Orecchiette with Sausage and Garlicky Greens

Being a foodie, I love to entertain. I live to have loved ones gathered around my table, eating my food and laughing and loving and sharing life on my turf. It’s one of my greatest pleasures to sit down and break bread with friends and family who live life alongside us, loving on us and sharing with us and bringing joy and energy into our home.

Typically, I’m not a nervous entertainer either. Growing up, my mom would stress like crazy when having people over. It just wasn’t her thing. And Mom, you know I love you but you also know this is true. Everybody’s got their something, and entertaining was not hers. And maybe because I watched her stress for years growing up, I made an unconscious decision to chill out about entertaining. It doesn’t stress me out. Usually, I just create a menu, plan it out, and execute. I’m pretty Type-B about a lot of things, and this happens to be one of them. I generally know that life is too short to stress about inviting friends and loved ones into your home.

Which is why what happened on Sunday is so inexplicable to me and why I am determined to make some serious mental changes the next time. Because, y’all, I dang near lost my mind while preparing to host Bible Study. 

Yes, hosting Bible Study brought me to my entertaining breaking point. Bible Study. The same women who I have shared life with for the past two years (read our story here)–who I’ve cried with, laughed with, prayed with, and broken bread with on a regular basis. These women, who wouldn’t care if there was dirt on my floor and microwave pizza for dinner. These are “friends” friends, lifers, ride or die-ers. So what the heck was wrong with me?

Why on earth did Sunday afternoon find me standing on my patio looking like a full-on lunatic–hair pulled back in a headscarf, dirt smeared across my face, old cut off jean pockets stuffed with rags–armed with a broom, a dustpan and a fistful of rage, I’ll never know. Why, at the crescendo of my lunacy, was I locked in a ridiculous tug of war with a chair that just would not move out of my way so I could sweep under it is a mystery.

And why, when that stubborn chair would just NOT get out of my way I yelled “just $$$$ing move, chair!” at the top of my lungs, well, that’s beyond me too. 

Clearly, not one of my finest moments. 

Guys, you know how I often preach here on BurntToast that we are supposed to be “our best selves” and that even when we’re not God loves us then too? You know how I’m all about being authentic and surrounding yourself with those that love you accordingly? Well, that afternoon I was not my best self, and I struggle to believe that even Jesus in all His ever-loving grace and mercy can accept lunatic Me cursing out a chair with language so foul that my long-dead grandmother is now face down in her grave. I mean, I know He does, but why? I was as unlovable as a porcupine and a skunk mixed together. I was my worst self of selfs. Thank goodness for grace. Always, thank goodness for grace. 

And, also, I refuse to do that again. I’m just going to give that lunacy the big old, never again, and move about my business. Because it stunk, friends. It was awful.

So from here on out, when it comes to entertaining I’m going to channel less of my inner-Martha Stewart and more of my inner-Amy Sedaris. I’m going to remember why I love to invite people into my home. And I’m going to focus on the breaking of the bread, not the sweeping of the floor.

And If you’re coming to my house, I want you to be fully prepared for this. You’re about to encounter a whole new era of BurntToast entertaining. And since Forewarned is forearmed, here we go.

• You’re going to be greeted at the front porch with various bikes, scooters, helmets, skateboards and Ripsticks. Because I want my house to be “that house” for all of the kids. And bikes and scooters scattered about mean childhood is in progress.
• You’ll probably find socks on the floor, a random shoe tucked under a chair and possibly even a pair of underwear in a corner. Because we live here, and kids are messy. 
• If you head to the bathroom, just know that I tried. I really did. But I’ve got two boys under the age of 12 and, well, they are gross. So look before you sit.
• Don’t check out my baseboards or look too closely in the corners. Because life is too short to clean those on a regular basis.
• Ignore my carpet. It used to be white. Now it’s grey. We’re pretending that this was a decorating choice and not a series of bad accidents and muddy shoes. Play along. 
• My dog is going to bark. She’s going to sniff your crotch. And she’s going to be a general needy pain in the behind. But she’s lovely, really, I promise she is. 
• Watch out for old wrappers, Nerf darts and mysterious stains if you plan on sitting on my furniture. Just trust me on this one.
• Speaking of the dog, don’t walk in the grass out back. Just don’t. And if you do, watch where you step. 
• And if the kids are around, prepare yourself for noise. Yelling. Screaming. Laughter. Crying. Just it all. It’s going to happen. I may be embarrassed at the chaos in the moment, but know that this is my life on the daily and if I’m sharing it with you in any way shape or form, it’s because I love you.

Because, friends, this is the life I want to live. And I want people in my life, like my Bible Study friends, who not only love me, but they love my chaos. They know that it may be a little crazy when they walk in the door. But that it will be real. And the food will be good. And the wine may even be better. Life is messy, and when we get ourselves caught up in trying to pretend that it isn’t, that’s when we find ourselves acting the fool on a patio, cursing at inanimate objects. 

And no one, at least no one I know, wants a friend who is looking at their baseboards anyway. 

Orecchiette with Sausage and Garlicky Greens

And in the spirit of my newfound approach to easy entertaining, I’m sharing a recipe today that is so easy, so effortless, that there’s no way it can stress you out yet it’s also fabulous enough to wow even your pickiest guest. This is one of those recipes that was born of a need for efficiency and a desire to have my children eat something that actually grows out of the earth. It falls in line with some of my other favorite simple pasta dishes like the One-Pan Turkey Pasta and The Creamy Tomato and Sausage Gnocchi.

Clearly I have something for easy pasta.

And the result is pretty tasty, as this Orecchiette with Sausage and Garlicky Greens is delicious, as the savory yet slightly sweet sausage contrasts with the bite of the garlicky greens and the Orecchiette is the perfect pasta to soup up all of the flavors in those tiny little ears of goodness. Of course, you can sub in any type of pasta you have on hand and go heavier with the red pepper if you desire more heat. As always, play with your food, taste along the way, and make it your own. Life is hard, dinner doesn’t have to be.

Peace, love and entertaining, 

Meg 

Orecchiette with Sausage and Garlicky Greens

April 14, 2020

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By: Meaghan Dawson

Ingredients

• 1 16 ounce bag of orecchiette pasta
• 1 lb Italian Sausage, either loose ground or links with casings removed
• 1 bunch kale, stems removed and roughly chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (or less if you desire less garlic taste)
• pinch red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

Directions

• Step 1 Bring large pot of salted water to boil over medium high heat.
• Step 2 Cook Orecchiette pasta to package directions, reserving 1/2 cup (a coffee mug full) of the pasta water before draining.
• Step 3 Meanwhile, in a large skillet, brown the sausage, breaking up as you go.
• Step 4 Make a small well in the sausage, add garlic, kale and pinch of red pepper.
• Step 5 Cook, combining with the sausage, for roughly 3 minutes or until kale is slight wilted.
• Step 6 Add in half of the reserved pasta water, stirring to combine.
• Step 7 Once kale is wilted completely, add the pasta to the pan and stir to incorporate.
• Step 8 Add the Parmesan and any more reserved water to loosen up the sauce as desired.
• Step 9 Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Step 10 Serve with extra Parm on top.
• Step 11 ENJOY!

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