One-Pan Pasta Pot

I like cooking and baking. I'm not as fond of the clean-up. Who is? So when I see a recipe for something I can put together in one skillet, it's appealing.

We like spaghetti and cavatini as much as anyone. But it's kind of nice to try a little something different for a pasta dish. This rich and creamy tomato sauce covers the pasta, as well as fresh spinach and halved cherry tomatoes. It also includes two kinds of cheeses - ricotta and freshly-shredded Parmesan. You can't go wrong with cheese!

The original recipe was meatless, but that doesn't go over too well with my meat-loving husband. So I added some smoked sausage. It would be good with chicken, too. But that's Randy's least favorite meat. Well, he probably likes liver less. But since I don't like liver either, there's no danger of it appearing on the table anytime soon.

This, on the other hand, will definitely appear on our table again.

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One-Pan Pasta Pot

Adapted from Call Me PMC

7 oz. smoked sausage
12 oz. rotini pasta
1/4 cup basil pesto
1 tbsp. minced garlic
24 oz. can diced fire-roasted tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup enchilada sauce
1 1/4 cups water with 2 tsp. chicken bouillon powder dissolved into it
2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 cups fresh spinach
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
4 oz. ricotta cheese
1/2 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese

Cut smoked sausage into rounds and gently brown in a large non-stick skillet. Add pasta, pesto, garlic, tomatoes, enchilada sauce and water to the skillet. Bring liquid to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cover with the lid and continue cooking until the pasta is tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in vinegar, cream, ricotta and Parmesan cheese. Stir until melted. Toss in spinach and cherry tomatoes. Serve with additional shredded Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Note: You can use regular diced tomatoes. I bought fire-roasted tomatoes, but I really couldn't tell the difference. Next time, I'll just use regular canned, diced tomatoes from my hometown grocery store.

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Today, I'm linked to Weekend Potluck, hosted by these bloggers. Check out the tried-and-true recipes from them and other foodies!

• Served Up With Love ~ Melissa
• The Country Cook~ Brandie
• The Better Baker ~ Marsha
• Sweet Little Bluebird~ Mary
• Mommy’s Kitchen~ Tina 

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Looking for another pasta alternative? Try Spicy Sausage Pasta, also a tried-and-true recipe from The County Line via Brent.

How Do Giraffes Sleep? (And Other Google-worthy Questions)

"Why do fish like worms?"

"How do giraffes sleep?"

 "Why does rain fall from the clouds?"

Inquiring minds want to know. At least, 4-year-old minds do.

I kept Google at the ready last week when Kinley and Brooke visited the farm for a few days. Brooke is talking more all the time, but I'm not getting rapid-fire interrogations from her - at least at this point.

Her sister more than makes up for it.

When I was noticeably pregnant with Jill at the Kansas State Fair many, many moons ago, an encyclopedia salesman who was angling for a sale asked me how I'd be able to answer my child's questions.

"How will you answer, 'Why is the sky blue?' " the intrepid salesman queried.

Who would have thought I'd be able to type a nonsensical question into my phone and come up with an answer in seconds. Not me.

Kinley's interests evolve as quickly as the questions, it seems. Because she's currently interested in space, we included a trip to the Cosmosphere in Hutchinson. 

She says she wants to be an astronaut and a Mommy.  Maybe there will be a sister team in space, who knows?

On second thought, that rocket looked really, REALLY big, Kinley decided.

Maybe Grandpa could visit Kinley on the International Space Station. He might help out with the scary parts.

Astronauts have to be in good physical shape.

Kinley got in a workout at the Hutchinson Zoo's spider web, besides checking out the animals.

Or maybe we'll have a veterinarian in the family. Both she and Brooke liked the baby kittens. (Thankfully, Grandpa found the newest litter of kittens just the day before the girls arrived.)

But they liked the bigger cats, too. Brooke appeared to be figuring out the proper ratio of feed. Kinley liked getting reacquainted with her favorite cat, Cozy.

Zoos (like Rolling Hills Zoo near Salina) need veterinarians, too.

Little sister seemed more interested in the transportation field. She wanted to push the stroller - not ride in it.

In the meantime, Kinley watched a little family make their way across a pond. "Oh! They're so cute," was quickly followed by, "Where are they going? Why? Can those babies swim that far?"

I thought of the age-old "Why did the chicken cross the road?" But I did my best to answer.

Or maybe we'll have a chef or two ... or at least a couple of good cooks.

During this trip, we also visited the Hutchinson Public Library. I read a couple of Berenstein Bear books and two Amelia Bedelia tales multiple times. We also checked out a book on space and several others, too. Grandma is ALWAYS willing to read.

We made potholders for Mommy's Mother's Day gift and we decorated foam door hangers. We also decorated frames and included photos from the girls' trip to see Grandma and Grandpa.

The girls and I watched the guys round up some more mama cows and their babies, and Kinley helped deliver them to the pasture.

Little sister wouldn't get in the photo.

We took the short drive to Quivira National Wildlife Refuge. We gave wide berth to the wildlife there - a snake on the trail! And we also tried to keep away from the bird droppings.

We visited the Stafford Mercantile for ice cream after fishing. We played in the Stafford City Park, which is across the street from where the girls' great-great-grandparents lived when Randy was growing up.

You'll just have to take my word for it. I didn't get photos of everything. (Hard to believe, right?!) 

Peace Creek? Yes, Indeed!

Peace Creek: At first glance, it seemed so aptly named.

But then, as mama cows bellowed and their babies answered, there wasn't much time to enjoy the view. We were there to do a job. It was time to take the cattle off that pasture and transport the majority of them to their summer home-away-from-home, the Ninnescah Pasture.

This was taken this winter, but it shows the wooden bridge, even though it's not "dressed" in green for spring.

Our tires often clickety-clack over the wooden bridge atop Peace Creek on our country road. It becomes second nature as we travel in feed truck, car or 4-wheeler. As I hurry from place to place and back again, I sometimes don't take time to glance at the creek or the surroundings as they shift from season to season.

And, from the road, some of these serene portions of the pasture are hidden, enjoyed only by the beavers who build a dam and the cattle who graze there and find refreshment in its clear waters. 

I clicked a couple of photos, stopping only momentarily as I bounced over the rugged pasture on my 4-wheeler before I tucked the camera back in my pocket. I didn't want to have my pay docked. Oh wait! It can't be docked much more than zero, which is the going rate for this farmer's wife.

But, after the work was done, I requested my payment - a trip to the same hidden oasis during the golden hour and into sunset. This time, we took the 4-wheelers and chased the sunset instead of cattle.

A view like that? I'd say the pay was pretty good.

There's a reason that real photographers call the time just before sunset "the golden hour."

And, as I turned my attention toward the sunset, the light seemed to multiply like fireflies as it danced along the creek's calm surface.

Birds sang a goodnight song as they darted among the cattails and into the trees lining the banks.

 

The glass-like surface of the water was marred only momentarily by ripples caused by passing fish and frogs.

It was a beautiful end to a busy day. I am blessed beyond measure.

A view like that? It's priceless.

Quality Working Conditions

We drove down the dirt road with the windows rolled down and heard the call of birds mingled with a the whip of the Kansas cross-breeze. Clouds made a crazy quilt pattern on a cerulean sky made bluer by the green of springtime. And I thought to myself, "I sure can't complain about the working conditions."

However, the picturesque ride or picture postcard destination didn't factor in my mud-caked tennis shoes or the fragrance of the day, eau de toilette (and we're not talking about that old-fashioned Grandma perfume, folks).

Yes, before we got to that picturesque drive, we had some work to do. We mounted our "horses" and started the round up.

It's always best if you can get them all gathered together and going the right direction. (I imagine school teachers can relate to that concept.)

That morning, we had groups in three different locations in the pasture. We needed them to cross Peace Creek and come together.

The guys circled around and got them heading toward the corrals while I stayed on the other side in case they decided they wanted to take another "swim."

But they minded their manners and made an orderly approach to the exit, out the gate and over the wooden bridge. 

Then it was a matter of keeping them on the straight and narrow toward the farmstead. That's easier said than done when there is tempting green wheat and alfalfa fields flanking the dirt road.

But with only some minor detours, they arrived at the farmstead corrals, where we sorted the mamas and the babies. (As usual, there are no photos of this portion of the round up. There are no extra hands for clicking the camera shutter.)

We separate them so that we can safely haul the babies by themselves. That way, they aren't trampled in the cattle trailer.

We ran the babies into a corral at the pasture to await the arrival of their mamas.

It's a loud reunion as the mamas call out to their babies.

Once we've hauled all the loads, we let them into the pasture together.

They then head for the "buffet" - a delightful montage of prairie grasses.

There's also time for a little soak at the spa.

It looks like a pretty good "vacation" spot for some of our cow-calf pairs, don't you think?

This morning, we moved the heifers and a "clean-up bull" to the Palmer pasture. 

Four more bulls had chauffeured ride to different pastures. Just like little boys at the playground, they had a bit of a scuffle to decide who was the most powerful.

One of our trailers has three different sections. Just like getting sent to time-out, the bulls made their journey in different compartments.

Moving day to the Rattlesnake Pasture is tomorrow. The guys will have to do it themselves because we are expecting some important visitors this afternoon. Kinley & Brooke will be here while Mommy is at a conference in Great Bend. The rain slowed us down, but it will make for some good eating for the cattle. I just don't know how they'll do it without me. (I think they'll manage.)

Mr. Bull made his presence known as he arrived to "visit" the ladies. He and his harem will be the ones going to the Rattlesnake Pasture tomorrow.