The weather was absolutely
perfect when we met up with the Sherman family few weeks back- warm, with clear skies and a light breeze. Oh, how
I LOVE Dubai weather in November! I was thrilled the conditions were so perfect, as Amy and I had been planning this session since last year! We teach with Amy at ASD, and I was so fortunate to have her younger daughter, Elena, in my class last year. She is such a
cutie pie! Our afternoon with the Shermans was absolutely
lovely, and the Souk Madinat provided fabulous backdrops for their family portraits.
Sweet lovebirds...
I just love this series of the girls... these sisters have so much
spunk! They have quite different personalities, but are both such
gems...
They are
absolutely gorgeous as well...
Must get their good looks from their
beautiful parents!
Amy has the most
incredible golden Barbie hair in the world-
seriously, horses are jealous!
I
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this picture!
Thank you, Shermans, for a
wonderful afternoon, and for introducing us to such a yummy restaurant! We've been back twice already... mmmmmm=)
As I mentioned above, Elena was in my class last year. She is
every teacher's dream- so sweet, thoughtful, bright, and totally enthusiastic about learning!!! We share many of the same passions, including
COOKING! Miss Elena LOVES to cook, and would completely light up whenever we had a cooking project in class. I know she has a growing stash of cookbooks at home, and loves to try new recipes. So, I thought I'd add to her collection share one of our recent family favorites...
I created this recipe on the fly, and though I have made it many times, I've never measured anything... don't worry, though! It's easy and delicious, and you can tweak it to your tastes.Italian Sausage and Zucchini Fusilli with White Wine Sauce
For the super yummy pasta you'll need {roughly}...
--3/4 box+ of Barilla
whole wheat fusilli {I am a picky pasta eater, and this whole wheat is awesome! It has the overall taste and texture of regular pasta, but is just a bit heartier and healthier}
--1 package of hot Italian {or regular} sausage, casings removed
--1 zucchini, sliced in about 1/4 inch rounds
--1 large onion, diced
--4-5 garlic cloves, minced {the more the better... can I get an amen???}
--olive oil, 2-3 turns of the pan
--1/2 cup to 1 cup of white wine {I use whatever we have... sauv blanc,
pinot gris... I'm sure anything would be good}
--grated Parmesan {handful or two}
--salt & pepper {I am a sea salt and pepper corn user... love my grinders!}
--cream, for drizzling on top
First set the water to boil for pasta with lots of salt {throw the pasta in once it boils}.
Then, heat a little olive oil {2-3 turns around the pan} over med-high heat and add the sausage. To save time I squeeze the meat straight from the casings over the pan. Break up meat with a wooden spoon, cook through, and remove to a bowl and cover to keep warm.
Then add a little more olive oil and chopped onion. I add a bit of salt to my onions to help them soften. After onions are soft, I add the garlic.
Once the garlic becomes fragrant I push the onions and garlic to the sides of the pan {this is my lazy "time and dish saver" method}, and add the zucchini to the center of the pain {with more oil, if needed}. I brown the zucchini and season generously with salt and pepper.
Once zucchini is browned, I mix it with the onions and garlic and add the sausage back in to reheat. Then pour in some white wine over the mixture {I add quite a bit as it is the liquid for the sauce... almost enough to cover everything}.
Then I let everything simmer for a few until the wine reduces. When the pasta is about 2 minutes from being done I pull it out with a big spoon and add it to the sauce {this way a few tablespoons of pasta water is added to the sauce}. Let it all cook a few minutes. Then turn heat off and mix in a couple handfuls of Parmesan. Check for flavor, and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Before serving I like to drizzle a little fancy zigzag of cream over the top. Looks good and adds just a little hint of creaminess.
Next, devour! Enjoy!!!
