Sunday, October 30, 2011

Stir Fry Kielbasa & Zucchini and Noah's Ark Fries

We love the spice packets!!
It’s been a while since I wrote a “Spice Packet Blog” so this week I was going to write about one of my favorite Spice Packet recipes – Stir Fry Kielbasa and Zucchini.  For those of you that may have seen it but didn’t know what it was, kielbasa is a fat, spicy sausage, around a foot long.  I usually buy the beef and chicken variety (a little healthier than the all beef kind).  They most often come in packages of two and can be found in the (kosher) deli section of your local grocery store.  With that in mind, and a plan for Thursday nights’ dinner, off to the store I went.  First store – no kielbasa!  Not panicking yet. Second store – no kielbasa (I’m telling you it was a conspiracy!).  I had to make do with my backup plan of a package of knockwurst sausages.  Although they work for the recipe, they are not as “sausagy” or as spicy as a kielbasa and it makes the recipe a lot milder than we prefer.  It was second rate Stir Fry “Kielbasa” and Zucchini (with Garlic Bread) for the Matten's Thursday night.

Erev Shabbat Fun!
Luckily it was “Fun Friday” for the Matten kids!  Getting ready for Shabbat and preparing for an up-coming article I had decapitated around 2 pounds of tiny red potatoes.  That means that each potato had a small piece cut off of the top and bottom (I know potatoes are round – I arbitrarily made one section the top and the other side the bottom!!) leaving the rest of the potatoes to be used creatively by the Matten girls.  By now you know that I am a bit of a “gadget queen”, and am raising a pair of “gadget princesses”. When the girls saw the potatoes they grabbed our handy curly fry cutter and proceeded to make curly fries!  They did fry them – in our defense they are just so much better that way!  I think I loved my girls a little more (if that’s even possible) when they asked for mini animal cookie cutters and proceeded to make Noah’s Ark Fries in honor of the weekly Parsha Noach!  Not only did they make really cute Noah’s Ark Fries, but they even fried the outer potatoes which they had cut the shapes from (it’s clearer when you see the pictures).  How fun is that??  I have to admit though that seeing the animals floating in the hot oil kind of made me think of the animals that didn’t make it on to the ark – so sad!

So sad...
but so yummy!!
(How long can you tread water...ha, ha, ha)
Mazel Tov to my son Nachum (ad meah v’esrim) on the anniversary of his Bar Mitzvah Parshat Noach! 

Stir Fry Kielbasa and Zucchini
2          large     kielbasa, sliced in half lengthwise and then in ¼” thick slices
4          large     zucchini, sliced in half lengthwise and then in ¼” thick slices
1-2                   Italian seasoning spice packets
1          tbsp      canola oil

1          pound   penne noodles

Cook penne according to package directions.  Drain – do not rinse.

Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok.  Add the kielbasa and stir fry until it starts to brown.  Add the zucchini and spice packet(s).  Stir fry until the zucchini is tender (we like it a little mushier).  Add the cooked penne and toss to combine.  Cook until pasta is heated through an additional one to two minutes.  Serve hot.

Notes:
1.      I like to use chicken and beef blend kielbasa for this recipe.  In the event that you can’t find some in your local store you can substitute Polish sausages or knockwurst.
2.      You can use more zucchini in this recipe if you like with similar results.
3.      If you like your dishes slightly more seasoned or if you are substituting one of the less spicy sausages for the kielbasa, use two spice packets for more flavor.
4.      I often use “healthier”, whole wheat or tri color penne for this recipe rather than the plain white pasta. It’s all good!!

I know that everyone knows how to make garlic bread…slice a French Bread in half, spread with margarine (I use Smart Balance because it’s a little healthier) and sprinkle garlic powder on top.  But in case there is someone out there that has never made garlic bread I’m including pictures just for you!  Enjoy!!

 This weeks Stir Fry "Kielbasa" and Zucchini with Garlic Bread....and pictures from the last time I actually made it with the real beef kielbasa!

All the ingredients 
(note the knockwurst...oh well)
If you had the Kielbassa it
would look like this
(it even looks spicy!):
Slice the zucchini...
Stir fry the sausages...
Then add the zucchini....
Add the spice packet...
 Add the colorful penne...
This is what it looks like with 
kielbasa & "healthy penne":
All done!  Hooray! 
If we only had the kielbasa
Thursday night....
Garlic Bread time!
You know what to do!!
Slice it before you wrap it...
Wrap it up and then 
bake for 15 minutes at 350°
It's dinner Thursday night
at the Matten's!!

 Noah's Ark Fries...cute and yummy
(and gluten-free for the GFE)!


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