"Waste Not..Want Not"... and Sausage and Spinach Pasta Bake

This morning my daughter in law in the UK told me about an a Facebook post she had seen showing bins overflowing with food..thrown away by stockpilers after hoarding more than they can consume due to coronavirus panic buying. Bins piled high with vegetables, fruit, bread and unopened packs of chicken products.. just tossed aside after they went past their use by date. Shocking!

My grandmother had a saying... "waste not want not".. something that I have always practiced. I have never liked wasting food...its like throwing your money away...especially when you are raising a large family.

At times like this... every penny... every vegetable and every slice of bread counts. So this week... I have used browning bananas to make bread..

wrinkly apples to make caramel apples to freeze for pies and desserts... 

and used leftover vegetables in a shepherds pie...for tomorrows dinner. With no potatoes at the moment I used some that I dehydrated last summer... when they were beginning to turn. And of course...I had to make MrD's favourite Chocolate Fudge Brownie Cookies... and I know there will be no wastage there........

Sausage and Spinach Pasta Bake

Tonight night we had another comfort food dinner. Its a recipe I used a lot when the kids were growing up... but I cant believe I have never made it for MrD before. Its quite large..so can be halved.. but I made  the whole thing and am using the leftovers for Sunday

400g sausages of your choice (this week I used smoked turkey sausage)

1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

8oz sliced mushrooms (fresh or canned) 

Jar of pasta sauce..of your choice

Tin of chopped tomatoes
2tbsp tomato purée

For the sauce
50g butter
50g plain flour
600ml milk
freshly grated nutmeg

140g mature cheddar, grated

500g rigatoni or penne
200g fresh spinach

•  Preheat the oven to 190C/Gas 5/fan /170C
• Slit the sausages and remove them from their skins, then chop them into small pieces. 
• Heat the oil in a pan, add the onion and mushrooms and fry for 5 minutes, until softened and lightly browned. 
• Stir in the sausages and fry until lightly coloured. 
• Add pasta sauce, tinned tomatoes, tomato purée, and season.
• Simmer uncovered for about 15 minutes until thickened. 
• Taste and season. 
• Set aside.
• Put the butter, flour and milk in a pan. 
• Gently heat, whisking, until thickened and smooth. 
• Add a sprinkle of freshly grated nutmeg, season, then simmer for 2 minutes.
• Add half the grated cheese and mix well
• Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. 
• Add the pasta, stir well, then cook, uncovered, for 10-12 minutes, until tender. 
• Remove from the heat, stir in the spinach and, when just wilted, drain well.
• Tip half the pasta into a shallow ovenproof dish, about 2.2 litre/4 pint, and level. 
• Spoon over the sausage sauce, then cover with the remaining pasta. 
• Pour the cheese sauce evenly over the top and sprinkle with the cheddar. 
• Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. 
• Leave for 5 minutes before serving.

Love and Hugs

Phoebe x