Macaroni and Stewed Tomatoes

Are you looking to cook something fast, delicious, and cheap? Tonight I fixed an old favorite that I had not prepared in a long time. Actually, my mother-in-law inspired this recipe. One day while she was in a nursing home, she said that she was really craving macaroni and stewed tomatoes. I asked her how she fixed them and she told me. So the next time we visited her, I took her some, only I added smoked sausage. You should have seen how much she ate! My husband told me that she made something similar when they were growing up only she added ground beef and called it goulash.

Here’s what you’ll need:

1 (16 0z) box macaroni

3 cans stewed tomatoes

1 large onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 (14 oz) packages smoked sausage

garlic salt and pepper to taste

Cook the macaroni according to the directions on the package (about 9-10 minutes.) Drain well in a colander and return the macaroni to the pot.

Add 3 cans of stewed tomatoes. I used 2 cans  original stewed tomatoes and I can Mexican stewed tomatoes. (In the summer, I use fresh tomatoes from our garden, or tomatoes that I have canned, but I’m out of those.)  Heat on low.

Saute the onions and the green pepper in the olive oil. Cook until the onions are soft and transparent. Season with pepper and garlic salt. Add the onions and the pepper to the cooked macaroni and tomato mixture.

Cut the smoked sausage into 1/2 inch rounds and put them in the same pan you used to cook the onions and pepper. I used beef smoked sausage because I cannot use sausage that contains any chicken or turkey. My husband is allergic to all fowl. Yes, I know, it’s weird. We cannot have turkey at Thanksgiving either.

Cook on high for a few minutes. I like for the sausages to brown a little. Like this.

Put the sausages in the colander and rinse quickly with water. (Hey, I’m saving a few calories here!)  Then add the sausages to the macaroni and tomato mixture, add 1/2 cup water, stir and increase the heat to medium.

Cover and simmer 5 minutes.

When ready to serve, ladle the mixture into bowls and top with grated cheese. I used Asiago cheese, but you could use Parmesan or cheddar.

I don’t know if you’ll have leftovers, but if you do, it will be even better the next day!