I am apparently obsessed with pasta

You know, there's nothing like a food blog to reveal a food obsession you've been harboring. I make pasta ALL the time. I generally only make rice because I'm tired of eating pasta, and as you can see, I have never been one to follow the Atkins craze (or any diet, for that matter--I'm from the midwest people: WE EAT THERE).

Recently I became obsessed with that great pasta offshoot that can only be found at our local co-op in Moscow, Idaho: "alternative" pasta. I've permanently traded in "regular" pasta for whole wheat, and recently I've decided to try every pasta alternative I can find. Brown rice pasta, soybean pasta, spelt pasta....the possibilities are endless, and I'm hoping tasty. Last week I bought brown rice pasta with a shape name that I absolutely cannot remember for the life of me. Even after I looked up a list of pasta shapes I couldn't find the type--I swear it was something like "chiocolle" or "chocolle" or "I forgot." It looks a little more like orecchiette than cho-something but what do I know?

The best part about making a pasta dish for me is that I get to use my staples--Costco chicken sausages (I've got 'em all, baby!) and whatever pasta shape I find desirable--and dress it up with new ingredients.

For this recipe, I chose some beautiful organic produce I found at the co-op and the Moscow Farmers Market. Red and yellow bell peppers in strips, onions, very fresh asparagus and fresh shredded basil were tossed with the chicken sausage and garlic, and drizzled with olive oil. I adore vegetables, and I have to say that throwing in some fresh spring onions at the last minute was a great decision--the other onions were soft while the spring onions added crunch.

My verdict on the new pasta shape? Yum. Nom. I'll take it. But then again, you can't trust me seeing as if I could marry pasta, I probably would. Although I'm pretty sure Fox News would denounce my life choices...