GOOD FOOD, GOOD LIFE 130 SIMPLE RECIPES YOU'LL LOVE TO MAKE AND EAT
By Curtis Stone
RECIPE REVIEWS
Penne With Sausage And Broccoli Rabe
This recipe was super easy and so delish! I used penne pasta as recommended but you could use any hearty pasta that can stand up to the sausage meat and broccoli rabe combo. I should talk about the broccoli rabe. I wasn't quite sure what to look for in the grocery store and thought it might be Chinese broccoli. Turns out broccoli rabe is also called rapini and sometimes called broccolini. No matter what you call it, these greens really help make the dish and the added nutrition is a bonus especially if you have picky eaters who frown when veggies are around. Curtis also recommends using the oh-so-popular kale in place of the broccoli rabe. I can suggest swapping out the rabe/rapini for regular broccoli and maybe even baby bok choy.
I don't use sausage meat as a main protein too often but it really worked out well for my heat seeking guests since I opted for the spicy Italian sausage to give the dish some added zip. Here's a hint when dealing with sausage meat in a recipe. This dish requires you to use only the meat so you have to get it out of the casing. This sounds daunting but actually it's not difficult if you follow a simple trick. Hold the sausage in the middle and squeeze the meat out one side at a time and voilà!
When it comes to the sauce in the dish I can imagine swapping out the regular tomato sauce for a vodka rosé sauce or a can of stewed tomatoes. My family and dinner guests were impressed with this recipe as an entrée and we enjoyed it along with some garlic bread and white wine to complete the meal. For dessert we dived into the recipe below!
Rum Pound Cake With Lime Glaze
I have to admit I was a tad tentative about baking a bunt cake. I haven't had a history of success with them in the past but when I saw the rum and lime combination I couldn't resist trying it! I could just skip over all the details and say that this rum cake was a hit but I should point out a few handy, dandy tips to make sure your finished cake looks as great as it tastes. First off, spray the bunt pan just before pouring the batter in. This will prevent the oil from pooling in the bottom. Trust me on this one, you don't want a sticky scenario to play out.
The second tip comes from my friend Denise who has mad skills when it comes to creating, baking and decorating cakes. The instructions for the lime glaze said to pour it over the warm cake but it kind of just rolled off the cake and pooled at the bottom of the platter. The glaze was supposed to sink into the cake but really, not so much. Denise suggests poking the cake with a cake tester before pouring the glaze over the cake. This will give the glaze an opportunity to sink in and give the cake more of a lime flavour. My guests didn't really care about the glaze being on the bottom of the cake because they got at it anyway and enjoyed seconds too!
Tip number three is do not rush or dally when taking the baked cake out of the bunt pan. It's all a matter of timing people! I'm guilty of doing both and the results are not pretty. After testing for doneness take the cake out of the oven and wait about 15 minutes with the bunt pan cooling on a rack before trying to turn the cake out. Use a knife to loosen the sides but go easy and take your time! When you're ready to turn the cake over on a plate or platter use a tea towel to assist you and tap it gently. It should slip out easily.
I hope to enjoy this cake again and I know my family and friends will appreciate it if it makes another appearance soon!
Find the recipes for Penne With Sausage And Broccoli Rabe, Rum Pound Cake With Lime Glaze and many more in GOOD FOOD, GOOD LIFE
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