“Read 1000 books before Kindergarten!” says a small sign at our local library highlighting a program encouraging early literacy. YES! We are in! I grabbed a bag and examined the rules. They allow for flexibility saying that its ok to re-read books or track discrete books, whatever works for you. All they ask is that books are documented on the official ‘tracker’ so they can reward you with free books as your kiddo reaches various milestones!

Being a data and literacy nerd I’ve decided to make baby L a google doc where we will track 1000 different books that we will read with him! It turns out to be about 5-6 books per week before he enters kindergarten.  This will likely get harder as he gets older and wants to re-read books (or we want to revisit favorites), but for now I’m excited watching his list grow. He is 11 weeks old tomorrow and he has 30 books on his tracker.

Here are the titles we brought home from our first library haul! What are your favorite books from when you were a kid or your favorite books to read to your little?  We’ve got our work cut out for us!

With days being more full of various activities from mommy and baby yoga to tiny person sing alongs, dinners are needing to get easier and easier to prepare. This dish is a one pot wonder as the pasta cooks IN THE CHICKEN BROTH! I always forget about this trick.  The spinach is then thrown in at the end after the pasta cooks, and because of this it really only took about 20 minutes total to bring this whole dish together – just enough to fit inside of his evening nap!

Note: The final dish was a bit watery so I am going to revisit the exact measurements and will update here after doing so! But, we served with a slotted spoon into a serving bowl which worked well.

Bringing this dish to Fiesta Friday which is hosted this week by Mollie @ Frugal Hausfrau!

One Pot Chicken Sausage and Spinach Bowtie Pasta

• Servings: 3-4
• Time: 5 prep + 15 cook = 20 mins
• Print

In only 20 minutes you can have this dish on the table. Cooking the pasta IN the chicken broth allows for the flavors to come together in one pot!

Ingredients

• 4 Chicken Sausages (I used spicy jalapeno)
• 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes
• 1 chicken bullion cube
• 1 small onion – diced
• 4 cloves of garlic – minced
• 1/2 box of farfalle pasta (apx 8 pz)
• Chicken broth  (or water and a bullion cube)
• 1 box of spinach
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• Crushed red pepper
• Salt and Pepper

Steps & Notes

1. Add olive oil to a soup pot and sear the chicken sausage on high. Flip to cook on both sides then remove to a side bowl.
2. In the same pot add the minced onion and diced garlic. Season with salt and pepper then saute on medium high until translucent.
3. Add the tomatoes, the dried basil and some crushed red pepper and mix well.
4. Then add the pasta and add the chicken broth so it just covers the pasta.
5. Boil uncovered for 11 minutes (or according the box as you wish)
6. With two minutes remaining add the sausage back into the pot and mix well
7. Remove from the heat and add the spinach mixing to wilt.
8. Season with additional salt and pepper if you desire and serve into a large serving bowl with a slotted spoon