Hot Zucchini And Pepper Basil Sauce With Penne Food

HOT ZUCCHINI AND PEPPER BASIL SAUCE WITH PENNE

Steps:

• Bring water to boil in a covered pot for penne.
• Turn on broiler, and line the broiler pan with a double thickness of aluminum foil. Scrub and trim the zucchini and yellow squash, and slice in half lengthwise. Arrange on the foil-lined broiler pan, cut side up, and spray with nonstick pan spray. Broil the squashes about 3 inches from the source of heat for about 15 minutes, until they are browned and softened.
• Meanwhile, rinse the peppers and cut in fine julienne strips. Chop the garlic, rinse the capers and combine the garlic, capers, anchovy paste and hot pepper flakes.
• Cook the penne according to package directions.
• Heat a small nonstick skillet until it is hot. Reduce heat to medium high, and add the oil. Quickly saute the garlic mixture. Remove from heat, and stir in the julienned peppers.
• Cut the squashes into thin strips, and add to the pepper mixture.
• Wash, dry and cut the basil, and stir into pepper mixture. Season with pepper.
• Drain the penne, and top with the sauce.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE AND ZUCCHINI

Steps:

• In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the Italian sausage until the inside is no longer pink. Cut sausage into 1/4 inch slices, and continue cooking until browned.
• Stir in the zucchini, yellow squash, and onion; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Pour in the tomatoes, with liquid. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.

CHICKEN IN SWEET AND HOT PEPPER SAUCE

Steps:

• Put the first 6 ingredients in your blender or food processor and process into a paste/pulp.
• Heat the oil in a large frying pan or Dutch oven, when hot enough pour the pepper paste in and on a medium high heat fry for 10 minutes.
• Add the milk and chicken stock.
• Then add the chicken and stir, add the zucchini a few minutes later.
• Bring to the boil, lower the heat, cover and simmer for 10- 15 minutes or until the chicken is tender.
• In the meantime cook the pasta according package instructions, drain when cooked, and put in a large warm dish.
• Check the seasoning of the chicken dish, If you find the sauce too thick you can add some more chicken stock, it depends how much moisture the zucchini will release, add half of the basil, mix and put half of the chicken on top of the pasta, mix, then pour over the remaining.
• Sprinkle the rest of the basil on top together with the pine nuts.
• Serve.

SAUSAGE STUFFED ZUCCHINI WITH PENNE PASTA

Steps:

• Prepare zucchini by scooping out the insides, leaving a 1/4 inch shell.
• If using round zucchini, cut a thin slice off the bottom so they won't roll and cut off the top 1/3 of zucchini, removing the stem and saving the remaining top.
• If using regular zucchini, trim the stem end and bottom end and cut in half, then scoop out the center.
• Dice the inside of the zucchinis (and top part from round zucchini if using them).
• Saute' onions and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until wilted but not browned, about 10 minutes.
• Add both peppers, tomatoes, and zucchini insides (and top) and saute' for about 10 minutes more.
• Remove sausage from its casings and brown over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, breaking the sausage into small pieces while it cooks.
• When it is done, I like to drain it in a colander and run hot water over it to remove as much grease as possible.
• Add sausage to saute'd vegetable mixture along with 2 T of the basil.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Spray a baking dish with cooking spray.
• Stuff zucchini with about half of the vegetable/sausage mixture and place in prepared pan.
• Add tomato sauce to remaining vegetable/sausage mixture, along with the oregano and remaining basil and simmer over medium to low heat for 30 minutes.
• Top each zucchini with about 1/2 C of the sauce and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and mozzarella.
• Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
• Prepare pasta according to package directions and drain.
• When zucchini are done, top with an additional sprinkle of mozzarella cheese, arrange on a plate with a portion of pasta and sauce and serve with additional Parmesan cheese if desired.