Sausage adds a rich and spicy flavor to anything. It's great in pasta, creole food, egg dishes, or on a barbeque, Here a few ways to bring more sausage into your life.
Polenta with Sausage Ragu & Roasted Onions & Peppers
Zucchini, Sausage, and Orzo Stuffed Peppers
Chiocciole with Rapini & Hot Italian Sausage
Sassy Sausage and Hash Brown Breakfast Bake
This is a pretty easy pasta dinner that is mostly thrown together in a skillet. It reminds me of my childhood addiction to Hamburger Helper, only this is much fresher and tastier. This recipe is adapted from Coupon Clipping Cook who used 2 turkey sausaged, but I like spicer and jucier sausage and recommend spicy pork or just some bulk italian sausage.
Bow Tie Pasta and Italian Sausage Skillet
1 ½ cup uncooked bow tie pasta
3 Italian sausages
½ bell pepper
½ onion
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 dashes salt
¼ cup water
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 can cut tomatoes (14.5 ounces)
2 tablespoons cut fresh parsley (or 2 teaspoons dried parsley)
6 thick slices mozzarella
8 heaping teaspoons ricotta
2 teaspoons grated parmesan cheese
Boil the bow tie pasta until it’s al dente. While the pasta is boiling, cut the onion and bell pepper in ¼ to ½ inch slices. Heat a large skillet on medium heat and add the sausage; squeeze the sausage out of its casing into small pieces. Add sausage and olive oil to a pan over medium/high heat. Add the sliced onions and bell peppers to the pan and cook until softened. Add the cut tomatoes, water, red pepper flakes, pepper, oregano, and salt. Gently stir all of the ingredients in the skillet together. Add just 1 tablespoon of the parsley; reserve the other tablespoon for garnish. Toss in the drained al dente pasta, and gently stir the ingredients together. Add the slices of mozzarella on top of the ingredients in the skillet leaving space in between each slice. Add each teaspoon of ricotta cheese in between each slice of mozzarella. Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil, pepper, and parsley. Lastly, sprinkle the parmesan cheese on top. Cover the skillet with a lid and let simmer until the mozzarella cheese is melted (about 5 minutes).
Oscars are here again. I haven't seen 127 hours because the concept of watching a guy trapped under a rock for 127 hours before cutting his arm off to free himself doesn't sound like something I'd like to call a babysitter to go out and see. However, I am more than happy to make a slow cooked pork shoulder to celebrate it's accomplishments.
Cider-Braised Pork Shoulder with Caramelized Onions
1 (3- to 4-lb) bone-in fresh pork shoulder half (preferably arm picnic)
2 garlic cloves, cut into slivers
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 lb onions (5 or 6 medium), halved lengthwise, then cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
3/4 cup unfiltered apple cider
Preheat oven to 325°F.
Score fat and any skin on pork in a crosshatch pattern. Make slits all over meat with a small sharp knife and insert a garlic sliver in each slit. Pat pork dry and season with salt and pepper.
Heat oil in a 4- to 5-quart ovenproof heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown meat on all sides, turning occasionally with the aid of tongs and a carving fork, about 8 minutes. Transfer pork to a plate.
Add onions to pot and sauté over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to turn golden, about 5 minutes. Add 3/4 teaspoon salt and sauté, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden and caramelized, 8 to 10 minutes more.
Stir in cider and return pork to pot.
Cover pot with a tight-fitting lid and braise pork in middle of oven until very tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
Transfer pork to a serving dish with the aid of tongs and carving fork. Boil cooking juices with onions until mixture is reduced to about 2 cups, 2 to 3 minutes, then season with salt and pepper and serve with pork.
2011 is all about Rachael Ray in my house. I've been burned by other cooking magazines and food blogs, but her recipes are always above average and user friendy. This is her faux version of Chingiale - a thick, savory meat sauce made with wild boar and a hint of cloves. It changed lives when I made it over the holidays this year.
Rachael Ray's Cinghiale and Rigatoni
Salt and pepper
1 pound rigatoni pasta or broken curly-edge lasagna noodles
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 pound ground pork
3/4 pound ground beef
1 carrot, finely chopped or grated
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 sprigs thyme, stems discarded and leaves finely chopped
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
2 pinches ground cloves or allspice
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup dry white wine (eyeball it)
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup whole milk
1 cup grated pecorino romano cheese
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain.
While the pasta is working, in a dutch oven or heavy pot, heat the EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat until smoking. Add the pork and beef and cook, stirring, until browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the carrot, onion, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, cocoa and cloves; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste for 1 minute, then stir in the wine. Stir in the chicken stock and milk, lower the heat and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaf.
Stir the pasta into the sauce and simmer for 5 minutes longer. Stir in the cheese to coat. Serve the pasta in shallow bowls.
Sweet potatoes make an amazing cream sause with sausage and sage. I made this recently for a friend's mountain birthday getaway and it pretty much blew my tits off.
Penne with Sweet Potato and Sausage
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon
1 pound bulk sweet Italian sausage
4 cloves garlic, cracked and chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
1 tablespoon dried sage
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock, canned or paper container
1 sweet potato baked and mashed* or 1 cup canned
1/2 cup (3 turns around the pan) heavy cream
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, ground
Coarse salt and black pepper
1 pound penne rigate, cooked to al dente
Romano or Parmigiano, for grating
*If using a fresh sweet potato: Heat oven to 400° F. Pierce each sweet potato several times with the tines of a fork. Place the sweet potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Bake until tender, about 45 minutes.
Heat a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and brown the sausage in it. Transfer sausage to paper towel lined plate. Drain fat from skillet and return pan to the stove. Add the remaining tablespoon oil, and then the garlic and onion. Saute 3 to 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 sweet potato 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 and nutmeg, and salt and pepper, to taste. Simmer mixture 5 to 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 pasta. Combine sauce and pasta and toss over low heat for 1 minute. Garnish the pasta with lots of shaved cheese.
As much as I enjoyed making Roma tomato jam, the recipe made a ton and there is only so much sweet and fruity tomato jam I can eat. Tonight I decided to balance the sweet fruitiness with some carrots and spicy sausage and put it over pasta. It turned out pretty tasty. I'd recommend it for anyone with too much tomato jam on their hands.
Sausage, Carrot, and Roma Tomato Jam Rigatoni
about 4 cups leftover Roma tomato jam
1 lb ground sausage
2-3 carrots, chopped
1 Tblsp olive oil
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 lb Rigatoni
In a large pot Boil pasta until al dente. Add olive oil, red pepper flakes, and carrots to another pot over medium high heat. Sweat carrots 1-2 minutes, add sausage and cook until browned. Add leftover tomato jam and simmer until heated though. Serve over pasta.
I love to make pork in my slow cooker, but the idea of slow cooked pork with apples, onions, vinegar, and wine might send me over the edge. She recommends this pork on a salad or bun, but I'm thinking it would make an insane Cuban.
Crock Pot Granny Smith Pulled Pork
(from Crepes of Wrath)
2 pounds pork butt or shoulder (bone in or boneless, it doesn’t matter which)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 Granny Smith apples, washed and sliced thinly (I didn’t peel mine because you can’t really tell if the skins are there after everything has cooked…plus I’m lazy)
2 onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 cup white wine
3 tablespoons dark or light brown sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Rub the pork with salt and pepper. Add the pork to the crock pot, then add in the rest of the ingredients. Cook on high for 5 hours or on low for 8 hours.
When the pork is ready, remove it from the crock pot and set on a cutting board. Drain the juices from the crock pot and set them aside to use as needed. Shred the pork with two forks and return to the crock pot. Add in a little juice, then as much as you feel you need. Serve over a salad or on a bun.
I got this recipe from Ezra Pound Cake. He offered a vegetarian version and a sausage filled version. Both sound pretty amazing and I plan on making one of each. This would be perfect for those troublesome vegetarian friends that you always end up with at your dinner table.
Butternut Squash Casserole
Adapted from Matt and Ted Lee’s “The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook” Serves 8 to 10 people
3 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut in 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 6 cups)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 large yellow onions, trimmed, peeled and chopped (about 3 cups)
1 cup whole or low-fat buttermilk
2 large eggs, beaten
2 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
1/2 cup bread crumbs, toasted
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds or pecans, toasted
2 cups coarsely grated cheddar cheese (about 6 ounces)
Optional: 4 to 6 large handfuls of fresh spinach, washed and stemmed (add to the same water as the squash in step 2 during the last minute of boiling)
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Butter a 9-x-13-inch baking dish or 4-quart casserole.
Place 3 quarts water in a large stockpot and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the squash to the water, return to a boil, and cook for 6 minutes. The squash will turn a deeper orange. Drain it and set aside.
Melt the butter in the stockpot and add the oil. Add the onions and sauté over medium-low heat until translucent and limp, about 8 minutes, stirring to prevent browning. Add the warm squash and the buttermilk, eggs, thyme, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, 1/8 cup pumpkin seeds and 1 1/3 cups cheese. Blend with a wooden spoon or spatula until the ingredients are well combined.
Spread the mixture evenly in the baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the remaining 1/8 cup pumpkin seeds and 2/3 cup cheese. Bake 15 minutes more. Remove from the oven and serve immediately.
Not-So-Meatless Sausage Squash Casserole Variation: Follow the recipe above (minus the spinach), but use 2 1/2 pounds squash and 1 pound hot Italian sausage, cut on the bias into 1/2-inch-thick pieces and seared in a 12-inch skillet over high heat until golden brown. Add the sausage to the squash mixture in step 3 and complete the recipe as above.
Bloghungry is looking to cut back on his day job hours a lot when the baby comes. That also means cutting back on the grocery bill a bit. I have been inspired by the food The 99 Cent Chef has been cranking out. For those of you in other areas of the country, California has 99 cent only stores that offer a surprising variety of foods. The 99 Cent Chef tries to use only ingredients that can be found at the 99 cent store.
If you don't have a 99 cent only store in your area, his recipes can still be cost effective and tasty. Watch the chef and his mom make an authentic jumbalya. Food network could learn something from the authenticity of these two. For my jambalaya, I added tomatoes and some wine and served it over sauteed spinach with my favorite skillet cornbread.
Bloghungry's Jambalaya (altered from 99 Cent Chef)
1 lb. boneless chicken breasts
1 lb. boneless pork
1 lb. spicy breakfast sausage links
1 onion choppped
6-8 cloves of garlic, minced or freshly chopped
1 green pepper, diced
2 cups rice (long cooking)
28oz can of diced tomatoes
3/4 cup white wine
3 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons of oil for browning meat
1 tablespoon of cajun seasoning (readily found at 99c only Stores)
Pepper to taste (add salt if you do not have cajun seasoning)
Cut or section meats into bite-sized chunks. Add oil and saute meat over medium heat in a large cast iron pot (any pot really - should hold at least 12 cups) until very brown for about 45 minutes; add sausage toward the end because it browns quickly (take out pork and chicken if too crowded for sausage.) Add chopped onion, garlic, cajun seasonings, pepper and sautee until tender. Add tomatoes with juice, wine, and water. Cover and cook all meat at low boil for about 45 minutes. Add rice and cook for 20 minutes more. Afterward, stir meat and rice, cover again, turn off heat and let stand for 15 minutes more while you have a glass of wine and set the table. Jambalaya freezes then reheats with a microwave nicely. It's a dish that tastes better the next day.
This recipe is a childhood favorite of mine that my dad used to make around the holidays or for breakfast events. He usually made his biscuit dough from scratch, but I'm a big fan of biscuit mixes. If your feeling extra glutinous, you can also sprinkle some of your favorite cheese over the sausage rolls during the last 5 minutes of baking.
Sausage Rolls
3 cups Bisquick
1 cup milk
2 rolls sausage
Combine biscuit mix and milk into biscuit dough. Roll out dough on floured surface until 1/4" think. Spread sausage over dough (about the same thickness as the dough) and roll dough tightly into a log. Wrap log in wax paper and place into freezer until hardened enough to slice (about 1 hour to overnight). Slice log into 3/4" slices and place on greased baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees until golden brown (about 10-15 minutes).
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