For the Love of Leftovers

Oh my goodness. Who's life suddenly got ten times busier? The dirty dishes have languished, sleep has been sacrificed, and I have only cooked once. Thankfully, it was a fun, delicious new recipe made from Thanksgiving leftovers. Let's face it, we all love Thanksgiving dinner, but the third or four repeat gets a little old.

Sausage, Kale, and Cranberry Pasta
Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray

1 lb rigatoni
Salt
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
1/2 lb hot bulk Italian sausage
1/2 lb sweet bulk Italian sausage
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 med red onion, thinly sliced
3/4 cup whole berry cranberry sauce
3/4 cup dry red wine, eyeball it
1 1/4 lb kale, stems removed and chopped
Black pepper
1/8 to 1/4 tsp nutmeg, to your taste
3/4 cup Romano cheese, 3 generous handfuls, plus some to pass at the table

Boil a large pot of water for the pasta. Add rigatoni and salt and cook to al dente or with a bite to it. Drain and reserve 2 ladles of pasta water.

While pasta cooks, heat extra-virgin olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage, brown and crumble it, then add garlic and onions and cook until tender 5 to 6 minutes. Add cranberry sauce and wine and stir to combine then reduce a minute. Add kale in bunches and stir to wilt down. Add the reserved pasta water. Season the dish with salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste.

Add pasta to the pan with sausage and kale. Top pasta with cheese and toss with kale mixture to combine. Serve immediately with extra cheese for topping.

Did you know that this is the first time I've ever worked with red onion? I really liked it. I liked the color, I liked that the fumes weren't too strong, and I'll definitely be using them again in the future. :-)




I substituted spinach for kale because, well, I really love spinach. I know that looks like a lot of foliage, but it wilts down so much.




Mmmm, it even reheats really nicely.

I want to rename this dish Mardi Gras pasta because it ends up being green, yellow, and purple. I love it! And not just me. I brought some for a girl at work because she said it smelled really good. She's a little picky, so when she said she really liked it, that was the cherry on top. I think the little ones in your life will love the colors, and everyone will love the flavor even more. It's a whole new way to enjoy Turkey Day leftovers!