Blood Orange Cranberry Muffins

"Yule" love these BLOOD ORANGE CRANBERRY MUFFINS!

 We just came up with a new recipe that we made this morning and they are fantastic!
These muffins have a few tablespoons of Cranberry Pear White Balsamic Vinegar that give them a natural sweetness and an unexpected depth of flavor. The Blood Orange Olive Oil is not only delicious, but makes these muffins extra moist!

The recipe makes 12 large muffins.

                                  Check the recipe out for yourself!



Blood Orange Cranberry Muffins

1  ¾  cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

4 large eggs

2 tablespoons Cranberry Pear White Balsamic Vinegar

2 tablespoons whole milk

¾ cup Blood Orange Olive Oil
1 cup fresh, frozen or dried cranberries...coarsely chopped

decorative sugar, for garnish

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place paper liners in a 12-cup muffin tin.

 

Blend together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl to blend. Using an electric mixer beat the sugar, and eggs large bowl until pale  and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  

Beat in the vinegar and milk. Gradually beat in the oil. Add the flour mixture and  cranberries and stir just until blended. Fill the muffin tin almost to the top of the paper liners. Sprinkle with decorative sugar.

 

Bake until golden on top and a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 15 minutes.

Shredded Chinese Chicken with Scallions and Peppers

Making “something out of nothing” is sometimes like pulling a rabbit out of a magician’s hat. Tonight was one of those nights and I was hoping my audience would be impressed.
I had not been planning on cooking, but due to a last minute “thing”, I realized I had to come up with something quick and easy for dinner. (Are you seeing a pattern in the way I describe my cooking style nowadays?)

Okay…so checking what I had on hand ( which was almost nothing) I decided on a stir- fry with some leftover shredded rotisserie chicken, some scallions, red bell peppers and garlic.

Next, I checked my Oils and Balsamics and found I had only a little of this and that. ( It’s time to raid our store.)
These things would just have to do. I crossed my fingers and went for it.

This is the end result after just a few minutes of chopping, slicing and stirring.
My audience liked it and never realized it was a thrown together meal. I think you’ll like it, too.



 

Shredded Chinese Chicken with Scallions and Peppers

1 tsp Joe and Son’s Baklouti Green Chili Oil
1 tsp Joe and Son’s toasted Sesame Oil
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
7 stems scallions, cut into small pieces….white and green parts
6 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 Tbsp Joe and Son’s Honey Ginger Balsamic vinegar
2 cups shredded, cooked chicken (leftover rotisserie chicken)
Salt and pepper
　

Heat the 2 oils in a medium sized saute pan over medium/high heat. Place the vegetables in the pan and stir until they are cooked to an “al dente” stage.

Add the Balsamic vinegar and continue to stir until it begins to slightly thicken.

Add the shredded chicken and stir over medium heat until it is thoroughly heated.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Serve over white rice. Makes 4 servings.

　

　

　



Roasted Cauliflower with Breadcrumbs and Italian Cheese

Recently, the trend has been to hide cauliflower and pretend it's something else when we serve it.  For goodness, sake!  Why do that?  Cauliflower, when cooked properly and seasoned well, can reign as Queen of the vegetables.

 I'm of the school that likes vegetables with a little "al dente" to them.  I feel that the crisp texture allows the natural sweetness to come through. Roasting the cauliflower keeps it crisp and tender..... just the way I know you'll love it!

I think that mushy, over cooked vegetables lose their flavor, can become bitter......but that's for another post.

Right now, let's just concentrate on the star of the day........Cauliflower.

Roasted Cauliflower with Breadcrumbs and Cheese

 

 

2 large heads cauliflower OR frozen and thawed cauliflower florets (about 2 ½ pounds)
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Joe and Son’s Milanese Gremolata olive oil
1 tablespoon Joe and Son’s Sicilian Lemon Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/4 tsp lemon zest
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
2 TBS dried or fresh parsley, for garnish

Preheat oven to 425°F.

In a sealed container, combine 1/4 cup of the  olive oil and balsamic vinegar and shake vigorously to create an emulsion.

Using a sharp knife, trim the cauliflowers into smaller florets. Discard the stem and core.  Place the florets in a large bowl. Add the olive oil and balsamic mixture, 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper; toss to combine.

Place the cauliflower pieces on 2 large, rimmed baking sheets. Roast until edges start to brown, about 20 minutes, stirring halfway through the roasting time. Set aside and keep warm.

Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the bread crumbs. Stir to coat thoroughly in the olive oil. Cook, stirring constantly, until bread crumbs are golden.

Add lemon zest and garlic and toss until mixture is very fragrant and bread crumbs are golden brown. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Be careful not to overcook and scorch the bread crumbs and burn the garlic.

Arrange the cauliflower pieces on a serving platter.

Top with the bread crumbs and Romano cheese. Garnish with the parsley
and serve immediately.

Serves 6.



The basics of olive oil

Olive oil is a staple commodity found in homes, restaurants, and religious institutions all over the world. Known for its versatility, it can be used as a meal, skin treatment, fuel for lamps, and much more. The biggest claim to fame, however, is olive oil used for enhancing foods. Primarily in Italian and Greek cooking, olive oil is essential when it comes to making a meal complete.


The oil comes from the fat of the olive. Despite the constant grouping with vegetables, olives are actually a stone pit fruit, similar to a cherry or plum. You can think of olive oil as a cold pressed juice from a fruit. The process of extracting the oil from the olive is called pressing and it is done at an olive mill. Olives must be pressed at the right maturity; young green olives make for a bitter oil while overripe olives are rancid. That is also the distinction between green and black olives. Green olives are simply immature black olives.

There are two ways of pressing olives: cold pressed or mechanically pressed. The cold press is a method that does not use chemicals to artificially heat the olives to extract more oil. The term cold is a bit of a misnomer; they are not pressed cold, but rather at temperatures lower than 81 degrees. Only olives that have first undergone this cold press process can be labelled as extra virgin olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil, or EVOO, also means that is has less that 0.8% acidity, and it has been flavor tested to ensure quality.  Some people think EVOO is only for salad dressings. Actually, EVOO can be also used as a finishing oil or as a sautéing oil and probably not wasted on deep frying items.

Fine, or virgin olive oil, has an acidity of less than 2%. Also, it has been heated by chemical means to extract more oils at a higher temperature, however, doing so alters the flavor profile and can destroy the natural aromas as well. Virgin olive oil will be comprised of lower quality olives and may contain a flavorless profile.


What To Keep an Eye Out For:
 
Buyer beware; read the label before you purchase.


The organic food trend has everyone running for the fair trade olive. You must, however, keep a vigilant eye when purchasing your oil, as some may be mislabeled. The prime example is oils that say Imported from Italy, which can be skewed in such a way to distract you from knowing the oil was actually produced in Turkey, Spain, or Morocco. The International Olive Council (IOC) ensures that oils are labeled appropriately. Although the United States does not adhere to the IOC, they have their own council with comparable rules.

As mentioned before, EVOO is the highest standard followed by virgin olive oil. Virgin oil is still good quality and it is of better quality than refined or blended oil. The oil you decide to purchase should be reflected in its use. Whichever one you purchase, keep in mind that oil has a relatively short shelf life. Use within the first ten months of purchasing it for optimal taste. Olive Oil differs from wine, which gets better with age. Olive Oil is at its best when it is fresh.

 Also, be careful of spoilage. Olive oil is very delicate to light. Store it in a dark container away from heat and direct light.

Pumpkin Bread with Walnuts (or pecans)

I love the taste of all things pumpkin and even more so when I detect the nutty taste of walnuts or pecans.

This pumpkin bread has nuts in the batter, but the secret ingredient that gives it an extra richness is our Roasted Walnut Oil.  It's a moist bread/cake  that is so good spread with cream cheese.  Heck, it's good on its own.

 Pumpkin Bread with Walnuts 

Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup Joe and Son’s Roasted Walnut Oil
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1 16 oz can of pumpkin puree
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 12 cup Bundt pan.*

Combine the first 6 ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Stir to blend thoroughly and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the roasted walnut oil, vanilla extract, eggs and sugar. Using an electric mixer, mix on low speed until well blended. Stir the pumpkin puree into the egg mixture and continue to mix on low speed until all ingredients are blended completely.

Gradually add the previously set aside dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and stir well after each addition.

Add the chopped nuts and stir a bit more.

Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan. Bake for about 1 hour and 5- 15 minutes. (Do not overbake.) Check for doneness by testing with a wooden pick. If the pick comes out clean, the bread is done.

Remove the pan from the oven and cool completely before removing it from the Bundt pan.

This cake can be sprinkled with powdered sugar or drizzled with a simple sugar or cream cheese glaze.
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*If you have only a 10 cup Bundt pan, fill it about 2/3 full and use the extra batter to make cupcakes.

 





Italian Cookie variation

I have a recipe for vegan Italian wedding cookies that I posted on this Blog in June, 2014.  As delicious as that recipe is, I played around with it and came up with something that  resembles a marzipan cookie.
 
I just love to add a tad of almond extract in my desserts whenever I can.

 Brownies with a touch of almond go to another level of goodness, in my opinion. Add almond to your chocolate cakes, pound cakes or puddings and see what I mean.

 

 



But, to get back on point.  You'll need a box of Almond Paste for this.

Using the same basic cookie dough recipe I referred to above, take a scoop of dough; roll it into a small ball and then flatten it in the palm of your hand.

Take about a pinch (maybe the size of your pinky tip) of the almond paste and squish it into a firm shape.  Place this on the flattened cookie dough and shape the dough around the almond paste.

Now proceed with the original directions.  If you choose not to roll them in Confectioner's sugar, simple granulated sugar would be fine. Or, GASP, you could roll them in Nestle Quik's dry chocolate mix.

Tuna and Quinoa Salad

Yes, this is the Labor Day weekend but that doesn't mean we want to be working hard in the kitchen.  I think this salad is filling, nutritious and can be put together with very little effort.

 

Serve this for lunch and  you'll be  free to enjoy the fun activities with your family and friends.

 

 





 

 

 

Tuna and Quinoa Salad

 

Ingredients: 



4 tsp Joe and Son’s Milanese Gremolata Olive Oil
4 tsp Sicilian Lemon Balsamic Vinegar
1 cup cooked quinoa, prepared according to package directions
1/2 cup canned garbanzo/chickpeas (drained)
1/2 cup sliced cucumber
1/2 cup scallions both white and green parts, cut into small pieces
1 cup flaked canned tuna, packed in water and drained
Cherry tomato halves, about 20
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Assembly:
Combine the olive oil and balsamic vinegar in a jar with a lid and shake well to mix.
In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and drizzle with the dressing.

Toss and serve. Makes 4 servings.

Shrimp with Peppers, Onion and Pineapple

Okay, I know you’re thinking ,“Enough with the easy”. But this recipe is truly so easy, so tasty and looks so pretty that I had to repost it. I started making this last year and I find it has become my "go to" recipe.

If you choose, you can substitute pieces of chicken breast for the shrimp.

You have a choice of making it hot with our Green Chili Olive Oil (OMG, I am obsessed with this oil. Just sniffing it awakens my taste buds.) or toning it down with our Garlic Infused Olive Oil. Either way, this is delicious!

Anyway, I serve this over steamed white rice and it takes longer to prepare the rice than this main dish.  You can have this dish on the table in 30 minutes. Your family will devour it in 5 minutes; that's how good it is.

 

 

 

　　　Shrimp with Peppers, Onion and Pineapple

Ingredients:

¼ cup of either Joe and Son’s Green Chili Olive Oil or Joe and Son’s Garlic Infused Olive Oil
½ cup Joe and Son’s Pineapple Balsamic Vinegar
½ each medium red bell pepper and medium yellow bell pepper, cut into bite sized chunks
1 medium yellow onion, cut into bite sized chunks
1 pound medium shrimp, tails removed, deveined and without shells
1 20 ounce can of pineapple tidbits, drained
scallions, for garnish

In a medium sized saute pan, heat the Olive Oil and add the chopped bell peppers and onion. Stir and cook over medium heat until the onions are milky and soft in texture.

Add the shrimp and stir until they are pink and cooked.

Add the pineapple pieces and the Pineapple Balsamic.

Lower the heat and continue to stir the mixture for about 5-7 minutes until the juices take on the consistency of a thin syrup.

Serve over white rice and garnish with chopped scallions

Serves 4

　

　

　

　

Spinach Salad with Grilled Chicken, Mandarin Oranges and Strawberries

Oh, my goodness.  The thought of spending time in the kitchen preparing a heavy meal leaves me exhausted before I've even begun. During this hot weather I want easy and quick recipes that are tasty.  Doesn't everybody?

For easy meals, I tend to go to hearty and healthy  salads that are light and refreshing in appearance and taste.  The preparation is simple and the clean-up is quick.

If you'd rather use cooked shrimp instead of the grilled chicken, this recipe will work equally well.

Grilled Chicken, Strawberry, and Spinach Salad

in

 Strawberry/ Basil Vinaigrette

　

     Vinaigrette: combine in a lidded jar and shake to mix well


1/2  cup Joe and Son’s Strawberry Balsamic Vinegar
1/2  cup Joe and Son’s Basil Olive Oil

Ingredients:
4 grilled chicken breasts halves (seasoned with salt and pepper), sliced
6 cups fresh baby spinach leaves (approximately)
12 strawberries, sliced
1 cup (canned) mandarin orange segments, drained

1 red onion, very thinly sliced

Directions:

Chill all of the above ingredients except the chicken slices.

Toss the spinach leaves in some of the dressing. (Do not overdress.) Arrange a pile of the dressed spinach leaves on each plate. Top with the grilled chicken, red onions, strawberries, and oranges. Drizzle a little extra dressing over the chicken. Serve at once.

Serves 4



Super Simple Skillet Salad

We're approaching holiday weekends where we'll want to enjoy fun activities with friends and families. These get-togethers usually involve meals.  That's great, I think......  But I've moved on to serving quick and healthy meals so that I'm not stuck in the kitchen for hours.

This salad is a  favorite of the family and because of its ease in preparing...it has become one of my favorites, too.  Most of the prep work can be done ahead of time and the salad can be put together when you're ready to serve.

 

 

 

Salad dressing:

 

1/3 cup Joe and Son's Grapefruit Balsamic

1/3 cup Joe and Son's Persian Lime Olive Oil

1/4 cup chopped scallions (white and green parts)

2 minced cloves of garlic

1 teaspoon chopped cilantro

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard

 

Combine all of the ingredients in a lidded cruet or jar and shake vigorously.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

 

 

Salad ingredients:

 

3/4 lbs. flank steak, sliced into strips

1 green bell pepper, sliced thin

1 red bell pepper, slice thin

1 medium sized onion, cut into thin slices

3 cloves garlic, minced

1  16 oz. can of black beans, rinsed and drained

Mixed salad greens...enough for 4 servings

2 medium tomatoes, sliced into 8 slices each (16 total)

 

Steak marinade: In a sealable bag, combine:

 

 1/4 Grapefruit Balsamic

1/2 cup Persian Lime Olive Oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon chopped cilantro

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

sliced beef strips

 

Refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

 

In a non-stick skillet, sauté the peppers, onions and garlic until tender..remove and set aside.

Add the beef and 1/4 cup of the marinade to the skillet and cook for about 5-6 minutes until the meat is cooked and tender.

Add the drained beans and pepper mixture and heat thoroughly.

 

Divide the salad greens and tomatoes evenly  for 4 servings and top with equal portions of the beef combination.   Add the desired amount of the salad dressing.

 

Top with sour cream and salsa and serve.

 

 

 





Scallops, Bacon and Spinach

Today’s St. Patrick’s Day foods traditionally call for “eating the green” in the form of corned beef and cabbage. But what if you’re not a fan of these foods? Does it mean you cannot be Irish for a day? Of course not.

Lots of veggies are green and spinach just happens to be one of those green ones I really find tasty. Pair the spinach with scallops, a crunch of bacon and some heat……mmmmm, good!

 

Scallops, Bacon and Spinach

 



Ingredients:

4 slices of bacon, fried and finely crumbled...and set aside

1 ½ pounds scallops

1 Tablespoon Joe and Son’s Chipotle Olive Oil

½ cup diced onions

½ cup diced scallions

4 cloves garlic, minced

14-16 ounces of baby spinach

Salt and pepper to taste

Blanche the scallops in boiling water for 1 minute and drain completely and pat dry.

Heat the Olive Oil in a large saute pan, add the scallops and stir for about 2-3 minutes until they start to look golden in color.  Remove them from the pan and set them aside.

Add the onions, scallops and garlic to the oil. Cook over low heat for about 2-3 minutes being careful not to burn the garlic.

Add the spinach to the pan and cook until just wilted.

Place the spinach mixture on a serving platter; arrange the scallops on top and then sprinkle the bacon crumbles over the scallops.

Serves 4-6
 

　

　

　

　

Cherry filled cupcakes

In honor of George Washington and because of his penchant for cherries, I'm suggesting an easy and pretty dessert for today, President's Day.

You may make your cupcakes from scratch or use a chocolate cake mix....whichever you prefer.

It's the cherry compote filling and the icing that make these cupcakes special.  You can make filling these cupcakes really easy to fill by investing in an apple corer.  As you punch down 3/4 of the way into the cupcake, you'll pull out a small plug of baked cupcake.  Don't go all the way to the bottom because you need a base to contain the filling.

What you do with these chocolate plugs is up to you...I've never had a problem making good use of them.



Cherry Compote

2 cups pitted Bing Cherries
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 cup  Joe and Son's Black Cherry Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 teaspoon Almond extract

In a small saucepan, stir together the cherries, sugar and balsamic vinegar.  Cook over low heat for about 10 minutes and begin gently mashing the cherries.  Continue to cook until the balsamic has reduced and become thick and the cherries are clumpy in appearance. Add the almond extract, stir and set aside.

When the cupcakes are done and cooled.  Use the apple corer to remove a center plug and fill the space with the cherry compote.

Ice the cupcakes with your favorite vanilla or chocolate icing and drizzle with additional cherry compote.

Chicken with Olives, Capers and Raisins

I must give credit for this recipe to a friend of mine who has been making changes to her recipes in order to incorporate Joe and Son's Olive Oils and Vinegars into her daily cooking.  She was kind enough to share it with me.  And as soon as I tasted it, I knew I had to share it with you.

This is an absolutely delicious meal that requires almost no cooking. Serve it with a green salad and some wonderful artisan bread to sop up the pan juices.  Then sit back and just wait for the compliments you'll get....and trust me, you'll get plenty.



Chicken With Olives, Raisins And Capers  

Ingredients:

3 pounds chicken breasts and thighs, on the bone
1/2 cup Joe and Son’s Milanese Gremolata Olive Oil
1/4 cup chopped garlic
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Hot red pepper flakes according to your heat taste…about  1/2 teaspoon

1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup Joe and Son’s 18 yr. Traditional Balsamic Vinegar

1/2 cup pitted green olives, cut in half

3/4 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup capers, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup chopped parsley, for garnish 

 

Directions:

In large bowl, combine the chicken, half the olive oil, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper and hot red pepper flakes. Cover and marinate overnight.  

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange chicken in single layer in a large baking pan. Bake 30 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Meanwhile, in a medium sauce pan, combine the remaining olive oil, broth, vinegar, olives, raisins and capers and bring mixture to a boil. Pour over the chicken and bake 30 minutes longer, basting several times with the liquid.  

Garnish with parsley and serve

 

Makes six servings.

No-Fry, Mix and Match Chicken Wings

The holidays are over and it's New Year's resolution time. If this year's list includes eating healthy, we've got the perfect recipe to keep you sticking to that resolution. You may think of chicken wings as bar food, but these saucy babies are great for, say, watching the Super Bowl.

 We ditched the standard deep-frying procedure in favor of a crispy broiling method that maintains the plump, juicy goodness of the wings while curtailing the messy effects of oil in the kitchen and on the waistline.

These crowd-pleasers are a breeze to prepare and we offer three bold flavor variations for lots of wing fun.

No Fry Wings

 4 pounds of chicken wings (split at the joints, tips removed)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar of your choice*
1/4 cup oil of your choice*
chopped scallions for garnish (optional)

Season wings with salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder on both sides. Preheat your oven to broil. Spread the wings on two foil- lined baking sheets. Broil for about 10 minutes and flip the wings. Broil for about another 10 minutes and toss with your choice of  *oil and vinegar combination and return to the oven for about 5 minutes till the balsamic becomes like a glaze.

*Choose a Flavor:

Pineapple White Balsamic  +  Baklouti Green Chili Olive Oil

OR

 Honey Ginger White Balsamic  +  Dark Toasted Sesame Oil

OR

 Raspberry Balsamic  +  Cayenne Chili Olive Oil

Pirates of the Caribbean Salad

You might think this is a strange name for a mixed greens salad, but not if you delve into the history of the Pirates that roamed the seas.

 Without vitamin C in their diets, they suffered from scurvy.  They needed citrus foods in their diets.  Thus, the inspiration for this salad.

 Our city is being invaded by Gaspar and his crew next weekend.  Make sure you keep the invaders healthy and happy with good food.  This salad might be  a great way to keep the Pillaging Pirates satisfied so they'll leave your treasures alone.





Tuna and Mandarine Orange Salad with Salad Greens

2 tablespoons Joe and Son’s Blood Orange Olive Oil

2 tablespoons Joe and Son’s Grapefruit Balsamic Vinegar

2 (6 ounce) cans Albacore tuna, drained and flaked

1 (10 ounce) package mixed baby greens

½ cup drained pineapple tidbits

1 (11 ounce) can mandarin orange segments, drained 

½ cup sliced green onions, green and white parts

Chow Mein noodles for garnish

Salt and pepper as desired

  

In a sealable jar or cruet, combine the Blood Orange Olive Oil and Grapefruit Balsamic and shake to form an emulsion. 

In a large salad bowl, combine the next 4 ingredients.  Add the salad dressing and toss to thoroughly coat the salad ingredients with the dressing.

Garnish with the chow mein noodles before serving.

Pasta with spinach,sausage and mushrooms

For those of you in the Tampa area who will be celebrating the Pirate invasion of Tampa this weekend, this might be one of the party foods you would enjoying preparing for your guests. It's a one pan meal, quick to prepare, it's healthy and nourishing and has an appealing look.

Actually, it's good for fixing anytime of the year that you'd like to get out of the kitchen fast, but want your meal to look as though you spent hours preparing it.

Cooking the pasta in the broth will thicken it a bit, but this is not a soup. Instead you'll find it's a light kind of sauce.

Pasta with Spinach, Sausage and Mushrooms

 

 

2 teaspoons Joe and Son’s Mushroom Sage Olive Oil

1 pound sliced Kielbasa sausage

1 pound sliced (cleaned) mushrooms

1 medium onion, red or yellow, sliced

5 cloves garlic, chopped

4 cups chicken broth

I cup canned diced tomatoes + juice

10 ounces uncooked penne pasta

5 cups baby spinach leaves

1 tablespoon Joe and Son’s Espresso Balsamic Vinegar

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

 

Heat the oil in a deep saute pan and add the sausage, mushrooms, onion and garlic.  Stir often over medium heat until the mushroom liquid has evaporated and the onions are soft.

Add the broth and tomatoes and bring this to a boil.

Add the pasta and cook  for about 10 minutes.  Add the spinach and Balsamic vinegar  and cook for about another 5 minutes until the pasta is al dente.