Pasta with Sausage and Peppers Recipe

Scott and I rarely eat red meat, but we do occasionally make an exception for hot sausage, and especially for this meal. It’s so easy to make and comes together quickly with just a couple ingredients, and even with a few ingredients, it’s incredibly flavorful!

This recipe is slightly adapted from the 5-Ingredient Cookbook.

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Pasta with Sausage and Peppers
(Serves 4)

  • 8 oz (half a box) farfalle/bow tie pasta
  • 3 links (about 3/4 lb) hot Italian sausage
  • 2 bell peppers (any color), cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1/2 cup water + 1/2 tsp Better than Bouillon (or 1/2 cup broth, chicken or vegetable)
  • ground black pepper, to taste

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Cook the pasta in salted water, according to package directions. In a large skillet, cook the sausage and peppers over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until sausage is brown.

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Add broth and black pepper to skillet. Bring to boiling, then simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes.

We always use chicken Better than Bouillon because it’s so much easier to have on hand than broth. We just keep the one jar in our fridge (instead of having to buy chicken broth all the time), and 1 tsp of the mix plus 1 cup of water is equivalent to 1 cup of broth, so each tub makes a ton of broth! There are also beef, vegetable, and vegan versions. (This post is not sponsored by them in any way, I’m just a huge fan).

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After you’re done simmering, remove the skillet from the heat and add the cooked pasta. We like to top ours with Parmesan cheese.

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This meal is really to make vegetarian, vegan, or gluten-free. For a vegetarian/vegan meal, omit the sausage (or replace with a vegetarian substitute) and use vegetable or vegan “chicken” broth. It tastes great even without the sausage (it’s kind of like a miracle)!

To download the recipe in printable/PDF format, click the button below.

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Honey Sesame Chicken Crockpot Recipe

Every time someone compliments me on my cooking, I laugh a little bit to myself. I do love to cook and I consider myself to be pretty good at it, but most of the meals I get compliments on take about 5 ingredients and 10 minutes of work. Making meals every day is hard, and I don’t know too many people who have hours every day to devote to cooking. This crockpot recipe is one of my favorites – it’s ridiculously easy and it can cook while you’re working!

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Honey Sesame Chicken Crockpot Recipe
(Serves 2 + Leftovers)

  • 2 medium boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup honey
  • 1 cup Trader Joe’s island soyaki sauce (It’s worth it to go out and buy this sauce – it’s so delicious! We also use it in our Easy 5-Ingredient Stir Fry.)
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil (You can find it in the Asian section of most grocery stores.)
  • Salt and Pepper

Honey Sesame Chicken Asian Crockpot Recipe

Add all ingredients to a crockpot and cook it on low for 4-6 hours. (Quick note – this recipe is VERY forgiving! I literally don’t ever measure any of the ingredients; I just add whatever looks right.) One hour before serving, shred the chicken and add it back to the crockpot. (You can also add broccoli to the crockpot at this time if you want – it’s great for picky eaters because it disguises the taste well.) Serve chicken and sauce over rice.

Honey Sesame Chicken Asian Inspired Crockpot Recipe

This recipe can also be made ahead of time and frozen (it makes a great gift for an expecting mom)! Just add all the ingredients to a ziplock bag and freeze, then thaw overnight in the fridge. Be sure to write the cooking time and setting on the bag before freezing so you don’t have to look up the recipe later!

I told you it was easy! This recipe is a staple in our house, and I think you’ll enjoy it too! To download the recipe in PDF format, click the button below.

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Meal Plan / Week of 03-14-16

weekly meal planning meal plan for the week

Hello friends! I am back blogging again after several totally crazy weeks of tests! I just finished my spring break and I’m feeling refreshed and ready to take on the last few weeks of college. Some of Scott’s family came over for dinner yesterday and we made one of our favorite dishes, a southwest casserole (filled with delicious things like chicken, black beans, corn, and cheese) – recipe for that should be coming soon! I also have the easiest fruit dump cake recipe coming up, so be on the lookout for that too! (I just have so many recipes that I want to share with you all that it’s tough to keep up.)

I’ve really been enjoying the warm weather we’ve been having already – it actually feels like spring, which is pretty unusual for western PA this early in the year. I love the warm weather and the ability to spend lots of time outside, so I’ve been very happy about it! Here’s our meal plan for the week.


Meal Plan – Week of 3/14/16

  • monday – lemon basil chicken pasta 
  • tuesday – (dinner with family)
  • wednesday – honey sesame chicken + rice + broccoli (recipe coming soon!)
  • thursday – date night! (dinner out)
  • friday – chicken alfredo + broccoli
  • saturday – pizza (my favorite meal of the week!)
  • sunday – white bean chicken chili