Settling Into The New Year (with PASTA!)

The new year usually arrives with a ton of expectations.

A word of the year. Mood boards. Big plans. “Reset everything!”

But this year feels different.

It didn’t start with a clean slate or grand visions. It actually started with sick family, the kids easing back into their own routines, and me trying to remember what our normal rhythm even looks like after an extended winter break. And honestly, that feels about right — go with the flow.

Right now, I don’t need a dramatic reset. I need things to feel steady again. What an unsettling time it has been lately! I crave simple routines, familiar meals, and days that don’t take so much effort just to get through. I’m learning that easing back into life is just as important as stepping away from it.

So instead of making big promises to myself this year, I’m paying attention to what’s right in front of me. I’m noticing what feels supportive and what feels like too much. I’m letting the year unfold without rushing to define it.

And that includes the way we eat.

The first week back after winter break is always a bit hectic. Everyone is tired. The days feel long. I want dinner to help the evening move along and be an enjoyable time with family, not complicate it. Just warm, nutritious food with familiar flavors. Something that doesn’t ask much of me when the day already has.

This one-pot meal is one that I come back to constantly during weeks like this. And it just so happens to be a kid favorite around here, so it’s a win-win!

One-Pot Creamy Bow-Tie Pasta

Ingredients

• 1 lb box bow-tie pasta (farfalle)

• 1 Tbsp olive oil

• 1 lb bulk ground Italian sausage, sweet or hot

• Red pepper flakes, to taste (about 1/2 tsp)

• 1/2 cup chopped onion

• 6 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

• 1 (28 oz) can whole or plum tomatoes, drained and roughly chopped

• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream

• Salt, to taste (about 1/4 tsp)

• 1 (10 oz) package frozen peas, warmed in advance

• Parsley, fresh or dried

• Parmesan cheese, for serving

Instructions

1. Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

2. Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and red pepper flakes and cook until evenly browned but not fully cooked through.

3. Stir in onion and garlic and cook until the onion is tender and fragrant.

4. Add tomatoes, heavy cream, and salt. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 8 to 10 minutes.

5. Stir in cooked pasta and peas and heat through for a couple of minutes.

6. Finish with parsley, extra crushed red pepper if you like, and plenty of Parmesan.

This is the kind of dinner that makes the evening feel easier. Good food but no fuss and just one pot for someone else to clean! And then we’re all settled back into the rhythm of normal life.

Try it! I promise you’ll love it. Happy New Year!