Recipe: Penne with Ham and Vegetables/Ziti with Sausage and Cream Sauce

Penne with Ham and Vegetables

1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups diced smoked ham
1 med. red pepper, chopped
1 cup chopped onion
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 1/2 cups 1/2 and 1/2
1 cups thawed baby peas
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
12 oz. penne, cooked and drained

Heat oil and add ham, pepper and onion with thyme and saute til vegetables are soft and ham begins to brown, about 6 min.

Mix in mustard, then add cream and peas, grated cheese and cooked penne. Simmer til sauce reduces slightly and coats pasta, about 5 min.

Season w/salt and pepper and serve. (4 svgs.)

Ziti with Sausage and Cream Sauce

1/2 lb. mushrooms
1/3 lb. Italian sausage
4 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3/4 cup minced onion
3/4 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper
1 lb. ziti

Clean mushrooms and slice very thin. Remove sausage from casing and chop.

In lg. pan, melt 1 tbsp. of butter with the olive oil. Add meat and onions and cook about 5 min. Turn heat to med-high, and add mushrooms. Saute 5 minutes. Stir often.

Lower heat, season with salt and pepper, and add 1/2 of the cream. Cook gently, uncovered, til liquid thickens a bit, about 5 minutes. Cover and set aside.

Melt remaining 3 tbsp. of butter in the remaining cream. When cream is just at a simmer, turn off heat and set aside.

Cook pasta and drain well. Toss w/cream and butter mix, then with the sausage sauce. Serve with grated cheese.

Serves 4