New Kid on the Block

I will happily admit that I am a big nerd sometimes (...ok, most of the time). I mean, we are talking about a girl who gets really excited about research. And on frequent occasion, in the middle of an otherwise innocuous situation, random songs will pop into my head.

Like tonight, preparing dinner, when I had the sudden urge to belt out "Step by Step" by NKOTB.

Step one: We can have lots of fun
Step two: There's so much we can do
Step three: It's just you and me
Step four: I can give you more
Step five: Don't you know that the time has arrived
Huh!!

Don't judge...I grew up in the 80s.

So what's the point? Tonight's dinner was in fact incredibly simple - very few ingredients and ready really quickly. I suppose Step by Step isn't too obscure a choice, all things considered.

Sausage, Tomato and Arugula Pasta (Adapted from Cooking Light, Dec 2010)

Ingredients:

1 package refrigerated fresh fettuccine
Olive oil
3 links Italian turkey or chicken sausage
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1 pint grape tomatoes
Salt
Pepper
2-3 cups fresh arugula
Shaved Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

Step 1!! Start a pot of salted water boiling. While the water heats up, squeeze the sausage out of its casing into a olive oiled skillet over medium high heat.


Step 2!! Brown the sausage, stirring it and breaking it up frequently. Once it is browned, add in the garlic and saute for about a minute for the garlic to soften.


Step 3!! Turn the heat down to medium, toss in the grape tomatoes, cover the pan and wait for two minutes. Now's a good time to season with salt and pepper.


Step 4!! Remove the lid and use a wooden spoon or other utensil to smash the tomatoes. The littlest ones are squirmy and most resistant to smooshing. Give everything a stir and allow it to hang out for the 2-3 minutes it takes your pasta to boil. (Follow the instructions on the package for the pasta. You could definitely save $1 and use dry pasta but it'll take a little longer to cook and the texture of the fresh pasta is totally worth the extra dollar if ya ask me!)


Step 5!! Take the sausage and tomatoes off the heat. Stir in the cooked pasta, 2/3 of a cup of leftover pasta water (save it when you drain the pasta!), the arugula and about 1/3 cup of cheese. Toss well.


Huh!!! (I know, I know, I'm going overboard...) Anyway, dinner is served! As usual, sprinkle with extra cheese for additional enjoyment.


Between the quickness with which the recipe was ready, the absolute simplicity of the ingredient list and the fact that Jon took seconds - this is a welcome addition to our repertoire when we need to get dinner on the table fast!

And because I know you care, Jordan was my favorite.