A Favorite Meal

BW's week of vacation is winding down (wwaaaah!), so my blogging should start gearing up again. It's been a nice week, both productive and relaxing, and it's been so nice to get to spend time together that I haven't felt like spending it on the computer!

One thing we've been doing quite a bit of, of course, is cooking, though not as much as we'd planned to since we ended up with lovely weather most of the week and preferred spending it outside and not in the kitchen. So the meals we have made have been pretty simple, and last night's was no exception. If we had to choose one absolutely #1 favorite meal, this would probably be it. It's simple and quick and delicious and healthy and filling. If there's a downside, it's that we never have any leftovers! :-)

BW, for some silly reason, likes to call this meal, "Weenies and Gravy." I find this name inaccurate and unappetizing, yet vaguely amusing, so I humor him. :-) The "weenies" refers to the Tofurky Italian Sausage with Sun Dried Tomatoes and Basil. It's the only processed meat analog we still buy, since it's minimally processed. We like that Tofurky is still a small, family-owned company and that they use organic tofu. We use just one sausage, sliced and browned in a non-stick skillet, and divided between our pasta bowls of Tinkyada Organic Brown Rice spaghetti.

The "gravy" refers, of course, to the tomato sauce. I make a much more involved marinara sauce when time permits, but for this quick dinner I combine a small can of organic tomato paste with a can of organic fire-roasted diced tomatoes, and add organic dried sweet basil, thyme leaves, marjoram leaves, oregano, garlic powder and a couple of bay leaves. I don't measure any of it. (My Irish grandmother used to get so frustrated when her new Italian mother-in-law, who spoke virtually no English, was teaching her to cook my grandfather's favorite meals, because Nonna NEVER measured anything. She'd throw some herb or other in the pot and my grandmother would ask her what measurement to use, and Nonna would reply with increasing agitation and volume, "A peencha! A PEENCHA!" Apparently this technique made it into my DNA, because when it comes to my Italian herbs, I rarely measure. I do, however, use more than "a peencha!" of everything.)

We cook the pasta (using the energy saving method of boiling for two minutes and then just letting it sit, covered, for 20 more), heat the "gravy" in the microwave, brown the sausage, toss a salad, slice the bread (see below) and pour the wine... and we have our favorite meal.

We also like to add a few black olives, and I like my pasta sprinkled with some garlic salt and nooch (nutritional yeast flakes).

Of course "weenies and gravy" just cries out for homemade bread! Usually for this meal BW makes focaccia, but yesterday he made oatmeal bread in the bread machine. I'm not going to bother typing up the recipe since BW has created several variations of it, all refined over the years to work at our 5,500' elevation, but it's a treat. Has thick-cut oats and whole wheat flour, applesauce and agave nectar along with bread flour and other usual bread ingredients.

No Frankenloaf, this!

Just because I haven't blogged this week doesn't mean I haven't been taking photos and thinking up stuff to blog about! I have a few posts in the hopper for the month of November (which, as it happens, is World Vegan Month!) But since BW is upstairs making Chunky Apple Oatmeal Pancakes right this red-hot minute, I must scamper! :-)