Angel Hair Pasta with Andouille Sausage, Vegetables and Creamy Tomato Sauce

Pasta is always on my easy go-to list, but especially when things are hectic. It is easy to make and easy to re-heat for later. It was one of those days when Larry and I were both going in all different directions and wouldn’t be home until later. So I made something that would be easy for us to heat up once we got home. Every night could easily be a pasta night for me, but this time it definitely was.

I had a whole bunch of vegetables that I chopped up and added some Andouille sausage to. I also had some heirloom tomatoes that were ready to be used as a sauce. So I whipped it all together to make for a light, tasty summer meal, though it is really good anytime of year.

I also got to use up all the little bits and pieces that were leftover, which as you know, is always a favorite of mine. I had 1/2 a zucchini and 1/2 a crookneck that I sliced, about 1/3 of a red onion that I sliced very thin, and then I used some red, yellow and orange bell peppers along with a diced jalapeno pepper too. And don’t forget the garlic! Always add garlic.

I sauteed everything together with some olive oil and lime olive oil until all the vegetables were cooked. Once they were done, I removed them from the skillet and added the Andouille sausage.

When the sausage was cooked, I re-added the vegetables, as well as the chopped tomatoes, about 1-1 1/2 cups of heavy whipping cream and all my seasonings and spices; salt, pepper, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper and some ancho chili powder. Once all the ingredients were added, I brought everything to a boil, then reduced the heat to a simmer and let it continue to cook for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently.

This colorful combination of sausage, vegetables and spices made for a delicious Southwestern pasta. I LOVE Southwestern foods, and combined with pasta, well, it is just a homerun! It just knocked it out of the ball park. All I needed to do was add some garlic bread and some chardonnay and voila! Dinner was served.

Keep it simple, especially in these dog days of summer. Stay cool, stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.