Tex Mex Pasta

This is a recipe that I have made for years and that we really enjoy. When I say "we", I mean my husband and myself. My kids, including the boy who would eat practically anything and will name raw ahi tuna as one of his favorite appetizers, do not like it at all. But part of the pleasure of being a parent is teaching kids that when you are served something you don't like, you sit polietly at the table and at least enjoy the conversation!

One of my goals with the produce from the CSA this summer is to find kid-friendly recipes that are also healthy. And I have managed to find some great recipes and my kids have eaten all kinds of delicious fresh produce all summer. But it is also important to remember that we do NOT have to only prepare foods that we think they will like. I think there are great lessons in fixing foods that are out of the comfort levels of kids. The fact of the matter is that there are going to be many times in our life when we are presented with food that we don't care for. Kids need to learn how to deal with that. Also, dinner is more than just eating. It is spending time together, catching up and bonding. None of that goes away just because the kids don't want to eat.

We don't have a one bite rule. Our only rule is to sit polietly and remain at the table until everyone is done. Of course there are no sweets if a good amount of dinner is not eaten.

I decided to make Tex Mex pasta this week to utilize the "bounty" we recieved on Tuesday. I altered the recipe to use more of the produce. I used the green bell pepper, a big jim pepper, zucchini, onion and sweet pepper!!

It was hard to get a good picture, because it kind of looks like a jumbled mess! But it really is good.


Brenna enjoying her apple from the farm and not even considering eating what is on the rest of her plate.


I served the pasta with some fresh heirloom tomatoes as well. Look at these? Are they not beautiful? The larger one is called a Caspian Pink and they really were very pink inside! And a yellow one too, but I can't remember what that one was called. I used some olive oil, balsalmic vinegar and blue cheese on top. A trick I learned from my mother in law! So so good.


Here is Gavin enjoying a tomato. He loves tomatoes.




Tex Mex Pasta

8 oz penne pasta (I used whole wheat)
1 lb bulk turkey sausage (I used pork)
1 med red bell pepper, chopped (used a green bell pepper that we got in the CSA, plus one Big Jim pepper that we had gotten)
1 zucchini, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 cups frozen corn, (I grilled three ears of corn and then cut off the kernels)
1 cup salsa
14.5 oz diced tomatoes, undrained
3/4 tsp oregano (didn't use)
1.5 cup shredded cheddar
1/2 cup fresh cilantro

Cook pasta as directed. Cook sausage almost done in an electric skillet. Drain. Add peppers, zucchini, onion to skillet and cook until veggies soft and pork cooked through. Add corn, salsa, tomatoes and oregano. Heat to boiling. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn off heat and let cool just a bit. Add cheese and cilanto. (I like to let it cool just a bit so that it stays a bit cheesy. If it is too hot, the cheese just kind of reduces in to it)