What a Wildly Delicious Wednesday

Scary stuff happening in the world right now. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather listen to music or watch uplifting movies than turn on the news.

I cannot believe the war in Ukraine has lasted as long as it has. The Middle East is heating up again, as though it has ever truly been a peaceful place. In big cities all over America there are not so peaceful protests. I don’t know when Evil woke up, but it sure has. All of these things burn the same fuel – hatred. Until we stop hating one another, there will never be peace. I wish I had some fairy dust of love that I could sprinkle over the whole world. All I can do is to pray. That and continue to be me. In other words I refuse to let anger and hatred grow inside me. That’s the gateway to letting evil in. It seems we have very limited options at our disposal to deal with the chaos of the world. We could get angry and lash out. We could develop a thick skin and as Clark Gable once said “don’t give a damn.” We could escape with drugs and alcohol. Or turn to our faith. It seems to me only one of these options isn’t self-destructive. So there you have it, for what it’s worth, those are my views on the current state of the world.

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Whenever I make a dish like this one, Hubby always pokes fun because it will make enough to feed a small army. A pound of pasta, a pound of sausage and two pounds of chicken. Wow – that’s a lot of pounds.

The beauty of recipes such as this one is that you can have your fill for supper, fill a few Tupperware containers for lunches later in the week, and freeze the rest for those nights when cooking is out but dinner still needs to be served. Some years ago my sisters and I got together to create “care giver” packages for Dad’s wife, Sue. The doctors had put Dad on some new medication that caused his brain to bleed. It was a stressful time for everyone. So we made complete meals that were held in the freezer and then could be warmed up on the stove, in a microwave or slow cooker. This could easily be one of those type meals.

Zucchini Rotini Chicken Pasta
16 oz Rotini Pasta
1/2 Red Onion
2 Garlic Cloves
1 Yellow Bell Pepper
2 Zucchini Squash
1 (4 oz) can Sliced Button Mushrooms
5 (3.5 oz) Italian Sausage Links
2 boneless Chicken Breasts
1-1/2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning
Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
1 (14 oz) can Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes with Garlic
24 oz Garlic-Basil Pasta Sauce

Note: For even mor color, use a Tri-Colored Pasta.

In a pot of boiling salted water cook Rotini Pasta until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain well.

While the water comes to a boil and the pasta cooks, cut the onion in half, reserve half for another use. Peel and dice the remaining half. Peel and mince garlic cloves. Core, seed and dice the bell pepper. Cut zucchini into semi-thick rounds. Drain mushrooms; set prepared vegetable aside.

Cut Italian Sausage into rounds. Cube chicken breast; set aside.

In a large Dutch Oven over medium heat cook the sausage until browned, about 6 minutes. Add cubed chicken and continue to cook until no pink remains in any of the meats. Add onions, garlic and bell pepper. Season with Italian seasoning, salt and black pepper. Stir to coat meat well in the seasoning. Cover and cook for about a minute or so longer. Stir in the tomatoes, pasta sauce, zucchini and mushrooms. Add pasta to the mix, toss to combine. Simmer until the squash is tender yet crisp.

Serve straight from the pot for a family-style supper or place in a large serving bowl. Finish the meal with warm rolls and a nice bottle of wine.

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Blessed the man who fears the LORD,
who greatly delights in His commands.