioned for yet another fairy tale to be acted by young performers...and I always accept.It's in my field and I always learn something. I have done take-out of Olive garden's salad more times than I can remember. And you know that penne dish give my heart many happy-beats.

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  17. I like Oive Garden, good food in my opinion. This dish looks so super good, thanks for sharing.

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  18. So this serves 6 - 8 regular people and about 1 - 2 Jasons...
    I loooove penne pasta and sausage creations and have my own that is not nearly as delicious looking as yours.

    LOVE it!!......

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  19. It is good to do what you love and makes you happy - everything else is so much easier then. Penne w/Italian sausage is one of my favorite meals - it is, like you say so versatile!

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  20. Am just drooling over that droolworthy penne..

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  21. There seem to be some kind of chemistry among peppers, sausage and onions - they are a perfect match for pasta!

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  22. how fun to have all of that food in the back of your mind. i like olive garden, it's one of my fave lunch spots. this is a gorgeous dish, it looks delicious!

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  23. Great story and ... one of my very favorite easy to make pastas. Thanks for sharing both with Presto Pasta Nights. As to working your dream job... best thing ever!

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  24. This sounds delectable - bookmarking it in my "recipes" favs. Thanks for posting!
    Maggie

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  25. Heather, I love the OG; while hubby was deployed, one of the other wives and I had a standing bi-weekly date there. I don't know how I'll live without their breadsticks and alfredo when we move back home (not that we go often here, but... still.)

    I digress, I love this dish; it's gorgeous, and I love that it uses peppers AND red sauce ... yum! Beautiful dish.

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  26. I've eaten at the olive garden before and though it's not my FAVORITE place to eat, it's acceptable in a pinch. I am surprised to know that they make their own food though. And I am even more surprised to see that a variation of this is on their menu. Because it sounds fantastic!

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  27. I make a dish very similar to yours and we love it. I frankly like going to OG and have always had great food there. The commercials on TV always make me want their new pasta dishes too.

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  28. Oh...I'll tell you, I like Olive Garden and i have a knock off recipe for their Chicken Scamoi. To die for...really, it was great to learn more about your former life and I am loving what you said about Olive Garden.

    We don't eat out much anymore but when we did...we liked some of the healthier choics at O.G. Now your recipe here is a definite keeper. Looks wonderful!

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  29. Girl...you have sold me...now I want to go and eat at Olive Garden again. I always loved those breadsticks! This pasta dish looks amazing! And I loved hearing about how you chose to follow your heart. Thank you for sharing, love. I hope you are having a relaxing Wednesday night!

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  30. A very interesting inside into the kitchen of Olive Garden, thanks for sharing! The pasta looks terrific!

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  31. I usually cook pasta once a week and I used penne pasta as always. Love the texture and the goodness of it. Another recipe to save. It's easy and I think it suits my budget lol

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  32. That pasta looks amazing--I love anything with sausage and peppers. Although not a huge fan of OG--I do love their Zuppa Toscana though but like my version of it more than the original. ;-)

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  33. Haha..we won't die but all the same, the post was great!

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  34. First that all. That pasta dish looks delicioso! That is what I am cooking this weekend. I love fennel and tend to add a lot when making my own italian sausage. I think that is a great addition tot he dish.

    Thanks for the insider on OG.

    With all those yummy dishes I have to move the computer screen when visiting your site. You know, there is some people in this house that will ask me to cook everything you cook! :)

    Saludos,

    Mely

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  35. Yum! This looks amazingly delicious. The pictures are making my mouth water.

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  36. You can't go wrong with sausage and peppers! Now I have a craving..

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  37. As it happens, I am making sausage & peppers for dinner tonight. You've just convinced me to toss some pasta through it!

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  38. I think working in any large kitchen would be an eye opening experience. While chain restaurants are often looked down on, they often have perfected certain processes and techniques and then share that across the company. So you benefit from more learning experiences than you would working at a stand alone restaurant.

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  39. PS: I need a windshield for a 1972 Winnebago, can you help me out? (ha ha j/k)

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  40. This is one of those great "comfort food" meals. I love the extra fennel. :)

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  41. I so totally agree that life is too short t to work at something other than what you love doing - this here ain't no dress rehearsal, so make the best of it, I believe.

    Certainly, eating plenty of this dish would make me very happy. I just love the combination of pasta with sausage and peppers :0
    Sue

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