welcome home

We all have those meals that conjure up memories of home. It’s usually the first request of one’s first night. I remember being a freshman at the University of Michigan and my dorm mates reminiscing about the first dinner they had when they went home for Thanksgiving break. Meatloaf, spaghetti, fried chicken. Everyone wanted to know what my mom made me… salad… Some traditions we pass on to our children and some we discard and recreate. Leafy greens are a suitable side but don’t make for substantial remembrances. Not sure when but Penne with Sausage became my daughters’ homecoming hallmark.

My youngest is in Dayton before heading abroad for a semester. I was scrambling to find fun things to do to fill the time in this shifting home base. When out of the blue her roommate from UCLA said she wanted to come visit. She had never been to the country before. With a big smile and grateful heart I drove to the Dayton International Airport to pick up these LA ladies. We drove back through the cornfields to the first of many home cooked meals- penne with sausage.

Remove the sausage from the casing and crumble. Cook the garlic and shallot in the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook until no longer pink. Discard the fat.

Add the paprika and cayenne pepper (taste first to see if the sausage is spicy enough without it).

Stir in the chicken broth and simmer until reduced by half.

Add the heavy cream and simmer until reduced by half. Remove from the heat. (Can be hours ahead of time. Cool, cover and refrigerate.)

Cook the penne as directed and drain. Put the sausage mixture back on the heat and add the penne and toss.

Add the scallion, Parmesan cheese, tomato, chopped basil, chopped oregano, parsley and pine nuts. Toss and serve. (All the vegetables and herbs can be chopped ahead of time too.)

Served up with a crusty baguette and a simple salad of mixed greens with a balsamic vinaigrette.

With a good meal under their belt it was time to gear up for all Dayton has to offer. (Young's Dairy, Winds Cafe- with a Yellow Springs Dave Chappelle sighting! And the National Airforce Museum, just for starters.)

Oh and Dayton's not just about planes- here's Train.