By November coming. I can feel it in the nights — a new quality of cold, the kind that means it doesn't fully warm up the next day even in the sun. The woodstove has been going every evening. The barn is squared away. The firewood is in. The property is as ready as I can make it.
Made a big pot of white bean and kale soup this week — the kale from the garden, frosted twice now and better for it, paired with dried beans I soaked overnight and smoked sausage from the Hendersons. Simple and deeply satisfying. The frost-improved kale is extraordinary in this application: a sweetness and depth that summer kale doesn't have. You have to wait for the cold to get the best of it.
I've been thinking about Thanksgiving. The plan this year is to go to Sarah's in Connecticut — Carol and I will drive down together, which has become our way. Last year we drove together for the first time and it worked well: the conversation on the road, the diner stop, arriving together. We're doing the same this year. I've offered to bring the pie (apple, from the Macs I've been storing in the cold room) and the cranberry sauce from my own frozen cranberries.
Teddy called on Sunday to say he wants to make a dish for Thanksgiving. He had a specific idea: a roasted sweet potato dish with brown butter and pecans and a little maple syrup, something he'd seen in a magazine. I said: make it at home first this week, then bring it. He said: of course. He already knew to do that. He's not a person who shows up at a dinner table with an untested dish anymore. He's learned the discipline.
The smoked sausage from the Hendersons went into the soup this week, but there’s always more where that came from—and when the nights get this cold, I want something I can pull together fast without much fuss while the woodstove does its work. This kielbasa skillet is exactly that: smoky, satisfying, and done in one pan before the barn chores are fully off your mind. It carries the same spirit as the soup—good sausage doing the heavy lifting—just in a form that comes together on a Tuesday.
Kielbasa Bow Tie Skillet
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 lb kielbasa smoked sausage, sliced into 1/4-inch coins
- 2 cups bow tie pasta (farfalle), uncooked
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Brown the kielbasa. Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced kielbasa in a single layer and cook 3–4 minutes, turning once, until both sides are browned. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Saute the vegetables. In the same skillet, reduce heat to medium. Add the diced onion and bell pepper and cook 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more until fragrant.
- Build the braise. Add the diced tomatoes (with their liquid), chicken broth, Italian seasoning, and smoked paprika to the skillet. Stir to combine and bring to a boil.
- Cook the pasta. Add the uncooked bow tie pasta, stirring to submerge. Reduce heat to a steady simmer, cover the skillet, and cook 10–12 minutes, stirring once or twice, until pasta is just tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed.
- Return the sausage. Nestle the browned kielbasa back into the skillet and stir gently to combine. Cook uncovered 2–3 minutes until the sausage is heated through and the sauce has thickened slightly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve. Divide into bowls or serve straight from the skillet. Top with grated Parmesan and chopped parsley if using. Serve immediately.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 465 | Protein: 22g | Fat: 24g | Carbs: 40g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 890mg