Keilbasa, Onion, Pepper, and Potato Hash

This comes together so quickly.  I would have thrown it all in one pan had I not read the notes saying that keeping the potatoes separate until the very end is what keeps them crispy, which was my son's favorite part of the dish!  Add some fried eggs and you have an easy and hearty dinner.

1 (14 ounce) package turkey kielbasa, cut into 1/4 inch rounds

2 green bell peppers, chopped

1 onion, chopped

3 medium potatoes, peeled and chopped

olive oil

salt and pepper

In a heavy bottomed skillet (I like to use my cast iron), heat 2 tbsp of olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add the potatoes to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Fry until golden brown and cooked through, around 8-10 minutes, stirring a few times to ensure even browning.  

In a separate skillet, brown the sliced kielbasa for around 5 minutes in 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium high heat.  Remove the kielbasa from the pan and set aside.  Add the peppers and onions to the skillet and season with a pinch of salt and pepper.  Cook for 5 minutes, or until softened, stirring occasionally.  

Add the cooked potatoes and kielbasa to the skillet with the onions and peppers and mix everything together.  Serve nice and hot!

Some notes:  

-I use two skillets to make this recipe.  I used to make it in one, but something always came out wrong.  I've learned that when I cook my potatoes in a separate skillet they cook more evenly and stay nice any crispy when they're added to the other ingredients right before serving.

-Sometimes I'll add some minced garlic to the peppers and onions, but it tastes just as good without it.

Sausage, Jerusalem Artichoke and Savoy Bake

The kids and I looked through our veg box delivery and were stumped by one potato-looking smallish knobby thing.  We smelled, poked, broke, and tasted it before pulling out the trusty A-Z vegetable guide where we discovered we were the lucky recipients of a bag of jerusalem artichokes!  So what do you do with jerusalem artichokes?!  Thankfully, a recipe card was included that provided a great dinner for my family.  The artichoke had a very mild flavor, but was as soft as a potato might have been after baking.  However, I would make this dish again, substituting some small potatoes for the artichokes and I think it would turn out great.


oil for frying
8 sausages
3-4 cups chicken or beef stock
5-7 jerusalem artichokes, scrubbed and cut in half or wedges
1 cup lentils, rinsed and drained
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp dried chili flakes
zest from 1/2 a lemon (optional)
1 savoy cabbage, outer leave removed, cut into wedges with the root intact

Preheat oven to 350.

Heat 1 Tbsp oil in an ovenproof pan.  Fry sausages until brown on all sides.  Add 3 cups stock.  Remove from heat, cover with foil or lid, and bake for 15 minutes.

Uncover and add jerusalem artichokes, lentils, thyme, chili, lemon zest and season with salt and pepper.  Bake for 20 minutes more, uncovered.

Wedge the cabbage between the other things in the pan and spoon over a little more stock.  Bake another 15 minutes, or until everything is tender.

Sweet Potato Hash with Sausage and Eggs

I mentioned this on my top ten list yesterday and realized then that I'd never posted the recipe.  How have I been holding out you for so long?  Truly.  This dish is amazing.  The ingredients may seem a strange combination, but you have to trust me that everything comes together to create an irresistibly savory and filling meal.  It could easily work for a brunch, and a lot of it can be made ahead of time.  Try it.  You'll like it!

2 pounds onions, about 2 large
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Table salt
1 pound fresh Italian sausage or chorizo
3 pounds sweet potatoes, about 3 large potatoes, ideally organic
6 large garlic cloves
4 long stalks rosemary, about 1/4 cup of leaves
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste if necessary
Freshly ground black pepper

To serve:
Large eggs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Parmesan cheese, to serve

To make the hash:
Heat the oven to 450°F. Peel the onions and cut them in half lengthwise, then cut them into thin half-moons. Cut the half-moons in half. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. When it foams up add the onions and sprinkle lightly with salt. (Don't worry if they are crammed into the pan; they will rapidly cook down.) Lower the heat slightly and cook the onions for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, and lowering the heat if they seem to be burning. Cook them until they are very dark brown.

Meanwhile, put the sausage in another skillet and brown over medium-high heat, chopping it up into fine crumbles with a spatula. Cook the sausage for about 10 minutes, or until it is browned and beginning to crisp. Drain away any excess fat.

While the onions and sausage are cooking, chop the unpeeled sweet potatoes into cubes that are about 1/2-inch to a side. Finely mince the garlic and rosemary leaves, and toss them in a large bowl with the sweet potatoes. Toss with the olive oil, kosher salt, and a generous helping of black pepper.

When the onions are dark brown and the sausage is crispy, stir these into the sweet potatoes as well. Line a large baking sheet with foil or parchment paper, and spread out the sweet potatoes evenly. Roast the sweet potatoes for 30 to 45 minutes (roasting time depends on the size and uniformity of the sweet potato chunks, as well as the variety of sweet potato you buy) or until they are soft and browned.

Refrigerate the cooled hash for up to 5 days.

To serve:
Heat the oven to 425°F. Spread a relatively thin layer of the (already cooked) sweet potato hash in a baking dish, such as a cast iron skillet or a 9x13-inch baking dish. You can also bake in individual ramekins. Make small wells in the sweet potatoes and crack in large eggs. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are hot and the eggs are baked through. (Test the eggs by prodding them with a fork to check the firmness of the white and the yolk; baked eggs are deceptive in that the white often looks much less cooked than it really is.)

Serve immediately, with shavings or sprinkles of Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Sausage, Kale, and Barley Stew

I made a few changes to the recipe card that was in my veg box, which included a large bunch of cavolo nero, and this is what we ended up with.  A delicious and heartily filling stew that everyone loved.



oil for frying
6-8 sausages (I used a mild Italian, but an apple variety or a traditional English banger would be nice)
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 cup barley
1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
4-5 cups chicken or vegetable stock (start with four and use more as needed as the barley cooks)
salt and pepper to taste
large bunch cavolo nero or other kale, leaves stripped from the stalks and roughly chopped


Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a large pan.  Add the sausages and fry, turning now and then, until nicely browned all over.  Remove and set aside.

Add a little more oil to the pan and let it heat up.  Add onion and carrots and fry on medium heat for 5-6 minutes or until softened.  Add the barley, stir for a minute, then add the rosemary and stock.  Season well with salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes, partially covered.  Return the sausages to the pan and simmer for another 20 minutes, partially covered.  Add chopped kale and simmer until wilted, 5-10 minutes, uncovered.  Add more stock a little bit at a time if the pan is getting too dry.  Check seasoning, add salt and pepper as needed, and serve hot with a crusty loaf.

Overnight Egg Sandwiches

I'm all about make-ahead breakfast recipes.  I saw this in a Penzeys magazine and knew it would be a hit.  Similar to a breakfast casserole or soufflé, you can cater the "filling" to your family's taste.  This recipe makes a full 9x13 pan, but the leftovers were good again the second day with a little help from the toaster oven.  

10-12 slices sandwich bread

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 cups shredded cheese - your choice

10 large eggs

2 1/2 - 3 cups milk (the amount of milk should be roughly equal to the volume of eggs)

1/4 tsp salt

1-2 tsp seasoning of your choice (I used Italian)

Optional Ingredients - pick and choose to suit those at your table:

1/2 lb. cooked, cumbled bacon

1/2 lb. cooked, crumbled sausage

1 small onion, minced

1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms

1 cup fresh spinach, chopped

1 cup diced cooked vegetables like bell pepper, broccoli, leek, corn

Spray a 9x13 glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.  Butter one side of the bread slices.  Cover the bottom of the dish with the bread butter-side-up.  Put the cheese and other fillings on top of the bread.  Add another layer of buttered bread.  Whisk the eggs, milk, salt and seasonings together thoroughly.  Pour over the bread, cover and refrigerate overnight.

Take the baking dish out of the fridge and place in a COLD oven.  Set the temperature for 350F and bake uncovered of ragout 1 hour.  It'll get golden brown and puffy, kind of like a soufflé.  Serve immediately.

Italian Tacos

My middle gingersnap said this was her favorite meal from Jessie's menu.  I admit I raised one eyebrow at the thought of an Italian-style taco, but they were so simple and good!  I liked the beef/sausage combo. 


1/2 pound Italian sausage
1 pound ground beef (I just used 1/2 pound)
1 (16 ounce) jar tomato pasta sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
8 taco shells, heated
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tablespoon dried Italian seasoning

Combine the ground beef and Italian sausage in a large heavy skillet. Cook over medium heat until evenly browned. Drain off excess grease, and season meat with Italian seasoning.

Heat the pasta sauce in a saucepan over medium heat until heated through. When the sauce is warm, stir in the sugar.

Fill taco shells with the meat mixture, spoon pasta sauce over, and top with mozzarella cheese.

Orzo with Kale, Corn, and Sausage

We all really enjoyed this.  Using a spicy sausage would add more depth and interest, but the mild flavor was perfect for little mouths.

Adapted from this recipe.

1 450g package orzo pasta
six links sausage, casings removed (I used mild Italian flavored)
1 large bunch of kale, stems removed and chopped into small-ish pieces
2 cups corn
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
salt
pepper
1/4 cup parmesan cheese


Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the orzo, cooking until al dente, or about 5 minutes. Drain well and put it back into the pot it was cooked in. 

While the orzo is cooking, heat a large skillet and add the sausage meat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. When the meat is no longer pink add the kale and corn and continue cooking until the sausage is cooked through, and the kale is wilted. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Pour the sausage mixture into the pot of orzo, add the parmesan cheese and lots of fresh ground pepper. Stir to combine. Check the seasonings and add salt if desired

Spicy Pork Stew with Chickpeas and Sausage

Get ready for some seriously yummy recipes!  My dear friend, Jessie, from Bites was here for a visit and we made it a priority to cook delicious things together!  This stew was perfect for a fall day; hearty,  flavorful and, between the two of us, seemed fairly easy to put together.

adapted from this recipe

1 Tbsp olive oil
1.5 to 2 pounds pork shoulder, cut into 1-2 inch chunks
Salt
1 large onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
6-8 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
3 links hot Italian sausage links (not loose) or Spanish chorizo 
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
3 1/2 cups water
1 Tbsp dried parsley
2 Tbsp sweet paprika (I used 2 Tbsp paprika total - it was smoked, not sweet)
1-2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches to ensure that you do not crowd the pan, brown the pieces of pork shoulder. If there is a fatty side to a chunk of pork, put that side down on the pan to help render out the fat. Sprinkle a little salt over the pork as it cooks. Once browned, set aside to a bowl.

Once the pork pieces have browned and have been removed from the pan, drain off all but a couple tablespoons of fat from the pan. Add the chopped onions and carrots to the pan. Stir well and scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pot. Cook over medium-high heat until the onions start to brown. Add the chopped garlic and cook for another minute.

Add the pork, the sausage links, diced tomatoes, water, and parsley then stir to combine. Stir in the various paprikas. Add salt to taste. Bring to a simmer and cook for at least 2 hours, or until the pork shoulder is melt-in-your mouth tender.

Remove the sausages from the pot and cut them into chunks, then return them to the pot. Add the chickpeas and stir well; adjust salt to taste. Cook for 5 minutes further until chickpeas are tender.

Excellent served with crusty bread and red wine.

BBQ Cabbage & Sausage Stuffed Rolls

photo credit here

Jessie posted this recipe and we really enjoyed it.  They also made great leftovers for lunches.

1 pound sausage, either raw or smoked
1/2 head green cabbage, shredded
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 small white onion, diced (optional)
1 cup BBQ sauce
1/4 pound provolone cheese, thinly sliced (I used mozzarella)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound bread dough or 8 to 16 premade dough rolls, thawed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted


Crumble the sausage into a large sauté pan and cook over medium-high heat until browned and completely cooked through. Drain the fat. Add the cabbage, garlic, and onion (if using) and cook over medium heat until wilted and soft. Add BBQ sauce and stir frequently until warm. Add the cheese to the pan and stir continuously so it doesn't stick or burn. When the cheese has just melted, remove pan from heat and set aside. Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary.

Preheat oven to 450°. Taking a small amount of dough (slightly larger than a clementine and smaller than a baseball) press it flat with your hands and pull gently on the sides — like you were making a mini pizza crust. Place dough in the palm of your hand or on a flat surface and spoon 1/4 cup of the mixture onto the dough. Working quickly pinch together the ends, folding them over gently to ensure they stay closed. Flip the ball over and rub gently on the counter in a small circular motion to regain its shape.


Lay each ball on a baking sheet covered in parchment paper that's been lightly floured (I just lightly sprayed my pan and they didn't stick at all). When tray is full, brush the tops with butter, sprinkle with salt and bake for 15 to 25 minutes until golden brown.


Allow to cool completely if freezing or refrigerating (otherwise the bread will get soggy) or enjoy while still warm!

Paella

Jessie and I "challenged" each other to make one of our fall favorite meals.  This was the recipe she sent to me and it was de-li-cious!  We all loved it.  It made a ton, which we enjoyed as leftovers and shared with neighbors.  Jessie's recipe is here, but I ended up halving the amount of meat and thought there was still plenty.


5 (4 ounce) links hot Italian sausage, cut into 1 inch pieces
4 chicken tenders or strips
1 pound medium shrimp - peeled and deveined
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips
1 large stalk celery, with leaves, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups uncooked long grain rice
2 (14.5 ounce) cans peeled and diced tomatoes, juice reserved
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
3 1/2 cups chicken broth

Heat a wok over medium-high heat. Fry hot and mild Italian sausage pieces in the wok until brown on all sides. Remove sausage, and fry the chicken strips in the sausage drippings until browned. Remove chicken and saute onions, green pepper, celery, and garlic for 5 minutes, or until tender.



Stir in the uncooked rice, tomatoes, bay leaves, salt, oregano and turmeric. Cook and stir for 1 minute, then mix in 1/2 cup of reserved tomato juice and chicken broth. Add chicken pieces, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes.


Add sausage to the mixture, and continue to simmer for 15 minutes, then stir in the shrimp; cover and cook for 5 to 10 more minutes, or until shrimp is cooked through.

Sausage and Egg Biscuits

These are super simple and were the perfect freezer-go-to when I hadn't planned ahead for the kids' lunch.  They weren't my personal favorite, but I'll make them again to have on hand.


Start with 1 lb sausage (maple flavored) - or use ground meat and make your own (to make your own maple flavored, replace the thyme an oregano with 2 Tbsp maple syrup from the following recipe):

make your own sausage with 2 pounds ground meat:
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tbsp salt
2 tsp oregano
2 tsp thyme
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp pepper

Okay, back to the biscuit things . . .

Brown the sausage.

In a bowl, mix:
6 eggs
1/3 cup milk
2/3 cups spinach
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

Grease muffin pan.  Fill muffin cups 1/3 full with sausage.  Then add egg mixture to fill another 1/3 full, so each cup is 2/3 full.

Bake at 375 for 35-40 minutes.

Either cool and freeze or serve on biscuits with slices of cheese.

Brazilian Rice and Beans

Alana tipped me off to this More-With-Less recipe.  I'm not sure what makes it Brazilian, but it made enough to feed the multitudes so be prepared to freeze, or better yet - share with friends!  We liked it.




2 cups dried pinto or kidney beans (or 6 cups cooked beans)
4 cups total of 2-4 of the following vegetables, chopped:
- potato
- chayote
- cabbage
- pumpkin
- okra
- carrot
1/2 lb ground meat (beef or pork)
1/4 lb smoked meat (bacon, sausage, etc.)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped (optional)
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp coriander
1 bay leaf
salt and pepper to taste



Soak beans overnight. Drain.  Bring 6 cups water to a boil then add beans and simmer until tender, about 2 hours.


In large dutch oven, heat 1-2 Tablespoons of oil and cook together about 4 cups of 2-4 of vegetables listed above. Cook just until tender.  Remove from pan.  Set aside.

In the same pan, saute ground meat, smoked meat, garlic, onion, green pepper, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, coriander, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Simmer 30 minutes (I just cooked mine until the meat was done.  There weren't many juices to simmer in).

Add cooked beans and vegetables back to the pan with the meat mixture and heat together 2 minutes. Serve with rice.

Sausage and Swiss Chard Strata

My husband and I loved this recipe from Everyday Foods.  I love things that can be made ahead!  This was my first time using Gruyere cheese.  I'm not a big fan of swiss cheese in general, and the smell bugged me a bit, but the flavor went perfectly with the bitter swiss chard and sweet chicken and apple sausage I chose.


2 shallots, finely chopped
1 bunch Swiss Chard, stems diced medium, leaves torn into 2-inch pieces and rinsed
salt and pepper
1 day-old baguette, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
2 1/2 cups whole milk
7 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese (3 ounces)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Heat a large skillet over medium-high.  Add sausage and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes.  Transfer sausage to a small bowl, leaving behind as much fat as possible.  Add shallots and chard stems to skillet and cook over medium heat until shallots are translucent, about 3 minutes.  Add a little water to pan and cook, stirring and scraping up browned bits from skillet with a spoon.  Add chard leaves and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 3 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.

Spread half the sausage in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and top with half the chard mixture.  Top with bread, overlapping slices slightly.  Top with remaining sausage and chard mixture.  In a large bowl, whisk together milk and eggs, season with salt and pepper, and pour evenly over top.  Firmly press on strata to submerge bread in egg mixture.  Cover dish tightly with foil and let sit 10 minutes (or refrigerate up to overnight).

Bake strata 45 minutes.  Uncover, sprinkle with cheese and bake until cheese melts and the egg mixture is set in center.

Wild Rice, Mushroom, and Sausage Soup

I made four batches of this to share with my monthly meal swap girls.  I didn't think you would want a picture of frozen soup in a large ziploc.  It was a thick and heart soup, but I would be a little more picky with my sausage choice next time.  That's where most of the flavor comes from and my choice of mild italian sausage was a bit boring.


5 cups chicken broth
1 cup wild rice (I used a wild rice, long-grain white rice combo)
2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces smoked turkey or chicken sausage, cut into ½-inch slices
1 medium onion, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
4 ounces cremini or white mushrooms, sliced (about 2 cups)
½ cup heavy cream (I used half and half)
salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a medium saucepan, combine the broth and wild rice, cover partially and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, celery and mushrooms and cook until the onions are softened, about 3 minutes.

Add the cooked wild rice and its broth to the sausage and vegetables and simmer, uncovered, until the rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Add the cream and heat through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Servings: 4

Slow Cooker Jambalaya

The only jambalaya I'd ever made came from a Zatarain's box, so this was definitely a step up in my book!  It had just the right amount of spice for my taste and was a much lighter version than I'm used to.  Since the rice doesn't cook in with the meat, you could even serve it with a crusty loaf as a non-traditional-jambalaya-stew-thing.  Maybe?!   

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes

1/2 pound andouille sausage, diced

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 medium onion, chopped

1 green pepper, seeded and chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

1 cup chicken broth

2 tsp dried oregano

2 tsp Cajun or Creole seasoning

1 tsp hot sauce

2 bay leaves

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1 pound frozen peeled and cooked shrimp, thawed

cooked rice for serving

In a slow cooker, combine chicken, sausage, tomatoes, onion, green pepper, celery, and chicken broth.  Stir in oregano, Cajun seasoning, hot sauce, bay leaves and thyme.  Cover and cook on Low for 7 hours or on High for 3 hours.  Stir in the thawed shrimp, cover and cook until the shrimp is heated through, about 5 minutes.  Discard bay leaves and spoon mixture over cooked rice.

Penne with Pumpkin and Sausage

The other half of my can of pumpkin went towards this tasty meal.  Like most pasta dishes, it's a bit dried out as leftovers (and it makes a lot!), but has great flavor and the sweet sausage is just right.  My son wanted his carrots included in the picture!




2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage
4 cloves garlic, cracked and chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
4-6 sprigs sage leaves (about 2 tablespoons), cut into chiffonade (I used 1 Tbsp dried)
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup heavy cream (I used whole milk)
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, ground or freshly grated
Coarse salt and black pepper
1 pound penne rigate, cooked to al dente
Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, for grating




Heat a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add 1 Tbsp olive oil to the pan and brown the sausage in it.  Transfer sausage to a paper towel-lined plate.  Drain fat from skillet and return pan to the stove.  Add the remaining Tbsp oil, followed by the garlic and onion.  Saute 3-5 minutes until the onions are tender.


Add bay leaf, sage and wine to the pan.  Reduce wine by half, about 2 minutes.  Add stock and pumpkin and stir to combine, stirring sauce until it comes to a bubble.  Return sausage to pan; reduce heat and stir in cream.  Season the sauce with the cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and pepper, to taste.  Simmer mixture 5-10 minutes to thicken sauce.


Return drained pasta to the pot you cooked it in.  Remove the bay leaf from sauce and pour the sausage pumpkin sauce over the pasta.  Combine sauce and pasta and toss over low heat for 1 minute.  Garnish the pasta with lots of shaved cheese and sage leaves.  

Black-Eyed Pea Soup

Happy New Year!  We kicked off 2011 with some traditional black-eyed peas crock-pot style.  They were so yummy, we gobbled them up before I could get a picture of the finished product.  I see no reason to wait until next year to make this again!




1 pound dried black eyed peas
1 pound spicy sausage, sliced
6 cups chicken broth
1 yellow onion, diced
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
4 cloves garlic, diced
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
tabasco sauce, optional


Soak you beans overnight.  Drain and pick out the broken and discolored beans in the morning.


Dump the veggies into the crock pot with your pre-soaked beans.  Add sliced sausage.  Pour in broth and stir in Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.


Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for about 6.  Before serving, use a stick blender to smash up about 1 cup of beans, or scoop out 1 cup of beans and blend them with a bit of the broth in a blender, then add back to the soup.  Don't blend too much - just enough to get the broth thicker and creamy-looking.


Ladle into bowls and add Tabasco sauce to taste.

Black Beans and Sausage

The whole family loved this!  My husband said (in between bites) this one needs to be a long-time family keeper.  I don't think it needs the yogurt, but a pan of cornbread is a perfect side.  I pulled the picture from the Everyday Food website.  My camera broke this weekend, so you get a break from my amateur food photography until we figure out something else.

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound Kielbasa or other smoked sausage cut into one inch pieces
4 medium carrots, diced small
1 medium onion, chopped small
coarse salt, ground pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups chicken broth
3 TB chopped fresh parsley, plus more for serving
1/4 cup plain yogurt, for serving - optional


In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high. Add sausage and cook until browned on all sides.  About 8 minutes.Transfer to a plate.
Add carrots and shallots to the skillet, and cook until beginning to soften.  About 4 minutes.
season with salt and pepper.
Add garlic and cook until fragrant - about one minute.
Add black beans and broth and bring mixture to a boil.  Add sausage, reduce heat to a rapid simmer, and cook until carrots are tender - about 12 minutes.
Remove  from heat, stir in parsley, serve with more parsley and a dollop of yogurt.

Spicy Sausage Dip

After seeing this recipe posted twice (here and here), I decided I had to try it out. I made the mistake of serving it to a group of guys and not doubling the recipe. I'm pretty sure I saw someone scrapping the remnants with their finger! You really can't go wrong with this one.

1 8 oz. block cream cheese

1 can rotel, drained

1 lb. spicy breakfast sausage

Brown the sausage in a skillet and drain on a paper towel. Add cream cheese, rotel and sausage to small crockpot. Cook on low for 90min. Devour.

Stuffed Sausage Shells

Ooooh - this was delicious! (not my picture - the camera battery was dead) It wasn't as much work as I thought it would be just from reading the recipe, and was so yummy! I'd say lasagna and manicotti got together and this is what they made.


1 12-ounce package jumbo pasta shells
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 large egg
16-ounces ricotta cheese
10-ounces chopped frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed dry, chopped further (or 10 ounces chopped fresh spinach)
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 cup unseasoned bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 28-ounce can tomatoes with herbs, including the liquid, tomatoes broken up (or your favorite tomato or pasta sauce)

2 9x13 shallow baking dishes

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (1 teaspoon salt per quart of water). Cook the pasta shells according to the instructions on the package. Drain, rinse in cold water, and set aside.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet on medium high heat. Add the onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the sausage to the pan, breaking up the sausage into smaller bits. Cook sausage until cooked through, and no pink remains, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds to a minute more. Remove pan from heat.

Beat the egg lightly in a large bowl. Mix in the ricotta, chopped spinach, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese, basil, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, and sausage mixture. Fill each cooked pasta shell with some of the ricotta, spinach, sausage mixture. FYI - I filled my shells too full and ran out of mixture at the end.

Spread 1/2 cup chopped canned tomatoes over the bottom of each of the baking dishes. Arrange the stuffed pasta shells in the dishes. Spread the remaining tomatoes over the top of the pasta shells.

At this point you can make ahead, to freeze (up to four months) or refrigerate before cooking. (If freezing, cover with foil, then wrap with plastic wrap.)

Heat oven to 375°F. Cover the pans with foil and bake for 30 minutes, until hot and bubbling. Remove foil and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese, bake uncovered for 10 more minutes.

Serves 8.