I am awakened each morning by an alarm clock and a 1960s sitcom. My hand, by habit, extends to my right and finds nothing except mattress.
I’m alone.
When I cook, it’s mainly for one person. And only one towel hangs in my tiny bathroom. There is no dog sneaking beneath my bed. Nor is there a cat jumping on my chest at 2 a.m. My laundry load is lighter than it has been — a small bottle of detergent lasts weeks. And my shampoo lasts a lot longer these days.
Spicy foods don’t taste as good as I remember from more than 20 years ago. And my refrigerator seems bare without orange juice in the door.
The telephone is my solace. My bride sounds like she is across town, just like all of those times we talked about what we would do for the evening … where we would eat and how we would plan our children’s homework around our TV shows.
Alone time is one thing, but an alone life is just … lonely. I can’t wait until we’re all together again.
——
No, I don’t always post sad stuff, but when I do… Let me make up for it with this wonderful easy weeknight dinner. Boil up up your favorite pasta and top it with Sausage w/ Parmesan Pink Sauce. I used smoked beef sausage, but this recipe works great with any type — particularly chicken sausage. Just cook and slice beforehand. Hey, if you don’t tell your family it’s a 20-minute meal, I promise I won’t.
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Smoked Sausage w/ Parmesan Pink Sauce
Smoked Sausage w/ Parmesan Pink Sauce — No one needs to know this took 20 minutes.
- 12 oz - Smoked sausage, sliced about ½ inch thick
- 24 oz jar - Marinara sauce (high quality)
- ¼ cup - Heavy cream
- ¼ cup - Parmesan, shredded
- 1 lb. - Pasta, prepared
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook sausage until browned around the edges — about 10 minutes.
- Drain sausage of fat (on a paper towel-lined plate) and remove fat from pan.
- Add sausage back to pan; add marinara simmer for about 3-4 minutes, until bubbling.
- Turn off heat.
- Add cream and Parmesan; stir until combined.
- Serve over pasta.
