Before you get started, this meal you need a few simple ingredients that you can pick up at just about any grocery story:  1) About a pound of Mostaccioli noodles 2) 2 cans of Diced Tomatoes 3) Roughly 1 can each of Tomato sauce and tomato paste 4)1 pound of mild Italian sausage 5) Fresh mozzarella cheese and some Italian blend shredded (or grated) cheese 6) Crushed Garlic.

Start with the noodles and boil them until they reach al dente style (firm pasta, just slightly undercooked), and then drain and strain.

Then cook up the Italian sausage in the same pan you just used.  Load the sausage with what you like as far as seasonings/ salt and pepper.  While working on the sausage, warm up the tomatos adding crushed garlic to it (the garlic can also be added in the final mix).

(As far as substitutions for Italian sausage, different kinds of meat or sausage, especially spicy can make for a really interesting taste.  If using a substitute, try to find other cheeses that fit well with your meat choice.)

Read more of this story »

During this bountiful season of the tomato harvest, there’s a certain classification of recipes I turn to. No sauces, no stews, nothing that uses cooked tomatoes or anything I can make in January with my frozen tomato booty. Celebrate the final summer hurrah by savoring the fresh and relish those special recipes that can only made this time of year.

This Tomato Crouton Casserole fits that bill nicely — and can readily be a side dish or we even serve it with breakfast at our B&B. Recipe after the jump:

Read more of this story »