Rebekah's Recipe Challenge: Day Three

Dinner Menu:
Italian Sausage Pasta
Caesar Salad
Garlic Bread
Pound Cake

This meal was served to us one weekend years ago when we were visiting the Louis'.  I remember thoroughly enjoying the entire meal and was so impressed that Rebekah made a cake for us.  What a hostess!  I asked her to send me the recipes so that maybe one day I could make a guest feel as well-fed as I felt that weekend =).  She did and I'm embarrassed to say that I don't think I've gotten around to making the whole meal together before now...shame on me!  I think I've made the cake before but that's about it.  So I was excited to re-create this meal altogether and take a trip down memory lane at all the great times we've spent with our friends!

This meal was a hit with the Blanchers...we're three for three!  Thomas was thrilled because it consisted of his very favorite thing...sausage!  Adam loves anything Italian and kept talking all night about how good the cake was making the apt smell.  He was also a big fan of the garlic bread.  I must confess that this garlic bread was the frozen kind that you put in the oven and cook for five minutes...it was nothing fancy.  We did learn, though, that the Wal-Mart brand of garlic bread is just as good as the Pepperidge Farm brand, FYI.  I really liked how the sauce to this pasta was made with tomato paste and a sundried-tomato vinaigrette.  It tasted really good!  The red onion was also a nice addition.  They cook down well and make the meat sauce hearty.  This would be a great dish to make for a large crowd.  It makes a lot!  And it is recommended to just buy a bag of Caesar salad.  If you want to be adventurous, you are more than welcome to construct one from scratch but in my opinion, the bagged kind is just as good...

The cake is quite scrumptious too.  It's made with two different types of pudding...the cake mix that you buy has pudding in it plus you add a box of instant chocolate pudding.  It makes the cake light and fluffy!  Plus the chocolate chips just add goodness that only chocolate chips can. 

I must show you the finished cake product.  I know there's a picture of a piece of it above but I was so proud of how pretty the cake was so just let me gloat!

Thank you!  Thank you!

Italian Sausage Pasta


2 lbs. ground Italian sausage
1 lb. rigatoni (I've used penne before too, since it's smaller)
1 large red onion, sliced
1/2 c. tomato paste
1/2 c. KRAFT sun-dried tomato vinaigrette dressing
4 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
1/4 - 1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

Brown the meat; drain. Add onion and tomato paste; let simmer on low/med 20-25 min. Add dressing, parsley, and cheese. Toss with cooked pasta.

Pound Cake


1 box Pillsbury yellow cake mix with pudding in mix
5 oz. box chocolate instant pudding
1 cup oil (I use vegetable or canola)
1 1/2 cups water
4 eggs

Combine the above and beat until well-blended. I use a hand mixer for a few minutes until the lumps are gone.

6 oz. chocolate chip morsels

Fold in the chocolate chips. Pour into a well-greased and floured bundt pan. Bake at 350' for 60-70 minutes depending on your oven. I just check with a toothpick for a clean exit. Remove from oven and cool.

When ready to serve, sprinkle confectioner's sugar on top of cooled cake.