It’s official. The 2008 holidays, travels, and family fun are over. Don’t get me wrong, I’m just as excited and motivated in the New Year as the next person, but it just seems like the holiday season ends up dashing by. Ross and I returned home yesterday, have unpacked from all our travels, and all we have left to do is take down our Christmas tree and decorations.
At least we didn’t come home with no groceries! Before we left Sarasota I hit up Whole Foods with my mom to put a dent in my gift cards. I love Whole Foods and I love spending time with my momma, so it was great! Plus, it meant that when I got home all I had to think of was some sort of sauce to go with my new 365 Spinach Penne Pasta.
I knew I had some cheap, leftover, basic tomato sauce in my fridge. But I don’t like eating cheap sauce. So how does one doctor it up? Add a protein, some spices, a little vino, and voila!
(Please excuse the poor photo quality, the lighting in my apartment is awful).
My final sauce included a cup of cheap tomato sauce, 2 Jennie-O lean turkey sausage links, garlic powder, poultry seasoning (mainly for the sage), dried oregano, dried basil, crushed red pepper, a drizzle of Shiraz, and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. I just browned the sausage, added the sauce and seasonings, and let everything simmer until the pasta was done. Sorry for no specific directions, I really am a fan of just using up food items you already have on hand, as well as seasoning to your own taste.
We each had 1/2 c. spinach penne topped with half of the sauce, along with steamed corn, french bread, and a glass of white zin (I only had a little over half of the wine pictured).
(Please excuse the coffee table background. I had the genius idea to reorganize my kitchen cabinets when I got home and basically our entire kitchen was spread all over our table).
Also – are you like me and feeling overwhelmed by the surplus of leftover holiday candy in your house? Here’s a tip - chop it up, bag it up, and freeze it for future baking! I chopped some Hershey kisses up and portioned them into 2-cup baggies to store in the freezer. I also did the same with leftover M&Ms, except I divided up the colors (red in one bag, green in another). This way I can use the red M&Ms for Valentine’s Day and the green for a birthday treat for someone who likes the color green. This tip can be great for your waistline (no aimless grazing on candy laying about) and great for your wallet (don’t have to purchase baking chocolate/ morsels later)!
Well I’m off for the day! I think I’m going to try a yoga dvd I have before I get cracking on nutrition studying, job searching, a visit to my grandparents, and laundry. Hope everyone has a great day today! 
Nice tips!! Love the doctored sauce
Does the spinach penne taste the same as regular?
Happy New Year! I’m glad you had a nice holiday
Next time you are in Sarasota, lemme know, we can meet up.. maybe track down that lady that wanted to have lunch with us 
K – I think there is a noticeable taste difference in the spinach penne, just like there’s a difference with whole wheat/ whole grain pasta and regular pasta. Try it, I think it tastes great! (Although I imagine if the pasta gets old it may lose flavor?)
Abby – We’ll definitely have to meet up!
hello pretty lady! sorry i’ve been MIA for a while and haven’t had the time to write up a guest post for you. i can still write a guest post if you’d like, but i don’t have any pictures!
what great tips you gave – seriously, i think i will go ahead and do that and use that for future baking. how incredibly brilliant!
and also, with the spinach penne, is there a strong spinach taste?
Ooooh that pasta looks very yummy!!! I’m glad you had a nice visit in Sarasota! Let me get in on that meet-up with Abby
Great colorful plate! sounds like my day!
I hear ya, we don’t drink coffee either but the coffee grinder definitely comes in handy! We found the cacao nibs at Whole Foods after searching for them in many aisles, haha.
We really like them, especially in yogurt (though they were kinda expensive because they came in a pretty large bag) but I’ve decided it was well worth the money because it’s lasted us awhile and because of all those wonderful antioxidants : )
great idea with the extra chocolate! I just moved all of mine to the fridge (no room in the freezer). It’s less tempting when it’s not warm and slightly melty…
Thanks so much for all the tips on cheap food! You must be doing something right with only $50/week! I am definitely going to buy beans in a bag even though I am very intimidated by making them!