Eggplant & Chicken Sausage Spaghetti

This is the quintessential comfort food. A cold night...this is it. This will fill your belly & leave you satisfied!

Eggplant & Chicken Sausage Spaghetti

Ingredients:

1 pound Spaghetti (cooked & retain 1 cup water)

2 ½ cups Marinara sauce (see my recipe here)

1 large purple Eggplant-washed & sliced into bite sized cubes

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

2-3 springs of fresh Oregano

2 fresh Bay leaves

¼ cup fresh Basil-chopped

4-5 cloves fresh Garlic-minced

1 yellow Onion-diced

4 tablespoons Olive oil

1 package Chicken Sausage-sliced

Sea Salt

¼ teaspoon crushed Red Pepper flakes

Pepper

Directions:

Boil water for pasta in a large pot. Add salt & a little olive oil. Bring to a boil, add pasta & cook until it is al dente. Retain 1 cup of the pasta water. Begin by sautéing onions, garlic, herbs & olive oil on high heat until golden brown. Add chicken sausage. Cook  for about 2-3 minutes.

Add eggplant, about 1 teaspoon of salt, pepper, & cover. Cook for about 2 minutes, reducing heat to a simmer. Add marinara sauce, water & stir. Cook on low heat for about 10 minutes or until eggplant is cooked. Drain pasta, then immediately add eggplant & cheese, and mix well. Serve immediately.

Basil Forever

I know all of us that live in cold climates have all gone to the grocery store sometime during the winter and wished they had fresh Basil to cook with...at least I know I have more times than I can count. I found a good solution to get me through at least the first couple of months. Basil infused Olive oil...Hello!

I start with a big bunch of basil, washed & patted dry. I then julienne the basil & place it about half way up in a large glass jar. Then I fill it up about 3/4 full, and then add the remaining chopped basil, then fill the jar the rest of the way. Shake it up.....close it tightly, store in the fridge till your ready to use it & your good to GO!!

Olive oil is a natural suspension, which allows the basil to stay fresh and not to spoil. As the basil infuses into the olive oil, the olive oil will naturally take on a greener hue, and become cloudy because because its being stored at a lower temperature. When your ready to use it, just scoop out what you need and use as your normally would. As the oil reaches room or a higher temperature, it regains its clarity. ENJOY!