Pioneer Woman's Pantry Pasta

The Pioneer Woman made this on her Food Network show a few weeks ago.  I made it the next day.  I really did pull every ingredient out of my pantry/fridge, except for the artichokes, but I really wanted to add those, so I didn't mind purchasing one ingredient.  The best thing about this dish is that you can change up any ingredient with what you have on hand and it will still turn out delicious. 

I added sausage to this pasta, because I had some in my freezer.  Have you ever looked at the ingredients on the back of the sausage (the big link kind)?  I looked at the back of a popular brand and it had about a paragraph full of ingredients that I couldn't even pronounce?  Then, I looked at the back of a brand that is made locally and it seriously had maybe five ingredients, all of which I could pronounce - so I went with that brand.

Pantry Pasta

adapted from: The Pioneer Woman

(Printable Recipe)

1/2 onion, diced

2 Tbl. extra virgin olive oil

1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes, with juice

1/3 c. chicken broth

1/3 c. olives, chopped

1 jar marinated artichoke hearts, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

salt and pepper

8 oz. pasta, cooked

2-3 Tbl. pesto

1/2 c. Feta cheese

3 Tbl. pine nuts

Heat olive oil in a large skillet; add onion and saute a few minutes.  Add the diced tomatoes, chicken stock, olives, artichoke hearts and garlic.  Season with salt and pepper.  Stir and simmer over low heat for 15 minutes.  Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and stir to combine with the sauce.  Mix in the pesto.  Toss in the Feta and top with the pine nuts.

Jenn's Notes:  I added 2 large sausage links and cooked the onion in the grease instead of adding olive oil.  I used some pesto that I had in my freezer that I made last Summer.  I also added some seasonings like Italian, Rosemary and Thyme.  This made more than two servings (more like 3 or 4).  I thought this was delicious and I will be making it again.