Rigatoni a la You

**This recipe is from Johnsonville Italian Sausage** Sorry the picture isn't that great.

Rigatoni
1 package (5 links) Johnsonville Mild Italian Sausage
1lb pkg rigatoni pasta
3TB olive oil (I only used 1)
2 cloves minced garlic
1 red bell pepper chopped (I always use peppers from the package of frozen tri colored peppers they sell at the store.)
2TB fresh italian parsley, chopped (I didn't have fresh, so I used my dried spice. I only used 1TB and felt like it was plenty.)
1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce

Cook sausage links in skillet until completely cooked through. While sausage is cooking, boil the rigatoni according to package directions. In a large pan, heat olive oil, add garlic and peppers and cook until tender crisp. Add the pasta sauce and let it all simmer together for 15 minutes. Slice the sausage in wheels and add to the cooked and drained pasta. Pour the spaghetti sauce mixture over top and stir. Add fresh parsley. (because I used my dried spice, I added it to the noodles with the meat and tossed it before the sauce went in.) I sprinkled parmesan cheese over top and served.

Taco Potato Shells

*****NOTE*****
When you make this meal, you are actually preping yourself for a second meal with the potatoes. The potatoes you are scooping out can be used and diced up for a Potato Cheese or a Baked Potato soup the next night.

Savannah looked at this and said, "Are those chunks of tomato?" I said, "Yes, and you eat chunks of tomato all the time in the tortilla soup. Just try it!" She did try it and ended up eating her whole potato and a half of another one. Avery said, "gross" also and ended up eating the portion we gave her and she wanted more later in the evening. So, this is KID TESTED! Our family really enjoyed it.

You can always healthy this up by using turkey and I have a butter flavor infused grapeseed oil that I might use next time instead of the butter. You could probably use extra virgin olive oil also. I always use the 2% cheddar cheese and light sour cream anyways. So, I hope this isn't too unhealthy of a meal. Your getting rid of 90% of the starchy potato by scooping it away.

Taco Potato Shells
3 Large baking potatoes
1 TB melted butter or margarine
1 pound ground beef
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1 envelope taco seasoning mix
Grated cheddar cheese
sour cream
green onions (I didn't use)

Clean potatoes and pierce and bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour or until tender. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise. Carefully scoop out pulp, leaving a thin shell. Reserve the potato pulp for another recipe.
* I baked my potatoes in the morning and the were cool by time I cut them and scooped out the middle*

Brush the inside and outside of potato shell with melted butter or margarine. Place cut side up on a baking sheet. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile in a skillet, cook the ground beef until no longer pink. Drain. Add tomatoes and envelope of taco seasoning. Bring to a boil, then turn off heat.

Spoon meat mixture into potato shells that have just been baked, sprinkle tops with cheddar cheese and return to oven for 5-10 minutes or until cheddar cheese is all melted.

Top with sour cream and onions. Serve