I love recipes that can do double duty. This one’s dual role came about by accident when I was pondering what to make for dinner one recent busy weeknight. We first had the very delicious sausage cheese dip on a weekend while watching a football game, but had some leftovers. So, when staring at the contents of my fridge a couple days later, I thought: “Sausage and cheese? Both those things go very well with pasta…. hmmm.” And I had a zucchini that I needed to use, too. Thus, Sausage Cheese Dip Rigatoni with Zucchini was born. And it was good! Both recipes follow.
Sausage Cheese Dip (based on a recipe from Natasha’s Kitchen)
Note: This serves 4 without leftovers (2 with leftovers)
Ingredients
1/2 lb. (226 gr) mild Italian sausage, removed from casing
2 garlic cloves, minced
pinch onion powder
salt and pepper to taste
4 oz (113 gr) cream cheese, cut into cubes (no need to soften)
10 oz (283 gr) can diced tomatoes with green chilies
1/2 cup corn (I cut the corn off one previously cooked cob, but frozen would also work)
4 oz (113 gr) sharp cheddar or similar cheese, shredded
Preparation
1. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil in a medium skillet. Brown sausage over med/high heat, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, until browned. If the sausage generates a lot of grease, drain the grease.
2. Add the garlic, onion powder, and some pepper, and cook over medium heat for one more minute, stirring through.
3. Add the cream cheese cubes and stir until melted and incorporated.
4. Add the undrained tomatoes, corn, and shredded cheddar. Cook, stirring occasionally, just until bubbly and cheese is melted. Check seasonings, and add salt or pepper as needed.
5. Remove from heat and serve with tortilla chips. The kind that look like scoops are perfect for this dip. (Note: The photo below also includes Cumin-Scented Black Bean Salad.)
Sausage Cheese Dip Pasta with Zucchini
(serves 2 hungry people)
Ingredients
5.3 oz (150 gr) pasta of choice (I used mezzi rigatoni)
olive oil
1 zucchini, diced
1 cup Sausage Cheese dip
cream or milk (if needed)
Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese, grated
salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
1. Bring salted water to a boil and cook pasta as directed for al dente.
2. While water is coming to a boil, drizzle some olive oil into a large skillet. Add diced zucchini and cook over medium-high heat until zucchini starts to get golden around the edges.
3. Add the sausage cheese dip and stir until warm and melted. Check the consistency; add a splash of cream or milk if too thick. If too thin, add some grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese.
4. When pasta is ready, drain, and add to sauce in skillet, along with more grated cheese. Check the seasonings, and add salt or pepper as needed.
5. Serve immediately.
Perennial Pastimes 
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