Featured Friday – Storybook Reality

Happy Friday everyone!!! Another special day over here at Momma’s Meals, I’m entering my 12 week so let me say with A LOT of excitement, goodbye first trimester and hello to you my second trimester, I’m so happy to see you!!! Whew, I hope that means more time in my kitchen, my new kitchen that is, will be in store for this Momma!!

So let me introduce you to this weeks Co-Host……..Laura!! Laura runs a cute blog called Storybook Reality. She loves the blogging world just as much as any other blogger out their, she finds peace within when reading other people’s personal stories. She was born and raised in Kentucky, got her Psychology degree (another dream of mine), she moved to South Carolina for a job, met her husband, fell in love, married her love, had two boys with her love. Laura blogs about a little of everything, she even writes to her sons like I do. Here is her latest to her 7 mth old, I think its just a fabulous idea to do this, the thought of my children reading these letters someday just puts so much joy into my heart. Here Laura talks about a project she did called “The Thankfulness Tree” LOVE LOVE LOVE this idea, I battle being negative a lot, but lately I’ve had soooo much to be thankful for so staying positive has really helped my outlook, I’m putting this on my list to do with my daughter next Thanksgiving! Here is a good post I found from Laura on a great reading list, I love to read, I never have enough time to read however since being pregnant, I’ve found more time since I don’t have much energy to do anything else! I want to look into a few of these books she has on her list. Before I move onto the foodie posts I’ve found that I’d like to give a go from Laura, here is one more Parenting one, Christmas for 0-12 mths. Great gift ideas for your little ones up to a year!

Once again I had a hard time choosing a recipe to make. There were a few I wanted to try, another reason why these amazing women become friends of mine, because I always go back to their sites when I want to make a new dish! I’m actually going to try Laura’s Asian Flank Steak very soon, like hopefully this weekend! I’m always looking for a new way to make a steak since my husband loves it and I like to make things “differently”. I almost chose to make her Mixed Berry Cobbler, I’ve never made a Cobbler before, so this one is on my to do list. Her Oatmeal Scotchies were in the running too because they seem like they’d be a great snack in my family. I’ve also been dying to make my own Tomato Soup so Laura’s Roasted Tomato Soup looks like it would be a good try!! These are just a few, so go make sure you check out the rest of her site!

But now onto what I did make!! I chose a Pasta dish, not sure why this one, but I liked that it seems easy, we love sausage, and I have never had Marcarpone Cheese, crazy right!! I know it’s a Giada recipe too!

Pasta with Sausage
Serves: 6-8

1 pound small pasta (I used shells too Laura!)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 pound turkey sausage (casings removed)
1 small onion, chopped
15 oz can cannellini beans (Great Northern Beans) drained & rinsed
2 T chopped oregano
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

Cook your pasta and reserve 1 cup of the cooking water when you drain it.  Laura suggested only making 1/2 or 3/4 of the 1 lb. box.  I took her recommendation and made the whole box, but reserved 1/4 of it for my daughter for the week since it’s all she seems to eat these days.

In a large skillet warm the olive oil and saute your chopped onion and sausage.  The recipe calls for 1/2 a pound of sausage but Laura used a whole pound.  I agree with Laura on this one, and I used the whole pound too!

When you take the sausage out of the casing you’ll need to break it up with your spatula or wooden spoon into more bite sized pieces.  Cook under the onion is tender.

Add the beans and oregano.  Cook for two minutes.  Add the reserved pasta water and stir.  Add the mascarpone and stir.  I actually ended up using a whole cup of the cheese, the recipe called for half of the container I had, and didn’t seem creamy enough for me so I added the rest! We love cheese in this family! Add the salt, pepper and pasta.  Stir and serve!

I LOVED this dish, my husband LOVED this dish, I was kind of hesitant about adding beans into the pasta, I’ve never put beans with pasta before, but I’m so glad I followed through with the recipe because it just went with the creaminess of the dish! It really did. If you don’t like beans, no biggie, omit them. If you want a meatless dish, add more beans and take out the sausage! Next time I think I’ll add in some peas too!! 🙂

Oh and I had so much leftover, I decided to freeze it, since we are going to be packing up our kitchen soon and getting ready to move we will need some ready made meals to pull out and eat so I think this is a perfect one to pull out, heat up and instant awesome yummy dinner!!

Thank you again Laura for Co-Hosting with me, as always, a fun time getting to know you and your site!! Now go visit Laura over at Storybook Reality  now!! Make sure you tell her this Momma sent you!